:cookie: :cookie: :cookie: :cookie: :cookie: :cookie: NO!!!!!!!!!

Ok, now I'm doing three in a row again, but wanted to post this "experiment" to quench the :devil: ... these came out ok, I KNOW they have lots of sugar in them, but not as much as a pb cup ...

Demon Turbinado-Pear Bars
1/2 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup Scottish oatmeal
2 tsp baking powder
6 T turbinado sugar
1/2 T canola oil
1 pear coarsely chopped
1 scoop Designer Whey Vanilla Praline protein powder
6 packets Splenda
1 T Just Whites egg white powder
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
Zero calorie butter spray
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients except 5 tablespoons of the turbinado (raw cane) sugar. Line pan w/foil and spray w/zero cal canola spray. Pour in batter and spray top of cake with butter spray, sprinkling the 5 T of turbinado over top. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes or until done. Cool and cut into 12 squares of 91 calories each.

Thanks for thy wise counsel, Elberta. Too late, unfortunately. Ooooooh, the shame....... :(
Like a fool, I ordered a box of girl scout cookies from a sweet-faced little cherub of a girl--more like an unwitting minion of the :devil: . Okay, maybe that's a little harsh? I ordered the only reduced-fat choice they offered---big deal, Lucille---reduced fat doesn't mean anything when you're out of control. :o I think I ate about 7 of them and I called upon all the strength I had and doused them with dish soap and then poured enough water on them to make them nice and sudsy and well, let's just say they weren't as appealing.
I've read enough about emotional eating to know that when you feel like your eating is out of control, something's up and you're trying to kill it with food. I've caught myself long enough to ponder that and I honestly don't know. I'm feeling sort of antsy about money and that's always enough to drive anyone a bit mad. The good news is I have it together enough to know that this little food orgy I'm indulging in today is NOT me, doesn't feel good at all. That's the old me trying to drop in for a visit and she ain't staying! :rollpin:
Why is it I can make my own treats at home---cookies, cakes, pastries, and it doesn't drive me to want more---not like some cheap prepackaged junky thing. Is it because my stuff is more like real food and is more nourishing, and the junky stuff just leaves my body wanting more because there's simply nothing nourishing there? :?:
Oh my, I think I'm on the verge of raving here. Confession: the G.S. cookies were only the tip of the old proverbial iceberg. It's been an orgy of crackers and dip, chips and iccky nacho sauce, and one big fat creme de menthe brownie AND the scout cookies.
I think I may have to try one of Ceara's fasting days. Seriously!!!

Yo!
 

Well, ol' building-and-loan-pal (Jimmy Stewart voice), dinna feel like the Lone Ranger. The high-cal brunch today sent me spiraling out of control. Not too bad but hit a total of 2070 when I wanted to be in the 1500s. Good thing I'm limiting my challenge to exercise from here on out, but I'm going to try for a lower cal day today (though I don't advocate fasting for myself) ... and succeed.

Actually, I think the main thing is when we lose control of food, we stop believing that we have the power to get back in control. But, OF COURSE WE HAVE THE POWER! It's not really a body thing, IMO, it's a mind and spirit thing. We always have power over what we eat ... eating is a very simple act ... hand goes out to grasp food, food goes into mouth and is ingested into body. It's our choice to do this, always.

Not meaning to sound as though I'm directing this to thee, Eydie; I'm directing it to me!!!

Though this is the DEMON FOOD THREAD, there really are no demons. We are the Martians, er, demons! :)

I shall stop pontificating. It's Elberta Crone's influence. Report: Amarantha did 40 minutes of exercise towards her 360 and is on Day 11 now because it's almost 4 a.m. ... later, gators!!! :wave: ;)

Hi! Thought I'd better check in in before starting forth on this fresh new day "with no mistakes in it". Feel a bit green and bloated this morning---I know, I AM ENCHANTING! :lol:
Very unrealistic of me to think that I'd never have an 'off' day for whatever deep dark reason--well, 'tis over and I'm back, baby! [That's the grand plan anyway.]
The only good news about yesterday is I stopped eating around 4:00. And I at least walked 3 miles on the treadmill yesterday and that's 3 miles more than I thought I'd do!

Be courageous today, Gracious Queens!

Hmmmm... Pastuerized is a good thing ... believe you might be right... will have to point that out to DH....

And yes, I found myself automatically going to the kitchen as domestic events unfolded too....
In fact, in my own head, heard loud and clear and UNDERSTOOD...
"Food as drug of choice".......

****

hi ceara-like those 4 simple daily steps. i always learn such neat stuff from reading everyone's posts.

i have been staying on my pre-planned food menus (very simple ones), for the past few days and that has been helping me a lot. i don't always have to go that far, but while i'm under moving prep stress, it seems to be helpful to keep it simple for myself. have been exercising and and drinking my water, so i know the scale will move downward at some point anyway. hope you all have a good day. take care, all.

Doing much better today--this is the 'real' me! I'll check in later.

wsw, It'd be great if you posted your menu plans! :)

Got it.

http://www.chatelaine.com/applicatio...sp?cid=1409105

Ceara

Feb. 19
 

coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 1/2
ww tortilla w/ lo-fat cream cheese, spinach, onion, peppers

salad [lettuce, vegs, chickpeas, ff Italian]
baked potato w/ 2 tbsp. cheese sauce
clementine

bagel w/ lite cream cheese, lite cheddar, lettuce, peppers, onion. carrots
low-fat ice cream sandwich w/ 1/2 c. raspberries

snax: coffee***almond-choc. biscotti

calories: 1495
exercise: 4 miles treadmill***40 min. dumbells

Friday
 

Coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 12/
migas [egg sub.,ff cottage cheese, vegs, salsa, lite cheddar, corn tortilla]
1/2 bagel

3 spring rolls w/ peanut sauce
low-fat ice cream sandwich w/ cooked apples

curried chickpea-veg. soup
1 serving lo-fat tortilla chips

snax: 2 lo-fat cookies
1/2 c. frozen yogurt

calories: 1710
exercise: 4 miles treadmill

A-freakin'-mazing marinara sauce.
 

Happy Saturday, friends.

I served The Ramon spaghetti last night with this homemade marinara sauce I make, and it tasted so wonderful (if I do say so myself) and is so GOOD for you that I decided to share it here. I got it from watching TV - some Italian cook (is Emeril Italian? Can't remember...) said it's his grandmother's recipe, straight from Itay, etc. That's why I tried it and I swear I'll never go back to the jar. Ew. So, here it is:

Ingredients:

1-2 T. olive oil (your preference, enough for saute-ing)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4-5 medium cloves garlic, coarsely sliced
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 28 oz. can whole stewed tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
2 pinches dry oregano
blender

Dump can of tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl. Squish tomatoes (this is the fun part) to release juice. Keep everything. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, garlic and red pepper until the onion's translucent. Add the strained tomato pulp and whole basil leaves torn off the stems (maybe 10 or so large leaves), crumble in the oregano. Cover and stew on medium-low heat for a few minutes (like ten), stirring fairly often so it doesn't scald. When basil leaves are looking very depressed (cooked, I mean), put in the juice from the strained tomatoes, salt to taste, bring all to a boil (keep stirring), then simmer for 10-20 minutes. Then (another fun part) blend the **** out of it until it's a lovely orangey-red color with green flecks. At this point you can serve it (it's the perfect thickness every time) as is or put it back on the stove, add things like mushrooms, sausage, whole tomatoes, whatever, and simmer until they're cooked. You cannot overcook this sauce.

There it is. Enjoy, darlings! (I'm right now having the leftovers for brunch)

That looks fantastic, Cerise, thanks! I just happened to have some whole wheat pasta on hand, so ...

:hun:

Brocolli-Ramen Salad
 

1 pkg. ramen noodles [the BAKED kind, not the fried]
1 pkg brocolli slaw [sometimes called rainbow slaw]
4 scallions, chopped [or 1/2 sm. sweet onion]

Cook ramen noodles. [Save the soup pkt. for another use] Drain noodles and mix with brocooli slaw and scallions.

dressing: 1/4 c. apple or pineapple juice
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. rice vinegar [or white vinegar]

Mix! Pour over vegetables and noodles and toss to mix. You can also add grated carrots and chopped yellow and red peppers---really pretty! If you want to go mad, sprinkle a Tbsp. of chopped cashews over each serving.

I tried this recipe at Christmas and have made it several times. I can't get enough!


Your recipe looks great, Cerise---I will definitely try it, soon! Wow, imagine if we all got together in the same kitchen---that would be some party! ;)

Saturday
 

Coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 1/2
omelette [egg sub., cottage cheese, ff cheese, lots of vegs.]
1 soy 'sausage'

1 1/2 cups vegetables and brown rice w/ 2 tbsp. peanut sauce
weight watchers chocoalate cake

Salad [lettuce, corn, peppers, onion, carrot, cucumber, lite cheddar, "chik" patty, ff ranch]

snax: apple
low-fat caramel ice cream sandwich w/ 1/2 c. peaches
1 popsicle

Calories: 1375
exercise: 30 min. Bellydance***30 min. Pilates***40 pushups***20 min. dumbells
water: 7 glasses

A shower of blessings on Ceara who taught me to mix cottage cheese into eggs before scrambling. Yum... :)

Please, Amarantha, start the thread. :^: I'm shy and unsure of my writing skills and you're so good at calling in the troops!

I was reading 'Body For Life' yesterday and saw that the author was praising cottage cheese to the skies. I'll have to make sure I keep some on hand. And your dressing recipe sounds great---I love that it's blended 'cause sometime the curd-y texture gives me pause.

I'm craving sugar as well, Am. At this point I'm just trying to make sure that most of my choices are lo-fat, reasonable calorie things. Speaking of food, going out for breakfast this morning----I'll try to keep it reasonable. I really will...

Sunday
 

Coffee w/ 1/2 and 1/2
small biscuit
scrambled eggs w/ lots of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and a bit of cheese
1 serving homefries w/ ketchup
grits
1 1/2 pancakes w/ syrup and 1 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 bueberry muffin
[This was my big breakfast out. It was fun, but next time I'll leave off the pancakes and the grits and the biscuit---not for any deep nutritional reasons, only because they weren't that enjoyable.]

Salad [lettuce, vegs, 1 tbsp. smoked gouda, 'chik' patty, ff ranch
brocolli-ramen salad w/ 1 tbsp. cashews

snax: low-fat ice cream sandwich
130 cal. Slimfast bar

calories: ?
exercise: 5 miles walk

I think this is the day for eating out, Eydie, except mine was TWO filled donuts at Walmarts. I weighed them and counted the calories and they were a whopping 1150 for both. Followed with a low carb shake to kind of balance out the sugar ... BUT the operative thing is I noticed that my headache came back with all the sugar ... so definitely, sugar has to be cut ... not altogether shunned, just cut. This is going to be my high calorie day, but I'll post a menu tonight unless I can't get on ... we've been having storms. :wave:

I have just run into my food nemisis: Orange Cranberry Almondine. Ok, so it does not sound so bad, nice co-op snack food type thing with craisions and almond slivers with natural orange flavor. but little did i know that i cannot stop eating it. the bag i bought to hide in my desk and last all week...nearly gone. "o co-op snacks, why dost thou betray me" is now my anguished cry.

Feb. 23--Monday
 

coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 1/2
2 ww toast w/ peanut butter, lite cream cheese, spinach, carrots

2 cups vegs., and brown rice w/ 2 tbsp. peanut sauce
4 lo-fat cookies

4 spring rolls w/ peanut sauce
2 clementines

snax: apple
banana
ff yogurt cheesecake w/ strawberries

calories: 1505

P.S. Amarantha, your cheesecake bars sound really good. How'd they turn out? :)

Eydie, they turned out really good. My brother says I shouldn't use Splenda because that teaches my taste buds to continue to prefer sweet food. He may be right, but the bars are very nutrititious and not too sweet. Unfortunately, I've had a cheeseburger from Mickey D and 2 packs of pb bars today because I went on a shopping quest. But calories are ok so I'm hanging in. Will type in a full menu later or tomorrow. :wave:

Ok, hope my math is right. If not, please don't tell me, I'd rather live in ignorance! :s: This isn't great, but:

Fight the Demon Apricot Cheesecake Bar (95)
EAS Carb Control Vanilla shake (100)

Apricot Cheesecake Bar (95)
EAS Carb Control Vanilla shake (100)

2 pb cup packages, total of 4 "cups" (460)

McDonald's cheeseburger (330)

Apricot Cheesecake Bar (95)
EAS Carb Control Vanilla shake (100)

Apricot Cheesecake Bar (95)
EAS Carb Control Vanilla shake (100)

2 Apricot Cheesecake Bars (190)
EAS Carb Control Vanilla shake (100)

Total: 1755

:devil: :nono:

Tuesday
 

coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 1/2
ww bagel w/ cream cheese, egg, spinach, pepeprs

1 1/2 cups vegs., and brown rice w/ 3 tbsp. cheese sauce
1 spring roll w/ peanut sauce

ww bagel w/ cream cheese
8 oz. orange juice

brocolli-ramen salad w/ 2 tbsp. cashews
ff frozen strawberry yogurt

At the end of the day, I felt all 'fat' and weird. And I only had 3 cups of water too. Good workouts; food's off though. I'll have to be more vigilant tomorrow. I've also noticed that I'm in the habit of eating rather fast--what's up with that?

Ugh. Never mind about specific foods and how I'm doing counting points! I've been off-program for 3 weeks now!!!

Help! Help! Help! Help!

I'm just being a lazy bum. Back to the program!!!!

I must know----why pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? And what's a 'shrove'?! :o Hey, I'm just sorry I missed out on a a chance to eat pancakes! Oooh, something's coming back to me--the Tuesday before Lent? But why pancakes?

Amarantha, the corny muffins sound so good, especially with the dill and chives. I'll try them!

Cerise, no shame no blame! Just jump back in! :D

I feel like I'm overeating this week---I know that I'm going over my calorie budget. Realistically, I may have to wait till next week till get completely back on track--its Garry's birthday Saturday!

Feb 25--Wed.

coffee w/ ff 1/2 and 1/2
ww bagel w/ 2 tbsp. cream cheese, spinach

Salad [lettuce, vegs, gouda, egg, ff ranch]
2 ww crackers
Slim-fast bar

brocolli-ramen salad w/ 2 tbsp. cashews
ff frozen yogurt w/ caramel syrup and almonds

rice-veg-cheese casserole
1 'sausage'

CALORIES:1755

FEB. 26 THURSDAY

coffee w/ ff 1/2a nd 12/
orange juice
veg.-rice-egg-cheese casserole

ww tortilla w/ humuus, vegs
ff frozen yogurt

1 1/2 cups lentil pasta w/ tomato sauce and soy crumbles

ww tortilla w/ humuus, vegs.
1/2 cup ginseng cola
1 large-ish piece chocolate cake :o

CALORIES: 1855