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"

Just made a lush halloumi, aubergine and spinach curry. Inspired by a Patrick holford recipe but very heavily adapted to what I had in.

Basically - fry up an aubergine cubed into 1cm pieces in coconut oil with some curry powder and some garlic powder (I had no fresh garlic) until soft. Add a block of halloumi again cut into 1cm cubes until just brown. Add a handful of frozen whole leaf spinach and a tin of chopped tomatoes and simmer for a few mins. Just before serving swirl in a little bit of cream, and a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. So good! Leave out the to tomatoes to reduce carbs if you like.

Amazing salad - it has bacon in, but that's the only non-vegetarian ingredient so you could leave it out for vegetarian version: smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/classic-cobb-salad/

This is a yummy salad, that will last a few days if you don't mind your cucumber and avocado going a bit soggy. Roasting the almonds makes all the difference - that was the alteration that my mum made to this recip, which is originally from Robert Carrier.

Avocado, Almond, Cucumber, Tomato & Cheese Salad

2 ripe avocados
250g Cheshire cheese (I usually use the crumbly version)
500g tomatoes
½ large cucumber
100g almonds – blanched and roasted
6 large spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1 tbsp chopped parsley
4 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 large clove garlic, crushed with some sea salt
2-4 drops of tabasco sauce

1. Stone and peel the avocados. Chop into 12mm dice. Chop the cheese, tomatoes (I roughly de-seed the tomatoes and throw out the seeds to stop it being too watery) and cucumber into pieces the same size. Put all of these into a large salad bowl with the almonds, spring onions and herbs. (Avocados at the bottom, so that they don’t go black if there is delay before tossing in the dressing).
2. Beat the oil, vinegar, tomato purée, garlic and tabasco together and fold into the salad.
3. Enjoy!

Fluffy pancakes with PB&J.

Make theh jam ahead of time - I did mine the night before.

Mash 10 raspberries with a tsp of milled chia seed. I added a pinch of Himalayan salt. Leave to thicken.

Pancakes:
Separate 1 egg. Beat the white till thick and fluffy with a fork in a shallow bowl. Stir one tablespoon cream cheese into the yolk, and 1 tsp coconut flour. Gently combine (I add a blob of teh white to the yolk mix first to loosen it, then stir the yolk into the white.

Heat some cocnut oil or butter in a frying pan. Gently place generous tablespoons of the mix into piles around the pan, turning after a minute or 2 when the underside is brown.

Serve warm with peanut butter and the chia jam.

Stir any leftover jam through Greek Yoghurt and top with flaked almonds for a Bakewell Tart flavour snack.

Waffles! Bootcamp light but don’t taste eggy (or have cream cheese in!)
sugarfreelondoner.com/almond-butter-waffles-grain-free/

Really yummy cheese scones/muffins:

Not sure of exact quantities so experiment -

Ground almonds (or coconut flour) - about 75g, pinch of salt and pinch of baking powder, one egg, 25g melted butter, handful of grated cheese and chopped spring onions.

Mix together and bake for about 15 minutes - I use those silicone muffin trays - made three - adjust quantities to make more - could use those mini muffin cases for small canapes.

Not entirely carb free as there are some carbs in the ground almonds but much less than normal flour.

Really nice warm from the oven with butter.

Halloumi Kebabs
Makes 4 kebabs / 2 servings

Ingredients:
150g halloumi cheese
Half of a red pepper
Half of a yellow pepper
Small courgette
Kebab skewers

Marinade:
Juice and zest of half a lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch or two of chilli powder
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Method:

1. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning.

1. Make marinade by mixing ingredients together in shallow bowl and set aside.

1. Slice halloumi into 1 inch squares, about half cm thick.

1. Slice red and yellow peppers into 1 inch squares.

1. Slice courgette into half cm thick slices.

1. Marinate halloumi and veg for 30 minutes then thread onto the kebab sticks, alternating veg and halloumi.

1. Put kebabs in grill pan and pour over any remaining marinade.

1. Grill for 10 minutes under medium hot grill, turning occasionally.

Nutrition per serving (2 kebabs per serving):

Calories: 299 kcal
Carbs: 6g
Fat: 23g
Protein: 15g

Flatbreads ^(adapted from Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet book)*

40g butter
60g coconut flour
15g powdered psyllium husk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat and cook until it turns a nut brown colour and fragrant. Remove from heat.
2. In a bowl, mix the the coconut flour, psyllium husk and salt together until well combined. Trickle on the brown butter and mix to a buttery paste.
3. Slowly pour on 250ml boiling water, stirring the mixture constantly with a spoon as you do so. Keep stirring until you have a smooth stretch dough. (Don't know about you but I don't have three hands so can't pour and stir something stiff at the same time so I just poured a small amount, stirred well and repeated until all the water was in)
4. Divide the dough into 6 small balls. One at a time, roll them out between two sheets f baking parchment. I used two silicone sheets I have. First one I made was a bit small, so I'd advise only mading 4; I just needed to pat them out rather than roll out as I wanted them more flat bread/pitta like rather than a thin wrap).
5. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook the flat breads, one at a time, for a minute on each side. The dough will rise and become a light and toasty flat bread. Serve immediately. Before cooking, I brushed them with the marinade that I had done the gyros in, and yesterday, with the one ball of dough I had left over, with some juice from my chilli

They are very nice and don't taste at all coconutty

Brilliant! Thanks BIWI.

I eat chicken and fish so not vegetarian but still find it's quite difficult to find new things that don't get repetitive.

The Dreamy Creamy soup sounds amazing x

Spiced Cauliflower soup, from Produce on Parade

This is amazing, and is vegan too!

1 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
dash of ground black pepper
sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced

4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 large head of cauliflower, roughly chopped to the same size

1 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
fresh dill (for garnish - optional)
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the onion and spices. Saute, stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent, about 10 minutes. Then, add the garlic and saute another few minutes.

Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.

Remove from heat and transfer carefully to a blender. Blend on high (allowing steam to vent) for a few minutes, until silky and smooth.

Add coconut milk / cream, and apple cider vinegar

Notes:
I always let mine cool completely, as my nutrininja can't cope with warm liquids

Garam masala works equally well instead of the cumin and coriander

BREAD ROLLS
Good for BLT (OR FRIED HALLOUMI LETTUCE AND TOMATO )

Fan oven 160 (Bake buns for 45 mins )

Bowl 1
3egg whites whisked fluffy with
1teasp of cider vinegar (electric whisk is good)

Bowl 2
mix together:
1 and a quarter cup of ground almonds
1 teasp bicarbonate of soda
Half teaspoon salt
Pinch of garlic powder (optional but good)
I tablespoon psyllium husk

Tip contents of bowl 1 into bowl 2 and whisk for a few mins.

Add 160ml of boiling water
Whisk some more as the ingredients bind and thicken into a light fluffy playdough. This stage really helps it rise.

Divide into 4 pieces and shape.
Place on baking paper on tray.
Brush top with water and sprinkle on seeds if liked.

Bake 45mins till well risen and hollow sounding. Leave to cool.

Chimichurri - Perfect for steak, the proper Argentinian way

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves (or 4 teaspoons dried oregano)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Place parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper (to taste). And finely chop.
2. Add oil. Transfer sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, stir and season as needed. The chimichurri will keep in the refrigerator.

Extra ingredients – nice but not necessary
Pimentón
3 tbsp lime juice
Basil
Thyme

Onion Bharjia from the Idiot Proof Diet Cookbook. I swap the onions for echalion shallots, use coconut oil for frying and leave the seeds in the chilli: I promise I'm not a massive chilli head but found much better with them in.

Cauliflower cheese soup - from a site called "My keto kitchen)

www.myketokitchen.com/keto-recipes/keto-cheese-bacon-cauliflower-soup/

Ingredients
1 ounce butter
2 cloves garlic crushed
1.3 lbs cauliflower cut into florets
2 cups chicken stock
10 ounces heavy cream
1 teapoon pepper ground
7 ounces bacon
2/3 cup parmesan cheese shaved
salt to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Place a large saucepan over high heat.
Add the butter and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and stir to coat in the butter. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, chicken stock and pepper, and reduce the heat until the pot is simmering. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the bacon;
In a large non-stick frying pan add the bacon and place over high heat. Saute for 10-15 minutes, until the bacon is starting to crisp.
Set the bacon aside, while you blend the soup.
Using your stick blender, blend the soup into a smooth puree.
Add the bacon and parmesan cheese into the cauliflower soup and mix well with a spoon.
Taste the soup and add salt if desired.
Ladle into bowls and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 225g | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 48.1mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 0.8mg

I added extra Cheddar after blending. This lasted me and my husband two dinners. And one of my tots declared it "delicious"! High praise indeed!

Cauliflower Puree

www.ibreatheimhungry.com/better-than-potatoes-cheesy-cauliflower/

Really REALLY like mashed potato!

1 head of cauliflower
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
2 ounces dubliner or other sharp cheese
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking it into medium sized pieces.
Place in a microwave safe bowl with 2 Tbsp of cream and 1 Tbsp of butter.
Microwave, uncovered, on high for six minutes.
Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture. Microwave for another six minutes on high.
Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender or food processor along with the cheese. Puree until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can adjust the cream and butter to your preference.

I used half a packet of frozen cauli and mature cheddar (although about 80 gramms (why not) I whizzed it up with my stick blender.

Husband had difficulty telling it wasnt mashed potato!!!

Celeriac ‘Coleslaw’

Half a celeriac
juice ½ lemon
1 Granny Smith apple
5 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
handful chopped parsley

Method

Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to remove the skin from the halved celeriac. (Rub a little lemon juice over the cut side of the other half before storing it, or it will turn brown.) Cut into thin slices, then cut into long matchstick strips as thin as you can. Do the same with the apple, discarding the core.
Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and parsley, then toss through the celeriac and apple.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

BBC Good Food

Today I have a cold and a sore-throat and was feeling sorry for myself. This has really made me feel better… (and perhaps the garlic will keep away anyone who is in danger of catching the cold).

ROASTED CREAMY (PLANT-BASED and HFLC) CAULIFLOWER SOUP
Ingredients
• 1 large head Cauliflower (cut into florets, ~6 cups florets)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1oz butter or 2 more tbsp oil/coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt (divided into 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp)
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme or 1tsp dried - or curry powder or sage or rosemary…
• 700ml stock
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 FAN oven.
2. Toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Roast on tray in the oven for about half an hour, until browned on the edges.
3. Heat oil/butter gently in thick casserole. Add the garlic and herbs or spices. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the stock and (reserving some small pieces ) the roasted cauliflower.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 15 mins
7. Blend the cauliflower, until smooth.
8. With the soup on low heat, add coconut milk and allow to thicken a little.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Stir in crumbs of roasted cauliflower and serve.

Good if you are missing 'creamy' and avoiding dairy. I didn't miss the onion that is usually in my most loved soups.

I have tried searching

Is there a vegetarian meal plan for those of who are too knackered to think?
Thanks

Cauliflower-Crusted Spinach Feta Pie

Serves 7 (or 4 if you have a normal human appetite...)

2 large eggs
284g frozen spinach, thawed and drained
100g feta cheese, crumbled
1 spring onion, chopped
1tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
30g grated Parmesan cheese
840g cauliflower florets
2 large egg whites (reserve yolks for filling)

FOR THE CRUST

1.	Preheat the oven to 200°C and coat a deep, 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Leave to one side. Spread a clean tea towel on the counter for draining the cauliflower. 
2.	Place the cauliflower in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave on full power for 5 minutes (8 for frozen florets) or until cauliflower is tender. Transfer half the cauliflower to a food processor and process, mincing finely. Spread this batch on to the tea towel and then repeat with the second half. Spread all of the minced cauliflower evenly across the towel and leave to cool for 10 mins. 
3.	While it cools, whisk the egg whites with the Parmesan in a large bowl. When the cauliflower has cooled, pull up the edges and bundle the towel together. Wring the cauliflower over the sink until you are able to get as much water out of it as possible. This may take a few minutes. When mostly dry, transfer the cauliflower to the bowl with the egg whites and combine. 
4.	Transfer the mixture into your oiled pan. Using a spoon or your fingers, press the mixture down and up into the sides of the pan to create a pie crust. Bake this in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. The edges will be browned and the bottom will look dry.

FOR THE FILLING

1.	Whisk the remaining egg yolks and the whole eggs in a bowl. Wring the water from the spinach and add to the eggs along with the feta, spring onions and pepper. Combine well, then pour this mixture into the crust. Return to the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, until the top is puffed in the centre and the eggs are cooked through. 

Optional: you can grate some extra cheddar cheese on top prior to baking. Also try adding some more Parmesan to the crust mixture for a richer, crispier crust.

Here is the recipe for the crackers I made.
The 'recipe' is very loosely based on the Diet Doctor recipe available on the website, but I didn't have some (most) of the ingredients, so I freestyled with what I had:

100g milled linseed
50 g Aldi seed mix ( pumpkin seeds, linseed and sunflower seeds)
50 g pumpkin seeds
240 ml water
Some salt

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together until combined and fairly gelatinous.
Wait 5 minutes.
Spread the mix out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Flatten it out with a spatula or lay another sheet of baking paper on top and roll flat with a rolling pin.

Baked in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes and leave to cool down on a rack.

Yum!
I dont know the actual carb content, but because you are only eating a little bit at a time, it shouldn't be too bad.

I found this article really helpful when I need something vegetarian low carb. I do meat free Monday’s.

wholesomeinside.com/30-days-of-vegetarian-keto-meals/

Eggs in a Pot (Oeufs en Cocotte)

You need a ramekin, I did 2 just for me - mine are about 3inch diameter. Find an oven proof dish they will sit inside with deep sides - you will be filling the big dish about three quarters of the way up with hot water!

Heat the oven to fan 160, so probably conventional 180.

Butter the ramekins.
Add a pile of small chopped cooked veg - I used leftover bbqd green peppers.
Add some shredded cheese (or meat if not making veggie) - I used 2 rollitos per ramekin (as I had them leftover from a picnic!)
Make sure there is a bit of a dip in the centre, it helps when putting the egg in.
Gently crack in the egg, keeping the yolk whole in the middle.
Blob a few bits of creme fraiche / cream / plain yoghurt round the outside and top with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.

Place the ramekins in the deep dish.
Fill the deep dish (not the ramekins!) with boiling water so that it comes about three quarters of the way up the ramekins.
Carefully put in the oven - mine were soft but not runny yolks after 18 mins. Be very careful and steady of hand taking them.out, and remember the ramekins will be HOT! Eat with a spoon, straight from the ramekin.

Courgette and Brie Soup

No exact quantities because I don’t weigh anything!

Serves 4

2x large shallots
2x fat cloves of garlic
Knob of butter (or EVOO)
2-4 courgettes depending on how big they are, diced
Veg stock
Brie
Salt & pepper

Finely dice the shallot & garlic and fry gently in the butter until softened.
Turn up the heat and add the courgettes. Cook until they have coloured slightly on the edges.
Pour in the stock, it shouldn’t cover the courgettes as too much liquid will make the soup insipid.
Simmer gently until the courgettes are falling apart.
Take off the heat and blend with a hand blender.
Add in cubes of Brie (I use roughly half a wedge, but add up taste) and blend again.
Season with salt and pepper.