BetterHealthKare

Our Favorite Summer Diabetes Recipes

Check out some of our favorite summer Diabetes recipes that will leave you satisfied!

Colorful and simple are the words that best describe some of our favorite summer diabetes recipes. That’s because these are made with the freshest, in-season ingredients and require very little cooking time. These also fit in with dietary recommendations to help maintain or manage weight for better health as well meet the criteria for being easy. If you are looking for diabetic friendly dinner recipes to add to your seasonal menu, take a look at the following line-up of our favorite summer diabetes recipes.  

Citrus Grilled Shrimp with Spring Greens

Get out the grill and invite a few friends over on a warm summer night for this easy diabetic recipe that is super light, tasty and enough for four.

Ingredients

16 large raw shrimp, deveined

Juice of 1 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dash of hot sauce

Cooking spray

Salad

4 cups spring salad Mix

2 Clementine oranges, peeled and sectioned

Dressing

Juice of 2 oranges

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Combine garlic, hot sauce, lime and juice of two oranges in a bowl and whisk with a fork. Add shrimp to mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Spray an indoor or outdoor grill with cooking oil and bring to medium heat. Place shrimp on skewers and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done. While shrimp are grilling, whisk together dressing ingredients.  Add orange sections and grilled shrimp to the mixed greens.  Pour dressing over the salad, toss and serve.

Chicken Burritos

This diabetes friendly dinner recipe is a real crowd pleaser.  It is made with fresh seasonal ingredients like red onion, mango, cilantro, vine ripened tomatoes and a sprinkling of jalapeno pepper. This easy diabetic recipes also makes about eight burritos.  Topped with just a dollop of sour cream this ten-minute recipe will cool down any summer palate.

Ingredients

½ cup of diced plum tomatoes

½ cup of diced ripe mangos

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

4 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons snipped cilantro leaves

2 – 3 seeded jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

12 ounces skinless, boneless cooked chicken breast, shredded

½ cup water

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 corn tortillas

1½ cups shredded romaine lettuce

¼ cup light dairy sour cream

Combine tomato, mango, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and jalapeno pepper in a bowl and toss. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. Shred and toss cooked chicken breast with the remaining lime juice. Season to taste with salt and ground pepper.

Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in an oven at 350 ° F for about 10 minutes.

Spoon shredded chicken down the centers of warmed tortillas. Top chicken with salsa mixture and chopped romaine lettuce leaves. Roll up and serve with sour cream on the side.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

For a healthy twist on an old summer standby, switch out high-sodium cold cuts in your sandwich with crisp vegetables.  When served with baked sweet potato fries it makes for a hearty summer supper.

Ingredients

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

1 sweet red pepper sliced

3 tablespoons reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, minced

cooking spray

2 tablespoons prepared pesto

4 slices whole-grain bread

4 tablespoons freshly shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Toss zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper slices with garlic and balsamic dressing.

Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium. Grill vegetables on each side until tender (4–5 minutes). Set oven broiler on high with the rack about 4–6 inches from the heat source. Spread each slice of bread with pesto and spoon one half of each sandwich slice evenly with grilled vegetables. Sprinkle each slice of bread with one tablespoon of shredded cheese and place on a baking sheet. Broil until the cheese melts.  Remove bread slices from the oven and finish making the sandwich.

Serve with seasoned sweet potato fries.

Turkey Chili

This is one of our favorite summer diabetic recipes because it is not only delicious and filling but it is also fiber rich.  

Ingredient

2 cups cooked turkey, diced

1 Garlic clove, minced

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 can of red kidney beans (17 ounces)

1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)

1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces0

1 Bay leaf

Chili powder to taste (1 or 2 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon Cumin seeds

Toss turkey, garlic, onion, and green pepper in a nonstick skillet and sauté until vegetables are soft. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. Spoon into bowls and serve.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Who says soups are only for fall and winter.  Instead of grating these heart healthy root vegetables into a salad, this diabetic friendly dinner recipe transforms them into a flavorful multi-layered summer soup in 30 minutes that can be served up hot or cold.

Ingredients

2 pounds of carrots, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces of peel ginger, finely grated or juiced.

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400⁰F for 20 minutes. Brush carrots with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes until carrots are fork tender and caramelized. Transfer carrots to a blender. Add four cups of water and process till smooth. Pour pureed carrots into a stock or stew pot. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, and reduce heat to simmer. Add grated or juice of the ginger and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.