Low Carb Freedom

Go Lower Bars Now Available in US!

Way back in March of 2005 I wrote a review of a great product that came from England, Go Lower Bars.

Here is an excerpt, but read the whole thing:

Folks, for long-time readers, you know that I usually can't abide low carb "bars." Most of them are just filled with maltitol, and I don't know how anyone can stand the consistency let alone the after effects; gas, bloating, etc. I have taken to eating nuts. I let my kids eat the Carbwell Cereal bars because they only have 3g of maltitol, but I wish they had none.

The employees at the Go Lower company from England read my site and said that they had low carb bars that I would like. Even though they currently don't distribute in the US, they kindly sent me some to try. All I can say is, "nirvana!" These things are the absolute best!

To my readers in England, run to try these out! And for those readers in the States, join me in begging them to distribute them over here! The Brits definitely have it over the Americans in the low carb bar department! For adults who are interested in health AND good taste, I haven't seen another product that even comes close.

Well, Andrew from Carbsmart just emailed me to tell me that he now carries these Go Lower bars in the US and they are available on his site (click here to order). These get my highest endorsement!

Thomas' Light Bagels

For those of you who have kids or are on South Beach, or maybe even maintenance with Atkins/low carb, then there is a new product that you should try. My son, who is absolutely addicted to carbs likes it, and I have tried it myself and would be happy eating these every day if I could.

While Thomas has discontinued its low carb bagel, it now has a Light bagel that is much better than Dunkin Donuts low carb bagels. The only other bagel that I have found that has come close is the Stop & Shop Light bagel, but people across the country don't have Stop & Shop, and sometimes I would like to pick up something in a different grocery store to avoid multiple trips. With 14 grams of fiber, this thing should stick to your ribs.

	Thomas' Light Plain Bagels
Serving Size	1 bagel 71g
Calories	130
Total Fat	1g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	380mg
Total Carbohydrates	37g
Dietary Fiber	14g
Sugar	1g
Protein	7g
Ingredients	Unbleached Enriched Wheat Flour, (Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Reduced Iron, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), Water, Modified Food Starch, Oat Fiber, Wheat Gluten, Inulin, Polydextrose, Yeast, Cornmeal, Salt, Dextrose, Natural Flavor, Perservatives Calcium Propionate, Sorbic Acid), Grain Vinegar, Monoglycerides, Guar Gum, Sodium Stearoyl, Lactylate, Citric Acid, Sucralose, Soy Flour

Baja Bob's Martini Mixes Make GREAT non-alcoholic sugar free slushes!

I like slushes in the summer time, and so do my kids. But who wants a mouthful of blue filled with sugar? It is bad enough to have the after-effect of the blue mouth, it is even worse to have the after-effect of the sugar.

Baja Bob's comes to the rescue with their Martini Mixes; they don't have alcohol in them, and they don't have sugar in them. They just have the tartness that you come to expect from a good slush. I much prefer these mixes to the sugar-free slush mixes available at Target. (Of course, your kids may have other ideas.)

Baja Bob's Martini Mixes are available at netrition.com and are shipped to your door if they aren't available at a low carb store near you. Try them! You won't regret it!

	Baja Bob's Sour Apple Martini Mix
Serving Size	4 fluid oz.
Calories	less than 10
Total Fat	0g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	45mg
Total Carbohydrates	0g
Dietary Fiber	0g
Sugar	0g
Protein	0g
Ingredients	Purified Water, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Natural Flavor, Sodium Citrate, Sucralose, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Yellow #5, and Blue #1

Low Carb Slush Syrup from Target

I always checked out slush syrups when I went to the store, but they were always just sticky with sugar and carbs. (ha ha) Well, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a sugar-free version mixed in with the sugar versions at Target. I bought a three pack of syrup for $6.49. It included a bottle of blueberry, watermelon and cherry berry. Now, I have tried the blueberry so far, and it didn't taste tart enough for me, but my son loved it. I'll have another review on what I prefer for slush syrup later.

	Target Back to Basics Sugar-Free Blue Raspberry Syrup
Serving Size	1 fl. oz. 2 tablespoons
Calories	1
Total Fat	0g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	25mg
Total Carbohydrates	0g
Dietary Fiber	0g
Sugar	0g
Protein	0g
Ingredients	Water, Citric Acid, Xantham Gum, Cellulose Gum Sucralose, Gum Arabic and/or Modified Food Starch, Artificial Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Aceslfame K and Blue #1, Antifoam and Sodum Benzoate (Preservative)

Carbwise Bars -- Discontinued

Just received this from Bev, a new Low Carb Freedom reader:

Stumbled upon your site trying to find information about CarbWise bars, because I cannot find them where I have been shopping, nor can I find them online.  I just called the company, and they confirmed that the bars are discontinued due to lack of sales.  They are not planning on bringing out any replacements.  When I asked the representative if the company was going out of business, he said "No, we make other products".  I then asked him if they were planning on any diabetic friendly products, and he said no, so I asked if they were planning any new low-carb products and the answer was also no.

Too bad, as IMHO, these were among the best low-carb bars available - they don't taste like chalk.

Thanks for your great work on your website - I'll definitely bookmark you for a new source of information!

Bev

Get these low carb products while they are at BJ's, Costco, and Target

OK, folks, I'm just going to give a bulleted list of low carb products that are available now at BJ's and Costco. This is not a complete list, but just new products that I have come across, and due to the rotation of stock at these two places, they might not be there long.

Costco:

• Carnitas! It is back! (At least for now.) Plus a pork pot roast that I have purchased and haven't tried. Click here for a low carb carnitas review.
• Polaner All Fruit Sugar Free

BJ's:

• Keto Forever Rasberry Bars! (While Keto is still out of business, the same manufacturer that produced these for Keto is now making them again.)
• Fuze Slenderize

Target:

• Sugar Free Slush Syrup (I'm getting a review together now)

Great Low Carb Artichoke Dip

OK, most artichoke dips will be low carb, but this one has the advantage of being easy as well. It is TGI Fridays Spinach, Cheese, and Artichoke Dip and it actually stores in the freezer. Of course, you cook it and serve it hot. I bought this in a four or five pack at BJ's or Costco. I'll try to get exactly where and what price.

Now, I don't usually eat artichoke dips, but if I did, I'd eat them with low carb tortillas. However, I used this dip to make a killer low carb stuffed mushroom! I served them at Easter, and boy was my family impressed! Here is the low carb stuffed mushroom recipe.

	TGI Friday's Spinach, Cheese & Artichoke Dip
Serving Size	2 tablespoons (28g)
Calories	45
Total Fat	3.5g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	10 mg
Sodium	115mg
Total Carbohydrates	2g
Dietary Fiber	Less than 1g
Sugar	Less than 1g
Protein	2g
partial list of Ingredients	Spinach, alfredo sauce (water, cheese powder (parmesan cheese pwoder (part-skim milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), Cheddar cheese powder (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), whey (milk), partially hydrogenated soybean oil, whey protein, concentrate, lactose, corn maltodextrn, salt, sodium phasphate, citric acid, natural and artificial flavor, lactic acid, annto), cream powder (cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, dipotssium phasphate), dodium caseinate, modified cornstarch, cellulose gum, salt, xanthan gum, mono and digycerides, flavor enahancer My eyes are going blind typing the rest of this list in... Please read the package...

Quick Gourmet Dinner with Trader Joe's Picatta Simmer Sauce

Sometimes I come home and want a quick gourmet meal without taking everything out of the cupboards. Well, Trader Joe's has come out with a new (at least to me) sauce that I have used twice in one month. It is called Trader Giotto's (is this a new line?) Picatta Simmer Sauce for Chicken, Fish or Shrimp. It is actually a pretty low carb sauce, especially if you don't use a ton of it. The convenience is worth it at $2.99 a 15.5 oz. bottle.

Actually, I have never made a Picatta sauce, although I have had it in Italian restaurants. Best thing about it, hubby doesn't complain when I make it! All I do is pound some boneless breasts of chicken (to make them especially tender) and fry them in some butter or olive oil. No crumbs or anything. I then add a jar of the Picatta sauce and serve with a salad. If you'd like, you can also serve it with some low carb pasta for a real Italian treat. Add a glass of wine... well.. the rest is up to you.

	Trader Giotto's Picatta Simmer Sauce
Serving Size	1/4 cup
Calories	50
Total Fat	4g
Saturated Fat	1g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	Less than 5mg
Sodium	250mg
Total Carbohydrates	4g
Dietary Fiber	0g
Sugar	1g
Protein	0g
Ingredients	White Wine, Natural Chicken Flavor (Chicken broth, chicken fat, stock of onions, carrots, celery, dextrose, yeast extract, natural flavors, salt, mono and diglycerides, xanthan gum), garlic, soybean oil, lemon juice, capers, lemon grass, shallots, butter (cream, milk, salt0, lemon est, orn starch, sugar, chives, parsley, black pepper.

Thomas' Light English Muffins: OK for Low Carb?

Thomas' discontinued their Carb Consider Bagels, but they have come out with the Thomas' Light English Muffins. Now, these DO have carbs, but many ready-to-eat low carb breakfast foods have been discontinued. (More on discontinued low carb products here.) If you can eat more carbs because you are on South Beach, or if you are on maintenance, or if you just want to cheat but not too badly, you can consider these.

Both my kids will eat these. I have tasted them and they are pretty good. They are very similar to the regular Thomas' English Muffin's texture -- you just have to toast them longer (I think) than the regular English Muffins.

Franky, if McDonald's had a choice to use these rather than the normal white English Muffins in their egg sandwiches, it would give a huge boost to their nutrition menu!

Judging by the shelf space that these English Muffins are taking in my local grocery store, and the fact that they are also available at Wal-mart and Target, I would guess that they are doing pretty well.

	Thomas' Light English Muffins
Serving Size	1 muffin 57g
Calories	100
Total Fat	1g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	Less than 5mg
Sodium	210mg
Total Carbohydrates	22g
Dietary Fiber	8g
Sugar	0g
Protein	7g
Ingredients	Unbleached Enriched Wheat Flour, (Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Reduced Iron, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), Water, Modified Food Starch, Soy Fiber, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein, Farina, Polydextrose, Wheat Protein Isolate, Toasted Corn Germ, Grain Vinegar, Natural Flavor, Nonfat Milk, Perservatives Calcium Propionate, Sorbic Acid), Salt, Cracked Wheat, Rye, Leavening (Monocalcium Phasphate, Sodium Acid Pyrophasphate, Baking Soda), Malt Soybean Oil, Ground Corn, Datem, Soy Flour, Brown Rice, Oats, Whey, Soybeans, Triticale, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Millet, Flaxseed, Barley, Ethoxylated Mono-and Diglycerides, Sucralose, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor).

Low Carb Pasta Sauce: Hunt's No Added Sugar

Different people have different tolerant levels for spices. Kids, especially, prefer less spicy foods. My husband and I adore an "off-the shelf" pasta sauce: Emerils, but it is VERY spicy. My kids don't like it, and with so many traditional pasta sauces just LOADED with sugar, and many lower carb pasta sauces going off the market, I was at my wit's end. (Low carb spaghetti and meatballs is one of my "quick -- I don't have anything to cook tonight dinners!" And without a canned/jarred sauce that was acceptable to the family, it was out of my "quick" repertoire.)

HOWEVER, Hunt's has now come out with a No Added Sugar Italian Style Sauce. It is your basic sauce and it is kid friendly! There are no "chunks" to snarl at and pick out, and it has a very mild flavor with 6g of net carbs. (Just take a look at some of the other sauces out there. It isn't uncommon to see 15g or even over 20g of sugar in a serving! Who needs that???) I tell you, companies should be pumping out the No Added Sugar products for kids!

Now, is it for me and my husband? No. But it is for my kids. I pair it up with Dreamfield's pasta, which you can always order here and have it delivered, even if it isn't in your local grocery store. Throw in a few frozen meatballs and some sausages, if I have them, and, with a salad, it is a complete meal. All I do is have two saucepans on the stove, one with each brand of sauce.

You may have to look for it though. For example, my local Market Basket doesn't stock it, but my MUCH smaller market, Crosby's, does.

Let me know your favorite low carb spaghetti sauce!

	Hunt's No Added Sugar Italian Style Sauce
Serving Size	1/2 cup
Calories	35
Total Fat	0g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	610mg
Total Carbohydrates	6g
Dietary Fiber	2g
Sugar	3g
Sugar Alcohol	0g
Protein	1g
Ingredients	Ingredients: tomato puree (water, tomato paste), water less than 2% of: salt, soybean oil, dehydrated onions, carrot fiber, spices, citric acid, xanthan gum, sucralose, acesulfame, potassium, natural flavor

Notice it is flavored with sucralose, which is Splenda. I'm sure that this is the "industrial" Splenda, which isn't combined with dextrose as the filler, which is just another carb laden filler that is used for bulk. Why Splenda doesn't come out with another version without dextrose, I just don't know.