Low-carb support thread 2016 Part 2

Hi JaneD3 welcome and congratulations on your previous weight loss. This is a really friendly place to find support (and delicious recipes). Low carbing has been a revelation to me and since I have been following this way of eating and lost weight, no longer considering it a diet as such, just a way of life. I am now organised in meal planning, enjoy food more and we eat far more fresh veg. Of course there are "off piste" occasions, eating out or family celebrations, but these are a blip and any weight gained soon goes when back in routine. Good luck with your efforts.

Roast duck with limoncello gravy, broad beans, peas and spring greens from the garden, Charentais melon from the market. Bliss. ?

What a good idea for limoncello Mamie. Apart from using it in puds and drinking it of course haven't thought of anything as creative. What else do you use to make the gravy - am not a natural cook?

BB made up your recipe (yum) when BiL was over from the US and stayed with us for 10 days, also the chocolate and pear brownies (thanks Mamie)

He thought he had put on weight but, unbeknownst to him, he was eating LC most (.well almost all!) of the time. He told us his doctor has said he's pre-diabetic. He's actually left us just over a kilogram lighter than when he arrived....he can't believe it ???

I'm doing a duck stir-fry tonight Mamie I'm cheating and using prepared stir-fry packet of vegetables from Sainsbury's (I've done enough prep and cooking these last 10 days!!) and extra beansprouts and two duck breasts.

It's a five minute job. I'll fry up the skin first for the dogs and use the resulting duck fat instead of other fats. A bit of chilli ? sauce and that's it.

Anya I am going to try the cheese cake again and mix some raspberries in instead of lime. Then decorate with more raspberries. I think strawberries, blueberries etc would work well too

There are endless possibilities aren't there? I grated just a tiny bit of dark (80% cocoa solids) on the top as I love the taste of dark chocolate and lime together.

Lazigirl I just pour the fat out of the roadting pan, then stick in a slug of limoncello and let it clean the pan. Then pour over the duck.
I like the sound of the cheesecake base BB. Thought I might try it with a mascarpone, lemon juice and cream topping then strawberries / raspberries?
Duck waldorf tonight!

Anya I am looking forward to some stir-frying. We are growing chineses leaves but at the moment they are lolling about all over the bed and not standing up proper-like. ?

Chinese not chineses. ?

BB I wish I'd seen your recipe for cheese cake a week ago. Next time I'll use nuts.
I'm interested in the duck breast ideas - have you ever tried smoked duck breast? One of my favourite foods. I always take off the layer of fat.
We don't deliberately follow a low carb diet, but in fact ours is almost the same. Husband puts on weight easily.
Main meal today - various salads, but one with couscous (including almonds raisins and sweet corn.) A nectarine for afters - they're in the shops here already.

Not standing up proper like? Shame on them, no back bone ???

Has anyone made Tom Kerridge's low carb flatbreads? Mine taste ok but look nothing like the picture! They turn a dirty dark purple colour when they are cooking - not something I could sere to non-family!!

Hmm - they look - er - interesting. ?
What are they made from?

They look ........yuk! Glad to learn they taste better than they look ???

Found this recipe whilst in hospital waiting for retinopathy examination. DH has just made it.

Cherry smoothie.
50g frozen cherries
200ml unsweetened almond milk
1 medjool date
1/4 tsp vanilla

Whizz and drink

Supposed to be good for balancing blood sugar and cherries are full of antioxidants.

Enjoy ladies.

How is everyone doing? In full "veg from the garden" mode here. So lots of courgette recipes, tonight's is cold chicken with the famous courgette dauphinoise.
We tied the chinese leaves up with raffia and they are standing up nicely now.
Am probably eating too many strawberries though. ?

We are 'harvesting too. Eating loads of strawberries and freezing even more. Plus blackcurrants,raspberries and broad beans. What with that, working on the house and gardening we are tired but happy.
Hope everyone else is well.

Our strawberries have just finished and the raspberries are now the fruit of choice. Not growing courgettes this year. An especially good crop of garlic this year and onions doing well too.

Hi ladies , me again with a problem. Just had my yearly diabetic check. BS down more to 5.4. Nurse says I am no longer considered diabetic. Lovely news But, blood pressure and cholesterol up. Last year cholesterol was 4.7 , now 7.6☹️
I am to go back on statins.
What do I need to change. We are pretty active having lots of decorating and a large garden to sort out.
Any advice would be most welcome. It seems to be 2 steps forward and 1 back

Just spotted this BB. Sorry you have had no advice, and I can't offer any I'm afraid. It seems to me that you lead the ideal healthy lifestyle, what more could you do? I have no idea whether they work, but I use some of the Flora Pro-active products, like their milk and buttery spread, which are meant to lower cholesterol.

Yes, just spotted this too. You say 'go back on statins' so presumably the 4.7 reading was held low by that medication. Yes, 7.6 is high but what is your ratio of 'good' to 'bad' cholesterol? It might be that your good cholesterol is nice and high too (a good thing).

Well done on the blood glucose levels, that's brilliant news.

Suggestions? Perhaps ask GP to let you try lifestyle changes and re-test in 6 months (especially if your 'good' cholesterol is high too). Perhaps cut back on some animal (mammal) fats and eat more fish, chicken and other poultry?

If you think of LCHF as Low Carb Healthy Fats rather that Low Carb High Fat?

Thanks ladies. I have ditched the double cream, but will continue with full fat yogurt. I have bought some flaxseed and made porridge with soya milk. Even DH liked that.
We don't eat much red meat at all, but I think cheese is my downfall. I will plod along being mindful of what I eat, and hopefully next blood test will be better
Thanks again

please would someone be kind enough to suggest either a dressing or method of cooking chicken - not spicy - so it is not quite so dry and well chickeney! Speaking as a meat disliker but having been told it must be ate anything that makes it more palatable would be most gratefully received, or any suggestion for other meat or fish that don't actually taste like they are. Many thanks

Sorry BB I missed that too. No advice to add though. OH's cholesterol went back up; he didn't want statins but is on fibrates and his levels are good now.
Not sure what to say about chicken - we like barbecued lemon chicken, but love spices too, so not much help. Last night OH did a chicken dish with courgette, onion, squash, fresh tomato, white wine and herbs which was good. We like tarragon roast chicken too - fresh tarragon, butter, cream.