Diet tips and tricks

[Bliss Doubt]

We already have the cooking thread, but it isn't focused on diet and health, though I do love seeing peoples dazzling kitchen skills there, and interesting ideas. I think I'm the only one including calories in some of my posts there.

I decided to see if there would be any participants in a thread like this, because my number one diet trick is vaping. I did try quitting cigarettes multiple times way back in the mist of time, before my dearest friends put me onto vaping. I tried the nicotine gum, and I tried cold turkey. I knew someone who died taking Chantix, so never tried any of the pharma options. I did once quit cold for almost a year, but one day, like a zombie, I bought cigarettes and started smoking again.

The worst thing wasn't that smoking cessation attempts failed, but that I gained weight trying. Filling the nicotine craving with extra calories only leads to more calorie cravings, never satisfying the nic addiction. Vaping took over like a strong, steadying arm around my shoulders, without causing me an empty space to fill with food. It seemed miraculous to me that I didn't gain weight. I can hardly believe it's been nearly 10 years since my last cigarette.

So, besides that, here is my first tip: 45 calorie hot dogs were a revelation. I never knew there was such a thing until a couple of years ago. There are two brands: Hebrew National beef franks (the 97 percent fat free), and Ball Park turkey hot dogs. Both of those, 45 calories per dog, both very tasty. I like to cut them into thirds, roast them in the oven to get crispy on the cut places, stick them with picks, and pass them around at parties on an appetizer tray with a dipping bowl of mixed mustard and relish. They're the first thing to get eaten up, but then it's easy to make another batch without having to sweat for an hour in the kitchen.

What's your best diet tip or trick?

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Today's diet tip: Mexican food isn't necessarily the calorie bomb you might think it is.

Product tip: Laughing cow cheese

Laughing Cow is 30 calories per wedge, but only in the creamy light, the pepper jack and garlic herb flavors. Be careful shopping, because some of the other flavors are higher in calories. The wedge is less than one ounce, because 8 wedges in the round package says "6 oz." on the label, which means each wedge is three quarters of an ounce, but the wedge is pretty big. Regular yellow cheese, cheddar or Colby, is 100 calories per ounce, some a little more, depending on age and moisture content, so to compare the 3/4 ounce wedge of Laughing Cow at 30 calories, you have to do 3/4 oz. cheddar or Colby at 75 calories.

I grew up having chalupas at least every couple of weeks. It was in my mom's regular rotation. This was the order of stacking when making them:

Corn shell base
then the refried beans
then the lettuce and tomatoes
then the grated cheese
then the salsa on top

I use the Milagro flat shells. They're already fried, thick and crunchy. The label says 80 calories apiece. I was surprised to see that. I would have expected higher.

Calorie counts in refried beans vary, but in the fat free varieties, 150 calories per half cup seems to prevail, but you don't use that much on one chalupa. I would argue that you use a quarter cup for two chalupas, but I'll count the calories as one quarter cup per, just in case. I doctor mine up with garlic and cumin.

You don't grate the Laughing Cow, you spread it, so you have to reverse the order of stacking, and spread it on the shells as they come out of the oven reheated. When you reheat store bought fried shells you see drops of grease left behind on the sheet, and they taste better, more fresh.

Per chalupa:

Shell base = 80 calories
Laughing Cow wedge = 30 calories
Beans (1/4 cup per item) = 75 calories
Chopped lettuce & tomato = don't count those calories
Hot Sauce = a drizzle, I don't count those calories

Total per chalupa = 185 calories x 2 chalupas = 370 calorie lunch

A dab of guacamole will add some calories, but avocado is good calories.

Come to think of it, I'll bet a regular ground beef taco isn't much more than that. Who knew? Mexican food doesn't have to be the enemy.

For a movie watching munch, that 30 calorie wedge of Laughing Cow also goes nicely with the 90 calorie individual snack size bag of Nut Thins crackers, total 120 calories for a nice snack with lots of bites.

For me, awareness is everything. It's opening the family size bag of something and indulging the hand-to-mouth disorder that gets me in trouble.

 

[Frogger]

need this thread...
One anectodal thing i found with my body, which was just becoming diabetic, 80 pounds overweight, a1c rising, was i had some luck with eating a lot of shrimp and noodle dishes, really heavy on the shrimp, almost every day, and not much else. Mainly fruit, vegetables, pistachio nuts, pickles, cheese sticks to snack on all day

2-5 minutes to boil the lo mein (i like thick restaurant lo main, but those 10 cent packages of nissin ramen brand noodles are actually japanese for lo mein, and are true lo mein noodles, the other brands like mariucha are dried egg noodles), toss a handful of frozen tail off shrimp in for the final 30 seconds, then drain into a bowl immediately.

2 pound bags of shrimp are only 15 dollars at costco, not the best quality, but it does the job if u r on a buget. And last for a week

I know its bad for cholesterol but it also has a lot of good cholesterol too

Spaghetti can absolutely be substituted as the noodles, the two just absorb oils and sauces differently depending on what u want to put on it.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I need this thread...
One anectodal thing i found with my body, which was just becoming diabetic, 80 pounds overweight, a1c rising, was i had some luck with eating a lot of shrimp and noodle dishes, really heavy on the shrimp, almost every day, and not much else. Mainly fruit, vegetables, pistachio nuts, pickles, cheese sticks to snack on all day

2-5 minutes to boil the lo mein (i like thick restaurant lo main, but those 10 cent packages of nissin ramen brand noodles are actually japanese for lo mein, and are true lo mein noodles, the other brands like mariucha are dried egg noodles), toss a handful of frozen tail off shrimp in for the final 30 seconds, then drain into a bowl immediately.

2 pound bags of shrimp are only 15 dollars at costco, not the best quality, but it does the job if u r on a buget. And last for a week

I know its bad for cholesterol but it also has a lot of good cholesterol too

Spaghetti can absolutely be substituted as the noodles, the two just absorb oils and sauces differently depending on what u want to put on it.

I call ramen "wig noodles" because they look like George Washington's wig.

I have a post coming soon about konjac noodles, the "zero calorie" noodles which, if prepared right, are really good, but preparing them right is all the magic.

As for cholesterol, what passes for science changes at least every ten years, so there are more recent arguments that don't demonize cholesterol so much.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Product tip: pizzelle cookies



I'm using a stock photo.

Pizzelle, a tradition of the Abruzzese region of Italy, are in many grocery stores. They come in various sizes, but in the size pictured, 6 of them are 130 calories, because they're very light and airy.

I'm not saying sugar is good for anyone, but most who are transitioning from the standard American diet, or just trying to get a grip, will have a hard time dealing with the sugar habit. Sugar is just too delicious, so I try to find little cheats to satisfy a craving without derailing me into a binge that results in remorse, depression, and plain sadness over restricting self medication with food in the midst of the abundance we enjoy.

These are not diet cookies. They're just thin, light, lots of bites, and very tasty. They come in several flavors, vanilla, chocolate, anise (my favorite), strawberry and others.

Welcoming your tips too, if you'd care to offer them.

 

[Jimi]

Cool thread, thank you for startin it.

Changin my diet saved my life.
So many, especially Americans eat so poorly.
When I changed my diet I weighed 264 pounds, in 5 months I went down to 132 pounds.
I have to fight to keep pounds on now,
Since I chose not to do chemo I have to eat this way to stay alive and healthy

 

[Jimi]

This might be helpful here​

The Key To Understanding Weight Gain and how to release Weight correctly​

The Key To Understanding Weight Gain and how to release Weight correctly • Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Weight gain is a common concern for many of my clients as well as how to lose those unwanted pounds. Some statistics may help explain why. Since 1980 obesity has more than doubled worldwide and in the United States 35% of adults and nearly 17% of children are struggling with the condition. What...

drritamarie.com

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Cool thread, thank you for startin it.

Changin my diet saved my life.
So many, especially Americans eat so poorly.
When I changed my diet I weighed 264 pounds, in 5 months I went down to 132 pounds.
I have to fight to keep pounds on now,
Since I chose not to do chemo I have to eat this way to stay alive and healthy

Jimi, thanks for posting.

Since you grow potatoes, my guess is that you eat a lot of potatoes, but I know you don't use dairy at all. I've been meaning to ask: what do you put on your potatoes? Anything? I love taders, could eat them all day every day, but I enjoy them with butter. The olive oils you get in the grocery stores always taste stale, probably owing to age and shipping methods.

Anyway, wondering what you put on yours.

 

[Jimi]

Well to be honest I only use vegaterian butter and a dash of salt
I do use some of them in my daily juice to get the starch, helps fight the cancer.
I even eat a few raw

Oh and sometimes I put my hot peppers in them like twice baked potatoes

 

[Jimi]

Here's something that I make
For those who grow tomatoes and end up with more than they know what to do with

Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe​

This recipe for homemade tomato soup is easy to make and fairly quick, making it a weeknight option, plus it tastes so good you'll never go back to soup out of a can.

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins

Course: Soups
Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Jami Boys

Ingredients​

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 TB. chopped fresh in season
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 14-ounce cans
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions​

• Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Blend with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender) until smooth.
• When serving, garnish with sliced green onions, parsley, or fresh basil.

Notes​

Using the thyme and basil gives it a pizza-like flavor, leave out if you'd prefer or replace with oregano.

You can replace 1/4 cup of the stock with orange juice for a unique, bright flavor.

Nutrition​

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.2g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 5.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 431mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 5.6g

 

[JuicyLucy]

Jimi, thanks for posting.

Since you grow potatoes, my guess is that you eat a lot of potatoes, but I know you don't use dairy at all. I've been meaning to ask: what do you put on your potatoes? Anything? I love taders, could eat them all day every day, but I enjoy them with butter. The olive oils you get in the grocery stores always taste stale, probably owing to age and shipping methods.

Anyway, wondering what you put on yours.

You might want to give Avocado Oil a shot - it is very neutral compared to olive oil and is almost identical in health benefits

It also has the added benefit of having a much higher smoke point, you can actually deep fry with it

Also, if you like the taste (some don't, for me it depends) Coconut Oil can be a great substitute for butter. Never could do dairy myself

 

[Frogger]

Dont they make non dairy sour cream and cheese..and probably bacon made from vegetable goo at this point?

 

[Bliss Doubt]

You might want to give Avocado Oil a shot - it is very neutral compared to olive oil and is almost identical in health benefits

It also has the added benefit of having a much higher smoke point, you can actually deep fry with it

Also, if you like the taste (some don't, for me it depends) Coconut Oil can be a great substitute for butter. Never could do dairy myself

I use avocado oil a lot for fry, saute and salad dressing applications, because it does taste fresh and pretty neutral, but for spreading on a baked potato, it doesn't have enough flavor, IMO.

I'm not as plant based as Jimi, so I use organic butter for baked or mashed potatoes, and in my curried potato & pea dish. I was just wondering what he was using, since I knew he wouldn't use butter.

Yes, coconut oil has many great uses for those who don't do dairy.

Thank you for posting. Nice to see you here.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Dont they make non dairy sour cream and cheese..and probably bacon made from vegetable goo at this point?

Haha, vegetable goo. The only fake meats I like are the breakfast products, veg bacon, and the Morningstar Farms veg sausage patties taste exactly like the real thing. Quorn products are made from some kind of mushroom, and the texture and flavor are very good, price pretty good, no soy in them, but I only seek out those things when I'm planning a party or when it's my turn to have supper club here. You want to offer options for the vegans, the non-dairy people, the gluten intolerant, the dairy intolerant, the kosher people. Plant based solves at least half of all that.

Everybody has food and diet scruples these days, intolerances, allergies, so if you enjoy sharing food as much as I do, it's best to stay aware.

I really like the Miyokos brand of vegan cheese, made from a base of cashew milk, no soy, and only 80 calories per ounce, several varieties including a cheddar wheel that tastes exactly like aged Vermont cheddar, and a winter truffle variety that actually contains truffle. I don't see how it's somehow dishonorable or kitschy to make cheese from cashew milk instead of cow milk, and it contains no lactose to torment the intolerant.

Editing to say: I do like a lot of the fake meat products, like the Gardein chick'n nuggets and krabby patties, but they all are soy based, the last time I checked labels, and the world's soy crop is no longer the miraculous health giving staple it once was, owing to various agricultural techniques and processes.

 

[Jimi]

I really like the Miyokos brand of vegan cheese, made from a base of cashew milk, no soy, and only 80 calories per ounce, several varieties including a cheddar wheel that tastes exactly like aged Vermont cheddar, and a winter truffle variety that actually contains truffle. I don't see how it's somehow dishonorable or kitschy to make cheese from cashew milk instead of cow milk, and it contains no lactose to torment the intolerant.

Also contains no bovine growth hormones which is bad for any adult. Adults are already grown.

 

[Jimi]

You might want to give Avocado Oil a shot - it is very neutral compared to olive oil and is almost identical in health benefits

It also has the added benefit of having a much higher smoke point, you can actually deep fry with it

Also, if you like the taste (some don't, for me it depends) Coconut Oil can be a great substitute for butter. Never could do dairy myself

Lucy try thy the veg butter and cheese from Miyokos creamery that Bliss has talked about, it's organic and tastes great

 

[JuicyLucy]

Lucy try thy the veg butter and cheese from Miyokos creamery that Bliss has talked about, it's organic and tastes great

I would but, legumes and sunflower oils are not allowed in Paleo, which is what I follow and it does done very well for me personally

Plus, my whole life I've been highly allergic to dairy, so never developed a taste for it. So it was one struggle I didn't have when adopting Paleo five years ago, didn't jones over the no dairy thing, lol

 

[Frogger]

Haha, vegetable goo. The only fake meats I like are the breakfast products, veg bacon, and the Morningstar Farms veg sausage patties taste exactly like the real thing. Quorn products are made from some kind of mushroom, and the texture and flavor are very good, price pretty good, no soy in them, but I only seek out those things when I'm planning a party or when it's my turn to have supper club here. You want to offer options for the vegans, the non-dairy people, the gluten intolerant, the dairy intolerant, the kosher people. Plant based solves at least half of all that.

Everybody has food and diet scruples these days, intolerances, allergies, so if you enjoy sharing food as much as I do, it's best to stay aware.

I really like the Miyokos brand of vegan cheese, made from a base of cashew milk, no soy, and only 80 calories per ounce, several varieties including a cheddar wheel that tastes exactly like aged Vermont cheddar, and a winter truffle variety that actually contains truffle. I don't see how it's somehow dishonorable or kitschy to make cheese from cashew milk instead of cow milk, and it contains no lactose to torment the intolerant.

Editing to say: I do like a lot of the fake meat products, like the Gardein chick'n nuggets and krabby patties, but they all are soy based, the last time I checked labels, and the world's soy crop is no longer the miraculous health giving staple it once was, owing to various agricultural techniques and processes.

R u vegan or just your friend?

Everytime someone starts talking about fake meat my mind immediately goes to the scene of cartman giving his vegan girlfriend kentucky fried chicken with the word 'beyond' scribbled above it

 

[CaFF]

Haha, vegetable goo. The only fake meats I like are the breakfast products, veg bacon, and the Morningstar Farms veg sausage patties taste exactly like the real thing. Quorn products are made from some kind of mushroom, and the texture and flavor are very good, price pretty good, no soy in them, but I only seek out those things when I'm planning a party or when it's my turn to have supper club here. You want to offer options for the vegans, the non-dairy people, the gluten intolerant, the dairy intolerant, the kosher people. Plant based solves at least half of all that.

Editing to say: I do like a lot of the fake meat products, like the Gardein chick'n nuggets and krabby patties, but they all are soy based, the last time I checked labels, and the world's soy crop is no longer the miraculous health giving staple it once was, owing to various agricultural techniques and processes.

I love these Morningstar Farms’ Chik’n Nuggets.
Also enjoy their "Corndogs", but TBH, those are obviously not the real thing. Still pretty tasty though.

I'm no vegetarian or anything, but hey if it's good, why not?

 

[JuicyLucy]

Here's something that I make
For those who grow tomatoes and end up with more than they know what to do with

Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe​

This recipe for homemade tomato soup is easy to make and fairly quick, making it a weeknight option, plus it tastes so good you'll never go back to soup out of a can.

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins

Course: Soups
Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Jami Boys

Ingredients​

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 TB. chopped fresh in season
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 14-ounce cans
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions​

• Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Blend with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender) until smooth.
• When serving, garnish with sliced green onions, parsley, or fresh basil.

Notes​

Using the thyme and basil gives it a pizza-like flavor, leave out if you'd prefer or replace with oregano.

You can replace 1/4 cup of the stock with orange juice for a unique, bright flavor.

Nutrition​

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.2g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 5.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 431mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 5.6g

Sounds easy and adaptable!

You ever do Gazpacho? Great for summer heat

Recipe Ingredients

About 3 pounds of tomatoes (vine ripe is best but...)
A cucumber
Bell pepper
1/2 onion of choice
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of half a lime
Salt and pepper to taste
FRESH Basil and parsley make fantastic garnish

ANY OTHER VEG YOU ENJOY UNCOOKED - I like avocado

Juice or blend all ingredients except for half of the cucumber and half the bell pepper and garnish - you can strain it if you don't care seeds or want a finer texture. I don't bother.

Finely slice the remaining half of the cuke and bell pepper and fwhatever other chuncky veg you like. Chill for 2 hours and enjoy!

 

[Bliss Doubt]

R u vegan or just your friend?

Everytime someone starts talking about fake meat my mind immediately goes to the scene of cartman giving his vegan girlfriend kentucky fried chicken with the word 'beyond' scribbled above it

There was an episode of "Roseanne" in which the grumpy daughter is in a vegetarian phase. Roseanne is making spaghetti sauce, and the daughter says she won't eat it because it has meat in it. Roseanne says "don't worry, it's your fake meat". After the daughter leaves the kitchen, the husband complains he wants meat in his. Roseanne says "don't worry, I put meat in it".

I'm not vegan, but I respect everybody's personal dietary laws.

I tried to be vegan back in the mist of time, but frankly I didn't have the strength of character to continue. It was difficult in social situations. You had to be very careful, or bring your own food. You had to stay mum about it, or people would immediately start arguments with you. But I tried a lot of commercial vegan products, created some of my own recipes, and have stayed current on what vegan options are delicious. I make veggie burgers from falafel mix, but there is really a world of better options than fake meats.

In other words, if I have vegans coming over for dinner, I'm never going to do to them any of the ridiculous things that were done to me, like putting a plate of broccoli in front of me, nothing else on the plate. Vegans at my table will get full, will say "wow, delicious", and will never have to worry about me trying to slip animal products into their food.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I love these Morningstar Farms’ Chik’n Nuggets.
Also enjoy their "Corndogs", but TBH, those are obviously not the real thing. Still pretty tasty though.

I'm no vegetarian or anything, but hey if it's good, why not?

I used to like the Morningstar mini corndogs, and they seemed very realistic to me. My go-to dipping sauce for those was a mixture of mustard and sweet relish. Field Roast makes vegan mini-corndogs too, but both of those brands corndogs are made of vital wheat gluten, which is also controversial.

Even though they contain soy, those Morningstar chick'n nuggets you're showing are probably a dang sight better than the McDon's chicken nuggets made from beaks, feathers and wallpaper paste.

I've been looking into Jack & Annie's products, meat analogs made from jackfruit, and no sketchy ingredients, no soy.

The developers of plant based products do stay aware of consumer preferences and try to meet you on them. Things are getting better. More pea protein being used than soy nowadays, and other things, like this jackfruit development, being tried out.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I would but, legumes and sunflower oils are not allowed in Paleo, which is what I follow and it does done very well for me personally

Plus, my whole life I've been highly allergic to dairy, so never developed a taste for it. So it was one struggle I didn't have when adopting Paleo five years ago, didn't jones over the no dairy thing, lol

That's fine Lucy. It's always good to know what works for you, and stick with it.

But just so everybody else knows, the cashew is not a legume. It is a true nut, and grows on a tree.

There is no sunflower oil in any of the Miyokos products, nor any soy (soy is a legume).

 

[CaFF]

I think these are the ones I'd posted before...but I thought they were labeled as using Mung Bean. Hmm.

They advertise as soy-free, but say "may contain soy"...Huh??

Ah, fava beans...now I'll need a nice Chianti...teehee...

Beyond Chicken Tenders | Vegan Chicken Tenders | Beyond Meat

Our versatile Beyond Meat vegan chicken tenders are perfect in salads, sandwiches, or simply as a delicious dip companion. Plus, they're soy, gluten, GMO-free.

www.beyondmeat.com

(tenders cut in half = nuggets FTW)

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I think these are the ones I'd posted before...but I thought they were labeled as using Mung Bean. Hmm.

They advertise as soy-free, but say "may contain soy"...Huh??

Ah, fava beans...now I'll need a nice Chianti...teehee...

View attachment 196386

Beyond Chicken Tenders | Vegan Chicken Tenders | Beyond Meat

Our versatile Beyond Meat vegan chicken tenders are perfect in salads, sandwiches, or simply as a delicious dip companion. Plus, they're soy, gluten, GMO-free.

www.beyondmeat.com

(tenders cut in half = nuggets FTW)

That is kind of confusing. I think when the factory uses soy in any other of its products, they put a hedge on the label in case something gets spilled or cross-contaminated.

I shun the Bill Gates brand "Beyond Meat". I don't trust him, don't like him, but everybody is free to buy whatever they want.

Making these choices is like swimming in an alligator river.

I will add that the Quorn brand chicken nuggets are excellent. No soy. They use a mushroom protein, but there is no taste of mushroom there. They taste just like white meat chicken nuggets, and have a shredding texture like real. But they contain egg white, so they're not vegan.

 

[CaFF]

I will add that the Quorn brand chicken nuggets are excellent. No soy. They use a mushroom protein, but there is no taste of mushroom there. They taste just like white meat chicken nuggets, and have a shredding texture like real. But they contain egg white, so they're not vegan.

Interesting stuff, that. It's been around since the 1960s.
I'd bet the Natural Grocer near me would have them...and they take EBT. Amazing store.

Wiki Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium_venenatum

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Snacking, sweet and salty.

For me, diet (not dieting) is all a matter of calories in/calories out. I've struggled with my weight all my life. The best advice I ever got was from my dad, who watched sadly as mom & I experimented with this diet and that diet, only to return to overeating at the end of the term of the diet, and gain weight beyond even the weight we'd lost from the diet. Dad's advice was to eat today as if you've already achieved your target and want to maintain it, learn how to do it now, don't wait until some imaginary day when you are at your perfect weight.

In this thread we're discussing all kinds of eating plans and personal dietary law. I appreciate all of the participation, and I respect all of your solutions, decisions and ideas.

Snacking can be deadly, self defeating, unhealthy, or it can be faced full on, planned, prepared for, and be something that is there for you for a movie watching session or a rainy afternoon with a good book, for having a friend over for a drink, or for your designated number of treats between meals.

These are from my regular snack rotations, and I may come back and edit if I remember more. I would love to hear about yours too.


Pickled okra the whole 16 oz. jar, 60 calories. I usually can only finish about half the jar, but the point is to have a go-to treat without one worry of the calorie cost.


The Mezzetta Italian Giardiniera is 20 calories for the 16 oz. jar. For those unfamiliar with giardiniera, it's a pickled mixture of cauliflower, carrots, peppers, onions and some other things. The pieces are cut big because it's a traditional Italian antipasto ingredient, so you can dish some into a bowl and much away without guilt.

If I'm working at the computer, I use a little pickle fork instead of getting my fingers wet.


Sweet pickles are a little more dangerous, usually 450 calories in the 16 oz. jar, but there is one brand of bread & butter pickles, Mount Olive, that is 300 calories for the whole 16 oz. jar. With that, I can put a few of them, about a third of the jar, in a bowl with some black olives and cherry tomatoes, for a snacking bowl that won't destroy my week. Large black olives are about 15 calories for four of them. I never count the calories in fresh tomatoes.


Kimchi is a great low calorie snack, and fermented foods are good for most of us. I like hot stuff, but man some of that kimchee sets my mouth on fire and makes me need crackers, ice cream, whatever, to make my mouth stop screaming.


Halo Top Strawberry ice cream, the whole pint 270 calories. I live alone, so I eat it from the container. I'm usually perfectly content to eat half the pint (135 calories) and put the rest back in the freezer for next time. Be careful shopping, because some of the other Halo Top flavors are more caloric.

The brand's strawberry swirl and other varieties of ice cream pops are also less than 100 calories each, not mini but regular size, and delicious.


Bluebell fudgsicles, 120 calories each, and they're regular size and very rich tasting.


Blue Bunny mini cones 150 calories each, several flavors. Even though they are small, they provide lots of bites and delightful flavors



Nut Thins: The whole line is pretty miraculous for a careful snacker. 130 calories for 19 crackers. Many flavors, all grain free. The brand also sells boxes of individual 90 calorie serving bags.



Tortilla chips: I generally use tortilla chips to make a plate of melted cheese nachos as a whole dinner, but when I've been working really late, until I'm too "hangry" and tired to cook, I will grab the bag and some salsa, and that's a snack for dinner, with some calories left for a little dessert. It's not a great habit, but sometimes it just plays out. I don't count the calories in salsa as long as it's a tomato and hot pepper mixture with no cheese or crema in it. These are my chips.

They're big, thick and crunchy, 130 calories for 9 of them. If it's a snack for dinner I'll count out 18 or 20 of them onto a plate, with the bowl of salsa in the center.


Dark chocolate: It's good for you, especially the higher cacao, lower sugar varieties. This one stays on my shopping list because the package contains eight individually wrapped little bars, each one 60 calories. Two of those with a nice big cup of coffee make a satisfying, elegant 120 calorie dessert.



Finally, those 35 calorie rice cakes that taste like styrofoam, that nobody really likes, can be redeemed, and they make my favorite movie munch bowl. I use the whole grain brown rice cakes. Two of them broken up and warmed in the oven = 70 calories. 1 tablespoon melted butter drizzled over = 100 calories, plus a sprinkle of salt. 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips sprinkled over the bowl while warm = 70 calories. Altogether, it makes the kitchen smell like movie popcorn, and gives you a big munch bowl with lots of bites, total bowl 240 calories.


Post your fave snack craves.

 

[JuicyLucy]

That's fine Lucy. It's always good to know what works for you, and stick with it.

But just so everybody else knows, the cashew is not a legume. It is a true nut, and grows on a tree.

There is no sunflower oil in any of the Miyokos products, nor any soy (soy is a legume).

Actually, all the products I looked at from Miyoko's contain sunflower oil, though I didn't look at them all.

Ingredients listed for the butter on Miyoko's website: Ingredients: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Cultured Cashew Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Cashews, Cultures), Filtered Water, Organic Sunflower Oil, Contains 2% or less of: Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Cultured Dextrose, Natural Flavors Derived from Oregano, Flaxseed, and Plums, Lactic Acid

Also, a cashew is technically a Drupe, but has the same characteristics and grows like a legume, and contains the same compounds that make legumes objectionable, such as high lectin count

Many edible legumes grow on trees

Also wasn't telling anyone not to eat it, just explaining why I don't

 

[CaFF]

Fave snacks...way to many to list..lol...

Snacking on these Trader Joe's PB-Filled Pretzels ATM...with a nice cold glass of Vaporizer Ale.
They are the same things as sold in a huge $25 container at Costco...but these are only Like $3 a bag.



Perfect football snacking stuffs...
I can't eat very many as they are pretty rich...but yummy with the 55BU dry-hopped beer.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Actually, all the products I looked at from Miyoko's contain sunflower oil, though I didn't look at them all.

Ingredients listed for the butter on Miyoko's website: Ingredients: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Cultured Cashew Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Cashews, Cultures), Filtered Water, Organic Sunflower Oil, Contains 2% or less of: Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Cultured Dextrose, Natural Flavors Derived from Oregano, Flaxseed, and Plums, Lactic Acid

Also, a cashew is technically a Drupe, but has the same characteristics and grows like a legume, and contains the same compounds that make legumes objectionable, such as high lectin count

Many edible legumes grow on trees

Also wasn't telling anyone not to eat it, just explaining why I don't

Wow, I did a lot of research for this reply.

From the Myokos website, the Myokos vegan butter does contain sunflower oil. When I first checked the ingredients, I didn't notice it. Most of their products do not contain that.

The cream cheese
Organic Cashews, Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Sea Salt, Cultures

Cinnamon raisin cream cheese
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Coconut Cream, Organic Raisins, Organic Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Organic Cinnamon, Cultures. Contains: Cashews, Coconut.

Two of their three varieties of vegan Mozzarella (the liquid one has sunflower oil)

The solid mozzarella
Organic Cashew Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Cashews), Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Organic Agar, Mushroom Extract, Organic Konjac, Cultures.

The smoked mozzarella
Organic Cashew Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Cashews), Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Organic Agar, Mushroom Extract, Organic Konjac, Cultures

Classic chive wheel
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Chives, Sea Salt, Organic Rice Miso (Organic Rice, Water, Sea Salt, Alcohol, Koji Culture), Nutritional Yeast, Cultures

Sharp cheddar farmhouse wheel
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Chickpea Miso (Organic Rice Koji (Organic Rice, Koji Spores), Organic Whole Chickpeas, Sea Salt, Water), Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors (derived from Oregano, Plum, Flaxseed), Cultures

Smoked English farmhouse wheel
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Chickpea Miso (Organic Rice Koji (Organic Rice, Koji spores) Organic Whole Chickpeas, Sea Salt, Water), Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors (derived from Oregano, Plum, Flaxseed), Cultures

With Herbes de Provence
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Herbs, Organic Chickpea Miso (Organic Rice Koji (Organic Rice, Koji Spores), Organic Whole Chickpeas, Sea Salt, Water), Sea Salt, Natural Flavors (derived from Oregano, Plum, Flaxseed), Nutritional Yeast, Cultures

French Winter Truffle
Organic Cashew Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Cashews), Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Dried Mushrooms, Contains 2% or Less of: Organic Truffle Flavored Olive Oil, Agar, Sea Salt, Organic Tapioca Starch, Nutritional Yeast, Cultures

Roadhouse cheddar spread
Organic Cashew Milk (Organic Cashews, Filtered Water), Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Rice Miso (Organic Rice, Water, Salt, Alcohol, Koji Culture), Contains Less Than 2% Of Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Organic Yeast Extract, Organic Annatto For Color, Cultures, Natural Flavors.

The plant milk cheddar sticks contain sunflower seed butter (like peanut butter) but not the oil by itself.

Regardless of cashew components that may be allergenic or harmful to some, the cashew is a tree nut. Tree nut allergies are not uncommon, and though they may contain components that are similar to those of legumes, cashew nuts are not legumes. I did look up drupes. Drupes include peaches and apricots. Almonds are drupes. The cashew nut is harvested from the bottom of the cashew apple. I've eaten the cashew apple in Jamaica. The taste and texture are similar to any other apple, but of course a little different too.

I defend the Myokos brand because I recommend it a lot, not because I'm trying to convince anybody to try it who doesn't want to.

Thank you for participating in the thread. I would be very interested in knowing more about the paleo diet and your tips for making it work for you. I know very little about paleo.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Snacking, naughty and nice.

I always have fresh berries in the house, but those are not snacks. Those are food. I posted a version of my frequent yogurt and fruit & nut lunch bowl on the cooking thread. But when I'm getting groceries I always include an extra box of organic blackberries or raspberries specifically for my after-shopping snack. Groceries all put away, I can open the little box of berries and eat them all up. It's such a treat.

I always have premium organic walnuts, pecans, almonds and pumpkin seeds around, but again, for the most part those are not snacks. Those are food. They go into salads, or as garnish on cooked foods, or into sandwich spreads. A mixture of low fat cream cheese, chopped green olives and chopped pecans makes a great sandwich, or a spread on those thin crackers I mentioned in my previous snack post. But I've seen enough 100 calorie packets of almonds to know how much that is, without needing that measuring crutch any more. On a cold winter night a few oven roasted nuts make such a special treat, along with a hot cup of any favorite seasonal tea.


About a year ago I discovered these okra chips.



I don't know how they do it, but they're whole okra, sort of mummified, crispy crunchy as potato chips. The container says 7 servings, each serving 120 calories, so I very carefully empty a few into a bowl. One of the grocery stores has eggplant ones, and mixed vegetable ones. You'd never expect a green bean to taste like a crisp salty snack, but they're just wonderful.




These dragon fruit chips are 200 calories for the whole package.



The fruit is the only ingredient. They're brittle like chips, but as purple and sweet as kiddie candy. The amount is more helpfully conveyed with a measurement of the packet: 8" x 6". I never eat the whole packet at once. It's actually too much sweetness at a time. I usually include some in my yogurt lunch bowl, and eat the other half of the pack for a snack later on.


An apple for a snack? Nah. I guess it was too many years of trying to think of apples as sweets or desserts during dieting time. I'd rather chop an apple into a salad.

Carrots and celery sticks for snacks? Not for me. Again, too many years of associating them with the cycle of deprivation until the end of the diet, then the destructive plunge back into french fries, enchiladas, brownies, starting the next cycle of weight gain, a new diet, weight loss, renewed eating, weight gain, etc. etc. Having carrots and celery sticks for a snack is actually triggering for me. Good organic celery hearts stuffed with the above mentioned cream cheese spread does make a nice lunch though.


I really, really love these cauliflower pretzels, which are made mainly from cassava flour and cauliflower, though there is no taste of cauliflower there. They taste like buttery pretzels. 40 of them are 110 calories, wow!! That's a lot of bites.




Am I going to mention these churro puffs?



I guess so. I was going to stop buying them because it's hard to stop at the snack portion. Of the 4 oz. bag, one quarter is 130 calories. The ingredients are clean: sorghum, sunflower oil, cane sugar, cinnamon, salt, natural flavors. That compares to a list of 15 ingredients in cinnamon Chex. Last weekend I poured the last half of a bag of the churro puffs into a bowl and added almond milk for a bowl of cereal, something I never, ever do. But the cereal bowl went with childhood Saturday mornings and cartoons, so every now and then I wish I could just have cereal and milk and be a kid. I know there are others who experience that kind of nostalgia. The half bag of churro puffs at 260 calories, plus a cup of unsweetened almond milk at 30 calories, plus a few blueberries (literally 1 calorie per berry) came to 300 calories for a nostalgic kiddie breakfast-lunch. I'll probably do it again sometime soon. So for snacking, the churro puffs are a "no", but for an occasional weekend nostalgia breakfast, a big "yes".

That's how it is, working through an eating disorder, discovering that something you once thought helped you is now a bad trigger, and how something you thought you had to deny yourself becomes a really helpful treat.

@JuicyLucy 's gazpacho recipe is going straight into my snack rotation. I remember doing that when I was young and had my first apartment with my very own kitchen. I made gazpacho almost every week. It has practically no calories to count, and soups are always very filling. Gazpacho is eaten cold, so you can keep a big container in the fridge and break out a cup full for a snack attack.

Yes, I think about food all day every day. It's the nature of an eating disorder, but I have tried to make conquering it fun, and it is fun to think of ideas, share ideas, discover new products and new methods, and eat well without feeling defeated.

I hope this helps others.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Today's happy grocery haul, the calories I never have to count.

Three kinds of organic figs, OMG !!!
Two boxes organic Campari tomatoes
Two boxes organic grape tomatoes
Bag of organic white nectarines
Bunch of organic bananas
Bag of organic mini sweet peppers
Two 3-packs organic romaine lettuce
One organic mini watermelon (wish I'd gotten two)
Organic blackberries

Diet tips and tricks are right there in the list.

 

[Jimi]

Today's happy grocery haul, the calories I never have to count.

Three kinds of organic figs, OMG !!!
Two boxes organic Campari tomatoes
Two boxes organic grape tomatoes
Bag of organic white nectarines
Bunch of organic bananas
Bag of organic mini sweet peppers
Two 3-packs organic romaine lettuce
One organic mini watermelon (wish I'd gotten two)
Organic blackberries
Two bags organic small potatoes

Diet tips and tricks are right there in the list.

What a wonderful healthy shoppin list

 

[Bliss Doubt]

What a wonderful healthy shoppin list

Well I really should edit that to say the potato calories do have to be counted. Everything else, free.

 

[Jimi]

Well I really should edit that to say the potato calories do have to be counted. Everything else, free.

Just wanted to share this on taders, they always get a bad wrap so

3. Potatoes

This starchy food over the last decade has been linked to poor health, being overweight, and an increased risk for diabetes.

However, is it the potatoes that you should be looking at, or everything else on your plate?

Potatoes are a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, and other minerals that are needed not only for good health, but for weight loss too. Also, the healthy carbs and fiber could satsify your food cravings, therefore keeping you from overdoing it at meals.

In fact, purple potatoes may contain a pigment that may LOWER cholesterol, therefore reducing your risk for heart disease.

So how do you need to cook potatoes to make it a fat-burning superfood? The correct answers is not baking or even tucking them into an air fryer...

The best way to cook potatoes to increase fat loss is by BOILING your potatoes. Why boiling?

As the potato cools, a high amount of resistant starch forms in the potato. This type of starch is not only linked to better blood sugar control, but it may also contribute to less food cravings. And the lower your calorie intake for the day, the better it could be for your waistline.

The facts: There is very little evidence that show potatoes to be the culprit in weight gain. It’s more about the TYPE of potato (chips, fries, etc.) that may contribute to expanding waistlines and poor health.

Three Foods That You Should Be Including

There are a lot of foods that you SHOULD be eating if you want to lose weight and improve your health.

However, due to media and other sources, finding the RIGHT foods may not be that easy.

These three foods have been reported to increase weight gain and destroy your health.

However, things such as fruit and wheat, and even potatoes, may promote fat loss and even provide benefits to your overall health.

 

[Jimi]

The Effect of a Peanut-Enriched Weight Loss Diet Compared to a Low-Fat Weight Loss Diet on Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Glycemic Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial​

The Effect of a Peanut-Enriched Weight Loss Diet Compared to a Low-Fat Weight Loss Diet on Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Glycemic Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of consuming 35 g of peanuts prior to two main meals per day as part of a weight loss diet, compared to a traditional low-fat weight loss diet, on body weight, markers of glycemic control, and blood pressure in adults at risk of type 2...

www.mdpi.com

 

[Bliss Doubt]

The Effect of a Peanut-Enriched Weight Loss Diet Compared to a Low-Fat Weight Loss Diet on Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Glycemic Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial​

The Effect of a Peanut-Enriched Weight Loss Diet Compared to a Low-Fat Weight Loss Diet on Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Glycemic Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of consuming 35 g of peanuts prior to two main meals per day as part of a weight loss diet, compared to a traditional low-fat weight loss diet, on body weight, markers of glycemic control, and blood pressure in adults at risk of type 2...

www.mdpi.com

I believe in the peanut, always have. I use the powdered peanut butter. It has the oil calories removed, and tastes just like regular. I use dry roasted peanuts in salads sometimes. They're especially tasty in Asian style salads.

You can put a christian kid, a muslim kid, a jewish kid and a hindu kid at the table and give them all peanut butter without infringing on any dietary law, any cultural norm, and they'll all love it.

Thanks for posting.

 

[nadalama]

I'm also a big fan of peanuts, although I'm conflicted between Planters Cocktail peanuts and the raw ones in the shell for roasting at home.

I lose weight easier and don't have the munchies as bad if I eat some peanuts every day.

Hubbs and I have lost over 150 pounds between us over the last couple of years. What we eat isn't healthy, but we stopped the out-of-control snacking, eating at night, and routinely going back for seconds. I have a helluva time with that eating at night.

I also stopped getting a bag of something and bringing it to my seat in the living room. If I want some chips, I get out one serving of chips and put it on a paper plate, and when it's done I don't go back and get more. If I want something sweet, I eat either dark Hershey's kisses or a banana popsicle, or occasionally a mini ice cream sandwich.

Controlling my food intake is easier if I don't try to take things too far away from what I'd gravitate toward in "normal" times. I still want toast with butter on it - and sometimes I want toast with Nutella on it. I still want mashed potatoes and gravy, or a hamburger with cheese, or crackers and peanut butter, or a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit. If I deny myself those types of things, I will eventually end up in the kitchen in the middle of the night eating a whole sleeve of crackers and peanut butter, or sitting down with the Nutella jar and a sleeve of Ritz crackers, or going to town on a pack of candy bars. Moderation goes right out the window, desperation, craziness, and compulsion take its place.

This is just hubbs and me, not the recommended way for anyone else to eat, but after 50 years of yo-yo dieting, I've found that I can maintain this pretty well as long as I don't feel deprived. And if I screw up, I don't berate myself and get all torn up about it, I just move back to center as soon as I'm able.

Also, never underestimate the good a really great cup of black coffee can do. Often coffee can zap the dessert munchies to smithereens.

For true, out-of-control munchies, two days on low carbs cures it right up.

 

[Jimi]

I still want toast with butter on it -

Try the plant based butter by Myioko's it tastes great

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I'm also a big fan of peanuts, although I'm conflicted between Planters Cocktail peanuts and the raw ones in the shell for roasting at home.

I lose weight easier and don't have the munchies as bad if I eat some peanuts every day.

Hubbs and I have lost over 150 pounds between us over the last couple of years. What we eat isn't healthy, but we stopped the out-of-control snacking, eating at night, and routinely going back for seconds. I have a helluva time with that eating at night.

I also stopped getting a bag of something and bringing it to my seat in the living room. If I want some chips, I get out one serving of chips and put it on a paper plate, and when it's done I don't go back and get more. If I want something sweet, I eat either dark Hershey's kisses or a banana popsicle, or occasionally a mini ice cream sandwich.

Controlling my food intake is easier if I don't try to take things too far away from what I'd gravitate toward in "normal" times. I still want toast with butter on it - and sometimes I want toast with Nutella on it. I still want mashed potatoes and gravy, or a hamburger with cheese, or crackers and peanut butter, or a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit. If I deny myself those types of things, I will eventually end up in the kitchen in the middle of the night eating a whole sleeve of crackers and peanut butter, or sitting down with the Nutella jar and a sleeve of Ritz crackers, or going to town on a pack of candy bars. Moderation goes right out the window, desperation, craziness, and compulsion take its place.

This is just hubbs and me, not the recommended way for anyone else to eat, but after 50 years of yo-yo dieting, I've found that I can maintain this pretty well as long as I don't feel deprived. And if I screw up, I don't berate myself and get all torn up about it, I just move back to center as soon as I'm able.

Also, never underestimate the good a really great cup of black coffee can do. Often coffee can zap the dessert munchies to smithereens.

For true, out-of-control munchies, two days on low carbs cures it right up.

I decided to edit and remove my reply. If I analyze and trounce all over someone's comments, then maybe people won't want to discuss their feelings about food, diet and all the issues around them.

I'll just leave it at thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Today's diet trick: konjac noodles

Product tip: Pasta Zero

If you've ever seen those TV ads for supplements that supposedly get rid of belly fat, looked up the product online, then you've seen that many of them contain glucomannan, which is derived from konjac root. I've never tried any of those supplements, but I discovered that most of the shirataki noodles are made from that konjac root.

My favorite one is Pasta Zero, available in grocery stores (often sold out, so buy it up when you see it). It's inexpensive, and keeps a long time in the fridge. It's water packed, so it's kept in the produce section like some of the kimchee and tofu, or in a cold case. Ingredients are konjac flour, chickpea flour and potato starch, in that order.



When it comes to substitutions for spaghetti, I can do without those sad zucchini spirals. They're watery, mushy, and do NOT taste like pasta. Spaghetti squash is a delicious side dish with mozza balls and cherry tomatoes, but it is NOT a pasta dish. Products like Pasta Zero are the saviors of pasta lovers who can't handle 210 calories per cup of spaghetti. Who eats just one cup? Not me. The happy bowl of pasta is at least two cups.

The back of the Pasta Zero package says 45 calories for the package, and it is one and a third cups, so when I make it for myself, I use two packages, 90 calories total.

But here is the important thing to know: YOU HAVE TO PREPARE IT RIGHT. Let me repeat: YOU HAVE TO PREPARE IT RIGHT.

I'm doing this post without pics other than the stock photo of the product, because what belongs in your pasta dish is what you want in it, but whether you make an Italian dish, an Asian dish or a mac & cheese type recipe, it starts with preparing the konjac noodles right. I keep emphasizing that, because the right way is different than what the package directions say to do.

I empty the noodles into a colander and rinse them well, then cut them with kitchen scissors. The taste and texture of the finished noodles is just like real spaghetti, but for whatever reason, they don't bite off easily in mid-slurp the way wheat spaghetti does, so I cut them shorter. Then salt generously.

Cooking them, for me, starts with butter, 1 tablespoon per package, but you can use whatever vegan butter or oil really tastes good to you. Some nasty grocery store olive oil, no good. Some crappy flavorless seed oil, no good. Use an oil or margarine that tastes good, or some good butter. Get it sizzling, then add the noodles. Stir and turn to mix the noodles with the butter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook them a while. While they are cooking, put 2-3 garlic cloves on one side of the pan and make sure they get some bubbly butter underneath them. Keep it going, watch your progress.

When the garlic cloves are golden and soft, remove those, press or crush them, and add back to the noodles.

That's it. Then it's ready to add your Italian ingredients, your Asian ingredients or your cheese sauce, or whatever else you're adding to your recipe. The butter doesn't make the noodles taste buttery. It just ensures getting a flavor that is like wheat spaghetti.

Calories for one person

Noodles 45 calories per pkg. x 2 pkgs.= 90 calories
Tablespoon butter at 100 cal. x 2 tblsp. = 200 calories
Total 290 calories for two cups, as compared to 420 calories for two cups of wheat spaghetti.

I will add that there are other brands of konjac noodles, but be careful to avoid the ones that contain soy. Some are still called shirataki, which is the original Japanese name for the konjac noodles.

There is a YouTube video of a lady eating her happy bowl of Pasta Zero with her chosen toppings, saying "thank you Jesus, thank you for this excellent product, oh thank you Lord, thank you". I completely resonate to her feelings of gratitude.

 

[Jimi]

Beings this thread is aimed toward better health I thought I would share this

Serious Dangers of Common Cookware + Safer Alternatives​

Serious Dangers of Common Cookware + Safer Alternatives

There's a good chance the cookware you are using is toxic, especially if it's the nonstick variety. Learn more about the hidden dangers, plus better options.

theartofantiaging.com

 

[Frogger]

Beings this thread is aimed toward better health I thought I would share this

Serious Dangers of Common Cookware + Safer Alternatives​

Serious Dangers of Common Cookware + Safer Alternatives

There's a good chance the cookware you are using is toxic, especially if it's the nonstick variety. Learn more about the hidden dangers, plus better options.

theartofantiaging.com

I find it hard to believe claims like cooking in aluminum can hurt you, especially considering the number of baked potatoes and fish ive cooked in tinfoil, copper tho, for sure, for the same reason u cant use it for a pipe, but i guess thats why scientists exist

i feel like i need to worry about steel too, steel has nickel in it, which it stated as toxic, and molybdenum, which is another metal that can be toxic in high amounts. Vaping off it cant be 'ideal' even if it is considered safe.

As far as the new stuff goes, it doesnt surprise me that any chemically treated metal gives off something toxic, thats how they get things to defy nature like melted candy not sticking to it, like in the commercials.

Just another excuse to barbeque or microwave everything...yay, single life, lol

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Diet trick: this half is mine

Product tip: organic pizza

When the eating disorder is anorexia or bulimia, we look at the victim with sympathy, and understand there is a mental or emotional disability at its root. But the most prevalent eating disorder in our society is overeating, which is judged with disdain, as a lack of discipline, as greed, gluttony, irresponsible choices, so the victim of the overeating disorder is blamed, shamed and reviled.

I believe that at the heart of overeating is an empty place we try to fill with food. It can never be filled because that emptiness is bottomless, with no borders in any direction, nothing to contain it or stop it. We know how it spirals and builds on itself. The more you eat, the more you want. That needy part of yourself is always afraid of not getting enough food. It isn't rational. Of course it isn't. It has nothing to do with reason or logic.

So does understanding that help? There is little professional help that isn't expensive, and a trial in itself. For me, the only solution is knowing the truth, facing it, and working on myself continuously, including more exercise, and above all, calories in/calories out. Calorie counting isn't the solution for everybody, which is why I wholeheartedly welcome participation in this thread, which is group therapy without the expense of the professional engagement.

I have become that boring calorie lady, but I'm happier than I've ever been. I'd like to weigh less, and my body type will never allow me to be what you'd call "skinny", but I'm many years off the weight gain-loss-gain treadmill, because of awareness. Maybe I can't change the thought circuitry that makes me hungry all the time, keeps me thinking about my next meal while I'm having a meal, but I can be aware of what I'm doing, and awareness is everything.

This is a favorite frozen pizza, organic ingredients. I feel lucky it's offered by my local grocery store, and always seems to be in stock.



I don't like ordering delivery from pizza places because I don't know what calories are lurking there. This is a really tasty pizza, normal size, 12.5 oz., I guess about 12", not a so called "personal pizza". The calorie count on the box says 310 calories for one third of the pizza. Who can exactly measure a pizza into thirds? Not me, but the 310 per third adds up to 930 for the whole thing, half of which is 465. The main point is that it's big, and I know how much of it is mine, so if I have a guest over when the focus isn't on food, like if we're just going to watch a movie or catch up over drinks, I can cook two of these so the other person can have as much as they want, but half of one of them is all mine. I cut my half into quarters and put all of mine on one plate.

It works. I send any leftovers home with my guest, so none remain here to tempt me. If I'm cooking for myself alone, the other half goes into the fridge as soon as it has cooled, to be enjoyed the next day.

The Sprouts brand organic 4 cheese pizza is of similar size and calorie count, equally good, but I don't shop there as often. The point is to solve the problem of pizza night. The small individual "diet" brand pizzas and personal size pizzas are often more calories for less pizza, and don't taste as good as these full size organic ones.

I hope it helps someone. Participation in this thread is invited and welcomed.

 

[Jimi]

I made these the other day


Ingredients
Baby Portabella Mushrooms
Myioko's veggaterian cheese (both chedder and motsorellia (I know I can't spell)
Garden onion (chopped finely)
Hot peppers from the garden (Chopped finely)
And some veggaterian yogart (used as a binder)

I have no idea how many calories, can't be too many I'd think, but they make a wonderful snack

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I made these the other day
View attachment 197049

Ingredients
Baby Portabella Mushrooms
Myioko's veggaterian cheese (both chedder and motsorellia (I know I can't spell)
Garden onion (chopped finely)
Hot peppers from the garden (Chopped finely)
And some veggaterian yogart (used as a binder)

I have no idea how many calories, can't be too many I'd think, but they make a wonderful snack

Those look delicious.

 

[Jimi]

Thank you, they were.

 

[Jimi]

1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF)​ The fudgiest plant-based, gluten-free chocolate muffins on the block, made in 1 bowl with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, flaxseed, cocoa powder, bananas, and more!

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins

Servings 11 (Muffins) Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan Ingredients 2 medium-size ripe bananas 1 batch flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 ½ Tbsp water) 1 ½ tsp baking soda 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic brown sugar) 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub agave nectar) 1/4 cup fresh drippy tahini (or sub other nut or seed butter of choice) 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or melted coconut oil or vegan butter // if oil-free, sub more nut or seed butter of choice and reduce dry ingredients slightly to compensate for thicker batter) 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats (to keep grain-free, try subbing half the amount in coconut flour, though we haven’t tested it ourselves) 1 1/4 cup almond flour (we haven’t tested with almond meal but think it would work) 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate) Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake wrappers (if subbing a different size pan, adjust cook time as needed). To a large mixing bowl add banana, flax egg (flaxseed and water) and mash to combine, leaving only a few chunky pieces. You want it pretty smooth. Add baking soda, coconut sugar, maple syrup, tahini, sea salt, vanilla, and avocado oil and whisk vigorously to combine. Then add cocoa powder and whisk again to combine. Add gluten-free rolled oats and stir to combine. Then add almond flour a little at a time and stir to combine. You're looking for a scoopable batter that's still moist (see photo). If too dry, thin with a bit of water or dairy-free milk. If too wet, add more almond flour a little at a time. Lastly, add chocolate chips and stir to combine. Divide batter between muffin tins, filling almost all the way to the top (as recipe is written, about 11 muffins — adjust amounts as needed if adjusting serving size). Option to sprinkle on a few more chocolate chips before baking for more chocolate flavor. Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes or until risen. When cooked, a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a cooling rack to let cool completely. The wrappers come off more easily and the texture is best when completely cooled. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Notes *Nutrition information is a rough estimate.*15 minutes prep includes 10 minutes for making the batter and 5-minute cooling time (although a 10- to 15-minute cooling time is ideal).

Nutrition (1 of 11 servings) Serving: 1 muffin Calories: 265 Carbohydrates: 29.6 g Protein: 6.3 g Fiber: 5.6 g Sugar: 17.2 g Fat: 16.7 g Saturated Fat: 3.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.96 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.01 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 231 mg Potassium: 286 mg Vitamin A: 18.82 IU Vitamin C: 1.87 mg Calcium: 50.85 mg Iron: 2.72 mg

<< Watch the video demo here >> There you go! A nice zing of potassium, relatively low carb and a bit of fiber and protein to boot. Hope you enjoy these. Be sure to let me know.

 

[Frogger]

I know diet usually has weight loss connotations, but for those ppl who need to eat meat for various reasons this is an interesting link about the fish that can be substituted for red meat

The Amount of Creatine in Meat | Livestrong.com

Your body makes about half of the creatine needed for energy. The other half comes from foods sources such as red meat, pork and seafood such as herring.

www.livestrong.com

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I know diet usually has weight loss connotations...

Not always, and all ideas add value to the thread, IMO.

Thanks for posting that.