Cheese sauce with Guar Gum

[Professor-Yaffle]

Hi all

I’m back from my travels and trying to wean myself off eating too much generally and also too much carbohydrate. Yesterday evening I cooked this cauliflower and broccoli cheese.

I’ve tried a few low carb cheese sauce recipes, especially a few months ago when lots of people on the weight loss forum were making moussaka. IMO the one I made yesterday evening is the best, in that it very closely resembles a cheese sauce made with a classic wheat flour roux. It’s a great consistency and doesn’t seem at all in danger of splitting.

I used a guar gum to thicken it - it’s a new one on me…. It’s excellent though and you need very very little compared to flour or even corn flour.

I made the roux following the traditional recipe only instead of the usual flour, I used about a teaspoon of guar gum (quantity required depends how much sauce you make though - I made a large amount, it doesn't show in the photo but it's a very deep dish, it's two cauliflowers and one broccoli head worth)

So melt butter, add a small amount of guar gum, whisk, and then whisk in cream/milk. Unlike a traditional roux it thickens almost immediately rather than gradually as you heat it (I think that means you could also use it to thicken cold sauces and salad dressings with guar gum). Then add whatever combo of cheeses you fancy and your seasoning; nutmeg, black pepper…..

I think it tastes a lot like a wheat flour cheese sauce.

Wikipedia also says Guar gum has the following health benefits;

It has been shown to be beneficial to health. It has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol and lower blood glucose levels.

Additional benefits have been seen in one's efforts to lose weight where, when ingested, its water-absorbing properties cause it to swell in the stomach causing a 'full' sensation sooner.

Guar gum is economical as well. Because it has almost eight times the water-thickening ability of other agents (e.g.cornstarch), only a small quantity is needed for producing sufficient viscosity.

Now I’m wondering what else I can thicken using my magic new Guar Gum - any ideas?

[Subtle_badger]

Thanks. Looks good.

I am living alone (so sad 🤭), so leftovers are important. If a sauce can't hold it together in the fridge, it's no use to me.

will look further into guar gum.

I have some underused xanthan gum. I guess I should make some sauces.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Subtle_badger]

Well this cheese sauce does not split in the fridge; it also seemed in no danger of splitting in the pan or oven.... and is solid enough at fridge temp to cut into neat squares for the freezer - it's important to me that my freezer food is tidy!

Go easy with the guar gum if you do try it - it's potent and it seems no problem to add more later if needed.

[MTCee]

I usually opt for adding green pesto with feta cheese into some chopped up, steamed cauliflower and broccoli as an accompaniment to my fish meals, but this looks like a good alternative. Thanks for the idea.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to MTCee]

That sounds lovely MTCee. I'm a big fan of HM green pesto.

[Cosmo501]

Looks good! I'll have a bit more of a read about guar gum. Interesting to see what you've written about the health benefits above.

[rachelleigh in reply to Cosmo501]

I'm doing the same! 🤣

[over61andstilltrying]

Hello Professor-Yaffle, I made up a cheese sauce quite a while back now. Simply heat double cream and add strong grated cheddar to taste. Serious yum! And so easy! We delivered a Sunday lunch to a non low carb family who were recovering from covid for two of them and grieving for the loss of a granddad from covid. The lunch included cauliflower with our cheese sauce which they singled out for extra praise and asked for the recipe. 😊

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Sounds a lovely meal over61andstilltrying. Thank-you for your response.

In my experience people who eat low fat, high carb diets absolutely love low carb, high fat food when they come round for dinner. I think because it often includes things they don't allow themselves to eat in their own houses.... cream, cheese, red meat, fatty cuts of meat etc....

[sandybrown]

Hello,I looked up "Guar Gum", I am afraid I will not be using it, this is because of what I read from the Google result.!!

I do not wish to do a copy and paste.

I will stick to the veg, cheese, small grain flour and eggs.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to sandybrown]

Morning sandybrown. Thanks for your reply. Absolutely, everyone should do their own research and decide if a foodstuff is for them or not.

I was a little concerned about the potential for constipation. Haven't had that problem though..... although this may be because you only need a very small amount to thicken a cheese sauce and cheese sauce is all I have made so far....