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Wanting to make bolognese are these ingerdients ok to use?

Marieukxx

Well-Known Member
Messages
240
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
I was thinking of making a bolognese. If I list my idea of what to put in it can someone be kind enough to let me know if these are all safe ingredients for me to use. Also I'm a rubbish cook (usually buy a jar) so if you have any suggestions to make it better that would be great. Oh and obviously I wouldn't eat it all in the one go lol

Lean minced beef
Tin chopped tomatoes with chilli
Squeeze of tomato puree (not sure if that's allowed)
Red pepper, green pepper
Red Chilli
Garlic
Onion
Mushrooms
OXO reduced salt beef cube
Dried or fresh basil
Salt or soy sauce (I love soy) Are we allowed much salt?

I wouldn't use any oil to cook it as I never have with beef mince as the fats come out and moisten the pan. I put chilli as I love spicy food. I would probably just eat a bowl of it on it's own or add some veg on the side.

Would I make a stock to pour over with the oxo cube so I can simmer it all down low and slow to enchance the flavours or would I just sprinkle it over?

Do you think that would make a good healthy low carb meal?
 
My opinion is that you don't need any stock cube at all. You've got the beef to give it the flavour.
You also don't need soy sauce but a pinch of salt is a good idea to add near the end when you can taste it properly
You need tomato paste, not tomato puree. Keep the chopped tomatoes but you can use the puree instead if you prefer.

hang on i need to check if this is a low carb forum or what….

Personally i think you need fats and i would use 1-2tbsp of olive oil (which adds delicious flavour in its own right), sauté the onions and garlic and red peppers first on very low heat, cook till soft and don't burn them. then add the beef and mushrooms, Brown the beef. Then add the tomatoes and dried basil but oregano is better. Add salt last. Also add a pinch of sugar. This takes the acidity out of the tomatoes and isn't enough to hurt you i think.

cook the whole thing for a good while. Cooking brings out the flavours. Don't burn it. Keep the lid on or add more water if needed.

I love bolognese.
 
Personally, I would use Knorr stock pots and Worcester sauce to give if a depth of flavour and to cheat I do use a passata sauce in it as well also use oregano instead of basil


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
NovoRapid, Lantus, Victoza, Metformin (sr), Simvistatin
 
Spaghetti is pasta is it not ? Every thread I have read says pasta is a 'no no'

Or, have I got it wrong ??
 
Can't see any pasta in the recipe, this is just the bolognaise bit. You're not having it with pasta are you Marie?

Check the carb content of the purée and the tinned tomatoes, I would chop my own fresh ones.
 
Does it say somewhere this is a low carb forum? I thought this was just food nutrition and recipes. But even if you are doing low carb, this recipe is still fine just count your carbs in your portion and then especially add the olive oil.

Oh i see you say you do low carb?

Yes i think this would be a healthy low carb meal. you just have to count the carbs and maybe put in less tomato. And even though you are doing low carb, i still insist you put in a little bit of sugar. It makes a huge and vital difference to the taste.
 
I have one of those little gadgets that make courgette strips, you can fry very gently or steam the courgette and its like spaghetti.
 
Thanks everyone for your help. I'm not having pasta with it just the sauce. I will give it a go and do what you all advised. I'm such a rubbish cook, honestly I can spend ages cooking something and it tastes vile when I've finished lol.
 

I can't understand the logic in adding sugar to anything, even a pinch, especially as we try to avoid buying anything with added sugar. I would have thought the tomatoes contained enough sugar.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
I can't understand the logic in adding sugar to anything, even a pinch, especially as we try to avoid buying anything with added sugar. I would have thought the tomatoes contained enough sugar.
Click to expand...
Sunspot is not diabetic.
 
A) the tomatoes cause an acid taste which the sugar counteracts.
b) a pinch of sugar will cause you no harm whatsoever in a batch of bolognese sauce but will make a significant difference to the taste of the dish. I just checked this up on another website because someone else took issue with me on this. I"m saying a literal thumb and finger pinch of sugar.

"http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.c...r_is_sugar_by_any_other_name_or_is_it_part_1/"
 
Sunspot said:
My opinion is that you don't need any stock cube at all. You've got the beef to give it the flavour
Click to expand...


I'm not so sure, I always add a beef oxo cube to bolognese, made a chilli con carne on Friday night and added a beef oxo cube to it for extra flavour.

The key to a good tasting bolognese/chilli con carne is fresh garlic (loads of it).
 
Thanks,
noblehead said:
I'm not so sure, I always add a beef oxo cube to bolognese, made a chilli con carne on Friday night and added a beef oxo cube to it for extra flavour.

The key to a good tasting bolognese/chilli con carne is fresh garlic (loads of it).
Click to expand...
Thanks, I've written out my list lol and am gonna try and make one. I usually do it with a jar of sauce but always add a stock cube as it tastes better. Do you just sprinkle your cube over or do you make a stock with water with it? I used to just sprinkle it over and mix it in as I had a jar of sauce to make enough sauce. Will a tine of tomatoes make enough sauce or should I make a stock with the cube? I am garlic mad lol so put loads in.

Can you tell me how you did your chilli con carne please? I was thinking of that for next but as always I've only ever used jar sauces which are no good for me now. Is your recipe low carb?
 
I'm already feeling better from eating according to what I've been advised here. The tingling hands feet and legs have stopped totally and I feel much more positive now.
 

I didn't make it from scratch, I just fried the lean mince and then added some mushrooms, mixed peppers, onions, tin of chopped tomato's, 2 garlic bulbs and an oxo cube, I then added a jar of Homepride Chilli Con Carne to the mix and let it simmer away for 20 minutes, it wasn't a very low-carb meal as I also made some garlic bread using part-baked rolls.

You should be able to find low-carb versions on the Internet.
 
Marieukxx said:
Can you tell me how you did your chilli con carne please? I was thinking of that for next but as always I've only ever used jar sauces which are no good for me now. Is your recipe low carb?
Click to expand...

I do use a jar sauce occasionally and in moderation. The lowest carb one I know of is the Lloyd Grossman puttanesca, although I haven't got one in at the moment and can't remember the numbers offhand. But if in doubt try it and see what happens - eat to your meter.
 
Marieukxx said:
I'm already feeling better from eating according to what I've been advised here. The tingling hands feet and legs have stopped totally and I feel much more positive now.
Click to expand...

That's brilliant, keep it up and you'll see the improvements you deserve.
 
Can someone tell me the difference between tomato paste and tomato puree I have never seen paste so I always use puree in my mince and soups and usually some passata
Thats sounds lovely I just love Chilil con Carne haven't had any for a while makes me want some now
 
Yeah I don't know the difference either and haven't seen tomato paste.
 
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