Balanced Diet Help?

sali_mali

Hello everyone, I'm back for some more advice from you lovely lot

This time I'd like some suggestions for meals which don't include much carbs, because I really can't think of any!

I'm trying to balance my diet a bit better, as it's currently very carbalicious, which isn't great for my figure! On an average day, I would usually eat toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and then some form of pasta/rice/potato/cous cous dish for dinner and I would very much like to change this!

I am now going to be eating cereal for breakfast and fruit for lunch, but I need inspiration for a carb free dinner! I'm a student, so it needs to be inexpensive, but I cook everything from scratch so I don't have a problem with that. If it could also be quick to prepare, it'd be great! :rotfl: I'm not going on Atkins diet so some carbs will be fine, I'd just prefer them not to be the main focus of all of my meals!

Can anybody help? I'm doing my weekly shop this afternoon, so I'll be creating my shopping list from this thread! Thank you

newlywed

We have cut down carbs in the evenings - took a bit of adjustment. We now have things like:

fish and veg (mackerel or coley can be fairly cheap),
stirfry (with chicken or prawns or just veg),
chilli in a wholemeal wrap (instead of with white rice),
turkey curry with lentils, sweet potatoes and carrots added - served on its own with no rice or bread,

Hope that gives a few ideas for you

moanymoany

If you get some white cabbage - you know the hard white 'balls' - cut it into fine bits, small chunks and boil or steam it until it is soft. I've tried it slightly crisp but it doesn't work for me. I use this instead of pasta/rice and I have a LOT of it. It works very well but it does need 'saucy' stuff to go onto it.

I find it very filling, it has no calories or carbs to speak of - and it doesn't have a lot of distinctive flavour. AND it gives about four portions of veg in one hit - what more could one ask for!

ps - frozen runner beans work well used in this way - good when you're pushed for time.

The cabbage can be parboiled and frozen as well.

sali_mali

Moany, that is an excellent tip!

Thank you for the ideas newlywed, keep em coming!

newlywed

mrsmcawber suggested stuffed cabbage leaves using the large leaves - I did this with a lasagna type filling, grouped and overlapped about 3 leaves and wrapped up and covered it in a white sauce. It was really good, bit like canneloni.

newlywed

Sweet potatoes are apparently lower carb and lower gi as they are part of the swede or turnip group (can't remember which) and not actually a potato.

Where possible I add sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swede etc and lentils too to all casserole type dishes that I would usually put potato in. Eg Sausage casserole, chicken casserole, stew.

Love sweet potatoes chopped small and roasted (just small drizzle or spray of oil) with red onion, chopped red pepper and cherry tomatoes. Sometimes bung carrots in too, or parsnips etc.

Also toad in the hole is better than pasta/potatoes (I think) so we have that with lots of veg. For a roast, we will do yorkies and stuffing and sometimes no roast potatoes at all (depends how much I want to eat roasties )

ariba10

newlywed wrote: »

mrsmcawber suggested stuffed cabbage leaves using the large leaves - I did this with a lasagna type filling, grouped and overlapped about 3 leaves and wrapped up and covered it in a white sauce. It was really good, bit like canneloni.

Stuffing Cabbage!

I know where I would stuff it, but this is a family site

(If there is one thing I cannot stand it's Cabbage.)

Mrs_Flittersnoop

You could also use butternut squash as a potato substitute, I love them either chopped and roasted or mashed with creme fraiche/fromage frais and black pepper. Or you can slice them into chip shapes and bake them in the oven as well.

sali_mali

Could anybody suggest some low fat sauces I could maybe use to make 'meat and two veg' type dishes more interesting? I could make a parsley sauce for white fish, but what could I use for chicken or salmon etc?

spaghetti_monster

Veggie shepherds pie with sweet potato topping is something I really like.

For the filling:
fry chopped onions, carrots, any other veg you want. Add stock, red wine and lentils and any herbs you like. Simmer til lentils are cooked.

For topping:
mashed sweet potatos mixed with little butter, salt, black pepper. Then grated cheese on top before you put it all in the oven to finish.

Also... is there anything so wrong with carbs???? Just my opinion, I know lots of people like to cut down on carbs. I know that for me it helps not to worry too much that certain foods are "bad". I would imagine that just by eating a bit more fruit/veg/lentils/beans/fish etc you'll get a good balance and can still enjoy eating some carbs!

sali_mali

Thanks Alex, that sounds lovely. No, I'm not trying to cut carbs out completely, but they are the main component of EVERY meal, and because the only activity I do is walking and house work, that many carbs cannot be good for me! Just trying to find some ideas so that I can have some balance