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llc45

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Everything posted by llc45

  1. His "schtick" still isn't old for me yet - it's like a favorite comedian, he can tell the same joke over and over and I still crack up. This discussion kind of reminds of the arguments I get in with my very liberal or very conservative friends when they can't believe I would read "that" book or "watch" that show. One can find something interesting and entertaining, even if they have a different viewpoint or form one after reading/watching. I haven't followed him as closely as some here so look forward to reading the book because there appear to be many AB "viewpoints" that I will read for the first time. I'm on both sides of the fence on Alice Waters - like what she's done tremendously and she opened my eyes many years ago about the sustainable food movement. That said, I understand how she can come off preachy. I love her cooking style but it is simple.
  2. llc45

    Dinner! 2010

    Dcarch -I am a tofu lover - how did you prep the tofu? Did you just saute the prawns and place on top of tofu? Stunning picture Pam - Grilled fish - yum!
  3. The Moroccan chickpea stew sounds great - I'll definitely give it a try. Been meaning to thank suzilightning for the olive oil pumpkin bread - I've made it three times so far. Hasn't even made a dent in my overstock of canned pumpkin - the cans seem to be breeding in my pantry. Each batch makes three loaves - one for us and two to give away. People have been loving it.
  4. I also don't think the chefs are getting a fair shot to win based on the way they set up the challenges (Moonen getting to choose fish rather than drawing from a hat like they would have done on TC). Unlike TC where only one person goes home each week, these chefs only get one shot to advance. One mistake means the end vs TC where they get more chances to redeem themselves as long as they are not sent home that week. Given that these chefs get only one shot, TCM needs to make it as fair as possible. I like your suggestion but also like to see them mix it up. At least, keep all challenges individual and try to keep the playing field level (e.g., one person ends up with an easy protein while another ends up with something like kidneys!). This is expecially important when they are including votes from the public with less refined palates. In the case of the Housewives form OC, saying that they have a less refined palate is an understatement!
  5. congrats on the show. I have been watching the series and now learn you are on egullet.
  6. OK - stopped being lazy and made some hummus. Made light dinner of tapas: garlicky sauteed shrimp, sliced cucumbers with feta, and hummus with toasted pitas.
  7. Anna - That mushroom pizza looks so good - will definitely be giving that a try. I think your post hit on a point for us - eliminates the snacking on carbs.
  8. I must admit to be lazy as of late because the Sabra with hot pepper flakes is good. But, alas, these pictures have pushed me out of my laziness - gonna have to make a hummus or two this week, maybe my standard and then one of the variations discussed in this thread - they look so good.
  9. As stated on another thread, my family started a version of the low carb diet due to a family health problem. A side benefit was that my husband started dropping weight. He has been carefully watching what he ate and exercising for years, but couldn't get rid of his stomach. We haven't been dieting per se but just eating a lot less carbs, although not following as strictly as we were in the beginning. The end result is that my husband has lost over 15 lbs so far. Another 10-15 and he'll be back at the weight he was when I married him. We can't wait to see what his cholesterol and sugar levels are compared to his last yr's physical. We just feel better - more energy, better skin. We have discovered low-carb tortillas when a "sandwich" is a must and Dreamfield pasta when we need a little pasta fix. Like Darienne, we try to eat a lot of vegetables with small amounts of protein. I don't think I have lost any weight but I like how I feel. We have learned not to talk about it with many of our friends, for some reason, they don't like that we are eating this way. It's not for everyone and we don't really care how they eat but it seems that we make them feel guilty. From a weight loss perspective, I think potential weight loss will depend on one's genetic makeup. My husband comes from a family of diabetics and his body seems to be responding to this diet. He is eating a lot more now than he was before low carb and still losing weight. I just think it is a healthier way to eat as long as you don't follow the old Atkins way with too much protein and bad fat.
  10. Martha Stewart has a lower fat roasted garlic hummus that we love. Roasted Garlic Hummus
  11. Count me in as another who really enjoyed last night's show much better. I agree that it got much more interesting last year after the first elimantion rounds were completed. I think I am going to have try the grilled cheese with feta - that's a twist I can handle. Next week's episode looks like it is going to be really good. Having failed last year, many of them feel they have something to prove. It looks like it may have some of the drama/competition element we're more used to seeing in the regular Top Chef series. I love this show!
  12. Jean - Are you my long lost twin? I have frequently thought of doing the same thing. Unfortunately, I am not close to retirement but I keep thinking of offering to do a community class on quick healthy low cost meals. I think the Jaime Oliver show, if nothing else, brings the issue to the attention of many Americans. Every little bit helps and can be a building block. I have been appalled by what they serve at my daughter's school and felt powerless to change it.
  13. llc45

    Keeping Tofu

    Liz - You could use a little oil to prevent sticking. I sometimes toss with soy/sesame/garlic and bake that way also.
  14. Maureen - Your recommendations helped so much when I went and I religiously read your blog for months before I went. We stayed in Testaccio in an apartment and I was able to anticipate what I would find in their market. Based on the research I did here and elsewhere, I had a list of really terrific places that we would never have a change of encountering otherwise. An example is the Innocenti Biscottificio Artigiano bakery in Trastevere. I found it described on 101cookbooks.com. It was tucked away on a litle side street that a tourist would never find. We walked by it few times because it was kind of hidden. My family still talks about sitting in the park with a view of the city and eating the most delectable cookies and biscotti. Ditto a restaurant in Testaccio that was recommended on egullet.
  15. llc45

    Keeping Tofu

    I normally cook at least one block at a time. However, if not, I generally cut off what I am going to use and then press that. I put the rest in a plastic container and cover it with fresh water, changing daily until I use it. Can't tell you how long it will stay fresh - I would use it in a few days but check online. Tofu can definitely be frozen, gives it a more meaty texture. Cover with water then freeze.
  16. Hi Tracey - We went two years ago and planned quite a few days around restaurant recommendations from egullet and a few other sites. I just kept a list and would try to find a recommended rest close to where we were when we got hungry. However, there were days where our itinerary didn't allow this and we got burnt several times. Got charged ridiculous amounts for soda at one place and wine at another. Most places, we asked for the house wine - decent and reasonable. But one tourist place near the Colosseum charged almost $100 bucks for a bottle of wine that waiter said was the house wine. Most spur of the moment restaurants in tourist areas were terrible and outside were fine, although not as good as the researched ones. Have a great time!
  17. llc45

    Farmers Market

    I always buy scones at mine - something not readily available in my area. Nice treat for our Sunday mornings.
  18. OK Darienne - I am definitely stealing that title - my friends will love LALALOLU!. We always joke that we are the YAYA sisterhood but I think that lalalolu's is even better.
  19. We started the diet because my daughter has a medical issue (auto-immune related) that wasn't responding to medication. The diet really helps a lot but she is a teenager and resists not being able to go out for ice cream or coffee coolatas with her friends. So, we try to stick to it as much as possible. She fell off the wagon so to speak this last week and had symptons as a result. As far as my husband and I are concerned, we ate pretty healthy to begin with. Try to follow Michael Pollen's philosophy - eat food, not too much, mostly plants. But, now in our 40's, even eating this way, we were starting to put on pounds, especially my husband who comes from a family of diabetics. He was getting frustrated because he really wasn't eating a lot and was exercising and couldn't lose the weight. Long story short, the side benefit is that by us starting the diet, we are losing weight without planning to. More importantly, we have a lot more energy and feel a lot less tired. Cravings for junk food are non-existant. We realized we were eating a lot of low fat carbs - pasta, pretzels, bread. Once you start eating these, you eat too much of these, your blood sugar spikes and it makes you hungrier. But we did miss carbs, so we added in steel cut oats for some breakfasts and brown rice for some dinners. Also, a pasta made for diabetics (Dream Fields) occasionally because we really like our Italian Food. These are all low glycemic index foods so they do not cause blood sugar spike. We now eat roasted or mashed rutabagas or cauliflower instead of potatoes. A good site to look at is drweil.com - he has an anti-inflammatory diet pyramid that I like a lot. Someone above made a good point saying that one diet does not work for everyone and I agree with that whole heartedly. We feel so much healthier eating this way but don't stress out if we go to friends house for a pizza once in awhile either.
  20. Darienne - SCD and Paleo sites have lots of ideas. When I was following more strictly, I made mini-quiches/frittatas in muffin cups and kept in freezer then microwaved. Ditto muffins and breads made with coconut flour or almond flour. It took some experimenting but I ended up making a banana bread that my family liked better than the flour/sugar version. Unfortunately, my old computer with a lot of those sites tagged died recently or I would reference them. If you search gluten free/SCD/Paleo recipes, you should find quite a few. If the almond flour did not come finely ground, it made for heavy muffins - look for finely ground. Coconut flour is full of protein so it is very filling. If I can find some of the recipes I was using, I will PM you. I think keeping freezer stocked is only way you can adhere to this diet for breakfast. Quick things besides eggs - apples or bananas with peanut butter, same fruit sauteed with butter, smoothies.
  21. Darienne - I haven't read the Blue Zone but have listened to the author speak many times and it is always interesting. Just saw a segment on Dr Oz with him and he introduced 5 new Blue Zone foods. He recommended Barrimundi as a new fish to try with good Omega 3 content - having trouble finding it.
  22. I can appreciate that you don't want to get into all the theory behind this, but I just don't get this about yoghurt. Is it somehow different when made commercially? It's no problem to make yoghurt and the creme fraiche/soft cheese stuff either and I would be glad to do it. Here is explanation from SCD site: Commercial yoghurt Practically every dairy in Northern America has Dept. of Agriculture instructions for making commercial yoghurt. They may start with liquid milk straight from the cow (pasteurized) or they may start with milk solids. However, at the beginning, the ADD additional milk solids. This automatically increases the lactose content. For example, if cow's milk originally has 10% lactose (10 gms per 100 mls) then the addition brings it up to 20% or even 30%. The second step is to introduce the bacterial cultures (usually Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and Steptococcus Thermophilus). At this point the acid/base - the pH of the milk - is much like human fluid, around 7.2-7.3 (almost neutral on the pH scale). The bacteria immediately start converting the lactose to lactic acid which is the primary step in making yoghurt. This brings the pH down from neutral to about 4.5 as the lactic ACID accumulates. (Acid lowers pH as our stomach acid brings the pH of our stomachs down to about 2). When the pH hits about 4.5, the bacterial enzymes cannot further convert the remaining lactose. Bacterial enzymes (as is true of all enzymes) are very fastidious as to the acid/alkaline enviroment. Because of the addetional lactose added at the beginning of the process, the yoghurt often contains at this stage as much, and probably more, lactose than a glass of milk would. The companies also use a very short incubation time which is not even sufficient to convert normal milk lactose completely
  23. On the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD), no milk,cream or fresh cheese is allowed because they have sugar which causes inflammation. You are only allowed to eat yogurt you make yourself that ferments for 24 hrs to break down all of the sugar. You can use this to make yogurt cheese, etc. Since I was the only one eating it, I went back to unsweetened greek yogurt because I wasn't the one having the health problem and greek yogurt is now cheap. Hard aged cheeses are allowed because the aging process breaks down the sugars. I won't get into the whole science argument. Just know that eating lots of vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole foods is healthy. Eliminating sugar and most carbs forces you to eliminate nearly all convenience foods. My husband has been trying to lose weight for years. By cutting out most carbs, he realized that he previously could never control himself. If we had pasta or bread, he would overeat. We would go thru bags of low-fat pretzels, crackers,tortillas, etc. Now he reaches for an apple. We still cheat occasionally, especially for good pizza and on holidays. Hardest thing for us is when we have company and would have normally purchased dessert - I don't like to bake so much. Now I bake (when I have to)- mostly fruit type dessert with nut or coconut flour. Occasionally, flourless chocolate torte with really good chocolate - don't think chocolate is allowed on SCD or paleo - oh well!
  24. I mostly eat yogurt with berries but we also eat: bananas or apples with peanut butter steel cut oats (as I said above - we have modified) with sliced almonds, raisins, etc. my husband and daughter eat a lot of omelettes - sometimes just the egg whites and not yolks We found this microwaveable omelette maker for busy school mornings. You put half the beaten egg mixture into each side, cook for a min, add toppings, cook till almost done and flip together. Fast and easy cleanup. I also make mini-breakfast quiches (use muffin pan)and freeze them for microwaving.
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