Low GI Recipes

Here’s a selection of great low GI recipes* that are easy to make and nutritious to boot!  However, we advise you try these during the weight maintenance phase after you’ve lost your goal weight.

Cheese and herb oat scones

Makes 10 scones

These savoury scones are delicious and ready to eat as they are.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour, sifted
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup (140g) unprocessed oat bran
• 30g poly or monounsaturated or margarine
• 1/2 cup (125ml) low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated low-fat cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

Method

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, stir in the oat bran. Rub in the margarine.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the milk and half the water. Mix lightly with a knife, adding extra water if necessary, to make a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently.
3. Roll out the dough to a rectangle about 1cm thick. Scatter half the cheese and all the herbs over the entire surface.
4. Beginning from a long side, roll up like a Swiss roll to make a thick sausage. Cut into 3cm slices to make little rounds.
5. Place the rounds side by side on a greased baking tray and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a hot oven (200C) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

GI RATING: MODERATE

Vegetable lasagne

Serves 6

Soft layers of spinach, cheese and lasagne with a luscious vegetable sauce. This is yummy but high in carbs so best eaten in moderation.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch English spinach, washed and stalks removed
• 200g packet instant lasagne sheets
• 2 tablespoons (20g) grated Parmesan cheese or low-fat cheddar cheese
  
  Vegetable sauce
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 2 medium onions (240g), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 250g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small green capsicum (100g), chopped
• 140g tub tomato paste
• 1 x 440g can mixed beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 x 440g can tomatoes, undrained and mashed
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
  
  Cheese sauce
• 20g poly or monounsaturated margarine
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1.5 cups (375ml) low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated low-fat cheese
• A pinch of ground nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Blanch or lightly steam the spinach until just wilted; drain well.
2. For the vegetable sauce, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan.Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and capsicum and cook a further 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, beans, tomatoes and herbs. Bring to a boil and simmer, partly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, melt the margarine in a saucepan or a microwave bowl. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring (for 30 seconds on High, in microwave). Remove from the heat.Gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Stir over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens, or in microwave on High until boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, nutmeg and pepper.
4. To assemble, pour half the vegetable sauce over the base of a lasagne dish, rectangular slab pan or ovenproof dish (about 16cm x 28cm). Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets, then half the spinach.Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce over the spinach. Top with the remaining vegetable sauce and remaining spinach. Place over a layer of lasagne sheets and finish with the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan or cheddar cheese.
5. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a moderate oven (180C) for40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown.Dipping the lasagne sheets briefly in hot water before use helps to soften them prior to cooking.

GI RATING: LOW

Lentil and barley soup

Serves 4 to 6

A satisfying winter soup that makes a meal in itself.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large onion (150g), finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon minced chilli
• 6 cups (1.5 litres) water
• 1.5 cups (375ml) prepared chicken stock
• 1 cup (200g) red lentils
• 1/2 cup (100g) pearl barley
• 1 x 425g can tomatoes, undrained and mashed
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley or coriander to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently.
2. Add the garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cumin and chilli and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the water, stock, lentils, barley, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until the lentils and barley are tender.
4. Serve sprinkled with parsley or coriander.

GI RATING: LOW

Flathead fillets on sweet potato chips 

Ingredients

• 6 (600g) ripe Roma tomatoes, halved lengthways
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 basil leaves, finely sliced
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 6 small (600g) flathead fillets
• 1/3 cup (40g) plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground
• Black pepper
• 2 x 60g omega-3-enriched eggs, lightly whisked
• 3 large (approximately 800g) sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups (60g) baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 6 lemon wedges

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a lightly oiled baking tray.Top the tomatoes with a little olive oil, half the garlic, basil leaves and seasonings. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Dip the flathead fillets in the seasoned flour and eggs. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
4. Heat 1.5 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and spread the sweet potato slices over, seasoning the layers with salt and pepper and the remaining garlic. Cook until the underside turns golden brown and slightly crisp, then turn once and cook the other side. Keep warm.
5. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy based frying pan and cook the flathead fillets for approximately 4 minutes, turning once only, till golden brown and flaky.
6. Serve with a bed of baby spinach and then the sweet potato chips topped with the flathead fillets. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with lemon wedges and oven-roasted basil tomatoes.

GI RATING: LOW

Warm lamb and chickpea salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 400g lamb fillet or backstrap
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 700g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tomato, cut into small dice
• 1 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Baby spinach leaves, washed, to serve

Method

1. Cook the lamb fillets in a lightly oiled frying pan over medium heat, about 3 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Set aside to rest.
2. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas and heat through, stirring until warm and well coated with the spice mixture. Remove from the heat and add the salt and pepper, tomato, chopped herbs, extra oil and lemon juice.
3. Cut the lamb fillets into thick slices diagonally. Toss through the chickpea/herb mixture.
4. Arrange the baby spinach leaves on plates and top with the chickpeas and lamb. Serve immediately.The fat in this recipe is predominantly from the olive oil dressing and is highly monounsaturated.

GI RATING: LOW

*These low GI recipes were taken from The New Glucose Revolution by Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell and Associate Professor Stephen Colagiuri, published by Hodder and available in major bookshops nationwide.For more information about low-GI recipes or food visit www.glycemicindex.com