Archives for October 2012

October 10, 2012

Sundried Tomato and Pine nuts Pasta

This is a really simple recipe that can be whipped up in a couple of minutes if you have the ingredients at home. I enjoyed how the sweetness of the sundried tomato complemented the woody fragrance of the pine nuts. The parmesan cheese brought it all together. I bought sundried tomatoes at the deli of Colds Storage, but I believe you can also buy them in tins or bottles, depending on the amount you wish to have. I’ve used fresh parsley in this recipe, but you can choose to substitute it with dried parsley. Reduce the amount to a third should you wish to do so.

Sundried Tomato and Pine Nuts Pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients:
5 ounces of spaghetti or linguine

2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sundried tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method:

  1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions till al-dente. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta liquid.
  2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  3. Saute garlic till tender and add in sundried tomatoes and sauteed for 2 – 3 minutes.
  4. Add in chopped parsley and sauteed for 30 seconds. Stir in pine nuts.
  5. Add in drained pasta and toss to coat.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment
October 4, 2012

Do you know about the glycemic index?

I first learnt about the glycemic index when I was in university. I wanted to eat healthily and realised that foods could be classified according to their glycemic index (GI) – a ranking of carbohydrates based on how much they raise blood glucose levels after they are being eaten. Low GI foods are digested and absorbed more slowly and hence produces more gradual rises in blood glucose. These foods have health benefits and are good for weight control because they allow people to feel full for longer periods of times. High GI foods have a value of 55 and above, while low GI foods have a value below 55.

Some diets recommend eating more fruits and vegetables, but did you know that even among fruits, there is a range of different GI values? Dried apricots for example, are a great snack because they not only contain a whole load of nutrients, they are a low GI-food with an index of only 30. Cherries are also low at 22, and prunes are at 29. You may want to eat less watermelon (GI-index 80) and dates (GI-index 108),

For grains and carbs, a few of the low GI options are barley (GI-index 22), brown rice and long grain white rice (GI-index 50), pasta (GI-index 32). Generally, the least processed a cereal/grain is, the lower the glycemic index. Processing most foods increase their GI-index.

Beans and legumes are generally considered low -GI foods. They are a good source of proteins, especially for vegetarians.

Craving for something sweet? Dark chocolate has a low GI of about 25. Sweetened yogurt is a good choice too at 33.

So if you are looking for weight control, paying attention to the Glycemic Index of the foods you eat may prove very useful. Afterall, if you feel full for a longer period of time, you will generally eat less and snack less. Happy eating!

Filed Under: Baking and Cooking Tagged With: 1 Comment
October 2, 2012

Linguine with Porcini Mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms are one of the most flavourful mushrooms, in my opinion. The flavour of dried porcini mushrooms is very strong, and is often used to add that mushroomy flavour to soups and sauces. This is a very simple recipe that I came up with one lazy morning when I was thinking of what to cook for lunch. Rummaging around the fridge, I found a bottle of half used dried porcini mushrooms and decided to do something with it. This recipe is simple, fast, healthy and definitely delicious. If you do not have porcini mushrooms, you can try substituting them for button or portabello mushrooms, though I am quite sure you would not be able to attain the same flavour. I chose to drizzle my pasta with a tsp of truffle oil for that extra oomph.

Linguine with Porcini Mushrooms
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
0.5 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
salt and black pepper to taste
4 ounces linguine
2 tsp truffle oil (optional)

Method:

  1. Reconstitute dried porcini in 1/2 cup of warm water for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain soaking water and reserve it for later use.
  2. Sauteed onions in olive oil over a medium fire in a frying pan or skillet.
  3. Add mushrooms and mix well.
  4. Add broth, reserved porcini liquid and milk and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.
  6. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta liquid.
  7. Toss pasta with sauce in the skillet, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
  8. If pasta is too dry, add in some reserved pasta liquid.
  9. Drizzle with truffle oil if preferred.
  10. Serve hot.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment
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