Low and lower carb ways of eating

[NulloModo]

I have been seriously craving pizza for weeks now.  I've been formulating recipes in my head for a crust and I'm just about to enter the testing phase. Finding the right amount of sugar to feed the yeast, but no more, might be a little tricky.

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Hehe, I have played around with homebrew pizza crust recipes, but I don't have the patience. Pizza is something I crave for simplicity and a little crunch/saltiness/greasiness, I know I will never achieve the Italian ideal in a low-carb crust, so I default to what is manageable.

[helenjp]

You don't need sugar to get the yeast moving, but it does help to make an initial sponge instead of mixing everything in together. And it might be a bit slower to rise, but you don't want a huge rise in pizza dough, anyway, I assume?

I agree with the "more energy on low-carbs" comment. If I feel weak or shaky though, it's time to drink more water, especially during the morning.

Now that cooler weather is here, I'm experimenting with buckwheat grains - thinking of toasting them before cooking! Any comments?

[purplewiz]

Last night I decided to try Black Soybeans for the first time.  I have had a serious hankering for chili, and I really enjoy my chili better with beans, so I picked up a can at the grocery store.  At only 1 net carb per serving, I figured I could easily add them in, and hopefully the flavor would be good.

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Thanks for the idea to use black soybeans in chili - I had bought a can awhile ago and used it in chili tonight. Ground beef, the black soybeans, half an onion, some leftover homemade salsa that had to get used up, can of tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, chipotle, salt, pepper, probably a couple other spices I forgot about.

It turned out excellently - the soybeans looked very much like a cross between black beans and kidney beans, and added just a touch of sweetness which I thought balanced the bitter of the chili powder and chipotle very nicely. I served it with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream because it turned out *cough* a wee bit hotter than anticipated - I have a rather heavy hand with the chipotle and I forgot the salsa had been on the warm side.

I'm definitely looking forward to experimenting more with the soybeans - both of us really liked them. This is one of my favorite parts of this whole eating change - I keep finding more new foods that I really like. Thanks again for the idea!

Marcia.

[scott123]

You don't need sugar to get the yeast moving, but it does help to make an initial sponge instead of mixing everything in together. And it might be a bit slower to rise, but you don't want a huge rise in pizza dough, anyway, I assume?

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You need sugar for the yeast to feed on if you don't use wheat flour, which I don't. As far as I know, yeast can't survive on the sugars (if there are any) in either soy flour or almond flour (the flours I'm using for bread), so I'm going to have to add some table sugar to keep the little critters happy.

[helenjp]

YOu're planning on using non-wheat flours, OK...

There are yeasts other than bread yeast which produce gas as they grow, and some of them might be suitable...it's years and years since I experimented, but from memory you would get enough of a rise for pizza crust, or pancakes.

I remember using a fizzy and very sour yogurt culture, you might like to try some brewing yeasts too, if you get a chance!

[Katherine]

I don't know a whole lot about the paleo plan though, can to elaborate?

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Paleo isn't really a weight-loss regimen, it's a lifetime diet.

It's based on the premise that many of the foods that are a major part of the diet nowadays are quite new to humans. The dietary restrictions are intended to return to the sorts of foods that humans have eaten for a million years. Vegetable oil is a very new food, olive oil has been consumed for thousands of years, but animal fat is what we evolved on, etc. Junk food is definitely out. But the major foods that are Neo would be grains and dairy products, which many people are sensitive or intolerant to. I myself have found that wheat gives me problems. There are many other restrictions, based on the sometimes inscrutable logic of the interpreter of the philosophy.

I eat meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables, and fruit. And chocolate, as necessary. Most of the food is simply prepared. I eat two meals a day, one of which is breakfast that I pack to eat during my mid-morning break.

[redfox]

I'm really enjoying this thread. I've started work on my dissertation recently, which is making it a lot harder for me to be a good, responsible cook. But on the other hand, (a) it's one of the few justifiable relaxations I can engage in, and (b) if we eat junk, I'm hardly going to work at my best. So I'm trying.

Here's another breakfast/snack/appetizer item we like, and which I can make up a few days' worth at once:

Take 12 oz. or so of firm tofu and drain it while you prepare the other stuff. Heat a glug of olive oil in a large pan. Saute one large or two small onions, sliced thin, and 6-8 oz. of sliced mushrooms until the onions are gold and the mushrooms are cooked. Cut the tofu into chunks and put everything in the food processor. Pulse off and on just a few times, until combined and in small bits, but still fluffy, rather than pasty. Remove to a bowl, where you add several spoonfuls of mayo, LOTS of chopped dill, and salt and pepper.

I find it always needs more salt than you would think, and that it is pretty much impossible to add too much dill.

[NulloModo]

That sounds tasty. What is it that you served that on?

[helenjp]

Tofu ...must be the dish of the season, that's what we had for breakfast too!

I made scrambled tofu - fried some chopped wakame, chopped fresh tomato, and a little green veg (in this case cabbage), then added a small can of drained boiled soybeans, fried it some more, and added cubes of silken tofu. Season and stirfy, serve up. One large block of tofu and a small can of beans served four of us.

Flavored with a good chicken stock powder and pepper (this is breakfast, after all!) but soy sauce or curry powder OK. (Bacon or cheese might be too salty with the wakame).

Crumbled cotton tofu would have worked just as well. I used salted wakame, rinsed quickly under the tap and "strings" trimmed off, but a small handful of dried cut wakame added with the tofu would be OK too.

[redfox]

That's an Akmak cracker, which is high in fiber but still definitely a carb -- about 3 g. per cracker. But the salad is very good on lettuce leaves, or by itself, too.

[Katherine]

I just cooked and drained (squeezed dry) a package of frozen spinach, added cream, butter, cream cheese, and cheddar. Topped half of it with two eggs mollet (peeled soft-boiled eggs). Yum. Save the rest for another day.

[Tepee]

I used salted wakame, rinsed quickly under the tap and "strings" trimmed off, but a small handful of dried cut wakame added with the tofu would be OK too.

So, I'm into healthy eating too...a recent blood test shows my cholestorel level is high (I'm 105 lbs!!!). I just bought some wakame and organic miso base online for the first time. From Helen's description, there seems to be 2 types, the dried and the salted kind. Mine looks dried and chopped up. How does one use it in cooking? Can I just add it into miso soup? Thanks in advance.

[NulloModo]

Brrrr.

An unexpected side effect of weighing nearly 200 lbs less than I did last autumn is that I am getting super-cold very easily without having all that extra insulation.

It was pretty nice over the summer, but now that the chill is setting in I find myself thinking of warm filling dishes to prepare to heat one up from within.

Last week it was crazy cincinnati style (sorta) chili, then earlier this week grilled sausages with a spicey Indian Eggplant curry. Last night it was Caldo Verde, well, sort of.

I pretty much cheated like I usually do. I am moving out of my apartment to a new one at th end of the month, so I am trying to work through the stores of food we have. Into a pot went a chopped onion, a package of frozen spinach, a can of mushrooms, a can tof chopped olives, some chorizo (mexican, not spanish), garlic, EVOO, and a packet each of Goya dried Sofrito and Goya Pork Seasoning.

So maybe it was nothing like Caldo Verde, but I served it up with a poached egg on top, curled up on the couch with a fire going in the fireplace, and it made me happy.

[patti]

I baked an acorn squash, topped with butter, cinnamon and a sprinkling of Splenda. Yummy! Then I googled acorn squash and discovered that it's only summer squash that's low carb. Grrrrr! Maybe my husband will be interested in the other half of the squash, all tender and baked and sitting in the fridge.

[NulloModo]

Acorn squash isn't super high, weith 1 cup clocking in at around 12 net carbs, but it isn't really low either.

In addition to summer squash Spaghetti squash is also quite low, as are pumpkins.

[redfox]

I got really absurd quantities of greens at the farmer's market today: spinach, curly kale, and turnip greens, my recent most favorite. One of the farmers has a particularly tender variety. Anyway, I like to prepare them for storage all in one go, bringing a big pot of salted water to a boil and then parboiling each type of green separately, then draining, cooling, and squeezing out extra water. Some nutrients are lost this way, of course, but they

a) take up a lot less space in the refrigerator

b) keep better, because there's no risk of tearing and bruising that accelerates rot, and

c) are much more amenable to sauteeing and related cooking methods, because they don't express liquid that then makes them stew rather than sautee.

The spinach got used tonight in a turnip curry. It turns out that turnips are a beautiful substitute in Indian recipes where potatoes are commonly called for. Madhur Jaffrey has a tip where she suggests soaking your peeled and chopped turnips in salty water to help make the texture a bit denser. It works very well and coincidentally insures that the turnips are seasoned all through. These were particularly attractive and firm young turnips -- I should have bought more of them while I had the chance. Hopefully there will be a few more chances to get the young 'uns before the weather turns too cold.

My mother sent me a nice-sounding cabbage recipe today. I'll have to buy a cabbage and try it out, and then I'll report back. I do think cabbage is an unfairly maligned vegetable. I'm very fond of it. Hm... I wonder if turnips would make a good bubble-and-squeak-ish thing. And also whether it would actually work out to be sufficiently low carb, given that turnips are not exactly lettuce. Whaddya think?

Edited October 17, 2004 by redfox (log)

[helenjp]

2 types, the dried and the salted kind. Mine looks dried and chopped up. How does one use it in cooking? Can I just add it into miso soup? Thanks in advance.

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Actually more than 2 kinds...in Japan, cut dried wakame or salted (but not dried) wakame are the most common, but plain dried wakame is often exported because it is so light and keeps much better than salted wakame. Salted wakame has a better texture though.

I think cut dried wakame must be precooked, because you can just throw it into soups, tomato salads etc and it is ready to eat as soon as it has absorbed moisture. You can also crumble it up and enjoy it as a crunchy topping. Here's some photos...

Plain dried wakame - has to be soaked briefly so you can cut it up, then briefly cooked.

dried wakame

Cut dried wakame - just grab a handful and go.

ready cut dried wakame

Salted seaweed - probably the main choice for cooking here in Japan.

salted raw seaweed

There are other types, but they are not common.

[helenjp]

Low-carb comfort food - lead me to it!

I noticed last winter that I felt the cold - everybody except me thought it was a mild winter.

Also for the first time craving sweets and starches - heavy stress recently associated with brother-in-law. I guess that's what carbs are for, but they are just too ready to hand in our society!

So, what's the solution? Any alternative pick-me-ups, and yes, what about warm, comforting winter food?

I like the turnip idea...anybody know how to tell by looking at a bunch of turnips whether they are going to be tender or fibrous?

Regards

Helen H

[Tepee]

Thank you, Helen!

[purplewiz]

So, what's the solution? Any alternative pick-me-ups, and yes, what about warm, comforting winter food?

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Winter comfort food: chicken soup, beef stew, meatloaf, just about any kind of slow cooked pork with chiles. Heck, most hearty soups are good comfort food - I found a new recipe for a kale and sausage soup that sounds wonderful. I made hot and sour soup for dinner last night, and the leftovers are still good.

That's one of the many things I like about soup - I make a big batch and freeze half, so the nights I don't feel like cooking I have something good and homemade to defrost. Nuke the soup, open a bag of salad, and tasty homemade meal is ready without me having to cook.

As for pick me ups....for me, it's dark chocolate, as I've posted earlier. I've found that for me, having a small square of the 70% (or better) stuff a day keeps me on an even keel, seems to prevent other cravings, and makes me feel anything but deprived. As far as I'm concerned, that's a good way to spend some of my carbs :-).

The other thing that works for me is to mix up a soda with one of the Torani sugar free syrups (I find them to be very good, to the point where I don't notice they're sugar free) and some club soda. I'm not a big soda drinker on the whole, so it's more of a treat/dessert than a drink.

Marcia.

[NulloModo]

There are tons of great comforting low-carb winter foods. I agree with purple about the meatload, soups, stews, roasts, and etc. Turnips make a great sub for potatoes in a traditional pot roast, and celeriac can stand in well fo carrots.

Pumpkins are another low-carb great fall treat. Yesterday I took some mini-pumpkins, hollowed them out, and placed inside of a pat of butter, some cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar-free maple syrup. Baked these for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees and they came out very tender and flavorful. They also made the entire place smell great while they were cooking.

[Katherine]

There are tons of great comforting low-carb winter foods.  I agree with purple about the meatload

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I presume this is a Freudian slip, eh?

For supper tonight I had tripe and brisket stew with sauerkraut and sour cream. Yum.

[NulloModo]

Err, yes, that should've read 'Meatloaf' as opposed to 'load'. I am not more inclined to crave a 'load' of meat this time of year as compared to any other.

I enjoyed country style ribs braised in sauerkraut, onion, and LC Beer last night.

The day before it was crock-pot paprika chicken and some baked mini pumpkins. Ooh, and a nice batch LC Egg-Nog spiked with some rum and whiskey. I love this time of year.

[jo-mel]

The term 'low-carb' for SBD is really a misnomer. (?why isn't that word 'misnamer?) South Beach really is simply 'good-carbs'. I eat almost as may carbs as I did before South Beach, but I am now very selective.

When I first started, it was before all the bread companies got into the act. Now you can get just about any type of bread that isn't refined wheat. Some use soy flour. I don't quite like the taste, but when it is just a raft, then it is OK. But the soy type bagels just don't do it. Nothing quite like a real old-fashioned bagel!

I haven't had a dramatic weight loss, but it has been slow and steady, and a drop of a couple of sizes. My cholesterol numbers have come way down, and I can do this as a 'way of life' without problem. Maybe it is because I have planned cheating, so I don't feel deprived. For instance I planned to have Fried Clams when I was on Block Island this summer --- and I did. The weight still slowly, slowly dropped.

When I eat out, I am selective. Chinese food is my thing but I can find plenty on a menu that I'm happy with. Italian is another thing. Everything comes with a side of pasta!! And garlic bread! There I do the 3- bite thing. Not easy! But if I have not had a carb overload, I don't crave it.

I tried using the whole wheat tortilla or pitas for pizza and they aren't bad, but there is nothing quite like the SBD-adapted Pizza Quiche first put out by Atkins. It is not like a quiche at all. When I made it for a DDIL, she was poking the bottom to see what the CRUST was. No crust --- but it feels like there is one. Tasty and filling dish - and legal for SB if you make the adaptions.

Am enjoying this thread. Thanks for starting it.

[NulloModo]

What is SB acceptable at Chinese places? My big problem eating Chinese has been that most dishes seem to have a good bit of added starch/sugar (especially in the sauce) and the corn starch used is pretty much as bad as white flour. I suppose one could request that no starch/sugar be used in the preparation of one's dish, but I am way of such things, especially when the counterperson has a rather limited grasp of english to begin with...