Living with diabetes translates to special diets that often include a list of ingredients to be avoided and a smaller one of those that are good to go. That means complex food choices that often warrant a modified cooking routine. However, smart food choices can simplify this labour-intensive diabetes management. effort aided by little tricks that help manoeuvre the daily routine with absolute ease.
Enter one bowl recipes. For those days you want quick, nutritious meals without all that mess, there is simply nothing more comforting than making diabetes doctor . approved one-bowl.
Chicken Pasta Toss
- With 221 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving, this is truly a one-bowl wonder for someone undergoing diabetes treatment.
- A perfectly light and filling snack, with a variety in flavor and texture in every bite.
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves: 340 grams
Whole grain penne pasta: 170 grams
Olive oil: 1 tbsp.
Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
Red pepper: 1/4 teaspoon, crushed
Broccoli florets: 2 cups
Diced tomatoes with celery, green pepper, and onions: 400 grams can
Fresh basil or oregano: 1 tbsp.
Parmesan cheese: Shaved (optional)
Prep time: 13 minutes| Cook time: 10 minutes
Method:
- Chop the chicken into small pieces and keep it aside.
- Boil pasta according to instructions on the package. Drain and run it through cold water to keep it from sticking.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high setting. Add crushed red pepper and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Toss in broccoli and cook for an additional 3 minutes more. Remove broccoli alone from the pan.
- Add chicken right after and cook for 4 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Put the broccoli back into the pan and add tomatoes, green pepper, and onions along with pasta. Stir occasionally and cook till heated through.
- Serve hot topped with basil and parmesan cheese.
Number of servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 1/3cups
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 221 |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 33 mg |
| Sodium | 242 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g (3 g fiber, 5 g sugars) |
| Protein | 20 g |
Indian Vegetable Curry
- When you’re craving a hot and hearty desi meal, this slightly spicy, slightly sweet aromatic meal does the trick.
- It has good-for-you ingredients that keep out the cholesterol and is the perfect dish for on-the-go lunches.
Ingredients
Small onion: 1, chopped
Garlic: 4 cloves, chopped
Water: 2 tbsp.
Canola oil: 1 tbsp.
Sweet curry powder: 2 tbsp.
Sweet potato: 1
Carrots: 2
Red bell pepper: 1
Green beans: 56 g
Scallions: 4
Unsweetened coconut milk: ½ cup
Low sodium vegetable broth: ½ cup
Cornstarch: 1 tbsp.
Cilantro: 2 tbsp.
Paprika: 1 tsp.
Salt (optional): ½ tsp.
Ground black pepper: ¼ tsp.
Chopped Jalapeno: 1
Brown rice: 2 cups cooked
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Method
- Roughly chop onions and garlic. Peel, seed, and cut the sweet potato, carrots, and red bell peppers into 1’’ pieces and cut green beans into half. Thinly slice the entire scallions.
- Whisk together the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and cornstarch.
- Put garlic, onion, jalapeno, along with water in a blender and puree to a paste.
- Add oil to pan and place it on heat over a high setting. Once heated, add curry powder and paste and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Throw in sweet potatoes and carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir throughout.
- Add green beans, red bell pepper, and scallions. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Pour vegetable broth-coconut milk paste over these vegetables and bring them to a boil after which, turn down the heat to simmer. Keep covered for 10 minutes.
- Add the paprika, cilantro, salt, and black pepper.
- Layer over brown rice in a bowl.
Number of servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 253 Cal |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sugars | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sodium | 165 mg |
| Potassium | 610 mg |
Oats and Vegetable Au Gratin
- Say no to the cheesy, fat-heavy au gratin and go for this oats-based one instead.
- High on taste and rich in fiber, there can’t be a healthier weekday one pan meal!
Ingredients
For the Oats White Sauce
Quick cooking rolled oats: 1/4 cup
Whole wheat flour: 2 tbsp.
Low-fat milk: 2 cups
Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
French beans: ½ cup
Carrots: ½ cup
Cauliflower florets: ½ cup
Green peas: ½ cup
Green chilli paste: 1 tsp.
Garlic paste: 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper: 1/4 tsp.
For the Topping
Quick cooking rolled oats: 2 tbsp.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 23 minutes
Method:
- Chop carrots and French beans. Boil them along with cauliflower and green peas until they are tender.
- Dry roast whole wheat flour and oats in a pan on medium flame for 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in salt and milk, and cook on a medium flame. Keep stirring it for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick. Keep aside.
- Combine white sauce, oats, and all other ingredients in a bowl.
- Transfer the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle oats evenly across its surface.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°f) for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Number of servings: 3
Serving Size: 1 ¼ cups
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 131 Cal |
| Carbohydrates | 22.1 g |
| Protein | 8.7 g |
| Fat | 0.9 g |
| Iron | 1.4 mg |
| Fibre | 4.1 g |
| Vitamin A | 795.7 mcg |
Shrimp stir-fry
- For those nights when you want to delight your taste buds with something fancier, this recipe will have you sorted!
- A no-fry diabetes diet. recipe with Asian flavors imparts an exotic taste and a healthy twist.
Ingredients:
Shrimp: 340 gfrozen deveined, peeled, cooked shrimp, thawed and drained
Light Asian salad dressing: 1/3 cup
Broccoli florets: 3 cups
Water: 1/4 cup
Cooked brown rice: 250 g
Shredded carrots: 1 cup
Roasted sesame seeds: 2 tsp.
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Prep time: 42 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Method:
- Toss shrimp together with salad dressing in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for half an hour. Mix them with a ladle from time to time.
- In a deep dish, combine water and broccoli. Put it in a microwave covered on high setting for 2 minutes. One minute in, stir it and then return to microwaving it. Drain and return to a casserole.
- To this, add rice, shrimp mixture, and carrots. Microwave on high setting, once again covered for 3-5 minutes or till the mix is completely heated. Stir once halfway through cooking.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and crushed red pepper and serve.
Number of servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 ¼ cups
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 250 Cal |
| Total fat | 5 g (1 g saturated fat) |
| Cholesterol | 166 mg |
| Sodium | 494 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g (3 g fiber, 5 g sugars) |
| Protein | 22 g |
Varagu Upma
- Bet you’d never thought upma could be any healthier than it already is. This recipe is sure to beat it on the health scale.
- Soft and melt-in-the mouth breakfast recipe that will make your mornings happy.
Ingredients
Varagu (Kodo Millet): ½ cup, cleaned and washed
Onions: ¼ cup, chopped
Mixed vegetables: 3/4 cup
Urad dal (split black lentils): 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Green chillies: 1 – 2, slit green chillies
Curry leaves: 2 – 3
Asafoetida: A pinch
Oil: 1 tsp.
Low fat curds: 1/4 cup beaten
Salt to taste
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes
Method:
- Dry roast Kodo millets till it is imparted with a golden brown color.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal, green chillies, and curry leaves.
- Once the mustard seeds crackle, add onions and asafoetida and sauté them till the onions are golden brown.
- Add vegetables and ½ cup of water. Cook till the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the kodo millet, 1½ cups of water, and salt. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes till the millet is cooked. Add more water if required.
- To this, mix the curds.
- Serve hot.
Number of servings: 2
Serving Size: 1cup
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 178 Cal |
| Protein | 6.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31.5 g |
| Fat | 3.1 g |
| Vitamin A | 186.6 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 6.7 mcg |
| Calcium | 69.9 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg |
| Folic Acid | 20 mcg |
| Fiber | 4.3 g |
Toss the multi-dish meal spreads and takes cues from these easy dishes that tick all the right boxes on the diabetic diet chart. So which one of these Diabetic Recipes are you going to give a shot? We’d love to know! Tell us in the comments below.
