Holiday Cranberry-Olive Tapenade

Dried cranberries and green olives combine to make the perfect sweet-salty balance in this festive holiday tapenade from my book 1,000 Diabetes Recipes (Wiley, 2011). Serve it on toasted baguette slices topped with crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese or just serve it in a pretty bowl with fresh vegetables and whole wheat crackers alongside. If you need a holiday hostess gift, make a double batch for a gift—it’s especially pretty in a clear glass jar tied with a sparkly ribbon.

Cranberry-Olive Tapenade

Makes 1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup cranberry juice

3/4 cup dried cranberries 

1/4 cup green olives, pitted (such as manzanilla or picholine)  

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon capers, drained 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1 small clove garlic, crushed through a press 

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Place the cranberry juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the cranberries. Cover and let stand to cool to room temperature. Drain.  

2. Combine the cranberries and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. The tapenade can be refrigerated, covered, for up to a week.

Each serving (1 tablespoon): 5 g carbohydrate, 35 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, 58 mg sodium

Carb Choices: 0; Exchanges: 1/2 fat

Photo: Veer

Simple & Delicious for Holiday Entertaining Tuna with Roasted Lemons

This busy time of year, a dead-simple recipe comes in handy, whether you want to make a special meal just for family, or you need to impress company without much fuss. This recipe, from my book 1,000 Diabetes Recipes (Wiley, 2011), is a healthy, quick, and flavorful meal that’s ready in about 40 minutes start to finish. The lemons take about half an hour to roast, so while those are in the oven, make some whole wheat couscous or steam some baby potatoes and toss a big green salad to serve alongside and dinner’s done.

If you want to have a secret ingredient on hand to enliven another holiday dish, make extra roasted lemon slices when you prepare this recipe. If you love the tart flavor of lemons, you may find these addictive. You can chop them up and add them to a salad dressing, a creamy dip, or even potato salad.

Tuna with Roasted Lemons

Makes 4 servings

2 medium lemons, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and seeded

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 (5-ounce) tuna steaks

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the lemon slices with 2 teaspoons of the oil and arrange in a single layer in the baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the tuna with the salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Add the tuna and cook, turning once, 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or to the desired degree of doneness. Place the tuna on 4 plates. Divide the roasted lemons evenly among the plates and serve at once.

Each serving: 3 g carbohydrate, 197 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 62 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 32 g protein, 193 mg sodium

Carb Choices: 0; Exchanges: 4 lean protein, 1 fat

Photo: Veer