Broccoli and Tofu Stir-fry with Thai Red Rice (Low Glycemic Meal)

I'm glad that I got the habit of reading health related articles and books from my dearest Dad. So when my DH asked me to read this book on "Healthy for Life" by Ray D Strand, MD, I willingly accepted.  I strongly believe in this quote “Prevention is better than cure”.

Below are some insights I gathered from this book.

The way to manage weight and maintain healthy life is to consume protein rich food combined with complex carbohydrates and to avoid high sugar and refined flour food. Our diet plays an important role in managing the insulin levels in blood.  When we consume high sugar food, the level of blood sugar rises, resulting in high insulin levels. The role of insulin is to drive sugar into a cell to be either utilized or stored as fat. In fat cells insulin enhances the conversion of glucose into fat resulting in weight gain. Hence higher insulin levels converts sugar into fat, and also holds on to stored fat like a sponge holds on to water.

The opposing hormone to insulin is Glucagon – a fat releasing hormone stimulated by the intake of protein. It is suppressed by the intake of carbohydrates. Hence when we eat a lot of high-glycemic carbohydrates rich food such as cakes, doughnut, croissant, sugar, white bread, polished rice, potatoes etc., insulin levels rises and glucagon levels drop. On the other hand when we eat balanced food having protein, good fat, and low glycemic carbohydrates in a meal, insulin and glucagon levels remain in a healthy balance. Examples of low glycemic food are fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, tofu, unpolished brown and red rice, parboiled long grain rice, nuts, rolled oats, low fat yoghurt and skim milk.

Knowledge from this book has inspired me to add more protein, and create a meal around protein.

Print recipe here
Ingredients

Serves 2

50g Thai red rice, washed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g firm tofu, cut into cubes

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 red chilies, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger

1 small broccoli flower, cut into florets (approx 200g)

Salt to taste

Method

Wash rice and add to the rice cooker with 3 times water i.e. for 1 cup of rice add 3 cups of water. It takes around 30-40 minutes to cook this rice. Once the rice is cooked add 1/2 cup of water to the rice cooker, switch off, and leave it to cool down with the lid. Adding water after rice is cooked helps rice not to stick to the rice cooker; else it’s a common problem wherein a layer of cooked rice sticks to the rice cooker. After around 15 minutes, stir the rice using a wooden spoon. Leave it aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, stir-fry tofu for around 10 minutes till it’s skin is crispy and golden brown. Add soy sauce and stir till tofu is coated with soy sauce. Add minced garlic, ginger and red chili. Sauté for 2 minutes, and turn off the heat.

Blanch broccoli florets. To blanch; boil water in a sauce pan, when water starts boiling add salt and broccoli florets. After 1 minute, drain water, shock the vegetable by washing them in cold water. Drain it in a colander and set them aside.

Mix cooked rice, broccoli and tofu, add salt to taste and serve.

Check out other low glycemic recipes

Legume salads, legume soups, tofu and stews