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100 Healthy Recipes

A well-balanced diet is one part of a healthy lifestyle for people with type 2 diabetes. But it's not always easy to make smart food choices and change the way you eat.

A healthy diet is not just about eating less of the foods you love or achieving weight loss. It is also about making some simple lifestyle changes that you can maintain. It may surprise you to find that you can still enjoy in reasonable amounts many of the foods you currently eat. Remember to discuss your specific food needs with your doctor and dietitian or educator.

Get a head start on good eating with 100 recipes created from healthy food choices. Click on any of the 9 categories below to choose a recipe.

Baked Penne Primavera

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Baked Penne Primavera
    Ingredients
  • 6 ounces pasta, penne rigate, uncooked
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped, frozen
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 12 pieces asparagus spears, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup zucchini, fresh, sliced
  • 3 cups tomato sauce, no added salt
  • ½ teaspoon basil, dried
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano, dried
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup part skim ricotta cheese
  • 3 ounces cheese, mozzarella, part skim, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, fat free
    Preparation:
  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Thaw vegetables.
  • Bring a large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
  • Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Wash zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch slices.
  • Add the penne to the boiling water, return to a boil and cook for 10 minutes (or according to package directions).
  • Four minutes before penne is done, stir in the broccoli florets and carrot slices. Two minutes before the penne is done, stir in the asparagus and zucchini.
  • Cook until pasta is al dente and vegetables are crisp-tender.
  • Drain in a colander. In the pasta cooking pan, combine the tomato sauce, basil, oregano and pepper, bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the pasta and vegetables, and toss until mixed.
  • Pour the mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish, lightly coated with cooking spray. Spoon dollops of the ricotta onto the pasta mixture, then sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan over top.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Apple-Rice Stuffing

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Total Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 16

Apple-Rice Stuffing
    Ingredients
  • 3 cups each: diced apples, onions, and celery
  • 1 tablespoon margarine
  • 4 cups prepared stuffing
  • 3 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup low-sodium broth
    Preparation:
  • Sauté the apples, onions, and celery in the margarine in a large nonstick skillet or medium saucepan.
  • When vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the prepared stuffing, rice and broth.
  • Mix well and place in a covered casserole or baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F.

Mushroom Risotto

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Mushroom Risotto
    Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 5 cups chicken broth, heated
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup arborio or short-grain rice
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
    Preparation:
  • Heat a Dutch oven pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook briefly, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir well.
  • Add 1 cup of the broth, the black pepper, and the oregano. Bring this mixture to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.
  • When almost all of the liquid is absorbed, add another cup of broth. Stir occasionally.
  • Continue cooking until all of the broth is used up, adding it in 1-cup increments.
  • The risotto should take about 30 minutes. Add the fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese at the end. Serve hot.

Baked Potatoes Primavera

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Baked Potatoes Primavera
    Ingredients
  • 4 potatoes, raw
  • 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, 10-ounce package
  • 1 ¼ cups sour cream, fat-free
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, to taste
    Preparation:
  • Scrub potatoes clean, then pierce each potato several times with a fork. Microwave on high power until tender, about 3-4 minutes per potato, turning over halfway through cooking time.
  • Steam mixed vegetables until hot. Mix 1 cup of the sour cream with the herbs and pepper. Split each potato in the center and fill with steamed vegetables. Top each potato with 1 tablespoon sour cream and serve hot.

Green Beans With Cranberries and Walnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Green Beans With Cranberries and Walnuts
    Ingredients
  • 16 fluid ounces frozen green beans
  • ½ teaspoon canola oil
  • ¼ cup cranberries, fresh, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon honey
    Preparation:
  • Place green beans in medium-sized casserole dish and microwave on high until heated and tender, about 6 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat a small, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
  • Cook the cranberries and walnuts briefly until the cranberries are tender. Toss in the green beans and honey. Serve hot.

Japanese Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Japanese Stir-Fry
    Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • ¾ cup snow or sugar peas
  • ¼ cup green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cabbage, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
    Preparation:
  • Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and sauté the onions for 1 minute.
  • Add the rest of the vegetables and sauté until crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes. Season with ginger and light soy sauce.

Grilled Asparagus

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Total Time: 5 minutes or less

Serves: 4

Grilled Asparagus
    Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    Preparation:
  • Trim about 2 inches off the bottoms of the asparagus. Lightly coat the spears with the oil.
  • Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness. Sprinkle with black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Serve hot.

Dill Potato Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Dill Potato Salad
    Ingredients
  • 2 red potatoes, unpeeled, diced medium
  • 1 cup green beans, remove stems and cut in half
  • ½ cup red bell pepper, diced medium
  • 1/3 cup nonfat mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon dill leaves, fresh, chopped
    Preparation:
  • Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until almost tender (about 15 minutes).
  • Add green beans and continue cooking until tender (about 3 minutes). Drain in colander and rinse lightly with cool water.
  • Drain excess water off and place into medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the rest of ingredients and toss together well.

Blue Cornbread

Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 12

Blue Cornbread
    Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole blue cornmeal
  • 1 cup flour (whole-wheat pastry flour or all-purpose)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup egg white or egg substitute
  • 1 cup skim milk
    Preparation:
  • Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix well.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until done, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut into 12 squares. Serve warm.
  • Leftover cornbread should be covered and refrigerated.

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