Yaki Shirataki Noodles

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I love Asian food. I believe that being half Chinese and spending time growing up in Japan, gave my sister and I a real appreciation of different food cultures which have continued to this day.

Many east-Asian recipes can be very easily adapted for low-carb eating, but the rice and noodles are usually the sticking point as (in my opinion), whilst cauli rice is great, it’s just not quite the same.

Enter Shirataki Noodles noodles. These are traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam, and are almost entirely composed of dietary fibre. Whilst they are not exactly the same as wheat or rice noodles, they do help bridge the gap SO LONG AS you do not expect them to taste or ‘feel’ the same; they don’t. And they have a completely different texture which some people compare to ‘eating rubber bands’. Personally I love the firmer texture and because of it, they hold up really well when stir fried, but do pay attention to their preparation so they lose their ‘distinct’ smell!

Regular yaki soba noodles are usually made with an assortment of stir-fried, finely sliced vegetables such as cabbage, and perhaps some minced meat like pork, coated in a tangy, fruity, salty sauce. My quick recipe below uses soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar-free tomato ketchup and a bit of stevia to create a similar taste without the carb load.

You can either add some minced meat to your fry, or do as I prefer and just serve with your favourite seared meat or fish.

Seared tuna with Yaki Shirataki Noodles

ingredients

  • 1 pack (170g drained weight) Shirataki noodles
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 80g White Cabbage (finely sliced)
  • 0.5 clove Garlic (minced)
  • Tamari Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sugar-free Ketchup
  • 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp Sweetener
  • 1 tsp Sriracha Chilli Sauce (optional)

Servings: 1

8g carbs/serving *
3g protein/serving *

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

instructions

  1. Open your noodles, drain in a sieve and rinse well in cold water.
  2. Tip the rinsed noodles into a saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil for 2-3 minutes, drain and rinse again in cold water. Set to one side in the sieve.
  3. Mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sweetener (and chilli sauce, if using), and set to one side.
  4. In a wok or large frying pan, stir-fry the garlic in the coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, add the cabbage and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until just tender.
  5. Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.
  6. Stir through the sauce, turning everything to coat evenly and cook for a further minute.
  7. Serve immediately with your choice of meat, fish or other veg.
Pan-fried duck breast with honey-soy sauce & Yaki Shirataki noodles

Anything-Spiced Chicken

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I’ve called this Anything-Spiced Chicken because I use exactly the same process for a variety of flavoured chicken. It’s one of my very easy ‘go-to’ dishes when I can’t be bothered to think of something else and you can tweak the meal carb content by careful choice of side dishes. Marinate your chicken beforehand (if you remember) for the best taste, but it’s not essential if you forget or it’s a last-minute dinner choice!

I feel I should probably issue a word of warning about many main-brand, pre-made spice mixtures which contain a lot of sugar (I’m looking at you Schwartz), so do check your blends before using! At some point I’ll add a list of some of my favourite blends under the recipe, but as a few examples, Jerk seasoning, Chinese 5-spice, Lebanese 7-spice and Tandoori spice blends are  cupboard staples for me.

Jerk chicken with pineapple slaw/salad

ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Thighs (skin on) – approx 500g
  • 1 tsp of your preferred spice blend
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 1tsp Oil

Servings: 2

0g carbs/serving *
51g protein/serving *

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

instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix your spice blend and salt with the oil. Add the chicken thighs and turn until they are evenly coated. Either cover and set to one side until the oven is heated, or refrigerate until required.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
  3. In a frying pan, cook the chicken skin-side down on medium heat until it is crispy and golden (about 5 mins). Turn and cook the other side for 3-4 mins until golden.
  4. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and roast in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove for the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Remember to keep all the meat juices to pour over your meat and/or side dishes!
Lebanese 7-spice chicken with stir-fried veggies

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Baked Aubergine with Cheese & Tomato)

ketostaruk1 Comment

In the short time I’ve been posting recipes online, this is the most commonly requested recipe. Which to be fair, is understandable given it can be harder to find many good, meat free AND keto-friendly options.

Aubergine parmigiana doesn’t require too many adjustments to bring the carbs down – unlike many traditional recipes, I don’t flour the aubergine slices before frying (it’s not like we’re worried about them absorbing the oil). I also use an egg/cheese mixture to give it a little more stability and a protein boost.

It seems to be hard to find a reliable carb count for aubergine, but using Tescos nutritional value, I get this baby to come out at about 11g per serving. Not quite low carb, but perfectly reasonable for those doing OMAD (One Meal a Day) or who can manage their daily meal plan around it.

It’s great out of the oven, but nicer if it’s allowed to cool a bit first. It freezes and reheats very well too.

ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp, Olive Oil
  • 90g Grated Parmesan
  • 250g Mozarella
  • 850g Fresh Aubergine
  • 1 can (400g) Chopped Tomatoes
  • 15g Tomato Puree
  • 1 clove Garlic (minced)
  • 5 gram, Dried chillies

Servings: 4

11g carbs/serving *
25g protein/serving *

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

instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Mix the tomatoes, puree and garlic and set to one side.
  3. Beat the eggs and mix together with 60g of the parmesan.
  4. Slice the aubergine lengthways into 5mm slices.
  5. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the aubergine slices in batches until golden and set to one side. These suckers soak up oil like sponges, so I fry in oil on the first side and just turn them over to cook the other side without further oil.
  6. Spread a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and cover with a single layer of aubergine slices.
  7. Spread over a few spoonfuls of the egg mixture.
  8. Tear off about a third of the mozzarella into pieces and scatter over the egg mixture along with some salt and pepper before topping with another few spoons of tomato sauce.
  9. Continue to add layers of aubergine, egg, mozzarella and tomato sauce, finishing with the remainder of the egg mixture and mozzarella.
  10. Sprinkle the remaining grated parmesan evenly over the top.
  11. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes until melted and golden on top.
  12. Allow to cool a little before serving, OR allow to cool fully before dividing into portions for storing/freezing.

Watercress, Spinach & Courgette Soup

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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

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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

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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–