Low Carb

  • Dinner, Food

    Low Carb Taco Tuesday

    Taco’s with a difference

    We have been following a low carb diet for the best part of a year, with my husband started in spring time 2017 and I followed a couple of months later. If you are long time followers of ours you will know that we have vastly different dietary requirements, with Ray being vegetarian and I follow a largely lactose-free diet as well as being a meat eater. This does of course make dinner time interesting in our house, but we have found ways in which to create the same meal the appeals to both of us without having to compromise the things that we love or believe in.

    One of our favourite meals is Mexican, it has been a favourite of ours for many years and long before we decided to embark on a low carbohydrate diet. We started with corn tacos, tried wholemeal taco boats and since switching to low carb we have a completely different take on this meal. I’m going to share with you all of the different parts of this meal, how we make them from scratch and show you guys why low-carb taco Tuesday is the best you’ll ever have. Below you will find vegetarian and meat eater options.

    taco

     

    Mexican Mince

    Being the meat eater in our house I am the one who makes mince. It is really simple to create, all you need to do is add a small amount of coconut oil* to a saucepan, fry up the mince, add spices such as cumin and paprika and sometimes, if I am feeling particularly brave, I might add a piri-piri spice into the mix, but beware this does make it particularly hot.

     

    Mexican Beans

    Ray has previously written about Mexican beans, so if you want to check out that post you can click here. He’s also previously written about how to make non cook Mexican refried beans as well. These are all great options for vegetarians on taco Tuesday.

     

    Lettuce Boats

    As we keep a diet relatively low in carbohydrates we have recently traded wholemeal taco boats or Korn taco shells for lettuce boats instead. Now why you might be thinking that that doesn’t sound very exciting I can promise you with all the additions of Flavour in all the other dishes lettuce boats are refreshing and perfect for this dish. I would even go as far as to say that I don’t miss go boats are taco shells at all. If you’re looking to have a lower carbohydrate diet or maybe even following a ketogenic diet, adding lettuce boats is a great way of still enjoying your favourite dish without the carbs.

     

    Vegan Cheese

    We have recently become relatively addicted to vegan cheese and that is not something I ever expected I would say. Haven’t been huge halloumi fans for the longest time, looking for something that I could still eat that obviously didn’t contain lactose. When we found the violife Mediterranean cheese, that is supposed to be equivalent to Halloumi, I was kind of interested. Personally the cheese is nothing like halloumi but it is still great in its own way and we have become big fans. Always cook this in the oven, taking a slice and cooking it for 10 minutes on each side. It is honestly the perfect addition to this dish.

     

     

    Lactose Free Cheese

    As far as I’m concerned it’s not Mexican mince if it doesn’t have some melted cheese on it, for being lactose intolerant it has its drawbacks and while I am still able to consume a small amount of dairy on a daily basis but I do try to limit this to my butter coffee only. I’m eating I use the Arla lactose free cheese and it is perfect in place of Cheddar. Who is great some of this and add this to our dishes, great with the mince for meat eaters and is perfect alongside the beans for vegetarians.

     

    Added extras

    We also have some extras we add in too, including sour cream, homemade guacamole and sometimes we roast some sweet peppers and cheese stuffed jalapenos.

  • Breakfast, Food

    Why you should add a daily butter coffee to your routine

    DAILY COFFEE

    I am not a massive coffee drinker but I always like a yummy coffee mid-morning! I get a lot of questions about the coffee I drink in particular and why it is so good, but did you know coffee in general has a ton of health benefits too? I urge you to do your own research of course (I suggest an article by healthline about coffee being good or bad), the internet is wide and you can find out some of the benefits you will find from coffee.

    Some of the benefits of Coffee in general:

    1. High in antioxidants.
    2. Can be linked to a reduction in diseases.
    3. Contains essential nutrients.
    4. May protect your brain health.

    What about caffeine?

    Caffeine can have some effects on certain people but my first reaction, after learning how decaffeinated coffee is made (think lots of chemicals and waaaaaay less benefits), is that the individual will know firstly whether they can tolerate, or secondly whether they have a medical issue in which case they should always consult a medical clinician.

     

    coffee

     

    Why I love my coffee!

    My Coffee has Green Coffee Beans, which are rich in antioxidants which we all know are good for our body. Antioxidants can help to reduce the effects of free radicals (free radicals often play a major role in disease formation) which are damaged cells. Green Coffee Beans also contain chlorogenic acid, which can help reduce food cravings and boost your metabolism. Yes your cup of coffee could help you lose weight!

    An ingredient people often can’t get their head round is the Grass fed butter, but did you know that butter from grass fed cows is high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids and is considered one of the healthiest fats on the planet? Yes, you might not have been sold the truth on butter all these years. If you don’t have grass fed butter in your diet then you definitely might want to do some research as to why this fat might have a place in your diet. As always, if you have a medical condition or food allergy please consult a clinician. As well as essential Fatty Acids you will also find soluable vitamins too. “But what about heart disease” I hear you say – well guess what? A number of high profile studies have shown that there are no links between these fats and heart disease.

    MCT Oil means Medium Chain Triglycerides and is a fatty acids that comes with a whole host of health benefits, including improved cognitive function, supports gut health, is anti-inflammatory, helps you to maintain a healthy weight, balances your hormone levels and absorbs fat soluble nutrients.

     

    coffee

    Don’t just listen to me, do your own research, there is so much out there if you are willing to look! Fat free, Sugar Free, Low Fat, Low Sugar….all things we’re told is the healthy way to go, but when you really look into the ingredients in these items you will find it packed with artificial chemicals, sweeteners and nasty fillers. You should be careful with your sugar intake but I urge you to look at what artificial sweeteners can do to your health, but as for healthy fats, you don’t need to fear them.

    Don’t take my word for it though, do your own research, make yourself aware and if you want some tips on where to look I will be happy to provide them. Bet you will look at a cup of coffee differently in future!

    Want to try a sachet or more of butter coffee? Register your interest!

    As always, this is my own personal opinion based on the research I have undertaken myself. Always speak to your own Doctor or Clinician if you have any worries, concerns or you need advice. Everything on this page is personal opinion from my own research only and is not to be used in place of medical advice.
  • Breakfast, Food

    The BEST low carb pancakes you will ever try!

    Tasty pancakes using Almond AND Coconut Flour

    Today I have another fun pancake recipe post for you, a fun 6 ingredient low carb recipe. I know I shared a post the other week with you about some great keto inspired pancakes and I still love those, but this recipe is for those of you who prefer a more American style to your pancake. By that I mean, you love your pancakes much fluffier. These pancakes are made with both Almond and Coconut flour and are low carb, keto inspired, Paleo and naturally gluten free. Oh, and if you don’t follow any of those diets or lifestyles, don’t worry, they are just a great, tasty pancake too!

    Personally, I could spend every day eating pancakes, and if it wasn’t for the fact that sometimes I just like to grab and go I might very well make these a little more than I do, the great thing though is just how easy they are to make a big batch. What I love to do is dedicate some time, make a huge batch and freeze them in two’s, this was I can grab them in a morning from the freezer and just quickly reheat them with minimal fuss.

    Keto, Low Carb, Paleo etc

    My previous Keto Inspired Pancake recipe was made with solely Coconut flour, which I love, but this time round I was looking at changing up the texture and that is where the almond flour came in. Let me tell you, it worked! You cannot tell at all that these are not regular pancakes with regular flour. I am not great at working out recipes for myself so I was inspired by the Wholesome Yum Blog and their approach to low carb pancakes, and just made a few slight adjustments. What I loved the most about these pancakes was just how much they taste like a regular pancake but they are keto friendly, low carb and naturally gluten free. They also only take a few minutes to prepare with just a handful of ingredients, more than likely things that you have in your cupboards too.

    Why I love my pancake maker!

    To cook them we are lucky enough to own a pancake maker, the Electric Party Wok and Pancake Maker Set of 6 Woks and Wooden Spatula Non-Slip Coating, which is just a pancake hot plate, but definitely worth the investment if you ask me. We use it all the time for making pancakes, as well as making mini omelettes too. If you are a fan of making in bulk and freezing items such as pancakes and omelettes I definitely suggest adding one of these to your kitchen.

    Ingredients

    ½ cup of Almond Flour

    1/8 cup of Coconut Flour

    1 tbsp of Stevia (or sweetener of your choice)

    ½ tsp of Gluten Free baking powder

    3 Eggs

    3 tbsp of Coconut Almond Milk

    ½ tsp of Vanilla Extract

    A pinch of sea salt

    The BEST low carb pancakes you will ever try

    The BEST low carb pancakes you will ever try

    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup of Almond Flour
    • 1/8 cup of Coconut Flour
    • 1 tbsp of Stevia (or sweetener of your choice)
    • ½ tsp of Gluten Free baking powder
    • 3 Eggs
    • 3 tbsp of Coconut Almond Milk
    • ½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
    • A pinch of sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Add all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until it forms a batter like consistency. If you find it is a little too thick feel free to add a little more milk until you have a consistency you are happy with.
    2. At this point we lightly grease our pancake maker with a dab of coconut oil and ladle mixture into the rings. Heat until bubbles start to form and then flip and cook on the other side. Repeat until you have used all of your mixture.
    3. If you don’t have a pancake maker, melt some coconut oil into a frying pan and add battle until it covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until bubbles start to form and then flip over and cook the other side. Repeat until you have used all of your batter.

    Net Carbs per 2x 3” pancake: 1g

    What next?

    I suggest storing these either in the fridge if you plan on eating them within the next day or two, or you can add a couple to a freezer bag, pop then in the freezer and grab a bag every time you want some more. This makes it so easy.

  • Food

    Keto & Low Carb Bread

    But Bread is off limits, isn’t it?

    Yes, you would be right, standard bread is too high in carbohydrates if you are following a Ketogenic diet and it might be something you are choosing to avoid or having in moderation if you are following a low carb diet, but that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on things like sandwiches, English Muffins or toast, because guess what? Help is here!

    keto bread

    Do I need many ingredients and is it hard?

    You do need a few specialised ingredients in and if you’re new to low carb or keto then they might not be something you have in your cupboards, but the good news is once you get them in stock it’s something you will always have, which makes this recipe super easy to whip up in just a few minutes. All you need is the ingredients and a microwave and it is that simple! Now, onto the ingredients and the recipe!

    keto bread

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tbsp of Almond Flour (but finely ground almonds works a treat, is are much cheaper too).
    • 1/2 tbsp of Coconut Flour.
    • 1 tbsp of Grass fed butter (We use Kerrygold unsalted).
    • 1 Egg (You can use the whole egg or just the egg white – with the yolk you’ll end up with bread more yellow in colour).
    • A pinch of pink Himalayan salt.
    •  1/2 tsp of gluten free baking powder (sometimes hard to find but this is always a good option).

     

    Method:

    1. Melt butter in microwaveable mug for 30 seconds.
    2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
    3. Let sit for a moment in the mug, to thicken.
    4. Microwave for 2 minutes.
    5. Turn out onto a plate.

    I then always like to slice my bread into small rounds and toast on a low heat setting or pop it under the grill.

     

    This has the taste and texture of normal bread and is very low carb too, so it works with both a ketogenic and low carb diet.