Substitutions for Carbs for Low Carbs

[Marie Anna]

Want to fake yourself and your family out by removing carb riddled food and adding low carb stuff?

This is all homemade stuff:

Grate cauliflower and stir fry like rice

Flax seed crackers

Flax seed muffins (recipe in recipe exchange)

Sesame crackers

Whey powder pancakes (exchange)

Mock pancakes (exchange)

Mock Danish (exchange)

Spinach Bread

Spaghetti Squash

Cheese crackers.


Prepackaged Stuff:

Thanks to Oolala...

Shirataki yam noodles
http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/produ...-oz#nutrTarget

Joseph's Lavish Flax Seed Bread

http://www26.netrition.com/josephs_b...ash_bread.html


Anyone else have tips, please?

[Nancy1960]

This is one of my FAVORITE low carb blogs:

http://cleochatra.blogspot.com/

Her oopsie rolls and cauliflower crust pizza are so good my family never knew they were eating healthy

[kardomom]

Marie Anna...YOU ROCK!!

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. You really are very encouraging, I need ideas like this to help me be successful.

[Marie Anna]

Oh you will be successful! I just can't give you a good substitute for a baked potato....can anyone?

I told her that the only thing I can recommend is that she will eventually not crave the potato.

[elemteach5]

Once you decide to do the low carbs, how long does it take for you to quit craving them so badly. I think if I tried this, I could start losing again. My problem is I get weak and give in to the cravings. I'll stay under the calorie limit, but I still have way to many carbs. I really need to do this and stick with it. Your ideas really help. Thanks!!

[Marie Anna]

Oh gosh, Elemteach...

I think that it took me about a week to 10 days to completely get rid of the cravings. Some people might be different. But I think that's about all it took. Wonder if anyone has any other experience.

Ajay had made a comment on an earlier board, that if you crave carbs you are an excellent canidate to do low carb.
That's probably pretty true.

I have dropped weight like crazy on low carb three times now. I'm religious about it.
Flax seed meal muffins that I use during TOM that might help you get past the carb cravings.

[Ajay42]

I don't think that can really be a hard and fast rule for anyone (time getting over cravings).

A lot of it depends on incentive. For me, the cravings didn't last very long after I wrote the check to my Dr. to begin the program. His one visit per month costs me about $250 for both of us. That's a big ouch. On top of that, we have the expense of the medication.

It's not that big of a deal at this point, but I can guarantee you that the donuts someone brings to the office don't have anywhere near the appeal as they otherwise would!


Something else though. I've mentioned this a few times, but my Dr. also gives us a prescription for Celexa, which is a seratonin reuptake inhibitor. It's supposed to help specifically with carb cravings.

I don't know how much difference it makes for me. I don't feel much different when I forget to take it (often on weekends).

Note that there is a potential conflict with the phen and celexa. I haven't noticed any problems though.

[daiseered]

You can mash up cauliflower to make mock mashed potatoes.

Mashed cauliflower

2 bags frozen cauliflower (about 15 oz each)
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
4 Tbsp butter

On stove: Boil water. Add frozen cauliflower and cook until flowerettes are extremely tender, between 6-8 minutes. Pour off excess water.

In microwave: Place frozen cauliflower in a 4-6 quart covered, microwavable container. Cook for 8 minutes, or until cauliflower is steamed and extremely soft. Pour off excess liquid.

Throw the cauliflower sacks away if you're trying to steer kids to not ask questions about the 'potatoes' (it's our secret).

Place cooked cauliflower in blender. Add sour cream and butter. Blend, stirring occasionally (do not stir contents with tongue).

Serve with gravy. You can place bowl of piping hit goodness next to a prepared bowl of whole cauliflower. Kids may steer away from the cauliflower and grab what they think are the mashed potatoes!

*tapping my head* This is because we're smart, and sneaky.

Makes about 8, 1/2 cup servings

Nutritional information per serving: Calories: 114, Carbohydrates: 7 g, Fiber: 3 g, Net Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat:9 g

Mock Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

* 2 10oz pkgs frozen cauliflower (or fresh 3/4 head)
* 1 tsp chicken boullion granules
* 1/4 tsp white pepper
* 1 tsp minced onion flakes (optional)
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook cauliflower in microwave or on stovetop until it is VERY done — fall-apart fork tender. Drain well and mix cauliflower with all other ingredients except cream in food processor or with a powerful mixer (hand or stand). Mixing with mixer will give "lumpier" results than a food processor, but some people feel the lumps make it seem even more like mashed potatoes. Add cream slowly and mix again. (You must be careful adding liquid. If you add too much, you are in for trouble. Your dish may take a tiny bit more or less than the called for amount of cream.)

Spray an ovenproof dish with cooking spray and put mixture in. Add pats of extra butter or margarine on top if you like an extra buttery potato, and a bit of paprika sprinkled on top adds nice color as well. Bake 15 - 20 minutes until hot.

For those of you who think they would not like this dish because they are not fans of cauliflower, I implore you to try it - you'll be hard pressed to tell it from mashed potatoes - it does not taste like cauliflower at this point. Really.

Makes 4-6 Servings. 5-7 net grams of carbohydrate per serving.


Found this one thats supposed to be a good "Baked Potato"

Low Carb Baked Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 c of cooked cauliflower
* 1 dash of pepper
* 3/4 c of shredded cheddar cheese
* 3-6 slices cooked crumpled bacon
* 3 finely chopped green onions
* 1 dash of salt
* 1 c of sour cream


Directions

1. Set your bacon and 1/4 c of cheese aside because you are going to be using that last.
2. Cut your cauliflower into little pieces
3. In a medium mixing bowl start adding everything
4. Preheat your oven to 350 F
5. Place everything into your baking dish
6. When thats done then sprinkle your bacon and the rest of your cheese ontop. Bake for 20 minutes