15 High-Protein Dinners for Type 2 Diabetes

Lightly grease grill grates. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until evenly combined. Form mixture into 4 even patties.

Once grill is hot, place patties onto grates and cook until burgers are browned and easily release from grill, about 4–6 minutes. Flip patties and cook until burgers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4–6 minutes more.

Serve burgers on buns topped with tomatoes and lettuce.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs, garlic, and rosemary.

Brush salmon with mustard and press panko mixture into mustard to coat fish.

Preheat a gas grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill salmon for about 10 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness. If breading starts to turn too dark, cover with foil until salmon is fully cooked. (Alternatively: broil in the oven 10–15 minutes.) Squeeze on lemon juice and garnish with extra rosemary, if using.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add avocado oil. Place chicken in skillet and sprinkle chili powder over chicken. Cook, stirring often until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a food processor, place avocado, cottage cheese, lime juice, and ranch seasoning and process until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

To assemble the mason jars, divide the dressing among four 32 oz jars with lids. Repeat with remaining ingredients, layering tomatoes, chicken, corn, red onions, and broccoli. Place lids tightly on jars and refrigerate until ready to eat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, olive oil, sugar, and garlic. Add pork and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Evenly divide pork, pineapple, peppers, and scallions among four skewers, reserving marinade. Lightly brush each skewer with remaining marinade just before grilling.

Grill until pineapple is lightly charred and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add ground beef and Worcestershire sauce to the mushrooms and mix until well incorporated. Form into 10 equal patties.

Place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray and gently place patties on the hot skillet. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.

Serve hot on buns with mixed greens, tomatoes, and pickles, if using.

Bring a large pot to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water until no longer warm.

Transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add cooked chicken, bean sprouts, and carrots and toss.

In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, fish sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Drizzle sauce over pasta and toss until well coated.

Garnish with parsley, if desired. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay potatoes, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in preheated oven until potatoes begin to soften, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove vegetables from oven and toss to redistribute in an even layer. Push vegetables to the side a bit to allow enough space for fish.

Lay trout in the open space and brush it with barbecue sauce. Sprinkle entire sheet pan with thyme and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and turkey and cook until mostly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in refried beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper, if using. Add ½ cup water and stir until evenly combined. Add kidney beans and corn. Transfer into a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Top with scallions, tortilla chips, and avocado, if using, before serving.

In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium and add ground turkey. Break up the turkey with a large spoon and cook until it’s no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Chinese five spice blend and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add cabbage and carrot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Divide cooked brown rice and cabbage mixture among four plates. Top with green onions, if desired.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a food processor, add onion and garlic and process until minced, about 1 minute. Add beef, lamb, oregano, cumin, and salt and pulse until well mixed, about 1 minute.

Transfer meat to the prepared pan and press down evenly. Cover and let meat marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or for up to 12 hours.

Bake for 30 minutes, until meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer meat to a cutting board and cut into thin slices.

To assemble gyros, divide meat, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese, if using, among 6 pita breads.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place chicken in a baking dish and remove the giblets from the cavity. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, basil, and rosemary. Rub the herb mixture all over the chicken.

Place garlic and onion inside the chicken along with a few pieces each of oranges and apple. Scatter the remaining oranges and apple pieces around the chicken.

Bake the chicken breast side up for 30 minutes. Then carefully flip the chicken breast side down, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 to 60 more minutes. Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes; then remove the skin, carve, and serve.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place salmon fillet on it. Set aside.

In a food processor, add cilantro, grapefruit segments, olive oil, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, salt, and pepper. Process until well mixed, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Top fillet with ½ cup sauce and save the remaining ½ cup sauce for topping.

Bake salmon for 15 to 17 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F and flakes with a fork.

To serve, top salmon with remaining sauce and grapefruit supremes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place potatoes in a stockpot and add enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot. Add milk, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes and mix in the other ingredients. Mash until smooth. Cover and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add turkey and cook, breaking it up into small pieces.

In a small bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, water, thyme, remaining ¼ tsp of salt, and remaining ¼ tsp of pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Add to turkey mixture and stir to evenly coat all ingredients.

Stir in corn. Cook until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes more.

Spread turkey mixture in a casserole dish and top with sweet potato mash, spreading to evenly cover. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.

Season both sides of chicken breast with Tajin and add to skillet. Cook for 9-10 minutes, flip and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, orzo, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 cups of water (or a low-sodium chicken broth) to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until orzo is soft, about 20 minutes.

Stir in baby spinach, if using; cook 1 minute more until spinach has wilted and serve topped with chicken.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut 4 large pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil (at least 12x12 inches).

Lay the parchment paper or foil out and top each with quinoa and capers, if using. Top each with a piece of salmon, 1 cup of green beans, fresh herbs, and 1 tsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and wrap each packet tightly to seal it.

Place the 4 packets on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake until the fish flakes easily, about 12 to 15 minutes (adjusting time as needed based on the thickness of the filets).