Spicy Carrot Soup.

[ferlew]

Currently on a low carb diet, and didn't really want to include potato in my soup, for thickening purposes.
Can anyone suggest a low carb thickener, to replace the potato please, it's a tad thin.
Delicious though. :)

[Jennykenny]

Okra, or ladies fingers, are often used for thinking eastern food, but you probably don't have them hanging round the house.
Lentils?
Chickpeas, bashed up a bit?
Are you allowed cornflower or flour? You would only need a little.

[lyall]

Try here ferlew http://yourlighterside.com/2013/01/low-carb-thickeners/
hope its of use

[stewey]

How about a basic roux? 3tblsps of butter and 2tblsps of flour heated together, stirred until thickened, and added to your soup. No idea about the carbs and cals involved thought.

[Mosaic]

Just leave it on a gentle simmer with no lid on for 20 mins or so - that should help thicken it.

[kirkcudbright]

Cornflour or arrowroot slaked with cold water? I have a recipe for mushroom soup from Oprah Winfrey which uses cornflour as a thickener

[heathfield]

Add more carrots?

[ferlew]

Thanks everyone, making up a little arrowroot paste to add.
Special thanks to lyall for that link, that will help me no end in my diet.

[EcclesCake]

I rarely add spuds to soup and a root veg soup would never have spuds added.

[ferlew]

Would you like to put up your tried and tested recipe please Ecclescake?

[EcclesCake]

Oops sorry. Reduce it over a gentle heat. Next time add more carrots or less stock, or perhaps a handful of rice or barley depending on if the soup suits such an addition.

Artificially thickening soup with corn flour or arrow root doesn't sit well with me.

[ferlew]

Me either, normally, this is a one off just using what was handy.

[stewey]

To thicken a good, hearty stew. I use a dumpling recipe, but make the mixture "runny" so that it doesn't actually form dumpling per se, and just stir in into the stew whilst cooking. It thickens the stew, and you get a dumpling taste "in the background".

[EcclesCake]

Oh Jeez, on the spot now eh?

For me a smooth root veg soup is:-

500g of chosen veg, celeriac, parsnip, carrot etc....
1 lg onion
1-2clove garlic
Olive oil butter for sweating
1l Stock, replace half and half double strength stock and milk or 900/100 stock and cream

Soften off onion in some oil or butter until translucent, add garlic, cook for a few mins more. Add chosen veg & seasoning, get everything moving around in the pan and beginning to soften.

Add stock simmer until veg tender. Blitz, taste, season as necessary.

[lyall]

Thanks ferlew, glad it will be of use. Good luck with the diet.

[ferlew]

Thank you.

[pastafreak]

I would add a bit of cream. I am a low carber,and cream is always my first choice,as it is low in carbs. When you do low carb,it is permissible to up your fat intake in the form of dairy fats,along with olive oil,butter, nuts and seeds,and naturally occurring fat on meat. It helps you to feel sated.
My second choice would be cornflour....though that gives a less creamy finish.

[diddlydo]

One small potato in a batch of soup won't significantly up the carb content. I always use spud to thicken soup rather than flour.

[ferlew]

I did pop some cream in, I always have a bag full of cream "ice cubes" in the freezer.
I must admit Pastafreak, I am missing things like pasta & rice etc, but baked spuds most of all.
I was given a little booklet at the gym, but it's a bit hit and miss on detail.
It doesn't help that the Gym is USA based, therefore so is the booklet.
A lot of the foods I want to check aren't even in there.

[pastafreak]

Are the foods manufactured foods...or are they the American names for things like veg.....eggplant/aubergine or zucchini/courgette?

I can't remember the last time I had pasta...in spite of my name here...

[ferlew]

Things like porridge, and beetroot, and various other veg/fruit.
Pancake syrup, stuff we don't normally have here, or dunkin donuts, but they are in.
I need a better book I think.