The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies - Meri Raffetto [122]
2 Place two-thirds of the stalk pieces, as well as the pepper, orange zest, 1 cup of the vegetable broth, and 1 cup of the water, in a blender. Puree until relatively smooth and set aside.
3 Add the remainder of the asparagus stalks and tips to boiling water until they're cooked crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and run cold water over them; set aside.
4 Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the barley and stir for 1 minute.
5 Add the wine and boil, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute.
6 Add 4 cups of the vegetable broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Next, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the barley is tender (it should be chewy) and the mixture has thickened to a stewlike consistency, about 35 to 40 minutes.
7 After the barley is cooked, stir in the asparagus purée, asparagus-tip mixture, and enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of broth to thin the risotto to your desired consistency. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute.
8 Top with the almonds and parmesan cheese (if desired).
Tip: To easily trim asparagus, snap off the tough ends of the stalk (near the bottom).
Vary It! If you can't find any low-sodium vegetable broth, simply use a mix of half regular vegetable broth and half water.
Per serving: Calories 453 (From Fat 128); Glycemic Load 9 (Low); Fat 14g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 6mg; Sodium 786mg; Carbohydrate 68g (Dietary Fiber 16g); Protein 17g.
Broccoli, Brown Rice, and Cashew Casserole
Casseroles are perfect because they make a large quantity of food without a huge time commitment. This recipe has been adapted from Williams-Sonoma Vegetarian for All Seasons by Pamela Sheldon Johns, Chuck Williams, and Richard Eskite (published by Time-Life Books). It's one of my favorite veggie dishes, and I make it often for my vegetarian friends and family.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, crushed
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2 In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until soft.
3 Add the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to low, and cover for 30 minutes.
4 Stir in the broccoli and continue to cook until it's tender and the rice is cooked, about 15 more minutes.
5 In a small bowl, combine the cashews, parmesan cheese, and parsley.
6 Transfer the rice mixture to a lightly oiled 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the cashew and cheese mixture. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Per serving: Calories 330 (From Fat 116); Glycemic Load 17 (Medium); Fat 13g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 3mg; Sodium 454mg; Carbohydrate 46g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 10g.
Chapter 19: Healthy (And Yummy) Snacks and Desserts
In This Chapter
Recognizing snacking saboteurs that can get in the way of effective weight loss
Keeping healthy snacks around by planning ahead
Finding ideas and recipes for lower-glycemic snacks and desserts
Snacking can be a great weight-loss strategy, but it can also be a weight-loss saboteur. Whether snacking helps or harms your weight-loss efforts all depends on how you approach it. Unfortunately, you can easily fall into the trap of eating too much or eating the wrong kinds of foods that wind up adding more calories to your day. Not being prepared to snack wisely can also mean grabbing whatever you're able to find, which in many cases is a high-glycemic or high-calorie food. Carefully choosing healthy low-glycemic snacks