Category: Recipes

Delicious low-carb recipes, tried and tested.

Jovina cooks Italian: Brindisi Fish Soup and Grilled Aubergine

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Brandishi Fish Soup

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs whole fish, large bones removed
  • 3/4 lb squid
  • 1/2 lb cuttlefish or octopus
  • 1/2 lb mussels
  • 8 oz clams
  • 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • Chili pepper, diced
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Parsley, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced

Directions

  1. Thoroughly wash all the fish and seafood. Cut the fish into large pieces and the squid and cuttlefish into small pieces.
  2. In a large soup pot, saute the onion and celery in a few tablespoons of oil. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cuttlefish and squid and, after 10 minutes, the remaining fish and shellfish.
  3. Add the chilli pepper, cover the pan and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and sprinkle a handful of parsley and finely chopped garlic onto each serving.

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Grilled Aubergine

  • Servings: 4-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely minced, plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 4 small aubergines
  • 3/4 cup burrata cheese, cut into small pieces

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the oil, basil, shallots and vinegar.
  2. In another small bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the basil mixture. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
  3. Trim the eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Place them on a tray or a plate. Brush both sides of the eggplants with the remaining basil mixture and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  4. Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over high heat. Place the eggplant on the grill.  Cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes per side. Don’t let them burn.
  5. Using a metal spatula, carefully transfer the eggplant to warmed plates. Divide the cheese among the eggplant halves and spoon the tomato mixture over each. Garnish with extra basil leaves.

From Jovina Cooks Italian.

Pancakes

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5 tbsp soya flour

4 tbsp ground almonds

2tbsp granulated sweetener

½ tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

50ml/2fl oz double cream

2tsp butter

Berries and double cream (optional)

 

Method:

Place the soya flour, almonds, sweetener, baking powder, salt, eggs and double cream in a blender and process until smooth.

Heat a large non- stick pan over a low to medium flame and add 1 tsp of the butter. Tilt the pan to coat the surface with the melted butter.

Spoon  the batter into the pan to make three pancakes about 6 cm in diameter. Cook until risen, golden on the undersides and dry around the edges, then flip over and cook the undersides until golden.

Serve with berries and double cream.

 

Spicy Peanut Pork

Emma2 Comments

diabetes dietPeanut butter is one of my favourite foods. Of course it’s incredible on toast, but toast is out of bounds when you are low-carbing. It’s great as a snack though with apple slices or sticks of celery. You can choose the worthy peanut butter – the stuff without sugar or salt – but I suspect most people love the cheap stuff. I find most own-brand peanut butter indistinguishable from the brand leaders.

Anyway, I created a new recipe this week – Peanut Pork. It’s basically a satay sauce type recipe that makes the most of peanut butter and pork, two ingredients I really love. You can double it up easily enough to serve more people.

Spicy Peanut Pork

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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  • 200g, pork shoulder steak
  • 50g creamed coconut
  • 1 tbs, coconut oil
  • 75g crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 75g baby sweetcorn chopped in half
  • 1 medium red pepper, sliced
  • 50g mange tout
  • 300mls boiling water
  • 2 red chillies, finely sliced (keep the seeds if you like your food spicier)
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Cut the pork steak into evenly-sized cubes (about two centimetre squared).

Melt the coconut oil in a wok and add the spring onions, pepper and baby sweetcorn. Stir-fry for five minutes.

Chop the creamed coconut up and add this and the peanut butter to the boiled water. Whisk well to combine. Add this to the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Add the pork and allow to simmer for five minutes. Add the mange tout and simmer for another five minutes.

Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Serve with cauliflower rice or in bowls with a spoon.

Allow 20g of carbs per portion.

Baked Chicken Curry

kaitiscotland3 Comments

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Baked Chicken Curry

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1.25 kg chicken pieces, bone in
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed
  • 5 tbsp full fat yoghurt
  • 1½ tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped onion or shallot

Method

 

  1. Put the chicken in a large casserole dish in a single layer. Add salt, juice, lots of pepper, mix well and set aside for 20 mins.
  2. Combine ginger, garlic, yoghurt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and cardamom in a bowl. Mix well.
  3. Rub chicken with mix, cover and put in fridge overnight.
  4. Heta oven to 200C/gas 6.
  5. Bring chicken to room temperature. Brush with oil, scatter with onion. Bake in middle of oven for 30 mins. Turn chicken over and put back in oven. Cook another 40 mins, basting every 10 with juices.

 

Jovina cooks Italian: Fresh herbs and summer squash chowder

kaitiscotlandLeave a comment

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Cooking With Fresh Herbs

by Jovina Coughlin

Don’t let your herbs go wild in the garden or get moldy in the refrigerator. There are lots of way to incorporate them into your recipes.

A general guideline for using fresh herbs in a recipe is to use 3 times as much as you would use dried herbs.

Wash herbs when you are ready to use them. Shake off moisture or spin dry in a salad spinner. Pat off any remaining moisture with clean paper towels.

For most recipes, unless otherwise directed, mince herbs into tiny pieces. Chop with a chef’s knife on a cutting board or snip with a kitchen scissors.

Unlike dried herbs, fresh herbs are usually added toward the end in cooked dishes to preserve their flavor.

Storing Herbs

Fresh herbs can be stored in an open or a perforated plastic bag in your refrigerator for a few days.

After washing, you can mince the herbs and place them halfway up in the sections of an ice-cube tray. Cover herbs with cold water and freeze until solid.

Transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer bag. Drop them into soups, stews and sauces as needed.

Some Other Ways To Use Herbs

If you love a big, green salad, add fresh herbs to the mix.

Add a big handful of fresh herbs to a basic mixture of equal parts sugar and water, bring to a boil, stir and then remove from the heat. Once completely cooled, strain out the herbs (discard) and use the simple syrup to sweeten iced coffee or tea and cocktails.

Fresh herbs are a perfect in salad dressings and vinaigrettes. They round out the fatty and sharp flavors from the oil and vinegar.

Combine finely chopped herbs and room-temperature butter to make a spread that compliments bread or cooked meat or vegetables.

Summer Squash Chowder

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 medium courgettes and 2 medium patty pan squash, diced
  • 1 large sweet (Vidalia) onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 8 cups Summer Vegetable Stock (corn cob stock) (recipe here)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • Sour cream for garnish

Directions

Heat the butter in a large saucepan or stockpot; add the garlic, celery and onion. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the squash and lightly salt the vegetables. Saute for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the stock and 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and partially cover and cook for 25 minutes. Puree the soup with a hand immersion blender until smooth.

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in lemon juice, corn and herbs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve in individual soup bowls topped with a tablespoon of sour cream.

Allow 12-15g of net carbs per serving.

Jovina Cooks Italian: Orange Roasted Chicken

kaitiscotland1 Comment

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Orange Roasted Chicken

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • Zest of 5 bergamot oranges (or ordinary oranges if you can’t get them)
  • 1 cup bergamot orange juice
  • 3 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped herb mixture (rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, bone-in, skin-on
  • ¼ cup butter, softened and room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 bergamot orange, cut into thick slices for garnish
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Herb sprigs for garnish

Directions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine half of the orange zest with the orange juice, garlic, herbs and olive oil. (Set aside the remaining zest for later.)
  2. Stir to combine and pour into a very large zip-lock bag. Add the chicken pieces and move them around to ensure they’re all coated with the marinade.
  3. Seal the bag and place into a bowl (in case it leaks) and then into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the paprika and the remaining orange zest.
  6. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag and place them in a  9 X 13 X 2-inch baking dish. (Set aside the marinade in the bag.)
  7. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and then using your hands rub the butter mixture under the skin of each chicken piece and on top of the skin.
  8. Pour the marinade over the chicken and add the orange slices. Place the baking dish in the oven and roast the chicken until it’s cooked through, about 45 minutes.
  9. Baste the chicken several times during cooking.
  10. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

From Jovina Cooks Italian.

Beef Stroganoff – Low-Carb Main Courses

Emma2 Comments

low carb main coursesBeef Stroganoff is a quick and easy dish for two. All in all, it takes about 15 minutes to prepare. The classic accompaniment is rice or noodles. If you are following a low-carb diet, try cauliflower rice instead, broccoli or a huge salad.

Beef Stroganoff

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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  • 300g rump steak (Aldi sells rump steaks in this size)
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 100g mushrooms
  • 100g onion, finely sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
  • 100ml reduced-fat crème fraiche
  • 2tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Chop the steak into 2cm chunks. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the steak pieces. You might need to do this in batches to prevent over-crowding the pan.

Depending on how you like your steak, cook for 2-4 minutes – the lesser time will mean a rarer finished dish.

Remove the steak from the pan and add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for five minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the salt and pepper, steak and mustard and cook for one minute. Add the crème fraiche and cook through. Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Allow about 10-12g of carbs per portion.

 

What To Do With Excess Tomatoes

Emma4 Comments

diabetes diet recipesPuree them, roast them, sauce them, turn them into soup – honestly, there’s plenty you can do with a tomato glut. I’ve decided to turn mine into oven-dried tomatoes, with the aid of some homegrown herbs too.

What about the higher carbohydrate content of tomatoes, I hear you ask. A medium-sized tomato – roughly 100g, say – contains 4g of carbohydrates, 1.2g of fibre. If you’re going to use them for sauces, chances are you’ll be using quite a few of them. Eat your tomatoes with protein, as part of a salad with chicken or ham, for instance, or as a sauce in a curry.

It is easy to eat a lot of sun or oven-dried tomatoes. They concentrated flavour makes them very tasty, for one. Because they have lost a lot of water, they are smaller and denser than normal tomatoes and you could end up eating a lot of them – and a lot of carbohydrates as a result. Eat them sparingly, two or three added to salads or with some sliced meat.

I’ve used rapeseed oil here to keep my product as Scottish and local as possible, but you can also use extra virgin olive oil.

Oven-dried tomatoes

  • Servings: 1-2 jam jars
  • Difficulty: easy
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  • 250g tomatoes
  • Fresh oregano – about 8tbsp chopped
  • Fresh basil – about 3tbsp chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5-6 black peppercorns
  • Salt and pepper
  • Rapeseed oil
  1. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. It’s easiest if you use your fingers, or you can use a teaspoon.
  2. Place the tomatoes, cut side down on a grill rack over a tray and leave for half an hour to drain.
  3. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees C.
  4. Mix together the crushed garlic, oregano, basil and salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon insert tiny amounts of the mixture into the tomato halves.
  5. Sprinkle a tray with a little of the rapeseed oil and place the tomatoes cut-side up on it. Cook in the low oven, turning the tray a few times, for three hours.
  6. Place in sterilised jars* and top with rapeseed oil.

Sun-dried/oven-dried tomatoes have roughly 23g of carbs (6g fibre) per 100g.

 *To sterilise jars, heat the oven to 140 degrees C. Wash the jars and their lids in hot, soapy water and place in the oven to dry out completely – about 7-10 minutes. Fill and seal.

Avocado and Chorizo Salad

Emma2 Comments

low carb saladsThis is an embarrassingly easy salad – so simple, it barely justifies a recipe. I thought I’d share it anyway because it’s really delicious.

Do cook the chorizo, even if it’s one that doesn’t have to be cooked. If you cook the meat, then the juices and oil run and it can form the dressing for the salad.

Avocado and Chorizo Salad

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1 large, ripe avocado
  • Packet sweet and crunchy salad leaves
  • 150g chorizo, sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • White wine vinegar

Fry the chorizo in a pan for five minutes until lightly browned. Turn frequently to stop it burning.

Arrange the salad in two bowls – I use soup bowls – and chop up the avocado. Put the pieces on top of the salad and sprinkle with a little vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Tip the chorizo, oil and all, on top.

Allow about 8g of carbs per portion.

 

Chicken Curry

kaitiscotland4 Comments

 

1.25 kg chicken pieces, bone in                           1 tsp salt

Black pepper                                                      2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp fresh ginger                                               1 large clove garlic, crushed

5 tbsp full fat yoghurt                                         1 ½ tbsp ground coriander

2 tsp cumin                                                        ½ tsp cayenne

6 cardamom pods

2 tbsp finely chopped onion or shallot

 

Serves 4

 

  1. Put the chicken in a large casserole dish in a single layer. Add salt, juice, lots of pepper, mix well and set aside for 20 mins.
  2. Combine ginger, garlic, yoghurt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and cardamom in a bowl. Mix well.
  3. Rub chicken with mix, cover and put in fridge overnight.
  4. Heta oven to 200C/gas 6.
  5. Bring chicken to room temperature. Brush with oil, scatter with onion. Bake in middle of oven for 30 mins. Turn chicken over and put back in oven. Cook another 40 mins, basting every 10 with juices.

 

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