The low carb food pyramid.

Contrary to what some people will tell you, us low carbers do not base our food on saturated fat. We start with vegetables (non starchy) then add proteins, then healthy fats, nuts, seeds and low carb fruit. Check out the food pyramid, it is the very opposite to the food pyramid that has led to the epidemics of obesity, heart disease and type two diabetes.

Lowcarb Pear, Cinnamon and cream sponge cake.

Ingredients:
100g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
2 tablespoons of double cream
2 tea spoons of cinnamon

120 grams of pear quarters 

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Almonds, baking powder and cinnamon.
Melt the butter, I use a Pyrex jug, add the eggs, cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour mix into a 6" x 3" micro-wave safe glass dish, cook at 700 watts for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in half. Spread on extra thick cream and add tinned pear quarters, dust with cinnamon powder. Serves four. 

Lowcarb vegetarian and vegan food ideas.

A quick internet search might lead you to think that low carbers and vegetarians or vegans don’t mix. However, I don’t see why this should be, since there are plenty of foods that can form a balanced low carb vegan diet. In this article you will find suggestions for a low carb menu plan, some nutritional info and a list of low carb vegan foods.

Vegan/vegetarian low carb meal suggestions.

Breakfast:

Tofu scramble or omelette/ scrambled eggs or omelette 

Yoghurt with ground nuts and bran and some red fruit 

Hot soy milk with ground nut and bran cereal (beats oatmeal any day)

Smoothie with red fruit 

Slices of nut bread and a cup of hot soy milk cocoa

Lunch: 

Low carb bread sandwich with cheese, nut butter or (vegan) mayo and veggies (see link section below for a nice vegan bread recipe)

Salad with lettuce or cabbage, some seeds, spicy tofu or tempeh (or cheese) and a dressing of oil, tahini or mayo.

Vegan kebab or gyros and sauce in a lettuce wrap

Soup with (soy) cream, veggies and protein.

Leftovers from yesterday’s dinner.

Dinner: 

Cauliflower or celeriac mashed with cream, sautéed kale and mushrooms, veg*an sausage

Indian curry with coconut milk, veggies and protein 

Stir fried veggies and protein with soy sauce

Baked pumpkin with thyme, celeriac mash and a vegan burger

Seitan veggie stew based on soy flour roux

Vegan meatloaf with veggies and mushroom gravy

Chili with veggies and mincemeat analogue

Shepherd’s pie with vegan meat and mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes

Spinach quiche made with eggs or pureed tofu.

Baked vegetable gratin with cream and/or cheese, vegans can use soy or nut cream mixed with nutritional yeast (like those used in mac & cheese recipes).

Dessert:

Cheesecake (made with cream cheese or pureed nuts and tofu)

Tofu chocolate mousse

Baked goods ( low carb vegan baking ) 

Snacks: 

Veggies dipped in pesto, olive tapenade, soy bean hummus or guacamole 

Olives

Nuts and seeds

Avocado

Lowcarb trifle !

Ingredients: Serves 6-8
100 grams of ground almonds

1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
2 tablespoons of double cream

A pack of frozen lowcarb summer fruits

300ml of extra thick cream

A handful of toasted flaked almonds

2 x 12.5 grams of instant jelly crystals

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the butter, I use a Pyrex jug, add the eggs, double cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 6" microwave proof dish. Microwave in a 700watt for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and break up the sponge into small pieces.

 Layer up in a Pyrex bowl ( 7" wide by 4" deep ) the fruit, and sponge. Pour over the lowcarb raspberry liquid jelly and allow to set. Cover the top with extra thick cream and  toasted flaked almonds.

Cauliflower Cheese

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower, broken into bite sized florets
140ml double cream
125g mature cheddar cheese
1-2 tea spoons dijon mustard
1 large free range egg
salt & pepper

Steam the cauliflower (in a colander over a pan of boiling water) until a fork passes easily through the stems. Remove to a baking dish and discard the water.

Pour the cream, cheese (reserve some to sprinkle over the dish) and mustard into the pan over a medium heat and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg. Now pour the mixture over the cauliflower and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake in a fan oven at 170 until the cauliflower is golden brown (30-35 minutes).

Cauliflower featured great food of the week.

The cauliflower is one of the most versatile foods in the low carbers recipe book. From cauliflower cheese to finely grated as a rice substitute or mash with butter and use as a topping for shepherds and fish pies etc. With minimal carb content and over three times the vitamin C as potatoes, a truly great food.  

Kale a true wonder food !

Kale a fantastic food packed full of great nutrients and anti-oxidants.Steam for about five minutes add some grated Parmesan cheese and some mixed herbs. Tastes good and a true lowcarb star.

Great grub if time is short !

OK a cheat. Waitrose Charlie Bighams's ready meal, Thai green chicken curry, ten carbs per portion.  The meal tastes fabulous, and is highly recommended.

Kedgeree

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 small cauliflower, grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
 2 table spoons of Patak's Madras curry paste
3 boiled eggs (8 minutes in boiling water), quartered
250g smoked haddock, or unsmoked salmon is also good, poached in water for 5 minutes
Lots of finely chopped parsley, or coriander
Some lemon wedges to serve

Fry the onion in olive oil or butter until soft. Add the curry paste and fry for 3-4 minutes more. Now add the grated cauliflower and cook until all the ingredients are well coloured, maybe 8-10 minutes. Add the flaked fish, then the herbs and finally the eggs. Salt and pepper to taste, then spoon onto warmed plates with the lemon wedges.

A great meal served anytime of day. Will keep you going for hours. Low carb and will keep those BG numbers to non diabetic, very tasty. 

A day of vegan low carbing could look like this.

Breakfast: soy yoghurt with a few tablespoons of ground nuts and fibre in it and maybe a few strawberries or other red fruit.

Lunch: Salad with greens, some seeds, marinated baked tofu strips and an oil-dressing or vegan mayo.

Dinner: Spicy tomato curry with a nice splash of oil, coconut milk, low carb veggies and a decent amount of vegetarian protein like seitan (from wheat gluten), tempeh or anything like that.

Desert: tofu chocolate pudding (this tastes amazing, everybody should try it)

Snacks: nuts, olives, avocado, spicy baked tofu strips, veggies with low carb dip, baked goods made with flax meal, almond meal, wheat gluten, soy flour etc.

That would take you to a daily carb intake of 60-70 grams, not really low, but much lower than what most vegetarians consume.

Plant-based dairy alternatives, such as unsweetened soy milk, soy yoghurt, nut milk and soy cream can be included in a low carb diet, especially since they are often lower in carbs than their dairy counterparts, since they do not contain lactose (a.k.a. milk sugar).

From our new friend in Holland.

Low Carb Cauliflower Rice

Christmas pudd. Lowcarb Of course !

Ingredients:
100 grams ground almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
2 tablespoons of double cream

100 grams of lowcarb thawed frozen fruits. Blueberries, blackcurrants and strawberries.

60 grams of 90-95% cocoa dark chocolate

Two tea spoons of cocoa powder

One large shot of brandy

A handful of almond flakes and broken walnuts
Extra thick cream

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the butter, I use a Pyrex jug, add the eggs, cream, and fruit. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Pour into a medium size Pyrex mixing bowl. Microwave in a 700watt for 5 minutes. Turn out upside-down onto five layers of kitchen paper on a flat plate. Zap in micro-wave for a further two minutes. Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl standing in a saucepan of boiling water. Pour over pudding and serve with a scoop of extra thick cream. Serves four.

Great lowcarb bread !

Nutritional Information: If you cut this loaf into 12 thick slices each slice has less than 1 gram of effective carbohydrate, 5 grams fibre, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.

 Flax meal loaf. Weight of cooked loaf 742 grams.

Ingredients.

2 cups of ground flax seeds (280 grams)

5  eggs

Half a cup of water

One third of a cup of liquid butter

One table spoon of baking powder

One tea spoon of salt

Added mixed dried herbs

Method

Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk. Add the butter and water. Place the flax in another bowl and add baking powder, salt and herbs and mix.… Add the wet mix to the dry mix and mix thoroughly. Place the mix into a non stick bread tin and bake at gas mark 7 for 55 minutes, electric fan oven 200c for 55 minutes. All ovens are different, so you will have to experiment a bit. Add some walnuts and sun dried toms into the mix and you have meal in itself. Just add that lovely butter. The beauty of this bread is that it is easy to make, and requires no cooking skills or special equipment.

To spice this bread up, add walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, what ever you like.

Lowcarb summer fruits cake.

Ingredients:
100 grams ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
2 tablespoons of double cream

100 grams of thawed summer fruits 

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the butter I used a Pyrex jug, add the eggs, cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix. Pour into a 6" microwave proof dish. Microwave in a 700watt for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in half. Spread on extra thick cream and add 100 grams of Sainsbury's defrosted summer fruits, serves four. 

Another variation on our lowcarb almond flour cake recipes.

Brussel sprouts a true wonder food !

Brussels sprouts are rich in many valuable nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. They are a very good source of numerous nutrients including folate, vitamin A, manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and thiamin (vitamin B1) and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, phosphorus, protein, magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin E, copper and calcium. In addition to these nutrients, Brussels sprouts contain numerous disease-fighting phytochemicals including sulforaphane, indoles, glucosinolates, isothiocynates, coumarins, dithiolthiones, and phenols.

For more good food information please visit this great site.

Lowcarb bread roll-bap

Ingredients.

Ground flax seed 40 grams.

Ground almond meal 40 grams.

Baking powder one teaspoon.

A pinch of salt.

One medium sized egg.

One tablespoon of olive oil.

One tablespoon of double cream.

Method

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl, then add the wet ingredients. When thoroughly mixed, pour/spoon into a micro wave proof dish. This bread was made in a Pyrex dish 6" by 2" deep.

　
Heat in a micro-wave oven 700 watt, for 120 seconds. This is a very filling bread and should keep you going for hours.

Broccoli

 

  Broccoli contains almost 5 times as much vitamin C, 8 times as much Calcium, and almost 2.5 times as much Fibre as Potato.  

Portobello mushrooms with pate and cheddar cheese

This food works well as a starter, snack or a main course served with a salad. Portobello mushrooms filled with pate. Cook in an oven at 200c for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with grated cheddar cheese and cook for a further 5 minutes. Easy, lowcarb and tastes great.

The Worlds Healthiest Foods Book

I have lost count of the times I have referred to the Worlds Healthiest Foods website, a fantastic resource of very in depth information on food. From nutrient values to the best way to cook, it is a masterpiece.

After using the free website for a couple of years, I thought it was pay back time, and purchased the book from Amazon, price including postage £28. Maybe it should be renamed ‘the worlds heaviest food book’ ! At 880 pages, close to A4 size and two inches thick in paper back, it’s one hell of a beast.

I cannot recommend it highly enough, the book is not aimed at diabetics, or low carbers, but I believe the book will be priceless, for anyone wanting to understand what good food is all about, and the correct way to prepare and cook, without wasting vital nutrients and flavours. In my opinion, this book is fantastic value for money, and an absolute must have for all foodies, check it out on the website below.

http://whfoods.org/

King prawns cooked in butter, garlic and seasoning.

King prawns cooked in butter, garlic and seasoning. Swede boiled and mashed with lots of butter. Purple sprouting broccoli with a knob of butter. Delicious and very low carb.

Fennel

From the same family as the herb and seed of the same name, it's also known as Florence fennel, finocchio, or sweet fennel, is very popular in Italian cookery. When eaten raw, the texture is crisp and the flavour is quite assertive and anisseedy. Cooked, it's softer and more mellow.

Bangers and celeriac mash

Bangers and celeriac mash with roast fennel and green beans.

Sausages are Sainsbury’s very lowcarb, ultimate outdoor bred 97% pork, at 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams, i.e. 3 sausages 200 grams 2.4 grams of carb. Add the mashed celeriac, fresh green beans and fennel. A very tasty meal and very lowcarb, a very easy to prepare meal.

Peel a celeriac and cut into small chunks around an inch square, about 25mm in new money. Boil or steam for around 15 minutes. Drain off water and mash with a couple of knobs of butter. Place the sausages in a Pyrex dish and add the fennel with a little butter. Roast at 200 c for around thirty minutes, turning every 10 minutes, ladle some fat over the fennel. Warm up the mashed celeriac in a micro wave for a couple of minutes. Pour over some gravy (a beef oxo cube) Voila, a great lowcarb and tasty meal. It won’t break the bank and shouldn’t raise BG numbers to an unacceptable level.

Avocado Pear with Prawns

Avocado Pear with Prawns, a splash of 1000 Island Dressing and Paprika.

Fresh Berries

Some low carb fruits. Strawberries 6 grams. Blackberries 5.1 grams. Raspberries 4.6 grams. per 100 grams.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a great tasting food and packed full of great nutrients, with next to no effect on blood glucose levels. Go for it, add a large knob of butter and it can be a good meal in itself.

Celeriac Dauphinouse

Celeriac is one of the lowcarb mega stars. Much tastier than potatoes, lowcarb and unlike other root vegetables, which store a large amount of starch, celery root is only about 5-6% starch by weight. Collins Gem calorie counter states flesh only boiled 1.9 grams of carb per 100 grams.

Celeriac may be used raw or cooked. It has a tough, furrowed, outer surface which is usually sliced off before use because it is too rough to peel. Celeriac has a celery flavour, and is often used as a flavouring in soups and stews; it can also be used on its own, usually mashed, or used in casseroles, gratins and baked dishes. It can be roasted like a potato, giving it a crispy edge.

Celeriac is not available in some supermarkets. I get mine from Waitrose who sell two types ordinary and organic. Ordinary £1.79 per kilo.
　
Celeriac Dauphinoise
1 celeriac
300ml double cream
100 grams mature cheddar cheese, grated
Dried mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Optional 2 cloves garlic

Cut the celeriac into quarters then peel. Slice the celeriac into 5 mm thick pieces. Place a layer in a baking dish and add some double cream and dried herbs, salt and pepper. Continue layering up. Place in a hot oven 200 centigrade and cook for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and add a layer of grated cheddar cheese. Place back in oven and cook until cheese is golden brown. Serves 4

One of my favourite foods this dish goes with anything, meat, fish and even tastes great warmed up for breakfast with a couple of poached eggs and some mushrooms, or try with some kippers, great grub at anytime for sure and won’t raise BG.

Fish and leek cheese bake

Buy a fish pie mix from your local supermarket, usually cod, smoked haddock and salmon. Place in an oven proof dish. Chop up two leeks and place over the fish. Cover fish and leeks with double cream and top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 200c or until golden brown. Very lowcarb, takes 5 minutes to prepare and tastes great. Wash down with a couple of glasses of chilled white wine, Bon Appétit !

Mini pork belly joint with caramelised apple and shallot stuffing

Mini pork belly joint with caramelised apple and shallot stuffing (Sainsbury's) 6.4 grams carb per half pack, which includes two portions. Served with roast celeriac and micro waved cabbage and spring greens. A great meal and around ten grams of carb in total. Less than one slice of white bread, think about that !

Chicken, cauliflower cheese and purple sprouting broccoli.

Cut a small cauliflower into florets. Boil until soft. Drain off water and place in a baking dish. Put a cup of double cream in a non stick saucepan and heat (do not allow to boil) add a handful of grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Pour the mix over the cauliflower. Make a little tray with kitchen foil. Get a chicken breast and cover with some sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, and chopped olives. Bake the chicken and cauliflower cheese at 200c for twenty-five minutes. The broccoli takes around 10 minutes in boiling water. Around ten-twelve carbs,  Enjoy !

Luxury Low carb nut Cake

Ingredients

 125 grams of desiccated coconut un sweetened.
100 grams of ground almonds
55 grams golden flax seeds ground
4 beaten eggs
2 table spoons of sugar or sweetener of choice: see note below.
1 table spoon of baking powder
1 table spoon of cinnamon
1 table spoon of ground nutmeg
1 very large slug of Grand Marnier
half a cup of water
third of a cup of melted butter

I also add broken walnuts and almond flakes

Method same as the bread, mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another bowl. Add the wet to the dry and mix thoroughly. Bake for about 50 minutes at gas mark 7 or 200 in an electric oven. A little tip is to check it at around 45 minutes, by taking it out of the non stick tin, I line my tins with a long strip of baking paper, which makes it very easy to remove the cake from the tin. Cut it in half to check it has cooked right through. If not, back in the oven for a bit longer. I reckon the cake is less than 5 carbs for a nice thick slice.

Please note! If you are using aspartame/acesuflame sweetener, remember to reduce the heat to no more than 170 degrees. Above this and you end up with a truly awful taste and no sweetness.
 

Black forest gateau

Ingredients:
100g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
2 tablespoons of double cream
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
100 grams of pitted black cherries

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the butter I used a Pyrex jug, add the eggs, cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix. Pour into a 6" microwave proof dish. Microwave in a 700watt for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in half. Spread on extra thick cream and 100 grams of pitted black cherries.. Serves four.

Crepes

These crepes are virtually carb. free and are very easy to make.

Ingredients.

200 Grams of ricotta cheese

3 eggs

I teaspoon of cinnamon

A splash of milk

Method

Mix the cheese, eggs and cinnamon into a small mixing bowl. Add a slash of milk if the mix is to thick to run freely. Place a small knob of butter into a frying pan, I use a small omelette pan 8". Heat the butter and spoon in 3 table spoons of mix. Fry until firm then turn over and cook for one minute or until the crepe is starting to brown. This mix makes between 6 and 8 crepes. Allow to cool and fill with cream cheese and finely chopped spring onions or smoked salmon and asparagus tips, whatever you like. Roll up the crepe and enjoy. Great at any time and very good for the lunch box or picnics. Also great warmed up with a scoop of low carb ice cream and double cream.

Lowcarb fruits

Black berries, blue berries, kiwi fruit and double cream. Very low carb and delicious.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other organs. They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Rich in vitamin C and very low carb.

Lowcarb salad with bacon lardons.

If you want to reduce BG numbers to non diabetic, if you want to lose excess weight, if you want to stay fit and healthy, this is the food for you. A salad made from iceberg lettuce, bacon lardons, avocado pear, olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil, add some black pepper and a tiny amount of salt. Great food for all, whether diabetic or not. If you should stumble onto this blog, go for it, get your children to eat this way, It can only do them good !

Pork medallions with mixed roast vegetables.

Pork medallions with mixed roast vegetables. Red, green and yellow peppers with onion, tomatoes and mushrooms. Special guest star, roast cubed celeriac. Lowcarb and tastes great !

Pork Medallions with Mixed Roast Vegetables and Roast celeriac.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Two Boneless Pork Loin Chops or Medallions of pork if your supermarket/butcher has some.
Half a Red Pepper
Half a Yellow Pepper
Half a Green Pepper
Half a Celeriac
1 small red onion
1 Tomato (not the small cherry ones)
4 medium to small sized close cup mushrooms
Salt, Pepper, Mixed Herbs
Olive Oil

Method

Prepare Mixed Vegetables:
Deseed peppers then cut into small ‘squares’
Roughly chop the onion
Cut tomato and mushrooms into four.
The ‘left over peppers’ can be kept for another day in a sealed bowl or just wrap in cling film.
Place these vegetables in a Pyrex or similar oven proof dish, add salt, pepper and mixed herbs to taste.
Splash over some olive oil and bake in a pre-warmed oven for about 40 minutes at 200c. Regulo 6. It is important to turn and baste the vegetables every ten minutes or so to stop them from burning.

Cut celeriac in half and then slice and cut into small cubes. Put in a separate oven proof dish, splash over some olive oil and bake in the oven along with the mixed vegetable. Again baste/turn the celeriac every ten minutes or so.

Prepare and Cook Meat.

Cut off any fat (if you prefer) on the meat using scissors or a sharp knife and cut the remaining meat into chunks. Place in a frying pan with a knob of butter (not too hot) turn continuously for about five minutes. To check it is well cooked cut a medallion in half. It should be lightly pink in the centre only.

When serving add a little gravy.

Kiwi fruit

Check out the nutrients in a kiwi fruit. OK at around 10 carbs per 100 grams it’s a bit carby. When you consider the average Kiwi fruit weighs around 70 grams, half is only around 3.5 carbs. Thinly slice and serve with some double cream, great food and very high in vitamin C.

Spicy salmon and salad.

Not really a recipe but a little tip and a good food idea. So tonight’s grub spicy salmon with a nice salad. Some say the low carb way is boring and lacks essential nutrients, eat the colours of the rainbow and stay healthy. This type of food, and minimal or no meds, must be the way forward for not only diabetics, but all people wanting to control their weight and stay healthy.

If you go to the Sainsbury fresh fish counter they offer a nice free of charge service. Select your fresh fish and choose from a very nice range of free cooking sauces. The fish and sauce are placed in sealed oven proof bag. Cook as per instructions and save the sauce. Allow to cool, pour the retained sauce over the fish and serve cold with a mixed salad. A great plate of low carb food, enjoy !

Spinach

One of the truly great foods re. healthy nutrients is spinach. Try some salmon served on a bed of creamy spinach and mascarpone cheese. Absolutely delicious and full of great nutrients !

Summer fruits lowcarb sponge cake

Ingredients:
200g ground almonds
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
3 medium eggs
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons double cream
  
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Melt the butter I used a Pyrex jug, add the eggs and cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add some lowcarb fruits, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries to the mix and spoon into a baking container. I used a silicone bread mould. Microwave in a 700watt for 6 minutes. Take out of the mould, if still damp place upside down on four layers of kitchen paper and microwave for a further one minute. Allow to cool then spread on a layer of extra thick cream, then add fruits to the top. A little tip, allow to cool on four or five layers of kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture. Serve in a bowl with some double cream. Serves eight.

Red Bell Pepper.