Healthy Recipes Recipes for Specific Health Condition Healthy Diabetic Recipes You Just Started a Diabetes Diet—Here Are the Recipes to Make First By Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 10, 2020 Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Instagram Twitter Victoria Seaver is a registered dietitian and Associate Editorial Director for EatingWell.com. She completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics and food science and her masters degree and dietetic internship at the University of Vermont. Victoria has been a part of the EatingWell.com team since 2015. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Following a diabetes diet is as delicious as ever with these easy, healthy diabetes-friendly recipes. From Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls to Sesame-Garlic Beef & Broccoli with Whole Wheat Noodles, you can meet your healthy eating goals without sacrificing flavor. Each meal meets our diabetes requirements for recipes, meaning the carbohydrates are balanced to help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range. If you're just starting out following a diabetes friendly diet, or have been doing so for years, here are our favorite recipes to try. 01 of 27 Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls View Recipe Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019 02 of 27 Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw View Recipe These healthy grilled shrimp and mini bell pepper kebabs come together in just 30 minutes, so they're great for weeknight dinners. A bag of coleslaw mix is a time-saving meal starter. Here, we make it our own by mixing in grilled red onion and crushed pita chips. A homemade herb-feta dressing both coats the slaw and sauces the kebabs. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019 03 of 27 Sesame-Garlic Beef & Broccoli with Whole-Wheat Noodles View Recipe A savory marinade with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil infuses flavor into sirloin steak pieces in this healthy beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe. Tip: Partially freeze the beef for easier slicing. Source: What to Eat with Diabetes 2019 04 of 27 Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing View Recipe Homemade poppy seed dressing pairs beautifully with tender spinach, crunchy almonds and juicy berries for a fantastically refreshing and easy spring salad. To make ahead, whisk dressing, combine salad ingredients and store separately. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving. To make it a complete meal, top with grilled chicken or shrimp. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2019 05 of 27 Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats View Recipe It takes just minutes to assemble this healthy no-cook breakfast and you'll have meal-prepped grab-and-go breakfasts on hand for the rest of the week. Top these delicious vegan oats--inspired by classic cinnamon bun flavors--with fresh or frozen fruit and your favorite nuts and seeds. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018 06 of 27 Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing View Recipe These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes). Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 07 of 27 Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad View Recipe Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019 08 of 27 Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark View Recipe Lightly sweetened Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack or healthy dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike. Use full-fat yogurt to ensure the creamiest bark possible. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2017 09 of 27 Chipotle Ranch Egg Salad Wraps View Recipe Put a Southwest spin on easy-to-pack egg salad sandwiches with this healthy wrap recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 10 of 27 Spinach-Tomato Macaroni & Cheese View Recipe An old-school classic gets a boost of nutrition and flavor from garlicky spinach and tomatoes in this healthy mac and cheese recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019 11 of 27 Everything Bagel Avocado Toast View Recipe Get all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning meal when you need to get out the door fast. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017 12 of 27 Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls View Recipe Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. The easy roasted veggies are based on a popular recipe from our sister magazine (see Associated Recipes). Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own (see Tip). You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 13 of 27 Skillet Chicken Potpie View Recipe A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019 14 of 27 Roasted Buffalo Chickpeas View Recipe Soaking chickpeas in vinegary hot sauce gives them a mouthwatering tang before they crisp up in the oven. The result? An addictively crunchy snack that's actually good for you. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017 15 of 27 Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil View Recipe Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 16 of 27 Mexican-Style Ham and Egg Breakfast Packed with protein and lower in carbs, these ham and egg breakfast sandwiches with guacamole will keep you full all day. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 17 of 27 Flank Steak Tacos with Strawberry Salsa For this easy taco recipe, we've topped skillet-cooked flank steak with a quick fresh salsa that takes advantage of perfectly ripe strawberries. Make the salsa while the steak cooks for a 30-minute dinner the whole family will love. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019 18 of 27 Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls View Recipe A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos (see Associated Recipes). To cut down on prep time, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you'll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019 19 of 27 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach View Recipe Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018 20 of 27 Greek Salad Wraps View Recipe Zesty Greek salad packed with tomatoes, cucumber and olives--plus chickpeas for a protein punch--gets tucked into a whole-wheat wrap for a healthy vegan lunch that's easy to pack for work. It's so flavorful and satisfying, you won't miss the feta! Source: EatingWell.com, April 2018 21 of 27 Sweet Chili Popcorn Honey and chili powder create the perfect mix of sweet and spicy popcorn. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 22 of 27 Charred Shrimp & Pesto Buddha Bowls View Recipe These shrimp and pesto Buddha bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019 23 of 27 One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake View Recipe photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 24 of 27 Chinese Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy View Recipe All of the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too. Look for Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster-flavored sauce in the Asian-foods aisle of your grocery store. It has the most concentrated oyster flavor. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019 25 of 27 Salmon Pita Sandwich View Recipe This quick lunch recipe is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s thanks to the canned sockeye salmon. If you're bringing this sandwich for lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff the pita just before eating. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2016 26 of 27 Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing & Cheese Crisps View Recipe Swap out store-bought for this tangy homemade buttermilk and poppy seed dressing to take this healthy salad recipe to the next level. For an even more impressive meal, make your own crunchy cheese crisps in a snap, using phyllo dough, for a delicious accompaniment to this dinner salad. Make extra dressing to keep on hand for other salads throughout the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019 27 of 27 Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens View Recipe Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit