Have a Merry Low Carb Christmas with these Atkins Recipes. With the silly season already upon us, and full-on festive feasts just around the corner, it’s easy to scrap healthy eating and succumb to the celebratory mood – only to regret it later. Yet this time of year the foodie spotlight is well and truly shining on seafood, meats and all things fresh, making it the ideal time to go low-carb.
Below is a range of delicious, simple, low carb recipes to create a delectable celebratory spread the whole family will enjoy.
Atkins Almond Crusted Baked Ham
Serving: 3 slices, 1g of carbs per serve
Ingredients
½ leg of ham (around 4kgs)
¼ cup wholegrain mustard
¼ cup whole mayonnaise
½ cup crushed almonds
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Method
- Remove the top layer of skin from the ham, keeping the fat. Using knife, create a diagonal crosshatch pattern in the fat without piercing the meat.
- Preheat oven to 170ᵒC, and leave the ham to sit at room temperature. In a bowl mix together mustard, mayonnaise, almonds and pepper.
- Place the ham in a baking tray, fat side facing upwards. Generously slather the ham with your nut mixture, spreading it over the top and sides. Pour enough water into the pan to cover the bottom. Bake in the over uncovered for approximately 2 hours, or until almond crust is golden.
Atkins Warm Green Bean and Parmesan Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
Serves 6, 2.4g of carbs per serve
Ingredients
250 grams green beans
125 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
50g shaved parmesan cheese
Method
- In a jar or similar combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal jar and shake vigorously. Place to the side to allow for infusion.
- Blanch green beans in boiling water for two minutes, drain, and place in a serving bowl and add halved cherry tomatoes. Liberally pour dressing over bean mixture, tossing until all ingredients are covered. Top with shaved parmesan, and serve.
Atkins Low Carb Christmas Cranberry Cheesecake
Serves 8, 4.75g of carbohydrates per serve
Ingredients
1 cup almond flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
6 tsp sweetener
4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla essence
4 eggs
Pinch salt
½ cup thickened cream
450g cream cheese
1tbsp fresh lemon juice
¾ cup fresh cranberries
¼ cup water
Method
- In a bowl beat one egg, add in almond flour, desiccated coconut, 1tsp sweetener, ¼ tsp vanilla essence and a pinch of salt and combine into a dough like mixture. Press mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of a spring form pan. Place in the fridge.
- Place a dish with around 2cm of water into the bottom of the oven, and preheat to 180ᵒc.
- In a large bowl, beat together the remaining 3 eggs, and combine with cream cheese, cream, 1tsp vanilla essence, lemon juice and 3tsp sweetener (or to taste). Pour the mixture into the refrigerated crust.
- Place cheesecake in the oven, and bake for around 50 minutes or until the edges become golden and the centre is only slightly wobbly. Turn the oven off, leaving the cake in the oven for an additional two hours, with a small gap for the heat to slowly escape.
- To create the sauce, combine ½ a cup of the cranberries, water, ½ tsp vanilla essence and 2 tsp sweetener (or to taste) into a saucepan, and cook low heat stirring continuously until the cranberries begin to pop and the mixture starts to become fluid – don’t worry too much about skin fragments.
- Remove the mixture from the heat, and allow to cool for around five minutes. Take the cheesecake out of the pan and onto a serving dish, and spread the cranberry sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining whole berries around the edges of the cake to give it a Christmassy feel.
- Your Christmas cheesecake is now ready to be served – enjoy!
For more delicious low carb recipe ideas visit the website atkins.com