Useful GI/GL Recipes

Moroccan (or not!) Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 6

The 'moroccan-ness' (I know that's not a word!) is from the spices used - if you don't have them/like them, you can easy substitute herbs and spices you do like - I've tried a few combos with good results.

Chop 1- 1 1/2 large red onion into medium chunks

Heat large saucepan on hob at med heat with some spray oil. Add onions and stir until softening.

Then add 2 tsp coriander powder and 2 tsp roasted cumin seed powder (dry fry cumin seeds until dark brown and fragrant then grind in pestle and mortar/ blender) plus 2 tsp Ras El Hanout (moroccan spice mix). Stir into cooking onions.

Chop 4 large carrots and 2 med sweet potatoes ( plus sometimes I add butternut squash too) and add to pot. Cook, stirring frequently for 5-10mins.

Then add enough water to pan to comfortably cover veg, 1 stock cube or stock paste, +/- garlic, ginger, salt and pepper to personal taste, and bring to boil.

Simmer until veg are tender

Add whole lot to blender and blend until smooth. if too thick add some more water.

Return to hob and add 1 can drained chickpeas. Heat through and then serve :D
 
That Moroccan soup sounds very wholesome. I must try this for a main meal. Will leftovers keep well in a freezer or fridge??
 
new recipes

Bored and stuck in the house, so I've been hunting out recipes on the web.
Bear in mind I've not actually tried any of them yet.
Some of them I've tweaked to make them more GI friendly or low-cal.

Tagine of pumpkin and chickpeas
Beautifully rich, aromatic, a little sweet from the pumpkin and golden in colour, this is perfect for a vegetarian dinner party.
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 1 tin)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp reduced fat spread
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/4 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 100mL hot water
500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 waxy potatoes, peeled and halved- unless you have access to the lower GI Nicola potatoes (GI 58) or the new low GI Aussie potatoes Carisma (GI 55, available in Coles) I'd probably leave these out
200g tinned tomatoes
Salt, for seasoning
2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 a preserved lemon, chopped
Cooked quinoa or rice, to serve
1/2 cup no fat yoghurt
/2 cup coriander leaves

Put the chickpeas in a pot with plenty of cold water and boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Omit this step if using tinned.
In a large pot, heat the oil and butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft and lightly golden. Add the spices, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the partially cooked chickpeas, saffron, pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes and just enough water to cover. Season with salt and simmer gently until the potatoes are almost soft (30-40 mins). Add the zucchini and preserved lemon and cook for 5 mins more or until the potatoes and pumpkin are soft (but not mushy).
Serve with quinoa or rice and a dollop of yoghurt and some freshly chopped coriander.
If you like it hot, serve a little harissa (available from delis and some supermarkets) on the side.
Serves 6.

Spicy black bean quesadilla
Veg
Ingredients
Preparation method
1. In a bowl, mix together the black beans, cumin, oregano, dried chilli flakes, sliced spring onions, chopped pepper and grated cheese until well combined, using your hands to squash the beans. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Lay the tortillas out on a clean work surface. Rub the cut sides of the garlic clove vigorously all over the tortillas.
3. Divide the bean mixture between two of the tortillas, spreading the mixture out using a spoon to completely cover the tortillas.
4. Place the remaining two tortillas on top of the mixture, making sure the sides you rubbed with garlic are facing inwards. Gently press down to form two sandwiches.
5. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add one of the quesadillas to the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, pressing the quesadillas down from time to time using a spatula, until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown on both sides and the filling has melted. Remove from the pan carefully and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm.
6. Repeat the process with the remaining oil and the second quesadilla.
7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the coriander, avocado, lime juice and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside.
8. When the quesadillas are cooked, add the pumpkin seeds to the pan they were cooked in. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown, then add them to the coriander and avocado mixture.
9. To serve, slice each quesadilla into six pieces and divide the slices between two serving plates. Scatter over the remaining coriander leaves, chopped avocado and roasted pumpkin seeds. Garnish the plate with the lime wedges.


Lentil, tomato and basil flatbread

Ingredients

Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Place the baking powder, self-raising flour and butter into a bowl and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the lentils, milk and salt and mix well.
With floured hands, shape the mixture into a flat round. Place onto a baking sheet and top with the sliced tomato, basil and oil.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
 
these sound yummy. Not low fat, but next to no carbs
Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar replacement
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar replacement, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar replacement to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar replacement. Cool slightly before removing from pan.
 
Minestrone soup
This warming soup is perfect for getting you through the afternoon without hunger pangs. The cannellini beans are full of soluble fibre, which will keep blood sugar levels steady.

The minestrone freezes well, so divide it into single portions and put it in the freezer. The night before it is needed, leave it to defrost in the fridge. This is particularly good eaten with a slice of granary bread (see recipe on in the Breakfast menu).

Serves 6

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, diced
2 medium courgettes, diced
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 large sprig basil, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
410g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ spring pointed green cabbage, chopped
To serve: allow 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan per person (optional)

The best way to make this soup is to cook the ingredients as you go. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and gently fry while you peel and dice the carrots. Stir in and continue with the celery, followed by the courgettes. Cook the courgettes for about 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water, twice, and mix into the vegetables along with the chopped basil. Season and allow the soup to simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Mix in the drained cannellini beans and the chopped cabbage and simmer gently for a further 30 minutes. The longer the soup cooks, the better it tastes. Divide between bowls, sprinkle with parmesan, if using, and serve.
 
Irish soda bread

Mix the following:
150 g self raising flour
250 g wholemeal flour
50 g oat bran
25 g mixed seeds
1 rounded teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt.
Sift the flours to get air into the bowl. Helps keep bread lighter.

Add 400-500 mls of buttermilk. Mixture should be cake consistency. Not too sloppy but too wet to knead.
Just turn this into a 2 lb loaf tin. Bake in a 200c oven for about 50 mins.
Turn out and cool.
If you add too much bicarb the bread will be a bit green and taste of soda. Don't give up if your first effort is not a success.

Hot tip::
I often use spelt flour instead or half n half.
Spelt has less gluten so once you wet it you must mix quickly ( less than a minute) else the gluten breaks down and bread won't cook. The spelt is a fab GL alternative and the bread us gorgeous.
 
Chicken and white bean stew

This was lovely. We used olive oil (I'm sure you could use less quite successfully if you wanted to), added some garlic and served with broccoli instead of crusty bread. Next time I make it I will make double to freeze some, and try adding some leek and maybe a bit of smoked paprika. It worked very successfully in the pressure cooker - 7 minutes at high pressure and 7 minutes natural pressure release, then add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes.

Incidentally, I discovered this morning that the BBC Good Food website has a whole subcategory for low GI recipes:

Low-GI recipes - Recipes - BBC Good Food

Chicken and white bean stew
(Chicken & white bean stew recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food)

This flavoursome, low-fat casserole freezes really well, so why not make double and freeze half for next time?

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 400g boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed and cut into chunks
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 3 carrots , finely chopped
  • 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 2 thyme sprigs or ½ tsp dried
  • 1 bay leaf , fresh or dried
  • 600ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 x 400g / 14oz cans haricot beans , drained
  • chopped parsley , to serve
Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chicken, then fry until lightly browned. Add the veg, then fry for a few mins more. Stir in the herbs and stock. Bring to the boil. Stir well, reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 40 mins, until the chicken is tender.
  2. Stir the beans into the pan, then simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the parsley and serve with crusty bread.
 
Lemon chicken

The combination of vegetables and the zest from the lemon compliment each other perfectly.
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Number of servings: 4
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 290
Sugar: 3.5g
Fat: 6.5g
Saturates: 1g
Salt: 2.3g
Ingredients
4 small-sized chicken fillets, cut into 2cm (1") pieces
4 tbsp of sherry
4 spring onions, finely sliced
4 tbsp of lemon juice
4 tsp of olive oil
4 sticks of celery, chopped
200g of mushrooms, chopped
1 green pepper, sliced
4 tbsp of soy sauce
12 thin slices of lemon rind
120g of brown rice
Instructions:
1. Place the chicken in a bowl. Pour over the sherry, lemon juice and spring onion and mix well.
2. Set aside to marinade for about 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the celery, mushrooms & pepper. Cook over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly.
4. Add the chicken mixture and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
5. Stir in the soy sauce & top with the lemon rind.
6. Serve with the brown rice.
 
That lemon chicken sure looks good. Great too that it doesn't require a long marinading time as I never seem to remember in time to do this!
 
Wow all the recipes look amazing, and they're all low GI??? Sorry still really new to GI, still trying to figure things out.

I will have to try many of the recipes out. I was wondering if anyone know of any good low GI cookbooks, or books on low GI and losing weight. I live in Sweden so the books I can find sometimes blends in LCHF into the recipes, and I just don't want to eat that much fat.
 
All those recipes are suitable for Gi eating.
I got Patrick holford's GL cookbook. It has some nice recipes. You can google low Gi recipes for ideas too.
The best approach in my opinion is to use your favourite recipes/ cookbooks but substitute some of the ingredients for more Gi friendly ones.
For example, take your fav curry or spicy dish and swap the rice and meat for two tins of beans, maybe chick peas and flageolet beans.
I substitute potato, pasta and rice with lentils, quinoa or couscous.
For veg, swap veg that grow below the ground for veg that grow above ground. So use mangetout, baby sweetcorn, broccoli, courgette etc instead of carrot, parsnip, swede etc.
Eat more fish, chicken, turkey instead of red meats. These digest more quickly and have less fat.
For fruit, choose berries, plums, peaches, apples.
I use oatcakes or rye crackers instead Of bread. I also make the wheatfree oat scones from the recipe thread. It's a fab sub for brown bread.
The simple principle I apply is to choose foods as fresh as possible, as unprocessed as possible and with the least sugar.
 
Ruth's oatcake recipe, just in case it gets lost on the other thread.

I've found us a recipe Cali:
Crunchy Rough Scottish Oatcakes

Makes 20 small oatcakes
Preparation: 15 mins – Cooking: 20 minutes
Can freeze raw dough

Ingredients
225g (8 oz) medium oatmeal, plus extra for dusting
1.25ml (¼ tsp) bicarbonate of soda
1.25ml (¼ tsp) salt
15ml (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Put the oatmeal, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and mix well. Heat the butter and 150ml (5 oz) water in a small pan until the butter melts.
Make a well in the centre of the oatmeal mix, pour in the liquid and use a palette knife to mix everything together. The mixture will initially seem a bit wet, but the oatmeal will gradually absorb all the liquid to give a soft dough.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with oatmeal. Tip out the dough, then roll out to about 5mm thick. Use a small round cutter to stamp out the oatcakes or use your favourite shapes. Re-roll any trimmings and continue to cut out the biscuits. (Cut biscuits can be frozen uncooked, for up to a month. Freeze flat before packing into bags or boxes.)
Brush off any excess oatmeal, then space the oatcakes over 2 baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes, carefully turning the oatcakes every 5 minutes or so to stop them from steaming and going stodgy. When cooked they should be crisp and lightly golden. Lift onto a wire rack and leave to cool. (Will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.)
Serving Suggestion
Serve with your favourite after-dinner cheese or any preferred topping, for example Smoked Salmon Pâté.
Notes
Don’t be afraid to experiment by adding 25g (1 oz) of roughly chopped dried fruit like cranberries or apricots to the dough. A downside to using the fruit though is at times it can make the dough sticky. Add small amount of oatmeal to the dough until the stickiness goes away and proceed with the recipe.
For a more savoury oatcake, coarsely grind 10ml (2 tsp) black peppercorns and tip into a sieve. Shake and discard any fine dust, then add the remaining coarse grinds to the oatmeal mix.
You could also try adding poppy seeds or finely chopped herbs like rosemary and thyme.
 
Ruth's recipe for:
Sweet Potato Burgers
Ingredients

3 cups baked sweet potato cubes
2 cups spinach
1 carrot, cut up into pieces
1/4 cup whole wheat [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]flour[/COLOR][/COLOR]
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chickpeas
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp. [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]baking [COLOR=blue !important]powder[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor, except for the flour and oatmeal. Pulse in the food processor until well blended. Remove ingredients and place into a bowl. Add the flour and oatmeal. Place on a greased sheet and bake for 25 minutes, flipping at around 12 minutes. Broil for an additional 3-4 minutes to create a crispy crust.


Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 126.8
 
Sweet potato, quinoa, barley burgers


1 small sweet potato, baked
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1/4 cup dry barley
15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 fresh red peppers

Directions
Peel, dice, and steam the sweet potato until soft.
Cook the quinoa and barley in separate pots.
Remove the stem and seeds from the red peppers. Cut the whole pepper in quarters, the half a pepper in half, and roast all six pieces in the oven or on the grill.
While the grains and pepper are cooking, in a food processor, combine chickpeas, sweet potato, parsley, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper, flour, and one tablespoon oil.
In a separate bowl, mix the bean mixture with the quinoa and barley.
Using hands, form into six patties.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Brown both sides of each burger. Serve on a bun with melted cheese (optional) and a quarter of the roasted pepper.
 
Kathmandu stew
Lentils are a good source of plant protein too? You'll be coming back for seconds with this mildly curried, mildly sweet red lentil and sweet potato stew from Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health (published by The Experiment). It's satisfying served alone or with a simple raita made with soy yogurt, toasted cumin seeds, and cucumbers. Serves 4.

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 tsp curry powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
pinch cinnamon
2 cups organic red lentils, rinsed
1 medium orange-fleshed sweet potato, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp sambal oelek or dried red chillies
4 cups water
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped

Toast the cumin seeds and powder, fennel seeds, curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon in a cast iron frying pan on high heat until the cumin seeds start to pop.
Add the red lentils and stir until the spices are mixed in. Add a splash of water and continue cooking and stirring. Add the sweet potato, carrots, onion, sambal oelek, and 4 cups water.
Stir, cover, and bring to a boil, then stir again, turn down the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes and lentils are cooked. Add salt to taste, and serve garnished with fresh cilantro.
- Recipe is reproduced by kind permission of Moira Nordholt.

Energy: 1400 kJ/ 335 cals; Protein 25 g; Fat 3 g (includes 0.4 g saturated fat); Available carbohydrate 46 g; Fibre 17g
 
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Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus with Cumin




1 small butternut squash, halved, seeds scooped out
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the squash with oil and place on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for about an hour, until the squash is very tender. Scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients.
 
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