Manage Diabetes Better: 3 Sugar-free Recipes Just for You!

My mother-in-law was in her 40s when she was diagnosed with diabetes. That was in the late 1990s when Diabetes meant having no sugar at all. But today, we are aware of managing blood sugar levels with the 4 pillars of diabetes management – nutrition, exercise, monitoring, and medication¹. As a caregiver, I wish the best for my mother-in-law, and to keep her blood sugar levels in check, I make sugar-free recipes that are healthy and delicious.
Here are 3 diabetes-friendly Indian recipes that I make at home. As a caregiver, you too can cook these for your loved ones and make their diabetes journey healthier and tastier! These recipes have worked for us, please get them verified by your doctor or Dietitian before including them in your meal plan.

#1 Paneer Tikka Chapati Roll

The recipe is simple and easy to make:

Key Ingredients:

Paneer
Capsicum
Onion

Method:

Dice all the above three key ingredients into medium chunks. Marinate paneer or cottage cheese in a mix of curd, ginger-garlic paste, salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric, ajwain (carom seeds), black pepper powder, chaat masala, a little mustard oil, and lemon juice (optional). Also, add the veggies to the marinade. Cover and leave it for at least 1 hour.

If you are cooking in the oven, preheat it to 220 degrees.  Use a grill stand or grease a baking tray to place the tikka skewers. Put marinated paneer, capsicum, and onion chunks on skewers one after the other. Bake it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes at the same temperature. Turn the direction of skewers at regular intervals. Once done, plate the paneer tikka as a filling in chapatti and serve with coriander curd chutney.
Portion control is the key to savouring this tasty recipe.

2.  Moong Dal Chilla with Paneer Stuffing

Key Ingredients:

● 1 cup yellow moong dal (soaked for 1-2 hours)
● 1 green chilli (optional)
● 1 onion chopped (optional)
● 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
● Salt to taste
● ½ tsp turmeric
● ½ cup grated paneer (low-fat)
● Coriander leaves (chopped)
● Ghee or oil for frying

Method:

1. Grind soaked moong dal with chilli and ginger-garlic paste into a smooth batter. Add
   chopped onion, salt, and turmeric.
2. Heat a non-stick pan and add a little oil to it. Pour a spoonful of batter. Spread it like a dosa
   but slightly thick.
3. Cover and cook for a while on medium flame. Once slightly cooked, flip the chilla. Flip again
   and add grated paneer and coriander on top. Fold and cook both sides with a little ghee.
4. Serve with mint chutney or plain curd.
   My mother-in-law finds moong dal easy to digest. Adding more veggies to it, like carrots & capsicum, is optional.

3. Ragi Idiyappam with Kerala-style Vegetable Stew

Ragi has a low glycemic index and contains calcium and fibre.² Ragi Idiyappam paired with Kerala-style vegetable stew is a yummy and filling meal option.

Ingredients for Ragi Idiyappam:

● 1 cup Ragi (finger millet) flour
● Salt to taste
● Hot water

Ingredients for Vegetable Stew:

● ¼ cup chopped onions
● ¼ cup chopped potato
● ¼ cup chopped pea
● 1/4 cup chopped carrots
● 1/4 cup French beans
● 1.4 cup diced bottle gourd (lauki) (optional)
● 1½ cups thin coconut milk (preferably freshly extracted & low-fat)
● 1 tsp mustard seeds
● 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
● 2-3 cloves
● 2-3 black pepper cons
● Curry leaves
● 1 green chilli
● 1 tbsp. coconut oil

Method:

For Idiyappam:
Mix ragi flour and salt. Next, add hot water little by little to knead a soft dough. Use an Idiyappam press or sev press to make stands of Idiyappam. Steam the noodles in an idli/ khaman cooker for 10 mins.
For Kerala-style Vegetable Stew:
In a kadhai (deep dish pan) add coconut oil. Once this is heated, add cloves and black pepper cons. Next, add onion and green chilli, and cook till onions become translucent. Now add ginger garlic paste. After the rawness of ginger garlic paste fades, add vegetables. Add salt. In another pan, temper mustard seeds, and curry leaves in coconut oil. Mix this tempering into the vegetables. Lastly, add coconut milk. Simmer for 1–2 minutes. Avoid overcooking the stew once coconut milk is added.

Bonus Recipe: Dry Fruit Ladoo made with Dates
Click here for the complete recipe.

I make this recipe with dates for my mother-in-law. So, in the recipe, add a few dates in place of sugar.
Moderation in eating these ladoos is the key here.

Extra Tips for Managing Diabetes Better

Here are a few other tried and tested lifestyle tips to manage diabetes better, from my experience as a caregiver:

• Exercising regularly is helping my mom-in-law to stay active and healthier, along with medications.
• Our nutritionist suggested mixing millet flours like jowar, ragi, and bajra with normal wheat flour. Also, a portion of salad can be included in the meal for greater benefit.
• Apart from these tasty recipes, during one of her regular checkups, the doctor recommended Ensure Diabetes Care. It is clinically proven to manage blood sugar levels in 4 weeks.³ The Triple Care System⁴ of high fibre, high-quality protein, and 36 nutrients helps her to manage common diabetes symptoms like frequent urge to eat at irregular intervals⁵.

I hope this article is insightful and of help to you. If you have diabetes or know someone with diabetes, always consult your doctor before taking Ensure Diabetes Care.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The views expressed in the content are independent and unbiased views, solely of the blogger. Always consult a nutritionist/doctor before making any changes to your diet. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Abbott Healthcare Private Limited (Nutrition Division).
Abbott ID – IN-ENS-MAY-2025-1746772042

References:

1. Standard of care in diabetes. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S6/157564/Summary-of-Revisions-Standards-of-Care-in-Diabetes access on 28th April 2025
2. “S. Shobana, K. Krishnaswamy, V. Sudha, N.G. Malleshi, R.M. Anjana, L. Palaniappan, V. Mohan. Chapter One – Finger Millet (Ragi, Eleusine coracana L.): A Review of Its Nutritional Properties, Processing, and Plausible Health Benefits. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research. Volume 69, 2013, Pages 1-39.
3. There was significant reduction in HbA1c & FBS in the intervention group compared to control at 1st month & at the end of the study when used along with lifestyle intervention in overweight and obese adults with T2DM. Mohan V et al. J. Assoc. Phys. Ind. 2019; 67(12) 25-30
4. Akhlaghi M. The role of dietary fibers in regulating appetite, an overview of mechanisms and weight. consequences. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(10):3139-3150.
5. Due to fibre, slow release carbohydrate system there is reduction in fasting, post-prandial blood glucose, glycemic variability and HbA1c levels help to reduce hunger pangs. Akhlaghi M. The role of dietary fibres in regulating appetite, an overview of mechanisms and weight consequences. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(10):3139- 3150.