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.

STRAWBERRY, RHUBARB AND APPLE OAT CRUMBLE 
Rhubarb stalks can vary in colour from green to a perky bright red and we often, wrongly, assume that the red stalks are ‘ripe’ and sweeter. Colour and sweetness are not related and some green varieties produce very sweet stems. Smaller stalks will be tender, while thicker stalks tend to become stringy. Stalks the size of a finger are a good measure. Preparation time: 25 minutes • Cooking time: 30 minutes • Serves: 6

5 medium stalks rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
3 small cooking apples, cored and coarsely grated
200g (7oz) small strawberries, hulled
2 tablespoons runny honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (90g/3¼oz) traditional rolled oats
50g (1¾oz) butter
½ cup (100g/3½oz) lightly packed soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅔ cup (100g/3½oz) coarsely chopped raw nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced 160°C/315°F). • Put the rhubarb, apples, strawberries, honey and cinnamon in a bowl. Toss well and spoon into a deep baking dish. • In a bowl combine the oats, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts and rub together with your fingers until the mixture is knobby. Spread over the top of the fruit and bake for about 30 minutes or until the fruit is soft and bubbling and the top is golden and crunchy. • Tip: Thinly sliced ripe pear or blackberries would be a lovely addition to the fruit mixture.

Per serve 
1480kJ/355 calories; 6g protein; 18g fat (includes 5.5g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.4); 42g available carbs (includes 32g sugars and 10g starches); 6g fibre; 70mg sodium; 430mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.2

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).

STRAWBERRY, MAPLE AND PISTACHIO PARFAIT 
A delicious combination of nuts, seeds and oats layered with sweet fresh strawberries and thick Greek-style yoghurt, it is hard to go past this parfait at breakfast time. Keep a jar of this granola in an airtight jar or container in the pantry, so you can whip up the parfait anytime you please. The granola will keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Preparation time: 15 minutes • Baking time: 12–15 minutes • Serves: 8

800g (1lb 7oz) natural Greek-style yoghurt
2½ punnets (60g/2oz) ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered

Maple and pistachio granola 
½ cup traditional rolled oats (oatmeal)
½ cup unsalted pistachio kernels, coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded coconut ½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup pure maple syrup or pure floral honey
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract

To make the granola, preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F (150°C/300°F fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper. • Combine the oats, pistachios, coconut, sunflower seeds, pepitas and cinnamon in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Combine the maple syrup and vanilla, pour over the oat mixture and toss to combine evenly.• Spread on the lined tray and bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, tossing twice during baking, until golden. Set aside to cool to room temperature. • To assemble the parfait, layer the yoghurt, granola and strawberries in glasses or dishes, finishing with a little sprinkling of granola. Serve immediately.

Per serve 
1430kJ/ 340 calories; 14g protein; 21g fat (includes 7g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.33); 21g available carbs (includes 14g sugars and 7g starch); 6g fibre; sodium : potassium ratio 0.13