The term "diabetes mellitus" refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood glucose, commonly called blood sugar. Glucose is vital to your health because it's the main source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's your body's main source of fuel.If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the reasons may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.Recent research figures have shown that more Indians are turning to be diabetic. The diabetics should maintain a special diet so that their blood sugar levels are kept under control. But this does not mean that should not enjoy the tasty Indian recipes and fast for life.
They can go in for many healthy recipes such as the ones listed below. Not only the diabetics but those intending to control their blood sugar levels shall benefit by these recipes. Diabetics usually get frustrated at the long list of food they need to avoid. The recipes here take into consideration their health as well as their taste buds.Diet is a key part of managing diabetes.
SOYABEAN BIRYANI 
Ingredients
Soyabeans (soaked overnight )
1/2 cup
Cooked rice
1 cup
Stick dalchini(cinnamon)
1
Elaichi
1
Tejpatta(bay leaf)
1
Salt to Taste
For the masala mixture
Sliced onoions
1/2
Jeera(cumin seeds)
1/2
Ginger - Garlic paste
1 tsp
Chopped tomatoes
1 Cup
Haldi powder(turmeric)
1/2
Chilli powder
1/2
Dhania(coriander) powder
1/2
Low fat milk or low fat curd
1/4
Mixed boiled vegetables(peas, French beans, cauliflower)
1 1/2
Chopped mint
1/4
Chopped coriander
1/4
Oil
1
Salt to taste
Method
- Wash and drain the soyabeans.
- Add approx. 2 cups of water, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and salt, and cook over a medium flame till they are cooked.
- Drain and keep aside.
- Combine the cooked rice and soyabeans.
- For the masala mixture Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds.
- When they crackle, add onions and ginger-garlic paste and saute till the onions are light brown.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and 1/4 cup of water, and cook till the water evaporates and the tomatoes are soft.
- Add milk, salt and boiled vegetables and mix well.
- Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes till the mixture is semi-dry.
- Then add coriander and mint leaves.
- How to proceed Spread half the rice and soyabeans in a 200 mm (8") diameter baking dish and spoon all the masala mixture on top.
- Top with the remaining rice and soyabeans and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C (360°F) for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Serve hot with low fat curd.
OATMEAL COOKIES
Ingredients
Flour
1/4 cup
Oats
1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil
4 tsp
Ice water
3 to 4 tsp
Method
- In a large bowl mix the flour oats and salt together.
- Slowly add the oil while mixing with a fork. in a mixing bowl.
- Slowly drizzle in oil, mixing with a fork.
- Add the ice water, a few drops at a time; till the entire mixture forms a ball.
- Then roll out the crusty dough and cut into whatever cookie shapes you desire.
- Place the pieces in a baking dish. Pre heat the oven.
- Then bake for ten minutes, till the cookies turn light brown.
TOMATO BAKED
Ingredients
Tomato(medium size)
5
Spices and sauces for taste
Parsley chopped
1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Onion (finely chopped)
1/2
Sage or chives
1/2
>Method
- Place the washed tomatoes in the baking dish with a little water at the base.
- Then sprinkle the spices and sauces, along with the parsley, salt, pepper, onions and sage or chives.
- Bake for not more than 20 minutes, at moderate temperature.
STRAWBERRY COOLER
Ingredients
Chopped fresh strawberries
1cup
Fresh lime juice
1 cup
Water
4 cup
Ice cubes
Artifical sweetener as per requirment
Method
- Blend the strawberries and lime juice in a blender or food processor, till the mixture turns smooth.
- Pour the strawberry mixture into water and then add the sweetener as per requirement.
- Then pour the drink over ice cubes.
- Preferably use a tall glass.
CHEESE POTATO WITH BROCCOLI
Ingredients
Potatoes
3
Margarine
2 tsp
Corn starch
2 tsp
Skim milk
1/4cup
Dry mustard
1/4 tsp
Grated cheddar cheese
Steamed broccoli
Method
- Bake the potatoes in the oven and steam the broccoli in salt water.
- Melt the margarine in a saucepan; add the cornstarch, milk and dry mustard.
- Then add the cheese and stir it till it melts.
- Add the steamed broccoli.
- In the serving dish mash the potatoes and over that pour the broccoli mixture.
SPINACH AND CARROT SANDWHICH
Ingredients
Fresh spinach
2 cups
Lettuce leaves(small)
2
Chopped spring onions
¼ cup
Chopped carrots
½ cup
Chopped parsley
1 tsp
Water
2-3 Tbsp
Grated cheese
1 Tbsp
Grated nutmeg
Whole wheat bread slices slightly toasted
2
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Remove the hard stems from the spinach, wash the spinach under running water and chop.
- Place all the ingredients in a pan with 2 to 3 tbsps water.
- Cover and cook for 5-6 mins.
- Dry out the water.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix well.
- Place a lettuce leaf over each slice of bread.
- Place spoonfuls of the spinach-carrot mixture on it.
- Sprinkle cheese over it.
- Serve warm.
CHANA DAL WITH CUCUMBER
Ingredients
Chana dal(split Bengal gram)
3/4 cup
Finely chopped cucumber
½ cup
Jeera(cumin seeds)
1 tsp
Ginger- green chilli paste
1 tsp
Haldi powder(turmeric)
a pinch
Chilli powder
1/2 tsp
Oil
1 tsp
Salt
to taste
For Garnish
Chopped coriander
1 tsp
Method
- Wash and soak chana dal in water for at least an hour.
- Drain and keep aside.Add 2 cups of water to the soaked dal and pressure cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
- Add the cooked dal, ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder and chilli powder and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add cucumber and salt, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes till the cucumber is tender, but still a little crisp
- Add some water if required to adjust the consistency.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or chapattis.
SOYA GRANULE UPMA
Ingredients
Soya(nutrella,etc.) granules
1 cup
Wheat bran or semolina(rava)
½ cup
Green chillies finely chopped
2 cup
Onion chopped
1
Ginger grated
½ tsp
Curry leaves
1 stalk
Coriander finely chopped
1 tsp
Tomato slices
3-4
Mustard & cuminseeds
½ tsp
Channa & udad dals
½ tsp
Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp
Asafoetida
3-4 pinches
Oil
1 tsp
Lemon juice
2 tsp
Salt
to taste
Method
- Roast rava in a heavy pan, stirring continuously, till aroma exudes.
- Empty and keep aside.
- Roast granules in same pan, stirring continuously, till warm.
- Empty and keep aside. Heat oil in same pan, add dals, stir for few seconds.
- Add seeds, allow to splutter.
- Add ginger, chillies, curry leaves, chopped onion.
- Stir till onion is tender.
- Add rava and soya granules.
- Stir for a minute. Add all other ingredients, except lemon juice, tomato and coriander.
- Add 2 cups boiling water, stir to avoid lumps. Use a longhandled spoon, to avoid the splashing that may be caused.
- Add more water if necessary, to cook the rava and granules.
- Add lemon juice and coriander.
- Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with tomato slices. Serve piping hot.
RAJMA SAAGWALA
Ingredients
Rajma(Kidney beans) soaked, cooked and drained
1/2 tsp
Chopped chawli bhaji(amaranth leaves)
3 cups
Jeera
1/2 tsp
Green chillies chopped
2 to 3
Chopped ginger
1Tbsp
Chopped garlic
1Tbsp
Chopped onion
1/2 Tbsp
Haldi powder
1/4 Tbsp
Sugar (optional)
1/4 cups
Low fat milk
1Tbsp
Oil
1Tbsp
Salt
to taste
Method
- Heat oil and add cumin seeds.
- When they crackle, add green chillies, ginger, garlic and onions, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add amaranth leaves, rajma, turmeric powder and salt, and bring to a boil.
- Add cream and sugar and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Serve hot with parathas
BRAN BISCUITS
Ingredients
Plain flour
1cup
Wheat bran
3/4cup
Ghee
1/2cup
Jaggery grated
3/4 cup
Method
- Beat ghee till creamy.
- Add flour, bran and jaggery.
- Mix to form a smooth dough.
- Cover with a polythene sheet.
- Keep aside for 4 hours. Roll into a 1/3 thick slab.
- Cut desired shapes, with biscuit cutter or knife.
- Place on a non-stick baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 12-15 minutes or till done.
- Cool well to room temperature, before storing in airtight jar.
SOYA VEGETABLE KORMA
Ingredients
Small soya nuggets
1/4 cup
Mixed vegetables(Beans,peas, carrots) diced and sliced
1 cup
Chopped onions
1/2 cups
Ginger-green chilli paste
1tsp
Chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp
Chopped methi(fenugreek) leaves
1/2 tsp
Oil
1 tsp
Salt to
taste
For paste
Sliced onions
1¼ cup
Finely chopped cauliflower
1/4 cup
Chopped green chillies
1 to 2
Large cloves garlic(chopped 12mm)
2
Ginger sliced
1/2 piece
Dalchini(cinnamon)
1 stick
Laung(clove)
1
Low fat milk
1 cup
Method
- For the paste.
- Combine all the ingredients in a pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes till the onions are soft and nearly all the liquid has evaporated.
- Allow the mixture to cool.
- Puree the mixture to a smooth paste in a blender.
- Keep aside.
- How to proceed soak soya nuggets in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain all the water and squeeze out any excess water from the nuggets.
- Heat oil in a non stick pan, add onions, ginger-green chili paste and cook till the onions turn translucent.
- Add tomatoes, fenugreek leaves and cook for 5 to 6 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked .
- Add vegetables, soya nuggets, the prepared paste, 1/2 cup of water and salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Serve hot.
QUICK SOYA DOSAS
Ingredients
Rice flour(chawal ka atta)
3/4 cup
Urad dal(split black lentils) flour
1/4 cup
Soya flour
1/4 cups
Fruit salt
1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tsp
Method
- Mix together the rice flour, urad dal flour, soya flour and salt with approx. 1 cup of water to make a thin batter.Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- When ready to make the dosas, sprinkle the fruit salt on the batter and mix gently.
- Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.
- When hot, pour one quarter of the batter on the pan and spread it using a circular motionto make a thin dosa and cook on one side and pour a little oil along the edges whilecooking.
- When crispy, fold over.Repeat with the remaining batter to make 3 more dosas
- Serve hot with low calorie green chutney.