Carb control. Short Crust Pastry. Arrgghhh!!

[SugarPossum]

I'm, so far, PreDB2. Next week another test to check.
So for three months I've cut my daily carbs well below 100g, mostly in the order of 40 - 50.
I am adjusting comfortably into the diet except for short crust pastry.
What haven't I tried? Latest attempt almond meal just doesn't cut it. Loose crumbly just isn't short crust.

OK. My subject. I compared almond meal 7% carbs with wheat flours white & wholemeal 25%.
If I make 10 small pies with 400g flour, with almond that's 3g carbs and with wheat flour 10g carbs per pie.
The math says that's OK to go with wheat but is there a reason I should stay away from wheat flour I'm not aware of?

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Personally I would consider staying away from pies.

My feeling is that while you try to find things that are "just like" the addictive high carbohydrate foods which can cause so many problems with blood glucose control you are not taking on board a realistic eating strategy.

I find life much easier if I just cut out the "bad stuff" and look for alternative foods.

I rarely miss pies, chips, rice, pasta etc. these days.

So, in answer to your question I think the main danger with wheat flour is the temptation to have just a little more. If the pastry isn't there you can't eat it.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Flour is my nemesis I'm afraid. The tiniest splodge of Bisto gravy does me no favours, likewise anything else thickened with flour. Pastry was a killer, even small amounts. I had to give it up completely.
New and roast potatoes on the other hand are fine in small portions, also chips.
This is why meters are so important.

 

[britishpub]

I would have found it impossible to obtain the results I have, if I'd been constantly trying to find "substitutes" for High Carb foods.

I have accepted that some foods are now off the table and just concentrate on the delicious stuff I can eat.


Sent from my iPhone using DCUK Forum mobile app

 

[Brunneria]

Make some pies, test while eating them - it is the only way to know for sure.
- but don't just look for blood glucose rises.
Check for increased hunger afterwards, carb cravings, increased appetite and food fantasies following your pastry eating.

If any one of those appear, then you need to reassess your pastry eating, because I firmly believe that the only way to LC long term is to avoid the cravings. If you get them (usually from eating more carbs than your body can cope with, whether that is on 20g or 120 g carbs a day), then sooner or later they will get you. They lurk in the shadows, nibbling at your self control, waiting til you are tired, distracted, irritated, sad, or even happy, and then they sneak out with the just one won't hurt... but of course, it rarely ends with just one.

 

[hankjam]

I tend to go "Crustless", if there are eggs and cream in the mix, it will set.

 

[SugarPossum]

I tend to go "Crustless", if there are eggs and cream in the mix, it will set.

"Crustless", Explain please.

I'm with the "just one won't hurt" principle, that's why so far I've avoided most things that tempt.
I don't actually get cravings, lucky I suppose, but I did enjoy small chicken, leek & shroom pies.
If I could find even a reasonable substitute for shortcrust I could be happy.

 

[hankjam]

"Crustless", Explain please.

I'm with the "just one won't hurt" principle, that's why so far I've avoided most things that tempt.
I don't actually get cravings, lucky I suppose, but I did enjoy small chicken, leek & shroom pies.
If I could find even a reasonable substitute for shortcrust I could be happy.

It's more flans and their ilk rather than pies... so I do a chorizo cauli flan topped with cheese and things, without a pastry base.

I would think that if you found the right ham/chicken stock that would set a lot of pie mixes could go the same way. When I have a chicken I'll make a stock and reduce it so it is pretty solid. Same with a gammon, though these can be quite strong. It could also be called a terrine.... I think.
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=terrine+recipe

 

[SugarPossum]

Ah! A flan. I should have guessed
Nice idea. Something else to try.

 

[Snapsy]

I've just had a yummy slice of quiche for tea with loads of salad - 6 eggs, half a tub of Philly, some broccoli, some reblochon cheese, some grated cheddar, onions and celery.

Made it in a proper ceramic quiche dish, well-greased, and seriously nobody missed the (missing) pastry. 6 big helpings.

Am about to have a bowl of strawbs, rasps, bluebs and cream. Ding DONG!

@SugarPossum I've always adored anything wrapped in pastry. Sausage rolls, pasties, ham, cold turkey..... but I've gone cold turkey with pastry since cutting down my carbs around six months ago.

I found a clean break was fairly easy. Oh, having said that, I did have a proper pasty on holiday in Cornwall recently. Blood glucose nightmare, even though I'm on insulin. Wished I hadn't!

 

[chalup]

Make your filling and cook it in a oven safe dish.. ramekin?sp? Leave the crust off. There is a recipe for keto pasta on dietdoctor might work for you if you pre cook it. You make it in a sheet.

 

[SugarPossum]

I make my small pies stand alone. No dish pies.
So Chalup's idea might be a compromise.
Try it this weekend.

 

[chalup]

Let me know how it works out. I have bought the ingredients but have not made it yet.

 

[SugarPossum]

OK but not shortcrust and it doesn't hold together well when warm.
This one makes much better pasta:
https://yikesnocarbs.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/low-carb-soy-flour-pastanoodles/
Be aware that it's more filling than pasta )

Still on the hunt for pastry for pies.

 

[chalup]

Thanks for letting me know. I don't have a pasta machine or I would try the one in your link.

 

[debrasue]

I have to agree with @Brunneria on this one; I can tolerate a small amount of carbs without it causing any major effects on my BG levels, but the subsequent rise in cravings usually isn't worth it.
For me, a small amount of pastry one day results in five days of fighting cravings for more carbs and the insidious whisper of "It didn't take my BGs outside the 'normal' range, so it would be OK to have this, or that" and, before you know it, I'd be right back where I started in March of this year, with an HbA1c of 63!
I fought hard to get that down to 42 and I'm reluctant to jeopardise that. As other posters have said, there are an awful lot of delicious things I can eat, so I usually concentrate on those. I think I was in denial about diabetes while I was striving to find substitutes and trying to "beat diabetes". Now I accept I can't beat it, I have to learn to live with it instead,
That's not to say that I never, ever stray into carb territory. But at least now I can ask myself the question, "Is it worth it?" and most of the time the answer is "No".
But we are all different - good luck with your own battle, @SugarPossum !
Hugs

 

[SugarPossum]

Thanks, debrasue. My latest (last week) HbA1c level came out @ 5.9% down from 6.6 three months ago so the low carb diet seems to be working. I haven't taken my weight, (no scales), though I have def lost weight - belt pulled in two notches.
However we are all different mortals, thank God. Both you and I seem to respond differently to wanting and/or needing carbs.
I guess I'm lucky in that I can take carbs or leave them without any craving
If I could find a shortcrust pastry low carb equivalent I'd be quite happy. It must be possible but I haven't found one yet.
In the meantime I'll keep my carbs well below 100g/day and see what the next HbA1c level is end October.

 

[Musora]

I make a breakfast quiche for most mornings and use bacon instead of pastry, just lining the case with rashers and filling it with normal mixture. I've also made small ones in bun tins - equally delicious! - though I normally precook the bacon a bit for that - not sure if it's really necessary though. I ring the changes with different vegetable fillings, and it's really easy - just cut a slice for brekkies! Hope that you find a solution that you enjoy from this thread!

 

[dawnmc]

How about this one? Not tried it but the pic looked good. Saw it on fitlivingfoodies.com
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Butter or Ghee (1 stick - melted)
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 3/4 cup Coconut Flour
• Stevia or Splenda (optional - to taste if making a dessert pie)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In medium bowl, beat butter, eggs, and salt together with a fork.
3. Add coconut flour. Mix well, until there are no clumps.
4. Gather dough into a ball, then pat it into a 9-inch greased pie pan.
5. Prick dough with a fork several times.
6. Bake for 9 minutes, then let cool.

Recipe Notes

 

[dawnmc]

Don't know how the page got so big, please can someone alter it.