Low-carb support thread 2016 Part 2

I have just discovered a 'marrow' in the garden I'm sure it wasn't there yesterday.
We are in turmoil here.
Packing for our move and also for our holiday in 2 weeks time. Suitcases and lists everywhere. I haven't t thought about tonight's dinner yet but it may have to revolve around eggs.

Lovely to read about everyone's spelt bead. OH makes it with a spelt sourdough starter and sometimes also adds linseeds to the flour. Hard to resist. The other 'brand' he makes is rye and malt flakes again with a sourdough starter. Interestingly neither of these spike by BG levels. Great with best butter and a fresh egg warm from the coop

Exciting arrivals yesterday. Five new hens to add to the flock. 2 white stars, one warren, a rhode rock and a Cheshire blue. Two look ready to lay so looking forward to extra eggs.

Been freezing beans all morning. Next? 1000 interesting and tasty things to do with courgettes and find a sturdy forked branch to support an apple tree which is groaning with fruit.

Chickens sound fabulous. We don't have them because all the neighbours do, but I do regret it in some ways.
My two favourite recipes for courgettes are dauphinoise and agrodolce. We freeze a lot in ratatouille and minestrone too. Will let you know how the carbonara goes.
Our fruit is not good this year. It has been so dry and the season was all wrong. We have a few apples and pears, very few plums, lots of figs which will probably ripen when we are on holiday and a very inferior quince crop.

Recipes please Mamie !,

Sorry things are still tough for you and DH Anya hope you can relax over the Bank Hols. I have written to you separately, only reply when you feel up to it.

I think I need a good talking to as I need to improve my eating habits. I have had an occasional choc and some bread lately. Need to keep my weight under control on these horrid steroids and so far so good but I could easily go downhill.

Izabella
Agrodolce - soften chopped courgette in good slurp of oil. When cooked add couple of tablespoons balsamic vinegar, pinenuts and raisins. Cook down until liquid evaporated. Serve at room temp.
Dauphinoise - slice courgette, put in baking dish, dot with butter, salt and pepper and double cream, the quantity of cream depends on how firm the courgettes are, but less rather than more. Cover with grated cheese (I use parmesan) and bake at about 180° for about 40 minutes until golden.

Mamie I would like to make Agrodolce, but DH has a problem with pine nuts. If he eats them he has a bitter taste in his mouth for several days after. Could I use pistachios for example, as we are keen to try it

Yes I am sure pistachios would be fine. It is one of those flexible recipes. You can add anchovies too.

Thank you

Mamie thanks for the recipes. Will definately do these but will substitute the pine nuts for almond (with skin attached) as they help to lower BG levels. Did cheese and courgette burgers yesterday which are now in the freezer.

I am so fed up with the heat. Days and days of 30+ with no relief in sight.. It is 28/29° in our bedroom at night. No significant rain for weeks. This is Normandy, for heaven's sake.
Last night we had delicious griddled squid with chilli and olive oil, with a beetroot in yogurt, mint and cumin salad and griddled courgettes. All cooked outside and eaten in the shade.

Mamie what a delicious sounding meal. Hope the evenings freshen up a little to help sleep.

We may need to cull one of aged white star hens today. She is old and no longer lays but is losing weight now and looking down with a very floppy comb. She has been a wonderful little character producing huge white eggs every day for several years while still laying.

Pickling courgettes later, clearing out the strawberry bed and hopefully a bike ride if the weather clears up from this dreary misty start. Fasting day so need to keep myself occupied

Hi everyone I have just been directed on here by Mamie and am going to try this diet the weight has crept up on me in about the last Two years I started doing about 30 minutes of exercise or maybe a bit less this is aimed at my waist and tummy it's hard and it made a bit of difference on the waist area. I tried dieting but if I get too hungry I start to feel dizzy and that's frightening. I am going to start this diet it sounds great not to be going hungry.

We're having the Hairy Bikers peppered steaks with a mushroom sauce (uses crème fraiche) and a salad. DH will attempt anyway...steak cut into thin slices for me as I can't yet manage a knife and fork.

Glad you found us Mary and watch your weight drop off. I had celery and a side dish of taramasalata for lunch...as much as I could eat.

Snap Anya
DH is cooking ours also.

Welcome Mary. Just ask anything you need to know, we are here to help.
We had a big ham salad for lunch - avocado, leaves, beetroot, cucumber, tomatoes and ham, plus a couple of plums from the garden. You can't go mad on root vegetables and fruit when trying to loose weight though. Above ground vegetables and berries are fine.
Last night we had roast pork and courgettes layered with onion and baked in duck fat in the oven. Tonight I am making a tagine with courgettes, aubergine, squash, toms and the leftover pork.

Thanks my mouths watering I am going to read through the whole thread and get some recipes my granddaughters with me for the next few days until she goes back to school. She is here all week and goes home at the weekend so when she goes back to school I will be able to down to it. At the moment it's making sure everything is ready for school. I am really pleased with myself talking about threads and stuff. I will come back and let you all know how I am getting on.

Pork chops with a blue cheese sauce tonight . Plus broad beans from the garden and some broccoli.
Trying to use up all the stuff in the freezer before we move. Some really strange dinners coming up, I don't doubt.

Hope Anya is feeling better, and the weather treats Mamie more kindly
Welcome also toMary

Thanks BB we are down to 27° in the daytime and last night was much fresher but the flipping fridge has stopped working again. It is only a year old but looks like the condenser is dodgy. I have a small fridge downstairs and another in the guest cottage so am spending my time charging round the property fetching and carrying.
We are having spicy pork ribs and something with courgettes tonight.

Anya Hope you'll be fit enough to raise a glass when time comes - can't be long now? Welcome Mary it's great fun on here reading the yummy recipes and enjoying them second hand. My culinary expertise isn't great and it does need quite a bit of menu planning to follow the diet, but we are certainly eating more interesting meals since I embarked on it. I am still 1lb off my target weight, but have been away a bit scoffing a chips, beer, ice cream eating a few off diet things but generally happy with how it's gone. Haven't done BG but BP is down dramatically.

Good afternoon everyone, just found this thread almost by accident when reading another on the forum, looking forward to reading it in more depth and hopefully help me to get my weight under control I was fine after attending SW and kept the weight steady for over two years. Don't know what's happened this past month as I seem to be gaining at the rate of a pound per week !! Quite demoralising to say the least so think a different approach to eating is what's required Thanks again.

Welcome clementine.
I think it does help to think of it as a way of eating, rather than a diet. Let us know how you get on.

Welcome clementine. I think you will love this way of eating. There is lots of info on the Diet Doctor site. You can access it by clicking on the blue link in the original post at the top of the thread.
Good luck!

I agree with Mamie. It is not a diet, but a way of eating. Interesting and exciting and DH and I hope to continue with it for ever. So welcomeClementine You will enjoy it here

Contentedly munching kale crisps done with garlic and a little sea salt.