I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
stews, et...).

Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
of cooking ?

Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?

Thanks.

On Sunday, July 7, 2013 10:31:35 AM UTC-7, bugbuster wrote:
> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>
> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
>
> stews, et...).
>
>
>
> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
>
> of cooking ?
>
>
>
> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>

Cajuns use file, which is powdered sassafras leaves, or okra.

bugbuster wrote:
> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
> stews, et...).
>
> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
> of cooking ?
>
> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>
> Thanks.

I don't think so, unless you want to end up with jello or jam instead of
soup - but I confess I haven't tried it and, in the right amount, I
suppose it could work. You could always try it and report back here.

There are gluten-free solutions but they're still usually called starch,
e.g., corn starch, potatoe starch.

You could try xanthan gum or guar gum - I've used xanthan gum in
gluten-free baked goods with good results.

Try Googling this:

can i use xanthan gum instead of cornstarch

You'll find plenty to read.

-S-

On 7/7/2013 12:31 PM, bugbuster wrote:
> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
> stews, et...).
>
> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
> of cooking ?
>
> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>
> Thanks.
>
Google for low carb e-stores. They usually carry thickeners without carbs.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 13:31:35 -0400, bugbuster >
wrote:

> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
> stews, et...).
>
> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
> of cooking ?
>
> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>

This site might give you a few ideas
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/sau...wcarbgravy.htm

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 13:31:35 -0400, bugbuster >
wrote:

>I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
>stews, et...).
>
>Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
>of cooking ?
>
>Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>
>Thanks.

Read the second half of this for some ideas
http://baking911.com/learn/ingredients/thickeners

bugbuster wrote:
>
>I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet.

WTF is strach... did you mean snatch?

What are we trying to thicken up here would be a good clue. For example on a stoup pureed veggies from the pot can make it palatable for finicky types. Why dont folks just eat the meat and drink the broth thickened up with corn bread? I dont understand some of this stuff. Thanks.

"bugbuster" > wrote in message
...
>I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
> stews, et...).
>
> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
> of cooking ?
>
> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>
> Thanks.

You could look at a gum like guar gum but it might give the food an icky
texture. One of the best ways to thicken a soup or stew though is to use an
immersion blender in it briefly. If there are big chunks of meat then you
might have to remove some of the vegetables, puree them and put them back.
You can also add a little tomato paste if that flavor agrees with what you
are making.

Susan wrote:

> Just puree some of the veggies with a blender stick right in the pot,
> or take some out and do it in a blender, then add back in.

I second that.
BTW, do beans contain much starch? They're wonderful at thickening but I
fear it could be due to some starches, like potatoes
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin

"ViLco" > wrote in message
...
> Susan wrote:
>
>> Just puree some of the veggies with a blender stick right in the pot,
>> or take some out and do it in a blender, then add back in.
>
> I second that.
> BTW, do beans contain much starch? They're wonderful at thickening but I
> fear it could be due to some starches, like potatoes

Yes they are high in starch. Soybeans less so than others.

On Mon, 8 Jul 2013 10:38:39 +0200, "ViLco" > wrote:

> Susan wrote:
>
> > Just puree some of the veggies with a blender stick right in the pot,
> > or take some out and do it in a blender, then add back in.
>
> I second that.
> BTW, do beans contain much starch? They're wonderful at thickening but I
> fear it could be due to some starches, like potatoes

If you let them fall apart, they do a wonderful job of thickening
without a single potato in the pot.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

>bugbuster;1846551 Wrote:
>> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
>> stews, et...).
>>
>> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
>> of cooking ?
>>
>> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?

I often thicken soups and stews with okra, very low carb content. I
grow my own and freeze it for fall stoup cooking, but you can find
fresh in most any produce section or simply use canned (I always keep
a few cans of okra in my pantry).
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/2498/2

<Mirror of TRVTH> wrote in message
...
> bugbuster > wrote:
>
>> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
>> stews, et...).
>>
>> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
>> of cooking ?
>>
>> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> You might try gravy mix, which IIRC contains hydrolized
> plant protein, not carbs. I've also seen hydrolized plant
> protein in bulk food sections at the supermarket. If you
> like that sort of thing.

What kind of gravy mix is that? All of the ones I've seen have cornstarch
or flour of some kind.
>
> I personally like soupy soup. Sometimes i add crackers,
> french bread, doritos, cornnuts, peanuts, etc, but that's
> obviously not what you are after.

Before we start delving into the mysterious mucilaginous properties of boiled Okry..I teach folks how to deslime it for only five bucks. Can also be applied to the green part of Prickly Pears. That stuff is slicker than semen on a gold tooth too. Let me know. Thanks.

Starches such as Thickener are used commercially in an incredible number of applications. Modified food starches make gravies, soups and sauces smooth and attractively colored; it becomes clear when added. They allow convenience foods to be refrigerated or frozen and reheated by conventional or microwave methods.

sf wrote:

>> BTW, do beans contain much starch? They're wonderful at thickening
>> but I fear it could be due to some starches, like potatoes

> If you let them fall apart, they do a wonderful job of thickening
> without a single potato in the pot.

Exactly the base of every italian bean soup, letting some beans fall apart,
or by long cooking times or with a mechanical help, be it a stick blender or
a good ladle job
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin

On Monday, July 8, 2013 12:10:37 PM UTC-7, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >bugbuster;1846551 Wrote:
>
> >> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>
> >> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking (soups,
>
> >> stews, et...).
>
> >>
>
> >> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such types
>
> >> of cooking ?
>
> >>
>
> >> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use ?
>
>
>
> I often thicken soups and stews with okra, very low carb content. I
>
> grow my own and freeze it for fall stoup cooking, but you can find
>
> fresh in most any produce section or simply use canned (I always keep
>
> a few cans of okra in my pantry).
>
> http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/2498/2

Fresh okra is a rarity around here!

Chopped and frozen works great. Much better than canned. For veggie stews its real hard to mess up by squishing up some of the cooked veggies and adding them back to the pot. That can turn soup into stoup and stoup into stew..lol.

bigwheel wrote:
>merryb wrote:
>> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> bugbuster wrote:
>>
>> I am attempting to lower the amount of strach in my diet. I am
>> interested in using non-strach food thickeners in my cooking
>> (soups,stews, et...)
>> Would some form of gelatin or pectin be a good choice for such
>> types
>> Is there some other form of non starch food thickeners I could use
>>
>> I often thicken soups and stews with okra, very low carb content. I
>> grow my own and freeze it for fall stoup cooking, but you can find
>> fresh in most any produce section or simply use canned (I always keep
>> a few cans of okra in my pantry).
>> 'Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Okra, cooked, boiled, drained,
>> without salt' (http://tinyurl.com/ntqtg8d)-
>>
>> Fresh okra is a rarity around here!
>
>Chopped and frozen works great. Much better than canned. For veggie
>stews its real hard to mess up by squishing up some of the cooked
>veggies and adding them back to the pot. That can turn soup into stoup
>and stoup into stew..lol.

Canned works just as good as fresh or frozen for soups or stews, just
add towards the end of cooking so it doesn't all dissolve, and add the
canning liquid too. I usually buy the Margaret Holmes brand, I buy
their canned rutabagas for stoups too, I buy a lot of Margaret Holmes
canned goods, they produce excellent product; margaretholmes.com