How to thicken vegetable puree without using potatoes?

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LeanneMorgan

Assistant Cook
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I tried mixing different types of vegetables to see if it would thicken up, but it doesn't! It stays watery and honestly it looks and tastes awful. I'm diabetic so there's no way I can add potatoes to my puree. Please help! :(
 
I am not sure how you would be able to do it without some type of starch or maybe cream.

A thickener won't improve the taste or the looks.

What vegetables are you working with.
 
Don't puree them so long and leave some substance for thickness. If you're adding water, don't. Or freeze the mix and then make a thick slushy. Other than juice and fiber, there's not much in the vegetables you list that will thicken your puree. Can you heat it and add a bit of corn starch if you really need it "thickened".
 
Aren't there diabetic safe starches? I am sorry that I don't know more about this but if they exist they might be utilized to thicken.
 
I agree with Oldvine.

I would try steaming them in a covered frying pan with a couple tablespoons of water added. When the vegetables begin to soften and release some juice I would remove the cover and allow the moisture to evaporate. A wide shallow frying pan will help increase the rate of evaporation. Then I would use a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken the remaining liquid. A tablespoon of cornstarch has about seven carbs and will slightly thicken about three cups of liquid. Try using a little at a time until you get the desired thickness. I would use a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water to start with, That would increase your carb count by a little more than two grams.

Good luck!
 
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Arrowroot is a thickener and is diabetic-friendly. I wonder if it would work? I've not used it. Also, maybe some type of gelatin?
 
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I tried mixing different types of vegetables to see if it would thicken up, but it doesn't! It stays watery and honestly it looks and tastes awful. I'm diabetic so there's no way I can add potatoes to my puree. Please help! :(

Are you Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic? I understand your concern in controlling your carbs, but you do need some as they have a lot of nutrients that a diabetic needs. Potatoes are loaded with vitamins and other minerals that your body needs. It is not the enemy that so many diabetics think it is. There are potatoes that have less starch than others. You can use a waxy potato like a Red Skin. Or even a Yukon Gold. The Idaho Russet is loaded with starch. Stay away from that one. New potatoes and Fingerlings are also low in starch as they haven't had time for the starch to develop.

Have you ever constulted with a Licensed Diatician? It is really worth it. Ask if she/he has been trained for Diabetic Foods. They have a special course that runs for more than a week.

Words from a Type 2 diabetic that was able to get off insulin and control my sugar levels now just by diet alone. And I do eat potatoes. :angel:
 
The "trick" is after cooking the veggies to squeeze out all the water with a dish towel
 
Pumpkin pulp.
It has little flavor and thickens a lot.

I absolutely agree with Olmoelisa. I usually use pumpkin like a potato substitute. I was making diet few months ago and my nutritionist banned all kind of carbohydrates, the potatoes among them. Then he proposed to me to change potatoes with pumpkin in all the boiled dishes that I used to cook. In my opinion it's tasty and could be a good substitute.:chef:

-Ireneu-
 
I use cauliflower to make a mash from time to time but I always steam it and then mash. Boiling it lets too much water get in and makes it runny. I do prefer to add 1 potato to 1 head of cauliflower as it makes a smoother, thicker mash. But you don't have to and will still get a decent texture.

Don't know how you are cooking your veges but if you are boiling try steaming them instead. You'll also keep more nutrients in that way.
 
Pumpkin, rutabaga, winter squash, sweet potato, celery root (celriac), brown rice, blue potatoes, barley, steel cut oats, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, these will all work to thicken your soups or sauces. The veggies can be run through your blender to make them silky smooth before adding them to the soup. Another diabetic freindly thickener is silken tofu. Egg yolks will add body to soups, as will collagen containing tissue, such as cartilage, and connective tissue.

Hope that helps.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I tried mixing different types of vegetables to see if it would thicken up, but it doesn't! It stays watery and honestly it looks and tastes awful. I'm diabetic so there's no way I can add potatoes to my puree. Please help! :(
There is absolutely no need for any sort of thickener when puree-ing vegetables.

Make sure the vegetables are dry before puree-ing. If you've boiled or steamed them drain them well and then return to the pan and shake for a few seconds over the burner or hotplate to remove any excess water.

Don't be too enthusiastic with the puree-ing or it will not only look like wallpaper paste - it'll taste like it!

Salt and pepper and other seasonings such as chilli, celery salt, herbs, etc., will enhance the taste of your puree. And, of course,(real) butter! Yes, I know, I know, but you aren't going to use a whole stick of it at once! A small knob of butter will make a huge difference to the flavour and texture of your puree and, if you use it as part of your daily fats allowance, it won't do you a huge amount of harm.

Even if your diet is restricted for medical reasons there is no reason why what you eat should not be as delicious as the diet of anyone else.

Hope this helps.
 
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