Im getting some very mixed results. Yesterdays chicked wrapped in parma ham and broccolli with garlic and anchovy was delicious but todays parmesan crisp recipe didnt work on temperature or time..and the mixture you end with is dry like breadcrumbs..cant be dolloped at all. Results after 20minutes are like slightly crisp chewy cheesy biscuits…delicious with roast tomato anchovy and olives on top…but not a parmesan crisp.
I also tried the cauliflower cheese…dont get me wrong, the sauce is absolutely delicious BUT nowhere near covrers the amount of cauliflower 🙁
Im wondering if the oven temperatures given are right. Puzzled.

Hi,
I also had problems with the parmesan crisps when I first made them – like you, I found them way too crumbly. I’ve made them since but have adjusted things considerably – slightly higher temperature, longer cooking time, and I changed the proportion of ingedients!
I think the parmesan & ground almonds are a bit dry so I reduced those, and had slightly more grated cheddar (since that melts easier) but you don’t want too much cheddar.

I’ve tried 40g parmesan, 50g ground almonds & 70g grated cheddar at 170deg C (for about 8 mins)
And also 60g parmesan, 40g ground almonds, 75g cheddar at 175degC (about 5 mins)
And 50g parmesan, 50g ground almonds, 80g cheddar at 175degC (about 8 mins)

Not sure which is the optimum recipe – just play around until you get the result you like best! But they are rather scrumptious.

Thanks RozyDozy! Not just my cack-handed cooking then! I was getting so annoyed with it; Inwas really hungry (Day 2 for me) and only just JUST managed to stop myself dialling out for a pizza 🙁

I found another one today. In the Puttanesca Sauce (for courgetti), Oregano is an ingredient on the list but doesnt seem to get used in the sauce 🙂 fortunately this time I am a dab hand at tomato based italian sauces but Im so incredibly disappointed at the quality of this recipe book.

Authors: if you’re reading this. Some of us arent terribly confident cooks having relied on convenience foods for many years (& thus ending up on the BSD). Recipes that seriously dont work/havent been checked, or proof read, can create anxiety and frustration and when we’re that hungry & end up with something inedible its almost inevitable that we’ll fall back on what we know, which would be such a shame as the recipes that work (or we can figure out) are really very very good. Perhaps a word with the publishers to issue an errata list?

Ooooh! I’m just waiting for my book to arrive. Should be here tomorrow! I shall note your suggestions!!
Bit disappointing though, we are supposed to rely on their expertise, I may well send the book back as you’ve found 2 problems already. I was really looking forward to it too!!! May just use dietdoctor then!!

Don’t despair there’s some really good ones too! Most recipe books I own have a few duff recipes….I’ve tried Mushrooms and goats cheese breakkie (that might actually be in the original book tho 🤔), Cashew nut porridge, Thai curry, chicken satay, chilli con carne and a few others and all were great…keep trying – we need all the inspiration we can get! X

I did make the courgetti with puttanesca sauce tonight. Had it with one of the rather bizaare parmesan “cookies” (from the parmesan crisps recipe) tonight and it waa lovely. I’ll definately keep trying 🙂

If anyone is reading this from the publishing people, I can recommend an excellent cook book editor, also a great cook who I interested in food in general to look after her health.
Was thinking of getting the cook book, now will not. I can figure out most things for myself and it’s an extra challenge as I like my cooking.

Loving everyone’s stories, trials and tribulations.

Crabbycams

Folks are you talking about book by Claire Bailey, Sarah Schenker? Just waiting for mine to arrive.. hope there will be many usable ones, despite people’s findings here. I like lots from the basic diet book.

I have the Claire and Sarah cookbook and find the recipes usually quite good. I mainly use it to give me ideas, look in the freezer see a meat and see what I can make. Some of the calorie counts are a bit out but that may depend of differences in the same ingredients and normal discrepancies, there is usually a tolerance of 10% so a 300 cal recipe could be anywhere between 270 and 330 (excuse my maths). I still put every ingredient into my nutrition counter to see how it comes out especially as a fiddle around with recipes anyway. I love the traditional coq au vin but use less vin, the Hungarian goulash the skinny cottage pie which I do with 2 topping, half cauli mash for me and half potato for OH. I would say that although the recipes are geared towards the 800 Fast Book and general good diabetic meals they are not all as low carb as the Fast800 although they only use ‘good’ carbs.

In the original BSD book, it looks like there’s a problem with the “Foil-steamed fish” recipe – it’s very low fat and the calorie count seems to come out at nearer 200 than 370. Going to make it tonight – will add some calorie counted seeds and/or cheese I think.

Zolou I think the 370 calories is for the whole two serves not per serve? I haven’t made it myself but I just had a look at it. It’s not really clear, people have complained before. Is that what you were calculating?

Hi Natalie, thanks. I was assuming it was calories per portion – it would have to be, to make the total calories for that day work out right. There’s a “skinny chilli” which serves 8 at 460 calories, so that can’t be for the whole lot!

Anyway I made it and added olives, flaked almonds, olive oil and a bit of extra fish to make up the calorie count, it was absolutely delicious and I lost 3 1/2 pounds yesterday (first day), so I’m very happy!