Week 5 - Low Carb Bootcamp - time to get rid of all the Valentine's treats!

[BIWI]

I rather suspect that a lot of us have been so far off the wagon this weekend that it's disappeared over the far horizon!

having to post on the spreadsheet may sober us all up, in more ways than one!

I hope any cheats were enjoyable. There's nothing worse than deciding to cheat and then not liking it.

But from now, it's time to buckle down and get back into the swing of things. If you did cheat, please don't complain that the scales aren't being kind to you. It's an inevitable consequence.

So let's focus on a really strict week, recognising that this is the end of our first half of Bootcamp.

Good luck to us all

Chips are a good suggestion, as is the idea of chili flakes or other spices.

Really, I just need to fob the swede off on others unless it’s Burns night, soup, or pot au feu

Some amazing recipes, and amazing losses too! All inspiring.

A really lovely thing to do with courgettes is slice them and soak them in milk before dipping them in milk and (almond) flour and frying. Not sure how bootcamp compliant the milk element is, as no idea how much actually gets retained!

Food today: roast pork belly, roast celeriac, FLGV. Back on the bootcamp path to glory.

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Wings and Sweet Potato Wedges

This is one of our recently discovered easy dinners (absolutely no effort once it’s in the oven) that we both really enjoy. I usually make it with a mix of potato, sweet potato and celeriac wedges and DH will have some of all three and I’ll have mostly celeriac and maybe one each of the others if it’s one of those days where I feel I need to make a mindful choice to vary my intake of veg a bit. I omit the sugar and add extra chilli flakes because we like it quite hot. I’ve done it with chicken drumsticks too and I didn’t find it needed extra cooking time for those, but our oven does run quite hot. I sometimes add extra bits to the yogurt sauce too, like dill/chives/spring onion. Usually have a salad on the side too.

I have started and stopped, started and stopped since January.
Finally managed a week this week, only pausing a little bit for Valentine's food. Didn't bother with drinks, I'm a social drinker and all these lockdowns are stripping me of any alcohol tolerance.
I just wanted to say thanks so much to BIWI and all of you for your contributions to this thread and the others, especially the recipe threads. I wouldn't have lasted the week without them.
I am going to be a while waiting for the bath NSV as we have a particularly small bath...

Checking in, small loss this week which I'm happy with after my 2 glasses of prosecco and a few chocolates yesterday.

Well done for all the losses!
Today felt like spring here as well and I after a moment of weakness at lunchtime I went for a long walk and am feeling much more motivated again. Thank you all for posting, it helps so much. Definitely up for a strict bootcamp week this week. KOKO.

Aarrghh! Urgent help needed.
I started defrosting minced lamb to do shepherds pie for the family (and a separate non potato version for me). Carrots have gone manky and don't have enough potatoes, so that's out.
What can I do instead?

Going to try this
headbangerskitchen.com/recipe/keto-kheema/
Will report back

@ShagMeRiggins four minutes is more than long enough for broccoli and courgette! If I have nice fresh broccoli I’ll plunge it in boiling water for 45 seconds (My grandfather always complained my mother served veg virtually raw, I have inherited her tastes) XO sauce is from Hong Kong. You can make it yourself if you have time on your hands - the one you had was probably their own - but I’d suggest buying it from a decent Chinese supermarket!

Disaster has struck.... I forgot butter and olive oil on the Tesco order! We have three inches of olive oil left and zero butter. We used to do late night trips to the garage for Ben and Jerry’s, tonight it’ll be butter

really lovely thing to do with courgettes is slice them and soak them in milk before dipping them in milk and (almond) flour and frying. Not sure how bootcamp compliant the milk element is, as no idea how much actually gets retained!

Sounds interesting, dailyhand! Wondering if I can combine the almond flour with very finely grated Parmesan from Waitrose to create a different and less faffy fritter.

Ragz, what do you have available? There’s nothing wrong with lamb mince fried with courgettes and sliced tomatoes, for example, with a salad on the side? Creates a lovely jus if fried in olive oil, the tomatoes and courgettes definitely add to that mix.

Season with various bouquet garni herbs, serve over rice for the family—or a potato mash—and you can have it on its own in a bowl or over...erm...swede mash?

Swede dauphinoise for @ShagMeRiggins

am going to be a while waiting for the bath NSV as we have a particularly small bath...grin

It’s a real lightbulb NSV, M0rt. Then you’ll catch yourself trying to “dam” the tub, just to make sure!

@ouchmyfeet

Swede dauphinoise for *@ShagMeRiggins*

Thank you!!

captainobvious thanks for the advice re steamed courgette/broccoli. I’ll try my wedges that way first. Also thanks for XO sauce tip—I’m delighted to have finally googled and it seems to be low carb friendly, but won’t invest time making my own, will just purchase where available and see if—like yuzu—it’s something I want to keep in my pantry.

Isn’t food great? Isn’t this way of eating great? There’s always something new to learn, another cuisine to try, and my god the flavourgasms are unbelievable!

I’m with you on crunchy veg if steamed, but admit if sautéed I need some seriously softened vegetables. Incredibly delicious.

Enjoy your #ButterRun.

I made the keema, it was gorgeous. Really creamy and rich. Added small cubes of boiled potatoes to half of it for everyone else and served with pitta bread for them. I had air fried cauliflower with mine.
2 of 3 DCs loved it, DS2 said it was a bit too creamy (he's weird with sauces) and DH liked it too, so that's a win.

@ShagMeRiggins With swede turnip I cut it into thin slices and par boil. Mix in a bowl with finely sliced shallot and sliced cabbage. Mix everything with copious amounts of melted butter - really LOADS. Add a big teaspoon (or two) of grain mustard, and a couple of big handfuls of grated mature cheddar. Put in a casserole dish, top with even more cheese and bake in oven for about an hour. It's great on its own, or with cold ham, or chicken kiev.

It's now on our menu for tomorrow.

My (inauthentic) asian beef made with left over roast beef from yesterday and loooots of oil. Seseame oil, garlic and a little soy sauce for seasoning.

It's in the theme of beef and broccoili stir fry but was amazing! Full of veg too!

Errr I sort of have a pressure cooker. I’m not sure. I think perhaps no. I suspect it’s broken or missing parts. It hasn’t been touched since a previous ramen incident where the bones may have burned. The smell of that was not forgotten in the Lyrata household for some time. That pork recipe does sound good Shag!

WitchWand that’s such a shame. I’m sorry that you’re not getting support. I agree that it’s jealousy or insecurity from people who either don’t comment or tell you you’re getting ‘too thin’. I get that too and it frustrates me.

CaptainOmlette I also no longer dam the bath!

My food has been all over the place today. I’m quite hungover.

Breakfast: two creamy coffees and... an entire 500g tub of yogurt
Lunch: was meant to be a classy steak tartare with rocket but instead I had the idea of mixing the steak with the leftover whipped bone marrow. It was divine.
Snack: 50g or so of the 100% dark chocolate
Dinner: a NSV for me - I’m just not hungry

My other NSV is that I can absolutely see abs.

@VeryLittleOwl I ordered a load of cheap clothes from Everything5pounds, mostly long tops and a Jersey wrap dress I can wear with leggings until I'm back down at a weight I'm happy to buy nice clothes for. Like you, I have summer stuff but nothing for winter. I did order some Boohoo stuff in their sale, but the jogging bottoms I bought as lounge wear were too big. I'm tall so always order tall range, but one pair must have been made for a 6'3" woman and they were miles too long! Kept a nice Teal jumper and a black cardigan though, as size less important with those.

Oh wow so much to read! I've gained half a pound since last Monday but I know why. Well done to everyone on their losses and NSV!

Today I've had all the water,
Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs
Dinner was sausages, cabbage and leeks fried in butter and cauliflower mash which was delicious! Also 2 creamy coffees and one tea.

Love the sound of the recipe challenge, will have a think. It's hard with fussy kids and vegan husband!!

@venusandmars I'm definitely making that, sounds heavenly!
@Lyrata congratulations on the Abs! That must feel amazing, well done.
Not sure I'll ever see those, I haven't ever so I'm probably not likely to, without serious exercise. I didn't have a flat stomach at 18 and a size 10 (but could see hip bones), after being a chubby child.

Shagmeriggins, I wonder would Greek Yoghurt work for the courgette instead of milk? Sounds delicious. Must make some courgette fritters too actually.

I'm going to do some hot wings and dip for my recipe this week. A local restaurant here does very good wings so I'm going to try a boot camp friendly version.

L: soup, with lettuce 'sandwich' on the side, chorizo and cheese on the sandwich.

D: Crab omelette, green salad with dressing and asparagus.

No breakfast as finished my night shifts for the week and fell into bed.

Cup of tea with cream, coffee with cream.
Feeling hungry now still after dinner, don't think it had enough fat (Husband made it)

Wow, I can't imagine ever seeing my abs (five pregnancies have not been kind to me!) That's an impressive NSV Lyrata. Still I know mine are in there somewhere. I'm also slightly jealous of the bath-damming talk since it actually sounds quite fun. I have a corner bath which you would have to be extremely wide to be able to dam.

Thanks @venusandmars - I really appreciate your message

Can I please ask : what's NSV?

Non-Scale Victory. It’s any benefit or advantage or happy thing that isn’t directly linked to the number on your scales.

NSV = Non Scales Victory