Okra or lady’s finger is rich in fibre content and an ideal vegetable for diabetics.

Check out this healthy bhara bhindi (stuffed okra) recipe for diabetics
Ingredients
Bhindi (Okra) – 250 gms, slit
Coconut- 1 1/2 tbsp
Pumpkin – 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1/4tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Rock salt – as per taste
Anaradana (dry pomegranate seeds) or fresh grated Amla(Indian gooseberry) – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
Method
Slit the bhindi horizontally
Mix coconut and all spices to make the stuffing
Stuff the bhindi and steam it for eight minutes
Serve hot

Source: www.artofliving.org

Leafy green vegetables are rich in fibre, prevent osteoporosis. Greens are almost completely carbohydrate-free and an ideal vegetable for diabetics. Try this healthy salad from Saroj Kering today!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fenugreek greens
10-12 white radish greens (tender)
1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves
1 sprig spring onion greens (optional)
1/4 cabbage, shredded coarsely

Method:

Clean, pick, fenugreek including thin tender stems.
Chop radish greens coarsely
Pick coriander leaves, including very tender stems.
Chop spring onion greens coarsely
Wash, clean, dab out all excess moisture of all greens.
Spread out on clean kitchen cloth, if required.
Mix all ingredients, serve with fresh curds, salt and pepper.

The wood apple or bael is useful in treating a number of conditions like diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia, stomatitis, vomiting, fever, swellings and gastric irritation. Here’s a tasty recipe from Hari Chandana that you can try.

How to make wood apple rice
Ingredients:
1 – wood apple/elephant apple
2 cups – cooked rice
1 tbsp – peanuts
1 tsp – mustard seeds
1 tsp – chana dal
1 tsp – urad dal
1/2 tsp – turmeric powder
3-4 – green chillies
3 – dried red chillies
1 sprig – curry leaves
1/8 tsp – asafoetida
Salt to taste
2 tbsp – oil

Vitamin E protects against heart disease, slows the aging process, promotes prostate health and boosts brain power. Nuts like almonds are rich in Vitamin E. Snack on them or add them to your curries to make your meal healthy.

Here’s an almond chicken soup you’ll relish on a cold day.

Ingredients:
750 ml – hot chicken stock
1/2 tsp – turmeric
175 gms – chicken breast, cut into pieces
25 gms – ground almonds
25 gms – white bread crust, removed and cubed
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp – nutmeg
1 tsp – lemon juice
2 egg yolks
750 ml – milk
100 ml – single cream
To garnish: flaked almonds, roasted

Method

1. Place the stock, turmeric and chicken in a large casserole, cover and cook on microwave HIGH for 10 mins.
2. Add the almonds and bread, re-cover and cook on MEDIUM for 5 mins. Place in a food processor or blender and puree. Return to the cleaned casserole.
3. Season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice.
4. Beat the egg yolks, milk and cream together and stir into the hot soup. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 mins. or until thickened, stirring 2-4 times. Do not boil as it will curdle.
5. Serve in individual soup cups decorated with almonds.

Methi or fenugreek is a low calorie vegetable readily-available in most parts of India. Known for its distinct flavour and bitter taste, the vegetable is good for diabetics. It also lowers high cholesterol levels and aids digestion.

Add the chopped leaves to your roti or sabzi or make a flavourful sambar to go with your idli/dosa.

Ingredients:
1 lemon size – tamarind
1 cup – methi leaves
1 cup – baby onions
Salt to taste
Turmeric, a pinch
Coriander leaves, a few

Asafoetida, a pinch

1/2 cup – tur dal

For grinding:

8 – red chillies

3 tsp – coriander seeds

3 tsp – channa dal

2 tsp – oil

For seasoning:

1 tsp – mustard seeds

Curry leaves, a few

1 tsp – oil

Bored with the usual dinner ideas? Try this healthy sandwich for a change – add freshly sliced vegetables of your choice and a slice of cheese if you will – to make a filling and complete meal.

Ingredients:
1 – long whole wheat bun/herb bread
1 – onion (cut horizontally so that u get the rings)
1 – tomato (cut horizontally so that u get the rings)
spinach chopped finely
cabbage finely hopped / grated
1 – grated carrot
1 – green bell pepper (cut horizontally so that u get the rings)
mixture of green jalepenos, red pepper chopped well

butter (optional)
salt and pepper powder

Cooking rice with a variety of ingredients like veggies, sprouts, dals and other grains like broken wheat can definitely help a diabetic enjoy small portions of rice as a part of his meal.

This broken wheat and vegetable dish is ideal for lunch or dinner.

Bisi bela dalia

Ingredients:
2 cups – vegetables of your choice (diced)
2 tbsp – tamarind paste (or pulp extracted from a big lemon-sized ball of tamarind)
3/4 cup – tur dal (I used a mix of tur and moong dal)
2 big pinches – asafoetida
Salt
1.25 cups – dalia (broken wheat/godhuma rava)
Curry leaves, leaves from 2 strands
1 tsp – oil
1 tsp – mustard seeds
1 tbsp – chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp – ghee (optional)
3 tsp – sambhar powder, ground fresh OR
2 tsp + ground paste – ready sambhar powder
For ground paste: 2 tsp urad dal (ulutham paruppu) + 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds + 1 red chilli + 1 green chilli + 1 flake of tamarind + 1 tomato

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Beans are high in fibre and aid in lowering high cholesterol levels. They contain antioxidants which are good for your heart and prevent cancer.

Try this simple beans recipe where the vegetable is sauteed leaving the flavour intact.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg string beans chopped finely
1/2 cup grated coconut
3 red chillies broken into bits
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A few curry leaves

Spinach contains anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties. It is effective in lowering blood pressure and improving your vision. A good source of calcium, spinach is good for your bones as well. Cook with chana dal and the dish gets fortified in protein making it an ideal side dish.

Channa Dal with Spinach

Ingredients:
1 bunch – spinach, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup – channa dal
1 – onion, sliced
2 – green chillies chopped
1 – garlic flake grated
1� piece – ginger, grated
1/2 tsp – wheat flour
1/4 tsp – turmeric
2 to 3 pinches – asafetida
1/2 tsp – each mustard 1/2 tsp – cumin seeds
2 tbsp – ghee or oil

Method:

Wash and soak Channa Dal in water.
Pressure cook channa dal in 1 cup water, for 2 whistles.
Dal should be soft, but grain intact.
Heat some water, immerse spinach, bring to a boil.
Blanche spinach for a minute, take off fire, drain.
Run tap water over spinach, drain.
Heat oil in a pan, add seeds, asafetida, allow to splutter.
Add ginger, chillies, garlic stir, add onion, stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add channa dal with its water, blanched spinach, salt.
Add turmeric, sprinkle wheatflour, stir and bring to a boil.
Simmer till liquid become slightly thickened.
Serve hot with fresh phulkas or steamed rice.

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Tondli or gherkin has strong antioxidant properties and can lower blood sugar levels. Serve this healthy stir fried curry with roti or rice.

Sliced Tondli Stir Fried
Ingredients:
250 gms. Tondli
1 tsp. Ginger grated
1/2 tsp. Garlic grated
1 Green Chilli finely chopped
1 Stalk Curry Leaves
1 tsp. Coriander Leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh scraped Coconut
1 tsp. Peanuts coarsely crushed
1/4 tsp. Each Cumin, sesame and mustard seeds
1 tsp. white vinegar
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. cornflour
1 tbsp. oil

Method:
Dissolve cornflour in water, keep aside.

Slice tondlis vertically into four slices.

Heat oil in a heavy pan.

Add seeds, allow to splutter. Add ginger, garlic, chillies.

Stir for a moment, add tondli.

Stir fry till tondli is tender.

Add vinegar, salt, sugar, peanuts, stir to mix.

Add cornflour paste, stir well till the liquid is transparent.

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