chardgirl
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Posts posted by chardgirl
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I'm wondering how core is working out for folks, I continue to love the idea, but I didn't lose or gain the second week: too much cheating, not enough excercise. Then yesterday my daughter and I made cookies. It will be the undoing of me! I must find other 'more active' activities to do with her.
Two core recipes out of the Joy of Cooking, newest edition:
Pork Adobo and White Bean Meditteranean Soup.
There's also a WW Pork adobo, but the Joy of Cooking added more herbs and other flavoringings, and it's completely core.
The soup is a simple beans/broth/vegetables/herb combination, much like what I've been cooking up each week. I find using freshest possible dry beans (they are sold at our farmers market, by egullet's own dear Rancho Gordo) helps the soup quality tremendously. I use a pressure cooker to great results for cooking the beans before making the soup.
I'm also eating about 1 veggie burger a day: I have various types I buy at Trader Joes. If I stick to one 0 point (way high fiber, husbands snotty comments and all), I don't have to count it, avocado, onions and tomatoes for garnish. I asked at the meeting and our leader only cautioned us that if we're eating more than 1 serving a day of "o" point foods that are NOT core, we do have to count them.
One more question: is smoked salmon core? I thought I should ask since I've been living as though it were.....
-cg
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Dana, that sounds very good, I'm going to attempt it today or tomorrow:
Is it served hot or cold? Did you 'saute' the onions in spray oil or the teaspoon or two we're 'allowed' on core?
I have everything else so no need to go to the store!
thanks
cg
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Re: making homemade veggie burgers. I've dreamed of this, along with dreaming of making goat cheese, my own soap, and having an incredibly beautiful and productive garden imaginable, basically living like La Martha seems to in her magazine. Maybe when my kids go to college......
In the meantime I cook up on a non stick ridged grill pan trader joe's veggie burgers, or boca burgers.
-cg
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The core plan seems to be much easier to adopt for those who cook than for those who rely on convenience foods.
Exactly! I find it's about cooking, folks in this country, at least mainstream society, whatever that is, they don't cook anymore. For those of us that do, core works out great. I admit I've not been over to the boards at the WW site, it's too depressing. Things like "but the smart ones WW frozen dinners aren't core!!" us slow foodies say, 'and...??? your point??' But I try not to be too snotty at my meeting each week.
Today I made a simple chicken soup I adapted out of Oprah's low fat cookbook that I picked up at a yard sale, it was popular several years ago. Her fancy personal chef made the recipe entirely more complicated than it needed to be.
Here's what I did, and I think it's basically core:
in oil spray (I actually used a Tablespoon of real olive oil instead!) I cooked down three large chopped leeks, 3 carrots, and 2 stalks of celery. (the vegetables I had on hand.) I cooked them on low for about 15-20 minutes while I cleaned the kitchen, then added 1 C wine and let all that cook down some. Meanwhile I took some chicken (left over roast chicken in this case) and cut it up into smallish soup pieces and mixed it with about 1/4 cup or so of bottled barbeque sauce. Then I added 4-6 cups chicken broth, the 'marinated' cooked chicken with it's sauce, and some smoked paprika (instead of Rosie's requested liquid smoke that I didn't have) and one can rinsed cannelini beans. S & P, and chopped cilantro, and it was quite tasty.
-cg
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I've been doing the core this last week: unlimited avocados, meat, and fruit: works for ME! And yes, I weighed in this am: I was down a pound. phew. I liek the idea of paying attention to true hunger and staying in the comfort zone, never getting TOO famished or too stuffed, thanksgiving day style.
I also eat veggie burgers for lunch, sometimes on a high fiber tortilla with tzatziki or plain yogurt, and chopped tomatoes and onions.
-cg
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oops, I forgot to say that hubby also made roasted fingerling potatoes (drenched in olive oil) and also roasted turnips/garlic/cipolline onions, yes also drenched in olive oil. I had very small portions of each. But they were good....
-cg
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Dinner for Guests! It was also my children's first day of school so I won't call it an official dinner party as I didn't tidy up enough, but they were understanding friends who came over.
Yes, the zucchini recipe could EASILY be lightened up, I'll try that next time. I like the idea of broiling it with oil spray. Here's a link to the original recipe: Concia Zucchini Recipe
the only thing that makes it NOT core is the 4-6 Tablespoons of oil. I'll try it the CORE way next time. Maybe tonight.
I made simple baked chicken with rosemary, it was a hit and also core. My husband made the tomato salad with olive oil, so I counted an extra point for eating that. It was yummy though: great ripe tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, slivers of basil and S & P. Summer Essence!
I never got the mushroom soup made, but I will make it today and make a larger effort to make a core-ish soup whenever we have company, I missed it.
Dessert was ice cream (premium full monty stuff from the store) I had a half scoop I counted as 3 points and everyone else, including all other adults, helped me out by having seconds so there's barely any left over, I will serve all of it to kiddos when they return home from school today. Ice cream in the freezer is one of my downfalls....
I also was extra active (for me) yesterday so I got 4 activity points, this really helped with the meal. And breakfast and lunch I stayed core, so all and all I think it went ok. I could do a much better job making a yummy nearly all core meal for guests if my husband weren't helping in the kitchen, but who's going to say no to help in the kitchen!? The real test will be my Thursday weigh in...
What would y'all make for dinner guests?? I think I'll try that recipe Cusina linked to, I'm getting back into eating more meat.
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Cusina: thanks for the egg note. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something on this new core thing, I think we're all at the beginning of our learning curve.
I take all my vitamins after breakfast. (oncologist has me on a regimen to try to prevent the *&^%# cancer from RETURNING) I know some of them might be better at other times of the day, but I just can't remember to take them so I hope for the best. Now I WANT to try the weight smart ones! When/if I do I'll report back.
Tonight will be my first dinner for guests while I'm on core. My plans: mushroom soup, baked chicken, tomato salad (all core.) NOT core will be my favorite Joyce Goldstein zucchini recipe: first you brown the zucchini coins then dress them with vinegar, garlic and mint. I'll do an hour of aerobics for that recipe! I'm also pondering some great ice cream for dessert so I don't make my family and guests suffer through my own regimen.....
cg
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It sounds like I'll stick to my regular multivitamin and 2 cups of green tea in the morning!
For lunch I made whole wheat couscous (I can just about not tell any difference from the white couscous) then added chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, avocado chunks (less than a 1/4 avocado's worth), and about 2 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese, which I should count, but didn't. I made the couscous without added oil, and dressed the whole thing with rice vinegar. I'll have to make sure to eat some protein at dinner. I think everything but the cheese was core.
I'd love to hear what you all have come up with as standby core dishes, like the congee for instance! Couscous salad is very very easy, the couscous is ready in 5 minutes, and one could easily not cheat like I did and NOT put in the blue cheese, but just some smoked chicken or leftover steak or shrimp or something like that.
Thanks to the recipes/ideas already posted.
to Cusina and everyone about the baking, couldn't real eggs also be used on core? I've never bought egg substitute and my snotty food attitude propels me towards veganism if I find I have to. Please educate/enlighten me about egg substitute, I feel this is a safe place to profess my ignorance/be snotty about substitute foods.
thank you, -cg
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Re: Carnitas: my understanding of what they ARE is fried, then fried again til crispy little pork pieces. I'm certain you can make them yourself with less fat, but we can also buy low fat tortilla chips at the store! How do you make your carnitas?? I'd love to know.
-cg
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I went to my meeting today, and I like that week by week one can do the different plans. I'm most deifinitely going to give Core a try, because it's how I eat anyway. I like the emphasis on 'eating til satisfied, not stuffed'.
And.... avocados are core! Need I say more?
cg
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I couldn't agree more:
Basically, you can pretty much assume that the less "convenient" a food is, the more likely it will be a core food. I think this is a great approach, and I think it accounts in large part for increased frequency of obesity in this country: food is simply too cheap and too easy to prepare.I'll officially hear about CORE tomorrow morning. I try to cook with my children, model making food at home everyday, etc. One thing I constantly battle but try my best at is keeping the kitchen fairly cleaned up: it makes me want to cook more.
Thanks for all your posts!
-cg
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Abra: I'm very glad to have found you. I'm with you 100%. No drinking points (I make my own unsweetened chai that I add a little 1% milk to etc.), and the slim is better than taste comment/cheer only works for me sometimes too.
I only stay within points about half the days in a week, and the other half I try not to go too overboard. I find it difficult to write stuff down, so I made myself a bracelet, and it's working GREAT. How I love to move the beads back after exercising.
I went to one meeting where our regular leader was out and her 'sub', a leader from another day, spent 20 of the 30 minutes talking about how great McDonald's was with their grown up happy meals with salads and water and pedometer. Her point was that moms could get a low point meal while getting their children the regular CRAP. I was tempted to write to WW corporate, but figured those folks are probably just as excited about the salads and pedometers, and the new Applebee's menu. Sigh. I continue my membership in Slow Food and just try to be healthy.
Re: the new program: our leader told us this week it will be an either/or choice, you can even change from week to week, with the regular older points/flex points plan or the new one. That's all I know!
I look forward to future posts on this thread. One of my favorite very very low point lunches so I can eat 'regularly' at night with my family:
shrimp cocktail: red sauce from Trader Joes spiked with more horseradish, defrosted shrimps, chopped tomatoes, onion, fennel or celery, and jicama if it's around. All mixed together. 2 points with the amounts I use!
-cg
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Let's see, I think I just read this whole thread. I'm now doing WW and I've lost 11 pounds. I agree with everything all of you have said. I'm more egulleteer than WW person, more foodie than diet-y. I've in fact never been on a diet! But my doctor is on my case: fat cells carry estrogen, and in me that causes breast cancer. I plan to NEVER do chemo again as long as I live!!
Let's see, I do go to meetings, there's a couple of leaders I like. I like going with my friends too. I like having a large cup of Earl Grey tea with milk and a bran muffin after the meeting.
May I never eat non fat Cool Whip, ever. YUK.
What I do eat: lots of vegetables, right now in tomato season it's easy. Tomato/feta salads with herbs. I also make lots of little burritos with the high fiber tortillas which can be between 0-1 points each. Chopped sweet onion, a couple tablespoons homemade beans, leftover chicken, smoked salmon, etc. That's what I often have for breakfast or lunch.
I will post again, right now I'm working on my weekly newsletter, yes, i own a vegetable farm! I wish all these luscious veggies didn't taste so good with olive oil........ Tell us what your favorite lower point meals are, please.
-chardgirl
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I am a farmer at the FP Farmers Market, and in the past our farm did between 10-20 markets year round, we now do only one per week. Some farmers markets are 'cleaner' than others, but most farmers markets do have at least SOME real farms that attend, even if the farmer him or herself doesn't staff the stall. Your best bet in any farmers market is to talk with the people taking the money.
The Ferry P. Farmers market is large and its staff actually watch the paperwork and visit the farms. In the past when a farm was 'exposed' as not growing their own stuff they were removed from the market, that's why we chose to stay with that as our only market when we downsized our farmers market sales. Berkeley also has a good reputation. There are several new markets around the city and I know very little about them, so my not mentioning them only means I don't know, but they might well have plenty of 'real' farms, if not all booths being real farms.
I as both a consumer (I do much of my shopping on Saturday at the market) and as a farmer hate the extra high prices, and I beg customers often to not pay prices they aren't comfortable with. $4.00/pound for tomatoes of any kind is plain silliness in my opinion. There is at least one farmer who attends himself in the front who has heirlooms, many varieties for $2.00/pound, and our own farm has heirlooms for $1.90 and also tomato flats $15/15#, we're in the back. Yes, deals can be had at even that market.
RE: Alameny: it's an historic market, it's been going on for many decades, if I were living in the City on a strict strict budget I would also shop there, as paying farmers a fair price for their food is a luxury. I believe that everyone eats and there's room for all manner of sales. But yes, Alemany is known for being quite corrupt as a farmers market, but if you think of it as a retail space not unlike a supermarket it's not so bad....
Rancho Gordo: I look forward to meeting you on a coming up Saturday, I hope the market does well for you.
-cg
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I'm a leftover girl. This morning it was lentil soup made with roasted peppers and dark french lentils. When I don't have leftovers, I eat a simple taco/burrito thing with anything I can find to fill it. I'm not a sweet morning person! but yes to tea: first cup = the finest green tea I can find in the cupboard, often jasmine, the second is english breakfast or earl grey.
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Hello fellow egulleteers, my friends moved to Redmond last year and have yet to find yummy food here. Any and all ethnicities, Chinese, Indian, 'American breakfast', etc, anything! any and all price ranges... I'm visiting from the Bay Area in California and I would love to take them someplace, and give them your recommendations too. thanks for your help.
-cg
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Hi Pim: Yes, I'll be there, and you can do that. Thank you. This feast is open to everyone who can make it to Watsonville on July 3rd, here's the link with the info and the story and photos of Don R.
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Most places had greens but not much else. I had to search for eggplants and green beans, and they were $5 a pound instead of $3 like at my usual farmer's market in Pleasanton. I guess I'd describe the whole thing as a candy store. If I were really wealthy, maybe I wouldn't mind the $6/lb. cherries, but when you factor in the crowds, prices, and the time it takes to get around the whole thing, I'll take the more modest Pleasanton market 95% of the time. Still, I can't deny the appeal of the atmosphere; it makes shopping feel special. And the Toad Hollow
Peaches were absolutely incredible, at a time when the peaches available to me are just starting to come into their own.
I am a farmer at this farmers market, and I hope that folks continue to NOT confuse the inside shops (which include a couple of farms) with the outside farmers. There are many vegetable sellers in the back on Saturday, and several of us actually have reasonable prices. When you look at the bunch of herbs for $1-, and see it's double the size of supermarket herbs, etc, you are getting a deal, as you are at other local farmers markets. Eggplants are not in season until at least July, not because we're higher than thou folks telling when to eat or not eat something, but because it doesn't get hot enough soon enough, period. There are a couple of greenhouse folks and a farmer or two from WAY down south in the state, they have earlier hot weather crops, and get away with charging lots more because there's less competition.
-cg
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What did it taste like?
I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention, and I've had far better pizza when others are cooking. It was like a chewy, not pleasant, whole wheat kind of a pizza dough. I was paying more attention to the toppings: spicy sauce with sauteed fennel and young garlic.... ok, so my kids only had supermarket mozzarella....
-cg
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sorry, Malawry, I did try the TJ's low carb dough, and my family ate it without complaint. I'm not a low carb person in general, I find that lifestyle to be bizarre, but I am always trying to sneak whole grains and such into my children's diet and it worked this time! They loved helping shape the pizza dough, we cooked on a pizza stone, and it worked! disclosure: I'm not a chef and have no formal training, please do take anything I say with a grain of salt!!
-cg
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We used to grow rainbow chard. I believe it's just like 'easter egg radishes', just a mixture of different varieties. Now we only grow one kind of chard, the Italian, thin-ribbed variety, and our farmers market customers go wild for this chard.
-ch
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Here is a photo of the radishes I referred to in my quest for pickle recipes:
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I have an abundance of radishes (large, round 'Japanese Purple Plum' variety) and I'd like to start making more Japanese and Korean pickles. I've found some very useful information here in the Japan forum, but I'd like to find some simple pickle recipes for a complete novice. Radishes, cabbage, onions, carrots, I love Japanese pickles! We have Japanese grocery stores with dozens of different pickles of all shapes, sizes and colors. How do I make my own!!??
I live in California and I have access to many common ingredients that cookbooks in English list. I've lived in China and studied Mandarin for 4 years but I know very little about Japanese food. -chardgirl
Weight Watchers (Part 1)
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Dana: Thanks that's a good point about the salmon. I've no idea about it's preparation, I'll ask at farmers market this weekend...
Re: carbs: I was already trying to go without while on flex for at least 2 meals a day, it helped me feel fuller, so once a day is ok for me. I also make whole wheat pasta for my family: as long as the sauce is tasty I don't hear too many complaints....
cg