29 Recipes to Help Keep Blood Sugar in Check

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Try one of these delicious recipes if you're looking to keep your blood sugar in check. While there is no magic food for a healthy blood sugar, ingredients like shrimp, broccoli, nuts, raspberries, avocados and black beans can help. These foods are full of fiber and healthy fats, which can keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, recipes like Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema and Date & Pine Nut Overnight Oatmeal are nutritious, tasty and can keep you feeling at your best.

01 of 29

Date & Pine Nut Overnight Oatmeal

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Chopped dates, honey and cinnamon provide natural sweetness to these overnight oats, and pine nuts balance each bite. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

02 of 29

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto & Shrimp

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Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe. Top with Cajun-seasoned shrimp to complete this quick and easy dinner. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2017

03 of 29

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2018

04 of 29

Broccoli with Balsamic Mushrooms

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Just a touch of butter adds silkiness to the balsamic sauce that coats broccoli and meaty mushrooms in this easy broccoli side dish recipe. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

05 of 29

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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

06 of 29

Black Beans & Avocado on Quinoa

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Healthy fats, plant protein, vitamins and minerals are just some of the benefits to this delicious vegetarian main dish. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

07 of 29

Spinach Salad with Raspberries, Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

This pretty spinach salad couldn't be easier to make: just whisk together a simple vinaigrette in a serving bowl, then toss it with spinach, goat cheese and hazelnuts. Feel free to swap in your favorite nut for the hazelnuts--this simple salad would also be lovely with pecans, walnuts or almonds. The key is the combo of sweet fruit, tangy vinegar, creamy and salty cheese and crunchy nuts. Serve with grilled chicken or your favorite protein for a healthy dinner that comes together in a snap. Source: Eatingwell.com, June 2019

08 of 29

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Avocado cuts some of the sour cream in our quick crema loaded with cilantro, for a healthier taco sauce that takes these shrimp tacos to the next level. Shrimp cook up super-fast, making them the ultimate taco filling for a fast weeknight dinner that's also impressive and delicious enough for a weekend dinner party. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2018

09 of 29

Chocolate-Raspberry Oatmeal

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Start your morning off right with this hot bowl of oatmeal, flavored with cocoa powder and fresh raspberries. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

10 of 29

Ginger Roasted Salmon & Broccoli

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This quick Asian salmon recipe uses the sauce for both glazing the salmon and tossing with the broccoli. Serve over rice noodles or brown rice tossed with sesame oil and scallions. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2018

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Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

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Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors--and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2019

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Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice

Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cut down on carbs and amp up your veggie servings with this healthy cauliflower fried rice with shrimp, broccoli, bell peppers and garlic. Everything is cooked in one wok or skillet, but in stages, so each element keeps its integrity in the finished dish instead of being all mushed together--it may seem fussy, but it's worth it and actually quite easy. Resist the urge to stir the cauliflower rice right away; letting it cook undisturbed for a few minutes allows it to brown and develop sweet, nutty flavors. This better-than-takeout healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's perfect for busy weeknights. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Broccoli, Chickpea & Pomegranate Salad

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Simple steps give this broccoli salad recipe a more nuanced flavor: soaking the onion tempers its bite and toasting the cumin enhances its aroma. Serve alongside grilled chicken, pork or fish. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Raspberry-Pistachio Greek Yogurt Bark

Raspberry-Pistachio Greek Yogurt Bark

Mix Greek yogurt with sweet jam and crunchy pistachios and freeze so you can break 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

15 of 29

Broccoli-Cauliflower Soup

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In this healthy broccoli-cauliflower soup recipe, broccoli, cauliflower and baby spinach get blended into a smooth puree which gives the soup body and a bright green color. Cheddar cheese melted on top adds a creamy finish to this quick appetizer soup recipe. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

16 of 29

Creamy Cherry-Walnut Oatmeal

Cream cheese, dried cherries and lemon zest give this healthy oatmeal recipe cheesecake-like flavor. Short on time in the morning? Try our overnight oatmeal variation.

17 of 29

Black Bean & Salmon Tostadas

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Pickled jalapeños, cilantro and avocado perk up convenient canned salmon for a quick tostada topping. Skip store-bought and make your own crispy shells in the oven. Serve with: Brown rice cooked with diced tomatoes and onions or salsa. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2010

18 of 29

Shrimp and Avocado-Cream Pasta

Shrimp and Avocado-Cream Pasta

This recipe has a tasty secret: the creamy sauce is made with nutritious avocado! Mix it together with multigrain pasta for a healthy dinner option. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

19 of 29

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili with Crunchy Tostadas & Avocado

This easy chili recipe comes together very quickly, making it a great weeknight soup (or last-minute dinner anytime). This chili has a ton of flavor and tastes light and clean, yet it's filling and has a hearty texture. If you don't have a cinnamon stick, you can substitute with a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

20 of 29

Roasted Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Broccoli

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This easy one-pan roasted salmon with broccoli is quick enough for weeknight dinners but elegant enough for company. The lemony pistachio crust would also be lovely on other types of fish or on chicken breasts. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2019

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Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad

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The smoky flavors of grilled shrimp and corn in this healthy chopped salad recipe are a tasty match for the creamy cilantro dressing. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2014

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Mediterranean Broccoli Pasta Salad

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We've loaded this healthy pasta salad with vegetables and flavors of the Mediterranean. Sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of lemon zest jazz up the dressing, while tender-crisp broccoli florets cook alongside the pasta, making assembly (and cleanup!) a breeze. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Muesli with Raspberries

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Unlike granola, muesli isn't baked with sweeteners or oil. Make your own or find your favorite brand in most supermarkets--we like Bob's Red Mill. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2018

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Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

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This festive holiday salad recipe features plenty of oven-roasted broccoli and cauliflower combined with massaged kale. Why massage the kale? It helps tenderize the leaves and infuses the sweet-tangy flavor of the dressing directly into the heart of this healthy winter salad. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2019

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Whole-Wheat Orzo & Tuna Salad with Broccoli

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This pasta- and tuna-salad mashup gets a boost of color and texture from broccoli. Plenty of Kalamata olives add a briny bite. Be sure to monitor the pasta-cooking carefully, as orzo can go from al dente to mush in a minute. If in doubt, drain it a little early--it'll soften further in the lemon dressing. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020

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Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Treat your Buddha bowl to a vacation south of the border! This black bean and quinoa Buddha bowl has the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the greasy fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2017

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Taco Stuffed Avocados

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Here we ditch the taco shell and use a hollowed-out avocado to hold a spicy turkey and black bean taco filling. The flesh of the avocado gets mashed with lime juice and cilantro for a quick and easy guacamole topping. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2018

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Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl

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Poke (pronounced poh-kay), the bite-size marinated fish salad famous in Hawaii, is so popular that it's sold by the pound in supermarkets. Now it has crossed the Pacific to become the meal-in-a-bowl du jour, served in eateries from Los Angeles to New York. But it's easy to make at home with this quick recipe. Sriracha and Chinese-style mustard add a touch of heat to the classic poke seasoning of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serving it over a brown rice salad makes it a meal. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2017

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Banana, Raisin & Walnut Baked Oatmeal

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How do you make oatmeal even easier? Bake it! Here we combine oats with milk and yogurt and flavor them with spices. Banana and raisins add natural sweetness. Once combined, the oatmeal is baked in the oven for a no-fuss breakfast the whole family will love. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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