The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (99 page)

Making Lower-Glycemic Lunches on a Weekday-to-Weekday Basis

If you have a little more time
on your hands during the week, or if you don't like the idea of preparing your lunches in advance, then you can make yummy lunches out of salads or even tacos and burritos. These dishes often require less cooking time and produce some very healthy, lower-glycemic meals. The sections that follow share some simple recipes to get you started.

Powerhouse salad entrees

Salads are a perfect choice for lunches, especially when you're short on ti
me. You can easily load them up with veggies and lean protein sources for a low-glycemic, low-calorie, and highly nutritious meal. Even better, if you choose to use vegetables that have a high fiber content and then add some lean protein, you'll feel full for a longer period of time (perhaps shocking from a salad, huh?). Salads also take a little longer to eat, which in turn helps you slow down during your meal. Put all that together, and you realize that salads are (generally) superb for successful weight loss.

Not all salads are healthy. Watch out for what and how much of an ingredient you're putting on your salad. Regularly adding too much meat, cheese, or salad dressing (or all three!) to your salads can hinder your weight-loss goals.

Following are a few trusty salad recipes I turn to often. They're so good that I bet they wind up on your go-to list as well.

Mixed Greens with Walnuts, Pears, and Goat Cheese

This is one of my absolute favorite salad recipes, and I use it all the time. I love the combination of walnuts, pears, and goat cheese. This is one recipe you can make for a light meal or add as a side with some soup or an entree. If you want a heartier salad, just add some grilled chicken slices.

Preparation time:
10 minutes

Yield:
4 servings

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

One 5-ounce bag mixed baby greens

1 large fresh pear, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

One 4-ounce container crumbled goat cheese

1/3 cup toasted walnuts

1
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.

2
Combine the mixed greens and pear chunks. Toss with enough of the dressing to coat everything evenly.

3
Top the salad with the goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Serve.

Vary It!
For a little extra flavor, top this salad with slices from one avocado.

Per serving:
Calories 476 (From Fat 389); Glycemic Load 2 (Low); Fat 43g (Saturated 10g); Cholesterol 22mg; Sodium 761mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 8g.

Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad

One of the simplest lunchtime salad ideas, this recipe incorporates grilled chicken. Chicken cooks faster when you grill it than when you bake it, so this recipe is an option when you have a little extra time during the day. When you don't have the time for grilling, simply use leftover grilled chicken.

Specialty tool:
Gas or charcoal grill, or grill pan

Preparation time:
10 minutes

Cooking time:
14 minutes

Yield:
4 servings

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

One 5-ounce package baby spinach leaves

1 pound tomatoes (preferably heirloom) in assorted colors, cut into wedges

One 9-ounce container teardrop tomatoes (also called pear tomatoes)

1/2 cup halved and pitted Kalamata olives

1/4 cup feta cheese

1
Heat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

2
Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, and vinegar in a medium-sized bowl. Pour out 1/4 cup for basting the chicken.

3
Lightly brush the chicken with the dressing you just made. Add the salt and pepper to taste and cook the chicken on the grill until it's fully cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool.

4
While the chicken cools, combine the spinach, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Toss with enough of the dressing to coat evenly (you may not need to use all of it). Season with the salt and pepper.

5
Cut the grilled chicken into thin 1/2-inch-thick strips. Top the salad with the grilled chicken strips and serve.

Per serving:
Calories 271 (From Fat 85); Glycemic Load 0 (Low); Fat 10g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 81mg; Sodium 452mg; Carbohydrate 14g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 31g.

Spinach Salad with Chicken, Oranges, and Toasted Almonds

Spinach is packed with nutrients, including vitamins K, A, C, and E, as well as folate and iron. It's a powerhouse of a vegetable that makes for a heartier salad than regular lettuce. Coupled with oranges, almonds, and lean poultry (you can use either leftover grilled chicken or sautéed chicken), this recipe packs a powerful health punch and serves as a very satisfying lunch. (
Note:
If you want to make this recipe just for yourself and enjoy it over the course of a few days, prepare all the ingredients but store them separately. That way you can easily and literally throw this salad together when you're ready for it!)

Preparation time:
10 minutes

Yield:
6 servings

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons canola oil

8 ounces fresh baby spinach

1 1/2 cups fresh orange segments, cut into chunks (or 1 1/2 cups canned mandarin oranges)

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1
Whisk the vinegar, orange juice, and canola oil in a small bowl and set aside.

2
Mix together the spinach, orange segments (or mandarin oranges), chicken, cranberries, and almonds. Toss with enough of the dressing to coat all the ingredients evenly.

3
Divide onto 6 plates and serve.

Per serving:
Calories 214 (From Fat 99); Glycemic Load 7 (Low); Fat 11g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 64mg; Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 17g.