Going strictly low glycemic might mean getting a little creative with your recipes. Now, because for the five days we are going strict as strict can be in maintaining a steady and stable blood sugar level, I am avoiding all foods that score above a 60 on the glycemic index. In the tutorial I provide three different glycemic index charts to make sure all our blood sugar bases are covered.
Here, my sugar balancing delights, is a list of ten foods that help not only balance, but lower blood sugar. I wanted to see how many of these I could squeeze into a single recipe.
10 Foods To Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels [inspired by this list]
- Avocado: Contains the healthy fats that raise insulin sensitivity and fiber to help slow blood sugar increases when added to a meal.
- Sweet Potatoes: Contain carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants and are thought to have a positive affect on insulin, and chlorogenic acid, which combats insulin resistance.
- Cinnamon: Contains compounds that mimic the effect of insulin and is high in fibre and a rich source of magnesium, which helps in controlling blood sugar.
- Onions: The high sulfur and flavonoid content of onions causes a significant reduction in blood sugar.
- Garlic: Can raise insulin production and increase insulin sensitivity.
- Flaxseed: Rich in lignans and magnesium, which helps lower blood sugar. It is also a potent source of omega-three fatty acids, which also help in controlling blood sugar.
- Barley: Helps to significantly reduce the glycemic index of a meal it is added to.
- Cherries: Contain red-pigmented antioxidants, which can help raise your body’s insulin output and are also high in soluble fibre.
- Lemons: Their acidity can lower the glycemic index of a meal considerably.
You will notice in the tutorial that because we are going strictly low glycemic for the week, we are also kicking it grain-free. There may be a little flour in a couple of the recipes but for the most part we are taking a grain-cation! The next question is always “well then what do we eat for bread?”. And the answer is that you either don’t eat bread, or you get el creativo with your bread. I decided that I would see how many of those blood sugar lowering foods I could get into a bread. I got four in but if I eat it with avocado and put some lemon in my water, I got six!
Blood Sugar Balancing Bread Lover Bread
This recipes was inspired by:
2 1/2 cups whole raw almonds
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs agave
2 large eggs (or egg replacer- though note it will be far denser without the eggs)
1/2 cup grated sweet potato
1/4 cup yogurt (sheep or goat recommended, or milk substitue and 1 Tbs cider vinegar)
1/4 cup onion, chopped,
1/4 cup flax-seed, ground
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp rock salt (sprinkled on top)
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Grease and dust a loaf pan (I used coconut oil and rice flour).
- Grind almonds and flax seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder until in a fine meal
- Sift together starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in with almond meal, and flax meal.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients- eggs, yogurt, oil, agave.
- Stir in sweet potato and onion
- Mix wet and dry together until there are no lumps, but don’t over-mix.
- Layer bottom of load pan with garlic, sun dried tomatoes and basil
- Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle with rock salt.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes – it will be ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and feel firm when you press down.
- Allow bread to sit for about 5 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack.
- Best stored, wrapped in the fridge.
Join us on Monday December 7th to see How Low Can You Go. Click here for 5 Days Low Glycemic e-tutorial details or buy it now for $12!
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That bread looks perfect for Christmas!
okay, not sure my kids would eat that but I am always game for something new and colorful for sure.
I’m curious why do you always recommend or prefer to use goat or sheep milk rather than cow’s milk??? I know you have a story behind this one. How does unhomogenized cow milk sound?
sorry … ok milk = yogurt. You know what I mean.
WOW THIS BREAD ROCKS MY FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although in general, recipes requiring ground nuts or seeds (or anything for that matter) or out of the question (laugh as you may, i do not possess a mortar+pestle, grinder, or food processor – yet!), I’m seriously seriously contemplating going to my local grocery store, with my bag of almonds, and running it through their coffee mill (the one they offer patrons for grinding coffee beans). I would do it actually, but I’m kind of concerned that someone after me might be allergic to almonds. And I certainly don’t want to be responsible for anyone’s demise.
SIGH. I suppose the less clandestine alternative would be to buy ground almonds. Er, 2 1/2 cups of raw whole almonds ground up – how many cups of crumb does that yield?
alright, got this on my “must make this ahead” weekend cooking spree. I’m IN. Sign me up. Hubs is a little…watch ME do it first. He is DEF interested but not ready.
lead by example, no?
I think I have everything to make this tonight! MMMMMMMM
PERFECT…and I could so go for a 3 day smoothie cleanse! I’ll be ready too!
love your shake up your diet challenges!
do you know I did your green smoothie cleanse in what, June or July….and have been making them regularly ever since!
That’s all thanks to YOU Chickie!
(that and my toddler, hubs AND teenager are regular customers too)
so green smoothies today …low GI tomrrow!
xo
Meghan, I get unhomogenized cow’s milk at organic stores. Its one of those glass bottles from Harmony. I’m sure you’ve seen them.
http://www.harmonyorganic.on.ca/
I think the farm is in Ontario somewhere. I know I read it somewhere on the bottle but can’t remember the name of the town and It doesn’t say on their website.
Nice loaf! (or LOWf?)
It looks all fancy and festive too. I love both your focachi and your almond bread, so this is being bookmarked.
Thanks
Mmm! That looks wonderful!!!
That looks amazing! My fiance is allergic to nuts, would it work if I left out the almonds?
Lat time I made some bread I found it was still rather moist on the inside (not good moist, more like uncooked moist), yet well-cooked everywhere else. How can I make this so it’s cooked through properly?
I just made this bread today… it’s delicious! Even the parents liked it…. and that’s saying something.
I’ve tried many – and I mean heaps – of grain free breads, and this one is the best one yet. Delicious spread with guacamole. Love it.
Thank you so much!
ooooh! Isn’t that a delicious rave review! Thank you so much!!!
could i replace almonds with any other nut?
I think you can!
Meghan I gotta tell ya…I think I’m up to about a dozen times that I’ve made this bread!!!…. and every time I do everyone goes nuts over it!
I’ve made it for my neighbor, for my friends when I go visit their house upstate, or when I have friends for dinner. It always rocks their world and I wind up taking the credit, even though I tell them where I got the recipe, they think I should go into business. I find this quite funny since that’s exactly what you’ve done!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work! Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!
Much hugs!
Laz
You never know until you try. And if they don’t, slice it up and freeze it. Or make it as little single serve muffin shapes.
Non homogenized milk sounds impossible to find. Have a read of these two posts:
http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2009/06/23/straight-from-the-teet/
http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2009/05/27/milking-it-for-all-its-worth/
a coffee grinder costs $20. just sayin. worth the investment.
No worries Cindy! We are rocking it out round two in January with another three day smoothie cleanse followed by five days low GI. Starting 2010 right and sugar free
I think you may have to check out some others. The base of this one is nuts so leaving them out may be tricky.
I’m thinking either lower temp for longer or perhaps a large baking dish/bread pan to make it flatter.