Cooking with Marlene Koch

Super Bowl Chili

Super Bowl Chili
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound each lean ground beef
1 (15 ½-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14 ½ ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened.
2. Add the garlic and meat and cook, turning to break up the meat, until it is browned.
3. Add the black beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Stir well and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 230
Carbohydrate 24g (Sugars 10g)
Total Fat 6g (Sat Fat 2g)
Protein 20g
Fiber 5g
Cholesterol 40mg
Sodium 510mg

Food Exchanges: 2 Lean Meat, 2 Vegetable, 1 Starch
Carbohydrate Choices: 1 ½

Additional comments:

This quick-fix chili combines lean meat, black beans, and plenty of vegetables for a super mix of good nutrition and great taste. Feel free to double it and to serve along with chopped red onion, reduced-fat cheese, and light sour cream.

Baked Tortillas

Baked Tortillas
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

6 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Cut each tortilla into 6 pie-shaped pieces. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet. Spread out. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each one over and return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes more.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 67
Carbohydrate 14g
Protein 2g
Fat 1g
Saturated Fat (trace amount)
Cholesterol 0mg
Fiber 2g
Sodium 48mg
Potassium 46mg
Calcium 53mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch

Buffalo Chicken Strips & Bleu Cheese Dip

Buffalo Chicken Strips & Bleu Cheese Dip
Categorized as: Appetizers, Meat
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

3 celery stalks, cut into sticks
2 carrots, cut into sticks (or 1 cup baby carrots)

Buffalo Chicken Strips:
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ tablespoons liquid hot pepper sauce (more if you like them HOT)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ pound boneless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into ¼-inch strips
2 teaspoons butter

Dip:
¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
¼ cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese
1 teaspoon plain vinegar
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dip ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Mix the garlic and onion powders with the hot sauce and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and almost cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot sauce mix and butter to the pan. Swirl the chicken in the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 additional minutes, or until sauce completely coats chicken.
4. Place the bowl of bleu cheese dip in the center of a platter and surround with the chicken, celery and carrot sticks. Provide toothpicks or small forks to dip chicken into dip.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 180
Carbohydrate 7g (Sugars 5g)
Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 4g)
Protein 15g
Fiber 2g
Cholesterol 45mg
Sodium 230mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean-meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat
Carbohydrate Choices: ½
Weight Watcher Point Comparison: 4

Quick Refrigerator Sweet Pickles

Quick Refrigerator Sweet Pickles
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

5 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cloves garlic, halved
2 cups water
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups sliced onions
1 cup julienne-strip carrots
2 cups vinegar
36 packets Equal® or 3 tablespoons plus 1 ¾ teaspoons Equal® for Recipes

Directions:

1. Place sliced cucumbers and garlic in a glass or crockery bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan combine water, mustard seed, celery seed and turmeric. Bring to boiling. Add Onion and Carrots; cook 2 minutes. Add vinegar; bring just to boiling.
3. Remove from heat; stir in Equal®. Pour over cucumbers and garlic. Cool. Cover and chill at least 24 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 8
Protein 0g
Carbohydrates 3g
Fat 0g
Sodium 3mg

Food Exchanges: Free

Additional comments:

Recipe provided courtesy of Merisant Corporation ® and the NutraSweet Company, makers of Equal®.

Spicy Party Mix

Spicy Party Mix
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

13 cups freshly popped popcorn
2 egg whites
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper (less if you don't like spicy heat)
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups dry roasted salted peanuts
1 ½ cups whole almonds, toasted
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 ½ cups mini pretzels

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Spray two 11-x13-inch jellyroll pans with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Pop popcorn and set aside.
3. Blend egg white, Worcestershire sauce, SPLENDA® Granular, paprika, cayenne and salt in a small mixing bowl.
4. Toss peanuts, almonds, pecans and pretzels together in a large mixing bowl. Add egg white mixture and stir until thoroughly coated. Add popcorn and toss until thoroughly coated.
5. Place on prepared baking pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until mix begins to get crispy. Remove mix from oven and pour onto parchment or waxed paper to cool. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Total Calories 150
Calories from Fat 100
Total Fat 11g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 130mg
Total Carbohydrate 11g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 1g
Protein 5g

Additional comments:

Note: Store mix in an airtight container.

Recipe provided by Splenda, Inc., courtesy of Sucralose.org, a service of the Calorie Control Council.

Super Veggie Wrap

Super Veggie Wrap
Categorized as: Appetizers, Vegetables
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 large white mushrooms, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 (10-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
½ C fat-free cream cheese

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all vegetables. Thinly spread 1 tbsp cream cheese on each tortilla. Place some of the chopped vegetable mixture evenly across center of tortilla. Roll up tortilla, trapping ingredients tightly inside tortilla. When finished rolling, slice each tube into 1-inch wide sections to serve. Can serve with salsa.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 302
Carbohydrate 60g
Protein 11g
Fat 4g

Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

3 cups crispy rice cereal squares
2 cups toasted O-shaped cereal
2 cups small reduced-fat pretzels
1 cup oyster crackers
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 egg white
½ cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Beat egg white until foamy; stir in SPLENDA® Granular, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper. Pour over cereal mixture, tossing to coat.
4. Spray a 15- X 10-inch jellyroll pan with cooking spray; spread cereal mixture in a single layer in pan.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Total Calories 140
Calories from fat 50
Total Fat 5g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 290mg
Total Carbohydrate 19g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 1g
Protein 4g

Exchanges per Serving: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

Additional comments:

Note: Store mix in an airtight container.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of Splenda, Inc. Splenda® is a no-calorie sweetener made from sugar that is suitable for diabetics.

Sweet & Crunchy Deli Style Pickles

Sweet & Crunchy Deli Style Pickles
Categorized as: Appetizers
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

7 pickling cucumbers, quartered
1 cup water
½ cup rice vinegar
⅓ cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 whole clove
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon peeled, chopped fresh ginger
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves

Directions:

1. Place quartered pickles in a clean 1-quart canning jar. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat until salt dissolves.
3. Pour hot pickling juice over pickles to fill jar. Cover tightly with lid and refrigerate 4 to 5 days before serving. Pickle flavor and sweetness intensity increase over time.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories: 10
Calories from Fat: 0
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 240mg
Total Carbs: 2g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 0g

Exchanges per Serving: Free

Additional comments:

Recipe courtesy of Splenda, Inc. Splenda® is a no-calorie sweetener made from sugar that is suitable for diabetics.

Two Minute Turkey Wrap

Two Minute Turkey Wrap
Categorized as: Appetizers, Meat
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

1 (8-inch) flour tortilla (use flavored tortilla if desired)
1 teaspoon horseradish sauce (not pure horseradish)
3 ounces deli-sliced turkey breast
1 slice (⅔ ounce) fat-free American cheese
¼ cup alfalfa sprouts

Directions:

1. Spread tortilla lightly with horseradish sauce. Lay turkey over tortilla. Place cheese in center of tortilla over turkey, then top with sprouts. Fold in about an inch on the top and bottom of the tortilla, then roll up tortilla from left to right. Serve immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for future use.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories: 297
Carbohydrate: 27g
Protein: 36g
Fat: 5g
Saturated fat: 1g
Sodium: 414mg
Fiber: 1g

Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 4 very lean meat, 1 fat
Carbohydrate choices: 2

Chicken & Fruit Kabobs with Mustard-Leek Sauce

Chicken & Fruit Kabobs with Mustard-Leek Sauce
Categorized as: Appetizers, Fruit, Meat
 
Makes servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 small bananas
3 medium peaches, pitted
3 medium plums, pitted
Vegetable cooking spray
Curry powder
Mustard-Leek Sauce

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; cut each piece of fruit into 8 pieces. Thread chicken and fruit on 16 small wood or metal skewers; spray with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with curry powder.
2. Grill kabobs over medium coals, or broil 6-inches from heat source, until chicken is done, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. Arrange kabobs on serving plates; spoon Mustard-Leek Sauce over.

Mustard-Leek Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped leeks or green onions and tops
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
¼ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful™

Directions:

1. Saute leeks in oil until tender in small saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, mustard, vinegar, curry powder and pepper; heat to boiling.
2. Mix cornstarch and water; stir into boiling mixture. Boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in Equal® Spoonful™.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories 180
Protein 14g
Carbohydrates 25g
Fat 4g
Cholesterol 32mg
Sodium 208mg

Food Exchanges: 1½ Lean Meat, 1 Fruit, ½ Starch

Additional comments:

Recipe provided courtesy of Merisant Corporation ® and the NutraSweet Company, makers of Equal®.

The goal of Destination Diabetes is to be a useful and credible resource for the more than 20 million children and adults who have diabetes in the U.S. and their families. Destination Diabetes provides information on a wide range of diabetes health and wellness topics. Articles are written or reviewed by diabetes advisors who have experience in diabetes education.