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Showing posts from April, 2009

Popcorn Flavors-- For when Carb snacks happen

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When one must sin, one should sin magnificently. These new ways of eating popcorn make a sinful treat into one you might just have to go to confession over, even if you're not Catholic.

Food Court -- The Dinner Diva Defends Butter and Olive Oil

While several chefs and nutritionists defend butter and olive oil, I think this rates as well done. Until I can find a free clip of Alton Brown's tv show defending butter, this article will have to do. It's worth logging on to Big Tent just to see this. https://www.bigtent.com/group/news/16453409 Fact is, EVOO and Butter ARE better, all the way around. They impart flavor as well as helping food not to stick to the pan. Letting butter brown adds that nutty flavor that cannot be duplicated. This is just one of the reasons the low carb diet works for me. Cooking has become a pleasure again. Lena

From South Beach-- Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grilled Vegetables

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Who can resist the thrill of the grill? Not this dedicated grill-gal! Admittedly, fennel bulbs can be difficult for me to find, but I can substitute some fennel seed if I need to do so. I'm also not afraid to substitute fresh baby spinach for the red lettuce, since the greens listed below can be a bit sharp if they're harvested late.   Grilled Chicken Breasts With Grilled Vegetables (Phase 1) Description Looking to fire up the grill? This South Beach Diet-friendly entrée is the perfect addition to any barbecue. Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (about 1 pound total) 1 large zucchini 1 large yellow squash 2 Portobello mushrooms 2 red bell peppers 1 fennel bulb 2 heads of endive 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine 1/2 cup fresh basil, shredded 1 tablespoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh and chopped fine 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 head red leaf lettuce, chicory, or escarole salt

Enjoy the Leftover Easter Eggs

Daily Dish Enjoying Leftover Easter Eggs When Easter is over, your refrigerator may contain a surplus of brightly colored hard-boiled eggs. If you're following the South Beach Diet, there are plenty of ways to make use of this great protein source. (Use hard-boiled eggs within one week after cooking.) Need inspiration? This South Beach Diet variation on classic egg salad, accented by asparagus and lemon, is one delicious option: Egg Salad With Asparagus and Parmesan (Phase 1) Makes 2 servings Ingredients 2 large hard-cooked eggs2 oz. asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 teaspoon lemon zest1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons scallions (green onions) chopped fine 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese, grated Instructions Boil 3 cups salted water. Immerse the asparagus for 2 to 4 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender. Rinse immediately under cold water. Pat dry and toss with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, scallions, and 1/4 cup Par

Food for Thought: Kitchen Clean Up plus a Free Lunch

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I love Leanne Ely and SavingDinner.com. This is but one example of why. I urge all my LapBand and dieter friends to subscribe to SavingDinner.com and stop obsessing about your menus. Just select the program for LowCarb and Body Clutter! That's it. Leanne has done the work for you, even the grocery list. Click here to view this email online (You will need to login to our online community on BigTent) Food For Thought Kitchen Clean Up By Leanne Ely, C.N.C. Dear Friends, Life can be messy sometimes. If you think about it, some of the most enjoyable things in life are in fact quite messy. Think back to elementary school—finger painting, getting up to your elbows in squishy clay making a pinch pot for mom, playing on the playground getting sweaty and muddy…yes indeed life can be messy and sweaty even, but that's the fun part! And then we grow up and want to avoid mess as much as we can. We don't like getting up to our elbows in anything. We try to ste

White-- A Fatty's Fashion Faux Pas? No!

MissusSmartyPants Not a size 6 but wondering if you can wear white pants and pull it off? This warm weather dilemma haunts many women. Most women are afraid of white pants because they can show every bump and bulge and be more of a fashion faux pas than a fashion "do". Lots of women cling to the color black like a security blanket (it is so slimming, you know) and just can't let go! Afraid to try something beside black pants? You are not alone. Dear Missus Smarty Pants, I am a wondering if white pants will make me look even bigger? I am a bit overweight but I would love to wear white pants or shorts. With warmer weather on the way I'd love to know how to wear white and look good. I am a body type D, by the way. Thanks for your help,Sylvia Dear Sylvia, This question pops up every spring/summer! White is a great color to wear in the warmer summer months. White is light, bright and contrasts nicely with black and every bright color (lime, fuchsia, royal blue, sunny yello

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken (7.5 PTS) 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 Cans 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Put chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Add rest of ingredients on top. Cook 8 hours on low. Serve over rice or noodles. (Points include rice) Per Serving: 328 Calories; 8g Fat; 55g Protein; 5g Carbohydrates; 1g Dietary Fibers; 146mg Cholesterol; 631mg Sodium.

Mustard Crusted Steak

This recipe comes from the South Beach Diet. Mustard-Crusted Steak (Phase 1) Two kinds of mustard and a generous measure of garlic give subtle flavor to this easy steak. Let the meat rest after cooking and slice it as thinly as possible for maximum tenderness. Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon coarse-grain Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds boneless top round steak, ¾ inch thick Instructions Heat oven to broil. Whisk together garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Line a broiler pan with foil and place steak on top. Coat evenly with mustard mixture and let stand 10 minutes. Broil steak to desired doneness, 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Nutritional information 250 calories 9 g fat (3 g sat) 2 g carbohydrate 39 g protein 0 g fiber