Can you make low carb pasta?
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Um I dont make pasta but I do use miracle noodles also called Shirataki Noodles. They are made from a Japanese plant and are virtually carb free...explanation
They DO smell fishy....I rinse them in cold water and I dont cook them... I either drop them into a stir fry for the last 30seconds...or have them in chicken soup or with taco mixings...the texture puts a lot of people off but they were designed to go into a hot pot and they are gelatinous and they dont collapse..
They come in all sorts of sizes...I use the angel hair ones as Ive never seen others in Australia...they also make a rice substitute but Ive not tried it...
They DO smell fishy....I rinse them in cold water and I dont cook them... I either drop them into a stir fry for the last 30seconds...or have them in chicken soup or with taco mixings...the texture puts a lot of people off but they were designed to go into a hot pot and they are gelatinous and they dont collapse..
They come in all sorts of sizes...I use the angel hair ones as Ive never seen others in Australia...they also make a rice substitute but Ive not tried it...
Oh yeah, I remember now. My daughter served us a dish with those in it a couple of years ago, and she said no calories and no carbs. That will serve the purpose. Thanks for reminding me about them.
I jsut bought a julienne peeler that is supposed to make nice noodle-y strips out of any vegetable. I need to begin experimenting ....
I have kelp noodles, I think some zucchini or other bland low carb squash would complement it (and extend its value as it is $$$) nicely!
I have kelp noodles, I think some zucchini or other bland low carb squash would complement it (and extend its value as it is $$$) nicely!
I have one of those old Saladmaster hand-cranked vegetable graters, you can make strings out of veggies with one of the cones. I mostly use to make potato pancakes (latkas) with it... back in the good old days... a couple of months ago. Anyway, thanks for the tip, foxl, I'll bring out the old grater again.
I have read in several posts that Carbquik is too expensive, but I did some math.
At Netrition, Carbquik costs $11.99 for a 3 lb. box. Almond flour costs $4.69 for a 10 oz. bag. 4 bags of almond flour would cost $18.76, and you'd still lack 8 oz. to equal the weight of a box of Carbquik, so ounce-for-ounch, Carbquik costs quite a bit less than almond flour.
For Carbquik dumplings, you'd probably have to add some vital wheat glutin, which even Walmart carries, and some salt, peper and spices to it, but I think you might be able to make some decent dumplings with it, and there are probably already recipes online for Carbquik dumplings.
Before diabetes I use to make egg noodles with egg yolks, flour, salt & pepper, I will probably look online for a Carbquik egg noodle recipe. I bought a box of Carbquik and my sister gifted me a box. So far I have made some waffles and we couldn't tell the difference between it and the real thing.
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Didn't know about Carbquik - thanks! Looked up the ingredients and it has a lot of wheat. I wonder if this is akin to Dreamfield's pasta that works for some but spikes others maybe hours afterwards.
Worth a try and experimenting. Will make a few biscuits, test, and see if I can tolerate it. Then - start working on my spaetzle!
Worth a try and experimenting. Will make a few biscuits, test, and see if I can tolerate it. Then - start working on my spaetzle!
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Carbquik:
Ingredients: Carbalose flour (enzyme-modified wheat, vital wheat gluten, wheat fiber, unbleached patent wheat flour, vegetable fiber, canola oil, salt, emulsifiers, enzymes, ascorbic acid, sucralose, calcium propionate), palm oil, buttermilk powder, baking powder, egg white powder, lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavors.
I'd be way happier with almond meal or any nutmeal or even LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond) or mixed with flax...I'm just a bit suspicious of all the additives in 'mixes'
Ingredients: Carbalose flour (enzyme-modified wheat, vital wheat gluten, wheat fiber, unbleached patent wheat flour, vegetable fiber, canola oil, salt, emulsifiers, enzymes, ascorbic acid, sucralose, calcium propionate), palm oil, buttermilk powder, baking powder, egg white powder, lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavors.
I'd be way happier with almond meal or any nutmeal or even LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond) or mixed with flax...I'm just a bit suspicious of all the additives in 'mixes'
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Yeah - if those work for spaetzle. Dumplings aren't easy to hold together and give the tenderness that makes them to die for. If Carbquik works, I'll view it as a very occasional treat - or experiment with other things to see if I can work something out.
I'm eating pretty well and healthy except for: salami. I didn't eat it for years because of the fat, then with diabetes decided 'I have a new forbidden treat!' Great for diabetes, terrible for heath. Another occasional treat for when I really crave that taste punch.
I've used the Shiratake noodles and buy them buy the case. My daughter used to have one of those spiral noodle makes but took it to California with her. She would make zucchini and squash noodle. You can also do it with a veggie peeler or a mandaline. As far as making your own, I think that is difficult. All pasta is made from wheat. The wheat spikes me like crazy. I think the trick is to find substitutes for the pasta. Some like to use bagged cold slaw mix warmed in microwave. Some use cauliflower. I like those bagged broccoli slaw mixeds.
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Shirataki noodles aren't all the same. The only kind I can find out here are soy, which feel and taste a bit extraterrestrial to me. (Hope I'm not being Earthist here!) I love tofu, so that was a major disappointment.
Some shirataki, however, is made from konjac/konnyaku root. Miracle Noodle makes them, and they're available online. I might try 'em, even though they're pricey. Don't know of any other sources.
Rice and corn pastas do exist, but they're meant for celiac/gluten intolerance, not for diabetics. They're just about as high-carb as wheat pastas. Whole grain is just as bad.
Dreamfields pastas spike some people 4-6 hours after eating. Overcooking makes them higher-carb, but some folks spike on them regardless. I've found them at the supermarket, but have not had the nerve to buy any.
I'd love to find an alternative my husband and I can both stand, but so far, no joy.
Some shirataki, however, is made from konjac/konnyaku root. Miracle Noodle makes them, and they're available online. I might try 'em, even though they're pricey. Don't know of any other sources.
Rice and corn pastas do exist, but they're meant for celiac/gluten intolerance, not for diabetics. They're just about as high-carb as wheat pastas. Whole grain is just as bad.
Dreamfields pastas spike some people 4-6 hours after eating. Overcooking makes them higher-carb, but some folks spike on them regardless. I've found them at the supermarket, but have not had the nerve to buy any.
I'd love to find an alternative my husband and I can both stand, but so far, no joy.
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Thanks jwags. Yeah, I've been doing most those things (except the shiratake that hasn't been appealing) and it has been fine, ... it's just that occasionally I'd like to be able to have something akin to spaetzle. If I can't, I can't.
I agree that getting something to hold together well enough will be hard, but I'll go down fighting
I agree that getting something to hold together well enough will be hard, but I'll go down fighting
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some of the noodles are tofu based...they still have some carbs...the ones I buy have zero carbs and have no tofu in them...they also have a shelf life of 12 months and do not need to be kept in the fridge...
you can use them in asian recipes in place of any noodles...but especially 'hot pots' I use them in stir fries and just add them in the last 30 seconds...they dont need any more cooking than that
I use them in cold noodle salads...like a thai salad with fried thin steak and a dressing with cold noodles...yummy...or even chicken
or even in a soup...chicken stock and the noodles and some chinese greens...a dash of soy sauce....delish
um as far as availablity...in Australia I've seen them in Korean supermarkets....every Japanese supermarket (more costly) and a lot of generic Asian supermarkets...
I started the first time with the refrigerated ones...they are tied in little bundles...I cut the bundles open and rinse in hot water...they DO smell...but they take on the taste of whatever sauce they are served with....some brands are nicer than others...but I havent found any I dont like
you can use them in asian recipes in place of any noodles...but especially 'hot pots' I use them in stir fries and just add them in the last 30 seconds...they dont need any more cooking than that
I use them in cold noodle salads...like a thai salad with fried thin steak and a dressing with cold noodles...yummy...or even chicken
or even in a soup...chicken stock and the noodles and some chinese greens...a dash of soy sauce....delish
um as far as availablity...in Australia I've seen them in Korean supermarkets....every Japanese supermarket (more costly) and a lot of generic Asian supermarkets...
I started the first time with the refrigerated ones...they are tied in little bundles...I cut the bundles open and rinse in hot water...they DO smell...but they take on the taste of whatever sauce they are served with....some brands are nicer than others...but I havent found any I dont like
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Two days ago, I tried some low carbs penne pasta that is available here in Sweden. The company that makes it is called Carbzone and they also make a really good low carb bread as well as low carb chocolate that is not recommended as it contains maltitol etc...
Anyway, the pasta was horrible! It had the consistency of coarse sand and water even though it was drained well. The sad part is that I still have two unused packages of the stuff in my cupboard and can't see myself ever using it or pawning it off onto someone.
With that said, I think I am past the "must find substitutes" period in my diabetic life. I am perfectly fine eating salads and meat. I can have berries instead of fruit and water instead of soda and occasionally some Coke or Sprite Zero if need be. I have a good low carb bread I can live with and an excellent low carb ice cream that rivals full sugar ice creams (although it is limited to french vanilla and chocolate flavours). I guess I'm just fed up with spending money on trying to find a substitute that doesn't work out when I really can live without the substitute. Am I making any sense or am I just too tired at 2:33 a.m.?
Anyway, the pasta was horrible! It had the consistency of coarse sand and water even though it was drained well. The sad part is that I still have two unused packages of the stuff in my cupboard and can't see myself ever using it or pawning it off onto someone.
With that said, I think I am past the "must find substitutes" period in my diabetic life. I am perfectly fine eating salads and meat. I can have berries instead of fruit and water instead of soda and occasionally some Coke or Sprite Zero if need be. I have a good low carb bread I can live with and an excellent low carb ice cream that rivals full sugar ice creams (although it is limited to french vanilla and chocolate flavours). I guess I'm just fed up with spending money on trying to find a substitute that doesn't work out when I really can live without the substitute. Am I making any sense or am I just too tired at 2:33 a.m.?
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