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Spring is here, so let’s celebrate with some lighter recipes! These may help you keep the resolutions you made a few months ago. The casserole makes great use of leftover chicken and comes together in a flash. The green beans are not your momma’s green beans, but they are light and zesty. Top this meal off with a slice of the lemon layer pie and you will feel like spring is definitely here. The nutrition information is calculated for those who are sticking with a diabetes meal plan, but these recipes really suit anyone who is watching their fat, sugar and sodium intake but still enjoy tasty food.
Hot Chicken Casserole
This is a recipe makeover of a traditional casserole. By replacing the potato chip topping and using some lower fat ingredients, you save a whopping 400 calories per serving!!
INGREDIENTS
Casserole:
4 cups diced cooked chicken meat (breast preferred)
1 can 33% less sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup fat free mayonnaise
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup celery, diced fine
¼ cup grated onion (add more if you like onion)
2 cups cooked rice (converted rice is less sticky)
Juice of ½ small lemon
¼ cup diced water chestnuts
1 teaspoon dried parsley, or 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon paprika
Pepper as desired
Topping
1-1/2 cups crushed cornflakes, ¼ cup finely chopped almonds, ¼ cup liquid margarine
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Mix all casserole ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
3. Pour into a medium casserole sprayed with cooking spray
4. Cover with crushed cornflakes, nuts and drizzle with margarine
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
1 serving = 1-1/2 cup casserole
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING
272 calories
10 grams total fat
4 grams saturated fat
49 milligrams cholesterol
475 milligrams sodium
30 grams carbohydrate
21 grams protein
Counts as 2 carbohydrate choices, 3 proteins on the 1995 ADA Diabetic Exchange List for Meal Planning
Roasted Green Beans with Sweet Red Peppers
Being from the south, I confess that my favorite green beans usually involve onions, bacon and a very long cooking time. This recipe is the next best thing, and even the rural folks I see on a daily basis like these.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, washed and dried (the smaller the beans, the better)
1 sweet red pepper, washed and seeded, cut into thin strips
Zest of 1 large lemon and juice of ½ the lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder (fresh garlic tends to burn in this recipe-too bitter)
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Place green beans and peppers in large bowl and add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, garlic, basil and pepper.
3. Toss until evenly coated and spread on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray
4. Lightly coat beans and peppers with more cooking spray
5. Bake 10 minutes
6. Stir beans and peppers and bake for another 8-10 minutes; watch closely so they do not burn
Stir before serving.
The beans will have a slight crunch to them. Yum!!
1 serving = 1 cup
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING
40 calories
0 grams fat
3 grams protein
11 grams carbohydrate
4 grams fiber
150mg sodium
Counts as 2 vegetable servings on the 1995 ADA Diabetic Exchange Lists for Meal Planning
Light Lemon Layer Pie
If you celebrate Easter, this makes a beautiful but healthy addition to the table. Two of my uncles have diabetes and this pie is one of their favorites. They look for it every year at our family’s Easter gathering.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup low sugar strawberry jam
1 prepared low fat graham cracker crust
4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp. sugar substitute
One 8-oz tub light whipped topping, thawed and divided
2 cups cold 1% fat or non fat milk
1 pkg (4-serving size) lemon instant pudding mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
Zest of 1 small lemon
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove crust from package and spread jam on bottom of crust. Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar substitute in bowl until smooth.
3. Stir in ½ of the whipped topping
4. Spread this mixture over jam
5. Pour milk into a large bowl and add pudding mixes.
6. Mix 1 minute and stir in remaining topping
7. Spread over cream cheese layer
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or over night. Top with a dollop of light whipped cream and serve.
1 serving = 1/8th of pie
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING
180 calories
4 grams protein
30 grams carbohydrate
5 grams fat
1 gram saturated fat
7 mg cholesterol
220 mg sodium
Counts as 2 carbohydrate choices on the 1995 ADA Diabetic Exchange List for Meal Planning
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