My latest batch of books this week includes this cookery book that should help with healthier eating. The tip is that you don’t just read the book, you follow the advice.
It’s quite a slim book and has nice illustrations, but the information and background to the Glycaemic Index and the theory surrounding it, is quite complicated. That’s why I say that Low GI eating has become a new hobby. HBTW is the principle chef in our household, I’m the clearer-upper and planner. I’ve come to the conclusion so far that this way of eating has to be introduced gradually, giving the brain cells time to adjust along the way, as well as giving the innards time to get used to the extra bulk or as we used to call it in days of yore – “roughage.” Dieticians were always keen to emphasise that people should eat sufficient roughage and terrible things were predicted should one not comply.
The fun part of any cookery course is when you get to the stage of devising your own recipes, or adapting someone else’s to fit with what is in the cupboard. Having the right ingredients is kind of crucial. Our village shop is very good for basics, but limited as far as fruit and veg are concerned. The nearest supermarket is 27 miles away and fresh herbs/salads/veg wilt after a couple of days – thus we have to learn to be inventive with what ingredients are to hand. (Talking of which, have you ever seen Nigella’s walk-in pantry……….. yummm.)
There is another side to the hobby of GI eating, and that concerns trawling the internet for recipes to adapt, and searching ebay for bargain cookbooks. All great fun. And yes, I know, I know, I haven’t forgotten to use the pink weights and am still signing in regularly to the Wii-Fit. Is it doing any good? Well, I’m not losing any weight, but I’m raring to go to Dance Class tonight.
Off now for turkey stir-fry with sweet potato and winter vegetables.
What are you having?
thanks!
aloha
Go for it! It really does work and can liven you attitude to some foods otherwise ignored. I have refound my love for baked beans (yes, baked beans) as part of my salad plate, banishing the also much loved but unhealthy couscous.
First of all, I am coming to your house for a meal. Secondly, I have tried this diet, lost weight and then fell off the diet and gained it back. I suppose I am a weak person. The GI diet is excellent. Sweet potatoes rock. Happy eating.
I’ve lived on this sort of diet for the last forty years , since I became diabetic . It grows on you . Good luck !
( P.S. Couscous is unhealthy ? Piffle . Try it this way : Grate a large courgette . Gently fry in a smidgin of oil with garlic till it’s soft and VERY slightly crisping . Stir in prepared couscous and lemon juice . Delicious and not so starchy .)
I wonder if this diet is similar to the diabetic exchanges? That, too, required a gradual implementation. But it did lower the sugar level.
I have a good book on growing organic winter vegetables, and so far our winter veg garden is doing well. You might consider that rather than drive 27 miles for fresh veggies. (I guess you’d need a greenhouse and polytunnels in Scotland.)
Last year the movie “Forks over Knives” debuted in U.S., made a very strong case for a plant-based diet. Friends were so struck by its message that they reduced the meat in their weekly meals his cholesterol count dropped pretty quickly. It’s hard for those of us over 60 who have been living in a meat-dominated culture all their lives. We do need community support for change.
My spouse had quadruple by-pass surgery almost 7 years ago & changed his diet immediately. But he has done more in the past two years since we moved to a city, Portland, Oregon, with great local produce, many farmers’ markets. It pains me to learn that you have to travel such distance for fresh vegetables and the alternative to start a garden seems a stretch for seniors.
What do I have to offer? http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/ has many delicious, non-meat dishes. Found http://www.planetveggie.co.uk/ and a recipe for Cauliflower & Butter Bean (tinned) soup. Intrigues me since just brought in the former and the latter is in freezer.
Thanks, Naomi, the other problems we have are that a)Other Half has coeliac disease so food must be gluten/wheat free; and b) his father was a butcher and meat is therefore part of his heritage!