Second experiment in Low Carb Baking this week. I made a big batch of ridiculously not-bad-for me brownies. But how do they taste?
Well, to be honest, they’re not bad. But not, it must be said, particularly good. They’re very very dark brown (I used Scharffen Berger unsweetened dark chocolate and high-quality cocoa powder); almost browner than you think brownies should be. I mean, they’re really devil’s-food black. But that’s okay. And they’re kind of dry and crumbly. And they’re not especially sweet.
BUT. I’ll probably make them again. Sounds crazy? Read on.
Well, it turns out that’s not the only consideration when it comes to satisfying my rampaging sweet tooth. The more I thought about it (as I munched on my third guilt-free brownie), the more complicated the issue of Home Baked Low Carb Brownies became. I eventually realized I had no choice but to put properly analyze the issues with a table. Here’s the data:
| Real Brownies | Low Carb Brownies | ||
| Delicious | +1 | Just okay | -1 |
| Expensive | -1 | Less Expensive | +1 |
| Convenient | +1 | Have to make them myself | -1 |
| Make me feel bad | -1 | Make me feel fine! | +1 |
| Are actually really bad for me | -1 | Are actually good for me | +1 |
| Thwart my weight goals | -1 | Help me reach my weight goals! | +1 |
| Total Score | -2 | Total Score | +2 |
So you see, even though my home-baked low carb brownies aren’t as decadently yummy as their full-sugar counterparts, they still win big!
Here’s a link to the recipe:
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/desserts/r/miraclebrownies.htm
Note: I substituted almond flour for the flaxseed meal.
CONCLUSION: Low carb sweets, especially the ones you make yourself, don’t HAVE to be spectacularly good. They just have to be good enough to slake your desire for something sweet. And these brownies do the job just fine.
I’m concerned about all the chemicals you use in your low carb adventures. Are you familiar with the “REAL FOOD” movement? There is a lot of evidence that a heck of a lot of modern health issues, including obesity, is a result of processed foods. I have forever questioned the low fat diets based on the knowledge that my grand parent and great grandparent’s generations almost lived on lard, butter, bacon grease and whole milk dairy. But what I’m learning is that the products we eat are not produced the same way they were years ago.
I’m new to the theory, so I’m not coming at you from a soap box. Just a concerned about the chemicals. My daughter is doing low carb real food, which means grass fed beef, raw milk, no nitrates or other chemicals and no sugars. She has lost 22 lbs in about 2 1/2 months.
I know your issue is sweets. My issue too! It is why I haven’t yet managed to join my daughter in her “adventure.” I’m a wimp. But I cannot do artificial sweeteners. Aspartame gives me leg cramps to the point of screaming. Most of the others “just” give me diarrhea. I have had some luck with Stevia, but haven’t used it to cook with yet. The THEORY is if you purge sweets from your diet for 3 months you no longer crave it. DD swears its true. (In my heart I’m not sure I believe it… kinda like the claim that people who exercise daily eventually get addicted and love it!) But I’m gearing up to try. NO sugar for 3 months. sigh.
The theory is that once you’ve lost your excess weight and have learned to eat real food, you begin to add carbs back into your diet even having an occasional dessert made with real food. One thing I do know is that when you bake your bread from scratch or make an apple pie from scratch you don’t eat then as often. Dessert becomes a treat.
Anyway, just wanted to express my concern for long term health. And yes, I do realize just getting the weight off is a miracle and a major health plus. You have amazed me with your determination. I am both proud of you and jealous!
Here’s the main website where much of the Real Food research I’ve read comes from: http://www.westonaprice.org/
And from reading books by Michael Pollan.
I understand your concern, but the ingredients aren’t nearly as “chemical-y” as they may sound. Xylotol is just powdered Stevia root, which is so natural that they sell it at whole foods. It just has a chemical-sounding name. And there’s nothing unnatural about glycerin (it’s 100% vegetable) or soy protein, or almond flour. So even though I use a lot of unusual sounding ingredients, the treats I’m making are actually wholesome.
I love Michael Pollan and I read his books.