Need some low carb low calorie ideas

[RosieLKH]

I'm a couple of months into dieting low carb, am controlling my BS and slowly losing weight, but in the last week or so I've been slipping - allowing the carbs to creep upwards a bit and so the BS creeps upwards.

I want to get back to very low carbs again for a bit - as low as I can go really - but do still need to keep a good check on the calories.

Now before anyone advises me to ignore the calories and eat high fat etc, let me say I don't care about the fat and will happily much through pork scratchings, but if I go above 1200 cals a day I will NOT lose weight, so I am trying to do both low carb and low cal.

Within this remit, I'm looking for exciting meal ideas. I keep on track much better if I feel I am having gorgeous goodies, especially for my evening meal. So, here's the challenge, hit me with some fabulous meal ideas!

 

[jim1951]

Chicken breasts which are low calorie and virtually zero carbs with leeks and a few baby salad potatoes. Two slices of LivLife seeded bread at less than 4 grams of carbs per slice and rainbow salad .

Perhaps not the most exciting meal but nutritional and approx. 490 cals and 35 grams of carbs.

jim

 

[AndBreathe]

If you like subtle-ish spicing, these aren't too bad:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/butter_chilli_chicken_91839 - I always add the marinade back into the curry, but that's not strictly to the recipe, but discarding it would reduce the carbs a little. This with cauli rice, or cauli florets is delicious and sustaining.

Another fave in the Breathe household: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beefrendang_78767. Obviously the rice doesn't fit the low carb remit, but there are options there, and with the coconut as thickener at the end, it could be fine in a bowl on its own. It's absolutely delicious.

Lemon pepper chicken - sprinkle lemon pepper (http://www.schwartz.co.uk/products/herbs-and-spices/pepper/lemon-pepper.aspx - I don't use this specific brand, but I'd be fine with it) onto chicken breast. We use skinless, but that doesn't matter. Leave a short while, then slowly fry or grill, until cooked, and the lemon pepper is browned. Recently, we mix desiccated coconut with lemon pepper and coat the chicken (me adding a few more calories). Once shallow fried, this becomes like a very tangy breadcrumb coated chicken. Delicious.

 

[badcat]

Courgette and manchego cheese tortilla

I've got a glut of homegrown courgettes at the moment so this is a frequent visitor to my kitchen

750g courgettes, sliced
1-2. Cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs
100g manchego cheese ( you could probably use halloumi I, feta or a mature cheddar)

Fry the courgettes in half of the oil until browned
Take out of the pan and combine with the other ingredients, season with black pepper ( I don't like salt so don't add that)
Heat a non stick pan with the rest of the oil then add the egg mixture
Fry until the bottom has set then finish off under a high grill so that the cheese begins to lightly brown

Serves 4 at 250 cals and 5.5g carbs a go
Nice hot or cold with a green salad for lunch / dinner or on its own for brekkie

 

[cold ethyl]

These are a few of things I like to make:
Bolognaise with courgette pasta( fried with garlic)
Crustless quiche ( I line my flan dish with wafer thin ham so it has a crust of sorts) and filled with cottage cheese, eggs , grated low fat cheddar and whatever veg takes my fancy.
Chicken and chorizo stew with chickpeas ( these don;t seem to spike me too high and are almost like having rice with it!)
Marinade chicken thighs in lemon juice and olive oil and garlic, pop in roasting dish with red onions and some more cloves of garlic, chopped red pepper and sprinkle with ras-el-hanout- bake till cooked and serve with salad and green beans.
Moussaka and salad
Thai green chicken curry served with stir fried baby pak choi and tenderstem broccoli( slice garlic , tsp ginger paste, sliced red chilli and tsp oil- when hot add the veg, stir round then add splash water , pop lid on to steam through- dash soy)
Pork steaks cooked in slow cooker with onion, one small sliced apple, splash cider vinegar, sage and some stock. Sometimes I add mushrooms and a carrot. Serve with green veg.
Homemade Mcdonalds- fry small chopped onion and till browned, leave to cool. Mix into 200g of mince( I use turkey but you can use any) then add spices to taste- I used cumin, garlic paste and a splash of red hot pepper sauce with last lot- season and mix with hands- shape into 4 burgers. Chill in fridge. cook in non stick pan- I sprayed the pan with some olive oil then got it hot- let burgers firm up and then flip, keep spraying if sticking. When done, I popped half a cheese slice with chillies on top, let it melt them served on top of a griddled portabello mushroom and salad with jalapenos and hot sauce.
Jamaican chicken curry- brown onions and garlic in a pan, add diced chicken and brown. Add 1tsp dried thyme, then the following spices to taste- I use 1 tsp paprika, 1 -1 1/2 tsp curry powder depending on strength and 1tsp jerk seasoning. Add punnet of cherry toms, 2 sliced red or orange peppers and a scotch bonnet chilli ( leave whole and fish out before serving), squirt of sun dried tomato paste and enough stock to cover. Bring to boil then simmer till cooked. Serve with salad and cauliflower rice, or stir fried courgettes.