{"id":2367,"date":"2017-08-03T10:54:03","date_gmt":"2017-08-03T10:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2022-01-13T10:16:44","modified_gmt":"2022-01-13T10:16:44","slug":"low-carb-dinners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/low-carb-dinners\/","title":{"rendered":"Making dinner time great again, low-carb style"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to planning your dinner, there\u2019s plenty of scope \u2013 you just need a little bit of imagination! The key is to choose foods you enjoy, as this is an important motivator in sticking to a low-carb lifestyle.<\/p>\n

By restricting your intake of carbs, you\u2019ll remove the need for stringent calorie counting; moreover, you\u2019ll likely find that cravings for such will diminish over time. Instead, you\u2019ll be eating foods that are naturally<\/em> satisfying \u2013 those which contain protein and healthy fats, along with vegetables.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re here to show you that low-carb dinners absolutely can be delicious <\/em>and nutritious. You might find over time that you develop a list of favourite dishes that you can refer to, or use these as a basis for creating new recipes.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve put together a guide to give you a little helping hand in switching to low-carb.<\/p>\n

Protein foods<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

A low-carb diet is based on a moderate intake of protein, which tends to have a minimal impact on blood glucose levels. As a basis, try to ensure your evening meal contains protein-rich foods, to include:<\/p>\n

Red meat<\/em><\/h4>\n

Quality red meat, such as beef, lamb or pork. Avoid processed meat products where possible, such as sausages, pre-cooked, packaged meats and so forth.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Poultry<\/em><\/h4>\n

Poultry, i.e.<\/em> chicken and turkey. It\u2019s not necessary to remove the skin, either, as this is a source of natural fat.<\/p>\n

Fish and seafood<\/em><\/h4>\n

Oily fish such as salmon, trout and mackerel are great choices, as these contain essential fatty acids known as omega-3s, which are required for health. However, white fish like cod, plaice and halibut also make a nutritious addition to meals.<\/p>\n

Prawns, crabmeat and other types of seafood are also good choices.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Vegetarian and vegan <\/em><\/h4>\n

Tofu is a superb, soya-based vegetarian option that can be added to stir-fries, soups, stews, curries and so forth. Vegetarians may also benefit from cheeses like halloumi, which have a great texture that lends well to a range of dishes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whilst lentils and pulses like chickpeas contain a degree of carbs, in moderation, these are great options.<\/p>\n

Fats <\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Natural, healthy sources of fat are a key component of any low-carb diet because they help to increase satiety levels. The following foods can be used for cooking or added to recipes for some extra flavour.<\/p>\n

Butter <\/em><\/h4>\n

Butter can be used to cook with, or lightly added to cooked vegetables, if wanted. It\u2019s mostly comprised of natural, healthy fats from a dairy source, and is minimally processed.<\/p>\n

Cream<\/em><\/h4>\n

Cream adds a lovely richness and texture to both savoury and sweet dishes. It\u2019s very low-carb, and high in natural fat.<\/p>\n

Unrefined oils<\/em><\/p>\n

Natural, unrefined oils can be used in cooking, or as a basis for dressings and so forth. These include olive, coconut, rapeseed (cold-pressed varieties), avocado and walnut oils.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

How to reduce carbs in meals <\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not necessary to avoid your favourite dishes; below are some examples of how you can reduce high-carb foods, by introducing low-carb alternatives. It\u2019s all about getting creative.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pasta dishes<\/em><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/em>A family favourite such as lasagne doesn\u2019t have to be made with, well\u2026 lasagne sheets! You can substitute these for strips of courgette, and make tasty meat and cheese sauces to layer between these. Simply slice a courgette lengthways using a vegetable peeler, and set to one side (there\u2019s no need to pre-cook them, either).<\/p>\n

By omitting the pasta, you\u2019re left with a dish that provides a good balance of protein and fat, which have a minimal impact on blood glucose levels.<\/p>\n

You could also use aubergine; this, along with minced lamb, is key ingredient of moussaka \u2013 a traditional Moroccan dish that also features minced lamb. It\u2019s naturally low-carb, and thus, makes a perfect choice for dinner.<\/p>\n

Instead of spaghetti or tagliatelle, enjoy your meatballs, bolognese or carbonara with \u2018noodles\u2019 made from courgette or butternut squash. You can use a vegetable peeler to achieve ribbon-like strips, or invest in a gadget known as a spiraliser, to transform your veggies into vibrant \u2018courgetti\u2019 or \u2018boodles\u2019 as they are more affectionately known.<\/p>\n

Potato and rice dishes <\/em><\/h4>\n

When making a shepherd\u2019s or cottage pie, top the base of minced beef or lamb with mashed, swede, carrots or turnip (instead of regular potato), for a low-carb twist on this comforting classic.<\/p>\n

Similar to the above, the British favourite can be adapted by swapping roast potatoes for lower carb root veggies like parsnips, squash, swede or turnip.<\/p>\n

Cauliflower is a superbly versatile vegetable that can be prepared in a number of ways. It doesn\u2019t have to be bland; try lightly steaming and mashing it with butter and\/or cream. This is a great low-carb option in place of mashed potato.<\/p>\n

As a great replacement to rice, you can add raw cauliflower or broccoli florets to a blender (or simply grate them), lightly blitzing them until a grain-like texture is produced. These can be steamed or stir fried with butter, coconut or other oil of your choice. A great accompaniment to curries, stir fries and other dishes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When it comes to planning your dinner, there\u2019s plenty of scope \u2013 you just need a little bit of imagination! The key is to choose foods you enjoy, as this is an important motivator in sticking to a low-carb lifestyle. By restricting your intake of carbs, you\u2019ll remove the need for stringent calorie counting; moreover, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":2373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,3],"class_list":["post-2367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","category-food-swaps"],"acf":{"post_private":false,"post_video":"","updated_at":"","featured_image_mobile":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2367"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2416,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367\/revisions\/2416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lowcarbprogram.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}