Soup No Carbs

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  • Howdy,
    This is a take off of Pho with no noodles. I did not want to hijack that thread with further discussions on this point so I started a new thread.

    I am having a hard time getting my mind to accept the idea that feeling full on soup with no carbs is possible. The recent example is Pho with bean sprouts instead of noodles. I really, really like that thought. It would satisfy my plan of calorie counting with reduced carb implementation. It would be easy enough to try and I intend to as soon as opportunity presents itself.

    The bigger question is: I used to make a lot of soups before I started watching the carbs now not so much. It was not a problem in the summer- grilling in TX is a nice past time. But with the fall coming, soup is what will be calling. Then there is the piece of corn bread or roll (I can make exquiste artisan rolls with seeds and ww flour) that should cradle the bowl. So perhaps I could eat these things in small quantities. Or perhaps, I need to rethink soups that are full of carbs with a another side of carb. Carbs used here mean pasta, rice, potato, corn starch, and to some degree beans/lentils. I am still not sure how my body reacts to beans in terms of weight gain/loss. I do not mean carbs from veggies.

    I have read a number of books that I agree with the premise of carbs driving both hunger and weight gain. So intellectually, I get that carbs cause hunger, the antithesis of being full over a long period of time. Maybe it is a volume thing. Maybe it is plain old habit.

    So how do you handle soup/chili?

    Sorry if this is confusing.
  • Have you ever heard of shiratake tofu noodles? I am loving these and they really satisfy my need for noodles. Very low in calories, carbs, fat, etc. Hungry Girl uses them a lot and I love her recipes. Her alfredo bacon bowl is one of my go-to recipes. I can throw it together in no time, add some steamed veggies on the side and I'm satisfied.

    I think that you could use the tofu noodles in your soups. As far as chili goes, I would suggest that if you HAVE to have a carb try to make your own cornbread using a whole grain cornmeal to up the fiber content and make it more nutritious. Or make chili mac by serving the chili over the tofu noodles--one of my favorites! Sprinkle just a little cheddar or parmesan cheese on top--YUMMY!

    Anyway, tofu noodles are my answer. Hope you find something that works for you
  • Here is a link I found today for lo carb and it also has the Atkins under 20 carbs a day. Great website!


    http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/soup_recipes.html

    Here is another link for Asian noodles:

    http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/sesame_noodles.html
  • I eat a lot of low-carb soups, and find then quite filling, as long as they have enough fat, protein and calories. If they're very low-calorie, mostly broth soups, then I'll be hungry again soon, but if they're at least 300 calories, full of stuff to chew, I don't find them any less satisfying than the same number of calories in any other low-carb food choice.
  • i have been on medifast and have now been off of it for about 2 months. i have stayed the same weight but i need to lose 22 more pounds. i have lost 36 so far. I feel great. I couldnt afford the medifast food anymore and i wanted to eat fresher healthier more natural food. I just hope i can get my self regulated where i can start losing again.
  • I eat this almost every day. Yesterday I was thinking that I should post this and then magically a soup related thread appears!

    My five minute "virtually no-carbs soup" (makes 24 oz):

    1. 1 stick celery, 1/4 sweet onion and 2-3 large mushrooms (and maybe a green onion) diced or cut to what ever size/shape you like. Salt lightly.

    2. sautee 8-10 oz cut up chicken breast (I slice them thin while party frozen) in olive oil

    3. when chicken is 1/2 way cooked add the cut up veggies cook until soft

    4. pour one 16 oz can chicken broth and heat to simmer

    5. season: I like hot pepper oil...but salt, soy sauce, garlic powdered, cayenne pepper are good too.

    6. eat

    variations:

    add 1/2 mung bean sprouts, chopped raw spinach or shredded zucchini to pot for the last 30 seconds to minute of cooking

    hot and sour: drop lightly beaten egg white into simmering soup then add rice vinegar and a packet of sweetner after taking soup off the stove

    A little more work...

    add a few sprigs of lemmon grass to the broth and simmer a few minutes then it add to the solid ingredients

    and/ or

    add a small (4 oz) can of coconut milk to lemon grass infused broth
  • Quote: I eat a lot of low-carb soups, and find then quite filling, as long as they have enough fat, protein and calories. If they're very low-calorie, mostly broth soups, then I'll be hungry again soon, but if they're at least 300 calories, full of stuff to chew, I don't find them any less satisfying than the same number of calories in any other low-carb food choice.
    Gratis for your insights. I do not feel hungry nor deprived not eating pasta (sub out spaghetti squash/zuchini threads) or rice (cauliflower grated in food processor) or potatoes (butternut squash) I always have these foods cooked, in containers, ready to use. Family has the carbs, I have the veggies. Easy meal times, happy family. The texture,color and chewing of these veggies gives a surprising level of satisfaction, coupled with the nice benefit of easier weight management and no hunger. I like 3 meals a day, no snacks. Easier to log, more like I was raised as a child, 3 meals look more like meals than snacks.

    Even with all beef chilis, I sub out cauliflower for the rice & happy as a clam. It is the broth based soups, of which I make a lot of in the cooler weather, I realized I was having this mental problem with. Then with too much time on my hand, I started wondering about carbs & hunger connection which is really in contrast to most eating behaviors.

    By focusing on the soups, maybe I need to ensure there is enough protien and chewy things. How do beans factor in for ya'll? Split pea comes to mind. Fat, amount & type?

    It might be one these try it, you might like it moments. I have had many of those these past 11 months and this might just be another one. I gave up my oatmeal of almost 30 yrs for cottage cheese/ almond butter/ berries. I am much happier, satisfied all morning long, and I find it delicious. Who knew? I love my salads of cheese (1 oz) and nuts (1/2 oz), 30 cal of salad dressing or lemon juice occasionally on a bed of lettuces and other wonderful veggies 251 cal and I am full until supper. It might not work for others but it pleases me.

    Then finally (I think) if I have extra calories to spend, which I ofen do, I would rather enjoy a dessert 150 cal than a ww roll. Sweets rank higher than any other preference. When I chose ( I do not have all three at a meal or even per day) between bread/carb, alcohol, or dessert, dessert almost always wins out.
  • I find it very easy to make low carb soups and stews -- just don't add grains or starchy veg. Or if I'm making beef stew, which my husband insists has to have potatoes, I make the potato chunks big enough that I can eat around them easily.

    I do sometimes add lentils or barley to some of my soups, but not as much as I used to, and I take my BG afterward to see how it affects my sugars. If I spike, I know that I added too much and adjust the recipe accordingly for next time.

    Chili is easy, because DH hates beans, so we always make all-meat chili.

    And sometimes if a soup is primarily broth-based and doesn't have enough calories to satisfy, I'll add some cream, or a pat of butter, to increase the fat content. Very tasty and filling.
  • Gratis one and all. I will be looking for my next opportunity to try a broth based soup with minimal carbs but 3 oz of protein and some (?grams) fat. Will I be hungry in 2 hours, will I miss it?

    I made jambalaya for the family. I was really happy with grated cauliflower for mine while the family had brown rice. I do whole grains for them. I am quite satisfied 4 hours later. I enjoyed the flavor. I am enjoying this experience.
  • I use meat/bone broth, with whatever low-starch, froz. veg I've bought that week. I cook a few chives with some cut-up bacon, while the veggies are heating in the broth, then add them together. Easy, nourishing, satisfying.
  • Howdy,
    I am trying it tonight. Chicken stock, simmering all day, with veggies and 3 oz of protein. I am very interested in my outcome. Will I be hungry in 2 hours is my question.
  • I found the soup satisfying and didn't get hungry all evening. I used shredded zucchini in place of pasta, no cornbread, and nice chicken.
  • Sounds very yummy! I love soup!
  • I have tried a number of soups now, no grain based carbs, plenty of veggies. I really don't miss them either for taste, texture or saiety. Thanks for the tips.
  • Yesterday for dinner I added a can (12 ounce) of Spicy V-8 juice to a can of Progresso Vegetable soup (and a little bit of seasonings). It lowered the carb count and calorie count of the soup per serving (if I had eaten only one serving). The whole can of soup was 160 calories, and the Spicy V-8 was only 70 calories (for the whole can).

    So for 250 calories, I had two large bowls of soup.