Looking for low-fat, low-cal recipes

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Okay, I'm serious now! I am looking for good low-fat, low-calorie recipes. I have got to drop a few pounds (16, I figure) and am looking for help!

I joined Weight Watchers again last night (I'm a Lifetime Member...these ~15 pounds just seems to ebb and flow with me!)

I'm especially interested in stuff I can make/get to fast!

Thanks!

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Answers

oh goodie.....I get to give my VIO's (very important opinions) again!

Annie and I can duke it out about the carb thingy! HI ANNIE!

Easiest way for most people to lose weight is to knock off the carbs. Period. Eat protein and veggies, a little whole fruit, and very limited amounts of whole grains. You may also find, as did I and thousand of others, that your cholesterol will go down (for those who care about such things), you'll have more energy, feel more upbeat and happy, reduce your homocystein and tricglyceride levels, eliminate lots of other health problems that may be bothering you, etc.

Incidentally, for those of you who refuse to heed my most excellent advice, do so at your peril.......well actually I don't want anyone to peril, but......I do have about a zillion low-fat cookbooks still hanging around here from the many years I did my american heart association duty with no success whatsoever; if you want some, let me know; I'll send some to ya.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001


Way back in the dark ages, at about age 16, I went on something called the Grapefruit Diet (I've seen other names for it too). NO carbs. Half a grapefruit at every meal, and as much meat/protein and veggies as you wanted, but again, NO carbs. It works -- by putting your body into ketosis. NOT a healthy way to lose weight -- and everything I lost came back in short order and then some.

I'm not arguing with Earthmama about this. I am just pointing out that you do need some carbs to have a healthy, balanced diet.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001


I agree Joy; some carbs, but they should be in the form of whole grains and veggies,and in limited amounts.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Sheepish: I'm just a guy and I know nothing about nutrition or diets but I come from a very fat familly. I get in a habit of 4 times a week just eating steamed vegies over cooked rice. A little soy and a little butter and thats it. Some good bread and applesauce with it. This keeps me from trying to figure out what to eat all the time. Ha! Of course I don't have to cook for a large familly. This has been a 20 year habit plus I walk 3 miles or so every day. (Only 5 or 10 lbs overweight).....Kirk

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Thanks to you all!

Well, Kirk, your answer sounds pretty good! In the past, I have kept cold cooked pasta around and in a pinch sauteed or steamed vegetables to accompany it. I usually always have leftover rice around. Maybe I'll try it your way, sans butter...

I think I am just kind of in a near-panic mode since I tend to not eat on any schedule and then get ravenous and devour everything in sight. Probably not the best plan! I really want my own fast food! Maybe I should re-read the CS article from the last issue.

I think I will make some soups and also have some ready to eat salad stuff on hand or something. Wondered if y'all had any good recipes.

I remember the Atkins diet, grapefruit diet, etc. The last time I lost weight and got healthy (duh. a year ago. duh.) I told myself that diets don't work. And they really don't. But eating healthy and exercising more (in different ways) is good.

Tomorrow is my first real hike of the season. Up 4 steep miles on probably the only snow-free peak around here this time of year. I do this every year and just slog up the first time...........groan. Getting up at 4 to get to the trailhead by 6. Too close to Puget Sound population to get there any later...it becomes a transplanted urban zoo...everyone lives close to the mountains around here!

I really just need some behavior modification and more exercise. But I wanna eat healthier too! We are so independent around here that meals are often thrown-together sandwiches held while on our way to do something else. And we thought we had old fashioned values! harumph!

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001



Sheepish,

I have a cream of tomato soup recipe and I have a cream of asparagus soup reicpe. Both of them are fantastic, IMO

I'll try to post them tomorrow but remind me if I forget.

I also have a recipe (it doesn't have a name that I know of) that I got when I was on the Atkins Diet - it's something you bake in the oven. It's cottage cheese, spinach, eggs, and parmesan cheese. It's fantastic and only about 75 calories per serving.

If you use non-fat cottage cheese, and something like Egg Beaters to replace the eggs I think the fat content *might* be pretty low. Although I'm not sure...

Let me know if you want that one, too.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001


I should add that the soup recipes use skim milk and low or non-fat sour cream in the ingredients list. So they also should be pretty low in fat.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001

Hey, Sheepish, digging around for info on Tatsoi vs. Bok choy, I found this site: http://www.pacificrim-gourmet.com/

How about stir fries? Got a wok? Grow some veggies, pre-chop them and some meat, make a quickie dinner when you get hungry? Looks like they have some good cookbooks, but at least you could get some ideas from poking around the site. I also make a larger amount of rice when I'm cooking it, and freeze some so that I have some cooked and ready to quickly add when needed.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001


Don't eat foods that you are allergic to and you will lose weight.I lost a lot, for the first time w/o effort at all.Lost alot twice before with diet and hiking and both times it gradually came back.Not this time and not the feeling of being a zombie.Sometimes a little hungry,yes,but not ravenous.Difference is day and night.

In the past I always went to bed hungery.And I'd gain 10 lbs every winter and lose it every spring.Just a natural part of our cycle.

What I talked about in the first paragraph was something else,indeed.

For quick meals we make up stuff,usually in the crockpot,then freeze it in suitable quantities.

I have a saucy chicken recipe for the crockpot that's good and low fat.Rather like chichen catchatorie(sp?).Also make meatless chile for me and with deer meat for nick.

I no longer watch fat content or count calories or follow a diet-I just watch what I'm allergic to and eat fairly healthy. I eat few fatty meats,but do eat meat.Eliminating all I was allergic to was the key for me.But it was a very extensive list.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001


Fresh Asparagus Soup

2 lbs. Asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2-14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Cup light sour cream
1 Cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Place asparagus, onion and 1 cup chicken broth in covered saucepan (covered skillet works well). Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until asparagus is tender, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to a blender and puree mixture. Using same saucepan, melt margarine over low heat. Add flour, salt and pepper, cooking mixture and stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Do not let mixture brown. Whisk in remaining chicken broth and raise heat to medium, cooking until mixture boils. Stir in asparagus puree and milk. Place sour cream in a small bowl and add some of the hot liquid to the sour cream, stirring only to warm and blend it. Add sour cream and lemon juice to soup. Stir well to blend. Heat only until soup is heated through, not to boiling. When reheating this soup, heat only until hot, not boiling.

Yield - approx. 8 cups
Calories - approx. 88 per cup

I'll post the other two recipes later today...

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001



Cream of Tomato Soup

4 cups chopped red tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 whole cloves
6 black peppercorns
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. margarine
3 Tbsp. flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup light sour cream

In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves, peppercorns, brown sugar, salt and parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomato mixture for 15 seconds. Set aside.

In the same saucepan, melt the margarine and add the flour, stirring until golden. Add the chicken broth and stir until thick. Add the reserved tomato mixture and sour cream. Heat thoroughly* and serve.

Calories - approx. 135 per cup

*Do not bring to a boil

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001


Armenian Spinach Pudding

2 10 ounce pkgs frozen Spinach (or Swiss Chard), cooked and drained*
2 cups non-fat cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Mix eveything together until well blended. Pour into 9x9 casserole dish sprayed with Pam cooking spray and bake about 30 minutes in 450 degree oven.

*Make sure you drain the spinach thoroughly, otherwise the finished product will be soggy. I've found that I need to squeeze out the excess water by hand from the spinach in order to get it dry enough for the recipe.

Yield - 9 squares
Calories - approx. 80 per square

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2001


Oh man! The recipes look GOOD! Thanks!!! I nose around the web, too!

I don't think I'm allergic to anything, food-wise. Okay, let me rephrase that. I don't break out in rashes or get diarrhea or anything obvious. Are there allergies that don't manifest themselves in these kind of symptoms?

Yeah, I guess the ten pound cycle thing is how I have been, too. But I'm now working on vanity as well....spending most of two weeks in abbreviated costumes for rafting, hiking, and general vacation nonsense! And I've been waiting almost too long to start getting toned up!

btw, the hike today was great! I did the first two miles in style. The third mile was a push b/c my right quads and hip started getting tired (I overuse my right lower extr.) The fourth mile was tough. No style points, but I made it. We saw (no exaggeration!) at LEAST 300 people hiking up while we were hiking down. See why we wanted to get there early? This is maybe 30 miles from Seattle. Dogs, cell phones...yeah, a real wilderness experience! But a good workout!

Again, thanks for all the great input!

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001


I have mended my vegan ways and have added small amounts of animal protein back in my diet, like free range eggs, free range chicken, some fish (trying to stay away from the really polluted fish), fruits and lots of veggies, stir frys go a long way with this, small amounts of "whole" grains, sprouted grain bread, no refined carbs at all, no wheat, no sugar, no dairy except for a small amount of butter, small amounts of raw seeds and nuts, small amounts of brown basmati rice and whole grain pasta (spelt) and I personally don't eat beef, but if I did eat beef it would be of the type that Earthmama has. I feel great and have no chronic illnesses and I am pushing 55. I lift weights and walk and am trying to get the hang of tae bo for exercise.

I never go anywhere without taking my own food. I commute 40 miles each way to work and take my breakfast, lunch and snacks with me, so I am never tempted to eat something I know is not quality food, just because I a hungry. I got one of those insulated bags that most folks would put a twelve pack of beer in and I call it my lunch bag.

Best of luck, those last few pounds are always the worst to get off and keep off.

Namaste,

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001


Thanks Judy! Really good idea to pre-plan and pack my own food. I guess I just need to get ahead of this a little more. I need to PLAN for good healthy food in my life and start DOING it!

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001


To make quick AND good food fast, use instant brown rice as the base, and just add stuff to it in the final cooking minutes. Like a can of your favorite kind of beans (well drained and rinsed if they are not salt free!), left over vegetables of any kind, baby carrots, garbanzo beans are a favorite addition, mushrooms, and any kind of tomato product, especially diced and seasoned italian style tomatoes. You can make the whole box of instant brown rice with the additions and they keep for a week in the fridge, heat up quick in the microwave. If you eat meat, add this also, just chop up small so it cooks quickly. Sometimes there are three different kinds of beans in my rice, and lots of sweet onion!

High fiber really works for me to lose the pounds and keep them off, without feeling hungry at all. And high fiber and low fat got my BP and cholesterol down to 125/75 and total cholesterol of 149, my cardiologist says my risk of heartdisease at these levels is a NEGATIVE factor of three, due to my excellent HDL's!

Excess protein makes my joints hurt more, if I watch the animal protein intake to no more than a few times per week, my joints feel much better! Basically, you got to figure out what works for YOU!

Good luck in this new diet "hunt"!

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2001


Instant brown rice? I haven't heard of it before. Is it like Uncle Ben's only brown? Does it taste like regular brown rice?

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2001

Annie, I'm glad you're feelin better!

For anyone who might interested, sometimes when protein bothers people its because they arent metabolizing it properly, frequently cuz of inadequate digestive enzymes. We all produce less of em as we get older, and some of us benefit from at least occassional supplemental enzymes and acidolphilus. Always eating raw veggies along with the protein helps a lot. Years ago when I first started my own nutritional research to help with my personal health problems, I had to take hydrochloric acid tabs with every meal until my own stores were replaced, and now my body makes its own real well again. If protein is not synthesized properly it tends to putrify in the gut, causing all kinds of problems. On the other hand, for many people, eliminating too much protein can cause a host of other imbalances.

So no takers for my books yet, huh?

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2001


What books?! Did I miss something!?

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

yes, dear, you did! read my first post on this thread.....

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Did you write a book?

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

That's what I meant...I wondered if you had written any of the books. No coffee yet....sheesh...

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Yikes....Sheepish, I had to go back and read also because I thought she was saying she had written a book and I had missed a super offer or something. Oh well, and I had my coffee!!!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Sorry I wasnt explicit enough....no, havent written any cookbooks......just have an addiction to buying them! So I have lots and lots of em around here, and I won't be taking many of them with me when I move........especially the low-fat kinda ones. If anyone wants any, let me know.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

(Warning: thread drift!) Earthmama, are you still going to have your website after you move? There's a couple of books I've been meaning to buy, but I didn't want to add to your moving stress by trying to process book orders at the same time.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Sherri, I'll definitely be keeping the web business....I really enjoy it, and never have enough time to give it my best. But I process orders every day, you don't really have to wait. I may not be actually moving real soon, since I have to sell the farm first and dont want to leave it vacant, even after the critters are all gone.

Thanks for your consideration though..... you people are so kind on this forum....

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Earthmama what is your web address? I'm a sucker for books and I am looking for a good mail order source for "natural" meat for my husband.

Namaste,

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Well since you asked!! :)

wisespirit.com

I'm not going to be actually shipping any meat for awhile, until I get settled in the Cities, cuz I have to learn how to use dry ice for safe shipping in the summer. Its too much of a hassle to acquire/keep out here in the boonies. So my present meat sales are local. Prime time for meat sales has always been fall and winter anyway, although I plan on doing it year round at a proper facility after the move. Thanks for asking!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Let me try that address again (can you tell I ain't the webmaster?)

wisespirit.com

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Hi Sheepish, yes, the instant brown rice tastes the same as regular, just cooks in 10 minutes instead of 45 minutes! Uncle Ben's and Minute Rice both make the instant, as well as several "store" brands, I prefer the Uncle Ben's myself.

Also, use 100% whole wheat pasta, available from most LARGER grocery stores and health food stores, tastes the same as regular, but way better for you, and it seems as the more fiber you take in, the quicker the weight comes off, plus you feel full longer on less food intake.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Thanks for all your replies! I will visit Earthmama's website, try Jim's recipes, and also try the instant rice. All of your answers have been supportive!

Earthmama, let me know when you DO write a book so I can get an autographed first edition. I will do the same for you! (grin)

I lost 3.4 pounds last week. I'm sure it was the hike. Definitely not the wine or the marshmallows.....hee hee....

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


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