If you are eating healthy while you are low in carbohydrates, it is important to make sure that you are getting healthy amounts of macronutrients, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
In a recent interview with IOL Lifestyle, nutritionist Jentty Ngobeni said that a low-carb diet limits carbohydrates, which are mainly found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. This means that you are eating fewer carbohydrates and a higher percentage of fat.
Here are some low-carb recipes to try at home.
Image: Chris Collingridge
Low carb spinach artichoke lasagna
Serves 6-8
ingredients
4 large eggplants
olive oil
Tomato sauce
15 ml of olive oil
10 ml of chopped garlic
2x400g cans of chopped tomatoes
15 ml tomato paste
10 ml of castor sugar
salt and pepper
60 ml of chopped basil
Artichoke sauce
30 ml of olive oil
2 chopped onions
15 ml of chopped garlic
500 g of cleaned, chopped spinach
2x400g tins of artichoke hearts, chopped
500g fresh cream
60 ml grated parmesan cheese
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
60 ml of chopped dill
300 g mozzarella
250 ml extra parmesan
method
Cut the eggplants into 7 mm thick slices. Brush with olive oil and place on a large baking sheet. Cook under a preheated grill for 2-3 minutes per side until light golden. Remove and set aside.
Tomato sauce: heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the garlic over medium heat.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until they have thickened slightly.
Remove with a hand blender before pureeing and allow to cool slightly.
Artichoke sauce: heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft.
Add the spinach and cook over high heat until the spinach is limp and the liquid has evaporated.
Add the artichokes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Stir in the crème fraiche, parmesan, lemon zest and juice and season well. Stir in the dill.
Spread half of the tomato sauce in a 28x35cm baking dish. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with a layer of eggplant.
Spread over half of the artichoke sauce. Top with the remaining tomato sauce, another third mozzarella and parmesan. Top with another layer of eggplant and the remaining artichoke sauce.
Scatter the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan on top. Bake at 180 ° C for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Remove before serving and let stand for 10 minutes.
Chicken Vegetable Patties
ingredients
2 carrots, peeled and grated (if strict keto, you can replace carrots with two more zucchini)
2 zucchini, washed and grated
750 g chicken breast, ground
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tbsp aminos
Cayenne pepper (the amount depends on how spicy you want it)
Salt and pepper to taste
method
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Create equally sized patties with your hands. Place them side by side on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
Preheat the butter in a large non-stick pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the patties and saute them for about 2 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden brown.
Serve with your favorite sauce or cauliflower porridge
Filthy Healthy recipe.
Stuffed cheesesteak peppers
ingredients
4 green peppers, cut in half
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sirloin steak
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 small red onion, sliced
½ red pepper, sliced
2 cups of mozzarella, grated
method
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Halve and core the green peppers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes in a 9×13 bowl covered with aluminum foil.
Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add the steak and season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and cook until they start releasing juices. Add the onions and red pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
In the meantime, take the green peppers out of the oven. Arrange the steak slices and vegetables on the peppers and top with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove and serve.
How do you go about maintaining the diet? A few tips from Ngobeni:
Reduce strength
A staple food in many diets, bread is in most cases high in carbohydrates and generally low in fiber. This is especially true of white bread made from refined grains, which can negatively affect health and weight. Other foods to limit include pasta, rice, potatoes, potato chips, porridge, and cereal.
Eat healthy high protein foods
Eating a good source of protein with every meal can make it easier to cut down on carbohydrates, and it’s especially important when trying to lose weight. Protein triggers the release of the bulking hormone, reduces hunger, helps fight food cravings and protects muscle mass when losing weight. Include at least one serving from the list of high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods with every meal. Consider beef, poultry, eggs, fish, nuts, cheese, and yogurt.
Prepare foods with healthy fats
Fat replaces some carbohydrates and typically makes up more than 50% of the energy on a low-carb diet. Two of the healthiest options are coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.
