Recipe corner
 

Recipes in this issue are from The Diabetic's Innovative Cookbook by Joseph
Juliano, M.D. and Dianne Young. This new cookbook is loaded with recipes as
well as general diabetes information. Published in 1994 by Henry Holt and
Company, the hardcover book costs $25.00.

Stir-fried Shrimp with Peas and Water Chestnuts

3/4 lb. medium shrimp (26 to 31 per lb.), peeled and deveined
11/2 cups shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 egg white
1 tbsp. dry sherry
1/2 tsp. salt
Nonstick cooking spray for stir-frying
2 tbsp. finely minced garlic
1 bunch of green onions or scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
3 tbsp. julienned fresh ginger
1/2 cup drained, sliced low-sodium canned water chestnuts
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and julienned
3 cups cooked rice for serving
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat them dry. Split each shrimp
in half lengthwise, and then cut each of the halves in two, crosswise.
If using fresh peas, blanch them by dropping them in 3 cups of boiling water
and boil them for about 5 minutes, at which point they should be tender-crisp.
Drain and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. This also helps them
hold their color. If using thawed frozen peas, make sure they are fully
thawed.
In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the cornstarch until each shrimp is
coated with the cornstarch. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white,
sherry and salt and then stir this mixture into the shrimp and thoroughly
combine. Cover and set the bowl in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Assemble all the ingredients so they are close at hand, as the cooking process
takes only a matter of minutes. Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator.
Heat a wok, stir-fry pan, or large (10- or 12-inch) skillet over high heat.
Lightly coat with the nonstick cooking spray and add the garlic, green onions
and ginger. Immediately drop the shrimp into the pan and stir-fry them for
about 30 seconds. They should turn bright pink. Drop in the peas, water
chestnuts and bell pepper and stir-fry them for about 1 minute to heat them
through.
Remove the stir-fry from the pan and transfer to a platter. Serve at once with
the hot rice.
Yield: 6; Per serving (2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup rice): 158 calories, 15 g protein,
2 g fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 182 mg sodium; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 2
lean meats.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise
3 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
5 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
8 large mushrooms, halved
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, halved and seeded
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
Minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Jicama sticks or fresh vegetables for dipping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place eggplant, cut side down, in a large roasting pan. Place the tomatoes,
onion, garlic, mushrooms, and bell pepper on top of and around the eggplant.
Sprinkle the herbs and black pepper and drizzle the oil evenly over the
vegetables. Bake until tender (about 45 minutes). The eggplant is tender when
it can easily be pierced with a knife.
Cool and peel the eggplant and garlic. Place them in the bowl of a food
processor with a steel blade and add the rest of the vegetables and any
liquid. Add the lime juice and puree until the mixture is very smooth. Turn it
out into a bowl and garnish with fresh minced parsley, if desired, or chill
for future use. (It will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days and may be
prepared in advance.) Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Yield: approx. 4 cups; Per serving (1/4 cup): 37.83 calories, 0.91 g protein,
2.55 g fat, 3.97 g carbohydrates, 76.5 mg sodium; Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2
vegetable, 1/2 fat.

Green Beans with Mustard and Ginger

3 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
3 tsp. balsamic or aged red wine vinegar
2 heaping tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. salt substitute
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed (Harvester beans may be 
substituted when green beans aren't in season.)
In a 3-quart pot, bring 1/2 gallon of water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, put the mustard in a small bowl and then whisk in the vinegar,
ginger, salt substitute, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and the granulated
garlic. Combine the oils and add them to the mustard mixture as you continue
to whisk it rapidly.
Drop the beans into the boiling water and boil rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes,
until the beans are tender-crisp.
Pull the beans immediately from the water and thoroughly drain. Put the beans
into a serving dish and toss with the dressing. Serve cold, at room
temperature, or hot.
Yield: 4; Per serving (1/2 cup): 70 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g fat, 8 g
carbohydrates, 93 mg sodium; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Cranberry-Nut Bread

Nonstick cooking spray for the loaf pan
2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tbsp. for dusting the pan
11/2 cups very coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute
11/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt substitute
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. solid vegetable shortening
3/4 cup fresh orange juice or juice made from frozen unsweetened  concentrate
Equivalent of 1 egg in egg substitute, thoroughly beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Thoroughly spray a 9-by-5-inch pan with the nonstick cooking spray. Dust the
pan with 1 tbsp. of the flour.
In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, almonds and orange and lime zest and
set aside. (Note: If you are using frozen berries, they don't need to be
thawed; just rinse them, drain well, and pop them into the batter.)
In another large bowl, mix together the 2 cups of flour, the sugar substitute,
baking powder, salt substitute, and baking soda. Cut in the shortening using 2
forks. Stir in the orange juice and the egg substitute, mixing to moisten the
dry mixture.
Fold in the cranberry mixture, being sure to thoroughly combine.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes. The
bread is done when it is firm in the middle and a toothpick or cake tester
inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.
Wrap, refrigerate until chilled (about 2 hours) and serve.
Yield: 1 (9-by-5-inch) loaf; Per serving (1 1-inch slice): 88 calories, 2 g
protein, 5 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 76 mg sodium; Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2
starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 fat.n
