Vegetarian

Aubergine & Feta, Cauliflower Pilaf

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I tend to eat a fair few vegetarian meals, and previously I’d have made something like this pilaf, with a bunch of lentils or chickpeas and rice. The lentils will have to wait until I can switch over to maintenance keto with a slightly higher carb limit, but for now, this version is a really good alternative, packed with pine nuts and spinach, and works just as well cold for lunch the next day. It could also be easily paired with lamb or fish for a non-veggie eater (like my husband!).

ingredients

  • 200 g Aubergine (cut into chunks)
  • 25 g White Onion (diced)
  • 160 g Baby Spinach
  • 80 g Pine Nuts
  • 300 g Cauliflower Rice
  • 1 Vegetable Stock Cube
  • 1 clove Garlic (minced)
  • 1 tsp Zahtar Spice mix
  • 1 tsp Ras-el-Hanout Spice mix
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 90 g Feta Cheese
  • Greek Yogurt (optional – remember to add carb count if used!)
  • Lemon and Coriander to serve

Servings: 3

9 g carbs/serving *
13 g 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 aubergine in 2 tbsp of Olive oil and roast for 15 minutes.
  3. Microwave the cauliflower rice until just cooked – 3-4 minutes, and set to one side.
  4. In a large frying pan or wok, gently cook the pine nuts over a medium heat until toasted and golden. Set to one side.
  5. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and fry the onion until soft and golden. Add the spice mixes, garlic and cauliflower rice, stirring well to combine.
  6. Crumble the stock cube into the pan, adding enough water to dissolve it.
  7. Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring through until just wilted.
  8. Add the pine nuts and stir them through with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Serve into bowls, crumbling the feta cheese on top.
  10. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a little fresh lemon, and serve with a spoonful of Greek Yogurt (optional).

Mushroom Stroganoff & ‘Egg’ Noodles

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Not going to lie, I got through a couple of eggs before getting the noodles right and it was a perfect example of a time when I should really have looked up a recipe instead of winging it and being lazy by trying to do dinner in a single frying pan!

I was so frustrated by the time I came to eat and was fully expecting the noodles to have been a complete waste of time, but to my surprise, they’re actually taste REALLY good and have a beautiful stretchy texture, so I’ve spent a bit more time refining them. Requires a little more washing up but they’re worth it and you could easily make extra and freeze them for a later date (which I will likely do at some point during the weekend).

Stroganoff; I like mine simple. Whilst I’m equally a fan of a beef and mushroom version (and might add beef to this in the future), for a quick dinner when you need to manage your protein (I’d had a rather meaty fry up for lunch), straight mushrooms work well. I use mini Portabello mushrooms, but chestnut or white ones would work as well. With a leeetle bit of finely chopped onion for the flavour, beef stock cube, soured cream, salt and pepper, they’re lovely over the noodles and can also double up as a great sauce for steak or burgers!

‘Egg Noodles’

ingredients

  • 4 Eggs
  • 50g Cream Cheese
  • 2 tbsp Psyllium Husks

Servings: 2

6 g carbs/serving *
13 g protein/serving *

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

instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
  2. Whisk the eggs, cream cheese and a good pinch of salt and pepper together in a bowl.
  3. GRADUALLY sprinkle over the psyllium husks and wisk in a little at a time (don’t do what I did and add it all together and make a big blobby mess).
  4. Pour enough mixture onto the baking sheet to cover the paper and spread until even and at desired thickness. Use a second baking tray if necessary (or just repeat steps 4 and 5 as required).
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the middle of the oven until fully set. Allow to cool and carefully remove the paper.
  6. When cool, stack your egg sheets on top of each other and roll them up into a long sausage shape. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into your desired widths.
  7. When you’re ready to serve, either give them a quick stir fry in a frying pan with a little butter or about 30s in the microwave.

Mushroom Stroganoff

ingredients

  • 250g Mushrooms (Sliced)
  • 30g Onion (Finely diced)
  • 100ml Soured Cream
  • 30g Butter
  • 1 Beef Stock Cube

Servings: 4

6g 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 frying pan and fry the onions until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry until they just start to go brown.
  2. Crumble over the stock cube and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir to dissolve the stock.
  3. Add the soured cream, stirring through to combine thoroughly and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Baked Aubergine with Cheese & Tomato)

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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.