In reading through these comments I realize that what I do now is not faux bread, but faux bread function. I use cucumber slices to dip, lettuce and steamed cabbage to wrap, occassionally oopsies to put stuff on, green peppers ditto, its the function I need and I love it. I need to have bread away - the temptation is great, and EASILY replaced with some of these ideas if the thing being put on the cucmber/green pepper/ lettuce/cabbage is GOOD, and lets not waste our eating on less than great stuff!!

I agree - I don't want fake bread, but need something to put mushy stuff on. My favourite bread/cracker functioning item is a slice of raw daikon radish. It is stiff rather than floppy, 2-4" in diameter, and crispy like an apple and very mild tasting - slightly peppery, not hot like a small red radish (and 1.25g net carbs per 100g). Raw jicama works too, for a few more carbs (3.9g net carbs per 100g). Both can be hot-air "fried" or baked for a toasty version.

I just had a nice tuna fish "sandwich" on daikon - no need to add celery, since the "cracker" is crisp.

dierdra -- very nice ideas for bread function!!

Nice ideas!!

deirdra, we think alike a lot I've used daikon for many things, including the cracker function. Radish come in many shapes and sizes. Find the giant ones that look like a white carrot in most common supermarkets. Go a little off the street and you'll start finding others like this green one, I really like the korean ones too!





Eat more radishes, they get so lonely under the ground!

I just made Bagels that have 5 grams of net carbs each. They are great with butter and cream cheese. The only ingredients are whole milk mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, almond flour, and baking powder. Nice and chewy and flavorful.

I agree with the approach of not trying to replicate carb foods. When I first started vlc, I was still in the mindset that I needed stuff to eat frequently, so I wouldn't get hungry and eat the wrong stuff. I finally realized that it's not hard to eliminate bread and other carbs, just do it!!! Why introduce something that prolongs perception of cravings? The longer one goes without carbs (breads, starches, sweeteners), the easier it becomes until . . . . one day . . . . you realize . . . . . you have no cravings for that . . . . stuff. Believe it, it happens. So, instead of spending time baking and preparing replicated stuff, eat whole foods.

By the way, deirdra, daikon for crackers is something I'm going to try this week. Great idea! I can eat daikon rounds raw or dehydrate them in the oven for a crispy texture. Brilliant!

Kohlrabi works well too.

I think it depends on what your goals are. In maintenance, I have no issue with bread subs as long as they're gluten-free (in addition to being LC, of course.)

Clearly, my issue is the fact that gluten dings the opioid receptors in your brain, plus the additional addictive factor of sugar/starch. If you're not already 100% gluten-free, I'd suggest trying it. You're probably 95% of the way there. Read labels carefully and go 100%. That means not doing the bun-toss at restaurants... and you're probably better off to avoid restaurants, anyway, at least for a trial period. There's too much cross-contamination.

There is absolutely zero part of me that could binge on the coconut flour tea biscuits and tortillas that I make. Same with shirataki noodles. They take too much "work" to chew through, and they absorb so much water that you'll have carpet mouth half an hour later if you don't drink a pint of water with them. Ie, they're filling and satisfying. They're a nice treat and something different when I'm burned out on the same old very limited choices at work, and eating hot dogs with a fork at home.

If you're actively trying to lose weight, well, sometimes treats are out. YMMV. I always say, though, that compliance trumps everything. If you're on the brink of throwing in the towel, try recipes for something enjoyable. Bread subs are better than quitting.

I agree with GRB5111 and others who prefer to divorce themselves from imitation high-carb foods. Low-carb pasta and bread, etc., for me dangles the ol' carrot, so to speak. I find that crunchy raw vegetables like bell pepper, iceberg lettuce wedges, sliced cucumber and zucchini, etc. are very satisfying substitutes for flour products. I'm pretty new to low carb, and what surprises and delights me the most is that the more I eat naturally low-carb foods, the more my cravings lean that way.

I've been bread free for a year. When eating out, I order the burger (or egg sandwich) and toss the bread.

I just found that McDonalds will give you any sandwich without the bread! They serve it in a side salad container. Wee!

It's the silly things that make me happy on this journey.

Deirdra and Thud, I'm a radish lover, too! Usually just eat the little red ones but don't see the daikons around much. Maybe I'll look harder. Looks so good in that picture!

I looked for daikon radishes at my store & found sad, dried out, limp things. They were already peeled, which probably contributed to their being dried out. Is that normal?

I have satisfied my craving to have a bagel breakfast sandwich once in awhile, or just a bagel with cream cheese and butter. I make my own bagels by mixing 2.5 cups of whole milk mozzarella and 2 oz cream cheese, melted together. Then mix in 2 cups almond flour and 3 tsp baking powder. Mix until a soft sticky dough is formed. You can knead it by hand or mix in a mixer. Form into bagel shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 425, or until lightly browned. They work even better if you bake them in a non stick donut pan, as they tend to rise better and keep their shape better. They have 5 grams of net carbs each.

The ones I get are as big or bigger than the one Thud showed next to a quarter, but nearly all white with no green, and not peeled or dried out. In fact the one in my fridge has been there for a month and is still crisp.