How Sweet It Isn't: Part Two

In Part One of this underwhelming series, I explained how I've been eating lately. Along the way I've found plenty of little tricks to keep the low carb thing going without missing out on life. These work for me and might not work for anyone else, but I’ll share.

kale linguica soup

Subs. Just Not the Jared Kind. 
Get creative with substitutes. If you can find some healthy alternatives that work for you it will easier to stick with the plan. I tend to try white beans instead of potatoes in recipes like soups. Experiment subs that work for you. A Word of Warning: Anyone tells you that mashed cauliflower tastes just like potatoes is not to be trusted.*

Veggie Love
Seek out yummy ways to prepare vegetables and you'll find they make up more of your diet. I love greens sauted with olive oil and garlic and brussel sprouts punched up with parmesan. Find your veggie happy place and you'll miss the bad carbs less.

Fight Fat With Fat
Fats are not that bad. That doesn't mean bacon should be a daily staple but for the most part meats and cheeses aren't going to make a huge impact on weight loss. You'll stay on course if you’re getting delicious fats instead of trying to go both lean and low carb.

Search Far and Wide
The internet is jam-packed with low carb recipes that are not all horrible. Some call for specialty substitutions like splet flour but many are easy to whip up with what you have on hand. Search around and be brave - some dishes will be great, and others not so much.

Resist the scones, double up on fruit.

Eat in, Cheat Out
Cheat but be discreet. Terrible advice for a relationship, but helpful when trying to stay healthy in the face of birthday parties, wedding buffets and every major holiday. Plan smart meals for every day but don't deny yourself on special occasions, like the upcoming Thanksgiving food-fest. Just double up on the the turkey and veggies, and take smaller bites of the pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes and homemade rolls. 

Sweetness Is My Weakness
Cravings are easier to curb when you end sweet. Find a sugar-free dessert than you like and stick with it. Mine is Greek yogurt, a little peanut butter and some sugar-free Torani chocolate syrup, which tastes more like a Tootsie Roll than actual chocolate but it works for me. Find what works for you.

cauliflower crust pizza from
eat-drink-smile.com

That's a good motto for weight loss, or anything you want to change about your life: Find what works for you. If you can stay skinny and pleasant while eating all the white carbs in the world, keep on rockin'. If you haven’t quite found your groove yet, keep testing new things. Get ideas, experiment, and stick with the stuff that treats you right. For me, it happens to be red wine and cheese. Just hold the crackers.

*Though I will admit I'm in love with this recipe for cauliflower crust pizza. 

How Sweet It Isn’t: Part One

lemon-garlic shrimp skewers

I've been changing the way I eat lately. I don’t want to say "diet" because diets never work, at least not long-term and certainly not for me. Also I get to pretend that it’s all about healthy living and not losing weight, which isn't 100% crap but neither is it all that close to the truth. I've kept close track of my weight and managed to lose over 10 pounds, which makes my driver’s license no longer a lie. Not that the number is all that impressive for a woman my height, but I take what I can get.

My eating changes are pretty basic. Carbs are the enemy. Specifically the whites are to be avoided: sugar, flour, potatoes and rice. And sadly, beer. For me, the more carbs and sugars I eat, the hungrier I get. Before I cut these out you did not want to be around me when I missed a meal. I never understood how someone could “just forget to eat” (*sidelong glance at my husband*). Now I see that when you eat in a balanced way your body does not constantly plunge you into mood swing hell. I can actually feel hungry without also having an overwhelming urge to murder someone.

spicy pumpkin seeds

I started by going cold turkey, cutting out not only the whites but all sugars and flours, even fruit and whole wheat. And alcohol. I've tried this method before with limited success. My craving for bread is just too strong and I cave. This time around I made sure I had plenty of low carb snacks to grab instead. Beans tend to knock out the bread craving for me, so I loaded up on hummus and three-bean salads. Instead of focusing just on vegetables, I let dairy, meat and nuts played a big role in my diet. I’m sure I would have lost more weight more quickly if I had laid off the fats, but I was still amazed at how steadily the weight came off. After a few weeks I let fruits and whole grains back into my diet, but kept them a small part of my meals. Alcohol is now exclusively red wine, and not too much of it.

Of course there is everyday eating and party eating. If I’m having dinner at a friend’s house I’m not going to turn down a homemade apple pie or skip eating if she serves pasta. I’ll just have a bit less than I used to, and maybe double up on salad. When I’m out at dive-bar karaoke red wine isn't really an option, so I’ll have a Bud light. This way of eating is really about the trend, so the occasional indulgence isn't a cause for concern. As long as the Halloween candy binge doesn't disrupt the healthier habits, no real harm done.

Coming soon... Part Two: That advice you didn't ask for.

Friday Food: Strawberry Mice

This one isn't so much a recipe as a way to make an ordinary bowl of fruit something special. At Lucas' preschool there was another birthday boy on his big day, and that boy's mom was already making cupcakes. The teacher suggested I bring in strawberries, but a pile of fruit didn't seem very celebratory to me. A quick internet search revealed the wonders of strawberry mice. I didn't have any of the decorations they suggested, so I improvise with raisins for ears, frosting for the nose & eyes, and a pretzel tail. I dropped each into a cupcake liner so they would be easy to serve at school.

As you might expect, they were a big hit with the 3-year-olds. All the kids were so excited to eat their mice. Three months later Lucas is still talking about them. Strawberry mice are a popular item at his play kitchen and whenever we play the drive-thru game. From now on I'll skip the baking and make fruit-based animals for special occasions.

Strawberry Mice

There are endless ways to construct your mice. Here are some ideas.

Body: Strawberries
Ears: Raisins or slivered almonds
Nose & eyes: Mini chocolate chips or dark icing in a tube
Tail: Thin shoestring licorice or sections of thin curved pretzels

Slice the top of the strawberry off at a shallow angle so their "noses" point more out than up. Add a nose at the tip of the strawberry, then add the eyes. Use a toothpick to carve out little dents to place the ears and tail in.

They look cutest if the eyes and ears are close to the nose. It takes a few tries to figure out how your mice will come together, but you'll find yourself with a batch of cute critters in no time.

Friday Food: Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Skewers

This is a super easy and very tasty meal that takes little prep and always impresses guests. You need an hour or so to marinate the shrimp but the rest of the prep and cooking takes only minutes.  

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Skewers
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1 1/2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp (med or large)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
Lemon wedges

- In a bowl, mix salt and sugar. Add shrimp and stir gently to coat. Cover and chill 45 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse shrimp well and drain; also rinse and dry bowl.
- Return shrimp to bowl. Add olive oil, parsley, lemon peel, garlic, and pepper. Mix to coat. Thread shrimp on metal or soaked wooden skewers, running skewer through the body once near the tail and once near the head end of each shrimp so it looks like the letter C.
- Lay shrimp skewers on an oiled barbecue grill over hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on grill. Cook, turning once, until shrimp are bright pink and opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 6 minutes total. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over shrimp.
 - You can also grill some seasonal veggies (like asparagus coated with olive oil) and serve with bread to round out the meal.

Friday Food: Broccoli Cashew Salad

I'm great at buying vegetables but not so consistent about actually preparing and consuming them. I was looking for a way to use up some broccoli and found an interesting salad recipe from Paula Deen. 


The problem was I didn't have most of the ingredients. I used cranberries instead of raisins, which was simple enough. I had no tomatoes on hand so I left those out. She called for sugar, which seemed unnecessary. I also didn't have bacon, but it seemed the salad would be lacking without it. A quick scan of the pantry revealed cashews, which seemed a fine substitute and had added the benefit of keeping the dish vegetarian.  I stirred in some some leftover cooked orzo to make a more hearty dish. The result was a knock-out salad that makes eating raw veggies a pleasure rather than a chore.

The amounts below are guidelines - add more or less to suit your taste. One thing I've found is that the onion really brings it all together. I'm not a raw onion fan, but I always make sure to add a bit to make the salad shine.

~~~

Broccoli Cashew Salad

    * 1 head broccoli
    * 1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
    * 1/4 cup chopped onion
    * 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
    * 6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
    * 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved  (optional)
    * 1 cup cooked orzo pasta (optional)
    * Salt and pepper to taste
    * 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    * 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Wash and trim off the leaves and stalk from the broccoli head. Cut the head into florets and (if desired) the stem  into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the chopped cashews, onion, raisins or cranberries, and cheese. Add tomatoes and orzo if using. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise, salt & pepper, stirring well. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Friday Food: Watermelon Feta Salad

Writing often with kids about will take some doing, but I want to get into the habit of posting regularly so I'll give myself an easy weekly post. I'll share the simple yummy recipes that have become staples in our house.

First up: Watermelon Feta Salad. I first came across the surprising combination of flavors at Thea Mediterranean. Michelle took me out for a much-needed dinner-and-a-movie and we shared this fresh summery salad. The sweet-tangy-salty combo was easy to mimic and soon became a summer staple in our kitchen.

Watermelon Feta Salad

  watermelon

  lime

  feta cheese, crumbled

  mint leaves

  sea salt

Chop watermelon into bite-sized cubes and place in a large bowl. Chop mint leaves into thin threads and add to bowl.  Squeeze in a little lime juice. Add the crumbled feta and a pinch of salt. Mix lightly and taste to adjust the flavors as needed. Chill before serving.