Low carb ideas and hacks

[audreyh1]

I tried Rebel ice cream for the first time last night. Tried both the chocolate and peanut butter fudge. I just couldn't handle the lingering aftertaste. That made me nauseous.

I've given up on ketchup, switching over to various mustards that aren't packed with sugar, or balsalmic vinegar, sometimes hummus.

Ugh - my fear from even trying low carb ice cream. I’m sure I’d have the same reaction.

Ketchup: that Heinz no sugar added one is indeed horribly sweet - yuck. It uses sucralose. However I’ve found that using a little of it to sweeten some tomato paste tastes much better and works for making my own shrimp cocktail sauce with plenty of horseradish, hot sauce, a little lemon juice and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

I suppose I’ll make my own ketchup one of these days like I make my own mayo and salad dressings.

 

[audreyh1]

I think it's a scam. "Stevia" has good PR, while "erythritol" sounds like a [emoji83]chemical[emoji83].

It is a chemical of course - it’s a sugar alcohol. Like xylitol and others. Very small amounts shouldn’t cause digestive problems. Some sugar alcohols generate a glucose response, others don’t and that’s why erithrytol is favored for no glucose response. Xylitol, also no glucose response, is used in toothpaste and chewing gum as it helps prevent tooth decay.

Xylitol inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities. It does this because these bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) cannot utilize xylitol to grow. Over time with xylitol use, the quality of the bacteria in the mouth changes and fewer and fewer decay-causing bacteria survive on tooth surfaces.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Thanks to the many posters about your bread ideas-including online ordering. I'll probably try that next, after my next food chemistry experiment next week.

I want to share a couple of fails: DH and I are both now low carb, but we miss sandwiches and "egg in a hole". I tried a couple of low carb yeast breads but they didn't rise very much. In fact, I baked a couple of bricks and threw them out. In my recipe search, I found a gluten-based bread in The Joy of Cooking. Since neither of us have any issues with gluten, I gave it a try. It looks great, but has the texture of rubber. Fortunately it soaks well and is delicious with Indian curries, a staple for us. So my next experiment will be with less gluten and more low carb flours, coconut, almond, and some psyllium husk fiber added. If anything works, between "bricks" and "rubber", I will share my successes. But gluten-only yeast bread is not very good. And trying to get yeast to rise with just 5 gm of sugar-no gluten, is a bit of a joke. Just sayin' Worth avoiding.

 

[harley]

For our part, once we broke the psychological/emotional addiction to bread, it's been easier to just do without as opposed to looking for (usually weak) substitutions. DW makes those muffins, which have very few carbs, but other than that we just wistfully remember BLTs and reubens. I miss the bread because it transported other good foods to my mouth, but really don't miss it as a standalone item at all any more.

 

[saydiver]

I've given up on ketchup, switching over to various mustards that aren't packed with sugar, or balsalmic vinegar, sometimes hummus.

Ketchup: that Heinz no sugar added one is indeed horribly sweet - yuck. It uses sucralose. However I’ve found that using a little of it to sweeten some tomato paste tastes much better and works for making my own shrimp cocktail sauce with plenty of horseradish, hot sauce, a little lemon juice and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

I suppose I’ll make my own ketchup one of these days like I make my own mayo and salad dressings.

Primal Kitchen makes a decent sugar free ketchup that's not too sweet and does not contain any sweeteners. The only con for all their products is the price.

https://www.primalkitchen.com/collections/ketchup-mustard/products/organic-unsweetened-ketchup

 

[audreyh1]

Primal Kitchen makes a decent sugar free ketchup that's not too sweet and does not contain any sweeteners. The only con for all their products is the price.

https://www.primalkitchen.com/collections/ketchup-mustard/products/organic-unsweetened-ketchup

Yeah - they don't happen to carry that at my grocery store, even though they carry the Primal Kitchen mayo and several salad dressings.

 

[Golden sunsets]

I miss the bread because it transported other good foods to my mouth, but really don't miss it as a standalone item at all any more.

I agree with this. I miss a good tuna sandwich, or a BLT. DH and I have been on LCHF since 5/28. We took a bit of a break while traveling for two weeks in early September, gained the expected 3+/- pounds but have now shed them. We are on LCHF more for weight loss than health reasons, although lipid improvement has been a bonus secondary achievement. We are close to goal weight and nervous about maintenance. I'm thinking, pasta once a week, our biggest craving, and maybe a sandwich once or twice a week. We did recently reincorporate bread crumbs back into our diet. I couldn't find a breading that really worked. Almond flour, ground nuts, crushed pork rinds etc. just don't work the way breading or panko do.

 

[TromboneAl]

We tried a few syrups, and found Walden Farms Pancake Syrup to be the best, although we dilute 1:1 with water or it's too sweet.

We tried Lakanto maple flavored syrup with monk fruit and it was horribly bad. After about a half teaspoon, we threw it away.

Here's our favorite jam:

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, I make this cranberry sauce:

 

[yakers]

A keto bread roll receipe I think is pretty good:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/the-keto-bread

 

[footenote]

A keto bread roll receipe I think is pretty good:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/the-keto-bread

Agree this is a dynamite recipe. Caution from my experience: they appear dark brown well before they are baked through. Resist temptation to pull them early and give them the entire baking time noted (at a minimum).

 

[misshathaway]

Nobody else gets sugar cravings from almond flour? I love it but have to stay away. The bread recipe looks good though.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Nobody else gets sugar cravings from almond flour? I love it but have to stay away. The bread recipe looks good though.

I wonder if there's some option of pecan flour, since it's sweeter than almonds.

 

[steelyman]

Getting ready for the annual kiddie Halloween parade. I’m wondering what might be good lower-carb treats to offer up. I’m looking for things to buy, not recipes. Ideas?

 

[MichaelB]

Getting ready for the annual kiddie Halloween parade. I’m wondering what might be good lower-carb treats to offer up. Ideas?

You should consider giving the kids lots of individual candy bars with plenty of sugar and fat. It’s a good way to keep the local economy moving along. More business for the dentists, orthodontists, and pediatricians. The candy makes their brains groggy, so the local tutoring businesses benefit. It also makes them overweight, which prompts parents to enroll their kids in physical activities, which all cost $$. It’s a real win-win for the community.

 

[braumeister]

Chocolate with a high cocoa percentage might be a good choice.

 

[steelyman]

The candy makes their brains groggy, so the local tutoring businesses benefit.

Sounds like I should find a tutor for myself!!!

 

[steelyman]

Chocolate with a high cocoa percentage might be a good choice.

That’s a good suggestion, I’ll keep several bags around. I’ve also been transitioning to dark chocolate myself (posts here about it have encouraged me and my sweet tooth doesn’t mind).

 

[MichaelB]

Getting ready for the annual kiddie Halloween parade. I’m wondering what might be good lower-carb treats to offer up. I’m looking for things to buy, not recipes. Ideas?

A “healthful” snack could be popcorn. Costco sells individual Skinny Pop bags 28 count for $14.50, about $0.50 per bag. https://www.costco.com/Skinny-Pop-Popcorn,-0.65-oz,-28-count.product.100381415.html

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Dark chocolate covered peanut butter bites might be good. Not Reese's Pieces, but I see them a lot in health food aisles or more healthy minded grocery stores. Trail mix might be another.

 

[steelyman]

A “healthful” snack could be popcorn. Costco sells individual Skinny Pop bags 28 count for $14.50, about $0.50 per bag.

Another good one to check out, thanks! It looks like Walmart sells them too (the nearest Costco is pretty far away and I’m not a member).

 

[steelyman]

Dark chocolate covered peanut butter bites might be good. Not Reese's Pieces, but I see them a lot in health food aisles or more healthy minded grocery stores. Trail mix might be another.

I didn’t know these existed! I’ll be at my local coop today and will take a look around. Also trail mix.

I’ve crossed no-alcohol beer off the list.

 

[Rushmore]

How about non candy? Stickers, pencils, slime.

 

[steelyman]

How about non candy? Stickers, pencils, slime.

Another good idea. I have to admit that when I was roaming the neighborhood as a kid I was focused on edible goods. I’d never heard of Slime before but if it’s what I think it is I don’t know if it would make me popular with the parents...

 

[tmm99]

Chocolate with a high cocoa percentage might be a good choice.

We get those mini-size 70% chocolate pieces in a huge black bag at Costco (great price and it says "Swiss" on it) and I eat two a day.

 

[tmm99]

A “healthful” snack could be popcorn. Costco sells individual Skinny Pop bags 28 count for $14.50, about $0.50 per bag. https://www.costco.com/Skinny-Pop-Popcorn,-0.65-oz,-28-count.product.100381415.html

Obviously, buying a bag of popcorn is convenient, and this price looks excellent, but I wanted to share what I do.
Here's the recipe I use.

Basically, all you do is heat 1/3C coconut oil with 2 kernels (any brand - I can't taste the difference) and once one of them pops, take the pan off the heat and add 3TBS of kernels and wait 30 seconds (off the burner) and then put it back to heat the pan again. That's it. This 30 second waiting period heats the kernels and get them ready, and they all pop perfectly. Never burns.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_popcorn/

This method rarely leaves any kernels unpopped. They come out perfect every time. So easy, and it uses coconut oil, so it may be healthier than the store-bought. We used to use a non-hydrogenated store-bought seasoning mix, but now we just use salt, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese (Kraft) and it tastes as good as the store-bought if not better. And much cheaper.

Dunno how low-carb this is, but this treat doesn't raise my BS.