Fat Frog Diary

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.

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

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 ...

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...

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...

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 (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.

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 ...

Use a good sherry for the best results. If you won't drink it, don't cook with it.

Did you know the classic fondue is back? Now that technology has introduced the electric fondue pot, I say we throw out those useless cans of sterno and avacado green fondue pots from the late 60's and early 70's for some 21st century technology that doesn't burn the bottom while allowing the top to grow cold! Bring back this tasty treat! I'll bring the sausage, okay? Cheddar Fondue (4.41 Points) 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt -- optional 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 cups skim milk 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese bread cubes, ham cubes, bite-size sausage In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt if desired, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add the cheese; cook and stir until melted. Transfer to a fondue pot or slow cooker; keep warm. Serve with brea...

Bloody Mary Chicken (6 PTS) 4 whole boneless skinless chicken breast 33-3/4 ounces Bloody Mary mix (I use extra spicy) Wash, skin and remove fat from chicken breasts and place in a slow cooker. Pour Bloody Mary mix over the chicken breasts, turn slow cooker to low and cook on low for 8 hours. Per Serving: 305 Calories; 3g Fat; 56g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 137mg Cholesterol; 1026mg Sodium.

This recipe left out a step to me. I stopped and mixed together the stir-fry sauce, sugar, curry powder, and ginger. I recommend creating the mix first and allowing the flavors to marry a bit before starting the cooking.

This is easy, cheap, and low carb! Don't neglect that sauce.

Not nearly as spicy as the name implies, this is still good eats.

I had another version of this recipe (sans the sunflower seeds) for years. Now that I can't have any nuts, I'll have to depend on someone else to tell me how this recipe stacks up to the meatless burgers available in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Basil Chicken (6 PTS) 4 whole skinless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon basil 1 can cream of celery soup 1/2 whole green pepper -- sliced Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Sprinkle with pepper and basil. Spread soup on top of chicken. Arrange slices of green pepper on top of soup. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Per Serving: 287 Calories; 4g Fat; 55g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate ; 1g Dietary Fiber; 141mg Cholesterol; 391mg Sodium.

According to my bathroom scale this morning, my weight has now dropped to 242, down from my official start of 286. That's 44 pounds, gone forever. More significantly, my BMI has now dropped below 40, and I'm no longer considered "morbidly obese" and am now merely (!) "obese." BMI charts seem to differ, but I wanted to be sure that, by all their numbers, I'm now simply "obese." Uhhh...thanks? In some ways, it's significant that I'm merely on the chart at all! Some BMI charts don't even go as high as 250 lbs, as if such a weight does not bear noticing. It should be noticed. In fact, moreso than the weights closer to the ideal, IMHO! Those who are morbidly obese need MORE help, not less! Am I saying they (formerly, "we") need sympathy? Not necessarily. However, because there are issues --health and social are the two main ones-- the morbidly obese need to be on the charts and in the sights of the medical community. Not to men...

Do chill the crab mixture. It makes a big difference in the flabor. However, make sure you use a container with a good seal on the lid or your butter will smell funny. Note the serving is 4 scrumptious pieces. That's a meal for a bandster! Yum!

California Vegetable Cheese Bake (3 Points) 4 cups frozen carrot, broccoli & cauliflower blend, thawed 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (can use frozen chopped onion) 1 (10-3/4 oz) can Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/4 cup (one 2-ounce jar) chopped pimiento, drained 1-1/2 cups cubed Velveeta Light processed cheese Spray slow cooker container with butter-flavored cooking spray. In prepared container, combine thawed vegetables & onion. Add mushroom soup, pimiento & cheese. Mix well to combine. Cover & cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Mix well before serving. 140 calories, 3 gm fiber, 4 gm fat 13 gm protein, 13 gm carbohydrate, 236 mg sodium, 373 mg calcium (3 points per 2/3 cup serving)