Low GI Recipes of the Month

Lentil and custard apple bake
Discover a new low GI fruit. Custard apples (GI 54) start appearing in fruit markets and the fruit section of your supermarket early autumn (Fall) and taste rather like a tropical fruit salad. Our recipe is reproduced courtesy the Australian Custard Apple Growers Association. Choose one that’s just soft to touch (like an avocado) without splits or bruises. A few black spots on the skin don’t matter. Ripe fruit will yield to gentle pressure. To eat, simply cut in half or twist open and eat the creamy flesh straight away with a teaspoon discarding the black seeds or scoop out the flesh and add to salads. As the flesh discolours fast, brush it with a little lemon or lime juice if you aren’t using immediately. Once you’ve opened a custard apple, it will last about 4 or 5 days in the fridge, although with their sweet and juicy flavour, they may not be around long. They are perfect on a cheese platter, mashed, blended with orange juice or eggnog, or just au naturel.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

1 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
3 eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml/2½ fl oz) buttermilk
Pinch salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons nutmeg
Pulp 1 custard apple
400 g (14 oz) can lentils rinsed and drained
1 large roma tomato, diced
2 cups cooked and drained buckwheat noodles or wholemeal spaghetti

To serve
Fresh herb and vegetable salad tossed in a vinaigrette dressing

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF) and lightly grease a 6-cup(3-pint) ovenproof dish with spray oil.
2. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until soft and golden – about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until creamy. Combine the custard apple, lentils, tomato, noodles (or spaghetti) and onion in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the egg mixture and stir to mix well.
4. Spoon into the greased ovenproof dish into the dish bake for 25–30 minutes or until set and heated through.

Nutrition analysis per serve
Energy 1310 kJ/ 312 Cal; 8.8 g fat (includes saturated fat 2.3 g); 8.6 g fibre;14.2 g protein; 40.2 g carbohydrate

GI Express: Chicken kebabs with pear salsa
Petrea King says ‘good food really does nourish the spirit as well as the body’. This recipe is from her new book: Food for Life. Petrea runs the Quest for Life Centre, which gives people practical strategies for living well in challenging circumstances and for finding meaning in the midst of life’s unexpected events.

Makes 8 kebabs (serves 4–6)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6–8 minutes

3 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
800 g (1 lb 12 oz) skinless chicken breast fillets

Pear salsa
2 just ripe pears, washed and finely diced
½ Spanish (red) onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely diced

Dressing
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ avocado, peeled and stone removed
¾ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) water

To serve
100 g (3 ½ oz) mixed lettuce leaves

1. Combine the sesame oil, coriander and cumin in a bowl. Cut the chicken into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces and toss in the marinade mix. Thread onto 8 skewers and heat a barbecue or grill. Cook the kebabs over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 6–8 minutes or until cooked through. Loosely cover and keep warm while you prepare the salsa.
2. For the salsa, combine the pears, onion and celery in a bowl. For the dressing, place the chive, lemon juice, mustard, avocado and water in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place an equal amount of lettuce leaves on each serving plate, top with the kebabs (allow 2 per person), drizzle with the dressing and serve with the pear salsa.

Energy 1461 kJ/ 348 Cal; 17.6 g fat (includes saturated fat 4.4 g); 2 g fibre;38.3 g protein; 8.6 g carbohydrate