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<p>Not me. If I skipped breakfast I’d start feeling light-headed by about 11:00 AM. And it would very likely trigger a big migraine due to low blood sugar. Days when I’ve had to fast all morning for medical purposes (blood draws, etc) have been a real challenge.</p>
<p>Well, let me first give credit to Mafool who mentioned champagne wine vinegar. I love that with safflower oil. I also mix in pomegranate juice with balsamic. We have a market here that sells vinegar by the ounce. It is very pricey, but you can sample it, bring your own container, or buy one there at a ridiculous price. </p>
<p>I also make a citrus herb sauce, courtesy of Candle 79 in NYC.</p>
<p>1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 c silken tofu
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 T agave nectar</p>
<p>Put all ingredients in a blender at a high speed until ready to use. I use this for salads, veggies, just lickin’ the bowl.</p>
<p>One more Candle 79 recipe</p>
<p>1/4 pound of silken tofu
1/4 cup safflower oil
2 T drained capers
1 1/2 tsp brown rice syrup (or agave)
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 dried chipotle pepper or 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
2 T chopped onion
1 shallot minced
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 garlic clove, minced. </p>
<p>Put in blender until smooth. Both keep for a week in the refrigerator. Great on salads, baked potatoes, anything. Use more or less chipotle powder to taste. I start off conservatively.</p>
<p>Worknprogress,
Have you posted your Chocolate Smoothie recipe? I’m too hot and lazy to go look for it.</p>
<p>Back on the wagon. Tracked my food today, and even with a midday pity splurge I’m under my limit. Woohoo!</p>
<p>I did really well today, too. I am still 260 calories under my limit. </p>
<p>I have to eat breakfast, and sometimes a second breakfast. Well over half of my calories are consumed before noon. But I am not hungry at the end of the day. Tonight I had only broccolini with feta cheese for dinner. </p>
<p>Those salad dressings sound incredible, worknprogress!</p>
<p>So I haven’t tried broccolini yet - give me the low down and taste, texture, how you like to eat it (anything with feta MUST be good!)</p>
<p>I’m not crazy about broccolini. But then again, I don’t really love broccoli, either. Broccolini is a bit tougher and has less flavor than broccoli. To me anyway.</p>
<p>EPTR, that is a fair review. Broccolini does not easily turn into mush if overcooked a bit. It also has less of the signature broccoli smell. My H loves it, and I’m neutral l about it.</p>
<p>I’m going to grill steaks and eggplant for dinner tonight. Feta cheese sound good right now, so I will try to incorporate some into our meal.</p>
<p>I started using MyPlate tonite and it seems so much easier than others that I have used! I don’t mind telling you, I’m kinda excited!</p>
<p>I agree, EPTR. I think it’s really easy. The fitness part is a little more complicated to me but doable.</p>
<p>So MyPlate says that my total cal. for the day should be 1267. Do any of you lovely people know what my goal should be in terms of carbs every day?</p>
<p>Good step EPTR trying MyPlate! </p>
<p>I am a fan of also entering my exercise in - I like getting “credit” for it and on some days I appreciate the extra calories to eat. Other days, I appreciate being under my amount by a good bit with exercise!</p>
<p>Re:carbs, I don’t know. Everyone seems to have differing opinions on that. I just usually think that their amount is higher than I want to go so I aim to be less than 100% on carb totals.</p>
<p>EPTR -</p>
<p>sorry I didn’t do it sooner. </p>
<p>This is the easiest thing to make. I LOVE it. </p>
<p>Each night I peel and chop up 1 very ripe, large banana (actually I do two bananas, one for me and one for DH) and put them in a tupperware container and freeze them. </p>
<p>In the morning I put</p>
<p>1 cup Westsoy lowfat vanilla soymilk
1 frozen, chopped banana
2 tsp. Hershey’s baking cocoa</p>
<p>in the blender and blend. I really double this, one for me, one for spouse. </p>
<p>The ripe banana is very sweet, gives me a nice thick shake every morning.</p>
<p>I am aiming for ~25% of daily calories from carbs, ~25% protein and ~50% fats.</p>
<p>Thanks, Worknprogress! I can’t wait to try it.</p>
<p>Don’t go by Livestrong’s numbers for carbs if you are trying to do low-carb. It tells me I can have 933 calories a day with 140 grams of carbs which is 60% of my calories. Low-carb is generally regarded to be between 50-100 carbs a day and strict low-carb is more like 20 carbs a day. I have been gaining and losing the same 2 pounds for the last 2 months on about 60 carbs per day. I’d like to lose 3 or 4 more pounds but it’s going to take going back to 20 per day and no alcohol and I don’t want to do that in the summer because I am enjoying my social and family life</p>
<p>^^^
That’s me, too, Izzie. The same three or four pounds. This time I am determined to get to the bottom of it and figure out how to get down to my goal weight. No alcohol, you say? That IS extreme :)</p>
<p>I know, EPTR, way too extreme! These last 3 or 4 just won’t budge and the first 17 just fell off so I don’t know if my body thinks I’ve lost enough or if I just like my (low-carb) Miller Lites and skinny margaritas too much. I’m fine with where I am now, just a little muffin-top left.</p>
<p>Margarita vs. muffin top. My money is on the Margarita.</p>
<p>Yep, I can go to a Mexican restaurant and forgo the chips, tortillas, rice and beans – just give me a pile of meat with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and a margarita!</p>