Type 1 diabetes-friendly recipes for cookout season

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1 cup dry green lentils
• 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 can hearts of palm, chopped

Ingredients for the dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Start by preparing your lentils; rinse and drain your lentils thoroughly, then add them to a saucepan with three cups of water and a generous pinch of sea salt. Bring the lentils to a boil, then once they’re boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat to “low”, and let your lentils simmer for about 25 minutes. While your lentils are simmering, prepare the rest of your salad. Wash and chop your cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, hearts of palm, and mint, and set them aside. Then, in a separate bowl, add all of your dressing ingredients together and whisk them to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper levels as needed / desired.

Once your lentils are finished, strain the water from them and rinse them with cold water to cool. Then, add your cooled lentils to a large bowl along with the rest of your vegetables. Finally, pour your dressing on top and toss to fully combine. Once your salad is done, serve it right away, or store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week. Enjoy!

Estimated carb count per serving: ~10g

Contributed by Jill Waller

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in  halves
• 1 avocado, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of fresh cut, whole kernel corn, drained
• Oil and balsamic vinegar to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine/mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serves six as a side dish. Double all ingredients to serve 12. Keeps well refrigerated for a day, travels well. Enjoy!

Estimated carb count per serving: ~15g

Contributed by Francesca Lito

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup golden raisins
• ½ chopped onion
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sugar substitute (erythritol or Stevia)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or plain white vinegar)

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar substitute, and vinegar to make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, cooked bacon, chopped onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over the broccoli mixture, toss/stir to coat dry ingredients with dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pro Tip: This salad tastes better after the flavors have time to meld for a few hours.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~18g

Contributed by Pat Goldstein

Ingredients:*

• Cucumbers
• Cider vinegar or vinegar of your choice (ex: red wine, etc.)
• Vegetable or olive oil (optional)
• Water
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Other seasonings/add ins (optional). Suggest dill and or thinly-sliced scallions or fine-chopped red onions.

*No measurements. This is a “taste-and-adjust-to-your-liking” kind of recipe.

Directions:

Slice cucumbers the way you like them. Pare cucumbers (or not, based on your preference). The other ingredients are going to cover and flavor the cucumber. Start with the vinegar. Add a tablespoon or two of oil. Oil can be left out completely if you prefer. Add enough water to adjust the acidity from the vinegar to your liking. Season optionally. A pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Then whatever else you’ve chosen to taste. If you sample and like it, you’re good. It is ok if the vinegar doesn’t taste overly strong. Mix cucumbers and dressing in bowl. Toss to evenly coat cucumbers. As the cucumbers sit they will absorb the flavor. But do make sure it’s vinegary enough to give cucumbers some good zing!

Pro tip: If you mix dressing in a measuring cup, you can stir and sample to see what else you might need

Estimated carb count per serving: ~2g

Contributed by Ellen Warsaw

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of medium-sized, seedless green grapes
• 1 package of sugar-free flavored gelatin mix (choose your favorite flavor)

Directions:

Thoroughly wash the grapes. Pluck from stems, but do not dry. Place wet grapes into freezer bag. Pour gelatin mix over the wet grapes in the bag. Seal bag. Shake well to coat grapes with gelatin mix. Freeze for four hours.

Estimated carb count per grape: ~1g

Contributed by Wendy Rose

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of full fat plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup (or 100 grams) frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1-3 tablespoons of water
• Ice cubes (optional)

Directions:

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend. Add water based on desired thickness. If too thin, add a few ice cubes.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~15g

Contributed by Melissa Barbehenn

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls fresh washed spinach
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1-2 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter (may substitute peanut butter powder)
• 1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~20g

Contributed by Dawn Gilhooley

Ingredients:

• 2 cups creamy almond butter
• 1½ cups organic honey or agave
• 2½ cups chocolate flavor protein powder
• 1½ cups crisped rice cereal
• 1½ cups gluten free oats

Directions:

Melt almond butter and organic honey/agave in microwave for 40 seconds and then stir.

Add in Arbonne protein powder, brown Rice Krispies, and oats. Mix up with hands. Roll into approximately 20 small balls. Place balls on wax-paper or parchment paper-lined tray and place in fridge for at least an hour. After balls have chilled, remove from tray and place in big bowl. Refrigerate. Enjoy.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~25g

Contributed by Bek Hoskins

Ingredients:

• 1lb asparagus
• 1lb thick cut bacon
• Your seasoning of choice

Directions:

Wrap one slice of bacon around three Asparagus stalks. Season with your choice of seasoning. Cook on grill until asparagus is tender or cook in oven on a pan at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~1g

Contributed by Peyton Cameron

What’s a chaffle? A cheese and egg waffle!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Desired pizza toppings (sauce, cheese, veggies, meat, etc.)

Directions:

Spray waffle iron with high-heat, non-stick cooking spray. Heat waffle iron. Mix mozzarella cheese, eggs, and baking powder until blended. Pour mixture into waffle iron. Bake on one cycle or for 5 minutes. Remove from iron. Add toppings.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~3g (without toppings)

Contributed by Julia Orlicky

Ingredients:

• 1lb (one box) of bowtie pasta (or other shape)
• 3 stalks of celery chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded, chopped
• 1 cup light mayo
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta until al dente; drain. Whisk mayo, vinegar, and seasonings together in a bowl. Combine cooked pasta with chopped vegetables. Add dressing and mix until pasta and veggies evenly coated with dressing. Cover bowl and refrigerate to let flavors develop. Toss/stir again before serving.  

Estimated carb count per serving: ~40g

Contributed by Amanda Gottleib

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 2 medium eggplant, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 large tomatoes sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese (or more, if you’d like!)
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
• 4-5 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat the grill to a medium heat.

Brush the zucchini, squash, and eggplant with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Grill for 4-5 minutes on the first side before flipping them and grilling for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side until slightly softened.  Transfer the grilled vegetables to a sheet pan to rest.

Slice the mozzarella into 1/4″ slices. Use a large plate or platter to layer the grilled veggies, tomatoes, and mozarella. Sprinkle chopped basil on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~10g

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups almond flour
• ½ tablespoon baking soda
• ¼ tablespoon salt
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix ingredients in a large bowl. Make ~24 small cookies on a non-stick cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and serve.

Estimated carb count per serving: ~4g

Contributed by JoAnn Kjep