Lets get the SKINNY on the Atkins Diet

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | Oct 4 2003 | Carlo3b Dad, Chef, Author

[carlo3b]

LowCarb Almond Mousse Supreme

• 1 15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 c. whipping cream
• 1 c. Tap warm water
• 1 pkg. plain gelatin
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Sugar sub to taste, one of many great new and old brands that are now plentiful.
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1) Mix cream with 3/4 c. of water. Place gelatin in the 1/4 c. water, soften and heat until gel is dissolved.
2) Place cream and water in blender then add all the rest of the ingredients and blend at least 5 minutes on the highest setting until like cream.
Divide into 6 serving dishes.

Top with whipped cream and a tsp of fruit or berry on the top is pretty.
3 grams carb per serving
 

[Mamzelle]

Creme brulee, chocolate mousse, cheesecake--all made with a sugar substitute. Check out standard recipes, and just use Splenda instead of sugar. And, use a little less than recommended. I like to put a little white chocolate in my creme brulee recipe.

[Mamzelle]

If you have a locarb ping list--please let all locarb freepers know that there is a very good new line of cookies that are carb-controlled!!

SnackWells sugar-free cookies are not carb-free, you have to keep the portions rather small (read the nutrition label, my own maintenance will allow me a three-cookie serving).

The shortbread is delicious. Nice to have with hot tea.

[fml]

As men already know, it is women that find Chocolate almost irresistable...so why fight it, capitalize on their weakness....HA!

A TRIPLE TRICK OR TREAT

Make your bed of Chocolate, so you can sleep in it... This is a man's simple recipe for women..1, 2 , 3

1 box cooked chocolate pudding mix (4 serving size)
2 cups milk
1 box devil's food cake mix, unprepared
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1) Prepare pudding with milk as directed on package.
2) Remove from heat and blend dry cake mix into hot pudding, mixing until it gets very thick and spongy.
3) Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with coffee, and sweet and low... LOLOL, and reap that which you sowed.
By Nature's SEX Chef, Carlo Morelli... "SOUP,SEX, and the SINGLE MAN"


This was posted by carlo3b on another thread. It should answer the question the helpfulness of cakes, cookies and candies. Yum.

[SaveTheChief]

Thanks for the suggestions.

When I am low-carbing, I really don't feel like I need to snack much either. I think the issue I have is that I crave something other than meats and veggies. Blueberries are a good idea and I recall reading in Atkins' first book that berries are good for you. I might check that out.

I really should also start using olive oil and want to read up on the benefits and possible uses of the product. I know it is highly recommended by all kinds of folks. I do not use oils much in general, but I do use a little bit of butter in the pan before cooking my scrambled eggs in the morning.

As for the cheese, I try and use it sparingly. I want to get a good start eating nothing but good salads, lean meats, and other healthy items. I will try not to eat grains, pastas, potatos, starchy veggies (I am not much of a veggie eater except for corn, and that is not one of the better ones for low-carbing), soft drinks, candies, or anything else high in sugar. The one thing that impressed me about you and your weight loss is that you didn't seem to adhere strictly to the Atkins plan. You mentioned eating bread but not the stuff from the stores. Do you make your own? What would be the difference, and how much of this do you eat in a day?

I do believe the most important thing you are doing is the amount of walking you do. I am a very sedentary person by nature (and by profession), and am looking to get a treadmill that I can use everyday from the comfort of my home. I am excited about this and do hope I can stick to the plan. I have about a hundred pounds (maybe less) that I want to lose and it is going to be a long battle, but it is one I think I can win.

[TruthNtegrity]

I know you've been so successful at doing Atkins, you hardly need to hear from me, but I wanted to offer the following:

I had a Doctor who said, "Take out the tape measure when the scale stops moving. You'll discover that you are changing inches instead of pounds."

I've always found it to be true, and I need every teeny bit of encouragement, to keep going.

Compared to what you looked like a year ago, and the NOW picture - you've clearly done a fantastic job and I'm sure your kids will appreciate that they will have their Dad around for longer! Great going!

Truthy

[SaveTheChief]

I'll pass on all of that stuff. I am a big believer in natural foods like meat, fish, fruits, veggies, and anything our ancestors ate.

I also believe a lot of today's health issues may be attributed to foods that have been developed in laboratories over the past fifty years. People are quick to point out the dangers of cigarette smoking, but have no clue what all these food additives do to a person's health over time.

No, I do not believe we should have food police, but I think people need to eat with a little more common sense. Natural foods worked for our parents, grandparents, and all who came before us. People also used to be more active and didn't sit at their computers or in front of their televisions all day. If you do the math, then it is easy to see why people (like me) are fat.

[Rebelbase]

Anyone know anything about the claims that aspartame releases methonol in the body and that the sweet taste triggers insulin in anticipation of food?....When the food is not provided, the body reacts with hunger prompting more food consumption?

[Mamzelle]

Gee, creme brulee is made of eggs and cream and sweetener--doesn't seem all that processed to me. You describe what you are eating, and it looks like a locarb/lofat combo--but Atkins requires some fat.

About all the dessert you could have, then, would be a limited amount of fruit.

I'm halfway through my second year of Atkins--hit my target weight after eight months, and have been on maintenance about a year.

[carlo3b]

http://www.additivesout.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/documents/AspartameConcerns.htm

[carlo3b]

If you eat this thingy.. you had better start walking now!! :)

Hot White Chocolate Nog With Gingerbread Spice

This white hot chocolate is creamy and full-bodied, thanks to the addition of egg yolks. It's topped with a dollop of whipped cream, grated white chocolate and a sprinkling of spice sugar. Ymmmmmmmmmmmy!

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch of salt
• 5 ounces white chocolate baking bars (any quality White); 4 ounces finely chopped, 1 ounce ...finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon each: ground ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons sugar

1) Combine cream and 3 tablespoons sugar and whip. Cover and refrigerate.
2_) Meanwhile, place remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in heavy large saucepan.
3) Whisk in egg yolks and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until mixture thickens slightly (careful not to boil), about 10 minutes. Add pinch of salt.
4) Reduce heat to very low and add 4 ounces chopped white chocolate a small handful at a time, stirring constantly.
5) When chocolate has melted, remove pan from heat and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
6) Mix spices and 2 teaspoons sugar; reserve.
 Divide hot chocolate between smallish mugs or heatproof glasses. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle some spice-sugar and grated white chocolate over and serve.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar atop this creamy hot chocolate with an adjustable shaker.
Makes 4 servings
The kids will love it, and if there's any leftover for the adults it tastes great with a shot of brandy.

[stanz]

I didn't imply anything... you did. I merely said, too much animal protein can be harmful and that one should push away from the table. See my post #215 which coincides with my reasons for not approving of the Atkins diet.

[stanz]

Generally, I wouldn't bother doing research for anybody but myself. I just don't appreciate having sound advice labeled as a "cliche". As for the success stories...well, see how they're doing in a two to three years. They'll either gain the weight back or, if they stay on the diet, they'll have health problems they didn't have before. There's no substitute for exercise and sensible eating. And that's coming from me, not from the FDA food pyramid.

[VeniVidiVici]

57 pounds since May!

Mainly bumping for the recipes here instead of tooting my horn :-)

[carlo3b]

Whoa... I'm sorry if you thought my response was inferring anything that you posted as trivial. Somehow I think what has happened with too many critics of this method of weight loss is that you/they believe that you posses a better way to do it. I don't argue that exercise and reduced consumption is preferable to any other way (Less-More).. That said, in today's culture, and with 4 decades of history of chronic high weight gain, (approaching obesity) none of the mega touted mind numbing messages of  the" less-more" is working.. no matter how often it gets said, or by whom..

What's next? March folk by gunpoint to the jogging paths, legalized small restaurant portions, how about mouth zippers? THIS METHOD WORKS FOR MILLIONS of people that have dismissed, tried and failed, or simply refuse your worthy thesis.

DID YOU READ THE BOOK?

The first thoughts that comes to my mind when I read the horror stories about some dieter that turned into a gargoyle in the headline is "Which Diet is this" or "Where's the beef in this story" because it is usually someone that attempted an ATKINS TYPE diet and it didn't quite live up to the hype. Finally down in the 7 paragraph if it bothers to mention it at all, is the answer to the most glaring question "DID THEY READ THE ENTIRE BOOK"?

Critics abound citing difficulties, with one or another diet.. Usually the doubters are touting one diet method over another, and most complainers are correct when they caution anyone  that is about to embark on a strange eating concept. All that said, I have one cogent fact.. over 30 years of achievement IT WORKS!

[carlo3b]

tooting my horn..

DEAD MAN WALKING DESSERT

• 3  scoops of your favorite Hagen Das ice cream
• 1  giant waffle sugarwafer cone, preferable chocolate
• 1 dinner napkin
• BIB


Have family member drop you off at any mall that has Hagen Das Ice Cream Parlor, 5 or more miles away! Try out your new body, by walking all the way home ...  :o)

[jennyp]

Yogurt with real sugar is okay unless you are really on a strict low-carb diet. For me, it's the only real sugar I get all day and I make sure I get it in the morning where I will have all day to burn it off. But some of these all-natural yogurts are made with Splenda. I haven't found any of them in my local supermarkets yet but I hear that Sam's Club carries one of these brands.

Ooooh, once we bought a standard, sugar-sweetened yogurt by mistake, and you can smell the sugar wafting up from the little tub the instant you open it. Yuk!

We get Kroger's (a.k.a. Fred Meyer or QFC or several others) "Lite" yogurt. It's sweetened with NutraSweet. I sprinkle unsweetened wheat puffs on it (or sometimes wheat germ) for texture. It makes a nice, quick breakfast.

[Wright is right!]

"Olive oil is probably one of the most important foods humans can eat. The health benefits of olive oil are too numerous to mention. But don't take my word for it, run a Google search with the keywords "olive oil" and "health benefits" and you will be inundated with lengthy articles."

Sam, you can eat all the "extry-virge" you want. It's like mother's milk for the Atkins diet. I buy the stuff by the gallon, and it goes in anything I like and makes it better. For instance, when I buy a big jar of stuffed olives, I open it up and pour out all the water/brine. Then I fill up the jar with extra-virgin. The taste of olives in their own oil is beyond description. You see them served this way in Mediterranean regions. A side benny is that, in oil, the olives don't need refrigeration. You can just leave them out on the counter and grab a bite when you feel like it.

I "cut" all the commercial salad dressings I buy with equal parts dressing and extry-virge. They taste far better and last twice as long.

BTW, my fave brand is SULTAN, from Turkey. $14 a gallon at the international market. Heady stuff.

Michael

[Marysecretary]

I copied it off and will look it over. Many thanks. Maryxxx

[jennyp]

As for the success stories...well, see how they're doing in a two to three years. They'll either gain the weight back or, if they stay on the diet, they'll have health problems they didn't have before. There's no substitute for exercise and sensible eating. And that's coming from me, not from the FDA food pyramid.

Does 3 years, 50 weeks count? :-)

JennyP's numbers since going on a low-carb diet

Date	Mos. into diet	Weight	BMI	Total	HDL	LDL	Total/HDL	Triglycerides
10/20/99	0	163	24.8	unknown - wish I had tested beforehand
4/21/00	6	147	22.3	244	76	158	3.2	48
3/20/01	17	156	23.7	241	74	149	3.3	90
5/15/02	31	154	23.4	219	78	128	2.8	66
6/09/03	44	141	21.4	233	77	143	3.0	66
10/06/03	47.5	140	21.3

Let's see... no kidney stones, my spine looks fine, my constant heartburn is still a thing of the past, my heart hasn't exploded (see triglyceride numbers above). And the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine is circulating letters to hospitals pleading with them to come out against Atkins because some vague nasty thing will happen to people like me if we don't repent & go on a vegan diet soon. Seriously, what's not to like?