Week 4 - Low Carb Bootcamp - how much chatting?!

[BIWI]

So much chatting, I've had to start a new thread.

here's the Spreadsheet of Absolute Fabulousness

Remember, this week (like week 3) is notorious for seeing little or no weight gain, so please don't panic if the scales aren't moving for you - always assuming, of course, that you have been following the rules 100%!

Also, the Very Amazing @StuntNun has started a thread about fasting. Fasting isn't a regular part of Bootcamp, but it's a tool that you can use in your weight loss 'journey' (sorry for the cliché!)

have a look here, and think about if it's something you might want to incorporate into Bootcamp

I hope very much that things are going well for you, and that you're into the swing of things low carb by now; but as ever, post any questions/issue here and let's see if we can help.

Remembered I need to eat something this morning, as I'm off for my vaccine this lunchtime! Yay! I'm amazed I've been called so early, as has DH, as we're both in group 7 so weren't expecting to have it until mid-March at the very earliest.

@Jollyholibobs I’d be saying yea please! to the Le Creuset!

Oh, that’s a good idea, BIWI. I think I tried some of those way back when - before Bare Naked was even a brand. I tried some weird brand I had to order online with bolognese and preferred courgetti. But I can see that they might be better in a soup dish where they’re less... prominent I suppose.

I have actually just dropped two of my courgettes into the dog’s water bowl where they both managed to break in half (thanks, life) so perhaps it’s a sign I should go hunting.

@Ninkanink I love the simplicity of design of my old Eva trio set I’d like to just replace them. They stack so well compared to the le creuset.

@BIWI

Remembered I need to eat something this morning, as I'm off for my vaccine this lunchtime! Yay! I'm amazed I've been called so early, as has DH, as we're both in group 7 so weren't expecting to have it until mid-March at the very earliest.

Are you going to a local surgery or a big hub? We've started group 5 but the hubs are also calling patients and because the surgery is doing so well they're moving down the groups ahead of us. We started mid January, so there are plenty of areas several weeks ahead of us. I'm not surprised some places are on to 7 already.

@Jollyholibobs I've got stainless steel Le Crueset pans. They are 13 years old, so they last well and you can put them into the oven. I don't love them though. I use my Ikea 365 pans with the glass lids more than anything else! Partly because they are small and because almost everything gets cooked in the wok in our house. If I was in the market for new pans I'd look at a hard anodised finish so that anything could be non stick. I'm currently contemplating an expensive non stick saucepan to match a brilliant small frying pan I have (circulon) and to replace a cheap Aldi milk pan as they get daily use.

@Jollyholibobs do you have room to stack the pans on top of each other with the lids inverted?

@MadamBuxton I think it was you asking for recommendations for a Japanese knife. Ours was a gift from my daughters to DH so I can’t give you specific info as I don’t know it...but it is a chef’s knife and I think the style is called Santoku. Expensive but definitely worth it as it makes cooking a breeze.

Le Creuset cast-iron pans are great for building up muscles I have a small frying pan which is brilliant for salmon - skin side down on the hob to get it crispy then in the oven for soft, deliciousness (usually topped with ham or pancetta to prevent it from drying out. And I have a huge cast iron casserole dish (dh had it before we were together) that I can barely lift, even when it's empty.

Yippee, yippee, my 7 course valentine's day dinner has just been delivered. No breakfast tomorrow, and then dh and I are starting at 12 o'clock and just eating from then until we are full of food and champagne . No dinner either. It's a bit off plan (well quite a lot off plan) but I'll be avoiding the worst, and most carbs come in tiny amounts.

Starting with cocktail - love potion #9
Lobster thermidor creme brulee, with bloody mary gel, parmesan crisp
Cheddar and onion souffle with sea trout tartare, goats curd and shaved asparagus
Cured duck ham with celeriac and apple slaw
Smoked mackerel with rhubarb, seeds and sherry
Roast langoustine with chorizo and pea 'risotto', braised leeks, parsley and langoustine oil
Almond frangipane with raspberries and lemon balm
Coconut pannacotta with toasted coconut and passion fruit

Then a big lay down with a full belly!

@venusandmars that sounds INSANE. I am so jealous. Sea trout tartare sounds divine - as does the lobster creme brûlée.

You must send photos!

Also, do you have any tips on getting the best from your cast iron pan? I love my ceramic Le Creuset but I have two exposed cast iron pans and they’re honestly the worst I’ve ever had. They stick so badly. But they were so expensive that I can’t face buying replacements. My heart is starting to yearn for an anodised one...

@venusandmars that sounds divine. Exactly my kind of meal!

I don’t think we’ll be doing anything special - I don’t want to buy anything specifically for it because we’ve spent our month’s budget until payday and we have so much food already. I could cook quite a few fairly decent dishes, or I could do our anniversary meal instead, but as we have no wine (I know!) I don’t really see the point! I could do Chinese/Japanese/Korean inspired because we do have beer. But I’m not sure I actually fancy it without noodles right now, as I don’t have enough veg to make something in its place. Hmmm, will be interesting to see what happens - depends entirely on my mood tomorrow.

With cast iron, it is non-stick once you’ve seasoned it properly. Don’t ask me how to do it though as I don’t remember - you could look it up. It’s worth doing as it makes the pan so much more useable.

Well I was going to try that but it specifically says that Le Creuset cast iron is pre-seasoned... maybe that’s just a marketing lie though!

I’d go ahead and do it anyway, but that’s just me.

It’s a good idea, thank you! I think you’re right and I should just suck it up and do it. Initially they were fine if you used plenty of oil - which ordinarily I would (except for some things like aubergine which I hate when it soaks up fat) - but now even with generous oil things stick. If you do two scrambled eggs you end up with about one edible portion!

That indicates you might be using it at too high a temperature. Maybe try turning it down a fair bit?

Otherwise if you get sick of them maybe we could come to some kind of arrangement where I take them off your hands for a fair price...

Actually I think you’re in a London (?) so it’s too far for us to come and relieve you of their annoying presence! But you might be able to eBay them!

We just replaced our Jamie Oliver Tefal Hard Anodised large frying pan. Over £50 from John Lewis but I got one from an Ebay shop for £28. We like them BUT the one we're replacing is only 2.5 years old so maybe not the best endorsement

Hi everyone.
I'm feeling really tired past few days even though I'm getting plenty of sleep. Not sure why that might be? Could I be lacking in anything? I take multi vits, iron, vit c, vit d and b12 spray.

Apparently there is a knack to scrambled eggs in a cast iron skillet and I was wrong, it’s not to do with temperature. The pan should be hot, but you should leave the eggs alone for about 30 seconds to set before you start scrambling. Hmmm now I want scrambled eggs and smoked salmon...

@cheeseisthebest have you cut down fat lately? Are you getting enough protein?

I think in having lots of far and protein. Lots of meat cheese, eggs, fish, greek yogurt.

Pissed off: went to make the cheese muffins, which I thought would be a nice quick abc easy task.

Can. I. Find. My. Silicone. Muffin. Tray. Anywhere?

DH and I have seperate frying pans. I have a very non stick (with a pretty shiny copped outside and deep sides) one I bought in Aldi a year ago, which I've taken great care not to ruin but accept it will only last me a few years. DH has a le cruset one that he spent a long time conditioning (it was second hand and very old) so he can now fry eggs in it, but when I try it doesn't work for me, probably because I have the heat too high! He loves it though. It never gets washed, only ever wipes the oil out with blue roll. I knew a chef who used to do the same, so I think that's key.

We have several sets of le crueset pans that we've been given (too heavy for aging parents) over the years, they are used nearly every day. I need to give some away as we have so many duplicates, but they are old and dated and scratched so probably not even worthy of the charity shop despite being usable.

Had my first low carb toast with scrambled egg and bacon. Impressive stuff, though don't over toast it as it becomes brittle (though it goes soggy again with butter and eggs on it). Tasted like bread. We're all a little suspicious of it...

@Ninkanink I started today with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon 🍣
Was lovely 👍
Not going out today ( unless it warms up ! )
Made some of the muffins , made half plain , then added 30 g cheese to the remains , used silicon star shaped muffin cases , which I oiled as I don’t trust them ( I think they’re very old ) worked a treat ( pink are plain , blue are cheese )
Then onto the chocolate mousse , made 2 in nice tumblers , and 4 smaller ramekins , will pop 2 small in the freezer
Chocolate mousse is DH favourite pud , so I’m sure it will go down well

Hoping for a bit of a thaw , I hate being indoors all day

@cheeseisthebest try upping the water ? I find that helps my tiredness

@venusandmars lunch / tea / dinner combo sounds amazing ❤️

@cheeseisthebest if it’s cold where you are your body might just be trying to hibernate a bit. Or you could be fighting something off.