30-Day Diabetes-Friendly Dinner Plan for Summer

Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Pasta

Wondering what to make for dinner? Try one of these healthy diabetes-friendly recipes that are perfect for summer. Not only do these dinners feature seasonal ingredients, but they're also low in saturated fat, sodium and calories to help you meet your goals. Recipes like Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Corn on the Cob and Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Pasta are nutritious, tasty and summery.

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Simple Grilled Salmon & Vegetables

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Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that's ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa.

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Chipotle Chicken Satay with Grilled Vegetables

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Plan ahead before you prep the grill for this grilled chicken recipe: marinating the chicken in a mix of peanut butter, lime, and chipotle peppers results in tender meat and bold flavors.

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Better-Than-Takeout Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Better-Than-Takeout Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

This healthy take on burgers and fries swaps in chopped mushrooms for some of the meat in the burger patties, to cut back on calories and saturated fat.

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Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw

Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw

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.

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Joy Howard

In place of bacon, this satisfying salad uses store-bought crispy chickpeas for lower saturated fat and less prep time. Using fresh herbs, bright citrus and a creamy base of yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing gives it a flavorful finish.

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Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Corn on the Cob

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Shredded zucchini keeps these lean turkey burgers moist and sneaks extra vegetables into your meal.

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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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Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Pasta

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The combination of slightly smoky grilled eggplant and sweet tomatoes is delightful. The eggplant-tomato mixture served over whole-wheat pasta with fresh basil and a bit of salty cheese makes an easy, healthy weeknight dinner.

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Black Bean Salad with Grilled Pork Cutlets

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This hearty bean salad is packed with vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Center-cut boneless pork chops (also called pork cutlets), make a convenient and economical protein to round out the meal. This recipe makes one extra cutlet, which can be refrigerated for another use (see Associated Recipe).

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Vegetarian Niçoise Salad

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This vegetarian take on a traditional Niçoise salad omits the fish and piles on plenty of vegetables.

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.

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Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

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This dish is an easy way to turn grilled vegetables into a satisfying meal, thanks to hearty whole-grain pasta and a quick homemade pesto.

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BLT Pizza

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This homemade pizza riffs on the classic BLT sandwich, with crisp bacon, thin roma tomatoes and fresh arugula on top of a whole-wheat pizza crust.

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Grilled Salmon Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Grilled Salmon

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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Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

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Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole

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Eggplant soaks up the flavors of ginger, garlic and tamari in this Asian-inspired casserole recipe. A hot pepper in the topping adds a bit of heat, but opt for sweet if you prefer.

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Sheet-Pan Creole Chicken & Shrimp

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This variation of a shrimp boil can be made in the oven on just one baking sheet. A medley of spices gives this healthy dish of chicken, sausage and veggies a rich, complex flavor. Bonus: This easy sheet-pan dinner requires just 20 minutes of active prep time.

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Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

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Bone-In Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches & Arugula

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This easy grilling recipe sears both the pork and the peaches on the grill. When peaches are not in season, you can make this recipe with pears or apples instead.

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Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers

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Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!

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Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

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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Pork & Pineapple Tacos

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Plan ahead so you can use your slow cooker to prepare the pulled pork for these tacos. This recipe is a better-for-you twist on the classic tacos al pastor. Pork loin is a lean cut that's a healthier option than traditional pork shoulder, which has more fat.

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Peach & Spinach Salad with Feta

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This simple and refreshing salad recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Each bite delivers the taste of sweet juicy peach, tangy feta, and toasted pine nuts and will leave you completely satisfied--but not over-stuffed!

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Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean Couscous

Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean Couscous

Fennel adds a nice flavoring to the marinade in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken souvlaki dish. The kabobs are perfectly paired with a veggie-packed, yogurt-dressed Israeli couscous.

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BBQ Carrot Dogs

BBQ Carrot Dogs

Shock everyone with this recipe for veggie dogs that actually taste like hot dogs. They're an amazing (and healthy!) vegan alternative to traditional meat hot dogs. Serve in whole-wheat hot dog buns and top with all your favorite toppings, such as sauerkraut, relish, ketchup and mustard, for the ultimate barbecue meal.

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Shrimp-&-Grits-Stuffed Peppers

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Shrimp and grits are stuffed inside bell peppers and baked in this healthy stuffed peppers recipe. Add the optional hot sauce if you want to give the filling some kick. Look for bell peppers--use any color--with even bottoms, so that they stand upright on their own when they're cooked.

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Basil-Chickpea Flatbread

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A flavorful combination of chickpeas, cashews, and garlic forms a protein-rich base for this homemade flatbread. Store-bought crust makes prep a breeze.

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Pita Panzanella Salad with Meatballs

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This Mediterranean-inspired salad combines the flavors of Greece with the format of a traditional Tuscan bread salad for a refreshing, yet hearty meal. For a twist, try stuffing the salad into the pitas rather than crisping them in Step 3.

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Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor, this chicken pasta bake is inspired by the ingredients in a caprese salad.

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Lasagna-Stuffed Zucchini

Lasagna-Stuffed Zucchini

Swap vegetables for noodles in this healthy lasagna-inspired recipe. Stuffing zucchini boats with chicken sausage, tomato, ricotta and herbs gives you all the flavors of lasagna without all the carbs.

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