Category Archives: Cravings

Popcorn Fail

Those of you who already bought my new cookbook (thanks!) might have seen waaaay in the back my efforts at a recipe for DIY microwave popcorn.

I love popcorn and it’s a whole grain, but it loses its health benefits when you cook it in a ton of oil and smother it with salt and butter. So I put myself on a quest to figure it out. After all the turmoil, failed experiments, and hot kernels in my eye, I finally succeeded, so YAY me.

And then one day (about 47 seconds after my cookbook was published) I was walking through Target and saw this for $8.99 …

The Nordic Ware Microwave Popcorn Popper.

In 3 minutes it makes enough popcorn for hubs and myself. No oil, no mess, no fuss.

D’oh.

No, they aren’t paying me to pitch it, but if they wanted me to, I could do it in my sleep. That’s how much I love it. Perhaps I’ll shoot a hot kernel in my eye, though, for old times sake.

Are there any other secrets you people are keeping from me??

How Much Sugar Is Okay?

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I’ve given up most sugar over the years. Not all, mind you, but most. I just don’t have a sweet tooth anymore. I get the occasional craving for a doughnut or dessert or a soft-serve ice cream cone, but not very often.

I saw that the American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than 24 grams of added sugar per day. That’s around 6 teaspoons. Note, it’s ‘added’ sugar … not the natural sugar you get when you eat an apple or carrot.

Unfortunately, the average American woman eats about 18 teaspoons per day. Three times more than the recommendation. (I don’t know about men. I suspect it’s just as bad.)

There are easy ways to cut your sugar consumption — mix flavored yogurt with plain; mix sugared cereal with unsugared; dilute juice with sparkling water; when cooking, replace some of the sugar with spices like vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

It made me curious, though … how much sugar do I eat? It’s hidden everywhere … in spaghetti sauce, crackers, unsweetened cereal, yogurt. But I know that so I try to buy the low-or-non-sugar options. But still, I’ve never paid much attention.

Here’s what I found on a tour of my kitchen.

In the pantry —

oatmeal serving 1g

Grape Nuts serving 5g

Cheerios serving 1g

2T peanut butter 2g

1/2C Panko crumbs 2g

1T stir fry sauce 3g

2T enchilada sauce 2g

1T picante sauce 2g

1/2C no-sugar-added spaghetti sauce 6g

2T tomato paste 3g

1C vegetable broth 1g

1/2C baked beans 11g

2T wheat germ 1g

1/2C refried beans 1g

1/2C canned corn 7g

1/2C black beans 1g

8oz tomato juice 8g

In the refrigerator —

1/4C ricotta 3g

whole wheat pita 2g

6oz plain Greek yogurt 6g

5oz berry Greek yogurt 9g

2T Stubb’s BBQ sauce 4g

In the freezer —

1/2C fake crab 3g

soy burger 2g

9 frozen ravioli 1g

1C frozen cauliflower 2g

2/3C frozen green beans 2g

But I was happy to see there was no added sugar in my beloved sesame Ezekiel bread, unsweetened almond milk, black bean chips, Wasa crackers, and Nut Thins.

It’s astounding how fast it can add up. The sauces, especially. I don’t know about you, but I use waaaay more stir fry sauce, enchilada, and BBQ sauce than the labels say is one serving!

My challenge to you is to go tour your kitchen. How much hidden sugar do you find in the products you eat regularly? Then take a couple of days and jot down how much sugar you eat. Is there a way you could eat less sugar? Are there better products you could buy? Different ways of preparing your food? Let me know … I’m curious as to your results.

Do you read labels? What’s the most important thing to you on a food label?

Keep Eating Dark Chocolate

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Valentine’s Day reminds me of chocolate. Chocolate reminds me of my motto. My motto reminds me of my blog. My blog reminds me how very, very lazy I am. My laziness reminds me that I posted something last year for Valentine’s Day.

Enjoy this repeat!

How To Stop Overeating

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We all do it. It’s not a big deal if you only overindulge once in awhile.

I’m reading a book right now that I’m really liking and will report on in the future. In “Younger Next Year,” Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge say, “A normal American in his fifties or sixties has to get his caloric intake down to roughly 1500 calories to lose weight.” The book is geared toward men, but the implication is that women would need fewer than 1500 calories to lose weight.

If you’ve visited LazyLand before, you probably know I’m all about portion control and knowing how many calories you’re eating, so if you’re stuck in a cycle of regularly eating too many calories, here are some easy tips that might flip that switch for you.

1. Get rid of all the crap food taunting you from your pantry or refrigerator. Throw it out and don’t buy it ever again.

2. But — and I know this seems contradictory — if you’re REALLY craving something, go ahead and give in to it. Because it’s not kept in your house anymore, you have to think long and hard about actually going to buy it. Is it really worth the trip? If it is, that’s fine. But get a single serving of chips rather than the industrial sized bag. Fries off the children’s menu rather than SuperSizing. One perfect brownie at the bakery rather than whipping up a whole pan. (Shameless plug for my Just Desserts Cookbook here … I have some fab low-calorie brownie recipes, if you can resist eating the entire pan.)

3. And then get back on track. One fabulous brownie is not cause for starving yourself or skipping meals as ‘punishment.’ Plan your next week’s healthy meals and make a grocery list full of delicious and nutritious foods.

4. Eat more fruits and veggies. These will fill you up without the corresponding spike in calories. And, oh yeah, they’re good for you!

5. Drink lots of water. I can’t be bothered with counting ounces or even the number of glasses I drink. Your goal is for your pee to be colorless. Every day.

6. Then go get some vigorous exercise. Doesn’t matter what, just go get active. You’ll burn off some calories and you’ll be less interested in mindless snacking.

None of that is too difficult, is it? If you stay on track most of the time, then those little, ahem, dietary transgressions won’t derail you on your journey to good health.

What do you do if you’re tempted to overeat or if you realize too late you just consumed enough food for a family of five?

Four Bites

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There’s a theory in the weight loss world that says four bites of whatever you’re craving will satisfy you.

I don’t know if that’s true because when I want something — a doughnut, a slice of pizza, a cheeseburger, an adorable pair of sandals — my mind is consumed with want. I put the ire in desire. The raving in craving. The EEEEEEE in need.

So I try my darndest never to get to that gloomy, useless place. I don’t deny myself much of anything. (You should see how many cute sandals I own!) I eat right most of the time so I can eat what I want at parties or restaurants. But sometimes I go overboard without even realizing it. You’re having a good time with friends and — BAM — didn’t the waitress bring us a huge piece of cheesecake a minute ago? Can’t find it anywhere. Hmmm.

I’m working on my new cookbook and have created an absolutely scrumptious recipe for Lemon Bars. But mine are Lemon Bites. I remember when I created my Cheesecake Brownies I heard lots of concern they’d be teensy, only fit for Barbie and Ken. But they’re a perfectly acceptable size. (The brownies, not Barbie and Ken.)

The Lemon Bites, on the other hand, are small, but they are full of real butter and sugar. (I know! In a low calorie cookbook!)

After I recovered from the sweet ambrosia of tasting, I remembered two things. One, the worried whining about portion size. And two, the Four Bites Theory.

So I tested it. Each of these Lemon Bites (54 calories) is two bites. (Unless you’re a teenage boy capable of hoovering up the entire pan without breaking stride.)

Part of the Four Bite Theory is that you eat mindfully. Slowly. Savor all the tastes. Pause between each bite. Sip water to make each bite taste like the first. Anticipate the next bite. Enjoy every second of the experience.

Guess what? It worked. This test, however, was fairly easy. Four bites of pizza or four bites of a cheeseburger probably won’t do it for me psychologically. I have trouble throwing out food, and that’s what would happen. I can hear Grandma scolding already.

To appease Grandma, I’ve started making more Barbie food … sliders instead of full-sized burgers … cutting a slice of pizza in half … using my mini-muffin pan for sweet treats … individual meatloaf portions. The theory becomes less tortuous.

I’m just glad beer doesn’t come in bites.

Have you ever tried the Four Bite Theory? Did it work for you? Are you more conscious of your portion sizes? Will you buy my new cookbook to get the nectar of the gods that is a Lemon Bite?

Book Review – FINDING IT by Valerie Bertinelli

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Title: FINDING IT — AND SATISFYING MY HUNGER FOR LIFE WITHOUT OPENING THE FRIDGE

Author: Valerie Bertinelli

→ Devour it

Nibble till it’s gone

Spit it out

First, is anybody cuter than Valerie Bertinelli? I can’t imagine so.

This is a fun read as I suspect the one before it was too. I never read her previous book LOSING IT, but my guess is if I liked one, I’d like the other too.

While LOSING IT dealt more with her original dieting, FINDING IT deals with the dreaded ‘maintenance phase’ of dieting. You know, the rest of your life while you juggle family and professional responsibilities. Although having Eddie Van Halen give your kid the birds and the bees talk probably isn’t something you have to deal with so consider yourself lucky there.

(Insert weird Eddie Van Halen coincidence here.)

Reading this is like having your best friend hold your hand while you diet. She’s been there and while she may have challenges, she knows what to do … just like we all do. But it’s comforting to hear her say it.

She’s funny and accessible and often says wise, heartfelt things like this:

“Change is a process; the key is to start. Obviously you can’t remake your life in a single day, but you have to begin someplace. It’s like giving yourself a day pass. And it’s not hard. You simply step out of your own way for a few hours. You put yourself in a different head space. You change environments and you tune in to your inner voice, the voice that tells you who you really want to be, and then you become that person. You visualize yourself in that role.

Try it for a day. Then spend the rest of the week figuring out how to be that person two days in a row, then three, and so on.”

That’s nothing you don’t already know. But isn’t it lovely to know someone else knows it too?

She confesses she’s been coloring her gray hair every 12 days (!!) since she was twenty, but eschews plastic surgery in all its forms. She’s absolutely correct when she points out the natural beauty of Jessica Tandy’s face.

Valerie Bertinelli may have a lifestyle not all of us can understand, but raise your hand if you can relate to what she said on page 196 …

“I craved an ice cream sundae. I was remembering how great the last one I ate tasted. Then I remembered how great it was throwing out my size 12s and 10s and 8s. Suddenly I lost my craving for ice cream.”

What’s your best wise advice to give about weight loss or healthy living or life in general? Did you watch Valerie Bertinelli grow up on TV? Did you, like me, want to be that cute?

THE END OF OVEREATING

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Book Review

Title: THE END OF OVEREATING — TAKING CONTROL OF THE INSATIABLE AMERICAN APPETITE

Author: David A. Kessler, MD

Devour it

→ Nibble till it’s gone

Spit it out

It seems strange, but according to Dr. Kessler, it took researchers a very long time to conclude that people were getting fatter over the years because they were eating too much. Our bodies used to be very good at regulating food intake to energy expenditure, but not so much anymore. Why?

This book has a little bit of science, some anecdotes, and lots of info presented in easy-to-digest (no pun intended) style. I found it fascinating, even though I’m not a fan of science-y stuff. I’ve always been too curious for my own good, though. I love seeing the whys and the wherefores in the world. As long as it doesn’t require my brain to work too hard.

I loved learning exactly what happens when we eat Doritos (or whatever our kryptonite is) and why it’s irresistible to us.

I also learned a new word that merits pondering — “eatertainment.”

There are treatment theories and tips to alter behavior. Kessler advocates contradictory advice from the mainstream. Mostly you hear diet gurus say something like, “No food is off limits” or “There are no ‘good’ foods or ‘bad’ foods.” But Kessler says that to change our eating behavior — our conditioned responses to certain foods we crave — we need to “view the pursuit of sugar, fat and salt in a negative light.” He believes it’s no different from a smoker or alcoholic creating negative associations with ciggies or booze.

Definitely read this book if you feel out of control with your eating. You’ll begin to understand the science behind your difficulty in resisting certain foods and how to start gaining control over your cravings.

But if you read nothing else, read the chapters about The Food Industry with visits to Chili’s and Cinnabon. Oy vey.

As I read, I was proud that many ideas and techniques in the “Food Rehab” chapters were already in place in my Lazy Low Cal Lifestyle before I even read the book. Makes me feel smart.

Are you overwhelmed by your cravings? What are some strategies you use to resist cravings? What’s your food kryptonite?

Cravings Gone Wild — I Gotta Have It! NOW!

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Giving in to cravings has got to be the easiest way to sabotage a diet or a healthy lifestyle.

There are a boatload of reasons why cravings render us helpless — marketing; restaurant foods high in sugar, fat and salt; loneliness; anger; boredom; habit; stress; restricting certain foods; lack of sleep; PMS; skipping meals; blah, blah, blah.

Craving something once in awhile isn’t a problem, but craving something (and giving into it) every day is a red flag that something in your life needs to change. Be mindful. When does the craving pop up? Same time every day? Then you’ve created a habit that your body expects. Break that habit and you’ll find the craving will disappear too. Are you letting yourself get too hungry? Then your blood sugar plummets and you’ll give in to whatever fatty/sugary/salty food that pops into your head or that’s seducing you from the vending machine.

If you’re not sure how often you’re actually having cravings or giving into them, keep a log or save up the wrappers. At the end of the week, if you have a jar stuffed with candy wrappers, you can’t fool yourself any longer. That’s tangible evidence your cravings are out of control.

But cravings are easy to tame, once you realize what’s happening.

Use these strategies whenever you feel a craving rearing its ugly head.

• Substitute — Humans crave sugar, salt and fat over healthier fare. If you’re craving sweets, eating a stalk of celery probably won’t do anything except exercise your jaw, but eating a piece of quality dark chocolate will do the trick. If you’re craving unhealthy potato chips, substitute some airpopped corn or whole grain crackers.

• Holler Uncle — Give in to your once-in-awhile craving. If you want ice cream, then have some. But don’t grab your spoon and dig into a half gallon. Instead, go buy yourself an individual size of the best ice cream you can find. Or go to the ice cream parlor and buy a single scoop of your favorite flavor. Really savor it. Enjoy the bejeebers out of it. But don’t make it a habit. Save it for the treat it really is.

• Change Your Mindset — If you’re craving something that has absolutely no redeeming qualities (doughnuts, fast food, soda) then drink a big glass of water and look at yourself in the mirror. Will you look better or feel healthier with a bigger butt or belly? Will you be proud of yourself for eating that doughnut? If the answer is “no, that junk food isn’t actually in my plan for good health,” then smile and get on with your day. Of course, this is always easier if you don’t keep your trigger foods handy!

• Get Active — When a craving hits, indulge in activity instead. Sit in the sun for a few minutes. Take a walk. Stretch. Keep a stash of greeting cards and write a note to someone. Do some deep breathing. Indulge in some funny YouTube clips — it’s the laughing that’s active; not the watching! Clean out your wallet, purse and/or desk drawer. Fold some laundry.

• Eat Better Meals — Eat protein instead of carbs for breakfast. In fact, eat lean protein with every meal. Say “no thank you” to rice in your burrito or chips with your sandwich. Wrap your sandwich in lettuce leaves instead of bread. Eat olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds with every meal. Eat better quality food and you may find you don’t have any cravings at all.

• Take A Whiff — Peppermint has magical properties that perk you up and help you consume fewer calories. Find some peppermint oil or brew some peppermint tea. The smell of coffee slows down your urge to snack too. Keep a handful of coffee beans handy.

• Eat Something Mindfully — Slowly peel and eat an orange or a hardboiled egg. Actively preparing and thinking about the food you are about to eat gives you a time-out from your craving. (But if you’re craving an orange or a hardboiled egg, go ahead and indulge — in fact, have two if you want!)

• Drink A Cup Of Green Tea — Again, it’s healthy, the prep and sipping redirect your brain, and it gives you a breather to step away from the craving.

• Adjust Your Recipe — If you’re craving fried chicken, faux-fry it. Coat it in whole wheat flour, Panko crumbs, or finely crushed nuts then bake it on a sheet sprayed with 0-calorie cooking spray at 450° for 15 minutes or so. It still gives you the crispy chicken you crave but it’s healthier.

• Go For Quality — If you’re craving a chocolate chip cookie, don’t buy the low-sugar, low-fat icky diet cookies at the grocery store. You won’t be satisfied and you’ll eat the entire package. Instead, go to a bakery and buy one gorgeously decadent full-flavored cookie. If it’s huge, share it, or put the other half in the freezer for another day.

• Make A Fist — The next time you pass the doughnut box on the break room table, squeeze your fist and keep a-walkin’. Clenching a muscle — any muscle — increases willpower but it only seems to work when you are thinking about a healthier treat while face-to-face with your unhealthy nemesis. Weird, but it costs nothing and it just might work. Plus, every time you have a “willpower success” like that, it reinforces the healthy behavior in your brain. Try it!

What is your krytonite? What food brings you to your knees and renders you helpless? How do you handle your cravings?

Eat Dark Chocolate Every Day

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Let’s face it. Life would not be worth living if there were no chocolate involved. Close your eyes and imagine a fine piece of quality dark chocolate on your tongue. Feel the smooth sides. Trace the outline with your tongue. Gently bite it. Imagine the warmth of your mouth slowly melting it … slowly … slowly …

Oh. Sorry. I’m back.

I love chocolate and am delighted to know it’s one of the healthiest treats that can pass your lips. But stop right here and make sure you understand that not all chocolate is created equal. I am talking about quality dark chocolate with AT LEAST 60% cacao (and higher percentages are better, but a bit harder to find).

Blood pressure, heart health, and insulin sensitivity are all helped by the flavonoids in the cacao bean. Chocolate flavonoids reduce bad cholesterol and thin the blood like aspirin does. British researchers report that cocoa flavonols increase blood flow, which decreases mental fatigue. Chocolate reduces stress and makes us feel better — just ask any chocoholic. Chocolate is packed with antioxidants which clean your cells of harmful toxins. Cacao trees are plants – like fruits and veggies – and like fruits and veggies, they are full of nutrients.

And if you, unlike me, care about the difference between flavonoids and flavonols, here’s what Wikipedia says: Flavonoids (specifically flavanoids such as the catechins) are the most common group of polyphenolic compounds in the human diet and are found ubiquitously in plants. Flavonols, the original bioflavonoids such as quercetin, are also found ubiquitously, but in lesser quantities.

There. Now you know.

Cacao trees grow about 30 feet tall and produce pods shaped like footballs. Each pod has around 50 seeds which would make about seven candy bars.

Don’t bother with semi-sweet, milk chocolate or white chocolate, because they have few, if any, health benefits. Stay away from the candy bars at the check-out line at the grocery store completely and watch the amount of sugar in any chocolate you eat. You’ll find, though, that the higher the amount of cacao, the fewer grams of sugar it has.

Stick to about an ounce per day because in addition to health benefits, chocolate has calories as well. That’s the only thing standing in the way of chocolate’s status as The Perfect Food. Okay, maybe there are others, but I can’t be bothered with them right now.

My favorite ways to enjoy chocolate when I’m not mainlining it:

• Slowly melt some dark chocolate then stir in some dried cherries (or blueberries or cranberries or whatever you like) and chopped nuts or sunflower seeds. Drop by small spoonfuls on waxed paper. Pop into the fridge until they solidify.

• Bake brownies with unsweetened cocoa powder and replace the sugar with unsweetened applesauce.

• Cheesecake Brownies (93 calories), Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (45 calories), and Secret Ingredient Brownies (80 calories) from my Lazy Low Cal Lifestyle Cookbook

If you find yourself without a special someone on Valentine’s Day, have some chocolate. Brain science shows that chemicals released when falling in love are the same as when eating chocolate. Plus, you don’t have to buy it a present.

What’s your favorite chocolate treat?

Zevia Natural Diet Soda

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If you know me at all, you know I’m not a fan of soft drinks. You know, soda. Sodypop. Pop. Fizzy drink. Cool drinks. Gassed drinks. Carbonated drinks. Refrigerantes. Bebidas. Refrescos. (I loves me my Wikipedia!)

Anyway, generally not a fan because they’re laced with all kinds of hard-to-pronounce chemicals, but I’ve recently discovered Zevia Soda. The claims are as they always are … no calories, no effect on blood sugar, no nasty fake sugar, cleans your house and balances your checkbook.

This time I think it might be true. Except for that last part. But perhaps I didn’t buy the right flavor.

When I finally got my hands on one, I saw “erythritol” on the ingredient list which — big surprise — I was not familiar with so I did some checking around. This is what I found …

…. “Erythritol is usually made from plant sugars. Sugar is mixed with water and then fermented with a natural culture into erythritol. It is then filtered, allowed to crystallize, and then dried. The finished product is white granules or powder that resembles sugar.”

…. “It is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar yet it is almost non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is absorbed by the body, therefore unlikely to cause gastric side effects unlike other sugar alcohols.”

…. “Persons suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive issues should avoid using products containing erythritol. It is possible erythritol can aggravate symptoms in these individuals or cause further problems.”

…. “Erythritol like other polyols is resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria which break down sugars and starches to produce acids which may lead to tooth enamel loss and cavities formation ….The usefulness of polyols, including erythritol, as alternatives to sugars and as part of a comprehensive program including proper dental hygiene has been recognized by the American Dental Association. The FDA has approved the use of a “does not promote tooth decay” health claim in labeling for sugar-free foods that contain erythritol or other polyols.”

So I think, based on everything I’ve read, that if you must have some sort of fizzy sweet beverage, this wouldn’t be a bad brand to use. In moderation, of course, which won’t be too difficult as a 6-pack can run you around $4. I found mine on sale for $2.50, though. So, no, in case you’re wondering, I’m not a paid spokesperson. (But I could be if someone would only ask! Hear that, Dr Zevia?!)

I was interested in finding a good diet soda for two reasons. One, because I know a lot of peeps are addicted to their fizzy drinks so I wanted to help find something better for them. And, two, I wanted to transform — slightly — my evening glass of wine habit. I have a dilemma because one glass of wine isn’t enough, but two is usually too much for me, but I need the benefits of resveratrol. Yeah. That’s it. Benefits. So I thought if I could extend one glass of wine into a larger wine cooler which would last longer, that would be awesome. And it is, kinda. But I have to open a whole can of Zevia, and that’s way more carbonation than I want.

So I still haven’t quite figured that part out, but it does seem that if you crave the occasional soda, this one probably won’t kill you.

Have you ever had Zevia? What do you think? What do you call sweet carbonated beverages? Got a solution to my wine dilemma?