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  6. 20 Mediterranean Diet Dinners That Are Diabetes-Friendly and Ready in 30 Minutes

20 Mediterranean Diet Dinners That Are Diabetes-Friendly and Ready in 30 Minutes

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Danielle DeAngelis Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD July 27, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry

From start to finish, these recipes only take 30 minutes or less to prepare, so they're easy and delicious options for dinner tonight. Enjoy the flavors of legumes, seafood and ample produce, which are staple ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns you can follow. Plus, with complex carbs and low counts of saturated fats and sodium, these dinners are perfect for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls and Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble are healthy and tasty options for a quick and easy meal.

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Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

a blue bowl full of chicken and vegetables and a smaller bowl with dressing
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For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.

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Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens

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Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.

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Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls

Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
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These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.

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Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

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Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

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Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Credit: Jamie Vespa
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A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe—the flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the shallots and the actual tomatoes help to add delicious flavor to the creamy sauce. Served with perfectly cooked salmon, you really can't go wrong with this easy 20-minute weeknight meal. This recipe is a variation on our insanely popular Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce recipe by Carolyn Malcoun.

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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

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Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes.

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Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble

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Don't toss out those almost-past-their-prime vegetables and fresh herbs. Toss them into this skillet egg scramble for a quick vegetarian meal. Nearly any vegetable will work in this easy skillet recipe, so choose your favorites or use what you have on hand.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon Rice Bowl
Credit: Ali Redmond
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Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

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Air-Fryer Fish Tacos

air fryer fish tacos
Credit: Jacob Fox
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These air-fryer fish tacos get their kick from a crispy breadcrumb coating that's spiked with chili powder. Avocado crema helps balance the flavors, while shredded cabbage slaw adds crunch. These easy air-fryer fish tacos are finished with fresh tomato, but feel free to add your own favorite toppings to the mix.

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl

cilantro and lime shrimp bowl
Credit: Jen Causey
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This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
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This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry

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This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here. Or opt for a smoked version, which has the same texture with a more robust flavor. Serve over brown rice.

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Salmon Power Bowl

salmon power bowl
Credit: Crystal Hughes
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Crush your day with this salmon power bowl! Here, you'll get protein and a healthy dose of omega-3s from salmon, antioxidants from shredded cabbage, and plenty of fiber from farro. Cumin and coriander flavor the salmon, while a fresh herb dressing coats the veggies.

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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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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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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
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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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Salmon Couscous Salad

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This healthy and easy salad is designed to be made with precooked or leftover salmon. To quickly cook salmon, lightly brush with olive oil, then roast in a 450 degrees F oven until the fish is opaque and firm, 8 to 12 minutes.

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    1 of 20 Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing
    2 of 20 Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens
    3 of 20 Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
    4 of 20 Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
    5 of 20 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    6 of 20 Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
    7 of 20 Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad
    8 of 20 Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble
    9 of 20 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
    10 of 20 Salmon Rice Bowl
    11 of 20 Air-Fryer Fish Tacos
    12 of 20 Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
    13 of 20 Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl
    14 of 20 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
    15 of 20 Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry
    16 of 20 Salmon Power Bowl
    17 of 20 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    18 of 20 Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower
    19 of 20 Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
    20 of 20 Salmon Couscous Salad

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    20 Mediterranean Diet Dinners That Are Diabetes-Friendly and Ready in 30 Minutes
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