Low GI Recipes of the Month

Our chef Kate Hemphill develops deliciously simple recipes for GI News that showcase seasonal ingredients and make it easy for you to cook healthy, low GI meals and snacks. For more of Kate’s fabulous fare, check out: http://www.lovetocook.co.uk/. For now, prepare and share good food with family and friends.

Kate Hemphill

Mango, passion fruit and lime fruit salad
There’s no need to slave over a hot stove to wow family and friends. This dessert is absolutely delicious and truly made in minutes. Make sure your fruit is ripe and full of flavour. If it is a little under-ripe and the fruit salad tastes too tart you may need to add a little caster sugar. If you can’t get mango puree, substitute by pureeing a small can of mango pieces (without the juice) in the blender. As you only need a scant ½ cup, keep leftovers for your morning muesli.
Serves 2

2 medium ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into dice (about 2 cups mango dice)
2 ripe passion fruit

Dressing
½ cup (125 ml) mango puree
pinch of ground ginger
1 lime, juiced

• To make the dressing, combine the mango puree, ginger and lime juice in a small bowl.
• Place the mango dice into a serving bowl. Scoop out the passionfruit pulp and seeds and add to the mango dice, then gently stir through the mango-lime dressing.

Per serve
700 kJ/167 calories; 3 g protein; 0.6 g fat (includes 0 g saturated fat); 33 g carbohydrate; 6 g fibre

Cider, onion and gruyère toast
Everybody loves ‘melts’, especially when the weather is cold and wet! This one is basically a de-constructed French onion soup. You can also add extra chicken stock to the soft onion mix to make a soup and serve with toasted sourdough slices topped with a little melted gruyère. To reduce the fat and keep the flavour, use half the quantity of cheese (125 g) and grate it. It’s a good one to make ahead for quick meals on chilly days. The best way to cut the onions finely is to use a mandolin. Keep any leftover cooked onion in the fridge.

Makes 8 pieces (depending on the size of the bread)

1 kg brown onions, peeled and sliced finely
1 bay leaf
sprig of thyme
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry cider
1/3 cup (80 ml) reduced fat chicken stock
8 slices (250 g) gruyère cheese
8 slices sourdough bread

• Place the onions, bay and thyme in a large saucepan over a very low heat and sweat for an hour, with a tight lid, stirring occasionally. The onions must be completely soft with no bite in them, but do not allow them to burn.
• Remove lid and herbs and increase heat. Add the cider and stock and stir until alcohol has evaporated and mixture has reduced with little liquid left.
• Lightly toast sourdough bread, pile with onions and top with a slice of cheese (or sprinkle over grated cheese). Place under a pre-heated grill until the cheese is bubbling.

Per slice (250 g cheese)
1120 kJ/266 calories; 14 g protein; 11 g fat (includes 6 g saturated fat); 24 g carbohydrate; 3.5 g fibre

Per slice (125 g cheese)
849 kJ/202 calories; 10 g protein; 6 g fat (includes 3 g saturated fat); 24 g carbohydrate; 3.5 g fibre