Cod on Roasted Pepper and White Beans

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the ADA in conjunction with Kitchen PLAY.  All opinions are 100% my own.

If you caught my post two weeks ago, you'll know that I am participating in the 30 Days of Family Health initiative led by The American Diabetes Association.  Each week during September, you will get a preview of some of the healthy, diabetes-friendly recipes featured in some of the books from the ADA's library.  If you missed my first post, you can see which book (and which perfectly delicious salmon recipe) that I shared right here.

The book that I want to introduce you to today is Gluten-Free Recipes for People with Diabetes, by Nancy S. Hughes.  This little book is full of gluten-free recipes, for sure - but the great thing about it is that it also contains "cook's tips" alongside many of the recipes (things like possible substitutions, cautions about products that may contain gluten, storing & make-ahead ideas), as well as diabetes-friendly grocery lists, menus, snack ideas - and meal plans for putting them all into action!

Actually, the first five chapters are a primer course for those (like me) who may be new to cooking for people with celiac disease and diabetes.  Chapter one talks about the "what" - what is it all about, what are the symptoms, what is the screening process, what is the treatment, and what type of increased deficiencies can come with the territory.

Then the book moves on to a Gluten-Free Diet 101.  Basically, which ingredients are safe and which ingredients you should avoid - and eating away from the comfort (and safety) of your own kitchen.  Chapter three discusses the diet challenges that those with diabetes and celiac disease face.  Better yet, it gives some practical and useful solutions to those challenges.

Chapters four and five then show you how to digest {clearing throat} all of this information and put it to use in the form of meal planning via building a healthy plate and carb counting.  And the really cool thing is that you even get suggested grocery lists and menu plans, which if you're just starting out, will be an invaluable resource for familiarizing yourself with what to put in your basket when you venture out on your own.

And all of that was just a primer.  There are still 100 more pages of tempting recipes.  Recipes that most beginners (again, me) wouldn't have even realized were gluten-free.  Or diabetes-friendly.  Recipes like Spanish Olive and Herbed Hummus, Egg and Green Chile Tortilla Melts, On the Healthy Run Chicken-Cilantro Soup, Garlic-Thyme Chicken Strips, and Quinoa Cookie Balls. 

Hungry yet?

Well, if you're not (weird) - prepare to be!  The meal that I chose to make came together in a matter of minutes.  It was a matter of searing some lightly seasoned fish.  Which I loved, by the way, because I think that combining paprika with hot oil is a glorious thing.  You know what I'm talking about?  That glistening, garnet-hued product of combining the two?  I could drizzle it over countless things.  Plus, there were roasted red peppers and creamy white beans with salty Kalamata olives to keep them company.  Healthy, fast, and (you guessed it) I felt ridiculously mature with each and every bite.

Cod on Roasted Pepper and White Beans

Cod seasoned with smoky paprika served over a comforting, yet healthy, bed of beans, olives, and roasted red peppers.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: saute entree gluten-free diabetic-friendly nut-free soy-free sugar-free beans fish

Ingredients (serves 4)

for the fish:

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (5 ounce) cod fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

for the roasted peppers and beans:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added navy beans or Great Northern beans, drained & rinsed
• 16 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

making the fish:

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with the mixture. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the fish 4 minutes, turn, and cook 3 minutes or until opaque in the center.

making the beans:

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Cook 1-2 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat and let stand while fish is cooking.

to serve:

Spoon equal amounts of the bean mixture in each of 4 shallow soup bowls or rimmed dinner plates, and top with the fish fillets.

my notes:

I used smoked paprika (is there any other kind!?). I substituted roasted, smooshed garlic cloves for the minced raw ones. This amount of roasted red pepper comes from approximately 1 smallish-medium sized pepper. I don't think my slight alterations would change the exchanges/food choices and nutritional values much (if at all), but please note that the ones listed are for the recipe as-written above.

EXCHANGES/FOOD CHOICES

1 Starch, 4 Lean Meat

BASIC NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories 285

     Calories from Fat 80

Total Fat 9.0 g

     Saturated Fat 1.1 g

     Trans Fat 0.0 g

Cholesterol 60 mg

Sodium 505 mg

Potassium 490 mg

Total Carbohydrate 21 g

     Dietary Fiber 7 g

     Sugars 2 g

Protein 32 g

Phosphorus 260 mg

*recipe reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Recipes for People with Diabetes by Nancy S. Hughes

This post is part of the 30 Days of Family Health program sponsored by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).  The best prevention for diabetes is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, making healthy choices, and developing good habits at a young age.

Over the month of September,  Kitchen PLAY and a group of 12 bloggers (myself included) will be featuring Healthy Family Recipes that come from the ADA library of heart-healthy, diabetic-friendly cookbooks.  Be sure to check the Kitchen PLAY page weekly for new featured recipes, and head over to the full online ADA catalog for more cookbooks.