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!

@Wildheartsease the curators pork crunch are amazing aren't they. You can get a 12 pack on Amazon and they are so much nicer than crisps with cheese! And better than posh pork scratchings crunch that feels rubbery.

@MotherBuckets that recipe sounds amazing, will definitely be trying it next weekend.

@FusionChefGeoff thats good to know. Especially as I am peri menopausal and they are anything from 23 - 32 days apart. Bit of a shock after being 27 days on the dot since I had DD!

As a treat for going running a whole 2 times Ive booked to get my nails done tonight.

Its my 13th wedding anniversary on Sunday, although we are going for dinner on Saturday to a brilliant steak bar near us. It is really bootcamp friendly. I already know what Im having! Salted grilled prawns, t - bone steak with extra mushrooms and salad and cheeseboard to finish. I will confess now there will be red wine and possibly a gin. It's our traditional thing - a beautiful bottle of nuit Saint George shared. But it is a one off celebration after a very tough couple of years. (We haven't celebrated our last 2 anniversaries because we weren't on good terms)

Had a meeting away from home today. Traffic to the station was terrible and I had to run through the car park, up some stairs, downstairs, across the station, up more stairs, down more stairs. Caught my train by the skin of my teeth - sweating, feeling sick, regretting the creamy coffee I'd had... And remembering how much I have always hated running!

Lunch business meeting was 6 small courses: crab, game terrine, cod, pheasant, blue cheese, horrid pudding. I took a tiny mouthful of pudding but I was full anyway and it was soooo sweet.

Dinner might be shakshukka, or maybe just a boiled egg...

Meals today
creamy coffee (Love it!)
egg mayo salad with pork puffs
Tonight chicken breasts marinaded in an egg wash and coated with a parmesan crust (first go at this one) then fried, and probably roasted veg. (I'm tempted to create 'mash' but lacking time.

Oh no @venusandmars! I hate being late and I hate running for a train!

Went for a long walk with a friend this morning and I can feel it in my calves now!

B: scrambled egg, avocado and smoked salmon (technically processed but it was particularly good salmon from the Outer Hebrides so I allowed it )

L: egg and bacon mayo with salad

D: Heck sausages (oops more processed food ), roasted veg

Looking forward to a lovely dinner tonight - one of my favourites: roast belly pork.

It's roasting on a trivet of sliced onion, with water in the roasting tin to make a (hopefully lovely!) jus. And lots of luscious crackling to go with it.

Served with roasted cauliflower, which is currently marinading in olive oil, lemon juice, chilli powder and ground cumin (and salt & pepper), and leeks pan-fried with sliced red pepper.

Dh is away with work and DS is at work all day so DD (on half term) and I had a nice film afternoon - I treated myself to a brewdog nanny state 'beer' and some pork scratchings type puffs (they are low carb though). Had 2 pieces of the leftover cheeseburger pie and have roasted a chicken but really not hungry now. My house is unnaturally quiet with everyone out at the same time. Also got myself the Christmas Good Housekeeping magazine - I love all the Christmas editions!

Yes! I got my Olive magazine today, which is the Christmas edition, and really enjoyed reading that.

So many lovely sounding meals
Today lunch left over cheeseburger pie ( from freezer cooked last week ) and salad
Dinner fish wrapped in Parma ham fried in butter and oil, broccoli cooked them swished around those pan juices, and cauliflower
( potatoes for dp )
It was delicious, I used to make it before boot camp and it fits in really well .

Not really feeling hungry , so no cravings for anything sugary either

DD’s not too bad thanks glen. Your anniversary dinner sounds lovely, enjoy!

Glad you made the train venus, definitely a horrid feeling.

Your fish dish sounds lovely mercedes, what kind of fish do you use? Something firm?

@Rshard
Yes it’s cod filet or loin , looks harder than it is . Actually saw it on masterchef when John torode made it, not that mine looks like the one he made lol

I prefer Golden Crunch to the Curators Pork Crunch - similar but only available in "plain" salty which I like Nice and puffed and not too hard, as some pork scratchings are. You get them in Sainsbury's at 95p a bag

Another Public Service Announcement: my dad has found lamb shoulder (partially boned: he says it's described snoring like "easy carve") at £6.99 in Morrison's No idea if it's all around the country or just local/in Scotland - but it's worth checking out

Busy day today, no chance for full catch. Hope everyone e is keeping up the amazing work.

Today
Buttery eggs, creamy coffees
The Green soup and cheese
Lamb and veg curry

thanks @prettybird the lamb shoulder is available on the Morrisons app so I've popped a couple in my basket, thats sundays tea sorted.

Did my second run tonight, 2.2 miles and ran 75% of it. Actually loved it! Then got pretty nails 🥰

Lovely nails Glenthebattleostrich

I had a take on the harissa spiced sprouts from the green roasting tin for lunch today and would definitely recommend it. I will write it up properly on the recipe thread when I get a chance, but here's what I bunged in the air fryer for 10 minutes:

One block of halloumi, diced
1 packet of sprouts (350g)
Handful of mushrooms (not too many as these were a substitute for broccoli and I was worried it would be too wet)
2 tbsps harissa
2 tbsps olive oil

Once that was cooked I mixed through some chopped spinach with a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

Plenty left for tomorrow.

I also have a ricotta fritters recipe ready to try tomorrow or Friday which I'm really looking forward to.

I ordered a couple of new low carb recipe books this week and have just planned the food for the next week or so looking forward to trying some new ideas and will report back. The books look packed full of ideas, Hope I've made a good choice 🤞

Nice nails @Glenthebattleostrich 😁 Happy anniversary for the weekend. It was ours today. Amazingly managed to stay on track during a night at the theatre to celebrate.

Today’s food -
B: Cheesy scrambled eggs, mushrooms and avocado
L: Left over beef ragu
D: Grilled chicken and salad with garlic yoghurt sauce (from kebab shop - no pitta)
Am going to try some of the lovely recipes on the thread this weekend, thanks everyone for sharing

@BIWI Love Olive (and basically any Christmassy magazine - have piles of them going back years!) Am going to search out a copy at the shop to enjoy this weekend.

ouch would you mind sharing your ricotta fritters recipe please?

@catwithflowers

ouch would you mind sharing your ricotta fritters recipe please?

@catwithflowers I haven't tried it yet so can't recommend it but this is the one I'm going to try:

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/cheese-recipes/ricotta-fritters-with-tomato-sauce-courgette-salad/

It's one of Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals, which all take me at least half an hour

@ouchmyfeet It's one of Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals, which all take me at least half an hour 😂😂. Same here, and the 30 minutes meals take me at least an hour!!!

Thanks! I have that book but haven't looked at it in ages!

venusandmars I hate running for trains as well, it’s that horrible hot and sweaty feeling when you sit down.
I hoped on the scales this morning and I’m happy to report another 1lb off, after a day where I felt I actually ate more.

I made some egg muffin type things which were hugely successful

6 to 8 eggs depending on size
1 fried chopped onion
Handful of grated cheese (probably about 120g)
6 small cherry tomatoes
Slug of double cream
Olive oil to grease
Salt and black pepper

I also added some chopped salami as I had a packet in the fridge.

Muffin papers optional

I whisked egg , cream, salt & pepper - so like a quiche

In my my Yorkshire pudding tray, which is like a super large muffin tray with 6 round cake holes, (from Lakeland) I put a greased and flattened out cake paper.

Then I added some of the cooked onion, a halved cherry tomato and some grated cheese, I then poured in the batter mixture and cooked for about 20 mins on 180c. Was a big success for lunch and everyone loved them. Bit of a pain pulling the paper off, but made for less washing up and made easy to store the leftover ones.

I also made some smaller ones and because they were in paper they are quite portable 😀 I’ve got a load in the fridge. Would be a good thing to make for easy packed lunch/ lunch etc.

I do find that I have much better weight losses when I eat more eggs instead of cheese etc

That looks like a nice recipe @ouchmyfeet - will put it on the list for the weekend.

Food today will be shakshukka with salad then slow cooked beef casserole with braised fennel and broccoli. The casserole will have lots of carrot in it, but I'm making it for PIL's lunch on Friday (I won't be with them) and I'll avoid most of the carrots today.

Those muffins look great @NotwatchingSpooks. I might try those today.

I honestly can't believe how quickly weight is coming off me at the moment. I'm weighing consistently more than two kilos less and it hasn't even been two weeks. Amazing.

I've done bootcamp before but I must have been breaking rules I think because it wasn't like this.

And thank you again for all the recipes. I barely cook for myself but it does make me feel like I could be more enthusiastic one day.

There's another - really easy - recipe for muffins on the recipe thread, that's been quoted on the last few Bootcamps. I might make some of these next week (when we're allowed nuts again):

Low carb Muffins

1 cup ground almond (100g)
1 tbsp (30g) very cold solid fat such as butter or plant butter.
Three medium eggs chilled.
1 generous tsp baking powder

At this stage it can changed to be sweet muffins by adding in 2 tablespoons of sweetener with 1tsp vanilla extract

Or cheese muffins:

60g or a large handful of cold grated mature cheddar and some Chopped chives.

Pre heat oven to 180. Prepare muffin tin with paper cups.
The next bit needs to be done swiftly so things don’t get to room temperature, it’s the shock of the oven that makes them rise well.

If you have a food processor, blitz the almond flour with the butter briefly until just mixed. Otherwise grate the butter into the almonds. Add all other ingredients and blitz until just mixed. Spoon into cases. This should do 4, but the cheese mix often makes 5 smaller ones.

It’s about 14 mins in the oven but might need a little longer.

They are best eaten cold as they don’t come out of the wrappers easily when warm.

When I've made them before, I added a bit more cheese and also some crispy bacon bits, and ended up with 6 muffins.

I make the muffins that @BIWI has provided the recipe for in a 6 hole silicon muffin mould (fill 5 of the holes). That means that it's easy to peel them out the moulds and eat them hot

I use extra cheese and put some more on top

I had "Moussaka boats" last night, always good. It's based on a recipe for toddlers! From the Raising Superheroes book which is a spin-off from Prof Tim Noakes Real Meal Revolution- he's a South African guy who first got my DH into LCHF after a few appearances on the Marathontalk podcast. I swapped to lamb mince from beef and added extra peppers. DH had his on spinach because he think there's no meal that cannot be improved by spinach

@ouchmyfeet I love the harissa sprouts, it's already on the veggie recipe thread.

Never attempted LC muffins, maybe that's something to do this weekend. I also have that Lakeland Yorkshire's tin notwatchingtv and it's feeling a little neglected!

Gorgeous beef rending to have tonight with pak Choi and cauli rice. I prepped them stuck it in the slow cooker last night and it looked and smelled great this morning!