Taking A Break

Just popping in to say a quick 'See ya later!'

Life in lovely Cork is busy at the moment. I'm studying part-time for a Postgraduate Diploma, so along with my work commitments there simply aren't the hours in the day that I'd like to dedicate to this blog. In the meantime, if you come across any interesting recipes, useful tips or new products be sure to let me know in the comments. See you on the flip side!

Beautiful Cork At Sunset

Quarter Pounders With Low Carb Psyllium Husk Burger Buns

Friday night. Traditionally it's a time to unwind. Traditionally, it's a time to eat easy-to-make comfort food. Oftentimes, that food is bad for you, or makes you feel worse come Saturday morning. But not these babies!

The Buns
This bread recipe from Maria Mind Body Health is a real gem. This recipe is made with psyllium husk powder and coconut flour so not only is it low in carb, it's a great source of fiber. Psyllium husk binds with water when mixed and it's this reaction which replaces the gluten and allows the burger buns to rise. 
You can pick it up in The Quay CoOp, but if that's not an option for you there are a number of websites which deliver it, including healthstore.ie. Make sure you're not getting the dietary capsules though!

The Burgers
Pair your buns with some homemade slider-style burgers. I'll usually add salt, pepper, onion salt, thyme, rosmary and a little garlic to great quality mince. Form into patties and press a little hole in the centre of the burger to help it keep its shape. 
Cook on a high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on size and personal taste.

The Cheese
Once the burgers are cooked to your liking, place your choice of cheese on top. Add a drop of water to the fying pan and cover with a saucepan lid. Leave for approximately 30 seconds to gorgeously melt the cheese.

I'm fond of the traditional cheddar but mixing things up with a different cheese can transform a burger into an entirely different experience. We recently tried some gorgeous manchego from Sheridans Cheesemongers. This goes particularly well with a nice, sweet relish like the homemade one from Cork's Nash 19. Careful though, relishes can be very high in sugar!

Serve with your choice of vegetable and sauces. May I recommend rocket leaves, pickles, mayonaise and mustard?

Pro Tip: The burgers seem to rise better when the psyllium husk powder used is very fine. If you can be bothered, I'd recommend grinding it further before use, but it's not necessary.

Lunch At Uncle Pete's, Paul Street

This is one of the best salads in Cork. I challenge you to find a better one. Uncle Pete's is kind of a hidden gem of Cork, they do some incredible pizzas and pasta, but they also do amazing salads. When I worked in the city centre, I was in there at least a couple of times a week.

This Warm Chicken Salad With Bacon is just delightful. Generous pieces of chicken fillet in their own coating, tasty pieces of bacon, tomato, red onion, fresh lettuce leaves and a huge amount of paremesan shavings covered with a delicous fresh, caesar dressing.

I'll be honest, when I'm feeling naughty or taking a break from being a carb-conscious individual- Uncle Pete's Pizzas* are one of my top choices, but you know what? Ordering their salads for delivery is pretty awesome, if you can't be arsed to cook. Low carb food for delivery is a pretty rare thing here.

The food is tasty, the staff are friendly and helpful. Follow them on Facebook or order from Just Eat.

*My jam is a margherita pizza with pepperoni, onions and Italian sausage.

Ginger Infused Vodka

Spirits are pretty much the kings of low sugar drinks- they're so versatile and with 0g carbs per 100g, it's really all about what you drink it with. 

I previously posted my recipe for a low-carb whiskey sour and now S and I decided to try something different- ginger vodka! 

It couldn't be easier- just peel and slice some fresh ginger root and add some vodka to an air-tight container. The best ratio seems to be about 100g of ginger to 400ml of vodka. 

Place in a dark cupboard for 7 days, then it's ready!

So far we've enjoyed it with soda/ tonic water and a load of ice- perfectly refreshing for these unusually warm days. However,  I can't wait to explore the cocktail-making opportunities... If you have any recommendations, let me know!

Note: Alcohol isn't recommended while you're initially getting into ketosis as it can mess with your blood sugar.  Keep in mind too that you're likely to be less hungry while eating low carb- beware drinking on an empty stomach!

Sunday Lunch Feat. Steak & Kohlrabi

Sunday lunch yesterday was a delicious fillet steak from Tom Durcan's in The English Market. I served this delicious piece of beef with baked kohlrabi chips (fries) and three types of purée; carrot & cumin, pea & mint and kohlrabi.

Accidental purée tri-colour

For the perfect tasty morsel of meat, read my blog on how to cook the perfect steak.

Kohlrabi is a fantastic new find of mine, which can be picked up at the Quay CoOp. It's like a turnip, but not as strong tasting. It's a starchy vegetable which is ideal for roasting, but at only 6g of carbohydrates per 100g (compared to potato's 17g!) it's a fantastic alternative.

For The Kohlrabi Chips:

1. Cube the kohlrabi and par-boil in salted water until knife-soft. This should take about 15 minutes.

2. Cover with rapeseed oil and sprinkle over a little salt and pepper.

4. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 180C/355F for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until crispy on the outside.

For The Kohlrabi Purée:

1. Cube the kohlrabi and par-boil in salted water until knife-soft. This should take about 15 minutes.

2. Blend in a food processor with salt, pepper and a generous knob of butter.

Pro-Tip: Par boil all your kohlrabi and separate into chips and mash to make your Sunday dinner appear extra-posh!

For The Carrot Purée:

1. Slice fresh carrots and par-boil in salted water until knife-soft. This should take about 10 minutes.

2. Blend in a food processor with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of cumin.

For The Pea Purée:

1. Boil fresh peas in salted water until soft. This should take about 15 minutes. (Tinned ones will do in a pinch, but make sure to choose the low-sugar version.)

2. Blend in a food processor with salt, pepper and a handful of chopped fresh mint.

Serve it all up and bask in the admiring glances of your Sunday Dinner Guests!

Man, I don't think I've ever typed the word purée so often.

Lunch At O'Briens, Wilton

I found myself on the go for most of today, so had to grab a quick lunch in Wilton Shopping Centre. Honestly, it's not a great place for low-carb options; the restaurants offer lots of sandwiches/ bagels/ chips/ lasagnes etc. I decided to try my luck at O'Briens, near the Tesco entrance.

I opted for the turkey club salad and I was pretty happy when it arrived. There was a good amount of bacon and cheese on the plate (vital fats for keeping hunger at bay!), though the turkey was processed and a little rubbery. While it wasn't the most amazing salad I have ever had, it did the job and kept me going for the rest of the day. Worth trying the next time you find yourself starving in Wilton!

Low Carb Konjac Noodles & Pasta

While browsing the aisles of Holland and Barrett recently, I came across these low carb noodles and pasta from a company called Eat Water. Made from a Japanese plant named konjac, these products are very low in carbohydrates, suitable for vegans and gluten free. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, no. They're fantastic.

These noodles and pasta don't taste of anything and nicely bulk up your meat dish. Tonight I made bolognese with penne, having the pasta made it seem like a regular meal. Moreover, it's about 5 hours since I ate and I'm still stuffed. 

Last night I used the noodles in a homemade low carb Pad Thai- recipe coming soon! One packet will easily feed two low carbers- they're quite filling and high in fibre.

There is one thing that's worth pointing out, when you initially open the packet the product smells slightly off. This is due to the brine it's packaged in. It's easily taken care of though- just pour out the water contained in the packet and rinse the noodles or pasta under cold water for a few minutes.

You can find out more on the Eat Water website, which also has a handy store locator.

The Best Scrambled Eggs Ever

If you've visited this blog before, you'll know I sometimes struggle to eat eggs. I'm not a giant fan of their taste, but as such a great source of protein I'm always trying to find new ways to tart them up. 

Easier to put together than my yummy breakfast muffins, I reckon these scrambled eggs have cracked it. (Sorry!)

In the picture above, I've served my eggs on a toasted slice of ProFusion Protein Bread. It's made with flax seeds, wheat and milk protein and rye flour and works out to about 5g of carbs per slice. You can get it in The English Market. 

The Best Scrambled Eggs Ever (Serves 1)

Ingredients

2 Medium Eggs

Generous Knob Of Butter

Tablespoon Cream Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Turn your stove/ hob on at a medium heat.

2. Crack two eggs into a small saucepan and add the butter.

3. Place over the heat and stir with a spatula. Don't use a whisk.

4. Continue stirring until the eggs begin to thicken and bind together as one. It usually takes about 90 seconds-2 minutes to get the right consistency.

5. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the cream cheese. Stir until completely mixed.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve!

These creamy eggs are tasty enough to eat alone, but to avoid samey-ness I like to mix it up from time to time. Here are a couple of my favourite variations:

• Add a pinch of chili flakes when stirring in the cream cheese, skip the salt and pepper.
• Fry off some bacon, finely chop 1 spring onion and mix into the eggs.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese before serving.
• Fry a bunch of cherry tomatoes on the vine, then mix into eggs before serving.

Nando's Coming To Cork City Centre

While wandering around town recently, I was sad to see that Meadows and Byrne on Academy Street had closed. It was a great resource for those odd kitchenware items you couldn't get anywhere else.

On passing the other day, I noticed that a planning permission sign had gone up outside and I couldn't resist being nosey. I was absolutely delighted to see that Nando's was named as the tenant and they were going to create a new restaurant there!

You may have read about my experience in Nando's Mahon Point a while back (where I intelligently forgot to take food pictures- doh!) and while it was a tasty, low-carb friendly meal, it's just too far to trek to. Now, I'm delighted to have this restaurant come to the city centre, and I'm hoping to make a lot more visits for their tasty chicken and low-carb friendly sides!

You can take a look at their menu here.

Low Carb Cheesecake (Take 1)

Okay, so it collapsed but it still tasted good! Too many berries I reckon. Overberried.

On the plus side- the low carb almond and chocolate base was perfect. I'll post the recipe once I've perfected the top part and it holds.

Quick & Easy Chicken Skewers with Homemade Tzatziki

The weather is starting to warm up here in Cork, which always makes me crave light, spicy dinners.

These skewers are so easy to make- easier (and tastier) still if you can marinade the chicken the night before. And chop the veggies. There's nothing like coming home to a fully-prepped meal you can put together without much concentration.

We make this kind of meal a lot, so metal skewers are an economical choice. Using metal skewers also helps the meat cook quickly from the inside out. If you're using disposable wooden ones, don't forget to wet them under cold water before use to avoid burning.

For The Skewers (Makes 6)

6 Chicken Fillets
4 Capsicum Peppers, Various Colours
1 Courgette
1 Onion
Chop All Of The Above Into Large Chunks Which Wont Break On The Skewer

For The Chicken Marinade

Here's the list of spices I used, you can of course add/remove/adjust to fit your personal taste. These are listed in order of most to least used:

Paprika

Cumin

Salt

Black Pepper

Fennel Seed

Cinnamon

Ground Cardamom

Ground Ginger

Ground Nutmeg

Ground Cloves

Crushed Coriander Seed

Crushed Star Anise

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F.

2. Combine all your spices in a bowl with a few glugs of olive oil. Add your chicken chunks and mix to coat well. 

Ideally, cover and let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge. An hour or so will do too, but overnight is definitely tastier!

3. The rest is pretty self-explainatory! Build your skewers alternating chicken and vegetables.

4. Lay out on a wire tray and pop in the oven for 30 minutes, turning once during cooking.

While the skewers are in the oven, I like to knock together an awesome homemade tzatziki which compliments the spices perfectly. 

For The Tzatziki

200g Greek Yoghurt

1 Cucumber

Juice of Half A Lemon

1 Clove of Garlic, Crushed

Pinch Of Salt

Pinch Of Black Pepper

Handful Of Fresh Dill, Finely Chopped

1. Cut your cucumber in half and carefully remove all the green skin.

2. Using a cheese grater or similar, grate the cucumber onto a sheet of strong kitchen paper. (It's important to use a strong paper so you don't end up with chunks in your tzatziki!) When you're done grating, fold all the cucumber up into the paper towel and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.

3. In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Mix Well and chill slightly before serving. Sprinkle with a few springs of dill if desired.

Fillet Steak

I just had to share this mouth-watering snap of last night's fillet steak, fresh from Tom Durcan's stall in The English Market.

These beauties were blotted with kitchen paper and sprinked with sea salt to help dry the meat out.

Preheat the oven to 90C/195F. Then heat your frying pan to smoking point- I use a heavy cast iron pan which means I don't need to add any oil.

Once the pan is super hot, each steak gets 2 minutes on either side. Don't move it around in the pan, just let it sit where you've placed it.

Then I popped the steaks into the oven and pushed the needle of my indespensible meat thermometer to the centre of the thickest steak. I like mine to be pink through, so aim for a centre temperature of 54C/130F. S likes some red in the centre of his, so we'll usually take his out at 51C/124F.

I know this all sounds a bit mental, but just a couple of degrees can make such a difference!

Let your steak sit for a minute or two before cutting into it. You shouldn't get any blood running out if you dry the meat beforehand and use this cooking method.

Did you know you can order Tom Durcan's meats for delivery to anywhere in Ireland and the UK? Visit their site for more details, you can also follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

Low Carb Cocktails: Whiskey Sour

I guess one of mantras I've tried to keep in mind over the past year or so is that eating low carb isn't a punishment, or a way to restrict yourself- it's a lifestyle.

Drinking while eating low carb is all about making smart choices. While the body processes carbohydrates in alcohol in a different way to those containted in food, it can be easy to kick yourself out of ketosis if you're not careful. Your best bets are always dry wines and spirits.

In the words of Jennifer Aniston, here comes the science bit: During the fermentation process, the yeasts process the carbohydrates and produce alcohol. Whatever sugars are leftover will vary depending on the beverage- a sweet wine will contain more carbs than a dry wine. 

An average glass of red wine will contain about 4g of carbs. Distilled spirits (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) have nothing left but the alcohol, so are zero carb. The danger zone appears when you start to add mixers.

I'm a big cocktail fan and the classic whiskey sour is hands-down my favourite. A simple retooling of the classic recipe makes for a tasty low-carb cocktail you can sip without too much worry.

Investing in a good quality whiskey not only produces a better result, it helps cut down on the hangover factor. My favourites include Makers Mark, and Knob Creek. 

Though a little on the pricier side, Buffalo Trace gives this cocktail a great flavour. Incidentally, that name always reminds me of this Neneh Cherry song. 

Note: For this recipe, 1 shot is the standard Irish measure of 35.5ml

Ingredients

For The Simple Syrup

Create a  low carb simple syrup by mixing water with stevia or splenda. The usual ratio is 1 cup of sweetner to 2 cups of water, though you can adjust this slightly to taste.

We'll usually mix up a litre bottle batch of syrup and keep it for a fortnight or so- remember to shake slightly before use if you're doing this.

For The Cocktail

2 Shots Whiskey

1 Shot Fresh Lemon Juice (The juice of an average lemon contains 3g of net carbs)

1 Shot Simple Syrup

1 Egg

To Garnish

1 Thin Slice of Orange

3 Drops of Angostura Bitters (If you're in Cork you can pick it up at Bradley's)

Method

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with large ice cubes. The larger the cubes, the less likely they are to break up and dilute the mixture on shaking.

2. Add the whiskey, lemon juce, simple syrup and egg to the cocktail maker, cover and shake vigoriously for about 90 seconds.

3. Place 2 large ice cubes in a glass and pour over the cocktail mixture using a strainer. If mixed well, the liquid should have a lovely foam head.

4. The pièce de résistance is the Angostura Bitters- it really is worth seeking this out. Gently add 3 drops to the foam head. Garnish with a slice of orange peel and serve!

Note: Alcohol isn't recommended while you're getting into ketosis as it can mess with your blood sugar.
Keep in mind too that you're likely to be less hungry while eating low carb- beware drinking on an empty stomach.

Low Carb & Gluten Free Pizza (Again!)

I know I've posted it before, but I love this pizza recipe so much! 

Once you've made it a couple of times it gets really easy to just quickly knock out a pizza crust in no time at all. Then it's all about getting creative with the toppings.

This weekend, I was charged with the toppings for S's incredibly thin and tasty base. Pizza lore claims that the original margherita pizza was created for Queen Margherita and represented the colours of the Italian flag: red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella). 

I took my cue from there and added some delicious Parma ham I picked up in the wonderful Bradley's on North Main Street. It was seriously delish and the whole pizza came in at about 10g of carbs. Paired with a nice cab sauv, it's the ultimate weekend treat.

The full recipe for this low carb and gluten free pizza base can be found in this previous post.

O'Flynns Meatballs & Celeriac Pasta

Ugh, Monday. At least tonight's dinner was super easy and super tasty!

I popped into the English Market and picked up 12 gorgeous pork and beef meatballs (with oregano, basil, garlic and chilli) from O'Flynns for €5 and then grabbed a celeriac from Superfruit to make the 'pasta'. 

I've posted here before about this awesome low carb pasta replacement and I'm really enjoying finding new ways to use it!

I covered the meatballs in Marks & Spencer's slightly spicy Arrabiata tomato sauce and baked in the oven for 40 minutes at 180C/355F. That M&S sauce contains an incredible 4g of net carbs for the whole 340g jar- compare that to over 8g of carbs per 125g of Dolmio's Original Sauce!

For the last five minutes of cooking, sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top so it's all melty and delicious.

For the celeriac pasta, peel that alien-looking vegetable and slice into 1cm strips. A little less than half an average sized celeriac does the two of us nicely. At about 7g net carbs per 100g, it's a really great low carb option.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the celeriac. It'll take about 15 minutes to become al dente- which I like- give it another few minutes if you'd prefer it slightly softer.

Serving two people, this whole delicious and comforting meal came in at under €10 and under10g of carbs each. Bargain!

Sausage and Egg McMuffin Sandwich

For Sunday brunch, S made this awesome sausage and egg sandwich from the Keto-fied! cookbook. With a great selection of recipes, it's a cookbook I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in eating a low carb diet. You can buy the PDF and kindle version here for about €9.

This tasty sandwich is really simple to put together and perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch. I picked up a set of two ring molds in Delia's Kitchen on Carey's Lane for €11 and have been getting loads of use from them so far.

Chicken, Pancetta & Mushroom 'Pasta'

I love pasta dishes. When I went to college I could whip up a surprisingly good pasta bake with pretty much anything I found in the cupboard. Lasagne, ravioli, tagliatelle... I love it all and it's been one of the hardest things to cut out.

I've been making this chicken & pancetta dish for years and with the recent cold weather I seriously needed some familiar comfort food. This time, instead of pasta, I used thinly sliced and boiled celeriac to hold onto the sauce and bulk up the dish.

Celeraic is a great vegetable, mild in taste and low in carbohydrate (there's about 7g net carbs per 100g).  I'm looking forward to figuring out some other uses for it!

Ingredients (Serves 2 Hungry Low Carbers)

4 Diced Chicken Fillets
100g Diced Pancetta (you can use regular bacon rashers if you prefer)
250ml Double Cream
1 Diced White Onion
6 Sliced Mushrooms
1 Chicken Stock Cube (Kallo do a great gluten and lactose free one!)
50g Grated Parmesan
Garlic Granules
Salt & Black Pepper To Taste

100g Celeraic, peeled and sliced into 1cm strips

Method

1. Fry the pancetta in a small amount of oil (I use coconut oil) over a high heat until it's just about to turn crispy, then set aside.

2. Turn down the heat to medium. Using the grease from the pancetta, fry the onion until translucent. Add the mushrooms and fry until slightly soft. You'll be letting the whole dish simmer later so you don't want to overcook at this stage. Set aside.

3. Still using the same frying pan (you might need to add a little more oil at this stage),  add the diced chicken and begin to fry over a medium heat. Crumble in the chicken stock cube and continue to fry until the chicken begins to brown.

4. Add your pancetta, onions and mushrooms back into the pan and fry together for 5 minutes, stirring all the time.

5. Turn the heat down low and pour in the double cream. Mix well and allow to simmer for a minute.

6. Add in the parmesan, garlic granules and salt and black pepper to taste. If you want to use fresh garlic instead of the granules, add half a crushed clove when frying the onion. Stir well so the cheese melts into the cream.

7. Let the whole mixture simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Now for the 'pasta'. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add in the celeriac slices. Bring it back up to the boil and allow to simmer. I think it works best when the celeriac is slightly al dente- that takes about 10 minutes.

9. Drain the celeraic slices and toss with the chicken and pancetta so they are well coated with sauce. Serve!

This is a low carb dish, but I'm not your momma- if you're trying to control your net carb count do your own math!

Dinner At CoqBull

Last night I had dinner with my family at Coqbull on French Church Street in the city centre. It's a great place for low carbers to eat because you can easily order without seeming awkward or fussy and the food is really great.

I ordered the half rotisserie chicken, with a caesar salad instead of chips and a side of coleslaw. The meat was really juicy, the skin was crispy and the coleslaw was really tasty.

They also have the option of ordering a burger without the bun (no pics, sorry!), which comes wrapped in a giant lettuce leaf and with a tasty burger sauce. They also ask how you like your burger cooked, which is how it should be.

There is a great list of salads on their menu, I'll have to pop in there for lunch some day and report back.

You can visit their website here, follow them on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

Lunch At Perry Street Market Cafe

I recently had lunch at Perry Street Market Cafe and really enjoyed it. The salads on their menu board all seemed to have potato or some other carbohydrate so I just asked for a mixed plate of meat and salads and the staff were happy to oblige. I got chicken breast and a choice of three salads and everything was delicious and very fresh.

My only complaint would be that the plate was HUGE and there was far too much food- I ended up leaving almost half the salads after me. Including a drink, this lunch was a little on the pricy side at about €12 so it really was a shame to have to leave so much behind.

You can see their TripAdvisor reviews here and follow them on Facebook here.

Muffin Love

I was excited to see my yummy breakfast muffins pop up at the top of this post over on allday.com, featuring inventive ways to use your muffin tin!

There are some great ideas there- particularly these Mini BLT Bowls.  I'm going to have to up my muffin tin game!