Cook book: Carbs & Cals Salads by Chris Cheyette & Yello Balolia

Overview: Carb counting is so important for us (diabetics) as we must constantly be vigilant of what we are putting into our bodies. I’ve been a huge fan of Carbs and Cals and have been using their app for many years now. I found that the app really helped me to understand how many carbs I was consuming daily whilst understanding how it affected my blood glucose levels. On the app you can search for different foods types which have been measured out into different portions. It breaks down the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, calories and fats within certain foods. It also contains a calendar which allows you to input your exercise routine and all foods you consume.

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to review the Carbs & Cals new Salad book and of course I was delighted to review it and try out some of their new recipes. If you’re new to carb counting, you can really begin to develop a stronger understanding of how many carbohydrates you are having from meal to meal. Life is definitely made a lot easier because like the app you’re getting a much better understanding of what you are putting into your body and for those of us who still like to flick through the pages of a book the Carbs & Cals Counter , Salad and Smoothie books are all great additions to have alongside other cookery books.

If you are thinking of incorporating more salads into your diet, then the healthy new salad book gives you so many fantastic ideas to create new recipes, whilst exploring delicious ingredients filled with so many health benefits. The Salad book provides the option of both hot and cold salads.  If you’re looking for salads which are higher in fibre, protein or if you’re pursuing a low carb diet then there are many options to try out.

At the start of each year, people make promises to work out and lose a few pounds here and there. Well, I decided that this year I was going to try and get rid of some of the extra mama pounds I’d gained during and after my pregnancies. I wanted to maintain a regular fitness routine and improve my diet as a whole. Previously, I’d only eaten salads alongside my main meals but with this book I’ve been able to incorporate gains (which are more filling) into my salads, allowing me to have salads as a main dish.

Recipe I tried:

– King Prawn & Avocardo – which can be found in the Low carb section of the book (P.34)

 

Cooking from Carb & Cals Salad book

The King Prawn & Avocado recipe has ingredients that I was familiar with, although I have never used pineapple in my salad before. It was surprisingly really nice. The recipe suggests that, “the sweet pineapple and salty olives make for a great combination”. The salty olives mixed with the sweet pineapple flavour really worked well. 

The recipe is very easy to make and follow plus the ingredients weren’t costly. I also added the olive oil and lemon dressing which made it taste delicious. It gives you the option to leave off the dressing (saving you 35 Cals and 4g of fat) but I think the flavours it adds makes the salad even better. The recipe was very filling so I shared the remaing with my family, who also enjoyed it very much.

So here’s the full recipe for you to try out

My favourite parts of ‘Carbs & Cals Salad’ are the colour coded sections at the top of each page, which divides the book up into different salad recipes, categorised by salad dietary types. The very back section of this book outlines the different portions of vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, nuts, seeds and even grains like pasta that can be included into whatever salad/s you choose to make or create.

Just like the app and the Cabs & Cals counter book, carbohydrates, calories and fat contents are all clearly shown in colour coded circles. I love it! Your eyes are automatically drawn to these circles and you begin to recognise the carbs, cals etc, instantly when you turn to each page.

I’m so excited to give some of the other recipes in this book a try and even create my own salad recipes using the portion section at the back of the book. I will be able to develop an even better understanding of the carbs, cals etc content in different foods. My son has already requested a few of the salads, so I’ll be making many more salads from my new favourite recipe book. Thanks Carbs and Cals.

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Amina xx