5 Steps To EASY Low Carb Cooking

In the past few years, we have seen a huge movement towards a foodie culture, which seems to be moving us away from the basics. Moving us further from simple flavours and meals that make healthy eating so much easier (and cheaper) for everyone.

The most concerning thing about all these foodie trends is that the majority of them were started to counteract the dismal state of nutrition and health of everyday Australians.

Has it worked?

...Or are we now more confused than ever – under the false impression that a Raw Carrot Cake must be healthier for you, Organic Honey is way better than sugar and anything that mentions Coconut ticks the healthy box.

In 2017-18, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Health Survey showed that two thirds (67.0%) of Australian adults were overweight or obese (12.5 million people), an increase from 63.4% in 2014-15

Reference: Australian Government Department of Health

What's going to fix this problem?

It’s certainly not another new age superfood or cult-like diet. And, it’s not adding more fuel to the fire and confusing us more. It’s also not another fancy cooking appliance.

What will help the problem is getting back to basics.

Cutting the crap. Ditching the hype and getting real. Yes, food is to be enjoyed – life is to be enjoyed! But we enjoy life a hell of a lot more when we feel our best and good simple nutritious food helps us achieve this. Easy Low Carb Cooking to feel amazing!

When you eat simple, quality, low carb food, stay hydrated with plenty of water and are active every day I can PROMISE you that you’ll feel more amazing than you ever imagined. You’ll certainly feel more amazing than you would spending thousands of dollars on the latest health products and superfoods full of false hope. Feeling amazing does not have to be hard.

It’s easy. It does not take a long time. You can get results fast. You do not need expensive, trendy health products & ingredients. Just real food.

It is not complicated at all. It’s simple. You don’t have to be confused or overwhelmed anymore. We’ll show you how.

We understand that Low Carb means something different to everyone.

Some people may be trying to achieve less than 20g of carbs per day, and be more focused on Keto, and some others may simply be trying to reduce the amount of sugar and carbs in their diet. We have a zero judgement policy, meaning that we respect that everyone is different, has a different lifestyle and different goals. If you are striving to reduce the carbs in your diet, by however much, we are here to help & support you

Protein.

Per person = 100 – 150g raw protein per meal

Proteins are really the building blocks of our body. Our muscles need protein to develop, get stronger and bigger.

The best thing about protein in relation to weight loss is that it’s the hardest nutrient for your body to convert to an energy source. Because of this, your body would prefer to burn carbohydrates or body fat to use as energy first.

That’s why high protein, low carb diets are so successful for weight loss. Low carb eating and recipe ideas are often suitable for a keto diet too.

Protein also really fills you up and sustains you for a long time. Unlike carb-heavy foods that you have probably experienced – you feel full after eating, but soon your energy plummets and within no time you are hungry again.

Table Spread Of Different Sources Of Protein — Image 📸 credit here

Products such as rissoles, sausages & anything marinated always has added sugar, flavours and are higher in carbs! Check out the product reviews to make sure you are making the best choice. Fresh unprocessed meat is by far the best choice.

Vegetables & Fruit

Per person = 300 – 400g raw green veggies per meal

Vegetables are the best source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

The reason I love veggies so much, apart from the points above, is that they are so low in overall kJs. They really increase the serving size of your meals without adding hardly any carbs or kJs.

Most vegetables, especially the ones I have recommended below, are between 92-95% water. So not only are you getting the vitamins and minerals, and they also keep you full and hydrate you.

Many people have bad memories of vegetables from experiences growing up. Being forced to eat overcooked, mushy, bland vegetables didn’t really create a positive attitude towards them! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be like that.

Since I started cooking my veggies in the ways I’ll outline shortly, and actually tasting broccoli, green beans and zucchini for what they really are, my love for vegetables has grown so much!

When was the last time you tasted zucchini just by itself – no sauce, no seasoning, just zucchini?

Give it a go – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Check out The 50 Lowest Carb Vegetables for you to enjoy!

Whilst all fruit and vegetables contain great vitamins, minerals and fibre, some are also really high in carbs and sugars. For some people, this may not be a concern, but if you are aiming for a very low carb diet (keto), green veggies have the lowest amount of carbs per serve. We say as long as you are within your carb allowance, enjoy the veggies you love – the lower the carbs the more volume you can have, which will keep you nice and full!

Flavours

When it comes to adding Flavour to your meals - keep it to whole ingredients, then you know there is no added sugar or carbs. Experimenting with fresh herbs is a great place to start. Basil, Parsley & Thyme are my favourites.

Table Of Different Types Of Sauces And Spices And Herbs

Most pre-prepared sauces, marinades and condiments, are packed full of sugar. You think you’re having a super healthy, low carb meal of meat and veggies, but if you add a sauce it turns into a carb and sugar-packed dinner that will not help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Cooking Method

These are all the cooking methods we regularly use. Just add whatever meat, veggies and flavours that you like best. Have fun experimenting - the best bit is that they’re all so super simple and fast.

Stir-Fry – Great for a fast, fresh meal prepared on the spot. Literally grab any meat and veggies from the fridge, chop, stir fry and you’re done!
Baked – A great option when you feel like a heartier dinner but are still pushed for time. The preparation is very fast, and then once you pop it in the oven your work is done! Let the beautiful aromas waft through your house and set your taste buds on fire.
Hot Pot – This style is great in Winter – but of course you can also enjoy it in summer as well. It’s such a great way to use up any veggies that you have left in the fridge – and you can get creative with spices and flavours to mix it up. This is my favourite leftover to have for lunch.
Blanched – Veggies only. No longer do vegetables have to end up as mush!

Method – Microwave:» Place all veggies in a microwave-safe bowl.

» Pour 1/4 cup of cold water in the bowl

» Cover with a plate

» Microwave on high for 5 minutes

» Remove bowl and be very careful when removing plate because of the steam

» Pour veggies into a strainer to remove excess water.

Method – Saucepan:» Fill saucepan 1/2 with water, bring to a boil.

» Only once the water is boiling add all veggies

» Boil for 4 minutes

» Pour into a strainer and rinse under cold water.

Salad – Salads can totally fill you up and be a complete meal in themselves! As long as you have enough protein and some tasty toppings they can be an amazing lunch or dinner. Be very selective with all dressings.
Pan Fry – Pan fry your Protein of choice then serve with Blanched or stir-fried Veggies or salad.

Toppings

Even with the tastiest meal, I love adding a little something extra just to top it off. If you know what to choose, this is a great way of enhancing the flavour with virtually zero carbs or Kj’s. It’s always best to use whole ingredients such as herbs or cheese rather than anything prepared as this way you know exactly what you’re eating.

Table Of Different Types Of Dairy And Nuts And Seeds And Herbs

Here are some EASY meal suggestions...

Table Of Cooked Breakfast Meal Suggestions

Table Of Cooked Low Carb Meal Suggestions

For easy healthy recipes, simply head over to our Recipes tab to find any kind of low carb recipe to suit your diet and palate! We’ve categorised them by meal times (including dessert, yum!) and high in protein, diabetic-friendly, and so much more.

Some of our favourite low carb meal ideas are:

Pumpkin Soup is the classic comfort food during the colder times of the year. Our recipe includes a mix of pumpkin and cauliflower, and serves well with our seeded dinner rolls. Each bowl of our homemade soup contains 8.6g of carbs.
Spicy ‘Popcorn’ Cauliflower is our take on chicken nugget bites, by making it vegetarian and using cauliflower, naturally 😉 With our Low Carb Crumb Mix, these bites pack a bit of heat and are super easy to make. Serve with some salad greens or sauce of choice and voila! Each serving contains just 6g of carbs.
Mexican Stuffed Capscium or bell pepper, is a wholesome recipe that is bound to keep you full till your next meal. Stuffed with ground beef, eggplant, and cheese, the combination of roasted, slightly charred flavours is delicious! This can be made vegetarian by swapping the mince out for lentils, so no one will be left out from this recipe. This has higher net carbs due to the inclusion of brown rice - 21.6g per serving.

As you can see, cooking healthy, tasty, low carb meals is really as simple as 1,2,3,4,5!

I believe everyone has the ability (and responsibility) to prepare nutritious tasty food for themselves and their families. You don’t need fancy expensive cooking appliances or ingredients. Everything you could possibly need can be found in your local fruit & veg shop, butcher or supermarket.

Don’t ever feel that just because you aren’t using some expensive ingredients, and a 20 step cooking process like you see on a foodie blog, that your meals aren’t perfect – because if you follow these 5 steps, that is really all you need.

“Don’t feel pressured to buy activated, fermented, organic, water fed, grass fed, delivered from mars, anything – at the end of the day a piece of steak and broccoli is going to be a million times better for you than a takeaway pizza or pasta and that’s the most important thing”

I hope I have inspired you to get back in the kitchen, use everyday ingredients and start preparing meals and snacks that you absolutely love, that nurture your body and give you that radiant glow.

Anna x