Comfort eat... the healthy way
When I went through a period of appetite loss a couple of years ago, I had no idea it was the beginning of a long journey that would change how I eat. The only foods I had been able to face for weeks on end were roast chicken and vegetable soup; my idea of comfort food at the time. It wasn’t until the end of this episode that it occurred to me that I had inadvertently given up starchy carbohydrates. I also realised that a whole host of niggling discomforts had disappeared. I felt better, more energised, satisfied after eating but never overfull. And so I decided to continue eating this way, to ditch the bread, the potatoes, the pasta and rice.
More than two years down the line, I continue to be amazed that despite eating heartily – far more than I used to and at times more than my husband – my weight hasn’t increased. That constancy gives me huge pleasure, and a sense of security that has come as a surprise. And it left me feeling that if it really is that easy, I ought to be passing it on.
Low Carb Revolution: Comfort Eating For Good Health by Annie Bell, with photography by Dan Jones, is published by Kyle Books, priced £16.99.
Carbohydrate, 14.9g; protein, 52.5g
Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Cut out a cone from the centre of each tomato, plunge them into the water for about 20 seconds and then into cold water. Slip off the skins and coarsely chop them.
Heat a large cast-iron casserole over a medium-high heat. Pour a little olive oil into the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and coat the chicken all over. Season it with salt and pepper and place in the casserole to colour on all sides. Remove it on to a plate and turn the heat down. Add another couple of tablespoons of oil and fry the onions for about 5 mins, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent – they may colour a little. Once the heat calms down you can turn it up a little. Add the garlic a minute or so before the end.
Add the tomatoes, the rosemary, chilli, wine and some salt, and settle the chicken into the sauce. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover and cook over a low heat for 1 hour. While the chicken is cooking, make the pistou. Place the basil leaves in a food processor with 9 tablespoons of olive oil and a little salt and reduce to a purée.
Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, tipping any juices inside the bird back into the dish, and leave to rest for 15 mins. Leave the sauce to stand for 5-10 mins for the oil to rise, then skim it off and reduce the juices by half to concentrate the flavour. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce spooned over, and a little of the pistou, scattered with olives.
Carbohydrate, 18.5g; protein, 3.9g
Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 210C/gas 7. Arrange the vegetables in a large roasting dish that will hold them in a crowded single layer. Clarify the butter by gently melting it in a small saucepan, skim off the surface foam and pour the clear liquid over the vegetables, discarding the milky solids below. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 70-75 mins, until golden, turning with a spatula halfway through.
With persillade Carbohydrate, 19.5g; protein, 10.4g
Sprinkle the roast veg with persillade and serve them with air-dried ham and olives. Make a persillade by whizzing 20g flatleaf parsley and 2 peeled garlic cloves in a food processor until very finely chopped. Scatter over the vegetables and serve.
Serves 4
Carbohydrate, 3.3g; protein, 25.6g
For the burgers
Garnishes
Mix together the mince, shallots and seasoning in a bowl. For an especially professional finish, shape the mince, a quarter at a time, inside a 10cm pastry cutter with straight edges. Or, if you are happy with something more rustic, form the meat into balls using your hands, then flatten these between your palms. Bear in mind that the burgers will shrink and fatten when you grill them. If you want you can make them in advance, then cover and chill them.
Either place a ridged cast-iron griddle, or a large, dry frying pan, over a mediumlow heat, and cook the burgers for 4-5 mins on each side. Place each one within one of the lettuce leaves, smear over some mustard and then a little tomato ketchup. Next place a slice of tomato on top and season, then scatter over some sliced onion and gherkin and close with a second leaf for eating in the hand.
More than two years down the line, I continue to be amazed that despite eating heartily – far more than I used to and at times more than my husband – my weight hasn’t increased. That constancy gives me huge pleasure, and a sense of security that has come as a surprise. And it left me feeling that if it really is that easy, I ought to be passing it on.
Low Carb Revolution: Comfort Eating For Good Health by Annie Bell, with photography by Dan Jones, is published by Kyle Books, priced £16.99.
Provençal pot-roast with pistou
Serves 4Carbohydrate, 14.9g; protein, 52.5g
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 x 1.6kg free-range chicken, untrussed
- sea salt, black pepper
- 3 medium or 2 large onions, peeled, halved and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 small dried red chilli, finely chopped
- 150ml white wine
- 4 large handfuls of basil leaves
- 150g pitted green and black olives
Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Cut out a cone from the centre of each tomato, plunge them into the water for about 20 seconds and then into cold water. Slip off the skins and coarsely chop them.
Heat a large cast-iron casserole over a medium-high heat. Pour a little olive oil into the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and coat the chicken all over. Season it with salt and pepper and place in the casserole to colour on all sides. Remove it on to a plate and turn the heat down. Add another couple of tablespoons of oil and fry the onions for about 5 mins, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent – they may colour a little. Once the heat calms down you can turn it up a little. Add the garlic a minute or so before the end.
Add the tomatoes, the rosemary, chilli, wine and some salt, and settle the chicken into the sauce. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover and cook over a low heat for 1 hour. While the chicken is cooking, make the pistou. Place the basil leaves in a food processor with 9 tablespoons of olive oil and a little salt and reduce to a purée.
Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, tipping any juices inside the bird back into the dish, and leave to rest for 15 mins. Leave the sauce to stand for 5-10 mins for the oil to rise, then skim it off and reduce the juices by half to concentrate the flavour. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce spooned over, and a little of the pistou, scattered with olives.
Roasted roots (pictured top)
Serves 4Carbohydrate, 18.5g; protein, 3.9g
- 500g celeriac, skin cut off and sliced into wedges, 1-2cm thick
- 400g beetroot, tops and tails trimmed, cut into wedges
- 400g carrots, halved lengthways and cut into two shorter lengths
- 75g unsalted butter
- sea salt, black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 210C/gas 7. Arrange the vegetables in a large roasting dish that will hold them in a crowded single layer. Clarify the butter by gently melting it in a small saucepan, skim off the surface foam and pour the clear liquid over the vegetables, discarding the milky solids below. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 70-75 mins, until golden, turning with a spatula halfway through.
With persillade Carbohydrate, 19.5g; protein, 10.4g
Sprinkle the roast veg with persillade and serve them with air-dried ham and olives. Make a persillade by whizzing 20g flatleaf parsley and 2 peeled garlic cloves in a food processor until very finely chopped. Scatter over the vegetables and serve.
Classic hamburgers
Serves 4 Carbohydrate, 3.3g; protein, 25.6g
For the burgers
- 450g lean minced beef
- 1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
- sea salt, black pepper
- 8 small Romaine leaves, to serve
Garnishes
- English mustard
- tomato ketchup
- ½ beefsteak tomato, core removed and sliced
- ½ red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 8 cocktail gherkins, sliced
Mix together the mince, shallots and seasoning in a bowl. For an especially professional finish, shape the mince, a quarter at a time, inside a 10cm pastry cutter with straight edges. Or, if you are happy with something more rustic, form the meat into balls using your hands, then flatten these between your palms. Bear in mind that the burgers will shrink and fatten when you grill them. If you want you can make them in advance, then cover and chill them.
Either place a ridged cast-iron griddle, or a large, dry frying pan, over a mediumlow heat, and cook the burgers for 4-5 mins on each side. Place each one within one of the lettuce leaves, smear over some mustard and then a little tomato ketchup. Next place a slice of tomato on top and season, then scatter over some sliced onion and gherkin and close with a second leaf for eating in the hand.