Friday, January 23, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
How to survive a Super Bowl party with low carb snacks
The teams have been decided...Super Bowl XLIX preparation is underway. For those on a New Year's diet or trying to make a lifestyle diet change, this causes a problem. I put together a list of low carb options you could provide at your party or bring to your friend's.
Easy:
*Any kind of savory wing should work-not breaded, homemade is better
*Veggie plate with ranch (real ranch not fat free)
*Low carb sausage balls: I've made these several times now. Try reduced fat breakfast sausage to help with grease. These are simple and delicious.
*Almonds and other low fat nuts
*Cheese and/or meat trays
*Ham and cream cheese and chives rollups
*Deviled eggs
*Chickpeas and pico de gallo salad
*Sweet bacon wrapped smokies-try agave or a little brown sugar to add sweetness
****Use sweet peppers or bell peppers as chips or crackers
Creative (If you're craving something out of the ordinary):
*Make your own cheese chips (see recipe)
*Savory roasted chickpeas (see recipes)
*Roasted buffalo cauliflower (see recipe)
*Bacon wrapped mozzarella (see recipe)
*Baked zucchini sticks with ranch (see recipe)
**Chicken parmesan meatballs (see recipe)
*7 layer dip: This could probably go under easy, but I figured you could be creative with your layers (see recipe)
Easy:
*Any kind of savory wing should work-not breaded, homemade is better
*Veggie plate with ranch (real ranch not fat free)
*Low carb sausage balls: I've made these several times now. Try reduced fat breakfast sausage to help with grease. These are simple and delicious.
*Almonds and other low fat nuts
*Cheese and/or meat trays
*Ham and cream cheese and chives rollups
*Deviled eggs
*Chickpeas and pico de gallo salad
*Sweet bacon wrapped smokies-try agave or a little brown sugar to add sweetness
****Use sweet peppers or bell peppers as chips or crackers
Creative (If you're craving something out of the ordinary):
*Make your own cheese chips (see recipe)
*Savory roasted chickpeas (see recipes)
*Roasted buffalo cauliflower (see recipe)
*Bacon wrapped mozzarella (see recipe)
*Baked zucchini sticks with ranch (see recipe)
**Chicken parmesan meatballs (see recipe)
*7 layer dip: This could probably go under easy, but I figured you could be creative with your layers (see recipe)
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Low carb for beginners
If this is your first time on low carb, you need to know a few important things.
#1 Anything made of grains has a bunch of carbs. Flour, oats, wheat, et cetera. These all have more carbs than you should consume on a low carb diet. That is not to say that you should never have anything like whole grain bread, oatmeal, or rice, but do so sparingly. I usually integrate brown rice or something like it about 4-5 times a month.
#2 Fruit has carbs. Usually more than you think. Fruit is good for you, but in moderation. If you choose a high carb fruit, eat it in the morning so you give your body time to burn it off. I have a list of fruits below from highest to lowest carbs. Hint: Grapes and bananas are not great
1 cup of grapes (26 grams of carbs)
1 small-to-medium banana (24 grams)
1 cup of mango (25 carbs)
1 medium pear (22 grams)
1 apple (21 grams)
1 cup pineapple (20 grams)
1 cup cherries (19 grams)
1 cup blueberries (18 grams)
1 cup raspberries (17 grams)
1 cup honeydew (15 grams)
1 cup cantaloupe (14 grams)
1 cup blackberries (14 grams)
1 medium orange (12 grams)
1 cup watermelon (11 grams)
1 medium kiwi (9 grams)
1 medium plum (8 grams)
1 cup strawberries (8 grams)
1 lime (8 grams)
1 lemon (6 grams)
#3 The more you cook at home, the easier it is to stay on target. You can eat low carb when you go out to eat, but there are often hidden ingredients that you don't know about. For example, IHOP puts pancake batter in their eggs to make them fluffier. If you're planning on going out to eat, do some research before you go. Most restaurants have their menus online, so you can choose what you're eating before you get there.
Ultimately, if you're eating lean and green, you are on the right track. Enjoy your low carb livin'!
#1 Anything made of grains has a bunch of carbs. Flour, oats, wheat, et cetera. These all have more carbs than you should consume on a low carb diet. That is not to say that you should never have anything like whole grain bread, oatmeal, or rice, but do so sparingly. I usually integrate brown rice or something like it about 4-5 times a month.
#2 Fruit has carbs. Usually more than you think. Fruit is good for you, but in moderation. If you choose a high carb fruit, eat it in the morning so you give your body time to burn it off. I have a list of fruits below from highest to lowest carbs. Hint: Grapes and bananas are not great
1 cup of grapes (26 grams of carbs)
1 small-to-medium banana (24 grams)
1 cup of mango (25 carbs)
1 medium pear (22 grams)
1 apple (21 grams)
1 cup pineapple (20 grams)
1 cup cherries (19 grams)
1 cup blueberries (18 grams)
1 cup raspberries (17 grams)
1 cup honeydew (15 grams)
1 cup cantaloupe (14 grams)
1 cup blackberries (14 grams)
1 medium orange (12 grams)
1 cup watermelon (11 grams)
1 medium kiwi (9 grams)
1 medium plum (8 grams)
1 cup strawberries (8 grams)
1 lime (8 grams)
1 lemon (6 grams)
#3 The more you cook at home, the easier it is to stay on target. You can eat low carb when you go out to eat, but there are often hidden ingredients that you don't know about. For example, IHOP puts pancake batter in their eggs to make them fluffier. If you're planning on going out to eat, do some research before you go. Most restaurants have their menus online, so you can choose what you're eating before you get there.
Ultimately, if you're eating lean and green, you are on the right track. Enjoy your low carb livin'!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Week 2 Menu
Here is the menu for this week. I have linked recipes needed below. If you need something customized or different ideas, please let me know and I'll be happy to help. Happy eating!!
Mexican coleslaw
Sausage balls
Chili
Lime cilantro chicken
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
One of my new favorite Facebook friends
Inspiration...Most of the time this is what I need to break up the monotony of my low carb ideas. Pinterest is one of my go-to sites, of course, but I began following this "friend" on Facebook, and I love their ideas. If you're on Facebook, follow Low Carbing Among Friends. They regularly post low carb recipes, and they are not difficult to cook.
If you're like me, you can only take so many grilled chicken and veggie dinners. This Facebook page adds simple ideas to your basic meals, and offers recipes to allow substitutes for any carb heavy ingredients. They also have cookbooks you can order. It is a group of people who are low carb chefs or home cooks who compiled their recipes to sell their cookbooks. You can find their cookbooks on Amazon. It's on my wishlist to order as they have printed several volumes.
I will be posting next week's menu tomorrow night so be on the lookout!
If you're like me, you can only take so many grilled chicken and veggie dinners. This Facebook page adds simple ideas to your basic meals, and offers recipes to allow substitutes for any carb heavy ingredients. They also have cookbooks you can order. It is a group of people who are low carb chefs or home cooks who compiled their recipes to sell their cookbooks. You can find their cookbooks on Amazon. It's on my wishlist to order as they have printed several volumes.
I will be posting next week's menu tomorrow night so be on the lookout!
Monday, January 5, 2015
FAQs for eating low carb
Over the last year I have received many questions about eating low carb. One thing I want to point out first is "low carb" is not "no carb." Almost everything has some carbs in it. It's about making the right choices when you consume carbs. Here are some of the most common:
Q: Do you cook something different for your kids?
A: No. My kids are 3, 4 and 6 years old. They eat what I cook or they can have a bowl of Cheerios for dinner. I do make some adaptations, and I can't always cook some of the foods or side dishes I would like, but we always have plenty and we haven't pulled out the cereal yet.
Q: Do you count carbs?
A: No. Maybe I should, but numbers have never been helpful to me. It usually stresses me out, which doesn't help weight loss. There are days my body needs more carbs or calories than normal, and I do not want to feel like I'm starving, so I just make good choices when choosing snacks. If I need an extra string cheese and almonds, I figure my body is trying to tell me something. Just do everything in moderation. If you want to count carbs, the more carbs you consume, the slower the fat burn. Around 50 carbs a day is a pretty fast fat burn.
Q: What foods do you try to avoid?
A: The obvious foods I avoid are breads, fried foods, and sweets. If I have bread, I choose whole wheat. If I want sweets, I choose low carb fruits or a light and fit Greek yogurt. I have tried Bluebell's No Sugar Added ice cream and I like it. I do not have it often, but if I'm craving ice cream, it's better than the real deal. There are a lot of substitutes for carb-loaded loves, too. One of my favorites is lettuce wraps! (I'll do a separate post soon about some other substitutes.)
Q: What do you do when you're on the go/out to eat?
A: Most fast food restaurants will wrap their burgers or sandwiches in lettuce for you. They will also let you sub a side salad for fries (Ranch dressing is low carb!! The real stuff, not fat free). "Sit-down" restaurants are easier to navigate. They will have options that are healthy choices, just keep an eye on the side dishes and drink water or unsweet tea. It's up to you on sweeteners. Personally, I still use artificial sweeteners. Right now I hear Stevia or Truvia are some of the most natural. Agave is also a good choice.
Here is a list of snacks and meals I came up with that you can prep and take on the go in the car if you're like my friend, Ashley, who is taking her son to sports stuff 3 nights a week.
Snacks
-cheese sticks & almonds
-low carb sausage balls
-boiled eggs/deviled eggs
-apples and peanut butter
-low carb brownie energy bites
Dinner
-Breakfast burrito (low carb tortilla)
-smoked sausage, apple, and cheddar cheese (kabob it for more fun)
-lettuce wrap chicken breast taco with carrots
-lettuce wrap burgers with strawberries
-ham roll up
-BLT (lettuce on the outside)
-low carb chicken salad
Q: Do you cook something different for your kids?
A: No. My kids are 3, 4 and 6 years old. They eat what I cook or they can have a bowl of Cheerios for dinner. I do make some adaptations, and I can't always cook some of the foods or side dishes I would like, but we always have plenty and we haven't pulled out the cereal yet.
Q: Do you count carbs?
A: No. Maybe I should, but numbers have never been helpful to me. It usually stresses me out, which doesn't help weight loss. There are days my body needs more carbs or calories than normal, and I do not want to feel like I'm starving, so I just make good choices when choosing snacks. If I need an extra string cheese and almonds, I figure my body is trying to tell me something. Just do everything in moderation. If you want to count carbs, the more carbs you consume, the slower the fat burn. Around 50 carbs a day is a pretty fast fat burn.
Q: What foods do you try to avoid?
A: The obvious foods I avoid are breads, fried foods, and sweets. If I have bread, I choose whole wheat. If I want sweets, I choose low carb fruits or a light and fit Greek yogurt. I have tried Bluebell's No Sugar Added ice cream and I like it. I do not have it often, but if I'm craving ice cream, it's better than the real deal. There are a lot of substitutes for carb-loaded loves, too. One of my favorites is lettuce wraps! (I'll do a separate post soon about some other substitutes.)
 |
| Found at Walmart |
A: Most fast food restaurants will wrap their burgers or sandwiches in lettuce for you. They will also let you sub a side salad for fries (Ranch dressing is low carb!! The real stuff, not fat free). "Sit-down" restaurants are easier to navigate. They will have options that are healthy choices, just keep an eye on the side dishes and drink water or unsweet tea. It's up to you on sweeteners. Personally, I still use artificial sweeteners. Right now I hear Stevia or Truvia are some of the most natural. Agave is also a good choice.
Here is a list of snacks and meals I came up with that you can prep and take on the go in the car if you're like my friend, Ashley, who is taking her son to sports stuff 3 nights a week.
Snacks
-cheese sticks & almonds
-low carb sausage balls
-boiled eggs/deviled eggs
-apples and peanut butter
-low carb brownie energy bites
Dinner
-Breakfast burrito (low carb tortilla)
-smoked sausage, apple, and cheddar cheese (kabob it for more fun)
-lettuce wrap chicken breast taco with carrots
-lettuce wrap burgers with strawberries
-ham roll up
-BLT (lettuce on the outside)
-low carb chicken salad
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