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Diabetic Recipes – Main Dish Fish

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Low-Carb Cooking, January-March 2005

The Omega-3 Story

Fish makes a great main dish when you’re carb counting, not only because it’s high in protein and low in carbs, but also because it contains omega-3 fatty acids.  These polyunsaturated fatty acids help protect against heart attack and are vital to the proper function of brain and nerve cells.  The fish that are especially abundant in omega-3 fatty acids are the high-fat cold-water fish, such as mackerel, albacore tuna, salmon, sardines, swordfish, and lake trout.  All shellfish also contain omega-3 fatty acids. **

Grilled Salmon with Herb Crust

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets, about 3/4 inch thick
1/3 c coarsely snipped fresh oregano
1/3 c coarsely snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 c sliced green onions
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic

Directions:

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 3 serving-size pieces, if necessary; set aside. In a food processor, combine oregano, cilantro, green onions, lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cover and process until chopped. (Or use a sharp knife to finely chop oregano, cilantro, green onions and garlic. Transfer to a shallow dish. Stir in lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper.) Generously coat both sides of fish with herb mixture. Place fish on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 6 to 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling.

Makes 3 Servings.

Nutrients Per Serving:
171 Calories
7 g Total Fat
1 g Saturated Fat
23 g Protein
3 g Carbohydrate
1 g Fiber
59 mg Cholesterol
276 mg Sodium

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Grilled Tuna with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

4 4-oz fresh or frozen tuna steaks or fillets (albacore or yellow fin), about 1 inch thick
1/2 c lightly salted peanuts
1/4 c water
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, quartered
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp bottled teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp water
chopped peanuts (optional)
sliced green onion (optional)

Directions:

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Measure thickness of fish and set aside. For peanut sauce, in a blender or food processor, combine the 1/2 cup peanuts, the 1/4 cup water, the green onion pieces, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Cover and blend or process until almost smooth; pour into a small saucepan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons water and set aside. In a small bowl, combine teriyaki sauce and the 1 tablespoon water. Brush both sides of each tuna steak or fillet with the teriyaki mixture. Place tuna on the lightly greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill just until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork (tuna can be slightly pink in center), turning once halfway through grilling.  Allow 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish. Slowly warm peanut sauce over medium-low heat. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it is heated. If desired, stir in additional water.) Spoon sauce over tuna. If desired, garnish with chopped peanuts and sliced green onion.

Makes 4 Servings.

Nutrients Per Serving:
301 Calories
17 g Total Fat
2 g Saturated Fat
32 g Protein
6 g Carbohydrate
2 g Fiber
51 mg Cholesterol
534 mg Sodium

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Grilled Swordfish with Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

2 6- to 8-ounce fresh or frozen swordfish or halibut steaks, cut 1 inch thick
2 tsp olive oil
1 small leek or 2 green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)
1 c chopped, seeded tomato
1/4 c snipped fresh basil
1 tbsp drained capers
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. For tomato chutney, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add leek or green onions; cook and stir just until vegetables are tender. Remove mixture from heat. Stir in tomato, basil, capers, pepper, and salt. Cover and keep warm. Brush all sides of fish with 2 tsp olive oil. Place fish on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling. Cut each fish steak in half. Serve the fish with tomato chutney.

Makes 4 Servings.

Nutrients Per Serving:
155 Calories
8 g Total Fat
2 g Saturated Fat
17 g Protein
3 g Carbohydrate
1 g Fiber
32 mg Cholesterol
218 mg Sodium