<p>I make yummy cheese grits on holidays but my aunt won’t even taste them because grits remind her too much of hominy, which was “poverty food” that she had too much of growing up. I think that’s my relationship with any kind of canned fish…sardines, salmon, tuna…we ate it growing up because it was cheap protein and now I can’t stand the thought of any of it. I’ve never had frest tuna in a restaurant, and didn’t even enjoy the supposedly wonderful salmon in Washington state because of the association with canned fish.</p>
<p>hey workinprogress…actually I ENVY you for liking the sardines (one of the “superfoods” I just can’t eat, along with brussell sprouts…even hate the roasted ones). </p>
<p>Anyway, I pasted your butternut squash soup into a word doc a while ago and that looks like a nice healthy treat for a cold night. Do you cook it on the stove or in a crockpot?</p>
<p>And yes, eating out in restaurants is a problem really. ANY restaurant (not just fast food versions) can contribute to widening waist lines. Big portions, lots of fat, lots of salt and additives. Their goal is to make it taste good and make you come back. Who cares about mundane things like calories counts and portions and fresh wholesome ingredients?</p>
<p>The Jorge Cruz article struck me as just another gimmick diet. It IS about the calories. And note when you see the sample diet you’re looking at serving sizes like a half cup of pasta. that’s probably one-fifth of an average restaurant serving.</p>
<p>A very wise trainer taught me two things–it’s all about the calories and that you can not spot reduce. To lose belly fat or any other fat, you just need to lean down and it will eventually come off everywhere.</p>
<p>Low sugar/carb diets that work only work when the dieter consumes fewer calories. </p>
<p>forget all the gimmicks and just keep it low calorie! And the trick here is when you keep it healthy, you can eat much more food for those calories. </p>
<p>If you like the Chipotle burrito-you can do a reasonably tasty, healthy, low cal knockoff with low carb/calorie tortillas, grilled chicken, black beans and fresh salsa. I like to throw shredded cabbage or spinach in for crunch and added fiber. At first you’ll miss the real thing, but over time they’ll taste great.</p>
<p>^^Far better than sardines I can live on that food!</p>
<p>Just like missypie, I ate too much canned fish when I was growing up and now I can’t stand it! My H loves Latvian sprats in oil (small, sardine-like fishies), he eats them like there is no tomorrow, bones and heads and all, and then drinks the oil out of the can - ewwww!!! But I still love well-prepared fresh fish.</p>
<p>Back to the “sweet” discussion – so, is stevia OK or not? I’ve been using “Stevia in the Raw” in my steel cut oats.</p>
<p>I’m with mom60 – I already drink coffee & tea black, eat air-popped popcorn w/ no butter, etc. All I know for sure is I have to eat less, even if it is healthy.</p>
<p>BB - I do the soup both ways, crockpot or stovetop. When I do it in the crockpot, I take the time (usually) to saute the celery and onions first. </p>
<p>As you know, I am a vegetarian 99% of the time. I do eat fish on occasion, just to be normal and also because I think it is so good for you.</p>
<p>cb - From what I know, Stevia has been used for years and Japan and has an excellent safety record. I’m not wild about the taste, but sometimes put a small drop in my tea.
The food industry has just come out with Trulia which is made from Stevia and other ingredients. The other ingredients are somewhat controversial and many holistic practitioners recommend staying with the pure form (side effects have been reported from Truvia).
Again, I think I’ll stick with raw agave or honey and slowly try to reduce my amts (oatmeal is so bland without a sweetener!)</p>
<p>I cut up a granny smith apple and put cinnamon in my oatmeal and it tastes good without the need for any extra sweetener, although perhaps it is just whatever you get used to. I am a cold turkey type and do best just eliminating the sweet things completely except for special occasions. Just a teaspoon here or a drop there sets off all kinds of cravings for me.</p>
<p>Yeah, I just tried some stevia today (had it in my tea cabinet, unused). Not happy with the aftertaste, so back to a small amount of agave.
Also, just ordered an amazing herbal tea that I had in a tea house recently. Blueberry Tisane…made from dried up blueberries. No need for sweetener…awesome taste. I have about 30 kinds of teas now…my h and s think I’m obsessed.</p>
<p>I’m such a child that I love candy - licorice, gummy savers, smarties. I actually crave those types of candy more than chocolate. Don’t know if I could face a life without sweets.</p>
<p>Here’s my snack tip for the night. My older D bought me a popcorn maker from W&S a couple of years ago. I use high quality popcorn and only use 2 tsp. of oil. It is a great snack and so much better than the microwave stuff.</p>
<p>Where can I buy the agave -Supermarkets? So it tastes and looks like honey?</p>
<p>Now I read that "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration since the mid-1980s has labeled stevia an “unsafe food additive” and gone to extensive lengths to keep it off the U.S. market – including initiating a search-and-seizure campaign and full-fledged “import alert.” Anything else about this?</p>
<p>greenery…around here, blue agave is sold at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Wegmans. Health food stores would also carry it. The cheapest is Wegmans…they sell a large size which I use to refill the original small jar I bought (It’s called Raw Agave Nectar). Late edit: They sell it on Amazon too…for a good price!<br>
I used it sparingly…it’s natural but has quite a few calories per tablespoon. Some experts think it’s no better than sugar…I like the taste and the fact that it dissolves quickly in tea. I use less than a teaspoon in my oatmeal, along with cinnamon and blueberries (and milk and shaved almonds).</p>
<p>I like candy too but I try to stay away as much as possible. Junky stuff like almond joys, peanut butter cups and twizzlers taste great or the fancy stuff works too (dark chocolate covered almonds or australian red licorice). Keep it away! </p>
<p>Back hurts today from running on the treadmill yesterday. Depressing. I guess I need different sneakers or perhaps insoles. Knee (which has been bothering me in the last few years) is fine. As they say, it’s always something…</p>
I can live on that food!</p>