My Cholesterol Numbers

Thought I'd share my cholesterol numbers from my blood test last Friday. I should say that last year I went off LC to do an elimination diet for my daughter though my only fat source during that time was butter, eggs and meat, not even any fish or fish oil (amines). I have been back to Atkins style low carb for the last few months and I am still eating mostly lots of butter but I also add in some olive or macadamia oil with the occasional shot of cod liver oil. I started low carb (Atkins) in 2002 and started maintenance in 2003.

When I had my bloods checked in 2003 my triglycerides were 0.5 and my total cholesterol was 5.6, ratio was not checked.

This time my results are:

[mmol/L]

Total Triglycerides 0.4 (0.3-2.0)
Total Cholesterol 5.6 (<5.5)
HDL Cholesterol 2.0 (1.0-2.2)
LDL Cholesterol 3.3 (<3.7)
Total cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.8 (<5.0)


The numbers in brackets are the desired ranges.

Low Carb Lemon and Garlic, Roast Chicken

One of my favourite chefs as far as recipes go is Jamie Oliver as I find a lot of his recipes suit the tastes of my family and myself very well. Two of our favourites is his Polla Alla Cacciatore and his Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken with the roast even being fussy eater friendly (tested by my extremely fussy brother last Christmas). This roast is very popular, I do it a lot. There's a couple of minor deviations from Jamies recipe but otherwise it is the same.



Low Carb Lemon and Garlic, Roast Chicken

1 chook over 2kg (4.5 lbs)

2-3 lemons (squeeze lemon juice over any veggies you roast)

Half a bulb of garlic, gloves separated and peeled

Bunch of fresh thyme

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Butter

Salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190/370F

2. Boil up 1 lemon and some garlic cloves and if you want to spuds for the high carbers for about ten minutes, then chuck the spuds in the roasting dish around the chicken.

3. Prick holes in the lemon whilst it is steaming hot and shove it up the chooks butt with some fresh thyme and half of the garlic cloves.

4. Rub the chicken with salt and olive oil and remaining garlic cloves, squeeze lemon juice over it and any lemon pulp that comes out of the lemon all over the breasts etc and chuck in the oven. [The time varies between ovens and the size of the chook so I will leave it up to your judgement. Jamie says 1.5 hours but I always need much longer]

5. Half way through I turn the roasting tray around, slice up some butter and put it over the top of the chicken and chuck back in the oven. YUM!