How did your turnip strips come out? I made them a few months ago and we liked them. Don't know why I haven't made them again... but you've inspired me!

EVEN butternut squash haters LOVE this recipe. Really. But I suppose it's moot if apples are out of the question at this time. Although you most certainly CAN make it without the apples and raisins. 100% so.

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I wasn't aware of it. I'm sure you know that type 2 diabetes is completely controllable and even reversible with proper diet and weight management. I've ALWAYS been pulling for you Jilly, now even more so. You can do this girl. I know it for sure. :hug:

And as far as shopping in many different stores, like you were discussing with Nelie. You might want to reconsider that somewhere down the road. I shop in a multitude of stores. This lifestyle is much easier to tolerate when you've got the right "supplies" on hand. And if it means going to different stores to do so......

Thanks, Robin :hug: I know it's controllable, and I've been doing LOTS of reading about it. I've formed my own conclusions/opinions/theories/plans that many don't agree with, but for me, my plan of attack is a very low carb plan. My carbs come from veggies, beans, nuts, and a little fruit here and there. I basically skip whole grains completely--I haven't had any sort of bread products/rice/noodles in probably over a month (diagnosis came about 6 weeks ago). I got over my pity party stage (happened at first when I cried a lot and couldn't stop thinking about how I'm only 25 and am falling apart and can never eat like a "normal" person again :blah: ) and have moved on the the I-can-beat-this stage :D Hence my newfound veggie enthusiasm :p
Like I said, I already hit at least 3 stores a week. Sometimes, I also hit up Trader Joe's and/or Whole Foods. I just don't know where people get the time to go to so many stores every week! :dizzy: I work at least 9 hours a day with about a 45-60 minute commute each way in the morning and evening. If I need TJ's or WF, I go during my lunch because they are near my office, not near my house. I am in bed by 10pm to get up at 5am. I don't know how some people do all this with kids--I have a hard enough time with 2 puppies :p I'll get the hang of it all eventualy :cool:

Butternut squash in general is awesome. I don't like baked apples or sweet squash myself but roasted butternut squash is awesome and so is soup (if it wasn't so darn hot).

I know it can be a pain to run between grocery stores but asian markets are fairly inexpensive and have tons of good stuff. Lotte and Grand Mart are the big ones around here. I could do almost all my grocery shopping just there.

I also find it painful to step into Giant, it is too expensive for me. Its a pain considering they are all over the place here.

Nelie and Jill - my two main sources of food shopping are Wal-Mart and Trader Joe's. As much as I hate Wal-Mart, we have one less than 5 minutes away, and they have the cheapest prices for me. I also find that even milk, eggs, and the like at TJs are very reasonable - I go there maybe 3 times per month.

Do either of you have Food Lion? It's a Virginia store, but I think there are some in Maryland too. Very reasonable. Harris Teeter, Farm Fresh, Ukrops -- those are the outrageously priced markets around here. If you want a box of cereal for $5.00, they have it!

Food lion turned into Bloom which does have decent prices. Our walmart only carries canned/prepared stuff and really does nothing for me other than an occasional can of beans. I love Trader Joe's but find it easier to shop other places that have more stuff plus their produce section sucks. Whole Foods also can beat Trader Joes on prices for some stuff, usually their store brand is very reasonably priced and their sales are awesome. I rarely buy produce there unless they have something good on sale.

We don't have Harris Teeter around here that I know of but I saw the grocery store from the outside while in Virginia and said to myself it must be expensive. I do most of my shopping at Costco and the asian market. Occassionally Safeway, Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I also started to get my veggies from a CSA for the summer so my shopping needs have diminished somewhat.

Its also sad but some of my grocery shopping is done on amazon.com. There are staples where I can buy 6 of whatever and get a good price. Some stuff is the same price as in the store but some stuff is a lot cheaper or stuff I can't find elsewhere. I'm addicted to freeze dried refried beans which I've only seen on amazon.

Hi.. I eat Healthy fries now and then, i just use 1 potato and some olive oil and i throw em in the convection oven.. they r great really

Potatoes r good for us as long as we don't eat more than one and not every day of course :)

Oh yeah Jill, this lifestyle is DEFINTELY time consuming. Managing ones weight, keeping healthy, is like a full time job. Really. I think it was Meg or Mel who pointed that out to me. Granted there's no paycheck at the end of the week, but the rewards are truly priceless. And I know you will be finding that out very shortly.

I think you had a very normal first reaction - pity party. And then - you moved on and started to take some ACTION!! Atta girl. You CAN lick this. Absolutely. You're too smart to do anything BUT beat this. So beat this - you will.

If for right now you are okay with not going to that extra store, then so be it. Somewhere down the road, you may change your mind.

Thanks for all the good ideas! I love butternut squash, and I'll try Robin's recipe. And the Asian sauce - yum!

I have exactly 3 choices of grocery stores here in rural Alaska - Super Wal-Mart, Safeway, and a Kroger-subsidiary called Fred Meyer. If I go to Anchorage (a 50 mile one-way trip) I can go to an Asian market, plus a non-chain place called Natural Pantry which is vaguely like a TJ's or WF mixed together. :) I still go to TJ's when I'm traveling near one. I lived in Seattle for 8 months in 2000, and got really spoiled with the grocery choices.

Jill - one of my employees was diagnosed withe Type II Diabetes about a year ago. She was told 33g of carbs per meal max. It certainly is hard to watch carbs/sugars and fats! Good luck.

Wishing you luck and success in your veggie venture!!
 

Jilly - wishing you luck trying the new veggies and with your health care management.

Have you tried the turnip fries? How did they turn out for you?
How about the eggplant lasagna?

I'm curious about the turnip fries as I would think turnips would be a tough vegetable to like if you don't like most vegetables. That said, I don't intend to discourage you as I think it's awesomely adventurous of you to keep trying vegetables.

There is a salad listed on the South Beach forum with a dressing very similar to the Asian Peanut Sauce listed above. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65356 I have made it twice with plain chopped cabbage. I mention it because the dressing doesn't call for the sugar. Also the first time I made it I didn't realize shoyu sauce was a kind of soy sauce, so I just left it out. The flavor was pretty much the same. That gives you a tasty sauce without the sodium and sugar.

I did try the turnip fries--and I burned them :p But the couple that were salvagable were good enough that I will try them again :)

I went to slice up my eggplant last week for the lasagna--had eggplant in one hand, knife in the other--when I stopped and looked in the fridge. No mozzarella cheese. Whoops! I will try it after a trip to the store for cheese :dizzy:

Jill,

If you are ever near an Asian market, consider trying lotus root. You could find it fresh, frozen, canned or dried. I'd recommend frozen as it's easiest to prepare and tastes as good as fresh.

It has a very mild nutty flavor and a great texture. I generally cook it in a stir fry. Of all the veggies I know and love, I think it is the most likely to find approval with someone veggie-challenged.

Good luck!