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  6. 20 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You'll Want to Make Forever

20 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You'll Want to Make Forever

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD November 13, 2021
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

You'll only need 15 minutes or less to prep these four- and five-star-rated meals. Each of these tasty recipes focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains, and sticks to heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium for a diabetes-friendly dinner you'll want to make on repeat. Recipes like our Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers and One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake are delicious ways to shake up your routine any night of the week.

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Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers

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These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun.

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One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
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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.

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Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

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Meal-prep a week's worth of delicious and satisfying high-fiber lunches with just 5 simple ingredients and 20 minutes. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we're using pasta made with black beans to bump up the fiber to an impressive 14 grams per serving. Paired with seasoned chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad--shortcut ingredients you can often find at your local specialty grocery store--this meal-prep lunch is one you'll get excited for.

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

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Shrimp & Chicken Congee

Shrimp & Chicken Congee
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Breana Lai Killeen, who shared it for Father's Day because it is one of her father's favorite dishes. "In the U.S., this dish is called congee, but in Hong Kong, we call it jok," she says. "My dad's version was always pretty bland, but this recipe is adapted from one in the cookbook A Place at the Table from a Laotian chef who, just like me, is a first-generation Asian raised in North Carolina." Congee can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and leftovers freeze well.

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Indian Grain Bowls with Chicken & Vegetables

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Look forward to a week of healthy, flavorful lunches with these high-protein meal-prep grain bowls. We're using bulgur wheat, which cooks up quickly and is higher in fiber than rice, but feel free to swap in any whole grain you prefer. The bowls are topped with broiled chicken (from our popular Indian-Spiced Chicken Pitas recipe) and cilantro chutney (see Associated Recipes). To balance the heat of the chutney, dress these bowls with a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving.

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

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Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Vegan Black Bean Burgers
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These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.

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Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing

veggie grain bowl in a glass to-go container
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In about 10 minutes, you can prep a week's worth of lunches using 4 simple ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To minimize prep, we're taking advantage of prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes). These crunchy chopped salad bowls are high in fiber but lower in calories, making them perfect for those following a reduced-calorie diet.

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Turkish Seared Tuna with Bulgur & Chickpea Salad

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This healthy tuna recipe combines many of Turkey's most beloved foods and flavors--fresh fish, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs and chickpeas. Cooking for two? Flake the two leftover tuna steaks and mix them into the remaining bulgur salad, then serve over lettuce for lunch the next day.

 

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Slow-Cooker Chicken White Bean Stew
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This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.

 

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

containers with 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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Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

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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).

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Provençal Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes & Mushrooms

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This easy healthy meal--which requires just 15 minutes of active time--is typical of southern France. You can use halibut, grouper or cod for this simple Mediterranean baked fish recipe, so just choose what looks best at your market. Look for herbes de Provence, an aromatic spice blend, at most grocery stores.

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Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup

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Jazz up a can of black bean soup with your favorite nacho toppings, such as cheese, avocado and fresh tomatoes. A bit of smoked paprika adds a bold flavor kick, but you can swap in any warm spices you prefer, such as cumin or chili powder. Look for a soup that contains no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.

 

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Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls

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Curry doesn't have to take hours to prepare. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken (see associated recipe) and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes! Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

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Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

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Lemon Chicken Pasta

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In this easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, we love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken, quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.

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Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad

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This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead.

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Sausage, Tomato & White Bean Stew

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This white bean stew combines cannellini beans and sweet turkey sausage for a filling, flavorful meal. Serve this hearty bean stew for lunch or dinner.

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    1 of 20 Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers
    2 of 20 One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
    3 of 20 Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls
    4 of 20 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    5 of 20 Shrimp & Chicken Congee
    6 of 20 Indian Grain Bowls with Chicken & Vegetables
    7 of 20 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese
    8 of 20 Vegan Black Bean Burgers
    9 of 20 Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing
    10 of 20 Turkish Seared Tuna with Bulgur & Chickpea Salad
    11 of 20 Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew
    12 of 20 Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame
    13 of 20 Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
    14 of 20 Provençal Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes & Mushrooms
    15 of 20 Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup
    16 of 20 Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls
    17 of 20 Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu
    18 of 20 Lemon Chicken Pasta
    19 of 20 Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
    20 of 20 Sausage, Tomato & White Bean Stew

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    20 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You'll Want to Make Forever
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