IN THE GI NEWS KITCHEN

THE GOOD CARBS COOKBOOK 
The Good Carbs Cookbook (by Alan Barclay, Kate McGhie and Philippa Sandall) published by Murdoch Books helps you choose the best fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, seeds, nuts and grains and explains how to use them in 100 refreshingly nourishing recipes to enjoy every day, for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. The recipes are easy to prepare, (mostly) quick to cook, long in flavour and full of sustaining goodness, so you feel fuller for longer. There is a nutritional analysis for each recipe and tips and helpful hints for the novice, nervous, curious or time-starved cook.

FREGOLA AND BLOOD ORANGE SALAD WITH FENNEL 
Every ingredient in this lively salad says Italy. Red-fleshed blood oranges were developed in Sicily, while subtle, aniseedy fennel is everywhere in Italy. Fregola is a type of Sardinian pasta, not dissimilar to couscous. During processing, the durum wheat flour is mixed with water, rolled into tiny pebbles, sundried and roasted giving it a rustic quality. The flavour is improved if the fregola is cooked in a flavoursome stock. It should take no more than 10–12 minutes of cooking to be al dente. You can substitute with Israeli (pearl) couscous or orzo if you wish. Preparation time: 25 minutes •Cooking time: 12 minutes • Serves: 6

2 cups fregola
4 blood oranges
4 flat anchovy fillets, drained
1 garlic clove, peeled
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
freshly ground pepper

Bring a medium pan of salted water to the boil and add the fregola. Boil for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside to drain and dry. • Slice the peel and white pith from the oranges and slice into thin rounds. Arrange in a circular pattern on a serving dish. • Mash the anchovies with the garlic and chilli flakes and then whisk in the lemon juice and oil. • Put the well-drained and cooled fregola and the fennel in a bowl, add the anchovy dressing and toss to combine all the ingredients. Pile the mixture on top of the oranges and season generously with pepper.

Per serve 
1050kJ/250 calories; 6g protein; 10g fat (includes 1.5g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.18); 33g available carbs (includes 8.5g sugars and 24.5g starches); 4.5g fibre; 165mg sodium; 315mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.52

ANNEKA MANNING’S BAKE CLUB 

Anneka Manning is an author, food editor, cooking teacher, home economist, mother of two and the founder of BakeClub. With over 27 years’ experience, she specialises in teaching the ‘why’ behind the ‘how’ of baking, giving home cooks the know-how, understanding and skill to bake with confidence and success, every time. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook or check out her website.

MANDARIN ROASTED ALMOND CAKES. 
These gluten-free cakes are a play on the original (and wonderful) Middle Eastern orange cake from the one-and-only Claudia Roden. The ground roasted almonds give a lovely ‘toasted’ flavour but you can substitute pre-ground almond meal. To roast and grind the almonds, spread on an oven tray and place in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F for 8-10 minutes or until aromatic. Cool on the tray before processing in a food processor until finely ground. Makes: 12 • Prep: 20 minutes (+ 30 minutes simmering and 15 minutes cooling time) • Bake: 15–18 minutes

2 large mandarins
olive oil spray, to grease
½ cup instant polenta
80g (2½oz) natural almonds, roasted, finely ground
½ tsp baking powder
3 eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup raw caster sugar
2 tsp natural vanilla essence or extract icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Put the mandarins (skin and all) in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until very soft when tested with a skewer. You may need to place a small saucer over the mandarins to keep them submerged. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly. • Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a 12-hole 80ml (⅓-cup) muffin tin with the melted butter to grease. • Combine the polenta, roasted almond meal, and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix well to combine evenly. • Quarter the mandarins and remove and discard any centre core or seeds. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. • Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk until very thick and pale and a ribbon trail forms when the whisk is lifted. Add the mandarin puree and use a spatula or large metal spoon to fold in until just combined. Add the polenta mixture and fold together until evenly combined. • Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin holes (pouring the mixture from a jug or using a ladle works well). • Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until the cakes are firm to the touch on the top and cooked when tested with a skewer. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Use a palette knife to ease the cakes out of the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature dusted with a little icing sugar if you wish.

Per cake 
Energy: 560kJ/130cals; Protein 3.5g; Fat 5g (includes 1g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0. 25); Available carbohydrate 18.5g (includes 15g sugars, 3.5g starches); Fibre 1g; Sodium 40mg; Potassium 95mg; sodium to potassium ratio 0.42