When I first started to cut back on carbs, it felt like I was waving goodbye to some of my beloved dishes. The “good bits” of the meal. Potatoes - gone. Yorkshire pudding – see ya. Gravy - “does it have flour in it?”
It wasn’t until I started to look past what you 'can’t eat' and focused on what you 'can eat', that I soon realised that these meals are just as much of a treat than before. In fact, I would go as far to say that I enjoy them even more now I don’t have the post dinner food-coma that I’m sure we are all too familiar with.
Ben and I (admittedly when eating out and enjoying a curry!), often comment on how much nicer it is being able to enjoy more of the 'good stuff' (like butter chicken, tandoori lamb chops, sagg paneer to name a few) and less of the 'fillers' (rice and bread etc). It’s almost like upgrading your meal… when you know, you know!
As a chef, and having lived a low carb lifestyle for over 2 years now, I’ve got this holiday season down to a T. So, I’ve decided to pull together a menu that you can cook for everyone, even for those not following a low carb lifestyle, meaning you all can sit around a table and enjoy this magical time of year together.
For this Festive Feast I’ve gone with beef, a firm family favourite and a change from the obvious turkey. Feel free to mix it up and replace the meat with whatever you fancy, (no judgement here).
You simply replace the meat and cook accordingly, still following steps for the gravy (roast the meat sitting on a bed of chunky vegetables, giving a depth of flavour to the final sauce).
For the vegetable sides, my advice is to prep well in advance - allowing you to sit back and be merry with your guests, stress-free!
Let’s unwrap the delights of our feast:
- Roast beef with a flourless gravy
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Pigs in blanket (doesn’t really need a recipe here but couldn’t go without!)
- Indulgent cauliflower and truffle purée
- Comforting celeriac, turnip and squash gratin
- Moorish glazed brussel sprouts with crispy pancetta and pecans
Feel free to mix it up as you wish. Swap the sprouts for sprouting broccoli perhaps. Go super low-carb and leave out the squash from the gratin or double down on the pigs in blankets because we all know that they make killer snacks for the next few days.
For the glaze on the sprouts (and to add depth to the gravy), I’ve used a favourite of mine, inulin syrup. Feel free to use any high fibre, no added sugar syrup of your choice to replace this. Even if you’re not super strict with carbs, honey or maple syrup would work. I personally find that you get just as good a result using inulin as you would with honey or maple syrup, and inulin doesn’t contribute to a blood sugar spike, so it’s an easy win!
Cooking for Christmas doesn't have to be stressful, so have fun with this and if you have any questions about the various stages, do reach out... I would be delighted to help where I can.
Stay tuned for the complete recipes and a sprinkle of extra tips! Your holiday table is about to witness the enchantment of low-carb feasting, where joyous indulgence knows no boundaries!
