The Low Carb Secret To Becoming A Yummy Mummy This Mother’s Day

Whether you’re looking to shift that persistent post-pregnancy paunch, eat more healthily on the go or just get back a bit of your old bounce, scientific evidence is mounting in favour of low carb eating as the perfect pathway to long - term weight management – with extra energy to boot. “With so many balls in the air it is little surprise many busy mums struggle to find the time to focus on their own needs including eating well and exercising,” said Ms Colette Heimowitz, Vice President of Nutrition and Education at Atkins Nutritionals. “The secret is making changes in eating habits a lifestyle choice, and to do that successfully food choices need to be simple, easy to prepare and incorporate real, nutrient-rich foods that are both satisfying and suitable for the whole family. The Atkins Nutritional Approach was formulated on this basis - which is why it has proven successful for so many people – Mums included.” And what better day to kick-start your journey towards becoming a yummy mum than on Mother’s Day. Check out these tasty Atkins recipes to get you started!

Atkins Coconut & Vanilla Bean Pikelets with a Buttery Berry Coulis

Serves 4, 9.45 grams of carbs per serve Ingredients Pikelet mixture: 1/3 cup coconut flour 1/3 cup almond flour 4 eggs 1 ½ cups coconut milk 5g vanilla bean 1 tbsp butter Berry Coulis: 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries 1tbsp butter ½ tsp vanilla ¾ cup coconut oil Method To make the coulis, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Once melted add the vanilla, berries and coconut oil, leaving to lightly simmer for just a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. To make the pikelet mixture, whisk eggs until they start to become frothy, continuing to whisk whilst slowly adding the coconut milk. Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean (or beans if small) into the mix, and whisk until evenly distributed. Add in the bi-carb soda, almond and coconut flour and mix well until combined. Melt a small amount of butter in a fry pan, place tablespoon mounds of mixture around the pan, leaving plenty of space between each pikelet. Spread each mound out to ensure an even thickness. Cover pan for 1-2 minutes to allow to steam, then flip pikelets and allow the other side to cook. Remove from pan once both sides have started to brown. Drizzle with the warm berry coulis to serve.

Atkins Smoked Salmon and Strawberry Carpaccio

Serves 4, 2.5 grams of carbs per serve Ingredients 400g Smoked Salmon 1 tbsp Olive Oil Pinch salt and pepper 1 tbsp capers ½ cup rocket 1 cup fresh strawberries Method Arrange salmon onto a flat plate, distribute capers, salt and pepper and olive oil over the salmon. Slice strawberries into halves of quarters, and distribute around salmon pieces. Sprinkle rocket evenly over the centre of the salmon. Serve, and enjoy! It also tastes great with poached eggs – just be sure to add them to the carb count!

Atkins Green Breakfast Smoothie

Serves 1, 13.6 grams of carbs per serve Ingredients 100ml coconut water 150mL water 1 large celery stick 1 cup baby spinach ¼ cup parsley 100g strawberries 1 tbsp lime juice 1 small nodule of ginger (around the size of a thumbnail) Method Wash all ingredients, remove skin for ginger and tops from strawberries. Chop hard ingredients into bitesize chunks. Place ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve as is, or pour over ice for a refreshing alternative. For details about the Atkins Nutritional Approach log onto www.atkins.com

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ABOUT ATKINS: Scientifically formulated for safe weight loss, management and lifelong eating, Atkins is an easy to follow, flexible four-phased program (start at the phase that best suits you) that helps you build a diet around whole foods rich in vitamins and ‘good carbohydrates’ including low sugar fruits, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, dairy, good fats, and protein (fish, poultry, red meat and tofu) – while at the same time helping you eliminate ‘bad’, highly processed carbs such as white flour and sugar. For further information or more carbohydrate-controlled recipe ideas, visit atkins.com