Healthy Eating/Recipes

[Drince88]

Woo Hoo!
That's the way to make lifestyle changes you can stick with!

[bennette]

Here is a recipe I use when I'm working on upping my calcium/protein or have a reluctant vegetable eater on my hands. Any fresh vegetable will do! It's also nice on baked potatoes. I bet you could even use it as a base for fresh vegetable sandwiches or on toasted bagels but mine usually doesn't last that long.

For one cup:

3/4 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk (remember you can make your own by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes). I actually usually substitute plain non fat Greek yogurt here, as I tend to have it around but both are fine.

One tablespoon minced shallots preferably but onions (or the white part of green onions) will do.

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (I usually throw in one and a half teaspoons of fresh dill or basil instead, maybe some chives).

Salt and pepper to taste (I use a tablespoon of any of the Penzey's salad dressing mixes).

Whip it up in your mini chopper or a blender until the cottage cheese smooths out. It's best after sitting a few minutes. Keeps up to one week, tightly covered

Made with buttermilk, 41 calories per quarter cup and .5 grams total fat, if you are counting. Oh, and 6.2 grams protein.

You can add 1/4 diced cucumbers to make cucumber dressing/dip, but squeeze them in paper towels a bit first, to soak up excess liquid.

You can also add two tablespoons blue cheese crumbles and omit the dill/herbs for blue dressing/dip but the fat and calories go up a bit. (More importantly, you'll have all these extra blue cheese crumbles in the fridge, calling your name; proceed with caution.)

[adriennek]

bennette, have you ever used Greek yogurt in dips in place of sour cream? A woman I spoke with recently said that she can't stand the taste of straight Greek yogurt but she said she can't tell the difference in dips. I'm thinking about trying it and I'm assuming you know more about Greek yogurt than I do.

Adrienne

[bennette]

bennette, have you ever used Greek yogurt in dips in place of sour cream? A woman I spoke with recently said that she can't stand the taste of straight Greek yogurt but she said she can't tell the difference in dips. I'm thinking about trying it and I'm assuming you know more about Greek yogurt than I do.

Adrienne

Well...if I tell you I almost never use sour cream in dips does that give you an idea? I like Greek because it's thicker than regular yogurt. (Not sure why she wouldn't like the taste of Greek as compared to regular? It's really just strained yogurt, or yogurt "cheese." Maybe she's had the "real" thing, which is made with sheep's milk and can be tangy to some Americans but the real thing is not easy to find here.)

If you come to my house, you might as well know any dip I give you is made mostly of yogurt and silken tofu. I don't think anyone has ever noticed but I don't usually point it out to them either.

Be advised that some Greek yogurts are made with milk and cream (like Fage Total, which is the brand I like to eat straight or in a parfait) and are not necessarily low fat. Just lower in fat than sour cream. If I am mixing it with something else, the 0% version tastes good to me. We put it on chili and soups also.

Because the whey has been drained out, it won't curdle; you can cook with it. It also says something about being easier for people with type 2 diabetes to digest but I don't really know anything about that.

So...I like Fage. I am neutral on TJ's brand. Chobani is another popular one but doesn't seem to carried at stores near me.

I don't like traditional American yogurts at all. They are too sweet or gloppy. I like Greek yogurt and goat and sheep yogurt all of which some people would find pretty tangy. You might want to start with a small container (Fage sells little ones with fruit or honey on the side for people to sweeten to taste) to see if you like it.

When I remember to eat breakfast, I throw some frozen fruit and a little strong honey in a tupperware with plain Fage in the fridge overnight. I take it to work and by the time I can stand the thought of eating, everything is thawed and I have a nice parfait.

Also, it's not cheap, at least not compared to sour cream, but it's a protein source.

[stan4d_steph]

I like Stonyfield's Oikos brand. Chobani is also good, and it's a NY company. I have a friend who really likes Brown Cow.

[adriennek]

Thanks for the feedback!

I actually have some Chobani in my refrigerator. That's one of the brands my store carries, although the selection is very limited. I'm intrigued to try it!

Adrienne

[bennette]

I actually have some Chobani in my refrigerator. That's one of the brands my store carries, although the selection is very limited. I'm intrigued to try it!

Adrienne

They say the fruit flavors are good. Where did you find it?

[adriennek]

They say the fruit flavors are good. Where did you find it?

Vons. I don't think there is a Vons in your town, is there? I've seen it at Henry's, too. Mine only has 3 flavors - I think it's plain, honey vanilla and something with fruit.

Adrienne

[Drince88]

I didn't care for the honey one. I just get vanilla and mix it with frozen berries. (or fresh, in season) That way I can get the bigger container, too - and have more or less depending on mood - because if it's a 'single serving' container, I'll eat all of it, even if I was in the mood for a smaller serving.

[bennette]

Vons. I don't think there is a Vons in your town, is there?

Adrienne

There is a Pavillions down the street which is nice but I don't go there often (pricey!). Technically that's Newport, though, not Irvine.

[SigalTchelet]

There is a Pavillions down the street which is nice but I don't go there often (pricey!). Technically that's Newport, though, not Irvine.

Safeway is also the same at Vons, but not sure if they have them in SoCal.

I have good news! I lost 6.5 lbs in 2 weeks (missed last week). I was shocked, but so proud of myself. I get great ideas from here and from WW. I need to check out Hungry Gurl too. Have any of you heard of it? I also found this website: http://www.wikiweightwatcher.com/

[adriennek]

Safeway is also the same at Vons, but not sure if they have them in SoCal.

In SoCal, Safeway is Vons. Pavillions is an upscale version of Vons.

Adrienne

[bennette]

I need to check out Hungry Gurl too. Have any of you heard of it?

I am glad things are going well. I have seen Hungry Gurl. I think it's good they point out the calorie and food content of some restaurant and packaged foods. I also like their highlighting what is reasonable to eat at different chain restaurants if you don't already have a good sense of what is in different foods.

I had problems with some of the recipes, though. Some of them looked very sensible while others had a heavy focus on using "fake" or heavily artificial products. For example, the Starbuck's fake drink made with sugar free sweetener, plus a low calorie cocoa mix, plus Cool Whip, plus low fat soy milk. That's the kind of recipe I'd rather just skip and so I don't consider them smart choices. (I'd probably end up feeling deprived.) I'd rather just focus on having something good AND decadent on occasion and generally improving my habits overall. I get a mocha something or other a couple of times a year and I'm fine with it. Otherwise, I am happy with a really good cup of tea. (Which has exactly as many calories as a horrible cup of tea; one!)

Again, some looked fairly normal. I thought the apple, onion, and cornbread stuff they featuring for Thanksgiving looked pretty good for a side dish. I guess you'd just have to pick through the site a bit.

[Drince88]

I had problems with some of the recipes, though. Some of them looked very sensible while others had a heavy focus on using "fake" or heavily artificial products.
You bring up a good point. When I was doing WW, I found, even if I was on track with my points, I did 'better' at the scales if I'd eaten real food for my points, as opposed to 'fake' food or lots of one or two point 'snacky foods'. I know calories don't care where they come from* but when I finally realized I was eating too many 'empty' calories, and turned that back around, I FELT much better and I think I just inherently moved more, so that's why the difference in the scales.

Some things, I'm happy there are 'fake' alternatives (diet coke!) but others, I'd just as soon skip it on a general basis.

*Interesting story (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html) about a nutritionist who lost weight on a junk food diet

[bennette]

Since I try not to eat anything I can't pronounce, fake food usually just doesn't work for me, Diet Coke being an obvious and sacred exception!

[adriennek]

I know calories don't care where they come from* but when I finally realized I was eating too many 'empty' calories, and turned that back around, I FELT much better and I think I just inherently moved more, so that's why the difference in the scales.

Interestingly, this seems to be a major motivator in the changes to the Weight Watchers points system that they're introducing today/this week! In the previous program 100 calories of chicken could be the same number of points as 100 calories of cookies. (I don't have the link where I read that tidbit.)

This has been one of my biggest lessons in weight loss: Empty calories don't count, LOL. I have found that I do try to use fat-free products and low-fat products at times (fat free cottage cheese in mac and cheese: good. fat-free cream cheese as a substitute in just about anything: NOT GOOD.)

But the more I focused on substituting foods, the more I was reinforcing the habits that got me to Weight Watchers in the first place. What really helped me most was changing the balance of my diet (more on the fruits, veggies and proteins, less on the carbs, although I don't cut them out entirely; eating breakfast with protein in the morning and not feeling as hungry at lunchtime so I eat a smaller lunch, etc etc,)

I still have room for empty calories. (Let me tell you about the amazing tequila cocktail I enjoyed last week!) But the more I focus on the moderation and the balance, the more satisfied I feel eating less and the more consistently I lose.

Adrienne

[SigalTchelet]

I am liking the new points system. All Fresh Fruits and Veggies (not the starches) are free. One of my goals joining Weight Watchers, was eating less processed foods. But I do drink Diet Sodas. I have been eating/snacking on alot more fruit and veggies. I also find drinking lots of water (which I like) really helps. I have not looked into Hungry Gurl yet, but I will be wary of recipes with processed foods.

[codewoman]

(raising hand) Add me to the "loving the new WW program" bandwagon. I may now eat two bananas a day! Yay! And since I didn't do a lot of carbs or processed foods anyway, I'm in hog heaven with this new plan. I don't do well eating the processed snack foods because they just don't fill me up.

I'm a little ticked about the avocado thing. I love avocados! But with the huge number of extra points, I can indulge in avocado season.

I have found if I can cut out the added sugars and sweeteners, I crave the high points foods a lot less. I've gradually cut out sodas and cookies and don't find myself focusing on them so much any more. I do eat them, but not nearly as often.

I'm challenging myself to try everything on the "power foods" list over the upcoming year.

[Drince88]

Did your total points budget for the day change with this change in program?

[adriennek]

Did your total points budget for the day change with this change in program?

I don't know how much you've read about the changes but for a few examples...

I believe the former "minimum" points level was about 17 points? Now it's in the 20s. The weekly bonus points went from 35 to 49. Also in the former program, every time you lost 10 lbs you lost a point. Well when I logged into ww.com it told me my new points totals based on my weight about 12+ pounds ago. I entered in my current weight and my points total didn't change.

Before I had about 22-24 points per day plus 35 bonus. Now I have 29 points per day plus 49 bonus for the week.

Adrienne

[adriennek]

I don't know how much you've read about the changes but for a few examples...

I have more scoop today. Essentially here's the veryveryvery basic 411:

The new points are based on a calculation of grams of: carbs, fat, fiber & protein in a product. There is no more sliding card, one has to have a WW calculator, use the online tool or the WW lists to determine points values. They tried to come up with a card to calculate points and no "slide rule" experts could come up with one that would be user friendly.

The points are much more standardized. For example, most of the people in my meeting have 29 points daily and 49 weekly points. Based on age, gender and weight, some people will have more than 29 points.

And now fresh fruits are 0 points along with the usual "non-startch" vegetables.

Those are, IMO, the most outstanding changes to the program.

Adrienne

[Drince88]

Thanks! If you did online you didn't get the slide rule (or ANY snail mail, per a coworker) so in Nov I finally remembered to bring in an extra 'slide rule' I had. Oh well.

I can't even grasp my brain around trying to make a slide rule with that many inputs!

[THpoohbear]

Are they giving those in meetings calculators or does everyone have to buy them?

[adriennek]

Are they giving those in meetings calculators or does everyone have to buy them?

You have to buy them. For this month, all of the "new" technology is significantly discounted (scales, calculators, etc.) The calculators are $12 normally, on sale for $6. You technically don't need one if you use the website (and/or the food companions). But I grabbed one while they're 50% off.

And I very conveniently had an extra Vera Bradley coin purse thing big enough to hold it, in my purse. :fez:

Adrienne

[THpoohbear]

Grr. I just looked online and the sale is not extended there. Hmm.. you think if I walk into a center and tell them I'm an online subscriber then they will let me buy one?

I really like having something in the kitchen to calculate things without having to drag my laptop in there. I like the new program, but bummed about my old calculator not working!