The ADA’s New Cookbook Helps You to Plan Your Meal

Eating a diet rich in “superfoods” can help you manage your blood glucose and meet your health goals. That’s why the ADA’s newest cookbook not only contains more than 110 superfoods-rich recipes, but also offers 40 days of balanced meal plans that will delight anyone with or without diabetes.

You’ve probably heard a lot about superfoods lately. The problem is, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about the medicinal and almost “magical” properties of eating one particular food. And if you’re one of the 30.3 million Americans with diabetes, it’s crucial to know the truth about the nutritional value and benefits of the foods you eat. That’s why the American Diabetes Association created a new superfoods-centric cookbook with all the information you need to create healthy and delicious meals.

For the record, a diabetes superfood is a food rich in nutrients that benefit diabetes management or provides nutrients that are typically lacking in the American diet. You’ll find plenty of them in the Diabetes Superfoods Cookbook and Meal Planner: Power-Packed Recipes and Meal Plans Designed to Help You Lose Weight and Manage Your Blood Glucose(American Diabetes Association, 2019,  by Cassandra Verdi, MPH, RD, and Stephanie Dunbar, MPH, RD.

The cookbook offers reliable information about the superfoods people with (and without) diabetes crave. You’ll find over 110 flavor-packed recipes that are simple to prepare and contain one or more diabetes superfoods to maximize the nutrient density in your diet.

But that’s not all. The new Diabetes Superfoods Cookbook and Meal Planner also provides 40 days of meal plans that were developed to incorporate diabetes superfoods and meet the ADA’s nutrition guidelines. The authors, both registered dietitians with nearly 30 years of collective experience in nutrition and diabetes, help you make delicious, easy-to-prepare, and healthful meals a regular part of your diet.

Here’s just a sampling of the recipes you’ll find in the cookbook:

• Simple and filling breakfast foods like Breakfast Tacos, Parmesan Grits, and Pumpkin Overnight Oats 
• Hearty salads including a Spicy Peanut Broccoli Slaw, Artichoke and Tomato Salad, and Curried Tuna Salad 
• Delicious sandwiches, soups, and chilis like Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, Edamame Veggie Wrap, and Tomato Red Pepper Soup with White Beans 
• Satisfying main dishes such as Chicken Stroganoff, Italian Stuffed Green Peppers, and Pan-Seared Scallops with Vegetable Ribbons 
• Comforting side dishes including Pine Nut Olive Couscous, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Gorgonzola, and Simple Sautéed Spinach with Strawberries 
• Guilt-free snacks, appetizers, and desserts like Honey-Spiced Pecans, Cucumber Dill Dip, and Fig and Walnut Yogurt Tarts 
• Tasty dressings, sauces, and marinades such as Pesto Vinaigrette, Avocado Cilantro Dressing, and Simple Garlic Marinara Sauce 
• And more!

If you have diabetes—and even if you don’t—you can take charge of your health today and start on a new path toward vitality. By choosing a meal plan rich in health-promoting superfoods, you’re saying “yes” to enjoying delicious meals, snacks, drinks, and even desserts that promote well-being and empower you to live your very best life.

Enjoy a vegetarian twist on this favorite pasta dish.

Prep Time: 30 minutes 
Cook Time: 30 minutes 
Serves: 12 
Serving Size: 1 (3 1/4 × 3-inch) piece

8 oz dry whole-wheat ziti 
2 tsp olive oil 
1 cup chopped onion 
2 cups sliced zucchini 
1 cup chopped red pepper 
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese 
1 egg 
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 
Nonstick cooking spray 
2/3 cup part-skim mozzarella

1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions, omitting any added salt or fat. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Then add zucchini and red pepper and sauté for another 5–7 minutes or until veggies are cooked through.

3. While veggies are cooking, whisk together ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and pepper in a small bowl.

4. Add diced tomatoes to cooked veggie mixture and heat through. Stir in basil, pasta, and ricotta mixture.

5. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, pour in ziti mixture, and sprinkle mozzarella evenly over top. Bake for 25 minutes and serve immediately.

Choices/Exchanges 
1 Starch, 1 Nonstarchy Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

Basic Nutritional Values 
Calories 130 
Calories from Fat 25 
Total Fat 3.0 g 
Saturated Fat 1.1 g 
Trans Fat 0.0 g 
Cholesterol 25 mg 
Sodium 90 mg 
Potassium 230 mg 
Total Carbohydrate 19 g 
Dietary Fiber 3 g 
Sugars 4 g 
Protein 9 g 
Phosphorus 150 mg