Thursday, July 23, 2009

Glucomannan Powder

This Super Simple Milk Chocolate Mousse is thickened with glucomannan powder.

Glucommanan powder is made by grinding konjac root. It is a soluble fiber and has no calories, carbs, or taste. It is also gluten-free. Shirataki noodles are made from glucomannan powder.

Glucomannan powder can be taken as a fiber supplement, but I would caution against taking it in pill form. Since it swells when mixed with fluids, you don't want that happening in your throat; it would be a choking hazard. You can, however, mix it in water or another fluid and drink it.

I use glucomannan powder as a thickener in my recipes. Unlike cornstarch, it thickens even without heating. It has about 10x the thickening power of cornstarch. All you have to do is add it to liquids very gradually and whisk briskly to avoid lumps. 1 teaspoon of powder will turn a cup of thin liquid, like water, to a gel. I find it takes about 2 teaspoons of powder to set up a cup of thick liquid, like a pudding.

You can find my pudding recipes, many of which use glucomannan powder, in the Pudding Recipes category at DARdreams. It is also used in Pie and Cake Recipes as well as Coconut Flour Recipes and recipes in other categories which use it at DARdreams.

Glucomannan powder may seem expensive at first, but there are 100 (1 teaspoon) servings in one 500g bag of glucomannan powder. That goes a long way! And it lasts for months stored at room temp.

Amazon sells glucomannan powder:


You can also buy glucomannan powder from Konjac Foods. (Tip: They will ship 2 bags of powder in 1 shipping envelope, so you only pay 1 shipping charge for both bags.)

Miracle Noodle also sells glucomannan powder. They call it "Konjac Flour."

As with other items, check for the best prices and availability. Sometimes glucomannan powder isn't available from a specific source for awhile, but it eventually becomes available again. When it does, I usually buy 2 packages at once to make sure I don't run out.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Shirataki Noodles

I have found shirataki noodles in some local stores, but the only ones I've found there contain tofu. Since I can't eat soy, I can't eat them.

If you have an Asian store near you, you may be able to find tofu-free noodles in person. I haven't found such a store near me.

I order my shirataki noodles from:

Konjac Foods

My favorite shape is Orzo. It's like long grain rice and blends well into casseroles and crockpot meals as well as stir-fries.

I also like Angel Hair. (Konjac Foods used to carry a short angel hair; it may be what they now call Tiny Pasta.) I snip the angel hair with scissors to make the strands shorter and more manageable.

If you haven't tried shirataki noodles before, it is usually best to start out with smaller shapes to get used to the somewhat rubbery texture. You can also order the original variety pack or new shapes variety pack to try many different shapes to see what you like. (If you don't like a particular shape, run it through your blender or food processor to pulverize it and use it like the orzo shape.)

The noodles come packed in water, so you need to rinse them in a wire colander under running water to remove the packing liquid. They have what some call a "fishy" smell, but it rinses away.

You do not need to cook the noodles; just add them to your recipe. They have no flavor of their own; they pick up the flavors of the other foods in the recipe.

Shirataki noodles have no carbs or calories and are very filling. They are a wonderful addition to a low carb lifestyle. My BGL and weight both do well with them.

You can find my shirataki noodle recipes at DARdreams. You can use them like regular pasta by topping them with a sauce, but I prefer mixing them into a recipe like in my Beefy Noodle Bake pictured above. 

Miracle Noodle sells a variety of shirataki noodles. Netrition also sells Miracle Noodle angel hair pasta.

Amazon also sells shirataki noodles.


Check the prices, including shipping and package size for the best deal. Once you know you like the noodles, it's usually cheaper to buy them by the box. The noodles without tofu are room temp stable for months, so you don't need to store them in your frig.

However you decide to use the noodles, I hope you will check them out.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are very nutritious and versatile. I have a lot of fun dreaming up recipes using them.

This is my Low Carb Mini Raspberry Pie made with chia seeds.

Check out Pie and Cake Recipes for more pie recipes.

You can find more Chia Seed Recipes at DARdreams.

You can buy chia seeds at Amazon.com:




Netrition also sells chia seeds:

NOW Foods Blanco Salvia White Chia Seeds

Hidalgo Foods carries chia seeds, too. They have black, white, whole, and cold-milled in many different amounts. I watch for their sales and stock up.

Friday, July 17, 2009

A New Addition to DARdreams

Hi! I have started this website to complement my DARdreams website. I plan to use DARdreams2 to add more details about resources I recommend and use myself. I hope you will find this helpful in your low carb lifestyle.

Welcome to DARdreams2!

If you haven't seen the original DARdreams, please check it out.