What is your favorite Diabetic Safe Recipe?

There are so many recipes out there and resources that it can get a little confusing when you are trying out new ones.  I thought it might be helpful if we made a thread that shared some of your favorite diabetic safe recipes.  This can just be something you make yourself all the time or a recipe you converted to be safe.  I need some good ideas and I think this might be some fun :)

[Rachel_R]

That's a very good idea. Here's my thoughts; I'm afraid if no new recipes are posted the thread will be buried. Why not send MedHelp a PM via Contact Us to see if they would add under Health Information, Healthy Living a Type 2 Diabetes Recipe blog, or perhaps create a new Diabetes - Adult Type 2 Diet Forum, or a new Diabetes - Adult Type 2 Nutrition forum? JMT

[seattlemom2plus]

Hi Rachel,

This is a great idea, I will contact them and get their input on this.  I think this would be very helpful for new time diabetics and just family members that want to cook something safe for their loved ones.  It really is an adjustment for the whole family.

[seattlemom2plus]

The support team at MedHelp really liked the idea so they made this post a sticky so it stays on top :D  So we can start posting our recipes.  I'll start us off.  My husband's grandmother used to love the Carrot Souffle that we would make for the holidays, but now I want to create a diabetic safe version so she doesn't feel like she has to miss out.

Carrot Souffle

1 pound baby carrots
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Combine carrots, water and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook, covered for 12 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Drain.
Process carrots and butter until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides.
Combine flour, baking powder, and SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener; add to carrot mixture and process until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time and process until blended.
Add vanilla and pulse 2 or 3 times.
Spoon mixture into a buttered 1 quart baking dish.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Serve immediately.
Makes 5 servings.

Some people like to use Stevia or Sun Crystals, feel free to experiment with your alternate sweetener of choice.

[WaveRider]

Nice recipe but for a t2 diabetic there a several ingredients that are a no-no.

1. White flour is a simple carb. Simple carbs are quickly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream as sugar. Whole wheat flour is a complex carb. It is a better choice. Use fine grind.

2. Read the vanilla extract ingredient label carefully. During process sometimes mfgs add sugar.

3. Also, careful with the Splenda. Do not use the "baking" Splenda as it contains sugar. Same applies to Sun Crystals as it contains Stevia AND cane sugar.

I'll put together a list of food alternatives - use this instead of that - and post later.

[seattlemom2plus]

That would be perfect WaveRider I look forward to the list :D

[WaveRider]

Here is a basic meal plan that anyone can expand upon. You can’t go wrong if you stick with whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, and other sugar free low carbohydrate products. Hemp milk doesn’t get you high. Instead, it is loaded with Omega 3 and 6’s, and high in antioxidants, and best of all, it has no sugar, cholesterol and carbohydrates and has zero calories.

Breakfast
• 1 slice toasted whole wheat bread with olive oil or dab of butter
• Or, take that wheat toast & spread low/no sugar low fat cream cheese, some capers and wild smoked salmon
• 1 egg or sugar free cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup plain oatmeal w/cinnamon powder
• Homemade granola using artificial syrup and Splenda
• Hemp milk
• 1/2 small banana or fruit of choice
• Coffee, tea or water

Lunch
• 1 cup vegetable soup with 4-6 whole wheat crackers
• 1 turkey or chicken sandwich [2 slices whole wheat bread] low-fat cheese, mayo & mustard, fresh lettuce
• Or, turkey pastrami sandwich, or make a chicken/turkey salad sandwich
• Or, fresh garden lettuce topped with chicken/turkey salad mix
• 1 small fruit of choice
• Sugar free peanut butter sandwich with sugar free jelly/jam/preserve
• Tea or water or Hemp milk

Dinner
• Broiled/baked chicken with lemon juice, basil and oregano sprinkled on top
• Or, 8oz lean meat, or turkey, or pork
• Cooked brown rice [not the sweet type]
• 1/2 cup steamed vegetables, or stir fried
• 1 small whole grain dinner roll with olive oil or dab of butter
• Tossed salad with 2 tablespoons low-fat sugar free salad dressing
• Tea or water or Hemp milk

Snacks [pick only two snacks per day]
• Fat-free tortilla chips with sugar free salsa
• Homemade granola using artificial syrup. Add peanut butter to mix to make bars
• 1 ounce string cheese plus one small piece of fruit
• 3 cups popped "lite" popcorn
• Roasted or baked nuts
• 1 slice toasted wheat bread; sugar free peanut butter, sugar free jam/jelly/preserve

Almost forgot, p-butter on a celery stalk makes for a good munchy

[seattlemom2plus]

WaveRider this is great! very exciting for me to see.  Do you by chance have the recipe for the homemade granola.  That would be a challenge to make for me without using a molasses sweetener.  I have never tried Hemp milk but I do use Almond Milk (unsweetened).  Awesome post!

[tom_h]

Here's my favorite breakfast item:

Egg Muffins

12 beaten eggs with a spash of water for fluff factor
grated cheese of your choice
optional meat of your choice.  I love Kielbasa, sausage, or bacon
vegatables which include brocolli, spinace, onion, tomato

Place cheese, meat, vegatables into  large size muffin pans which have been sprayed with Pam. add beaten egg. bake at 350 for about 22 minutes.  Cool, and refrigerate until needed.  I take one to work each day.  A handful of carbs and delicious smothered with hot sauce!

[WaveRider]

Lemon Tart


Crust:
1 cup fine grain whole wheat flour
1/8 cup Splenda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted organic butter, cut into pieces

Lemon Filling:
1 tub Trader Joes organic whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice [Eureka for tartness]
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon skin [outer skin only, white is bitter]

TIPS:
Always remove the zest first before halving and squeezing the lemon.
Use a fine strainer to remove seeds and pulp from the juice.

To Make Crust:
Combine dry ingredients
Add cold butter
Form into clumps [food processor, by hand, or with pastry blender]
Press into pan
Chill 15 minutes in freezer
Pour dry beans ½” thick to cover crust to prevent it from bubbling
Bake @ 425F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown

To Make Lemon Filling:
Beat the egg yolks
Add remaining ingredients, mix well
Whip the egg whites until peaks form
Fold egg whites with ingredients making sure not to stir [makes it nice and airy]
Pour into crust
Bake 25-30 minutes until set

Topping:
1/2 cup heavy organic whipping cream
Add Splenda to sweeten, or non-alcoholic non-sugar vanilla

Note: add Splenda to cream very slowly whisking briskly to prevent clumping then
           whip cream until peaks form

[ChitChatNine]

This thread is excellent.  My mom is diabetic.  I am going to have her stop by!

[ChitChatNine]

Wow .. the lemon tart!   I want it NOW!!!

[WaveRider]

Here's a good web site for 69 [minus a few] diabetic recipes. Since we're not allowed to post URLs, I'll spell it out; allrecipes period com. Once there use the search string  'diabetes recipes'. Try to avoid glucose raising foods such as potatoes, pasta, honey, and raisins and of course sugar.

[seattlemom2plus]

WaveRider that's an excellent recipe, the frustrating thing with the site that you pointed out, is I sometimes have to try several variations of a recipe until I find the one that is "good."  And with diabetic recipes especially it helps when you have some others backing up a recipe as their favorite tried and true recipe that they like.

My husband's grandmother has a favorite that she always makes, but here is the diabetic version that tastes just the same:

Chess Pie

1 stick butter , softened 1 Tbs. cornmeal 1/3 c. milk 3 eggs, beaten 3/4 c. splenda 1 teasp. vinegar 1 teasp. vanilla 1 unbaked pie crust

Combine splenda and butter. Beat in eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie shell.Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

[Super_sally888]

I "try" to eat low carb.

This means lots of eggs and nonstarchy veges for me.

Egg and vegetable quiche, without the crust is a favorite for me.

Lunch today was squash with minced beef.  Followed by some peanuts for desert.

[seattlemom2plus]

Crustless Ham & Egg Quiche

You can opt to use a crust if you want, but if you are cutting down on carbs/white flour omit it and just make sure you spray your pan with a cooking spray of choice.

6 eggs beaten
heavy cream (just enough to make it like scrambled egg consistency but not soupy)
mozzarella cheese (add as much as you like, we usually use about a pack of the shredded cheese which is 2 cups)
Breakfast ham (cut up and diced into squares) 1 or 2 slices
salt and pepper
frozen spinach thawed and drained (9 oz package)
Mix up and separate into 2 deep dish pie dishes.

Place 2 pats of butter on the top of each pie.

Cook at 375 degrees for about 1-2 hrs until browned on the top.

Now I am hungry, dang it!

[WaveRider]

This is a basic Granola recipe. I'm still playing around with it so it isn't perfect but still makes a nice treat.

Organic Whole Rolled Oatmeal
Organic Oat Flour [fine grind]
Organic Baking Soda
Organic Raw Nuts - Cashews and Pine Nuts
Joseph's Lite Cookies sugar free syrup [online]
Butter [optional]
Sugar free Vanilla Extract [optional]
Sunflower Seeds [optional]
Organic Puffed Oats if making Granola Bars

Pan roast nuts over med - low heat in dry pan. Careful not to burn.
Mix ratio is 4 cups oatmeal to 1/2 cup oat flour [Oat flour creates the clumping]
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
Mix dry ingredients well

Then add
1/3 cup syrup, mix well to coat mixture [wear gloves]

Spread mixture over parchment paper covering baking sheet
Bake @ 300-315° for 20-25  minutes [or until golden brown]
Set aside and let cool. Granola will be soft until it has cooled

If you can get your hands on Clemmy's Sugar Free Vanilla ice cream sprinkle a little over a scoop. Yummy.

[seattlemom2plus]

This sounds excellent!  I usually make granola with some raw almonds.  They just taste so good roasted and give everything a real nutty flavor.  Can't wait to try this one!

[WaveRider]

I forgot to mention other sugar free syrup alternatives to Joseph's. They are Walden Farms and Da Vinci Gourmet. Walden Caramel is supposed to be thicker and more flavorful than Josephs. Da Vinci has a ginormous selection, some to make popsicles.

[seattlemom2plus]

Da Vinci Gourmet is that like the same flavorings used as coffee syrups?

[WaveRider]

I believe flavored syrups can be used to flavor anything one desires; breakfast foods, hot and cold liquids, deserts, or snow cones/shaved ice.

[seattlemom2plus]

I certainly never thought of this, great idea!

[WaveRider]

A note on syrups: even though it says sugar free, sugar free syrups are medium-high in simple carbs. For diabetics go easy on the portions and use in moderation, let common sense prevail.

[seattlemom2plus]

Definitely a good tip I wouldn't have thought about that.