The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (97 page)
Following are a few delicious (and easy!) low-glycemic chicken and tuna salad recipes for your cooking pleasure.
Lemon Chicken Salad
Chicken salad recipes are my favorites, and they never get boring. You can always have something new and fresh thanks to the many different ways of preparing chicken salad. This recipe is a great twist on a traditional chicken salad. It uses fresh lemon and spices to create a unique flavor.
Preparation time:
15 minutes
Yield:
4 servings
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1/4 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 green apple, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and ground black pepper to taste>
1
Mix the celery, mayonnaise, yogurt, green onions, tarragon, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl to blend.
2
Stir the 1/2-inch chicken cubes and 1-inch apple chunks into the mayonnaise mixture. Season with the salt and pepper.
Tip:
Save time by using about 3 cups rotisserie chicken or 3 cups leftover grilled chicken in place of the chicken breasts.
Vary It!
To add some variety to this tasty chicken salad, replace the green apple with 1 cup dried cranberries or 1 cup halved grapes.
Per serving:
Calories 240 (From Fat 46); Glycemic Load 1 (Low); Fat 5g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 91mg; Sodium 250mg; Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 34g.
Curry Chicken Salad
Don't let the curry fool you. This is a very light curry salad that isn't as strong as some of the traditional curry recipes. It's one of my favorites.
Preparation time:
15 minutes
Yield:
4 servings
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
3 cups 1/2-inch pieces cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Salt d ground black pepper to taste
1
Add the curry powder, mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, ginger, orange juice, and orange zest to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.
2
Stir in the chicken, grapes, green onions, and walnuts. Season with the salt and pepper.
Tip:
For speedier preparation, use 3 cups rotisserie chicken or 3 cups leftover grilled chicken.
Per serving:
Calories 332 (From Fat 128); Glycemic Load 3 (Low); Fat 14g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 97mg; Sodium 213mg; Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 36g.
Tuna Salad with Olives and Red Peppers
Tired of plain tuna? Well, those days are over thanks to this simple recipe. If you really want to take it to the next level, you can use fresh tuna (rather than canned) and lightly sear it. Delicious!
Preparation time:
15 minutes
Yield:
4 servings
2 tablespoons lowfat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lowfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
One 12-ounce can light tuna packed in olive oil, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped and drained bottled roasted red peppers, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh red pepper
10 black olives, sliced
1 large celery rib, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1
Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, and lemon juice n a large bowl.
2
Add the next six ingredients and stir together gently. Season with the salt and pepper.
Per serving:
Calories 185 (From Fat 67); Glycemic Load 0 (Low); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 13mg; Sodium 496mg; Carbohydrate 8g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 21g.
Tasty timesaving casseroles
Casseroles are another timesaving make-ahead lunch option, espe
cially if you prefer a hot lunch to cold salads or sandwiches. Casseroles often take a little more time to prepare, but they're usually still quick and easy enough to put together on a Sunday as a way for your family to liven up its lunch menu. The best part is you get a whole lot of food for the week, as you can see from the following recipes.
Storing your leftovers safely
When cooking meals to have on hand for the week, safe storage becomes a priority. Leaving foods, especially homemade chicken or tuna salads and casseroles, well past their due dates is all too easy. Case in point: My husband and I were spending time at the home of a relative who had to leave for a bit. She told us to make ourselves a sandwich, so we took out some turkey and cheese and ate. When she got home she had a blank stare and said, "Oh . . . you used that turkey." Oops! Luckily we didn't get sick, but we easily could have.
Protecting yourself and your family against food-borne illnesses is essential to a healthy kitchen. That's why I'm sharing the following tips for safely storing food. (This way you don't have to worry about someone grabbing a science experiment from your refrigerator and thinking that the recipe naturally comes in that mossy green color.)
Keep your refrigerator in the "safe zone."
Cooling temperatures should be between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Within this temperature range, bacteria grow more slowly, so you can keep your perishable foods for a longer period of time. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermometer reading, you can easily buy a thermometer and periodically check that your temperature is in the right place.
Although plastic wrap can do an okay job, sealed storage containers work better to prevent moisture loss in your food. They also keep the food from absorbing other odors so your leftovers stay tasty the second and third time around.
Lead can leach out when acidic foods come into contact with the glaze or lead. Look on the bottom of the bowl to see whether it's strictly for decorative rather thanrving or storing purposes.
I often cringe at potlucks when I see the potato salad sitting in the sun for four hours. This is far too long a time for something like mayonnaise to sit out without being cooled somehow. Don't leave your perishable foods at room temperature for longer than two hours.
If you have a hard time remembering when you first made a dish, label your container with the date that you cooked the meal. If you're single or if there are just two of you in the household, you may want to freeze half of your leftovers if you can't eat them all within three to four days.
Those different drawers really do have a special purpose. The meat bin is a little colder to keep your meats fresh for a longer period of time, and the crisper helps to retain moisture in your produce. Use 'em.