Diabetes requires serious commitment to regular exercise and eating habits. To some it brings positive health changes like quitting smoking and losing excess weight. Slight changes in lifestyle pay off big and help in controlling diabetes. Talking about changes, the first and most important change is in eating habits. Here are some diabetic friendly appetizers that will make these changes enjoyable and easier and keep you on track.
1. Apple with dip
Combine brown sugar, cream cheese (fat free) and vanilla, in a bowl and mix it well to make the dip. Add chopped peanuts. Slice the apples and drizzle orange juice over them. Serve with dip. Apples are great for diabetics as long as taken in moderation. They have loads of nutrition and about 80 calories. Using fat free cream cheese you save 19 grams of fat and 143 calories.
2. Almond and apricot biscotti
Combine baking powder, whole wheat flour, plain flour, eggs, milk, honey, canola oil and almond extract. Make dough. Add chopped almonds and apricots. Flatten the dough and place it onto a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until brown and let it cool. Slice it and bake for 15 minutes again. Let it cool and serve.
These twice cooked cookies make a classic combination with tea or coffee. The nuts and whole wheat used in this recipe are a great source of selenium which is important for thyroid hormone function and manganese which helps in bone formation.
3. Broccoli in garlic soy sauce
Keep trimmed and rinsed broccoli aside. Stir together sliced scallion, minced garlic, soy sauce beef broth, cornstarch and a no calorie sweetener. Pour sauce over broccoli and cover it. Leave in microwave for 4 minutes on high temperature. Stir and leave for another 3 minutes. Stir will in sesame oil and serve. Broccoli has tremendous health benefits and reverses the damages caused due to diabetes. The no calorie sweetener has been used which is suitable for diabetic patients.
4. Ham and Cheese Roll
Mix American cheese (grated), cream cheese, hot sauce, garlic powder, finely chopped nuts and pepper until well blended and spread it over the ham. Roll the ham and refrigerate. Slice and serve. Ham is rich in protein. It has less calories, fats, and carbohydrates. It makes a very suitable option for diabetic.
5. Easy tuna spread
Combine the salsa, parsley, cream cheese, and onion in a mixing bowl and mix until blended well. Fold in the tuna. Can be served with whole wheat crackers. Protein rich tuna is a healthy choice for diabetics. The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna helps in regulating the insulin level.
