Support and ideas for those on low-carb diet

I think removing the skin could be the way to go, although it doesn't look as good and duck skin is wonderful! The dried figs though, maybe they are just as much of a problem?

I make wraps with chickpea flour, let me know how the crunchy biscuits go, please? Blarsted PT, it wrote flower!

Rain has stopped play in the garden. Tonight we are having shark steaks, with asparagus, mangetouts and spinach from the garden, and hollandaise sauce. It's getting to be almost a weekly meal, we just vary the fish!

Strawberries, gooseberries and raspberries from the garden to follow. I shall miss Summer Pudding.

We are having a dinner party tomorrow and I have just made little spicy biscuits with chickpea flour to have with cheese. It was very easy and it is only 50g of low GI carbs per American cupful. Will let you know how they work!
Sorry about the tears fumanchu. Was it joy or sorrow? The kebabs are really easy. You soak the dried figs in armagnac, chop a duck breast into largeish chunks (I think our magret here in France are a bit leaner than in the UK), thread them onto skewers and stick them on the barbecue. Five minutes preparation, max.

We can't help having occasional longings for things we shouldn't have, can we. I am starting to realise that it's never going to be easy for me to eat chocolate with a very high cocoa content, as well as the gluten free stuff. Yesterday, as DS was coming home for the weekend, I bought a beautiful huge loaf full of all different seeds. It looks and smells amazing, I hate going anywhere near it! DBH now cuts and slices his nice loaves and freezes them so I don't have to suffer, but with two of the eating it there's no need. I shall just have to pretend it isn't there.

As time passes, it worries me less and less though. Also, it's wonderful to see my clothes becoming looser. I have calculated my calories every day, and I'm not eating fewer calories, just different ones and I really wish there was an easy way to explain it to people.

This diet is ideal for diabetics. And if you stick to meat or fish or meat substitutes and loads of vegetables there's little or no lactose or gluten to worry about.

Take heart, fumanchu. A low carb diet doesn't have to be high in fat. There are plenty of recipes for chicken and fish and other proteins where you can lower the fat content if you wish. Those of us who are posting on here have found that once you get into the swing of things you find you are actually eating lots of vegetables - especially leafy ones and there is nowhere near as much fat in the diet as you may have been led to believe by all the nay sayers.

Dairy products are obviously a problem for you but as you are probably already substituting lactose free ingredients you should be able to modify low carb recipes to suit.

You may find you actually enjoy cooking....Good Luck!!

I'm reading this thread backwards because I'm new to the forum and desperately need ideas on food. Hopwever, I got to the post that mentions duck breast kebabs with figs and soaked in Armagnac, and then I started to cry [cry].
I hate cooking with a passion. I'm lactose intolerant and iffy with gluten, so need to watch them. I have gallstones or an inflamed GB so need to watch the fat. Husband is diabetic. So between us its bloody awful trying to sort out meals! lol But I do believe LC is the best way to eat.

It's hard not to be judgemental when you see the size of some people Mamie and see what they eat - we all have choices to make.

Ham not hem (don't want to sound like a BBC announcer from the 1950s.

Salmon recipe sounds lovely Merlot. Love hem and eggs (except when I am in Spain when it seems to make up about half the meals on offer).
Whisper it softly, but I think I am getting a bit judgeypants about the way some people eat. We had a lunch party the other day and some people went round the table about three times. I thought "you really don't neeeed that".
Oh dear.

I can't even look at a high carb meal now.

Tonight we're having salmon with raisin and caper puree which I saw being made on a food programme the other night but I can't remember which one. I've halved the quantities and it looks quick and easy to make.

DGS is coming for supper tomorrow night and he adores ham, egg and chips so we'll be having the ham and eggs with salad.

Brilliant results, Mamie

That's good to hear Mamie and your celebratory meal has me drooling!

Took GS1 out for lunch today (off for INSET day) the fellow at the next table was very fat, overflowing his seat but thankfully the tables were spaced well apart. He had a huge baked potato, filled to overflowing with beans and cheese and small side salad on the same plate. He complained loudly that he hadn't asked for salad and made the waitress take it away and remove the greens. Then he ate the potato, a portion of chips and a big slice of chocolate cake.

Some people just don't get it!

Went for blood tests today; both down again in cholesterol and fasting blood sugar (glycémie a jeun think that's the translation) and both at lower end of norms.
I am actually quite impressed with the use of IT for this; we went in at 7.30 and the results were on the "mes analyses" website by 4pm.
So we are celebrating with prosecco, kebabs of duck breasts and figs soaked in armagnac, green salad and a tiny potato salad made from our first baby potatoes (rosabelle) from the garden.
Hurrah for the low-carb régime!

We had lunch at a big Wyevale near Chelmsford yesterday. I had a peach, mozzarella and parma ham salad - it was delicious. DBh looked at it and said, even five years ago places like this would have been only selling shepherd's pie and fish and chips! He was right, I remember my sister walking me back out of one six years ago in disgust at the 'old people's food'!

Thanks all. Will also do olives, feta in some sort of charcuterie, feta in the tiny round red peppers (if I can find a jar anywhere) and possibly guacamole with some carrot and celery sticks.
Still pondering whether I should provide a carb with the cheese course.....
Last night we had wonderfully fresh red mullet baked with pancetta and tarragon. Tonight is barbecued beef.

Can you eat a baked Camembert on the move? Planning just that as starter with guacamole and veg sticks for lunch with friends today. Let's hope for sunshine

Olives, various. Maybe some cubes of feta wrapped in cured meat strips? I do love things I can shove on cocktail sticks. I like prunes wrapped in bacon with an almond sliver in the centre. Buy some puff pastry, roll out and cut into cubes, place one anchovy on a cube, top with another, roll it out flatter and sprinkle with parmesan before baking. Slices of sausages arranged on a plate.

Ideas please!
Planning a barbecue with friends next weekend so have a week to think about it..
Main course will be marinated barbecued herby leg of lamb. With it we will do escalivada; aubergine, peppers, onions, courgettes barbecued whole in their skins, peeled, sliced and drizzled in olive oil.
Pudding will be large bowl of strawberries and cherries (from garden and my friend's tree) served with thick local cream. Will also do a cheese board (unsure whether there should be a concessionary carb here).
Starters? We like nibbles we can eat while barbecueing and peeling the veg, so nothing we need to sit down for. I will do dates wrapped in bacon, plus???

We drove up the (new) A11 last Wednesday, janer. DH was horrified surprised to discover how quickly we reached the turn off to Elveden.

Maybe it will no longer be just a Christmas pilgrimage

'Flightless Partridge'! That sounds good. I wish I had bought two, it's a bit small. I suppose I could always nip back this morning and get another.

Yes merlot, I make up hampers from there for some relatives. I also found that they sell gluten-free cheese biscuits, which will be useful this Christmas. I thought you might have been there!

My friend hadn't had any breakfast. I started to tell her off - then she just looked at me, marched over to all the big demijohns full of flavoured olive oils and took a handful of bread cubes to dip in each bowl! Apparently balsamic with pomegranate was her favourite.

I have heard squirrel called "flightless partridge". Maybe tell him that is what it is JR?
All this talk of gardens and farm shops is making me envious....

I love it, janer. We usually go fairly near to Christmas because it's great for foodie gifts. I also love the shops in the courtyard.

We'll definitely look out for squirrel.

Do let us know if your DH thinks it tastes like chicken. Isn't that the answer to everything?

My favourite garden, merlot!

They did have cake - the most amazing chocolate cake. I would never have known it was gluten free. I just had a mixed salad for lunch to compensate.

We go to our local farm shop for coffee. It's very posh indeed, I buy a cheese for DBH while I am there and often some meat, as they have ostrich, venison, wild boar and so on, most of it from the Estate (Elveden). This time however I bought - Squirrel. Do I tell DBH before or after he eats it?

merlot You would probably like it there, if you are passing through. It's the poshest farm shop I have ever seen.

www.elveden.com/

It's just off the A11.

Yes, Anya it's surprising isn't it when friends/colleagues try to cajole you into having cake, knowing that you're 'dieting' or just not into pastries.

Thankfully I don't have a sweet tooth so all this cake and baking lark has passed me by!

Rib-eye steak and salad for me tonight

Just back from two days of garden visits, lovely walks and fine dining.....Fish, fish and fish in North Norfolk. Most main courses contained very few carbs so I didn't worry about a 'smear' of potato puree and no rice or pasta in sight.

My one weakness was a slice of courgette and lime drizzle cake in the Old Vicarage Gardens....Divine!!

If your DH continues in that heat Mamie he'll have no energy left for flailing, threshing and winnowing as you call it!!