A well-balanced diet is one part of a healthy lifestyle for people with type 2 diabetes. But it's not always easy to make smart food choices and change the way you eat.
A healthy diet is not just about eating less of the foods you love or achieving weight loss. It is also about making some simple lifestyle changes that you can maintain. It may surprise you to find that you can still enjoy in reasonable amounts many of the foods you currently eat. Remember to discuss your specific food needs with your doctor and dietitian or educator.
Cincinnati Chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves: 4
- Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 pound beef, sirloin, ground, extra-lean
- 1 cup tomato sauce, no-added-salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon vinegar, apple cider
- 4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese, low-fat
- 1 cup kidney beans (cooked from dry or canned without salt)
- 12 olives, black
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- Preparation:
- Peel onion and garlic; chop onion and mince garlic. Brown beef, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place meat mixture in a large saucepan and stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cinnamon, vinegar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 1 hour.
- When meat mixture has about 20 minutes of cooking time left, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Dividing evenly among 4 serving plates, serve meat mixture over cooked spaghetti and top with cheese, beans (drained), olives (chopped), and green onion (chopped).
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
- Ingredients
- 1 pound pork sirloin chop, raw, boneless
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons liquid egg substitute
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, fat free
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
- Preparation:
- Place pork, 1 piece at a time, between 2 pieces of wax paper and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a shallow baking pan (jelly-roll pan works well) with 1 teaspoon of the oil.
- Season the pork cutlets on both sides with the black pepper.
- Place egg substitute in a glass pie plate or shallow bowl. On a different plate, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and oregano.
- One piece at a time, dip the pork into the egg sub, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the mixture into both sides.
- Place the pork cutlets in a single layer in the prepared baking pan.
- Drizzle the pork evenly with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the undersides are lightly browned.
- Turn and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until browned and cooked through.
- Serve with steamed Italian green beans and crusty whole-grain bread, if desired.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
- Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, boneless/skinless, raw
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 potatoes, medium, baked
- Preparation:
- Please note that this recipe requires at least 30 minutes of refrigeration time, which is not reflected in the prep time.
- Cut each chicken piece lengthwise into 3 strips. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag or set in a shallow dish.
- For marinade, in a small bowl, stir together oil, hot sauce, sugar, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic (peeled and minced).
- Pour 2 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken; seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally. Cover and chill remaining marinade for basting.
- Drain chicken, discarding marinade in bag. Preheat grill.
- Scrub potatoes and cut each into 8 wedges. Lightly brush potatoes with some of the reserved marinade.
- Place potatoes on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 15 minutes. Turn potatoes.
- Place chicken on rack next to potatoes and grill for 9 to 12 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink inside and potatoes are tender, turning and brushing chicken once with the reserved marinade halfway through grilling.
- Serve immediately with grilled zucchini and red bell peppers, if desired.