Love reading this thread and need all the ideas I can get.

I like the BSD recipes but have also got the new Tom Kerridge book. Lovely recipes but definitely for meat eaters !!

This weekends treat was the Pear, brazil nut & chocolate brownies from the BSD book.
They were easy to make & delicious. Not too sweet either as I have lost my tolerance of sweet things.

I have tried the flapjacks twice & ended up with bowls of granola !! So the brownies made a change !!

Hi annie2

Yes I think this thread and the forum altogether is just terrific.

I’ve missed the Pear, brazil nut and chocolate brownies – got to have a look.

Flapjacks – a few of us have had granola – apparently the tip is to put them in the fridge before attempting to cut and get them out! That way they set hard. I’m going to try them again but I think they might be my achilles heel as they are far too delicious.

Thanks Theodora 🙂 I would love a wine cellar one day – just wouldn’t be good for me at the moment!
And we’ll done for being able to resist all that temptation!
I’m feeling very positive at the start of week 4, focussing on all the delicious foods I CAN eat rather than those I can’t.
I invested in an electric spiralizer today – Aldi had them for $34.99 so I thought it would be worth a try, it has 3 different blades so I’ll be able to make ribbons as well as noodles with zucchini and other veggies – can’t wait to try it 🙂

Hi everyone

SueBlue it really is the best way to go if you try and think of all the food you CAN eat and there is so much that we really shouldn’t have a problem.

I treated myself to an electric spiralizer a few months ago. Just one tip if you do courgette (zucchini) don’t use the smallest blade unless they are really firm otherwise they come out a bit ‘squishy’. Must admit it’s a great little machine and much easier to clean than the manual one.

Haven’t decided what to eat today but I think there will be chicken somewhere. Think I may try the mustard chicken with roasted cauliflower rice and some green vegetables.

Have a good day and may your food choices all turn out to be delicious!

Did have chicken yesterday but unfortunately it was mixed in with FRIED RICE!!!!! This is the first time in 7 months that I’ve eaten rice. Did I enjoy it ….no! Will I do it again …. no!

I had a gout attack in my big toe yesterday. The first time ever and my goodness is it painful. So out came the computer to see what may have caused it. High purine foods I’ve eaten over the last four days have included anchovies and prawns. Medium purine foods, and here’s the shocker, asparagus, every other day or so, peas, had pea soup for 4 days, spinach, in the pea soup and in a frittata, cauliflower, almost live on it!!!! What on earth is there left to eat???? It does say that dairy and eggs are fine so for the next day or so I’ll have to be even more careful than normal.

Looks like it’s back to the drawing board for me but I hope you all have a good day.

Really, sorry to hear about the gout, Verano. I’ve just been reading the UK Gout Society leaflet online as I know nothing about it. It sounds excruciating. Hope you get over it quickly.

I don’t want to undermine your efforts, but maybe one thing you could consider is worrying less about the carbs and widening the range of veg you eat. I’m still keeping off the starchy carbs, but I’ve given up worrying about the 50 g carb limit, as it didn’t suit me. I’m now finding the diet more manageable and I’m still losing. Maybe not as much as if I were more strictly restricting carbs, but I am still losing and don’t suffer so much with the problems I was having on such low carbs.

Let us know what your conclusions are or perhaps even start a new ‘gout’ thread to pick people’s brains. I know someone who started around the same time as me (29 August starter group thread) suffers from gout and they might be able to give you some more informed advice.

Hi Verano
Not sure if you can listen to podcasts, but here is the link to a short one about gout and how the latest research is showing that it is carbohydrates that is causing the rise in uric acid, not meat and fats as previously thought.
https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-ask-prof-noakes-podcast/id882524927?mt=2&i=1000380756472

I’ve also heard on another podcast that when you’ve been on a very low carb diet, then suddenly re introduce them, it can cause the body to reacte with an attack of gout.
Here’s another one you may find interesting: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/keto-talk-jimmy-moore-doc/id1071990583?mt=2&i=1000376910118

Hope this helps
Linda

Hi Verano
Here’s another one.
https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/keto-talk-jimmy-moore-doc/id1071990583?mt=2&i=1000360264877
Linda

Hi Verano,

re earlier posts, I get that you don’t like white sauces with Lasagna etc. If you like Creme Fraiche, I have successfully used it for lasagna. Just thinned a little with a spoonful or so of water, poured over the meat then topped with parmesan cheese. This was a recipe that came with gluten free lasagna sheets which I still make for my OH (and I now avoid the pasta bits.)

Hi thank you for your posts most helpful.

Snoop I’ve not been ‘counting’ anything for quite a while now. I think my carbs are generally between 50 and 75g a day. But I do think I’m in a bit of a rut foodwise hence this thread. I probably do stick to more or less the same vegetables as I’m not a great lover of vegetables really so I should forget the carbs a little and maybe branch out a bit more. Also I’ve been eating lentils quite often and they are another contributor to gout!

Thanks for the podcasts LindaA very interesting. Strangely enough I have increased my carbs lately. While I was in hospital I was having porridge each morning, the best of the evils. Since I’ve been home I’ve started having a digestive biscuit before my tablets just to put something in my stomach. Maybe not the cleverest of ideas!

At least I can remedy all of the above with just a little more thought.

Good idea Marsie. I do like a traditional white sauce just not the low carb eggy cheesy alternatives. I will try the creme fraiche idea as soon as I can get courgettes again!!!

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for side dish suggestions please. We tend to eat fish or meat plain either barbequed or fried and then add vegetables. We really enjoy roast veggies, mixed salads, broccoli with mushrooms and spices stir fries and the suggestions from the recipe book. However, we started back in October so my choices are becoming stale; same old, same old….

Has anyone got any interesting veggie side dishes to share? I was given a Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook for Christmas. It’s packed full of really interesting recipes full of forbidden ingredients! Big sigh!

Fish en papillote is a good option and works especially well for frozen fish. Essentially, I sweat some veg (usually leek, garlic, courgette and carrot) in a little butter. Take a piece of foil large enough to wrap a piece of fish and a portion of veg. Pile the portion of veg in the middle and the fish on top. If you have enough calories, a tiny drizzle of olive oil on top of the fish. Fold up the foil so it forms a sealed package and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or so. You can use other veg. I’ve even just plonked frozen spinach and some strained yogurt or other thick dairy produce like cream or soft cheese) under the fish.

Have a look in the recipes on this site for your favourite veg. I have added one for courgetti with spinach and blue cheese that would go a treat with plain chicken. Another I like is shredded sprouts stir fried with just cinnamon and nutmeg, but you could jazz them up a bit more with ginger, garlic, Chinese five-spice powder and so on.

Hi Angela06. I struggle a bit with side dishes too. Here’s a few suggestions:

Leek curry: finely slice a couple of leeks, fry off gently in oil to start softening, after about five mins add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, chopped chilli to taste, a glue of fish sauce and lower the temp and cover and cook for 30 mins, until really soft.

Spinach curry: fry off some chopped onions, garlic and ginger until softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric ( or a couple of teaspoons of curry powder). Grate in 3 large tomatoes (leaves behind the skin in your hand and saves chopping) cook until the oil comes back and add several balls of frozen spinach. Cook for another 10 mins or so. Sprinkle with chopped coriander.

As you can tell, I like my curry! Hope these help.

Hi Angela06 I struggle with sides too. I cook sprouts then toss in homemade tomato sauce and garlic. If you have enough carbs then tossed with chestnuts are nice too.

Stir fry vegetables with garlic, ginger, soy, coriander and a squeeze of lime juice are lovely with fish or chicken.

The spinach curry sounds lovely Bissell.

I posted a chickpeaand squash curry recipe above which is lovely and freezes well but it is rather carby so you have to go easy with it.

Last night I tried roasted celeriac but I found the flavour a little too ‘celery like’ for me but my OH liked it.

I made chicken in mustard sauce last night and it was actually very nice, although I did add a good grind of black pepper as well!

It’s Moroccan meat balls with roasted cauliflower rice and tenderstem broccoli for us tonight. Again a great dish for freezing.

Thanks Verona, I hope the cellulitis is on the mend. Meatballs sound good, ideal for portion control too (always my downfall!)

I’ve just made the coq au vin ready to take to my daughter’s when I look after the grandsons tomorrow. The kitchen is filled with a lovely winey aroma!

When’s lunch time?!

Hi everyone

Yes thanks Bissell the cellulitis is improving it’s just the antibiotics, which are strong enough to knock a horse out, that are causing problems now!!! Anyway just three days left and hopefully all will be well again.

I’d not noticed the coq au vin recipe but it does look nice so will definitely try that one. It’s amazing that you think you have read the book and then other people flag up recipes you’ve missed.

Enjoyed the meatballs last night and tonight I think it will be fish with stir fry vegetables and maybe some fried cabbage.

Snoop I’ve been reading the posts on the current 4 week challenge thread with interest. I wonder if you can be over zealous with ‘counting’. I noticed that both you and California girl are eating a more ‘relaxed’ diet including lots more vegetables and, I’m guessing from what you’ve said, less protein. Last night I had two average size meatballs and I felt absolutely ‘stuffed’ afterwards. I only had cauliflower with them but I had that awful feeling you get when you’ve eaten too much. My appetite is definitely changing and I think you could be right about widening the range of vegetables I eat.

With regard to gout I’m just taking a short course of tablets and then I hope to banish it and all thoughts of it from my life!!! Fingers crossed.

Have a good food day.

Hi Verano. My portions of protein vary in weight but are usually between 65 and 80 g. If I eat fish or meat for lunch, my evening meal protein will be based on eggs, legumes or a small amount of something like anchovies or smoked salmon. Today we’ll be having your courgetti puttanesca, which we love. So much so I even got a friend to bring over a few jars of nonpareille capers in salt from the UK! The ones we get here are in vinegar and nowhere near as good.

As far as veg are concerned, I’m a bit like Californiagirl. I do eat sweetcorn and peas, but in small amounts, no potatoes or sweet potatoes. But other than that, I eat just about every other veg you can think of except chard, which Mr Snoop can’t abide. Yesterday’s veg intake (including 85 g of tomatoes) was 785 g, plus I had an apple weighing 185 g. Total calories were 807. Net carbs came in at just under 76, fibre was a fantastic 23. In fact, the nutritional parameters I’m interested in in order of priority are: calories, fibre, net carbs. And yesterday’s supper was actually not BSD friendly as I’m using up puff pastry bought for Christmas, so we had a pie made with puff pastry, labneh (strained yogurt), courgette and a mixture of assorted seeds.

Good morning

Snoop very interesting. I think I probably eat at least twice as much protein as you except on days when I have puttanesca.

I think that maybe we all feel as though we’re in a bit of a rut at this time of the year. Just a few more weeks until March and then the beginning of spring which I always find a huge boost. I must admit that I’m not finding a great deal of joy in food at the moment. Maybe I just need a good steak or a roast or even a curry to tweek my tastebuds!

Today was going to be the salmon we didn’t have last night but I think that might go in the freezer! Will have a rethink. Have a good day.

Thank you for the recipe suggestions. I want to try the brussel sprout ones as they are a particular favourite of ours but those in the shop were too weary looking to buy. Maybe next week though I guess we’re coming to the end of winter veg. It’ll soon be strawberry time. Can we eat strawberries and cream?

Prices in the shop had dropped a little today so I bought 2 heads of cauliflower and two of broccoli, one for broccoli and blue cheese soup. Yum!

I made ratatouille this week:

1 onion sliced 127g
2 small aubergines in chunks or diced 560g total
2 courgettes in chunks or diced 392g
2 tins of tomato pulp 2x400g
2 cloves garlic sliced
Herbes de provence

Fry the onion till its soft then add all the other ingredients and cook till soft. Add water if the sauce looks dry. I usually cook it slowly for an hour.

This came in at 436 calories and 22g carbs. However it makes at least 4 generous servings at 5g carb and 109 calories per portion. We eat it alone or as an accompaniment to chicken or lamb.

Hi

Angela06 no problem with strawberries and cream in moderation but I must admit I like them with Greek yogurt now, especially Total although the Lidl Milbona?? isn’t bad.

Ratatouille is something I have never made. I remember having aubergine many years ago and hated the texture so have never eaten it since. I did try a few months ago, bought a small aubergine, left it in the fridge, then put it in the bin!!! Might try again someday.

Roast chicken for us tonight just have to think of something interesting to go with it. Maybe sprouts in tomato and garlic. Will give it some thought but really do need to try new things.

Have a nice day.

I know what you mean about the texture of aubergine, Verano, it’s just a bit slimy. However I persevere because it’s useful!

Just a correction to the Ratatouille portions. The last batch I made did in fact make 6 full servings and I had two spoonfuls for breakfast. Practically free food…..

If you add red pepper you’ll need to adjust the cals and carbs!

Have a good Friday!

In celebration of reaching my 15% body weight loss we had an Indian takeaway last night! It was very BSD friendly chicken tikka with salad and mint and yogurt, maybe a bit of sugar, and just a very small onion bahji as a ‘treat’. I really enjoyed it but I’m finding that a main meal portion is far too big now so next time I think I may just have a starter size.

Well another weekend and another food challenge for me. I find the weekends more difficult than other times. So tonight will be the roast chicken we were going to have last night with some courgetti spaghetti. I think I will experiment with a ‘cream’ type sauce tonight. I have some crème fraiche so I think I will try a mushroom and red pepper concoction. Nothing to lose!

Have a good weekend.

Glad you enjoyed the Indian takeaway Verano 😀.

Was going to say I can’t remember the last time I had a takeaway but then remembered I had a kebab (only the meat and salad) from local takeaway – not as good as I remembered! And had kebab meat and salad in Italy last year when friends had pizza. *thinks* – perhaps I need to try Indian takeaway at some point!

Nothing to lose! – except weight!!!!! 😀

Verano – A well deserved treat.

I can’t remember whether I posted this but I went out for an Indian a couple of weeks ago and had what was effectively a tandoori mixed grill (chicken, lamb, prawn and kofteh) It was lovely but I had to bring back some of the lamb and kofteh as I couldn’t finish it – yes that’s me, not being able to finish an Indian – shocking!

Also indulged in an inadvisable level of lime pickle.

It is truly amazing how BSD can change your appreciation of portion size.

Yes a good Indian meal really does fill the gap now and again and it can be BSD friendly. I just find that every now and again I have to have something really spicy.

It is amazing JM how our appetites change after while. I actually find that all my portions are much smaller than they used to be and that can’t be bad! Although occasionally I do feel really hungry so I eat a snack and that usually does the trick.

OK so last night’s courgetti was a success I think.

For 2 servings
I fried half a red pepper, cut into thin batons, with a finely sliced shallot in 1 tbsp of oil.
Added some courgetti and mixed until slightly softened.
Added a few finely sliced button mushrooms.
Then added … 1tsp French mustard. 1tsp tomato ketchup, a few drops of Tabasco, salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Then added 2tbsp crème fraiche.

I made the courgetti a little broader, more like narrow tagliatelle , and overall it was lovely. I think that maybe just 1tbsp of crème fraiche and a little water may have been better. The sauce was a little thick. Or maybe using some cream or even yogurt would also be nice.

I don’t like garlic with cream but I’m sure it would be a nice addition and also any herbs that take your fancy. It certainly made an ‘indulgent’ side dish and with more vegetables could be a good main. It really wasn’t that carby adding just 2.7g per serving and 60 calories. It needs to be served with a green vegetable as well to cut through the richness of the sauce. I’ll certainly make it again.

Sounds like you did something similar to me, Verano. I’m not worrying about net carbs, so I used some onion in my dish.

Sweat a thinly sliced onion (quarter moons) and garlic in butter. Add sliced mushrooms when onions are soft. When mushrooms are nearly done, add courgetti. When they are done, add black pepper, blue cheese and creme fraiche.

Scrumptious.

Are we adding these dishes to the recipe section, by the way? There have been some great ideas here.

Snoop that sounds lovely. I adore Stilton but must admit don’t really cook with it. I will definitely try your recipe.

I have to admit when I first started BSD I even weighed the lettuce!!!! Yes I know!! Now I’m more relaxed I don’t fret so much about using vegetables. When I start counting again properly next Tuesday I will include the vegetables in my counts but I will just up my carb allowance a little. The one aspect of this eating plan that I find difficult it the rationing of fruit and vegetables if they are carby or sweet like onions or blueberries.

I’ve never posted recipes on this site just not thought about it really.

Have a look in the recipes, Verano. I added a courgetti with spinach and blue cheese that is really good. Plus, there’s another one for courgetti with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. I reckon we’ll be having that for Valentine’s day.

I still weigh lettuce…

Hi everyone,

another recipe for the folder. This is from Nigel Slater. I haven’t worked out the cal or carb rate but figure if you eat a modest amount you’ll come in under…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_roast_leg_of_lamb_34951

Friends were over last night for dinner and I served olives, radishes and cherry tomatoes as an appetiser (crisps for the children) followed by the lamb with ratatouille (mentioned in an earlier post) and rice for the guests. Then we had some really delicious cheese which is when I fell off the wagon…with a leafy green salad. No dessert. I drank water. I was too generous with my portion sizes but was quite pleased with the meal. I was going to put out ice cream and fruit for the children but no one was interested.

the aubergine lasagne was delicious (BSD recipe book page 146). A bit sloppy as the aubergine does not hold its shape like cardboard pasta sheets but the taste was great.

Good morning

Will definitely try your recipe with blue cheese and spinach, Snoop, it sounds lovely. Not sure about the salmon one as I’m really not that fussy on cooked smoked salmon. I am definitely going to try and eat more courgette meals this week in an effort to reduce my calorie intake.

I’m still just logging what I eat with gay abandon but tomorrow I will be back on track again. I had less than 40 carbs yesterday and just less than 1000 calories and I think I might stick to those figures I’m finding 800/30 a bit low at the moment.

Angela06 you did well with your guests. It is doable if we try.

Last night I made a Thai green chicken curry which was very nice but I had roasted cauliflower rice with it. The ‘rice’ itself was quite good but it just didn’t go with the curry. Will have to rethink that one.

I looked at the lasagne recipe sunshine-girl but I’m not sure it’s for me even though I love lasagne. I think I might make my own Bolognese sauce, even with the red wine, and use courgettes instead of aubergine. I think it may have been Marsie who suggested using crème fraiche loosened with a little water instead of the sauce in the recipe, which I have tried but don’t like. In fact looks like I’m just rewriting the whole thing!!! Never mind will give mine a try and let you know.

Tonight I’m having courgetti with a similar ‘peppered’ type sauce to the one I made at the weekend but will add more vegetables to make it into a main dish. Maybe spinach and a spiralised carrot with asparagus as a garnish. Will experiment.

Have a good day.

Good morning and Happy Valentines for those who celebrate

Ok so last night I made the ‘peppered’ courgette. It was lovely BUT I logged it on Fatsecret and was actually amazed at the carb/calorie count. I only had vegetables and the calorie count was 306 but the carbs came to 27.5g!!!! My whole day’s food was 680 calories but 48.5g carbs.

I just can’t get my head around the fact that vegetables have so many carbs. I didn’t eat an excessive amount, maybe 300/350g in total. I know I’ve been down this route before but this is the one bit about BSD that I find the most difficult.

I wanted to make Bolognese today but I normally add tinned tomatoes and passata but when I look at the carbs I’m wondering if all carbs are made equal. Are the sugars in tomatoes really as ‘harmful’ as those in a teaspoon of refined sugar, which none of us would even think of eating these days?

I guess I’m just going through a ‘confused’ phase again. I could have had 3 McVities digestive biscuits and some coffee with cream for my dinner last night, similar number of calories, and had the same number of carbs and maybe more satisfaction!!!!

No Verano, you would have been starving half an hour later and the carb monster would have been knocking on the inside of your head, eat me eat me. Don’t do it.

Oh and yes, happy Valentines Day. I am at French class this afternoon and I am taking a bottle of champagne to share with love. I want to see what they think of my non alcoholic elderberry champagne but not going to tell them it is not real, except the Muslim girls who would refuse it so I will let them in on the secret.

Love Nigel Slater! Was ironing and watching his tv prog at the weekend. He made a sesame seed coated salmon fillet that took 30 mins to marinate and 10 mins to cook – looked gorgeous. Marinade was sesame oil and a splash of rice wine, seasoned, then coat all over with sesame seeds. Fry in groundnut oil. I happened to have all the ingredients in the house and made it for a lone dinner, bit of lemon buttered spinach on the side. Nicest thing I’ve eaten all year and by my reckoning it was 350 cals and 5g carbs. Yummy, satisfying and easy. MKx

Next time I think I’d oven bake it. MK

Good morning/evening

Sunshine-girl I know you’re right it just seems so unfair that you eat all these ‘healthy’ vegetables but in the process stuff yourself with carbs. Yesterday we had griddled steak and vegetables so no harm there. How did the ‘champagne’ go down??

MK I love fish but am not a lover of salmon unless it’s been ‘played with’. That recipe sounds lovely. Another easy one I do is to put the salmon in a small dish and add soy sauce, sliced spring onions, sliced ginger and chilli, cover with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Tasty and easy!

Today I’m having a ‘cook in’. I made some space in my freezer yesterday so I’m going to make broccoli and stilton soup and Bolognese. I looked on the internet and it’s Jamie who uses crème fraiche let down with a little water instead of white sauce. So tonight I’m going to make lasagne with courgette ‘sheets’ and crème fraiche with mozzarella and parmesan. We will see!!!

Have a good day.

MK I had salmon yesterday, very similar recipe to yours but I oven baked it in a little parcel of baking paper. I placed the salmon on a bed of spiralized zucchini (courgette) & carrot, and some finely sliced spring onion, then sprinkled sesame seeds on top. Only took 15 minutes in a 200 deg oven.
The only thing I’d do differently next time is marinate the salmon first – the recipe I had said to pour the sauce over the fish, which I would do again but after marinating. Sauce was ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar & toasted sesame oil.
I’m not a big fish lover, and am
Allergic to shellfish, but I did enjoy this meal 🙂

Mmm, liking the look of many of the recipes on here.

SueBlue (love the moniker), I’m also shellfish allergic and OH has Coeliac Disease and lactose intolerance. When we eat out as a family we make waitpersons blanch as added to our needs, one son has adult onset T1D, one sister is intolerant to anything that has worn a feather, other sister, despite obesity, has so many “can’ts” its almost impossible and her son has serious nut allergies. Catering for weddings, parties, etc is interesting…. lol.

Anyway, food: last night I made a “Thai seasoned risotto”, talk about mixing cultures, delicious flavours, lots of good veg dropped in. I kept aside a portion of veg and sauce to put onto my cauliflower rice while OH had actual rice. Added smoked Tasmanian trout at the last moment. Delicious.

Marsie

I’m amazed you can find any restaurants that will serve you more than once!!!!

Could you possibly expand on your ‘Thai seasoned risotto’ a little please. I love Thai food.

Good morning/evening

Well I made a Bolognese yesterday. Took me hours and I painstakingly logged every ingredient, even the herbs, into a new ‘recipe’ in fat secret. I made 12 portions and they came out at 340 calories and 15 carbs which wasn’t too bad. Anyway, I made a lasagne with courgette and used crème fraiche on the top layer with a little mozzarella, some parmesan and fresh basil.

Would I make it again? Possibly but with some changes. My Bolognese was wetter than normal and the courgettes are ‘wet’ so the whole thing was very ‘wet, so wet that I had to drain liquid from it!!’ Lovely flavour but I wasn’t that keen on the cooked crème fraiche so I think I will have to use the rest over courgetti. Still I tried and I would use sliced courgette again in another ‘layered’ recipe.

I just don’t think white sauce ‘substitutes’ work for me. I manage quite well without bread ‘substitutes’ so I think I will just forget recipes that use white sauces. There are lots of other things to choose.

So for tonight I really don’t know at the moment. Maybe soup and a salad.

Have a good day.

I agree Verona, about the wetness of using courgettes. The sauce tastes fine, but I don’t like having to drain my food! I’ve made the chicken, chorizo and lentil meal from the recipe book to take down to my daughter. Quite high in carbs, but looks tasty.

I got an email from BBC foods yesterday, linking in a load of fish recipes. I struggle with fish sometimes, but there were loads of BSD friendly recipes, which I will try. Here’s the link

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?query=fish&cm_mmc=ExactTarget-_-email-_-Good-food-newsletter-535_2017_02_15-short-copy-test-_-email&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=Good-food-newsletter-535_2017_02_15-short-copy-test#query=fish&path=diet/healthy

Mutters to self ‘Must eat more fish. Must eat more fish.’

Have a great day everyone.

Hi – hope you don’t mind me chiming in on this one, but try making white sauce with almond flour. The consistency won’t be the same, but the flavour is fine. Haven’t tried it with coconut flour, as I find that has a distinct coconutty flavour, but it might work if you don’t mind the flavour included in your dish.

I made cottage pie last night, with a cauliflower and garlic mash topped with grated cheese and almond flour, to make it nice a crisp. Was yummy. I confess I didn’t calculate it as I was in a rush, but stuck to the BSD principles, so hopefully not too bad – will calculate it next time I make it.

Hi SunnyB

All comments welcome here!! What a clever idea I never even thought of substituting the flour! I have chickpea flour but that’s not much lower in carbs than white flour! Could try almond flour which really is low in carbs.

Also I’d forgotten about cauli mash with garlic. I have made it several times in the past. Maybe it’s time to bring the cauliflower thread back to the top!

Lovely link Bissell. Tonight I’m now having Asian style sea bass, found one in the freezer, with pak choi and broccoli. Thanks for the ideas.

Hi everyone

On Valentines day I cooked scallops with a pea puree (small amount of peas cooked in chicken stock with a bit of butter) and a scattering of fried chorizo, followed by sea bass fillets over a stew of vegetables, baby onions, peas, bacon cooked in chicken stock with a dash of cream. Yummy. Didn’t count calories but probably a bit heavy but lovely for a special treat.

Verano, lovely to see you are still here after my three month absence.

Love the sound of those scallops, loopylou, definitely need to try those. Sounds like a very stylish celebration!

Hi loopylou good to ‘see’ you after all this time. Are you just browsing or are you back with us? I’m here for the long haul I’m afraid!

Verano, I went “off piste” for most of November and December. I tried to start again in Jan. My hubby even said he’d join me. He did it for a month (and lost half a stone to put him at target weight) and I fell off the wagon after a few days. Guess my head wasn’t in the right place. Anyway I am now trying again. On my little wander, I put on about 10 pounds of the 2 stone I lost last year, but its still a loss. I am 50 in May. Wouldn’t it be nice to be in a little party dress?

Hi loopylou

We’ve all been there done that but the important thing is that you’re back here starting again. There’s so much help and inspiration on these threads and a new 4 week challenge starting next Tuesday. I’m sure you’ll manage to get your head back in gear soon enough!

What is it with men? Sometimes they can be real pains!!! Never mind as sunshine-girl says just keep on keeping on!

I am on the other side of my 50th, but can report that it was very nice to slim into my Size 18 party dress (bought in the January sales for inspiration, while I was still closer to 22) for the occasion, in fact I almost overshot and would have been better in a sixteen, so you go for it loopylou.