Fiona Carns - High Protein, Low GI, Bold Flavor: Recipes to Boost Health and Promote Weight Loss

High Protein, Low GI, Bold Flavor

BECAUSE EVERY BOOK IS A TEST OF NEW IDEAS

HIGH PROTEIN, LOW GI, BOLD FLAVOR: Recipes to Boost Health and Promote Weight Loss

Copyright Fiona Carns, 2010, 2012
Photographs copyright Simon Griffiths, 2010

First published in somewhat different form by Penguin Group (Australia), 2010

All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or online reviews, no portion of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The Experiment, LLC
260 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 100016408
www.theexperimentpublishing.com

Note: This is a cookbook, not a diet book. If you or one of your family members has a preexisting health condition, are on medication, and/or have specific dietary requirements, you should consult your doctor, dietitian, or specialist prior to significantly changing your diet. Nuts feature strongly in many of these recipes.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and The Experiment was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been capitalized.

The Experiments books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for premiums and sales promotions as well as for fundraising or educational use. For details, contact us at info@theexperimentpublishing.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011938431
ISBN 978-1-61519-037-9
Ebook ISBN 978-1-61519-137-6

Cover design by Susi Oberhelman
Cover photographs by Simon Griffiths
Author photograph by Andrew Sawenko
Food styling by Fiona Hammond
Text design by Pauline Neuwirth, Neuwirth & Associates, Inc.

Manufactured in China
Distributed in the United States by Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
Distributed simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Ltd.
First published January 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my amazing husband, Greg, for his unflagging
encouragement and support, and to my beautiful
friend Pix, who has shown me that there are
no hurdles that cant be overcome

Foreword

When Fiona Carns wrote this cookbook, little did she realize that it was at the cutting edge of medicine. One of the biggest and best diet trials ever done has just proven that a combination high-protein and low-GI diet improves the ability to sustain weight loss and is superior to either a high-protein or low-GI diet alone. The combined diet was not only effective for maintaining weight loss; it had the lowest dropout rate (that is, the highest acceptability) of the five diets that were compared. And the good news doesnt end there: The high-protein, low-GI diet reduced one of the most reliable indicators of heart disease risk. So with this book, Fiona Carns brings you the best of both worldsthe flavor and enjoyment of good food and the knowledge that you are doing the best for your body.

Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller,
author of The New Glucose Revolution
and The Low GI Handbook
September 2011

Im now entering my eighth year of embracing a lean-protein and low-glycemic-index (low-GI) lifestyle, and I love it. Maintaining this regimen has not been a matter of discipline but rather of understanding what makes me feel and look good, while still satisfying my need for great-tasting, nutritious food. In conjunction with regular exercise, my weight has stayed constant and my motivation has remained strong.

When I decided to change my diet in 1999, I had been unable to shed the extra weight I was carrying after the birth of my third child, despite regular exercise and an extremely low-fat diet. I ate very little butter or oil, no avocados, nuts, or seeds, the occasional piece of red meat, and only a sprinkling of cheese. Low fat was my focus, with little regard for the nutritional value of my food. Eating any fat makes you fat, or so I thought. The prospect of increasing my protein and reducing my carbohydrates while enjoying the good fats seemed very attractive and manageable, and by then I was keen to try a new approach.

My first few months were fairly strict: no pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or sugar, of course, no processed refined carbs, limited fruit (I ate mostly berries and stone fruits), and no beans or legumes. Lean protein ruled the day, with an abundance of low-GI vegetables. Saturated fats continued to be a stranger to my world, but the good fats (nuts, avocados, and olive oil) became main players.

My weight loss was steady, and with it came a terrific sense of well-being. I no longer suffered from fluctuating energy levels, bloating, and frequent indigestionthings I had commonly experienced after a low-fat, low-protein, high-carb meal. Suddenly, I was full of energy and ready for anything.

In 2002 I wrote Low Carbohydrate High Flavor Recipes, a book of simple meals that kept me in my low-carb zone. Since then, my eating regimen has expanded to include more low-GI carbsthe smart carbs that make you feel full for longer.

My concern for the rapid increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes and my passion for healthy cooking have inspired me to create this new collection of recipes. It caters to all members of the family (and I know from experience that some can be fussier than others!), using nutritiously dense foods that offer plenty of protein and are low GI. The recipes are simple and healthy, with a focus on real unprocessed food: fish, poultry, lean pork and veal, a little red meat, eggs, low-GI vegetables and fruit, legumes, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products, and all the good fats. They are filled with flavor, so you can enjoy your mealtimes without feeling for a minute that you are missing out on anything. Welcome to the world of low GI. Just by making a few simple changes to your diet, you will increase your energy levels, assist in lowering blood cholesterol, and reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer, while achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight. Here is the road to optimum health. Enjoy!

Since writing my first book, my recipes have developed to include more low-GI carbohydrates and techniques on how to lower the GI of a meal; although in some cases this means increasing the amount of carbohydrates, I use low-GI carbohydratesthe smart carbs.

There are no hard-and-fast rules for the exact ratio of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in each meal. Generally, lean protein is the heart of the meal, accompanied by low-GI vegetables, fruits, and legumes, a splash of low-fat dairy products, and the good unsaturated fats. As we know, carbohydrates and fat are used for energy, and protein for cell repair and construction. By reducing the carbohydrates and fat in your diet, you allow your body to access your fat reserves. Put this together with the benefits of eating low-GI carbs (giving you more control over your blood sugars, fat storage, appetite, and energy levels) and you have a successful regimen for weight loss and for maintaining a healthy weight. The recipes in this book embrace these principles without the need for tedious weighing and counting.