ISO Make ahead diabetic friendly meal ideas?

mariadnoca

Moderator
A friend is coming this weekend for several (5) days to help me clear out some house stuff. Think clearing out the garage, getting rid of too much accumulated stuff over the years, that type of thing. So we will both be tired (face it we‘re old and will be exhausted) and in no mood to cook. The thing is she’s diabetic, and normally avoids red meat, so I can’t have just any old thing I and my over the top sweet tooth might eat. She was no help when asked. Last time we were so tired we ordered pizza delivery and it cost over $50 before tip. So wanted to avoid another $50 pizza and have options in the house.

What can I make ahead of her visit and have on hand for quick lunches and dinners?
 
Salads with grilled chicken. Pasta salad?
Does your supermarket have poke or chirashi bowls? Sushi?
BBQ chicken. Add some sliced tomatoes to the plate. The recipe for Five Ingredient Chicken would be delicious but does have maple syrup in it.
 
Chicken is good. No pastas. They turn to sugar instantly.
Arroz con Pollo. EAsy, cheap.
Chicken Caesars, with avocado
Chicken breasts layered with rice, yogurt and biryani sauce.

And I love this recipe that showed up here. So do my friends.
Red Wine-Braised Chicken With Chorizo and Chickpeas
4 servings
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds), trimmed
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, casing removed, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon Sherry vinegar
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

Place raisins in a small bowl; cover with hot water. Set aside.
Mix cumin, paprika, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. cayenne in another small bowl. Pat chicken dry and rub all over with spice mixture.
Heat oil in a 5–7-qt. Dutch oven or large wide saucepan over medium-high. Add chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 5–8 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix chickpeas, orange zest, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a medium bowl.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to chickpea mixture; stir to combine. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from pan, then return to medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until well-browned, 12–14 minutes. Transfer to a plate skin side up. Add onion to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 minutes.
Add wine and broth. Bring to a boil, nestle chicken skin side up into onions in pan. Lower heat to medium, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drain raisins and stir into chorizo mixture.
Stir chorizo mixture and Sherry vinegar into chicken mixture. Cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup parsley, then divide among 4 plates. Top with remaining 1 Tbsp. parsley and serve.
 
A friend is coming this weekend for several (5) days to help me clear out some house stuff. Think clearing out the garage, getting rid of too much accumulated stuff over the years, that type of thing. So we will both be tired (face it we‘re old and will be exhausted) and in no mood to cook. The thing is she’s diabetic, and normally avoids red meat, so I can’t have just any old thing I and my over the top sweet tooth might eat. She was no help when asked. Last time we were so tired we ordered pizza delivery and it cost over $50 before tip. So wanted to avoid another $50 pizza and have options in the house.

What can I make ahead of her visit and have on hand for quick lunches and dinners?
 
I love Cathy's laarb (using ground turkey) as a low-carb, diabetic meal. Keeps well in the fridge. I don't use those chiles, DH doesn't care for much heat. A shake of chili sauce does the trick for us.

 
Last edited:
AngAK's Acropolis salad keeps for days--sub in chickpeas or white beans for potatoes. Add protein of choice.
 
One of my favorite new recipe books is diabetic...even though I'm not. What I like are the portions are designed for one person. But there is a section for two servings.

See if you want any recipe from here: Each recipe has the choices/exchanges values.

IMG_0156.JPG IMG_0150.JPG
 
Gazpacho would be great!
Yes, gazpacho....great idea and it's tomato season.

With 40 years of cooking for a diabetic, I am stunned at how short I am on ideas.

You could do a pasta, arrabiata maybe, using spaghetti squash. And you can make the sauce ahead of time.
 
These are all great ideas, thanks! She’s insisting i don’t go to the store till she gets here and is on the road as we speak.. I do have these marinating in the fridge because we both love them. So these are dinner tonight.

 
Last edited:
Back
Top