Hello,
I'm a newbie on Atkins and would like to know if anyone knows the secret baking ingredients to use and how to make the low carb breads and muffins at home (without Atkins bread mixes) which can be quite pricey.
Thanks
Colette:fork:

Well, it's kind of a brave, new world when it comes to low carb baking. And we are feeling our way through a rapidly changing repetoire of baking tricks. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are good sources for low carb ingredients. Many of us order online from netrition.com (low shipping). BettyR gets her almond meal very reasonably from http://www.nuttyguys.com/.

This one may be useful for you.Recently, I've been reading a lot of good comments about a product called Carbquik.

Almond meal, flaxseed meal, vital wheat gluten, various protein isolates, wheat bran, oat bran and soy flour are often combined in baked goods to approximate the effect of flour.

Then, there are bread substitues that work well for sandwiches like Sunnysider's Revolution Rolls (eggs and cream cheese baked as buns), Spinach "Bread" (spinach, eggs, cheese). I'll dig out the recipes for these if you want - let me know.

Then, there's a bunch of new "stuff" that's slowly starting to become available for flour and sweetening: various types of wheat protein isolate, polydextrose, resistant starches, soluable oat fiber, Splenda, erythritol, stevia (ugh, personally), xylitol, ace K, ... it goes on and on and on...

Here's a link to an earlier discussion on this topic...Low carb baking ingredients

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

I've tried the Carbquik in two deserts so far, and both turned out quite well. Next will try something in the bread line, maybe biscuits. I do add a little poly'D to the mix as it is supposed to add a little moisture and give the final product a better texture. (I'm really big on texture)

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Dragonmom
155/123/130 (highest 175)

I love the Carbquik - it makes dandy biscuits and Impossible Pies and I've made a couple kinds of cookies too. If I could only buy ONE "specialty product" this would probably be it.

Other things I have and use frequently are the liquid Splenda concentrate from locarber.com, and vital wheat gluten too, available in most markets from Bob's Red Mills brand.

Recently I've started using Diabetisweet too, it's a dandy sweetener especially when used in conjunction with the liquid Splenda. Diabetisweet has similar properties as sugar, so it does add bulk and the ability to caramelize like sugar does - the cookies I made with it actually got crispy, caramelized bottoms! Yum!

I think you can make quite a few things without too many specialty items though - check out BettyR's Amazing Waffle recipe for example, or her Chocolate Mayonnaise Pound Cake - not too many weird things - and EXCELLENT results.

It is a "brave new frontier" and you can expect some things to turn out inedible - but then I found that to be true of pre-LC recipes as well!

Char

__________________
Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

I know where you are coming from! I HATE those extra ingredients that grandma never heard of! here is one I found someplace that is simple and delicious... I think you'll love it.. I posted this one in the recipe forum...

Orange nut muffins

yield: 12 muffins

6 whole eggs
1/4 tsp. cream of Tarter
10 pks.splenda
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 TB orange extract, or orange peel
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon Brown sugar Twin


seperate egg white, and yolk into two seperate bowls.
Beat egg whites with cream of tarter, and add 5 pks. splenda. Beat whites til they peak and sprinkle 1 tsp. extract over this.
Beat yolks with 5 pks splenda and 1 Tablsp. brown sugar twin.. Add 1 tsp orange extract.
GENTLY mix a small amount of the whites into the yolks. then pour yolk mixture over whites,and fold in VERY gently. Try to avoid breaking down the mixture.
Mix the soy flour with the walnuts, and cream, and fold into the mixture.GENTLY. Pile mixture into a 12 Cup muffin tin that has been greased or sprayed.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until tops are browned, then reduce to 325 for another 15 minutes. cool and frost with the Orange Cream Cheese frosting below.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. orang eextract.
4 pks. splenda

mix together and frost the muffins...

tip: be careful not to break down the whites during mixing, and putting into muffin tins... (handle gently)

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In the cookies of life, we are the chocolate chips.

Thank you. Lou G
I will certainly look into it. Is it possible to make this without heavy cream and cream cheese?

Charski,I've heard of Carbquick. I will look into it. It sounds like something that would make life simple. I really appreciate your input.
Thanks
Colette

Dragonmom,
Thanks for your input. I will be looking for the Carbquick. Will you let me know how your biscuits turn out? I tried the Atkins Lemon Poppyseed muffins this a.m. and felt like I was sinning on my diet...LOL

Thanks Teelbee for the wealth of information. You have been quite helpful since I've joined here. I also appreciate the links.:fork:

Collette, I'll let you know when I make something else with the Carbquik, but it will most likely be this weekend. Finished off the last of the blackberry cobbler tonight and it was still very good. I did add chopped pecans to the recipe so that made it even better.(nut freak here)

Tried the Atkins lemon poppyseed muffins back in th fall. Not bad, but have a feeling they could be made much better with carbquik and a little poly'D. Will have to see if I can find a recipe for that too.

Let us know if you decide to order some. I'm always looking for other people's input and espcially recipes that turn out great!

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Dragonmom
155/123/130 (highest 175)

LouG,
Thanks that sounds real good. I pasted it into my recipe file for making later.

Syzygy64,
Thanks for re posting TeelBee's post detailing the things being tried. She is very helpful here in the forums.

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My "5 Flavors of Low Carb Chocolate Candies."

Char,
I went looking but could not find the Chocolate Mayonnaise Pound Cake. I am dieing with curiousity. Could you point me to it??

"I think you can make quite a few things without too many specialty items though - check out BettyR's Amazing Waffle recipe for example, or her Chocolate Mayonnaise Pound Cake - not too many weird things - and EXCELLENT results."

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My "5 Flavors of Low Carb Chocolate Candies."

I just bumped it to the top of this forum for you!

It is KILLER GOOD stuff especially with the German Chocolate icing I re-engineered to be low carb!

Char

__________________
Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Thanks a heap Char! I posted in the thread with a couple questions.
http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=11027

Ok silly girl, where do i find your recipe for the German Chocolate Cake Frosting? Sounds like it would be good on a muffin or two too.

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My "5 Flavors of Low Carb Chocolate Candies."

OK, here ya go:

Char's German Chocolate cake icing

1 cup Diabetisweet
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked sugarfree coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan combine 1 cup Diabetisweet, 1/2 & 1/2, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread.
Spread filling between layers and on top of cake.

Now, being the microwave maven that I am - I did this on High power in the nuker until it was thickened. And it is VERY thick, almost curdled-looking, up until you add the coconut and pecans and vanilla. But it is AWESOME GOOD stuff and especially on that Chocolate Mayo cake - which I baked in a Bundt pan, then spooned this frosting over the top. You'll likely have some left over if you make the full recipe as above so then you COULD use it on other things!

I used half on the choc. cake and half on a Carbquik cake I made, just in a little 8 x 8 inch pan.

So go forth and have fun!

Char

__________________
Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!