Low GI Recipes of the Month

Anneka Manning, Senior Food Consultant for the Australian Women’s Weekly, shares a recipe from her latest book (with Kaye Foster-Powell), The Low GI Family Cookbook.

Eggs in nests
This makes a lovely lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Prepare double the quantity for four people — or for seconds.
Serves 2

2 slices wholegrain bread
olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil margarine
40 g (1½ oz) button mushrooms (about 4), stems trimmed, sliced
3 English (not baby) spinach leaves, washed, chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 tablespoon coarsely grated reduced fat
cheddar cheese, grated

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
• Cut the crusts off the bread. Spray both sides of each slice lightly with oil. Press the bread slices firmly into two 1/3 cup (80 mL/2 1/2 fl oz)capacity non-stick muffin pan holes. Set aside.
• Heat the margarine in a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat until sizzling. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes or until tender. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes or until wilted. Remove from the heat and season with pepper.
• Divide mushroom mixture between the bread cases. Crack an egg into a small dish and then slide it into one of the bread cases. Repeat with the remaining egg. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes (for a softly set yolk), 20 minutes (for a hard-cooked yolk), or until the egg is cooked to your liking. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serve
Energy: 901 kJ/ 214 cals; Protein 14 g; Fat 10 g (includes 4 g saturated fat and 197 mg cholesterol); Carbs 15 g; Fibre 2.5 g

Low GI fare from Johanna’s Italian kitchen: In GI News American dietitian, Johanna Burani shares her recipes photographed by husband Sergio.

Johanna Burani

Simply delicious fennel
Sometimes simplicity cannot be beat! The flavourful combination of these unpretentious ingredients in this vegetable side dish results in an explosion of culinary delight. And it all happens in less than 30 minutes from fridge to serving dish.
Serves 4

2 x 1-lb (450 g) fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmiggiano reggiano cheese
salt/pepper to taste

• To prepare the fennel for cooking: Cut away hollow stalks from top end of bulbs. Cut off a thin horizontal slice from the bottom ends. Cut into quarters and then cut the quarters in half. Wash thoroughly under running cold water, taking care to remove any sand from the base.
• Place prepared sections in a heavy 9” (22 cm) skillet. Add 1½ cups cold water and bring to a soft boil over medium heat (6 minutes). Cover, reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until sections are tender.
• Drain off the water. Drizzle the oil, add salt and pepper as desired and mix well in skillet. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the fennel. Keep warm in the skillet until served.

Per serve (1/2 bulb)
Energy: 538 kJ/ 128 cals; Protein 3 g; Fat 8 g (includes 1 g saturated fat and 2 mg cholesterol); Carbs 13 g; Fibre 5 g

Visit Johanna’s website: www.eatgoodcarbs.com.

Azmina Govindji shares recipes from Healthy Indian Cooking for Diabetes photographed by Yuki Sugiura.

Azmina Govindji

Tofu chana dal
Serve this light meal with a raita of your choice. Asafoetida is often used in vegetarian meals where it adds a garlic-like flavour with onion overtones. A hint of asafoetida will tide you over when the garlic bowl is empty. Chana dal is found in Asian produce stores and the spices will be available in specialty spice shops or online at herbies.com.au.
Serves 4

150 g (5 oz) split Bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tablespoon olive oil (plus spray oil for greasing the pan)
200 g (7 oz) tofu
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
10–12 curry leaves
2 pinches of asafoetida
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
2½ tablespoons lemon juice
20 g (3/4 oz) fresh mint leaves, chopped

• Soak the chana dal in 400 ml (14 fl oz) water for 3–4 hours.
• Spray olive oil on a heated frying pan and toss the tofu until brown specks form on it. Remove and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. As the seeds begin to splutter, stir in the asafoetida. Add the drained chana dal and salt and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the turmeric and 100 ml (3½ fl oz) water, cover, and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until chana dal is done.
• Add the tofu, lemon juice and mint leaves. Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

Per serve
Energy: 798 kJ/ 189 cals; Protein 12 g; Fat 7 g (includes 0.7 g saturated fat and 2 mg); Carbs 20 g; Fibre 3 g