
Stock Up Your Pantry On Diabetes-Friendly Staples
No time to plan dinner? No problem. With a few staples, you can make a quick and healthy meal.
Even with great meal planning, there’ll be times when you need to whip together a quick meal. Having a pantry stocked with diabetes-friendly staples can help you keep it simple and healthy. Here’s a list of some items to have on hand1:
- Canned vegetables (no added salt)
- Canned fruit (in water or unsweetened juice)
- Canned beans (rinse before eating to remove any salt)
- Canned tuna or salmon (in water)
- Dried herbs
- Olive oil
- Cooking spray
- Instant oatmeal or quick oats
- Whole-grain cereal
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Brown rice
- Dried fruit
- Whole-wheat bread
- Whole-wheat pita
- Nuts (e.g., almonds, peanuts, walnuts)
- Peanut or almond butter
- Seeds (sunflower, flax)
- Popcorn (light, microwave)
- Potatoes (sweet potatoes, yams)
- Spaghetti sauce
- Soup (low-sodium and low-fat versions)
- Whole-wheat crackers
- Whole-wheat flour
Canned beans are a good source of protein and fibre and can make a satisfying vegetarian entrée (see recipe below). If you like meat in your mains, stock up on frozen meats like chicken breasts or shrimp that can be defrosted and added to a recipe. Low-fat cheese is another good item to replenish from week to week.
Quick & Easy Vegetarian Chili1
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) canola oil
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped green sweet pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
- 1 14-ounce can (398 mL) no-salt-added diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
- 1 8-ounce can (250 mL) no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 4 1/2 teaspoons (about 20 mL) chili powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) garlic-herb salt-free seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin
- A pinch of salt
- 1 15-16-ounce can (473 mL) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup (250 mL) frozen mixed vegetables
Directions:
1. Lightly coat an unheated large saucepan or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add onion, sweet pepper, and garlic to hot pan; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until pepper is tender, stirring often.
2. Add undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, seasoning blend, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in beans and mixed vegetables. Return to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 4 (1 1/2-cup) servings.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 375 mg sodium, 11 g fibre, 10 g protein, 0 g saturated fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 2 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 209 calories (kcal).
Reference:
1 Adapted from: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/soups/vegetarian-chili