Rob Babcock
Head Chef
Just thought I'd post a few things that are awesome for those of us eating low carb:
1) Low Carb buns- I try to avoid bread, for the most part, but occasionally nothing less than a bun will do. Mostly this is for summer grill season when everyone is having hot dogs or cheeseburgers. In my area you can buy Village Hearth brand hotdog and hamburger buns in either whole wheat or italian style. Either has only 11 net grams of carbs. Being able to indulge in a burger or sandwhich certainly lessens the feeling of sacrifice.
2) Low Carb Wraps/Tortillas- There are actually many on the market now, and unlike early ones these are basically as good as the full-carb types. Sam's Club here carries Carb Choppers, which are very large & soft light wheat wraps. With only 6 net grams of carbs with no trans fats or hydrogenated oils, these make superb wraps and fantastic quesadias. Also very good are Mama Lupa's- they're a bit thinner and smaller and perfect for tacos. They net out to only 3 grams of carbs and taste very much like the full-carb thing. Finally, Mission makes a low carb version that's as soft and white as a normal tortilla- it's almost impossible to tell from a full-carb one. The downside to the Mission ones, sadly, is that they use hydrogenated oil. If you don't mind that, though, they're the way to go. Being able to make a taco or queso' can really ease the lo-carb monotony, especially if you're in the VERY restrictive early phases.
3) Pork Rinds- I especially like Randolf's brand. The Wal-Marts here carry both the BBQ and Salt & Pepper flavors, and both are superb. These are perfect for satisfying your salty/greasy chip jones and are great with a burger. You won't miss chips at all, and the porkies are completely carbless!
4) Sugarfree Jello- Jello makes a great dessert, with zero carbs and not a lot of calories. I make mine with 1/2 hot water and 1/2 no-carb fruit drink (eg Wall Marts Clear American). It's a guilt-free dessert that's cool and tasty. For an added treat, you can top with cream whipped with Splenda. Very nice.
5) Butter- I'm serious here. Try blanching your veggies and sauteeing them in a bit of butter. Asperagus is especially good this way, and so is zucchini. I love to stir fry zucchini, sliced mushrooms, peapods & red peppers as a side dish with a steak or chop.
These are just a few things that can add some variety to a low carb menu. I eat lots of whole foods like veggies and meat, especially steaks and bacon wrapped pork chops. Tossing in a few low carb treats can keep things interesting and keep you from getting that sad, deprived feeling!
Anyone have any other low carb favorites that they use to spruce up their meals?
1) Low Carb buns- I try to avoid bread, for the most part, but occasionally nothing less than a bun will do. Mostly this is for summer grill season when everyone is having hot dogs or cheeseburgers. In my area you can buy Village Hearth brand hotdog and hamburger buns in either whole wheat or italian style. Either has only 11 net grams of carbs. Being able to indulge in a burger or sandwhich certainly lessens the feeling of sacrifice.
2) Low Carb Wraps/Tortillas- There are actually many on the market now, and unlike early ones these are basically as good as the full-carb types. Sam's Club here carries Carb Choppers, which are very large & soft light wheat wraps. With only 6 net grams of carbs with no trans fats or hydrogenated oils, these make superb wraps and fantastic quesadias. Also very good are Mama Lupa's- they're a bit thinner and smaller and perfect for tacos. They net out to only 3 grams of carbs and taste very much like the full-carb thing. Finally, Mission makes a low carb version that's as soft and white as a normal tortilla- it's almost impossible to tell from a full-carb one. The downside to the Mission ones, sadly, is that they use hydrogenated oil. If you don't mind that, though, they're the way to go. Being able to make a taco or queso' can really ease the lo-carb monotony, especially if you're in the VERY restrictive early phases.
3) Pork Rinds- I especially like Randolf's brand. The Wal-Marts here carry both the BBQ and Salt & Pepper flavors, and both are superb. These are perfect for satisfying your salty/greasy chip jones and are great with a burger. You won't miss chips at all, and the porkies are completely carbless!
4) Sugarfree Jello- Jello makes a great dessert, with zero carbs and not a lot of calories. I make mine with 1/2 hot water and 1/2 no-carb fruit drink (eg Wall Marts Clear American). It's a guilt-free dessert that's cool and tasty. For an added treat, you can top with cream whipped with Splenda. Very nice.
5) Butter- I'm serious here. Try blanching your veggies and sauteeing them in a bit of butter. Asperagus is especially good this way, and so is zucchini. I love to stir fry zucchini, sliced mushrooms, peapods & red peppers as a side dish with a steak or chop.
These are just a few things that can add some variety to a low carb menu. I eat lots of whole foods like veggies and meat, especially steaks and bacon wrapped pork chops. Tossing in a few low carb treats can keep things interesting and keep you from getting that sad, deprived feeling!
Anyone have any other low carb favorites that they use to spruce up their meals?