Maximize Your Diet with Spring Veggies

Maximize Your Diet with Spring Veggies

The weather warming trend and spring veggies are emerging.

Although fresh produce is available year round, by choosing vegetables grown locally and in season, you increase your chances of maximizing the nutrients in your food . . and retaining optimal flavor.

Non-starchy vegetables like asparagus, spinach and green “snap” beans are perfect for fending off unwanted pounds and cutting down on the carbs in your meals.

Non-starchy vegetables are really an ideal food for diabetes management. Being so low in calories and carbohydrates, you can splurge without regret. Having a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup or a salad before your meal is a great way to curb your appetite for the higher calorie foods on your plate.

What? No fun, you say? Well break out the grill, toss your fresh asparagus with a small amount of olive oil, and you are in for a treat. Cook extra for your lunch the next day and add to a fresh spinach salad. . . . what a vitamin and energy boost for your mid-day meal!

Tired of salads and out of recipes? Try a few of our favorite flavors:

• Lemony Asparagus Spear Salad
• Hoisin Chicken
• Rosemary Rice with Spinach Greens
• Spinach Salad with Tangerines, Onions and Walnuts
• Parmesan Asparagus
• Snap Peas and Shrimp Penne

Lemony Asparagus Spear Salad

(From “The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook,” p. 50)

Serves 4/Serving size: 5 spears
Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tablespoon basil pesto sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Cover asparagus with water in a 12-inch skillet and bring to a boil, then cover tightly and cook 1 minute or until tender-crisp.
2. Immediately drain the asparagus in a colander and run under cold water to cool. Place the asparagus on paper towels to drain, then place on a serving platter.
3. Top the asparagus with the pesto and roll the spears back and forth to coat completely. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Flavors are at their peak if you serve this within 30 minutes.

Cook’s Tip: You can cook the asparagus ahead of time and refrigerate it, but wait until serving time to add the remaining ingredients.

Exchanges
1 Vegetable
½ Fat

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 40
Calories from Fat 19
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 1 mg
Sodium 180 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 3 g

Hoisin Chicken

(From “The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook,” p. 92)

Serves 4/Serving size: 3 ounces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into thin slices or strips

1. Stir the hoisin sauce, orange zest, and juice together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Coat the skillet with nonstick cooking spray, add the chicken, and cook 6–7 minutes or until the chicken just begins to lightly brown. Use two utensils to stir as you would when stir-frying.
3. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Add the hoisin mixture to the skillet and cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Spoon evenly over the chicken.

Cook’s Tip: For a striking contrast in color and flavor, serve on a bed of stir-fried snow peas or asparagus.

Exchanges
½ Carbohydrate
3 Lean Meat

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 152
Calories from Fat 29
Total Fat 3 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 66 mg
Sodium 210 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 5 g
Protein 25 g

Rosemary Rice with Spinach Greens

(From “The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook,” p. 151)

Serves 4/Serving size: 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes

1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup instant brown rice
1/8–1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup packed spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon reduced-fat margarine (35% vegetable oil)
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and rosemary, reduce the heat, cover tightly, and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Toss gently, yet thoroughly, until the spinach has wilted.

Cook’s Tip: For variation, use spring lettuce mix instead of the spinach. It adds a bit of sophistication as well as great color, texture, and flavor.

Exchanges
2 Starch

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 20
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 189 mg
Total Carbohydrate 28 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 3 g

Spinach Salad with Tangerines, Onions and Walnuts

(From “The Diabetic Chef®’s Year-Round Cookbook,” p. 104)

Serves 6
Serving Size: 1/6 recipe

1 lb fresh spinach, cleaned and washed
¼ cup tangerine vinaigrette (see recipe on pg. 31)
2 tangerines, cut into segments
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced
¼ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 bacon strips, cooked and diced small

Make sure all ingredients are prepped and chilled. Place spinach in a large bowl, add tangerine vinaigrette, and toss to coat spinach. Divide spinach into six serving dishes. Garnish with tangerine segments, red onion, walnuts, eggs, and bacon. Serve immediately.

Exchanges/Choices
½ Fruit
1 Vegetable
2 Fat

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 150
Calories from Fat 90
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 75 mg
Sodium 210 mg
Total Carbohydrate 11 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 6 g

 

Parmesan Asparagus

(From “The Diabetic Chef®’s Year-Round Cookbook,” p. 184)

Serves 4
Serving Size: ¼ recipe

1 lb. fresh asparagus
1 quart water
½ tsp salt
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced shallots
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Wash the asparagus and pat dry. Remove about 1 inch from the bottom of each stalk.

2. In a medium pot, bring the water and salt to a simmer. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove asparagus and place on a serving dish.
3. In a small sauté pan, heat oil and add shallots. Sauté shallots until slightly browned. Pour shallot mixture over asparagus and sprinkle with cheese. Serve warm.

Exchanges/Choices
1 Vegetable
1 Fat

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 70
Calories from Fat 40
Total Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 5 mg
Sodium 115 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 5 g

 

Snap Peas and Shrimp Penne

(From “The Ultimate Diabetes Meal Planner,” p. 429)

Serves: 4
Serving Size: ¼ recipe

½-cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
¾ lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup sugar snap peas
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
8 oz penne pasta

Combine wine, lemon juice, and lime juice in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add shrimp, peas, green onions, parsley, oregano, pepper, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, until peas are just tender and shrimp are pink, about 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Top pasta with shrimp sauce.

Exchanges/Choices
3 Starch
1 Vegetable
1 Lean Meat

Basic Nutritional Values
Calories 295
Calories from Fat 20
Total Fat 2.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 120 mg
Sodium 150 mg
Total Carbohydrate 48 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 4 g
Protein 21 g

 

first posted March 19, 2009