A Cheater's Diet

Two Week Report

Results time.  I lost a total of 3 pounds.  I then regained 2 pounds, and then re-lost one.  So net loss = 2 pounds in 2 weeks.  Not great, but at least I lost something.  I can come up with any number of reasons, excuses, justifications for regaining and/or not losing more.  I think I'll stick with one I might be able to do something about.

I was terrible about writing things down. I would start in the morning and write down breakfast, but I was lucky if I wrote down lunch and almost never wrote down dinner.  So as of today, I have a designated magnet on the fridge for my daily food list (I'd lose a food diary in a second - I use scrap paper).

Not writing down what I ate made it easy to over-cheat.  Since I was just guessing at what I'd had during the day, by dinnertime I could justify extra cheese and crackers, a cookie and ice cream and cocoa at bedtime.  Yikes.  I'm lucky I didn't regain the few I lost and more.

So my only challenge is to actually - once again - write it down!  And that includes brownie mixing bowl and spoon.  Sounds like an excellent cheat to me.

                                                                                                Priscilla

Afternoon Baking

Afternoons can be very dangerous.   I find licking the bowl can sometimes stave off a brownie attack.  How many calories can there be in one small bowl and spoon?  You know, once the batter's in the pan?

And of course I had two tiny, little brownies. 

I've got to stop issuing myself challenges.  And find my diet diary.

                                                                                    Quinn 

One Week Report

I lost two pounds last week.  I am, quite frankly, very pleased.  This, despite going to a friend's house for pizza on Saturday and having a Cheater's version of Tyler Florence's Steak BLT Sandwich on Sunday, and testing a revision of our Ginger Cookies, which of course involves tasting a few.  But I will say, I didn't, you know, gorge myself.  I had 2 slices of pizza and I made the steak sandwiches on 3-inch kaiser-type rolls Pete found at one of our regular grocery stores.  Which is kind of the whole idea of our diet - you get to cheat and still lose.  I didn't feel deprived.  In fact, the food seemed to have more taste - the steak sandwich was especially flavorful.  Perhaps this whole process is waking up my tastebuds.  There may be something to this "less is more" thing.

                                                                                    Priscilla

Back in the Saddle

Man, this getting back to dieting is friggin' hard!  I cannot believe how miserable I was yesterday, whining, pouting, listless.  I immediately feel deprived when I have any limits on food - like I'm going to starve!  Add to that, I seem to have caught a nice little or not-so-little cold on the plane home.  The man next to me sniffed and sniveled the whole flight.  I was hoping he had allergies, no such luck.  And the topper is Peter, aka The Guy, who, since he lives here, has agreed to go on this diet at least part-time and is diet-jonesing too, has taken to sending me emails with recipes for rich desserts and sandwiches with lots of mayo or dripping with juicy meats and cheeses.  The latest is a recipe from Tyler Florence called Skirt Steak BLT with Basil Mayonnaise, which involves 8 slices of bacon and a whole cup of mayo for four people.  The recipe even states: "Put a big slather of basil mayonnaise across the bread" and "serve with more basil mayonnaise on the side".  I'm going to attempt a Cheater's Diet version of it for football watching this weekend.

Anyway, the scale has inched lower, which is all I can ask for my two measly days of dieting.  And I've found our Mexican Chicken Lime Soup feels very good on my cold.  Nothing like a little chicken soup to help one heal.

                                                                                    Priscilla

Two Week Challenge: Part III

It's three weeks since I wrote anything.  I was traveling/seeing family, and on vacation on the East Coast.  It was lovely.  But I have to confess - I wasn't on our diet.  The nice surprise is I only regained one pound!  Considering I ate fried clams, French fries, corn on the cob a bunch, Italian bread dripping with garlic butter, ice cream, apple pie, a killer lemon tart my sister Deb made - I'm frankly amazed I didn't gain more, though I think it's partly the time of year - I tend to gain more in winter months.  I was doing those summertime things, swimming, gardening, walking a lot, and I did eat more fresh seafood than fried, and tried not to go overboard - you know, one ear of corn instead of two, a moderate piece of pie, not the trucker's slab with a mountain of ice cream that I could have easily demolished.  I guess maintenance on Summer Vacation is not bad work if you can get it.

But now it's Fall, back to school time, a perfect time to start again.  The idea is to lose, not maintain - maintenance is what I do after I can button my favorite jeans.  I love Quinn's idea of a two week challenge, so I'm jumping on board.  For two weeks I plan to stay on our diet, write down what I eat (which I find absolutely key to losing), and get some exercise at least every other day.  Stay tuned for updates, and wish me luck!

                                                                                    Priscilla

Two Week Challenge: Part II

I don't think a two week challenge is a bad idea, especially if you do it!  I got sick, which meant I had to have soup with a lot of crackers and somehow wound up the end of the week with us at Winchell's.  Donuts and diets...not a good mix. 

So I'm throwing myself back into the mix.  One more time, another two week challenge. 

                                                                                                     Quinn

Salmon, Cold

It appears blogging has some pitfalls.  I've discovered that all the recipes have format problems.  The recipes themselves are fine, but there are weird tabs and spaces in the wrong places, etc.  I'm so sorry if it's made them hard to read.  I will fix them as soon as I can.

I've been re-testing some salmon recipes - what a hardship. :-)  We made cold poached salmon for my Pop's birthday.  It was part of a buffet for 20 people, so we had 4 pounds of fish.  I worried about the pan (a fish poacher is not exactly in the budget), how long to cook such a big piece of fish, where to store it, the sauce balance - on and on, such a Nervous Nellie!   It worked out fine.  The fish just fit into our biggest roasting pan, and I used the general "is the fish done?" test - cook it 10 minutes per inch of thickness, and take it out when it looks almost but not quite done in the center (it will keep cooking a few minutes off the flame).  And the sauce was lovely.  So here's the recipe, in a hopefully blog-friendly format.

                                                                                    -- Priscilla

P.S.  I've lost 6 1/2 pounds.  It was 7 1/2, but that's not too bad a backslide, considering the decadent birthday cake.  And by the way, my Pop is 94 - amazing, huh?  I'm a lucky gal.

 

Cold Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce

Perfect for a hot summer night.  Everything can be made ahead, so it's a good work week dinner or easy company food.

Servings:  4      Prep Time:  15 mins. + chilling time     Cooking Time:  20-25 mins.

For poached salmon:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup each chopped onions, celery and carrots
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon fillet, in one or two pieces

For dill sauce:
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped or snipped fresh dill, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers (with a little juice)

Lemon wedges and dill sprigs for serving

1.  Heat butter in a large skillet that can hold salmon in one layer.  Add onions, celery and carrots and cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add enough water so the pan is about half full.  Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Slide salmon gently into the pan.  Add or remove hot water so the fish is just covered.  Cover pan, lower heat and simmer between 8 and 15 minutes until fish is firm (about 10 minutes per inch of thickness).

2.  Carefully remove salmon to a plate or platter and cool to room temperature.  Discard cooking liquid and remove most of the vegetables from the fish (the rest will be taken off later).  Cover and refrigerate until serving, up to 24 hours ahead.

3.  For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate, up to 24 hours ahead.

4.  To serve, let fish come to room temperature.  Scrape off any remaining vegetables.  Serve on four plates or a platter, garnished with lemon wedges and dill sprigs (if available).

Per serving:  322 calories; 17 g. fat (6 g.saturated fat); 4 g. carbohydrates; 1 g. fiber

On Hand:                         To Buy:
butter                              celery
onions                              carrots
white vinegar                   fresh salmon
black peppercorns             sour cream
dried dill (if using)            fresh dill (if using)
                                       lemons
                                       capers

A Quick Breakfast

Another breakfast that needed retyping, Two Minute Toast -- the name kind of says it all.  It makes a difference if you have some protein at breakfast and not just carbs (don't forget fruit and fruit juice are mostly carbohydrates too).  You feel fuller longer and have more steady energy, at least I do.  So this recipe has cottage cheese for protein, or for those of you who just can't stand the thought of another bite of that old diet standby, substitute ricotta.  The calories and fat are a little higher with ricotta, but sometimes it's just worth it.

My sister was right about the scale hopping being inaccurate.  This morning I was back to 5 pounds lost.  From now on I'll take a daily weight number with a grain of salt.

                                                                                    -- Priscilla

 

Two Minute Toast

 

A breakfast for those mornings when you're running out the door.  Look for bread with 2+ grams of fiber.  There are more and more tasty ones on the market. 

 

Servings:  2

Prep Time: 2 mins.

Cooking Time: 2 mins.

 

1 slice whole wheat or whole grain bread

1/4 cup part-skim ricotta or low-fat cottage cheese

1 tablespoon jam or jelly or 2 tablespoons light sugar variety

 

1.  Toast bread if desired.  Top with ricotta or cottage cheese and spread with jam.

 

Per serving with ricotta:

205 calories

6 g. fat (3 g. sat. fat)

30 g. carbohydrates

2 g. fiber (or more)

 

Per serving with cottage cheese:

169 calories

2 g. fat (3 g. sat. fat)

29 g. carbohydrates

2 g. fiber (or more)

 

On Hand:

regular or low sugar jam or jelly

 

To Buy:

whole wheat or whole grain bread

part-skim ricotta (if using)

low-fat cottage cheese (if using)

 

Monday Morning

Checking in Monday morning.  Dinner at my nephew's restaurant in Saugerties this weekend was just delicious.  My Pop said the scallops were the best he'd had in a long, long time, and he's had a lot of scallops.  These were quickly seared and served in a dashi broth with smoked portabello mushrooms and baby romaine, a beautiful mix of flavors.  Everything else was just as good -- a perfectly balanced Caesar salad, succulent duck breast with fresh corn risotto, spicy shrimp with a creamy mac 'n cheese and fresh cucumber "noodles," vegan corn chowder, seitan and roasted tomatoes with a delicious white bean puree, rich dulce de leche cake with vanilla sauce and fresh blueberries -- all of it so creative and beautifully presented.  It rivals the best foodie places I've tried in LA, at half the price.  So a shameless plug -- which I honestly wouldn't do if I didn't like the food -- Love Bites Cafe, 85 Partition Street, Saugerties, New York, phone (845) 246-1795.  They're open for breakfast and lunch Friday-Tuesday and dinner on Friday and Saturday.

Back to reality, I regained 2 pounds over the weekend -- no surprise.  As my sister points out, I weigh myself every day, and that isn't necessarily accurate.  It's normal to fluctuate a pound or two in a 24-hour period.  I use the scale as a caution sign.  If I'm up a pound, I skip the extra peanuts before dinner and try to get a little more exercise.  I also find it so encouraging if I'm down a pound -- that alone can keep me happily on track all day.

Here's a handy recipe  You can make a batch of the peanut butter tofu spread in minutes and keep it on hand for a super-quick breakfast.

                                                                                            -- Priscilla

       

Peanut butter breakfast sandwich

Servings:  2                      Prep Time:  5 mins.                         Cooking Time:  2 mins.

	When you whip peanut butter together with tofu, you get a lovely, fluffy peanut spread.  You’re adding protein, and reducing fat.  The spread is a great thing to keep on hand in the refrigerator.  In an airtight container, it keeps well for at least a week.  If it starts to separate, just give it a fast stir before spreading it on toast.
2 slices whole wheat bread 4 tablespoons peanut spread (recipe follows) 1 banana 1 teaspoon honey 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon		1.         Toast the bread and top each piece with 2 tablespoons peanut spread.  Slice the banana and layer on top of spread.  Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Per Serving:       179 calories                                 4.5 g. fat (1.5 g. sat. fat)                                 32 g. carbohydrates                                 4 g. fiber			On Hand: honey cinnamon Peanut Spread (recipe below) To Buy: whole wheat bread banana

Peanut Spread

Servings:  15 (2 tbs. each)                         Prep Time:  5 mins.                    Cooking Time:  0

1/2 container soft or medium firm tofu 1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)	1.         Place the tofu and peanut butter in a food processor and blend until well combined. 2.         Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
Per Serving:      46 calories                                 3 g. fat (.5 g. sat. fat)                                 1 g. carbohydrates                                 .5 g. fiber		On Hand: peanut butter (smooth or chunky) To Buy: soft or medium firm tofu

Breakfasts

We're getting close to having all the breakfasts retyped in the new format.  Sometimes it feels like there's no end in sight, but we actually are making progress.  I've just redone Sunny Side Eggs over Hash, and when I checked the nutrition, I found substituting a tablespoon of olive oil for the bacon fat makes only 1/2 gram saturated fat difference, so I dropped that option.  What do you think?  I mean, it's not like dropping the bacon fat makes it vegetarian.  Maybe we should work on a vegetarian option, but that almost seems like a whole other recipe without the oink.

I have finally lost 5 pounds!  But I'm going to dinner tonight at my nephew's restaurant, Love Bites Cafe in Saugerties, New York.  Going out is always such a temptation.  I'm planning to mow the lawn so I can eat his fabulous food guilt-free.

In other news, my 93 year old Pop beat the pants off me and my sister Nancy last night at Scrabble.  Over 200 points.  Still sharp as a tack.

                                                                                    -- Priscilla

 

Sunny Side Eggs over Hash

Servings:  4                      Prep Time:  10 mins.                       Cooking Time:  20 mins.

	Here’s the cheater’s philosophy summed up in a single dish.  It has a wonderful hash of potato, peppers, onions and bacon.  You cook the eggs sunny side up on top of the hash for a delicious contrast.  There’s no salt listed—the bacon adds quite a bit, and we try to keep the salt intake down anyway, but of course you’re free to add some if you like.
1/2 cup diced potatoes (we like them unpeeled) 2 strips bacon 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced red or green peppers 4 eggs black pepper to taste		1.         Fill half a saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  When boiling, add potatoes.  Drain after 5 minutes and reserve. 2.        Cook 2 strips of bacon in a skillet.  When cooked, remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Discard all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.  Chop the bacon and set aside. 3.        Sauté the onion and peppers in the bacon fat.  When the vegetables soften, add the potatoes and a minute later, add the bacon.  Sauté everything together for a minute or two. 4.        Crack the eggs on top of the hash, season with pepper and cover the skillet until the eggs are set, 3-5 minutes.
Per Serving:      160 calories                                 10 g. fat (3 g. sat. fat)                                 9 g. carbohydrates                                 2 g. fiber			On Hand: onion eggs black pepper To Buy: potato bacon red or green peppers