Bootcamp - the questions thread

[BIWI]

From experience of past Bootcamps, in the first few weeks the chat threads move really, really quickly and it's difficult sometimes to see/answer everything.

So this is a place to post any questions that you might have. Those of us who are old hands at low carbing will check this thread regularly and make sure that we answer you as soon as we can.

What Mark says

(I wish this site had the option to edit posts!)

Could anyone tell me what the deal is with coconut milk please?
Good? Or not?

Bewitched - check the label. It's fine in principle but try to find the lowest carbs per 100g/ml and make sure you know how many grams of carbs that will translate to in a portion of whatever if is you're making

Coconut cream (NOT creamed coconut) is often lower carb and you can use that and thin with water as a substitute for coconut milk too

I've got a question about total yoghurt (or just Greek yoghurt in general). Does it get thicker over time? I know that sounds random but I have a tub in my fridge that is almost at its use by date (it rarely lasts that long!) It looks, smells and tastes absolutely fine, but it is sooooooooo thick! Much more so than normal. Do you think it would be ok to eat the whole tub today ?

i reckon it's like cheese, tea - it'll last as long as you like depending on whether you like the riper flavour!

i don't know about the thickness though...

Not sure about the thickness, but I agree with Willie - yoghurt lasts a long time. Total is pretty thick anyway, which is what makes it so yummy!

Having total for me brek once my DC are sorted, enjoying looking forward to it!

Morning

Bump

Anyone know the Pizza Express menu?

Family night out on Saturday, cinema then nosh, just need to thick about this

here you go pistey

i think i've had the pollo pancetta salad, and the niçoise and chicken caesar would be ok too with a couple of tweaks. there are some carbier things there (sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes etc) but i think that a small amount of those things every now and then is fine and adds a bit of variety as long as you stick to much lower carb things for your other meals that day, and you might want to ask them to serve the dressing separately if you're worried that it's sugary (you can ask for olive oil instead). ask for them to leave off any croutons/breadsticks that come too (or give them to someone else)

Oh good, thanks Willie

Can I just ask about tomatoes please?
I usually have loads, but am avoiding them because they're over 3 per 100g, are a few ok?
And tinned tomatoes, I was in aldi and I think they were 3.1g, are they ok?

And passata, I forget what it was but it was 2. something, so lower than tinned tomatoes, and it is only sieved tomatoes, so is that ok?

Ooooo and coconut milk, I've never used it before, haven't a clue what to do with it even, but I saw some so bought it simply because it was lower than 3g carb per 100g, is that right? And if I can think of what to do with it am I alright to use it?
Tia x

Excellent news re: the Total, thanks! I've had some, it's bloody delicious but almost slice-able . Much sweeter than normal as well, imo...

Mlig, I think passata is a better bet, carb wise. It's what I try to use as we are big fans of non-spag spag bol in this house!

Oh Willie love, huge thanks, that will be me sorted.

I dread going out for meals when on low carb, so much better to be able to plan.

Thank you!

Mlig I eat lots of tomatoes and haven't found it be a problem... The little cherry/pomodorino type ones are 3.2%, which I think are fine. Re: tinned ones, I posted the carb counts of some common ones upthread. BIWI said that under 4g per 100g is fine, so just check your labels.

If the passata is 2% then that's fine. Check, though, because all the passatas I've looked at have been more carby that plain tinned toms.

Coconut milk I thought was quite carby, but if you've found a low carb one then try making a thai curry. Yum! You could have it with cauliflower rice.

mlig - tomatoes do vary in carb counts for some reason. i use passata as it's usually lower in carbs, but check the label, and don;'t eat at every meal!

coconut milk - so long as it's under 3g/100 is fine. I use it in soups or splash a bit in yog, or even in stews. An of course for curries!

Tea - I think yog gets thicker too (not that it gets time to in my fridge)

Whoever asked about water - I use a 1lt jug and pop any orange peel or lemon peel in it to 'infuse' The dc eat 1-2 oranges/clems a day and I use the peel - it makes the water orangey, but not sweet. (After that I then use the dried peel as fire-lighters! Thrifty, me) Or try cucumber or celery.

Dammit Milg I got all excited at the thought of a thai curry then, especially as I looked up the coconut milks and they aren't too bad. This is the green curry paste we used to use, though, and it's a shocking 21.9% carbs.

there's also a lovely slow-cooked pork in coconut milk recipe on the recipe thread

coconut milk does have a certain amount of carbs, but IME i think it averages out at not too much per portion so i do have it every so often, though actually i'm more likely to use coconut cream as i said as it's lower carb and you just thin it with water as needed

e.g. for blue dragon brand:

coconut cream is 1.8g carbs per 100ml

coconut milk is 3.4g per 100ml

i would substitute one carton coconut cream for one tin coconut milk and make up the difference with water/stock as appropriate

but beware creamed coconut is 22.1g carbs per 100g!

I make a thai red curry coup with the stock from a sunday chicken, some thai spices, coconut milk and some passata. Not authentic but just the job in winter! With a few strips of chicken and brocoli/leek/carrot, it is a main meal for several days.

crabby how much do you use though? would it be ok spread over a number of portions? obviously not for every day, but as a treat or on bootcamp light it might be ok?

or you could make your own which would have a small amount of carbs in but at least no added sugar (though you would have to be stingy with the soy sauce/fish sauce, which might make it a bit disappointing)

Good idea Willie, I might try making my own. I don't usually buy sauces and stuff, I make it all from scratch, but for some reason it had never occurred to me to make a Thai one myself. Thai fish sauce has sugar in it, I know that, but if I used tamari and anchovies that'd probably be similar.

i know what you mean crabby - if you're not cooking curries all the time the ingredients for the paste part can feel like an awful lot of outlay for just one meal

I wouldn't use a bought sauce for Indian curries - am happy to make them from scratch. The Thai spices must be much more exotic to me or something.

ha - i only have one indian curry in my repertoire!

i should branch out, i expect most of the spices are the same just in different quantities