Trying to find healthy recipes you can eat when you have diabetes can be a difficult task.

You ideally want to pick recipes that are low in carbohydrates and higher in proteins, healthy fats, and fiber to keep your blood sugar under control.

Thanks to healthline.com, here are five healthy recipes to try if you have diabetes.

1. Make-ahead breakfast options

Usually, common breakfast items such as bagels, cereal, muffins, and even granola bars are commonly not diabetes-friendly because of the refined sugar and starch content they have, which can lead to having unstable blood sugar levels. “Leaving off the traditional pie crust is not only a way to reduce carb count. It also makes it effortless to throw together ahead of time and reheat throughout the week”, says Nicole Villeneuve, a certified diabetes prevention lifestyle coach at PlateJoy.

Recipe provided by the PlateJoy Blog:

Crustless Asparagus and Mozzarella Quiche

Time: 50 minutes, Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz asparagus
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 6 eggs
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Grease a 9-inch pie pan or cake tin. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Trim tough bottom ends off asparagus, then cut spears into 2-inch lengths. Place in the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes, until bright green. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add spinach to the empty skillet (adding a little more oil if the skillet is dry) and cook 2 minutes, just until slightly wilted. Transfer spinach to the prepared pan.
4. In a bowl, whisk eggs and garlic until even in color. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in half the shredded mozzarella. Pour over the spinach. Top with the sauteed asparagus. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded mozzarella and the parmesan.
5. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until eggs, are set and the top is golden.

2. Anything-but-boring salad with nuts

Another wonderful diabetes-friendly ingredient is nuts. Nuts bring new and exciting flavors to recipes, especially salads. Nuts have shown to help reduce blood sugar and insulin. “With 6 grams of carbs per serving, this salad is a great addition to any meal or snack,” says Lori Zanini, a registered dietitian, and certified diabetes educator. “Additionally, both pistachios and cucumbers are available year-round, so it’s an easy way to get more fiber and plant-based protein.

Recipe provided by Lori Zanini:

Spicy Cucumber and Pistachio Salad

3. Main course with plant-based protein

If you go with a meatless meal you can great plant-based protein into your diet, like lentils. Research also suggests that switching out animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins could help increase glycemic control in people who have diabetes. “Legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) have an exceptionally low glycemic index, so adding them to any meal helps to slow the rate that the glucose of the meal is absorbed into the bloodstream”, explains Cyrus Khambatta, Ph.D., and Robby Barbaro of Mastering Diabetes.

Recipe provided by Mastering Diabetes Blog:

Sweet Potatoes Loaded With Lentil Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yields: 3 servings

4. Light Carb Fried Rice

Cauliflower rice is pretty popular nowadays… it’s a nice fiber-rich, low carb choice that provides a nice rice-like replacement for rice. The cauliflower rice takes on the flavor whatever the dish is you have paired it with. Cauliflower rice is a very versatile dish that makes eating the takeout we love so much, that much healthier! “This healthy meal is great for people who have diabetes because when pairing high-fiber carbohydrates with protein, there will be less impact on blood sugar”, notes Haley Hughes, a registered dietitian, and certified diabetes educator.

Recipe provided by RD RX Nutrition Recipes:

Healthy Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

•  1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
•  1 Medium Chopped Onions
•  1 Cup Sprouts (Optional)
•  4 Medium Shredded Carrots
•  1 Chopped Red Pepper
•  1 Head Chopped Broccoli
•  1/2 Cup Diced Green Onions
•  4 Cloves Minced Garlic (I use extra)
•  1 Bag Frozen Riced Cauliflower or about two head of cauliflower
•  1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
•  1 Tsp Pepper
•  1 Tsp Salt
•  1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
•  1 Tsp Fish Sauce (I used extra)
•  1 Tsp Hoisin Sauce
•  1/4 Cup Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce (2 Tbsp)
•  1/4 cup Cilantro
•  4 Scrambled Eggs
•  1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
•  12 Large Shrimp You can use frozen too!

Instructions