SurrealBody Recipes: Foods of Fall - Carb Substitutes..Be Sneaky; Keep the Delicious!

HAPPY OCTOBER !!

Cutting carbohydrates from your diet can be a challenge, but the weight loss results are totally worth the effort. 

The good news is that there are substitutes you can make in your diet where you'll hardly notice the difference! 

Check out all these sneaky and delicious carb substitutes:

Spaghetti Squash for Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a classic dish that's cheap, easy to make, and delicious, but it's also loaded with a ton of carbs. Unfortunately, there are no substitutes that manage to exactly mimic its taste and consistency. However, the best choice for spaghetti lovers is the spaghetti squash. This crazy plant grows strands inside its husk that are easily scooped out, cooked, and used in place of noodles. You will notice a slight difference in consistency, but the taste is definitely enjoyable!

Almond Meal for Flour

One of the biggest things you'll miss when you start cutting carbs is bread -- that is, unless you start making almond bread instead. Any time you'd normally use flour for baking or breading, you can substitute almond meal as a low-carb option. Almonds are a superfood that can completely replace flour in your diet, and most health food stores sell packaged almond meal. The bread will have a dense, almost cake-like texture, and there will be plenty of flavor. Here's a quick rundown of almond flower's nutrition:

• It has less than a third of the carbs and triple the fiber of wheat flour.
• It has double the protein of wheat flour.

Portobello Mushrooms for Pizza Crust

Portobello mushrooms are extremely popular among vegetarians for their meaty flavor and consistency. However, these large mushroom caps also make an excellent crust substitution for mini-pizzas. Flip the portobello upside-down, fill it with sauce, add cheese, and finish by adding your favorite toppings. Pop your creation in the oven until the cheese is melted for awesome low-carb pizza.

Cauliflower for Mashed Potatoes

Everyone loves a good helping of creamy mashed potatoes, but you might be surprised to learn that blended cauliflower tastes almost exactly the same as mashed potatoes! This is especially true when you add typical ingredients, like fat-free (Smart) Butter or Garlic. This is a significant discount the amount of carbs cut.

Baked Cucumbers for Crackers

If you like the salty crunch of a cracker, then cucumber slices are a great low-carb substitute. Simply slice a cucumber in 1/4" slices (or 1/8" for crispier texture), brush the slices with olive oil, place them on a cookie sheet, and bake until slight browning occurs.

Eggplant for Lasagna Noodles

Lasagna is just about one of the tastiest dishes on earth, but it's also loaded with carbs. Make this classic dish healthier by substituting eggplant for lasagna noodles! Slice the eggplant lengthwise to get large, thin sheets of this healthy vegetable. Use these instead of pasta in your lasagna dish, and you'll be amazed when the taste is almost exactly the same!

- Zeke Samples -