Party Catering

Are you inviting people to your home but don't want to be bothered with all the hard work involved?

I will come and prepare everything in your own kitchen. Food, drinks, canapes, laying table, serving, clearing up - all or any of these services available.

Phone Jeanne Quigley on 605 455 437

Low GI Recipes

What is GI?

GI stands for Glycemic Index. The GI diet is designed to improve management of blood-glucose with a view to prevent and treat obesity.

In simple terms, low GI foods raise blood-glucose levels in a slow and sustained manner. So the pancreas responds by releasing a more moderate amount of insulin. Result? Hunger is kept at bay and we feel satisfied for longer.

In contrast high GI foods cause a "spike" in blood-glucose levels. Meaning, our blood-sugar rises very fast, triggering an equally rapid response from the pancreatic gland which pumps out enough insulin to deal with the excess blood sugar. Result? Within an hour or so, the large secretion of insulin has dispersed all the excess blood glucose and then some. So we feel hungry again!

Here are some Low GI recipes for you to try

Tuna Steak with Apricot Compote The oils found in fish such as tuna are rich in the 'good fat' omega-3 and are thought to help maintain a healthy heart. This recipe combines tuna with a savoury low GI compote made from apricots and tomatoes.     Ingredients (Per person) 1 tuna steak (approx. 150g) ½ small red onion 8 dried apricots 1 medium tomato 1 tbsp brandy 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon dried thyme freshly ground pepper a few leaves of crisp lettuce                 1 Finely chop half the dried apricots and the half the tomato and place in a blender with the brandy, vinegar, olive oil, thyme and a generous helping of pepper. Blend the ingredients together and marinate the tuna in the sauce for 30 minutes at room temperature. If marinating for longer then keep the tuna in the fridge until 30 minutes before cooking.   2   When the tuna is sufficiently marinated, slice the onion into strips and lightly fry for 2 minutes. Slice the remainder of the tomato and fry together with the remaining apricots for a further minute. Layer the onions on a bed of washed lettuce and arrange the apricots and tomatoes. 3 Use a spatula to clear the fish of the marinate and then fry both the tuna and the marinate in the same pan as shown. I prefer my steak slightly rare in the middle and to achieve this you should cook the steak for a strict 2 minutes on each side. Be warned that this cooking method does not guarantee that bacteria in the fish has been killed. If this concerns you then cook it for 3 minutes on each.

Chicken and Chickpea Casserole There is something very satisfying about casserole, cooked slowly so as not to impair the flavors producing a satisfying warming stew. Although this dish requires a good amount of time in the oven the preparation time quite low.       Ingredients (Serves 4) 3 medium sized chicken breasts 1 medium red onion 1 large/2 small carrots ½ of a 15oz/400g can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 1¼ cups/200g sweetcorn 1¼ cups/300g passata (sieved tomatoes) or 14oz/400g can of tomatoes ½ tablespoon bouillon or other stock 5 dashes of tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice pepper                 1 Chop the onion into 8 sections (as shown) and break the layers appart as you put them into an ovenproof casserol dish. Peal and cut the carrots into round slices about a quarter of an inch thick.   2   Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and put into the dish with the carrot and all the other ingredients. 3 Mix the ingredients together in the dish and then cover with a lid (or foil if you have no lid). Place the dish in an oven pre-heated to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 4. Cook for 55 minutes then serve with yogurt.

Vegetarian Chocolate Chili Suggested by Gillian Wright This vegetarian chili recipe has been spiced up in a Mexican style by adding cocoa power to the mix. Although many people find this a surprising combination, it adds a unique richness to the sauce.         Ingredients (Serves 4) 1 cup/7oz/200g green beans 14oz/400g canned kidney beans 15 button mushrooms or 8 cup mushrooms 1¼ cups/7oz/200g sweetcorn 1 chili (to taste) 14oz/400g canned tomatoes 4 tablespoons tomato puree 1½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons dry mixed herbs or a handful of fresh herbs 1½ tablespoons cocoa powder                 1 Chop the chili into small pieces and mix together with the tomatoes, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, herbs, cocoa powder and crushed garlic. Use a hand mixer or a blender to make a thick sauce.   2   Chop the green beans in half and lightly fry them in olive oil together with the sliced onion. Add the mushrooms, kidney beans and sweet corn and fry for a few minutes longer. I used chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters as my local store were all out of button mushrooms. 3 Add the sauce to the pan, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes on a low heat.

 and for dessert....

Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries Chocolate is usually not considered a diet food but cocoa itself has beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. It is usually the other ingredients added to chocolate that make it a dieter's foe. This chocolate mousse uses 70% cocoa chocolate this contains much less fat and sugar then a conventional chocolate bar. Raspberries are difficult to get here on theisland so substitute these with nectarines, pineapple or peaches         Ingredients (Serves 4) 80g 70% cocoa chocolate 2 egg whites 2 teaspoons sugar 4 tablespoons/70g plain yogurt 30 raspberries (appox 95g)                 1 Break chocolate into a pirex jug and gently heat the jug in saucepan of water. When the chocolate is fully melted take the jug out of the saucepan and allow it to cool for a few minutes.   2   Separate the egg yolks from the white. Add the sugar to the whites and whisk them until they become firm and form soft peaks as the whisk is removed. 3 Add the chocolate to the yogurt and mix them together well.   4   Fold the egg white into the chocolate yogurt and then spoon the mixture into ramekins or what ever bowls or glasses you have to hand. Refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours to allow it to set. Just before serving arrange the raspberries on top and use a potato peeler to create chocolate shavings for decoration.

Almond Pancakes & Fruit These pancakes don't taste much different to their higher glycemic index version and provide a substantial balanced meal to start your day.         Ingredients (Serves 2/Approx 14 thin pancakes) ½ cup/45g soy flour ¼ cup/50g ground almonds ½ cup/60g whole grain flour 3 tablespoons milk powder 1 teaspoon baking powder small pinch salt 3 egg whites ¾ cup/180ml milk 1 cup/125g fresh fruit                 1 Sive the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. If preparing the mixture in advance then leave out the baking powder and add it just before cooking. Add the egg whites one at a time separating by allowing it to fall whilst passing the yoke between the shell halves.   2   Mix the eggs and flour together then add a third of the milk. Mix that in well before adding another third and mixing further. Finally add the remaining milk and the vanilla extract and mix to a smooth paste. 3 Spray a frying pan with a thin layer of olive oil and spoon small amounts of the mixture into the pan to form pancakes. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side or until brown. Liquidise the fruit to make a sauce and pour over the pancakes

 For more recipes and information on the GI diet take a look at http://www.the-gi-diet.org/