Low GI recipes - tried and tested?

Hi all

Mr.S has decided to change his eating habits for life, for various reasons. I was wondering if anyone has any tried and tested really delicious low GI recipes they'd be willing to share? At the moment I'm thinking hale and hearty autumn/winter dishes. I'd also be really interested to hear from anyone with Type 2 diabetes and how they monitor it/learn to live with it.

Thanks!

Sossidge.

I have type 2, when I was bigger, I used to be tablet controlled (metformin), and monitored with a blood glucose monitor, now I have lost a lot of weight, I no longer have to have medication, and I don't monitor unless I feel unwell, I tend to know when my bloods are up / down.

I get 6 monthly bloodworks done so the diabetes clinic can keep an eye on it (we have a top notch diabetes clinic in Norwich), but other than that, its pretty much life as normal.

Diet and excersice play a big role in controlling type 2 IMO.

I don't have diabetes but I do have a really nice book by Karen Barnaby called The Low Carb Gourmet. I got it on amazon and its got some really good receipes in. I can highly recommend it. My favorite is the lemon and cinammon spiced chicken, Its really easy and tastes great.

It goes something like this. Amounts not critical

Mix together 1tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cumin with the juice of a lemon and a couple of tbs olive oil in a shallow dish. Add 4 boneless chicken thighs or breast and turn to coat. Season and leave for half an hour then cook until done.

No idea how this stacks GI wise but low fat healthy spaghetti bol

Get 400 odd grams of turkey mince and fry it, add mushroom's and then transfer to a big casserole dish or saucepan. Add 3 tins of chopped tomatoes and 3 or 4 grated carrots to bulk up the fodder. Any half decent veggie out there should know you can replace mince for grated carrot completely, but don't fry it first that would be just daft. Stick in crushed garlic, and what ever herbs you fancy to taste basil, oregano, etc.. a bit of Worcester sauce or if your northern stock Henderson's relish. Leave to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, add to pasta, spaghetti, stick in lasagna, what ever you fancy and serve. Any excess just stick it in a decent container and put in the fridge or freeze. Allergic to onions so never added any, assume they will work ok with this. Cheap, nice and if your bothered about the healthy part just stick on half a ton of grated cheese.

I type 1 diabetic and I have found some really great Low GI recipe books. I will pass you the names when I am home from work and can lay my hands on them.  I also suggest looking on the diabetic U website they also offer great recipes. I am controlled with Insulin (4 injections a day) but as I have been diabetic since I was 10 it has alway been the norm to me. I would also suggest you ask you diabetic clinic for an appointment to see their Dietician. My one gave me loads of really useful info on simple food switches that make a low GI Diet.

Thanks so much Carol, Cake and Diggle, that's really helpful. Danowat - Mr.S is probably at the same stage as you were a few years ago, I'm guessing. It was only after a new patient check up at the docs that they detected glucose in his wee. His parents are both type 2, he is 6ft6 and 19st, has a sedentary job and although we eat healthily of an evening, his diet during the day is not good and he does no exercise to speak of. He's refusing to go for a blood test because he has a severe needle phobia - I mean, even with valium, beta blockers etc he would not consider it. The nurse has agreed to give him a repeat test on friday and one in 2 months' time - and if it still shows up positive then he has to go for bloods, no arguments, he knows the consequences.

It's REALLY scared him, which is a good thing, he's seeing a low GI diet as a positive thing, and we are walking every day together at the moment. It's great to know that diet and exercise can make a huge difference. I know he's only putting off the inevitable and if there is still glucose present in 2 months' time, then it can't be controlled by diet alone and there's clearly something else going on.

Thank you so much for your advice, it really is appreciated.

I can sympathise, it is a troubling time, but in reality, very little does change day-to-day.

Type 2 runs through my family, however, I do believe mine was purely self inflicted by a poor diet, and sedatary lifestyle. It sounds like he is doing the best thing, and trying to take it as a positive thing, which is what I did, and to be honest, its the best thing that happened to me, it is important to realise that without positive changes, diet and excersice, then it can have quite an impact on your health in later life.

Has he been getting other symptoms?, I remember getting really bad thirst and having to wee all the time, so if he's not been getting any symptoms then maybe it may not turn out to be type 2.

I can also understand the needle thing, its not nice, but I had to get used to it, I remember when I was first diagnosed I was getting bloods done left, right and centre, so its just one of those things that you have to put up with unfortunately, now its only 6 monthly, and a yearly flu jab, so its not too bad!.

I am sure if it does turn out to be type 2, then he will get good support from the health service, because they were very good with me, the only bad thing they did was put me on diet pills, which were AWFUL so I quickly came off them and just got on with losing weight myself.

If either you or him need any other info, or just a sounding board, I'd be happy to help out, even if its just to reassure that life goes on, and it doesn't have a negative impact at all really.

Good luck to you both

Hi Dan

No, he's had no other symptoms at all - nothing, so it could be that it's been caught in the very earliest stages, which is good. He loves cooking, so he really is seeing it as a challenge and realising how versatile a lot of Low GI recipes can be. I think it's the best thing that happened to him too - for the past 6 years he's been saying he needs to sort his health out, but never has. He's the type of person who can lose weight quickly when he puts his mind to it, but that's because he goes on 'diets', and once he's lost it thinks 'I've done it' and reverts back to his old lifestyle, which I can see is easily done. He's seeing this as a lifestyle change, which is a good thing. Once he's got the weight off and started exercising properly, THEN he can have the odd glass of wine at weekends or evening on the town - just not every night

It must have been really hard for you with the needles - I have had anaemia to the point of needing transfusions and it's something I've had to get used to as well, so I have little sympathy when it comes to needle phobias! I'm so pleased that you've got it sorted out, you should be really proud of yourself for getting where you have.

I've told him about you because I think you both started from similar points, and he was really interested, it helped him look at things more positively - thank you so much for your offer to be a sounding board - I will probably take you up on that even if he doesn't!!

Aitch, thank you for the recommendations - we'd definitely be looking at recipes for both of us, so anything that'd fill me up (I eat like a hoss) is a gbonus. I'll have a look on Amazon for Rick Gallop's stuff - cheers!