Support and ideas for those on low-carb diet

Beware of the sugar in jars of pasta sauce, loopylou Hidden Carbs!!

DH is sensitive to tinned tomatoes. They make his tongue sore but he's OK with cooked fresh ones.

I know, this is sugar-free from the wholefoods shop, the contents don't include sugar or sugar substitutes, less then 2 grammes of carb and serves 6.
You can always leave that bit out, I only add it if feeding the hoards

I've been using soya mince actually! Great minds etc. Half and half mince and soya when DD is here, as SiL can spot a lack of enough fattiness at 100 yds. My food has always been way too healthy for his liking.

Has anyone else noticed the impact of fluid retention / loss on this diet? We are having an asparagus fest at the moment (last night I made an asparagus and fresh pea frittata) and it definitely seems to have a diuretic effect. I find that I retain fluid in the heat (unsurprising) and also when travelling. My weight has stabilised on 9 stone but I go up and down by about 3lbs depending on the fluids.
Looplou, remember that the theory of this diet is based on low carb but some fat (you don't have to go mad). The evidence seems to be that low carb low fat doesn't work.
By the way the latest low carb bootcamp has just started on Mumsnet. We never did this bit of the diet, but it may be of interest to some.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/low_carb_bootcamp/2375868-Week-1-May-Low-Carb-Bootcamp-Off-we-go

I noticed a loss in fluid retention right from the start, Mamie. I think that's why it's important to drink lots of water. I also think that's why my joint pain has eased.

I can't believe how quickly we get through vegetables and salad ingredients. I can hardly shut the fridge door after I've unloaded a shop but by Wednesday it's all gone. My larder shelves are looking empty as well and now I can't remember what was cluttering them up!

Same here with salad, veg and fruit here Merlot. (I know others don't eat much fruit on this diet). We seem to go to Lidl (freshest fruit and veg and getting better at organic) almost every other day. However, we have our own lettuces now which helps. We have put masses of stuff in this year so I suspect we will do nothing but pick, prepare and process huge amounts of food in the summer, and we still haven't finished last year's ratatouille and minestrone!

I agree about the vegetables. I don't keep mine in the fridge as one part of my kitchen is very cool and they are usually all used up in a couple of days.

Instead they all go into my old 2-storey iron veg rack. They do make a colourful display and I get comments about them from visitors who can't believe we get through so much and varied vegetables.

Things like celery I keep in a vase on the window sill so they don't droop. And we have our own lettuce and spicy salad mix just outside the back door in a big trug.

I keep my celery in a big old mug on the windowsill too, and chop it into things like millet instead of parsley.

Speaking of millet, I ran out of quinoa, so decided to use millet instead. I put a pound back on this week, I was really cross!

According to my scales I've lost 20lbs overnight. This diet is amazing

Ha Ha, Anya. My scales give an incredible result if I'm not wearing my specs!!

Breakfast ideas anyone? I'm now eating a slice of Ryvita with a boiled egg which is yummy and a nice change from scrambled eggs which DH adores and would eat every day if I let him

We have blueberries in Greek yoghurt some mornings and bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes on Sunday mornings.

Tonight we're having Thai fish curry with cauli rice.

Is that the Ainsley Harriot Thai Fish Curry Merlot?

Think my scales are knackered. Had them 20+ years so they don't owe me anything.

I'm very boring breakfast-wise. Usually blueberries and raspberries with double cream - quick and easy.

Possible breakfast idea.

Line muffin tin with parma ham. Drop in an egg
Top with a spoonful of cream and grate parmasan on top. Fresh ground black pepper.

Bake

I do something like that! With mushrooms too. In ramekins.

I was feeling very envious for a moment there, anya.

I had fresh pineapple and cream this morning, it felt very decadent. It wasn't though - DBH bought two for £1.50 from the market, very ripe so just had to be eaten up.

Thanks. I'll try the ham and egg thingy.

It's an Atkins recipe, Anya.

uk-mealplanner.atkins.com/atkins-recipes/view-recipe.html?id=2049

I have just eaten the weirdest noodles. I have to go out early tonight, so decided to have prawns, garlic, red chilli and rocket on noodles and cook enough for some now, the rest a bit later. My sister gave me a pack suitable for coeliacs with no starch in them, and only 6 or 7 calories per 100 gms. They are called Slim Noodles, and are made from a vegetable fibre called Moyu.

Well, at first, my teeth literally bounced off them, and I was thinking, this is just like eating thin rubber bands without the horrible taste. As prawns are a bit bouncy too, that didn't help much. But by half way through I was used to it and quite liked them.

I see now why she gave me some, if you buy 16 packets they are cheaper.

www.nowslim.com/product.php?productid=232&gclid=CNO0yMyjwcUCFQ_MtAod6UkAEA

You can get them in Holland & Barrett as well.

I had those last night janerowena with a bolognais type sauce. I agree about the rubber band sensation, but they are a useful standby aren't they?

I was thinking that, I shall buy a load of them I think. I was saying to a friend tonight, they have to be the healthiest fastest ready-meal ingredient I have ever come across. I might try them out on the GCs and tell them they have rubber bands for tea. I could colour them first.

Hate the things. Tried them once and never again. These are processed junk.....let's keep to real food folks.

If you want hoodies then spiralise real food.

Lunch today is a sort of mini Nicoise, with salad leaves, hard-boiled eggs and a small tin of tuna mashed in mayo. For dinner, I am doing a casserole of chicken with sage, tomatoes, borlotti beans (frozen from our garden) and butternut squash. You marinade the chicken overnight in oil, vinegar and herbs and roast the squash before adding it at the end. Haven't tried it before!

I might try that, Mamie. DH is out fishing all day so I usually put something in the slow cooker as I'm never sure what time we're going to eat. I can marinate the chicken thighs for a couple of hours and I have some borlotti beans in the freezer as well

Here Merlot
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/07/foodanddrink.chicken
You can decide whether the honey os ok or not (I used it!)

Is not os obvs. I decided tinned tomato might be a bit overwheming so will use some fresh ones instead.

Is there any way without a food processor to make cauliflower rice, or should I just settle for mash?

Do you have a double-bladed hachoir/mezzaluna? I use that if just chopping enough for me.

I think the ex got the mezzaluna!

I've broken it into florets and put to roast with olive oil and spices.