Diabetic Living Summer 2019

Nourish: MEAL PLAN

Lemon-Tahini Couscous with
Chicken & Vegetables

ACTIVE: 25 min. TOTAL: 25 min.
42g CARB

When you want pasta in no time, couscous
is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls
cook up in minutes, and absorb all the
water so you don’t have to fuss with
draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables
plus leftover chicken from Day 1, it’s a fast
and tasty meal in a bowl.

1 cup whole-wheat pearl
couscous (see Tip)
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup water
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
(half of a 10-oz. package)
½ medium red bell pepper,
chopped
4 cups coleslaw mix (half of a
12- to 14-oz. package)
4 cups baby spinach
(half of a 5-oz. bag)
4 cooked chicken cutlets
(about 12 oz.), chopped (see
Tips, p. 97)
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat
feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
(optional)

1. Cook couscous in a medium saucepan
   according to package directions. Fluff
   with a fork and set aside.


2. Meanwhile, whisk tahini, water,
   lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. oil, salt, pepper,
   and crushed red pepper in a small bowl
   until well blended; set aside.


3. Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a
   large nonstick skillet over medium-high
   heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant,
   about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and
   bell pepper; cook until the mushrooms
   release their liquid, about 3 minutes.


4. Stir in coleslaw mix and spinach;

continue cooking, stirring, until the

spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in

chicken, the couscous, and the tahini

sauce; cook until heated through, 2 to 4

minutes.

5. Sprinkle with almonds, feta, pars-
   ley, and lemon zest. Serve with lemon
   wedges, if desired.

SERVES 4: about 1½ cups each

CAL 528, CARB 42g (fiber 9g, sugars 4g), FAT 23g

(sat. fat 4g), PROTEIN 40g, CHOL 77mg, SODIUM

565mg, POTASSIUM 518mg.

TIP: Whole-wheat pearl couscous (aka

Israeli couscous) has a deliciously nutty

flavor and chewy texture. Look for brands

like Bob’s Red Mill in natural-foods stores

and some supermarkets. If you can’t find

it, you can substitute regular couscous.

Spinach-Mushroom Frittata

with Avocado Salad

ACTIVE: 45 min. TOTAL: 55 min.

30g CARB

Frittatas are like omelets, only easier—

and they taste great hot, warm, or cold.

This vegetable-packed version is spiked

with Mediterranean flavor and paired with

a cool salad of lemony cukes and toma-

toes. (Photo: p. 99.)

Salad

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

4 tsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground pepper

1 medium cucumber, cut into

½-inch chunks

2 medium tomatoes, cut into

½-inch chunks

1 ripe avocado, cubed

2 tablespoons crumbled reduced-

fat feta cheese

Frittata

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes,

diced

4 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 cups sliced mushrooms

(half of a 10-oz. package)

¼ tsp. salt

4 cups baby spinach (half of a

5-oz. bag), chopped

4 scallions, thinly sliced

(about ½ bunch)

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. ground pepper

6 large eggs

½ cup nonfat cottage cheese

1. To prepare salad: Whisk lemon juice,
   oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and
   pepper in a medium bowl. Add cucum-
   ber, tomatoes, and avocado. Toss gently
   to combine and set aside to let the fla-
   vors blend.


2. To prepare frittata: Place potatoes in
   a microwave-safe dish and cover with
   vented plastic wrap or lid. Microwave on
   High for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave,
   covered, until just tender when pierced
   with a fork, 1 to 3 minutes more.


3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. oil in a me-
   dium nonstick or cast-iron skillet over
   medium-high heat. Add mushrooms,
   sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring,
   until they release their liquid, about
   3 minutes. Stir in spinach, scallions,
   thyme, and pepper; continue cooking
   until the spinach has wilted, 2 to 3 min-
   utes more. Transfer to a plate to cool.
   Wipe out the pan.


4. Once the mushroom mixture has
   cooled, whisk eggs and cottage cheese
   in a large bowl. Add the cooled mush-
   room mixture and the potatoes; stir until
   well blended.


5. Add the remaining 2 tsp. oil to the
   pan and place over medium-high heat
   until it begins to shimmer. Quickly pour
   in the egg mixture. Cook, lifting the
   edges with a flexible heatproof spatula
   to allow uncooked egg from the middle
   to flow underneath, until nearly set,
   about 3 minutes.


6. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and
   cook until the top is set and no liquid egg
   remains, 6 to 8 minutes.


7. To release the frittata from the pan,
   run the spatula around the edge, then un-
   derneath, until you can slide or lift it out
   onto a cutting board or serving plate. Cut
   into wedges. Sprinkle the avocado salad
   with feta and serve with the frittata.

SERVES 4: ¼ frittata + 1 cup salad each

CAL 415, CARB 30g (fiber 7g, sugars 7g), FAT 25g

(sat. fat 5g), PROTEIN 19g, CHOL 283mg, SODIUM

620mg, POTASSIUM 1,041mg.

SUMMER 2019 / DI ABETIC LI VING 101