Share your slow carb recipes

December 11, 2008 9:50 AM

Give us your slow carb recipes!

We are attempting a slow carb diet, which for us means cutting out or severely reducing all flour, rice, potatoes, and bread. Our carb sources would be pulses, legumes, and sweet potatoes. It's going pretty well so far but I think we are going to soon grow tired of hummus! Please share any delicious recipes that would fit the stated parameters.

posted by sid to health & fitness (13 answers total)

Baked sweet potatoes with barbecue sauce is one of those amazing taste combinations, like chocolate & raspberries, walnuts & dates, girls & anything, that really make me happy.

:-)
posted by IAmBroom at 10:11 AM on December 11, 2008 [2 favorites]

Thanks IAmBroom! I should have mentioned in the original question that the diet also precludes any sugar, which might nix the bbq sauce, unless I can find some sugar-reduced or sugar-free stuff.
posted by sid at 10:13 AM on December 11, 2008

We had these ROASTED SWEET-POTATO ROUNDS WITH GARLIC OIL AND FRIED SAGE at Thanksgiving and they were a hit.
posted by Perplexity at 10:27 AM on December 11, 2008

Sugar free BBQ sauce is available for purchase, or you can easily find recipes by googling.

Another tasty sweet potato recipe: roughly chop/cube sweet potatoes, toss with olive oil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and salt/pepper to taste. Roast @ 450 degrees F until soft, and maybe a little dark around the edges.
posted by owtytrof at 10:53 AM on December 11, 2008

This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is super-yummy, as is this Chili-Rubbed Tiliapia with Asparagus and Lemon. Here's a pork stir-fry that uses spaghetti squash instead of noodles. These wasabi salmon burgers are good on a salad. And this Fennel-Crusted Salmon on White Beans is delish.

I make recipes from Eating Well pretty much every time I cook, and with a few exceptions, they've all been very good. If you just poke around on the site for a bit, I'm sure you'll find a ton of recipes that will suit your needs. And some just need some adjusting -- I made this recipe with Tofu Shirataki noodles (which can taste like rubbery ass depending on what kind of recipe they're in), and it was still really good!
posted by amarynth at 11:05 AM on December 11, 2008

You can make risotto out of barley rather than rice. So good... Any flavor you like, asparagus, mushroom, lemon etc. Google 'barley risotto' and there are lots of recipes but basically you make it the exact same way as with rice.
posted by pixlboi at 11:05 AM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

White potatoes are pretty nutritionally similar to sweet potatoes, as long as you leave the skins on.

That said, you can make a reasonable facsimile of mashed potatoes by oversteaming cauliflower and mashing it with sour cream and butter.
posted by electroboy at 11:27 AM on December 11, 2008

Mmm, I love lentils.

Here's how I usually make 'em. It depends on what spices I have on hand, and whether I feel like more a soup or a less liquidy mixture.
Take a large onion, or two smaller onions, and saute in olive oil until slightly caramelized (you can do this in the bottom of the saucepan for the lentils in the end).
Add lentils and -- if you have it -- a can of crushed tomatoes, including the liquid. This gives a great flavour to the lentils. Add more water (if needed) to cover the lentils completely. Add any spices/herbs/add-ins that strike your fancy -- I like minced fresh garlic, sesame seeds, fennel, herbes de provence, etc. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash (just a dash -- you don't want them too salty) of soy sauce and -- this adds a lovely sweetness -- a couple tablespoons of agave nectar, if you are allowed sweeteners.

It will take at least 30 minutes to cook the lentils. I like to let mine get a little mushier, so I give 'em at least 45 mins. You will probably need to add more water as they cook -- or you can use vegetable broth if you like! This is awesome over quinoa or other grains, or by itself, or whatever.

Good luck! Please let me know if any of this is unclear -- stream-of-consciousness recipe sharing may be dangerous. : )
posted by fantine at 11:28 AM on December 11, 2008 [2 favorites]

A friend makes a casserole with sweet potatoes and tofu and some other veggies. It's preppared pretty much as owtytrof described, but with smaller sweet potato cubes.

You can also bake or fry up some sweet potato fries and have them with any manner or dipping sauce. They'd go well with some black bean burgers. I would recommend making sweet potato frachos out of them. Make the fries and top as you would nachos; cheese, beans, olives sour cream, guacamole. Voila!

There have been various recipes for Indian food around here that will work for you as well. Don't forget falafel by itself and chickpea flour (besan). It has a particular taste, but it's used in several different ways around the Mediterranean and in India.

Hummus is not the only bean dip you can make (white/black). I also make my own hummus skipping the tahini and adding lots of lemon juice and then some dill. I'll assume you were joking when you said you'd get tired of it.
posted by HE Amb. T. S. L. DuVal at 11:34 AM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

These Sweet Potatoes with Chiptotles ala Alton Brown are incredible. Steaming is really the key for great texture.
posted by General Malaise at 11:49 AM on December 11, 2008

Sweet, sweet sweet potatoes, baked, then chopped into rounds, fried, and dipped in aioli. *Drool*. Store bought aioli probably has sugar, but if you make your own, it's basically just oil, egg and roast garlic.
posted by t0astie at 6:37 PM on December 11, 2008

I think this lentil salad with basil, mint, and feta fits your parameters. It's easy and delicious.
posted by creepygirl at 7:41 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sweet potato gnocchi
posted by Atom12 at 6:10 AM on December 12, 2008