Lets get the SKINNY on the Atkins Diet

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

[carlo3b]

You are now PINGED

LowCarb Cream of Sweet Potato and Cashew Soup

• 4 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each)
• 8 cups water
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons half and half
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• dash thyme
• 1 cup cashews (split in half)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1) Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes or until they are soft. Cool the potatoes until they can be handled.
2) Peel away the skin, then put the potatoes into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes for 15-20 seconds, but you don't need to mash them until they are entirely smooth.
3) Spoon the mashed sweet potato into a large saucepan over medium/high heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
4) When the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Cashews should be soft.
Serve hot with an attitude.
Makes 6-8 servings.

[dogbyte12]

Gotta say, you were an inspiration for me to start, and I want to thank you for that. It's been an amazing 8 days for me. Now 13 pounds lighter as of this morning.

[unsycophant]

HOLY COW. Congratulations!!!

[GrandMoM]

BUMP

[Carolina]

Carlo, will you start a low-carb Thanksgiving thread? Please? With Splenda on top?

[carlo3b]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1016280/posts?page=19#19

[Marysecretary]

I have a friend who is eating for her blood type (A) and says it has really helped her to feel great and she didn't need to lose weight so that wasn't a problem. Different strokes for different folks.

[Marysecretary]

Fitz, he just can't REMEMBER ever being hungry. My brother, an alcoholic, got a stomach ulcer from not eating and only drinking and darn near died. NOT a good idea. My first husband DID die from the bleeding ulcer he got from only drinking beer.

[Marysecretary]

I use olive oil and a little butter for the air popped corn. It's wonderful and so much healthier for you. We have flax seed on our salads, too. I love it. I can't digest meat well so Atkins probably is not for me. Mxxx

[Salvation]

I've never heard of this theory -- eating for your blood type?

Details?

[carlo3b]

To make this correctly is a bit of a chore, but sooooooooo good, I hope it is what you were looking for.. ENJOY

Mediterranean Garden Moussaka

• 3 1/2 pounds eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1/2 cup pure olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 28 ounce can crushed, or diced tomatoes with added puree
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 7 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks


Preheat to 425°F
1) Prepare eggplant, by cover 2 baking sheets with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of eggplant rounds with salt. Arrange  in single layer atop towels. Let stand 30 minutes.
2) Position first rack in bottom third of oven and second rack in top third of oven.. Remove eggplant and paper towels from baking sheets. Pat eggplant dry. Oil same baking sheets. Brush both sides of eggplant rounds with 1/4 cup oil. Arrange in single layer on baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Turn eggplant and rotate pans in oven. Continue baking until tender, about 15 minutes longer. Cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
3) Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until onion is very tender, about 12 minutes. Mix in garlic, then mushrooms. Sauté until juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Mix in oregano and cinnamon. Add tomatoes and parsley. Cook until mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Lightly oil 13 x 9 x 2- inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant rounds in single layer in dish. Spoon half of tomato mixture evenly over eggplant. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, tomato mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese.
5) Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot sauce. Pour sauce over vegetables in dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
6) Bake moussaka until heated through and sauce is golden brown on top, about 45 minutes (or about 55 minutes for refrigerated moussaka). Cool 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

[stanz]

Thank you Chef. Look delicious.

Mary, if you come south to NYC, I'll make it for us.

[The Citizen Soldier]

Why not join me on this journey

I started this journey seven months ago. Over the previous year I had put on a lot of weight and found myself feeling lethargic. My weight was up to 211.5, about 45-50 pounds over normal weight for my height and build (I'm a small-boned male, 5' 10").

I had a friend who had been doing Atkins for about a year and was constantly relaying how much better he felt. Frustrated one Sunday morning because none of my clothes fit, I called him for an overview of the Atkins program.

I started the following day informally and got the Atkins Diet Revolution book that night. I read about a third of the book and that gave me enough information to begin the program in earnest the following day -- April 30, 2003.

I lost an average of about 1/2 pound a day for 60 days and then continued losing weight on a more gradual basis for the next 90 days. The bottom line is that I now weigh 163.5 which is an "ideal" weight for me. I have maintained this weight for two months and I feel GREAT!

I don't view Atkins as a diet, but a different way of eating. I have literally changed the way I eat. I eat lots, but I eat low-carb. My encouragement to others is that it's not simply about weight loss, it's about feeling better. Because I feel so much better, I'm back to exercisting (walking, jogging, rowing machine) on a very regular basis. When you feel good it promotes the desire to do more. At 55, I feel better than I have for years. And yes, the size 34 wardrobe fits much better than the size 38-40, especially on Sundays.

[geege]

I saw that diet.....my blood type is O+ and I'm suppose to be a big meat eater......I hate red meat except for an occational burger.....Everything I like.....carbs, cheese, whole wheat, lentils... I should stay away from......even certain veggies......I just can't win:0)

[WVNan]

Don't you ever do "simple"? You know I hate to cook. LOL. Seriously, I've gone on the Atkins with my hubby. His doctor told him to go on it. I think the doctors are coming around. The diet is harder for me because I don't especially like meat. I've always loved carbs. I keep reading and hearing that one never gets hungry on this diet. I beg to differ. I'm so hungry I could eat a wagonload of buttered rolls. A piece of meat does not satisfy my hunger. I was so hungry for something sweet tonight, I got out 4 oz of cream cheese and whipped it with some unsweetened chocolate and coolwhip and added some Splenda. It wasn't great but it helped a little. I'm resolved to stay the course even if I starve to death. I can't let my husband have more will power than I have.

[carlo3b]

Bless your heart, you are doing wonderful, and as a bonus you are encouraging others with your success.. This is why I sit here night after night, developing new and better ways to add variety to our daily menu.

Then up pops someone like you and reminds me that it is all worth it. Thanks for all of your hard work, and sharing your story with us so we know that we are not alone.. not as long as there are FReepers and most of all, there is FReeRepublic.com.. Don't forget to drop a little to keep this wonderful place alive, it's our other home.. Thanks ..:)

[carlo3b]

It's my pleasure cutestuff!

[carlo3b]

I will remember you when I am searching for new things to present to you folks.. Try this, it will put a kick back in your kaboodle.. LOLOL

 

LowCarb Blackened Red Snapper

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (6 ounce) fillets red snapper
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

1) In a small bowl, mix together paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano.
2) Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 10 minutes, or until extremely hot.
3) Dip fish into melted butter, and sprinkle each fillet generously with the seasoning mixture. Place the fish fillets in the hot skillet. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter over each fillet. Cook until the coating on the underside of the fillet turns black, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the fish over. Pour another tablespoon of butter over the fish, and cook for 2 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

[LuLuLuLu]

NO! NO! A THOUSAND times NO to grocery store cat food. Get your cat Science Diet or IAMS. We had two Maine Coons -- one weighed in at 22 lbs and the other at 19 1/2. What's this 13 lbs thing?

Returning to the topic of the thread -- Mr. Lu recently started Atkins again. He travels a lot and certain countries make it very difficult. I continue to eat as I please during the day, but dinner contains no carbs. I don't eat much in the evenings anyway, but still, in a week a lost 4 lbs.

[Marysecretary]

It's very confusing, isn't it? I have just decided to ask God what HE wants me to eat. I can get carried away with all these radical diets. I lost 45 pounds once doing just vegetables. But I ended up with horrendous gall bladder problems that haunted me for years. I don't know if that was to blame but it did coincide with it. Our bodies can tell us what we need to eat. The problem is we all eat too much of it. Portion control is the most important thing to consider, IMHO. Eating between meals is bad, too, but I need to have a snack to keep my blood sugars level. When you have diabetes or other chronic ailments, the playing field is no longer level and these things have to be taken into consideration. I used to live to eat. Now I eat to live.