In the GI News Kitchen

American dietitian and author of Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Johanna Burani, shares favourite recipes with a low or moderate GI from her Italian kitchen. For more information, check out Johanna’s website. The photographs are by Sergio Burani. His food, travel and wine photography website is photosbysergio.com.

Sergio’s eggs ‘al tegamino’.
My husband, Sergio, grew up in post-World War II war-torn northern Italy. Food was not plentiful but fresh eggs were always available, though not in excess. His family, like most other families in the neighborhood, owned one or two hens that they could always rely on for an evening’s meal. Sergio ate eggs ‘al tegamino’ (in a little pan) at least once a week back then. He loves to make this recipe nowadays – for the good taste and for the good memories. Makes 1 serving.

1 teaspoon butter
2 eggs pinch salt (a pinch is about 1/8 tsp)
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried basil

Melt the butter in a small frying pan (Sergio uses a cast iron one) over a low flame.
Crack the eggs into a little pan one at a time, piercing the yolks with a fork. Sprinkle over the salt and herbs and cook the eggs slowly, uncovered, for approximately 8 minutes or to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.

Per serve
740kJ/177 calories; 13g protein; 14g fat (includes 5g saturated fat); 1g available carbs; 0g fibre

Here’s how you can cut back on the food bills and enjoy fresh-tasting, easily prepared, seasonal, satisfying and delicious low or moderate GI meals that don’t compromise on quality and flavour one little bit with our Money Saving Meals including Body Playground Emma Sandall’s Quinoa salad with lentils, fennel and orange.

Quinoa salad with lentils, fennel and orange.
Serves 4

½ cup Puy lentils
1 bay leaf
1 cup quinoa
3 tbsp hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped
Bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, well washed, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
3–4 fresh dates, pitted and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
½ green capsicum, seeded and diced
½ red capsicum, seeded and diced
½ orange, thinly sliced into rounds and cut into quarters
½ fennel bulb, finely sliced
Small bunch radishes, finely sliced (about 6 radishes)
Olive oil
Small head witlof, leaves separated and roughly torn

Cook the lentils in boiling water with the bay leaf until done (about 20–25 minutes). Drain in a sieve and set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf. Meanwhile …
Place the quinoa in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–9 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, rinse under cold water and set aside to dry.
Macerate the dates in small bowl with cumin and lemon juice
Combine the lentils and quinoa in a mixing bowl with the hazelnuts, parsley, capsicum, and the date mixture. Drizzle over 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil and gently combine with a fork to achieve the right taste and texture. To serve, arrange the witlof in a serving bowl and top with scoops of the grain mixture and the slices of orange, fennel and radishes.

Per serve 
1380kJ/330 calories; 15g protein; 10g fat (includes 1g saturated fat); 44g available carbs; 11g fibre

Mini bread & banana puddings. 
This is one of blogger Lisa Taylor’s recipes on her gestational diabetes recipes blog. You can also find it in The Low GI Eating Plan for an Optimal Pregnancy. Lisa says you can serve these little puddings with a small dollop of reduced-fat ice-cream or reduced-fat custard if you like. However, they are simply delicious as is! Serves 4.

1 tbsp light cooking oil for greasing ramekins
2 cups skim milk
2 large eggs
2 small bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 slices low GI seed or multigrain bread, crusts removed, halved diagonally
½ cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
Reduced-fat ice cream for serving if desired

Preheat oven to 170°C (350°F). Lightly grease 4 individual ramekins (or a baking dish) with oil. Set aside.
Whisk together milk, eggs, mashed banana, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a large bowl until combined. Soak each piece of bread in the milk mixture for a few seconds.
Place 4 of the bread triangles in baking dish or 1 in each individual ramekin, scatter with one-third of the blueberries then spread with a little of the milk mixture. Repeat layering process until all the bread triangles have been used. Pour over any remaining milk mixture and blueberries then sprinkle lightly with a little more cinnamon.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with a small dollop of ice cream if desired.

Per serve (without ice cream)
1090kJ/260calories; 13g protein; 6g fat (includes 1g saturated fat); 37g available carbs; 6g fibre