carb alternatives please

donnas144

just wondering of alternative ideas for carb alternatives/replacement. just wanted to reduce them a bit. just wobdering what other do? thanks

wbgolden

A friend of mine is low/no carb and has started using crushed (wait for it) pork rinds in recipes that call for flour. He likes it. Personally, I'd never let it pass my lips.

But it's an idea.

lilawolf

I'm going to throw a bunch of suggestions out here. You can find recipes for most of them if you search online so I won't go into detail unless you have a question on one:

Bread:
* Lettuce wraps. Use green leaf, red leaf, or the outside of iceburg lettuce. Burgers are available this way at Carl's Jr and Red Robin (that I know of)
* Muffin in a minute. These are great especially to boost your fiber and get things...moving. You can make them sweet or savory.
* Oopsie rolls. Bland and take a while to make, but keep well and are great for sandwiches that feel more normal
* 45 cal bread or bagel thins are decent for when you just need some bread

Tortillas:
* Mission carb balance tortillas. Expensive, but very good. Tons of fiber

Pancakes:
* Muffin in a minute with a bit of SF caramel inside and some SF maple syrup on top. Tastes like a whole wheat pancake!
* I've heard of but have not tried 2 ingredient pancakes. They have banana and egg only. Easy on these bc there are carbs in banana, but fruit carbs are paired with good for you vitamins and are nicer in my book

Noodles:
* Zucchini or eggplant noodles are fantastic in lasagna
* Spaghetti squash strings like spaghetti but is a bit crunchier. Great with a nice meaty sauce. Cook it for twice as long as the recipe tells you. Still crunchy but better. I have been unable to overcook it. Leftovers can be fried like hashbrows specially with cheese, tuna, bacon, and an egg, patty style.

Mashed potatoes
* Mashed cauliflower. Boil it a long time! Then mash it with a fork to get "rice" consistancy or blend it for mashed potato consistancy. Its lovely with the normal mix ins. Guests will not know the difference except the kitchen smells differently.
* Mashed turnips. Also good, but not as good as cauliflower. Peel them or they will be bitter!

Potatoes in soup
* Turnips. Hands down. Awesome.

Pizza crust
* Cauliflower crust
* Portobello mushroom instead of a crust. The pizza goes in the mushroom cap! Do not wash the mushroom. Drying in the oven will take longer than the recipe states.

donnas144

ooooh hmmmm i dont fancy that lol

lilawolf

A friend of mine is low/no carb and has started using crushed (wait for it) pork rinds in recipes that call for flour. He likes it. Personally, I'd never let it pass my lips.

But it's an idea.

Ive "breaded" chicken in it and it was fantastic. Very rich

ltkasmala

Unfortunately, there are no real alternatives for carbs except to take in fewer of them. I personally don't like reduced carb diets (I have always eaten pastas and things when loosing weight with success) but that's not to say they don't work for other people. Unlike meat substitutes the only real way to cut back on carbs is to eat diets higher in protein and/or fat!

yarwell

just wondering of alternative ideas for carb alternatives/replacement. just wanted to reduce them a bit. just wobdering what other do? thanks

I'm not a fan of using substitutes ersatz foods, most of them are pretty crap or use exotic ingredients to pretend to be low carb.

So for dinner I will have a portion of meat or fish with two or three vegetables, forgetting about adding a starchy thing to it altogether.

donnas144

spag squash strings do i buy these? ive never heard of tjem before but like the sound of it. thank you so much for the other ideas too.

donnas144

i think i might change rice to brown rice and wholemeal pasta maybe.

yarwell

i think i might change rice to brown rice and wholemeal pasta maybe.

that's fairly pointless, the carb content is pretty much the same.

YouAreTheShit

Bump

melaniecheeks

Yeah you're not going to save much carbs there, though they're more filling so you need less of them.

For me, I just eat the starchy stuff less often. I buy a good quality seeded bread and keep it in the freezer - I'll have a slice toasted maybe once every 2-3 days.

Breakfast is eggs, lunch is soups or salad, dinner is meat or fish with veg. Honestly, a good steak served over wilted spinach and mushrooms, and you wont even miss the potato!

californiagirl2012

just wondering of alternative ideas for carb alternatives/replacement. just wanted to reduce them a bit. just wobdering what other do? thanks

I'm not necessarily a low carb eater but I keep them in check because they have a lot of calories and I'm small and have a smaller calorie budget than most people on MFP. I like to sometimes sub in low carb tortillas and begal thins because they help me remain in budget and keep some sanity. Best of luck to you! -Bobbie.

Silver_Star

skip Rice, Pasta, Potatoes and Flour. Im Indian and we usually eat a lot of Rice and Flour ( tortilla/Roti).....those are huge on carbs.

load up on veggies and replace your carbs for two of your meals with those...so maybe then you can have some "fun" carbs for your third meal...so you wouldnt cut it out totally but still keep your carbs under whatever limit you need.

lilawolf

Spaghetti squash is a vegetable found in the produce aisle. You cook it and use a fork to get the flesh out, and it comes out in spaghetti like strings.

KatrinaG2012

I second the muffin in a minute or muffin in a mug. I love them and have learned to add all kinds of things and using other than a mug ie. bowl or plate yields a visually more appealing bun or pancake to me. Of course they taste the same in the mug. My current favorite is the addition of some cinnamon and bacon topped when done with sugar free (w/splenda) maple syrup. I find it satisfies my craving for sugar and carbs.

donnas144

muffin in a bag? muffin in a minute? i was watching u r what you eat and there was a carb fan on that lol and it just made me think! i do like carbs but i am eating it in moderation i think. i just though changing to brown rice would possibly be lesa caloriea amd heneral better healthier option? i dont eat much bread now where i did eat alot before. but have replaced with ritva which i tend to have at lunch topped with diffrrent things and i actually love that now. i never realised how lovely some rita are! thank you

donnas144

for all your suggestions. i just find sometimes its good to reduce/swap stuff for healthier iptiobs. im not pooking to eliminate from my diet . just to give me more choices etc if that makes sense

theladysarah

I have a low carb diet and only have it once or twice a week.....otherwise I cheat! I have roast butternut squash which in olive oil is like roast pots....i have diced parsnips which gives a consistancy of rissolle pots which does well....and spaghetti is replaced with thinly sliced cabbage fritsed very quickly in olive oil! it is strange but now when i have spaghetti it feels slimmy!

have yet to try the lettuce leaf sandwich I just don't know what to put in them!!

yarwell

i just though changing to brown rice would possibly be lesa caloriea amd heneral better healthier option?

White rice 130 calories per 100g carbs 28g fiber 0g
Brown rice 111 calories per 100g carbs 23g fiber 2g

both long grain, cooked. So a little bit better.

CommandaPanda

Bookmarking thread.

[Ketogenic Dieter]

sh4690

Only eat vegetables and fruit......

oh and some tuna or chicken

that should do it!

erikaaaaaaaa

I like using zucchini as a carb substitute-- I saw someone else posted it as a pasta substitute in lasagne, and I totally agree. There are a lot of great recipes using zucchini-- try www.skinnytaste.com

good luck!

erinnstreeter

If you like sea veggies, look for sheets of nori. Replace bread and tortillas with it. Got a great low carb chicken salad recipe? Wrap it up in a sheet of nori and chow down. (-:

If you're trying to cut back but not eliminate entirely, consider quinoa. I've replaced pasta and rice with quinoa, and I don't miss the former two.

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/whatisquinoa.htm

Also, the lady who writes theworldaccordingtoeggface.com uses sliced onions or julienned zucchini as a pasta substitute.

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2012/07/lotsa-love-for-leftovers-5.html

fmbomzo

I like using zucchini as a carb substitute-- I saw someone else posted it as a pasta substitute in lasagne, and I totally agree. There are a lot of great recipes using zucchini-- try www.skinnytaste.com

good luck!

^^This^^. I love zucchini in place of pasta in most of my tomato-based dishes. I saute it in a little olive oil and garlice, then add some tomato sauce and a little cheese. Simple and delicious.

I have a sweet tooth, so I try to save my carbs for my frozen yogurt and other sweet treats. I don't fret about fruit and veggie carbs as much as I do refined carbs.

shakybabe

I use cauliflower whizzed up in place of rice or cous cous.

sheets peeled off leeks can be used as lasagne sheets. and use quorn instead of mince to make a low cal/low carb lasagne.

lilawolf

have yet to try the lettuce leaf sandwich I just don't know what to put in them!!

Whatever you put on a regular one! I've been doing turkey, bacon (if I have it), havarti, and tomato, with just a smear of bacon ranch. Even with the higher cal ingredients, you can have a LOT more, because you aren't 'paying' for bread.

diwijo13

Bookmarking thread.

[Ketogenic Dieter]

How do you bookmark a thread?

melaniecheeks

Just post something in reply, then it'll be on your "My Topics" list.

Many people just type "bump".

elenabrodet

thanks for the nori, see weed wrap idea, I will buy some next time I go shopping.

highervibes

I 'bread' things with ground almonds instead. It makes AWESOME chicken or veal cutlets for parmesan! I have never tried pork rinds, sounds nasty! lol