How to Make Tasty Diabetic & Heart-Healthy Meals

Cooking tasty diabetic and heart-healthy meals requires following some basic rules. Moderation is the key, as well as choosing the right foods that are healthy and taste good. Eating lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products is a step in the right direction. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

How to Make Tasty Diabetic and Heart-Healthy Meals

1

Use only the leanest meats. This includes beef, pork and veal. Trim off all the fat, and remove the skin from poultry. Add herbs and salt-free seasonings for flavor enhancements. Use spices such as black pepper, paprika, cumin, 5-spice powder, ginger, garlic powder, basil, and oregano.

2

Cut back on fat. Use low-fat sour cream or yogurt for sauces, and you'll get the flavor without the fat. There are many low-fat dairy products, such as cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Using egg whites and egg substitute cuts the fat in baking. Eat egg whites for breakfast without the egg yolks.

3

Stock your pantry with healthy products. Use olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sesame oil when cooking. Use stone-ground cornmeal, rolled oats, brown rice and white basmati rice. Beans are low-fat and a good source of protein. Black beans, pinto, navy and lentils are a few varieties. Pasta made from whole-wheat flour is better than white. When baking, use unbleached all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and brown sugar and honey for sweetening.

4

Stock the cupboard with healthy food. Use canned tomatoes without salt and sugar, unsweetened fruit juices, canned beans, sugar-free fruit spreads and dried fruits. For seasoning, keep low-sodium and fat-free chicken and vegetable broths, dried herbs and seasonings, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, dijon mustard, vinegar and lemon juice on hand.

5

Stock the freezer with low-sugar frozen fruits, frozen vegetables low in sodium, bread dough, lean meats, poultry and fruit sorbet.

6

Fill the refrigerator with fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, low-fat yogurt and milk, and whole-grain breads. Stock up on apples, oranges, berries and green and yellow vegetables. Eat your vegetables raw or lightly steamed to retain their vitamins and minerals.

7

Increase fiber. Eat more raw vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, and green beans. Eating fruit with the skin on after washing is a good source of fiber. Eat beans as a side dish several times a week, and choose whole-wheat, rye and pumpernickel bread. Enjoy nuts, dried fruits, granola or seeds as a snack.