Edamame – the simple Japanese dish of soybeans served steamed in their pods – is an ideal way to get plant-based protein, fiber, and minerals like calcium. They belong to the class of foods that I used to call, when my own kids were little, “busytown vegetables,” because they’re so tasty and fun to eat. They’re a perfect stand-in for less nutritious snack foods such as chips or buttered popcorn when watching a movie.
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6 Plant-Based Recipes to Make You Fall in Love With Vegetables
Catherine Newman
These whole foods plant-based recipes for tomato soup, edamame and more are delicious and nutritious ways to bring more vegetables into your life.
Full disclosure: I love vegetables. Love, love, love them. Would I rather eat a spoonful of melted cheese than a giant bowl of kale? Sure. But vegetables have so much to offer, with all their colors and flavors and textures: bright or soft; loud or quiet; tender or creamy or crunchy, depending on how, or whether, you cook them. And maybe it’s the power of suggestion or the real power of vegetables, but I feel great after I eat a big plateful of something plant-based. It’s like a kind of vegetal high. Which I want to share with you here.
Are these your typical plain, boring vegetable recipes? They’re not. They’ve got cheese, butter, sour cream, more cheese. So they’re delicious enough that you can get more of those veggies into yourself and your loved ones – which is so important! In fact, when the American Diabetes Association (ADA) advises what to eat with diabetes and prediabetes, it emphasizes the benefits of eating more non-starchy vegetables such as zucchini, cauliflower, kale, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, celery, zucchini, and more. This is also very much in line with diaTribe’s nutrition guidelines, because vegetables are really kind of the best, nutritionwise. (There are also recent studies that suggest plant-focused diets are good for type 1 diabetes, too.)
Besides making sure to add plenty of yum, ingredients-wise, there are other important principles to keep in mind, like starting with vegetables that are as fresh and enticing as possible. (Save whatever’s aging in the crisper drawer for compost bins or goats.) And make sure to season them well. Taste the vegetables before you serve them, especially if a dish has been sitting at room temperature for a while. Sometimes the flavor kind of evaporates, and you may need to amp it up a little. If it’s not absolutely craveably delicious, then figure out what else it might need. Salt? A little more butter or cheese? A squeeze of lemon? A grinding of black pepper? Add it!
And then let the magic begin.
1. Basic Edamame
2. Double-Crunch Kale Slaw
Toasted almonds and crisp apples bring their best, crunchy selves to a giant bowlful of lemony, garlicky, toothsome kale.
Even if the individual ingredients don’t sing to you, just try it; I assure you there’s a high chance you’ll discover you like it.
3. Tomato Soup
Pretty, creamy, tangy, and rich, tomato soup is a comforting classic for a reason. There are endless ways to make this recipe your own. Two favorites of mine are adding a sliced-up head of fennel to the pot when I’m sautéing the other vegetables, or adding something smoky, such as puréed chipotles in adobo or smoked paprika. And would a little grated cheddar hurt any? I happen to know it would not. You’ll see in the recipe a note about adding a tiny pinch of baking soda if the soup tastes too acidic; you won’t need it unless your tomatoes are really not sweet, but it’s nice to have a more diabetes-friendly option than adding sugar.
4. Low-Carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This is my daughter’s favorite soup by a landslide. I’m convinced it’s because the combination of broccoli and cheese makes it less like soup and more like a decadent casserole.
While conventional broccoli and cheese soup often contains starchy binders, this diabetes-friendly version omits them, making it a carb-conscious comfort food. Don’t worry; it’s still plenty thick, thanks to the abundance of broccoli and cheese.
5. Cauliflower “Mac and Cheese”
TCheesy and rich, this cauliflower version of mac and cheese will impress even the greatest of vegetable haters. As an added bonus, it’s full of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate from the cauliflower, and it’s very low-carb (each serving contains 7 grams of carbohydrates). Note that while this baked dish is soft and pleasing, it doesn’t have the same chew as pasta, so you and your family may just want to call it what it really is: cheesy cauliflower. As far as the cheese is concerned, make sure it’s a sharp version of cheddar for the most robust flavor.
Get the recipe for low-carb cheesy baked cauliflower.his is my daughter’s favorite soup by a landslide. I’m convinced it’s because the combination of broccoli and cheese makes it less like soup and more like a decadent casserole.
While conventional broccoli and cheese soup often contains starchy binders, this diabetes-friendly version omits them, making it a carb-conscious comfort food. Don’t worry; it’s still plenty thick, thanks to the abundance of broccoli and cheese.
6. Low-Carb Cheesy Spaghetti Squash
Mild spaghetti squash is naturally low in carbs and lends itself well to rich sauces. Try it in a baked pasta-style dish reminiscent of macaroni and cheese.
Everybody in my family is surprised by how much they like this outrageously rich and decadent pasta-style dish. While I love this particular combination of cheeses, the recipe is easily doubled and quite adaptable: If you’re looking to lower the fat, use less cheese and evaporated milk; to reduce the sodium, skip the salt. The variations are endless.
Credited: Catherine Newman Source diaTribe Learn MAKING SENSE OF DIABETES
Healthy Bites
Strawberries are coming into season right now, which means they’re at their sweetest and most fragrant. Take advantage of their peak by giving them a starring role in a versatile spinach, feta, and cucumber salad. It’s well-known that fresh strawberries play well in spinach salads. While it’d be easy enough to slice them and toss them alongside baby spinach leaves, putting fresh strawberries in the dressing helps guarantee that bright berry flavor in every bite, and turns the whole dish a gorgeous shade of rose. Add sliced strawberries too, if you like, and call it a double strawberry salad. While you’re at it, feel free to add other ingredients as well. Grilled chicken will turn this salad from a side into a weekday main dish; diced avocado and chopped toasted almonds will add richness and crunch. Or make it as written and it will be simply wonderful.
Ever wondered how to survive the drive-thru with diabetes? In this series, a dietitian walks through the best things to order at top fast food chains. This week we see what’s happening outside the bun at Taco Bell. Taco Bell is a beloved Mexican-inspired chain known for its bold flavors and creative menu offerings, from the Nachos BellGrande to the now-viral Crunchwrap Supreme. But to the dismay of glucometers everywhere, many of these menu items are centered around spiky carbs , which can make eating at the chain especially challenging for anyone with diabetes. There are, however, certain menu items that are less impactful on blood sugar than others. “Taco Bell is very customizable to your needs and health goals,” said Andrew Akhaphong , a registered dietitian at Mackenthun’s Fine Foods in St. Paul, Minnesota. He shared his top diabetes-friendly menu choices from Taco Bell.
Looking for a breakfast dish that you can grab on your way out the door? These low-carb recipes are easy to make and and taste great straight from the fridge. These breakfasts are the lovely kind that you can make ahead of time because you’re a good friend to your future morning self – the one who needs to start the day with a nourishing meal. The kind you need in your repertoire if you live with people who claim they have no time for breakfast. They’re all easy to make and taste great straight from the fridge (although you can reheat the egg-based meals if you prefer). They also make excellent snacks – and, luckily, there’s no law saying you can’t eat the same thing at 3:00 pm that you ate at 8:00 am.
This tangy guacamole with lime and salt is a perfect accompaniment to any Cinco de Mayo celebration. Avocados are also nutritional powerhouses, making them a healthy choice for people with diabetes. Probably you think your favorite part of chips and guac is the chips, but if you make really excellent guacamole and serve it with an exciting assortment of vegetables, you might not miss those chips as much as you imagine. Feel free to add whatever you like to this recipe: salsa, chopped tomatoes, even corn kernels. But try it plain first – that’s how we grew to love it after a trip to Mexico, where we were served chunky, simple guacamole seasoned only with lime and salt, and it was absolute perfection. Plus, avocados are filled with nutrients – like healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals – so you’ll feel great after eating it.
Sushi is a favorite dish for many, but navigating this carb-heavy food can pose a challenge for those with diabetes. Learn more about the varieties of sushi, nutrition information, and tips for enjoying diabetes-friendly sushi. Sushi can be challenging for people with diabetes, who often refer to it as the “food they love that doesn’t love them back.” Why? Because depending on the type of sushi you order and the portion you eat, it can be a healthy pleasure, or a decadent disaster.
Plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh help with blood sugar control and support weight loss, making them a healthy food option for people with diabetes. You might be looking to cut back on meat for several reasons. Red and processed meats have been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and can worsen existing diabetes complications.
The U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2024 list of the best diets for people with diabetes. See which diets made the list, and the benefits and drawbacks of each. In descending order, the top five rankings of the best diets for people with diabetes were the Mediterranean, DASH, Flexitarian, MIND, and vegan diets. While all of these diets – better described as meal patterns – favor whole foods as well as minimize added sugars and refined carbohydrates, their approaches vary. All five diets, however, have been shown to help improve blood sugar levels while providing adequate nutrition.
Beyond the impact diabetes has on blood sugar levels, one overlooked but critical issue is dry mouth. Dry mouth, also called xerostomia , occurs when there is a lack of saliva in your mouth to keep it moist. The persistent dryness of the mouth can create a number of challenges for people living with diabetes. Continue reading to learn more about diabetes and dry mouth. WHAT CAUSES DRY MOUTH WITH DIABETES? Anyone can get dry mouth, but it is particularly common in individuals with diabetes . The primary reason for this association is likely due to elevated glucose levels. When blood sugar levels are persistently elevated, it can lead to frequent urination, resulting in dehydration and dry mouth.
Grains are an excellent source of fiber and other vital nutrients, but which are best for diabetes? Here's why nutritious options like farro, oats, and quinoa are at the top of the list. You’ve heard both sides of the story: watch out for carbs and eat whole grains. Whole grains are indeed carbs. So, do you have to avoid them? The answer is a resounding no. You can enjoy an assortment of whole grains as part of your balanced diet. Grains have a blood-sugar-lowering effect , are extremely versatile, and can add variety to your meals. Which ones should be on your plate? Explore these grain options and discover why you should be eating them. What are grains? Grains are the seeds of grassy plants or cereals like wheat and corn. The seeds of non-grassy plants or pseudocereals like quinoa and buckwheat are also edible. Common grains include:
This Middle Eastern-inspired roast eggplant dish comes from the “The Noom Kitchen,” a new cookbook from Noom that features nutrient-dense, calorically mindful recipes.
