does anyone have any idea what would be good to use as a thickener and would still be low carb?

Xanthan Gum - can be found on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Xanthan-Gum-P...06117627&sr=8-1

Xanthan gum is my go-to. I keep it in a salt shaker and add as needed.

Xanthan, Guar, and tapioca are 3 that I use.

Another thing I have tried with limited success is ground almonds. I'm sure there is somewhere you could go with that if you pursued it. Never tried almond flour, that might work.

I use almonds that I dry roast myself from raw, then grind fine, in all my gravies and sauses. It adds protein and some fats, not to mention fiber.

Tapioca is very high carb. You might as well use cornstarch. They have the same number of carbs (26 per ounce).

Any sort of gum (guar, locust, xanthan, algar) works. Pureeing cooked veggies works well too. Depending on what you're making eggs can work also. I have a stew recipe where you turn the sauce into a custard like thickness with eggs.

How does Zanthar gum taste as opposed to flour? I'm thinking of using it in an etoufee.

The gums are tasteless.

You can't make a roue out of the gums - for that I'm afraid you really need flour although someone might have come up with an acceptable substitute for a roue?

Is there any major difference between the gums? I've only used locust so far and I'm not too happy with it, the result always tastes too slimy for me.

I think they all have that slimy mouth-feel, at least xanthan and guar do. They're very touchy between just enough and oops, too much! I always stop adding when I wish I could get it a little thicker.

Yeah, they get slimy if you add too much. Just be gradual about it!

Have you ever tried carb quik?

Flaxmeal, (grounded flax seeds)

Put the flaxmeal in a cup and add a bit of water, wait a bit it will become like thick glue. Add to whatever, but you must like the taste. Use "golden flax seeds" they taste less biter.

You can also make excellent low carb crackers if you add a bit of grated cheese and herbs (I use Italian herb mix) to the flaxmeal. Mix everything plus a bit a water to make it doughy, then spread very thin between two parchment sheet as not to stick everywhere, and cook in stove (make sure they don't burn so cook them low heat and check often).

It takes practice to make perfect crackers, but they are so very very yummy and practically no carbs at all... The fiber content is very high so it cancels the carbs.

A list of what to put on top:

- cream cheese
- cream cheese with smoked mussels or oysters
- sardines
- tuna mix (but I prefer to put tuna mix on thin slices of raw zucchinis)
- mustard with veggie pate,
- foie gras

Have fun

No I haven't. I haven't seen it available in Canada except by mail order, and I don't like to order food by mail. I haven't even investigated the nutritional outline on it. I have used the Atkins Baking mix a few years ago, but didn't like the flavour.