GOOD FOOD RECIPES

Most food nutritional values have been taken from the Collins gem Calorie Counter book.

Roast Vegetables

Roughly chop the vegetables. add plenty of extra virgin olive oil and pepper, a little salt and dried mixed herbs. Bake for about an hour at gas mark five. The trick is to turn every ten minutes or so to stop burning.

Carb. counts. Swede 2.3, celery 0.8, mushrooms 0.3, onion fried in oil 14, courgettes 2.6, cherry toms. 5, red pepper 7, green pepper 2.6, yellow pepper 5, brussels 4, All numbers per 100 grams.

Salad

A salad made from iceberg lettuce, bacon lardons, avocado pear, olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, add some black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and a tiny amount of salt. Great food for all, whether diabetic or not.

Chocolate sponge pudding

Ingredients:
25g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 heaped teaspoons of xylitol
I large egg
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon double cream
1 level tablespoon of cocoa

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the butter I used a Pyrex jug, add the egg, cream, then add the dry ingredients and mix. Microwave in a 700watt for1 minute 20 seconds.

Flax meal loaf. Tastes fantastic and packed full of great nutrients, a low carb star.

 

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.

 

 

Lowcarb fruits

 

 

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

 

 

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 some butter and it can be a good meal in itself.

 

 

Strawberry Sponge Cake

 

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

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. Microwave in a 700watt for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in half. Spread on extra thick cream and some sliced strawberries. Serves four. Less than five carbs per portion

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Garlic Puree

1small cauliflower and vegetable stock
1 bay leaf 2 cloves garlic
2 table spoons of creme fraiche

Method Serves 2

Cook cauliflower with stock, bay leaf and garlic until tender. Drain, reserve 200ml stock, retain garlic with cauliflower. Puree cauliflower, garlic, stock and creme fraiche. Serve with grilled chops.

 

 

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.

 

 

Celeriac

 

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.

 

Spicy salmon and salad

 

 

Not really a recipe but a little tip and a good food idea, spicy  salmon with a nice crisp salad. Some say the lowcarb 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. For me that's a great plate of lowcarb food, enjoy !

 

 

Champagne Jelly

 

 

Champagne jelly recipe is a Delia one, just substitute 100g zsweet for sugar and top with a blob of whipped cream instead of syllabub, no frosting on grapes either. Tastes really good - well worth it! Please click on link for recipe.

 

Link
 

Breakfast Shake

1/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
2 heaped tablespoons whey powder
1 tablespoon of coconut or olive or macadamia oil
handful of berries (blueberries, raspberries etc)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
sweetener if needed

Place all ingredients in blender and whizz.

If you want additional fibre in your day sprinkle a tablespoon of LSA on top when serving in a glass or stir in a tablespoon of psyllium husk.

 

A sweet lowcarb vegetable treat vegetable candy

1/2 cup xylitol sweetener
1 cup water
juice of 2 limes

Vegetables: Zucchini, sweet potato, spaghetti squash, butternut pumpkin. The peel of red grapefruit (not if you are taking statins) or lemons cut into fine strips is candied peel.

Place first three ingredients in a heavy based saucepan and heat while stirring occasionally. Add the peeled, deseeded vegetables that can be sliced, cut into cubes or cut into chunks and simmer for about 15 minutes to infuse and tenderize the vegetables. Drain the syrup and discard it. Dry the vegetables in a dehydrator or oven.

If oven drying set at lowest temperature, lay on wire racks and leave the oven door slightly ajar. Depending on the size of your pieces this process can take 3+ hours.

Children will love their vegetables as an after dinner treat this way.

Travel Mix
 
Take some of the candied vegetables and add shredded coconut, pepitas, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, macadamias, almonds etc and mix well.  Store in an airtight box and take as a low carb travelling food, pack in children's lunch box or just enjoy at home.
 
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and try not to consume it all on the first day.
 

Summer fruits lowcarb sponge cake

Method:
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.

Ingredients:
200g ground almonds
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
3 medium eggs
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons double cream
 

Low carb starter

A great low carb starter or snack. Mixed leaf salad, cherry tomatoes, radishes, spring onions, cucumber and a low carb. prawn cocktail. Five minutes to prepare and tastes great. Add seasoning to taste.

 

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.

Flax bread Pizza

Recipe coming soon

 

Cannellini Bean, Pancetta & Cabbage Winter Broth with Parsley Pesto

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic 70 gram pack diced pancetta
1 medium carrot, diced 1 stick celery, diced
2 fresh bay leaves 400 grams of cannellini beans
1.2 litres of vegtable or chicken stock 1 pointed cabbage, shredded
20 gram pack fresh of parsley 1 teaspoon capers
4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan

Method Serves 6 ? approximately 10 carbs per serving

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic, pancetta, carrot and celery and cook over a low heat for 10-12 minutes until soft but not browned.

2. Add bay leaves, drained beans and the stock. Season and bring to the boil. Simmer 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves, then puree a third to a half of the soup in a blender until smooth.

3. Return to pan with shredded cabbage. Simmer 6-8 minutes until cabbage is tender.

4. Whizz parsley, capers and remaining oil in a blender to give a coarse paste, then stir in the Parmesan and season to taste.

Serve in warm, deep soup bowls with a spoonful of the pesto stirred through.
 

Raspberry cheese cake

 

Basic Cheesecake

Base

150-200g ground almonds
50-75g butter

Filling

570g cream cheese
100g zsweet (original recipe I adapted from said 180g caster sugar, you can add more or less according to personal taste)
1 tbsp cornflour
4 large eggs, beaten
380ml sour cream (I just add a squirt of lemon juice to double cream)

Method

1. Cover the outside of the cake tin with a double layer of foil, moulding it to the tin, but being careful not to puncture it so it remains watertight.

2. Line the base of a 25cm springform cake tin with the baking parchment.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4.

4. Mix almonds with enough melted butter to gently bind ? minimum possible, you don?t want a paste, just so you can press it on base of tin to make a crust, almonds have lots of oil, too much butter and it will leech out. Almond amounts loose depends on how thick you like your base, for me I don?t want it too thick.

5. Spoon the base into the prepared tin and press down to form an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, then let cool.

6. To make the filling, put the cream cheese and sweetener in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the cornflour, followed by the eggs in about 4 batches. When smooth, beat in the sour cream. Pour the mixture over the crumb base. Set the cake tin in a roasting tin and pour very hot water into the roasting tin to come just over half-way up the sides of the cake tin.

7. Transfer the tins to the oven and bake, at the same temperature, for 45-50 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set in the centre, if necessary leave in another few minutes but in my oven 50 minutes is max.

8. Remove the cheesecake from its water bath, let cool on a wire rack, then chill, preferably overnight, before removing the foil and unmolding the cheesecake. You can make early on the day you wish to serve it but it needs several hours to cool and chill. Serve at room temperature.

Variations

Add 2 teaspoons ground ginger to almonds before adding butter, then serve with rhubarb and ginger compote made with rhubarb stewed with ginger and sweetener, or even better roasted with ginger and sweetener.
Add zest of 2 unwaxed lemons to cheesecake mix when you add sour cream.
Serve topped with berries or a berry compote
Enjoy with whatever your blood sugars allows!

The cake can be divided into portions and frozen. Do serve at room temperature as it tastes far better. This cheese cake is quick and easy to make with a lovely texture. Don?t forget to adapt to your own taste re. base thickness and amount of sweetener.

 

Italian style Courgette Soup

Ingredients
1kg/2?lb green courgettes cut lengthways into quarters then into 1cm/?in slices
60ml/2fl oz extra virgin olive oil
15g/?oz garlic cloves, chopped
750ml/1? pint chicken stock
60ml/2fl oz single cream
Italian basil leaves, chopped
continental parsley, chopped
50g/2oz freshly grated Reggiano parmesan
sea salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Method
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan.
2. Cook the garlic, basil, salt and courgettes slowly for approximately 10 minutes, until the courgettes are lightly browned and very soft.
3. Add some pepper and stock and simmer for 8 minutes, uncovered. Remove from the heat.
4. Put ? of the soup into a food processor and process until smooth.
5. Return to the pan and stir in the cream, parsley and parmesan.
6. To serve, place in a bowl and sprinkle with cheese and some pepper.

 

Flax crackers

          

Measure six tablespoons of ground golden flax meal into a mixing bowl. Add a few shakes of dried dill, onion powder, salt, cayenne pepper and mix well. Add half a small glass of water and mix until all the ingredients come together, then let it 'rest' for a couple of minutes.

Take out an egg sized piece and between two sheets of baking paper, press it down, then roll out quite thinly. Peel back the top layer of baking paper, then to make them look good, cut out in fancy tiny circles with a very small biscuit cutter, and place the shapes on a baking paper covered, microwave platter.

Zap for 2 minutes in a microwave oven and slide the crunchy biscuits onto a cooling rack. If they are not crunchy enough, you can return them to the microwave oven for more time. Please note ! they will crisp up more as they cool. When cool, store in an airtight container. These can also be cooked in a conventional oven.

Variations: Add some grated parmesan cheese, use half almond meal and half flax meal....... experiment and enjoy.
 

Fish Pie

Buy a fish pie mix from the big supermarkets, around ?3.00. Smoked haddock, salmon and cod. Simmer in double cream, add some salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Cover with mashed swede. Add some grated cheese and cherry toms. Cook at gas mark 5 for 25-30 minutes, when golden brown serve. Wash down with a glass or two chardonnay. Sublime food and low carb.

Butternut Pumpkin & Cauliflower Soup

Butternut Pumpkin & Cauliflower Soup
 
Butternut Pumpkin (squash) peeled & cubed
Cauliflower cut into florets
Courgettes (zucchini) sliced, skin on
Chicken stock
Sour cream
shaved parmesan
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
 
Simmer first four ingredients until tender.  Mash with potato masher or blend in electric blender.
Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in sour cream and sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese as it is served.  Sliced spring onions to top it would also make a delicious garnish.
Note: no quantities are listed as it is all about what you have on hand in your low carb kitchen. 

Hot Camembert and salad.

This makes a great starter or maybe a main course. Hot Camembert and salad. Salad is ice burg lettuce, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes, red pepper and mushroom. These camembert?s usually come with a jam sauce, junk it.
 

The cauliflower is a wondrous thing indeed. Sadly, no soaring poetic eulogies to this low carb foot soldier were available at the time of going to press. Instead, let this recipe for cauliflower cheese raise your spirits but not your blood sugar. Honestly, I could happily eat just this for dinner.

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).
Now compose an ode to the cauliflower.

Fresh Berries

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

Leek and fish bake

Recipe coming soon

Swede Rosti

Cut a swede into large chunks or strips and put through a food processor fitted with a fine slicing blade. Or grate with a coarse cheese grater. Put the sliced raw swede into a mixing bowl and add some olive oil and three egg yolks per medium sliced swede. Mix well with a spoon and place a handful of mix into a steel ring. I use one 3.5" dia.x 2" deep. Get a cup or glass and compress the mix until firm within the ring, remove the ring. Rosti will be around an inch thick. Make up more until you have used all your mix. You can then fry them straight away in oil or butter or store them in a fridge. Carbs. around three per rosti or 100 grams.
 

Stilton with Grapes and Red Wine

 

Typical nutritional values per 100 grams

Stilton Cheese
Calories: 410, Protein: 23.7g, Carb: 0.1g, Fat: 35g, Fibre: nil.

Black Grapes
Calories: 60, Protein: 0.4g, Carb: 15.4, Fat: 0.1g, Fibre: n/a

Red Wine per 100ml.
Calories: 68, Protein: 0.1g, Carb: 0.2, Fat: 0g, Fibre: n/a

 

Shepherds Pie

Use the standard recipe but substitute the mashed potato with grated cauliflower or mashed swede.

 

Ultimate Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
750g of chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 slicks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed,
2 bay leaves
750ml chicken or vegetable stock
100ml double cream
100g pureed celeriac (a great side dish, keep a little aside for the soup!)
large handful chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil

Fry the onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the stock, bay leaves and chicken pieces, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and allow to cool before breaking the meat into small bite sized pieces.
Meanwhile, quarter and fry the mushrooms in olive oil, or butter, until well coloured. Stir the celeriac into the liquid to thicken it. Add the chicken and mushrooms, double cream, and season to taste. Just before serving, add the parsley and remove the bay leaves.
This is substantial enough to have on its own, but some low carb bread is a great with it too.
Bon appetite.
 

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients.
Skinless boneless chicken breasts ( one per person )
1 large onion
100 grams of chestnut mushrooms
50 grams of butter
A small cauliflower
A quarter pint of chicken stock, salt and pepper.
A small pot of sour cream
Lots of paprika pepper.

Cut the chicken into thin slices, half mushrooms through the stalk.
Melt the butter and gently fry the chicken for 5 minutes, or until they have lost their pinkness. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
Add the chopped onion and fry for about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and fry for two minutes. Return the chicken with the stock. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season, stir in cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve onto a bed of finely grated fried cauliflower and add plenty of paprika pepper.
 

Fergus' Low Carb Walnut Bread

JAG BANTAR 'CARBOLIGHT ' BREAD

JAG BANTAR ?CARBOLIGHT? IS A NEW TYPE OF BREAD WHICH WILL SOON BE ON SALE IN THE UK, BOTH IN SHOPS AND TO ORDER.

IT IS A VERY LOW GI LOAF, HIGH IN FIBRE AND PROTEIN, BUT SUGAR FREE AND VERY LOW IN STARCH. THE INGREDIENTS IN A TYPICAL LOAF ARE ENTIRELY NATURAL, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHEMICAL ADDITIVES OR PRESERVATIVES OF ANY KIND.

 AVAILABLE IN THREE DELICIOUS VARIETIES: WHEAT BRAN, PARMESAN & LINSEED, AND WALNUT, THIS IS A HIGH QUALITY ARTISAN BREAD WITH A MINIMAL EFFECT ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.

 ?CARBOLIGHT? IS PERFECT FOR EVERYONE LOOKING TO CONTROL THEIR BLOOD SUGAR AND THEIR WEIGHT. IT DOES CONTAIN SOME GLUTEN. WITH A CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT OF 4.25g PER 100g, IT HAS LITTLE IMPACT ON BLOOD GLUCOSE AND INSULIN. WHEN THESE ARE STABLE, OUR HEALTH BENEFITS IN MANY IMPORTANT WAYS. MORE DETAILS COMING SOON.

 PRODUCT                WEIGHT        CARBOHYDRATE  PROTEIN      FAT

 JAG BANTAR             400g               17g                           124g         47g

This great bread is now available via mail order, contact Fergus at jagbantar@hotmail.co.uk for details.

More good food ideas coming soon