Healthy Recipes Health Conditions Diabetes-Friendly Diabetes-Friendly Dinner A Month of Diabetes-Friendly Dinners for Heart Health By Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis is a journalist and Associate News & Trending Editor for EatingWell. Her current beat is focused on food and health news as well as exclusive celebrity features, regularly interviewing the top names of today’s entertainment industry. She previous worked as the 2022-23 fellow and as an assistant editor for the brand. Her passion for reading, writing and eating local all guide her in her position at EatingWell. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 24, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia Maria Laura is EatingWell's senior nutrition & news editor. As part of the nutrition team, she edits and assigns nutrition-related content and provides nutrition reviews for articles. Maria Laura's education, experience and clinical hours from Mexico are equivalent to that of a U.S. credentialed registered dietitian. She is an almond butter lover, food enthusiast and has over seven years of experience in nutrition counseling. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin You'll be able to enjoy delicious and nutritious dinners all month long with these recipes. With complex carbs like whole-wheat pasta and low counts of saturated fats and sodium, these meals are well-suited for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. And because these meals are diabetes-friendly, they also meet our heart-healthy nutrition parameters. Recipes like our Beef & Potato Stew and Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna are healthy and satisfying. 01 of 31 Beef & Potato Stew View Recipe Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin This beef and potato stew is slow-cooked to perfection, with a richly flavored sauce and tender bites of beef and vegetables. You can make this comforting stew ahead of time to serve to guests or to have on hand to reheat as an easy weeknight dinner. 02 of 31 Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara View Recipe Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer. 03 of 31 Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna View Recipe This vegetarian lasagna couldn't be easier, thanks to jarred pasta sauce and no-boil lasagna noodles. Prep it in the morning and let your crock pot do the work. 04 of 31 Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto View Recipe Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto. 05 of 31 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna Shrimp cooks quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve over whole grains or rice. 06 of 31 Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole View Recipe Jacob Fox This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Charring the veggies in a cast-iron skillet adds depth of flavor. Don't worry if you don't have one, because you can use any oven-safe skillet instead. 07 of 31 Chhole (Chickpea Curry) View Recipe Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan. 08 of 31 Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl View Recipe Fred Hardy This sweet-and-salty teriyaki chicken rice bowl is flavored with fresh grated ginger and scallions and packed with colorful veggies and everything else you need for a balanced dinner in one dish. 09 of 31 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese View Recipe This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang. 10 of 31 Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls View Recipe Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too. 11 of 31 Salmon Rice Bowl View Recipe Ali Redmond Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice. 12 of 31 Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips View Recipe The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles. 13 of 31 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon View Recipe Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water—its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth. 14 of 31 Chicken & White Bean Soup View Recipe Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine. 15 of 31 Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls View Recipe These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame. 16 of 31 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan View Recipe This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love. 17 of 31 Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon View Recipe Salmon and walnuts are both great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Pair this easy salmon recipe with a simple salad and a side of roasted potatoes or quinoa. 18 of 31 Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results. 19 of 31 Chickpea & Potato Curry View Recipe This fast Indian-style curry comes together with ingredients you most likely have on hand, like frozen peas and canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Plus, using these spices shows how simple it is to make a curry sauce for an easy vegetarian recipe. Serve with whole-wheat naan to sop it all up. 20 of 31 One-Pot Arroz con Pollo View Recipe Ali Redmond Juicy cuts of chicken get cooked alongside rice, onion, tomatoes and broth in this irresistible one-pot dish that pulls inspiration from the Puerto Rican arroz con pollo. For added fiber, brown rice stands in for the white rice typically used. 21 of 31 Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli View Recipe photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall The vibrant combo of cheese, cilantro, chili, and lime—inspired by Mexican street corn—makes this salmon sheet-pan dinner burst with flavor. 22 of 31 Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew View Recipe This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad. 23 of 31 Baked Beans with Ground Beef View Recipe Upgrade baked beans from classic side dish to a meaty main meal by adding lean ground beef. The final result, a superfast hearty casserole, is an easy and fast dinner option. Ground turkey or even sausage would work nicely in this dish. Just watch the sodium. 24 of 31 Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken View Recipe Sesame noodles become a satisfying meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick, healthy noodle recipe. Be sure to rinse the spaghetti until it's cold, then give it a good shake in the colander until it's well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie "noodles" for the cooked pasta. 25 of 31 Crispy Chickpea Grain Bowl with Lemon Vinaigrette View Recipe Our favorite part of these vegetarian grain bowls is the tangy lemon vinaigrette, which ties together a satisfying combo of quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds, and roasted chickpeas and kale. Whip them up for easy meal-prep lunches or a healthy and satisfying dinner. 26 of 31 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados View Recipe Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. 27 of 31 Easy Chicken Enchiladas View Recipe These easy Mexican enchiladas are filled with flavorful, shredded slow-cooked shredded chicken. Placed on a bed of fresh lettuce, this delicious recipe is sure to be the hit of any dinner occasion. 28 of 31 Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble View Recipe Don't toss out those almost-past-their-prime vegetables and fresh herbs. Toss them into this skillet egg scramble for a quick vegetarian meal. Nearly any vegetable will work in this easy skillet recipe, so choose your favorites or use what you have on hand. 29 of 31 Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl View Recipe Jen Causey This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together. 30 of 31 Sheet-Pan Garlic-Soy Chicken & Vegetables View Recipe Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis This easy dish comes together quickly and is cooked all on one baking sheet. Putting the pan in the oven while it preheats makes it hot enough to lightly sear the chicken and vegetables, adding texture and flavor and also reducing the cook time. Chicken thighs emerge from the oven succulent and coated in the savory sauce (with less salt because of the low-sodium soy sauce) and fragrant from the garlic, ginger and scallions. We recommend serving this with brown rice or whole-wheat noodles. 31 of 31 Creamy One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage & Peas View Recipe Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst This easy one-pot pasta recipe earns the title "creamy" thanks to the addition of sour cream and Parmesan, which combine to create a savory cheese sauce that clings to the orecchiette, peas and sausage. The best part about this recipe is that it only requires one vessel to cook everything—pasta included. By using the exact amount of liquid you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, adding even more creaminess. If you like spicy but not too spicy, use a mix of sweet and hot Italian sausages. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit