Special Diets Diabetes 18 Easy Winter Dinners for Insulin Resistance By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 29, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player When you need an easy and comforting dinner idea, make one of these meals tailored to help those with insulin resistance meet their nutrition goals. From zesty casseroles to flavorful one-pot wonders, each recipe is made with sodium-conscious ingredients and low counts of saturated fat to align with a diabetes-appropriate eating pattern. Plus, these quick, 30-minute dishes are packed with delicious ingredients like broccoli, citrus and snow peas to add tasty seasonal flavors to your evening meal. Recipes like our Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet and Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon are so good, they’ll become staples in your winter dinner rotation. 01 of 18 Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes. View Recipe 02 of 18 Chhole (Chickpea Curry) This healthy Indian recipe is a flavorful chickpea curry that you can make in just 20 minutes. Also called chana masala, this dish is a comforting and delicious dinner. View Recipe 03 of 18 Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor. View Recipe 04 of 18 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta," and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way, it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love. View Recipe 05 of 18 Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese. View Recipe 06 of 18 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli Photography: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Greg Luna Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice. View Recipe 07 of 18 Anthony Anderson’s One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese with Broccoli Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely This easy one-pot mac & cheese recipe gets an extra boost of protein from chicken. Buffalo sauce adds spicy tang—look for one without added sugar, like Frank's RedHot. View Recipe 08 of 18 Chicken Piccata Casserole Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf This protein-packed chicken piccata casserole brings all the flavors of classic chicken piccata together in one dish. It’s the easiest piccata you’ll ever make—no dredging or sauce required! Cooking the lemon slices in butter mellows their bite and helps jump-start the lemony flavor of the dish while helping the butter get a little brown, bringing some nuttiness to the dish. View Recipe 09 of 18 Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner Justin Walker This one-pan chicken dinner doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying. In just half an hour, you can have a complete meal on the table that doesn't require loads of dishes afterwards. We call for tender haricots verts because they're quick cooking; traditional green beans likely won't be tender enough after the brief cooking time at the end. If that's all you have on hand, steam them first, and then add them to the pan for the final step. Serve this hearty chicken and potatoes dinner with a simple side salad to sneak in another serving of veggies. View Recipe 10 of 18 30-Minute Mini Meatloaves with Whipped Cauliflower & Green Beans Ali Redmond Comfort food but make it fast! This recipe incorporates a number of pantry ingredients and shortcuts like frozen cauliflower and steam-in-the-bag green beans to cut way down on prep time. Baking the meatloaf in a muffin tin reduces cook time by more than half and makes portion control easy. View Recipe 11 of 18 Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Peppers Jacob Fox This vibrant, colorful dish is great for those who love a little heat. Adjust the amount of chile-garlic sauce according to your preferred heat level. To smash ginger, use the side of a chef's knife or the flat bottom of a sturdy mug. Serve with rice, if desired. View Recipe 12 of 18 Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower You can find farro in most grocery stores, near the rice. If you can't find farro, you can use wheat berries or brown rice instead; cook according to package directions. View Recipe 13 of 18 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce. View Recipe 14 of 18 Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer. View Recipe 15 of 18 Lemon & Panko-Crusted Salmon Jacob Fox Mayonnaise helps the dill-infused panko crust stick to salmon fillets in this ultra-quick recipe. A squeeze of lemon along with the mayo adds tanginess to the crispy crust. View Recipe 16 of 18 Salmon Fried Rice Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer This salmon fried rice is a great way to use leftover salmon. Using frozen vegetables keeps prep work to a minimum. Sriracha gives this quick stir-fry a nice touch of heat. View Recipe 17 of 18 Stir-Fried Clams with Snow Peas Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Bright green and crispy snow peas combine with clams in this quick and easy stir-fry. Brown rice at the bottom of the bowl soaks up the sweet and savory sauce. Feel free to swap out the rice for rice noodles or udon to change things up! View Recipe 18 of 18 Creamy One-Pot Penne Primavera with Shrimp Ali Redmond Just as its name suggests, you only need one pot to make this satisfying pasta dish featuring fresh spinach, red bell pepper and broccoli, along with a generous portion of shrimp. To make the light, creamy sauce, residual pasta water is cleverly combined with Parmesan cheese. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit