As I just posted in my Low Carb Roux post, Xathan Gum is the magic zero net carb thickener. Xanthan gum has 7g of carbs per serving and 7 g of fiber per serving for a 0 net carb rating. :)
When making gravy from my roasted/baked turkey or chicken, I add one teaspoon of xanthan gum at a time. Xathan gum soaks up much more liquid than flour and thus thickens with far less! I use a mixture of Xanthan gum and water to make a thickening gel for my youngest (he has Mitochondrial Disease, which causes him to have swallowing problems). Xanthan gum is also used in gluten-free baking to give products more of a wheat texture and helps the products rise.
This is really something you'll have to play around with. Since my baked turkeys and chickens never yields the exact same amount of liquid, I've learned to add a little at a time until the desired gravy thickness is reached.
Happy low carb eating!
Showing posts with label Low Carb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Low Carb. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2012
Low Carb Roux (0Net Carbs)
Being from Louisiana, going low carb was difficult. So many recipes start with, ahem, ROUX! I've found a wonderful, tasty solution with 0 net carbs. That's right, 0 net carbs. I've been using it for about 6 months and it hasn't failed me. Even my non-low carb friends didn't notice a difference in my gumbo or sausage and gravy recipes.
What is the secret ingredient? Xanthan gum! Xanthan gum has 7g of carbohydrates per serving and 7g of fiber per serving for a 0 net carb total. The biggest trick to using Xanthan gum as opposed to flour is to remember that you use FAR less Xanthan gum than you would flour. I use one tablespoon of Xanthan gum for recipes calling for 1/2cup - 1 cup of flour. So, for gumbo, I heat 3/4 cup oil and then add one tablespoon of Xanthan gum. I brown it to the desired color and make my gumbo as I would with regular, flour based roux. I also use this ratio for my sausage and gravy recipe.
For recipes using a butter roux (etoufee, etc) use one to two teaspoons per stick of butter, depending on the amount of liquid you will be adding. The first roux I made with Xanthan gum, I substituted the same amount of Xanthan gum for the flour in the recipe, and I couldn't add enough liquid! The Xathan gum roux just soaked it up. I had so much roux after that, that I cooked with it for a week and ended up throwing away what was left. Melt your butter, add the teaspoon of xanthan gum and darken to desired color. I usually go with a peanut butter color for my etoufee.
Last tip: Xanthan gum darkens faster than flour, so be sure to stir constantly! It does seem to burn a bit faster, too, so have your other ingredients ready to add or space on the stove to push it aside.
Happy Cajun Cooking!
What is the secret ingredient? Xanthan gum! Xanthan gum has 7g of carbohydrates per serving and 7g of fiber per serving for a 0 net carb total. The biggest trick to using Xanthan gum as opposed to flour is to remember that you use FAR less Xanthan gum than you would flour. I use one tablespoon of Xanthan gum for recipes calling for 1/2cup - 1 cup of flour. So, for gumbo, I heat 3/4 cup oil and then add one tablespoon of Xanthan gum. I brown it to the desired color and make my gumbo as I would with regular, flour based roux. I also use this ratio for my sausage and gravy recipe.
For recipes using a butter roux (etoufee, etc) use one to two teaspoons per stick of butter, depending on the amount of liquid you will be adding. The first roux I made with Xanthan gum, I substituted the same amount of Xanthan gum for the flour in the recipe, and I couldn't add enough liquid! The Xathan gum roux just soaked it up. I had so much roux after that, that I cooked with it for a week and ended up throwing away what was left. Melt your butter, add the teaspoon of xanthan gum and darken to desired color. I usually go with a peanut butter color for my etoufee.
Last tip: Xanthan gum darkens faster than flour, so be sure to stir constantly! It does seem to burn a bit faster, too, so have your other ingredients ready to add or space on the stove to push it aside.
Happy Cajun Cooking!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Sugar-free Vanilla Creme Brulee
These turned out quite yummy. I wasn't sure how it wold turn out, since I'd never attempted to make sugar-free Creme Brulee and I did not have a recipe! I used all natural Xylitol from Birchwood (I purchase mine at Swanson Vitamins). Use the same amount of Xylitol in recipes as you would sugar-- there is no conversion. Over consumption, however can cause GI upset. Xylitol also makes a mean sugar-free cheese cake. I can't even tell the difference between sugar sweetened and Xylitol sweetened Creme Brulee and Cheesecake.
Sugar-free Vanilla Creme Brulee
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated Xylitol
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Beat the egg yolks on high until thick and lemon colored, beat in Xylitol. Mix with whipping cream in saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot. Stirring constantly, heat until it thickens about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not let mixture boil. Spoon into creme brulee dishes and refrigerate 2- 24 hours. I chose not to add sugar on the top (I'm still avoiding sugar!), but you can always add sugar and use your kitchen torch to glaze it.
Sugar-free Vanilla Creme Brulee
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated Xylitol
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Beat the egg yolks on high until thick and lemon colored, beat in Xylitol. Mix with whipping cream in saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot. Stirring constantly, heat until it thickens about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not let mixture boil. Spoon into creme brulee dishes and refrigerate 2- 24 hours. I chose not to add sugar on the top (I'm still avoiding sugar!), but you can always add sugar and use your kitchen torch to glaze it.
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| Finished Sugar-free Creme Brulee |
Friday, June 10, 2011
Almost Like Grandma's Frittata
My grandmother came over from Italy as a small child. I never met her because she died before I was born, but her recipes were always served at my house. One of my favorites is frittata. I'm just too lazy to spend the time backing it in the oven, so here's what I do to create the same taste in my frying pan!
Today, I used zucchini from my garden-- an Italian Heirloom zucchini called Lungo Bianco. I grew them from seed and I have to say, they are yummy! I sliced half of a zucchini and a quarter of a small onion. I sauteed the onion and zucchini in Wildtree's Natural Grapeseed Oil until they were soft. I added two scrambled eggs, salt, pepper, a few shakes of parmesan cheese with two pinches of Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Sauce Blend. Scrambled them around until they were cooked and YUM! It tastes just like grandma's frittata!
It isn't as pretty as grandma's, but it sure tastes the same! Enjoy!
Today, I used zucchini from my garden-- an Italian Heirloom zucchini called Lungo Bianco. I grew them from seed and I have to say, they are yummy! I sliced half of a zucchini and a quarter of a small onion. I sauteed the onion and zucchini in Wildtree's Natural Grapeseed Oil until they were soft. I added two scrambled eggs, salt, pepper, a few shakes of parmesan cheese with two pinches of Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Sauce Blend. Scrambled them around until they were cooked and YUM! It tastes just like grandma's frittata!
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| Zucchini I picked this morning |
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| Finished Almost Like Grandma's Frittata |
It isn't as pretty as grandma's, but it sure tastes the same! Enjoy!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Shrimp and Guacamole with a Twist
Need a low carb alternative to chips? How about shrimp!? I didn't have any Wildtree Guacamole Seasoning on hand, so I added a few teaspoons of Fiesta Salsa Mix to my mashed avocado instead. I created a keeper! YUM! It adds a bit of spice to my shrimp. This isn't HCG Diet approved for the first phase, but it is approved for the second phase. I was craving Avocado and that is why I have such a small amount on my plate! I've got two more weeks of phase I to go!
Quick HCG Diet Approved Omelet
As I said earlier, I am working on my second round of the HCG Diet. So far I have lost 30 pounds using the HCG Diet! Once I get to the second stage (3 weeks of just low carb and not just low carb and low fat!), I can add whole eggs and CHEESE to this recipe
I made an egg white omelet for lunch today using the Garlic & Herb Blend. It was divine! Since I am still in the first stage of the diet, I wiped the pan with the Natural Grapeseed Oil -- just enough to keep the eggs from sticking. While the pan was coming to temperature, I added salt, pepper and the Garlic and Herb Blend to my eggs, tossed them in the pan to cook. Looking forward to the second phase and my continued Low-Card maintenance! Again, this is my second round with the HCG Diet (Miss Utah used it!). Between the rounds, I maintained my weight by eating low card M-F and allowing myself to eat what I wanted on the weekends. As the blog progresses, I hope to share more of my HCG Diet Approved Recipes using Wildtree Products and also share my low carb recipes, too. I've just started building my blog, as you can see by my recipes I posted today. I have Christi working on a very cute blog design, too, and I can't wait to see the new design go live. If you like my blog, click on her link for more information. She also designed our Family Blog!
I made an egg white omelet for lunch today using the Garlic & Herb Blend. It was divine! Since I am still in the first stage of the diet, I wiped the pan with the Natural Grapeseed Oil -- just enough to keep the eggs from sticking. While the pan was coming to temperature, I added salt, pepper and the Garlic and Herb Blend to my eggs, tossed them in the pan to cook. Looking forward to the second phase and my continued Low-Card maintenance! Again, this is my second round with the HCG Diet (Miss Utah used it!). Between the rounds, I maintained my weight by eating low card M-F and allowing myself to eat what I wanted on the weekends. As the blog progresses, I hope to share more of my HCG Diet Approved Recipes using Wildtree Products and also share my low carb recipes, too. I've just started building my blog, as you can see by my recipes I posted today. I have Christi working on a very cute blog design, too, and I can't wait to see the new design go live. If you like my blog, click on her link for more information. She also designed our Family Blog!