IN THE GI NEWS KITCHEN

GO SLOW TO WARM UP
As the weather turns cooler, thoughts turn to slow cooking, baked dinners, pot roasts and casseroles. In this issue,we have come up with recipes for three (almost) one-pot wonders to feed the family and warm the heart. Serve with salad or steamed greens and your favourite starchy veg or grains to round out the meal, up the potassium and fill hollow legs.
POT-ROASTED CHICKEN AND APPLES IN CIDER
In this simple pot roast from Apple Blossom Pie (Murdoch Books) Kate McGhie uses the fruit itself and apple cider which, added at different stages, builds the depth of flavour. Adding the slightly tart crème fraîche at the end blends the juices into a silky sauce. Make a meal of it with mashed orange sweet potato and steamed beans (and boost your potassium, too). Serves 6 • Cook: 1½ hours.

3 tbsp butter
4 granny smith apples, cored and sliced
200g (7oz) button mushrooms, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 bacon rashers, sliced into matchsticks
1 large free-range chicken
2 cups dry apple cider (cloudy is best)
1½ cups chicken stock
salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
4 tbsp crème fraiche or light crème fraiche
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). • Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sturdy ovenproof casserole. Add the apples, cook until golden and then remove them and set aside. Add the remaining butter with the mushrooms to the casserole and cook until they release their juice. Remove them and put with the apples. • Add the olive oil to the casserole with the onions and bacon and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened, then remove from the dish and put aside. • Tie the chicken legs together, put it in the casserole and brown all over. (Brown on the sides first then the back and just lightly on the breast which will brown towards the end of cooking.) • Pour in the cider, scraping up any crispy bits then return the onions and bacon to the casserole. Add the stock. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 50 minutes. • Add the apples and mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear when a skewer is inserted. Stir in the crème fraîche and sprinkle over the parsley.

Per serve (using light crème fraiche)
1585kJ/ 380 calories; 34g protein; 15g fat (includes 8g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 1.1); 19g available carbs (includes 12g sugars and 7g starch); 3g fibre; 1768mg sodium; 826mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 2.1.

BEEF AND BEAN NACHOS
You don’t need to wait for winter to enjoy this low GI family favourite that’s high in dietary fibre and potassium from Alan Barclay’s Reversing Diabetes (Murdoch Books). Here are a couple of tips. Spice up the tortillas by sprinkling them with cayenne pepper before baking. A crisp garden salad will complete the meal. Serves 4 • Prep: 30 minutes • Cook: 1 hour

4 jalapeños, thinly sliced
2 tbsp malt vinegar
4 low-sodium white corn tortillas
olive oil spray
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green capsicum (pepper), finely chopped
300g (10oz) extra-lean minced (ground) beef
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
400g (14oz) canned diced tomatoes
800g (1lb 12oz) canned no-added-salt kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 small avocado
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 small handful coriander (cilantro) leaves, finely chopped, plus extra sprigs to serve

Put the jalapeños in a small bowl with the vinegar and set aside to marinate. • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with olive oil. Cut each tortilla into 10 wedges and arrange on a large baking tray. Bake, turning once, for 10–12 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside until needed. • While the tortilla crisps are cooking, spray a large saucepan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the celery and capsicum, and stir for 6–7 minutes or until browned and softened. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until browned. • Stir in the paprika, cumin and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and ¾ cup water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Add the beans and cook for 10 minutes. • Meanwhile, mash the avocado with a fork, then stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander. Season with freshly ground black pepper. • Spoon the beef mixture into bowls and top with the extra coriander. Serve with the avocado, jalapeños and tortilla crisps

Per serve
2850kJ/ 679 calories; 48g protein; 24g fat (includes 6g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0 : 33); 51g available carbs (includes 14g sugars and 37g starch); 28g fibre; 400mg sodium; 1845mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.22.

STICKS, SEEDS, PODS and LEAVES
Kate Hemphill is a trained chef. She contributed the recipes to Ian Hemphill’s best-selling Spice and Herb Bible. You will find more of her recipes on the Herbies spices website. Kate’s recipes are made with Herbies spices and blends, but you can use whatever you have in your pantry or that’s available locally.

Lamb Rogan Josh
As it’s starting to cool down, we’ll be making slow-cooked one-pot meals like this deliciously “tomatoey” rogan josh to warm up. It is a great meal to make the day before eating. Serve with brown basmati rice. Serves:6 • Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 3½ hours.

1kg (2lb 4oz) lamb shoulder off the bone, excess fat removed and cut into roughly 5cm (2in) pieces
400g (14oz) plain low fat yoghurt
2 tbsp (30ml) rogan josh blend
3 tbsp (45ml) vegetable oil
6 brown onions, peeled and finely diced
6 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ cup tomato paste/puree
½ tsp salt (optional)
½ cup fresh coriander leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F. • Combine lamb, yoghurt and spice mix in a bowl and leave for at least 15 minutes. • Heat the oil and cook onions over medium heat for 20–30 minutes until softened and golden. • Add garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes, then stir in the yoghurt coated lamb plus all the marinade. Add tomato paste and salt (if using), and bring to a simmer, while stirring. Place lid on the cooking pot and cook in the oven for 2½–3 hours until meat is very tender. • Serve with fresh coriander leaves and diced fresh tomatoes to garnish.

Per serve (without rice)
1785kJ/ 425 calories; 36.5g protein; 23g fat (includes 7g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.44); 15g available carbs (includes 14g sugars and 1g starch); 6g fibre; 370mg sodium; 1345mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.28.