Vegetarian Low Carb Recipes

[BIWI]

Asparagus Frittata (serves 2)

250g/9oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 5cm/2in pieces
4 eggs
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
225g/8oz spring onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

• Cook asparagus in boiling water until tender (7-10 minutes)
• Whisk the eggs and add the cheese and the spring onions
• Pre-heat the grill
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan that can go under the grill
• Put in the asparagus; stir-fry for a minute, then pour in the eaten eggs, moving the asparagus around gently to make sure the egg mixture gets right through, and that the grated cheese is well distributed
• Let the frittata cook over a moderate heat for a few minutes until the underside is cooked and lightly browned, then put the pan under a hot grill for a minute or two until the top is set and golden brown

5.5g carbs per serving

Recipe from Rose Elliot's "The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet Book"

Cheese crackers (makes 24)

Another recipe from Rose Elliot's book. You can make these with Parmesan as well, although that's obviously going to be more expensive. For extra 'bite' sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top of the mounds before you bake them.

225g/8oz Mature cheddar, finely grated

• Pre-heat your oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6
• Cover a large baking sheet with baking parchment don't try and do without the baking parchment - they will stick and you'll never get them off the tin!
• Put little piles of grated cheese on the paper, allowing room around each for spreading - you will need to do this in several batches or use more than one baking sheet
• Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and when you try to lift one off the paper it feels firm. If it is bendy and collapses, put them back in the oven for a minute or two longer
• Cool on the paper and then lift off with a spatula and eat on their own or serve with dips. They keep well in an airtight container

3.2 g carbs for the whole quantity

Posted by @teaandthorazine

Broccolli and Blue Cheese Soup

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 large head of broccolli (plus any other green veg you might have lying around, I've bunged a courgette in there as well today)
Veg stock (I used one of those squidgy Knorr veg cubes)
Blue cheese (I used Castello Danish Blue, but you can use any blue cheese)

• In a large saucepan, gently saute onion, garlic and celery in butter and a dot of oil, until soft
• Add veg and saute for a couple of minutes
• Add stock - about a pint or so
• Bring briefly to the boil, then simmer gently for 20 mins or until veg is soft
• Allow to cool slightly, then whizz with hand blender
• Add approx 50g blue cheese, stir to melt.
• Season, add more cheese if necessary

Posted by @WillieWaggleDagger:

Mushroom cream sauce (makes enough for two, nice with chicken)

put a small handful (5-6 pieces) dried porcini mushrooms in a jug, and add boiling water (about 300ml ish). Add about a quarter of a gluten free stock cube (optional - can just add salt and pepper later if you want to). leave this to soak for 10 min

Chop up about 100g mushrooms and fry gently in butter until cooked.

Add the porcini mushrooms and liquid, bring to the boil and reduce by about a half.

Add 50-100ml cream and bring to the boil and reduce until it's got a nice saucy consistency

Add a bit of parsley if you like

About 4 carbs per serving I think

Simon Hopkinson recipe:

Grilled aubergines with olive oil, garlic, parsley and feta cheese Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 long, thin-skinned purple aubergines (alternatively use the ordinary plump, pear-shaped variety available from most supermarkets)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a little sea salt and black pepper
150g/5oz feta cheese
lemons, for serving

Preparation method:
Preheat the grill to high.
Run a small, sharp knife round the top of the aubergine, 1cm/½in or so below the stalk and only just cutting through the skin; then make four evenly spaced, similarly shallow cuts, along the length of the aubergine right down to the end.
Grill the aubergines for about 20 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes or so, until evenly cooked with charred skin, and until the aubergine feels soft, but not too collapsed within. In the case of the purple aubergines, the skin will also have turned a dull brown colour. Transfer to a large, oval, white plate and allow to cool for two minutes.
Peel away the aubergine skin in four long, narrow sheets using a small knife. Without cutting right through the stalk end, cut the aubergines in half lengthways and gently prise apart until you have two horizontal halves remaining attached at the top end
Mix the garlic and parsley with the olive oil until well combined and spoon the mixture over the aubergine. Season lightly with salt (not too much - the cheese is salty anyway) and pepper, and crumble the feta cheese over the top. If liked, trickle over more olive oil to finish.
Serve warm, or at room temperature with lemon squeezed over.

Posted by @ilovemyteddy:

Curried Cauliflower Soup from the Idiot Proof Diet Cookbook

1 leek

1ltr veg stock

1 tbsp curry powder

1kg frozen cauliflower (get the cheap basics one because you are going to blitz it so it doesn't need to be big florets)

Fry the leek in a little oil and butter until it is soft. Add curry powder and fry for 30 seconds. Add stock and cauliflower and cook until cauli is softened. Blitz in a blender or with one of those brilliant hand held ones.

Serve with a swirl of cream and some sprigs of fresh coriander.

Delish.

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

This recipe came from Celia Brooks Brown's Low Carb Vegetarian, if you like spicy food, I'd suggest you bump up the spices a little more, I will the next time!

Paneer Masala with Spinach & Coconut

2tbsp oil
1tsp black mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp tumeric
2 red chillies - to taste
3 spring onions
3 garlic cloves
2.5cm piece of ginger finely chopped
50g desiccated coconut
300g paneer diced - shop bought or homemade (recipe for home made just standard one)
200g spinach, chopped
100ml Greek yogurt

Fry mustard seeds in a large saucepan/wok. When they start to pop add cumin, turmeric, chilli, spring onions, garlic & ginger and fry for 2 mins. Add coconut & paneer cook for a few minutes.
Stir spinach through mixture and stop cooking as soon as the spinach wilts. Stir in yoghurt and serve.

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

Cauliflower Rice

In a food processor, using the pulse action, process fresh cauliflower until it's the size of grains of rice.
Stick it in a microwave proof bowl, cover with a plate and microwave for 8 mins. Done!
Do not add water

Posted by @GlitterKitty:

Paneer
Cut about 200g paneer into cubes then shake in a bag with 1/2tsp salt, 1tsp chilli powder and 1tsp turmeric then fry in oil until lightly browned.

Eat on its own or add to Sag Paneer

<strong>Sag Paneer</strong>

375g baby spinach, washed
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ onion, chopped
1 tsp of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 green chilli, whole (optional)
1 tsp ground coriander
salt, to taste
125g paneer, cut into cubes
½ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp double cream
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste

<ol><li>Blanch the spinach in hot water for a couple of minutes or until wilted. Drain into a colander and run cold water over it until cool. Squeeze out excess water. Then you can either roughly chop it or blend to a paste in a whizzer.
</li><li>Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the cumin seeds and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the onion and fry over a low heat until soft. Add the ginger and chilli and cook for a further minute.
</li><li>Add the ground coriander and salt to taste. Cook for another 30 seconds then add the spinach and a splash of water if necessary (the mixture should be loose but not watery). Bring to a boil and then simmer for three minutes.
</li><li>Add the paneer cubes, garam masala and cream. Stir and cook for a few minutes or until the spinach is nice and creamy. Stir in the lemon juice to taste.</li></ol>

Posted by @NotMostPeople:

Cauliflower Crust Pizza - yes I did say Pizza

I'm new to this, so if I've got it wrong and it's not allowed I'm mucho sorry but I thought it might be worth a try.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
½ teaspoon garlic salt
olive oil (optional)
pizza sauce, shredded cheese and choice of your toppings*
Instructions

To "rice" the Cauliflower: Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater).

Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself. One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.
To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

From Lauren Conrad via Pinterest

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

Romano Peppers stuffed with feta, pine kernels & mint
adapted from a recipe by Catherine Mason, Vegetable Heaven

Serves 2

2 Romano peppers
2 shallots, finely chopped
15g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic - finely chopped
200g feta, drain, wash dry and crumble
Zest from 1 lemon (original recipe 1/4 preserved lemon)
15g mint leaves
50 pine kernels toasted
ground black pepper

Preheat oven - fan 190C

1. Cut peppers in half lengthways, leave stalks attached, remove seeds, then rinse and dry.

2.Fry shallots in butter and olive oil until soft, add garlic, cook for a couple of minutes. Set pan aside to cool.

1. Put the feta, mint and lemon zest into a food processor, whiz till smooth.

Miz cheese puree with the pine nuts and the shallots, probably salty enough but taste for salt & pepper.

1. Put the mixture into the halved peppers and place them on an oiled baking dish. Bake cover with foil for 30 min and then uncovered for 15mins.

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi - served with tomato sauce or sage butter
recipe from Low Carb Vegetarian by Celia Brooks Brown. Serves 4 or 2 with very big appetites!

Gnocchi
200g young spinach, washed
2 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)
1 nice plump garlic clove - or 2 slim ones, crushed
150g ricotta, drained
75g soy flour
100g grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
nutmeg - generous grating to taste...(I don't like nutmeg so I omitted it)
Salt & Pepper

Tomato sauce
Olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans tomatoes
squirt of sun dried tom paste

Sage Butter
75g unsalted butted
salt!
16 fresh sage leaves coarsely chopped

To make tomato sauce: Heat oil, fry shallots till translucent, add garlic fry for a minute, add tomatoes and sun dried tomato paste - simmer while making gnocchi and till the tomatoes lose their acidity - at least 30 mins.

To make gnocchi: Wilt spinach, drain and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle wrap spinach in a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Then chop finely.

Mix spinach, parsley if using, garlic, ricotta, soy flour, parmesan, nutmeg, S&P. Then mix well!

Have a big pan of salted boiling water at the ready. Form balls small walnut size. Gnocchi can be frozen at this stage. Drop a few Gnocchi into boiling water and simmer for 3-4 mins, until they have risen to the surface - remove with a slotted spoon, keep warm and cook the next batch.

To make sage butter: Melt butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and the sage. Fry till the sage starts to go a golden colour - keep your eyes on it, as it can burn very quickly.

Pour chosen sauce over gnocchi and add some grated parmesan.

6g Carbs per serving with sage butter - bit extra with tomato sauce.

Posted by @dotty2:

Quick Spinach soup

Boil a handful of frozen whole leaf spinach in whatever stock you have to hand until defrosted (3 minutes or so)

Add some finely chopped mushrooms if you like - they'll cook in a couple of minutes

Also a few walnuts good to give it body if not on boot camp (or veggie - think veggies are allowed nuts?)

Add a slosh of doublecream and a squeeze of lemon

Liquidise in a blender or with a stick blender.

Posted by ANTagony:

Celeriac and (insert desired flavour here) CRISPS

Use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to create thin slices of celeriac.

Spread on a baking sheet

In a separate dish melt approx 1oz butter per 100g celeriac (I put it in the microwave for about 20 secs)

Add wild garlic/ herbs/ chilli powder to butter, I used approx 1 tsp wild garlic to the melted 1 oz butter.

Use a pastry brush to liberally coat each slice.

Bake for approx 30 mins at 150ish (fan)

They go brown around the edges after about 20mins and don't need to be completely brown to be crisp. They continue to crisp after you take them out the oven as they cool so I'd say they need to be well browned but not all solid brown or all crisp on the tray to be done.

Tip them onto a sheet of kitchen towel to cool.

Hope to get them into a bowl before DH and the DC scoff them all!

Posted by @cybbo:

Steamed cauliflower florets mashed with cheese and cream and black pepper is the tastiest alternative to mash you'll ever have, for fish pies, shepherds pies, whateverrrrr

Posted by @QueenStromba:

Mushroom soup:

1 shallot
50g butter
350g mushrooms
500ml stock

Fry up the shallot in the butter for a few mins then add the mushrooms and fry for another few mins then add the stock. After about 8 mins blend until smooth.

Posted by @MNP:

White Cabbage Curry

1onion diced
4 cloves chopped garlic
7cm peeled and grated ginger
5mls cumin seeds
5mls mustard seeds
8 cloves
8 peppercorns
2.5mls turmeric
2.5mls chilli powder
10mls Garam masala
20mls soy sauce
6fl ozs water
20mls oil
10mls tomato paste
1.5lbs shredded white cabbage
Salt to taste

Fry seeds in oil for 2 minutes.
Add everything else EXCEPT cabbage and water and stir for 2 mins.
Add cabbage and stir to cook in the sauce.
Add water and simmer for 30 mins stirring every 10 mins.

Posted by @MNP:

Egg Nests

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Smoked paprika

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle. Line a roasting pan, or baking sheet that can take high temperatures without warping, with parchment paper or silicon sheet.

2 Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Make sure there are no little pieces of egg yolk in the whites or you will have difficulty getting the whites to beat properly. It helps if you are making more than one egg nest to keep each egg yolk in a separate prep bowl.

3 Place the egg whites in a very clean mixer bowl (any residual oil in the mixer bowl will keep the egg whites from whipping up properly). Add a quarter teaspoon of salt to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites with a whisk attachment in a mixer (or using a hand mixer), starting on low speed and then slowly increasing to high speed, until stiff peaks form.

4 Gently fold in the grated Gruyere cheese, taking care not to deflate the egg whites.

5 Create two mounds of the egg white mixture on the lined baking sheet. Form the mounds so they look like nests, with indentations in the centers.

6 Place in the oven for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, open the oven, pull out the rack with the egg white nests, and gently add an egg yolk to the center of each nest. Return the baking sheet to the oven and cook for 3 more minutes.

7 Serve immediately.

DH says they are lovely.

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

Aubergine and Halloumi with Coriander Pesto adapted from Cranks Fast Food

Ingredients:

3 medium aubergines sliced into 1cm thick slices
1 packet of Halloumi cheese sliced into 1/2 cm slices
6 cubes of coriander pesto (see below)
few glugs of olive oil

Method:

Place the aubergine slices on greaseproof paper and bake in a 180C oven for 10-15 minutes. You can do this the day before or earlier in the day if you wish.

Layer 1/3 of the eggplant followed by 3 cubes of pesto (defrosted if you have time) and half the haloumi. Repeat finishing with a layer of aubergine. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake in a hot 220c oven for about 20 minutes. Serve with green salad, tomatoes & chives.

Coriander pesto

1 bunch of coriander
rind of 1 lime finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 chilli - very finely chopped
2 tbsp almonds - ground
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
60ml mild olive oil
salt

Method:

Put all ingredients of the pesto in a food processor and turn on. Place pesto in a ice cube tray and freeze. The pesto makes many things zing especially veggie soup.

Posted by @QuincyMincemeat:

Celeriac soup of amazingness

Half a celeriac (more if you're feeding more, half a one gave me 2 good portions)
Stock 500mls
Butter. lots of butter.

Chop celeriac into 2cm dice
Put a generous blob of butter in pan, melt gently. Add celeriac and sauté very gently. You don't want to colour the celeriac or burn butter, so low heat essential. I did it 'til edges of c became slightly transparent.
Add the stock and gently simmer until tender.
Add MORE butter.
Whisk in blender or use hand blender.
Season to taste, and eat, and faint with sheer gorgeousness of it.

Posted by @QuincyMincemeat:

Courgette spaghetti/noodles

1 courgette sliced very finely on either julienne attachment on mandoline or by hand. This recipe was posted before the advent of spiralizers - so if you have one of those, this is ideal!

Seasoning
Oil - if serving with Italian style stuff use olive, if serving with chinesey stuff use toasted sesame.

Put sliced courgette in microwaveable bowl, season and toss in oil. Cover and microwave for 3 mins (3 mins leaves it a wee bit al dente)

Posted by @QuincyMincemeat:

Cheese scones

1 cup grnd almonds
1 tsp baking powder
one egg (and a splash of milk)
Cheese. Lots of cheese. Parmesan best but any hard grateable would do
Spicing, quite important if you're not keen on the almond taste. I go for smoked paprika and dried chillis.
Mix together and blob on baking parchment on baking sheet. Makes about 6. Sprinkle more cheese on top too.

Bake at 180 for about 15 mins, check them, they want to be nice and golden brown. Leave them to cook for longer if needs be.

Amazing straight out of the oven with butter

Posted by @FiddleDeFat:

Tomato Soup

2 shallots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tomatoes, blanched in hot water to remove skins, chopped
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon Swiss Veg Bouillon dissolved in 1/2 pint hot water
1 teaspoon dried basil
60g meat, chopped small

Gently cook the shallots, garlic and celery in a pot. Add everything else and cook gently until the veg are softened, about 10 mins. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Add the meat (leftover roast chicken or beef works well).
Allow to heat through and serve with a drizzle of cream, and maybe a buttered Oopsie roll.

Makes about 1000g of soup. One serving of 300g has 112 cals, 10g carbs, 4g fat and 8g protein.

Posted by @SharonGless:

Dreamy creamy spinach soup

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions ( I used shallots)
2 cloves minced garlic
2tsp dried basil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 10 ounce block frozen chopped spinach ( I used fresh)
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup double cream (I used crème fraiche)
1/3 cup grated parmesan

Fry onion and garlic in melted butter. Add basil, salt, pepper and spinach
Stir in broth and cream.
Bring to boil and stir until thickened
Add cheese.

I then blended mine as had used fresh spinach.

Even the kids ate it and said it was pesto soup

Posted by @WizzyBizzy:

Kale crisps

Take kale. Toss in olive oil and some coarse salt. Layout on grease proof paper and put in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes, until green-brown (not brown-black). Allow to cool for a few minutes and you'll have crunchy kale.

Great as a snack or in salad.

Posted by @BettyBathroom:

Parmesan, tomato & spring onion muffins

Leave out the tomatoes, parmesan & spring onions for a plainer more bread like loaf.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups ground almonds
3 eggs
1 eggs yolk
120g melted butter
300g tub of cottage cheese - put cottage cheese in a muslin or clean tea towel and try to squeeze out excess water

8 semi dried tomatoes, chopped
2 sprng onions,chopped
1/2 cup parmesan,grated

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C

1. Grease a 4 inch x 8 inch loaf pan with butter and coat bottom with almond flour or prepare a muffin tin with nuffin cases.

1. Use food processor to mix eggs, melted butter, dry curd cottage cheese, baking soda and salt. Process until thick and resembles butter in texture. Add parmesan, tomatoes & spring onion - a couple of pulses to mix.

1. Add almond flour and pulse till mixed.

1. Soon mixture into muffin pan or loaf tin

1. Bake for about 45mins until lightly browned on top - keep an eye on it from 30mins. Check doneness by inserting knife and seeing if it comes out clean.