Diabetic Meals - Cooking Light

Enjoy 14 healthy entrées, which meld effortlessly well into your diabetic diet.

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Healthy Diabetic Meals

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon with Avocado-Orange Salsa

Although the management approach and medications for diabetes vary depending on the type of diabetes, age, health status, and lifestyle factors–diet is always a key factor. The good news is that there are foods you can add to your diet that will help control diabetes. Our collection of healthy diabetic main dishes offer low-carb, low-fat, low-sugar, and low-sodium options that are flavorful and satisfying down to the last bite.

First up is our Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon with Avocado-Orange Salsa.

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Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Photo: Lee Harrelson

View Recipe: Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Using the broiler lets you enjoy the taste of kebabs year-round; they are also great cooked on the grill. Serve over rice.

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Artichoke Quiche

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Artichoke Quiche

This quiche has a cheesy rice crust instead of a pastry crust, so not only is it a hearty meatless main dish, it’s also gluten-free.

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Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

The bourbon and a small amount sugar round out the sharp coffee flavor to make a rich sauce for the beef. Roast refrigerated potato wedges for a quick side.

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Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce

Exquisite and elegant in taste, this delicious chicken dish is worthy of a special occasion, but also comes together quick enough for any night of the week.

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Seared Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Seared Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

Coriander has a lemon-sage flavor that complements the tuna and the fresh tomato sauce.

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Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

Depending on the season, you may want to consider substituting thin, blanched, fresh asparagus for the sugar snap peas. You can’t go wrong with either application.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice is essential to the flavor of this salad. The bottled juice just doesn’t compare. Microwave lemons for about 30 seconds before squeezing them; they’ll yield more juice.

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Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

Baked tortilla chips make a crunchy companion for this simple chicken supper. Try the avocado, tomato, and cucumber salsa another night on grilled fish or shrimp.

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Steak, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Steak, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Choose quick-cooking flank steaks for a speedy stir-fry dish packed with shiitake mushrooms and bok choy.

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Skillet Pork and Warm Pineapple Salsa

View Recipe: Skillet Pork and Warm Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple is a sweet foil for the fiery jalapeño. Either fresh or canned pineapple chunks work well in this recipe. If you like a spicier kick, remember that smaller jalapeño peppers are typically hotter than the larger ones. To complete the meal, serve with rice and steamed snow peas.

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Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

View Recipe: Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

The flavor of lemon brightens the spiced chicken patties in this recipe, and also flavors the tangy sauce, giving a double whammy of citrus flavor. For a healthful, hearty meal, serve in whole-wheat pitas with brown rice or bulgur pilaf.

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Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

View Recipe: Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

The sweetness of the mango balances the snappiness of the chile. Top quesadillas with fat-free sour cream and salsa, and serve with spinach and carrot salad.

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Broiled Red Snapper with Sicilian Tomato Pesto

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Broiled Red Snapper with Sicilian Tomato Pesto

Plum tomatoes work best in this recipe; juicier tomatoes would thin the pesto. No need to seed or peel them. You can make the pesto ahead and keep it chilled. Stir in the tomatoes just before serving.

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Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy

Low in calories and high in flavor, this recipe for beef burgundy uses a slow cooker to enhance the richness of the dish.

Replay gallery

Diabetic Entrées

1 of 15

Healthy Diabetic Meals

2 of 15

Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

3 of 15

Artichoke Quiche

4 of 15

Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

5 of 15

Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce

6 of 15

Seared Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

7 of 15

Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

8 of 15

Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

9 of 15

Steak, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

10 of 15

Skillet Pork and Warm Pineapple Salsa

11 of 15

Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

12 of 15

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

13 of 15

Broiled Red Snapper with Sicilian Tomato Pesto

14 of 15

Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy

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Diabetic Entrées

1 of 15

Healthy Diabetic Meals

2 of 15

Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

3 of 15

Artichoke Quiche

4 of 15

Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

5 of 15

Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce

6 of 15

Seared Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

7 of 15

Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

8 of 15

Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

9 of 15

Steak, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

10 of 15

Skillet Pork and Warm Pineapple Salsa

11 of 15

Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

12 of 15

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

13 of 15

Broiled Red Snapper with Sicilian Tomato Pesto

14 of 15

Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy

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