An American Housewife: LOW CARB FOODS LIST

If you've been a regular reader of An American Housewife then you've seen all these and hundreds more low carb, sugar free goodies. I couldn't make them though, if I didn't have a few low carb, sugar free or grain free staples on hand.

(You can find these recipes by typing them into the search box on the right sidebar of the page). See the product list & links below!

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2016/03/authentic-style-red-velvet-cake-made.html

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2016/01/healthy-chocolate-chip-cookies-low-carb.html

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2014/05/a-sugar-free-low-carb-cut-out-sugar.html

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2016/03/the-best-low-carb-cinnamon-rolls-sugar.html

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2013/01/low-carb-sugar-free-crackers-like-wheat.html

http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2013/01/sugar-free-low-carb-white-layer-cake.html

Other than the obvious meat and cheeses, I can only get a few basic products locally so I order about 80% of my products online through various sources.

I use a variety of sites and stores and I'm not 'married' to (or sponsored by) any one of them as I always make sure to check prices, shipping rates, etc. and make sure I'm getting my money worth. Most of my items are bought through Amazonand Netrition.com. Low carb and sugar free products are not cheap so make sure you shop around (and compare prices) to be happy with your purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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We've been doing lower carb off and on since the spring of 2002, not to lose weight, but because we feel better and have more energy when we eat this way and it cleared up some female issues and unexplained bruising, etc. I had that 3 different doctors and numerous tests had no answer for.

The key to continuing to eat this way is to have low carb, sugar free options available when you are craving something sweet, want to binge or comfort eat, or want to enjoy desserts with your meal, etc. That is when having a stocked pantry is a must!

IF YOU DON'T HAVE QUICK ITEMS ON HAND YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GRAB SOMETHING NOT HEALTHY and probably regret it as soon as you finish eating it.

There are certain products I buy and keep on hand regularly as well as always wanting to try 'new' to me foods and products.

There are recipes that will give dramatic differences in your finished products based on the brand or version of ingredient.

Different natural sweetener brands, different whey protein brands and different ground almonds and almond flours come to mind immediately but that is just the beginning.

If a recipe you find is highly rated, has finished photos, has a lot of comments or is published in a cookbook with photos or is well known in the low carb area but your results were disastrous, it is probably because you used a different brand or version of an important item or you substituted something out that didn't work.

I cannot stress how many times I've tried a new recipe for a low carb product and got results that had to be thrown away.... but I don't fault the recipe (usually). I know the crazy results that come from using 2 different brands of almond flour for example.

Live and Learn what you like.

Whey Protein Powders

Nature's Best Perfect Zero Carb Isopure, Creamy Vanilla, 3 Lb Bottle
Nature's Best Isopure Unflavored (Zero Carb), 3-Pound Tub
Nature's Best Low Carb Isopure, Dutch Chocolate, 3 Lb
*They carry a vast amount of flavor choices. I use the unflavored, vanilla and chocolate for baking low carb. You can see all flavor choices in the links above including the Strawberries and Cream, Banana and Cookies and Cream I order for my husband to use before or after work outs and his ultimate favorite; Colombian Coffee - which he takes to work in the morning with him.

Prepared Low Carb Bagels

Great Low Carb Bread Co. - Onion Bagels
Great Low Carb Bread Co. - Multigrain Bagels - 1 Bag
Great Low Carb Bread Co. - Everything Bagels
Great Low Carb Bread Co. - Everything - 1 Loaf
*I love (love love love) bagels. I can't have them during the initial 2 week induction period, but later on, I do sometimes add them in. I buy and keep on hand a pizza crust and bagel mix (link below in the baking mixes) but I also have started to buy a bag of onion bagels (my fav) and everything bagels to keep in the freezer too. This was a 'splurge to see how it is' product I tried last year, loved, and now keep on hand.

Baking Mixes and Almond Flour

Carbquik Baking Mix Now in a 3 lb. Box
Natural Almond Meal Flour - 5 Pound Bag
Blanched Almond Meal Flour, 5 lbs.
Pizza and Bagel Flour
White Bread Flour
Brownies Low Carb Gluten Free
Marshmallow Fluff Mix (I have this in the pantry but haven't tried it yet)
Thick'n Saucy Smooth Gravy Thickener
Baking Flour Gluten Free Low Carb 1/2 lb Bag
Pancake Mix
Pizza and Calzone Mix
*MANY, many more options available. You can click on any of the links above to start searching all the mixes available. Note: I personally didn't care for the Sweetened Condensed Milk mix - it was nothing at all like the real thing and tasted nothing like it.

Torani Sugar Free Syrup
Bob's Red Mill Gum Xanthan
FLATOUT bread wraps - Light (Also purchased at my local grocery. I use for pizza crust)
Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Reduced Sugar
Nature's Hollow Honey Mustard
Shredded Coconut Unsweetened
La Nouba: Sugar Free Marshmallows

Books:My first low carb recipe book - 20 years ago, still have it and use italthough there are so many more ingredients available now to work with!
500 Low-Carb Recipes: 500 Recipes, from Snacks to Dessert

MANY low carb and keto cookbooks on amazon (which is where I buy all mine, including this one - Southern Keto)

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Acceptable food list during the first 2 weeks of Induction on Atkins low carb plan:

All fish including:

· Flounder

· Herring

· Salmon

· Sardines

· Sole

· Tuna

· Trout

· Cod

· Halibut

All fowl including:

· Cornish hen

· Chicken

· Duck

· Goose

· Pheasant

· Quail

· Turkey

· Ostrich

All shellfish including:

· Clams

· Crabmeat

· Mussels*

· Oysters*

· Shrimp

· Squid

· Lobster

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

All meat including:

· Bacon*

· Beef

· Ham*

· Lamb

· Pork

· Veal

· Venison

*Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Avoid cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates, if possible.

Eggs in any style, including:

· Deviled

· Fried

· Hard-boiled

· Omelets

· Poached

· Scrambled

· Soft-boiled

Feel free to get creative with your eggs: Add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top the dish off with feta cheese or add basil, oregano and other herbs.

Fats and Oils

There are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

1. Butter

2. Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar

3. Olive oil

4. Vegetable oils – Those labeled "cold pressed" or "expeller pressed" are especially good and olive oil is one of the best.

o Canola*

o Walnut

o Soybean*

o Grape seed*

o Sesame

o Sunflower*

o Safflower*

*Do not allow any oils to reach overly high temperatures when cooking. Use olive oil for sautéing only. Use walnut or sesame oil to dress cooked veggies or salad, but not for cooking.

Beverages

· Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure it has no sugars added)

· Club soda

· Cream, heavy or light

· Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea*

· Diet soda (be sure to note the carb count)

· Flavored seltzer (must say no calories)

· Herb tea (without added barley or fruit sugar added)

· Unflavored soy/almond milk

· Water – at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day including...

o Filtered water

o Mineral water

o Spring water

o Tap water

Cheese

Parmesan, grated

Goat, chevre

Bleu cheeses

Cheddar

Gouda

Feta

Mozzarella, whole milk

Cream cheese, whipped

Parmesan, chunk

Swiss

Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube.

Foundation Vegetables

Alfalfa sprouts (raw)

Chicory greens (raw)

Endive (raw)

Escarole (raw)

Olives, green

Watercress (raw)

Arugula (raw)

Radishes (raw)

Spinach (raw)

Bok choy (cooked)

Lettuce, average (raw)

Turnip greens (cooked)

Heart of palm

Olives, black

Radicchio (raw)

Button mushroom (raw)

Artichoke (marinated)

Celery (raw)

Collard greens (cooked)

Pickle, dill

Spinach

Broccoli rabe (cooked)

Sauerkraut (drained)

Avocado, Haas

Daikon radish, grated (raw)

Red/white onion, chopped (raw)

Zucchini (cooked)

Cucumber, sliced (raw)

Cauliflower (cooked)

Beet greens (cooked)

Broccoli (cooked)

Fennel (raw)

Okra (cooked)

Rhubarb (raw)

Swiss chard (cooked)

Asparagus (cooked)

Broccolini (cooked)

Bell pepper, green, chopped (raw)

Sprouts, mung beans (raw)

Eggplant (cooked)

Kale (cooked)

Scallion, chopped (raw)

Turnip (cooked)

Tomato, small (raw)

Jicama (raw)

Portobello mushroom (cooked)

Yellow squash (cooked)

Cabbage (cooked)

Green beans (cooked)

Bell pepper, red, chopped (raw)

Leeks (cooked)

Shallot, chopped (raw)

Brussel sprouts (cooked)

Spaghetti squash (cooked)

Cherry tomato

Kohlrabi (cooked)

Pumpkin, mashed (cooked)

Garlic, minced (raw)

Snow peas (cooked)

Tomato (cooked)

You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 grams of net carbs per day in the form of vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the actual carb content of the veggies you select.

Salad garnishes

Crumbled bacon

Hard-boiled egg

Sautéed mushrooms

Sour cream

Grated cheeses

Herbs and spices

Basil

Cayenne pepper

Cilantro

Dill

Oregano