The C(hristmas) word

[MrsA2]

This is my first year as a diabetic. Usually I would have already made the redcurrant jelly back in July from our own redcurrants. About now I would be doing the Chrisrmas puddings and cakes. I batch bake and give some away and some we keep. I would also be starting menu planning as more and more magazines and shops gear up for it.

BUT what am I to do this year? Hints, tips and recipes, please, to help me survive and enjoy it, preferably recipes that I can share with my family too, that make special meals at this special time of the year

 

[LaoDan]

IKR my first year too, and to top it off , Halloween is just around the corner. No more devouring candy corn! I’m hoping I can at least have eggnog! I see a ton of HIIT exercise in my future! Chasing kids running down the street begging for a peanut butter cup

 

[Tophat1900]

www.dietdoctor.com has ideas for low carb alternatives. Google low carb or keto for your Christmas faves, and try those out.

 

[Tophat1900]

IKR my first year too, and to top it off , Halloween is just around the corner. No more devouring candy corn! I’m hoping I can at least have eggnog! I see a ton of HIIT exercise in my future! Chasing kids running down the street begging for a peanut butter cup

Love Halloween, loved candy corn when I lived in the US during those... Non-diabetic days.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

This is my first year as a diabetic. Usually I would have already made the redcurrant jelly back in July from our own redcurrants. About now I would be doing the Chrisrmas puddings and cakes. I batch bake and give some away and some we keep. I would also be starting menu planning as more and more magazines and shops gear up for it.

BUT what am I to do this year? Hints, tips and recipes, please, to help me survive and enjoy it, preferably recipes that I can share with my family too, that make special meals at this special time of the year

If you want your family and a friends to have pudding or jelly from a "but it's part of the tradition" perspective, and you think you can handle being around that kind of food prep (the amazing smells do me in, personally), go ahead. You're following a diet, they're not. I bought a whole lot of petit fours and whatnot last year from a wholesaler, and really good praline's, making sure it was all pretty and set up on three high tea etagieres and crystal bonbon bowls. Meaning, to me, I could objectify it into a photo-prop for our family gathering, rather than view it as something to eat. The low carb toast I intended to make this year is a moot point, as with Corona I won't see most of my family probably, but I wanted to thinly slice and toast a keto mug bread and have the meats, home made salads and fish that way, while the rest used french bread and melba toast. Maybe next year. There's ketogenic work-arounds if you look for them.(Maybe a batch of jelly with erythritol instead of sugar? Dietdoctor and google might help)

I've had a hand in what gets put on the table for years now. I skipped the spuds others do have, but partook in the giant roast beef, assorted poultry ("no" on the filling) brussel sprouts with bacon, coffee with unsweetened whipped cream. Lots and lots of cold cuts of meat, fish, deviled eggs and (goat's) cheese whenever it was a gathering with hors d'euvres only. You could make keto chocolate mousse (variations aplenty on google), or other keto-fied desserts. Take heart, you don't have to go hungry. Between my family, inlaws, and friends, I spend 3, 4 days or so eating, eating, and eating some more, and usually there 's solutions to everything. I don't have to starve, and you won't either.

Mind you, some choose to relax their diet for the holidays, as it is a one-off, but that's entirely up to you. And it doesn't mean per se, you'll stuff your face with all the carbs in the world. You could be selective. Low carb throughout, but a bit of christmas pudding for your efforts for instance.

Whatever the case... I hope you'll still thoroughly enjoy the holidays!

 

[Goonergal]

@MrsA2

You might be interested in this thread, started by @Brunneria a few years ago and still going strong last year:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/low-carb-xmassy-deliciousness.112876/

 

[Mr_Pot]

This is my first year as a diabetic. Usually I would have already made the redcurrant jelly back in July from our own redcurrants. About now I would be doing the Chrisrmas puddings and cakes. I batch bake and give some away and some we keep. I would also be starting menu planning as more and more magazines and shops gear up for it.

BUT what am I to do this year? Hints, tips and recipes, please, to help me survive and enjoy it, preferably recipes that I can share with my family too, that make special meals at this special time of the year

Wow, you start early! We don't think about Christmas until it's mid December. We have a Christmas roast with all the trimmings, I just eat what I can, avoid what I can't and have plenty of wine with it. For the past few years I have managed to convince my wife that we don't need much more to eat than normal, so we don't buy loads of random stuff and then feel obliged to eat it, which used to be the case.

 

[Rachox]

This will be my fourth Xmas with type 2. The first Xmas I cooked a low carb pudding which was bland and horrible, ditched that recipe. The second one I went with the smallest slither of ‘real’ pud. Then last year I discovered a different low carb recipe from The Low Carb Program, here’s a link to it:
https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/low-carb-christmas-pudding-v/
This one is really nice!

 

[HSSS]

This will be my fourth Xmas with type 2. The first Xmas I cooked a low carb pudding which was bland and horrible, ditched that recipe. The second one I went with the smallest slither of ‘real’ pud. Then last year I discovered a different low carb recipe from The Low Carb Program, here’s a link to it:
https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/low-carb-christmas-pudding-v/
This one is really nice!

That looks a bit like an appropriately spiced mug cake. Am I on the right lines?

 

[bulkbiker]

Its only the first week in September.... !

 

[Rachox]

That looks a bit like an appropriately spiced mug cake. Am I on the right lines?

A bit larger (!) and way more ingredients but yes cooked in the microwave. I remember it took longer to assemble the ingredients than it took to cook it!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Its only the first week in September.... !

....Mum and I usually start planning in January... Inlaws and others got in touch a few weeks ago. (And I buy next year's Christmas cards the day after boxing day. I get the most fancy, luxurious cards for half off. Yay! MASSIVE BOX FULL OF CARD HAPPINESS!!!!!)

I think most of it is what the Dutch call "pre-fun". Just something to look forward to.

... And I'm a crazed fanatic. That helps too.

 

[TriciaWs]

My first year I found recipes, or adapted foods for most of my favourites - I never found a decent low carb christmas cake yet but I make stuffing with ground almonds, used turkey juices instead of gravy and had a small portion of roasted butternut squash instead of potato. And mashed cauliflower with cream makes a good potato mash substitute. For puds I made some mincemeat with extra spices, fewer dried raisins and more cooking apple, etc. and no sugar, then baked on almond pastry and served with real egg custard/cream, and I made trifle with fresh raspberries in sugar free jelly, with real custard and cream. The next day I had turkey on 90 second bread.
And turkey curry with a little coconut milk stirred in and served with cauliflower rice for later in the week.
[Edited to add: I made some candied cranberries and rhubarb for cake/mincemeat - worked really well]

There are recipes for decent ginger cakes for Halloween, and several types of low carb chocolates - I mix up my own marzipan with ground almonds, egg white, almond essence and sugar substitute then coat it in 85% chocolate.

 

[MrsA2]

Wow, you start early! We don't think about Christmas until it's mid December. We have a Christmas roast with all the trimmings, I just eat what I can, avoid what I can't and have plenty of wine with it. For the past few years I have managed to convince my wife that we don't need much more to eat than normal, so we don't buy loads of random stuff and then feel obliged to eat it, which used to be the case.

For us Christmas falls in birthday week! We have 5 major birthdays, starting on Christmas Eve, so it has to be planning, preparation and more planning, especially when if the family come we also have 1 vegetarian (no celery or aubergine) 1 no nuts (severe allergy) and now 1 diabetic
I like getting as much done ahead as possible, either preserved or frozen.
Many keto recipes don't seem to be able to be made too far ahead, hence posting this thread nice and early.
Keep the good ideas coming please

 

[MrsA2]

This will be my fourth Xmas with type 2. The first Xmas I cooked a low carb pudding which was bland and horrible, ditched that recipe. The second one I went with the smallest slither of ‘real’ pud. Then last year I discovered a different low carb recipe from The Low Carb Program, here’s a link to it:
https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/low-carb-christmas-pudding-v/
This one is really nice!

@Rachox
Do you think this could be made ahead? Perhaps frozen?

 

[Rachox]

@Rachox
Do you think this could be made ahead? Perhaps frozen?

I’m sorry I haven’t tried, but don’t see why not?

 

[lovinglife]

@Rachox
Do you think this could be made ahead? Perhaps frozen?

I looked at the recipe and although it wouldn’t be dangerous to freeze it it may not be as nice once defrosted and also reheating it would probably make it tough and chewy. You could prep all the dry ingredients and keep them in a bag/plastic container for a few days and do all the wet ingredients that go together the morning of cooking it then you just need to mix and cook - just as quick as reheating really

 

[lovinglife]

I have a normal low carb Christmas Day - so many nice things to indulge in - I do have a tiny bit of pudding with a sea of cream but that’s it. I will confess though that my one carby treat is on Boxing Day with cold cuts about half a dozen chips and half a slice of white bread for my lunch - My Boxing Day lunch is my one concession - but it’s followed by a nice long walk on the beach to see the charity swimmers no matter what the weather seems to help keep my numbered reasonable.


Edited by moderator to remove quoted content that has been deleted.

 

[Mandy20]

I’ve got a book called One Mix - One Hundred Muffins which has got savoury ideas. They’re not low carb (they contain flour) but the savoury chapter contains no sugar, with lots of lovely options. And I’m sure substitutions could be made for some of the wheat flour, eg adding oats or almond flour etc.
Options include shredded vegetable (carrot and courgette) with just 2 sultanas is enough to add sweetness. Spring onion and goats cheese, carrot and coriander, cheese and ham, blue cheese and pear, Brie and red currant, cheese and chive, Parmesan and pine kernel, soft cheese and garlic, smoked salmon and dill, mini prawn and parsley, tuna and olive, chicken and sweet corn, Spicy chorizo, crispy bacon, pepperoni and sun dried tomato, courgette and sesame seed, spinach and nutmeg, caramelised onion, asparagus and soured cream, tomato and basil, Italian pesto,

 

[Robinredbreast]

A bit larger (!) and way more ingredients but yes cooked in the microwave. I remember it took longer to assemble the ingredients than it took to cook it!

This will be great for me, it's gluten free, I do like Christmas pud ( and mince pies too)