Read Online The Low-Carb Diabetes Solution Cookbook by Dana Carpender - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dana Carpender
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listing sweeteners that are not allowed:
⢠Agave nectar
⢠Coconut sugar
⢠Corn syrup, organic corn syrup
⢠Crystalline fructose
⢠Date sugar
⢠Honey
⢠Maple syrup
⢠Organic sugar, organic cane sugar
⢠Palm sugar
⢠Sucanat
All of these are out, for the simple reason that theyâre sugar.
I get queries about xylitol, which is popular in low-carb and paleo circles. Like erythritol, it is a member of the polyol or sugar alcohol family. However, according to a table in the Sugar Alcohol Fact Sheet at FoodInsight.org , we absorb xylitol at ten times the rate we do erythritol. This makes erythritol the clear choice.
Xanthan and Guar
These are finely milled soluble fibers, which are hugely useful in low-carb cuisine. Use in place of flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot for thickening sauces or soups. What do they taste like? Nothing at all; they couldnât be blander.
They are powerful thickeners, so do not try a one-for-one substitution. The results could be used to surface roads. Fill an old salt or spice shaker with whichever you have on handâI marginally prefer xanthanâand keep it by the stove. When you have a sauce or soup you need to thicken, start whisking first, then
lightly
sprinkle the thickener over thesurface as you whisk. Go slowly; itâs easy to put in more and impossible to remove too much. Keep in mind that these continue to thicken a bit on standing, so quit when your dish is a little less thick than you want it to be.
Both of these thickeners will keep pretty much forever as long as theyâre dry.
These also lend structure to nut- or seed-mealâbased baked goods. Iâve used them in a few recipes to improve texture.
Again, these are health food store items, and again, they can be ordered online, too.
Shirataki Noodles
Most âlow-carbâ noodles are nothing Iâll eat. One widely distributed brand, made with the same ingredients as standard pasta, wound up paying reparations to consumers theyâd fooled. The only noodles I eat are shirataki, and they are a staple in my kitchen.
Shirataki are traditional Japanese noodles made from the fiber glucomannan, derived from
konjac
or
konnyaku
, a root vegetable. (This is often translated as âyam.â) Made almost entirely of fiber, shirataki are very low in both carbohydrate and calories.
Shirataki come in two basic varieties: traditional and tofu. Traditional shirataki are made entirely of glucomannan fiber. Theyâre translucent and gelatinous, quite different from the wheat-based noodles we grew up on. I only like them in Asian recipesâsesame noodles, Asian soups, and the like.
Tofu shirataki, as the name suggests, have a little bit of tofu added to the glucomannan. This makes them white, and more tender than traditional shirataki. Theyâre not identical to regular pasta, but theyâre closer, and I like them in all sorts of things, from fettuccine Alfredo to tuna casserole. Both kinds come in a variety of widths and shapes.
Shirataki come prehydrated in a pouch of liquid. To use them, snip open the pouch and dump them into a strainer in the sink. Youâll notice the liquid smells fishy. Do not panic. Rinse your noodles well, and put them in a microwavable bowl. Nuke them on high for 2 minutes, and drain them again. Nuke them for
another
2 minutes, and drain them one more time. This renders them quite bland, and cooks out extra liquid that would otherwise dilute sauces.
Long noodles are considered good luck in Japan, but I find shirataki a bit too long. I snip across them a few times with my kitchen shears. All of this microwaving and draining and snipping takes less time than boiling water for standard pasta.
You now have hot noodles! Add sauce, stir them into soup, or do whatever you like to do with noodles.
I can get shirataki at my local health food stores and Asian markets. You can order them online, but be aware: They do not
⢠Agave nectar
⢠Coconut sugar
⢠Corn syrup, organic corn syrup
⢠Crystalline fructose
⢠Date sugar
⢠Honey
⢠Maple syrup
⢠Organic sugar, organic cane sugar
⢠Palm sugar
⢠Sucanat
All of these are out, for the simple reason that theyâre sugar.
I get queries about xylitol, which is popular in low-carb and paleo circles. Like erythritol, it is a member of the polyol or sugar alcohol family. However, according to a table in the Sugar Alcohol Fact Sheet at FoodInsight.org , we absorb xylitol at ten times the rate we do erythritol. This makes erythritol the clear choice.
Xanthan and Guar
These are finely milled soluble fibers, which are hugely useful in low-carb cuisine. Use in place of flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot for thickening sauces or soups. What do they taste like? Nothing at all; they couldnât be blander.
They are powerful thickeners, so do not try a one-for-one substitution. The results could be used to surface roads. Fill an old salt or spice shaker with whichever you have on handâI marginally prefer xanthanâand keep it by the stove. When you have a sauce or soup you need to thicken, start whisking first, then
lightly
sprinkle the thickener over thesurface as you whisk. Go slowly; itâs easy to put in more and impossible to remove too much. Keep in mind that these continue to thicken a bit on standing, so quit when your dish is a little less thick than you want it to be.
Both of these thickeners will keep pretty much forever as long as theyâre dry.
These also lend structure to nut- or seed-mealâbased baked goods. Iâve used them in a few recipes to improve texture.
Again, these are health food store items, and again, they can be ordered online, too.
Shirataki Noodles
Most âlow-carbâ noodles are nothing Iâll eat. One widely distributed brand, made with the same ingredients as standard pasta, wound up paying reparations to consumers theyâd fooled. The only noodles I eat are shirataki, and they are a staple in my kitchen.
Shirataki are traditional Japanese noodles made from the fiber glucomannan, derived from
konjac
or
konnyaku
, a root vegetable. (This is often translated as âyam.â) Made almost entirely of fiber, shirataki are very low in both carbohydrate and calories.
Shirataki come in two basic varieties: traditional and tofu. Traditional shirataki are made entirely of glucomannan fiber. Theyâre translucent and gelatinous, quite different from the wheat-based noodles we grew up on. I only like them in Asian recipesâsesame noodles, Asian soups, and the like.
Tofu shirataki, as the name suggests, have a little bit of tofu added to the glucomannan. This makes them white, and more tender than traditional shirataki. Theyâre not identical to regular pasta, but theyâre closer, and I like them in all sorts of things, from fettuccine Alfredo to tuna casserole. Both kinds come in a variety of widths and shapes.
Shirataki come prehydrated in a pouch of liquid. To use them, snip open the pouch and dump them into a strainer in the sink. Youâll notice the liquid smells fishy. Do not panic. Rinse your noodles well, and put them in a microwavable bowl. Nuke them on high for 2 minutes, and drain them again. Nuke them for
another
2 minutes, and drain them one more time. This renders them quite bland, and cooks out extra liquid that would otherwise dilute sauces.
Long noodles are considered good luck in Japan, but I find shirataki a bit too long. I snip across them a few times with my kitchen shears. All of this microwaving and draining and snipping takes less time than boiling water for standard pasta.
You now have hot noodles! Add sauce, stir them into soup, or do whatever you like to do with noodles.
I can get shirataki at my local health food stores and Asian markets. You can order them online, but be aware: They do not
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