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Diabetic Recipes – Meal Salads

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Carb Counter’s Diabetic Cookbook

Mexican Crab Salad

Ingredients:

6 c mixed baby salad greens
2 c cooked lump crabmeat or chunk-style imitation crabmeat
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium ripe avacado, halved lengthwise, seeded, peeled, and sliced
1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 c white vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

Divide the salad greens among the 6 dinner plates. Carefully clean lump crabmeat, removing any shell or cartilage pieces. Arrange the crabmeat, tomatoes, avocado, and chile peppers on top of salad greens. Sprinkle with onion and cilantro. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, and cumin. Cover and shake well. Pour the dressing over salads.

Makes 6 Servings.

Dietary Exchanges: 1 1/2 Vegetable, 1 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 2 Fat

Nutrients Per Serving:
168 Calories
11 g Total Fat
1 g Saturated Fat
3 g Carbohydrate
4g Sugar
11 g Protein
47 mg Cholesterol
415 mg Sodium
3 g Fiber

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Chicken and Melon-Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 medium cantalope
8 dried jumbo pasta shells
8 oz, cooked or grilled chicken ( 1 cup )
1/2 c finely chopped, peeled honeydew melon
1/4 c plain low-fat yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:

Cut each cantalope half into thirds. Cover and chill 4 of the wedges until ready to serve. Peel and chop the remaining 2 wedges; set aside. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine chopped cantalope, chicken, honeydew melon, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, and mustard. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into each cooked pasta shell. To serve, arrange 2 filled pasta shells and a cantalope wedges on each dinner plate. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme.

Makes 4 Servings.

Dietary Exchanges: 1 Fruit, 1 Starch, 1 1/2 Very Lean Meat

Nutrients Per Serving:
186 Calories
2 g Total Fat
0 g Saturated Fat
29 g Carbohydrate
16 g Sugar
14 g Protein
26 mg Cholesterol
55 mg Sodium
2 g Fiber

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Dilled Tuna and Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 medium red potatoes
1/2 c light mayonaise dressing or salad dressing
1/2 c plain fat-free yogurt
1 tbsp snipped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tbsp fat-free milk
1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c chopped cucumber
1/4 c sliced green onions
1/4 c coarsaly chopped radishes
1 8-oz can chunk white tuna (water pack), drained and broken into chunks
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
6 c shredded red-tipped leaf lettuce

Directions:

Scrub potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch cubes. In a covered medium saucepan cook potatoes in a small amount of boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes or just until tender. Drain and cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together mayonaise dressing, yogurt, dill, milk, lemon peel, salt, and garlic. Stir in cucumber, green onions, and radishes. Add cooked potatoes, tuna, and chopped eggs; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 4 to 6 hours. To serve, line 6 dinner plates with shredded lettuce. Gently stir tuna mixture and spoon on top of lettuce.

Makes 6 Servings.

Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 2 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

Nutrients Per Serving:
227 Calories
10 g Total Fat
2 g Saturated Fat
19 g Carbohydrate
3 g Sugar
16 g Protein
96 mg Cholesterol
425 mg Sodium
2 g Fiber

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Warm Fajita Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces boneless beef top sirlion steak
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
2 small onions, cut into thin wedges
2 small green, red, and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 10-oz package torn mixed salad greens ( about 8 cups )
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 recipe Baked Tortilla Strips ( optional )
Bottled salsa ( optional )

Directions:

For sauce, in a samll bowl combine lime juice, broth, cilantro, cornstarch, and garlic. Set aside. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into thin bite-size strips. Sprinkle with cumin, salt, and black pepper; toss to coat. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sweet peppers; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from skillet. Add oil to hot skillet. Add meat; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center. Push meat from center of skillet. Stir sauce. Add sauce to center of skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return cooked vegetables to skillet. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir until heated through. To serve, arrange the salad greens and tomatoes on 4 dinner plates. Spoon meat mixture on top of greens. If desired, top with Baked Tortilla Strips; serve with salsa.

Baked Tortilla Strips: Cut 2 corn tortillas into 1/4-inch strips. Place strips on an ungreased baking sheet. Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Combine 1/8 teaspoon each paprika and chili powder; sprinkle over tortilla strips. Bake in a 400 degrees oven for 8 minutes or until golden and crisp, stirring once.

Makes 4 Servings.

Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 2 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

Nutrients Per Serving:
200 Calories
8 g Total Fat
2 g Saturated Fat
14 g Carbohydrate
4 g Sugar
21 g Protein
52 mg Cholesterol
246 mg Sodium
4 g Fiber