Oh geez.. I have been lost the past few days without access to this board. Reading it has really helped me in so many ways. It keeps me motivated and gives me some great ideas. People need to get chatting again so I have something to read!

The other night I made zucchini lasagna. It was great! Whoever said to make that, good tip. We also had the strawberry mousse. It was also very good.

Fall 2002- 193
LC since August 2003
183/176/150

okay this is a letter I typed to my mom with tips I had learned from this board.. I am a newbie and no expert. Feel free to let me know if I am doing anything wrong..

The things I eat:

Breakfast Ideas:

Eggs (usually 2) - scrambled with cheese, omelette style with cheese, or fried
Bacon (regular and Turkey). I have mainly been using regular bacon recently. I should cut back a little though because the salt may make me retain water.
Tips with bacon sometimes I rip off a couple lettuce leaves and put some mayo on them and put the bacon in the middle roll it up for a mock BLT.
Ham- if you don’t want bacon warm up ham but this is also salty.
Sausage links- I don’t like sausage links and check the label. Some have hidden carbs from maple syrup.
Fried Johnsonville Sausage- I eat this sometimes. After the first couple days and eating this sliced and stuff I thought it was going to quit cuz I kept burping it up. YUCK! Now I try to limit it.

Mock Danish- I have only had this once but it isn’t bad:

3 oz Cream Cheese
one egg (some suggest only the egg white which is the way I made it)
low carb sweetener (low carb syrups are nice!)
add a little cinnamon and a small bit of vanilla.
Microwave the cream cheese until it is soft. Add the egg and stir until smooth. Add the sweetener, flavoring that you want. Pop it back in the microwave and nuke it again for about another minute. The center should still look soft. (NOTE: the egg must be cooked fully, to avoid risk of salmonella) Eat it while warm or cool – some like it chilled, its more dessert like.

Lunch:
Salad- I am not hugely motivated by Salad. I have only had salad a few times. I try to eat it with a creamy ranch with ice burg lettuce. I add maybe some broccoli, spinach leaves, soy nuts or sunflower seeds (watch these during induction they are higher in carbs). I dip the salad in the dressing. I guess a vinaigrette is supposed to be the lowest carb but ranches and creasers are pretty low and I am going to eat salad I am going to have to like it.
Boiled Chicken- So far both weeks I have boiled a chicken and had the meat on hand. I pack a little to go along with my salad. Microwave it and add a little salt to it
Ham Rolls- Slices of ham with cream cheese spread on them. Roll ‘em up and take a few to work for lunch along side a salad.
Hard Boiled Eggs-I try not to eat these for breakfast and try to reserve them for lunches. Sometimes if I bring them along side a salad I will just chop them up and add them right to it. I like my boiled eggs separate though with a little salt.
Egg Salad- yup… When I bring it for lunch it is in it’s own container and I bring like four large leaves of lettuce I just kinda fold them in half and slap on the egg salad. Roll it up and eat it like a burrito.
Tuna- I guess that is low carb too. I haven’t had it yet but if you make a tuna salad.
Baked Haddock- cooked with butter and a little lemon pepper YUM.
Leftovers from dinners.
Going out for lunch? No problem. A couple of times I was just too hungry to get all the way home to eat. At culvers you can order salads, or I order a double cheese burger with a fork and don’t eat the bun! McDonalds- be careful of their salads. Check their website they have a lot of carbs in some of their salads. I order one or two cheeseburgers plain and just eat the meat! Subway? Hmm. Haven’t been there but I think they make salads to.

Dinners:
Pork Rind chicken- I take a couple of fresh chicken breasts put them in a glass dish. I fill a small zip lock bag with pork rinds (I use plain ones, but I guess if you like a kick you can use the hot and spicy ones maybe I will try that next time) and crush them so they are small not too fine. I put the pork rinds in a bowl with about two or three tablespoons of melted butter. I add pepper and onion salt. Mix it up and spread it over the top of the chicken. Bake at 350 for like 40 minutes until chicken is done. I like to dip it in a little bit of Heinz 57 sauce. (watch how much!)
Pork Chop with mushroom gravy- brown the pork chops with a little olive oil, chopped onion and a can of mushrooms (drained). Add a can of cream of mushrooms soup. I eat mine with a little bit of ketchup. (for those not low carbing, like dad, you can make him some egg noodles to eat with the excess gravy)
Steak or chicken on the grill- I always grill a little extra so I can slice it and take the chicken or steak for my salad the next day.
Chicken Divan- Haven’t made this yet but I know it is low carb and GOOD! 2 10 oz packages of frozen broccoli, 2 cups diced cooked chicken, 2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup, ¾ cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s is best for this), 1 tsp lemon juice. Cook the broccoli according to package directions, drain and put in the bottom of a 13x9 oval baking dish. Layer chicken on top combine next three ingredients and pour over chicken. You are also supposed to take 1 cup torn up bread mixed with 1 Tbls butter and sprinkle on top but you could use pork rinds instead. Bake a t 350 for 35 minutes. (for those not low carbing, like dad, the recipe is actually supposed to be served with rice).


Red ‘Potato’ dish- remember that dish I made for you before where you complained cuz I didn’t take the skin off (geez) we make that only instead of potatoes we use cauliflower. The dish has a strong enough flavor I don’t mind eating it with the substitution. (2 bags cauliflower) 6 Tblsp vinegar, 6 Tblsp Olive oil, 2 Tblsp Grey poupon, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, one large red onion and 1 lb smoked Kielbasa (Brian and I use the turkey kielbasa). Basically Fry the onion, Kielbasa, and two Tblsp of oil until it is brown and onions clearish. Prepare cauliflower per package directions stain. When meat and onions and cauliflower are done put it in a large glass baking dish and add 2 Tblsp vinegar., use the same pan to heat 4 Tblsp vinegar, 4 Tblsp oil, cayenne pepper, and mustard. Stir vigorously until mixed and bubbly (about 1 minute). Pour over baking dish and fold in well.
Portabella Mushroom Pizzas- YUM YUM! I buy some larger portabella mushrooms tops at the grocery store clean them and cut off some of the stem. I open a can of tomato sauce and put it into a Rubbermaid dish. I use small amounts of tomato sauce (because it isn’t exactly low carb) enough to cover the mushroom with a thin layer of sauce, then I put pepperoni’s on, about 4 or five depending on the size of the mushroom, then I layer mozzarella cheese on top maybe add a little bit of pepper. Preheat the oven to 400. I bake for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Keep an eye on them cuz at 400 the mushrooms don’t hold out very long after 4 or 5 minutes, and POOF instant PIZZA! It is great!
Pot roast-YUP low carb! You know how to make this, just don’t eat the potatoes and try to limit the carrots.
Turkey Loaf- I have one in my freezer I need to eat one of these days.
Veggie burgers. kinda high for a meal but I still love them, but I really like them with grilled red onion and a slice of Kraft cheese and a little ketchup. Maybe they are holding me up a bit but so far they haven’t been to detrimental.
Lasagna- we are having this tonight. Haven’t tried it yet but it is a great idea. Make it just the way you normally would using the sauce with the lowest carbs, only instead of noodles, use zucchini. Good tip. I got off the www.lowcarbeating.com . You should probably stay away from this your first two weeks though because I don’t think this one is going to be super low carb.
Goose, duck, pheasant- good time to pull one of these out for a dinner.. YUP low carb!
Taco Salad- . Make taco meat and have taco fixin’s like cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, shredded lettuce even olives if ya like. No shell? No problem. Take a new head of lettuce and take the first couple large leaves and lay them in together. This will be your ‘taco shell’ put more shredded lettuce in the ‘bowl’ and add the other parts. Serve with a ranch dressing.
Another Taco Tip- I haven’t tried yet was get slice provolone cheese. Zap in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute, don’t melt it. I guess if you add a little salt and when it comes out hold it in the shape of a taco shell it will cool and harden in that shape. I am sure it isn’t exactly the same but hey. You gotta make things work sometimes.
Ham- have ham! Check the label on the pineapple for seasoning.
Okay so those are some Main dishes- on the side:
Deviled Eggs, green beans, wax beans, asparagus, broccoli, broccoli with cheese, small salad, cauliflower!

Snacks:
Ham Rolls
bologna with peanut butter (watch the amount)
Peanut butter on a Kraft slice.
String Cheese, Cheese Sticks, Cheese Curds, Beef sticks
Pork Rinds I haven’t tried this but it is a tip from www.lowcarbeating.com- they taste pretty plain so if you mix some splenda and cinnamon and put a little butter on them and dip into the speanda cinnamon mix it might taste like your cinna stix.
Celery with flavored cream cheese.
Reddi Whip- can’t live without it! Chocolate or regular. Put a small amount in a small dish, sprinkle the regular with a little cinnamon or with some Hershey’s baking chocolate powder it makes me feel like I am getting ice cream.
Atkins low carb candy bars- the ones like kit kats. They were good when I needed something sweet. Someone gave me the first ones I can’t find them at my grocery store though. I will have to try another one.
Sugar Free Jell-O- make it plain add some reddi whip to it. Or do the recipe I found on www.lowcarbeating.com. Down below called strawberry mousse. I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds good.
Drinks:
WATER- You HAVE to drink half your body weight in oz.
Fruit 2 0- no carbs but you still have to drink all your water
Crystal light- we drink this by the gallon- but you still have to drink all your water.
Diet soda with artificial sweetner. Check the carb label. I use this as a treat I haven’t had much soda in the past few weeks.



Here are some things I haven’t tried yet but have found Ideas for:



Revolution Rolls
Ingredients:

5 eggs (throw 2 yolks away after separating or else fry them up later)

*Dash of cinnamon or cinnamon to taste (don't need this, but I like it and add it all the time no matter what I'm using the rev. rolls for)

1 packet splenda or sweet n low (splenda is preferable)

3 TBS. sour cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Separate eggs. Put 3 egg yolks in one bowl, and 5 egg whites in a metal bowl. Beat the egg whites w/an electric beater until they are so super stiff your arm feels like it wants to fall off. I'm talking so stiff that when you turn the bowl over the egg whites don't budge or slide, they just stay planted there no matter what!

To the egg yolks add 1 packet splenda, some cinnamon, and 3 TBS. sour cream....mix all together, but doesn't have to be super mixed, just kinda mix it together with a spoon, fork or whatever. Now add that yolk mixture very slowly to the egg whites with a spatula a little at a time and gently fold the whites over the runny yolk mixture over and over as you add a little more of the yolk mixture each time...but try not to break down the egg whites.... you don't want them to be all runny and nothing but mush.

Make 9 mounds on a cookie sheet presprayed with Pam. Bake for 50 minutes @ 300 degrees. Store in zip lock type platic bags in the fridge. They taste best after being refrigerated instead of warm out of the oven. You can toast these if you want to, later.

That's it, easy peasy!! You may be tempted to take the rolls out earlier, but don't...keep them in the full 50 minutes, even if they look done at 25 or 30 minutes.
---------

BTW. some people like to add some garlic powder and other spices instead of the cinnamon and splenda.

I like broccoli salad made with fresh broccoli, bacon bits, chopped red onion, cheddar cheese, finely chopped celery and red bell pepper and dressing made with Mayo, Splenda and white vinegar.


spinach & mushroom salad. Cook up some bacon and put aside while the fat cools a bit. Fill a bowl full of torn up spinach leaves, add sliced mushrooms, a little bit of pimento and the bacon crumbled up. Mix some of the bacon fat (liquid but not hot) with some cider vinegar, S&P, a little splenda and pour over the other ingredients. Yum. Add some sliced hard boiled eggs to the salad, and it's lunch.

Strawberry Mousse

8oz cream cheese, softened, mixed with 1 small container of whipped cream, half small container of heavy cream, and a pack of sugar free jello.. any flavor you like.. (my fav is strawberry) mix and chill for 30 min.. yields around 3 servings.. and around 6 carbs per serving..(I'm rounding up).. VERY VERY Yummy!! Its called strawberry mousse...


DEEP-DISH QUICHE PIZZA
4 oz cream cheese (4)
4 eggs (2.4)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (.6)
1/3c heavy cream (2.2)
1/2 t oregano (1)
2 cups shredded Italian cheese (mozzarella, romano, parm mix - or your choice)
(4.8)
1/2 t wet garlic or 1/4 t powder (1)
1/4 cup tomato sauce (3)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4)
pepperoni
Beat cream cheese & eggs til smooth. Add cream, parmesan and spice. Spray 9"
glass baking dish with PAM. Put 2 cups pizza cheese in dish and pour egg mixture
over. "Squish" around to mix. Bake at 375 for 30 min. Spread on pizza sauce, sprinkle
on mozzarella, and layer with pepperoni. Bake 10 more min til bubbly and brown.
(Total 33 carbs - serves 4 @ 5.75 ea.)



Other Tips:

It is important to understand how the diet works. According to this book, Dr. Atkins new diet revolution. It talks about how our body uses carbs as the quickest source of energy. It is the easiest thing to break down and use. This is why before a big run a runner will have pasta the night before. It is carbo loading, giving them instant energy which is easiest for their bodies to digest and use the next day. When you take that source away, it goes for the secondary source which is fat breakdown. Now if you cheat and feed yourself carbs, you may think it isn’t harming anything but actually it has the potential to slow you down quite a bit, because your body will switch gears and go back to the carb burning and stop burning the fat. According to the book it takes like three days for your body to get back into fat burning mode

WATER- You have to drink half your weight in ounces a day. This is a must. Your body retains water and in fact the first part of the weight you will lose is water weight. Our bodies retain water so that when it needs it, it is there. If we drink enough water our body sees it doesn’t have to hold on to so much and will retain less. This will add to weight loss. So lets say I weigh 173, divided by 2 equals 86.5 ounces. If my bottles of water have about 18 ounces I need to drink 4.8 bottles a day as a MINIMUM! Any other beverages I have do not count! I can drink them for some flavor but I still need to drink my 4.8 bottles a day. I have four hair bands on my bottle. Each day I start the day with a fresh bottle from the fridge. I try to finish my first bottle before I leave the house and fill it once with water from my britta. I move my rubber band up as a counter. When I finish the second one I try to get one in at lunch and the rest in throughout the day. We have a water thing at work, which makes it easy for me to get cold water. Also! The water fills you up! And you eat less! And I sure urinate more!

Measurements- I am guilty, I haven’t done this, but I guess we are supposed to measure ourselves, because even when we aren’t loosing weight, we could be loosing inches, and to see any kind of loss is supposed to be more motivational. I should do my measurements.

Exercise- I should have started my first two weeks. But I am buckling down my second two and I am making it my goal to eat low carb without cheating, drink my water and exercise just to see what kinda results I get.

Visit www.lowcarbeating- I go to this website EVERY DAY! I read and while I am reading I usually finish a whole bottle of water just from people talking about water all the time. Check out this website they have lots of tips and stories and questions. Plus they have recipes and stuff too.

Fall 2002- 193
LC since August 2003
183/176/150

Star02...
LOL....I think you really "covered it all" in your letter. I know how you feel about the
LCE site. It had been my "home" since February or so. I almost want to cry when I think of all the good info in the forums that may be lost and gone forever...and the recipes and everything else. But, let us keep the faith, and send up a prayer that our webmaster will bring us home when it is meant to be and on her own terms.

Shelley

sg
***********
"if it ain't broke,
don't fix it"

oh, no, the information is not lost.

My data base is intact!

however, until the final arrangements are made, I can't access it because I don't have the neccessary tools.

(just FYI, our DB is well over 200MB! And it requires special software to work with, which I don't have here at home.)

Rest assured, the data is NOT lost. It just may be a little longer before we can get to it!

KEEP THE FAITH!

LCandrea

Wwhewwww!!!!!
What a relief.....I wasn't sure if it was all lost in cyberspace or exactly what the problem was. OK....this is good news!!!!!! The sun will shine again < insert big 'ole smiley face here> LOL

Shelley

sg
***********
"if it ain't broke,
don't fix it"

That IS a relief! I'd sure hate to think of Uncle Pete's Caponatina recipe floating aimlessly out there in cyberspace. LOL!

Maggie
5'1"
Atkins since '98 (160)
Maintaining nicely (110)

Redhead until further notice!