Gransnet forums

Dieting & exercise

A new low-carb support thread for 2016

(995 Posts)
Mamie Fri 01-Jan-16 05:59:16

Thought we needed a shiny new thread for the New Year.
The thread is intended to support people who are already on the diet or want to start losing weight / gaining health benefits by low-carbing.
Here is a simple explanation of this way of eating and how it works.
www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
You do not have to count calories, weigh anything, exercise furiously or feel hungry.
You do have to cut out sugar and sugar-substitutes and avoid starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice and pasta.
You need to eat lots of vegetables (especially those grown above ground) and protein which can be cheese, eggs, meat, fish etc. You can eat olive oil, butter and other natural fats. You can eat limited amounts of fruit, dark chocolate and some alcoholic drinks in moderation.
You need to avoid anything labelled low-fat and most processed food and drink.
Here is a link to the Mumsnet low-carb bootcamp thread, for those who want to lose weight more quickly than the diet adopted by most people on the existing Gransnet thread.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/low_carb_bootcamp
Here is a link to the original Gransnet thread - though there is absolutely no need to plough through it before you start. grin
www.gransnet.com/forums/dieting_and_exercise/1214778-Support-and-ideas-for-those-on-low-carb-diet

We aim to help each other by offering ideas, recipes and support. Welcome aboard!

Riverwalk Sat 23-Apr-16 08:52:24

Thank you for the reminder of belly pork Anya I was meaning to add that to my Ocado order.

I'm off to the hairdresser soon so will quarter the cabbage and put it dry in the slow-cooker with butter and black pepper - might regret this when I get back home if the place stinks of cooked cabbage!

shysal Sat 23-Apr-16 09:19:03

Not exotic but tasty. Shred cabbage adding seasoning, and a large knob of butter then cover with bacon rashers. Place a piece of kitchen paper on top to catch splashes, then microwave until bacon crisp and cabbage cooked. Drain any liquid then chop the bacon and mix in before serving.

whitewave Sat 23-Apr-16 11:27:18

Slag Bol tonight with courgette spaghetti. First time I've tried that, Mamie says to fry in olive oil.

BBbevan Sat 23-Apr-16 11:47:10

YesAnya you are right. I will have a proper look at my Hairy Dieters book and adapt some recipes. Just about to start on Oopsie bread and the soft low-carb loaf. It says it makes great toast. Lovely on Sunday morning with thick butter mmmm.

Mamie Sat 23-Apr-16 11:55:36

More lightly toss in olive oil whitewave. grin
I do steamed cabbage tossed in butter and lemon juice, gives it a nice fresh flavour.
Where did spring go today?
Soup for lunch and sea bream with spinach and creme fraiche tonight.

whitewave Sat 23-Apr-16 11:59:41

Oh!!! Good job I mentioned it.

Cold here to although nice in the greenhouse when the sun shines. Just been repotting all my conservatory plants and planted a terrarium.

Mamie Sat 23-Apr-16 12:08:04

I would only toss it for about a minute or it will disintegrate.
Wet and miserable here. Have just moved my lovely new bourgainvillea into the potting shed because we have a frost forecast tonight.

Riverwalk Sat 23-Apr-16 14:30:51

Savoy cabbage alert!

Do not put it quartered with only a big blob of butter and seasoning to keep it company in the slow-cooker and go out for four hours shock

I was hoping it wouldn't stink the place out on my return - not only is there a stink but it's burnt! Looks quite attractive and 'caramelised' but tastes awful.

That'll learn me!

BBbevan Sat 23-Apr-16 15:07:52

Pale lilac bread anyone?

seacliff Sat 23-Apr-16 15:32:50

Re courgetti etc, I've not yet tried it. I'm reluctant to buy yet another kitchen gadget ie spiralizer - so I was thinking of trying just julienne strips with my old Kenwood Chef. They wouldn't be curly, but I don't mind.

The other alternaive is to get a julienne peeler, cheaper and easy to keep in drawer/clean. The Oxo one has good reviews, and I love my Oxo peeler.

I may buy some ready done courgetti first, to make sure I like it!

Just wondered what you all use?

Anya Sat 23-Apr-16 15:33:40

No - not in the slow cooker!! Steam it hmm - oh....just spotted Mamie's post.

Pale lilac bread confused

BBbevan Sat 23-Apr-16 16:01:33

Yes the bread has that psyllium husk in it. I read somewhere it can turn things purple. Tastes alright though

Mamie Sat 23-Apr-16 16:10:43

Ooo we know how to live on the low-carb thread - mauve bread, caramalised cabbage and worthy pizza. grin
BTW where are wot and wilma?

shysal Sat 23-Apr-16 17:00:19

Riverwalk, somebody produced deliberately burnt cabbage on Masterchef a while ago. so you are in good company!

seacliff, I have a Lakeland spiralizer, and have used it a lot. You can get a little hand-held version on Ebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spiral-Slicer-Cutter-Kitchen-Vegetable-Fruit-Spiralizer-Twister-Peeler-Tool-UK-/252356832291?hash=item3ac1a3ac23:g:JBoAAOSwLmVXERVf

BBbevan Sat 23-Apr-16 17:29:56

Pioneers of inventive cooking, that's us wink

whitewave Sat 23-Apr-16 18:12:46

Courgette spaghetti was very successful.

Oh yes must watch the weather make sure there is no frost tonight.

Riverwalk Sun 24-Apr-16 07:43:49

Next time I'll try Shysal's microwaved with bacon recipe - if I ever buy another savoy cabbage!

BBbevan Sun 24-Apr-16 08:04:58

Oh go on * Riverwalk* live dangerously.
Just off on a walk. Sun is shining though has rained over night. Along the canal me thinks, then home for breakfast and read the papers

Mamie Sun 24-Apr-16 08:16:55

Just had my egg and bacon so off to clean gravel and lift turf to spruce up the terrace. Waldorf salad for lunch and roast lamb with chipotle (and honey shock) crust for dinner.

whitewave Sun 24-Apr-16 08:53:19

Porridge with fresh berries and crushed nuts.
Peppers stuffed with mushrooms and pine nuts
Smoked mackerel citrus salad

Getting plants ready and happy in greenhouse as going away for a few days tomorrow.

Pippa000 Sun 24-Apr-16 09:19:57

Re Purple bread, it is the type ( brand) of phyillium husk used, the dark ones does go purple when baking, the paler the better, but less exciting grin

Has any one tried Kohlrabi mash? I did some the other day to go over a fish pie, very good, cooked in a little milk, mash add some butter and cream cheese, salt and pepper. The carb count is quite low and make a change from cauliflower or celeriac mash.

Pippa000 Sun 24-Apr-16 09:21:29

Sorry should be 'the dark ones DO go purple' please excuse the very bad English, and I previewed the post as well!

Anya Sun 24-Apr-16 21:49:06

Blimey Riverwalk you can't blame the cabbage - you virtually massacred the poor thing grin

Lazigirl Mon 25-Apr-16 08:59:49

Can any of you cooks give some ideas for using aubergine please? I've exhausted cauliflower and cabbage recipes and despite being rubbish in the kitchen have managed some reasonably edible meals but am a bit stuck for inspiration. DH continues to lose weight, unlike me! Guess I am making portions too large, for me anyway (he has same diet - his choice). Have been looking on Newcastle Magnetic Research Centre site, about their research on Diabetes T2 which you probably know, some of which I had gleaned from M Moseley book. Less than 1gram of fat in the pancreas apparently can cause diabetes and each persons personal fat threshold is different. You can have a normal BMI but individual tolerance level may be lower, hence diabetes. Probably genetic, which explains why some friends of mine who are fatter are not diabetic. Blame the genes again! Only solution is to lose weight until you reach your particular tolerance level for insulin production. At least it's possible to do something about it. smile

Mamie Mon 25-Apr-16 09:50:40

I find fried aubergines very oily so I normally chop them and roast them in a few tablespoons of olive oil in a moderate oven, until brown. For Indian dishes I turn them in spices first, usually turmeric and cayenne.
Tonight we are having moussaka. I make a meat sauce (leftover lamb today) then layer the browned aubergine with the meat sauce and mozzarella, feta and a bit of parmesan on top, then cook for 30 minutes or so.
I add them to tagines, but still cook them first.
There is a lovely Ottolenghi aubergine cheesecake recipe.
I love the Middle Eastern recipes like the one called "the Imam fainted".
Claudia Roden is a good source of ideas.