Food & Fitness
Recipes
Lasagna
Lasagna is always a popular choice for hearty family suppers. To help speed cooking time, use no-cook lasagna noodles instead of regular noodles. They work equally well and don't require any advance cooking-simply line the pan with raw noodles, layer with filling ingredients, cover, and bake.
From The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes, by American Diabetes Association © 1999
Serves 12; Serving size: 3X3 inch square
Ingredients
1 lb lean 90 percent ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz canned tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
12 oz tomato paste
2 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 oz ncooked lasagna noodles
3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs , or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2 cups mozzarella cheese, part skim
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Preparation
- In a large skillet, brown the beef with the onion and garlic; drain well. Return the mixture to the skillet and add the tomatoes with liquid, the tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions.
- In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, parsley and eggs. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick olive oil-flavored pan spray.
- Layer in half the noodles and half the cheese mixture, then the meat sauce, and then the mozzarella. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 rectangles (each about 3x3 inches).
Nutrition Information
Exchanges/Choices
Total Calories 303
Calories from Fat: 96
Total Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg
Not all recipes presented here are necessarily appropriate for all people with diabetes, nor will all recipes fit into every meal plan. No two meal plans are alike. Work with your health care provider, diabetes educator or dietitian to design a meal plan that's right for you, and includes the foods you love. A key message for people with diabetes is "Carbs Count." Foods high in carbs (carbohydrates) -- bread, tortillas, rice, crackers, cereal, fruit, juice, milk, yogurt, potatoes, corn, peas, sweets -- raise your blood glucose levels the most.
For many people, having 3 or 4 servings of a carb choice at each meal and 1 or 2 servings at snacks is about right. Keep an eye on your total number of servings. For example, if you choose to have dessert, cut back on potatoes.
Round out your meals with a serving of:
- Meat (such as fish or chicken) or meat substitute (such as beans, eggs, cheese, and tofu) about the size of a deck of cards and
- Non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli or lettuce). If you have three (3) or more servings of non-starchy vegetables, count them as a carbohydrate choice. Three (3) servings is equal to 1 1/2 cups of cooked vegetables, or three (3) cups of raw vegetables.
Check your blood glucose to see how your food choices or these recipes affect your blood glucose. If your meal plan isn't working for you, talk to your dietitian about making a new one.
Along with exercise and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills), nutrition is important for good diabetes management. By eating well-balanced meals in the correct amounts, you can keep your blood glucose level as close to normal (non-diabetes level) as possible.
The recipes on this page are only a part of what is offered in recipe books from the American Diabetes Association. Many also include information on meal planning, portion control, food buying and seasoning, as well as general cooking hints and tips for people with diabetes.
