Carb Solutions: Wednesday Night
Over half of the U.S. adult population, some 154 million, qualify as being overweight or obese. Another 29 million of us have Diabetes, many as a direct result of being overweight. Then there are the 23.9 million overweight children who are dutifully following the example of their XXL adult role models. Diabetes and these extra pounds cost this country billions annually in both medical and economic resources, not to mention the effect these weight-related maladies have on a person’s overall mental well-being and happiness. However, both diabetes and being overweight are very manageable, even preventable, with a few lifestyle tweaks. By maintaining a sensible diet in conjunction with some regular exercise, no matter how minimal, we can all be in total control of our own weight. One easy way to start taking that control is to make decisions about the foods we eat based on the glycemic index [GI] and glycemic load [GL].
Simply put, our bodies convert all foods into sugar calories that provide energy to the body via the bloodstream. The Glycemic Index assigns a score of 1 to 100 to all foods based on how speedy the body converts that food into sugar. Foods that break down slowly enable the body to assimilate these calories of energy more efficiently without overwhelming the body with more sugar than it can process. While this is especially important for diabetics who process sugars much more slowly than others, everyone can benefit from eating foods that have low glycemic scores since they also reduce appetite and encourage the metabolism to burn body fat. Conversely, a diet of foods high on the glycemic charts has been proven to actually increase appetite and impede effective fat oxidation.
A QUICKIE GLYCEMIC PRIMER:
- The glycemic index of a food compares its effect on blood sugar level to that of pure glucose, which has a score of 100. White breads, which are made of processed white flour, are at the top of this scale, scoring a “perfect” 100 on the glycemic index. For perspective, a score of 55 or below denotes a low glycemic index food; 70 or above is considered very high. Serving size is not a consideration in arriving at a food’s Glycemic Index number.
- The glycemic load, on the other hand, focuses on how much digestible carbohydrates (sugars) a food contains in a typical single serving, which is defined as approximately 3.5 ounces. For glycemic load, a score of 20 or more is high, while 10 or less is low.
It’s Wednesday night, you don’t feel like cooking, but you know you must eat something. It’s that time in the week when a carb counter is most likely to “cheat” with a high-carb tasty temptation not on your no-go list. Be strong and power through those times with fortitude and maybe a quick dish like this one that matches the mood with just a few ingredients and almost less cooking. Working with Melissa’s does have its perks when it comes to a clean-out refrigerator recipe. That is, I just happen to have some Baby Broccoli, watermelon radish, and asparagus in mine; this recipe would work just fine subbing in regular Broccoli, just not as much, and regular red radish, just a few more. Still, I like the looks of the watermelon radish and had some leftover from another recipe.
The Baby Broccoli provides fiber, antioxidants, and is packed with vitamins C & K that support one’s metabolism in the short term. If thinking in longer terms, tests have shown that regular consumption of broccoli in any form may lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Asparagus is also high in vitamin K., which helps the blood to clot; the veggie is a great source of vitamin B that promotes good heart health as well as an amino acid great for cleansing the metabolism. Radishes are high in vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. So, despite the mood to just pop something high-carb and high-sodium from freezer to the microwave, this dish is not only nutritious but might also get you off the couch long enough to want to add rice or a protein to this quick and easy dish…or not, after all, it is Wednesday…
Nothin’ Special Butter Poached Veggies
Ingredients
1 Bunch Baby Broccoli
10 spears Asparagus - 5 1/4" to 7" long
2 Watermelon Radish, sliced into half circles
6 oz butter
1 tsp chive, finely cut
1 tsp Lemon juice
S & P to taste
Preparation
Trim the tough ends from the broccolini and asparagus. Trim, clean, peel radishes, slice into thin rounds, then slice in half. Add the prepared vegetables to a large saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Simmer over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water.
Add the butter to the saucepan with the drained vegetables. Set over a low/medium heat. Let the butter melt, then start basting it over the vegetables. Keep basting and stirring for 2-3 minutes more to allow the vegetables to cook through in the butter. Add the salt and pepper and stir again
Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a serving dish.
Finely chop the chives. Add the chives to the pan along with the lemon juice. Stir into the butter. Pour the buttery pan juices over the vegetables, then serve.