Fat Frog Diary

Start the marinade in the morning. I baked my chicken because it's a little too chill today for grilling, but don't think I won't make this again come warm weather!

Who says you can't live large and still live low carb? Even gravy!

Could this be any easier or simple? You've got to bring something to the party, and if you're smart it's something you can have with no guesswork. This is easy and cheap, as well as elegant.

Same as poached eggs for taste, but easier! You'll need: cooking spray 2 oven safe custard cups for each person Spices: Salt, pepper, creole seasoning, your choice herbs: chives, onions, peppers, whatever 2 T. shredded cheese for each person served Optional: vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc. cut fine. (I used leftover veggies.) Optional: meat like crumbled bacon, cut up spam bits, leftover meats without sauces 1 oven safe baking dish (I use an 8x8 for one to two persons) Generously spray all the custard cups and place them in the baking dish. Preheat oven to 325F. Carefully break an egg into each cup. You may wish to beat them with a fork if you prefer your yolk completely cooked. Sprinkle with herbs, spices, vegetables and cheese. Pour hot water in baking dish to a depth of one inch. Try not to get any in the custard cups. Bake at 325F for about 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven and the degree of doneness you like for your eggs. Carb count without the veggies or

Impossibly Easy Cheesecake 3/4 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 eggs 1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend 1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cut into about 1/2-inch cubes and softened 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. 2. Place milk, vanilla, eggs, Splenda and the Bisquick mix in blender. Cover and blend on high speed 15 seconds. Add cream cheese. Blend 2 minutes longer. Pour into pie plate. 3.Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean; cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecake. Topping: If desired, make topping and spread over top of completely cooled cheesecake. Stir together 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons Splenda and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Serve with fruit. High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Normally when made with sugar, this recipe has a whopping 43g of carbs per serving. OUCH. However, using the Splenda Blend or even Splenda signifi

Sometimes it's better to give in to a snack craving than fight. Today, I craved a sweet the way a man in the desert craves water. Yeah, I know that was my carb addiction talking. I could have shut the craving up with a small bit of cheesecake, if I took the time to make it. Instead, I foolishly tried to follow the old Atkins system of taking a serving of peanut butter (11g) to 'hold me over' until dinner. No dice. In fact, I was stupid enough to leave the jar sitting here on my desk next to me. Another spoonful followed the first. Then the guilt set in. I've now consumed a whopping 22g of carbs when a bit of cheesecake would have been a mere 11g, and I'd be more satisfied. So, to circumvent this problem from going any further, I'm going to go make that cheesecake and wrap individual servings up in ziploc bags. That way, when I get a serious craving, I'll have something on hand to appease the monkey on my back. So, I posted the recipe first. Now to go make it

Dieting requires a certain morbid sense of humor. Now that I understand WHY I have to go low carb and how important it is, I'm more willing to stick to it. Still, I can sympathize with the blue guy. Dammit, I want my sugar fix. Time to make a batch of the low carb peanut butter cookies or something. Lena

Okay, so you marinade the chicken in the morning and serve it that night. No complaints here. I'm thinking this is tomorrow's dinner, with Cauliflower Supreme and maybe some Green Beans on the side. Lena

What I learned today? Quite a bit actually. I learned that Xenical is a fat-affecting weight loss drug. I learned that I will be on two days of the liquid diet just before my surgery and it will be all clearly liquids including bouillon. I can use the carb counter book that I already have to determine that I do not exceed 30 carbohydrates-excuse me, non vegetable-carbohydrates. Strangely enough, these non-vegetable carbohydrates include corn, peas, cheese, fruit, and dairy. The dietitian did give a wonderful piece of advice that I have already begun to employ called "eat across the plate" which is to eat your protein first, your vegetables second, and anything that might contain carbohydrates dead last. This technique works! Because the only thing on my plate originally was my pork chops, I consumed them first and was less hungry by the time I started working on my vegetables, which did contain some minor amounts of carbohydrates. I also learned where I was making my m

(sigh) Warning: This is a rant as well as a report on my latest visit to the surgeon. Lately, I began to resent the weeks or months of time I spend jumping through hoops like a circus poodle. ("Arf! Jump through the fiery hoop? Arf! Are you nuts? Arf? Okay, okay! Arf! Arf! Shit! My tail's on fire again!") Today was another doctor visit with the surgeon's office on the other side of town at 10:30 AM. Thank goodness I'd already gone through the hassle of finding out they moved so I had the correct address this time. Yes, I'm still pissed off about them forgetting the new patients' seminar folks. Made me feel oh-so-very-unwanted. Today wasn't much better. I filled out the paperwork in the waiting room. Good name, waiting room, but wasting room would be better. Waste of time is more like it. I did balk at the idea of their using my photos for their website. Yes, I object to that. Gimme a break. If I don't like the way I look so much I'm willing to

The bariatric surgeon's office finally called on Friday afternoon. Yes, I've been approved for surgery. Now there are four -plus hoops to jump, and some will not be pleasant. My next step is to visit the surgeon on the 15th of October. I'll sign medical releases, get Rx's for blood and x-rays, and I have to turn in a list of medications I take and surgeries I've had. There will be a diet history sheet to fill out, and a letter to my insurance stating why I feel the surgery will benefit me. (Yeah, like the bean counters care how the surgery will benefit me.) Oh, and I have to fork out $200 and my co-pay of $12. (No plastic, please. Cash or check only.) At that point, I'll be allowed to make my next appointment to see the shrink. This ought to be interesting. LOL!

I did not flour the cubes, nor fry ahead. Sorry, I just dumped everything in the crock pot and turned it on. HOWEVER, do not cook this more than 8 hours. It dries out.