RECIPES

A selection of my favourite low carb recipes.  All tried and tested and approved. I’m always adding to this page – so make sure you check back!

COWBOY BEANS

A delicious High Protein breakfast or brunch. Thanks to JJ for the recipe!

220g chorizo
One fat garlic clove crushed
One 400g tin chopped tomatoes
Half a cup water
One 400g tin butter beans or haricot beans
Pinch chilli flakes
Generous handful spinach
Olive oil
Himalayan pink salt
Fresh ground black pepper

to serve
One fried egg per person
grated cheddar cheese (optional)

SERVES 4 (or maybe just 2 depending on how hungry you are!)

METHOD
Skin the chorizo and chop into bite sized pieces. Heat a little oil in a medium sized saucepan and fry the chorizo for around ten mins over a medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for a couple of minutes and then add the water. Let it bubble and simmer for about five more minutes before adding the tin of tomatoes and the chilli flakes. Bring back to the boil and then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Tip in the butter beans, season and cook for around another five-ten mins until the beans are heated through. Take off the heat and let it rest while you fry one egg per person.

Serve the bean mixture with a fried egg on top and for even more protein – scatter with some cheddar cheese.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER MASH
A fabulous low carb alternative to potato mash goes great with sausages and you can use it as a topping for Shepherds pie!

One large head of cauliflower
Double cream
(if you find that too indulgent you can use milk or even the water from the cooking!)
Himalayan pink Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Butter

Break the cauliflower into florets and using a large saucepan – steam for around 8-10 minutes until soft. Remove from the pan and let the cauliflower rest for five mins to dry out – you can pat it with a bit of kitchen roll so that you get some of the moisture out of it other wise your mash might be a bit watery.
Mash the cauliflower roughly using a potato masher.
Add a large knob of butter (50g), plenty of seasoning and around three/four tablespoons of double cream (or a splash of milk/water) and using a stick blender, blend the cauliflower until smooth.

You can also add some finely grated cheese – Parmesan is a good choice – to your mash, or even a clove of garlic.
Enjoy!

SEED CRACKERS
A real game changer if you LOVE cheese & crackers – like me – or hummus & crackers or pate.. or…

Allowed to cool and then break into shapes. Keep in an airtight container. Delicious with dips, pate, cheese, hummus….on their own as a crunchy snack…

Here’s a super easy CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE – high in protein and only about 10g net carbs per serving! Makes a FAB lunch. I take it in my thermos flask.

COCONUT & VANILLA PROTEIN BALLS

EASY LIVER & BACON SLOW COOKER CASSEROLE
If your memory of Liver & Bacon brings back School Dinner trauma.. think again! This is NOTHING like the stuff they served up back then! This is DELICIOUS * NUTRITIOUS * CHEAP * REAL FOOD!
6 strips streaky smoked bacon
20g almond flour
Oxo cube
Teaspoon stock powder (such as Marigold)
Himalayan Pink Salt
Fresh Ground black pepper
One small red onion
One small white onion
Olive oil
250g Lambs Liver (or use pigs liver)
200 – 300 ml water
Red wine (optional) about a ½ a cup

Set Slow Cooker to LOW
In a large bowl mix the almond flour, crumble in the Oxo cube and the stock powder and add lots of seasoning. Mix well. Slice the liver into even sized pieces and toss in the seasoned flour. Set aside.
Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and slice the onions.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the bacon until starting to crisp. Tip into the slow cooker – add a bit more oil and fry the onion until just starting to brown and add that to the slow cooker.
Heat up a bit more oil and fry the seasoned liver in the pan until just brown on all sides.
Pour boiling water into the bowl with the leftover seasoned flour, stir and then add the liquid to the liver in the frying pan along with the red wine (optional) and bring to boil. Stir well and then tip into the slow cooker. Add a bit more water if the liquid doesn’t quite cover the liver.
Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.
Serve with green vegetables and cauliflower mash.

SAUSAGE BITES
FEELING PECKISH? Make these easy, low carb, little Sausage Bites. Handy to keep in the fridge for a quick snack.
One packet of HECK sausages (x6) – these are 97% meat – avoid sausages with fillers such as rice flour and grains in them
10g almond flour
10g finely grated cheddar or Parmesan
3 fat gloves garlic crushed
Salt (Himalayan Pink of course)
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
Slug of olive oil
Teaspoon grain mustard (optional)
Makes around 12-15

Heat oven to 210
Skin the sausages (not easy I grant you – mostly these days I give up trying to skin them and just chop the buggers up and mash with the skin in!) Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined – add olive oil if it’s a bit stiff and get your hands in there – it’s good to squish!
Shape into golf sized balls and place neatly on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment. Bake for 20 – 25 mins until golden!
These are fab cold too – if they last that long!

BROCCOLI & CHEESE SOUP
My absolutely favourite soup – worthy of a posh restaurant!

large firm head broccoli
1 medium onion
100g butter
500ml vegetable bouillon, stock or water
sea salt
black pepper
300g full flavour Cheddar
(or use hard goats cheese)

SERVES 4

Peel & chop the onion. Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan and gently soften the onion over a low heat for around 10 minutes until golden. Add the broccoli (stems and all!) to the pan, turning it over in the buttery juices for a minute or two. Add the stock and the seasoning and bring to boil. Simmer very gently for 15 minutes until the broccoli is cooked. Do not over cook as the broccoli will lose it’s lovely vibrant green colour. Allow to cool slightly and then puree to a smooth soup using a hand held stick blender.
Grate the cheese and add to the soup, stirring so that it melts and makes the soup lovely and thick. Ladle into warm bowls and scatter with a bit more cheese and serve.

PARMESAN CRISPS
Incredibly moreish and delicious and high protein. What more could you want!?
I was out last night – so going to catch up with Strictly on the iplayer this afternoon – with a bowl of these!
RECIPE
One block finely grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Heat oven to 210
Lay a piece of baking/parchment paper onto a baking sheet and finely grate over the parmesan cheese.
Using your fingers, spread the cheese out evenly as best you can and grind over some black pepper if using
Bake in the oven for 8 mins until melted, bubbling and golden
Remove from oven and carefully flip the baking parchment over onto a wire rack and gently peel off
Allow to cool and break into pieces.

JUICY BAKED CHICKEN
Here’s supper sorted for you! Super easy, super juicy – serve with steamed green beans, tender-stem broccoli and a baked tomato.
Chicken breasts
olive oil
smoked paprika or Piri Piri Seasoning or go naked with just some freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Preheat over to 210 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and ‘score’ the tops with a sharp knife. Sprinkle each breast with smoked paprika and season generously with Himalayan pink salt and fresh ground black pepper. Drizzle over some olive oil, pop in a couple of halved tomatoes and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes – depending on the thickness and size of the breasts – until the juices run clear.
You do not need to turn or baste during cooking. Literally just put them in the oven.
Rest for five mins before serving.

CAULIFLOWER RICE STIR FRY
One & half cups of chopped sweet mixed peppers – such as red, yellow & orange – if you’re feeling lazy – use frozen – work just as well and saves all that chopping!
One cup mini broccoli florets
One chopped red onion
One fat clove garlic – crushed
One medium carrot – grated
Two bags of frozen cauliflower rice (most supermarkets stock this)
One cup frozen peas
Olive or coconut oil for frying
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
Himalayan Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

SERVES 2-4 depending on how hungry you are! It only serves two in our house!
Add a generous slug of oil to a large frying pan and gently fry everything except the frozen cauliflower rice and the peas over a medium heat until softened.
Add the cauliflower rice and the peas along with a tablespoon of water and then cook for 8-10 minutes on a low – medium heat stirring continuously – you might need to add a bit more water if it’s sticking. Season well and serve immediately.

Goes well with steak, baked salmon or chicken. For a meat free option – shred up some omelette and add to the pan to heat through.

GRANOLA
If you love crunchy food – try this easy Home Made Granola – delicious for breakfast sprinkled over some full fat Greek Yogurt – or just grab a generous handful and munch with a cup of coffee as a mid morning snack!
Recipe – slightly amended – but from the FRESHWELL app:
200g coconut flakes
250g mixed chopped nuts – such as almonds, brazils, walnuts, pecans etc
50g mixed seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
Feel free to make your own mix. You can also add some desiccated coconut as well as the flakes if you like and leave some nuts whole (such as the almonds) along with the chopped ones.
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon
120g coconut oil

Preheat oven to 140 degrees
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Spread out evenly on the baking tray and bake for 25-35 minutes – until golden and crunchy. Turn halfway through cooking. The darker the granola – the crunchier it will be. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

EGG CUPS
Amazing little protein & vegetable muffins… absolutely delicious – especially cold!

10 medium sized eggs
Milk
Grated cheese

ADDED BITS – take your pick, I always use onion and then…..
Sauted Red onion or white onion
Chopped tomatoes
Broccoli florets – chopped finely
Chopped cooked smoked bacon or pancetta or chorizo
Chopped Smoked salmon
Finely chopped red/green/yellow peppers
Shredded spinach
Fresh ground black pepper & sea salt

MAKES 12

Heat oven to 190/200 degrees. Put 12 muffin cases (I use the silicone ones, so no need to grease) in a bun tin. – or lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

Break the eggs into a bowl, add a tablespoon of milk or water, season and whisk. Gently fry the onion/pepper etc to soften and bacon if using.

In the bottom of each muffin case put a teaspoon of onion mixture and then add whatever else you’ve chosen. I use onion & bacon with tomato or just onion & smoked salmon. For veggie ones add just tomato and broccoli/spinach or the peppers. You could try smoked salmon & broccoli … mix it up! You could also add chopped herbs if you like such as chives. I think the pic shows chorizo or bacon ones. Pour over the egg mixture, you want the egg mixture to barely cover the other ingredients, leaving a little room at the top of each muffin case. Sprinkle the tops with a little grated cheese

Bake in the over for approx 15-20 minutes until risen & golden. They will shrink a bit as they cool. Delicious cold. 

DELICIOUS BREAKFAST HASH – not as low carb as some of the recipes I post, as sweet potato is a little on the carby side – but if it’s just once a week and if you’re not going for full on Keto – this is an absolutely amazing breakfast/brunch!  Thanks to Charlotte for this awesome recipe. 

SUMMER BERRY SHORTBREAD MUFFINS
Super easy. Super LOW CARB. Absolutely NO SUGAR! Not even a sweetener!
Two cups almond flour (about 100g)
One teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
teaspoon vanilla extract
tablespoon of melted coconut oil
Half cup of coconut milk or almond milk (100ml)
half teaspoon cider vinegar (or use any type like apple – this just helps to activate the baking powder)
pinch salt
Cup (150g) of frozen mixed summer berries or use just blueberries – don’t thaw them first or your muffins will be soggy!

If you like them a bit more coconutty – add 30g of desiccated coconut and a tad more milk – the consistency should end up around the same as ordinary cake mix.
Makes 8-10

Oven 180
Measure out the almond flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
In another bowl, melt the coconut oil (I use the microwave) and mix together with the coconut milk, vanilla extract, cider vinegar and then add the eggs.
Make sure the mixture isn’t hot when you add the eggs otherwise they will scramble! Mix well – I use a hand held electric mixer.
Add the dry mixture and either beat well by hand or use a hand held electric food mixer for a minute or so.
Fold in the frozen berries.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for around 20-25 minutes until golden.
Eat warm with lashings of double cream!  You can use any berries you like for this.  Blueberries are my son’s favourite.

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE ORANGE PROTEIN COOKIES
It’s coming up to Christmas and we all know that Chocolate, Nuts & Orange are all extra Christmassy things!
(I used the 30g measuring scoop from the protein powder)
3 scoops almond flour (90g)
1 scoop of Keto-Pro chocolate protein powder click here: https://theketopro.com/products/keto-friendly-protein?variant=36089041944744
2 scoops of finely chopped mixed nuts
1 scoop of cocoa powder (I used Green & Blacks) or use raw organic cacao powder
Generous pinch salt (I use Himalayan Pink salt)
Half a scoop chia seeds
Mix all the dry ingredients together
Melt 1 scoop coconut oil and 1 scoop crunchy peanut butter (the one with just peanuts) together with 1 teaspoon orange oil
Mix the dry with wet – and then using your hands roll into about 24 little balls and flatten them.
If mixture is a bit too runny – add a bit more almond flour or if it’s a bit crumbly.. a bit more coconut oil
Pop in fridge until hard.
Store in fridge in airtight container for up to a week – if they last that long!

*The orginal recipe for this uses some granulated sweetener (erythritol) – which is a low carb sugar substitute. I don’t like adding any sweetner to my cooking if I can help it, especially as there is some evidence now that sweetners are just as bad as sugar for metabolic health. Once your palate gets used to eating foods that are not sweetened, if you add sweetneers, foods then taste almost too sweet – and that’s a GOOD thing – it’s like giving up sugar in tea or coffee – once you’re used to it – if you inadvertently put sugar in – it tastes dreadful and leaves you wondering how on earth you drank it like that for so long!!

PIRI PIRI BAKED SALMON
This is basically the same method as the JUICY BAKED CHICKEN – super easy, full of flavour and high in protein…serve with asparagus sauted in garlic butter… delish!
Salmon filet (two per person as quite frankly one is just not enough!)
olive oil
Piri Piri Seasoning or go naked with just some freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Preheat over to 210 degrees.
Place the salmon filets in a baking dish and sprinkle each breast with Piri Piri seasoning and add some Himalayan pink salt and fresh ground black pepper. Drizzle over some olive oil, pop in a couple of halved tomatoes (if you like) and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes – don’t over cook these… just until the flesh flakes with a fork.
You do not need to turn or baste during cooking. Literally just put them in the oven.
Serve with the asparagus or green vegetables of your choice – or try the Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry.

EASY LOW CARB BREAD ROLLS
Third cup (about 50g) ground psyllium husk powder
1¼ cups (about 140g) almond flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water
2 teaspoon cider vinegar (or any sort of vinegar as this just helps activate the baking powder)
3 egg whites
2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Bring the water to a boil.
Add vinegar and egg whites to the dry ingredients and combine well. Add boiling water while beating with a hand mixer for about 30 seconds. Don’t over-mix the dough, the consistency should resemble Play-Doh.
Moisten hands with a little olive oil and shape dough into 6 – thesre are quite small, so I normally do four – separate rolls. Place on a greased baking sheet. Top with optional sesame seeds.
Bake on a lower rack in the oven for 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of your bread rolls. They’re done when you hear a hollow sound when tapping the bottom of the bun.
Serve with toppings of your choice.
*this recipe is taken from DIET DOCTOR (https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/the-keto-bread) – one of the best low carb resources on the internet – I normally mess around with recipes and make them my own – but this doesn’t need any messing with!) Give these a go – fabulous with smoked salmon & cream cheese! Or serve warm with soup!

BANNANANA CAKE – (AKA BREAKFAST CAKE!)
150g ground almonds (I found this works better than almond flour as it’s a bit courser – but you can use almond flour)
2 very ripe bananas
3 small eggs or use two large ones
2 tablespoons (30g) melted butter – (or use melted coconut oil)
One heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
Half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda or use a teaspoon baking powder
One teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (or both) – plus a few more for decoration
10g Chia seeds (optional – but adds protein!)
Himalayan pink salt – pinch

Heat oven to 180
Put the bananas, melted butter (or coconut oil), eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl and either beat well or use a hand held mixer. Add a small pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt.
In another bowl put all the dry ingredients – ground almonds, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, Chia seeds and the chopped nuts and stir until it’s combined and then add this to the wet mixture. I used a hand held mixer to combine.
Line a loaf tin with baking parchment and pour in the banana mixture. Smooth down.
You can sprinkle a few roughly chopped nuts on the top before you bake it (which the pic doesn’t show as I forgot!)
Bake for around 35 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If it looks a bit brown on the top and the middle is not quite done – cover the top with a bit of foil.
There is absolutely NO ADDED SUGAR or SWEETENER to this – so make sure you use very ripe bananas to get the sweetness.
If you cut it into 10 slices – it works out at around 4g net carbs per slice. Traditional banana bread can have around 35g carbs (24g of which sugars!) in it. We eat it for breakfast!

ROASTED BRUSSELS with CRISPY BACON

LOW(ER) CARB and NO ADDED SUGAR MINCE PIES

CHEESE & SPRING ONION SCONES
Super little scones/muffins – the sour cream really adds to the fluffy texture – fab as a side for soup or as an on-the-go breakfast!