Diabetes-Friendly Recipes That Everyone Will Love

As any cook’ll tell ya, cooking is about a whole lot more than food. It’s an experience. It’s a celebration of friends and family. It’s about showing and sharing love. That’s why my boys — Bobby and Jamie — and I created diabetes-friendly versions of some of our favorite recipes.

Since many of you with diabetes have been asking, we’re gonna show you that eating well can still happen — with delicious diabetes-friendly meals that are sure to bring folks to the table.

I’m gonna get you started with some of my favorite recipes that I’ve been making for years. When we were choosin' recipes to lighten up, I just knew I had to start with these ones.

Y’all can get more of my favorite recipes made diabetes-friendly sent right to your e-mail box by joining Diabetes in a New Light® now. And you can download Delicious Living Y’all, a member-only e-recipe book, just for signing up.

All of my in a new light recipes are reviewed by Diabetes Care and Education (DCE). Each recipe includes nutrition information and portion sizes — and that’s important when you’re planning balanced meals.

We’ve been working closely with the great people at DCE, a dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to develop these delicious recipes. They’ve taught us that with some planning, a person with type 2 diabetes can eat the same food as their family. What’s important is making sure you know what, when and how much to eat based on your meal plan.

Enjoy!

Individual results may vary.

Materials have been reviewed by Diabetes Care and Education, a dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

A good balance of the right foods, along with regular exercise and your prescribed medications, can help you feel better and stay healthier. As with any meal, remember to pay attention to portion size and enjoy every dish as part of your overall meal plan. You may need more or less carbohydrates each day depending on how you manage your diabetes. Work with your health care team to determine a meal plan that works for you.

Recipes in a New Light

Chicken Divan in a New Light

Serves:
8
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
50 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Per serving (1 cup): 340 calories, 14 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 580 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 39 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

260 fewer calories

550 mg less sodium

9 g less carbohydrates

Download recipe

Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip in a New Light

Serves:
16
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Per serving (1/4 cup without dippers): 140 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

50 fewer calories

70 mg less sodium

4 g less fat

Download recipe

Strawberry and Spinach Salad in a New Light

Serves:
10
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Per serving (1 1/2 cups): 100 calories, 4 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

20 fewer calories

5 mg less carbohydrates

Download recipe

Vegetarian Gumbo in a New Light

Serves:
8
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium

Per serving (1 cup): 140 calories, 6 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

180 fewer calories

13 g less fat

600 mg less sodium

Download recipe

Lady and Sons Lasagna in a New Light

Serves:
12
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 50 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Per serving (one piece approximately 3 inches square): 260 calories, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 380 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 23 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

510 fewer calories

790 mg less sodium

9 g less carbohydrates

Download recipe

Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast in a New Light

Serves:
6
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Per serving (1 sandwich with 2 tablespoons strawberry sauce, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar): 300 calories, 12 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 0 g trans), 90 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 13 g protein.

Compared with original recipe:

300 fewer calories

400 mg less sodium

50 g less carbohydrates

Download recipe

Indications and Usage

Victoza^® (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes when used along with diet and exercise.

Victoza^® is not recommended as the first medication to treat diabetes. Victoza^® is not a substitute for insulin and has not been studied in combination with prandial (meal-time) insulin. Victoza^® is not for people with type 1 diabetes or people with diabetic ketoacidosis. It is not known if Victoza^® is safe and effective in children. Victoza^® is not recommended for use in children.

Important Safety Information

In animal studies, Victoza^® caused thyroid tumors—including thyroid cancer—in some rats and mice. It is not known whether Victoza^® causes thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in people, which may be fatal if not detected and treated early. Do not use Victoza^® if you or any of your family members have a history of MTC or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). While taking Victoza^®, tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer.

Do not use Victoza^® if you are allergic to liraglutide or any of the ingredients in Victoza^®. Serious allergic reactions can happen with Victoza^®. If symptoms of serious allergic reactions occur, stop taking Victoza^® and seek medical attention. Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) may be severe and lead to death. Before taking Victoza^®, tell your doctor if you have had pancreatitis, gallstones, a history of alcoholism, or high blood triglyceride levels since these medical conditions make you more likely to get pancreatitis.

Stop taking Victoza^® and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area that is severe and will not go away, occurs with or without vomiting, or is felt going from your stomach area through to your back. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.

Before using Victoza^®, tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, especially sulfonylurea medicines or insulin, as taking them with Victoza^® may affect how each medicine works. If you use Victoza^® with insulin, you may give both injections in the same body area (for example, your stomach area), but not right next to each other.

Also tell your doctor if you have severe stomach problems such as slowed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food; have or have had kidney or liver problems; have any other medical conditions; or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is unknown if Victoza^® will harm your unborn baby or if Victoza^® passes into your breast milk.

Your risk for getting hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is higher if you take Victoza^® with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while taking Victoza^®.

Victoza^® may cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea leading to dehydration, which may cause kidney failure. This can happen in people who have never had kidney problems before. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chance of dehydration.

The most common side effects with Victoza^® include headache, nausea, and diarrhea. Nausea is most common when first starting Victoza^®, but decreases over time in most people. Immune system related reactions, including hives, were more common in people treated with Victoza^® compared to people treated with other diabetes drugs in medical studies.

Please click here for Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

Novo Nordisk provides patient assistance for those who qualify.
Please call 1-866-310-7549 to learn more about Novo Nordisk assistance programs.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch,
or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Victoza^® is a non-insulin, once-a-day, injectable medication that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Learn more