Low GI Recipes of the Month

Share good food and good times with family and friends with Kate Hemphill’s delicious recipes that showcase seasonal ingredients and make it easy for you to prepare healthy low GI meals and snacks. Kate has worked as a freelance chef and home economist before starting her own cookery school (‘Love to Cook’) in London. She favours a modern and relaxed way of cooking and herbs and spices are an intrinsic part of her recipes. For more information and recipes, check out Kate’s website: www.lovetocook.co.uk

Kate Hemphill

Seared tuna with mango salsa
This simple summer dish relies only on fresh ingredients and a little care not to overcook the tuna. It can be put together in no time, looks stylish and tastes fantastic. Serve with a mixture of basmati and wild rice doused in lime juice if you wish. Although this recipe may seem high in fats, they are mostly good fats from the fish, avocado and olive oil. If you want to reduce the fat, use smaller pieces of tuna and less avocado.
Serves 2

2 tuna steaks (about 150 g or 5 oz each)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mango salsa
1 small ripe mango, cheeks diced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 avocado (about 150 g/5 oz), diced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander leaves
1 lime, juiced
1/2 long red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

To serve
Soft lettuce leaves, rinsed and torn

1. Prepare and combine all salsa ingredients and season to taste.
2. Drizzle the oil over tuna steaks and season with salt and pepper before cooking on a hot griddle or frying pan (or barbecue for that matter). The steaks should only need 1½–2 minutes each side, depending on thickness. You really want to seal the outside and create some heat to spread through the tuna, but without cooking it completely.
3. Serve cooked tuna on dressed lettuce leaves with salsa spooned on top.

Per serve
kJ/Cal 2450/583; Protein 52 g; Fat 34 g (includes saturated 8 g) Carbohydrate 15 g; Fibre 3.5 g

Sweet potato and pistachio quinoa
You can use quinoa instead of rice or couscous, it has a delicious nutty flavour along with fantastic nutrition. This dish can be served warm with lamb, chicken or fish such as mackerel and swordfish or served cold as a salad.
Serves 4 to 6 as an accompaniment

1 orange-fleshed sweet potato (about 400 g), peeled and cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) dice
200 g (7 oz) quinoa
3 cups (750 ml) light chicken stock (low sodium)
3 tablespoons pistachios, chopped quite finely
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
rind only 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF ).
2. Roast the diced sweet potato for about 20 minutes or until tender
3. Cook the quinoa following the packet instructions in 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock, then drain.
4. For a warm dish, heat a large pan, add all ingredients and stir over low heat until warmed through.
5. If serving cold, simply toss all ingredients together and season to taste.

Per serve (for 6 people)
kJ/Cal 1269/302; Protein 8 g; Fat 12 g (includes saturated 2 g) Carbohydrate 38 g; Fibre 5 g