Nancy Moshier, R.N., is an award-winning culinary expert and author of the best-selling low-carb cookbooks Eat Yourself Thin Like I Did and Eat Yourself Thin With Fabulous Desserts. Nancy has lost 131 pounds living the low-carb lifestyle!

In each issue, she answers your questions about food preparation, medical issues and living low-carb.

Q: Can whole-wheat flour or soy flour be used as a thickening agent for soups or roux? What is LC friendly?

A: Actually, I recommend using xanthan gum and guar gum for thickening. They work very well and are all fiber, so they are essentially carb-free. For making roux, I’ve found that soy flour just doesn’t make the grade. It was too soupy, and the flavor wasn’t acceptable. Whole-wheat flour works much better and tastes pretty good, although I don’t care much for the mouth feel. The carb count for roux is pretty high because of the preparation method. I recommend trying a lower-carb version of roux only after you are in the maintenance phase.

Q: Do you lose the “good” oils from nuts when you toast them?

A: Great question! After an exhaustive search for information on this topic, I have come to the conclusion that it has not been addressed–so I am going to give you an educated guess. I usually toast nuts in the microwave because it is quick and convenient. I use a paper plate and have noticed tiny oily spots after toasting nuts. The oil loss is so minimal, however, that I believe you are losing only a miniscule amount of the nut oil. I don’t think it is significant enough to really make a difference.

Q: I just began my low-carb lifestyle this week. Is it normal to feel so tired? I eat at least three main meals and three snacks a day.

A: The first week on a low-carb regimen is always the toughest. Your body is in carb withdrawal. Plus, if you are following the Atkins plan and are induction, you are also giving up caffeine–so you’re getting a double whammy. It also depends on whether or not you went on a carb binge just before starting your low-carb regimen. If you did, then your withdrawal will be much worse and last longer. My husband Ron did exactly that and paid dearly for it. To me, this says how toxic sugar is to our bodies. The good news is, once you get past the first week or two, your energy level is likely to shoot through the roof!

NANCY’S TIPS:

To keep that clumsy, hard-to-wash food processor top clean, place a sheet of plastic wrap over the food processor bowl after you’ve added the ingredients to be processed. Replace the lid on top of the plastic wrap, lock into place and process. The plastic barrier keeps the contents from coming in contact with the food processor lid. For foods with a sharp edge, just double the plastic wrap before using. My husband is glad I came up with this idea because it makes his job of cleaning up much easier!