2021 Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Welcome to the last Bootcamp of 2021!

This Bootcamp will last for 8 weeks, which will take us up to Monday 13 December.

It's slightly different from other Bootcamps - firstly because it only lasts for 8 weeks (rather than 10), but also because there are going to be different stages.

So ...

Weeks 1 and 2 will be, as ever, strict Bootcamp.

Weeks 3-6 will be strict Bootcamp during the week, but relaxing into Bootcamp Light at weekends

In weeks 7-8 you will have a choice - either back to strict Bootcamp or full-on Bootcamp Light for the last fortnight

@ShagMeRiggins
I want to alarm please

Want the, not to!!!

Hit me with recipe inspiration for a pork fillet. I normally roast plainly and have with celeriac dauphinois.

Any other ideas for a change?

@nowlook

It's that seriously low carb bread, *@ShagMeRiggins*

Makes me bloated.

Doh! Of course it is.

I got an order a few bootcamps ago and the bread is fine for me but I don’t adore it so there are still a bunch of individually packed slices in my freezer. Well, in pairs.

The rolls, however, make me very happy. Used those twice in the summer for family bbqs with marrow burgers and truffle mayonnaise and sliced hamisha cucumbers. Delicious!

Thank you nowlook

This is a lovely mayo with chicken, eggs if you like things with a slight kick. I got it on offer from Ocado and am mixing is with chicken and avocado for lettuce wraps

As a post-bootcamp (and just for Christmas) treat, Pureheavenly chocolate sounds good - too good to be true? How does it taste?

I've found that quality-street type Christmas chocolates are inedible after bootcamp. (They taste greasy and sickly sweet -and not at all as I remember them. Those cheery boxes will be safe from me.)

I also love an avocado omelette. Don't buy them much due to the enviro-guilt but if DH brings them home or they're reduced for quick sale I do enjoy them. I really like them in a toasted sandwich with strong cheddar and lots of black pepper but unless you have some of the magic bread then that's out! Great alongside scrambled eggs for a hot breakfast or lunch though I don't generally cook the actual avocado, just the eggs.

I have eaten a disastrous lunch. You don't need to laugh at me for going to an "investors" lunch because I'm already laughing at myself... I was a expecting something like a roast but it was essentially afternoon tea! Line drawn, lots of water and a swim with the rest of my afternoon off, and very low carb salmon with FLGV for dinner tonight.

The rolls seem to get a much better press, don't they Shag? Trouble is, I've taken a position on it now.

Anything on the recipe thread that floats your boat @Dellabob123? If not, you could stuff it with mushrooms, spinach and cheese (or anything really) and then wrap in bacon. I'm quite the fan of beating the proverbial out of meat and then rolling up.

@Aderyn21 - generally speaking protein shakes aren't allowed, as they are usually pretty processed. And, of course, we are supposed to be eating a proper breakfast!

The Fevertree Light tonic is good because it doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners, but it is quite a lot of carbs in one drink. Bear in mind rule 4 - that most of your carbs should be coming from veg/salad. If you can cope with just one G&T, then I suppose it's not too bad but I can never stop at one.

@Dellabob123 Two things I generally do with pork fillet:

1. stir-fry: slice the fillet into slices about 5mm thick, and then marinate in sesame oil, garlic, ginger, lemon juice and any spices you like, but especially Chinese 5 spice, cumin and coriander, possibly chilli if you like the heat, and add a sloosh of light soy sauce. Marinate for as long as you can, but for at least half an hour.

Then slice up any stir-fry veg that you like and are low carb friendly - so e.g. shallots, baby sweet corn, mange tout, cabbage, pak choi, chillies, and stir fry these with more ginger and garlic, in plenty of oil (ideally coconut, but doesn't have to be).

Once the veg are cooked, tip those into a serving dish, and in the same wok/pan chuck in the pork fillet; leave to sit for about 30 seconds before stirring/flipping. Cook on the other side too - but you're aiming for a very brief cook - 2-3 minutes max. Pork fillet is best served still slightly pink as this stops it going tough.

1. Cut the fillet lengthways but without cutting right through. Open it out like a long book, and then use a piece of clingfilm or greaseproof to cover the fillet, while you then batter it with a rolling pin to flatten it out.

Then stuff the fillet with whatever you like/have to hand - cooked leeks, some kind of herbs, cheese, a few sundried tomatoes, etc. Roll it back up and tie at intervals with string, and then brown in a pan before transferring to the oven to bake.

Again, you don't want to over-cook it, so I'd say no more than 10 minutes in a hot oven (although obviously check it as it's cooking.)

wildheartsease the chocolate is quite nice imo, not as rich or satisfying as the real thing but the flavours are good

Oh, and if you're doing a stir-fry, two things to serve it with - one is Bare Naked Noodles which are only 1g carbs per 100g. You can also add some chicken stock to the veg/pork/noodles to make a kind of Asian-style soup.

Alternatively, you can make egg fried 'rice' using cauliflower rice. I buy the packets from Sainsbury's which are in the produce department and which are enough for 3 people.

First I make egg 'pancakes' - one egg per person, lightly beaten, and each fried separately in a small omelette/frying pan to make 3 thin omelettes. Tip out on to a board/plate and let them cool. When they're cook, stack them on top of each other, roll them up, and slice into thin rounds

Then chuck into your wok some sliced shallots, fry till softening and starting to brown, and then add the cauliflower. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, season, and then add the sliced omelettes. Just before serving, add a sloosh of soy sauce.

This is the Seriously Low Carb Bread often referred to here as SLCB!

I think it's amazing. In all the years of low carbing I've never found anything like this that comes anywhere near real bread. This is great - I like both but actually prefer the bread, as it makes a great sandwich.

2 slices of this bread is only 2g carbs, and one of the rolls is only 2.6g.

It's not actually ideal Bootcamp food, as it is processed, but it's so good that I'm prepared to allow an exception!

(It is expensive though, so probably not something you'd be buying/eating every day).

Dammit we have a tonne of beetroot and carrots all ready at the same time. DH has stomach problems if he has more than a half beetroot so he’s no help (he is also the person who massively over planted), the kids will eat one a day, which makes no impact. I love beetroot but they have too many carbs. Thinking of making a gallon of beetroot humous which I can freeze. If anyone has any other ideas (nothing too tricky) do say. The carrots are too high carb too but I think the family will get through them.

Forgot about celeriac, adding it to the shopping list, thanks all.

@BIWI thanks.
They sound heavenly. I always think it’s wrong to butcher a fillet, but they do sound great. Just can’t face a roasted one with celeriac for some reason.
I might save for tomorrow so I can get extra ingredients.

I’m off to buy some seedlip but which one - grove or garden???

I agree, the SLCB is the best I’ve had as well, BIWI. What I should have said is I’m not than much of a sliced bread fan. Toast is nice but I prefer bagels, sandwiches should be in baguette as far as I’m concerned, so the real reasons I don’t eat much of it are to do with lack of interest rather than any reflection on the quality of the product!

I have this one. In non bootcamp times I'd mix it with the fevertree light angostura tonic and a small splash of fresh grapefruit juice. It's a very distinctive taste. For a more normal gin taste I buy the Gordon's zero alcohol, which I think is very convincing (and cheaper).
If you do buy the Seedlip it's cheaper on Amazon. I paid £20 last time instead of £28 in the supermarket.

I hope everyone’s water drinking is going well. Mine’s certainly better than yesterday. I’m sorry to hear the celeriac curry wasn’t great, the principle sounded good :-)

@Dellabob123 - we sometimes have pork fillet wrapped in Parma ham with a tomato sauce and served with green veg (or rice for those not low carbing). There’s also a really good Nigel Slater recipe for pork and mushrooms but you’d need to adapt it as it has cornflour in to thicken it.

For me, lunch today was soup and dinner will be meatballs baked with broccoli in a tomato sauce with mozzarella and Parmesan on top. And I need to finish drinking my water...

Finally caught up on the thread! I think I've added my start weight to the spreadsheet ok.
Lots of fab ideas for meals thank you all. Sounds like I need to try celeriac for sure!

Morning all, hurrah the 1st lb is gone….always a positive step forward 😀
It’s really very autumnal here and I have got a lovely busy day, veg box has arrived which has an enormous celery which will be great as a base for some warming soups and casseroles. I tend to lob in whatever I have in the fridge, but wondered if anyone has a boot camp favourite soup?

I had shoggled roasted Brussel sprouts and broccoli last night, they were delicious but my daughter thought they were mini roast potatoes and was slightly disappointed 😂

Hope all who are feeling poorly are feeling a bit better today 🌻💐

Bizarrely my morning post has only just posted 😂

Disappointing news about the celeriac curry. I use Nadija’s recipe for vegan jackfruit curry substituting other things for the jackfruit as it’s high in carbs (sprouts worked surprisingly well as did cauli, chicken, prawns and squash though I don’t think squash would be bc friendly). I am tempted to try with celeriac. I add yoghurt, cream or coconut milk too. I swap the onions for shallots too.

Nadija

Phew finally caught up.
Some lovely recipes posted, looking forward to trying them when I have a quiet few days.
B - Greek yoghurt
L - Tuna Mayo with a big batch of buttery, garlic green beans
D - Baked salmon and broccoli with Philadelphia and garlic stirred through (can you tell I like garlic!)
Haven’t quite reached my water target yet but going to meet if I drink a load now - need to try and drink more in the first half of the day)