Low-GI weeknight dinners
Roasted Vegetable Rotini and Cheese
This al dente pasta has a lower GI than pasta that is overcooked. Pasta is al dente when it is tender but firm when you bite into it. This child-pleasing dish is filling with or without the ham.
Roasted Red Pepper and Zucchini Soup
High-fibre, low-GI beans add body to this filling main-course soup, and whole wheat croutons have a little more fibre than store-bought white croutons.
Baked Tofu with Braised Baby Bok Choy
The low-GI combination of greens and tofu makes a terrific vegetarian meal, especially when served with basmati rice. The tofu can be a healthy portion of your day's protein, and if it's made with calcium sulphate, it can help you meet part of your daily calcium needs.
Chicken Burgers with Tomato Relish
You can grill these full-flavoured burgers on the barbecue or indoors in a grill pan, on an indoor grill, or in a nonstick skillet lightly brushed with oil.
Beef and Cabbage Borscht
Many traditional borschts contain beets, which are medium GI, so using beef instead lowers the GI and adds texture, some iron and protein, which may keep you feeling full longer.
Pork Cutlets with Mushrooms
Using whole wheat bread crumbs in these juicy pork cutlets is an easy way to incorporate more whole grains into your diet. Serve with steamed new potatoes.
Grilled Trattoria Chicken
Most of us need to eat more greens, and adding peppery arugula to salads or serving it with this grilled chicken is a good way to start. Try spinach, Swiss chard or blanched rapini instead of the arugula if you prefer.
Turkey Burritos
The small amount of cheese on top of this nicely spiced turkey burrito adds a lot of flavour for not a lot of extra calories. An iron-rich spinach salad makes a particularly complementary side dish.
Weekend dinners
Chicken with Fennel Tomato Sauce
The tomatoes add a healthy dose of the antioxidant lycopene along with excellent flavour to this sauce. Bonus: the fennel-scented sauce only needs to simmer for 15 minutes.
Salmon with Lentil Pilaf
Lentils, like beans, add fibre to your diet and are the ultimate convenience legume since they don't require any soaking.
