As we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, it’s important to think about the effects that cheating on your diet might have if you are a diabetic. Figuring out how to manage your diabetes, especially around the holidays, is important to your overall long term health. Here are a few delicious cold-weather recipes that can help get you back on track just in time for the new year. Check out Diabetic Connect for more recipes and meal ideas for every day of the week!
Dinner:
Red Beans and Rice With Chicken
Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup
Carb Grams Per Serving: 30
INGREDIENTS:
10 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup coarsely chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 – ounce can no-salt-added red beans, rinsed and drained
1 1 – container ready-to-serve cooked brown rice, such as Minute brand
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Lime wedges
Cayenne pepper (optional)
PREPARATION:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic; cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.
Stir beans, rice, broth, cumin, and the 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper into chicken mixture in skillet. Heat through. Serve with lime wedges. If desired, sprinkle with additional cayenne pepper. Makes 4 servings (1 cup each)
Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Servings Per Recipe: 4, sugar: (g) 2, fiber: (g) 10, iron: (mg) 2, calcium: (mg) 61, Cobalamin (Vit. B12): (g) 0, Polyunsaturated fat: (g) 1, Fat, total: (g) 5, chol.: (mg) 41, sat. fat: (g) 1, Monosaturated fat: (g) 3, cal.: (kcal) 272, pro.: (g) 25, carb.: (g) 30, Trans fatty acid: (g) 0, vit. C: (mg) 30, Thiamin: (mg) 0, vit. A: (IU) 194, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6): (mg) 1, Folate: (g) 12, Riboflavin: (mg) 0, sodium: (mg) 311, Niacin: (mg) 9, Potassium: (mg) 332
Diabetic Exchanges
Lean Meat (d.e): 2.5, Starch (d.e): 2, Vegetables (d.e): 0.5, Carb Choice (d.e): 2
Dessert:
Makes: 2 servings
Serving Size: 2 mini empanadas
Carb Grams Per Serving: 18
INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons butter
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 wonton wrappers (about 3-1/2-inch squares)
Ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar-free caramel ice cream topping, warmed (optional)
PREPARATION:
In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apple; cook for 6 to 8 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the vanilla.
For each mini empanada, lay a wonton wrapper on a work surface with a point toward you. Spoon one-fourth of the apple mixture on the lower half of the wonton wrapper. Brush edges of wonton wrapper with water. Working carefully, fold the top point down to meet the bottom point, forming a triangle. Gently press the edges together to seal.
Coat an unheated large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add empanadas. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden, turning once halfway through cooking.
Serve warm empanadas sprinkled with additional ground cinnamon and, if desired, drizzled with caramel topping. Makes 2 servings (2 mini empanadas each)
Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Servings Per Recipe: 2, iron: (mg) 1, Thiamin: (mg) 0, Riboflavin: (mg) 0, vit. A: (IU) 146, vit. C: (mg) 3, Polyunsaturated fat: (g) 0, Cobalamin (Vit. B12): (g) 0, Trans fatty acid: (g) 0, calcium: (mg) 20, fiber: (g) 2, Folate: (g) 16, Niacin: (mg) 1, sugar: (g) 6, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6): (mg) 0, Fat, total: (g) 4, chol.: (mg) 12, sat. fat: (g) 2, Monosaturated fat: (g) 1, cal.: (kcal) 117, pro.: (g) 2, carb.: (g) 18, Potassium: (mg) 84, sodium: (mg) 120
Diabetic Exchanges:
Fruit (d.e): 0.5, Starch (d.e): 0.5, Carb Choice (d.e): 1, Fat (d.e): 1
