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  6. 15 Diabetes-Friendly Winter Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

15 Diabetes-Friendly Winter Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD November 17, 2021
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Whether it's a cozy bowl of chili or fresh salad, these dinners make it easy to eat well even when you're crunched for time. Each of these recipes focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains, and is lower in saturated fat and sodium, so they'll fit seamlessly into a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese and Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens highlight wintry produce like cauliflower, kale and potatoes for a flavorful and nutritious seasonal meal.

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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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Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"

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Cut carbs and calories by using cauliflower "rice" instead of regular rice in this 30-minute pork paprikash recipe.

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Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
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Dipping tofu in buttermilk makes the coating stick for a crispy pan-fried tofu, reminiscent of fried chicken. Spicing up the collards with paprika coats them with smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. And this quick, easy and healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's great for busy weeknights.

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Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower

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You can find farro in most grocery stores, near the rice. If you can't find farro, you can use wheat berries or brown rice instead; cook according to package directions.

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Easy Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie

Easy Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie
Credit: Brie Passano
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With lots of veggie shortcuts and a cauliflower-mash topping instead of spuds, you can have this comfort-food staple in a fraction of the usual time—and save carbs too! Cook the veggies from frozen; no need to thaw. Swap ground turkey for the beef if you prefer.

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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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Shrimp Oreganata Cauliflower Gnocchi

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This cauliflower gnocchi dinner is ready in just minutes on busy nights. A simple flavor-packed sauce marries the tender pasta with cooked shrimp. If you don't eat shrimp, use rotisserie chicken instead.

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Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing

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Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together.

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Chicken Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Use convenience ingredients, like cooked chicken (leftover or purchased) and store-bought curry sauce to whip up these easy loaded baked potatoes. We call for cauliflower in this recipe, but feel free to sub in whatever veggies you have on hand for a quick and easy dinner. You can also swap the sweet potatoes for russets.

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Red Cabbage-Apple Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Tender cabbage and a vibrant applesauce-mustard pan sauce are the perfect pairing for pillowy low-carb cauliflower gnocchi. Add diced chicken-apple sausage for extra protein.

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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

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Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

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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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Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Apples & Pecans

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Sweet and crunchy apples and celery combine with savory shrimp and nutty pecans in this easy, colorful dinner salad.

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Chicken & Cabbage Salad Bowls with Sesame Dressing

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Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to prepare a week's worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your neighborhood grocery store. A bag of prechopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which only require 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame dressing and you have one irresistible lunch you'll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe's? See Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

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Pork Tenderloin with Apple-Onion Chutney

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If you'd like the chutney in this pork tenderloin recipe to be both sweet and tart, opt for sweet apples like red or golden delicious and sweet onion.

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By Leah Goggins

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    1 of 15 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese
    2 of 15 Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"
    3 of 15 Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
    4 of 15 Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower
    5 of 15 Easy Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie
    6 of 15 California Turkey Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries
    7 of 15 Shrimp Oreganata Cauliflower Gnocchi
    8 of 15 Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
    9 of 15 Chicken Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    10 of 15 Red Cabbage-Apple Cauliflower Gnocchi
    11 of 15 Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
    12 of 15 Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers
    13 of 15 Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Apples & Pecans
    14 of 15 Chicken & Cabbage Salad Bowls with Sesame Dressing
    15 of 15 Pork Tenderloin with Apple-Onion Chutney

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    15 Diabetes-Friendly Winter Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
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