Wednesday, 8 June 2016

Bacon and eggs

One of the joys of low GI is that it isn't low fat, so whilst the hash browns and the French toast aren't part of the diet (and the sausages can be dodgy as so many are padded out with flour), bacon, and other fried food is low GI! What's not to love?


Cook the bacon as much as you like - crispy or not to taste. Don't overfill the pan and if the bacon releases water rather than just fat, then drain it away.



Cook tomatoes in the bacon fat.



Cook slices of mushrooms, either in butter (with a touch of oil added to prevent burning), or in the bacon fat.


Serve while hot.


Eat immediately.


Roasted Ratatouille Chicken

After exactly four months of eating low GI, my current weight loss stands at 50 pounds. I still have a long way to go, but, obviously I'm delighted. It hasn't felt like being on a diet as I've been able to eat amazing food, and although I have the odd craving - spaghetti carbonara and scones with cream and jam - I'm looking at you!, I haven't found it at all difficult. Dishes like this help. They are great hot, straight out of the oven, but also work well cold, so make loads extra and fill tupperware for later.

Ingredients
Stock
One onion, 
A teaspoon of peppercorns
2 or 3 bay leaves 
A handful of dried mushrooms.
Water

For the rest:
4 chicken breasts
2 courgettes (zucchini)
5 small or 2 large aubergine (eggplant)
A generous handful of cherry tomatoes
One onion
Four cloves garlic, finely chopped
A bunch of rosemary (this freezers well so you can buy it, wash it, dry it and freeze it)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

To make this, first make stock

Next we cooked the aubergine (eggplant) and peppers on a barbecue, but you can put in the oven if you prefer.




While those are cooking, chop up the courgettes into largish chunks and put them in a baking tray.

  


 Remove the leaves from the rosemary, leaving a couple of intact stalks, and chop the leaves finely.


 

 When the peppers and aubergine are blackened on the outside, remove the skins and cut them into bitesize chunks.











 
Add the tomatoes to the cougettes.


Mix the rosemary, garlic and olive oil.


Spoon half this mix over the cougettes and tomatoes.



Turning to make sure that they are coated evenly.




Add salt and pepper.





Cut the chicken breast into individual breasts.


 Make small cuts in the top and bottom of the breasts


Rub the rest of the rosemary mix in, making sure you also go under the skin.




Arrange the chicken, skin down in amongst the vegetables.


Add the onion and put the sprigs of rosemary on the chicken breasts.


 Cook at around 200 C for about 20 minutes.


Turn the chicken over and put back for 20 minutes more.



Add the peppers and aubergine and mix well.




Cook for 20 more minutes




Serve hot or cold.