The Fruits And Vegetables Blog

Boston Pickling

Picnic Menu With Recipes Suitable for Diabetics

Planning a picnic with a diabetic friend or relative and wondering what foods to prepare?  Want something a little different?  Try this menu for a tasty picnic that defininetly won't be remembered as "the usual picnic".  It is suitable for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.  For the meat, go a different route with the All American Turkey Loaf, add a relish tray, Boston-style baked beans, and refreshing Oreo Cookie Dessert.  Gelatin Punch makes for a cool, refreshing drink that's welcome anytime.  You can choose your flavor by the flavor of gelatin you use.

As always, remember it is important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold!

All American Turkey Loaves

(This recipe is from The Joslin Diabetes Quick & Easy Cookbook)

Vegetable cooking spray

8 oz very lean ground turkey breast

2 tbsp quick rolled oats

2 tbsp chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced OR 1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp egg substitute

1/8 tsp crushed dried marjoram

1/8 tsp crushed dried thyme

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small bay leaf cut in half

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly coat a small shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the turkey in a medium bowl.  Add the oats, onion, garlic, mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, egg substitute, thyme, marjoram and pepper.  Mix well.  Wet your hands before forming the mixture into 2 loaves of equal size.

Place the loaves in the prepared baking dish.  Top each loaf with half a bay leaf.  Lightly coat the loaves with cooking spray and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Check after 15 minutes.  Lower heat to 400 degrees if athe top is browning too quickly.  Be sure to remove bay leaf halves before eating.

Two servings:  Per loaf:  30 grams protein, 5 grams carbs

RELISH TRAY

No amounts are listed.  Base on the number of people you will be serving.

Stuffed green olives

Ripe olives

Kosher dill pickle spears

Bread and Butter pickles

Whole baby carrots

Green onions, trim tops but leave some remaining.

EASY BOSTON-STYLE BAKED BEANS

4 cans navy beans, drained, reserving 1 1/4 cups liquid

1/2 lb bacon, fried and chopped, reserving half the fat

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup Splenda, granulated

2 tbsp molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook onion in the bacon fat until translucent.  Stir in the beans and remaining ingredients.  Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes.

18 servings at 9g protein, 21 g carbs and 3 g sugar each.

OREO COOKIE DESSERT

2 small pkgs sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

3 cups low-fat milk

8-oz light cream cheese, softened

8-oz carton frozen sugar-free whipped topping, thawed

16 Oreo sugar-free cookies, broken into pieces

Mix together pudding mix and milk on low speed of electric mixer; add cream cheese and mix until well blended.  Add whipped topping and mix well with a large spoon (do not use mixer).  Add cookie pieces and mix in.  Chill for several hours or overnight before serving.

GELATIN PUNCH

1 pkg (6 oz) sugar-free gelatin of your choice

3/4 cup SPLENDA

2 cups boiling water

1 can (46 oz) pineapple juice

6 cups cold water

2 liters sugar-free chilled ginger ale

In a 4-quart freezer-proof container, dissolve gelatin and SPLENDA in boiling water.  Stir in pineapple juice and cold water.  Freeze overnight or all day.  Remove from freezer 2 hours before serving time.  Place in a large punch bowl (large plastic container for a picnic).  Stir in ginger ale just before serving.

Yield:  about 6 quarts

NOTE:  There is sugar in this recipe from the natural sugar in the pineapple juice.  For 1 serving of punch, this should not be a problem.

 If you don't want to bother with the punch, ice down some sugar-free sodas, teas, or vitamin water drinks. 

Have a great picnic.  Enjoy!

 

 

About the Author

A grandmother with diabetes along with other autoimmune diseases, I like to share with others what I have learned in my research and through trial and error! For more of my recipes, thoughts, etc. visit my website at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com

What are your favourite toppings on pizza pie? Thick crust or thin?

Do you think pineapples belong on pizza? What pizza chain makes the best in your neck of the woods? Do you like a lot of sauce or just a suggestion? What is the funkiest ingredient you ever had on a pizza? How often do you eat pizza? How many slices do you usually eat at one sitting? When you eat leftover pizza, do you like it cold, nuked or does it have to be reheated in the oven?

I love pizza! Typically my four toppings are pepperoni, mushrooms, onion and fresh garlic. I buy mine usually from a local , independent place, because they are inexpensive and very tasty. I like Little Caesar's, Pizza Hut, Boston Pizza, Pizza Pizza, Pizzaville, Panagopoulos, Gino's Pizza, Dominoes.... I went to this great place once out West called 'The Funky Pickle'... it was popular to go to after the bars closed... I got a spicy slice and the girl in front of me in the line put honey on her spicy pizza slice and I was shocked, but I tried it, and it wasn't too bad... I also make homemade Calzone!

I like thin crust, extra cheese and diced fresh tomatoes on mine. I make my own stromboli. Yummy! I find the independent pizza places are better than the chains, altho the Hut's Pan Pizza Supreme is pretty good.