Easy bread recipe
Ingredients:
- 500g strong white flour (plus extra for dusting) (350g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (0g)
- 1 x 7g sachet of fast-acting yeast (0g)
- 300ml water
Method:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients into a bowl
2. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Mix together. If the dough seems a little stiff, add a 1-2 tablespoons water and mix well
3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10mins. This will break down the gluten and make the dough feel more elastic and give a lighter loaf so try to knead for the full 10 mins.
4. Once the dough is smooth, place in an oiled bowl (to prevent sticking) and cover with cling film or a clean tea towel.
5. Leave the dough for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Either line a baking tray with baking parchment or flour the surface of it.
7. Tip the dough onto a work surface and ‘knock’ it back (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself). Mould the dough into a ball
8. Place on the baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
9. Heat the oven to 220°C/Gas mark 7
10. Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut a cross about 6cm on the top of a loaf with a sharp knife
11. Bake for 25-30mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds ‘hollow’ when tapped underneath. Allow to cool
350g carbs in the whole loaf. The best way to calculate the carbs in each slice is to cut a slice and weigh it. The carbs will be half the weight of the slice. Eg if your slice weighs 40g, the carbs will be 20g
We understand that you may sometimes feel peckish when you get home from school.
Try to choose after school snacks that are low carb/carb free or as healthy as possible. This will help keep blood glucose levels within range and reduce the risk of spoiling your appetite for your evening meal.
If you choose a snack that contains carbs, please carb count and follow your meter or app for recommended insulin dose (as it may be less than 4 hours from your last injection).
Carb - Free Snacks (no need to give insulin)
- Veg sticks with salsa/ guacamole/pea dip/sugar free peanut butter/cottage cheese/cream cheese
- Sugar free jelly
- Eggs - boiled, poached, scrambled, egg muffins/ omelette (with tuna/ham/chicken/cheese)
- Nuts (not sugar coated) and seeds (toast with spices and keep in a pot)
- Veg soup (no potatoes)/miso soup
- Dhal
- Cheese strings/Babybel (only occasionally due to high fat and salt content)
- Pepparami style snacks (only occasionally due to high fat and salt content)
- 1 satsuma/clementine; 1 plum; 1 kiwi; handful of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blueberries etc
Snacks containing carbs (need to carb count and give insulin)
- Toast/crumpets/roti/crackers/oatcakes/rice cakes/corncakes/breadsticks (toppings ideas are sugar free peanut butter/cheese/eggs/houmous/baked beans. Toppings are carb free except baked beans)
- Glass of milk/plant based milk (add sugar free cocoa powder to make into milkshake)
- Yoghurt (with chopped fruit)
- Popcorn (plain, spiced)
- Fruit (except for above)
- Weetabix/soaked cold oats/porridge with milk
- Pierogi
- Samosa/bhaji/pakora
- Aloo paratha
- Paszteciki/croquettes
- Zapiekanka
- Babos pogacsa (only occasionally due to high fat content)
- Bundas kenyer (only occasionally due to high fat content)
- Crisps/pretzels/tortilla chips (only occasionally due to high fat and salt content)
- Veg crisps, eg veg crisps, lentil or chickpea crisps
Recipes
Egg Muffins (makes 6)
Chocolate, cashew and banana bars (makes 16 bars)
Chocolate orange energy boosters (makes 18)
Sugar Free Banana Bread (makes 12 slices)
Savoury Carrot and Courgette Muffins
Chocolate sea salt nutty cereal bars
Chocolate peanut butter squares
You can find a list of low and carb free snacks here - please note this document is not accessible for all. If you require this in a different format please call 01282 804700.
We have put together some recipes for puddings with lower sugar contents for you to enjoy. These could be over the Christmas period or for other occasional treats and celebrations. These puddings will still need to be carb counted and insulin given, but they should not cause such a spike in blood glucose than when they are made in the traditional way.
As with all new recipes, monitor blood glucose afterwards.
Recipes:
Lemon and blueberry cake/cupcakes
Festive treats:
Nuts
-
Brazil nuts – 25g = 0.8g carbs
-
Walnuts – 50g = 3.5g carbs
-
Hazelnuts – 25g = 1.8g carbs
-
Almonds – 25g = 2.4g carbs
-
Pecan nuts – 25g = 1.4g
-
Peanuts - 30g = 1.7g carbs
-
NB cashews – 25g – 6.3g carbs
-
NB Pistachio nuts – 25g = 5g carbs
Cheeses
-
Mini-hard cheese portions (1-2oz) e.g. Babybel or cheese strings, cream or cottage cheeses
Olives
Work well served with cheese (1-2g carbs per 60g)
Crudites
Celery, carrot, cucumber and pepper sticks – served with various dips
e.g. Sour cream, tzatziki, cream cheese, Aioli (NB hummus is higher in carbs 5.7g carbs per ¼ pot compared with <3g carbs)
Cherry Tomatoes
A great snack on their own or combined with cheese, sour cream. 80g (approx. 7cherry toms =- 2.5g carbs, 16kcals)
Protein Foods
- Sliced meats – such as ham, beef or turkey breast Chicken wings or drumsticks
- Hard boiled eggs
- Fridge raiders – 25g packets contains <1g carb and 0.4g salt which is eqvilant of 3 wafer thin slices of ham
- Prawns and cockles (NB crab sticks are 2.5g carbs for each stick)
Avocado
These can be mashed up with a pinch of salt and pepper – add a small grated clove of garlic or squeeze of lime for extra flavour.
Mash and mix with sweetener (truvia) and cocoa powder to make a dessert
Tinned Fish
High in protein, Tuna can be tinned in Oil, brine or water.
Sardines, mackerel, pilchards in oil, curry, tom sauce, chilli (<5g per tin)
Red/pink salmon
Peanut Butter
Can add some sweetener e.g. Truvia to make an instant dessert
Sugar free jelly can be served with cream
Courgette chips
Slice a courgette, lay onto a baking tray, sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 20 minutes (unless crispy)
Carbohydrate Free Breakfast Ideas
Cooked breakfast – a choice of grilled sausage, bacon, egg, mushroom and tinned/fresh grilled tomato but NO BREAD or baked beans
Egg based dish e.g. Omelette, Hardboiled egg with tomatoes
Egg with slices of avocado
Piece of fish e.g. Smoked Mackerel served with mushrooms and Cherry tomatoes
Lunch Ideas
- Omelette with cheese/ham/mushroom served with a big green salad
- Salad with feta cheese and olives
- Salad with prawns/tuna/chicken or ham
- Boiled ham with a fried egg and salad
- Smoked mackerel pate – pre pack smoked mackerel (peppered one fine), mash with a fork and add dessertspoon of low fat mayo and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with crunchy lettuce and cucumber
- A Protein choice e.g. Chicken breast with veg (NO POTATOES)
- Also see breakfast ideas
- Omelette muffins – grease a muffin tin with a little oil. Beat 6 eggs together and add veggies (peppers, spring onion , peas etc). Pour into the muffin tray and top with grated cheese. Bake in the oven until the egg is not runny in the middle
Dinner Ideas
- Lasagne – use slices of aubergine or courgette in place of the pasta sheets
- Frittata Mushroom and ham (Prawn and chorizo or Ricotta, tomato and spinach )
- Carbonara – use courgette in place of spaghetti strands
- Bolognaise - use courgette/carrot spaghetti
- Stir fries – chicken/beef/prawn with mixed peppers, onions and mushrooms with soy sauce and garlic. Omit noodles or use fried shredded cabbage strips instead
- Wraps/Burgers – use gem lettuce or cloud bread (see recipe) in place of the bread. Serve with a side salad. Also try giant garlic mushroom and halloumi burger for a veggie option
- Baked/Steamed Fish (cod, salmon, haddock etc) with fried peppers and basil or Pak Choi and Asian spices
- Lemon and garlic chicken with roast/boiled vegetables e.g. carrots, broccoli
- Chilli chicken/beef strips (do not use sweet chilli sauce – fresh chilli, chilli powder or dry spice rub)
- Curry – using cauliflower rice instead of rice – see below
- Cauliflower/broccoli gratin – with grated cheese on top and finished off under the grill. Add chopped toasted nuts for extra crunch
- A protein course such as steak/lamb chop/chicken with a salad or veg e.g. fried tomatoes and mushrooms.
- Stuffed Giant Mushrooms or peppers – e.g. stuffed with mince, onions and cheese
- Pizza (carb free base) – a cauliflower base with traditional toppings e.g. cheese and tomatoes with ham/pepperoni/mushrooms – see recipe below
- Huevos Rancheros – see recipe below
- Aubergine parmigiana – see recipe below
Recipes
Pizza with Cauliflower base
Ingredients:
- 1 cauliflower (0g)
- 100g ground almonds (0g)
- 2 eggs, beaten (0g)
- 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs/oregano (0g)
Method:
1. Heat oven to 180°C
2. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and trim the stalk end, then cut into chunks.
3. Blitz half the cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped, like rice. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining half.
4. Tip all the cauliflower in a bowl, cover with cling film and microwave on ‘high’ for 5-6 mins until softened.
5. Tip onto a clean tea towel and leave to cool a little.
6. Once cool enough to handle, scrunch up the tea towel and squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the cauliflower, then transfer to a clean bowl.
7. Stir in the ground almonds, egg, oregano and plenty of seasoning.
8. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and grease with oil.
9. Mound the cauliflower mix into the centre of the tray, then use a spoon and your hands to spread out into a 30cm round. Make it a little thicker at the edges to create a ‘crust’.
10. Bake for 15-18 mins until golden brown and starting to crisp a little at the edges.
Easy flat breads
Flatbreads are easier to make than traditional bread and a good way to build your breadmaking confidence! They are incredibly versatile and the ideal partner to everything from hummus to a salad. They are also ideal for wrapping burgers, sausages, kebabs, koftas and other barbecued meat or veg, and of course, for mopping up a good wet curry or stew!
Gluten free flour can also be used for this recipe.
Ingredients (makes 8):
- 250g plain flour/gluten free plain flour(200g)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed, olive or sunflower oil
- 150ml water
Method:
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt.
2. Add the oil to 150ml warm water, then pour this liquid into the flour in a thin stream, stirring well with a wooden spoon or your hands to form a slightly sticky dough.
3. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it feels smooth and plump, sprinkling on a little more flour only if the dough feels very sticky.
4. Cover the ball of dough with the upturned mixing bowl and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
5. When you’re ready to cook and eat the flatbreads, roll the dough into a sausage shape and divide it into 8 pieces (about 52g per piece).
6. Roll each piece into a ball. Flour the work surface and rolling pin, then roll out each ball of dough into a round 2–3mm thick, using plenty of flour as the dough is liable to stick.
7. Place a heavy-based non-stick frying pan – or a cast-iron griddle – over a high heat and when it’s good and hot, turn the heat down a bit. Have ready a plate lined with a clean tea towel so you can put your cooked flatbreads on it to keep them warm and soft.
8. Shake off any excess flour and carefully lay a flatbread in the hot pan. Let it sit for a minute or two, until the dough looks ‘set’ on top and is starting to lift away from the pan. Look at the underside and, if you can see dark brown patches forming, flip it over with a spatula or tongs. Cook the second side for 30–45 seconds. Wrap the cooked flatbread in the tea towel while you cook the others. If the flatbreads are colouring too quickly, lower the heat a bit.
9. Serve the flatbreads while still soft and warm. Once cold, they won’t be quite the same. But they can be recycled by tearing them into pieces, brushing with a little oil, then crisping them up in a hot oven (at 220°C/Gas Mark 7) to make dipping chips, or flat croûtons for soups and salads.
Carbs per flatbread = 200g ÷ 8 = 25g