Low GI Recipes of the Month

The recipes this month come from The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook. The book is available in Australia now and will be published (the publishers say) in the US and UK in November and December respectively.

Poached Peaches with Vanilla Yoghurt and Marinated Raspberries
Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes; Cooking time 10 minutes; Chilling time 2 hours


photo: Ian Hofstetter

2 cups (500 ml/17 fl oz) white wine (or water if you prefer)
1 vanilla bean, split
½ cup (110 g/4 oz) caster sugar
4 large, ripe freestone peaches (or nectarines)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon caster sugar, extra
120 g (4½ oz) fresh raspberries
low fat vanilla yoghurt, to serve (optional)

1. Place the wine, vanilla bean and sugar in a saucepan with 2 cups (500 ml/17 fl oz) water and cook stirring, over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes.)
2. Add the peaches and poach for a further 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, peel away their skins and set aside to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator to chill.
3. Meanwhile, simmer the syrup until reduced by half. Strain into a bowl and allow to cool before placing in the refrigerator to chill.
4. Place orange juice, lime juice and extra sugar in a medium-sized bowl, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the raspberries and toss to coat in the juice.
5. Serve the chilled peaches with the marinated raspberries and drizzle with the chilled syrup. Accompany with a dollop of yoghurt.

Nutrition analysis per serving
Energy 1304 kJ/313 Cal; fat 0 g (saturated 0 g); fibre 5 g; protein 4 g; carbohydrate 52 g; low GI


GI Express : Asparagus and corn omelette
Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes; Cooking time: 10 minutes


photo: Ian Hofstetter

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) pieces
½ cup (100 g/3½ oz) fresh corn kernels
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
2 slices grainy low GI bread, toasted
¼ small avocado

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the asparagus and corn. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the parsley. Season well with pepper.
2. Use a fork to whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Pour in half of the egg mixture and cook for 3 minutes or until almost set, using a fork to pull the cooked egg away from the edges and allow the uncooked egg to run to the edges.
3. Sprinkle half the asparagus and corn mixture and half the Parmesan over half of the omelette, and fold over to enclose. Lift out carefully and set aside.
4. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture and filling. Spread each piece of toast with avocado, and serve with the omelette.

If you have two small frying pans, you can cook both omelettes at the same time.

Nutrition analysis per serving
Energy 1867 kJ/446 Cal; fat 29 g (saturated 7 g); fibre 4 g; protein 22 g; carbohydrate 24 g; low GI