One dilemma that all diabetics face is the choice between what they should and should not eat. Their blood sugar levels need to be well balanced and this depends entirely on what they put in their mouths. A high fiber and low glycemic index diet is an ideal one that will help them maintain a constant. Whole wheat, fresh green veggies, pulses and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids are apt for keeping a diabetic healthy. But healthy usually turns out boring. Well, a little variation can prove otherwise. To help you jazz up the breakfast table with a healthy, nutritious and tasty meal, we've listed down 10 easy diabetic-friendly recipes. Don't Miss! 10 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Your Little Ones Image courtesy: ©Thinkstock photos/ Getty images Read iDiva for the latest in Bollywood, fashion looks, beauty and lifestyle news.
Stir-fried Zucchini, Broccoli & Kora Salad with Asian Dressing: Kora or Foxtail Millet, known as Kangni in Hindi are high in carbohydrates and a great way to get energy from carbs. It is also high in dietary fiber and minerals such as iron making it a healthy ingredient for breakfast. Adding veggies like zucchini, broccoli and bell peppers adds a touch of colour and the Asian salad dressing ups the recipe's taste. Ingredients: ½ cup Kora (Foxtail Millet, known as Kangni in Hindi) For dressing: 1 tsp sesame oil Method: 1. Boil two cups of water. In a pan, dry roast the Kora over a medium-low flame till its fragrance fills the air. Gradually stir in enough hot water to just cover the Kora. Reduce the flame and cook till Kora is tender to bite. Recipe courtesy: Chef Michael Swamy
1 tsp sesame oil
1 star anise
1 cup yellow zucchini (diced)
1 cup green zucchini (diced)
1 cup broccoli florets (blanched)
Salt to taste
1 ½ tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp spring onion greens (finely chopped)
Black pepper powder to taste
2. Heat sesame oil over a medium high flame in a wok or kadhai. When oil begins to smoke, add star anise and stir for two to three seconds. Toss in the yellow and green zucchini and broccoli and stir-fry over a high flame till zucchini is slightly tender but still firm. Add salt and toss well.
3. Add cooked Kora and toss well till well-combined. Keep aside.
4. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beat well with a fork. Add to the stir-fried Kora and vegetable mixture and toss well. Serve warm.
Vegetable Omelet: Cook up an omelet with egg whites and a tablespoon of skim milk. Toss in some of your favourite veggies like onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers. Use a spoonful of olive oil to cook in a nonstick pan and give yourself a healthy protein-rich treat that also offers an anti-oxidant boost. Ingredients: Egg whites of 2 eggs Method: 1. In a bowl, mix the egg whites with a spoonful of milk, salt, pepper and veggies.
Salt & pepper as per taste
A cup of veggies (mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, capsicum, bell peppers)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp skimmed milk
2. Heat a non-stick pan and drop in a spoonful of olive oil.
3. Once the oil is heated add the egg mixture and spread evenly on the surface of the pan.
4. Let it cook for a while and then turn sides.
5. Serve hot.
Ragi Uttapam: Ragi is an ingredient rich in calcium with a low glycemic index. This recipe of ragi uttapam is easy and makes for a delicious breakfast option to kick start your day. Ingredients: 2 cups Ragi flour Method: 1. Combine all the ingredients except veggies for garnish, in a bowl.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ cup curd
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 green chilies, chopped
Salt to taste
For garnish: 1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup Spring Onion and Capsicum
2. Use water to make a dropping consistency of batter.
3. Make pan cakes of the batter and add the toppings on a non-stick pan.
4. Serve hot with chutney of your choice.
Chana Dal Pancakes: Chana dal is a beneficial ingredient for diabetics. It helps the blood sugar levels to rise slowly, has a low glycemic index and utilises the sugar in the body effectively maintaining the body’s sugar levels. Ingredients: ½ cup chana dal, soaked and drained Method: 1. Pressure cook matki with very little water and salt for two whistles. Recipe courtesy: Indianhealthrecipes.com
½ cup fenugreek leaves, chopped
½ cup spinach, chopped
½ cup carrot grated
1 tsp coconut, grated
2 tsp carrot, grated
1 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
Pinch of mustard and cumin seeds, respectively
½ tsp ginger, shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
2. Wash oats and drain out all the water thoroughly. Steam cook immediately for exactly four to five minutes on a high flame (like we do for idli).
3. Now remove and sprinkle some salt and one tsp oil over it, and mix lightly. This is done to prevent the oats from becoming mushy.
4. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard, cumin, chili, curry leaves and ginger. Let the seeds splutter and increase the flame to high. Add the matki and some water. Cook till water evaporates completely.
5. Add the oats and turmeric and fry on a high flame for a min. Take off from flame and add lemon juice, carrot, coconut and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.
Soya Dosa: Dosas are great to savour in the mornings and soya dosas add a healthy twist to the normal variety which makes it a hit. Serve with chutney, achaar or sambar and you will be satiated till your next meal. Ingredients: ¾ cup rice flour/ wheat flour Method: 1. Mix all ingredients except oil and keep aside for two hours.
¼ cup urad dal flour
¼ cup soya flour
1 big onion, chopped
1-2 green chilli
½ tsp black pepper and cumin powder
Salt
Cooking oil
2. Make dosa and serve hot with any chutney of choice except coconut chutney.
Wheat Rava Idli: Wheat is an ingredient rich in minerals and vitamins. The magnesium in wheat helps lower the risk of diabetes and plays an active role in the body’s functional use of insulin and glucose. Thus a plateful of healthy wheat rava idlis may be a great option as a morning meal. Ingredients: 1 cup of wheat rava Method: 1. Put oil in a pan and add mustard, urad dal, channa dal, pepper and jeera.
1 ½ cup of curd
1 tsp cooking oil
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp channa dal
½ tsp hing
½ tsp jeera
2 green chilies
Few curry leaves
Few coriander leaves
Salt for taste
2. Now add hing, green chilies and curry leaves.
3. Add the rava and fry for two minutes.
4. Remove from flame and allow it to cool.
5. Mix rava and a cup of curd with enough salt in a bowl.
6. Leave it for about half an hour.
7. Add the remaining curd and coriander leaves.
8. The batter consistency should be coarse.
9. Grease the idli plates with little oil.
10. Fill the idli plates with the batter. And steam in pressure cooker for 15 minutes.
Recipe courtesy: Healthydietforyou.wordpress.com
Healthy Dahi Wada: This desi-style snack is given a healthy twist without compromising on the taste. Made with brown bread that are high in iron, fiber and mineral content this is an easy snack that you can indulge in early in the morning. Ingredients: 3 slices of brown bread (edges removed) Method: 1. Add some salt to the curd and whip well to remove all the lumps.
3 tbsp of skimmed milk
1 cup of thick plain curd
¼ tbsp of black salt
½ tsp of red chili powder
½ tbsp of cumin powder
1 tbsp of tamarind chutney
Coriander for garnish
2. In a separate bowl, make a dough out of the bread slices by adding enough milk to it. If you want, you can add a few drops of oil to your hand to avoid the dough sticking to your hands.
3. Make small balls out of the bread bowl and place them in a separate serving bowl.
4. Now pour the curd over the bread balls and let the bread balls be nicely soaked in curd.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Fruits & Flaxseed Smoothie: Fruits are nutritious ingredients and flaxseeds are a rich source of fiber and protein. Flaxseeds also contain fatty acids which are good for the diabetics' blood sugar levels. Choose fruits like bananas, strawberries or apples and use soy or skim milk instead of normal milk. Choose honey instead of sugar and make a nutrition rich smoothie that will keep you satiated. before you spin all the ingredients in a grinder add a spoonful of flaxseeds to it.
Healthy Diabetic-Friendly Oats Recipe: This delicious oats recipe with Indian spices and a tinge of coconut makes a healthy breakfast option. Ingredients: Method: 1. Pressure cook matki with very little water and salt for two whistles. Recipe courtesy: Indianhealthrecipes.com
½ cup of rolled oats
Handful of matki (moth beans) (soaked for atleast 3 hrs or overnight)
1 small onion
1 red chili or green chili
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp oil or ghee
1 tsp grated coconut
2 tsp grated carrot
1 tsp coriander leaves chopped
pinch of each mustard and cumin seeds
½tsp ginger shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
2. Wash oats and drain out all the water thoroughly. Steam cook immediately for exactly four to five minutess on a high flame (like we do for idli).
3. Now remove and sprinkle some salt and one tsp oil over it, and mix lightly. This is done to prevent the oats from becoming mushy.
4. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard, cumin, chili, curry leaves and ginger. Let the seeds splutter and increase the flame to high. Add the matki and some water. Cook till water evaporates completely.
5. Add the oats and turmeric and fry on a high flame for a min. Take off from flame and add lemon juice, carrot, coconut and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.
Methi Missi Roti: This recipe is a healthy take on the traditional missi roti with the addition of methi which is an extremely nutritious ingredient. The mixed flours used increase the health quotient and less oil keeps the calories low. Ingredients: 1 cup besan Method: 1. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough warm water. Keep aside for 30 minutes under a wet muslin cloth. Recipe courtesy: Tarla Dalal.com More On >> Healthy Recipes
¼ cup plain flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup finely chopped onions
½ cup shredded fenugreek leaves
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
½ tsp carom seeds
salt to taste
1/8 tsp oil for kneading
whole wheat flour for rolling
2. Knead again using oil till smooth and divide into 12 equal portions.
3. Roll out each portion into a thin circle of 125 mm. (5") in diameter using a little flour for rolling.
4. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and cook a roti till brown spots appear on both the sides.
5. Lift the roti with a pair of flat tongs and roast on both sides over an open flame till dark brown spots appear.
6. Repeat with the remaining dough circles ro make 11 more rotis.
7. Serve hot.
One dilemma that all diabetics face is the choice between what they should and should not eat. Their blood sugar levels need to be well balanced and this depends entirely on what they put in their mouths. A high fiber and low glycemic index diet is an ideal one that will help them maintain a constant. Whole wheat, fresh green veggies, pulses and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids are apt for keeping a diabetic healthy. But healthy usually turns out boring. Well, a little variation can prove otherwise. To help you jazz up the breakfast table with a healthy, nutritious and tasty meal, we've listed down 10 easy diabetic-friendly recipes.
Don't Miss! 10 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Your Little Ones
Image courtesy: ©Thinkstock photos/ Getty images
Read iDiva for the latest in Bollywood, fashion looks, beauty and lifestyle news.
