Note: Check out my blog post review on a recipe for low carb Italian Piccolo Sliders on Coconut Flour bread and a review of a low carb mock rice pudding recipe here. Also check out my recipe for low carb barbecue chicken and bacon pizza on a flax meal crust!
Happy Monday, LilyOnTheLam.com Readers!
I love to cook and bake, but I don't have much occasion to do it. It is so much easier to grab a Greek yogurt out of the refrigerator versus hauling out the pots and pans when you're cooking for one or two people.
I decided I wanted to cook more and eat out less. For me this is not as easy as it sounds. There needs to be some planning and research. My body feels better when I am not eating starches - breads, pasta, rice, potatoes - which sadly all are foods that I love, love, love. My stomach is a lot flatter when I am not feeding a "wheat belly" in a way that all the probiotics I have been taking never will.
My urgent sugar/starch carb cravings greatly diminish when I am fully detoxed off of sugar and starches. When I stay away from white starchy carbohydrates, I am less prone to empty the contents of my refrigerator into my gullet. Then there's God's "gift" to the aging - my metabolism definitely has slowed down the older I get. (Ugh, ugh and ugh!!) While I do not have gluten intolerance, food allergies or diabetes; I definitely do have issues with starchy carbs and risks for metabolic syndrome. All of this makes the thought of a low carb diet more appealing to my lifestyle. I'm not a physician and I do believe that all people are different, so if you're contemplating radically changing your life - whether its food, exercise, etc. check with your Doctor first.
I started looking at low carb recipes online. Now I know that terms like "low carb" and "gluten free" do NOT mean "low calorie." In fact many alternative "flours" are very calorie-dense.
I am not a huge meat eater and I've been working hard to focus on eating more "whole foods" this summer.
Don't get me wrong - I have eaten a scary amount of processed food in my life (Mmm, CoolWhip Lite! Who cares what's in it, just slap more on this huge serving of pie!) I wanted to start a new chapter in my life! One that did not include a plethora of "Frankenfoods" - modified foods with questionable ingredients or processing. Plus when food processing companies take something out of food - whether it is carbs, fat or sugar - they usually end up adding things to make up for the missing ingredients. Many times those adders are even worse than what was originally taken out of the product.
I remember using "fat free Italian" dressing in college and my friend Nicky G leaned over and said "What do you think is in that bottle if it's a fat free version of an oil based dressing?" A fair question. The one that really stumps me is: What exactly is in fat free half and half anyway?
I decided if I did not want to have meals filled with Frankenfoods, that I needed to break out my dusty unused pots and pans and try making some low carb foods on my own. I would know exactly what was in the food I was eating because I'd be the one making it! However, alternative flours are not cheap and you cannot just swap the same amount of wheat flour with an alternate flour and expect the same results. I would definitely need some inspiration and guidance to start on my low carb cooking/baking journey. Some time on the internet was necessary!
The great joy of the internet is that you can access a great deal of information from the comfort of your home. (I happen to have a cat who is using my leg as a pillow right now - which is pretty darn comfortable ... for him.) The great pain of the internet is that you can access a great deal of misinformation. It seems everyone's out there giving quasi or even pseudo scientific or medical advice. I grew frustrated reading one website extolling the virtues of almond meal/flour as an alternative flour and then another website saying it was the devil because it is allegedly chock full of Omega 6's and Phytic acid. Do I sound ignorant if I admit I had never heard of phytic acid before?
There are websites stating that agave nectar is basically the second coming of Christ in syrupy form. There are other websites that say agave nectar has more calories and carbs than table sugar and you'd be a "fool" to use it. Sigh ... My brain started to hurt reading it all. I just want to avoid white starches in my diet - why is this so difficult? And who should I believe? It seems like every few years there is a new diet trend that refutes the previous diet trend. Some people get rich with books, DVDs, speaking tours, etc. and other people just get larger and larger. Just another reason to consult your licensed medical professional! Anyone can start a website. You don't need a degree or a license to do so.
Look at me - I could say in my blog that having a Hello Kitty Waffle Maker increases your happiness 3000 percent. Doesn't mean it's true or accurate. (But it does make me happier!)
I found the basic rule of thumb for me was to have a healthy dose of skepticism and not take anything I read on the internet at full face value. Which is probably a good life rule for most things. It has kept me from eagerly answering the emails I receive offering to give me $100 million if I just send $20,000 and give all personal financial details to some shadowy figure in Africa or Eastern Europe! (Sorry scammers, I am not falling for that one - so please stop sending me spam emails!)
I believe that moderation in everything is also a good rule of thumb. There are rarely any black and white easy answers ("Just stop eating "X" and you'll lose all excess weight AND be rich and famous!") I do think it is good to try an allergy avoidance diet to isolate if particular foods are indeed causing you issues versus just guessing at it. If you have medical issues - diabetes, etc. what raises blood sugar or causes intolerance in one person, may not have the same reaction for another person. You are a special, individual snowflake in this world - so research what works best for you and your body. Don't just assume what works for one person would also work for you. And again, consult your physician!
In my search for low carb information, I did find that there is a tremendous number of great food bloggers out there. Since my original intention was to find interesting recipes to try, I set aside my frustrations at the levels of information and misinformation on the internet.
After much internet searching, here are some of my now favorite food bloggers:
24-7 Low Carb Diner - One of the first low carb blogs that had recipes I was interested in because 1) there wasn't a major amount of speciality ingredients and 2) the recipes sounded like they could be made quickly and easily. The more steps a recipes has, the less I am interested in trying it. My first low carb cooking attempt was based on a recipe from 24-7 Low Carb Diner. (Tune in tomorrow to see my review!)
I Breathe ... I'm Hungry I've mentioned this blog before on LilyOnTheLam.com. It's not only a great food blog, but the title is sadly a true statement for my life!
All Day I Dream About Food I think I have this tattooed somewhere on my body!
Candice's Tickle My Sweet Tooth Blog - which I keep mistakenly calling "Lick My Sweet Tooth"-- perhaps I am Freudian repressed!
Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal - If you're looking for information plus recipes, Maria's blog has an amazing amount of information for your consideration. I appreciate the amount of time and the depth of discussion for each of her blog topics. As an added bonus for me, Maria also lists calories versus just carb grams for each recipe. I cannot wait to try her "healthified" recipes.
Lauren's Healthy Indulgences Blog - Lauren is a college student in Florida. I wonder if she lives near Tampa Bay? I'd love to be on her taste testers list! Lauren has a lot of great recipes on Healthy Indulgences, plus she has a Paypal shopping cart for those appreciative readers who may want to donate to her ingredient fund. College students can use all the extra income they can get!
Last, but not least - "Your Lighter Side" seems to be one of the main anchors in the low carb recipe exchange community. Many great recipes on this website.
Reading these blogs inspired my inner Chef. I made a list of some essential low carb ingredients I would need - almond meal, coconut flour, golden flaxseed meal and drumroll please ... xanthan gum. I associate "xanthan gum" with the molecular gastronomists on "Top Chef"... would I be entering their league now? Um, probably not ... but hey, it's always fun to try working with new things. I ordered some of my ingredients on Netrition.com, but there are many online vendors who sell these products. You can also find many of these items at Whole Foods. I purchased my almond meal at Trader Joe's.
Now armed with the proper ingredients, stay tuned as I am going to start posting some of my low carb cooking/baking adventures here on LilyOnTheLam.com. In Tuesday's blog post, I review Italian Sliders on Coconut Flour bread and give ideas for other low carb uses for Coconut Flour bread. Check out my post here.
What's your favorite low carb recipe? Feel free to post in the comment section if you have any recommendations!
Google Affiliate Ads:
Happy Monday, LilyOnTheLam.com Readers!
I love to cook and bake, but I don't have much occasion to do it. It is so much easier to grab a Greek yogurt out of the refrigerator versus hauling out the pots and pans when you're cooking for one or two people.
I decided I wanted to cook more and eat out less. For me this is not as easy as it sounds. There needs to be some planning and research. My body feels better when I am not eating starches - breads, pasta, rice, potatoes - which sadly all are foods that I love, love, love. My stomach is a lot flatter when I am not feeding a "wheat belly" in a way that all the probiotics I have been taking never will.
My urgent sugar/starch carb cravings greatly diminish when I am fully detoxed off of sugar and starches. When I stay away from white starchy carbohydrates, I am less prone to empty the contents of my refrigerator into my gullet. Then there's God's "gift" to the aging - my metabolism definitely has slowed down the older I get. (Ugh, ugh and ugh!!) While I do not have gluten intolerance, food allergies or diabetes; I definitely do have issues with starchy carbs and risks for metabolic syndrome. All of this makes the thought of a low carb diet more appealing to my lifestyle. I'm not a physician and I do believe that all people are different, so if you're contemplating radically changing your life - whether its food, exercise, etc. check with your Doctor first.
I started looking at low carb recipes online. Now I know that terms like "low carb" and "gluten free" do NOT mean "low calorie." In fact many alternative "flours" are very calorie-dense.
I am not a huge meat eater and I've been working hard to focus on eating more "whole foods" this summer.
Don't get me wrong - I have eaten a scary amount of processed food in my life (Mmm, CoolWhip Lite! Who cares what's in it, just slap more on this huge serving of pie!) I wanted to start a new chapter in my life! One that did not include a plethora of "Frankenfoods" - modified foods with questionable ingredients or processing. Plus when food processing companies take something out of food - whether it is carbs, fat or sugar - they usually end up adding things to make up for the missing ingredients. Many times those adders are even worse than what was originally taken out of the product.
I remember using "fat free Italian" dressing in college and my friend Nicky G leaned over and said "What do you think is in that bottle if it's a fat free version of an oil based dressing?" A fair question. The one that really stumps me is: What exactly is in fat free half and half anyway?
I decided if I did not want to have meals filled with Frankenfoods, that I needed to break out my dusty unused pots and pans and try making some low carb foods on my own. I would know exactly what was in the food I was eating because I'd be the one making it! However, alternative flours are not cheap and you cannot just swap the same amount of wheat flour with an alternate flour and expect the same results. I would definitely need some inspiration and guidance to start on my low carb cooking/baking journey. Some time on the internet was necessary!
The great joy of the internet is that you can access a great deal of information from the comfort of your home. (I happen to have a cat who is using my leg as a pillow right now - which is pretty darn comfortable ... for him.) The great pain of the internet is that you can access a great deal of misinformation. It seems everyone's out there giving quasi or even pseudo scientific or medical advice. I grew frustrated reading one website extolling the virtues of almond meal/flour as an alternative flour and then another website saying it was the devil because it is allegedly chock full of Omega 6's and Phytic acid. Do I sound ignorant if I admit I had never heard of phytic acid before?
There are websites stating that agave nectar is basically the second coming of Christ in syrupy form. There are other websites that say agave nectar has more calories and carbs than table sugar and you'd be a "fool" to use it. Sigh ... My brain started to hurt reading it all. I just want to avoid white starches in my diet - why is this so difficult? And who should I believe? It seems like every few years there is a new diet trend that refutes the previous diet trend. Some people get rich with books, DVDs, speaking tours, etc. and other people just get larger and larger. Just another reason to consult your licensed medical professional! Anyone can start a website. You don't need a degree or a license to do so.
Look at me - I could say in my blog that having a Hello Kitty Waffle Maker increases your happiness 3000 percent. Doesn't mean it's true or accurate. (But it does make me happier!)
I found the basic rule of thumb for me was to have a healthy dose of skepticism and not take anything I read on the internet at full face value. Which is probably a good life rule for most things. It has kept me from eagerly answering the emails I receive offering to give me $100 million if I just send $20,000 and give all personal financial details to some shadowy figure in Africa or Eastern Europe! (Sorry scammers, I am not falling for that one - so please stop sending me spam emails!)
I believe that moderation in everything is also a good rule of thumb. There are rarely any black and white easy answers ("Just stop eating "X" and you'll lose all excess weight AND be rich and famous!") I do think it is good to try an allergy avoidance diet to isolate if particular foods are indeed causing you issues versus just guessing at it. If you have medical issues - diabetes, etc. what raises blood sugar or causes intolerance in one person, may not have the same reaction for another person. You are a special, individual snowflake in this world - so research what works best for you and your body. Don't just assume what works for one person would also work for you. And again, consult your physician!
In my search for low carb information, I did find that there is a tremendous number of great food bloggers out there. Since my original intention was to find interesting recipes to try, I set aside my frustrations at the levels of information and misinformation on the internet.
After much internet searching, here are some of my now favorite food bloggers:
24-7 Low Carb Diner - One of the first low carb blogs that had recipes I was interested in because 1) there wasn't a major amount of speciality ingredients and 2) the recipes sounded like they could be made quickly and easily. The more steps a recipes has, the less I am interested in trying it. My first low carb cooking attempt was based on a recipe from 24-7 Low Carb Diner. (Tune in tomorrow to see my review!)
I Breathe ... I'm Hungry I've mentioned this blog before on LilyOnTheLam.com. It's not only a great food blog, but the title is sadly a true statement for my life!
All Day I Dream About Food I think I have this tattooed somewhere on my body!
Candice's Tickle My Sweet Tooth Blog - which I keep mistakenly calling "Lick My Sweet Tooth"-- perhaps I am Freudian repressed!
Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal - If you're looking for information plus recipes, Maria's blog has an amazing amount of information for your consideration. I appreciate the amount of time and the depth of discussion for each of her blog topics. As an added bonus for me, Maria also lists calories versus just carb grams for each recipe. I cannot wait to try her "healthified" recipes.
Lauren's Healthy Indulgences Blog - Lauren is a college student in Florida. I wonder if she lives near Tampa Bay? I'd love to be on her taste testers list! Lauren has a lot of great recipes on Healthy Indulgences, plus she has a Paypal shopping cart for those appreciative readers who may want to donate to her ingredient fund. College students can use all the extra income they can get!
Last, but not least - "Your Lighter Side" seems to be one of the main anchors in the low carb recipe exchange community. Many great recipes on this website.
Reading these blogs inspired my inner Chef. I made a list of some essential low carb ingredients I would need - almond meal, coconut flour, golden flaxseed meal and drumroll please ... xanthan gum. I associate "xanthan gum" with the molecular gastronomists on "Top Chef"... would I be entering their league now? Um, probably not ... but hey, it's always fun to try working with new things. I ordered some of my ingredients on Netrition.com, but there are many online vendors who sell these products. You can also find many of these items at Whole Foods. I purchased my almond meal at Trader Joe's.
Now armed with the proper ingredients, stay tuned as I am going to start posting some of my low carb cooking/baking adventures here on LilyOnTheLam.com. In Tuesday's blog post, I review Italian Sliders on Coconut Flour bread and give ideas for other low carb uses for Coconut Flour bread. Check out my post here.
What's your favorite low carb recipe? Feel free to post in the comment section if you have any recommendations!
Google Affiliate Ads:
I love that you are doing this! I know I am going to learn a ton from your upcoming series. Some of my favorite low carb recipes are mini-quiches with greens. They work out to about 100 calories each and are so filling. I am loving the black beans and quinoa combo with lettuce, tomato and salsa as a "burrito" bowl or stir fry vegetables. Cooking with Isaiah is a great gluten free cookbook. Red Mill makes some great bread, pancake and pizza dough mixes. Can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteI was very excited to see that Tropicana Field has a gluten free food stand at the Tampa Bay Rays Games. Stay tuned to tomorrow's blog - the start of "Sandwich Tuesday" - low carb "bread" and great sandwiches. ;-)
ReplyDelete