| Author | Post |
|---|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 22 Mar 2006 12:22 pm |
|
I'm using Cadbury's Cocoa, which is labelled as follows: 100g dry powder provides 330 kcal, 23.1g protein, 10.5g carbohydrate, 21.7g fat.
So 3g of cocoa powder is just 10 calories. (Protein 28%, Carb 13%, Fat 59%)
Method
- Measure 3g of cocoa powder (one teaspoon - not flat but not too heaped) into small serving dish.
- Pour a very small amount of boiling water into a mug and dissolve two artificial sweetner pills (0.01 kcal each).
- Pour sweet water over cocoa powder and mix until a smooth paste forms (carefully add a tiny bit more water to ensure powder fully dissolved but not runny).
I can now dip fruits/vegetables in my chocolate sauce, or even chop them up into small pieces and mix well so they're covered in sauce on all sides.
The weight of my sauce, with water included is probably 15g (or putting it another way, 67 calories per 100g of sauce; similiar to the 70 calories per 100g figure I have for making custard-from-powder).
That's all very well, but what if I want to extend my chocolate sauce (without simply doubling the recipe). If I add water, it is now runny, no longer a thick sauce. What ingredient(s) can I add to thicken it in such a way that it is more low-calorie? What thickeners provide a good thicken-ability-per-calorie ratio? I'm not an experienced cook so ideas very welcome!
|
suenos
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 22 Mar 2006 04:04 pm |
|
| Jello makes a sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding mix, 10 grams of the powder mix has 30 calories and seems like it would be a thickener?
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 23 Mar 2006 12:39 am |
|
Unfortunately I can't get get "Jello" brand products in the United Kingdom (not in the shops, anyhow). Any chance you could please type in the list of ingredients in that product, so I can gain some insight? (or provide a link if it's on the web)
Meanwhile, I've done a couple of experiments with cornflour ("cornstarch" in USA?). I hate it when it sticks to the pan - but I found out that I can just add it to my dish and heat in the microwave for bursts of 10 seconds (stirring/examining in between). I found somewhere the suggestion "use 75g for one litre" so that translates as "2.5g for 33ml" (keeping it around 10 calories), with promising results so far but more experiments required (it has gone 1.30am so I'm off to bed though).
I have been thinking about gelatine as well though. Didn't buy it today as the packet in the shop didin't have calorie information ("Use one 11.67g sachet to set one pint" is all it gave away).
|
suenos
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 23 Mar 2006 12:53 am |
|
| The first two items listed on my box of pudding are: cornstarch and cocoa!!! So I guess you've already hit on it with the cornstarch. I have a box of unflavored gelatine(Knox brand). I imagine that gelatine is gelatine on both sides of the pond so here's the nutrition info: 7 grams = 25 calories 6 grams protein and 15mg sodium. Hope it helps. Last edited on 23 Mar 2006 12:55 am by suenos
|
trimB
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 25 Mar 2006 07:11 pm |
|
| I personally prefer the texture of cornstarch-thickened sauces as opposed to gelatin-thickened sauces. The other idea is to make something similar to a creme anglaise sauce - which is basically thickened by adding eggs and cooking very gently. I imagine that is too much of a calorie sacrifice for a bit of thickening though.
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 02:19 am |
|
I bought two types of gelatine (sachets and leafs) but haven't experimented yet.
For cornstarch, what proportions of (grams of water) : (grams of cornstarch) would you recommend? (are we talking in the region of 20? 15? 14? 13?...). Whether it is the water or the cornstarch, I'm noticing that the flavour (cocoa and sweetner) gets "diluted".
eggs: I'm intrigued. Quite timely too as I've purchased 222 eggs this week - and still have quite a few left (some were down to 10% of their normal price!). At this stage I'm looking to do something more interesting than hard-boil them all! But no, using a whole egg (80 calories) to thicken 10 calories of chocolate sauce? I might as well just multiply the original 10-calorie recipe quantities by 9 instead, make it more chocolatey!
My attempt at sugarless Meringue fell flat on its face (maybe I over-beat the eggs, maybe because wasn't using any sweetner).
When trying to use one egg white (15 calories) to "thicken"/"extend" the chocolate sauce (10 calories), I still used a microwave (getting it out to stir every 10 seconds - I don't have a saucepan...) Yes, I ended up with a chocolate-flavour omlette. Tried again with extra water (theory: so it wouldn't thicken so much), resulted in small explosions in the microwave (cleaning hassle)
Did some chocolate-flavoured omlettes in a frying pan though. Let's call them egg white pancakes. I've missed pancakes for a while and only just realised how low-calorie they can be (without the flour, milk and egg yoke). Breakfast tomorrow morning will feature egg-white pancakes from 3 egg whites and flavour to-be-decided (altogether just 50 calories and 10 grams of protein!).
|
NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 Oct 2005 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1536 |
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 12:03 pm |
|
Whether it is the water or the cornstarch, I'm noticing that the flavour (cocoa and sweetner) gets "diluted".
I'm not surprised. I tried the Asda choc whey powder in my choc/banana oatcake for the last mix, and I think I'd need to use about twice as much as I do of the Holland & Barrett variety! It doesn't take much to dilute the taste. Why not just 'double up'? on the cocoa - that would still be only another 10 cals, right?
Failing that:
What ingredient(s) can I add to thicken it in such a way that it is more low-calorie?
Sawdust? (I'm not giving any guarantees as to flavour, though).
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 04:35 pm |
|
nevd wrote: Sawdust? (I'm not giving any guarantees as to flavour, though).
Funny. Mind you while researching "egg white pancakes" on the internet I found a recipe using Bran as one of the ingredients to "give the pancakes some dignity" (really?). Nevertheless I added 5 calories' worth (2.3g) of bran to my 30 calories of egg-whites (2 eggs) and it did make a welcome difference (giving them thickness - substance). Bran is practically sawdust, right?
Yes, doubling up is often the way to go. Yesterday I just made up 25 calories' worth of the 'pure' chocolate sauce (7.5g cocoa and about 5 sweetners). The chocolate oranges are not Terry's. They're mine!
I bought some cream of tartar today. So far just another ingredient waiting its turn to be lucky enough to get used. (Maybe my next meringues will be less disasterous.)
|
trimB
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 08:13 pm |
|
About your sugarless meringue... as far as I understand, the purpose of the sugar in the meringue is to be able to whip air into the egg whites in a way that is stable. I guess it depends on what you are planning to do with the meringue as to whether or not this matters.
I don't know if the egg-thickened chocolate sauce would work without sugar either, since I think that the sugar protects the egg from "cooking" before the proteins coagulate to give you the thickening power. Honestly though, I've never tried it. I'm sure a microwave doesn't make it much easier to have control over what your doing.
Funny mental image though... Nir standing over microwave... popping chocolate sauce concoction in and out every 10 seconds... stirring like a mad food scientist. Ha! :P
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 08:33 pm |
|
trimblebe wrote: About your sugarless meringue... as far as I understand, the purpose of the sugar in the meringue is to be able to whip air into the egg whites in a way that is stable. I guess it depends on what you are planning to do with the meringue as to whether or not this matters.
I'd like to end up with a nice edible meringue (the slow-bake hard kind - but ideally I want it virtually calorie-free, don't we all). So far I'm getting either a sponge or burnt around and uncooked in the middle and it is still sticking to the metal baking sheet (my oil spray hasn't worked so far, though I am having promising results lining the tray with lettuce leafs ). I'm also a bit impatient (one hour baking and one hour cooling just to figure out if my new batch failed??) so I'm grilling [American = broilling] at the moment.
Sugar is of course completely out (have you seen the number of calories?) but even my granulated artificial sweetner will more than double the calories in the egg whites for the volume I require (1/2 a cup for 2 egg whites, I understand - it isn't too cheap either...) so I'm using the disolvable tablet-sweetner instead (10 tablets are together 0.1 calories and ?é?ú0.01). I am prepared to try the granulated kind again at some point later on - do you think it will make much difference to the texture of the result?
- I'm going to obtain a non-stick "milk saucepan" within a week or two, so I don't have to use the microwave.
- I also badly need a non-stick frying pan for pancakes which is actually flat as opposed to badly bent in the middle.
- At least one emergency (kettle died on Tuesday) has been remedied - new kettle!
As you can tell, I'm very new to all of this, a mixture of ignorance and love of shortcuts (and I want to come up with calorie-saving wins, too)
|
trimB
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 26 Mar 2006 10:32 pm |
|
Maybe your meringue ends up spongey because the air pockets are too large. The addition of sugar acts to create smaller air pockets - which are more stable by the way.
How are you beating your egg whites? If you are using an electric mixer, then medium-slow speed (for a longer amount of time) is preferable to very high speeds, since the slower beating results in smaller air pockets which are more stable. Perhaps a pinch of salt would help too. Anything granulated (including your artificial sweetener) should only help the air formation. What kind of granulated sweetener are you using?
I've always slow baked (about 250 - 300 F) my (sugar) meringues on either sprayed aluminum foil or parchment paper. Not sure about broiling for a meringue with no sugar?!?
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 28 Mar 2006 08:54 am |
|
I was using an Aspartame-baseed generic granulated type (when I did). Didn't get around to doing another meringue yesterday (I'll return to this project soonish) - just kept playing with egg-white pancakes. They're lots of fun. Tried adding:
- lots of cocoa powder
- coffee
- bran (adds volume)
- oats
- grated cabbage (adds volume)
- grated celeriac (adds volume)
- hot fajita spice mix
For the celeriac experiment also whisked my egg-whites first. Is that generally advisable for pancakes?
|
NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 Oct 2005 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1536 |
|
Posted: 28 Mar 2006 09:02 am |
|
Lettuce-leaf meringue?
I can't wait...
|
trimB
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 28 Mar 2006 06:56 pm |
|
Do you mean pancakes made with egg whites instead of whole eggs... or do you mean pancake-shaped egg whites? Traditionally pancakes are whisked or mixed minimally to keep the flour from getting tough. But if you mean like an egg-white omelet type thing - then whisking will help it to be fluffier.
You have got to be the more adventurous yet analytical food experimentalist! I try to post feedback and maybe even help a bit, but you are mostly in unchartered territory! :D
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 28 Mar 2006 08:43 pm |
|
trimblebe wrote: or do you mean pancake-shaped egg whites? .. if you mean like an egg-white omelet type thing - then whisking will help it to be fluffier.
Yes, generally no flour involved (but I have tried involving some bran and oats on ocassion - they are kind-of analagous grains)
You have got to be the more adventurous yet analytical food experimentalist! I try to post feedback and maybe even help a bit, but you are mostly in unchartered territory! :D
Yes, I'm breaking all the "rules" and essentially throwing away years of good practice and tried-and-tested techniques (in most cases because I'm not aware of them - I've never learnt to cook from a book or a course, so I'm not 'hindered' by having any knowledge of cooking :)). I look forward to getting 'proessional help' when I next get stuck.
I've actually had some real chocolate today - it tastes somewhat sweeter than the chcolate sauce that I make (but as I'm not exposed to it every day, I had forgotten what chocolate tastes like!). Real chocolate is also more craving-inducing. I didn't mean to finish all of it at one sitting but I did (luckily there was only 200 calories' worth!).
|
balinas
New Member
| Joined: | 23 Jul 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1 |
|
Posted: 23 Jul 2006 06:22 am |
|
Hello Nir,
I like the quality of the receipes on this site compared with some. I have recently launched a website selling nutritional supplements including weight loss, but although I have experimented with some remarkable supplements, I think what you eat is the place to start.
If you will permit me, I shall give a rundown of the persistent results of numerous studies. Although I would never claim to know everything, I shall state these "as fact"
Some of the conditions I mention may seem irrelevant, but I have come to the conclusion that what applies to heart disease applies to obesity, and allergic reactions as well.
Unfermented milk protein is the number one killer by heart disease. It actually implies that cream, butter, yoghurt and cheese are ok.
Carbohydrates have an appalliing record. That means pasta. bread, flour, cornflour, cakes and all the sugars especially the processed ones. You can have some pumpkin, potatoes and honey - but I would not pig out on any of them.
A recent article in the paper outlined a double blind study where a group of Australians replaced two slices of bread with lean meat on a calory per calory basis. The heart risk was reduced 30%. No I'm not a raving luny. This is a small change in diet and the results are astronomical.
Hence I would go for the gelatine. Have you tried agar thickener made from seeweed?
I applaud you for having your cocoa. I have had a lot of the same brand. I am prepared to have it straight with hot water. Thats how disciplined I am. One study found that men over 65 who had cocoa had a 50% reduction in all deaths. this is due to the bitter flavonoids, which remove plaques from arteries. If you are overweight don't just count calories (although studies with rats have extended their lives 3 times through calory deprivation), JUST GET HEALTHY!.
The other very suspect food group is the oil from the supermarket. Processed oils appeared in the 1920s the same time that heart disease became prevalent. Use extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed oils, and prove that you are man by taking a teasoon of cod liver oil daily! Fish oils get a number one ranking. However I am not suggesting that you add any oil to your sauce.
In case you are not convinced about the oils, please consider that the standard method of extraction includes heating, and turning the oil into soap, then turning the soap into oil.
In a recent study a substance was identified in extra virgin olive oil which supports improved circulation. Well you can be sure that this substance, the vitamin e and enzymes (needed to digest the oil) have been destroyed.
What about trying to add some whole grain tahini to your sauce? Don't apologize that you aren't a good cook. I was such a talented cook when I was young that I had ladies kneeling at my feet for the receipe. Now? I do not make tase my guiding factor. I start with the knowledge I have posted here and I brave new tastes for my healing. and remeber food is medicine - don't overindulge.
-- Edited to Comply with Posting Guidelines (please read)
forum16/1758.html
|
aislinga
Senior Member
|
Posted: 24 Jul 2006 07:34 pm |
|
another thickener is arrowroot
"Arrowroot mixtures thicken at a lower temperature than mixtures made with flour or cornstarch. Mix Arrowroot with cool liquids before adding hot liquids, then cook until mixture thickens. Remove immediately to prevent mixture from thinning. Two teaspoons of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. One teaspoon of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of flour. Arrowroot makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and prevents ice crystals from forming in homemade ice cream."
- source CulinaryCafe.com
Don't know about the calories though.
RE: eggs and omelets - not everything can be cooked in a microwave.
Cream of tartar should stabilize your egg whites quite nicely. A very traditional use. Did you now Cream of Tartar is what is left behind after grape juice has been fermented to wine? I didn't.
Once again , calorie amount unknown,
|
flopster
New Member
| Joined: | 12 Sep 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2 |
|
Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:29 pm |
|
the best thickeners are guar gum, Konjakflour and locust bean gum. All these are very sufficient and virtually calory free.
Use them in pudding (skim milk, low fat cocoa, artificial sweetner), you get about 300 gr of pudding for about HUNDRED calories.
Beat milk with mixer, add sweetner and cinamon or vanilla, and some gum/flour and keep beating for a few minutes .. you will receive a creme similar to a mousse or whipped topping, makes a great replacement.
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 12 Sep 2008 05:02 pm |
|
| I've been wondering about guar gum (what it was and what it was for) since I saw it in a chocolate pudding recipe on the Calorie Restriction Society website, so thanks for the clue.
|
flopster
New Member
| Joined: | 12 Sep 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2 |
|
Posted: 13 Sep 2008 03:09 am |
|
Guar gum and locust bean gum basically work the same with pretty much the same results. I love them, they re both VERY low in calorie and I use them for everything.. pudding, sauce, soup etc etc ... Konjak flour is even more sufficient, a little harder to get and not cheap though. You can use it for thickening or drink it in some water , it absorbs fat, makes you feel full and makes sure carbs are broken down a lot slower, so it s also good for diabetes type 2
|
Current time is 05:59 pm | |
|
