Sounds like wins!

Couple things, I think shirataki noodle and blocks are kind of speciality items, even for folks that might have every day exposure to them. They are hard to find and don't even come close to the amount of fresh and dried noodle that I see in store.

I think they are a Japanese invention and also called "Diet Noodle" so they have a purpose. They have no nutritional value other than if you think fiber is a nutrient

Mainly I use them because I can tolerate the texture and they add bulk to my meal. Not sure if they are any good for you in the long run tho.

Happy Cooking!

ps, planing on making some corned beef and cabbage soon, that should be pretty low carb!

pps, you mentioned Xanthan gum, I have some and have had mixed results. It's pretty interesting stuff. There are some people on this board that use Psyllium Powder for thickening or even just eating for fiber - That's some interesting stuff to, you should get a sample of it it's fairly cheap and WEIRD!

ppps, I'm heading to the market today and will take a picture of the fresh mushroom section if I rememenber. BTW, nice job on the soup, just looked on you twitter blog.