Low Carb and Delicious – Six Dinner Ideas

Have you tried countless weight loss diets but failed to get results?

Ever wondered why weight loss diets are so unsuccessful?

Do you know how to turn on your body’s natural fat burning process?

It’s time to answer these important questions….

Switching on Fat Burning

Your body has three main sources of energy. It can burn fat, glucose (carbohydrate), or protein. When we burn fat, we produce substances called ketones. These are produced normally, and when we measure these ketones in our urine, we know we are burning fat efficiently.

High levels of dietary carbohydrates, also known as high glycaemic load foods (e.g. sugars and starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes), work with the hormone insulin to ‘switch off’ fat burning and increase fat gain.

It becomes virtually impossible to lose fat if you have raised insulin levels.

When your body’s blood sugar and insulin levels are low enough you will switch to a higher level of fat burning. This is the secret to a Ketogenic diet like Shake-It Professional Weight Management Program. For more information about this weight lose program, click here.

Part of any successful weight loss program is learning to cook healthy low carb options at home. This is the key to sustained weight loss.

Why not try out a few of these truly delicious recipes and incorporate them into your wellness program.

Here are six of Emed’s top dinner picks:

 

Main Ingredient: Beef

Moroccan Meat Patties

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 handful of onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 large green chilli, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of ground sweet paprika
• ½ tsp of ground turmeric
• ½ tsp of ground cumin
• 1 handful of tomato, blanched in hot water, peeled and chopped
• ½ preserved lemon (rind only), or zest of ½ lemon, chopped (if using lemon zest, add an additional pinch of salt)
• 4 handfuls of zucchini, grated
• 4 palm-sized portions of lean beef mince
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Few sprigs each of fresh mint, coriander leaves and parsley
• Cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Method

1. Fry the onion with olive oil for a few minutes until almost transparent. Add green chilli, garlic, paprika, turmeric and cumin. Fry for a further few minutes. Add tomato, preserved lemon (or lemon zest) and zucchini and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender and some liquid has evaporated.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked mixture with beef mince, eggs, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well and shape into small patties. Fry the meat patties in olive oil, turning gently, until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides.
3. Serve with 2 additional handfuls of vegetables or salad per serve.

 

Main Ingredient: Chicken

Cheesy Chicken Nuggets with Vegetable Skewers

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

Chicken Nuggets

• 500g chicken breast, cut into nugget-sized portions
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese
• 1 freezer bag
• Olive oil for frying

Vegetable Skewers

• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 2 zucchinis
• 10 mushrooms
• 16 pineapple pieces
• 1 red capsicum
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp of tomato puree
• Oregano
• Cracked pepper and sea salt to taste
• Method

Chicken Nuggets

1. Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture.
2. Pour the grated parmesan cheese into the freezer bag and then add the egg coated chicken. Mix with the cheese thoroughly so that it coats each side of the chicken nugget.
3. Add olive oil to the pan and keep heat at medium-high. Dip chicken nuggets slowly into the pan and carefully flip once the undersides are a light golden brown.

Remember: the more parmesan you get on the chicken, the crispier your nuggets are going to be!

Vegetable Skewers

1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for half an hour.
2. Cut all vegetables into 1.5 cm cubes. Thread vegetables onto the skewers.
3. Mix together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Brush the kebabs with this mixture and cook them on a BBQ or under a hot grill for 10 minutes each side, basting with more of the oil mixture during cooking.

 

Main Ingredient: Seafood

Grilled Salmon Steaks with Dill Butter Sauce and Fresh Rocket

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 handful of green beans
• 1 handful of snow peas
• 1 handful of red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 2 palm-sized portions of salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 handfuls of rocket leaves (or mescalin mix)

Dill Butter Sauce

• 30g unsalted butter
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tbsp of fresh of dried dill, chopped

Method

1. Lightly steam green beans, snow peas and capsicum, set aside.
2. Brush both sides of the salmon with olive oil and grill under high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Salmon is cooked when the meat is just starting to fall apart.

Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the lemon juice and add dill.
2. Spread rocket on a dinner plate, place salmon on top and cover with warm sauce.

Serve with steamed vegetables.

 

Main Ingredient: Lamb

Pesto Lamb Stuffed Capsicums

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 3 red capsicums
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 handfuls of lamb mince
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 tbsp of pine nuts
• 1 bunch of basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp of fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• Cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

 

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cut the tops off the capsicums and remove the membranes and seeds. Stand the capsicums upright in a baking dish.
3. Fry the onions, garlic and lamb mince in olive oil until the meat is well cooked.
4. Combine the meat mixture with the pine nuts, basil and tomato and divide into three.
5. Stuff the capsicums with this mixture and sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top.
6. Bake the stuffed capsicums for approximately 40 minutes or until the capsicums are cooked through.

 

 

Main Ingredient: Pork 

Pork Tuscany Treat

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 tsp of dried mixed herbs
• 1 palm-sized portion of lean pork, pounded thin and cut into medallions
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ½ handful of mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp of water
• 1 handful each of zucchini slices, broccoli florets and green beans
• Crushed or slivered almonds to garnish

Method

1. Sprinkle mixed herbs over pork medallions.
2. Coat a non-stick frying pan with olive oil. Over a high heat stir-fry the garlic, mushrooms and pork medallions until golden brown.
3. Add the water, toss in the vegetables and continue tossing until the pork is cooked and vegetables are tender. Garnish with the almonds.

 

Main Ingredient: Vegetables 

Creamy Miso Soup with Tofu

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 500 mL vegetable stock
• 6 cm stick kombu (or wakame), cut into thin strips with scissors
• 2 palm-sized portions of firm tofu
• 1 handful of shallots, chopped
• 1 tsp of miso paste
• 1 tbsp of tahini
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of tamari
• 1 tbsp of water

Method

1. In a large saucepan add the vegetable stock and kombu (or wakame) and simmer until kombu expands. Add the tofu and shallots and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Mix in miso paste, and bring back to a simmer (do not overheat) then remove from heat.
3. In a jar mix the tahini, lemon juice, tamari and 1 tablespoon of water. Serve miso soup into bowls then mix in 1 tablespoon of tahini mix.
4. Serve with 3 handfuls of steamed vegetables such as broccoli, green beans and/or bok choy dressed with a drizzle of sesame oil and tamari.

 

These recipes are taken from the Shake-It Professional / Practitioner Weight Management Program.

For more wonderful recipe ideas and information on this program contact your Emed practitioner today.

 

Further Reading 

• Low Carbohydrate Diet: Fat or Fiction?
• Cutting Carbs can Lower Cholesterol
• Fat – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
• More Protein for Less Fat
• Ketogenic Diet To Enhance Cancer Outcomes
• Coconut Oil Boosts Weight Loss and Improves Metabolic Function
• Pete Evans vs Dietician Association