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Lower carb recipes
We're delighted to bring Nutracheck members a selection of exclusive BBC Good Food recipes in our Sunday newsletters over the next few weeks – so keep your eyes peeled. This week, we've got 5 delicious lower-carb recipes. Eating a lower-carb diet can be a good option for some people, especially if you're trying to reduce your sugar consumption or increase your protein intake.
Charred chilli salmon with cabbage salad
Serves 4 - 388 kcals per serving
Kcals |
388 |
Fat |
23.2g |
Sat fat |
4.4g |
Carbs |
12.6g |
Sugar |
10.2g |
Fibre |
6.1g |
Protein |
32.2g |
Salt |
0.28g |
Ingredients
- 500-600g whole piece of salmon
- 1 tsp sunflower oil
For the marinade
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ green chilli, finely chopped
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
For the salad
- 400g white cabbage, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 green chilli, finely sliced
- ½ lemon, juiced, plus a few slices to serve
- ½ cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and sliced
- Handful of coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Method
- First, make the marinade. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Lay the salmon, skin-side down, in a large container, then pour on the marinade and turn the fish to fully coat it. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or up to 12 hrs.
- Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9, or as high as it will go. Line the base of a sturdy, shallow roasting tin with baking parchment, then drizzle over the oil. Lay the marinated salmon skin-side down on the parchment and roast for 25-30 mins until the outside is lightly charred and the inside is just cooked. Meanwhile, for the salad, tip the cabbage, red onion and chilli into a bowl, sprinkle with sea salt and scrunch the veg with your hands to work in the salt. Stir in the lemon juice and set aside while the salmon is roasting.
- Just before serving, stir the cucumber slices and coriander into the cabbage salad. Bring the whole salmon to the table with a few lemon slices on top to serve, then carve and plate up with the salad. Serve with rice on the side, if you like.
Chickpea, charred aubergine & feta salad
Serves 6 - 274 kcals per serving
Kcals |
274 |
Fat |
16.9g |
Sat fat |
3.7g |
Carbs |
17.8g |
Sugar |
2.2g |
Fibre |
7g |
Protein |
13.5g |
Salt |
0.61g |
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 medium aubergines
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 x 400g chickpeas, drained
- Small handful of mint, finely chopped, plus some whole leaves to serve
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 200g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
Method
- Thinly slice the aubergine lengthways into 1cm-thick pieces, then slice each into three strips. Toss with 2 tbsp of the oil and some salt. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat or until almost smoking, then griddle the strips for 2-3 mins on each side until tender. Transfer to a large bowl (you can also barbecue them if you prefer).
- Mix the chilli flakes, lemon juice and remaining oil together with some seasoning. Tip the chickpeas into the bowl with the aubergine, add the dressing and mint, then toss everything together. Tip onto a serving platter, scatter over the pine nuts and feta, and scatter over some mint leaves to serve.
Green goddess salad
Serves 8 - 227 kcals per serving
Kcals |
227 |
Fat |
19g |
Sat fat |
3g |
Carbs |
8.6g |
Sugar |
5.6g |
Fibre |
4.5g |
Protein |
5.6g |
Salt |
0.68g |
Ingredients
- 1 pointed spring cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 iceberg or romano lettuce, finely chopped
- 1 cucumber, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
For the dressing
- 70g cashews, toasted in a dry frying pan
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 120ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100ml oat milk
- 1 bunch of basil
- ½ small bunch of mint
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Method
- Toss the cabbage, lettuce, cucumber and spring onion together in a large bowl with a large pinch of salt.
- Tip all of the ingredients for the dressing into a blender and blitz with 1 tsp salt until smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Taste for seasoning, then spread out on a large serving plate.
Miso tofu & spring onion skewers
Serves 4 - 252 kcals per serving
Kcals |
252 |
Fat |
17.8g |
Sat fat |
2.8g |
Carbs |
6.6g |
Sugar |
4.1g |
Fibre |
1.5g |
Protein |
16.2g |
Salt |
1.25g |
Ingredients
- 375g firm, smoked tofu, cut into large chunks
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Method
- Tip the tofu into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, miso, honey or agave, the lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour this over the tofu, toss gently to combine, cover and chill overnight to marinate.
- The next day, thread the tofu and spring onion pieces alternately on four large, metal skewers. Light the barbecue and wait until the coals are ashen, then cook the skewers for 4-5 mins on each side until slightly charred. Alternatively, cook under a hot grill for 5-8 mins on each side until golden. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds before serving.
Ribboned courgette salad
Serves 2-4 - 217 kcals per serving
Kcals |
217 |
Fat |
11.1g |
Sat fat |
3.7g |
Carbs |
19.8g |
Sugar |
7.3g |
Fibre |
5.9g |
Protein |
10.5g |
Salt |
0.5g |
Ingredients
- 10g parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp honey
- 2 courgettes
- 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ x 198g can sweetcorn, drained
- 80g feta, (check it's vegetarian, if needed)
- 2 tsp mixed seeds
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
Method
- Put most of the parsley, the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and honey in a bowl and whisk together along with some seasoning to taste.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the courgettes into ribbons, discarding the seedy centre. Tip into a large bowl with the chickpeas and sweetcorn. Pour over the dressing, toss together and leave to marinate for 5 mins. Crumble in the feta and give it a final light toss. Season with a grinding of black pepper.
- Divide the salad between four plates. Scatter over the remaining parsley and sprinkle over along with the mixed seeds and spring onions.