Low GI Recipe - Lemon Iced Tea

Another summer drink recipe I might try this summer.  The recipe is from the Australian Better Homes and Gardens Diabetic Living Magazine in the Divine Desserts booklet found in the November-December 2012 Issue.

Lemon Iced Tea

Preparation Time: 15 mins (+ 1 hour cooling and 6 hours chilling)
Cooking Time: 5 mins

Makes 2L (Serves 8)

2L (8 cups) boiling water
110g (1/2 cup) CSR LoGiCane Low GI Cane Sugar
5 Black tea bags
60ml (1/4 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small lemon, halved crossways, thinly sliced
Ice cubes to serve
Fresh mint leaves to serve.

1. Pour the boiling water into a large heatproof jug. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the tea bags and jiggle for a few minutes.  Set the tea bags aside in the water for 10 mins to steep.  Squeeze excess liquid from the tea bags and remove.

2. Stir the lemon juice into the tea and set aside for 1 hour to cool slightly.  Add the lemon slices to the tea. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until chilled.

3. To serve, fill small glasses with ice cubes, add a few mint leaves and top up with tea.  Serve immediately.

Low GI Recipe - Sparking Triple-Berry Punch

So a drink this time, just for something different.  I haven't tried it yet, but it is on my menu for Christmas Day.

From Australian Better Homes and Gardens, Diabetic Living Magazine, November/Dec 2012

Now the recipe doesn't have any nutritional or GI info, but I am hoping, given it is in their magazine it is at least no more than medium GI.

Sparkling Triple-Berry Punch, Serves 6

1.5L light cranberry juice, chilled

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1.25L diet dry ginger ale, chilled

750ml Yellowglen Jewel Pink, chilled

250gm strawberries, hulled, chopped

120g (1 cup) frozen raspberries

1/4 cup small mint leaves

Ice cubes, to serve

Extra mint, to serve

1. Put juices, ginger ale, wine, berries, mint and ice in a large jug. Stir well. Top with extra mint to serve.

Low GI Recipes - Spicy Chicken with Carrot and Herb Salad

Low GI Recipe - Spicy Chicken with Carrot and Herb Salad

This is a light meal rather than a main meal by the magazine's definition, however, hubby and I often have it as a quick and easy main meal and we have a normal garden salad and add some sweet potato home-made wedges.  I don't like raw carrots so we have never tried the salad as suggested in the magazine.  Please note the nutritional info at the bottom is as given in the magazine for their recipe and does not include our add ons.

Spicy Chicken with Carrot and Herb Salad Serves 2 as a Light Meal

(Page 84, Better Homes and Gardens Australia Diabetic Living Jan-Feb 2011)

Preparation Time : 15 mins (+15 mins cooling) Cooking Time : 20 mins

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon round cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
200g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed of fat
Cooking spray
70g (1/4 cup) low-fat Greek-style natural yoghurt
20g (2 cups) baby spinach leaves
Lemon wedges, to serve

Carrot and herb salad
60g (1/4 cup) Doongara rice
2 carrots, coarsely grated
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
125g green beans, trimmed, sliced
1 green shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the rice in a small saucepan of boiling water following packet directions. Set aside for 15 mins to cool.

2. Preheat a barbecue grill to medium high. (we often cook our chicken in a non-stick frypan)  Put the ground coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin in a medium shallow dis. Add the chicken and turn to coat.

3. Spray each side of the chicken fillets with cooking spray. Put on barbecue grill. Reduce heat to medium. Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and set aside for 2-3 minutes to rest.

4. Carrot and herb salad. Put the cooled rick, carrot, coriander, mint, beans and shallot in a medium bowl. Add orange juice and season with pepper. Toss to combine.

5. Slice the chicken and divide between plates. Top with the yoghurt. Serve with salad, spinach and lemon wedges.

Nutritional info:
Per serve: 1435kJ, protein 25.9g, total fat 9.7g (sat. fat 2.9g), cholesterol 90.5mg, carbs 35.2g, fibre 5g, sodium 165.3mg, Carb exchange: 2 1/2. GI estimate: low, Gluten free

Low GI Recipe - Banana Bread with ricotta & honey

Banana Bread with Ricotta & Honey, Serves 8 as breakfast
(page 94 Better Homes and Gardens Australia Diabetic Living May/June 2012 magazine)

Preparation Time : 15 mins, + 10 mins cooling time.  Cooking Time : 45 mins

Cooking spray
3 ripe bananas, peeled
80g (1/2 cup) low fat vanilla yoghurt
3 x 50g eggs
60g 40% reduced-fat sunflower spread, melted, cooled
1 tspn vanilla essence
160g (1 cup) wholemeal self-raising flour
75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
15g (1/2 cup) oat bran
1 tspn ground cinnamon
70g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) dark brown sugar or 1/3 cup granulated sugar substitute
250g low-fat ricotta
2 Tblspn honey

1. Preheat oven to 170C (fan-forced). Spray a 7cm-deep, 10cm x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with cooking spray. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the sides.

2. Put bananas in a large bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth. Add yoghurt, eggs, spread and vanilla essence. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

3. Put flours, oat bran, cinnamon and sugar in medium bowl.  Stir until well combined.  Add flour mixture to banana mixture and mix until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth surface.

4. Bake for 40-45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in loaf pan for 10 mins to cool slightly, then turn out onto wire rack.

5. Slice bread and spread with ricotta.  Drizzle with honey to serve.

Cooks Tip : This banana bread is delicious served warm or cold.


Nutrition Info:
Per Serve (with sugar) 1278kJ, protein: 10.5g, total fat 9.2g (sat. fat 3.4g), cholesterol 84.5mg, carbs: 44.1g, fibre 3.9g, sodium 318.9mg. Carb exchange: 3. GI Estimate : medium.

Per Serve (with sugar substitute)  1158kJ, protein: 10.5g, total fat 9.2g (sat. fat 3.4g), cholesterol 84.5mg, carbs: 36.6g, fibre 3.9g, sodium 317.9mg. Carb exchange: 2 1/2. GI Estimate : medium.

Low GI Recipes - Coconut Beef Curry

Coconut Beef Curry, Serves 2 as a main
(page 86 Better Homes and Gardens Australia Diabetic Living Magazine May/June 2011)

Preparation Time 15 mins, Cooking Time 40 mins.

1 tspn olive oil
250g beef oyster blade steak, trimmed of fat, chopped
1 tspn Garam Marsala
1/2 tspn ground turmeric
Pinch of ground chillies
125ml (1/2 cup) Trident Light Coconut Milk
145g (1/2 cup) canned no-added-salt chopped tomatoes
200g cauliflower, chopped
100g green beans, trimmed diagonally sliced
100g yellow squash, quartered (personally I am not a bit fan of the squash and like more cauliflower)
100g (1/2 cup) basmati rice

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high. Add the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing often, until browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garam marsala, turmeric and chillies. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds.

2. Add coconut milk and tomato to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Cook partially covered, for 25 minutes or until meat is tender.

3. Add cauliflower, beans and squash to the pan. Cook, partially covered for 5-10 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

4. Meanwhile, cook the rice following packet directions. Drain well.

5. Serve the curry with rice.

Nutrition info 
per serve: 1992kJ, protein: 25.7g, total fat: 13.7g (sat fat 7.7g), cholesterol: 71.3mg, carbs: 48.3g, fibre: 6.2g, sodium: 120.7mg. Carb exchanges: 3 1/2. GI Estimate: medium. Gluten free

Low GI Recipes - Chicken Curry

This is also from a Better Homes and Gardens Australia Diabetic Living magazine, I can't find the actual magazine but it is from a couple of years ago.  I always get good readings after eating this, and the other morning I got the best reading ever after eating this the night before.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Chicken Curry, Serves 6
(we halve the recipe for chicken, garlic and onion but leave the spices, tomato, yoghurt and water the same as if you are serving 6.  Hubby has a larger portion than me or takes some the next day for lunch).

1kg chicken pieces (skin removed), lately we have been using boned skinless chicken thighs which reduces the cooking time and still tastes yummy.
2 tspn olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tspn fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 tspn ground cumin

1/2 tspn ground turmeric
1 Tblspn ground coriander
1 tspn ground black pepper

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)

130gm (1/2 cup) low fat plain yoghurt
125ml (1/2 cup) water
1 Tblspn lemon juice
Chopped fresh coriander for garnish
2 lemons cut into wedges for garnish

Cut 2-3 slits about 2.5cm long in each piece of chicken (we don't do this with the boneless chicken thighs).  Line a large plate with paper towels.  In a large heavy-based saucepan (with lid), heat the oil on med-high.  Add 1/2 chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally for 5 mins or until chicken is light golden brown.  Transfer to the lined plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.  Set aside.

Add to pan the onion, garlic, ginger and cumin.  Reduce heat to medium and cook stirring often, for 6-8 mins or until onion begins to soften.  Add turmeric, coriander, pepper, tomato and cayenne pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 mins.

In a small bowl, using a fork, whisk the yoghurt until smooth.  Gradually add to the pan while stirring.  Return the chicken to the pan.

Stir in water.  Cover and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered for 20-25 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.

Pour over lemon juice.  Sprinkle with chopped coriander.  Serve with rice and lemon wedges.

Low GI Recipe - Ginger Pork and Rice Lettuce Cups

I thought that if this blog was to be helpful to anyone else on a similar journey to mine that maybe I should make it a little more than just how I was feeling on any given day.

So I will share some recipes that I have found give me a good BG result.  Now these recipes are not mine so please know that there is probably a copyright issue somewhere, but hopefully I will avoid that by acknowledging where the recipe came from.

The recipe as written below serves 4, given that there are only 2 of us, we divided all the ingredients by half except the sauce which we left as stated.  It was a filling meal, tasted delicious and gave me a good result 2 hours after dinner.


Ginger Pork and Rice Lettuce Cups (Page 32 of Better Homes and Gardens Australian Diabetic Living, September/October 2012).

Prep Time : 15 minutes.  Cooking Time : 20 minutes.  Serves 4 (as a main)
Nutrition info per serve : 1735kJ, protein 33.5g, total fat 11.2g (sat. fat. 3.6g) cholesterol 102.5mg, carbs 40.5g, fibre 8.5g, sodium 422.8mg.  Carb exchange 2 2/3.  GI estimate low.  Gluten free option.


105g (1/2 cup) Doongara rice
1 tsp olive oil
500g lean pork mince
4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
100g green beans, trimmed, sliced diagonally
100g button mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 corncob, kernels removed (hubby substituted a small tin of corn)
100g snow peas, thinly shredded
225g can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped (I loved the little pieces of these)
160g (2 cups) finely shredded cabbage
2 Tblsp water
2 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce or gluten free sweet chilli sauce
1Tblsp salt-reduced soy sauce or gluten free, salt-reduced soy sauce
8 iceberg lettuce leaves (we actually didn't bother with these as we forget to get a lettuce).

Step 1.  Cook rice in small saucepan of boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender.  Drain well and set aside.

Step 2. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large wok over a medium-high heat.  Add mince, ginger and garlic.  Cook, stirring often to break up the mince, for 3-4 minutes or until mince changes colour and is just cooked through.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 3.  Add remaining oil to wok and increase heat to high.  Add beans, mushrooms, carrot, celery, corn, snow peas and water chestnuts.  Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender.  Add cabbage, rice and water. Toss to combine.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until vegetable are just tender.

Step 4. Mix sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce in a bowl.  Add mince mixture to wok with sauce mixture. Toss until combined and heated through.

Step 5.  Put 2 lettuce leaves on each plate.  Spoon mince mixture into leaves and serve.


I hope you enjoy and that it helps your blood glucose levels as well.  xxx