Low-Glycemic Cooking Tips and Techniques
In This Chapter
▶ Giving your favorite recipes a low-glycemic makeover
▶ Preparing grains and pastas the low-glycemic way
▶ Adding a variety of vegetables to your diet
▶ Embracing beans, a low-glycemic superfood
Cooking — it’s a term that either makes you feel at ease or makes you want to run for the hills. No matter which side of the fence you’re on, picking up a few basic cooking tips can help you follow your new low-glycemic lifestyle. (Don’t worry. You don’t need to learn how to sauté in the air, flambé a dessert, or prepare ridiculously difficult meals.)
Many people start various weight-loss programs by cooking all new recipes, especially when they’re following menu plans. These recipes are handy to have and can be helpful, but they can also be a lot of work. Having that poached egg for breakfast, chicken salad almondine for lunch, and barley risotto for dinner may sound great, but it ends up being more cooking than the average person is used to, making it difficult to stay on track for long. In a low-glycemic lifestyle, you can still enjoy some of your old standby recipes, just with a few small modifications. In fact, modifying your favorite recipes is a great first step in implementing the low-glycemic guidelines into your daily life.
I cover the basics of low-glycemic cooking for the beginner (and the experienced) cook in this chapter. I also highlight the most nutritious low-glycemic foods so you can begin introducing more of them into your diet for optimal results.
Evaluating and Modifying Your Favorite Recipes
One of the great factors of a low-glycemic diet is that you can still make your favorite standby recipes, no matter whether those standbys include stir-fry, spaghetti and meatballs, burgers, or tacos. The trick is to do a glycemic make- over with your favorites by replacing high-glycemic foods with low-glycemic substitutions.
Many of your current recipes may already follow the guidelines or just need a little tweaking to get there. To figure out whether that’s the case, you first need to evaluate what’s in your current recipes. Pull out all of your favorites and quick standbys and compare your recipe ingredients with the glycemic load food lists in Appendix A.
✓ If you find some recipes that use only low-glycemic foods, you have a winner! No change necessary.
✓ If you have some recipes that use a combination of low- and medium-glycemic foods, these can also be good choices, but always remember to watch the portion sizes. Eating more than a serving will increase the glycemic load for that meal.
✓ If some of your recipes use high-glycemic foods, don’t throw them out quite yet. Put them aside and, in the following section, discover how to modify them to fit your new lifestyle.
Recipe modification tips
The simplest way to incorporate new low-glycemic foods into your diet is by modifying standard recipes. Follow these suggestions to modify your current recipes to make them more appropriate for losing weight with a low-glycemic diet:
✓ Replace higher-glycemic foods with lower-glycemic ones. For example, instead of having a high-glycemic bagel, you can choose a low-glycemic, 100-percent-whole-grain bread. See? Going low-glycemic can be simple!
✓ Use smaller portion sizes of medium- and high-glycemic foods to help lighten the load. If you like potatoes (a high-glycemic food) as part of your meal, you can still enjoy them. Just eat half a potato in one sitting as opposed to the whole thing.
✓ Add healthy low-glycemic foods. Instead of eating a pasta dish that’s heavy on the pasta (okay, a dish that’s all pasta!), toss in some low-glycemic veggies or grilled chicken to add volume while decreasing the amount of pasta used.
✓ Use lean protein sources rather than fatty cuts of meat. Lean protein sources include poultry, fish, lean cuts of beef or pork, tofu, and nuts. So if your favorite stir-fry recipe calls for a fatty cut of beef, swap that out for chicken.
✓ Keep added fats (such as cream, oils, and butter) to 1 to 2 teaspoons per serving. Simply decrease the amount of fat called for in a recipe, or flavor with broth, cooking sherry, or wine as an alternative to fat.
These steps will ensure you’re making your meals low-glycemic, but don’t forget to keep calories lower at the same time. After all, following a low- glycemic diet for weight loss is a holistic approach.
Recipe makeover examples
The recipe makeovers that follow show you how to incorporate the recipe- modification strategies presented in the preceding section. Here you see just how easy it is to turn your comfort foods into healthy treats.
Modifying your favorite recipes to reduce their glycemic load isn’t a perfect science, so these numbers won’t always be exact. The goal is to see how changing a few simple things in your recipe can make your glycemic load lower. Try not to get too caught up in the numbers game.
Making over chicken and vegetable stir-fry with jasmine rice The typical four-serving recipe for chicken and vegetable stir-fry served over 2⁄3 cup of jasmine rice includes the following:
✓ 16 ounces chicken breast, no skin
✓ 1 cup fresh snow peas
✓ 1 cup chopped raw carrots
✓ 1⁄2 cup chopped raw yellow onion
✓ 3 teaspoons minced garlic
✓ 1 tablespoon olive oil
✓ 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
✓ 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
✓ 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
As you can see, this recipe already features lean poultry, a low amount of oil (per serving), and lots of vegetables, so it’s good on the health and calorie level. However, jasmine rice falls into the high-glycemic category. When you account for the glycemic level of the vegetables, that makes the glycemic load of the whole meal a bit high, or 51 specifically.
To make over this recipe and reduce the glycemic load, use 2⁄3 cup quinoa rather than jasmine rice. This simple move cuts the estimated glycemic load from 51 to 21! Impressive, huh?
Even better, increase the broccoli to 2 cups and decrease the amount of quinoa from 2⁄3 cup to 1⁄2 cup, and the glycemic load falls even further to 18.
Your recipe changes don’t need to be significant. Simply changing the grain (and, if desired, the amount of it) makes all the difference.
Revamping asparagus and almond risotto
Believe it or not, you can even find replacements for dishes that may seem taboo. If you’re a fan of risotto, you know it typically calls for Arborio rice. The original recipe for asparagus and almond risotto looks a little something like this:
✓ 11⁄2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
✓ 51⁄2 cups water
✓ 1 teaspoon salt
✓ 1 medium onion, finely chopped
✓ 3 tablespoons olive oil
✓ 11⁄4 cup Arborio rice
✓ 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
✓ 1 garlic clove
✓ 11⁄4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
✓ 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
✓ 1⁄2 cup toasted, slivered almonds
Is it possible to make a risotto without rice? You bet! To give this recipe a lighter glycemic load, simply change out the Arborio rice (which has a glycemic load of 36) for pearl barley (which has a glycemic load of 11). This easy swap makes a big difference in the healthiness of your recipe (and I promise pearl barley still makes a great risotto).
Overhauling traditional potato salad
Following a low-glycemic diet doesn’t mean you have to forsake classic barbeque and picnic favorites like potato salad. True, russet potatoes have a higher glycemic index than table sugar, making them a tough food to incorporate into your new plan. However, you can easily tweak potato salad to include some lower-glycemic ingredients. But first, the traditional recipe for potato salad:
✓ 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
✓ 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
✓ 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
✓ 11⁄2 cups minced celery
✓ 1⁄2 to 1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
✓ 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
✓ 1 to 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
✓ 1⁄2 cup chopped sweet pickles, with some juice
✓ Salt and pepper to taste
✓ Dash cayenne pepper
✓ 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (optional)
✓ 1⁄8 teaspoon sweet paprika
One quick, easy replacement can make your taboo potato salad into a can-do potato salad. Although russet potatoes have a glycemic load of 26, new potatoes only have a glycemic load of 12 (that’s a medium glycemic load). Exchanging your russet potatoes for unpeeled new potatoes is a simple way to up the health factor of this old favorite.
Cooking Grains and Pastas
Grains and pastas are probably the most troublesome food category for people following a low-glycemic diet because they’re the food group that contains the most carbohydrates. Different varieties of low-glycemic pastas and rice exist, but there are also several other glycemic grains available. The trick is knowing how to cook these grains and pastas (and for how long) and how much water to use. The following sections give you the scoop on these details and show you how to liven up the flavor of your grain and pasta dishes. For some fun recipes that feature low-glycemic grains, head to Chapter 18.
Presenting your whole grain cooking guide
Most people find those bulk whole grain bins at the grocery store rather intimidating. The grains seem like they’d be difficult to cook, and the usual lack of instructions leaves you wondering how to cook them in the first place. If you don’t have experience cooking whole grains, they can easily feel like too much trouble. But in reality, cooking whole grains (which contain more fiber and nutrients than white rice) is as easy as making white rice, with a few small steps and variations in cooking time.
Get started cooking whole grains with these easy tips:
✓ Rinse whole grains in water to remove any dirt and debris (this is an especially important step when buying from the bulk bins). Simply add grains to a pot of cold water and swish them around with a large spoon. Drain them into a colander, and you’re ready to cook.
✓ Simmer your grains by first adding the appropriate amount of liquid (see Table 15-1) and bringing that to a boil. Then place a lid over your pot and lower the heat to simmer for the suggested cooking time.
✓ Add a few teaspoons of oil to the water or broth to help avoid sticking.
Table 15-1 breaks down the cooking instructions for various whole grains. Use it as a guide and explore some new foods or some that you’ve enjoyed in the past and want to bring into your diet again. After all, experimenting with grains not only helps with your new diet but also increases the variety of what you eat, boosting vitamins, minerals, and fiber. (Note: Yes, some common grains are missing from this chart. That’s because I chose to include only those grains that have been tested for the glycemic index and are low to medium.)
Several other varieties of rice also fall into the appropriate glycemic range, but I encourage you to look on the package for cooking times because they tend to vary.
Exploring low-glycemic pastas
Most pastas have a medium to high glycemic load. Believe it or not, pastas stuffed with cheese or meat tend to have a lower glycemic load because the stuffing takes up more volume than just plain pasta for the same portion size. On the flip side, pastas made out of rice or potato tend to have a higher glycemic load because the rice and potato starch have a higher glycemic load than wheat starch.
Just because pasta tends to be a higher-glycemic food doesn’t mean you have to omit it from your diet altogether. Simply choose pastas that have a medium glycemic load and eat pasta less often.
When it comes to cooking pasta, al dente pasta (which is cooked somewhat firm) has the lowest glycemic load. The longer you cook pasta, the softer it gets — and the higher the glycemic level becomes, as you can see from the following chart that tracks the glycemic load of spaghetti based on how long it has been cooked.
| Spaghetti Boiled for | Has This Glycemic Load |
| 5 minutes | 18 |
| 15 minutes | 21 |
| 20 minutes | 27 |
The downside to cooking your pasta al dente is that the volume decreases a bit, which can increase the calorie level. This fact means that ¾ cup of pasta cooked al dente won’t expand as much because it doesn’t contain as much water as pasta that’s cooked for a longer time. So 1 cup of regular pasta may be about the same calorie level as ¾ cup of al dente pasta. However, this difference isn’t anything to be overly concerned about.
Livening up your grains and pastas
As you try some new grains, they may taste bland or in some cases too strong. Don’t give up right away. Whole grains can be delicious with the right seasoning and preparation. Here are some suggestions for adding a bit more flavor to your grains:
✓ Use rice, grains, or pasta with stir-fry, or mix them with other foods.
✓ Try chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium or regular) in place of water, but don’t add salt because broth already has enough sodium.
✓ Use fresh or dried herbs to liven up your plain grain dishes, especially pearl barley, quinoa, or wild rice.
✓ Try adding some toasted nuts to your pasta, rice, and grains to create a heartier flavor.
If you want to improve the flavor of quinoa, which has a natural bitter taste that decreases with soaking, wash it prior to cooking and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Experimenting with Vegetables
Vegetables are an important part of losing weight with a low-glycemic diet. They’re low-glycemic, high-fiber, and low-calorie; they also provide an abundant amount of nutrients. Indulging in a variety of vegetables is truly the way to eat more volume and not feel deprived while losing weight.
Other than most root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams), all vegetables are considered low-glycemic. They contain such a small amount of carbohydrates per serving that researchers don’t even bother testing their glycemic loads. So feel free to load up on the veggies you enjoy, be they broccoli, salad fixings, asparagus, or cauliflower, because almost any vegetable is a good choice for your low-glycemic diet.
Cooking vegetables the low-glycemic way isn’t really too different from the way you may be used to. The following sections cover a few preparation and cooking tips to help you figure out how to do it.
Preparing low-glycemic vegetables
Many vegetables, both raw and cooked, have been tested for their glycemic load, and the difference in levels between the raw and cooked veggies (regardless of how they’re cooked) is far from drastic. But that doesn’t
mean there aren’t better ways to cook veggies than others. The best cooking methods for vegetables include steaming, baking, broiling, grilling, microwaving, or lightly sautéing.
Here are two specific healthy-cooking tips for vegetables:
✓ Wash vegetables thoroughly with warm water. Although your veggies may be low-glycemic, they may also have pesticides on them. If you choose organic, your veggies can also have some dirt, debris, or even small worms. Washing is a good first step with all vegetables, regardless of whether you’re eating them raw or cooked.
✓ Avoid frying your vegetables. Frying veggies adds more fat and calories and interferes with your weight-loss progress.
Boiling versus other cooking methods
Although the difference isn’t large, boiled vegetables tend to come up higher in glycemic load than vegetables prepared by other methods. For example, boiled corn has a glycemic load of 9.7, and corn that’s previously frozen and reheated in the microwave has a glycemic load of 7.6. Both glycemic loads are low, but there’s a subtle difference.
Boiling vegetables often causes them to lose more vitamins and minerals into the water compared to other cooking methods. I’m not saying you can’t ever boil a vegetable, but if you have a choice, choose a different method to keep your glycemic load down and nutrients up.
How long you cook your vegetables can also affect glycemic load. Most veggies retain more nutrients when cooked al dente. The longer you cook most vegetables, the more nutrients you can lose. (Onions, garlic, and tomatoes are a few of the exceptions to this rule.) For the most part, a good rule of thumb is to cook your vegetables lightly.
Introducing Beans, the Truly Magical Fruit
If you’re not familiar with the class of foods known as legumes (which includes beans, lentils, and peas), you’re missing out. The all-star legumes, beans, really have it all. Beans are low-glycemic, high-fiber, high-protein, and packed with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These little foods are also very convenient to cook or add to a meal. And as a bonus to the dieter, beans help you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
The next sections show you the difference between canned beans and dried beans and provide cooking tips for both types. Get ready to be a bean novice no more!
Pointing out what you should know about canned beans versus dried
You have one major choice when it comes to beans: canned or dried. Canned beans are already cooked, so you can use them instantly on a salad or in soups and other hot meals. Dried beans, on the other hand, need a little preparation before you can enjoy them. Specifically, dried beans must be soaked before you can cook them. Not only is soaking dried beans the only way to get them clean before cooking but it also helps
✓ Decrease their overall cooking time
✓ Remove gas-producing compounds from the outer coating of the shell
✓ Retain nutrients
Making small changes in the way you prepare foods can greatly impact the foods’ glycemic content. Canned beans and dried beans often have different glycemic levels. Sometimes the canned is higher than the dried; other times the dried is higher than the canned. These differences are subtle and shouldn’t make a large impact on your choices. Why? Because you’re not get- ting too caught up in small number variances. The numbers still fall within a low or medium range, so you’re in good shape regardless.
Preparing and cooking both kinds of beans
Similar to whole grains (covered in the earlier “Presenting your whole grain cooking guide” section), beans may seem intimidating, but they’re not as bad to work with as you may think. Granted, dried beans require a bit more preparation, but cooking them is a fairly straightforward process. Of course, if you really don’t want to tackle the soaking and cooking steps of dried beans, you can easily use canned ones. Regardless of which way you go, the following sections present some quick preparation and cooking tips.
Canned beans
Whether you want the convenience canned beans offer or you just prefer the taste of them, keep the following in mind:
✓ If you’re adding cold beans to a salad, rinse them in a colander. Doing so removes the saucy liquid and helps decrease some of the sodium used as a preservative.
✓ When adding canned beans to a hot dish, make sure to add them toward the end of cooking. Otherwise they can become too soggy and fall apart.
Dried beans
Eating dried beans requires a little more upfront work, but it’s certainly worth it. First things first: preparation. Preparing dried beans for cooking involves soaking them in one of two ways:
✓ A leisurely soak is the most common method for preparing dried beans.
Soak ’em in a large pot of water overnight. Afterward, simply discard the liquid and cook with fresh water.
✓ You can also soak your dried beans the quick way. Bring water to a boil, remove it from the heat, and let the beans soak in the hot water for three to four hours. Discard the liquid and then cook the beans in fresh water.
To cook dried beans after soaking, cover about 1 pound of beans with 6 cups of fresh water (not the soaking water). Simmer the beans until they’re cooked and soft. Table 15-3 shows you some great low-glycemic beans along with their cooking times (which depend on whether you’re cooking in a saucepan or a pressure cooker).
A tale of old beans
Have you ever bitten into cooked beans and gotten one that was hard as a rock? No, you’re not a horrible cook who didn’t soak her beans long enough or cook them long enough. The real problem is that the bean was an HTC, or “hard to cook” bean (quite the technical term, I know). HTC refers to beans that are old or have been stored improperly. Telling one of these beans from a good bean when dried is absolutely impossible, but you can take a few steps to a void getting these little HTC rocks, I mean beans, in your bunch:
✓ Check the package dating to make sure the beans aren’t already past their due date.
✓ Buy dried beans from a grocery store that’s more likely to have a quicker turnover rate.
✓ Store beans in a dark, cool area in an air- tight container.
Explore new recipes: Your waistline will thank you
If you fall into a rut of using only one or two low- glycemic grains, breads, fruits, or vegetables, you’ll feel deprived quickly. Imagine if you only use pearl barley with dinner every night because it’s an easy low-glycemic grain to add to your diet. Yawn. I bet you’ll get bored quite quickly. Research shows that feeling deprived or restricted with food can backfire and interfere with weight loss. Many individuals who feel restricted end up binging on foods they feel are “bad.”
I’m here to tell you that living a low-glycemic lifestyle doesn’t have to be restrictive. You have many food options to choose from, so get out there and experiment with different foods and recipes so you don’t ever feel limited. Having a wide variety of low-glycemic choices at your disposal every day is guaranteed to keep you from getting stuck in the food doldrums. I encourage you to experiment with your old standby recipes and check out some new ones. Chapters 16 through 19 provide some great recipes to help get you started.
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