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  #1   ^
Old Mon, Jan-18-21, 08:12
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,550
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default My approach to keto recipes: SIMPLIFY

When I went low carb, I had to learn how to cook. When I went VLC, I had to make up my own recipes.

The low carb lasagna on this thread, LC Spinach Lasagna--Yummo! is an example of the kind of recipe I love, being easy to make and using all real food.

But often, when I look for a low carb favorite, it's a nightmare of special ingredients and multiple steps. If, like me, you just want to eat, not spend a whole day trying to recreate a high carb recipe down to the mouth feel and the texture: read on.

I have considerable advantages in some ways. I'm only feeding myself, not a family. I have considerable challenges in others, such as my intolerance for gluten/lectins/fiber in all their demonic ways. That's the response to my body to any of them: it's like I've been poisoned on Game of Thrones.

It's not just personal preference that keeps me from doing the pro-chef approach. I have a terrible kitchen, with no counter space, no food processor, and a chronic illness still in the process of healing. So if I get too elaborate, something is going to clog up the sink or catch on fire. Then I have to address THAT. While I'm still hungry

This also cuts back on my ability, once stellar, to make a big batch of something and portion it into the freezer. That's still too much.

Here's my principles:
  • bread substitute: eggs or leaves

    I love sandwiches. Getting and assembling deli meats and cheeses are excellent for my needs. I can make Italian cold cuts into a salad. I can have a Reuben omelette, or -- even easier -- I can pile the sandwich makings onto a plate and nuke it.

    I spent many a work lunch/event eating "sandwich guts" while the bread part piled up on the side. It's a stark reminder how much of what most people eat is not really food.
  • top of stove, one pan

    I can make a personal pan pizza in ten minutes and it's delicious. All I need is a covered little saute pan and a silicon spatula. And I can have any kind of toppings I want!

    One of my standbys is slow-cooked brisket. Now that's leftovers. I don't want to hover over the stove. I get very bored
  • it's all food

    I can have dairy, so I rely on adding Greek yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese to my meals. Like my pork rind griddle muffins, where a schmear of cream cheese makes them perfect. I make my own creamy dressings with sour cream or yogurt.

I have a very restricted food list now, but I'm steadily creating a repertoire of recipes I can whip up fast and tastes good. And the best part?

Mostly, my favorites are still with me. Because I concentrate on the FLAVOR above all else.

And REAL food? That's where the flavor is.
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  #2   ^
Old Tue, Jan-19-21, 02:00
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
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Posts: 25,553
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

Awesome approach.

It's often been said around here that we tend to repeat our 'base' meals. That makes sense, and it's not just folks trying to lose weight - that's everyone. I encourage newbies, especially those a little intimidated by giving up store-bought crap and having to cook, to forget about glamourous recipes, at least at first. Learn to cook your favourite baseline foods well. Hard-cooked eggs without a nasty grey ring, a good steak, a nice roasted chicken, whatever you see yourself repeating.

I know you don't eat many veggies, but one of my simplifications is frozen veggie mixes. You can mix them and match them, turn them into soup, and some of them are already flavoured with peppers/onions/mushrooms added. Stir-fry, anyone? And they're all delicious, also, just nuked with some butter, salt & pepper on them.

Spices and sauces are another simplification, in a way. If I can make a decent Thai curry sauce, Indian curry, BBQ simmer sauce, and Chinese stir fry sauce out of what's in my pantry and condiments in the fridge, I can make some killer meals with whatever other ingredients I have on hand. I made a Thai coconut curry with fish and leftover bagged cole slaw mix once. Would that ever be served at a Thai restaurant? Probably not. Was it delicious? WHY YES.
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  #3   ^
Old Tue, Jan-19-21, 06:39
thud123's Avatar
thud123 thud123 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,422
 
Plan: P:E=>1 (Q3-22)
Stats: 168/100/82 Male 182cm
BF:
Progress: 79%
Default

Good stuff!

My recipes have devolved from complicated Asian style stir fries down to single or duo ingredients in a pan (meat one, eggs the other, then single veg stir fried in meat pan fat and fond)

Complicated recipes were very helpful for me in the beginning to sample a wide variety of meat and veg - they kept my head in the game, but now evolving i'm really appreciating the simplicity, speed and nutrient density of simple.
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