Low-carb eating during Christmas doesn’t mean you have to miss out on delicious, festive foods. So many of the best foods at Christmas are either low-carb, or there are great low-carb versions of them available. Here we describe some of our favourite low-carb foods which you can enjoy over the holiday season. So look forward to indulging a little over Christmas - the low-carb way, enjoying the best foods and making the most of a relaxing break.
Getting started - with low-carb appetisers!
We have plenty of choice when it comes to low-carb starters and appetisers, and we certainly don't need to miss out when we're low-carb. Try some of these options.
Sausage appetisers with bacon
Easy to make and loved by everyone, you can serve these pigs in blankets as finger food with a drink or as part of a buffet. They are made with chorizo, or other good quality sausage, bacon and a little apple or pear.
Charcuterie plate
This is such as simple option when it comes to arranging a starter for an informal get-to-gether at Christmas, and so tasty and colourful!
Hot keto shrimp cocktail
This shrimp cocktail is a really tasty option for a starter before you hit the main course. Delicately spiced shrimps (or prawns) and a mayo with a kick (think chilli not donkey!)
The Main Course
We all have our Christmas dinner favourites - and whilst goose and beef can be wonderful, I always opt for turkey! I think its best kept simple. Jamie Oliver's recipe below adds a clementine and some herbs to the turkey, along with butter and few vegetables. You can also add stuffing to the bird, but I prefer to cook the stuffing separately.
Side Dishes
All the trimmings are what make a Christmas dinner! So here are some ideas for some great low-carb additions to your main course.
Low carb stuffing
Made with bacon, apple, sage, onions, pecan nuts, a little low-carb bread, lots of cream and some celeriac. (which is called celery root in this recipe), this Diet Doctor recipe for stuffing is bound to rival the turkey for its tastiness! In fact, you could probably eat it as a main course!
Red cabbage with thyme and caraway butter
Red cabbage is such a beautiful colour, and dressed up for Christmas with thyme, caraway and shallots, it will make a great addition to the main course during the festivities.
Roasted vegetables tricolour
Sprouts are even tastier when served up with other vegetables and some seasoning - try this traybake which combines sprouts with cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, and just a sprinkling of rosemary or thyme.
We all love desserts!
Christmas Yule Log
A chocolate yule log is a tradition in many European countries, and you can see why! This particular version is made using lots of 80% dark chocolate together with large quantities of cream! The recipe contains a little erythritol sweetener, but you can leave this out if you prefer, and the dark chocolate will give you some sweetness.
Low carb fruit salad
The freshness of a fruit salad can be just what you want after a big Christmas dinner, and by avoiding the sweeter fruits you can still keep it low carb. All the berries in this recipe are low carb. The addition of a little orange and watermelon in the mix, which are slightly higher in carbs, will be fine. Just add cream!
And for afters......
Cheese platter
There can be no Christmas without cheese! Having a good range of cheeses for nibbling on after dinner, or with cold meats for an easy lunch after a walk, is just what you need at Christmas. Indulge in your favourites, or choose some new cheeses - we have so many great British cheeses as well as our European favourites. Cheeses can also be accompanied by our favourite seedy crackers, as shown in the picture below.
Low carb mince pies
You might decide to indulge in a little mince pie at Christmas, which is fine. There is also an option to try making these low carb mince pies, which are made with a mix of berries and almond pastry, and each pie has just 4g of carbs!
Keto chocolates
Indulging in a little chocolate over Christmas is not unusual, and there is no reason why we can't indulge in a little chocolate when we're low-carb. Just choose darker chocolate, preferably with over 80% cocoa solids. You can use dark chocolate or cocoa powder to make individual chocolates with nuts as shown in the recipe below. Or just dip almonds or brazil nuts into melted dark chocolate and leave to dry on greaseproof paper. Another idea is to melt some dark chocolate and add a little orange oil for a festive option!
Christmas drinks
We don't have to miss out on lovely Christmas drinks when we're low carb, there are lots of great options, with and without alcohol. Wine, even sparkling wine, is fine in moderation, but make sure you opt for dry rather than sweet wines. Beer is best avoided, unless it is specifically a low-carb variety. Spirits are low in carbs, but avoid the high carb mixers, including fruit juice - see the Diet Doctor guide. for more information.
If you love the taste of spices and wine you might like to tray this warming low-carb sugar-free mulled wine. Its made with all the warming Christmas spices - cloves, ginger, star anis and cinnamon along with orange peel. Perfect for a wintery evening!
Coffee with whipped cream
Add a little luxury to your morning coffee over Christmas - try adding whipped cream and a little vanilla or cardamom, its a great way to start the day!
Christmas comes just once a year, lets enjoy all the delicious treats it offers whether we're low-carb or not!
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