super low carb meals

Hi, Guys-

Hubby has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I'm happy that he is trying to lose weight and take care of his health, but his meals now look like he is allergic to starchy veggies and grains. He is passing on potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, etc. I'm hoping that this apparent complex carb allergy is temporary, and by summer, he is eating a controlled number of carbs, rather than this ban normal energy sources.

OK, he is not a backpacker, but we will be on a fly-drive-camping trip this summer. I found a deal on some freeze-dried meals and thought the camping protion of our trip had dinners covered. The best-laid plans...

So, I'm now trying to think up what I can look at for lower carb foods with some quality that I can dehydrate successfully. I'm thinking that cabbage, and snow peas may become some of my new my best friends. Broccoli and green beans can work but I'm not picturing them rehydrating into a good heap for filling up.

Shredded cabbage can look an awful lot like noodles and be a cheap filler. Add some tomato paste, a little peanut butter, and some Splenda, and I might have something resembling Pad Thai. To that, I should be able to add dehydrated red bell peppers, maybe a little carrot, and one of several proteins (surimi -limited because it has sugar-/ground beef or turkey/dried shrimp)

Shredded cabbage in a soup base plus ginger and garlic, add a few more veggies and proteins as above, for another Asian-inspired taste.

Cabbage plus a few more veggies, cider vinegar, Splenda, garlic, some shredded or ground pork or turkey.

I should be able to make the above work. I've dehydrated these and been happy with them when rehydrated.

My question to the group-Have any of you dehydrated and rehydrated cooked low-carb pasta successfully?

Other ideas for low-carb meals that I can prepare at home and pack for the road?

I did recently buy DreamFields pasta that I have yet to try at home. I'm hoping that eventually we will be eating more "normally," just using whole grain products (barley, whole wheat pasta and breads, bulgur, cornmeal, brown rice, low-processed oatmeal)in controlled amounts. (I read somewhere that Basamati rice has the same glycemic index as brown rice, so maybe that, too.) If we were backpacking, per se, carb intake could be greatly increased, but that is not what I'm trying to address right now.

CamperMom

Sorry to hear abut your husband's recent diabetes diagnosis. My wife's family is unfortunately plagued with the same problem. You might want to do some research online into the Glycemic Index. Basically, the lower the glycemic index number, the better the food is for a diabetic. There are several books available on Glycemic Index.
Hope this helps,
Oz

Yes, thanks!

I am hoping to find that someone has experimented with dehydrating low glycemic foodes, and low carb pasta, etc., for camping. I may need to check in with the food-preserving folks at Yahoo!groups.

I did try cooking and dehydrating barley years ago. It is low on the glycemic index, but didn't want to rehydrate easily. I had planned on my favorite "boil water and dump" method of cooking as we camp this summer. Basically, it is the same as "Freezer Bag Cooking." If I have to cook like at home, it changes the pots and pans, stove, fuel, etc. Not what one wants for a fly-drive vacation. Oh, yeah, there is the "vacation" part of this. The prep time/cooking/clean-up at a picnic table with hauling water and trash is greater than in my kitchen at home. So, the vacation part goes out the window for the cook. I'd much rather take care of the work at home and be able to just add boiling water at meal time...

Another component is hubby's new avoidance of "starchy foods." Bulgur, whole wheat pasta, even mashed potatoes with some added fat and protein can be low on the glycemic index. He is pretty much skipping anything like this. I think he is trying to drop weight and get his fasting glucose levels down. I don't know that skipping carb-laden foods at night is the answer, but that is where he is reight now. So, even bulgur or barley, low GI foods are not finding room on his plate. He needs to see what he can eat in the evening. It could be that complex carbs with the right amount of fat and protein will balance out the absorption and metabolism so that his AM numbers are in an acceptable rangs.

Thanks, again!

CamperMom

Cauliflower, Broccoli, Green Beans, Eggplant, Zucchini, Summer Squash, and most Legumes are extremely low on the GI list and can be dried very easily. Broccoli is best dried using only the floret with none of the stem attached. While pasta may hold more energy (kCals), it may not need to be a big part of his hiking diet. You may also what to look at alternative pastas, such as Spinach pasta. Perhaps your husband may like this better. There are also some fruit, such as Cherries, Grapefruit, Apricots (dried), Plums, Pears, and Apples that are low on the GI list that can easily be dried.
Hopefully some of these foods will be appetizing to your husband and can help fill in for those he doesn't.
Oz

Once he gets everything under control, take a look at what works for my friend Mike: http://www.rainforesttreks.com/diabetes.asp

He is Type 1 so there are differences but it can give you some ideas (Btw, when I make him meals I always use whole grain or whole wheat pasta to help him out - I love the new whole grain stuff...it tastes good!)

Also, if you haven't tried it, Truvia is a new sweetener out - it is a commercial version of Stevia with no aftertaste. Good stuff!

You can cook and dehydrate the Dreamfields pasta. Then, if you have a blood glucose meter, you can rehydrate it and see if it causes your hubby's glucose to spike. If it spikes too much, set aside the idea of this low carb form of pasta for him.

I had no problem with it, but I hear of some people who spike with Dreamfields prepared in the normal way, and many more who don't.

Buy frozen veggies and dehydrate them. There are a few you will want to cook some first, like green beans.

In some health food stores and health food sections of grocery stores, there is a product called "Eden Black Soy Beans", not to be confused with "Eden Black Beans". The carb content of the black soy beans is much lower. Just buy a couple of cans, open them, drain them and then dehydrate them. They have low carb count and rehydrate very well. I like them a lot and use them myself, in the dehydrated form.

Be sure to take and use lots of Olive Oil, or somethig similar.

Be sure and take lots of foil packages of Mayonnaise and I really like to mix a Mayo pack with a Mustard pack. Makes a great taste and loads you up with calories. I often use 2 mayo and 2 mustard packs.

There are a number of low carb flat breads, which pack fairly well. There are brands like "La Tortilla Factory", "Flatout" and several more. Some WalMarts carry them at a much lower price than in grocery stores or health stores. They are near the Deli cases in my local WalMarts. These keep for a while and stay in one piece if you can keep them from being crushed, or if you cut them into more manageable sizes and shapes. I have forgotten the name of the major tortilla brand that also makes low carb tortillas. They want an arm and a leg for them.

Sometimes you can find Heinz one carb ketchup, but it is hard to pack. I suppose you can dehydrate it and rehydrate as needed. I am not that much of a ketchup user.

Any meat in a pouch is great. Freeze dried is ok too.

Be sure to buy dried onion pieces rather than dehydrate them yourself.

Jim

Thanks, the Dreamfield info is just what I was looking for. It sounds as if you have cooked, dehydrated, and rehydrated it successfully. Not cheap, but do-able. I had not heard of black soybeans or of a lower carb bean. Over the weekend, hubby was lamenting having to gice up chili. (Yes, some people would not have to "give up chili." Understand though, that this is a guy who did not have a built in sense of limits. It is easier to not start than to stop. Like me with Cheezits.)

I will look for the black soy beans and try the Dreamfields soon.

Ketchup is said to have more sugar per teaspoon than ice cream. I was figuring on mixing vinegar, Splenda, and spices with low sodium tomato paste for us.

CM

I assume you are familiar with "freezer bag cooking" such as described at http://www.freezerbagcooking.com ...

Basically, almost anything that you can dehydrate after it is cooked, and rehydrate it with boiling water either in a pot or in a freezer bag.... with no need to wash dishes, if you eat it out of the freezer bag.

You can still find, new and used and in libraries, books full of low carbohydrate recipes. Most of those will be suitable for dehydration... and low carb backpacking.

You should be aware that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for both 2008 and 2009 include the use of low carbohydrate diets for weight loss - for periods of up to one year. In the last several years, a number of studies have been published on the advantage of low carb vs low fat as a weight loss diet. A number of times, the ADA has been a cosponsor of such studies.

There are perhaps two or three books on the use of low carb diets to assist in the alleviation of symptoms of Type 2 diabetes and the accompanying lessening of need for medications. Under physician's care, that is.

At any rate, if you can get your hubby to exercise control of the food he puts in his mouth, you have the greatest chance of positive result.

Thanks.

Hubby has OCD tendancies. He gets totally engrossed in something until it is "worn out" for him, then drops it like a hot rock. Some friends have died over the last several years from complications of diabetes, so he is running scared right now. Once he has a handle on maintaining a fairly level glucose level, MAYBE he will move on to eating controlled portions of most foods instead of totally cutting out starches. It is easy enough to run with whole wheat over white flour sources, brown rice, etc. It is hard to stop eating if something tastes really good, but he needs to retrain himself. I can't do it for him. It does not help that he has been conditioned from childhood to overeat. Long story and not appropriate for this forum, but this goes WAY back.

Thanks again. I've been doing something to FBC for myself for about 10 years. What I was looking for was input about successfulness of dehydrating and rehydrating low carb pastas,and info like the lower carb black soybeans.

I found some mock noodles made from an Asian root. NO calories or carbs. Shiritake noodles, maybe. Unfortunately, they are rather expensive and come packed in water. I will have to dry a little bit to see if I can get those to come back. With NO nutritional value, they would be OK only for car camping. I sure would not carry them...

CM

Those noodles are pure cellulose (fiber) and are noted for complete lack of taste. I think I remember reading somewhere that they are a form of cellulose gel.

There are a number of "no calorie" foods made with a cellulose gel base, specifically from Walden Foods. They have a chocolate syrup that isn't bad, not great, but OK. Some grocery/health food places carry a good supply of their offerings, including a BBQ sauce.

I have heard nothing about the dehydration/rehydration of these cellulose gel based products.

They would probably be good for diabetics, or at least less harmful than the sugared conventional versions.

Thanks for the Walden tip. I will have to check them out.

The fake noodles that I bought are made from the root of some Asian plant. They are pretty much tasteless, and the texture can be pretty rubbery to rough. Last night, I stir fried a bunch of broccoli, two fat carrots, some chicken breast, onion, garlic, ginger, and a red bell pepper, plus some more seasonings. When the veggies were just about crisp-tender, I rinsed a package of mock "fettucini" and stirred it in. As an expander, the noodles were OK. Another night, we had ground turkey in spaghetti sauce over another variety of noodles. As an expander or filler, just to add some bulk to other healthful foods, they are OK. I would not rate them any better than that...

CM

I have no idea if it would work on the trail but you might want to look at spaghetti squash for a noodle like filler at home.

I know that sugar free ketchup exists...the stuff made with Splenda is not too bad. (Homemade ketchup is so good!)

Canned soybeans are pretty good - just rinse them well before using.

Those noodles are pure cellulose (fiber) and are noted for complete lack of taste. I think I remember reading somewhere that they are a form of cellulose gel.

There are a number of "no calorie" foods made with a cellulose gel base, specifically from Walden Foods. They have a chocolate syrup that isn't bad, not great, but OK. Some grocery/health food places carry a good supply of their offerings, including a BBQ sauce.

I have heard nothing about the dehydration/rehydration of these cellulose gel based products.

They would probably be good for diabetics, or at least less harmful than the sugared conventional versions.