Low carb/no carb alternative to fav foods?

[VSG4aHealthierMe 6]

Ok, I admit that even though I try to do the best I can with carbs I still probably eat too many carbs. My downfall is I haven't found alternative to my fav foods to make them lower carb. Things like spaghetti, for example. I make it as healthy as I can (I ground veggies into tiny specs so my oldest won't realize they are in there lol) but the one part I haven't been able to get around is the Pasta. I have tried the whole grain stuff and none of us like the aldente-ness (??) of it. I boiled those noodles for like an hour and they never got tender, which is the way we prefer it. To me they don't seem done if they aren't tender. So is there a low carb/no carb alternative that actually gets tender? Keep in mind if I find anything good I will use it post-op too so the lower the carbs the better! Another thing is pizza... I know, I know, its not the healthiest thing but every so often I cave and when I do I would like it to be sleeve friendly (for post op) and nutrition friendly in general. Like I said b4 I make it as healthy as possible but I haven't been able to find a crust (Its has to be ready made. I have 2 kids, go to school, looking for a job and I don't have the time to make from scratch) that is low-no carb that doesn't make it taste like crap. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advance. Nothing else may exist but I figured if anyone would know you ladies & gents would

[SleeveGirl-TX 183]

Go look at The World According To Eggface (google it). Ricotta bake will help your Italian craving. This is great on mushy stage, but just really good overall.

She also is big on pizza and uses low carb tortillas with leftovers and random stuff. I'm not sure when I will feel okay doing that, but I love pizza. Interesting, I tried to eat the toppings off of my fave one the other day and I didn't like it anymore. LOL.

I think it's a mindset. If you have to want it bad enough to make it work. You also have to be creative. If that means no pizza for a while because it's a trigger food (and it might be for me, rolls are for sure for me), then avoid it until you can control it.

[AutumnLily 77]

Ok, I admit that even though I try to do the best I can with carbs I still probably eat too many carbs. My downfall is I haven't found alternative to my fav foods to make them lower carb. Things like spaghetti, for example. I make it as healthy as I can (I ground veggies into tiny specs so my oldest won't realize they are in there lol) but the one part I haven't been able to get around is the Pasta. I have tried the whole grain stuff and none of us like the aldente-ness (??) of it. I boiled those noodles for like an hour and they never got tender, which is the way we prefer it. To me they don't seem done if they aren't tender. So is there a low carb/no carb alternative that actually gets tender? Keep in mind if I find anything good I will use it post-op too so the lower the carbs the better! Another thing is pizza... I know, I know, its not the healthiest thing but every so often I cave and when I do I would like it to be sleeve friendly (for post op) and nutrition friendly in general. Like I said b4 I make it as healthy as possible but I haven't been able to find a crust (Its has to be ready made. I have 2 kids, go to school, looking for a job and I don't have the time to make from scratch) that is low-no carb that doesn't make it taste like crap. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advance. Nothing else may exist but I figured if anyone would know you ladies & gents would

Have you tried Shirataki noodles? Personally I do not like them but there are many people who do. If you are going to try them only buy one bag (WASH them really well before cooking). I do not think they need long to cook. I did not like their texture but then again I like my Pasta aldente. You could give it a go and see if its a nice alternative.

Pizza Crust I have an awesome crust that is low carb AND is tasty. It is made with cauliflower!! Thats right I said cauliflower. Here is the link to the recipie Cauliflower pizza dough. I have also been meaning to try these low carb crepes I just have not gotten around to it, here is the link Low carb crepes.

Hope you find these recipies yummy!

[Lila21 36]

Those are both trigger foods for me, too. I don't really have good substitutes for you, but I think you will find that once you are sleeved, you won't be able to eat these foods nearly so much. I often grab my dinner from a buffet bar on the way home from work, and I'll usually put one or two noodles on the side of my chicken and salad, and it satisfies the craving. pizza, I haven't eaten at all, but I think you could be similarly satisfied with a few bites of your kid's pizza! Hope that helps!

[wishes 125]

Try zucchini noodles. They are a great substitute to legit Pasta and taste delish!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/health/22recipehealth.html

[VSG4aHealthierMe 6]

Go look at The World According To Eggface (google it). Ricotta bake will help your Italian craving. This is great on mushy stage, but just really good overall.

She also is big on pizza and uses low carb tortillas with leftovers and random stuff. I'm not sure when I will feel okay doing that, but I love pizza. Interesting, I tried to eat the toppings off of my fave one the other day and I didn't like it anymore. LOL.

I think it's a mindset. If you have to want it bad enough to make it work. You also have to be creative. If that means no pizza for a while because it's a trigger food (and it might be for me, rolls are for sure for me), then avoid it until you can control it.

Thats exactly it, an Italian craving. I figure most things could be made with the same kind of noodle though. I am not sure what you mean by a "trigger food" though. Maybe after surgery I won't crave it...or even like it- it would be nice and it would make my life easier lol!Its just so darn hard to avoid the foods you love. Seriously, I could eat Pasta 3 times a day 365 days a year lol, I don't ... but I could if I wanted to. I have never thought of tortillas... I will have to check out the site you mentioned!

[VSG4aHealthierMe 6]

Have you tried Shirataki noodles? Personally I do not like them but there are many people who do. If you are going to try them only buy one bag (WASH them really well before cooking). I do not think they need long to cook. I did not like their texture but then again I like my Pasta aldente. You could give it a go and see if its a nice alternative.

pizza crust I have an awesome crust that is low carb AND is tasty. It is made with cauliflower!! Thats right I said cauliflower. Here is the link to the recipie Cauliflower pizza dough. I have also been meaning to try these low carb crepes I just have not gotten around to it, here is the link Low carb crepes.

Hope you find these recipies yummy!

No I haven't heard of either one. The cauliflower crust and zucchini Pasta (other post) have me intrigued though, does that count as a serving of vegetables ? I will have to check those out. DH is gonna when I tell him we are trying Pizza Crust and pasta made of vegetables .

[VSG4aHealthierMe 6]

Those are both trigger foods for me, too. I don't really have good substitutes for you, but I think you will find that once you are sleeved, you won't be able to eat these foods nearly so much. I often grab my dinner from a buffet bar on the way home from work, and I'll usually put one or two noodles on the side of my chicken and salad, and it satisfies the craving. pizza, I haven't eaten at all, but I think you could be similarly satisfied with a few bites of your kid's pizza! Hope that helps!

I know I won't be able to eat it as much but I know there may come a time when a craving hits and I want to be prepared, plus with or without the sleeve I am supposed to be on a low carb diet because of PCOS/Insulin resistance and I have been looking for healthier alternative not only for myself but for my family as well.

[VSG4aHealthierMe 6]

Try zucchini noodles. They are a great substitute to legit Pasta and taste delish!

http://www.nytimes.c...cipehealth.html

Thanks for the heads up!

[lucill35 73]

pizza was one of my favorite foods pre-surgery. Since surgery I am not able to eat regular pizza because of the bulk of the crust. I found a recipe on lowcarbfriends.com and love it. Search in the recipe room for chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza i use the crust recipe to make a regular pizza as well. i also add a 1/4 cup of carbquick to make the crust a little sturdier as recommended in the recipe reviews.

CRUST:

4 ounces cream cheese

2 eggs

1/3 cup cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend

TOPPINGS:

1/2 cup Carb Options Alfredo Sauce

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped small

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 Tomato, chopped (about 4 oz)

3-4 green onions, sliced

2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend

How To Prepare: Beat together cream cheese and eggs until smooth.

Add cream, parmesan cheese, and spices. Blend well. Add 2 c. shredded cheese and blend until combined.

Pour mixture into a 10x15 jelly roll pan/baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Spread alfredo sauce over cooked crust.

Top with 1 c. shredded cheese.

Top evenly with chicken, bacon, tomatoes and onions.

Top with remaining 1 c. shredded cheese.

Bake for another 10 minutes or so until cheese it melted.

Let rest for about 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. The crust isn\'t very sturdy, so it will need to be eaten with a fork.

You can cut out the tomatoes and onions to save a little less than a half a carb per piece, but I think they add a lot more flavor.

*I dice the raw chicken really small and cook it up in a skillet - super fast! I also use the pre-cooked bacon

Number of Servings: 15 slices Carbs per serving - include all nutritional information if known: Per slice: 2.3g carbs, 200 calories, 15g fat, 15g Protein

[Day Dreamer 23]

I started my family on Smart Taste noodles - available at grocery stores and Wal-Mart. Post op I have not wanted noodles at all. I still make them for my family though. I also bought the Shirataki noodles (from Whole Foods) but have yet to use them. Like you, I was a big carb addict. I could eat Pasta day in / day out. Now, my taste have changed a bit. I believe this is because of the low carb pre op diet. You have to get in the mode of eliminating those bad carbs early.

pizza crust = cauliflower / low carb tortilla / portabella caps (yummm) / low carb flour (to make your own crust)

Spaghetti = Shirataki / low carb noodles / spaghetti squash (this is really neat to use)

bread = lettuce wraps / low carb tortilla / cheese or meat wrap

http://www.low-carb.com/lowcarbbakery.html

check out this site for Ready-to-eat products (brownies, Bagels, bread and more)

Enjoy!

[Nancy Rivers 24]

Dreamfields makes Pasta that is "diabetic friendly" - low carb. I've used it several times and I have really liked it.

[Tiffykins 672]

Dreamfields is a good option and they get mushy too. Spaghetti squash is another option. Look on allrecipes.com for spaghetti squash recipes.

As for pizza, it's one of my biggest cravings. I use naan bread, or low carb wraps as the crust.

Shirataki noodles are repulsive in my opinion. Regardless of how much I rinsed or cooked them, they were repulsive.

[Roseib 13]

Re: Pasta. I like quinoa pasta which you should be able to get at chain grocery. It's a whole grain but I like the taste of it the best. I don't use it anymore because I don't eat grains yet, but you might try it to see if you like it. Your children might not even notice the difference. Like others I sometimes use spaghetti squash as pasta. That could work for you even though might have to do the real thing for your children.

[kellyw74 258]

Kristie,

I think after you get all of the bad carbs out of your system, you will find that you really don't want them anymore. That is how I feel. I was sleeved 5/9 and have not had any bad carbs at all. I actually did a 5 month pre-op diet and ate very low carb before then also.

I have not had bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes,Cookies, cake, pizza, etc.....and I really don't want it either. My body is free of that nasty stuff and the thought never even enters my mind. I think the longer we are away from it, the more we can stay away....it IS an addiction.!!

Give it some time and I bet you will find that you won't want it either.

Hugs,

Kelly