From The American Retirement Advisor

Sugar Smarts

Monthly guidance for better diabetes management

August 2026 Recipe

Grilled Lemon-Herb Salmon with Zucchini Ribbons & Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Recipe: Kyle Jacobs

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin on
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (reserve half the juice for the salad)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

• 3 medium zucchini (fresh from the garden or farmers market)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Reserved lemon juice (about 1.5 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper

Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (August's best)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Marinate the salmon: In a small bowl, whisk 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, minced garlic, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper. Coat the salmon fillets and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
2. Make the zucchini ribbons: Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini lengthwise into long, thin ribbons, stopping when you reach the seedy core. Place the ribbons in a large bowl and refrigerate until serving time.
3. Toast the almonds: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant, shaking the pan often. Set aside.
4. Blister the tomatoes: In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins char and begin to split. Add the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt, toss for 30 seconds more, and remove from heat.
5. Grill the salmon: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Place the salmon skin-side down and cook 4 to 5 minutes until the skin releases easily. Flip carefully and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the fish flakes with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees F. Do not overcook. Salmon keeps cooking as it rests.
6. Dress the salad: Just before serving, toss the chilled zucchini ribbons with 2 tbsp olive oil, the reserved lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Fold in the feta, toasted almonds, and torn basil.
7. Plate it: Mound the zucchini ribbon salad on each plate, rest a salmon fillet alongside, and spoon the warm blistered tomatoes and their garlicky pan juices over the top.

Why This Recipe Works for Diabetics

If you wear a continuous glucose monitor, this is the kind of dinner that draws a nearly flat line. Salmon contains zero carbohydrates, and its 42g of protein plus omega-3 fats digest slowly, keeping you full for hours without asking anything of your pancreas. The whole plate lands around 10g of net carbs, and what few carbs there are come wrapped in fiber and fat: zucchini runs about 4g of carbs per cup versus 45g for a cup of pasta it replaces, and cherry tomatoes are low-glycemic even at their sweet August peak. The olive oil, feta, and almonds add the healthy fats that blunt any glucose rise from the vegetables, and there is not a gram of added sugar anywhere. This is what steady-glucose eating looks like when it tastes like a summer restaurant meal.

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