A new low-carb support thread for 2016

Our very quick lunches are soup, omelettes or chickpea crackers with cheese. Mostly we have salad. I keep salad leaves (from the garden now), avocados, celery, apple, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, nuts, dried fruit (using only small amounts) and beetroot in stock. I also have ham, garlic sausage, tinned tuna, goat's cheese, and smoked duck. I pick and mix from these to make different salads. If we have leftover beef, pork or chicken I use that too.

Recent lunches:

'Risotto' made with cauliflower rice, few lardons, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley.

Tomato & basil soup (homemade, no thickener) cheese & 4 water biscuits.

Butternut squash noodles, diced cold chicken, parmesan, generous drizzle of olive oil.

All very quick to assemble and eat!

I make seeded crispbread, with nuts, seeds, eggs and physillium, then lunches are easier with for example cream cheese and smoked salmon, home made mackerel pate etc.

Ham, cheese, cream cheese, hummus, celery, cucumber. Low sugar baked beans. Soup.( home made so no sugar). Etc. Hope this helps a little Lazigirl. I usually have lunch on my own so it is often an omelette or soup.

You're obviously a determined woman? Anya. Am having blood sugar checked next week so am off alcohol and will see how it goes. Can anyone help me out with lunch food ideas not involving much prep or bread? Am starting to resemble boiled eggs...Evening meals are easy.

Lazigirl there's never a good time, as there's always some event.. The first weekend in June was GD2's 5th birthday and last weekend the camping where lots of alcohol was on offer. So just have to enjoy my diet ginger beer instead

Yes, I feel better. F & F are supportive, if that means they don't offer me a drink, but they do drink in front of me. I think they're used to my odd little challenges by now.

PS the cauliflower couscous (no couscous, just cauliflower and bits and bobs) was delicious. I had hoped to save some for lunch tomorrow but DH went back for seconds and scoffed the lot!

Yes, I'll come clean...no point otherwise.

You are doing so well abstaining Anya. Will you come clean if you do fall off the wagon? I am psyching myself up to it, well for a month at least, as my weight is static and fear it's the beer. Do you feel better for it? Do you miss a drink at social gatherings and are your F & F sympathetic?

Back from camping weekend with friends and family. A bit soggy but all good fun

Still off etc (day 18?) so only another 82 to go. Roll on September 4th...

Tonight, mutton tagine with cauliflower couscous.

Or saffron "melted" in a drop of milk.
Yes, I just boil or steam it for five minutes then use my stick blender, adding butter, salt and pepper. It is delicious; all the texture of mash, but you don't feel stuffed afterwards.

Try putting some whole grain mustard in with the cauliflower mash - really perks it up

Yes, NanKate. I whizz mine in a food processor, and sometimes (usually!) add grated cheese. I have just bought a piece of Lidl Extra Mature Ghouda, which is quite strong so only a little needed, and it has zero carbs. Thanks to whoever recommended it on this thread.

Is cauliflower mash just boiled/steamed cauliflower mashed ? With butter perhaps ?

Just had egg and bacon I will have toast and marmalade when I have gained my target weight. Drool, drool

Thanks Mamie at least I am looking forward to returning to my new eating plan and feeling less bloated.

Don't worry NanKate. Toast and marmalade top treat here!
Last night we had delicious tarragon chicken (tarragon and butter rubbed over, roast, fat poured off, roasting pan de-glazed with cream and more tarragon) with cauliflower mash and roasted carrot.
Followed by first of our strawberries, now I have netted them, having worked out that it was the bloody pigeon eating them not the slugs.

Fallen off the wagon whilst away for the weekend.

Have to say the toast and marmalade was delicious this morning.

Back to low carb tomorrow.

shysal this is the one I would probably choose. It can go in the place of my bread maker which is gathering dust!

Just had Chicken with Romano peppers and spinach from the 5:2 book. Best thing I've eaten all day

Tizliz, a few of us seem to have this Lakeland spiralizer, which washes and folds away very easily. There are much cheaper ones on Ebay though. I hope you enjoy yours if you buy one. Mine is in use several times a week.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lakeland-Easy-Store-Compact-Healthy-Vegetable-Spiralizer-With-Suction-Feet-/281873529557?hash=item41a0f8bad5:g:YhgAAOSw~bFWMKkY

I am sure I read on here about spiralisers but I can't find it. Think I want one and would like a recommendation.

The 'diet' is going well and I am not missing carbs at all.

I wasn't intentionally having a dig at anyone, just an observation that apart from one, most diets work if you stick to them, simply because it makes you aware of your intake. Go for the one you are confident will work for you.

I agree with you GandTea that whatever diet you decide on, you can lose weight if you stick to it, and I suspect you are having a lighthearted dig? at the dieting industry, and the entrenched positions that fat v carbs protagonists may take. I think you'll see if you read through postings on here (may take weeks) that we are a fun lot, not too prescriptive and very supportive. Many of us want to reduce blood sugar because we have a problem and are insulin resistant, indeed many have this problem and are blissfully unaware, unless they have a blood test. The concern with carbs is that some do not know that they convert to sugar in bloodstream, eg small plain baked potato can raise blood sugar as much as 9 teaspoons of sugar. Many avoid sugary stuff, but when carbs reach the blood stream there is no difference, and I would echo what Mamie has said. OK lecture over.......I like alcohol too!

I used to chew tissue paper when I was youngGranT Not very nutritious. A bit like card