This is a low carb recipe. Because I’m still borderline diabetic (until I get tested again), I’ve been experimenting with alternative flours. We’ll talk about them after the recipe and no, I’m not about to give you my life story. Don’t you hate recipes that do that?
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped clams, with juices (we eventually used 4 cups)
- ½ cup butter milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 ¼ Cup Organic Whole Grain Einkorn Flour
- ¼ Cup Green Banana Flour
- ⅓ Cup Lupin Flour
- ⅓ Wheat Protein Isolate 8000
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 – 3 teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Set airfryer to bake at 330° for 16 – 20 minutes (depending on how crisp you want these to turn out). All over the web I learned that the lupin flour, if cooked at a high temp, will turn out bitter. Same goes for the wheat protein.
Then in a small bowl, combine the clams with their juices, milk, egg and butter. (One thing I wanted upon tasting these was more clams. So . . . it’s up to you, just watch the amount of liquid from the clams you use. You don’t want the batter too liquidy.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Add the clam mixture to the dry ingredients along with the lemon juice and stir just until combined (do not overmix).
Normally these are deep fried, but again, that’s too high a temp.
Serve warm, with lemon wedges on the side and your favorite sauces.
About the Flour Used
I’ve read that man cannot live by bread alone. One good reason is that throughout the centuries, wheat has been hybridized to increase production, and the food industry really kicked this up a notch from the sixties to the nineties. And today, we’ve got wheats that some call Frankenfood.
Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Except for the Lupin flour and the Green Banana flour, the others all contain gluten.
However, for the rest of us who do not suffer from celiac disease, wheat can still be a problem (because of all the changes made to it over the centuries). This was found at a health website, and it’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time:
For most of us ingesting too much wheat will damage the intestinal lining and prevent poor absorption of essential nutrients. A person may experience symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, mood irritability, brain fog, attention and memory issues.
https://www.sfadvancedhealth.com/blog/top-reasons-to-watch-your-wheat-consumption
Where Did Wheat Come From?
Wheat is a grass that produces a seed we call a kernel. It was originally grown over 17,000 years ago in the “cradle of civilization” we know today as Iraq. The seed was rubbed in the people’s hands to remove the husks, and eaten. It was introduced to the American colonies and quickly became a cash crop in the Middle Colonies, which became known as the “bread colonies.”
Today’s wheat is nothing like the original, and nothing like what was grown in the colonies.
Einkorn Wheat
This is the original wheat, still grown in Iraq and surrounding areas. It’s also grown on small family farms in Italy. It has less starch and fewer carbohydrates than regular flour, and holds a pleasing, sweet flavor with a silky texture. I’m going to experiment more with this, creating the wonderful baguettes I’ve not made since my diabetes diagnosis (you can read about that here).
The health benefits of this wheat are significant and it contains much fewer allergens. Our bodies digest this wheat better than the others, and good digestion helps weight loss. Additionally, it does not raise your blood sugar like regular wheats can thus inhibiting the development of type 2 diabetes. [Ref]
Because of conventional farming methods, our food today has been stripped of minerals. I have often praised Celtic Sea Salt because of the needed minerals it contains, but so does Einkorn wheat. It is a great source of protein, dietary fiber (if you use the whole grain version), thiamin and other B vitamins, iron, and more lutein than other wheats.
It is charged with antioxidants, rich in phenolic acids that protect us from coronary heart disease, cancers, and strokes. And for you biologists out there, take a look:
| Durum Wheat | 28 chromosomes |
| Modern Wheat & Spelt | 42 chromosomes |
| Einkorn Wheat | 14 chromosomes |
The fewer chromosomes, the less gluten. However, people with celiac disease must still avoid this Einkorn wheat.
The USDA reports that a 100 gram serving of Einkorn flour contains:
- 333 calories
- 66.7 grams carbohydrates
- 13.3 grams protein
- 1.7 grams fat
- 6.7 grams fiber
- 15 milligrams zinc (100 percent DV)
- 2 milligrams manganese (100 percent DV)
- 3.6 milligrams iron (22 percent DV)
- 4 milligrams niacin (20 percent DV)
Though the carbs look rather high, one must consider the digestibility of Einkorn flour, which results in lower blood glucose levels after a meal.
Green Banana Flour
This is a resistant starch. You don’t digest it. It goes to your colon where it feeds your probiotics and thus it is a prebiotic.
Lupin Flour
This is a bean, or legume. If you have peanut allergies, avoid using this flour.
It is charged with nutrition: magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, as well as B-vitamins.
It contains a highly-bioavailable protein, a complete protein and fiber that makes you feel fuller longer, and boosts metabolism.
However, it is bitter, so we’ve used just a bit. And again, high temps bring out the bitterness.
It’s grown in the Mediterranean regions, North Africa, and Latin America. [Ref]
Wheat Protein Isolate
We purchased both the Wheat Protein Isolate 8000 and the Wheat Protein Isolate 5000. The difference is the 8000 has a slightly higher amount of protein. They are both perfect for low carb baking, but can be tricky. They both contain gluten. Gluten is a protein. If you want to make a low carb pizza crust, just search the web for recipes using wheat protein isolate.
Contains 0 carbs.
Crab Cakes
This recipe is also perfect for making crab cakes, but note that you will have to add a bit of water to the recipe.
Future Experiments
Resistant Wheat Starch. I’m soon going to write about my experience with the Hero Products. They make breads and tortillas that are virtually carb free. And they are a great company with great service.
I looked at their ingredient list and found “resistant wheat starch” and started searching the web only to find that one must order this by the barrel. A couple companies make it, but few sell it. And it is a great addition to low carb recipes.
I have been experimenting with Green Banana Flour and with Modified Tapioca Starch.
Hopefully soon I’ll find a source for these resistant starches and get busy in the kitchen.