Saturday, June 23, 2012

One Hot (cool) Dish!

I'm about two weeks in with the low glycemic plan (which is FANTASTIC, but more on that in another post).  Feeling pretty saucy with my results and getting used to making different food choices when DUH DUH DUUUUUH..... I get an invite to a cookout.  

Knowing the menu will consist of white burger buns, chips, pasta salads and all sorts of stuff I'm trying to lay off of, I went in search of a low GI side dish recipe, and found this gem. 

Black Bean and Avocado Salad

2 avocados (not quite fully ripe - easier to work with)
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
4-6 scallions (chopped)
2 Tbsp parsley
3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Pit, peel and dice up the avocados, and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice, stir gently to coat, and set aside.

In large bowl, combine corn, beans, bell pepper, scallions, parsley and garlic.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Pour dressing over veggie mixture.  Gently fold in avocados, cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours (just until chilled).  




Serving size:  1/2 cup
Glycemic Index: Low
Glycemic Load: 6


Monday, June 11, 2012

Digging Into the Low-GI Way of Life

I do realize it's been forever and a day since I've blogged.  There's a pretty good reason for that though.  I haven't had much to say.  A crazy busy social calendar combined with my efforts being relatively status quo just don't make for entertaining reading.

But!  I did get some really good news today.  After 6 months of consistently exercising, my blood pressure was beautiful!  I've always been a 120(ish)/80(ish) kind of gal.  Today, I was sitting pretty at 106/68.  Knowing that hypertension runs in my family, my doc literally high-fived me.  w00t!

Also, I'm sniffing out a new "diet" plan.  I hate the word diet.  Just saying it makes me feel deprived and hungry.  So, I'm more hoping this will be a way of life instead of a "diet."  (Did you guys here that?  I think my stomach just growled as I said it.)

I'm reading about the Glycemic Index; aka: GI.  I've done the low carb thing before, living on meat and cheese with no fruit and very few veggies.  To quote Antoine and Blaine....



HATED IT!!!


Again with the feeling deprived thing, ya know?  Since when are fruits "unhealthy"?  Needless to say, that didn't last long.

The GI plan doesn't forbid anything.  What at it does do is teach you how to choose healthy carbs. White bread?  Not so much.  Stone ground wheat bread?  Help yourself!  With normal servings, of course.  I can eat fruit.  I can eat peanut butter.  The more lean meat and non-starchy veggies on my plate, the better, but nothing is off limits.  There are no phases to worry about.  I bought three books and am totally engrossed in them, and did my first shopping excursion today.  I am really excited about this one.  It will definitely be a learning curve, but it sounds like the health benefits (including better moods - the boy will like that!) will make it totally worthwhile.

I have to go stir my homemade low-GI granola now.  Ta-ta!
 

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