5 lower sugar, lower fat recipes created by Suffolk care home chefs

Many of our readers have asked for diabetic-friendly, low-fat recipes and restaurant recommendations, so we’ve teamed up with chefs from Care UK, which runs 10 homes across Suffolk, who are expert at creating balanced, healthy dishes for their residents (and staff).

Some of them are award-winning cooks (developing their careers through Care UK’s own Chef Academy) who are always adapting recipes to meet the individual needs of the people they serve day-in, day-out.

The teams follow the government’s Eat Well guidelines and have even produced their own publication to help people eat better at careuk.com/care-homes/helpful-guides/eating-as-we-age-guide.

Andrew Mussett is an experienced chef and nutrition expert who works across the organisation in Suffolk and beyond, and he’s adamant that a low sugar diet can (and should) be tasty.

“You don’t have to sacrifice enjoyment of your food for a diet low in fat and sugar," he says. “For example, you can often reduce the amount of sugar in a cake recipe without affecting its taste. Swapping one ingredient for another is also a great way to adjust your diet – using unrefined sugar instead of white sugar is a small thing to do but reaps benefits over time, and you can replace sugar with natural carbohydrates from fruit and vegetables. Cooking your own meals also means you can control the amount of fat and sugar you use, look out for hidden fat and sugar in some processed ingredients and especially in ready-made dishes.”

Care UK’s food and hotel services manager James Clear, also from Suffolk, adds: “We have created masterclasses for our chefs in various modified diets so they can create lower-sugar versions for those with diabetes, or other dietary requirements that would benefit from reduced sugar. For example, we can still deliver a popular dessert such as apple crumble and custard but we add oats into the crumble topping for slow-release energy and top it with custard made using half the usual amount of sugar. It still gets great reviews from residents!”

He also suggests artificial sweeteners aren’t necessarily the answer. “We don’t take away the sugar completely – it is all in moderation. If we took it away and replaced it with sweeteners it could have a detrimental effect as excessive amounts can work like a laxative. Instead we look at reducing foods high in glycaemic load and controlling blood sugar levels with slower release foods such as oats and wholemeal versions of pasta, bread and rice.”

James reminds readers to check the way they use this advice with their GP if they have been told it is medically necessary to reduce blood sugar.

Andrew, James and their colleagues are keen to share their favourite low fat, low sugar recipes.

A bran muffin with baked figs (Image: Care UK)

Bran nut muffins

(Makes 12)

These work well for breakfast or brunch. We like to serve them with natural set yoghurt and baked figs.

Ingredients

For the muffins:

10g baking soda

3g baking powder

60g bread flour

25g milk powder

200g brown sugar

Pinch low sodium salt

210g whole wheat flour

50g bran

65g raisins

50g walnuts

150g vegetable oil

300ml water

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla flavouring

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C and line a cupcake tin with cases. Sift together the bread flour, soda, baking powder and milk powder. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and combine well. In a separate bowl whisk the oil , water and egg until well blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid, mixing. Rest for 10 minutes so the bran has time to soak up the liquid. Evenly spoon the miz into the cases and place in the oven for 20 minutes until the muffins spring back when touched. Remove from the tin and to a cooling rack directly after baking to prevent sweating and soggy bottoms.

Posh fish and chips (Image: Care UK)

A seasonal take on fish and chips

(serves 2)

This is a healthy Mediterranean inspired fish and chip recipe. The homemade tartare sauce and ketchup have no added sugar and are a healthier alternative to what you’ll find in the shops.

Ingredients

For the citrus crusted fish:

2 skinless fish fillets of approximately 110g. These could be fillets from white fish such as cod, haddock or hake, or salmon if pushing the boat out

1 lemon

1 lime

1tbsp chopped fresh parsley

40g breadcrumbs made from wholemeal bread

For the chips and roasted cherry tomatoes:

200g new potatoes washed, not peeled, and halved

Spray oil

2 sprigs of thyme

2 vines of cherry tomatoes

Salt and pepper to season

For the homemade tartare sauce: Combine 2tbsps chopped capers, 2 small chopped gherkins, 1/2tsp garlic paste, 1 small bunch of chopped dill, 1tsp honey, 1tsp lemon juice, 125g Greek style yoghurt, 2tbsps low fat mayonnaise

For the tomato and date ketchup: Simmer together for 15 minutes 115g chopped pitted dates, 170g tomato puree, 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 2tbsps cider vinegar, 110ml water, 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1tsp low sodium salt, 1/4tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4tsp allspice. Blend until smooth then thicken in the pan for 10 minutes. Will keep for up to three weeks in the fridge.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Place the new potatoes in a pan of water and parboil until three-quarters cooked. Drain and place on a roasting tray. Take half the lemon and limes and cut into wedges. Add to the tray. Lightly season, add thyme, spray with oil and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Zest the remaining lemons and limes and blitz with the bread into crumbs, adding black pepper to taste. Set aside. After 15 minutes take out your potatoes, turn them and add the tomatoes. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Season the fish and pan fry in a touch of oil for two to three minutes until tender. Turn over and sprinkle with the crumbs. Slide the fish onto a lined tray and finish under a grill for two to three minutes.

Serve with the chips, tomatoes and sauce.

A top tip if you want to recreate that fish and chip shop feel – take a couple of sheets of newspaper and sprinkle with salt and vinegar. Scrunch into a pan. Carefully and briefly warm this with a lid on and just before serving lift the lid and let the smell waft around the room.

Raspberry and white chocolate profiteroles (Image: Care UK)

Raspberry and white chocolate profiteroles with a red berry coulis

(serves 4)

Choux pastry has less calories and fat than shortcrust and puff. This dessert replaces cream with skimmed milk and yoghurt. The sweet sauce is healthier too.

Ingredients

For the choux pastry:

25g butter

38g plain flour

1 large egg

65ml cold water

1tbsp flaked almonds (optional)

For the filling:

1tbsp custard powder

150ml skimmed milk

Half a tsp of sugar-free vanilla extract

75ml 0 per cent Greek yoghurt

8g coarsely grated white chocolate

70g fresh raspberries

For the coulis – blend together, sieve and chill

300g fresh raspberries

3tbsps water

20g sugar

Splash of Chambord (optional)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet. Heat the butter in a pan with 63ml of water and melt. Increase the heat to boiling, then quickly remove from the hob and heat in the flour until it comes together into a ball. Cook for five minutes on a low heat then beat in the eggs with 1tbsp of water, a little at a time.

Spoon into a piping bag and pipe 12 equal blobs, adding the almonds by poking them into the piped mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well-risen and golden. Slash the sides of each bun and return to the oven for five minutes to dry out.

For the filling mix the custard powder with a little of the milk to slacken. Beat in the remaining milk and vanilla gradually. Pour into a pan and cook on a low heat, constantly stirring, until thickened. Stand for five minutes, beat in the yoghurt and set aside to cool. When cold fold through the grated chocolate and raspberries. Cut a hole in the bottom of each bun and pipe or spoon in the creamy mixture. Serve with the sauce.

Kitchen garden cake - packed with veggies (Image: Care UK)

Kitchen garden cake

This is the perfect reduced sugar cake for afternoon tea. It is sweetened with fruit and vegetables, a method popular in the Victorian era which came back into fashion thanks to Downton Abbey. This recipe includes instructions for icing, but it would have been traditionally decorated with fresh seasonal flowers and a sprinkling of icing sugar. It is ideal for summer afternoons and picnics, and if it is raining for bringing the outdoors in.

If you choose not to make the icing the cake is best baked in two 1lb loaf tins.

Ingredients

230ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin

100g 0 per cent natural yoghurt

4 large eggs

1.5tsps vanilla extract

Half an orange, zested

265g self-raising flour

335g light muscovado sugar

2.5tsps ground cinnamon

Quarter of a fresh nutmeg, finely grated

70g each carrots, apple, parsnip and courgette, grated

100g sultanas or raisins

100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)

For the icing:

100g low fat margarine

300g icing sugar

100g low fat soft cheese

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C and oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins. Whisk the wet ingredients for the cake, including the zest) in a jug. In a bowl mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Break up any lumps of sugar. Add the wet ingredients, along with the grated vegetables, raisins and half the nuts. Mix well and split equally between the tins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If it’s still wet return to the oven for five minutes, and check again. Cool in the tins.

To ice the cake beat the butter and sugar until smooth, add half the soft cheese and beat again. Then add the rest. Use this to sandwich the cakes together and ice the top and scatter with the remaining nuts. It will keep in the fridge for five days.

Lavender and berry milk pop lollies

(Makes several)

This recipe uses fresh fruit with lavender-infused milk, yoghurt and a touch of honey, transforming the mini milk pop of childhood into something more refined.

Ingredients

3 heads of fresh lavender, washed and patted dry

170ml skimmed milk

230g 0 per cent Greek style yoghurt

1/4tsp vanilla extract

1tbsp honey

60g each raspberries, blueberries and halved strawberries

Method

Gently heat the milk with the lavender in a pan. Cool and remove the flower heads. Mix in the yoghurt, honey and vanilla until smooth. Divide the fruit between ice pop moulds. Pour over the lavender infusion mix, dividing equally. Tap the moulds to remove bubbles. Place the lids on top and freeze overnight. To demould stand them in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds.

Five things you need to know about hidden sugar

• According to the NHS, adults should consume no more than 30g of added sugar a day – yet on average we are eating 100g

• The NHS calls added sugar ‘free sugar’ and as well as being added to many processed food and drinks they also occur naturally in unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, purees, honey and syrups

• When sugar appears on a list of ingredients it is easy to spot, but many sugars are hidden. Look out for ingredients which end in –ose or –ol

• Natural-sounding ingredients, such as agave, honey, maple and molasses, can also add to our consumption of free sugar

• Even plant-based milks which include rice in their ingredients add to the free sugar load – the manufacturing process breaks the rice down to a sugar called maltose