A Fantastic Flour Mix

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Divabunny

Ugh wish I would have seen this before I placed my Netrition order yesterday! Can't wait to try this. I really hope I like this because I'll be once again buying ingredients that I never use otherwise. I don't mean to sound like a debbie downer, but I've tried so many recipes here that people rave about (The cream cheese muffins, the poundcake etc.) and they all just taste eggy and spongy to me I've wasted so much money so I'm really hesitant, but the pictures posted here look fantastic I'll have to bite the bullet and try this out.

I actually think it's just plain difficult NOT to expect a LC food that is called "bread" to really taste just like regular bread. Expectations are really powerful things.

And in case you missed my 'whine' several posts back, I was lamenting about how much money and time I've wasted on bad recipes and specialty ingredients. At one point, I had so many odd ingredients, I just couldn't remember what I even bought them for.... WPI, polydextrose, carbalose, carbquik, shirataki noodles, pork rinds, flax in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, you name it...I've purchased it and I've dumped it all.

So no...you're not alone...many, MANY of us have been where you are. At least you weren't tempted to make a pizza crust with vital wheat gluten and expected it to taste like a real pizza crust when in fact it tasted more like a melted rubber ball with a splash of pizza sauce and cheese on it...

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by Divabunny

Thanks for your response, Judy. I feel much better about placing the order, really the only thing I need is the Oat Fiber which is fairly cheap, but the cheapest Whey Protein Isolate I see on Netrition is $20 bucks - Is that what everyone is using?

Well that's one of the things I had and didn't know what to do with, so was glad to use it for this. I'm using Jay Robb brand unflavored whey protein isolate. I also have (for some reason ) a vanilla flavor. I use that when I'm making a little cake.

I also (for some reason ) have a giant container of vanilla protein powder - the brand doesn't pop into my head right now, but not Jay Robb.
I am actually eating low carb and modified protein (not high protein) so not sure why I have so many protein powders!! They ARE expensive!

Others may hopefully chime in and say which powders they are using.
But yes, I am using the whey protein isolate - Jay Robb brand.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Divabunny

Thanks for your response, Judy. I feel much better about placing the order, really the only thing I need is the Oat Fiber which is fairly cheap, but the cheapest Whey Protein Isolate I see on Netrition is $20 bucks - Is that what everyone is using?

If you go back a couple of posts, Vilya did it without the whey protein and said it turned out fine. So why not just try it without having to buy it right away?

I can't handle the coconut flavor in a savory bread, so I'm sticking with the almond flour version. When I make it this way, it really does taste like a biscuit to me. Here is my version:

2 TBS oat fiber
2 TBS almond flour
1 TBS parmesan cheese
1 TBS egg white powder
1 TBS unflavored whey protein isolate (Biochem brand)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. gluc.
pinch salt
approx 1/2 cup low carb milk

For a serving, I would use 1/2 of this recipe mixed well in a 4" square micro dish. Nuke 1 min 30 secs in 1000 watt micro. Flip out of dish, slice into two thin slices or diagonally for two thick slices. Makes one perfect serving of 2 slices of 'bread'. OR nuke in custard cup for more of a biscuit shape. Spread with butter.

[Divabunny]

Originally Posted by RVcook

I actually think it's just plain difficult NOT to expect a LC food that is called "bread" to really taste just like regular bread. Expectations are really powerful things.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. Sometimes I think what the hell is wrong with my taste buds? why am I not loving these recipes like everyone else! And really it comes down to exactly what you said about expectations.

LOL about the rubber ball - TOTALLY been there.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Divabunny

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. Sometimes I think what the hell is wrong with my taste buds? why am I not loving these recipes like everyone else! And really it comes down to exactly what you said about expectations.

LOL about the rubber ball - TOTALLY been there.

What was really bad about that one was that everyone was raving about how good it was...how good it was?!?! So silly me...I "thought" that meant that it actually tasted like a REAL pizza crust. It was SO horrible, it took hours for the melted rubber ball smell to leave my kitchen. And I am NOT kidding!

Girrrrrrrrrrlllll...I could tell you stories....!

[Divabunny]

Originally Posted by RVcook

If you go back a couple of posts, Vilya did it without the whey protein and said it turned out fine. So why not just try it without having to buy it right away?

Sweeeeet, Thanks for sharing your tweaks (I'll go back and read through this whole thread later) This will be the first recipe I try.

[Divabunny]

Originally Posted by RVcook

What was really bad about that one was that everyone was raving about how good it was...how good it was?!?! So silly me...I "thought" that meant that it actually tasted like a REAL pizza crust. It was SO horrible, it took hours for the melted rubber ball smell to leave my kitchen. And I am NOT kidding!

Girrrrrrrrrrlllll...I could tell you stories....!

Oh my you are hilarious!! I'm dyin' over here because I know exactly what that's like. It's sad but you just gotta laugh I guess.

[drjlocarb]

Has any one tried a cracker?

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by drjlocarb

Has any one tried a cracker?

I was actually thinking about doing that as well as a wrap/tortilla. I may experiment today.

[Buffy45]

Oh my, this all really rings a bell for me, I too have tried so many recipes with high expectations only to be "yuck, can't wait to throw this mess out". And bread is the hardest I think. I can be ok with some of the desserts and casseroles, etc. but I have yet to meet a LC bread that I want to have a relationship with
Party b/c before I went LC I had found this wonderful brand of bread which is made locally in the Dallas area called Heartland, one variety was "Grandma's White Bread", OMG, that made the best sandwiches and another was Honey Wheat which was awesome. I think those breads were harder to give up than any of my other carby foods.

I do like this mixture, it is the best I have found, more of a cake like thing to me than a bread. I seldom even try things anymore that are supposed to be breads and just spent a couple of weeks trying to find Trader Joe's lowercarb bread which doesn't seem to be available in my area. But, this mixture is one of the best I have found for cake like things and the biscuit is supposed to be very good too, I haven't tried it yet.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

...I can be ok with some of the desserts and casseroles, etc. but I have yet to meet a LC bread that I want to have a relationship with ...

Other than my old 'regular' LC bread that I used to bake before going gluten free, this is the closest thing to the texture of white bread that I've found. Since it has no eggs, it is not "eggy" in texture. Since it contains no flaxseed, it has no "grassy" taste or "spongy" texture. These are both pluses for my finicky taste buds.

And Buffy, I truly feel your pain about that 'relationship'. Cakes, muffins and quick breads are NO problem for me (I like Jen's GF-LC Bake Mix), but the savory bread stuff has been just awful to pin down. Quizoid's mix definitely fills that gap. Ahhhhh....to be so talented...sigh...

[Ginaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by RVcook

If you go back a couple of posts, Vilya did it without the whey protein and said it turned out fine. So why not just try it without having to buy it right away?

I can't handle the coconut flavor in a savory bread, so I'm sticking with the almond flour version. When I make it this way, it really does taste like a biscuit to me. Here is my version:

2 TBS oat fiber
2 TBS almond flour
1 TBS parmesan cheese
1 TBS egg white powder
1 TBS unflavored whey protein isolate (Biochem brand)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. gluc.
pinch salt
approx 1/2 cup low carb milk

For a serving, I would use 1/2 of this recipe mixed well in a 4" square micro dish. Nuke 1 min 30 secs in 1000 watt micro. Flip out of dish, slice into two thin slices or diagonally for two thick slices. Makes one perfect serving of 2 slices of 'bread'. OR nuke in custard cup for more of a biscuit shape. Spread with butter.

I just used this recipe to make an egg, ham and cheese mc muffin and it came out great!! I made the whole recipes and got two round biscuits.

It's the most neutral tasting low carb bread I've had yet, and it holds up really well. Thanks for sharing.

[buttoni]

Oh, that sure looks good, Ginaaaa. So many great variations for this mix.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Ginaaaaaa

I just used this recipe to make an egg, ham and cheese mc muffin and it came out great!! I made the whole recipes and got two round biscuits.

It's the most neutral tasting low carb bread I've had yet, and it holds up really well. Thanks for sharing.

Yaaaaayyyyy......I completely agree...very neutral. It's perfect for savory applications and the texture is wonderful and really soft. I love it with my eggs in the morning

[KCSoccer]

I wanted to try using this mix to make a real, southern-style biscuit. I just scarfed down one with butter and SF raspberry jam. Oh my! These are the closest thing I’ve come to a HC biscuit. I’m not a huge fan of coconut flour (dryness, coconut taste), but there was only a slight hint of coconut flavor which was covered up by the jam. These will be excellent for biscuits and gravy, which is my non-LC son’s favorite breakfast, and now I can eat it too!

Here’s what I did (slight variation on mix):

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Preheat oven to 425ºF. (I baked in toaster oven, because I didn't want to heat the whole oven for 2 biscuits.)

2 Tbs Oatfiber
1 Tbs coconut flour
1 Tbs almond flour
(I omitted whey protein powder)
1 Tbs eggwhite powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)
1/2 tsp glucomannan powder (I used one capsule, about 1/3 tsp. actually)

Mix all ingredients together and place bowl in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. You want all ingredients COLD.

1 Tbs cold unsalted butter
3 Tbs buttermilk

Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Add buttermilk and stir until a shaggy dough forms (you may need to add more or less buttermilk, depending upon how absorbent your coconut flour is). Pat (or roll) out two biscuit shapes, about ¾ inch high and 2-3 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Makes 2 biscuits.

While these didn’t rise as much as a wheat-flour based biscuit (I’m sure that’s the gluten), the texture was spot on – mouthfeel was like a real biscuit.

Thanks, Ouzoid, for the original recipe. I’m going to try a scone recipe soon with this mix.

[Vilya]

Ooooh, scones!! Please do share the outcome of that!

I agree that you really don't get much coconut flavor with this. Either that, or I'm just getting used to it.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that I can have a giant "cake" for only 125 calories or so (unfrosted, of course). Some of the almond flour breads and buns out there are 300+ calories per!

[JMCM1]

And how do you make your gravy? Because WOW biscuits and gravy!!

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by RVcook

Yaaaaayyyyy......I completely agree...very neutral. It's perfect for savory applications and the texture is wonderful and really soft. I love it with my eggs in the morning

Have you tried slicing it and toasting it? I so miss toast and butter/jam

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by KCSoccer

I wanted to try using this mix to make a real, southern-style biscuit. I just scarfed down one with butter and SF raspberry jam. Oh my! These are the closest thing I’ve come to a HC biscuit. I’m not a huge fan of coconut flour (dryness, coconut taste), but there was only a slight hint of coconut flavor which was covered up by the jam. These will be excellent for biscuits and gravy, which is my non-LC son’s favorite breakfast, and now I can eat it too!

Here’s what I did (slight variation on mix):

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Preheat oven to 425ºF. (I baked in toaster oven, because I didn't want to heat the whole oven for 2 biscuits.)

2 Tbs Oatfiber
1 Tbs coconut flour
1 Tbs almond flour
(I omitted whey protein powder)
1 Tbs eggwhite powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)
1/2 tsp glucomannan powder (I used one capsule, about 1/3 tsp. actually)

Mix all ingredients together and place bowl in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. You want all ingredients COLD.

1 Tbs cold unsalted butter
3 Tbs buttermilk

Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Add buttermilk and stir until a shaggy dough forms (you may need to add more or less buttermilk, depending upon how absorbent your coconut flour is). Pat (or roll) out two biscuit shapes, about ¾ inch high and 2-3 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Makes 2 biscuits.

While these didn’t rise as much as a wheat-flour based biscuit (I’m sure that’s the gluten), the texture was spot on – mouthfeel was like a real biscuit.

Thanks, Ouzoid, for the original recipe. I’m going to try a scone recipe soon with this mix.

Ok, this sounds awesome. On the rise issue, what would adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder do to this? I am not very good at tweaking recipes like many on LCF's are, but don't regular biscuits have baking soda or powder in them?

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

And how do you make your gravy? Because WOW biscuits and gravy!!

Oh, yes, this would be grand. I think you could do a gravy out of browned sausage, adding cream and slowly letting it simmer to reduce it some, then maybe adding just a teeny amount of Xanthan powder which you had dissolved in some sausage grease.

[Buffy45]

One time while visiting one of my sister's, who is a marvelous country cook, for dinner she just made her homemade biscuits and served a creamed chicken over them. She had a side but I don't remember that, just the biscuits/gravy and one of her amazing pies. Ok, a piece of her amazing pie but trust me, I wanted to sneak back in the kitchen and eat every piece left. She learned to make pies from her MIL and used their own rendered lard for the crust and their own home grown fruit for the fillings. She is married to a skinny guy and she has never been overweight, they had 3 kids and she honestly made pies 2-3 days out of the week. They had some sort of dessert daily. She cooked with cream, butter, lard, their own meat, produce and only one of her kids had a weight problem. And, that not until he was grown so not sure what was the cause.

Ok, hmmm, got off on one of my tangent's there, didn't I?

[EllaP]

I have read this whole thread as it has progressed and can't recall if anyone is making up large batches to have on hand. I do have all the components now, but have to admit I'm lazy when it comes to 'baking' and know I'd be more apt to use it if it was a matter of scooping needed amount from one container as opposed to dragging out several.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your results and tweaks! Really enjoy reading them and seeing them.

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by EllaP

I have read this whole thread as it has progressed and can't recall if anyone is making up large batches to have on hand. I do have all the components now, but have to admit I'm lazy when it comes to 'baking' and know I'd be more apt to use it if it was a matter of scooping needed amount from one container as opposed to dragging out several.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your results and tweaks! Really enjoy reading them and seeing them.

Ella, Gina was able to do this for us, thanks Gina. Here is a copy of her post.

Here's what I got when I tripled the dry ingredients and then tripled again.



Fantastic Flour Mix X 3

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Oat Fiber
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
3 tablespoons Protein Powder
3 tablespoons Egg White Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Glucommanan


Fantastic Flour Mix X 6

Fantastic Flour Mix

1 cup Oat Fiber + 2 tablespoons Oat Fiber
1 cup Coconut Flour + 2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Protein Powder
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Egg White Powder
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons Glucommanan

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by EllaP

I have read this whole thread as it has progressed and can't recall if anyone is making up large batches to have on hand. I do have all the components now, but have to admit I'm lazy when it comes to 'baking' and know I'd be more apt to use it if it was a matter of scooping needed amount from one container as opposed to dragging out several.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your results and tweaks! Really enjoy reading them and seeing them.

I do. I prefer to have a ready-made mix in the freezer so I just multiplied the amounts in the original recipe by 8 and I use 1/4 cup of the mix and 1/4 cup of LC milk for my purposes. Works great.

[EllaP]

Great! Thanks Ladies. I'm going to find time today to make up some so I can start enjoying it, too.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

Have you tried slicing it and toasting it? I so miss toast and butter/jam

I have not tried that. I did try frying it in butter a la grilled cheese and it did OK. I would think that if you wanted to have something akin to 'real' toast, there would have to be some underlying starch component since it is the carmelization(sp?) of the starches that creates the 'crunch' in toast. And the only reason I know this is because I make a fabulous gluten-free yeast bread that is comprised of mostly starch for my DH and he calls it "crunch toast bread". And it is really crunchy when toasted...I mean R-E-A-L-L-Y crunchy!

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by RVcook

I have not tried that. I did try frying it in butter a la grilled cheese and it did OK. I would think that if you wanted to have something akin to 'real' toast, there would have to be some underlying starch component since it is the carmelization(sp?) of the starches that creates the 'crunch' in toast.

Very interesting, I thought it was just the drying out of the bread, I swear, I learn so darn much on this board, just wish I could retain more than 2% of it.

[Ginaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by RVcook

I have not tried that. I did try frying it in butter a la grilled cheese and it did OK. I would think that if you wanted to have something akin to 'real' toast, there would have to be some underlying starch component since it is the carmelization(sp?) of the starches that creates the 'crunch' in toast. And the only reason I know this is because I make a fabulous gluten-free yeast bread that is comprised of mostly starch for my DH and he calls it "crunch toast bread". And it is really crunchy when toasted...I mean R-E-A-L-L-Y crunchy!

I wonder if we added some resistant starch to the mix if it would help with the crispness for using as a bread?

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Ginaaaaaa

I wonder if we added some resistant starch to the mix if it would help with the crispness for using as a bread?

Hmmmmm...maybe. I don't know if the starch would play nice with the other ingredients or not. I can't experiment since I don't have any, but...Ginaaaaaa...you could certainly give it a go......and let us know it worked out... Whatcha think????

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

Very interesting, I thought it was just the drying out of the bread, I swear, I learn so darn much on this board, just wish I could retain more than 2% of it.

Ha! I've been cooking since the 70's and I'm STILL learning something new everyday. I thought all those years of experience would help me when transitioning from one cooking style to another. But nope...there is definitely a steep learning curve and then once I think I've got that one mastered...WHAM!...there is something new to learn! I have to admit though...it's getting harder and harder to keep up with all the youngsters around here... There is some S-E-R-I-O-U-S talent happening on this board!