Week 2 - pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning campers!

This is my favourite week of a new Bootcamp. Because for all those new to low carbing, and especially those who were so fearful about the amount of fat they're supposed to be eating, this can be a real revelation.

It's often a real leap of faith to commit to a way of eating which is against everything we've been told, for the last 30 or 40 years, is bad for us. And yet, all the recent science confirms that lowering our carbohydrate intake can only be good for us - and that embracing fat is also good too!

Here's a link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I look forward, very much, to seeing results of the first week. Somehow, from what people have already posted, I think it's going to be good!

yes please @BelladiMamma! Just drop your name in at the bottom of the list, and then @ouchmyfeet will make sure it goes in the right alphabetical order later.

Veggie not vegan day today so had ratatouille with grated cheese at lunch and dinner. Saw a personal trainer at the gym today so 45 minutes resistance training then a quick swim. Feel hungry, in a good way.

@BIWI

yes please *@BelladiMamma! Just drop your name in at the bottom of the list, and then @ouchmyfeet* will make sure it goes in the right alphabetical order later.

Done. Hopefully correctly 👍🏻

now look and AthelstaneTheUnready so sorry to hear of your losses. I hope you will rejoin us when you're ready.

Good news that pumpkin is low carb! I've just turned half a huge one into puree so preschool can make pumpkin pies tomorrow and was wondering what to do with the other half. Would roasting it like a butternut squash work or is it better mashed with butter? I've only ever had it in pie before.
Today's food
B scrambled eggs and smoked salmon
L lemon and herb salmon, mayo and green salad
S three meatballs from nursery tea
D grilled pork chop with creamy mushroom and leek sauce, broccoli and green beans

So sorry to hear your news @nowlook 💐

@AthelstaneTheUnready and @nowlook deepest sympathy to you both! Losing a parent is just completely shit! Please take care of yourselves, sending lots of love to you both!

Totally shit day food wise but will draw a line under it and start again tomorrow, the only thing I did right today was drink my water!

Decided today should be a veggie day, and I made (if I say so myself) a really lovely aubergine and courgette bake, with a tomato sauce and a cheese 'custard' topping.

For the bake:

2 aubergines, sliced into rounds about 5mm thick
3 courgettes, sliced on the diagonal, into slices about the same thickness
1 medium-sized onion, sliced into 5mm slices (I've run out shallots, but would have used 3-4 echalion shallots if I had them)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small green chilli (optional)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
olive oil
dried oregano
salt + black pepper

For the custard:

1 egg
c. 200-300g grated cheese (I used a mix of Red Leicester and mature cheddar, as that was in the fridge)
2 tbsps double cream (I used clotted cream as I had some left over, but I'm guessing that double cream would work just as well)
1 ball mozzarella, thinly sliced

In a large frying pan, with lots of olive oil, season and then fry the aubergine slices till lightly browned on each side (you'll have to do this in two batches); when cooked, tip into an oven baking dish. You need lots of oil as the aubergine will soak it up like a sponge.

When you've fried the aubergine, do the same with the courgettes, adding more olive oil to the pan if necessary.

In the same pan, add the onions, garlic and chilli, season with salt and pepper and some dried oregano, and fry on a lower heat until they're softened and just starting to brown, and then add the tin of tomatoes. Cook for a while to reduce the tomatoes a little, then tip this into the oven dish making sure the sauce covers the aubergine and courgettes evenly

For the custard:

Beat the egg in a small bowl, and then stir in the cheese and the cream; season with black pepper. This will make a reasonably stiff mixture. Dollop spoonfuls of this on top of the bake - don't worry about trying to spread it all over the bake; as it melts it will do that.

Then top with the layers of mozzarella, covering the top as evenly as you can. Season with black pepper

Bake at 160 fan for 20 minutes, then turn the heat up to 180 fan for another ten minutes, till the top is nicely browned.

This was easily enough for 4 people, and I served it with a green salad with crispy, streaky bacon and a shallot and wholegrain mustard vinaigrette.

Sorry for your losses Athelstane and nowlook

Thanks to whoever recommended the Gordon's 0% I really liked it! Nice with just sparkling water so expect it'll be great with actual tonic, ice and a squeeze of lime! Save my units for wine and the occasional beer liquid bread when I'm allowed! I was astonished to find such a huge array of 0% spirits and other drinks in Sainsbury's, that market has come a very long way since I was pregnant back in 2017!

@AthelstaneTheUnready & @nowlook so sorry to hear your news. Hope you both take care of yourselves.

I overcooked my asparagus for tea this evening, it was very disappointing.
Just finishing my third litre of water.

Me & DH both have a VERY rare day off together tomorrow, we are taking the kids to a Farm. There is a cafe but not sure how much will be LC. Might have to have a late breakfast and stretch it out!

Good evening all. I made the cheeseburger pie today and it was delicious with green salad and gherkin slices. Thank you Biwi for posting that recipe on the last thread. I have loads left in the fridge which will see me good for lunches over the next couple of days. I definitely think my appetite is reducing a bit or that I'm getting better at waiting for dinner and not snacking while I wait.
I haven't measured my body. Tbh I'm too scared of what I'll find out, but am very much looking forward to my clothes becoming looser and being able to wear a pair of knee high boots which are currently very tight to zip up!

Condolences to AthelstaneTheUnready and nowlook. Look after yourselves 

I have that same harissa sprouts with halloumi recipe to try out this week Rayna - another green roasting tin one

All my weekend batch cooking is coming in handy this week. Turkey with cauliflower cheese this evening for tea, with cheeseburger pie and leeks for lunch. May do the harissa sprouts tomorrow.

Frenchpoodle yes, it's my Halloween costume. I bought a black corset & skirt set. I'll be a witch this year with the hat, but that costume should be pretty versatile and last a few years.

💐💐 sorry for your losses @AthelstaneTheUnready & @nowlook

I had a good day with food, water intake reduced this afternoon/ evening, but I'll be better tomorrow (Wednesday, since it's still Tuesday night for me)

Sorry for your losses athlestane and nowlook

Dd tested positive for COVID yesterday, isn’t feeling too bad.

@AthelstaneTheUnready so sorry about your mum 💐
@nowlook so sorry about your mil 💐

Meal out went well, was lovely, I had pork belly and greens asking them not to bring the mash I figured if it wasn't on the plate I couldn't eat it. And lots of new baby cuddles which are always fabulous.

Today is chaffles at a cafe, I shall let you know if they are good and might have to get a waffle maker if they are.

@AthelstaneTheUnready @nowlook so sorry for your loss ,

@Rshard hope your DD is ok. My friends DD tested positive and literally sneezed half a dozen times. Another had a headache for a day and that was all.

Sorry was AWOL yesterday. My period arrived 3 days early and work was really busy, had a Halloween movie afternoon for the kids with all kinds of delicious carby sweets and popcorn. I didn't have any but did have some blackberries as it was that or commit murder (ppmd is horrendous). Plus side, the scales have not moved and they usually go up to ten lb the wrong way, mostly due to me eating everything in sight. I've handled it much better this month, having a hot bath, mint tea and berries for the sweet (need sugar or will bring on the apocalypse) desires.

Apart from the berries a good food day, creamy chai tea with coconut oil is incredibly comforting and soothing. (small amount of cream with a teaspoon of oil stirred in) and baked cheese makes a good substitute for crisps. I did however discover I hate corgetti and ended up having my chicken carbenara unaccompanied.

Today I will be drinking all the water, having eggs and some chai tea lattes (with cream and coconut oil) to keep the carb craving at bay. Also have some blue cheese quiche to finish and some spinach.

Dinner will be trout with green beans.

Have a good day everyone.

@nowlook sorry for your loss

Thanks, all

Glenthebattleostrich, I'm with you on the courgetti. Have never managed to get it other than mushy. Anyone have any tips?

Have not planned for the day, other than starting with black coffee. Need to go shopping to feed family tomorrow so will make decent choices then, as a start. Helps that SIL is GF, so easy to avoid the obvious stuff.

I use a cheese slice to cut strips of courgette, going around it progressively for each slice and then throw away the watery central core. I then fry them briefly in buttery so that they're still al dente and not watery at all

I’m sorry too about your mum @AthelstaneTheUnready very sad news.

Made myself porridge on autopilot, set it aside and just made scrambled eggs. Will have to keep it non vegan until I do some proper meal planning.

Woke up a kilo lighter with a banging headache which I guess is the sugar withdrawal

Morning all, on the subject of courgettes…….😀 I bulked out an aubergine fake lasagna dish with courgettes yesterday and it was watery, I just added them into the filling. I find it better to oven roast the courgettes at the same time as the aubergines and then layer them. You still get the veg but makes it all much firmer.

As you were 😀

Definitely fry or bake courgettes before you're going to use them. It makes them actually taste of something too!

I often serve them as a side dish, pan fried in lots of olive oil, with plenty of sea salt and black pepper. Sometimes I add in a thinly sliced red pepper, or a chilli, or some chilli flakes. Perhaps a squeeze of lemon and some bits of bacon.

I put thinly sliced courgettes (cut on the diagonal) into my lasagne (in place of sheets of pasta), not pre-cooked and they're not watery

I’ve been pimping up my buttery mashed eggs in the morning - mind blown at the taste improvement. Just sharing

I should have said what I was pimping them up with, that would help. Chives. Chives all the way now!