How do we have a low carb Christmas?

[LinsT]

It'll be my first diabetic christmas too - doesnt matter how much I try to tell myself I won't miss the chocolate - I Know i will!
However, I was looking through the low carb recipes thread last night - and there are some amazing sounding recipes for home made sweet treats on there. I've written some of them down and my plan is to be an ultra organised domestic goddess and whip up some of the recipes so I can indulge without breaking the carb bank.
So - that's the dream - will have to wait and see what reality actually delivers ;-)

 

[Chook]

Good thread!

I've been googling recipes for some low carb Christmas goodies and I've found one for boozy double cream choc. truffles (I'll do half with brandy and half with rum) and one for marzipan which I plan to shape in to stars or something christmasy then drizzle over some 75%+ choc. In the bad old days I would buy Thorntons truffles and Lidl marzipan so I'm hoping my substitutions will keep me a happy bunny.

On the big day I'm planning to have Lidl HP roll with cream cheese and smoked salmon for breakfast (along with a drop of prosecco) then for dinner it'll be roast rib of beef and roast chicken (with a good sausagemeat, sage and onion stuffing), roasted cauliflower and broccoli, glazed carrots and sprouts-with-pancetta plus a rich red wine gravy and a glass or three of a good red). Him indoors will be having roast spuds and Yorkshires with his, if he wants them although just recently he seems not to be bothering.

I then plan to make some kind of splendiferous dessert - just haven't found a recipe for the right one yet. I don't particularly want it to be chocolate and most special occasion low carb puds seem to have chocolate in it. Luckily doing without Chrimbo pud or mincepies won't be a hardship as for the last 20 or so years they have given me the most awful heart burn, so they won't be missed.

Then for supper, if I'm hungry after all that lunch, it'll be cold meat from lunch with salad and cheeses.

All washed down with plenty of prosecco and G&Ts.

 

[copey399]

Sounds a good plan @Chook A bit of forward planning is definitely what's needed to avoid temptation. I know my appetite has reduced since doing this diet so there won't be any gorging on stuff just because it's there. Never been a great fan of Xmas pud, I will miss the mince pies a bit but I have a feeling that they would be too sickly sweet for me now so probably wouldn't enjoy them anyway.

 

[copey399]

It'll be my first diabetic christmas too - doesnt matter how much I try to tell myself I won't miss the chocolate - I Know i will!
However, I was looking through the low carb recipes thread last night - and there are some amazing sounding recipes for home made sweet treats on there. I've written some of them down and my plan is to be an ultra organised domestic goddess and whip up some of the recipes so I can indulge without breaking the carb bank.
So - that's the dream - will have to wait and see what reality actually delivers ;-)

I'm funny with chocolate. I'm definitely not a chocoholic and wouldn't buy it normally but if it's there, as in the tins you buy at Christmas just to look festive, I would scoff my way through loads just because they're available. Won't be buying any - simples ... lol.

 

[catherinecherub]

Sounds a good plan @Chook A bit of forward planning is definitely what's needed to avoid temptation. I know my appetite has reduced since doing this diet so there won't be any gorging on stuff just because it's there. Never been a great fan of Xmas pud, I will miss the mince pies a bit but I have a feeling that they would be too sickly sweet for me now so probably wouldn't enjoy them anyway.

There is a recipe for mince pies that may suit you @copey399.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/christmas-cake.32669/page-2#post-307580

 

[tigerlily72]

Great thread

This will be my first Xmas as a Type 2. I'm lucky in that I enjoy most veg and we'll probably have white meat, not necessarily turkey for me and hubby may have lamb (he's not diabetic so will eat what he likes I expect ). I may just have a couple of roast potatoes.

I'm sure I have a recipe somewhere for dark chocolate truffles so I may make them rather than have the usual tin of Roses and supersized box of Thornton's. I've told hubby to get me 70% dark chocolate or truffles this year instead of the Thornton's he usually gets me. I have him well trained!

I don't particularly like mince pies so no loss there. I do enjoy savouries and crisps but will make do with some nice cheeses and cashew nuts unless I get any more ideas from this thread.

 

[DeejayR]

We are NOT going to Norway for Christmas with Mrs DeeJay's sister this year, phew. We always have a wonderful time and some of the food is spot on, especially at breakfast, but it becomes difficult and embarrassing having to be picky over the dangerous stuff for a whole week, especially the coffee'n'cake parties.
So we can plan a menu to suit both of us here, probably much as suggested by @Chook above.
Step 1: Loads of booze for Mrs DeeJay. Then we don't need any Step 2.

 

[Robbity]

@tigerlily72

If you like crisps, you could perhaps try parmesan crisps - basically little heaps of grated parmesan microwaved on a baking sheet until "lacey" and crisp.

Robbity

 

[tigerlily72]

@tigerlily72

If you like crisps, you could perhaps try parmesan crisps - basically little heaps of grated parmesan microwaved on a baking sheet until "lacey" and crisp.

Robbity

Yum, that sounds good. So good that I may need to try it before Xmas!

 

[Brunneria]

@modesty007
Has a recipe for Brie Puffs.

Just chop up Brie into 2 cm cubes (doesnt matter if rind is on, or not)
Place them on a plate or microwaveable baking tray.
Microwave in 30 sec bursts until they puff up, go golden brown and resemble sort-of-macaroons.
Allow to cool.
Enjoy.

I also like them dusted with paprika, or salt, or garlic salt.

I wonder if a slice of garlic under the brie puff would work...

 

[zand]

Well this year I am going to try something new. I won't be buying any sweets, chocolate or biscuits. If the rest of the family want them they will have to buy them themselves. Not sure how they will take it lol

 

[Celeriac]

Every time I look at this thread it reminds me how much planning I have to do yet !

 

[donnellysdogs]

Yep. We stuck to last year!! Due to my adverse stomach mainly.

I used to have a month off!! When I was on pump I literally ran my basals at 250% extra constantly!! That is how much a piece of stollen would affect me.

Its believing in yourself and your health meaning more than cake. I'm a T1 and although insulin injections could well cover tbe extra carbs my stomach can't handle them.

Agree xmas is a wonderful time but it can be fuelled by laughter, games, walks and fun rather than food.....

 

[Alzebra]

Black Farmer chipolatas are divine, and I'm wrapping mine in proscuitto because I don't like streaky bacon, so it'll be more expensive than your average pig-in-blanket but that makes it feel more of a luxury. I'm going to cherry pick the nicest, crispiest roast potato of the lot and eat just the one, along with lots of meat and low-carb veg.

I'm going to experiment with making a low-carb florentine. The major ingredients of almonds, butter and cream are LCHF, so I just need to use sweetener instead of sugar and then using Lindt 85% chocolate for the base. Anyone tried this before??

My family and friends will be stumped for pressies for me though, Thorntons was always a safe bet before

 

[LinsT]

if you like brazil nuts I'm guessing dark chocolate brazils won't be too bad. I plan on sampling a couple

 

[Celeriac]

We're cooking at my mother's house, so we're trying to mesh low carb, gluten free and lacto-ovo-vegetarian. My mother keeps suggesting foods that I just can't eat. She'll get her full compliment of mulled wine, champagne, chocolate truffles, organic shortbread, nuts, veggie mince pies, presents etc but I refuse point blank to eat food that will make me feel terrible. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, she wants me to have cranberry sauce and roast spuds. " It won't matter for one day". It does !!

 

[Robbity]

Agree xmas is a wonderful time but it can be fuelled by laughter, games, walks and fun rather than food.....

I think @donnellysdogs comment should be stuck in big red letters at the start of every Christmas food thread that we have. I know diabetes can create some big changes to what we might eat, but we do need to keep our priorities right. Food is really just a part of Christmas, and there are plenty of delicious low carb foods we can eat without denying ourselves. My mum really hated turkey (indeed poultry of any sort!) and bacon, so always cooked herself a nice piece of steak for her Christmas dinner and it never spoilt her or our Christmas festivities, ever...

Actually the biggest upset we ever had over a family Christmas was when my younger niece - then in her teens - was nearly in tears because Grandad's inflatable Father Christmas that had sat next to the tree every year since the girls were babies had finally punctured and died. So for some it's the little traditions such as this that are the big part of their Christmases.

Robbity

 

[mfactor]

I must be the odd man out here as I am now quite used to being fairly strict LCHF (T2)...BUT I will have Xmas diner with all the trimmings, .............

But wont go mad , as I don't really have that sweet a tooth, but stuffing, roasties and parsnips will be had and enough red wine to fuel the afternoon nap

Its once a year (well maybe 2 or 3 birthdays and whatnot) and find that the odd high carb day does not effect me that much now (since starting LCHF), but I guess that if it ever does I will have to reassess ...........

Will probably feel a bit rough on boxing day but tbh , I can't remember feeling anything but rough on boxing day for 30 odd years way before diagnosis....


On a serious note as a life long lifter the importance of a cheat day is quite high , I know I will be eating whatever I wish, so there is no chance of slipping on the day and then feeling bad...

Lyle Mcdonald writes about this (author of the Ketogenic diet)


Jase

 

[donnellysdogs]

With bro in law who just lost life long partner to cancer visiting us for xmas and me just getting over cancer... Well this year is definitely going to be more games and enjoyment and laughter.
Having just moved (again) we've not got round to actually thinking of eating!! Just trying to get room for board games. TV is rarely watched and currently in the bedroom whilst special cupboards and units are planned... Very unlikely to be done for xmas!! So just making plans for some good memories to be talked about and to be made this year with laughter and some fun.
Food is least of our thoughts.

 

[copey399]

I think that once you have been on the lchf way of eating plus being on this forum it makes you so much more aware of what over-indulgence can do to you so even if you do decide to throw caution to the wind and have a bit more of what you fancy your brain will still limit your choices. For example, one roast potato will be a treat and likewise a few restricted veggies as opposed to piling up the plate with roasts and being stuffed to bursting. Maybe one sweet treat but certainly not half a tin of chocolates which I guess is what got me here in the first place.