Thanks for all the food ideas. You guys are a great source of info. I will have quite a bit to eat now that I have these ideas. What is a legal SB dessert?

Hello everyone!

Thanks for all the kinds words about my picture. I slept in this morning for the first time in a long time. mmmm sure felt good to get some much-needed rest. I feel good to be back OP, and I hope to see results again soon. The majority of my weight loss was in the first 4 months of this program. The last 5 or so has been mostly maintaining while losing the occasional pound here or there. Maybe I need to really sit down and look at what im eating. I'm not sure what to do to be honest! lol I know it will all come of eventually, but I would still LOVE to be under 170 (I have never been under 170 in my adult life). Maybe I should start working out again. I don't know... I do treadmill and weights not so much because I truly enjoy them, but more because I see them as a means to an end. I'm hoping they will "speed up" the entire process of losing weight. Well, maybe one day I will learn to love excersize. *shrugs* I think if I ever truly get into a pattern/routine and really make it a part of my life, one day I may not mind it so much.

I think it was good in a way that I really messed up for a little while there. It reminded my of why im doing what im doing and it scared me into going back OP. I realize now more than even that I will always, always have to think about what im eating for the rest of my life. Not so much to be paranoid or obsess of it, but rather I will always have to keep myself in line so I dont lose control and go off the deep end. It almost feels bad in a way to admit that I have such a "problem" with food and eating. Know what I'm saying here? I dunno... I feel like a recovering alcoholic that will always be tempted to go back for the rest of my days. Maybe over a period years being OP the temptations will lessen. Well, I don't mean to ramble here! I had better get going. Hope everyone is well.

Hi everyone!

Here is today's article from www.holdthetoast.com

I, by no means advocate the Atkins diet. I do believe in the low carb principle and that eating fat is not the worst thing in the world! Pls take what you want and leave what you are not interested in. There are also a couple of recipes on the bottom.

I know that we do not eat like Atkins, however the only way I lose on SB is to eat a lower starchy carb diet and exercise. I just wanted to share this article on low carb and high fat eating. Pls this is not to offend anyone or offend Sugar Busters. During the weight loss phase of SB, we can all agree for MOST people that we have to lower our starchy carb intake until we reach our ideal weight. Most people on SB also eat lowfat. Personally, I don't worry so much about the fat as I do about the lowfat high carbs if you know what I mean. Here is the article:

Lowcarbezine! 20 November 2002

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Hey, Gang -

Did you hear the news? Didja? Didja? The Atkins Diet kicked low fat butt in the Duke University study, presented at the American Heart Association conference this week. Read all about it below! Plus, as promised, Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownies! (And I'm working on more cookies - Christmas is coming, you know.)

I do plan to get out an issue next week, too, before I leave for the holiday, but it may consist solely of recipes for leftover turkey - we'll see what I can get done before hitting the road.

In the meanwhile, read on!

Dana


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All contents © Copyright 2002 Hold the Toast Press. All commercial reproduction is expressly prohibited. If you think your friends will enjoy Lowcarbezine!, please forward them the WHOLE ISSUE. Please, do not post articles or recipes elsewhere on the internet without permission. My attorney tells me that I'll have to come scold you and tell you to cut it out if you do.

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More Thanksgiving Survival Strategies

Last issue we talked about decarbing your Thanksgiving Dinner. However, not all of you are going to do this. Maybe you're eating at someone else's house. Maybe you're entertaining a big crowd of family and friends who would be put out by anything but the traditional high carb menu. Or maybe you've simply decided, "The heck with it! I'm having an Indulgence*, and hang the consequences!"

Whichever it is, you still need strategies to help you get through with minimum damage. Here are some ideas for making it through with the least possible added poundage:

Decide now just exactly how long your Indulgence lasts - and I highly recommend that it last only for as long as Thanksgiving Dinner, and no longer! But even if you decide to make the whole day an Indulgence Day, and eat a hot turkey sandwich or a piece of pie as a late night snack, it's best to decide ahead of time just exactly what your limits are, and stick with them.
I very strongly recommend that your Indulgence not last any longer than Thanksgiving Day. If you decide that you've got license to pick at the leftover stuffing and pie all weekend, you'll be a sorry soul come Monday.
Get up on Thanksgiving and eat your usual high protein, low carb breakfast. This will moderate your hunger for the rest of the day, and help you make rational decisions about just how much you want to Indulge when dinner rolls around. Do not decide to starve yourself all day until the big feast, to work up a good ol' appetite. Bad Idea!
When dinner rolls around, go ahead and have a modest portion of all the high carb foods you really love (and not a single bite of the high carb foods you don't really love!) At the same time, have a good, big portion of turkey, and any other low carb foods you like that may be on the menu. When you're done, spend a few minutes conversing before deciding whether or not you want seconds of anything.
If the feast is at your house, pack off as many of the really dangerous leftovers as you can with departing guests. If you're eating at someone else's house, and they offer to pack up a slice of leftover pie, ask if you could take a little turkey instead!
When Friday rolls around, if Family Togetherness is starting to get to you, and the leftovers are calling your name, get out of the house. Start your Christmas shopping. Head downtown to see the decorations that will have magically appeared over night. Take a walk. Go to a movie. But get out!
If you're planning on spending the weekend around the house - maybe watching football - make sure you have plenty of your favorite low carb treats on hand. This would be a great time for a cheese-and-meat platter, a shrimp platter, or a wing platter from the deli at your grocery store. Lay in some mixed nuts, or some bite-sized smoked sausages. Just make sure that you have something low carb to eat that you'll really enjoy!
If you're used to disposing of the leftover turkey by making sandwiches, you'll need a new plan. Personally, I love Turkey Club UnSandwiches - a slice of turkey, a slice of tomato, a slice of crisp bacon, and a little mayonnaise, all wrapped in a lettuce leaf. But I'll have more low carb recipes for leftover turkey in next week's issue!
Last, but certainly not least, spend some time being genuinely thankful. In a world where many are starving, you have enough food that you have to think carefully about your choices - and that means that you are truly blessed.
* I have long preferred the terms "Indulgence" and "Indulge" to "cheating". "Cheating" implies that you can get away with something, which of course you never do. "Indulgence" implies that you know exactly what you're doing and why - and are doing it rationally, and are still in control.
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Gloating Time!

Okay, everybody join in: Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Yep, here at Hold the Toast Press, we're doing the happy dance in a truly insufferable way. And why not? Just yesterday, the news hit the major media that Duke University's ongoing study of the Atkins diet shows that not only does the diet cause weight loss, but it causes more weight loss than a low fat diet, people are more likely to stay on it, and causes a greater improvement in blood work, to boot. Surely you and I are allowed at least one tiny, "Told you so!"

The study, conducted by Dr. Eric Westman, an internist at Duke's diet and fitness center, was presented to the American Heart Association, long a major proponent of low fat diets, at their annual scientific meeting on Monday. Boy, wouldn't you like to have been a fly on the wall?!

The Duke study involved 120 overweight volunteers, who were randomly assigned to either the low fat "Step 1" diet recommended by the American Heart Association, or to the Induction level of the Atkins Diet - no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate a day, and a level of fat consumption that Westman called "off the scale." What happened?

After 6 months, the Atkins group had lost an average of 31 pounds apiece, compared to an average 20 pound loss on the AHA diet. More people had actually stuck with their Atkins program, too - fully 80% stayed with the diet, a remarkable figure. So much for claims that the diet won't work because "It's just so hard to stick to."

But the biggest surprise came with the blood work. Total cholesterol fell slightly in both groups. But only those on the Atkins diet had an increase in the HDL "good" cholesterol - an average 11% increase. Not only is this good in itself, but coupled with the lower total cholesterol, must mean that there was a greater decrease in LDL "bad" cholesterol in the Atkins dieters as well. The folks on the AHA diet had no increase in HDL - and therefore, theoretically, their risk of heart disease did not decline as much as the Atkins dieters'.

Carbohydrates have been known to be the primary cause of high triglycerides for quite a while now - which could explain why the Atkins dieters had an average 49% drop in triglycerides, while the low fat dieters had only a 22% drop.

Seems that everything that Bob Atkins and the rest of us low carb proponents have been saying is true. Finally, the National Institutes of Health are launching a study that will last a year, and involve 360 volunteers. We await the results with interest - and wonder just how many studies it will take for the Low Fat Faithful to get it, and admit they were wrong about low carbohydrate diets.

Apparently, that hasn't happened yet. I switched on the TV while fixing dinner last night, and flipped around the channels, hoping for some commentary. I found it on MSNBC's "Nachman"- a spokesman for the Atkins Center and a traditional dietician were on, along with the host, Jerry Nachman, editor-in-chief of MSNBC. (Just to make things more interesting, Jerry Nachman himself has been on the Atkins diet for a week or two, and has lost 8 pounds.) The dietician remained unconvinced, saying that a low carb diet was still bad and evil and dangerous, etc, etc, etc. Why?

First of all, she said, any diet that causes weight loss will lower cholesterol. Well, yes, but as the Duke study demonstrated, not just any diet will cause an increase in heart healthy HDL, and only a low carb diet causes the greatest decrease in triglycerides.

Oh, and a low carb diet is bad because after all, it cuts out vegetables! Vegetables have carbohydrates, and that means that low carbers aren't going to eat any vegetables, and they won't get the vitamins and minerals they need. Don't you wish these people would actually read the stuff that they're railing against? The gentleman from the Atkins center explained that yes, low carbers eat vegetables, blah-blah-blah - basic stuff that every low carber knows.

I wish he'd added two more points - one, that even on Induction, the very strictest phase of the diet, the Atkins diet calls for two cups of vegetables a day, or four servings. This is more than the average American is eating. Furthermore, the Induction phase is not the whole diet, and certainly not the life-long maintenance program. Low carbers generally end up eating far more vegetables than they used to. After all, who else is replacing mashed potatoes with pureed cauliflower? Who else is using spaghetti squash in place of spaghetti? Who else is ordering the insides of sandwiches on a bed of lettuce? Who else is saying, "Can I get an extra salad in place of the potato, please?"

The dietician's final, withering attack on low carb diets was that, since low carbers don't drink milk - true, for the most part - we can't possibly get enough calcium without supplements. The response to this is two fold.

First of all, the vast majority of Americans, low fat, low carb, carnivore, vegetarian, or just not paying attention - aren't getting enough calcium. And drinking milk is no big protection. Why? Because it takes a quart of milk a day to get enough calcium, that's why. You need 1200 - 1500 mgs of calcium every single day, and an 8 ounce glass of milk has just 301 mgs.

Very few people are drinking a quart of milk a day. Yet drinking some milk tends to make people feel that they must be getting enough calcium - I've had folks tell me that they're getting enough, because they drink a big glass of milk every other day or so. This sort of false sense of security is downright dangerous.

(Parenthetically, I'd like to note that milk has not, historically, been the best source of calcium in the human diet. The two best sources have been bones, and hard water. Indeed, living in an area where the water is high in calcium and magnesium can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. And if you cook meat with bones in an acidic medium - tomatoes, vinegar, wine, or whatever - you'll end up with a calcium-rich dish.)

Also, milk is about the only calcium-rich food that low carbers aren't eating. Many low carbers have rediscovered the joys of cheese, after shunning it for its fat content for years. One ounce of Cheddar cheese supplies 204 mgs of calcium, and 1 ounce of Monterey Jack supplies 217 mgs. Indeed, all cheese is a good source of calcium - after all, it's made from milk. Since The GO-Diet taught us that the carb count in plain yogurt is lower than we thought, many of us eat yogurt, as well - and 1 cup of low fat yogurt supplies 448 mgs of calcium. The heavy cream that we use without fear gives us 10 mgs of calcium per tablespoon.

Nuts and seeds, another food re-embraced by low carb dieters after banishment from their previous low fat diets, are a not-insignificant source of calcium. Almonds are especially good, with 75 mgs. per ounce. Too, many of the green, leafy vegetables we eat have meaningful amounts of calcium - collards, by the way, are the calcium champs of the vegetable kingdom, with 179 mgs in just 1/2 cup of cooked, frozen chopped collard greens, so if you're fond of them, chow down! For comparison, the potatoes we shun contribute only 8 mgs of calcium apiece.

Even some of those "evil" animal protein foods we so shamelessly feast upon are pretty good sources of calcium, especially the fish and seafoods - 3 ounces of shrimp contribute 44 mgs of calcium, and 3 ounces of lobster will give you 52 mgs. Among the best sources are canned salmon and sardines, for the simple reason that you consume the bones. 3 ounces of canned salmon, eaten with the bones, will give you 181 mgs. of calcium of the most bioavailable kind, and just two canned sardines will supply 92 mgs. If you like these fish, use them often!

Clearly, we can get plenty of calcium on our low carb diets - and yet, most of us don't want to do the work of planning our diets to give us enough calcium every day - and that goes for people eating low fat diets, too. Since calcium is the most important mineral in the human diet - you have more calcium in your body than all the other minerals combined, and it participates in a vast array of chemical processes, along with making up the bulk of your bones and teeth - supplements just make sense.

So much for the "a low carb diet is bad because it doesn't have enough calcium" argument.

What we're left with, it appears, is "A low carb diet is bad because it's not a low fat diet with lots of grains and beans, and we know that's the real healthy diet - don't confuse us with facts." Hardly a compelling argument.

I will wait with interest for the results of the NIH study - and confidently predict that A) it will again show that low carb diets work as advertised, and B) that the Low Fat Faithful will remain unconvinced.

Their loss.

(Related note: During this discussion, the dietician asserted first that there were "thousands", and then corrected it to "hundreds" of studies showing that diets high in carbohydrate are healthy. I'd really love to know where she was finding them. A good 6 years ago, when I took Argumentation and Debate at Indiana University - just around the corner - I used low carbohydrate diets for my scientific argument project. I was required to argue both sides of the question, and accordingly spent 3 or 4 hours in the Medline database, running every search I could think of - "carbohydrate AND hypertension", "carbohydrate AND cholesterol", "carbohydrate AND atherosclerosis", etc, etc, etc. I found nothing to back up the claim that 6 - 11 servings of grains a day - as recommended by the USDA Food Pyramid - improved any health condition. I did find a few studies that showed that if you're going to eat a ton of carbs, it may be best to restrict fats, but that's about as close as I came to finding support for the low fat/high carb diet.)


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More Christmas Presents for Low Carbers

Have you ever wondered who all those infomercials are aimed at? Apparently you haven't noticed the target tattooed on my forehead. I own at least 8 or 9 infomercial products, and I'm pleased to say that the majority of them perform exactly as advertised. In particular, I have a few fitness infomercial products that I really like. So if you have a low carber on your Christmas list who is always looking for a new way to shape up - or if you're a low carber who wants to shape up - you might consider these:

The Firm with Fanny Lifter - I've written about The Firm videos before. These are, in a word, superb. They're easy to follow - which is not the same as being easy to do, of course! - and they are fantastically effective. There is absolutely no question that if you regularly do the Firm workouts, you will burn fat at the fastest possible rate, build muscle, strengthen your bones, stand and move better, and just plain look better.

I don't have the specific videos on the infomercial, but I've tried five or six videos from The Firm - a company which has been around since the 1980s, by the way - and they've all been excellent. One particularly great thing about these videos is that, because of the way they incorporate weights, you not only get the maximum results in the minimum time, but you also will never outgrow the workout. If you're terribly out of shape, you can start doing the workout with no weights at all, and work your way up through 1 and 2 pounders to larger weights. If you're in good shape already, you can start with 3, 5, and 10 pound weights, and add more weight as you get stronger - you'll never stop progressing.

The videos from The Firm are the best of the best, and are highly recommended. However, I have read at http://www.fitnessinfomercialreview.com that the company that actually does the infomercial has less-than-stellar customer service. Consider doing a websearch for another company to order from.

If you'd like to give just one or two videos from The Firm, instead of spending $90 for the whole package, you can order them from http://www.firmbeliever.com - and a few of them from Amazon.com, which used to carry all of them. Here's a link to an article by Lowcarbezine! reader and Firm Believer Carol Vandiver, with rundown of the various Firm videos. Sadly, some of the Amazon links in the article no longer work - http://www.holdthetoast.com/archive/010404.html#firm
Zumba - this is my latest infomercial product. For those of you who have yet to catch the Zumba infomercial, this is a workout based on Latin dance - salsa, merengue, samba, and more. For $60-odd you get four videos - a "steps" video, that breaks down many of the various dance steps into the individual components, and helps you learn them, a Beginning Zumba workout, an Advanced workout, and a "Rapido" fifteen minute quicky workout. The Zumba program has a few problems. I feel that the infomercial overstates how easy it is to learn the steps, and the "Steps" video leaves out some of the moves that are on the workout tapes. Also, the "calling" of the steps on the videos could be better - as it is, they mostly just expect you to follow along, and it can take three or four times through before you start to get it.

That being said, I have really been enjoying the Beginning Zumba video. It's a ton of fun, the music is terrific, and the people are very appealing. This is not your average boring workout! Even my workout-hating husband likes Zumba. If you like to dance, this may be your workout. I've even added wrist weights to my Zumba-ing, to bring it up to the cardiovascular intensity of the Heavyhands workout I was doing all summer, and increase upper strength, and I think this is great.

I will say, however, that we finally watched part of the Advanced Zumba tape the other night, and "advanced" is right! This is very high intensity dance, with steps that are quite complex. I'm determined to learn it, but many may find it daunting. Still, I have a feeling that if I did the Advanced Zumba tape 4 - 5 times a week, I'd never get old...

Here's the Zumba website: http://www.zumba.com
Total Gym - this is the product advertised by Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley. First developed at a physical therapy device, the Total Gym consists of a padded board that rolls along sloped rails, and a system of cables with pulleys and handles. The idea is that you sit or lie on the board, and by pulling on the cables you roll the board up and down the slope. By changing the degree of the slope, you can increase or decrease the percentage of your own body weight that you're lifting.

I wanted the Total Gym the moment I saw it. I could see immediately that it allowed for a very wide range of motion, and a limitless assortment of exercises. It was also apparent that it used what we call the "mid-course corrector muscles" - the little muscles that help you stabilize - these are the muscles that are not recruited by machines like Nautilus, and the reason that serious bodybuilders traditionally prefer free weights. I also liked the fact that the Total Gym stretched as well as strengthened - something which nearly saved my life after my car wreck a couple of years ago.

I bought my Total Gym used, off of Ebay - saved a good $700 that way - and I have never been disappointed. It's sturdy, and performs exactly as advertised. If you want a machine that will let you build muscle and flexibility with a fairly short workout, this is a fine piece of equipment. The only criticism I have is that - like most exercise equipment - the Total Gym is more of a pain to set up and take down than it appears on the infomercial, and it takes up a lot of room when set up. Other than that, it's great.
Walk Away the Pounds - I haven't actually tried these videos, but this is what I plan to get my mom for Christmas (don't tell her!) Her doctor has told her to walk every day, both for her general health and for her bones, but she's in her 70s, and lives in the Chicago suburbs, where the weather is pretty rough for walking in the winter.

Designed by Leslie Sansone, Walk Away the Pounds is a series of videos of workout that are basically glorified walking in place - that is, walking with some arm movements and such. They have absolutely glowing reviews at the fitness infomercial review site, and I've never seen a single negative word about them. From seeing the infomercial, I know that this is a low impact workout, without any difficult "dance-y" moves - yet enough to get the circulation going and the heart rate up. This strikes me as a superb idea - and a lot cheaper and easier to store than a treadmill! The workouts do incorporate some light weight work as you go along, which is also a big plus, both for increasing fitness and strengthening bones.

Here's a link to the original Walk Away the Pounds VHS: http://makeashorterlink.com/?B26D26382

Here's Walk Away the Pounds 2 Mile Walk: http://makeashorterlink.com/?T29D31382

And here's a gift set of the original Walk Away the Pounds plus weights: http://makeashorterlink.com/?V1BD23382
More gift ideas next issue!


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Get Your Low Carb Thanksgiving Gift Basket Here!

Ward off the leftover pumpkin pie with the low carb treats in our Thanksgiving gift basket - or get a jump on your Christmas shopping with our wide selection of other low carb gift baskets!

While you're at the site, check out our huge selection of low carb candy, bake mix, chips, pasta, books, supplements and more - ALL AT A DISCOUNT!

Plus our own newsletter, success stories, recipes - and Dana's How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!

If you're low carb and smart, you'll shop Carb Smart!

http://www.webbalah.net/carbsmart.html


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Cooking Low Carb!

Here, as promised, is the recipe for Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownies! A friend posted the original, definitely not low carb recipe to a newsgroup I frequent (Thanks, Robin!), and I couldn't resist the challenge. They're wonderful!

Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownies

1 cup Splenda

1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder

1/4 cup almond meal

OR

a scant 1/4 cup shelled almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals - regular or decaf, as you prefer

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 large eggs

1/4 cup water

6 ounces sugar free chocolate chips

OR

3 - 4 sugar free dark chocolate bars, chopped to chocolate chip size in the food processor

Preheat oven to 350

Put Splenda, vanilla whey protein, almond meal or almonds, cocoa, instant coffee crystals, and salt in a food processor with the S-blade in place. Pulse to combine, and if using whole almonds, continue until they're ground fine. Add the butter, and pulse until the butter is "cut in" - well combined with the dry ingredients. Turn out into a bowl. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a whisk after each. Then beat in the water. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bars. Spray an 8x8" square pan with non-stick cooking spray, and spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes - do not overbake! Cool, and cut into squares.

I made 25 small brownies from this - I like to have the option of having a little something, and if I want more, I can always have two. If you do, indeed, make 25, each brownie will have 3 grams of carbohydrate, and 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 2 grams. Also 3 grams of protein.

If you prefer, you can make 16 bigger brownies, at 4 grams of carb each, and 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 3 grams, with 4 grams of protein.

These carb counts do not include the polyols in the sugar free chocolate.

Last week I suggested Green Beans Almondine instead of the green bean casserole that appears at so many Thanksgiving Dinners - and is so full of carbs. Personally, I like Green Beans Almondine better, anyway. But for you Green Bean Casserole diehards - and I know that there are more than a few of you out there! - here's the new, decarbed version!

DeCarbed Green Bean Casserole

1 medium onion

1/4 cup low carb bake mix or rice protein powder

1/4 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1/4 teaspoon paprika

oil for frying

4 cups frozen green beans, cut style

4 ounce can mushrooms

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon chicken or beef bouillon concentrate

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon guar or xanthan gum

Slice the onion thin, and separate into rings. Mix together the bake mix or protein powder, salt or Vege-Sal, and paprika. "Flour" the onion rings - the easiest way is to put the "flouring" mixture in a small paper sack, and shake a few onion rings at a time. Heat about 1/4" of oil in a heavy skillet, over medium heat, and fry the "floured" onion rings, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. You can do this part well in advance, if you like.

When you're ready to make your casserole, start your green beans cooking - I like to microwave mine on high for about 7 - 8 minutes, but you can steam them if you prefer. While that's happening, drain the liquid off the mushrooms, and reserve it. Saute the mushrooms and the minced onion in the butter until the onion is limp and translucent. Now add the cream, the reserved mushroom liquid, the Worcestershire sauce, the bouillon concentrate, and the soy sauce, and stir, then salt and pepper to taste.

Now you have a choice - you can either pour this mixture into a blender, or use a hand blender. Either way, sprinkle the guar or xanthan over the top, and run the blender just long enough to blend in the thickener, and to chop the mushrooms a bit - but not to totally puree them, you want some bits of mushroom.

Okay, we're on the home stretch. Drain your cooked green beans, and put them in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish that you've sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Stir in the mushroom mixture and half of those fried onions. Bake it in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, then top it with the rest of the fried onions, and bake for another 5 minutes. 6 servings, each with 11 grams carbohydrate and 4 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 7 grams. 6 grams protein. For the record, this comes to just over half of the carb content of the original recipe - and just about the same calorie count.


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That's it for this issue! See you next issue!

Dana

Return to Archive Contents

To request a full-text version of this issue by e-mail, just send a message to: [email protected] (Message and subject can be blank.)


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All contents Copyright © 1999-2002 by Hold the Toast Press. All commercial reproduction and/or use is expressly prohibited. As always, feel free to forward Lowcarbezine! to any family or friends you feel might enjoy it, provided that you forward it in its entirety.

Lowcarbezine! welcomes reader input! If you have a question, a recipe, a product review, a low carb success story, send it on in!! [email protected] All submissions become the property of Hold the Toast Press. If you don't want us to print your letter, just let us know, and we won't! However, please note -- although I really do read all my email my very own self, I get a lot of mail -- generally over 200 posts a day (not all of them about Lowcarbezine!), so I can't promise to answer every post personally. Or I'll never get the next book written!

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Hey, Guys you were right! The scale said 214 this morning.

Gracious- i would be starving if that were my menu! I think I simply eat too much!

Jack-K- You're doing good! I'm sure in another week, you'll have all of those vacation pounds gone!

Daramus- I know I'm addicted to food- I know that I will ALWAYS have a problem with it. But at least with SB I feel somewhat in control. It stinks that i can't eat what I want like some other's and stay slim!

Good Morning to All


It's a crisp day here in Ridgefield, about 50 out side and the Sun is shining, This is unusual for our part of the country as we usually are known for our rain. And I do mean rain. Where is it!
Well I'm not having a good day, I've all ready had two not on but two Bologna sandwhichs on WW but getting on line and talking to you all has comed me down to where I don't feel compalsive again I think I can get through this day now. Do any of you ever wake up just nervous and over eat cause of it. I sure do. I didn't even think of SB untill I had eaten the second Sand. Now whats up with that. I guess it's going to be harder than I though to get back on program

Monet: Thanks for the Mayo recipe I'll make it up tonight. DD is looking forward to having her own Mayo that she can use. I'll then be able to make salad dressing for her from it. She only uses Ranch and 1000 island. So thanks again.

Thishaloo: Boy do I know about the left overs, I'm going to Mom's this yr so I don't have to do the cooking and the left overs, I love left overs. Your corn bread stuffing sounds so good, I love dressing only. How old is Jordon, the Y sounds great. My daughter is looking for work for on the wk ends, She was asking me about putting in application at the Y. I thought it sounded like a fun place to work. But only wk ends as she has School during the wk. I'll take all the Angels I can get. We all need alittle help from time to time. so keep um comming'


Linn: I don't think I count on a weight loss from this person as I've already screwed up. But we'll see where we go from here.

Well love to all gotta run Glory

Hi all, doing well today as I rec'd exciting news yesterday. I was invited by my boss(Dr. Segal) to his wedding on January 5th in Anguilla, British West Indies!!! He is renting a private jet for 50 of us to land in St. Martin and then take a ferry over to the island...We have to wear white attire as the wedding will be on the beach. He is paying for the flight, hotel, etc..I'M SO EXCITED!! You see, there are perks for working for doctors!! My head is just spinning...

Daramus: Nice picture. You are very handsome. Nice to meet you! I liked what you said about feeling like a recovering alcoholic. For me, sugar is a drug and I am a recovering sugar addict! It's like all or nothing. I know that if I have one piece of real sugar(poison) I will binge. I have not binged once since I quit sugar completely on 9/1/02! I do believe that weight lifting is the fastest way to take the fat off and to keep it off!

Congratulations to Laurie, Jackie, and Linworthlady for their weight losses!!

Trish: Sorry that you are having family problems with your sister. Glad your Mom is doing okay now. I'm sure your Mom didn't deserve that! It's definitely okay to vent on here especially writing it down on here. It has less power over you when you write your troubles down. It helps to get it out so you feel better. I hope that your family can resolve these issues soon. Here are some good vibes for you! Also, Jordan's job sounds very exciting working as a counselor at a school. Lord knows, there are many kids that can use peer counseling!

Jackie: Glad to hear that you go through the service okay and that your SIL was good to you. Thank you for your prayers and support for Amber and I. Things are much better!

Tina: Glad your Mom's medical problem magically disappeared! Now, that's what I call a miracle...

Lyn: Hope you have a tolerable recovery. I couldn't imagine breaking my collar bone. Enjoy your pedicure!!

Lara: Don't worry about you being up 1/2 lb. Probably just water weight or muscle wgt if you are working out.

Gracious: Thank you for the beef stew recipe. Looks awesome. I have some sweet potato recipes. I will look for them and post them later.

Glory: While you are writing a response, just click to the left of the screen "Get More" and more smilies will come up. Just click on which one you want and then click the x to x out of it and return to your message. I love those things as you can tell!!
Glad to see that Monet got you that homemade mayo recipe. Thanks for relating to my daughter. I agree with you, I think the girls are tougher to deal with during those angst teen years.

Linworthlady: I would bring some SGWW bread on the trip so when you stop at a Fast Food restaurant, you can order a burger etc and just put it on your own bread. Also, go to Wendy's when you can to get their Chili. I believe that is legal too!

Monet: Sounds like you had a very interesting discussion on the 2001 Space Odyssy movie. That's the best way to enjoy a movie is have a discussion with everyone after it's over.

Okay, I'm posting a lot today. Take care everyone and I will talk to you soon!!

Recipes:

sweetpotato "hashbrowns

Here's the receipe.
This is only 2 small portions. Double, triple, or whatever as necessary.

Peel and Cube sweet potato (small cubes)
Boil until slightly tender (not too much or they'll mash on you)
Drain sweet potatos
Dice 1/2 onion
Sautee in oil and/or butter in a large skillet
Add in sweet potato cubes
Add in desired amount of salt and pepper
Cook until slightly browned, turning frequently

Tip: When turning the potatos in the pan, use a spatula and turn big portions. Be very gentle. Otherwise you will mash them up and they won't be cubed anymore.

Pecan Chicken (I think this would be good with fish, too)

Yield: 4 servings

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 C nonfat or low-fat buttermilk or yogurt (I used whole milk yogurt)
2 C Special K cereal
1/4 to 1/3 C finely chopped pecans
1 tsp lemon pepper
3/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp salt (We don't use salt)
Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam regular)

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken crosswise into 8 equal parts, then, with the cut side up, use the palm of your hand to flatten each piece to 1/2-inch thickness.

2. Place the chicken in a shallow nonmetal container and cover with the buttermilk or yogurt. Turn the chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. (I did this with the yogurt, put the chicken in the fridge and got all the other stuff ready during that time, so probably my chicken was in the "marinade" for an hour; I didn't want to wait 6-24 hours. Guess I need to plan better next time, but it tasted great anyway.)

3. Put the cereal in a food processor and process into coarse crumbs. (Alternatively, put the cereal in a plastic zip-type bag and crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a glass.) There should be 1 C of crumbs. Put the crumbs in a shallow dish and add the pecans, lemon pepper, poultry seasoning, and salt. Stir to mix well.

4. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk or yogurt and shake off excess. Dip the chicken pieces in the crumb mixture, turning to coat both sides well.

5. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on the sheet. Spray the tops lightly with the cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is crisp and golden on the outside and is cooked through. Serve hot.

Nutritional facts per serving
Calories: 221
Carbs: 10 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Fat: 6.8 g
Fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 29 g
Sodium: 415 mg
Calcium: 17 mg
GI rating: Low (40 to 54)

From The Good Carb Cookbook, by Sandra Woodruff, MS,RD


The following were sent to me from Beth, a friend of mine from SugarShakers:

Sugar-Free Holiday Nog

7 cups skim milk, divided
1 pkg. (1 ounce) instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1-2 tsp. vanilla or rum extract
Sugar substitute equivalent to 4-8 tsp. sugar
1 cup evaporated skim milk

Combine 2 cups milk, pudding mix vanilla & sugar substitute in a bowl; mix according to pudding directions. Pour into a 1/2 gallon container with tight fitting lid. Add 3 cups milk; shake well. Add evaporated milk; shake well. Add remaining milk; shake well. Chill. Yield 8 servings.

Exchanges: 1 Skim Milk, 1/4 starch
Serving Size: 1 cup: Calories 114, Sodium 296 mg., Cholesterol 6 mg.,
Carbohydrate 18gm., Fat 1gm., fiber 0gm


Eggless Eggnog (sugar free)

3 cups cream
3 cups water
1/3 cup sugar substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon rum flavoring
1 package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
dash of nutmeg

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until well combined. Chill.


Mashed Sweet Potatoes

5 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
2 packets of Splenda
Cream

Peel and boil sliced sweet potatoes until tender. Drain water and place in
mixing bowl.

Add butter & Splenda and mix on high.
Add cream bit by bit until creamy.


Apple Cobbler

2 c. Oat Flour
2/3 c.butter flavor Crisco for crust
8-10 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored & pared
1/2 c. Sugar Twin mixed with 1 t. Cinnamon
2-4 T. Butter, sliced thinly

Mix flour and Crisco as you would for a pie crust, mixing thoroughly. Press 1/2 into 8x8 baking dish for crust. Keep other half for top. Peel and cut up apples and place into crust, sprinkling with Sugar Twin/cinnamon mixture and dotting with thin slices of butter at each layer. Keep layering until baking dish is full. Pat out remaining crust mixture and place over apples.
Bake at 350 degrees about 1-1/2 hours, or until browned.
Delicious by itself, or topped with sugarfree ice cream.


Good for a head cold!
Kleenex Soup

3 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed in a garlic press
Dash of cayenne pepper
Big pinch of oregano
Dash of nutmeg
Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
Half a celery stalk, sliced thin
salt
1 egg, beaten
Garnish: Chopped fresh parsley

Heat the chicken broth to a boil, add the seasonings and vegetables, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender, then strain the soup. Season to taste with salt. Turn heat to medium and slowly pour the beaten egg
into the strained broth, stirring lightly as it goes in, so it looks like
shreds of Kleenex tissue as it cooks. Remove from heat immediately after the egg cooks.

Gingersnaps

2 cups almond flour (***or 1 C. Almond, 1 C.Hazelnut)
1/4 lb (1 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup granular Splenda
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar Twin
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon sugarfree vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Cream butter with Splenda and Brown Sugar Twin in a large bowl. Add water and spices and mix well. Gradually add almond flour and mix to a stiff dough. Form into small balls and place on greased cookie sheet at least 1" apart.(***try 2-3" apart!)
Bake at 300°F for 20 minutes.(*** 30 for crisp) After five minutes in oven, press cookies down with a fork in a criss-cross manner.
Continue baking, being careful not to burn and adjusting time for your oven. Makes 20 - 24 cookies. Approximately 1 carb per cookie.

Baked Eggnog Cheesecake Custard

8 oz. light cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 c sour cream
3 Tbsp. splenda
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
With a mixer,beat the cream cheeese with splenda.
Add the sour cream, extracts, nutmeg and the eggs.
Beat until smooth and creamy. Pam spray 4 oven proof 6 oz. custard cups.Divide custard mixture evenly into the cups.
Place the custard cups into a 9"x13" cake pan;pour hot water in the pan to about 1/2 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cups from pan & let cool on a wire rack.
When cool, store in the fridge.

Citrus Pumpkin Pie in Nutty Crust
Crust:
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C ground walnuts
3 T vegetable oil
1/4 C orange juice or water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Filling:
2 C cooked or canned pumpkin, pureéed
1-1/2 C plain, low fat yogurt
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 T freshly grated orange zest

Makes 8 Servings
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To Make Crust:
Combine crust ingredients and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Set Aside.
To Make Filling:
Beat together pumpkin, yogurt, orange juice, sugars and eggs. Add salt, spices and orange zest and stir until thoroughly blended. Pour into pastry lined pie pan.

Bake for 15 minutes; lower temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Per Serving:
293 Cal
13g Fat
8g Pro
40g Carb
33mg Chol
192mg Sodium

Warm Blueberry Sauce

Serve this dessert sauce on waffles, pancakes or ice cream.
Makes about 1 cup
1 1/2 cups Blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1/4 cup Splenda or to taste or other sugar sub.
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Sweet Potato Patties

2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup splenda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl, making sure they are mixed well. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet to about 400 degrees. Form mixture into small patties.Dredge patties in flour; press out flat, and fry until each side is brown and
crisp.

Creamed Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower broken into florets
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
1 cup half n' half
1 Tbsp Butter
minced fresh parsley

Place cauliflower in sauce pan with a little salted water and cook until tender crisp. Drain. Spray a casserole dish with PAM. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of the Bread Crumbs. Add cauliflower. Top with half n' half. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt. Top with remaining bread crumbs. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Garnish with Parsley.
6 servings.

Cinnamon Cookies

2 eggs
3 Tb. butter, softened
1/2 c. SF apple sauce
1 tsp. vanilla
6 tsp Splenda
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Beat eggs and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in splenda, applesauce and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Fold into wet ingredients.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 – 10 minutes

TURKEY CUTLETS WITH SAGE
Serves 4

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves
1 pound turkey breast cutlets
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour{SGWW for Sugar Busters!}
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on counter; sprinkle with half
the combined vinegar, garlic, and sage. Place cutlets on plastic
wrap; sprinkle with remaining vinegar mixture. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Cover cutlets with second sheet of plastic wrap. Using kitchen mallet or bottom of heavy pan, pound cutlets to flatten. Let stand 5 minutes.

Sprinkle both sides of cutlets with flour. Heat oil in large
skillet over medium-high heat; add half the cutlets and cook
until browned on bottom, about 1-1/2 minutes. Turn and cook
on second side until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove
cutlets to oven-proof serving platter; keep warm. Repeat with
remaining cutlets.

Heat broth and lemon juice to boiling in skillet; cook until
reduced by half. Pour mixture over cutlets; serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 158, Fat: 4.5 g, Cholesterol: 44.7 g, Sodium: 63 g,
Protein: 21.1 g, Carbohydrate: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread, 3 Meat
WW Pts: 4


This is the last recipe.

I'm back from my vacation to Colorado with a big 4.5 lb. weight gain. But I knew I was blowing my eating and didn't stop it...... So back from a wonderful time with some extra lbs. I'm drinking my water and eating right.....



213/165.5/130

Welcome back Toni!! Did you do some skiing? Don't worry about the gain. It will come right off in no time. Also, probably half is water weight!

Denise, thank you for all those recipes. I've copied the whole thing, as there were so many I wanted to try.

Jack-E where in NH were that couple from that you met on the cruise. Way to go on the weight loss!

Gracious, congragulations on the 1.5 weight loss. Thank you for the compliment on my puppy. She's also spoiled rotten.

linworthlady, that's a terriffic weight loss Last year when DH & I went to FL we brought along some raw veggies, cooked fresh chicken strips, and some cheese to eat on the road. That really stayed with us. We plan on doing that again when we go next year.

Aleka

Hay gang,

Getting ready to go pickup DH, his truck is acting up so we are dropping it off at the shop. Have a meatloaf in the oven so dinner is taken care of. All this talk about sweet pots are making we want one.

Monet, Glad you had a nice outing last nite. Any test results yet?

Linworth, Deb's cheesecake it awesome for starters. There are several more on the recipe boards.

Daramus, I think being a food addict is much like being an alcohlic. We can never go back to eating the old ways. We have to change our eating habits or this weight will be right back plus some. The best part is knowing we can get right back on track after a slip up. That is important. I have been working out with wts and walking everyday. It is part of my daily routine now. Don't even think about it except as to when I will do it. I enjoy it. Of course I would rather veg out on the couch with a bag of chips, but I know I can't. Get back into it. It really does help. You have done great and you will get to 170 before you know it.

Heartmom, I knew the scale would be nice to you today.

Denise, Thanks for the article, It was very intersting. SOme good tips too. How exciting to get to go to Anguilla and best of all it's all paid for> I'm jealous. Especially since I will be freezing here on 1-5. Thanks for the recipes. I miss hashbrowns, I will try that one.

GloryIbe, I plan my meals the night before. I start with dinner. After that I figure out what I want for lunch (usually a salad or sandwich) Then I plan my carbs for either lunch or breakfast. That way I know what I am going to eat when I get up that day and there is no chance for messing up. If I have carbs for dinner, then I don't have any for brkfst or lunch.

Toni, Glad you are back we have missed you. Don't worry about the gain, I gained 10 on mine and 7 are gone already. It will drop off fast. Hope you had a great time.

Aleka, I don't know exactly where they are from. My friend will know I will ask her.

Have a great nite.

Jackie

Hello girls (and boys -is Daramus still around?)

I haven't been around so long, that...well, most of you probably don't even know me. Deb told me I need to at least jump on the board and sweep those cobwebs under my name.

Sorry guys, this year's been terribly busy for me. First I had some boyfriend trouble, then I lost my job, and now I am working 12 hour days on commission only. I am going crazy!

SB still rocks, though, and I am down to 146-147 from 167 where I started back in the February. Since I don't want to be a bad influence, I won't tell how much cheating is going on these days but lemme say, I need a bit of a slap on my b%^$!

Well, I can't promise I'll be able to reply to anyone, or even talk much more, but I miss you all very much, and I am looking to seeing some of you in January. Deb is making big plans already! Yes!

DEB - can you believe I haven't made the cheescake since this summer? I can't believe it myself! I made some oatmeal cookies a month ago, but that is sooooooooo long and far away! These days I am munching nuts and triscuits. I know. Vesna bad.

Allrightie, take care all of you, and remember, the weight loss may be slow, but man, when you get there, you'll KEEP IT OFF! (I know!)

Vesna

Evening All

Conturatry to possible beliefs, no, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, though I sure as heck feel like I have! Not only is this so-called cold hanging on with all fours I feel like I've been drained of every bit of energy from my body. I have no desire to do anything!

Anyhow, I am copying all 3 pages that's been posted this week in hopes that maybe tonight I can find myself some time and energy to catch up with everyone. I've missed you all this week and surely need to see what's going on with you all!

IF I fall asleep do know that my intentions at this time were good and I'll try to find some time tomorrow to post if I don't tonight. Just hoping this will pass soon, it's driving me nuts!!!!

On my way to copy....

{{{HUGS}}}

Deb

The pedicure was indeed a fun experience. She put an interesting color on called ”Kinky in Helsinki”. I needed a
little lighthearted moment in my life. Today a friend took me to a movie and lunch. The movie was Far From
Heaven. It was a good movie but a little too sad for me. It had a lot to think about, however.

Gracious: When I have sweet potatoes, I just cook them in the microwave and eat them with nothing on them.
Heartmom: Your idea of cooking them also in olive oil with some onions sounds good too.

Trishaloo: That rotator cuff business is mean. I messed mine up also about 1 1/2 years ago and had to go to
physical therapy. At first the doctor wanted to do surgery but I resisted. I am glad I didn’t have it because that got
to be okay. I am not doing any physical therapy yet for the shoulder. I guess they want the bone to try to knit first.
They say it will be 3 to 4 months.

Linworthlady: Because we travel with two cats, we no longer eat in restaurants when we drive. I fix us a nice
lunch before we leave. I usually make something with smoked turkey from the deli, cheese, cauliflower,
Triscuits...things like that to eat at some the lovely road side parks. For breakfast, I mix up equal parts of regular
oatmeal (uncooked) and unsweetened applesauce and mix in some diced apricots. I let this sit at least overnight
and serve it with milk. I also boil up some eggs and all this makes a very nice stay with you breakfast. Of course,
you have to travel with a little cooler in the car.

Jack-K: I am glad the service is behind you and everything went okay.

Deb: Hi, I am so sorry that you are ill. Those colds can make you feel worse that anything.

linworthlady, I had another thought. If you can bring some Romaine lettuce leaves, they make fantastic roll ups with any legal luncheon meat and some cheese.

Aleka