Does anyone know any low carb dinner recipes suitable for a family?

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I’m fortunate that my son will eat most things so these are some of the things we have:

A big crustless quiche cut into slices with potatoes and salad for some and just salad for you. Or even chips and beans for some and salad for you.

Or cauli rice paella. It has all the flavours of paella but just much lighter than when made with rice. My DH and DS eat this with me, so no messing around with a carby version for them

Chicken and chorizo stew with some beans in it. I just eat a few of the beans. The hardest part of this is not having the crusty bread to go with it

Salmon on a bed of cabbage and bacon with a splash of cream mixed in. Could have another green veg with it.
Chicken and chorizo stew sounds good.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
In terms of LC friendly meals for all the family, I think that my natural laziness in the kitchen stands me in v good stead. :D

I have NEVER understood the thinking behind cooking mince, cooking and mashing potatoes, then combining them in an oven dish and cooking them both AGAIN to get a cottage pie.
What an unnecessary phaff!
Cook the mince. Cook the potato. Combine them on the plate. Less time. Less washing up. And just as nice.

So when going LC it was/is even simpler. Cook the mince and don't have the mash. Or cook everyone the same mash, but make it out of lower carb veg like suede.

Same principles apply to all my cooking.
Lasagne is red mince and pasta. Doesn't matter what shape that pasta comes in. Nor what type of pasta it is. I use oomi noodles, which are LC.
Moussaka is red mince, aubergine and potato. So it is just a case of subtracting the potato and replacing with more aubergine or courgette.

As for ready made sauces... the only ones I use are the good quality curry pastes and occasionally a dry rub. And I usually supplement those, too. Extra garlic, or ginger, or paprika, or whatever. The bought sauces are usually gloopy and horrible. Or sickly sweet. Or tasteless. I would agree that it takes no longer to sprinkle a few herbs and spices over the meat, than it does to open a jar, pour it out, scrape it out, and then rinse the dratted thing before putting it into the recycling.
I agree with you entirely. It’s just that I really do not have a clue what herbs and spices to add. Most attempts I have at that, end up like dirty dishwater or something.

In a previous life my ex wife did all the cooking and she cooked like you described. It all turned out fantastic. But that is a bit of a skill really that you have, but not all of us have.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Yep.. what have you been cooking them?
If it doesn’t have white Jasmin rice with it then it is almost a non starter. If it hasn’t got Jasmin rice with it then it has to be potato’s or pasta or something very carby.

She likes fish though but it has to be her kind of fish and then it has to be cooked to death. It’s a long story really and longer than you or I have time for. The 6 year old is a six year old with a sweet tooth. All she wants to eat is sweets and cakes and chocolates. She doesn’t like anything spicy which is understandable. She also is very fussy so it is very difficult to arrive at something we can all eat, let alone low carb. I could go on and on.

So upshot is I have to effectively cook three different dishes at times. Or almost so.

I am sure it would work in some families but not in ours. I appreciate your efforts Bulkbiker but unfortunately food in our family is a tricky and sensitive topic.

One thing I cannot do is ride roughshod over what they eat on the grounds that I need to eat a low carb high fat diet. They would and do object. :D
 
Last edited:

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If it doesn’t have white Jasmin rice with it then it is almost a non starter. If it hasn’t got Jasmin rice with it then it has to be potato’s or pasta or something very carby.

She likes fish though but it has to be her kind of fish and then it has to be cooked to death. It’s a long story really and longer than you or I have time for. The 6 year old is a six year old with a sweet tooth. All she wants to eat is sweets and cakes and chocolates. She doesn’t like anything spicy which is understandable. She also is very fussy so it is very difficult to arrive at something we can all eat, let alone low carb. I could go on and on.

So upshot is I have to effectively cook three different dishes at times. Or almost so.

I am sure it would work in some families but not in ours. I appreciate your efforts Bulkbiker but unfortunately food in our family is a tricky and sensitive topic.

One thing I cannot do is ride roughshod over what they eat on the grounds that I need to eat a low carb high fat diet. They would and do object. :D

Had I been your 6 year old in the house I grew up in, I'd have starved! As someone who has almost always enjoyed theor food, that wasn't going to be happening. Dinner was dinner, to be eaten, and that was it. I did go through a very picky stage in my teens, but for some bizarre reason that was around sauces and gravies. Safe to say, I'm over that now.

A casserole with rice on the side, or a potato is easy for all the family.

If your wife is asian, I assume you have a rice cooker at home, so that rice is really easy to do and within reason can be done and waiting for whatever foodstuffs come its way? Rice can also be frozen, and reheated in the microwave if cooking small amounts seem a pain.

My OH still has proper rice when he wants it. He doesn't care for pasta, so thats easy.

On diagnosis we made a pact that different meals were not an option, so we both had to give a bit. Sometimes I'll just ignore an element he's eating (like rice or bread(, and he'll have fewer veg that I, but we always eat a tthe table, and have the same meals. The one regular exception is breakfast where he will almost always have a fruit element. I'll sometimes do rhubarb (in season) or berries, but not always
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Had I been your 6 year old in the house I grew up in, I'd have starved! As someone who has almost always enjoyed theor food, that wasn't going to be happening. Dinner was dinner, to be eaten, and that was it. I did go through a very picky stage in my teens, but for some bizarre reason that was around sauces and gravies. Safe to say, I'm over that now.

A casserole with rice on the side, or a potato is easy for all the family.

If your wife is asian, I assume you have a rice cooker at home, so that rice is really easy to do and within reason can be done and waiting for whatever foodstuffs come its way? Rice can also be frozen, and reheated in the microwave if cooking small amounts seem a pain.

My OH still has proper rice when he wants it. He doesn't care for pasta, so thats easy.

On diagnosis we made a pact that different meals were not an option, so we both had to give a bit. Sometimes I'll just ignore an element he's eating (like rice or bread(, and he'll have fewer veg that I, but we always eat a tthe table, and have the same meals. The one regular exception is breakfast where he will almost always have a fruit element. I'll sometimes do rhubarb (in season) or berries, but not always
Same here. I would have starved too. I was born in a different era.

You mentioned pickiness. First and foremost it goes down to the fact that as a parent one wants the child to eat something rather than nothing so it can be so easy to cave in. If my 6 year old was like me then she would eat anything that is put in front of her, but unfortunately she isn’t.

Yes, we have a rice cooker and thank god that we do. As you say it makes things a lot easier.

I am genuinely gravitating in the direction you speak of. It would definitely help if I could cook though. :D
 

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Same here. I would have starved too. I was born in a different era.

You mentioned pickiness. First and foremost it goes down to the fact that as a parent one wants the child to eat something rather than nothing so it can be so easy to cave in. If my 6 year old was like me then she would eat anything that is put in front of her, but unfortunately she isn’t.

Yes, we have a rice cooker and thank god that we do. As you say it makes things a lot easier.

I am genuinely gravitating in the direction you speak of. It would definitely help if I could cook though. :D
Get on and learn then. There are many, many, many recipe videos on food blogger sites and YouTube, so that you can check your progress along the way.

That's how I learned to butcher, fillet fish and demon chickens etc.

Sometimes after an experiment, my OH and I will look at each other and declare a triumph, and other times we just agree not o have "that dish" again.

Any journey starts with the first step.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HSSS

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Get on and learn then. There are many, many, many recipe videos on food blogger sites and YouTube, so that you can check your progress along the way.

That's how I learned to butcher, fillet fish and demon chickens etc.

Sometimes after an experiment, my OH and I will look at each other and declare a triumph, and other times we just agree not o have "that dish" again.

Any journey starts with the first step.
Well yes. I agree with that. Having married twice, I can say that both my wives went through that learning process but it takes a while with success and failure along the way. Now I am going through the same phase myself.
 
Messages
34
This is quick and delicious. Try frying bacon in a non stick pan with chopped leeks and mushrooms. Meanwhile cook some pea pasta (cooks in just 5 minutes). Drain pasta and add to bacon mixture. Stir in some creme fraiche.
Another quick meal. Fry chunks of cooked chicken in coconut oil. Add frozen peas, chopped dates, flaked almonds and cauliflower ‘rice’.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Starfish18

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It’s just that I really do not have a clue what herbs and spices to add.
I’ve taken pictures of the back of packets in supermarkets and recreated it at home by adding the first ingredient in the greatest amounts (guessing) then sequentially less omitting any I don’t have or don’t want or substituting similar things that suit better. It’s not perfect but has worked fairly well as an alternative to actual recipes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Listlad

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I’ve taken pictures of the back of packets in supermarkets and recreated it at home by adding the first ingredient in the greatest amounts (guessing) then sequentially less omitting any I don’t have or don’t want or substituting similar things that suit better. It’s not perfect but has worked fairly well as an alternative to actual recipes.
Heh, I make a great fried cauliflower rice now. :D
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If it doesn’t have white Jasmin rice with it then it is almost a non starter. If it hasn’t got Jasmin rice with it then it has to be potato’s or pasta or something very carby.

She likes fish though but it has to be her kind of fish and then it has to be cooked to death. It’s a long story really and longer than you or I have time for. The 6 year old is a six year old with a sweet tooth. All she wants to eat is sweets and cakes and chocolates. She doesn’t like anything spicy which is understandable. She also is very fussy so it is very difficult to arrive at something we can all eat, let alone low carb. I could go on and on.

So upshot is I have to effectively cook three different dishes at times. Or almost so.

I am sure it would work in some families but not in ours. I appreciate your efforts Bulkbiker but unfortunately food in our family is a tricky and sensitive topic.

One thing I cannot do is ride roughshod over what they eat on the grounds that I need to eat a low carb high fat diet. They would and do object. :D
You sound like you are cooking for my family, except there are five of us to juggle and the carb machine is also vegetarian! All have huge appetites too. 3 teenage boys whose genuine and consistent dislikes are respected but left to go hungry if it’s transient fussiness.

I try(!) and make a base meal in two pots, one veggie and one not, then cook the carbs separately to be added to their plates not mine. Sometimes that goes to 3 pots if spices are involved as we are a divided family in that sense too. Works best for one pot meals but whatever I’m cooking I try and keep as many elements the same across them to minimise prep and ingredients.

I dream of cooking just one meal each night
 
  • Like
Reactions: Listlad

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
You sound like you are cooking for my family, except there are five of us to juggle and the carb machine is also vegetarian! All have huge appetites too. 3 teenage boys whose genuine and consistent dislikes are respected but left to go hungry if it’s transient fussiness.

I try(!) and make a base meal in two pots, one veggie and one not, then cook the carbs separately to be added to their plates not mine. Sometimes that goes to 3 pots if spices are involved as we are a divided family in that sense too. Works best for one pot meals but whatever I’m cooking I try and keep as many elements the same across them to minimise prep and ingredients.

I dream of cooking just one meal each night
I seem to remember you advising along those lines some time back. Since then I have been veering in that direction. I also am giving less rice to the little one and more meat, a shift in balance. She seems okay with that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HSSS

AngiH

Well-Known Member
Messages
336
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I find low carb/keto cooking easy now and both my husband and very fussy son are enjoying it...although they do get spuds or real rice rather than my bare naked rice/spaghetti.
My normal dinners are keto chilli...with a side salad for me and rice/crusty bread for the men. Never any left as it's delicious.
Lidl Aberdeen Angus burger very low carb. No roll for me, served with omelette and salad and roll and chips for men.
Spag bol,
high meat sausages with eggs and bacon
Gammon with veggies
Chicken curry homemade (I'm making this tonight)
Keto butter chicken (Indian type curry)
Chicken masala
Roast dinner, no roasties for me
And of course as the warmer weather starts it's all about salads, jacket spuds for the men and tuna mayo.
Hope that helps a bit. I've got a huge pile of diet doctor recipes that I use. Search Google and you will find so many.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I find low carb/keto cooking easy now and both my husband and very fussy son are enjoying it...although they do get spuds or real rice rather than my bare naked rice/spaghetti.
My normal dinners are keto chilli...with a side salad for me and rice/crusty bread for the men. Never any left as it's delicious.
Lidl Aberdeen Angus burger very low carb. No roll for me, served with omelette and salad and roll and chips for men.
Spag bol,
high meat sausages with eggs and bacon
Gammon with veggies
Chicken curry homemade (I'm making this tonight)
Keto butter chicken (Indian type curry)
Chicken masala
Roast dinner, no roasties for me
And of course as the warmer weather starts it's all about salads, jacket spuds for the men and tuna mayo.
Hope that helps a bit. I've got a huge pile of diet doctor recipes that I use. Search Google and you will find so many.
Roast dinner. Yes, we haven’t had that for a while so a bit of thought required there. No Yorkshire’s and careful with the stuffing I suppose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AngiH

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I find low carb/keto cooking easy now and both my husband and very fussy son are enjoying it...although they do get spuds or real rice rather than my bare naked rice/spaghetti.
My normal dinners are keto chilli...with a side salad for me and rice/crusty bread for the men. Never any left as it's delicious.
Lidl Aberdeen Angus burger very low carb. No roll for me, served with omelette and salad and roll and chips for men.
Spag bol,
high meat sausages with eggs and bacon
Gammon with veggies
Chicken curry homemade (I'm making this tonight)
Keto butter chicken (Indian type curry)
Chicken masala
Roast dinner, no roasties for me
And of course as the warmer weather starts it's all about salads, jacket spuds for the men and tuna mayo.
Hope that helps a bit. I've got a huge pile of diet doctor recipes that I use. Search Google and you will find so many.
@AnjiH

How is it all going now. I recall from your posts that there were difficulties initially. Has it all settled down now?