Delicious Apple Salad Using Carlsons Lemon Flavor Fish Oil: No Fishy Taste!

This is for one serving.  Multiply for more servings.

• One half cup small dice Granny Smith apple with or without the peel
• A few raisins
• One date diced
• A few walnuts
• A sprinkle of ground cloves
• One teaspoon of Carlsons Fish Oil, lemon flavor

Mix together.  Enjoy.

Kitchen Sink Salad

Try this combination.  It's really good.

Mixed organic greens.
Other raw veggies like:  bell pepper, cucumber, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, caulilflower
Dried fruit:  I use a mix of raisins, blueberries, cranberries, and cherries
Nuts:  I use salted pecans, raw sunflower seeds and raw almonds
For protein:  grated cheddar cheese, boiled egg and bacon pieces
Dressing:  I like Hidden Valley Original Ranch

The combination of crunchy, sweet, and salty is dynamite.  We eat this for supper--it constitutes the whole meal.

  

IT'S SPRING!!

Spring is officially here. 

Time to get out and get some vitamin D.

For information as to the hours of the day when you will be able to get UVB's from the sun--which are necessary for your skin to make vitamin D--go to this link:  Sun or Moon Altitude/Azimuth Table.  Input your local information. then click 'compute table'. 

When the table loads, look in the column titled 'Altitude' and find the hours of the day when the number in that column is 50 or above.  Per Dr. Mercola's article on the web, that is when the UVB rays will be available in your region.

The referenced link gives worldwide information.  If you get the message 'no information available' try a larger town/city near you.

As to how long you need to say in the sun at 50 or above, you might want to google that information.  What I've read says 'until your skin is pink'.  For me, that takes about 20 minutes.

There are vitamin D supplements available, but getting your D from the sun is the best way.

Back in the day mothers always knew to take their babies for a stroll in their push carts or buggies so they could get some sun...and older children were encouraged to play OUTSIDE.

These days everyone seems to be deficient of vitamin D.  It's no wonder.

Having a garden and doing your own yard work not only provides exercise and food, it also provides that wonderful vitamin, D!  So, go get some D.

Reminder:  I'm not prescribing, I'm not a doctor.  Sun at your own risk. You can be sure I will be out there getting my dddddddd's. 

And remember--if you wear lotions with sun block your body won't be able to receive UVB's..they'll be blocked.  As well, many authorities say not to use soap on your skin for 48 hours after sunning, lest you interfere with the bodily process that turns sunshine into vitamin D.

That doesn't mean you can't bathe or shower.  Just don't use soap on your arms and legs.  But feel free to use it on the stinky parts, like your arm pits and groin.

TMI?  Sorry, but if you need vitamin D like I do, you also need this information.

Happy Spring!

DON'T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF

You Were Not Given Good Information.
So it is not all your fault.

 "With more fat-free products than ever, Americans got fatter....this focus only on fat calories to the neglect of carbohydrate calories has contributed to this epidemic of obesity."

The quote you just read is from Dr. Walter Willet.

Here are his credentials:

"Walter Willett is professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, a professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, and the author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. He is also one of the principal investigators on the Nurses Health Study, one of the largest, long-term studies to look at the effect of diet on health. Willett explains how his research on the Nurses Health Study led him to become one of the USDA food pyramid's greatest critics. "The food guide pyramid that was developed in 1991 really is based on the idea that all fat is bad," he says. "This pyramid is really not compatible with good scientific evidence." In this interview, he explains the reasoning behind his revision of the food pyramid to include exercise at the base and to separate out "good" and "bad" fats and carbohydrates. This interview was conducted on Jan. 9, 2004."  (From the sidebar at the pbs link below.)

If you'd like to read the whole interview--and I suggest you do because not only is it informative, it is  important information. 

FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY.  

And it is easy to read, in lay terms. 

Go to this link:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/diet/interviews/willett.html

or 

CLICK HERE .

New Love

 I ♥  smoothie--in a bowl!

Why? 

It tastes great.

It's an easy way to get 2-3 servings of fruit.

And if you eat it in a bowl versus drinking from a glass, it lasts 'forever'.  You'll have a heap big bowl of wonderfulness.

And you'll be stuffed.  And satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time.

It's like a fruit soup.  

 And it's cold like ice cream because I use frozen fruit or add some ice. 

And you can add toppings like granola, nuts, coconut--even Magic Shell topping, all of which makes it like dessert! Dessert that is GOOD for you.  That you can feel GOOD about eating.  And that tastes GOOD to boot

I like to throw in half a scoop of protein powder for whey protein (which staves off hunger) and some plain yogurt or milk for calcium as well as protein,

And I usually add some flax meal for fiber.  Or some chia seed, which I grind first due to diverticulosis.

And always--for the B vitamins (plus protein and fiber too) --my beloved nutritional yeast.

I've been eating it every day and my weight is at a new low by a few ounces.

And I feel great.

Maybe it's psychological.  Or maybe it's not.

No matter. 

The proof is in the pudding--or in this case in the fruit bowl.

*******************************

Note:  It's not necessary to add all of the above to your smoothie in a bowl.  Just use what you have on hand and see if you like it.  I always buy bananas, and I keep frozen fruit in my freezer--strawberries, blueberries, or peaches. Begin with one or two fruits, enough to equal two servings, add some liquid --like milk, yogurt and/or water--and blend away.  Usually the fruit is sweet enough for me, but you can add a little sweetener for taste if you desire.

I got the idea for smoothie in a bowl from KERF--i.e, Kath Eats blog.  I thought 'what's the big deal about eating it in a bowl?'.  Well, I found out. 

When I drink it down, I guzzle it.  Eating it with a spoon from a bowl takes longer and yields more pleasure and satisfaction--something any of us who are trying to lose weight need more of.

For pictures of smoothie in a bowl check out KERF.

Just A Thought

MAYBE

.....it's not what we eat that matters.....

But what we don't eat .

Triglyceride Primer

Your total cholesterol is a count of lipids in your blood stream.

Usually the HDL (high density lipoprotein), LDL (low density lipoprotein) and triglycerides are measured separately.

Hence, triglyceride is found in the blood.

(The 'experts' say high triglycerides increase your risk for cardiac event or disease.)

What are they?

The short answer is they are a fat--a lipid.

How do you accumulate them in your blood?  From eating fat?

Nope.  Carbohydrates are the culprit.

The simplified explanation:

When you eat carbohydrates it is converted--by your body--into glucose.

That glucose fuels your cells.  Any excess glucose is returned to your liver.

Once there,  the liver coverts that excess glucose to glycogen.  

Glycogen fuels your muscles.

When you 'move' you use your muscles and they burn glycogen for fuel.  

Your muscles store glycogen--so it'll be available when needed.

If you are a body builder with lots of muscle volume you'll need more glycogen than someone who is not.  

What happens to the excess glycogen not used and not stored  by your muscles?

It goes back--ta da--to your--you guessed--LIVER.

(Gee--I'm beginning to think the liver is a big deal--it works hard.)

The liver turns the excess glycogen into fat--i.e. triglyceride.

Some of that fat goes into fat storage.

(You'll find it on your tushie, your tummy..you know .)

And the rest?...it circulates in your blood, where it can gunk things up.

If you want to reduce the triglycerides in your blood, you must reduce your intake of carbohydrates.

You can do this by reducing your overall food intake--in other words quit eating excess calories.

You can do it by reducing the percentage of calories that come from carbohydrates--in other words eat more protein and fat--the good kind preferably.

And you can do it by  moving those big muscles--which activity  uses the stored  glycogen--making room in your muscles for more to be stored.  The more that goes to the muscles for storage the less there will be floating around in your blood stream.

Ahhh---the mystery of triglycerides solved.

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Chocolate covered ones that is.

I had my share of chocolate covered cherries over the holidays.

Now it's time to get back to healthy eating and reaching my second weight loss goal.

But--I need not give up the flavor combination.

I've found a low calorie low carb substitute that tastes surprisingly like:   *chocolate covered cherries *  :-)

One bowl

One single serve of sugar free CHERRY gelatin

4 tablespoons of fat free Cool Whip

Unsweetened cocoa powder

One spoon

Into the bowl goes the gelatin; break it up with the spoon.  Cover with a layer of FF CW.  Sprinkle with the cocoa powder.  Eat with your spoon.  Yum Yum.

Enjoy.

Edit:  Skip the cocoa powder and drizzle with chocolate Magic Shell ice cream topping.  Top with 3 maraschino cherries.  Stick in the freezer a minute or two to harden the shell.  Wow.  Good.  But more calories...and fat.   

Heading Into the New Year: Focus on fiber and cinnamon

If you'd like to get more fiber into your diet this upcoming year eat more beans.  They are a great source of fiber, cheap and good for you.

Yes they are carbohydrates, but complex.  Pass on the bread and eat  beans instead.

Fiber not only promotes regularity, it helps you fill full longer and it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.  And you want to feed that good bacteria--so it can control the bad bacteria population.


 As for cinnamon, it has several healthful benefits. Dr. Oz recommends it and I find him to be credible. When it comes to losing weight, 'they' say cinnamon helps by increasing metabolism.

And if you are diabetic or have insulin resistance issues, cinnamon has some proven benefits for those issues too.

In Asian cultures and Ayurveda  it is considered to be a warming spice.  And don't worry if it is Ceylon cinnamon or cassia.  Cassia is even higher in the beneficial elements than cinnamon per my research.

My goal is to consume a teaspoon of cinnamon every day.  The easiest way I find to ingest it is in a tisane.

Here's how I make mine.

CINNAMON GINGER TISANE

I bring some water to a boil.  While I wait on that I grate some fresh ginger into my cup--a good amount--probably a teaspoon or more-- I like it gingery and spicy.  To that I add a third teaspoon of cinnamon and a packet of stevia to sweeten it.  Then I add the water, about 10 ounces, and I let that steep, covered, for about 5 minutes.

If you don't like ginger omit it.  But be sure to allow the cinnamon to steep and soak up the water.  If need be, reheat it after steeping.  If you don't allow it to steep it will taste sharp instead of sweet.

The Junk Food Diet

Nutrition Professor:   Eats Junk Food, Loses Weight

And he ate only what he could purchase at a convenience store.

To read the full story click here or here.

Tomorrow it's back to nostalgic vintage video--because tis the season to be jolly-fa la la la la, la la la la.

Jamaican Iced Tea: Beautiful Elixir

At first taste I wasn't too crazy about it.  But sip after sip it sort of grew on me.  It's not your typical tea.  The flavors run deep with  fruity/ floral/ peppery currents. 

To make a half gallon you'll need:

• 4 hibiscus tea bags
• a knob of fresh ginger
• 4 cups of grape juice

In a saucepan thinly slice an inch or so fresh ginger, add 5 cups of water and bring to boil.  Boil covered for about 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and  add the tea bags.  Steep, covered,  at least half an hour. 

Add 4 cups of grape juice.  Chill.  Serve over ice, with a slice of orange on the glass.

You can adjust the ginger to taste, but is should have a dominant flavor.

I don't add any additional sweeterner, it tastes best only slightly sweet, but you can add some if you prefer.

For punch add an equal part of any lemon lime soda--like 7 up or Sierra Mist.

It's a beautiful color and a nice change of pace.

Some consider it healthy since hibiscus lowers blood pressure, ginger lowers cholesterol and concord grape juice is good for the heart.

Tomatoes in the Garden

We grow Cherokee heirloom tomatoes.  They have a concentrated taste, reminds me of tomato paste.  And they are a dark, almost purple, color.  They are my favorites.  And they are getting ripe, ready to eat.

This time of year with tomatoes abundant I like BLT's. But the typical BLT is heavy on the fat and calories and slim on protein.

Instead I have BCT's--bacon, cheese and tomato

Toast two slices of your preferred bread. Add a layer of thin sliced tomato.  Then put down a slice of fat free american cheese.  Top with 2 slices of bacon  (I use the Oscar Mayer pre-cooked bacon-2 slices are 35 calories and 3 grams of fat) that you break in half yielding 4 pieces-- so it'll cover the bread.  Now add another slice of fat free american and a final layer of tomatoes.  Salt, pepper and light mayo are optional.

Calorie count for this yummyness:

2 slices of bread 120
1/2 tomato sliced 15
2 slices fat free cheese 50
2 slices OM bacon 35
Total = 220
If you add a half tablespoon of light mayo you're in for an additional 25 calories.  BTW...fat total on my BCM is 3 grams.  Protein is 13 grams, equivalent to almost 2 ounces meat.

If you want more protein add a side of fat free cottage cheese.  One half cup of Breakstone fat free cottage cheese will give you 12 grams of protein for 80 calories.  Top it with the other half of your tomato and you've added a veg serving.  Dust with salt and pepper.  Chopped cucumber would be nice too.  Healthier and more filling than a side of potato chips.

Later when your sweet tooth hits eat a peach or have some watermelon.  Both are in season and taste great right now and will do your body a world of good.

Note:  To date my favorite fat free american cheese single is the Kraft brand.

Supersize Me

I was watching some videos on Youtube.  A person had posted her favorite dessert--vanilla ice cream topped with gummi bears.  She said it was a lot of 'chew' but not a lot of calories or fat. 

Now I can't eat gummi bears--they pull my crowns off--not good.  So I got to thinking.  Here's what I came up with.  You'll need sugar free gelatin--I used red and green; some vanilla ice cream--I like Edy's Slow Churned; some diet 7 up. 

Cut your gelatin into cubes (I used the pre-made purchased cups).  Place some in a tall glass.  Now add a little vanilla ice cream.  Repeat two more times ending with the gelatin on top.

Now drizzle with some diet 7UP.

Adding the sugar free gelatin 'beefs' up the volume but doesn't add any fat or calories.  It looks gigantic, feels like you are indulging, but you won't be bulging later.

Using Fat Free Products

Short and sweet here.  Cutting back on fat so my body will burn my stored fat.  Have been using fat free cheese slices and fat free cream cheese--see previous posts for uses.  Yesterday I purchased brand name cottage cheese, fat free.  Yum.

Breakstone brand, half cup has 60 calories, 0 fat, and 12 grams of protein.  I've eaten it as a dip for Italian Herb crackers, and today I used it as a side.  Added half a banana, a few pecans and a tiny drizzle of caramel sauce.  Delish.  Have plans to make cottage cheese pancakes, which I have previously posted including recipe.

A week or so ago I bought a quart jar of l gram per tablespoon mayonnaise--big disappointment.  BUT.  I did find a good use for it.  Used it in a broccoli slaw recipe I made up last night.

Here's the method:

Half a bag of cabbage slaw mix.  Half a head of broccoli, prepped and sliced in longish pieces, including the flowerettes, plus some diced sweet onion.  Dressed with this:

• Equal parts of:  fat free yogurt, almost fat free mayo, and full fat mayo
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dill weed (dried)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Even the husband, who despises fat free foods (eats a ton of fat and has perfect cholesterol without meds) enjoyed it.

The take away here?  Things change.  Products change.  Your taste buds change.  Maybe it's time for you to give fat free products a chance.  Not because fat is bad for you, but so that there is room for the good fat in your diet.

Note:  I have often used equal parts of full fat yogurt and full fat mayonnaise with good results.  The fat yield is still pretty high though.  The use of fat free yogurt and fat free mayo to replace 2/3 of the full fat mayo is a lower fat option.  For comparison:

• full fat  mayo= 12 grams fat per T (100% fat)
• 1/2 full + 1/2 fat free= 6 per T (50% fat)
• 1/3 full +1/3 fat free + 1/3 fat free yogurt= 4 per T (33.3  fat)

Once I got my cholesterol down with meds I quit paying attention to fat percentages.  But of late I began to take note and I was eating, without realizing it, 50% or more calories from fat.  And this was not from the good fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, cold pressed oils.  Likely a big contributor to my inability to lose excess pounds.

Rethinking The Avocado

I've avoided the avocado for years due to its high fat content. But did you know a half avocado has:

140 calories
13 g fat (sat fat is 2.5)
8 grams of carb
8 grams of fiber!!
3 grams protein
1 gram sugar
350 mg potassium

 Look at that fiber number!  Look at the amount of potassium!  And with 8 grams carbs and 8 grams fiber it's almost a wash in terms of carbs.   It's a pretty good deal given that the majority of the fat is good heart healthy fat.

I had a half avocado in my fridge and a half cucumber that needed using.  So here is the salad I came up with.  It is 2 side servings or one large serving.  You could serve it for one and add some tuna for a full meal in a bowl.

Cucumber Avocado Salad

Peel and cube one half cucumber.  Cube half an avocado.  Top with Humnut Sauce . Salt and Pepper to taste.

Notes:  When I don't have hummus on hand I omit it, use some olive juice, a very small amount of cider vinegar and a little additional water if needed to provide more moisture in the Humnut recipe--you're looking for a saucy consistency.  


If you've never used nutritional yeast and want to try it pick up some at a health food store that has bulk bins. You can purchase a small amount.  Different brands taste different, but they all taste somewhat cheesy.  Many vegans sprinkle it on most everything--like you would grated Parmesan cheese.  It is loaded with B vitamins, though the B12 vitamin is not present and must be added.  Check the label if you want to make sure it has B12.  Did you know 'they' say that anyone over the age of 50 needs to supplement with B due to the body's decreasing ability to process the B12 in the food we eat.


I like using the nutritional yeast because it makes a thick cheesy sauce that is very low in calories and high in nutrients.  You could substitute any favored salad dressing.  Some lemon and a drizzle of olive oil would be good.

Ode to Joy and Another Sweet Topic or What You Should Know About Agave Nectar

Spring was ushered in yesterday and it was glorious.  Bright sunshine and warm air, no shirt sleeves needed!  After the long drab damp gray winter we've had it was glorious indeed.  Cheers to Spring!  She promises to be a beaut.

Another sweet topic here: Agave Nectar

If you are buying it believing it is a healthier option, you may want to think again.  I tried it, liked it, but did not like the high cost, so have not since restocked it in my pantry.  Good thing too.

Turns out it is highly processed and does not remotely resemble the original plant.  It has no nutritive value beyond providing calories...AND...worst of all in my book--the final product is mostly FRUCTOSE!!!

I avoid fructose.  Why?  It must be metabolized by your liver.  Sugar/glucose does not.  Fructose is metabolized in a way that your body is unable to get out the message that your are satiated, hence you will continue to eat.  Sugar/glucose does not do that.  For specific information about this google it.

Furctose should be avoided just like high fructose corn syrup/HFCS.  But it is hard to avoid if you shop at the typical grocery store.  It--as well as HFCS-- is added to almost everything. Some people think it is better for you than sugar/glucose.  According to the facts I've read, they would be wrong.  (I've found HFCS  in canned kidney beans!)

Read your labels, and limit your use of any products  that contain fructose or HFCS. You don't want to eat much sugar period, but it is better for you, by far, then fructose, HFCS, agave nectar, and even honey and maple syrup--both of which are also high in fructose.

I'm not implying these products are poison or that you should  fear them--just avoid them like a bad egg if you are concerned about your weight and your health.

All fruits contain fructose, but the ones we eat most often have the highest amounts--like apples, bananas, oranges.  The benefit though is at least the fruit has nutritive value as well as fiber.  So get your fructose from your fruit, but don't overdo even that.  A couple of servings a day of fruit are ideal...then bulk up on vegetables to meet your daily plant quota.

IF you've lived long enough--you'll remember that back in the day, when we weren't such a fat nation, soda contained no fructose, it had sugar/glucose.  Nor was fructose or HFCS in the bulk of our processed foods. I personally believe there is a correlation between the advent of fructose/HFCS being introduced into our food supply and the increase in obesity.  I'd bet the facts support that too, would I take the time to examine them.

Finally--and this is a whole other topic--back in the day our processed and fast foods contained palm oil and coconut oil which was discontinued when saturated fat became the bad boy.  Sadly, those two oils were superior to their replacement--corn oil.  And we were warned to eat 'oleo margaine', supposedly superior to butter.  With the push to replace butter with margarine we ended up eating trans fat by the truck load.  Today--we are being warned against that, and rightly so. 

It is wise to listen to reason, but when 'reason' is funded by those who stand to make a huge profit if they are believed, we must seriously question the advice.  It has always been and always will be:  

caveat emptor..LET THE BUYER BEWARE.

4 Week Goal Results

On my March 7th post I mentioned I was trying a few things, incorporating them into my daily eating.  Not a diet, because that is something you go on which means you can also go off, but a way of eating day in and day out.  My 4 week trial period was up this past Tuesday--I started the trial long before my March 7th post.

The result:  I lost 5 pounds in 4 weeks.  I did not count calories, nor points.  I did not count carbs either.  I did incorporate the following daily habits:

• one teaspoon of Metamucil 2 times a day--per doctor's orders (for cholesterol, for IBS, and the fiber helps you feel full)
• one tablespoon of flax meal a day
• green vegetables every day
• raw food every day
• 1 or 2 servings of good fat every day, limiting other fats by using some fat free or very low fat products  so that my body will burn my stored fat first
• a serving of beans/legumes every day
• 2 fruits and 3 or more vegetable servings every day
• green tea every day
• eat less animal and more plant--the bulk of my food  was plant.
• eat less processed foods, eat foods in their closest to natural state--the test:  would my great great grandmother recognize this food?  The exceptions were the fat free and low fat products which I will eliminate once I lose my excess fat.

I made a chart and used tic marks to keep up with my habits each day.

While there were no forbidden foods I do try to limit or avoid using any food with fructose, high fructose corn syrup and trans fats/partially hydrogenated oils.  I personally believe these things make us fat, that they are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic we are seeing.

I divided food into two categories.

EAT OFTEN
EAT ONCE IN AWHILE

When I ate food that tasted really good I used my head to prevent eating past no longer being hungry.  Jack LaLannes "if one apple is good you wouldn't eat a hundred" was my mantra.

For portion control I made  a half cup my standard serving size no matter what I was eating.

I'm going to give it two more weeks and see what happens.

Here are the fat free and low fat products I used:  fat free cheese slices on my sandwiches mainly; 1% milk in my coffee instead of half and half ; for a savory snack Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedges; buttery spray and light heart smart buttery spread--it has no trans fats and is a good source of omega 3's.

Aside from my morning coffee I drank water the rest of the day--at meals and in between.

I ate 3 meals and 2 snacks most days.  If I ate an early breakfast and an early lunch I skipped the midmorning snack.

This worked for me.  It may not work for you.  We each are different.  We each must adopt a way of eating that will help us to achieve optimal health.  Critical to long term success,  it is key that it be something we can live with day in and day out.  And a key component for me:  keep it simple--simple plain foods, simply prepared.

No One Can Eat Just One

That was the line from the Lay's potato chip commercial. And I've found it to be true. In fact I've found it to be true about many foods.

But Jack LaLanne said this:

If one apple is good, you wouldn’t eat 100.

That got me to thinking. I've had some delicious apples in my time. Same with other fruit. At most I might eat a second one, but never more that that. I certainly wouldn't eat 100 apples.

But I sure could eat a 100 chips, or nuts, or pieces of chocolate.

Jack gave me something to think about. Every time I'm tempted to want more of some tasty food I remember what Jack said.

Also--I really do wonder if there are things added to our processed foods to make us want to eat more, which result in having to buy more of it more often (hence the company makes more money off of us). While nuts are natural I'm only tempted to overeat them when they have been processed, as in roasting and salting and added oils. What else might they add to those processed nuts under the heading of spices? Raw nuts just aren't that compelling to overeat are they?

Next time you're pigging out on something think about what Jack said about the apple.

By the way--if you didn't watch the video I posted yesterday you missed out. Don't be mislead by the screen shot. Jack did not advocate eating much meat, and then only broiled, grilled or baked. If you watched you'll know it was skim milk for breakfast, no butter on your toast, and a big raw salad at lunch and supper. And guess what oil he said to use on that salad?..uh huh...olive oil.  Pretty much what he said to do back in the 1950's is what we are hearing today from the experts.

Back in the day Jack was considered a nut (Did you know he was a doctor of chiropractic? I didn't until I read his website.) But Jack knew what he was talking about. I bet he felt like a fish swimming upstream in his prime. Thanks Jack. You are the man, and a lovely one to boot.

The Proof Is In The Pudding

Jack Lalanne knew what he was talking about.  He's still around, living proof that he walked what he talked and that it works.  Watch this brief video and you will see he was a man before his time.

Healthier Big Cookie

I have a sweet tooth. While I try to satisfy it with fruit, there are times when you just want chocolate. And while eating chocolate has some benefits, it’s not very filling and can be quite addictive. Try this instead and save the real chocolate, the good stuff, for special days.

In a deep cereal bowl with a fairly wide bottom measure 20 grams--which is a half serving-- of quick oats. Next add an egg white, and beat it into the oats. Then add a splash of milk. I don’t measure so I can’t be specific--it was probably two tablespoons--think loose brownie batter. Follow with some cocoa powder--about 2 heaping teaspoons, a dash of salt, a splash of vanilla, a packet of Splenda/ 2 teaspoons sugar/equivalent in your preferred sweetener and a big pinch of coconut. Stir well to combine.

Nuke this for one minute at 100% power and check it. If it still has a large wet area on top, put it back in for one minute at 50% power. Let stand to finish cooking. Eat. Enjoy.

The desired result is a dry--but not dried up/tough/leathery-- edible cookie that you can pick up out of the bowl and eat out of hand.

View from the side--it's pretty thick.

From a distance.

I found this to be very tasty, lots of chew factor and filling. It satisfied my chocolate craving but didn’t keep it going. Being a blend of whole grain, protein and the small amount of fat in the milk and coconut, it is a better choice than most processed foods. It is quick and inexpensive as well. And it requires no special foods--no protein powder or specialty ingredients. You probably have all you need to make this in your larder.

And f you don’t like coconut, replace it with a few nuts or some raisins. The coconut adds a lot of chew and also contains coconut oil which supposedly helps with weight loss.

The fat in coconut is a medium chain fatty acid with a profile similar to the fat in olive oil. It is oft maligned because of its saturated fat content, but I don't think the concern is warranted.