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"

Celeriac chips

Peel your celeriac, and then cut it up into chips.

Put them into a roasting tin with a load of olive oil, and season with sea salt/black pepper, and roast for about 30 mins, turning half way through.

They don't go quite as crispy as potato would, but they're pretty close!

Posted by @Snowdown:

Have recently started frying diced celeriac in butter, IMO it's absolutely the best way to eat it and it's pretty easy. Also like it mashed with a grain mustard salad dressing.

Easy Cauliflower Cheese

Serves 2 as a main course/4 as a side dish

1 large cauliflower
250g grated mature cheddar
300ml double cream
Salt, black pepper

1.Cut the leaves and stalk off the cauliflower and break it into florets
2.Boil in salted water for 8-9 minutes until just tender, then drain well
3.Put the cooked cauliflower into an oven dish, tip the cheese over the top and pour the cream over the top of that; season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper
4.Put a lid on the dish and bake for 20 minutes at 200C/180C fan; after 20 minutes remove the lid and turn the oven to its highest setting and cook until the top is browned (or put it under the grill for a few minutes)

Home-made 'soft' mayo: (consistency is more like salad cream)

1 egg
150ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
salt and black pepper

1. Put the egg in the small bowl of a food processor (or a blender, or use a stick blender in an appropriate bowl), and add the mustard, salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of the oil

1. Slowly pour in the rest of the oil while the motor/blender is running, and the mixture will thicken slightly

1. When all the oil is incorporated, add the vinegars and blend

1. Taste and adjust seasoning, including vinegar, to your liking

Raspberry vinegar isn't especially easy to get hold of, but if you can find some, it adds a sweet note to the mayo which is lovely.

Courgettes, aubergine and olives in tomato sauce (serves 4)

1 aubergine, diced (not too small - keep the pieces reasonably chunky)
2 medium courgettes (diced about the same size as the aubergine)
2-3 echalion shallots, chopped
1 x 400g tin/carton of chopped tomatoes
handful of black olives (as many as you like)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, or crushed
1 teaspoon of dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
plenty of olive oil
salt and pepper

1. In a large frying pan, pour a generous sloosh of olive oil - enough to cover the base of the pan well

1. When the oil is hot, add the aubergine and fry over a medium to high heat until browned (you may need to add more oil as aubergine is like a sponge)

1. When browned, add the courgettes and shallots and continue to fry until they are also browned

1. Season with salt, pepper and oregano, then add the tomatoes

1. Turn the heat down, so that the mixture is simmering rather than boiling, and then add the olives and garlic and simmer for about 20 minutes

Posted by @daisychicken:

Courgette Gratin (from Telegraph website)

4 courgettes
1 onion (use a shallot for lower carbs)
1 clove of garlic
175ml dbl cream
Grated lemon zest
60g grated Parmesan
10 leaves of basil
Handful of ground almonds (recipe uses breadcrumbs)
Handful of pumpkin seeds (optional but adds a little crunch if you use)

Preheat oven 200degC / GM6

Slice courgette diagonally into 1cm thick slices, toss in olive oil, salt & pepper. Put in oven dish at top of oven for 10 min till just soft.

While they’re cooking finely slice the onion and garlic and gently fry in oil until soft. When the courgettes are cooked drop them into a bowl with the onion, garlic, roughly chopped basil, ¾ of the parmesan and a little grated lemon zest. Mix together well and the spread out in an ovenproof baking dish.

Evenly pour over the double cream and scatter over the ground almonds, remaining parmesan and pumpkin seeds over the top.

Bake on the top shelf of the oven for fifteen minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Finish off under the grill to get a really golden topping if needed.

Variations
Layer some sliced tomatoes amongst the courgettes before pouring over the double cream.

Was gorgeous! Leftovers heated well but the courgette does get a little soggy so be aware that it doesn't really keep and it wouldn't freeze.

Posted by @DalmationStripe:

Leek carbonara

Fry leek, bacon and mushrooms in butter/olive oil.

Mix eggs, double cream, Parmesan and black pepper together and add to the leeks bacon and mushrooms, mix everything together until the sauce is cooked.

Posted by @SarahBeenysBumblingApprentice:

Vegetable rosti

(It's a bit if a faff but I was trying to convince the DC that they were eating burgers).

I've been grating up a mix of veg in large batches to use in salads during the week - I got a bit fed up of green leafy salads. I used some of this, which was about 1/4 swede, 1/4 celeriac and 1/2 a large courgette coarsely grated. I sautéed the lot in olive oil until soft. I then beat 2 eggs and a tablespoon of mayo, salt, a tsp of baking powder, smoked garlic power and 1/2 tsp dried sage together and once the veg had cooled a bit I mixed it all up. It needed to be spooned into the frying pan for frying and it's a bit delicate but made some nice little rosti style cakes. They firm up a bit if you put them into a warm oven for 10min or so.

Clearly garlic and sage is to my taste and I'm sure you could flavour them with anything you want!

Posted by @Mumelie:

Turnip Dauphinoise

Made this evening and amazed how like potato it was - even my fussy 11 year old ate it all up!

Grease a medium gratin dish with butter. Oven on to 160c.
Slice up 4 large turnips (best in food processor).
Heat 250ml double with 250ml sour cream (I used single) 100ml water and a garlic clove til just boiling (keep stirring).
Layer turnips in dish with salt n pepper - you could add a little sliced shallot or herbs if you like.
Pour over warm cream mix. Place in oven for an hour.
Add about 40g grated cheese (I used mature cheddar). Bake for another 20-30 mins.
This serves at least 6 (only 3 of us do having again tomorrow).
Think it will freeze too.

I'm so thrilled with this potato replacement - I really miss them.

Taken from 'low carb & gluten free vegetarian' by Celia Brooks.
States carbs at 10g/ portion (without cheese or shallot added).

Posted by @pootlebug:

Low carb bread

Contains no 'fake' ingredients. In the early days of BC I would still avoid it, not because it contains anything you shouldn't have, but because it's quite good to get out of the habit of basing meals around bread, iyswim. But very useful e.g. when you have to fit in with other people who are all eating sandwiches / cheese and biscuits etc. It keeps for several days in a sealed box in the fridge.

Ingredients:
1 cup milled flaxseed (you can substitute part of them for chia seed for a change)
1/2 a cup ground almonds
1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
3 tablespoons water

• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
• Beat eggs and water together a bit in a separate bowl
• Mix the dry and wet ingredients together
• Pour into a small loaf tin, spread it out so it's fairly level and bake for 20-25 minutes at 200 celsius.

I find it works well in my silicone loaf tin without needing to grease the tin. My friend who has a metal tin complains it sticks a bit so if using metal you'll probably need to line the tin / grease it.

Let it cool (or at least cool a bit) before you slice it. You can toast it too.

Posted by @Gcalgske:

Almond Flax crackers

1 1/2 cup ground flax
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 egg
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Optional 2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
Optional sprinkle of sesame / flax seeds/ salt / pepper for top

Mix ground almonds, flax meal, salt, rosemary and pepper in a bowl. Add the egg and oil and mix with a fork until it comes together in a dough.

Lay dough on a sheet of grease proof paper or silicon mat, cover with another sheet and roll over the top with a rolling pin or wine bottle.

Use a small cutter to cut out rounds ( I got 48 about the size of a Titz cracker) or just slice into squares.

Sprinkle some seeds , pepper or salt on the top and press down gently.

Bake for 25-30 minutes on a gentle heat (150 fan assisted) or until golden brown and crunchy. Leave to cool.

With the above recipe, add some water (only a little) if the dough isn't sticking together

Posted by @Gcalgske:

Quick Saag Paneer

White of 1 small leek or a shallot, sliced finely
8-10 pellets of frozen spinach
1 tbsp each of garlic/chilli oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
Crushed clove garlic
1 tsp garum massala
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
150g cottage cheese, lightly rinsed and drained or paneer if preferred

Heat the oils in a small frying pan.
Fry the leek for 1-2 mins, sprinkle in the spices and toast for a minute.
Add in the puree and the spinach.
Stir and allow the spinach to defrost, dry out and get coated in the spices.
Add the cheese and stir through until warmed through.
If a bit dry add a wee drop water and make sure piping hot before you serve.

This is by no means authentic but is really quick and yummy.

I used cottage cheese instead of paneer as an Indian friend in the past had recommended it and said it was more like the paneer her mum makes at home than the stuff you get in the supermarket but use what you have handy.

Posted by @PlayNice:

Cauliflower Crust Pizza (serves one)

(I know this has probably been done to death, but I was asked on another thread for tips on getting a decent crust)

Ingredients for pizza:
400g cauliflower
1 medium egg

Method:

1. Chop the cauliflower coarsely and roast it in the oven until done.
2. Remove cauliflower from oven and either rice it in a food processor or blend it with a hand blender (this is what I did).
3. Put your cauliflower mush into a tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze as much of the moisture out as you can.
4. Mix cauliflower and egg into rough paste. Add seasoning and herbs if wanted.
5. Dollop "dough" onto a baking tray or pizza stone. If you use a baking tray, covering it with greaseproof paper, foil, or a bit of oil is very helpful.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until browned.

Take a metal spatula and carefully lift the pizza base from the oven and flip it over. Bake it for a further 5 minutes.

Add sauce and toppings. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, depending on what you're using.

Enjoy!

I like a white pizza sauce, but obviously the flour in a normal one doesn't work for me. This time I made one up using 50g of plain natural yogurt and a bit of Gorgonzola I had. You could easily sub with Parmesan for a less... Intense taste.

Posted by @katiekatie:

Lush Cauliflower breakfast 'pie'

1 cauliflower
2 eggs
Handful of grated cheddar
Some parmesan /whatever other cheese you want

Chop cauliflower into med sized bits
Microwave in a bowl covered with cling film for approx 4 mins
Drain off any liquid
Put cauliflower in food processor & pulse till small, rice like but not pulverised
Stir in 2 eggs, cheese & season
Press into baking pan, bake at 200 for 20 mins until golden brown on top
Slice into squares eat hot or cold

Switch up with grated horseradish/spring onion/mustard etc

Posted by @Gcalgske:

1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter ( whole earth brand - no sugar, no palm oil etc)
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 tsp chilli oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp tamari

Mix well. Eat with cucumber sticks/celery as a dip, or stirred through a stir fry. Reckon it would work well with cashew butter too but not tried it.

Posted by @CrabbyTheCrabster:

Easy (stick blender) Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients
115g butter (I use salted)
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice (some recipes use vinegar or half water half lemon juice)

Melt the butter gently in a small pan until it's foaming. If you can skim off the white stuff, do so, otherwise let the milk solids settle at the bottom as much as possible.

Put the egg yolks and lemon juice in a container just wider than the head of the stick blender (they usually come with a tall narrow jug thing for this). Whizz them with the stick blender until pale and opaque (30 - 60 secs).

If possible, put the container on a grippy surface or wrap a tea towel round it, as you need three hands otherwise - one to hold the blender, one to pour the butter and one to stop the jug whizzing round with the blender! If someone is there to hold the container, that's the easiest thing.

When your butter is completely melted and the white bits (milk solids) are at the bottom, turn of the heat, turn on the blender and pour the melted butter very slowly into the egg yolks, whizzing the whole time. Move the stick blender up and down a bit to incorporate it all. It should be a tiny steady stream of butter like when you make mayonnaise.

Pour almost all of the butter in but leave the last bit that's got the milk solids in.

It only takes a minute or two, so leave it til everything else is ready. You can keep it warm for a little while (put the jug in a bowl of warm water) but it's best eaten immediately and doesn't reheat. It's rather delicious eaten cold (or from fridge) the next day though, straight from the jug.

Coleslaw

125g white cabbage (less than 1/4 of a cabbage)
75g carrot (1 medium-sized carrot)
25g shallot (1/2 a banana/echalion shallot)

Slice white cabbage thinly
Grate carrot finely (don't use the largest holes on the grater)
Chop shallot finely

Add oil and wine vinegar - roughly 3 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar, and salt and black pepper. Stir everything well together. Leave for half an hour or so. Just before serving, stir in a tablespoon of mayo.

This will make 2 portions

Posted by @StuntNun:

Barbecue sauce adapted from Mark's Daily Apple

1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons water
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Posted by @WhoTheFuckIsSimon:

I've just made some veggie breakfast muffins which look quite good.

Six eggs, three spring onions, green bell pepper, 3 vine tomatoes, spinach. Bit of cheddar on the top. Chop up all the veg add the eggs.

The original recipe had a photo, which I can't copy over - showing that these had been made in 6 paper cases, in a square muffin tin. Would probably make 6-8 in a round muffin tin

Took 20 mins at 190c

Posted by @Gcalgske:

Granola/muesli

50g Flax seed

15g ground flax 

50g pine nuts

50g almond flakes

25g unsweetened coconut (I used the strips for texture)

25g Chopped pecans

25g Chopped brazil nuts

25g Chopped Walnuts (I used skin removed)

2tsp cinnamon

6 drops liquid stevia (or sweetner of choice)
1 egg white

60g melted butter

 Or coconut oil

Mix all nuts/seeds together, mix in stevia, butter / oil and egg white and spread out on greaseproof paper or silicon. 
Bake for 10 minutes, using a metal spoon turn over (gently you want to keep some pieces together).

Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and smelling delicious!. Leave to cool.

Wonderful with cream, natural yoghurt, rhubarb or just plain as a snack. 
All the nuts/ seeds add up to around 12g carbs for the whole recipe. The stevia drops I have (Amazon) are only trace each, as you only have 1 per serving I have not counted them.

Posted by @Gcalgske:

Fathead garlic pizza bread - 4 servings

Base:
200g mature / hard mozzarella. (Not the soft stuff in milky liquid!) or Edam grated.
80g cream cheese
1 egg
80g ground almonds

Topping:
2 crushed garlic cloves
50g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Sprinkling oregano (dried or fresh)
1 tbsp grated hard cheese such as grana padano or Parmesan
50g mature / hard mozzaaella

In a microwave proof bowl put the mozzerella and cream cheese for the base. Microwave until melted and stringy. Beat in the ground almonds and egg.

Wet hands. Push out on a tray lined with buttered grease proof or silicon. Best use one with sides like a Swiss roll tin, helps retain the garlic butter.

Prick with a fork and bake for 10 mins. Flip.

Microwave the butter, olive oil and garlic until butter melted.

Pour over the bread. Sprinkle over the mozzarella, Parmesan and oregano. Bake for a further 10 minutes.

Posted by @Gcalgske:

Cheese crisps

Can be done with any hard cheese, I used Gouda slices here, 2 slices make 6 crackers. You can use whatever you have: baby bel, cheddar, Edam etc. I would use 2 babybel to make 6 crackers.

Slice and place on a greased plate or use silicon. Pound land have 6 silicon cupcake cases or a 9inch Victoria sponge case so you could make one big one and break up into shards.

Microwave on high for approx 2 mins. It will melt, the fat will separate and foam. Keep going, be brave, eventually maybe move down to 10 second bursts. It will become hard to touch when ready.

Use to scoop up salsa, guacamole, cheese dip, top with butter, Stilton, pate, Marmite, nut butter...

Posted by @iamdobby63:

Really quick cheese sauce for veggies

Approx tbsp butter in microwave bowl, tbsp full fat cream cheese (avoid Philly as it has sugar in it), then on top grate some strong cheddar add any seasoning or mustard if you wish. Nuke for one minute, give a good stir and pour over veg.

Posted by @BetsyMOO:

Crackers

8oz (225g) ground almonds
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp rosemary (or any other herb you fancy)
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp olive oil

Mix everything in a bowl - best using your hands.
Flatten the dough between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper, use a rolling pin to get the dough as thin as possible.
Remove the top sheet of greaseproof paper and place the bottom one (with the dough) on a baking tray. Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut cracker shapes.
Bake at 175C for 10-12 minutes.

A total of 15g carbs and I usually get around 20 crackers out of the dough.