Useful GI/GL Recipes

Had this for lunch today; really nice. We used half and half mild chilli powder and chipotle chilli powder and, because I hate using 1/2 a tin of something, made double. I suspect the leftovers will be a bit dryer after the bulgur soaks up all available liquid whilst in the fridge! It may have done this in my stomach too as I was sooo full after eating it. So...

Although it says it serves 2, I reckon it could serve 3 along with a side salad.

Bulgur and chickpea chilli
(adapted from Rick Gallop's Express GI Diet)
serves 2

Ingredients

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 celery stick, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
125ml vegetable stock

1/2 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
50g bulgur wheat
1 courgette, chopped

60g mushrooms, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

28g (1oz) reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated

Method

Heat the oil in a large pot or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and herbs/spices for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Add the chickpeas, bulgur wheat and courgette; reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve topped with the cheese.

Calories 388, Carbs 45g, Protein 19g, Fiber 10g
(according to myfitnesspal)
 
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Stuffed courgettes

Had these for dinner last night and they knocked my spaghetti bolognese craving on the head! This is from the Greek Doctor Diet Cookbook, although it was originally for peppers. MFP says 374 calories per serving when made with lean minced beef.

Stuffed Courgettes
serves 2

Ingredients

2 medium/large courgettes
1 tbsp olive oil
250g lean minced meat (beef, lamb or pork)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/4 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar or sweetener
200g can chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
200ml water
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley and oregano, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.

Wash and dry the courgettes. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulpy middles with a teaspoon, leaving a 1cm shell. Finely chop the middles and set aside. Put the courgettes into a baking dish, brush with 1/2 the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on how tender you like them).

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 the oil in a saucepan, add the minced meat, garlic, and chilli and stir over the heat until the meat looks crumbly and has lost its redness. Add the thyme, mustard, sugar, tomatoes, tomato puree, courgette pulp and water and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. If you prefer a dryer filling, turn the heat up for the last few minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the courgettes from the oven, drain away any liquid, and fill them with the meat mixture. Put them back into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, until the courgettes are tender. If the vegetables look dry while baking, add a little boiling water to the dish. Serve hot, sprinkled with the fresh herbs, accompanied by a green salad with lemony dressing.

Note: to make this with peppers, slice off the tops of 2 medium peppers and reserve. Scrape out the seeds, stuff the peppers with the cooked filling, replace the tops and brush with 1/2 the oil. Total baking time for peppers will be 50-60 minutes.
 
Originally posted by Ruth :)

I saw a recipe the other day for making bread and/or muffins in coffee cups- they would truly be cupcakes!

"Finally a guilt free bread even a diabetic can enjoy.

I've adapted this recipe for individual Cinnamon Mug Muffins (Mug Bread) from the many versions you can find on the Internet. It's a very healthy alternative to other breads and muffins because it's made from ground flaxseed meal. It's low-carb, high fiber and packed with heart healthy Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Each gluten free muffin is just 196 calories and has 4 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of fiber. That's only 5 net carbs per muffin. (You subtract the fiber carbs because they are not metabolized). The fiber helps you feel full and the slow digesting carbs will not spike your blood sugar.


images

Here's the quick and easy recipe (OK to substitute brands):

1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Organic Golden Flaxseed (120 calories)
1/2 tsp Clabber Girl Double-Acting Baking Powder (0 calories) DO NOT USE BAKING SODA
1 packet Splenda (0 calories)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (6 calories)
1/4 cup Egg Beaters (30 calories) or 1 whole medium egg (65 calories)
1 tsp olive oil (40 calories) or 1 tsp of butter or margarine or 1 tbsp of apple sauce (for lower fat)

--Put all dry ingredients into a microwave safe coffee mug and mix together with a fork.
--Add the egg and olive oil (or butter or margarine or apple sauce) and beat with a fork until smooth.
--Microwave 90 seconds to 2 minutes maximum. (My muffin came out perfect in 90 seconds in 1050 watt microwave. I checked t to see if it was done by sticking in a knife, which came out clean).
--Allow to cool slightly.
--Dump it out of the mug, then slice and enjoy with your favorite toppings or use like bread to make a sandwich"

OR

Banana mug bread:
4 T. flour
2 T. sweetener/splenda
2 T. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 mashed banana
1 T. chopped pecans (optional)

In a large microwaveable mug, fully blend flour, sugars, salt, baking powder & baking soda. Add egg until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in oil, then banana, then nuts. Pop into the microwave 1-1/2 minutes to 3 minutes, depending on your microwave. (Just don’t overcook when you are cooking in the microwave, or you’ll have sponge cake.)

OR
" Flaxseed muffin in a Mug

  • 1 tsp. butter
    1 egg, slightly beaten
    1/4 C. ground flaxmeal
    1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 packet (or 2 tsp.) Splenda

Directions

Spray a mug with vegetable pan spray, add butter and microwave for a few seconds to melt it. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mug, stir and micowave for one minute. Be careful, if you have a 1100W microwave one minute is too long. Try 45 seconds and if it isn't done, add a few seconds at a time until it is done
You can add berries, nuts etc to the mixture to vary the taste"
images


I thought these were sooo cute : )
I'm really tempted to go out and buy a microwave specifically now :)
 
Quick turkey noodle soup

Had this for dinner last night. For something so simple and quick it was really yummy! I'd suggest using a really good quality instant stock (I used Knorr stockpots) or even homemade if you're more organised than me, as that's where a lot of the flavour comes from in this particular recipe. The original recipe is from one of the South Beach books. Really nice comfort food.

You could use any turkey breast meat as long as you dice it. We doubled the veg quantities called for as they seemed a little low to us and used 1 clove of garlic per person. :D

Turkey Noodle Soup
(serves 4, easily halved)

Ingredients

2 tsp (10ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb (450g) turkey cutlets, diced
5 cups (40 fl oz or 1.2L) chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
4 oz (110g) spelt or whole-wheat noodles or pasta
salt and pepper

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened - about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Season turkey with salt and pepper. Add turkey, broth and thyme to the vegetables and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in noodles/pasta, bring to a low boil, and cook until they are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving: 300 cals, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 38g protein, 27g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 280mg sodium
 
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That meatloaf looks interesting.

I found this - will definitely try with w/ less oil though:

Pistou

ETA: I made this and it was a real success. I made half the amount and it was plenty enough for 2 servings. On mfp the calories come out at 286 per serving. I did make changes to the recipe - I omitted the mange tout ( only because I did not have any), only added 5ml of olive oil to the puree and added zest of lemon & a bit of lemon juice. It was delicious.
 
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wild mushroom and barley 'risotto'

Pinched from The Diabetes Weight-Loss Diet by Antony Worrall Thompson - quite yummy and the leftovers reheated very well! The first night we had it on its own which was quite filling, the second night we had smaller portions as a side dish with meatballs. It worked well both ways.

(my barley was not tender after the specified time - it was edible but still quite 'springy', other recipes I've seen say to cook it for more like 45-50 minutes, which would need more stock)

Wild Mushroom and Barley Risotto

(serves 4)

Ingredients

3 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp soft thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
350g assorted mushrooms, wiped and sliced
250g pearl barley, rinsed
75ml red wine
750-900ml vegetable stock, heated
175g frozen peas, defrosted
100g baby spinach leaves
3 tbsp chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Add a splash of water as needed to stop sticking.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, again adding a splash of water as needed. Add the barley and stir. Pour in the wine and boil to evaporate.

Add a ladleful of stock and simmer, uncovered, until it has been absorbed. Repeat this process until 750ml stock has been absorbed - about 30 minutes - and the barley is tender.

Stir in the peas, spinach and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes, adding the extra stock if you want a softer risotto consistency. Season to taste with pepper.

Per serving: 353 kcals, 6g fat, 1g sat. fat, 64g carbohydrate, 13g protein, 15g fiber, 0.44g sodium
 
Making this this afternoon, I'll let you know how it turns out! From Diet Freedom.

Edit: yum! Very heavy/dense with a lovely flavour. Next time I'll scale it down to fit the mini breadmaker which makes a more reasonable sized loaf for just two of us. Try kamut flour if you can find it, it's higher in protein than regular wheat.

Nutty Seedy Loaf

Serves : 12 slices per loaf
Ready In : 1 hour or more

Ingredients
  • 3/4 tsp dried / fast active yeast
  • 200g stoneground wholemeal flour
  • 150g stoneground spelt flour (or rye flour)
  • 50g porridge oats (or rye flakes, or buckwheat flakes)
  • 1 tbsp Sweet Freedom (either)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 7 tbsp mixed seeds
  • 3 tbsp roughly crushed nuts (walnuts, almonds, brazils, hazelnuts, etc)
  • 300ml water + 1 tbsp milk
Instructions


  1. Put the ingredients into your machine in the order stipulated in the instructions (some add the wet ingredients first, others the dry).

This freezes well in slices.
Best for 'open' sandwiches as it is a dense and nutty bread that is too heavy for a normal sandwich.

We make our bread in a Panasonic SD-253 on the 'wholewheat' and 'bake' settings on 5 hour timing.
 
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Oaty American-Style Pancakes

We sort of made this up this morning, being in the mood for pancakes. To measure the syrup/yoghurt, just put the tbsp of syrup into the bottom of the 1/2 cup measure and then fill it the rest of the way with yoghurt. If your apple is quite sweet you could cut down the syrup a bit, just replacing some with yoghurt.

Oaty American-Style Pancakes
(serves 1; makes 4 pancakes, easily doubled)

Dry Ingredients:

28g Ready Brek (or blitz rolled oats in a food processor to a rough flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

1 tbsp agave nectar or Sweet Freedom
1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
2 eggs
1/2 apple, grated finely
splash vanilla extract

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently until just combined. The consistency should be similar to that of a thin cake mixture.

Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium high and spray lightly with olive or rapeseed oil. Pour in 1/4 of the batter, and cook until it looks solid enough to flip (these are very tender pancakes) - bubbles will be coming through, the edges should look dry and a careful lift of an edge should show that the bottom is brown. Flip carefully and cook until the other side is golden and the middle is cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.

Serve with mixed berries, Greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of chopped toasted hazelnuts. Nice with a side of lean bacon if that's how you like to roll. :D
 
I made Greek meatballs from a South Beach diet cookbook the other day and they were highly delicious! Here's a link to save me re-typing...

Kalyn's Kitchen: Recipe Favorites: Greek Meatballs

I used Sainsbury's Be Good To Yourself Greek Salad Cheese, which is like feta but lower in fat. And no 'Greek Seasoning', I don't think I've ever seen that in the UK. But they were delicious all the same.

(and yes, I know that the Greeks don't traditionally go around sticking feta into their meatballs. but I love cheese, and I love meatballs, and I especially love meatballs with no bread or other carby binder, so I'm not going to complain! :D )
 
Wow, Plum. They sound yummy and I will def be making them.
 
Korean Seasoned Spinach (Sigumchi Namul)

1 lbs spinach
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs sesame seeds
1 tbs salt (or less depending to taste)
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 tsp sugar (or honey or any sweetner)

Boil the spinach for a minute, drain the water and rinse in cold water. Squeeze the spinach, and add mixture and mix. It's best eatten chilled, and of course with rice or some kind of low gi carb. I've been doing rice with oats and barley mixture, instead of normal rice.
 
South Beach stir-fried chicken with soba noodles
​

serves 4
​

Try red pepper (capsicum) or celery in place of mushrooms if you like. You can use savoy cabbage in place of Chinese greens but this will need to cook slightly longer. If you have very sour winter lemons I suggest using a bit less lemon juice! :eek:

Ingredients:


  • 115g / 4oz soba (buckwheat) noodles
  • 675g / 1 1/2lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thinly
  • 4 spring onions, white and green parts thinly sliced but kept separate
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 5ml / 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
  • 2.5ml / 1/2 tsp dried chilli pepper flakes
  • salt
  • 15ml / 1tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 10ml / 2tsp sesame oil (toasted is yummiest)
  • 5ml / 1tsp vegetable oil
  • 450g / 1lb Chinese greens, thinly sliced
  • 170g / 6oz button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 30ml / 2tbsp water
  • 10ml / 2tsp fresh lemon juice

Method:


  1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil Cook noodles according to package directions.
  2. While noodles are cooking, in a medium bowl, combine chicken with spring onion whites, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper flakes; season lightly with salt.
  3. Drain noodles and transfer to another medium bowl. Add spring onion greens, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to combine. Season lightly with salt.
  4. In a large non-stick frying pan or wok, heat vegetable oil over a medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until just cooked through (4-5 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate.
  5. Return the pan to the heat. Add Chinese greens, mushrooms and water. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are wilted, about 4 minutes.
  6. Return chicken and noodles to pan, stir and cook to heat through, about 1 minute. Toss with lemon juice and serve warm.

Nutrition per serving: 359 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 46g protein, 29 carbohydrate (4g fibre), 349mg sodium
 
Technically this is a cottage pie, but it's still super yummy. My husband declared he preferred this topping to mashed potato!

We used a mini-tub of Philadelphia light in place of soured cream and it worked just fine.

South Beach shepherd's pie


serves 4
​

Ingredients:


  • 450g / 1lb fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
  • 15ml / 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 450g / 1lb extra-lean beef mince
  • 280g / 10 oz fresh or thawed frozen shelled edamame
  • 120ml / 4floz low-sodium beef stock
  • 10ml / 2tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2.5ml / 1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp low-fat soured cream or creme fraiche
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 60g / 2oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated

Method:


  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Spray a 2-litre/3 1/2 pint casserole with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add cauliflower and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and brown for 10 minutes, stirring to break up lumps. Add edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes longer. Stir in stock and Worchestershire sauce. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Transfer meat mixture to the casserole.
  4. With an electric mixer at medium speed, whisk the cooked cauliflower with soured cream or creme fraiche, egg yolk and another pinch of salt. Spoon cauliflower evenly over meat. Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Nutrition per serving: 367 calories, 16g fat (5g saturated fat), 37g protein, 18g carbohydrates (4g fibre), 324mg sodium
 
Turkey meatloaf
I made this today and it is quite tasty. A cold slice makes a good protein snack or quick lunch.
Makes about 9 slices
Mix together:
400 g turkey breast mince
50g porridge oats
1 large egg
Half a red pepper finely chopped
100g red onion finely chopped
50g mange tout finely chopped
Dessert spoon ketchup
Tsp Worcestershire sauce
Some chopped fresh herbs ( I used dill and rosemary )

Mix well and put in a two pound loaf tin lined with non stick parchment .
Bake in a preheated oven at 190c for about 50 mins till lightly brown and firm to the touch.
Serve hot or cold. Can be sliced and frozen in two slice portions.

Two slices are about 220cals and it's all good GL ingredients. The oats and turkey are a great base and you could add your own fav low GL veg and herbs.
 
That loaf sounds lovely!! I'll be trying that :) Thanks Molly x
 
JanD said:
That loaf sounds lovely!! I'll be trying that :) Thanks Molly x
Click to expand...

Yeah and it's versatile. Stick with the oats, turkey, egg and then add whatever veg or herbs you fancy. I've made another and sliced it up and have frozen it for quick portions over the hols!
 
Ah well that's good - I'm not that fussy on mange tout tbh so i may just leave them out :) x
 
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