The things that get me through the tough times are NSA fudgesicles, SF hot cocoa, and NSA chocolate pudding (tho' I don't have this often because I really tend to overdo). I love the Fage Greek Yogurt nonfat, so creamy and rich tasting, with agave nectar on top and nuts, I have a bowl of this almost every night as an evening snack. I've done lots of experimenting too and my favorite recipes are: Taco Bake, Chicken Divan, Mediterannean Chicken, and the cottage cheese pancake. These are all in the recipes above. What helps me most is planning my meals for the week. Then after I shop, I prep a bunch of raw veggies, hard boil some eggs, and make a big pot of veggie soup, or a 3 bean salad, or marinated veggies. If I have all this at hand it's much easier to make the right choices. If I wait until I'm in the kitchen hungry and trying to figure out what to eat, I'll go for the crackers or cookies every time.
Schmoodle, that sounds like my week! I shop on Mondays and spend the afternoon chopping, cleaning and storing my veggies so that fresh salads and veggie snacks are right there at my fingertips. Now that I'm in P2, I'll start hard-boiling eggs in large batches (I see that they are on the SB snack menus more often, and less omelettes are seen).
I want to add Taco Bake to my list of 'Pleasures', we had that last night, with some modifications (mostly less of each of the spices) and it was DELICIOUS!!! Almost too delicious, I felt stuffed after a serving. I think this would make a GREAT super-bowl taco 'dip', much better than the fat-laden one I usually make!
Kara, me too on the peanut butter cup. After 8 months, I still have one nearly every night...never get tired of them.
And speaking of taco bake...I had a tad leftover in the fridge last night and wanted "something" but not sure what...so I heated the taco bake a bit in the microwave..just to take the chill off and put it on a blob of butter lettuce...made a great/filling salad!
Last edited by femmecreole; 11-21-2007 at 08:07 AM.
Black Beans & Salsa !!! I love having this for lunch when I'm tired of salads. Also, in another thread someone suggested using a sweet pepper half to spread chicken salad for an open-faced "sandwich" - it's great. My sweet cravings are minimal so I only occasionally have a SF hard candy (this is major for me).
The peanut butter cup has carried me through, too. I have one almost every night. For Phase 2, I've also been enjoying baked apples with a dollop of ff yogurt or Cool Whip.
Well like everyone else peanut butter cup is my fav and a lifesaver! For P2 I also love to tinker with the oatmeal bars, the last couple of times I have used pumpkin in them keeping with the whole fall comfort food thing.
I totally agree with the PB cup. I wonder how in the heck I got through 2 weeks of P1 without it! I've tried it with the Wegman's NSA Fudgesicles (they aren't carrying the Fudgesicle brand at our store anymore...), and though they have more calories, they are delicious! Amen on the Taco Bake, too. Yum! In Phase 1, I often eat it on a bed of "Angel Hair Coleslaw"--just thinly shredded cabbage. It has great crunch and lots of nutrients!
One of the foods that seriously gets me through is refried beans with salsa and cheese. It's such a comfort food for me! I empty a can of FF refried beans into two containers--one for now and one for later. I add granulated garlic and seasoning salt and microwave one. As soon as it comes out, I sprinkle one serving of LF cheddar cheese on it and a couple dollops of SF salsa. When the cheese melts, it's ooey and gooey and soooo satisfying! Plus, it has protein, fiber, a bit of fat, and veggies, so it's really filling. It makes a great breakfast and an excellent snack.
I agree on preparing ahead...I make up my meal plan for the week and go shopping, then stick to that, and it helps a lot. Like the others, if I don't have a plan for my body, it'll have a plan for me, and I won't like the results! It helps, though, to keep the easy snacks out of the house so I'm less tempted.
Another thing that helps is SF gum. I don't agree with most of what Freud thought, but I must have some kind of oral fixation--I just want something in my mouth all that time! Gum takes care of that, and it's also a great way to deal with anxiety and stress!
I also love my water...I carry a bottle with me everywhere I go and it's a great way to deal with my cravings.
One more--flavored teas, especially decaf or herbal ones. I have one decaf "Creme Caramel" tea that I add a tiny bit of 1% milk and SF Caramel syrup to and I feel like I'm having a decadent dessert! Yum!
Laurie, where does one find a decaf Creme Caramel tea? What brand is it? That sounds DELIGHTFUL! I'm now glaring at my Eeyore mug of decaf plain ol' green tea......
I have to agree with the beans, cheese, and salsa. That was a staple for me on Ph1. Sometimes I'd make a taco salad out of it and have it on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of FF sour cream on top. On Ph2, I'd eat it with homemade WW tortilla chips, straight from the oven. So warm and filling!
I also rather enjoyed the Decadent Brownies with a dollop of FF cool whip on top. Mmmmmm.
Oooh, homemade tortilla chips! That sounds awesome!
Weezle, I use an Eeyore mug, too! I saw a great Eeyore t-shirt when we were in Florida that said something like, "Grumble. Whine. Repeat."
The Creme Caramel decaf tea is made by Stash. I get it at Wegman's in the Nature's Market section. Looking at their website, they have some other really yummy flavors, too. I'm such a tea whore.
Explain this to me chicks, please. I love chocolate. I love peanut butter. I love fudgesicles. I do not love the peanut butter cup. Everybody loves it so much, I think I must not be making it right - I know, recipes don't get any easier! When I try to soften the fudgesicle in the microwave, I either get it too melty (yuck), or not melty enough. It doesn't mix well with the peanut butter, and then the Cool Whip is hard too and doesn't mix in very well. I just end up with a mess. What am I doing wrong?
Cat, maybe I should have mentioned, you are the one that got me started on the Fage with agave nectar. Laurie, you've mentioned that tea before and it sounds wonderful. I've got to remember to look for it. Someone else mentioned some chocolate tea on here once (charolastra?) and I made a note to look for that. I've got so much tea on hand right now though that I made a rule I couldn't buy any more for a while. I love to have all kinds of different flavors on hand. My faves these days are Yogi Chai, and Madagascar Vanilla.
I love the refried beans and Mexican-y stuff too, but I've been eating so much of it, I need a break.
Laurie, ah HA! (Every time I say "ah HA!" it sounds like George Castanza in my head.) I recognize Stash. I may have to see if Shop n Save has that brand. If not, I can run to Schnucks where I know I've seen it.
My Eeyore mug is perfect for me. It holds like 20 oz full, but I probably only drink 16-18 oz as to not spill hot liquid on myself. Eeyore is my favorite! That shirt is funny. I have 3 huge black garbage bags full of my stuffed Eeyores in my closet that I have no idea what to do with. I realized when I saw my pj's lying on the floor after my shower that I was wearing an Eeyore sweatshirt ("Rainy Days are perfect for reflection") and Eeyore sweatpants this morning. Geeez.
Schmoodle, I always had a hard time mixing the PB Cup too. I wonder if you melted the fudgesicle all the way and mixed it all together so it's soupy and then re-freeze in a custard cup or muffin tin or something.... do you think that would work? You could make a bunch at a time if it works and then just reach in the freezer for your treat.
OK enough talking of food. I'm going to have a salad and soup for lunch BEFORE I go to the grocery store.
I had trouble at first with the PB cup and wondered if I was doing it right. Now I just nuke the fudgesicle enough to get it off the stick but it stays whole, spread on the PB and then top with cool whip and eat it that way, I like it much better than all mushed up together! I don't like melty stuff!
What's your (SB-Friendly) Pleasure?
My favorite snack for Phase 1 has been fudgcicles (no sugar added) from Wegmans.....they are decadent, and my husband and I have one every night!!!! 
It's such a comfort food for me! I empty a can of FF refried beans into two containers--one for now and one for later. I add granulated garlic and seasoning salt and microwave one. As soon as it comes out, I sprinkle one serving of LF cheddar cheese on it and a couple dollops of SF salsa. When the cheese melts, it's ooey and gooey and soooo satisfying! Plus, it has protein, fiber, a bit of fat, and veggies, so it's really filling. It makes a great breakfast and an excellent snack. 
It helps, though, to keep the easy snacks out of the house so I'm less tempted.
Gum takes care of that, and it's also a great way to deal with anxiety and stress!
Yum!
That sounds awesome!
