Snack and Food Ideas Group

by Nikiki on Feb 26, 2009 at 11:50 am

where's the chocolate chunks???

by marzipanrobot on Feb 27, 2009 at 9:38 am

lol @ nikiki. i thought the same thing!!

by tastty on Feb 28, 2009 at 10:59 am

hey you can always add those if you want to. I find that getting a small 1 serving dark chocolate bar and chopping that into peices or shavings save more calories that using a bad of chocolate chips if that helps?

by lacey_harrison on Feb 26, 2009 at 7:31 am

Oh, that's funny. I put my Sequel powder into my Chobani vanilla greek yogurt yesterday thinking it would taste okay. Tossed it. Talk about losing money. With the powder, yogurt and granola I stirred in - probably $2.50 down the drain. That's almost a small latte!

by Nikiki on Feb 26, 2009 at 8:11 am

glad I'm not the only one! and yeah the packet of jay robb powder was $2.50 & the yogurt was $2 so that was $4.50!! the larabar was good though :)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 26, 2009 at 9:21 am

The one thing that experimented with and I liked with the greek yogurt was... sf cheescake pudding mix. Just mix some in the yogurt cup and instant cheesecake.

by Nikiki on Feb 26, 2009 at 9:32 am

mmm dani that sounds good!!!

by Danigirl77 on Feb 26, 2009 at 9:59 am

Funny from someone who doesnt really like greek yogurt... I learned that weight watchers

by Nikiki on Feb 26, 2009 at 3:59 am

go to your grocery store's all natural food section and check out the individual granola bars & protein bars, buy a few that look good (that you've never tried before). then tell yourself you're not allowed to touch them till you get to the festival, so you'll be waiting in anticipation :)

baggies of grapes, sliced bell peppers & carrots have a little sweet to them so can keep you from wanting something junkie. depending on how warm it is where you are, a small bag of chocolate covered peanuts & raisins will give you protein & fiber and a little sweet/salty combo just make sure you measure out the serving you want to eat.

if you do break down and get an eliphant ear, make sure you share it!


For the relatives coming over, are any of them eating healthier? you could make it a game to healthify your favorite snacks, so you get the goodies without the calories & fat. Also it might sound inhospitible but the last few times my brother in law stayed with us we just didn't have junk food in the house, we planned fairly healthy but yummy food (like chilli) so they wouldn't feel forced into a diet, but we didn't buy or make the chips and cookies & ice cream we usually did. A few comments were made on day one but they got over it and we all had more energy to enjoy ourselves rather than sit around in a food coma!!

by SueCamp on Feb 26, 2009 at 7:42 pm

Thank you, Nikiki - all great ideas!! I bought several granola bars today (and stuck them in the fruit drawer of the fridge), and also bought strawberries, grapes, and tangerines to make and take a small fruit salad. Hubby's making chili (great idea!!), and I'm bringing yogurt, too. Still, today I went over my calorie count by 300 - and it wasn't worth it. It's depressing to put this stuff in to my daily plate's count when I've been working so hard up to this point. Going over count today (I think) is actually going to help me stay on track for the rest of the weekend. Thanks again.

by Nikiki on Feb 25, 2009 at 3:21 pm

haven't tried those but just bought and ate a "Pure" chocolate brownie bar
200 cals/9 fat/6 prot/18 sugar
100% organic, vegan, raw & natural and all of 7 ingredients. sugar is higher than i would like and protein isnt as high as I would like but oh my gosh, this is like desert! fudgy, yummy, chewy goodness :)

Also tried the Jay Robb Whey protein and its equally delightful :)

I'll have to try out the Think bars, I'm not really big into protein bars but sometimes I want a candy bar and those are at least redeaming versions :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 25, 2009 at 4:25 pm

That's why I liked this..more like a candy bar than a chewier than chewy protein bar.

I am pretty sure the Think Bars are all natural too..and they have "green bars" with better stuff in them, but they are higher in sugar. Lord knows I don't need any more of that in my diet. I wish they had more fiber, but you can't have everything I guess.

by Nikiki on Feb 25, 2009 at 12:48 pm

I keep seeing carob chips in my grocery, what do they taste like?

by southernroots on Feb 25, 2009 at 12:55 pm

Better than chocolate. Its actually chocolate's sister and the taste is very, very addictive.

Carob is supposed to be more healthy than chocolate, and let me tell you-- a tablespoon of carob gets rid of my chocolate cravings like you wouldn't believe.

God, they're delicious. NOM NOM NOM

Edited by southernroots, on February 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 25, 2009 at 1:23 pm

I should look into Carob.. it may not have the effects on me as chocolate!!

by marzipanrobot on Feb 25, 2009 at 6:56 pm

I read an article that a good calorie goal for snacks is under 200 calories--that fits right in there!!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 25, 2009 at 11:32 am

I had the same problem. I started using it in wraps. Then I started making crustless quiche. I chop it up and add it to my quiche base (which I can give you if you want) along with roma tomatoes and cheese.

by southernroots on Feb 25, 2009 at 11:49 am

you could steam it with seasonings

by Danigirl77 on Feb 25, 2009 at 12:27 pm

I like to chop it and saute it with onions and salt and pepper, or I add to my Barilla plus pasta with a little butter and low fat parm cheese. I saw somewhere niki chops and uses it along with mushrooms in her meat (turkey burger) as a healty filler.

by starryday727 on Feb 25, 2009 at 12:40 pm

crustless quiche sounds yummy, do you use real eggs or egg beaters?   that saute sounds good too, I bet you could put that over meat for a yummy "smothered" type of thing

by birdsong on Feb 25, 2009 at 1:32 pm

Morning omelet with onions, spinach, feta and tomatoes. whatever you like...greek omelet..yum!

by musicforoxygen on Feb 25, 2009 at 1:49 pm

My mom and I made a big lasagna last week using whole wheat lasagna noodles, two 9oz bags of spinach (steamed first), low fat ricotta cheese, egg beaters, lean ground beef, low fat mozzarella, salt and pepper, onions, garlic, oregano, nutmeg, and marinara sauce . . . it was delicious!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 25, 2009 at 2:25 pm

Chop it up very finely and add it to spaghetti sauce. We do it all the time, its a good way to use it up when it starts to go bad.

by Nikiki on Feb 25, 2009 at 3:23 pm

the other day I made mini perogis sauteed with spinach, mushrooms & garlic and oh man they were soooo good :)

by marzipanrobot on Feb 25, 2009 at 6:59 pm

a little late but oh well
 
-add it to spaghetti sauce
-make alfredo (low cal alfredo, that is, with lots of spinach.)
-top a homemade pizza with it (we did this last night...so yummy)
-put it in wraps
-mix cooked spinach, garlic, lemon, and salt and just eat it popeye style.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 25, 2009 at 8:17 pm

You can use egg beaters but I dont use them. Others do though, but I dont know the amount. Here is my recipe:

4 eggs
5 egg whites
Spinach Chopped
Roma Tomato chopped (optional but yummy)
Dash of pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Mix and pour into pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 20-30 mins til golden brown. SLice into 4 slices. 149 cals. I've also used cottage cheese in place of the cheddar. I've also added bacon bits too.

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 26, 2009 at 6:01 am

I second birdsong, it's great in eggs! I sautee some onions and add a little garlic powder to my eggs, add the spinach and scramble, yum yum

by tastty on Feb 26, 2009 at 9:24 am

I know I'm a day lay on this, but a spinach quesadilla.
I use a wheat tortilla (120 cals), 1/2-3/4 bad of spinach(20-30) washed and ends removed, 1/2 onion and 1 tomato sliced, diced garlic (about 50cal for all veges), and 1 Tbsp of LaBanderita cheese dip (40 cals).
Warm tortilla first on a medium sized skillet, remove when warmed and  put it on the plate. Spread the cheese down the middle so it wil start melting. Saute veges in the same skillet with nonstick spray and a little salt if desired. Just let them sweat for a minute or so. Put in all spinach. Sautee until desired texture (I like mind consdensed and wet, but not soggy). When raedy, put on 1/2 of tortilla, fold it and eat.
Yuuuuummy...the best way to spend a bag of spinach if you ask me :)

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 2:33 pm

lol I can hear it!!!

I do sheppards pie & stuffed peppers using a mixture of ground turkey, spinach & diced mushrooms instead of using all ground meat. I've never had a tater tot cassarole so I'm not sure what goes into it (but i LOVE tater tots!!!)

by marzipanrobot on Feb 24, 2009 at 4:09 pm

http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/cascadian-farm-organic/spud-puppies-tater-tots/
 
They have fewer calories than regular and are tasty!

by maria79161 on Feb 24, 2009 at 8:05 pm

I love tater tot casserole:)  Yeah, I usually use extra lean ground beef, 98% FF cream of mushroom soup, whatever frozen veggies I have in the freezer (fresh would work too), and then top with tater tots.  You could always use half the amount of tater tots (line them up every other) and you probably wouldn't even miss them.
Note: I once didn't have enough tater tots so I used the frozen home fry potatoes . . . not good.  Good luck:)
 

by birdsong on Feb 25, 2009 at 5:14 am

Maybe you could use sweet potato cubes or butternut squash cubes breaded in panko for the tots.

by Nikiki on Feb 25, 2009 at 6:50 am

mel you're on a sweet potato kick aren't you? were they on sale this week?

by birdsong on Feb 25, 2009 at 7:06 am

It's a VERY versatile veggie and I HAPPEN to be a big fan! ;)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 25, 2009 at 7:12 am

I love sweet potato also... but I alway end up eating them the same old way. baked with whipped butter or  ww whipped cream cheese.

by missladi on Feb 25, 2009 at 7:32 am

Dani, have you tried sweet potato fries? Dice unpeeled sweet potatoes, throw in a bowl or ziploc, add a little bit of EVOO, spices if you want, then bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. you can also precook them in the microwave to cut the cooking time :) i like those more than potato fries!

topped with regular vinegar or balsamic and a dash of salt, it's really good.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 25, 2009 at 9:03 am

mmmmm sounds good. I may have try that.

by birdsong on Feb 25, 2009 at 9:22 am

See chilli cheese sweet potato fry recipe below...

by chelbe on Feb 25, 2009 at 11:25 am

Thanks for the ideas everyone! My craving has passed and I didn't even have to indulge it this time.

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 1:20 pm

I had the one with honey for snack and it was really good.

by marzipanrobot on Feb 24, 2009 at 4:10 pm

AWESOME! I love love LOVE O'Soy so this is great.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 25, 2009 at 7:16 am

I dont know why, i just dont like the greek yogurt. Oh well at least I gave it a try.

by birdsong on Feb 25, 2009 at 11:08 am

Dani, try mix-ins with it to get acclimated to the taste and texture difference. Add honey, nuts, berries, fruit. After about a week, it seems other yogurts are too sweet. It's such a great source or protein! Or try the chobani with fruit...it's a little milder than Fage and Oikos.

Edited by birdsong, on February 25th, 2009 at 1:33 pm.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 25, 2009 at 4:30 pm

My favorite greek yogurt is the Voskos Honey non fat..I tried the Chobani vanilla non fat it is a bit too sour for m. The Voskos isn't as sour.

I put 1/4 cup of Peak Protein Granola in it and munch away. Its great for an afternoon snack or morning snack.

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 10:27 am

lol I get in moods like that. although the last time I was in that mood I went to subway and got a foot long so I could eat half at lunch and half for dinner (worked really late) and calorie & fat was good but the sodium was rediculous, something like 2,400 grams!!! I got yelled at by the lovely ladies that peruse my food diary :)

anyway: eat your lunch, and promise yourself that if you eat what you have that you're allowed to have a treat later... something really good like hershey's kisses or a wendy's frosty (170 calories in the junior size... so worth it!)


I think I'm going to get a frosty on the way home!!

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 10:52 am

That's why I keep 2 lean cuisines (Sodium, yeah, yeah), canned soup, crackers, PB, fruit and whatever I brought in the fridge just in case my mood changes to MAKE SURE there's always something I want available at all times.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 24, 2009 at 11:22 am

I know I usualy have lots of options. I was just being a baby.
 
I ate my lunch.. I actually had a low fat cheese i put some of that on my chicken. Made it a little better.
Frosty sounds good!!! mmm

by bratgrr1 on Feb 24, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Nikki, I didn't YELL at you, I supported you with gentle consternation. That's all...

I loved my lunch today. It was incredible. Not to rub it in or anything. :P

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 1:13 pm

"gentle consternation" lol no it was jaykay I was thinking of "you must look like a walking salt shaker, drink some water, stat!" I heart you guys :)

and i had leftover salsa chicken... it was pretty fantastic if i do say so myself (and I do, I do!) a little more spicey than I usually make it but yummmmmmmy :)

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 2:34 pm

craving a smoothie right about now... I'll have to see what good stuff I have at home :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 24, 2009 at 9:16 am

Voted!

by barnwpk on Feb 24, 2009 at 9:33 am

I voted.  Good luck

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 26, 2009 at 6:12 am

I voted, what a cute pup!

by starryday727 on Feb 24, 2009 at 6:46 am

I like that one too!  I also like the Cashew Cookie and Apple Pie ones.  I didn't really love the chocolate ones because they were kindof bitter.

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 3:39 am

oh that looks really good :)

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 5:25 am

T have you really come back to us?! Yummy apples, but I never thought about putting them over the yogurt. Great idea...nice and warming.

by starryday727 on Feb 24, 2009 at 7:38 am

That sounds great, I was looking for an "apple crisp" sort of substitute last week, and this would probably do the trick!  Thanks! :)

by TGally on Feb 24, 2009 at 10:05 am

Mel, I am putting effort into it!  It helps me stay accountable, and I love the food ideas.  All of my 'real' 'imaginary friends'. ;)

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 10:55 am

I missed you T-baby! welcome back to the looney bin!

Edited by birdsong, on February 24th, 2009 at 10:57 am.

by TGally on Feb 24, 2009 at 11:39 am

;)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 24, 2009 at 7:50 am

Mmmm .. Look yummy. Thanks for the recipe

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 2:01 pm

I made salsa chicken last night to eat tonight, you can look up the recipe under: Nikiki's salsa chicken,

by lacey_harrison on Feb 23, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Costco turkey burger that has carmelized onion and swiss cheese in it, on an orowheat dinner roll with all the veggies.
Warm green bean salad, grape tomatoes.

Monday nights I drag, so I make fast & easy meals. Tomorrow would be a better day to ask, lol.

by Boatchick on Feb 23, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Grilled tuna with basmati rice, lima beans and a salad.  Oh and Stella Artois beer.

by tastty on Feb 23, 2009 at 4:11 pm

For lunch: chicken meatballs in tomato sauce
For dinner: green beans and butter bean soup.
...Fast day so needed quick meals

by starryday727 on Feb 23, 2009 at 4:19 pm

I made a caeser salad and some Hillshire Farms Turkey Kielbasa.

by DesignerDork89 on Feb 23, 2009 at 4:57 pm

I had Lean Cuisine's Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta, with a side salad and fat free ranch.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 23, 2009 at 7:36 pm

I know I am chiming in late, but I had a wrap with LaTortilla Factory Fiber Wrap w/EVOO, garden vegetable cream cheese, low sodium turkey breast, fresh spinach, sweet butter lettuce, and roma tomato. It was so good I am having it again tomorrow!

by TGally on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:00 pm

I used my mini george foreman to grill up some asparagus spears, a salmon patty from Trader Joe's and warmed some precooked brown rice.  Delicious!

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 5:27 am

Birdsong's Rosemary & Garlic Chicken

by Nikiki on Feb 24, 2009 at 1:16 pm

tonight I'm having an eggplant burger on an arnolds sandwich thin with avocado, lettuce & tomato :) its gonna be so good!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 24, 2009 at 1:27 pm

Sheperd's Pie...with ground turkey.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 23, 2009 at 10:35 am

I told you the KIND bars were amazing, didn't I? I ordered a whole mixed case off Amazon.com.

by birdsong on Feb 23, 2009 at 11:44 am

YES, you did tell me! They ARE awesome!

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:08 pm

lol so it was Kim that told you about bars not me? I was really confused when I got your text and couldn't decide if I had told you something and forgot after jello shot #5 or if I was just crazy... lol

by starryday727 on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:10 pm

I just googled Kind bars and they look really yummy.  They're kinda like Larabars, how they're all natural.  I've tried a bunch of different flavors of those and they're really yummy.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:12 pm

You alkies are just plain crazy!

by TGally on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Who the HECK is Rachel?

by lacey_harrison on Feb 23, 2009 at 1:03 pm

The O'coco's!! Did you find them??

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 2:04 pm

lol tgally, check out your grocery's yogurt section she makes "Rachel's Wickedly Delicious" yogurts & cottage cheese. there's some interesting flavours, I like them b/c they're all natural, no fake sugar or artificial flavours...

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 2:05 pm

and kim I am not an alkie! I just happened to be pretending to be an alkie on Saturday night... lol really I dont drink a lot which is why I get REALLY TIPSY pretty quickly :)

by tastty on Feb 23, 2009 at 4:16 pm

I've always wanted to try those Rachel yogurts (I ean my name's on it :O ) but they are just so expensive. After hearing they are good I might get the guts try one. My favorite yogurt at the moment are the chobani greek yogurts...my treat for the day.
As for the KIND bars, they look so delicious, but are a little heavy for a bar to me. I braved up and tried on, but it actually wasn't that good...it tasted out of date to me. I love nuts so I was pleassantly surprised. Anyway, I'm glad you found new things to add to your diet. Thanks for sharing :)

by rfschultz on Feb 24, 2009 at 12:58 pm

I love Rachel's yogurts, but they just have too much sugar for me. My favorite is Plum Honey Lavender. I am glad to hear that the other Rachel's stuff is good, I saw it when I went food shopping and really wanted to try it.
My favorite KIND bar has coconut and macadamia, I am a sucker for anything with coconut. I like the other flavors, but the clif Mojo bars taste better to me.

by birdsong on Feb 23, 2009 at 10:13 am

That's as confusing as popcorn!

by chelbe on Feb 23, 2009 at 10:55 am

I really don't get how you can accurately measure cooking sprays. I almost always choose a brand on TDP that is close to the same as what I am using but with a better choice of measurement. My favorite is "enough to cover an 8 inch surface", now there is a measurement for spray oil I can visualize and effectively accomplish. I suppose if you wanted to get technical the accuracy of that measurement would be if my version of covering an 8 inch surface and their version of covering an 8 inch surface are similar.
Let's not go there with the popcorn, I switched brands and now am totally lost on how to track my new favorite. :( How is it that unpopped corn is used as the common measurement? GROSS!
What about low calorie/no calorie sweetners? 3 calories a packet, 5 calories a packet, 0 calories a packet, WHAT?!?!?!? I just keep tracking the 5 calorie packet listing on TDP, better to track too much than not enough.
 

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Lacey: my olive oil spray says 0 calories but my butter flavored Pam says zero calories for a 1 second spray but like 7 calories for a 10 second spray or something like that... I just figure unless you're spraying it directly in your mouth, there's not enough in there to really make a difference in my calorie totals.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:13 pm

I never log the spray when I cook. I figure I probably burned off that 0-7 calories at some point during the day.

by TGally on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:23 pm

"I just figure unless you're spraying it directly in your mouth"
Hilarious!  I don't log it either.  You burn it off typing it into the computer; unless you're spraying EVERYTHING with it all day long, I wouldn't worry too much about that one.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 23, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Can you imagine just spraying that stuff in your mouth? The visual is hilarious. It would make for a great post cards with some 1950's style dressed housewife and statement on it could be "Well! Someone had to feed me, and this is all I had time for!"

Okay, I will ignore this stuff when I use it to cook from now on. Its just weird.

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 26, 2009 at 6:21 am

haha the thought of spraying olive oil in your mouth or on everything you consume all day long made me laugh!! Mmm coffee, splenda, creamer and a spray of olive oil haha I love the add idea Lacey!

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 8:43 am

and I thought you bombed this weekend :)

by Former Member on Feb 23, 2009 at 8:58 am

i'm going to try these!

by birdsong on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:04 am

I did BOMB...this was the ONLY thing I did healthy!

by southernroots on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:39 am

BUTTER FLAVOR NO CAL SPRAY?  Sorry about the caps, but what is that and where do you buy it?  Seriously?  No Calorie Butter Flavor Spray?  This recipe sounds sooo delicious.  How do you think it would work with regular potatoes?

by Former Member on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:50 am

i can't believe it's not butter spray...I think that's no calorie
 

by Former Member on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:53 am

yeah 5 sprays 0 calories.

by birdsong on Feb 23, 2009 at 10:15 am

It really would be even better with reg. potatoes. I've just sworn those off for a few weeks to try to get things back on track. But, YES would work great! Just factor in the cals. for your potato type. Also works well with butternut squash fries.

by southernroots on Feb 23, 2009 at 2:01 pm

Butternut Squash Fries, 0 calorie butter spray, Potatoes!  My head is spinning with delight.

by TGally on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:01 pm

what is onion chili?

by birdsong on Feb 24, 2009 at 5:30 am

Chili with onion flavor...;)

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 23, 2009 at 9:14 am

These came out okay but were on the bland side. I think they would be better with the maple extract for more flavor. I like them enough to try again so I'll let you know how that turns out when I make another batch.

by Nikiki on Feb 23, 2009 at 12:14 pm

def. looks like it needs some cinnimon... maybe some nutmeg too :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 22, 2009 at 11:11 am

Mine was NOT pretty either! I had two dry spots where the cake wasn't mixed with any soda either...and even after cooking it for an hour I took a couple bites of it last night and it wasn't cooked all the way. I used about 1.75 cups when I cut my recipe in half for a 9" cake pan.

It definitely wasn't pretty, but it tastes fantastic!

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 20, 2009 at 9:55 pm

Still haven't made my own but I have had this link saved for a while.

http://www.stumptuous.com/make-your-own-protein-bars

by southernroots on Feb 21, 2009 at 1:45 pm

There is like no reason to add sugar, honey, or any sweeteners to anything. EVER. Its just empty, empty, empty calories.

Protein bars will always be high calorie because of their contents-- mainly, nuts and oats.

Xylitol is a natural sweetener that has the same exact consistany as sugar, but only has 9 calories per teaspoon versus 20 calories per teaspoon.

Stevia is a natural sweetener with 0 calories.

The best thing to do is X on the sugar/sweeteners completely.

Try rolling berries, nuts, and a little bit of oats together and see how it pans out. I can try to make one and give you the recipe if you want... but i think a homemade protein bar is a great idea! Except that its going to have a bazillion calories because all protein bars have a bazillion calories... but sometimes, its not a bad thing.

Edited by southernroots, on February 21st, 2009 at 1:54 pm.

by southernroots on Feb 21, 2009 at 2:49 pm

OKAY! I did it! Yay! I found a great way to make them low-sugar and low-calorie! The only problem is that the protein content isn't that high. If you add high protein, I think the calorie content won't be so bad. I didn't. Here is the recipe for 1 bar.

2 tablespoons of oat bran (30 calories)
1 teaspoon of carob chips (11 calories)
1 teaspoon of currants (8 calories)
1.5 teaspoon of Better N' Peanut Butter (25 calories)
2 almonds, chopped up (14 calories)

Of course, you can put whatever you want in there, but I found the oat bran makes the perfect, perfect base.

Combine dry ingredients and mix. Then add a tiny bit of boiling water to the mixture to create bulk and ease of movement. You don't want to add too much, like try adding one teaspoon at a time. If its too much water, just add a pinch of the oat bran to thicken it up.

Mold how you want it and place in the refrigerator. Let stand for 3 hours. (After one hour, I was able to make it into a perfect 4" long 1.5" wide and maybe a couple centimeters thick.)

Hope this helps!

Edited by southernroots, on February 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 am.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Yeah I gave up on 100 cal snacks. For several reasons.. they are so expensive and I'm trying to eat more protein. And the 100 cal usually turn into 300 cal snacks because they are filling to me.

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:25 pm

I'm good if as SOON as I get home from the grocery store, as I'm putting the groceries away, if I seperate the servings out. Or if I'm doing it in the morning packing my lunch, i do it after I eat breakfast, b/c if I'm not hungry I'll be more honest with the portion sizes!!

I love chocolate covered pretzels, 8 flipz are about 130 calories. 2 dark chocolate dove squares are 84 calories. I bought a box of Back To Nature natural wheet crackers (all natural, no corn syrup! tastes like wheet thins) and have 6 of them with 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese & 6 slices of hormel turkey peperoni, its 101 calories and individually spreading the cheese on each cracker, topping with the peperoni and eating it helps me savour each one.

I love your idea for the m&m's I LOVE those! and that is definately more reasonable of a price!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:36 pm

I, too, HEART peanut M&Ms. And aren't nuts supposed to be good for you? :)

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 3:03 pm

i think they lose some of their redeming value when covered in chocolate & sugar...

by kimgetfit on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:15 pm

I seem to do well for meals, but the snacking always gets me into trouble. Thanks for the snack ideas Nikiki!

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 21, 2009 at 2:45 pm

yes brat and so is peanut butter so...Reeses are good to right? lol I tell myself that sometimes ugh the only person I can lie to is myself :/

by kimgetfit on Feb 20, 2009 at 11:27 am

That sounds great, I'll have to keep my eye out for it!

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:13 pm

I'm really surprised, I sent an email to the company to find out if they sell them at any of my local grocery stores since there's a distribution center a few hours away from me. within about an hour a real person called me to go through the list of stores that I listed as near me, and promised to look into the one that he wasn't sure of! so I'll definately be trying it when it comes to my area! :)

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:54 pm

wow, what great customer service!

by okkaywarner on Feb 20, 2009 at 2:38 pm

I saw this at the Sunflower Market and picked it up. I personally was not a fan. It has a slightly minty taste to it that I wasn't fond of but I was eating it with strawberries, maybe it would work better with something chocolate. My sister and her husband tried it and they both loved it so I don't know what to say. I am just going to stick with the delicious and unnatural coolwhip lite myself but I have weird taste I guess. I feel kind of bad for not liking it after hearing how nice they were to you though!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 9:14 am

Homemade chicken enchilada soup.

http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/generic/brats-chicken-enchilada-soup_50083

If you want the measurements I can post those, you have to do it by serving size in the recipe generator on TDP to even get close to the right nutrients.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 10:06 am

Crab legs, corn on the cob and cole slaw. Merlot and Laughing cow cheese and crackers for appetizer.

T-Bones and grilled veggies tomorrow and homemade burgers and sweet potato fries Sunday.

Edited by birdsong, on February 20th, 2009 at 10:07 am.

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 10:57 am

perogis sauted with spinach, mushrooms & garlic in olive oil... my protein is low today though so I may add some turkey sausage to the mix too!

Edited by Nikiki, on February 20th, 2009 at 10:58 am.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:17 pm

Is yummy Nikki!

by Danigirl77 on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:25 pm

Aidele's Mango Chicken and turkey Sausage with grilled veggies and brown rice.

by lccopeland on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm

I'm going out for dinner.  Ordering off restaurant menus is usually a mixture of fun and horror for me, lol.

by okkaywarner on Feb 20, 2009 at 2:41 pm

BBQ Ranch salad with black beans and red onion and tortilla strips and optional chicken. I have a bunch of vegetarians coming over tonight. =D I made this earlier in the week and it was really delicious so I am excited!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 20, 2009 at 3:19 pm

Angus Blue Cheese Hamburger and BEEEEeer.
(notice I didn't count cals today? Yeahh...)


LOVE Adele's sausages Dani! I just bought the roasted garlic..and something...ones last night at Costco. They are pretty good calories/fat wise.

by jessoair on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:36 pm

Stuffed Green peppers with brown rice cooked in campbells tomato soup, organic chicken sausage, tomatoes with jalapenos, corn, onions, celery and a little cheddar cheese in the middle and on top. (Also some cajun seasoning and pepper and the sort) YUM

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:06 pm

The chicken enchilada soup turned out amazing and it's under 200 cals per serving and the sodium isn't too bad either!!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:50 am

Calorie count?

by lccopeland on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:15 am

Excellent!  I'm glad it's yum :)  I haven't made the recipe yet, so I have no idea what the calorie count is...and it will differ depending on what fruit you use...but it should be pretty easy to figure out since the ingredients are minimal.

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:28 am

is that like a normal size box of cake mix?  (like betty crocker or something?)  or a smaller one? (we have these Jiffy cake mixes here, not sure if they're a natural thing or not, but it's a smaller box)

by lccopeland on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:31 am

I would assume it's just the normal betty crocker size cake mix.  Not sure what those smaller Jiffy cake mixes are all about, lol.

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:35 am

oh that looks really good, I may try it this weekend :)

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:47 am

Me too Me too! Could you use fresh fruit? or do you need the liquid of frozen?

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:54 am

Yep...on the list for this weekend!

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:57 am

I bet you could make it yummy with strawberries on the bottom, chocolate cake mix, and diet coke too.  hmmmm....

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:58 am

I make one similar with brown sugar and pineapple...

by lacey_harrison on Feb 20, 2009 at 11:25 am

I think you could use any cake mix. I just used half the mix and the package is similar in size to a Betty Crocker one.

Lacey's Upside Down Berry Cake is what I think I called it for calorie count...I think I need to increase the cake mix count a bit though. And because I had to load the vanilla cake mix, I used the chocolate instead. Same calories and stuff in it.

by okkaywarner on Feb 20, 2009 at 2:43 pm

I am totally making this tonight! My guests are all excited!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:45 am

YUM!

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:40 am

oh that looks like such a good breakfast! and its so cute :) i made something like that when I was doing south beach forever ago in a muffin tin and made two tins of them on Sunday & froze them for an easy breakfast throughout the week :)


and of course you'll try yours with cottage cheese, I wouldn't expect anything else!!! let me know how that tastes :)

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:43 am

They are SO yummy! I had my typical oatmeal for breakfast and these for my midmorning snack. I plan on making a batch up this weekend for all week next week! May try something other than bacon. and will DEF try cottage cheese...lol. I make my no pudge brownies in these ramekin cups too.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:43 am

Stupid double post. The person I originally got the idea from used egg beaters so you could use that as well.

Edited by bratgrr1, on February 20th, 2009 at 8:44 am.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:58 am

Think I'll make some of these over the weekend too...they should freeze great! Have you seen this link? these are for ham florentine mini cups. I keep these in the freezer too for quick breakfasts on the go.

http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=45020

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:58 am

Nikiki - I didn't know you could freeze cooked eggs like that.  Do they still come out ok?  did you just heat them in the microwave when you were ready for them?

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:59 am

ooh, birdsong I love the idea of those ham florentine ones!  I think I need to go to lunch now, I'm getting really hungry looking at all these great food ideas today!!

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 11:02 am

yeah they turned out fine, depending on how much time I had I'd either nuke them or put them in the oven at 375 till they were heated through, I would sprinkle a little parmesian cheese on top before baking and they'd get a little crispy on top!

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:16 am

HungryGirl or MSN one (Can't remember which) just posted their Best of the Best list and listed Quaker banana Bread oatmeal as their top choice. Funny huh?

Sweetners can include fresh berries, mixed fruits, sweetner packets, brown sugar Splenda or Stevia, drizzled honey, applesauce, Brat uses cottage cheese, some have added cocoa packets, skillet apples.

Edited by birdsong, on February 20th, 2009 at 5:25 am.

by Nikiki on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:34 am

hm... I was going to put my ideas but it seems like Mel has covered them all!!

I will add that in a pinch I've added no sugar added jam to mine, its pretty good when I don't have real fruit to add...

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:41 am

I stole most of these from Brat....SHE is the resident oatmeal EXPERT!

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 6:07 am

I've also been experimenting with oatmeal the past couple weeks.  I use 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of water in the microwave, and then I add in 1/2 scoop of Body Fortress Super Advanced Vanilla protein powder, which gives it a little flavor and sweetness, and then I mix in 2 teaspoons of brown sugar as well.  Very sweet and very filling!  I have added berries as well when I have them.  I've also seen a Hungry Girl recipe where she uses canned pumpkin, which I've thought about trying, but haven't gotten brave enough yet. (I love pumpkin flavored stuff, but I haven't ventured into using it in everyday foods yet!)

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 6:37 am

Ok, as the resident oatmeal expert (not) here is some of the things I do:
*I dont use the pre-packaged oatmeal. I buy the Quaker 1 minute oats. MUCH more filling and way less expensive overall.
*I ALWAYS mix in 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. This is a must for me.
*I always sweeten mine with 2-3 packets of sweet n low. you could use whatever you desire though.
*Here are some of the things I mix in.
~Dried fruits (raisins, mango, cranberries, etc)
~Ovaltine chocolate milk powder
~chocolate or white chocolate chips
~fresh fruit (typically blueberries or strawberries)
~Grated apple (grated on my cheese grater) and cinnamon or apple pie spice
~Peanut butter (not my favorite but others love it)
~Canned pumpkin and nutmeg (again not my fav but othes swear by it
~today I mixed in pineapple tidbits and coconut. it was fantastic! My own little pina colada oatmeal.
~nuts (almonds, pecans, macadamia, etc)
~gummy bears (I know it sounds weird but it's good)
~banana and peanut butter

I'm sure there is more but I can't think of any at the moment!

Edited by bratgrr1, on February 20th, 2009 at 6:40 am.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 6:42 am

Just one more comment on this topic...

Yesterday I was craving cereal so I had some multigrain cheerios, breaking from my oatmeal routine. Big mistake! I was hungry within an hour!! Oatmeal for breakfast is the way to go!

by okkaywarner on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:20 am

Thanks for all the ideas! I knew I could count on you guys! I've been doing the quick oats with the 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup water in the microwave and I have noticed that it really is extremely filling! Much more filling than the oatmeal packets I've tried and definitely more filling than cereal. I have tried mixing some fruit in and it was good but I felt like it needed something else and I wasn't quite sure what. Today I tried cinnamon applesauce and it worked really well. But after I added a bit of this pumpkin pie granola I got it really made it especially delicious.

I actually have some of those Banana Bread flavored oatmeal packets. When I tried them they was pretty decent tasting but not as filling as the quick oats have been. I should try it again anyway.

You guys are great! And very creative! thank you! I am excite to try a bunch of these ideas!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:24 am

Try adding some cottage cheese. Once you start you will never go back to plain oatmeal again!

by starryday727 on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:36 am

hmm cottage cheese that's interesting.  I like the sounds of that pina colada one.  And gummy bears?  I might have to try that :)

by lccopeland on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:30 am

Oatmeal is a huge staple for me.  I've had a 1/2 cup of plain oats for breakfast for the last 3 days.  It's very filling, and low in calories...you really can't go wrong.
A little brown sugar goes a long way.  Adding any type of fruit it good.  I've tried mixing it with cottage cheese, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice...super yummy!

by TGally on Feb 20, 2009 at 11:51 am

I'm a big oatmeal eater too, of course I have been MIA for awhile, so you wouldn't know that. Anyway, I swear by steel cut oats, or plain oatmeal. I prefer to throw my banana in, cut up, with about 20-30 seconds left on the micro, or in the pot once I remove from heat. A cooked/warmed banana has a much more delicious flavor than a cold one chopped up and thrown on top - in my opinion.

I am also a HUGE lover of cottage cheese in my oatmeal. It's really delicious and I do not add sweetener with either. I find the banana sweetens it plenty and with the cottage cheese, I just like the combo of the two and don't add to it.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 1:15 pm

TGALLYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where oh where have you been???????????

by okkaywarner on Feb 20, 2009 at 2:48 pm

I like cottage cheese but it just seems like such a strange idea to me...but I must try it! and gummy bears are one of my favorite things ever so I will have to try that someday. Thanks again for all the suggestions! you guys rock!

by SueCamp on Feb 20, 2009 at 6:16 pm

Any puréed fruit (baby food in a pinch, such as banana, works great and is easy and healthy), and ground flax seed for added fiber and Omegas - adds a mild nutty flavor.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:18 am

Both of those are great especiallly the GG dessert bowls. I love the banana one...yum.

I think all of the other things have been discussed here, so for more detailed info. look back through the posts, but here's the rundown:

The diet soda cakes are awesome and you can make everything from black forest cakes using cherry coke to pineapple upside down cakes using sprite or Mt. Dew.

No Pudge (all flavors) Vitabrownies and Pillsbury reduced sugar brownies are all awesome.

Applesauce, pumpkin AND mashed bananas are excellent substitutes for oil as well as yogurt. Switch equal measurements.

There are a bunch of cookie and dessert recipes listed here as well as snack bars and protein bar recipes.

Edited by birdsong, on February 20th, 2009 at 5:26 am.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:54 am

Milano!
I always use applesauce in my muffins and breads and I love it. I also use just egg whites instead of the whole egg.
With brownies I use mostly ( No Pudge Fudge) with lowfat vanilla yogurt and my 4 year old and BF love them.....as do I. You can't tell. I've used applesauce in the brownie.. just be sure to get plain ( no cinnamon).
Ive never tried diet soda cakes... i think I may try one for easter. I love tricking my family.
 

by milano88 on Feb 23, 2009 at 6:07 pm

Thanks!  I made cupcakes with the pumpkin (I found it!) and they were amazing!  I made banana frosting (not low cal, but had to splurge) and it went great with them.  My friends were over for dinner and I have to give them a doggy bag of them.
I can't get the no pudge out here, but I might have to buy some when I go back to the US for a visit.  I'll have to try the soda recipe next!

by musicforoxygen on Feb 19, 2009 at 8:27 pm

Here's my version, using cooking spray instead of olive oil, and subbing ground turkey breast (99% lean) for the beef. You can use lean ground beef if that's straying too far for you!

1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 jalape?o pepper, diced
1 smallish green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

hamburger buns, toasted

preparation

Heat frying pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, celery, jalape?o, and bell pepper. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 3 or 4 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground turkey to the skillet. Cook meat until browned (about 10 to 12 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Lower heat back to medium and add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture is thick (15 to 30 minutes).

Season with salt and pepper and serve on toasted hamburger buns

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:28 am

Oooh, I want to make those one night for dinner next week. Sounds great!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:45 am

I use ground turkey for my sloppy joes too. But I am guilty of not making my own sauce. I use the sauce packets in the spice aisle. Guess I should venture out to making my own. Time is a factor though.

by missladi on Feb 20, 2009 at 9:11 am

YAY, thanks music, I'll try that tonight. Sounds delicious! He will definitely be surprised that i'm making sloppy joes! I will have to use beef, though, since ground turkey is so freakin' expensive! I'll try it as soon as I see it on sale. Oh the joys of being a student! :)

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 9:15 am

Really Miss? Ground turkey here is way cheaper than ground beef.

by birdsong on Feb 20, 2009 at 10:09 am

Here too Brat....much less expensive. But Brat, dang that surprises me! Cow is expensive in Texas? something WRONG witht hat picture!!!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 20, 2009 at 11:28 am

Decent, lean cow is more expensive. You can get cheap, fatty cow not too cheap. I buy the Honeysuckle White 93/7 ground turkey breast for under $2/lb.

by musicforoxygen on Feb 20, 2009 at 2:01 pm

You're welcome! I hope it turned out well for you!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 20, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Ground turkey and 4-7% hamburger are about the same price here in Boregon. I buy the burger.

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 21, 2009 at 2:57 pm

I use to buy ground turkey until I compared it to the extra lean ground beef and realized the starts were very close.

Is beef more expensive here? I never lived else where but good ole Texas with there expensive cows I mean ground beef lol but aren't the happy ones from California? haha

by bratgrr1 on Feb 21, 2009 at 5:09 pm

I stopped cooking red meat because we all had high cholesterol, including my 15 year old son. With that, and a combination of exercise and other things we have brought our cholesterol down. That's why I choose ground turkey over ground beef. Not really price, although the turkey is cheaper.

by missladi on Feb 24, 2009 at 8:04 pm

I don't know, maybe the weather in Canada is too cold for turkeys, haha I have no idea why, but beef is way cheaper than turkey, like (on sale) 3$ a pound for beef and 4-5 for turkey. SOMETIMES it'll go cheaper, but rarely.
.....In case you wanted to know lol.

by birdsong on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:06 am

I just like em with a little cream cheese...have not tried the cakes, but the brownie mix is good and so is the corn muffin mix. ....I still recommend eating the wrapper ;)

Edited by birdsong, on February 19th, 2009 at 9:07 am.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:11 am

I'm a wrapper girl all the way...lol.

(truthfully I've never even had a vita..anything.)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:26 am

For brownies I like no Fudge Pudge.... mmm mmm. And you dont have to make the whole package, just a few at a time if you want.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:35 am

That's what I buy too, Dani

by lacey_harrison on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:56 am

I would like that, to only make a few at a time.

The white chocolate chips on one of the muffins were mushy on both I bought. Blech.

by Nikiki on Feb 19, 2009 at 11:12 am

ew mushy muffins, was that the no fudge pudge ones? I'd like to only have to make a few at a time, my downfall is when I make brownies i eat them all...

by bratgrr1 on Feb 19, 2009 at 12:45 pm

With the (fat free) no pudge you make single servings. You just add FF vanilla yogurt directly to the mix and microwave for a minute or so. I like to top mine with Cool Whip free. They have different flavors (chocolate fudge, chocolate mint, raspberry chocolate) and you can experiement with different flavors of yogurt too. I've also added in a crushed oreo and crushed andes mints, and chocolate chips on occasion. Some PB2 might be called for here!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 19, 2009 at 1:09 pm

So are the no pudge by Vitamuffin? I R cofuseded..

by bratgrr1 on Feb 19, 2009 at 1:18 pm

Nope. not vitamuffin. You buy the mix at your local store. or http://www.nopudge.com/ or http://www.nopudge.com/common/where2buy.html

In a small microwaveable container mix 2 tablespoons of your favorite flavor No Pudge! Brownie mix with 1 tablespoon of non-fat vanilla yogurt. Microwave on high for one minute. Top with fat-free frozen yogurt or whipped topping. Tastes like a warm, fudgy brownie pudding - Yum!!!

Edited by bratgrr1, on February 19th, 2009 at 1:23 pm.

by Nikiki on Feb 19, 2009 at 2:54 pm

mmm brownie pudding :) I'll have to go buy some!

by southernroots on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:16 am

Learn to love fruit with its natural sugar. Its very difficult to get the best flavor out of fruit and berries if they are frozen.

Here is a really good thing, if you try it, you will like it.

Ingredients:
4 fresh strawberries
1/2 banana
1/2 lemon

Chop up strawberries into cute shapes and layer with slices of banana. Lightly sprinkle the lemon juice on it. This has around 100 calories.

Another idea: Fresh fuji apple. Slice. Add cinnamon. Bake until warm.

Adding sugar to fruits wich are already jam packed with sugar might make you crave sugar even more, as sugar is addictive. Eating the natural sugar to the fruit will please your body morein the long run because the simple sugars go straight into you and make you feel better.

Just make sure you get fresh fruits in order to get the full flavor.

by starryday727 on Feb 19, 2009 at 10:11 am

mm that sounds yummy with the lemon juice on it
 
I usually have the frozen fruits on hand for smoothies, just because it's easier, but I haven't been to the store yet this week so I'm out of all my fresh fruit!  I hope to get there this weekend

by southernroots on Feb 19, 2009 at 10:56 am

NEVER run out of fresh fruit! Its the thing your body craves. If I don't have fresh fruit, I end up eating very, very bad things. (think 1/2 cup of honey straight from the jar). Actually, that's just a reminder for me.

by lccopeland on Feb 19, 2009 at 12:43 pm

I remember one day I had no fresh fruit at work...I really thought I might take a hostage, lol.

I found this recipe online...use any fruit you want...could be fun!

Ingredients
2 (16 oz) bags frozen fruit (about 6 cups)

1 box yellow cake mix (NO pudding in the mix)

2 cups diet lemon-lime soda (diet Sprite)

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with Pam.

Pour both bags of frozen fruit on the bottom of the prepared baking
dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over top of fruit, making sure
there are no clumps. Pour lemon-lime soda (or diet Sprite) over all;
DO NOT STIR. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and
continue to bake another 45 minutes OR until nice and brown on
top. Serve warm with frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 19, 2009 at 3:55 pm

lccopeland - now that looks fantastic! I've got frozen fruit and I've got yellow cake mix that needs using. I might just have to make that tonight. YUM!

by starryday727 on Feb 19, 2009 at 8:43 pm

oooh, that does sound yummy. thanks for the suggestion!

by starryday727 on Feb 19, 2009 at 6:10 am

wow, that looks yummy!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 19, 2009 at 7:50 am

I hear angels singing, I hear them! YUMMMMMMmmmm

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:50 pm

WHY oh WHY can't I love these?!?

by Danigirl77 on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:21 pm

Birdsong... me too! I tried.. I swear I did. I can't do them either.

by starryday727 on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:53 pm

I've tried them 2 ways that they were edible, just not my favorite.  First I made the Hungry Girlfredo, which was pretty good, but not great.  Then I made spaghetti noodles with a big back of those Steamers veggies that are broccoli and cheese sauce.  It was ok with that, but the sauce didn't really stick to the noodles.  They just don't fill me up either!

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 3:30 pm

never tried them... never heard of them either! where are they sold??

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 4:09 pm

I can't do them either...but sometimes it seems to me that food made with virtually no calories in it just seems odd in the first place.

I am glad that these are out there for the people who like them though.

Birdsong- did you order those other noodles that were preportioned yet?? How were they?

by birdsong on Feb 19, 2009 at 5:52 am

Ordering the noodles this afternoon with my igrourmet order! ...Will post reviews ;)

by lccopeland on Feb 19, 2009 at 7:36 am

I really do want to try these.  Just can't seem to find them anywhere.  Darm you small town Minnesota!!!

by southernroots on Feb 19, 2009 at 9:10 am

These noodles stick to flavors that aren't sauces. For instance, if you sprinkle this cheesy powder (that's actually for potatoes), the powders stick to the noodles. If you add salt, it brings out the flavors more.

The noodles themselves aren't flavorfull. They take on the flavor of whatever you add to them, so its better to add spices and powders than liquid sauces.

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm

not yet but I mixed coco powder in with mine in a smoothie with yogurt & a banana and it was delightful :)

welcome!

by rfschultz on Feb 18, 2009 at 10:59 am

agreed!!- have you tried clif mojo bars? They are my absolute favorite, but they are unavail until april :(

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:56 pm

CRAP!!! I have that one but haven't tried it! CRAP, CRAP! ...and I so love the tea cakes...

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:42 pm

ew, its truly discusting.

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 3:06 pm

Damn. ...and I LOVE Chai!

Chai bar for sale! ...get your free Chai bar! lol

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 3:10 pm

Why can't they make a cheese flavored bar??? LMAO!

by bratgrr1 on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:12 am

should we remove the package before we spread with cream cheese?

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 10:17 am

Hmmm...wonder if this would taste good on the chocolate variety? Maybe the pommegranite one.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 18, 2009 at 11:51 am

Oh wow... hmmm. I may have to try this. I likes my vitamuffin, but I felt like it was missing something.

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:01 pm

oh that sounds really good, and Brat: no you dont have to take it out of the package, it adds extra texture :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:28 pm

You burn more calories chewing the brownie with the wrapper on too ;)

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:57 pm

Absolutley eat the wrapper! It's the best part! keeps you full longer and, hey, you know we gotta do what we gotta do to stay full longer...wrapper n all! I think it adds extra fiber too....I'll get back with you on that.

Edited by birdsong, on February 18th, 2009 at 3:06 pm.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 18, 2009 at 8:35 am

I use frozen yogurt and fruit and a dash of skim milk. My kids love them.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 8:59 am

I use a thing of fat free vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup milk and a cup of frozen berries, usually a touch of water. The frozen fruit makes it so I don't need ice.

I also put in my whole food powder...but not sure the kids would like that.

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:04 am

1 container of oikos greek yogurt- plain
1/2 frozen banana
1 tbs PB2 (or regular peanut butter)
1 tsp coco powder
and if you're feeling dangerous you could through a few strawberries in there too :)

152 cals...2g fat...14g carbs....18g protein
its pretty thick, I ate it with a spoon... you could add some skim milk to thin it down for easier drinking :)

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:04 am

double double posted!

Edited by Nikiki, on February 18th, 2009 at 9:06 am.

by starryday727 on Feb 18, 2009 at 11:03 am

I use 1 Cup frozen strawberries, 1 Cup frozen blueberries, 1 Cup skim milk, and a scoop of Body Fortress Super Advanced Vanilla protein powder.  It's yummy and lots of protein.  Also very thick, you can drink it with a straw fresh out of the blender if you try hard, but I sometimes give it a minute to let it melt a little :)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 18, 2009 at 11:53 am

Hmm thanks for the ideas... I will try these out for my daughter... and myself.

by jessoair on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:44 pm

1 banana, 1 cup or so of either frozen rasberries or strawberries, 1 cup or so of frozen peaches, either apple juice or orange juice to the fill line. (My blender has a "fill to" liquid line, it is probably about 3/4 of a cup)
This is all fruit and all good, the juice really makes difference. Apple will be sweeter, orange tangier.

by missladi on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:18 pm

milk
frozen or fresh banana
vanilla (or vanilla protein powder)
peanut butter or PB2
frozen of fresh berries (if you have some)

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 18, 2009 at 8:05 pm

My standard base includes:
ff milk
chocolate protein powder

+banana
or
+peanut butter (my fav it's like a Reese's smoothie!)
or
+frozen fruit: berry medley, sweet cherries or the one with cantaloupe, papaya and mango

I also sometimes add Psyllium Husk for extra fiber but then you can't let it sit too long or it gets too think

Yum Yum, i love smoothies!!!!

by musicforoxygen on Feb 18, 2009 at 7:24 am

http://www.sabra.com/store-locator/store-locator.aspx

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:04 am

I buy my Sabra at Walmart and Publix.

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:11 am

we have sabra at Giant Eagle & BJ's and I'm about 90% sure they have it at costco...

by Former Member on Feb 19, 2009 at 8:00 am

just as I suspected...only in the big city! Thanks for the help

by marzipanrobot on Feb 17, 2009 at 5:05 pm

If it does, it will only be slight. Why not just try it?

by musicforoxygen on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:44 pm

There are varieties of honey made from all sorts of flowering plants, and they all have subtle, but certainly detectable differences in taste. Go for it, and let us know what you think =)

by roushsm on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:47 pm

I am very curious about this blueberry honey, please post an update after you try it - and let us know what you think about it and what it is called.

by missladi on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:21 pm

my friends in France actualy buy a different kind of honey every time they run out, and each member of the family have their own favorites!

personnally, i only use honey in cooking, so i don't see the point in buying different varieties since i wouldn't really taste the difference, but if you use it in a way where you actually taste it, definitely, give it a try!

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:45 pm

Celtic Sea Salt is supposed to be the best you can buy, it has a higher percentage of trace elements than other sea salts.
http://www.healthfree.com/celtic_sea_salt.html

I've tried it, and it is really tasty, its grey and is a little moist so you can't use it in a shaker but it is definately very good.

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:55 pm

http://www.igourmet.com/search/search.asp?keywords=salts

...the truffled and smoked salts look great to me! ...i also like the, uh, salt of the margarits persuasion..hehe...lol

Edited by birdsong, on February 17th, 2009 at 1:00 pm.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 1:12 pm

I was drooling over the truffle salt too Mel! There is a black smoked salt on one of the websites that looks fantastic too.

I talked myself out of buying some..but when I hit the 10 lbs lost mark, that is what I am buying myself. YUM YUM

by musicforoxygen on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:45 pm

http://www.baconsalt.com/

Anybody tried it?! Sounds kind of amazing . . .

by lillinkatsmom on Feb 18, 2009 at 7:55 am

Well I have NOT tried the bacon salt, but I sure want to now that I browsed the website!!!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:01 am

Bacon salt...hmmm...I should buy some for a guy at work.

We are going to make a bacon explosion here with the corn beef & cabbage for St. Patty's day. LOL.

by Nikiki on Feb 18, 2009 at 9:09 am

mmm bacon salt... I bet my husband would love me forever if I bought that...


Lacey: let me know when you make it and I'll have the EMT ready and waiting for your impending heart attack...

by lacey_harrison on Feb 18, 2009 at 12:29 pm

Okay, LOL. I am hoping the boys woof it down before I even get a slice of it.

I am not super into bacon, so I could live without it. But I'd definitely like to see one when its done.

by starryday727 on Feb 18, 2009 at 1:55 pm

I might have to try that bacon salt.  Bacon is one of my fave foods...sometimes when my boyfriend asks me what I want for breakfast, my only reply is "bacon!" :)

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 11:51 am

IMO the sweet sausage would be much better with a cold pasta salad than the red sauce. It gives a really sweet taste that matches white sauce well with a little garlic, onion and peppers. Like you I tend to like red with a little spice.

Edited by birdsong, on February 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pm.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:04 pm

Is the sausage in a casing or just by itself? You can always grill it up if its in the casing and serve it cut up into slices in the pasta dish col. We've done that before.

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:49 pm

is the nutrition for the 1/4 batch you made or 1 of the 8 servings in the recipe? this sounds really good, I'd probably switch out the butter for evoo, and use egg whites instead of whole eggs... I might have to go get some zuchini!

by southernroots on Feb 17, 2009 at 1:47 pm

Do you think this recipe would work if you omitted the butter/butter spread?

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 2:34 pm

I'm thinking you'll need something in the pan to get it to fry up, like potato pancakes. They wont get as crispy without an oil of somesort. I'm going to use olive oil when I make it :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 2:56 pm

Definitely need something to fry them in...olive oil or canola oil would work well. Or olive oil with a bit of butter. The spread butter (fake) stuff doesn't work well...and butter by itself burns.

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 18, 2009 at 8:15 pm

agreed with all above, olive oil would probably work best. I just used what looked best and then afterward read the container and it said the light version is not good for frying haha oh well. It didn't look too good when it came out and I was about to get disappointed until I tried it and decided it rocked!

Make sure you squeeze all the water out, I think that is important. I'm sure any choice of egg type would work just needs something to keep them together.

The nutritional info is just for the portion I made and with the ingredients I used. I was super perfect with measuring the zucchini, wasn't sure how to measure but I used a whole small one so thats what I tracked.

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 6:27 am

I use it for sandwich spread, veggies, crackers, chips, bread dip, just about anything....

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:36 am

what Birdie said :) I like it on sandwiches, lettuce wraps, to dip my bell peppers in, my hubby likes it on crackers & chips (Hey Mel its a weird thing the my hubby will eat!)

its delicious!

by lccopeland on Feb 17, 2009 at 8:06 am

ohhhh hummus, I love you, lol.

It's super good with veggies, or crackers or spread on just about any type of pita bread you can find!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 8:25 am

I love it in pita bread stuffed with a ton of fresh or grilled veggies and a tad bit of ff italian drizzled over it..and maybe some feta or other cheese thrown in. My own "pita pit" version.

I do like to dip bellpeppers in it the best though.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 17, 2009 at 9:43 am

Ok... first let me tell why I never ate Hummus. I used to work with this lady who had these smoked stained nails and just was one of the meanest  rudest (<<< not sure if that's a word or not) people I've ever met. She would always eat hummus. But she bring at least two in the work fridge a week. Well she let the ones she didn't eat sit in there for weeks. I would always be the one who couldn't take anymore and clean the fridge out. I've just always had a negative view on it.
WELL NOW... I'm mad. Because I love it. I had it with carrots and few crackers. Mmmm Mmm.
Thanks Ladies...

by chelbe on Feb 17, 2009 at 9:44 am

I've used a Tablespoon or two to season noodles and topped it off with a few shrimp, YUM!

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 9:46 am

eew fuzzy hummus... maybe she was growing a friend?

glad you enjoyed it!

by Danigirl77 on Feb 17, 2009 at 10:14 am

Ha Ha... Maybe that's why she hated me. I was throwing her buddies out!

by hoakley on Feb 17, 2009 at 10:37 am

Where exactly do you find hummus at the grocery store? Or is it a special health food store thing?

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 10:48 am

in my store its in the dairy isle, near the sour cream & cheese dips. They sell really big tubs of it at BJ's & Costco and probably Sams too :)

by hoakley on Feb 17, 2009 at 10:52 am

So it works kind of like a spread or dip? Do you eat it by itself?

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:33 pm

You can also make your own hummus. It's very easy and makes tons!

by TrustyT0225 on Feb 17, 2009 at 12:44 pm

Hmmm...I tried it once and didn't like it but maybe it deserves a second chance.

Birdsong how do you make your own hummus? Do share please :)

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 1:16 pm

Roast your red peppers and peel. Put in a blender with chick pes, a little evoo, cilantro, garlic and lemon juice. I can post the exact recipe if you want it. I think it's here under Birdsong.

Edited by birdsong, on February 17th, 2009 at 1:24 pm.

by marzipanrobot on Feb 17, 2009 at 5:07 pm

wraps and pita bread!

by Aquemini on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:41 pm

my mom makes her own and its definitely delish! always eat it with pita :)

by musicforoxygen on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:51 pm

Birdsong's version leaves out traditional (and very caloric) tahini, or sesame paste. You can find it at middle eastern grocery stores, and probably health food stores too. It's certainly smart to leave it out if you're making a low-cal version, but . . . soo good! Adds richness and a pleasant bitterness.

You can also drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with zaatar spice, which tastes good on everything . . . I think I need to start a thread on middle eastern recipes!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za'atar

by birdsong on Feb 18, 2009 at 6:46 am

Music, you're right, I did intentionally omit the paste in my recipe to produce a pretty good, lower calorie variation. BUT if you want the real stuff, full flavor, I love the sesame paste.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:23 pm

Scroll on down girl! Powdered peanut butter seems to be a major topic in this group.

by southernroots on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:42 pm

I read what people wrote, but I want to use it just for peanut butter sandwiches! -- Well, mini sandwiches.

by southernroots on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:42 pm

I read what people wrote, but I want to use it just for peanut butter sandwiches! -- Well, mini sandwiches.

by roushsm on Feb 16, 2009 at 7:36 pm

As posted below, I purchased the "Better'n Peanut Butter" for my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Today was the test drive....
 
... results? Pretty good actually. Tastes just like peanut butter, would never know the difference. Also, the low sugar jelly I got was great too.
 
... Okay, so I splurged and had two sandwiches for lunch today... lol
 
They were THAT good. Thanks again for posting those tips everyone - even though they weren't directed towards me, when I stumbled onto them they were incredibly helpful.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:01 am

I mix the PB2 directly into my low sugar Strawberry preserves and put it on my bread

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:01 am

..."looks like little worms"? Man THAT makes me just want to RUN to the sotre for some! LOL, Maybe I'm GLAD I CAN'T find this stuff....lmao!

by lccopeland on Feb 16, 2009 at 12:39 pm

Look what I found!

According to MSN Health's "America's Healthiest Supermarket Foods"...
BEST GRAIN: Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa

Per cup: 160 calories, 6 g protein, 30 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 2.5 g fat

We don't expect you to eat something you can't pronounce, so here goes: It's KEEN-WAH, and you should think of it as a high-protein, high-fiber replacement for brown rice. Also, whole-grain quinoa packs vital amino acids, which help your body grow and repair itself. For more than 10 tasty quinoa recipes, go to MensHealth.com/quinoa.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 1:16 pm

LOL...truly it does look like a cyst with a tiny white worm. I couldn't think about it while I ate my soup.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:22 pm

http://www.turkey-recipes.net/Images_Recipes/Quinoa_Cooked_web.jpg


Here is a pic just for you Mel!

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 3:55 am

ewww worms...

by birdsong on Feb 17, 2009 at 6:43 am

OMG! It looks like RINGWORMS! ...or white blood cells or something! ...not sure about THAT.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:01 am

put pearl barley in your soup. sooo good and not wormy at all

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb24/batgrr1/IMG_0876.jpg

Edited by bratgrr1, on February 17th, 2009 at 7:05 am.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 8:26 am

LOL...yeah. I just don't think too hard about it. I might try barley next time.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 17, 2009 at 8:30 am

lacey I even put pearl barley into my chili to make it heartier. It's yummie!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 17, 2009 at 10:07 am

Oh thats a good idea for the chili. Sounds good too, the weather is cold and rainy here. Bleh. SO ready for some warmth and sun!!

by Nikiki on Feb 16, 2009 at 9:35 am

my go to snacks are:
crackers w/ laughing cow cheese & turkey peperoni
6 crackers is just enough for the full wedge of cheese and the total is 101 calories, 8g carbs & 6g protein

Yogurt, I've recently been converted over to greek yogurt, the flavored varieties can be pretty high calorie but the plain is around 130 calories, 4g fat, 8g carb and 17g protein! then mix in a packet of splenda or some fruit, whatever floats your boat :)

Horizon string cheese: 80 calories, 5 grams fat, no carbs and 8 grams protein

I'll also do hummus on green peppers or celary

for me to snack I need something that takes effort, it sounds dumb but I'm perfectly ok with 6 of my crackers, peperoni & cheese because I have to individually spread the cheese on each cracker and top with the peperoni, when I have string cheese I peal off the little strings, I like granola on my yogurt so I top each bite with a little sprinkle... the extra time to enjoy makes me feel more satisfied :)

by Danigirl77 on Feb 16, 2009 at 10:07 am

I have that same problem... sometime I go through all this effort to plan out  my main meal to have a higher protien %... and then mess it all up with my snacks.
Good snack ideas Nikiki!! I guess along with my vow to eat more veggies I'm going to have to try  Hummus. Any suggestions on Hummus.... brands or flavors?

by Nikiki on Feb 16, 2009 at 10:58 am

Athenos & Sabra are both good, I LOVE the roasted garlic in both but usually do the red pepper since I eat it at work and dont want to kill anyone with dragon breath!

I've kind of given up on the pie chart thingie, no matter what I do and how good I eat (I mean seriously aside from this weekend I do pretty good!) my carbs are always over 50% most of that comes from the fruits and veggies and since I'm not giving those up I'll just have to live with the higher carbs... if it slows my weight loss then so be it!

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:04 am

Sabra hummus is THE best. My personal fav is roasted red pepper. Alo try Sabra Babaghanoush....yummy. Fage Greek yogurt also has a 2% and 0%. I buy the 0% and it only runs 90 calories, low carb, no fat, HIGH protein.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:10 am

Exactly... I'm like ok... I have to eat veggies and fruit. I'm not going to give them up. I'm not really a beef or pork person and I'm allergic to shellfish. So I find myself eating alot of turkey and chicken. But it gets old after awhile so I do end up with pasta here and there  I also tend to go to cereal when I want something sweet or am not feeling like cooking dinner. But I always make sure  the pasta is Barilla plus. Anytime I eat bread  or ceral it's whole grain.
Thanks for the Hummus tips.

by Danigirl77 on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:14 am

I tried greek yogurt... it was not a favorite. I brought like 5 containers, I made myself eat all of them. I looked online for differet ways to eat it, but it just never won me over.
Roasted red pepper sounds good. I may have to venture out today and get some. I'll let you ladies you know.

by Nikiki on Feb 16, 2009 at 1:13 pm

we only have stonyfields okdokey something or other (I know it starts with an O and has a k in there somewhere!) and they dont have a fat free... oh well the extra 40 calories wont kill me :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 1:18 pm

Stoney Field farms yogurt is the BEST, if thats what you are talking about Niki.

You can always make smoothies with the greek yogurt in it for a high protein shake - especially if you buy some protein powder or whole food powder like I have.

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Oikos perhaps?

by Nikiki on Feb 17, 2009 at 7:33 am

lol you're both right, I checked it this morning and its Oikos made by Stoneyfield... I think they should rename it okeydokey yogurt though... I'd remember that better...

by jessoair on Feb 15, 2009 at 8:59 pm

Yeah I have tried those, I really liked the almonds. I tried the macadamia nuts with cilantro and papaya or mango? Can't remember exactly what was in it. It wasn't near as good and I don't think the calories in the macadamia nuts are worth it.

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 7:52 am

I LOVE those Sahale snacks - the pecan/cranberry/orange/pepper one is awesome. My only problem is that I can eat the whole large bag at one sitting, so I don't buy it very much.

I find that if I eat something with a decent amount of protein right before I head home so I can exercise, I feel pretty good during working out..if I don't eat about 45 minutes before, bad news.

by lccopeland on Feb 16, 2009 at 10:09 am

ummmmm all the flavors mentioned sound AMAZING.  I'm equally amazed that I found a store that actually sells their products where I live!  I might have to check it out after work!
I used to do a Turbo Kick class every Tuesday (then the instructor got pregnant....yay! but booooo at the same time, lol).  It was definitely necessary to get some carbs in my system before that class.  It was intense...and it was pure awesomeness!

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:06 am

That class will work you to DEATH, but MAN you feel so energized when you leave!

by lccopeland on Feb 16, 2009 at 11:38 am

Agreed! I miss that class a lot. My gym replaced it with some lame "Latin Heat" dance class, in which I only burn approx. 200 calories/hour. LAME.

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Stage a coup LC!!!!!

by lccopeland on Feb 17, 2009 at 8:11 am

So, I went to the Good Earth Food Co-op straight after work....but, no Sahale snacks to be found. I was totally bummed :(

by musicforoxygen on Feb 16, 2009 at 8:38 am

http://www.101cookbooks.com/ is gorgeous. Lots of healthy vegetarian, vegetable and whole grain-heavy recipes. The author also has a cookbook.

by birdsong on Feb 13, 2009 at 11:02 am

Now that's the ONE thing I HAVEN'T done with it! I wonder how long it "keeps" after mixed and if you need to refrigerate...

by Danigirl77 on Feb 13, 2009 at 12:48 pm

I used to hear about PB2 on weight watchers... and I being avid PB lover. Am starting to get curious. It's like a powdered PB. Right? Where do you get it? Well what do you do with it? I mean can you make pb & J sandwhich or is it only meant for recipes? And does it tast like PB?
Sorry for some many questions?

by birdsong on Feb 13, 2009 at 1:16 pm

OK Let's see. The two LOWER CAL "peanut butter like products" that we mostly discuss are PB2 and Better n Butter. There are other alternatives, these are just much, much lower in calories and fat. I like Better N Butter and it comes already in pb form in the jar. It is good, in my opinion, however tastes more like honey and PB mixed with a marshmallow fluff like consistency and texture. PB2 on the other hand is an all natural powdered version of pressed peanuts, sans most of the fat content. You can use it in recipes and you can use it for PB&J sandwiches. You can mix it and eat it plain. As for the taste, I personally liked it when mixed in with jelly and greek yogurt, but when plain, I had to add a little sea salt and Splenda. Then I thought it was pretty good. All of that said, I love all foods with the only two things I do not like being water chestnuts and tuna. It's REALLY about personal preference. I will be ordering both products again. That's the "Review from Birdsong...The Way I Taste It".

Edited by birdsong, on February 13th, 2009 at 1:22 pm.

by bratgrr1 on Feb 13, 2009 at 1:53 pm

I use it for PB2 & J sandwiches. Just mix the powder right into the jelly and spread. I like it.

by Nikiki on Feb 13, 2009 at 2:17 pm

"review from birdsong... the way i taste it"

lmao!!! so true :)

I'm excited to try it mixed with cool whip over bananas :P yum!

Although I must say Mel i can't believe you dont like water chestnuts! whats not to like?? crunchy and good :)

by lacey_harrison on Feb 13, 2009 at 2:50 pm

Ugh...my number three food I can't stand: water chestnuts. WTH are they really?? A root? A veggie? A piece of bamboo thats been soaked in water for hundreds of years? I hate the texture of them and there isn't any flavor, YUCK! LOL..

I will have to look for the Better than Peanut butter tonight when I go to the store for groceries.


And I will have to mix some of that PB2 in my coolwhip tonight and put it over a vitabrownie!

by roushsm on Feb 14, 2009 at 9:34 pm

Yuck, I have never liked water chestnuts either!
I have been looking for a better alternative for peanut butter for a while and have not found any solutions. The Better than Peanut butter sounds like something I should try. Tomorrow I hit the store and while I am there I am going to look for it. I wasn't aware that it existed until now!
 
My problem is that I want to take peanut butter sandwiches to work for lunch, but they are too high in calories. I was going to head tomorrow to find a lower calorie bread and peanut butter. So happy that I stopped in tonight to see your posts!

by lacey_harrison on Feb 15, 2009 at 12:46 pm

The Sarah Lee 45 calorie bread isn't so bad. I've been buying it now for a couple months.
My personal favorite is Good Seed bread - made by aguy who is an ex con and makes the most awesome breads..but they cost $5.29 a loaf and that is high.

I put the PB2 powder in my smoothie with a banana this morning, pretty darn good!

by roushsm on Feb 15, 2009 at 2:31 pm

Okay, sorry to keep the peanut butter topic going, but I just have to say that I bought it at the store today - and I am pretty impressed. It is a different consistancy than regular peanut butter, but does not have a bad taste at all. I am going to use it for my peanut butter sandwiches I am taking to work.


I did find a 40 calorie bread at the store today as well, it is by Village Hearth. It is acceptable tasting, but it is not the best. I would buy it again though, simply because of the calorie issue. I didn't see the Sarah Lee bread there with the 45 calories, I will have to look for that next time. Thanks for the suggestion. I hate sacrificing taste for calories, but I guess sometimes you have to. But I do miss my old bread, but it had 200+ calories per slice. Crazy I know, but at the time it was really great tasting :P

by Former Member on Feb 15, 2009 at 3:51 pm

I've been buying Healthy Life bread for 35 cal/slice. It tastes like wheat bread, and I can have 2 slices for the calories in one regular slice.

I bought FitNutz. It is exactly like pb2 only you can buy one packet of it and it's only $7. I am hoping to get it Tuesday so I can try it out. I was so hesitant to buy PB2 because I didn't want a friggin' case.

by birdsong on Feb 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm

WATER CHESTNUT HATERS UNITE!!!! Dang, I thought I was alone in that...so happy to find there are others like me! lolo...I HATE the texture, and there is no taste. Nikki, I LOVE You, but water chestnuts are YUK!
Freckles, that's why a group of us went in and ordered together. However, we did find a place you can order just one jar. It's in this group somewhere, maybe Lacey can remember?

by Nikiki on Feb 16, 2009 at 5:21 am

Mel: *sniff sniff pout* I'll just go eat my delishously crunchy water chestnuts over here in the corner, all by myself... at least I dont have to share them!!

as for the PB2: hmmm.... I think it was missladi that found it per jar... I really need to get the chocolate one too :)

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 5:29 am

I'm ready for the chocolate one too Nikki! THAT we can certainly agreee on ;) ...although I wonder what would happen if we just add a little sugar free choc. syrup to the reg. PB2? Any ideas? want to try it?

Edited by birdsong, on February 16th, 2009 at 5:29 am.

by Former Member on Feb 16, 2009 at 6:31 am

for the chocolate one just add cocoa powder, that's what they did!

by birdsong on Feb 16, 2009 at 7:27 am

Hmmmmm.....

by lacey_harrison on Feb 16, 2009 at 7:56 am

I think Miss Musicforoxygen found it per jar as well...its way way way down the pages.


The Sarah Lee bread isn't that great..but I ignore it. I prefer just to have half a sandwich with better bread, but sometimes I like to eat more calories elsewhere other than the sandwich bread.