Recipes to Help Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you understand the importance of keeping up with your health. Below are three healthy recipes to help take the heavy lifting out of your meal planing!

*Please note: speak with your doctor about what foods are best for you.

Breakfast: Sausage Egg Burritos

Ingredients

• 1/2-pound bulk lean turkey breakfast sausage
• 3 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• Salsa, optional

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 4-6 minutes. Remove from pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites until blended. In same pan, add eggs; cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are thickened, and no liquid egg remains. Remove from pan; wipe skillet clean if necessary.
3. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach, tomatoes and garlic; cook and stir until spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Stir in sausage and eggs; heat through. Sprinkle with pepper.
4. To serve, spoon 2/3 cup filling across center each tortilla. Fold bottom and sides of tortilla over filling and roll up. If desired, serve with salsa.

Nutrition Facts

1 burrito: 258 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 134mg cholesterol, 596mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 4g fiber), 20g protein. 

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Recipe found here.

Lunch: Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar or sugar substitute blend equivalent to 1 tablespoon sugar
• 12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
• 1 medium cucumber, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 2 cups bean sprouts

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add turkey; cook 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.
3. Add jalapeno, green onions and garlic; cook 2 minutes longer.
4. Stir in basil, lime juice, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sugar; heat through.
5. To serve, place turkey mixture in lettuce leaves; top with cucumber, carrot and bean sprouts. Fold lettuce over filling.

Nutrition Facts

3 lettuce wraps: 259 calories, 12g fat (3g saturated fat), 78mg cholesterol, 503mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 26g protein. 

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Recipe found here.

Dinner: Lemon-Lime Salmon with Veggie Sauté

Ingredients

• 6 salmon fillets (4 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium sweet red peppers, sliced
• 2 medium sweet yellow peppers, sliced
• 1 large red onion, halved and sliced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
• 2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, halved
• 2 cups cut fresh asparagus (1-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon

Directions

1. Place salmon in a 13x9-in. baking dish; add lemon and lime juices.
2. Sprinkle with seafood seasoning and salt.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 425° until fish flakes easily with a fork, 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté peppers and onion in oil for 3 minutes.
5. Add the corn, mushrooms and asparagus; cook and stir just until vegetables reach desired doneness, 3-4 minutes longer. Stir in tarragon. Serve with salmon.

Nutrition Facts

1 fillet with 1-1/4 cups vegetables: 329 calories, 15g fat (3g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 283mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 4g fiber), 27g protein. 

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

Recipe found here.