25 Diabetes-Friendly Recipes to Help Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check

February 19, 2021

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, these diabetes-friendly recipes can help keep your blood sugar in check. While there is no magic food for a healthy blood sugar, there are ingredients like shrimp and black beans and dishes that are high in fiber and healthy fats that can help. Recipes like Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw and Egg & Broccoli Slaw Wrap are nutritious, satisfying and can keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

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Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

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Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet

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We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes.

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Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix

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Make your own hot cereal mix with this healthy recipe. Keep it on hand and just cook up the amount you need when you're ready for a hot breakfast. One serving of the warm cereal contains 6 grams of fiber--almost a quarter of your daily quota-which helps stave off hunger throughout the morning.

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Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

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In this healthy BBQ shrimp recipe, shrimp are seasoned with a peppery spice blend and served with zucchini, peppers and whole-grain orzo for a delicious and easy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. The shrimp and veggies are cooked in the same skillet, so cleanup is a snap too.

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Three-Bean Chili

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This rib-sticking bean chili is richly flavored with cumin, chili, paprika, oregano and an assortment of peppers. Use whatever beans you have in your pantry.

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Mango Raspberry Smoothie

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A squeeze of lemon juice adds bright flavor to this frozen fruit smoothie. Mango provides plenty of sweetness without having to add juice, but if it's too tart for you, a touch of agave will do the trick.

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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.

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Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Simply toss the ingredients together and sit back while your slow cooker prepares this ultimate spaghetti and meatball dish.

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Egg & Broccoli Slaw Wrap

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Who doesn't love an egg salad sandwich for lunch? We've given this one a bit of a makeover by combining the egg salad with roasted red peppers and a yummy citrusy slaw and serving it in a rolled tortilla. Want to pack it for lunch? Simply wrap it tightly in waxed or parchment paper and then in plastic wrap. Transport it in an insulated lunch box with ice packs--it will hold for up to five hours!

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

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The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

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Grilled Salmon Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

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Homemade raspberry dressing? You bet. Prep it a day ahead and this easy salmon salad will come together in no time.

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Raspberry-Pineapple Fish Tacos

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This refreshing version of traditional fish tacos features a lively raspberry-pineapple salsa and a yogurt-lime cream sauce.

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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.

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Spicy Refried Black Bean Burrito

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Skip frozen burritos and make your own by spicing up a can of refried black beans with chopped pickled jalapeños. Serve this easy vegetarian dish with tortilla chips, if desired.

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Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

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Precooked quinoa helps keep this healthy salad recipe quick and simple. Loaded with black beans, kale, and avocado, this recipe is as filling as it is nutritious. You can also make the sweet potatoes and dressing ahead.

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Curried Shrimp with Cauliflower and Chickpeas

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In this delicious main dish, cauliflower is slow-cooked with curry powder and aromatic vegetables, and shrimp and chickpeas are added in towards the end of the cooking time. Served over brown basmati rice and sprinkled with cilantro and peanuts, this dish will get a thumbs up from anyone eating it!

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Chicken-Broccoli Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

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Packaged broccoli slaw shortcuts the prep for this honey-mustard chicken salad. Dried cherries add a pop of color and tart-sweetness.

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Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

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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.

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Broccoli-Barley Pilaf

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Robust, chewy barley teams up with crisp broccoli, creamy avocado and tangy feta cheese in this flavorful side dish.

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Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

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Muffins meet oatmeal in these moist and tasty grab-and-go oatmeal cups. Feel free to swap out the pecans for any other nut--walnuts would be great--or omit them altogether. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your fridge or freezer for quick and easy breakfasts all week. Reheat in the microwave for about 40 seconds.

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Open-Face Italian Chicken Sandwiches with Avocado Slaw

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The quick tomato topping on these hearty and healthy chicken sandwiches will remind you of pizza. The accompanying slaw swaps out mayo for healthier avocado. Cook the chicken breasts on the grill if you prefer (see Tip) and consider making a double batch of the chicken for lunches and dinners later in the week.

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Raspberry-Glazed Pork Chops with Pickled Onions

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Brining enhances flavor and renders pork chops moist and juicy. While the chops brine, prepare the pickled onions and the raspberry sauce. The thick flavorful sauce, rich pork chops and pickled onions all come together in an explosion of flavors and textures.

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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.

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Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake

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This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.

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California Turkey Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries

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Inspired by an option at the West Coast chain In-N-Out Burger, this turkey burger recipe keeps the carbs in check with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. The side of sweet potato fries bakes while you prep the burgers, so this entire healthy dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.

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