In speeding through life you never know what will be thrown your way. This weekend I found out a dear friend of mine has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and needs to really watch calories and food intake. I looked through my files and found several recipes people had sent me over the years that are low calorie or low in fat and carbohydrates. I hope these can help her and others like her.

Spicy Pistachio Chicken

If you think baked chicken is boring, think again! Here's an easy way to add some pizazz to your plate.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with rib meat

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted or olive oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon green onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare four pieces of foil large enough to hold one chicken breast. Wash hands. Place each breast on piece of foil. Wash hands. Brush chicken with melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Wrap foil around chicken, fold to seal, leaving some space for air to circulate. Place foil packets on baking sheet; bake 35 minutes.

Remove from oven; open foil and sprinkle pistachio nuts and Parmesan cheese over chicken. Leave foil open and return to oven. Bake about five minutes or until done (internal temperature reaches 170 degrees).

Serving suggestion: Remove chicken from foil, place on serving platter and sprinkle with green onion. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition information: 220 calories, 10 grams fat, 29 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 95 milligrams sodium.

Seafood Pie

Ahoy there! A savory blend of crab and rich cheeses make this pie hearty enough to satisfy even the hungriest of crews.

1 (6-ounce) package frozen ready-to-serve crabmeat, thawed and drained, or 1 (5-ounce) package frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed and drained

1 cup shredded reduced fat sharp natural Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

1 (3-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained, if desired

1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk baking mix

1 cup skim milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs or equivalent of cholesterol-free liquid eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease pie plate, 9-by-1 1/4-inches. Mix crabmeat, cheeses, onions and pimientos in pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients in bowl with fork until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean (some cream cheese may stick to knife.) Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Makes six servings

Deli Beef and Bean Tossed Salad

Rely on the deli for salad fixings that toss into a 10-minute taste sensation.

1 (10-ounce) bag mixed salad greens

1 pint (2 cups) deli three-bean salad or 1 (15-to-17-ounce) can three-bean salad, chilled

1/4 pound cooked deli roast beef, cut into julienne strips (3/4 cup)

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese (4 ounces)

12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

In large bowl, toss all ingredients lightly to mix.

One serving: Calories 220 (calories from fat 135); 15 grams fat

Tips from the kitchen: You can substitute deli or leftover cooked ham instead of the beef. To reduce the fat to 10 grams and the calories to 160 per serving, use reduced-fat cheese and use turkey instead of the beef.

Diabetic Banana and Chocolate Chip Pops

Makes 4 servings

1 small ripe banana

1 (8-ounce) carton banana nonfat yogurt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Slice banana; place in food processor with yogurt and nutmeg. Process until smooth. Transfer to small bowl; stir in chips. Spoon banana mixture into 4 plastic molds. Place tops on molds; set in provided stand. Set on level surface in freezer; freeze 2 hours or until firm. To unmold, briefly run warm water over Popsicle molds until each pop loosens.

Mexican Cheese Dip

Makes 6 servings

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted margarine

1 minced garlic clove

2 tablespoons chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about one hour. Stir well before serving. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables.

Nutrition information per serving: 75 calories, 4 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 3 milligrams cholesterol, 110 milligrams sodium, 120 milligrams potassium

Snack Dip

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1/2 teaspoon A-1 sauce

1 tablespoon dehydrated onions

1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon dehydrated peppers

15 drops red hot sauce

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. With electric mixer on high speed, mix until creamy. Refrigerate for an hour before serving. Serve with fat-free crackers or fat-free chips. Makes about 1 cup.

Basil Yogurt Spread

1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 French rolls, warmed

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, oil and basil. Add the eggplant, red pepper, onion, zucchini and yellow squash; toss to coat. Place vegetables in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, basil and lemon juice. Hollow out rolls if necessary. Serve roasted vegetables on rolls with yogurt spread. Makes four servings.

Nutrition information: One sandwich contains 275 calories, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 3 milligrams cholesterol, 421 milligram sodium, 47 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 9 grams protein.

Diabetic, Lowfat Turkey Hash

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups cooked diced potato

2 teaspoons chicken stock

2/3 cup cooked green peas

1 cup diced cooked turkey (no skin)

1/4 cup shredded fat-free American cheese

10 3/4 ounces can low-fat cream celery soup

Paprika

Saute onion in chicken stock in nonstick skillet until tender. Add turkey, soup, potatoes and peas. Place mixture in 1-quart nonstick casserole. Top with shredded cheese and paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes six servings.

If you have recipes you can share for a new diabetic diet follower, I know she would appreciate it. I am all out of room, so have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.