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.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP WITH HARISSA 
We know how impossibly sweet pumpkin becomes when roasted. We know that harissa is a fiery chilli spice paste indispensable in North African cooking. Introduce one to the other with mild mannered and restorative chicken stock and you have a soup, the recipe for which you, understandably, will refuse to share. The sour cream can be left out or replaced with natural yoghurt. Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Cooking time: 40 minutes

• Serves: 6

1 kg (2lb 4oz) butternut pumpkin (winter squash)
4 large Roma tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, peeled and thickly sliced
4–5 garlic cloves, peeled
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
⅓ cup olive oil
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon harissa paste
Salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra light sour cream

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan-forced 180°C/350°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper. • Peel the pumpkin, roughly cut into chunks and arrange on the baking tray with the tomatoes, onion, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle the oil over and then roast for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and just starting to blister. • Remove the rosemary sprigs and then tip everything into a blender, add the stock and harissa paste. If you prefer a more mouth puckering taste, add more harissa but only a little at a time. The mixture may be too much for the blender so you may need to work in batches. Blitz until smooth and add a little more salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the soup into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer, adding more stock if you want a thinner consistency. Swirl in the cream and serve.

Per serve 
985kJ/235 calories; 6g protein; 15g fat (includes 2.5g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.2); 17g available carbs (includes 12g sugars and 5g starches); 5g fibre; 690mg sodium; 905mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.8

ANNEKA MANNING: BAKECLUB 

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. She has written and contributed to a number of books, including The Low GI Family Cookbook (Hachette), Mastering the Art of Baking (Murdoch Books) and BakeClass (Murdoch Books).

SPICED BAKED PUMPKIN 
Jap or kent is a popular pumpkin variety with ribbed green skin covered with yellow flecks and sweetish orange flesh that is good roasted, boiled, steamed or stir fried. But, do not limit yourself to pumpkin, any leftover roasted vegetables and chickpeas will make a delicious salad with rocket or baby spinach leaves, then sprinkled with the dukkah and drizzled with the yoghurt sauce.

Serves 6–8.

650g jap or kent pumpkin, deseeded and cut into 2cm (¾in) thick wedges
2 tbsp (40ml) extra virgin olive oil
½ head cauliflower, cut into 3cm florets
400g/14oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp smoked paprika Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dukkah 
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp sesame seeds
¼ tsp salt (optional)

Tahini yoghurt sauce
¼ cup Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp tahini
1 tbsp (20ml) lemon juice
½ clove garlic, crushed or finely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper. • Spread the pumpkin on the lined tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place cauliflower and chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread evenly on the oven tray, filling the gaps between pumpkin and bake for 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and golden. • Meanwhile prepare the dukkah and yoghurt sauce • Sprinkle the roasted vegetables with the dukkah and serve with the sauce.

To make the dukkah, place the cumin and coriander in a small frying pan and toast over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, or until aromatic. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or small food processor and grind until finely ground. Add the pine nuts to the pan and toast in the same way as the spices until golden. Add to the toasted spices and pound or pulse until roughly chopped (do not over-process or it will form a paste). Transfer to a small bowl, add the sesame seeds and salt, if using, and stir to combine.

To make the yoghurt sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Stir through 1 tablespoon water to thin to drizzling consistency, if desired.

Per serve 
780 kJ/ 186 calories; 8 g protein; 10 g fat (includes 1.3 g saturated fat; saturated:unsaturated fat ratio 0.15); 15 g available carbs; 5 g fibre

Baker’s tips 
The dukkah will keep in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 1 month. The yoghurt sauce can be made up to 3 days head of serving. Keep covered in the fridge.