Can't get lower carb than cheese! Have you ever tried microwaving a slice on a piece of parchment? Place the parchment on a plate, slice of cheese then 30 seconds or more depending on size and thickness. The cheese melts, bubbles and will even brown if you leave it long enough. The fat from the cheese will be in a puddle around it. I take the parchment and slide it onto my counter - they are quartz so cold - and that immediately makes the runny cheese start to firm up. I use a folded paper towel to blot the oil - another bonus is less fat than just eating the cheese cold. I'm one of those people who wants the crusty cheese edge on any type of casserole and this does a great job of replicating that texture and flavor without the noodles or potatoes or whatever is in the casserole that is not low carb..

Halved walnuts tossed with a bit of Worcestershire sauce and then warmed quickly in a skillet or microwave (on a low setting). Walnuts are a great source of healthful protein, not to mention delicious.

Or, if you want to plan ahead, make up a batch of no-flour zucchini flat bread that you can top with mozzarella and Parmesan when baking. Save it in your fridge to warm up to eat plain, or dipped in marinara sauce, etc. I can give you the recipe if you’re up to something you need to make ahead of time.

i also make oat tortillas ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them. They make great quick wraps for whatever, and are easily warmed up in the microwave. (Edited to add that the batter is quickly and easily made in a blender using rolled oats,egg whites and plain almond -or regular- milk. You can add other seasonings as you choose)

Trader Joes sells two very good versions of Norwegian Crisp Bread (like a giant tasty cracker). I warm them in the microwave and top them with fat free cream cheese and smoked salmon. Or, topped with a slice of (smoked Gouda) cheese and then warmed in the microwave, they make a yummy warm snack or lunch. Tuna salad or tuna and cheese is another good topping, kind of like a quick, healthful tuna melt.

Japanese drink hot miso broth to take the chill off. Good for your immune system too. I have some instant broth packets, and they sell it as paste you can add water to.

Another idea is chicken, vegetable or beef broth heated with a bit of red lentil pasta (only ingredient is red lentils). Add any chopped veggies or meats, if you choose, but adding a bit of soy sauce, a shake of ground ginger, some chopped green onions and fresh basil gives you a quick and filling warm Asian-inspired soup.

Why not just heat up the carrots? You can also heat the nuts you are eating, but I would not put them in a microwave. Do you have a toaster oven? I use that much more than the MW. I heat nuts at 250° for about 10 minutes, stirring them occasionally. If you want them toasted, you can use a higher heat.

You can actually use thin slices of sweet potatoes like bread for a low carb snack. Toast them in your toaster (it usually takes at least twice to get them done enough) and then top with whatever strikes your fancy. My favorite is Brie, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey.

<edited to add that after grocery shopping this morning, I came home and made these for my lunch. BUt, instead of putting them in the toaster, I nuked the sweet potato slices in the microwave for 30 seconds on power level #3 and they came out perfect. So quick and easy!>

I agree with you about eating something cold when it is cold. When it is chilly out I like my fruit at room temp, for example. It can be as simple as setting something out on the counter first. Hummus and veggies for example need not be cold.

How about kale chips?

How low carb do you want? I really like TJ's Organic Roasted Red Pepper soup. It has 15 carbs per serving, only 100 calories and is low sodium. I like to cook veggies (cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower) in low sodium chicken broth for a warming snack, too. It's fast and easy - you could freeze in individual servings and microwave it.

I also like the canned salmon from Costco. I don't love it warmed, but room temp is fine for me.

Tj's sells low carb frozen pizza crusts; you could top with mushrooms and cheese and heat a portion in a skillet or micro.

In the Cooking Forum, Annie1992 has posted a recipe for Milk Street Hummus that is served warm. Sounds delicious, but I've never tried it. It's in this thread:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5133205/vitamix-vs-food-processor-hummus#n=30

What about some quick bread for your peanut butter? It doesn't look like much, but it's pretty good and the whole mini loaf is only 2 carbs. It toasts well, so you could have peanut butter on toast.

ETA and the only thing to wash up is a mug.

I don't like the carb replacements.. or meat replacements for that matter. I'd rather eliminate bread, potatoes, etc. No, I lie.. I do like riced cauliflower and zucchini noodles.

Anyhow, I love pb on celery.. and apples and I find they fill me up. It isn't unusual for me to have one of the above for a light dinner.

I bought a basket of tiny gala apples at a farm market the other day and they are perfect snack size! I am loving the pears also! I haven't yet but love fall fruits cut into my salads too. Yeah, not warm-- but definitely perfect for peak apple and pear seasons.

I've been making home made granola bars for my DD as a replacement for the store bought ones (which are worse than chocolate bars, IMHO). Some have a few carbs in them, but the base is usually nut butter, seeds, coconut, dried fruit, etc.

Cut up an Apple, sprinkle with cinnamon (and a little Splenda if you need it), and bake it for...well, I don’t know how long but about the same as you’d bake an Apple crisp. I make a batch of this in a 9” x 9” pan and heat up potions in the microwave. Just like Apple crisp but without the “junk.”

I like vegetable soups throughout the cold months. Minestrone is my favorite- I omit the pasta or potatoes if it's for me.

I remembered another thing I like to do - I make my own, but would guess you could find suitable low carb versions at costco or maybe TJ's, but I've kept meatballs, chicken/turkey or beef - no sauce - in the freezer. Pop one or two in the microwave. Fast and warm.

Roasted cauliflower is a favorite of mine. i also sip a lot of herbal tea.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful suggestions! It is almost lunch time here and reading this thread is making me hungry.

There are microwave racks that let you make bacon in the microwave. Bacon is always a good choice.

We had lunch at our favorite local hamburger restaurant on Sunday and I noticed they’d added a new low carb item to their menu that sounded delicious. I wasn’t about to give up my burger to order it then, but I did come home and made it as a side for our dinner that evening. We loved it, and DH took the leftovers for his lunch on Monday. I thought you might like to see my own very loose rendition of it, as I added only what I had available then.

Warm Nutty Quinoa Salad:

While cooking your quinoa (or farro or bulgur), gather up and chop where necessary any of the following that sounds good to you: walnuts or slivered almonds (important), sunflower seeds, fresh spinach, lots of dried cranberries (very important), edamame, celery, red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, cucumber, green onions (important), crumbled Gorgonzola (or feta) cheese. When the quinoa is done, gently stir in your nut, cheese and veggie additions. Toss just what you’re going to eat right then with a salad dressing of your choice. TJ’s Pear or Sesame Soy Vinaigrettes both work well, as they’re somewhat sweet. Regular balsamic vinaigrette with some honey stirred in would also work. Serve warm for a delicious snack or meal. The leftover mix will keep well, covered, in the fridge for a few days, adding your dressing just before warming it up in the microwave.

Sorry for so many recipe ideas. I guess it’s not hard to tell that I’m really into low carb cooking and baking (LOL)!

Doesn't quinoa have a fair amount of carbs?

Quinoa, bulgar, and farro are all Good-for-your-body carbs, Lucille. As opposed to empty carbs/starches, such as white rice, potatoes, wheat and rice flours, breads and pastas, etc.

True, but those who need to eat low carb or keep track, such as diabetics, should realize the these still have a fair amount of carbs and empty or not they raise glucose levels and do a lot of the damage that carbs are known for.

LynnNM, can you give me more info about your oat tortillas? My BF is allergic to wheat so I'm always looking for new ideas and a GF flour tortilla is the one thing I haven't been able to consistently make well at all... and it's not for lack of trying! Do you grind the oats into flour or use whole? I assume the eggwhite is to act as a binder rather than a leavener, and that you do not beat it, and then the 'milk' is just to get the right moisture consistency? no other fat is added? Do you roll and cook as normal flour tortillas??? I would love any recipe, amounts, or hints you have!!!

Party Music, here is my recipe for Oat Tortillas/ Wraps:

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked regular rolled oats

4 large egg whites/ or 1 cup liquid egg whites

1 large egg (or 1 TBS flaxseed meal + 3 TBS water)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 to 1 cup plain almond (or regular) milk, the amount depends on how thin you want to make the "tortillas")

So Easy Directions:

1) Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

2) Using a basting brush, oil a nonstick skillet and heat on medium heat.

3) When hot, pour 1/2 cup of batter evenly into the center of the skillet, forming about an 8" round tortilla. Cook approximately one minute, or until entire tortilla is pretty much covered with very tiny bubbles and is starting to look a bit dry.

4) Using a lightly oiled spatula, slide it around the tortilla to loosen and then flip over.

5) Cook approximately one minute more and then move to clean toweling to cool. Reoil the skillet just a tad and start the next tortilla.

* You can add various herb blends and/or garlic powder to change the flavor of your tortillas.

* Thicker tortillas make great substitutes for bread, to eat as is with jam.

.

DLM, I just tried cheese in the MW as you described. It was delightfully crunchy, but turned a little rubbery when chewing. I used extra sharp cheddar so maybe the kind of cheese makes a difference. I think it has possibilities.

Thank you, LynnNM!!!

" Complex Carbs, such as farro, bulgar and quinoa do NOT turn into sugar in your body when eaten. They also are high in good protein. Thus, Complex Carbs are healthful for your body, whereas Simple Carbs are not so great, especially for diabetics "

Hogwash on the above and I'm intentionally strong in my word choice. Unfortunately doctors who have only dealt with type 2 believe the above as a type 2 generally have some insulin production even though very resistant to it so it isn't as visible such as a type 1 where insulin is required for the above foods due to them raising blood sugars.

I'm a type 1 diabetic of over 20 years who wears a continuous glucose monitor and I can see the effects of eating the above on my meter. Any carb has an effect on blood sugar except certain fibers, however some may be more or less impacted by the fiber as well depending on the type and it varies by person. The only thing different with the above carbs is that they are a bit slower in showing up in your blood stream as glucose. However trust me they still do and I require insulin for them. If they didn't have carbs or protein I wouldn't need insulin. Protein also affects your bloodsugar and requires insulin due to a process called gluconeogenesis. The good news on protein is that it is a slower process and requires less insulin than carbs and it must be given over a longer period of time.

Fat also goes through a gluconeogenesis process, however it is much longer and unless eating copious amounts I don't notice them.

I eat a very low carb diet geared towards a bit higher on the protein. I have to take insulin for both those. Some fiber I can discount, but not all and this appears to be different for different people too. If a person is diabetic they really need to test foods and see what works for them. Test before eating it and after at 1 hr, 2hrs and 4hrs at a minimum before they know how they react to different foods. Having spikes in the blood sugar is just as damaging as having a constant high number. I aim for no more than a 10-20 mg/dl rise in a meal and my HBA1C is currently 5.1 which is in the normal range and it is with flat lines.

All of the above mentioned carbs will spike me even with insulin and require fairly large amounts of insulin. I like to keep insulin doses small as less insulin means less fat storage and most importantly less chances for errors of dropping too low. Even cauliflower which is a low carb food requires me to take insulin.

Edited to add: The low glycemic carbs are better in general as the spike is easier to deal with by a type 2 diabetic that has decent pancreatic function and if the insulin resistance isn't too bad, but to say it doesn't turn into glucose or doesn't spike is unfortunately incorrect. The latter part can be correct for some individuals, but not all. Best is to stick to above ground vegetables if diabetic and proteins. If type 2 even protein may need some limits.

For anybody diabetic and in particular type 1 or any doctor's that may be interested in learning how to manage diabetes and obtain normal levels I recommend Diabetes Solution by Dr. Bernstein who is a Type 1 diabetic himself and an endocrinologist. He also has several videos called Diabetes University that deals with the above topics. His recommended diet for a type 1 is low carb and high protein.

Warm low carb snacks

- freshly boiled egg - you can eat it warm

- roasting nuts - I prefer macadamia as they require less insulin for me. I will do it in a ceramic pan on the stove top.

- fried Halloumi cheese

I generally don't do snacks though as I don't tend to be hungry between meals and don't want to take more insulin than necessary so I don't have many suggestions for snacks.

Complex Carbs, such as farro, bulgar and quinoa do NOT turn into sugar in your body when eaten.

All carbs are glycemic, they may spike at different rate, but to say that they do not turn into sugar is not correct.

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19529.htm

"Overview

Complex carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules that are strung together in long, complex chains. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods such as peas, beans, whole grains, and vegetables. Both simple and complex carbohydrates are turned to glucose (blood sugar) in the body and are used as energy."

Once digestion begins your body does not know or care if the carbs being turned into sugar to burn for fuel came from an apple a potato or farro.

ETA - Bunny it's true different cheeses behave differently in the micro and you can play with timing. I love that combination of crunch and elasticity - you may call it rubbery! It requires chewing which is a huge part of food satiety for me - smoothies are not my thing at all.

Ok, I’m out of here. As a medical professional I’ve tried to help. I see I’ve just wasted my time, not to mention being rudely talked to. You all can, of course, choose to eat whatever you like. Go for it.

No one has been rude and I am truly sorry you feel that way, Lynn. Presenting different information and letting readers see different facets is helpful in developing an understanding, especially when it relates to health issues. We appreciate your help. Surely that does not mean than we cannot bring up other information that might be of value even if it differs from information you have presented??

It seems to me that participatory health, where people have conversations with their health professionals and are encouraged to learn about themselves and whatever medical conditions they may have is a more positive environment than the olden days when the doctor's word was gospel and no one disagreed or asked questions.

Teamwork in no way decreases the value of medical professionals, on the contrary, I suspect it may save lives. Doctors make mistakes. Patients mis-comprehend. Without a healthy exchange of information, either of those can result in needless loss of life/good health.

Lynn I'm sorry you feel that way instead of taking the opportunity to educate yourself and learn from a mistake. I appreciate you trying to educate on this topic, but I can't let information that is completely wrong to be taken as fact when stated as such especially when it may harm a fellow diabetic if they don't realize it is wrong. Feel confident you're not the only medical professional which I've encountered that thought as you did. I'm forever thankful to those who instead of feeling slighted took the opportunity to educate themselves further to keep from making the mistake again.

you may call it rubbery! It requires chewing which is a huge part of food satiety for me

Rubbery wasn’t the best way to describe the mouth feel. Sorta like the bites were gathering and trying to reassimilate, but not quite making it. Not bad, a little odd, and I get what you’re saying about adding to satiety. I’m intrigued and will try it with other types of cheese.

Ok the visual of the bites trying to reassemble had me LOL ! Try different cheeses and cooking times - sounds like it may have been overdone? I love manchego, fontina, muenster......

Well, it bubbled quite a bit, but didn’t brown. Perhaps I overcooked it. I don’t think I’ve ever bought any of those cheeses you mentioned.

Low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded, makes microwaved cheese nice and crispy without being rubbery. Might have to cook it just a tad longer, it's easy to watch and see when it's done.