The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (93 page)

Kellogg's Bran Flakes

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Want another lower-glycemic breakfast option? Try hot cereals. Oatmeal and grits are two hot cereals that end up with a low to medium glycemic load as long as you stick to a serving size of 2/3 cup or less cooked cereal.

To give your hot cereal some pizzazz, try any of the following suggestions:

Add your favorite low-glycemic fresh fruit. Berries, peaches, and even bananas work great in oatmeal.

Make some quick baked apples and add them to oatmeal. Baked apples are soft and add a touch of cinnamon to your meal; see the following recipe.

Spice up your oats with cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, or cloves.

Heat up your grits by adding jalapeños or hot sauce.

Add cayenne pepper, chili powder, or cumin to grits to give 'em a kick.

Sprinkle a little shredded cheese on your grits and let it melt in.

Baked Apples for Oatmeal

Baked apples are a wonderful topping for your oatmeal (as well as a great snack all on their own). They're also quite easy to prepare. Here's a quick-and-dirty recipe for baked apples. (
Note:
If you're unsure of the best way to core and slice an apple, check out Figure 16-1.)

Preparation time:
15 minutes

Cooking time:
20 minutes

Yield:
8 servings

4 sweet apples (Fuji or Gala), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup apple juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2
Mix the apples, apple juice, and cinnamon in a bowl until the apples are well coated. (You can add more cinnamon depending on your taste.)

3
Pour everything into an 8-x-8 glass pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

4
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft.

5
Serve over cooked oatmeal.

Per serving:
Calories 45 (From Fat 2); Glycemic Load 6 (Low); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 1mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 0g.

Getting a Quick Start with Smoothies

When you want a quick br
eakfast, smoothies are a healthy choice. They take just minutes to prepare, and you can bring them with you or drink them while you're getting ready for your day.