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Bubbas_girl
Bubbas_girl Posts: 15 Member
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In searching for some inspiration to help make some very necessary changes that we can live with, I come to you...

What are some of your favorite LC go-to foods that are reasonable substitutions for old favorites? Can be a food item, an ingredient, or the whole dang recipe ;)

I don't crave much right now, but I'm sure it will come. Keep in mind tho, that I'm not all the way LCHF...more like lowER carbs (than ever in my life), but still enjoying fruits & veggies, etc.

One of my new favs is the Dannon Oikos coconut creme Triple Zero yogurts in place of my once-beloved Marie Calendar's coconut creme pie (not an exact match, but a pretty reasonable substitute). Haven't found a good sub for mashed potatoes yet, tho :/
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  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
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    Well..... since you asked:

    I'd suggest ditching the Triple Zero yogurt. You're better off with full fat, regular yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Why? There are more carbs when you take out all the fat, and it's less satisfying/filling.
  • co_lau
    co_lau Posts: 35 Member
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    Replacing a latte: Vegan Bulletproof Coffee

    Replacing a cheeseburger on a bun (or, with the right spices, a taco): Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

    Replacing pizza: Crockpot Crustless Pizza

    Replacing eggrolls: Wrapper-less Egg Roll

    I cannot consume dairy products, so going out is not really a thing. I live for finding amazing recipes that I can modify to exclude dairy....and now also limit carbs.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I am like Dragonwolf and don't think about LCH substitutions but after seeing the above list, I guess I do make substitutions. Just mainly for snacks like macadamia nuts instead of chips or cookies. I don't substitute much for meals. I simply skip things like a bun or a side of potatoes
  • Bubbas_girl
    Bubbas_girl Posts: 15 Member
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    RalfLott wrote: »
    Well..... since you asked:

    I'd suggest ditching the Triple Zero yogurt. You're better off with full fat, regular yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Why? There are more carbs when you take out all the fat, and it's less satisfying/filling.

    Thanks. My fats are plenty high enough in proportion to my carb goals I think. And this is really a once in a while thing for those times when the sweet tooth & Marie Calendar come calling for me to come out & play. ;)
  • Zenwenner
    Zenwenner Posts: 166 Member
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    Love the Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt in it! A couple of squares here and there when my daily carb limit has room for it - yum
  • Bubbas_girl
    Bubbas_girl Posts: 15 Member
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    anewlifeat40 wrote: »
    Instead of bread I wrap my sandwiches or burgers on lettuce leaves... or just eat the innards without...

    I love my sandwich fixin's in a bowl over baby spinach...and I don't miss the bread at all! :smile:

    Zoodles or vegetti is a new favorite for us as well. With shrimp, portabella mushrooms and Alfredo sauce?

    And as much as I have missed taters, I don't miss potato chips (they weren't really a big part of our food life to begin with), but when I crave something salty for crunchin' & munchin', I make a few batches of zucchini chips. They don't last long, tho, because I find myself competing with the hub & kids for them lol
    Zenwenner wrote: »
    Love the Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt in it! A couple of squares here and there when my daily carb limit has room for it - yum

    will be looking for this! :) And I think that is the key for me as well..."when my carbs & calories allow". I'm not in keto, so I'm not worried about kicking myself out if it.

    @Dragonwolf & @nvmomketo: good perspective on substituting. I am finding that some things can just simply be passed over and never be missed. Junk food, cakes/sweets & sodas have never been big players in our nutritional game either...occasional treats...so I don't miss them nor feel the need to replace them with "fake" stuff that may be even worse for us than the original sins.

    I do look at this as a new way of life, so it is less about substituting and more about discovering new things. But there are some favorites that my family asks for (and, admittedly, I miss too), and so I find myself scouring the internet for suitable (and palatable) substitutions, else reluctantly climbing back on board the sinking SS CARB-O ship.

  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    Bubbas_girl wrote: »
    anewlifeat40 wrote: »
    Instead of bread I wrap my sandwiches or burgers on lettuce leaves... or just eat the innards without...

    I love my sandwich fixin's in a bowl over baby spinach...and I don't miss the bread at all! :smile:

    Zoodles or vegetti is a new favorite for us as well. With shrimp, portabella mushrooms and Alfredo sauce?

    And as much as I have missed taters, I don't miss potato chips (they weren't really a big part of our food life to begin with), but when I crave something salty for crunchin' & munchin', I make a few batches of zucchini chips. They don't last long, tho, because I find myself competing with the hub & kids for them lol
    Zenwenner wrote: »
    Love the Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt in it! A couple of squares here and there when my daily carb limit has room for it - yum

    will be looking for this! :) And I think that is the key for me as well..."when my carbs & calories allow". I'm not in keto, so I'm not worried about kicking myself out if it.

    @Dragonwolf & @nvmomketo: good perspective on substituting. I am finding that some things can just simply be passed over and never be missed. Junk food, cakes/sweets & sodas have never been big players in our nutritional game either...occasional treats...so I don't miss them nor feel the need to replace them with "fake" stuff that may be even worse for us than the original sins.

    I do look at this as a new way of life, so it is less about substituting and more about discovering new things. But there are some favorites that my family asks for (and, admittedly, I miss too), and so I find myself scouring the internet for suitable (and palatable) substitutions, else reluctantly climbing back on board the sinking SS CARB-O ship.

    In that case, @Bubbas_girl - try googling any recipe with the word "keto" in front of it. You can find almost anything out there, and keto is just a more searchable term than LCHF...modify accordingly. I've found that many things, I actually like better in a low carb recipe than I ever did in the "traditional" version... But also look to make new "family favorites," too....
  • anewlifeat40
    anewlifeat40 Posts: 179 Member
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    I wish I liked zucchini... I may have to revisit it... Hmmm...
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    @anewlifeat40 - I find that zucchini tastes almost nothing like it's former self when cooked into other dishes... I sauteed some zucchini noodles in butter and garlic salt the other day, added some pre-made spaghetti sauce, dumped in some pre-shredded Italian cheese blend, topped with a dusting of parmesan, and I instantly ended up at the Island of Savory/Umami bliss. I had never tried the zucchini noodles because I wasn't crazy about zucchini, but after my adventure with spaghetti squash, I decided never to doubt the possibilities of anything again... I dare you to try something with it...something small. A tiny zucchini at my local grocer right now is about $0.50... I bought two decent ones last night for less than a dollar... I absolutely adored it topped with alfredo, bacon bits, diced chicken and such, too...
  • Bubbas_girl
    Bubbas_girl Posts: 15 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    ...You can find almost anything out there...
    [/quote]

    Yes you can lol!
  • anewlifeat40
    anewlifeat40 Posts: 179 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    @anewlifeat40 - I find that zucchini tastes almost nothing like it's former self when cooked into other dishes... I sauteed some zucchini noodles in butter and garlic salt the other day, added some pre-made spaghetti sauce, dumped in some pre-shredded Italian cheese blend, topped with a dusting of parmesan, and I instantly ended up at the Island of Savory/Umami bliss. I had never tried the zucchini noodles because I wasn't crazy about zucchini, but after my adventure with spaghetti squash, I decided never to doubt the possibilities of anything again... I dare you to try something with it...something small. A tiny zucchini at my local grocer right now is about $0.50... I bought two decent ones last night for less than a dollar... I absolutely adored it topped with alfredo, bacon bits, diced chicken and such, too...

    It's more the slimy texture that gets me... *shudders* I'm okay if it's grated into something and I can't tell it's there. LOL
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
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    Bubbas_girl wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    Well..... since you asked:

    I'd suggest ditching the Triple Zero yogurt. You're better off with full fat, regular yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Why? There are more carbs when you take out all the fat, and it's less satisfying/filling.

    Thanks. My fats are plenty high enough in proportion to my carb goals I think. And this is really a once in a while thing for those times when the sweet tooth & Marie Calendar come calling for me to come out & play. ;)

    Could be, up to you!

    Since I can't help myself (and if you don't mind me asking), how do your fats relate to your carb targets?
  • becwana
    becwana Posts: 157 Member
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    anewlifeat40 wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    @anewlifeat40 - I find that zucchini tastes almost nothing like it's former self when cooked into other dishes... I sauteed some zucchini noodles in butter and garlic salt the other day, added some pre-made spaghetti sauce, dumped in some pre-shredded Italian cheese blend, topped with a dusting of parmesan, and I instantly ended up at the Island of Savory/Umami bliss. I had never tried the zucchini noodles because I wasn't crazy about zucchini, but after my adventure with spaghetti squash, I decided never to doubt the possibilities of anything again... I dare you to try something with it...something small. A tiny zucchini at my local grocer right now is about $0.50... I bought two decent ones last night for less than a dollar... I absolutely adored it topped with alfredo, bacon bits, diced chicken and such, too...

    It's more the slimy texture that gets me... *shudders* I'm okay if it's grated into something and I can't tell it's there. LOL

    I spiralise my courgette (zucchini) but I don't cook it - I find the hot sauce is enough to soften it slightly without giving it that slimy texture

  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Cauliflower mashes up really nicely with some butter and cream cheese. Love the zoodles, spaghetti squash is yummy too, but I'd eat too much of it if I made it, so I skip it.

    I love chocolate, so I have the 90% cocoa chocolate, which I love, but not enough to pig out on.

    Other than that, I don't really do the substitution thing, I keep it really simple, my menus are just eggs, meat, cheese and veg.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    anewlifeat40 wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    @anewlifeat40 - I find that zucchini tastes almost nothing like it's former self when cooked into other dishes... I sauteed some zucchini noodles in butter and garlic salt the other day, added some pre-made spaghetti sauce, dumped in some pre-shredded Italian cheese blend, topped with a dusting of parmesan, and I instantly ended up at the Island of Savory/Umami bliss. I had never tried the zucchini noodles because I wasn't crazy about zucchini, but after my adventure with spaghetti squash, I decided never to doubt the possibilities of anything again... I dare you to try something with it...something small. A tiny zucchini at my local grocer right now is about $0.50... I bought two decent ones last night for less than a dollar... I absolutely adored it topped with alfredo, bacon bits, diced chicken and such, too...

    It's more the slimy texture that gets me... *shudders* I'm okay if it's grated into something and I can't tell it's there. LOL

    I absolutely promise you, making them as noodles, they were not slimy at all, unless you consider things sauteed in butter to be slimy. The sauce had body, I didn't cook the noodles to mushiness - just enough to take the "bite" out of them being raw...so since they weren't mushy, they were a transport vehicle for the rich, semi-firm sauce... *drooling* just thinking about it, @anewlifeat40 because I swear to you, I'm so not in for slimy foods either. (hugs)
  • anewlifeat40
    anewlifeat40 Posts: 179 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    anewlifeat40 wrote: »

    It's more the slimy texture that gets me... *shudders* I'm okay if it's grated into something and I can't tell it's there. LOL

    I absolutely promise you, making them as noodles, they were not slimy at all, unless you consider things sauteed in butter to be slimy. The sauce had body, I didn't cook the noodles to mushiness - just enough to take the "bite" out of them being raw...so since they weren't mushy, they were a transport vehicle for the rich, semi-firm sauce... *drooling* just thinking about it, @anewlifeat40 because I swear to you, I'm so not in for slimy foods either. (hugs)

    Okay... I'll trust you on that... I may even have to invest in one of those zoodler things...

  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    I got one on amazon for like $10...was my birthday present bought off a gift certificate thing from a friend! :) Hand held, a little work, but works on carrots and cucumbers and stuff, too, so not a loss even if I don't use it for zucchini. I don't like the Z does like ribbons though (like using a potato/veggie peeler)...that's closer to almost-slimy...so slim Z work best!

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