Watercress, Spinach & Courgette Soup

My mum makes a cracking watercress soup which is amazing to have hot in winter or cold in summer. I’ve switched out the usual potatoes for courgette to give it some bulk and drop the carb count. I love mine topped with soured cream, crumbled feta and sunflower seeds, but it’s worth experimenting (and equally nice just by itself). This recipe does 2 bowls’ worth, of which I eat one and freeze the second to have at a later date.

ingredients

  • 170g Watercress
  • 80g Spinach
  • 125g Courgette (chopped)
  • 50g White Onion (chopped)
  • 0.5 Garlic Clove (minced)
  • 1 Chicken Stock Cube
  • 15g Butter
  • 60ml Full Fat Creme Fraiche
  • 600ml Boiling Water

Servings: 2

8g carbs/serving *
5g protein/serving *

* always remember to calculate based on your own values / ingredient brands where possible!

instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the garlic and onion until softened.
  2. Add the courgette and fry until tender.
  3. Add the watercress and spinach, water and chicken stock cube.
  4. Simmer until the leaves have wilted and remove from the heat.
  5. CAREFULLY blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth and return to the saucepan.
  6. Stir through the creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional water if required to make up to your desired consistency.

Keto Week 2 – Review

First FULL week of tracking and photographing! I had a lot of fun playing around with food and I think it shows.

Start Weight: 77.9kg
Weight after Week 2: 72.9kg

Observations:

  1. Needing to pee less now, which is good!
  2. Supplementing Potassium and salt seems to have helped the muscle twitches and I generally feel ‘better’. Have ordered Lo Salt and Magnesium though.
  3. Clothes starting to get looser on my waist
  4. Taking me longer to feel ‘hungry’
DAYLUNCHDINNER
MondaySalmon, scrambled eggs, spinach and watercress Seared tuna with stir-fried shirataki noodles
TuesdayCreamy cheesy prawns & bacon with broccoli rice Aubergine parmigiana
WednesdayWatercress, spinach & courgette soup Jerk spiced chicken & salad
ThursdayTuna, egg & olive salad Lebanese spiced chicken & veg
FridayAubergine parmigiana [LEFTOVERS]Lamb & chicken shish kebab [Friday takeaway]
SaturdaySalmon, scrambled eggs, spinach and watercress Pan-fried Duck, stir-fried shirataki noodles, choi sum
SundayChinese crispy roast pork, beef in black bean sauce & choi sum

Keto Week 1 – Review

Sadly I only decided to properly track and photograph each meal partway through Week 1, so I don’t have a full record of my first FULL week of keto (bearing in mind that I’d transitioned down from low carb).

Start Weight: 77.9kg
Weight after Week 1: -1.6kg (3.5lbs)

Observations:

  1. I needed to pee a LOT. Like pretty much every hour and also woke up during the night.
  2. Occasional twitchy muscles which meant my electrolyte balance was probably off. Ordered supplements.
  3. Already feeling much less bloated by the end of the week!
DAYLUNCHDINNER
MondaySausages & Caesar Salad
TuesdayTuna & Egg SaladPan-fried Salmon & Stir-fried Cabbage
WednesdayTuna,Egg & Olive Salad Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms and Cabbage
ThursdayCurried Eggs & Cherry TomatoesLebanese-spiced Chicken Thighs, Homemade flatbread & Chinese Leaf Slaw
FridayChinese Crispy Roast Pork, Chinese Roast Duck, Chinese Watercress, Cheung Fun, Har Kau [RESTAURANT]Lebanese-spiced Chicken Thighs, Chinese Leaf Slaw [LEFTOVERS]
SaturdayScrambled Eggs & MushroomsPan-fried Tuna Steak, Shirataki Noodles
SundayRoast Lamb, Cauliflower Cheese, Broccoli