20 Tasty Diabetic-Friendly Recipes

Updated January 31, 2012
Credit: Oxmoor House
Not all low-carb, low-sugar meals have to be tasteless. Check out this collection of recipes to find a dish perfect for every course.
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Indulge in these diabetic-friendly dishes

Credit: Oxmoor House

Not all low-carb, low-sugar meals have to be tasteless. Check out this collection of recipes to find a dish perfect for every course.

Applesauce Pancakes
Trading butter for applesauce is a healthy way to cut out excess fat and still enjoy the sweetness of pancakes.

Try this recipe: Applesauce Pancakes

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Honey Grapefruit With Banana

This fruity dish is a perfect breakfast or dessert plate. Grapefruit ranks low on the glycemic index, and the dish uses mint, a "free food" to add flavor.

Try this recipe: Honey Grapefruit With Banana

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Blueberry Muffins

This fruity dish is a perfect breakfast or dessert plate. Grapefruit ranks low on the glycemic index, and the dish uses mint, a "free food" to add flavor.

Try this recipe: Honey Grapefruit With Banana

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Veggie Sausage-Cheddar Frittata

A serving of this dish contains only 10 carbohydrates. Simple substitutes like veggie sausage, reduced-fat cheese, and egg whites also cut back on unhealthy saturated fat.

Try this recipe: Veggie Sausage-Cheddar Frittata

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Barley and Black Bean Salad

A serving of this salad is perfect for lunch. It's high in carbohydrates, but packs in 12 grams of fiber and is low in cholesterol.

Try this recipe: Barley and Black Bean Salad

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Veggie Tostadas

Use this and then layer on extra fiber-rich veggies. The American Diabetes Association recommends subtracting half the number of fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrates (but only for meals with at least 5 grams of fiber). This gives a better estimate of your food's carb count.

Try this recipe: Veggie Tostadas

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Fresh Berries With Maple Cream

Credit: Oxmoor House

Indulge in dessert with this sweet, guilt-free fruit dish. It's low in calories and a great way to get your intake of antioxidants.

Try this recipe: Fresh Berries With Maple Cream

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Cookies 'n' Cream Crunch

This dessert uses no-sugar-added ice cream to cut down on carbs. It calls for pecans, but you can substitute almonds instead if you want a boost of monounsaturated fat.

Try this recipe: Cookies 'n' Cream Crunch

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Cantaloupe Sherbet

Homemade treats are the best way to maximize taste and keep an eye on the carb count. Combining cantaloupe and fat-free yogurt makes a creamy sherbet.

Try this recipe: Cantaloupe Sherbet

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Chili-Fried Potatoes

Finally, the diabetic's answer to chili cheese fries. Olive oil is a healthy way to fake the fried food flavor. Using chili powder, onions, and a pinch of low-fat cheese creates a rich, zesty taste without fat or carbs.

Try this recipe: Chili-Fried Potatoes

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Deep-Dish Taco Pizza

Ground round is a lean cut of mean, but you can also substitute lean ground turkey to trim excess saturated fat. Though this dish contains lycopene-rich tomatoes, add onions for a boost of vitamin C.

Try this recipe: Deep-Dish Taco Pizza

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Potato Cakes

This dish is perfect for a quick, easy, and lower in carbs than most potato recipes. Serve it as side dish or use it as a base to layer sautéed veggies and lean meat on top. For a boost of fiber and vitamin A, try using sweet potatoes.

Try this recipe: Potato Cakes

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Snapper With Tomato-Caper Topping

Fish is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It also is very low in carbohydrates. A light, tangy topping like this one is a perfect complement—it's low-cal and rich in vitamin C.

Try this recipe: Snapper With Tomato-Caper Topping

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Basil Scallops With Spinach Fettuccine

Spinach pasta is a great way to add flavor to the dish. The trick to eating pasta is portion control. If you're trying to cut down on carbs, cut the serving size of pasta to 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup.

Try this recipe: Basil Scallops With Spinach Fettuccine

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Beef Kebabs

Serve this crowd-pleaser without the guilt of consuming too many carbs. The beef tenderloin is both lean and savory, and the veggies provide a little bit of fiber and vitamins A and C.

Try this recipe: Beef Kebabs

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Apple Slaw

Try this healthy version of coleslaw for a sweet and crunchy side. At only 2 grams of fat and 10 grams of carbs per serving, it's the perfect complement to any barbecue dish.

Try this recipe: Apple Slaw

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Cumin Quick Bread

There's no need to skip out on bread, even with diabetes. This savory loaf calls for a calorie-free sweetener, fat-free milk, and egg substitute to cut calories while keeping the flavor.

Try this recipe: Cumin Quick Bread

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Seared Chicken With Avocado

Enjoy this mouthwatering chicken dish guilt-free, with only 5 grams of carbs per serving. Avocados are a great source of unsaturated fats and vitamin E. They also add a creamy textures and rich taste to any dish.

Try this recipe: Seared Chicken With Avocado

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Three-Pepper Pizza

Pizza gets a bad rap, but when topped with veggies like bell peppers, it's a great source of calcium and vitamin C. Try using a whole-wheat crust for an extra boost of fiber.

Try this recipe: Three-Pepper Pizza

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Peanut-Butter-and-Jelly-Sandwich Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Turn an everyday sandwich into a guilt-free dessert treat. No-sugar-added peanut butter is a great option for diabetic recipes, but a lot of natural peanut butters are also low in sugar. Serve with a glass of fat-free milk for a boost of protein.

Try this recipe: Peanut-Butter-and-Jelly-Sandwich Cookies

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