Garbanzo Bean Salad …. DFT

Most Beans and legumes are the healthiest carbohydrates you can eat with diabetes. Most people like beans, but are unsure of how to incorporate them into their diet.
Let me introduce you to a simple chickpea salad which is quick and easy to prepare and is full of flavors…. It makes a colorful side dish or you can serve it as a light entrée for lunch or dinner. …

This recipe is part of recipes with a cause for Diabetes Friendly Thursday.

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Cleanse your body with wholesome Salads with DFT team this week!

For this week’s Diabetes Friendly post I bring to you this delicious salad which is packed with fiber, protein as well as flavor and is ready to be served within 30 mins … Add grilled fish , chicken or quinoa for more protein or enjoy on it’s own…..

This Recipe Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo (chickpea) beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 Cups boiled chickpeas
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cucumber cut or chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Avocado cubed
1/4 cup cubed cheese ( optional) I used low fat Feta
1/4 cup olives (optional)
1 ripe Mango Chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper OR as per taste
2 TBS fresh Lemon Juice
Salt as per taste

TO Assemble
In a big enough Salad bowl, Mix all salad ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for Salad Dressing . Pour over the salad mixture …

Now Lets look at some benefits of the Ingredients Used for this recipe.

Garbanzo Beans / Chickpeas
Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are a healthy way to add more protein and other essential nutrients to your meals. They are good sources of fiber, iron, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, magnesium and vitamin B-6. These beans may also lower your risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as limiting increases in blood sugar levels after meals.

Avocado
Avocados are a great source of the mineral potassium, without the relatively high carbohydrates of some other potassium rich foods like bananas. This makes them an especially good addition to a diabetic diet. Avocados are also a very good source of dietary fiber to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Tomatoes & Lemon
The good news is that no matter how you like your tomatoes & lemons and limes pureed, raw, or in a sauce, you’re eating vital nutrients like vitamin C, iron, vitamin E, So Pick your favorites and get part of your daily dose of soluble fiber and vitamin C

Feta Cheese
You can keep feta cheese as an occasional part of your healthy eating plan, however, because it does have some nutritional value. Opt for reduced-fat feta cheese to lower your intake of saturated fat by about one-third. Use just a small amount of feta cheese.

Ripe Mango
If you’ve been advised to follow a diabetic diet, ask your health-care provider for specific recommendations regarding fruit. Some physicians and dieticians advocate limiting fruit consumption because it’s a source of fructose. If you are able to include a variety of fruit in your diet, choosing mango will significantly boost your intake of two important vitamins – a 1/2-cup serving of the chopped fruit supplies 50 percent and 18 percent of the daily values for vitamins C and A, respectively.

Olives
Black olives supply small doses of iron, calcium and vitamin A. They also contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats. While olives can have a place in your healthy eating plan, they also contain large amounts of sodium so you should limit how many you eat at a time.

Cucumber
Foods that contain large amounts of carbohydrates can cause unwanted spikes in blood sugar. In contrast, foods that are higher in fiber and low in sugars and starches can help to lower your blood sugar. As a nonstarchy vegetable that’s high in water and a source of fiber, cucumbers might play a role in helping keep your blood sugar stable.

Disclaimer
I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

FOR MORE DIABETES FRIENDLY RECIPES , CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW …

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