I started incorporating GI Diet into my life in February of this year. Because I was so thrilled with the amazing recipes from Rick Gallops book I started posting about it a few months later in April. So I thought this would be as good a time as any to tally up my accomplishments so far.

*Since February I have dropped 12 pounds. Most of this weight came off in the first 3 months. Since I was happy with my new weight (my jeans now fit) I began to focus (I got lazy) on maintaining that weight, not necessarily losing the remaining 8 pounds I had originally intended to.
*In August I went away and managed to put 5 pounds back on in a matter of 10 days but as soon as I got back I jumped on the GI diet bandwagon and lost the 5 pounds again
*Overall I feel much much better. I have more energy, I don't get as grumpy as I used to and I crave healthy food instead of junk. My allergies are even better.
*I now view food as fuel for my body and try to put only good fuel into it. I am always conscious of what I am eating and always read the nutrition labels.
*As for the GI Diet cookbook which has become one of the few cookbooks I use regularly in the house, I have managed to cook 57 recipes from it and many of them have been incorporated into our weekly meal plans.

I still however have 132 recipes to go. And I plan on committing to losing that last 8 pounds as soon as the new year hits.

19 soups - 6 completed
21 salads - 5 completed
10 pastas - 4 completed
19 meatless mains - 6 completed
18 fish and seafood - 5 completed
20 poultry - 11 completed
19 meat - 4 completed
8 vegetables and side dishes - 1 completed
19 breakfasts and brunches - 6 completed
11 muffins and breads - 5 completed
24 desserts - 3 completed

188 recipes in the book. 57 recipes completed

Here are my absolute favorites:
Spinach and Meatball Soup
Quinoa Bean and Vegetable Chili
Grilled Tilapia with Black Bean and Mango Salsa
White Chili Chicken
Spicy Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Tarragon
Blueberry Beef Burgers
Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
Baked Eggs in Ham Cups
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Macaroni Frittata

This was a really interesting dish to cook. I have never made anything quite like it before. You basically fry up some veggies and then add a mixture of egg, cooked pasta, peas and milk to pan, give it a stir once and then let it sit and cook. I had to resist the impulse to stir it again. Just when it is starting to firm up on the top you add some shredded cheese and pop it under the broiler until the cheese is melted and nice and brown.

SERVED WITH: This is a full meal in one pan so it is good on its own.

COOKING TIPS: You only need to stir this once! And make sure to make it in a pan with an oven proof handle so you can pop it under the broiler.

RATING: 7. While it was a fun dish to make I was not overly happy with the flavour, it was a little bland for my tastes.

Roasted Tomato and Bean Soup with Bacon

Now I know I am not the best photographer and these pictures don't always turn out that great. In fact I am usually in a hurry to eat and snap a quick photo while the dish is on the dinner table waiting to be eaten. So please excuse the poor quality pictures with bad lighting.

Now that it's the fall I have started focusing some attention on soups. I am not a huge soup fan but my husband is. He works outside and enjoys coming home to a warm bowl of comfort after a chilly day spent outside.


SERVED WITH: A slice of toast, wholewheat of course

COOKING TIPS: To make this soup you have to roast your veggies and that takes a while, one hour to be exact. I for one don't have that kind of time to cook when I get home from work so I roasted the veggies on my day off on Monday and popped them in the fridge until today. That way all I had to do today was puree the veggies, mix it with the stock, beans and bacon and heat up. Then it was ready in less then 20 minutes.

RATING: 7. I would definitely make this soup again.