Gestational Diabetes Recipes

Sometimes a large cut of meat can present a daunting cooking challenge. So for me the quicker it goes into the pot and the less fuss the better. This gestational diabetes friendly Asian Pot Roast will have you coming back for more every time. Consider spices your secret weapon in gestational diabetes cooking. Here, the combination of star anise, cinnamon and orange rind cut through the richness of the meat and provide a sweet caramelised counterpoint to the saltiness of the tamari and Worcestershire. It’s a real delight and one I have served at a dinner party for a friend with gestational diabetes. She was practically licking her plate and her blood sugar levels were perfect 2 hours later. She even managed to sneak in a dessert! (Main carbohydrate containing ingredients are listed in bold.)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons light cooking oil
• 1kg/2 pound piece beef silverside roast or bolar blade roast (one of the cheaper cuts), trimmed of any fat
• 1 large brown onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 star anise
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 4 – 6 long, thick strips orange rind
• 1/3 cup / 80ml/ 2.5 fluid ounces Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar or brown/white vinegar or even apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1/4 cup/ 60ml/ 2 fluid ounces salt-reduced soy or tamari sauce
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 1 ½ cups beef stock
• 600g/ ~1 pound green beans, trimmed, steamed or blanched to serve
• 3 cups cooked Doongara rice
• Cracked black pepper

Please note: This recipe takes approximately 3 hours to cook (but it’s totally worth it).

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-based, ovenproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Cook beef for 3 to 4 minutes each side or until browned. Remove and transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in casserole dish. Add onion. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and orange rind. Stir and cook for around 1 minute until ingredients are fragrant.

Add wine or vinegar. Simmer, for another 2 minutes or until reduced slightly.

Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, orange juice and beef stock. Cover and bring to the boil.

Return beef to dish. Season with cracked black pepper. Turn heat down to low and simmer covered, for 3 hours at least, until beef is tender. During this time, turn the beef over occasionally or spoon the juices over it to baste and keep it moist.

You’ll know it’s done perfectly when the meat flakes off with a fork. You can always leave it to sit with the heat off and the lid on for another 15 minutes.

Serve with green beans and rice.

Variations: Use bok choy/ pak choy or Asian greens in place of beans and some boiled or steamed baby potatoes instead of rice.