The Everything Low-Glycemic Cookbook: Includes Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, Parmesan Artichoke Dip, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Mushroom Pork Medallions, ... Biscotti ...and hundreds more! (Everything®) (17 page)

BOOK: The Everything Low-Glycemic Cookbook: Includes Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, Parmesan Artichoke Dip, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Mushroom Pork Medallions, ... Biscotti ...and hundreds more! (Everything®)
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The Praises of Brown Rice

Unlike white rice, which is rice with its outer layers removed, brown rice has lost only the hard outer hull of the grain by the time it gets to the store. As a result, brown rice contains many more nutrients than its more processed relative. Also, the fiber in brown rice decreases your risk for colon cancer and helps lower cholesterol!

  1. Pulse all the ingredients, except for the rice and canola oil, in the food processor or blender. Turn into a medium bowl.
  2. Add the brown rice to the bean mixture.
  3. Form the mixture into mini burgers. Heat oil to 300ºF and fry the burgers until they are very hot. Serve on gluten-free rolls or over a bed of chopped romaine lettuce.

Per Serving: Calories: 251 | Fat: 10 g | Protein: 11 g | Sodium: 1,689 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Carbohydrates: 34 g | Sugar: 4 g | GI: Very low

Baked Ricotta Casserole with Hot Peppers and Vegetables

This is a very tasty way to get your children to consume the calcium they need.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1

2
cup chopped red onion

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

2 beaten eggs

1 pound ricotta

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1

2
cup fresh basil

1

2
teaspoon salt

1

2
teaspoon pepper

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon capers or green peppercorns

Cutting Down on Salt

Ricotta has a naturally high salt content, so you may want to keep that in mind when adding additional salt for flavoring.

  1. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, zucchini, carrots, and peppers in olive oil for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Mix the beaten eggs with the cheeses, herbs, salt, and pepper. Stir in the vegetables. Prepare a gratin pan with nonstick spray. Add the cheese and vegetables. Spread the top with tomato sauce and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with capers.

Per Serving: Calories: 316 | Fat: 21 g | Protein: 19 g | Sodium: 906 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Sugar: 6 g | GI: Low

Winter Root Vegetable Soufflé

This recipe puts to good use all of the wonderful root vegetables available in the winter and provides an alternative to simply mashing them with butter.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 teaspoon salt

1

2
large Vidalia onion, peeled and cut into big chunks

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 baby turnips, peeled and cut into pieces

4 eggs, separated, whites reserved

1 teaspoon dried sage

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon brown rice flour or almond flour

1

2
teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste

1

2
cup 2% milk

Soufflé Tip

It’s okay to have a soufflé flop, especially in the case of cheese and vegetable soufflés. A dessert soufflé should never fall. If, as directed, you start the soufflé with the oven at 400ºF and then reduce the temperature, you are more likely to produce a high soufflé!

  1. Set the oven to 400ºF. Add the salt to a pot of cold water; place the cleaned vegetables in the pot and cover it. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Drain and cool slightly. Place the vegetables in the blender and purée. With the blender running on medium speed, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Then add the sage, parsley, flour, Tabasco, and milk. Pour into a bowl.
  3. Prepare a 2-quart soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the purée. Coat a soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Pour into the soufflé dish.
  4. Bake the soufflé for 20 minutes at 400ºF. Reduce the heat to 350ºF and bake for 20 minutes more. Don’t worry if your soufflé flops just before serving, it will still be light and delicious.

Per Serving: Calories: 189 | Fat: 6 g | Protein: 9 g | Sodium: 704 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Sugar: 10 g | GI: Moderate

Eggplant Soufflé

Smooth and creamy in texture, this is an Indian favorite. Oftentimes the eggplant is simply puréed and spiced—this is more of a fusion dish.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 large or 2 medium eggplants

1–2 teaspoons water

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small white onion, minced

4 eggs, separated

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Wrap the eggplant in aluminum foil packages with 1 teaspoon water added to each. Roast the eggplant for 1 hour, or until very soft when pricked with a fork. Cool, cut in half, scoop out the flesh, and discard the skin.
  3. Heat the peanut oil in a medium frying pan and sauté the garlic and onion on medium until softened, about 8–10 minutes. Mix with the eggplant and purée in the food processor or blender until very smooth. Mix in the egg yolks and pulse, adding salt, pepper, and curry powder. Place in a 1-quart soufflé dish, prepared with nonstick spray.
  4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the eggplant mixture. Bake until puffed and golden, about 45 minutes.

Per Serving: Calories: 126 | Fat: 9 g | Protein: 9 g | Sodium: 596 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Sugar: 4 g | GI: Low

Pumpkin Risotto

This is a fine main course or a side dish, depending on what else you are serving.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 small pumpkin (about 3 pounds)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 cup basmati rice

4 cups vegetable broth

1

8
teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon dried sage or 4 fresh sage leaves, torn

Salt and pepper, to taste

Rice Texture

The rice you use in risotto should give the dish a creamy texture, but be careful not to overcook it. There should also be a firmness to the inside part of the grain of rice.

  1. Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Dice the pumpkin to make 2 cups. Melt the butter or margarine in a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add the rice and stir to coat. Mix in the pumpkin.
  2. Stirring constantly, slowly pour
    1

    2
    cup of broth into the rice mixture. Continuing to stir, add the cloves, sage, salt, and pepper.
  3. When the rice has absorbed the broth, the pot will hiss. Continue to add broth a little at a time, about every 4–5 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all of it. If still dry, add water, as with the broth, a little at a time.
  4. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Per Serving: Calories: 116 | Fat: 3 g | Protein: 2 g | Sodium: 579 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Carbohydrates: 24 g | Sugar: 4 g | GI: Low

Paleo Spaghetti

This is a great alternative to traditional pasta. Serve with sauce and turkey meatballs for a great Paleolithic take on Nonna’s spaghetti and meatball recipe!

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 large spaghetti squash

Pasta Alternative

Spaghetti squash is a fantastic carbohydrate source for all you pasta addicts out there. This squash looks like spaghetti when the meat is peeled from the skin. It has the relative texture of pasta. And, most important, it is quite filling.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise.
  3. Place cut-side down in a baking dish with
    1

    4
    " water.
  4. Cook 30 minutes, turn the squash over, and cook it until it is soft all the way through, approximately 10 minutes.
  5. Shred with a fork and serve.

Per Serving: Calories: 94 | Fat: 0 g | Protein: 2 g | Sodium: 1.5 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Carbohydrate: 20 g | Sugar: 4 g | GI: Low

Spinach with Baked Eggs and Cheese

This is an excellent brunch, lunch, or supper. Everyone loves it, and even after a tough day, it’s easy to put together.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1
1

2
cups gluten-free cornbread crumbs

3 (10-ounce) packages of frozen spinach, thawed, moisture squeezed out

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1

2
cup shredded Swiss cheese

1

2
teaspoon nutmeg

1

2
teaspoon sea salt

1

2
ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

8 eggs

Herbs and Spices

People often confuse herbs with spices. Herbs are green and are the leaves of plants—the only herb (in Western cooking) that is a flower is lavender. Frequently used herbs include parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mint. Spices are roots, tubers, barks, or berries. These include pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, and coriander.

  1. Grease a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cornbread crumble on the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, butter, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper together. Stir in the cream. Spread the spinach-cheese mixture on top of the corn-bread crumbs.
  3. Using the back of a spoon, make 8 depressions in the spinach mixture. Break open the eggs and place one egg in each hole.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 1
    1

    2
    –2 hours until the yolks are cooked through, but not hard. Serve with gluten-free toast and fresh fruit.

Per Serving: Calories: 763 | Fat: 56 g | Protein: 41 g | Sodium: 1,170 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Sugar: 2 g | GI: Low

“Crustless” Quiche Lorraine

Ham is often quite salty, so take that into consideration when deciding how much salt you add to the egg mixture in this recipe. The gluten-free “crust” is optional; the quiche is just as delicious without it.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

4 slices gluten-free bread, toasted

4 teaspoons butter

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

1

2
pound cooked ham, cut into cubes

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1

2
teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2- or 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.
  2. Butter each slice of toast with 1 teaspoon butter. Tear the toast into pieces and arrange the pieces butter-side down in the baking dish to form a “crust.”
  3. Spread half of the cheese over the toast pieces, and then spread the ham over the cheese, and top the ham layer with the remaining cheese.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the mayonnaise, mustard, cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. Pour the egg mixture on top of the ingredients in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30–35 minutes until the egg mixture is cooked through. Remove the foil and bake another 5–6 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.

Per Serving: Calories: 763 | Fat: 56 g | Protein: 41 g | Sodium: 1,950 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Sugar: 2 g | GI: Low

Cheddar Baked Hominy

Hominy is a wonderful, naturally gluten-free alternative to wheat pasta. Try it in this variation on macaroni and cheese. Try serving it with steamed mixed vegetables.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1
1

2
cups milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1
1

2
tablespoons butter

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 (29-ounce) can white or yellow hominy, drained

1 large egg, beaten

1

2
teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic

1

4
cup gluten-free bread crumbs or crushed tortilla chips

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2- or 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and cornstarch.
  3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sizzling. Add the milk mixture. Whisk constantly for about 5–6 minutes until the mixture thickens.
  4. When thickened, add 1
    1

    4
    cups cheese. Stir together until you have a thick cheesy sauce. Add the hominy and mix thoroughly into the sauce. Add the beaten egg. Stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic.
  5. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs or crushed tortilla chips on top. Bake for 30–35 minutes until casserole is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling along the edges.
  6. During the last 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of casserole.

Per Serving: Calories: 255 | Fat: 18 g | Protein: 13 g | Sodium: 502 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Sugar: 3 g | GI: low

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna with Spinach

You don’t need to precook the noodles in this dish. This recipe feeds a crowd, so make it for a family gathering or potluck dinner. Serve with green salad.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10

28 ounces fat-free ricotta

10 ounces frozen cut spinach, defrosted and drained

1 large egg

1

2
cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

8 cups (about 2 jars) marinara sauce

1

2
pound uncooked gluten-free lasagna noodles

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