After 3 years of low-carb, I'm loving pasta again!

@Lushlala (4028)
Gaborone, Botswana
November 15, 2020 9:54am CST
For three long years, I embarked on the low-carb lifestyle called Banting. Those who follow this 'lifestyle' baulk at the idea of calling it a diet but it's basically a diet that cuts out refined food items, drinks and all high-carbs. I followed it for three years and to be fair, it REALLY WORKS! But when COVID hit, I just couldn't hack it because I needed my stodgy comfort food I missed pasta and rice but mostly, I missed bread. Well, I ditched the rigid low-carb lifestyle and while I'm a few pounds heavier, I'm all the happier for it Here's a dish I recently made and thoroughly enjoyed. It's my own recipe. I chucked together thin strips of bacon, mushrooms, onions, garlic, thin strips of chicken, my favourite spices and lashings of cream. Truly DIVINE. Have you tried the low-carb diet? What did you struggle with NOT eating the most? If you've not tried it, would you?
15 people like this
14 responses
@JudyEv (341954)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Nov 20
I would probably miss bread as much as anything else.
3 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
I grew up on bread and that's definitely the one thing I missed desperately LOL All the low-carb bread recipes I tried were VILE
2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
20 Nov 20
@JudyEv I totally agree with you - the taste alters to the point where it tastes like something else altogether. Just vile
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341954)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Nov 20
@Lushlala Once they start substituting ingredients, the original flavour goes out the door.
2 people like this
• United States
15 Nov 20
sure looks yummy :) i've not done any diets'n purpose, though health reasonin'. not the low-carb, per se. gluten, rice, soy 'n a litany 'f other foods make me quite ill. i miss fluffy biscuits smothered'n butter 'n cream gravy... 've yet to get a recipe that works with gluten free flours without usin' rice 'r soy flours. i do make pasta usin' almond 'n tapioca flours. not fancy noodles such's these, but does feed my pasta cravin' 'n holds'p well'n soups. can e'en freeze such 'n 't reheats beautifully.
2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
I'm so sorry that you have to miss out on all these goodies due to health reasons Fluffy biscuits smothered in butter and cream gravy sure sound YUMMY but I've sadly never had them. Whatever I've tried to make with almond flour, which is very expensive here, never turned out well But I'm glad they satisfy your craving for pasta.
2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
20 Nov 20
@crazyhorseladycx Aww man I'm so sorry to hear that but I don't mean it in that pitying kind of way I know you hate. Yeah, I guess with almonds being so expensive, even if you grind it yourself, the difference would probably not be worth the effort. What annoys me is that I bought all these various types of flour - coconut, almond, heba, Flaxseed, Cassava etc but once I got bored of the low-carb diet, I lost all interest in them. I now have a cupboard full of the stuff and have no intention of ever using it
2 people like this
• United States
17 Nov 20
@Lushlala no worries, could be worse :) spend nearly a year'n jest a full liquid diet which 'twas very limited to heal my poor gut. then 'nother 3 months with soft, bland foods. 'twas a near daily meal all my growin' 'n 'nto 'dulthood, that biscuits'n gravy. 'f course, bein' from the south we'd more biscuits than bread. 'twas quicker to make. yes ma'am, that almond flour 'tis what i consider a 'delicacy', 'long with all the other gluten free flours. prolly why 'tis very rare i make any breads 'n baked goods these days. i thought i'd be smart'n jest grind my own, ended 'p costin' nearly the same. prolly a good thingy such's so spendy. otherwise i'd be eatin' pasta e'eryday. jest love the schtuff.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
16 Dec 20
We did the Atkins low carb lifestyle fr 8 years. I am now happily eating anything including bread and pasta.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Dec 20
I don't blame you at all. I just got tired of it all and when my hair started falling, that was the last straw. I eat a bit of everything and although I'm a bit heavier, I'm happier for it. I hope you are too
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
22 Dec 20
@BelleStarr Fantastic! I'm happy for you
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
18 Dec 20
@Lushlala I am on both lol
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472041)
• Switzerland
16 Nov 20
I only reduce my portions and count my calories when I want to lose weight and it works all the time. I will not go into low-carb diet, I like to eat pasta a couple of times a week and some bread with my food.
2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
That's a very good way of doing it! I too can't be without bread - I love it too much LOL
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472041)
• Switzerland
17 Nov 20
@Lushlala I love bread, I feel like I have not eaten enough if I do not eat bread.
2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
20 Nov 20
@LadyDuck Same here! I could just live on bread-based food and be happy
2 people like this
@xFiacre (13135)
• Ireland
15 Dec 20
@lushlala Life without cheese and pasta would be quite trying for me.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Dec 20
You can say that again! I'm never doing that again. Life is for living
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Dec 20
@xFiacre Hahaha but of course!!!
@xFiacre (13135)
• Ireland
17 Dec 20
@lushala And cheese is for eating!
1 person likes this
@porwest (92484)
• United States
25 Nov 20
We did that too for a while, and I have to tell you...it totally sucked. We are again enjoying our rice, our potatoes, and our pasta. We will not go back. Life is too short to not eat what we want.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
26 Nov 20
I totally agree with you, Jim - life's too short and it's for enjoying. I won't be going back either. My husband wouldn't do it I think as long as we're reasonably healthy and eat everything in moderation, we should be fine
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
30 Nov 20
@porwest Absolutely!
1 person likes this
@porwest (92484)
• United States
29 Nov 20
@Lushlala I think that's the key. Moderation.
1 person likes this
@prinzcy (32305)
• Malaysia
16 Nov 20
I am on calories diet. Can eat anything as long as doesn't surpassed the daily calories intake. Of course I am not to the point of being obsess about it. I can't image if I need to carry a scale to accurately measure my calories intake. Just assuming the calories value would be enough for me.
1 person likes this
@prinzcy (32305)
• Malaysia
17 Nov 20
@Lushlala you can try an app. Some calories counter app provide menu as well. Mine is a bit local version. We have local food in the list.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
20 Nov 20
@prinzcy Oh, that's a fantastic idea and one I'd be happy to sample. Thanks so much for reminding me
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
That's fantastic! At least you can eat anything as long as your daily calories count is within the stipulated margins. What's the diet? Maybe I could try it as well I hope it's working for you.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
15 Nov 20
how much weight did you lose on a low carb lifestyle? what carbs were allowed?
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
I lost about 7 kg, which was just about right for me as it was my target. The diet allows you only about 25 g of low-carbs per day. You can eat fruit from time to time, not all the time. It basically encourages more meat and green, leafy veggies, certain nuts and seeds etc
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90405)
• Arvada, Colorado
30 Nov 20
Yes I too am afraid this covid thing has blasted my weight loss all to heck too. Your pasta looks delicious. Enjoy it
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
3 Dec 20
Thank you so much - it was YUMMY Oh, with COVID, I've gone back to eating anything my heart desires, only in small portions
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Dec 20
It's hard to eat less food..I had like that for two weeks and I almost lost weight those years.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
29 Dec 20
I like losing weight but not when I can't eat some of my favourite food LOL
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Jan 21
I haven't tried any specific diets but just cut down on the fattening stuff if I start getting porky.
@just4him (317242)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Nov 20
I'm glad it worked while you were on it. Your meal looks very good. No, I've never done low carb.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
Thank you It really does work. The problem is the discipline, although I think I did well to last three years
@NJChicaa (120101)
• United States
15 Nov 20
I could never do low carb
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Nov 20
I don't blame you - I don't ever plan to go back on it!
@thelme55 (77167)
• Germany
20 Nov 20
That is a delicious pasta. No, I have not done the low carb diet. I only eat when I am hungry and so there´s no point in having a diet. I am not fond of snacking, too.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
22 Nov 20
Thank you I like your style - diets are not necessary when you do what you do. I also don't really snack. If I do, it's usually nuts or fruit, with the occasional chocolate bar thrown in to stave off cravings.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
26 Nov 20
@thelme55 Yes, I too try to avoid unhealthy snacks and only have them occasionally as a treat.
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (77167)
• Germany
22 Nov 20
@Lushlala Just like you, I occasionally snack with fruits and nuts. Seldom chocolate or chips.
1 person likes this