Whether you’ve been doing Atkins for years or are just starting, stack the deck in your favor with the right ingredients and techniques for low carb cooking.
Most of your food shopping will be concentrated in the produce, dairy, poultry, fish, and meat sections of the supermarket.
BUY FRESH. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and protein will still be the basis of your diet. You know by now that many canned goods and packaged products contain hidden carbs and are loaded with trans fats. If your budget permits, buy organic poultry, meat, eggs, and produce. Other items that should be on your grocery list follow.
THINK FISH. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, mackerel, herring, bluefish, and sardines supply protein and B vitamins, but these flavorsome fish also pack plenty of omega-3s, a type of essential fatty acid with disease-fighting properties. Keep canned fish on hand, too, for hurry-up suppers. Canned salmon is higher in calcium than milk. Mash the soft bones with a fork and you’ll get 225 milligrams of this bone-building mineral per 3½-ounce serving. Canned sardines are even higher: 3 ounces supply 325 milligrams. Four ounces of milk? A mere 150 milligrams. Look for light tuna packed in olive oil; it tastes better than tuna in water or vegetable oil.
SHOP WITH THE SEASONS. Choose vegetables and fruits at their height of flavor and freshness. You’ll save money too: Seasonal produce is generally less expensive. There is no reason to buy asparagus or watermelon in January when broccoli and a host of fruits are readily available.
COLOR MATTERS. Buy as many richly colored foods as possible: Dark leafy greens, orange vegetables, purple grapes, and the like contain more nutrients than their paler cousins. Arugula has almost twice the folate of iceberg lettuce, watercress has about four times the vitamin C, and spinach has nearly thirty times more beta-carotene. Red grapes are higher in anthocyanins than green; and pink grapefruit has 40 times more beta-carotene than white. In general, avoid white foods—with the exception of dairy products, of course. White rice, white flour, sugar, and pale pasta are out. Instead, focus on brown breads and grains, beans, and other legumes.
THE GREENER THE BETTER. From collards and kale to spinach and turnip greens, these nutritional powerhouses are loaded with vitamins A, C, E, folate, and other vitamins; minerals, including calcium and iron; and cancer-fighting compounds such as indoles, sulforaphane, and isocyanate. Many dark greens are at their best in winter—they’re fresh and inexpensive when other vegetables are pale and flavorless. Sauté greens with lots of garlic, stir them into soup, or braise them with a bit of bacon.
GO WITH THE GRAIN. Whole grains provide a host of nutrients, but they’re dense in carbohydrates. Go beyond brown rice and whole-wheat pasta to find those that are lower in Net Carbs. Oatmeal boasts cholesterol-lowering fiber. Wild rice packs twice the protein of other varieties. Bulgur, a form of whole wheat, is already cooked; simply pour boiling liquid over it and soak it until soft, about 30 minutes.
SCRUTINIZE LABELS. Carbohydrates lurk in foods you might not suspect. Avoid anything that has high-fructose corn syrup or any kind of starch, such as modified potato or rice starch, in the ingredients list. Canned goods and condiments are common culprits. Pay particular attention to fat-free foods, especially salad dressings and marinades. Corn syrup often is used instead of oil because they have similar consistencies. Not only do you end up with unwanted carbs, but also a host of chemicals that are added to mask the sweetness. Instead, use high-flavor condiments that boast healthful ingredients, such as pesto and salsa.
ENJOY ETHNIC SPECIALTIES. If you’re fortunate enough to live near an ethnic food market, stock up on spices and condiments—prices are generally lower than at natural foods stores.
THINK SMALL. Purchase dairy products in small quantities and wrap cheeses in a double layer of plastic wrap to ensure freshness.
Unless your supermarket has an unusually well-stocked health food section, you should find a good natural foods supplier nearby or online. Products such as kamut and amaranth (both grains) and many of the others listed below are generally only available at natural foods stores. Here’s what you should be looking for:
Organic stone-ground whole grains, breads, muffins, bagels, crackers, cereals, and flours. Good hot cereal choices are old-fashioned oatmeal, Wheatena, and Atkins™ Hot Cereal. There are now a good number of low carb cold cereals, including Atkins Morning Start™ products.
Nut flours
Unsweetened fruit juice concentrates—dilute and sweeten to taste with low carb sweeteners
Soy products, including tofu in all its forms, soy milk (look for brands without any sugar) soy nuts, etc. Also frozen green soy beans (edamame).
Sugar-free sauces and salsas—they contain relatively few carbs and add interest to steaks, sautéed chicken breasts, and other simple main dishes.
Low carbohydrate thickeners, such as ThickenThin™ Not Starch (available at www.atkins.com); low carbohydrate bread and muffin mixes; low carbohydrate soy-based and/or whole-wheat pasta, bake mix, and pancake and waffle mix.
Sugar-free macadamia and other nut butters; also soy nut butter. All are lower in carbs than peanut butter.
Low carb soups in a cup
A few simple techniques and cooking habits will make life much easier and help minimize carb intake.
Prep greens the day you buy them. We know it’s easier to make an iceberg lettuce salad than to clean, chop, and sauté kale. Unfortunately, there is no comparison in nutritional value. So, be your own sous chef and wash and cut dark leafy greens when you buy them and store in plastic bags.
Keep both canned and dried beans on hand. Dried beans are more economical and generally have a better texture when cooked. You can rinse them and soak them overnight, or—if you forget—cover them with water, bring to a boil, and let them soak for one hour before proceeding with your recipe. Beans and legumes are high in protein, fiber, and iron. Try tuna salad mixed with marinated beans at lunchtime, instead of a tuna sandwich, for a nutritious and delicious change.
If you’re not yet a vegetable fan, try roasting them, which brings out their sweetness and intensifies flavors. Vegetables contain natural sugars that caramelize when roasted. For best results, cut into same-size pieces, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and pop them in a 425°F. oven until tender.
Make your own bread crumbs: Toast low carb or 100 percent whole-grain breads, then tear into pieces and place in food processor. Pulse until crumbs form. (If you don’t own a processor, consider buying a small one—it costs about the same as a blender and you will get a lot of use out of it.) Store bread crumbs in the freezer to have on hand anytime you want to make breaded cutlets. You may season bread crumbs by adding Parmesan cheese, oregano, paprika, and a dash of garlic powder.
Sprinkle nuts and seeds on salads and cooked vegetables: they add texture, flavor, and B vitamins as well as protein and iron. Store nuts and seeds in the freezer to preserve freshness.
Add texture to salads with low carb croutons. Brush low carb bread with olive oil, bake in a hot oven until crisp, then cut into small cubes.
Keep a variety of oils on hand, but buy them in small quantities. They are essential for cooking and flavoring. In addition to olive oil, you will want to have on hand canola or grapeseed oil for higher-heat cooking, plus some nut and seed oils. Most nut oils are too delicate to cook with—they break down over heat—so use them in dressings or drizzle over vegetables. (See Smoke and Fire on page 154 and Flavorful Oils on page 152 for more about culinary oils.)
Learn how to sauté properly to ensure moist chops and chicken: Set a heavy skillet (cast-iron is ideal) over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle salt in the skillet, then add meat. Sear on both sides; if the cut is thick, finish cooking it in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Sweet Rewards
You will either be buying low carb desserts and candies or making your own. Keep a supply of soy-based flour, Atkins™ Bake Mix, nut flours, sugar-free syrups, jams with no added sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar-free vanilla and chocolate extracts, and sugar-free chocolate chips in your pantry. Sugar substitutes come in two forms. The granular type, sold in boxes, is particularly useful for baking because it can be substituted cup for cup for sugar in conventional recipes. Sugar substitute in packets is useful for sweetening beverages and frozen desserts. This way you’ll have ingredients on hand when you feel the urge to whip up a sweet treat. Make a habit of baking a double batch of low carb cookies, muffins, or cakes and freezing half. It’s just a little more work, but you can freeze in portion-controlled packages. On the other hand, if knowing such treats are in the freezer could be a problem for you, ignore this suggestion.
Invest in an ice-cream maker to make your own low carb ice creams and sorbets. Depending on the flavor and degree of sweetness, you can easily control the amount of Net Carb grams per serving. Nut-based and chocolate flavors will generally contain fewer carbs than fruit flavors. As with all treats, portion size is paramount. Look in the frozen food section of your supermarket or natural foods store for low carb ice cream.
To head off hunger “emergencies,” keep plenty of low carb snack fixers on hand. Many of the following can also serve as hors d’oeuvres when you’re entertaining:
Blanched broccoli florets (they have a more pleasant texture than raw broccoli), baby carrots, or zucchini sticks with a sour cream dip
Berries and cut-up melon
Olives—avoid the canned black kind, which are pretty tasteless. Instead try fresh kalamatas, gaetas, Sicilians, or Niçoise.
Low carb soy chips with salsa
Jarred marinated artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers
Popcorn (in moderation, of course)
Cheese cubes
Pâté
Nuts, seeds, and soy nuts
Celery stuffed with nut butter or cream cheese
Hard-boiled eggs topped with a custom mayonnaise (recipe page 329).
The Goods on Garlic
Garlic has the highest ratio of antioxidant capacity to carb content of any food, what we call the Atkins Ratio™. It also contains dozens of sulfur compounds that are thought to protect against cancer, fight infections, lower cholesterol, and prevent blood clots. If you’re not fond of garlic, try roasting it, which mellows the flavor considerably. Serve it as a side dish, or mash and mix with olive oil and wine vinegar for a salad dressing.
Eating well isn’t just about watching your carbohydrates and eating nutrient-dense whole foods. Another component is minimizing your intake of potentially harmful chemicals. Organic farmers do not use pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, or antibiotics. Instead, they use techniques to maintain nutrients in the soil and protect the health of their livestock. These techniques are labor-intensive, so organic foods often cost more. Because organic produce isn’t sprayed or waxed, it might look less appealing. The trade-off? Organic foods are often more flavorful.
The Leader in Low Carb Foods
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., has developed an extensive line of low carbohydrate foods and ingredients. In addition to a full line of Atkins Advantage™ bars and Ready to Drink™ Shakes and Endulge™ chocolate candy bars, which can be used to make delicious desserts, the following items make it easier to cook tasty dishes while controlling your carbohydrate intake:
Atkins Advantage™ shake mixes in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and cappuccino flavors (handy for making mousses, granitas, and other desserts)
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Sugar Free Pancake Syrup (adds brown sugar richness to desserts, marinades, and sauces)
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Sugar Free Cherry, Hazelnut, Strawberry, Chocolate, Raspberry, and Vanilla syrups
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Pancake & Waffle Mix, and Deluxe Buttermilk Pancake Mix
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Muffin and Bread mixes in corn, blueberry, banana nut, lemon poppy, orange cranberry, and chocolate with chocolate chip flavors
Atkins™ All-Purpose Batter Mix
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Bake Mix
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Mixes
Atkins Kitchen™ Quick & Easy Bread Mix in country white, caraway rye, and sourdough
Atkins Bakery™ sliced bread in white, rye, and multigrain
Atkins™ Pasta Cuts in fettuccini, penne, fusilli, and spaghetti
Atkins Crunchers™ soy chips in BBQ, Nacho, Original, and Sour Cream & Onion (crumble and use to bread fish, shellfish, poultry, or meat; sprinkle over salads; or use in place of croutons in soup)
Atkins Kitchen™ Ketch-a-Tomato, Barbecue, Steak, and Teriyaki sauces
Atkins™ Cheesecake
And when you’re too busy to cook, consider using the following products:
Atkins Quick Quisine™ Pasta Sides in Elbows & Cheese, Fettucine Alfredo, and Pesto Cream
Atkins™ Heat-And-Serve quiches and soufflés
Atkins™ Enchiladas and Fajitas
To add sparkle to your meals while keeping your carbs under control, try some of these ideas, too.
There are two kinds of culinary oils, the ones you cook with and the ones you use right out of the bottle as flavorings on salads, vegetables, or bread. Common cooking oils are listed in Smoke and Fire (on page 154). In addition to dark, fruity extra-virgin olive oil for dressing salads and vegetables, nut oils and such exotic options as avocado oil add delicious flavor. Smoky sesame oil added at the end of a stir-fry gives the food that special Asian flavor. The following oils have lower smoke points, meaning they are best unheated and most should be reserved for flavoring. The exception is light olive oil.
Each oil has a smoke point, or flash point, the temperature at which it begins to smoke or catch fire. (The oil is actually decomposing.) Not only does this ruin your food and smell up your kitchen, but the fats form nitrosamine compounds that can be hazardous to your health. Only certain oils should be used for high-temperature cooking and even they can be overheated. If you burn oil, discard it and thoroughly scour the pan before using it again. You should only use oils with high flash points for quick sautéing or stir-frying at high temperatures. Refined oils have higher smoke points but have been stripped of some of their flavor and nutrients.
