Fat Frog Diary

  Crispix Nachos Snacks Yes, this came off the cereal box.  Notes: Instead of pouring oil over the chips mix, lay them out on a cookie sheet and use an oil sprayer. You'll get a better distribution of oil. Then toss to coat.  ************************ Disclaimer: I am not a chef, nor a licensed food service professional of any kind. I'm a grandmother who loves to cook and loves efficient cooking. Anything I post has been checked out by me, but in no way do I guarantee that my suggestions will work for you. YMMV (Your mileage may vary.) Some links may give the original poster a small commission on products sold via the link. I personally am not an affiliate, nor do I earn commissions on products. The links provided are examples of what's available online.  Lena Austin www.fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com

I was surprised at how tasty and easy these are! However, I was silly and used a disher scoop as opposed to putting them in ice cube trays for a smaller, more manageable bite. Keep the size as smaller than an ice cube. 

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips Prepare your own homemade chips without frying them. These authentic, Baked Tortilla Chips have satisfying crunch you'll love without the added calories. Course Side Dish Cuisine Mexican Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 20 mins Servings 10 Servings Calories 78 kcal Author Beachbody Ingredients 15 corn tortillas cut into wedges Nonstick cooking spray 1 tsp. Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) Instructions Heat oven to 375° F.  Lightly coat both sides of tortillas with spray. Arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Sprinkle with salt.  Recipe Notes The Nutrition Facts ...

Diet Kool Pops Kool Aid pops were a part of my childhood, and probably kept Mom from killing us in summer. They're a cheap and easy snack even now, with some modifications to avoid all that sugar. Who says Mom can't enjoy a frosty treat, too? I got my kool-pops mold from someone who no longer wanted them, but you can pick them up in dollar stores or even online. In a pinch, use Dixie cups, cover with foil, stick in a stick (available at craft stores by the box), and freeze. But frankly, the mold is worth the purchase. Most molds can also be used to freeze fruit smoothies, juices, and yogurts. Here's a link for cheap ice pop molds. https://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-Popsicle-Yogurt-Icebox-Freezer/dp/B00TJPYEMW/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1523650631&sr=1-2&keywords=popsicle+molds&refinements=p_36%3A1253523011 No , I don't get a kickback from Amazon, or anyone else. I just happen to be an Amazon Prime member.

Graham and Peanut Butter Bon-Bons These are delicious served on the pagan holiday of Beltane. Okay, they're good anytime! Tip: For the confectioner's coating, I use and recommend Wilton's Candy Melts . Again, I don't get any kickback for this. I just happen to find them easy to melt and use, and they come in a variety of colors for every occasion without having to fiddle with messy food colors. Lee Plumb, NCICS

Best thing ever to satisfy the sweet craving without going nuts. https://simple-nourished-living.com/weight-watchers-3-2-1-microwave-mug-cake/ https://simple-nourished-living.com/weight-watchers-3-2-1-microwave-mug-cake/ You can find videos on YouTube like this one: Best part is, you can have any cake flavor you want! If there's a cake mix for it, you can make this mug cake recipe with it. I have made pumpkin, carrot, black forest, and coconut to date. I take mix in a jar, with an old tablespoon inside and make it in my coffee cup at work. That old 3 PM sugar craving is handled, and I didn't have to make one giant cake to do it.

Jell-o Jigglers Who didn't love these as a kid? So simple, so easy, so…easy to turn into an adult naughtiness. (That recipe is at the bottom.) Molds are available just about anywhere! Or just use cookie cutters. Adult Jigglers Warning! Do not serve these to kids! Ingredients ·          1 1/2 cup water ·          3/4 cup vodka (check out flavored vodkas for variety!) ·          2, 4- serving packages of Jell-O Instructions 1.      Boil the water in a small sauce pan over high heat. 2.      Add the Jell-O to a small bowl. 3.      Add the boiled water to the bowl with the jello. 4.      Stir until the Jell-O has been completely dissolved. Pour into the molds and allow to set. A dip in hot water for a few seconds should release the j...

Lena Amanda Austin thought you would be interested in this link to "Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries" on the Cooking Channel: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/lisa-lillien/bake-tastic-butternut-squash-fries-recipe/index.html Comments from Lena Amanda Austin: I think this is just what you've been looking for to replace those nasty french fries. I don't have a crinkle-cutter, but it's not necessary.

Okay, so this one's not a low carb. Let's face it. Once in awhile, you need something that is a bit "naughty" for a variety of reasons. My band hates popcorn, and those soft pretzels sold in theaters turn to glue in my pouch. Painful! However, I can do these homemade versions if I eat one very, very slowly. DH is happy because he gets his favorite treat again. Fair trade! Soft Pretzels Ingredients 1   package  (8) refrigerated breadsticks 1     beaten egg white 1   tablespoon  water     Poppy seed Directions Unroll breadsticks so they lay flat. Gently pull each breadstick into a 16-inch rope. Shape each rope into a pretzel by crossing one end over the other to form a circle, overlapping about 4 inches from each end. Take one end of dough in each hand and twist once at point where dough overlaps. Carefully lift each end across to the edge of the circle opposite it. Tuck ends under edges to make pretzel shape. Moisten ends; press to seal. Place...

Many folks act like we dieters can never have a snack again. Wrong. We can we just need to adjust our thinking. These delicious marinated cukes take a matter of a few minutes to make and stay for weeks in the fridge. Save a pickle jar and keep these around instead. IMHO, skip the sugar and use Splenda. I've not tried the creamy version. I was after a recipe for "refrigerated pickles" when someone recommended the Marinated version. I've been hooked ever since.

You don't have to have an egg salad SANDWICH. You can just have egg salad, or use a tomato cup. Remember that the carb counts below include the bread. Take that away and the carb count becomes very good indeed! Plain old white bread slices can be 70 calories and a whopping 13g of carbs EACH. Pita isn't any better at  130 calories and 30g of carbs. Nope, not even the so-called "healthy grains." Forget it. Eat it without the bread and save yourself the carbs. If you don't, you may as well just superglue the bread directly to your hips.

Yeah, I've posted this one before, but this bears repeating. This is a fast and easy quiche with no crust. You can mix and match the meat, cheeses, and veggies to anything you want! My fave substitution is a classic-- make this into Quiche Lorraine by substituting pre-cooked (you do bake your bacon and save it, right?) bacon and Swiss Cheese. Don't be afraid to toss in some frozen veggies! I've been known to raid the freezer for the remainder of a bag of frozen green beans, a few broccoli tops, and about a cup of bell pepper strips for stir fry. This is one of those recipes that also makes a superb leftover for the lunch box. While I do prefer mine warmed in the microwave for a minute, it doesn't have to be. Cool the pie in the fridge overnight, then cut into 1/6 slices. Wrap them up in foil or zip-top bags, and freeze. I gave up making just one pie at a time. I make two and take the remainder of the second one as lunches for later days. If you need more similar rec...

I was surprised to learn there are people in the world who don't know how to make this ubiquitous lunch food, or worse, who stir together canned meat, mayo, maybe a little instant minced onion, and call it good. Then again, I used to be one of them, until I found this recipe and made it, just to be different. I will never go back to plain old chicken salad ever again! I found Nirvana. Then I looked at the variations. YUM-OH!

Who says life must be dull and flavorless? Who says we can't have delicious low carb desserts? Whoever THEY are, they're WRONG! Dead wrong. I use and recommend both DaVinci Sugar Free and Torani Sugar Free Flavored syrups. http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=2926001&prrfnbr=3048730 Both can be found on the links section of this blog. Come on!! Are you craving ice cream or yogurts? You can have a very reasonable substitute in flavoring cottage cheese and plain yogurt. Go ahead. Mix up a pina colada yogurt using pineapple and coconut syrups and adding a sprinkle of Splenda.Add nuts. Almonds are low carb, too! Do you miss your Starbucks? Why don't you mix your own? I can have a sugar free White Chocolate coffee anytime I want using the syrup. Did you know whipping cream has even less carbs than milk? Go ahead and indulge in that morning brew. Just make it yourself and pocket what you didn't spend at Starbucks. Flavored teas? S...

In the same way as my comments on Feb 4 concerning mayonnaise, the same thing has happened in the salad dressing market. The so-called "diet" dressings can be higher in sugar and carbs because they're supposed to be lower in fat. Yet at the same time, the "regular" dressings are so loaded with chemicals and preservatives as well as carbs, the choices are very limited unless you like vinaigrettes. I happen to like creamy dressings, though I've learned that dipping my fork into a small cup of 2 T of dressing (average serving size on bottled dressings) and then stabbing a forkload of salad means I get a much tastier mouthful than pouring the dressing over the top and hoping it's still around when I get to the last fork full. Imagine having fresh dressings to dip your veggies into, and I don't mean just for a bowl of salad. Imagine taking a small sealed container of this with some celery, green pepper strips, and fresh broccoli when you need a snack. Y...

Deviled Eggs are a staple on my low-carb diet. They're easy, quick, and the stuffing can be made a ton of different ways to add variety. Below is my basic deviled egg recipe, plus a couple of variations for fun. I'm too lazy to pipe in the filling! Two spoons or my melon baller scoop up plenty. LOL!

Nothing like the good old red and white Better Homes and Gardens Cookbooks when I need a simple, old-fashioned recipe for the classics like stuffed mushrooms. Here's some goodies guaranteed to make a great bandster lunch. Imagine this on a portobella mushroom!   You may want to make your own mix, and don't forget to substitute ground up fried pork skins for the bread crumbs for even less carbs. I find bags and bags of the pork skins on the same aisle as potato chips, and they're so useful to keep around! I've been known to measure out a serving just to have a bit of crunch while everyone else snacks, so I don't feel deprived. However, their best use is when you grind them in the food processor and keep them around to replace those carb-laden bread crumbs. 

Yeah, they're a bit heavy on the carbs. I recommend trying this with honey first, then attempting to substitute with Splenda for Baking to lower the carbs. As one of the unlucky bandsters who cannot do any form of bread, I'm hoping someone will tell me how this tastes. Better yet, don't.

Another quick and easy snack. Do you need the pecans? Not really. They just add extra flavor and crunch. They are somewhat dry, so don't be afraid to add more cheese, a dash of hot sauce, or something. Next time I make them, I'm going to try substituting ground up pork rind for the flour to lower the carb count even more. Maybe I'll even put little slices of bacon or cheddar sausage on top of the cheese in place of the pecans. Hmm...