Whoever said diabetic-friendly foods are boring has never tried these 15 plant-based recipes! Take a look at some of our favorite diabetic-friendly foods that are not only healthy for you but are packed with flavor. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to food and diabetes, we hope this list gives you some creative inspiration!

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! 

1. Curried Kidney Bean Stew

Source: Curried Kidney Bean Stew

This hearty Curried Kidney Bean Stew by Helyn Dunn is a perfect way to warm up on any chilly day. It’s delicious, satisfying, and the perfect dinner!

2. Cowboy Caviar

Source: Cowboy Caviar

Serve this Cowboy Caviar by Wholesome LLC as your next gathering or when you need to bring a dish to pass. It would be delish served with chips, as “salsa” for a baked potato, on top of a toasted English muffin, or any other combination you can think of.

3. Fall Superfood Detox Salad

Source: Fall Superfood Detox Salad

Another salad to give you a run for your money! This Fall Superfood Detox Salad recipe by Viktoria Radichkova is loaded with multiple diabetes superfoods including walnuts, cabbage, and beets. Plus, you’ll get healthy doses of those wonderful satiating healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil and avocado.

4. Winter Flowering Kale Salad With a Citrus-Dijon Vinaigrette

Source: Winter Flowering Kale Salad With a Citrus-Dijon Vinaigrette

This is a simple Winter Flowering Kale Salad With a Citrus-Dijon Vinaigrette by Elsa Brobbey that will keep you feeling refreshed and satisfied! Flowering kale makes this salad extra beautiful.

5. Citrus Carrot and Cranberry Oatmeal

Source: Citrus Carrot and Cranberry Oatmeal

Adding citrus is a great trick for sweetening oatmeal. The brightness of citrus adds in this Citrus Carrot and Cranberry Oatmeal by Lauren Smith adds a great flavor to the oatmeal. which reduces the need for a bunch of added sugar. It is better to use fresh cranberries more than dried ones because they ‘pop’ while they cook, getting their tart juices throughout the porridge and adding great flavor.

6. Protein-Packed Breakfast Quinoa Bowl

Source: Protein-Packed Breakfast Quinoa Bowl

It may seem weird to eat quinoa in the morning but it makes a great breakfast. This Protein-Packed Breakfast Quinoa Bowl by Jesse Lane Lee is a tasty vegan, gluten-free meal that will keep you feeling happy and full until lunchtime! The secret is making the quinoa in non-dairy milk with delicious spices. Then it’s topped with fruit and protein-packed seeds and nuts for extra power. This quinoa breakfast bowl is the perfect way to start your morning!

7. Curried Cauliflower Soup With Sweet Potato Noodles

Source: Curried Cauliflower Soup With Sweet Potato Noodles

This vegetable-packed, velvety Curried Cauliflower Soup With Sweet Potato Noodles by Taylor Kiser will feed your cozy food cravings throughout fall. This cauliflower-based soup is seasoned with a good dose of curry powder and blended with nutty cashew cream, then blended until smooth. Then, it’s topped with a pile of tender-crisp, coconut-scented sweet potato noodles.

8. Yogi Bowl With Ginger Miso Tahini Dressing

Source: Yogi Bowl With Ginger Miso Tahini Dressing

Ayurveda explains that certain foods affect the qualities of the mind in different ways. This Yogi Bowl With Ginger Miso Tahini Dressing by Claire Ragozzino uses a balance of the six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent, and bitter – to create a simple and satiating meal, body and mind.

9. Cinnamon Turmeric Sweet Potatoes

Source: Cinnamon Turmeric Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes can be dressed up with all sorts of delicious things, from sweet maple tahini to fluffy marshmallows to cauliflower cheese. This recipe for Cinnamon Turmeric Sweet Potatoes by Holly Bertone lets the natural flavor of sweet potato shine, elevating it with a few select seasonings: cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper. Just a quick toss, some time in the oven, and voila! A delectable side dish you will use time and time again.

10. Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Source: Kale and Wild Rice Salad

This Kale and Wild Rice Salad recipe by Kristen Genton is perfect for everything – when you have people coming over, when you want to meal prep or when you want a filling and healthy dinner. It is so versatile and delicious. You must try it!

11. Kale, Quinoa, and Lentil Salad

Source: Kale, Quinoa, and Lentil Salad

This Kale, Quinoa, and Lentil Salad by Julie Zimmer is easy to put together and versatile. You can add any fresh vegetables and herbs that you like. One dish will give you all the nutrients in the kale plus the protein and iron from the quinoa and lentils.

12. Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Cayenne Lemon Vinaigrette

Source: Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Cayenne Lemon Vinaigrette

This Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Cayenne Lemon Vinaigrette by Daniela Modesto is refreshing, healthy, and can fill you up. Prep this easy salad for lunch or dinner, or make for a nice side salad.

13. Roasted Beetroot, Broccoli, and Green Bean Salad

Source: Roasted Beetroot, Broccoli and Green Bean Salad

This is a deliciously bold Roasted Beetroot, Broccoli, and Green Bean Salad by Taryn Fitz-Gerald full of crimson beetroot goodness, greens, and healthy fats. A perfectly balanced meal that is full of nutritional benefits.

14. Crispy Baked Tofu With Shredded Veggie Quinoa

Source: Crispy Baked Tofu With Shredded Veggie Quinoa

This  Crispy Baked Tofu With Shredded Veggie Quinoa by Amy Height is the best. Dinner. Ever. No tofu on hand? Tempeh or white beans or lentils will work great, too! Don’t dig kale or carrots? Use another green and another root-ish veggie of your choice. This dinner-in-a-bowl is pretty flexible.

15. Superfood Turmeric Amaranth Soup

Source: Superfood Turmeric Amaranth Soup

This delicious and Superfood Turmeric Amaranth Soup by Maria Llamas is loaded with turmeric and ginger, is perfect for cold days or for those days when fighting the flu. It works perfectly as a main course or as a starter. It has a good mix of flavors, salty miso, sweet carrots, and spicy ginger, a perfect balance to incorporate all the good things your body and your soul need.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!