soups – Diabetes Diet

Courgette, Feta and Mint Soup

Jul 28, 2017Jul 26, 2017 EmmaLeave a comment

Heaven only knows what my husband fed those courgette plants this year, but the monsters keep on coming…

To this end, I have needed to come up with a LOT of courgette recipes. I don’t really fancy them spiralised (which is the trendy treatment de jour), so this week I made soup instead.

It’s a very summery soup – courgettes, feta and mint – and you could always make it more substantial with some shredded chicken, or a poached egg on top. Another idea is bacon ‘croutons’. Cut a rasher of bacon into small pieces, fry in a little butter until crispy and use to top the soup.

Courgette, Feta and Mint Soup

Servings: 4
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

4-5 courgettes (or one ginormous one)
2tbsp rapeseed oil
600ml chicken stock
1tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
75g feta cheese
60ml sour cream
Salt and pepper

Chop your courgettes into even-sized chunks. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and add the courgettes. Cook over a gentle heat for about 20 minutes until they are browned and softened.

Add the stock and the garlic and bring to a simmer. Cook for another ten minutes. Turn off the heat and add the mint, feta and cream. Stir well, so that the cheese melts.

Puree the soup till it’s smooth and season generously with salt and pepper.

15g net carbs per serving.

Seasonally-Inspired Low-Carb Recipes for May

May 6, 2016Nov 20, 2017 EmmaLeave a comment

Need some seasonally-inspired low-carb recipe ideas for May?

Here at the Diabetes Diet, we are big fans of seasonal eating. Food is often cheaper – and it’s almost always more flavoursome.

What’s in season in May? Lamb, asparagus, spinach, prawns, cod, haddock, broccoli and crabs are a few of the seasonal ingredients low-carb dieters can make the most of.

Here are some seasonally-inspired low carb recipes that make the most of these delicious options:

For lamb, why not try out some spice rubs? Or there is always the delicious treat, rack of lamb roast.
If you’d like to use up some spinach, a lovely side dish is spinach puree.
For cod or haddock, try the fish in a curry recipe that also uses home-made stock.
Broccoli is another seasonal food in May (and purple sprouting broccoli). You can go for broccoli and Stilton soup or broccoli puree, courtesy of one of the food bloggers we follow – Cooking Without Limits. Another idea is broccoli and smoked Gouda soup – again courtesy of another food, blogger – the Soupy Stovetop.

You can’t let a seasonal round-up go past without mentioning asparagus. I think it’s better roasted or char-grilled than boiled. You can wrap it in Parma ham before roasting to make lovely low-carb canapés or why not try out some home-made Hollandaise?

Hollandaise is actually easier than you think to make – just pick the right recipe. Delia Smith’s foaming Hollandaise is a good one to try for the Hollandaise beginner.

Hollandaise Sauce

Servings: 4
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

2 large eggs, separated
1tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1tbsp cider vinegar
110g salted butter
Seasoning

Put the egg yolks into a small food processor or blender along with the seasoning. Blend until combined.
Heat the lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan. Let it start to bubble and then add to the egg yolks and blend well.
Melt the butter in the same saucepan slowly – don’t let it brown. Begin to add slowly to the food processor (through the funnel) or blender. The process is similar to that you use when making mayonnaise.
You will eventually end up with a smooth, buttery and lemon-y sauce. To make foaming Hollandaise – beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and fold them into the finished sauce. This will lighten the sauce and make it go further.

The finished sauce has negligible carbohydrates – about 1-2g per serving.

Find more low-carb recipes in The Diabetes Diet.

Broccoli and Stilton Soup

May 1, 2015 Emma3 Comments

Got a glut of broccoli? OK, I wrote that sentence without irony but bear with me…

Broccoli isn’t at the top of most people’s preferred foods, but adding a tablespoon of butter to it helps a great deal, as does turning into a soup. Use home-made stock and the results improve immeasurably.

Soups are often associated more with winter than spring/summer – but why let tradition stop your enjoyment of warm, savoury deliciousness..?

Continue reading “Broccoli and Stilton Soup” →