Gestational Diabetes Recipes

This crunchy and zesty salad is a great side to be paired with your choice of protein (e.g. grilled chicken, steak, fish, tofu or even tempeh). What I love about fennel is how it naturally adds sweetness to a dish whether raw or cooked. I can find a use for it in nearly everything; spaghetti sauce, stir-fry, roasts, soup. I recently read that fennel is a great source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, folic acid, vitamin C and potassium. It just gets better and better. And because this gestational diabetes friendly salad has minimal carbs, you can make up your carbohydrate allowance with a yoghurt or a small piece of fruit with this meal. (Main carbohydrate containing ingredients listed in bold.)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried dill)
• 30g/ 1 ounce/ 1 heaped tablespoon currants
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, julienned or sliced very thinly
• 30g/ 1 ounce/ 1 heaped tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted (can be substituted with hazelnuts)
• 1 cup rocket/ arugula leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

Tip: Pre-soak currants in ½ a cup of hot water to soften them up. Drain well before adding.

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, dill and currants in a mixing bowl.

Top and tail the fennel setting the fluffy fronds aside. Halve the bulbs then slice as finely as you can (either using a mandolin, a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler). Add the fennel to the mixing bowl and toss with the dressing to prevent it browning.

Add fennel fronds, almonds and rocket leaves and a good grinding of black pepper and serve.