Maui Chicken
Courtesy Fix-It and Forget-It by Phyllis Pellman Good with American Diabetes Association

Diabetes Exchange

In the Sep/Oct issue of the Post, we featured three of our favorite and diabetes-friendly crock pot recipes. As promised, here is more information on how the diabetes exchange system works.

Foods are grouped into starches, fruits, milk, meat, sweets, fats, and free foods. You can exchange or trade foods within a group if they are similar in nutrient content and the manner in which they affect your blood sugar. The recipe we give below, for example, has the following exchange values: Fruit 1, Carbohydrate 0.5, Meat (very lean) 4, Fat 1.5. The Mayo Clinic, in agreement with the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetics Association, has compiled these practical exchange charts.

Starches
Fruits
Milk
Meat
Sweets
Fats
Free Foods

Don’t have time to cook? Try this easy crock pot recipe featured in The Saturday Evening Post. For more slow cooker recipes, check out the Sep/Oct 2010 issue, available September 1.

Maui Chicken

Maui Chicken Courtesy Fix-It and Forget-It by Phyllis Pellman Good with American Diabetes Association

(Makes 6 servings)

Adapted by the American Diabetes Association to fit into a healthy meal plan, this sweet and savory Hawaiian treat is one the whole family will enjoy.

6 boneless chicken breast halves, trimmed of skin and fat
2 tablespoons oil
14.5-ounce can chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
20-ounce can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably low sodium)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup water

[Editor’s note: Tasters from our test kitchen suggest using an extra tablespoon of soy sauce for added flavor.]

Brown chicken in oil. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken and cover. Cook on High for 4-6 hours. Serve over rice.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving:
(without rice or low-sodium versions)
Calories: 305
Fat: 8 g (saturated: 1.4 g; polyunsaturated: 2.2 g; monounsaturated: 4 g)
Cholesterol: 82 mg
Sodium: 601 mg
Carbohydrate: 25 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 19 g
Protein: 32 g

Exchange List Values:
Fruit 1, Carbohydrate 0.5, Meat (very lean) 4, Fat 1.5
Recipe courtesy Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good with American Diabetes Association

The Exchange List Values for the Ratatouille and Apple Crisp recipes featured in the Sep/Oct issue are as follows:
Ratatouille: ½ fat exchange and 1 carb exchange
Apple Crisp: 2 carb exchanges and 1 ½ fat exchanges