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Holidays in the Month of August:* 6th British Columbia Day (Canada)* 6th New Brunswick Day (Canada) * 6th Ontario Day (Canada) * 6th Saskatchewan Day (Canada) * 6th Picnic Day (Northern Territiry, Australia) * 13-15th Urabon or Obon (Japan) Again, as stated last month, my sincerest appologizes if I missed a holiday from your country. It was not done intentionally. Any holiday information that you'd like to share with me can be emailed to the_cosmic_cafe@yahoo.com To get started with this months feature, I'd like to state that: In no way shall Empire as a whole, or any of its individual staff members, be held responsible for the effects either good or bad, from the use of this Low Carb Diet information. As with any diet you choose to use, you should consult a physician before beginning. Results vary from person to person, and excercise is a must. I'd also like to state, that having done this myself, and knowing from that experience, if you begin to feel weak, tired, restless, anxious, dizzy, faint, or any number of other negative symptoms, you should immediately terminate the use of low carb food items, and begin to eat a normal diet until you feel better, and a physician has stated that your health isn't at risk. Another note, especially for ladies, but men included as well, if your fingernails begin to be weak and you are noticing that they are breaking easy and do not appear as healthy as they once did, this is another indicator to stop this low carb diet, and resume your normal eating habits. As with any diet you choose to use, each individuals weight loss results are going to vary, and there is no guarantee on how much you will loose. With that all said....... Welcome to August's Feature: Low Carb Diets and RecipesMost well known for Low Carb Diet information, is Dr. Atkins. He has written a book called "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution." What is the Atkins' Diet you ask? Well here it is in short... A lifetime nutritional plan on the consumption of nutrient-rich, unprocessed food, and supplementation. His diet restricts nearly all processed/refined carbohydrates, such as foods with high sugar content, bread, pasta, cereal, and starchy vegetables. Use of supplements is necessary to be sure that you are recieving proper nutrition. Nearly 20 million people across the world, have embrassed this diet since its release in the 1970's. The Majour Benefits of the Atkins' or Other Low Carb DietsDiets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, or other mainly "low-fat" foods increase the production of insulin in the body. When insulin is is in such high levels, the food you eat is readily converted into fat. Fat in the form of triglycerides, which is one of the greatest risk factors for heart disease. You'll also feel hungry more often, as a result of this because your body is storing what you have eaten as fat. You could eat a large meal, filled with carbs, for your lunch, and a few hours later, you find yourself hungry again, and raiding the local convience store, or vending machines for another carb fix. If high sugar and refined carbs were doing their jobs properly, you shouldn't be hungry again till dinner time. As a direct result of the carbs and sugars, you feel hungry more often, and therefore are eating more often, which leads to weight gain. So your wondering what to do to stop this cycle..... The first thing you need to do is get away from the insulin generating, low-fat diet and begin to cut down on your carbohydrate intake. Results the you can expect to see happen from this would be:* Your body will begin to burn fat for energy. Since the body's main source of energy has came from carbs, you store fat, but when you cut the carbs, your body is forced to burn fat for energy, thereby producing weight loss. * You wont feel hungry between meals. Feeling hungry between meals is caused by the fluctuations in you blood sugar content which is controlled by the carb's that you eat. By cutting the carbs, you are allowing your body to maintain a steady, level amount of sugar in the blood through the day. * Your overall health will be greatly improved and you will feel much better. Most of the toxins brought into the body are stored in fat cells. So by getting your body to burn fat cells for energy, you are cleansing your body. This combined with a steady blood sugar content, can produce some pretty wonderous results. (Here again, Empire in whole, or any of its staff members will not be held responsible for your health, that is up to you. We do not guarantee that any of the results listed will happen.) Some possible ailments you may have can/could be aleviated with this diet, such as fatigue, depression, headache, muscle aches, and many others. There is no guarantee that this will happen, but as a result of the balance in you blood sugar content coupled with the low carb intake, you could see results as wonderous as lowering your cholesterol and blood presure, as well as the weight loss. Some important information about sugar:* It contains no vitamins, minerals,and is 100% carbohydrate. Sugar is to be considered an Energy Sucker. * White flour is almost as bad. It is considered sugars second cousin, and when the two are coupled together, it comprises a recipe for disaster when it comes to getting and maintaining a healthy body. Sugar is considered to be an Anti-Nutrient as it provides you with no necessary vitamins or minerals. There are alot of good and bad things said about the low carb diets, and as always, never take what you read to be the absolute truth, always check sources, get second opinions, and most importantly contact your physican with any concerns and questions you may have. You should be consulting with your physician anyway before you start any diet. So heres the run down on what to expect from this diet. A bit on how it works, and why. Some links you can check to further information, and of course, the recipes !! When you first start this diet, you will be in a phase that Dr. Atkins' calls Induction. It is recommended that for the first two weeks of this diet, that you do this mini diet called Induction as it helps your body remove all unnecessary carbohydrates, and puts your body in a state of Ketosis. The Induction diet is two weeks of eating less then 20 grams of carbohydrates a day. Ketosis is a term used when the body cannot fully metabolize fat due to a lack of carbohydrates in your system. The portions of the fat cells called ketones, are removed from the body in the urine. When you reach the state of Ketosis, it is an indicator that you are breaking down your fat cells. The easist way to determine if you have reached the state of Ketosis is by purchasing Ketosticks. Ketosticks were developed to test for Type 1 Diabetics, but work for this as well. They can be purchased at most drug stores, and are used by testing a urine sample. If the stick turns somewhere between pink and purple, you are in Ketosis. Most people loose 5 - 10 pounds during this stage, and if you have a significat amount of weight to loose, you may stay on it longer. It is recommended that you should drink 64 ounces of water a day, plus 8 ounces for every 25 pounds that you wish to lose. This may sound like alot of water, but in order to stay healty and have healthy cells, alot of water is necessary. I should state here, that even if you aren't doing this diet, it is recommended that for your daily life, you consume 64 ounces of water a day anyway. Although some nutritional content labels state that there is 0 grams of carbohydrates, always assume that there is .6 grams of carbohydrates in a serving. Do this because legally, if there is less then .6 grams per serving, they can state it as zero. You should try to avoid all caffiene, as it stimulates an over production of insulin causing weight gain. Once you have gone 2 full weeks without caffiene, you may have it on occasion as long as your not depending on it for energy, and do so with moderation. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages as the alcohol is the first to burn off, not fat cells, thus slowing down your weight loss. The Rules of Induction(this list of rules comes directly from the Atkins Diet Homepage) * You may eat pure protein (meat, fish and shellfish, poultry, eggs) and pure fats (butter, olive oil, mayonnaise). * Eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day in the form of salad and other vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli and kale. * Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. * Eat out as often as you wish. Just be alert to hidden carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. * Eat no food not specifically allowed. * Aspartame may stimulate insulin production; avoid it and foods containing it. * Check the carb content of all foods you are unsure about with a carbohydrate gram counter. * Caffeine stimulates the production of insulin, so avoid regular coffee, tea and cola drinks. * Eat the amount of food that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. If you’re not hungry, eat nothing or have a small protein snack to accompany your supplements. The next stage would be Ongoing Weight Loss (also refered to as OWL)This stage which you may follow for as long as it takes to reach your weight loss goal, allows you to slightly increase your carbohydrate intake. This is not a permission to return to your old eating habits, but rather allowing you to increase your carbohydrate intake by 5 grams a week. For example, the two weeks your doing Induction phase, so the third week you can increase your carbohydrates for 20 grams daily, to 25 grams daily, the next week would be 30 grams daily, and so on. By doing this gradually, you don't fall out of ketosis, and are able to find your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (also refered to as CCLL). As you gradually put carbohydrates back into your diet, you will find that the weight loss slows, this is normal and should be expected. The purpose of this diet is to loose weight and keep it off, not to loose weight as fast as you can. Once you have achieved the goal weight, you are ready for the next phase.The third phase is called Pre-MaintenanceIn this stage, you will be almost at your ultimate weight goal. It is tempting to loose those last few pounds fast, but we discourage that. Those final pounds should be taken off slowly so that you are training your body to the new style of eating, and therefore don't return to the old bad habits. During this phase, you are allowed to add 10 grams of carbs a week, and can have limited quantities of the formerly forbidden starches. This is only allowed it you continue to loose weight, and do not start to feel food cravings for those forbidden foods. If you begin to feel these cravings, immediately stop with those starchy foods, and fruits. This phase prepares you for the final stage which isLifetime MaintenanceDuring the Lifetime Maintenance stage, you have already acheived your weight loss goal, and are now preparing for your lifetime of being thin. You need to contiunally adjust your CCLL levels until you find the point at which you are no longer gaining our loosing weight. This will be your Critical Carbohydrate Level of Maintenance or CCLM. When you reach the necessary CCLM level, you will restrict carbohydrates just enough to curb your appetite. This range is typically between 40 - 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. Which is considerably less than the 300 grams that most people consume each day.Following this plan will not be easy, as you will crave foods that you aren't allowed to have. Keeping track of carbs will not be an easy task, and you may be tempted to "cheat" once in a while. Just remember if you "cheat" your hurting yourself. You aren't gaining anything from it other than more excess weight. I wish you all the best of luck with this diet. Please remember, be safe with this, and exercise is a must!!!! Below you will find recipes for low carb, no carb meals. Each of these I have found on the internet, and will give the site that I got them from. I wish that I could take credit for these, but I can't. I have however tried these recipes and they are much better then just eating plain hamburgers or plain fish, or other boring meals. I hope that these give you a start on your way to being healthy, and at your comfortable weight. One last time, I'd like to state, that the contents of this feature are in no way guaranteed by any member in part or in the whole of the Empire site or the Cosmic Cafe. We cannot be held responsible for the effects of this diet. Please consult with your physician before beginning this or any other diet. Also, exercise plays an important roll in this and all diets. Thanks!! Nightsky_Stargazer. Ok here are the recipes:Bacon Cheeseburger CasseroleRecipe By: misspriss Categories: Beef/Pork 1 pound ground beef 1 egg 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese 3 slices bacon -- (3 to 5) garlic powder black pepper Fry or broil bacon, remove from pan and place on towels to drain oil. Lightly brown beef. Drain well. Preheat oven at 350 degres. Mix all ingredients reserving mozzarella for top. Press mixture into a small casserole and top with mozzarella. Bake in the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes. Edges should be brown and topping (cheese should be melted and lightly browned in places. My kids love this recipe!!! Very tasty. A touch of sour cream adds a lot to the flavor as well. 2400 Calories (kcal); 200g Total Fat; (75% calories from fat); 139g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 809mg Cholesterol; 1841mg Sodium Bacon-wrapped Cheese DogsRecipe By :Katzen6 Categories : Beef/Pork 4 hot dogs 4 slices bacon -- uncooked 4 ounces cheddar cheese -- (1 oz.) slices, approx 1/2" by 3" Slice into hotdog (don't cut all the way through) and place cheese into opening. Wrap with bacon & secure with toothpicks. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until bacon is browned. Serve with mustard. 2 servings @ 2 g. carb per serving. ** Bonus: You'll get these WONDERFUL puddles of hotdog & bacon-flavored melted cheese in the pan. They are a treat in themselves! 1332 Calories (kcal); 116g Total Fat; (79% calories from fat); 62g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 254mg Cholesterol; 3661mg Sodium Basic and Easy Stove Top Beef w/Onion Mushroom GravyRecipe By :Dottie Categories : Beef/Pork 1 really big beef roast (4-5lbs -or whatever will fit into your biggest pan) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 cup cooking oil 4 cups water 2 teaspoons guar gum 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes 4 ounces sliced mushroom -- pieces are fine additional salt and pepper to taste Mix salt, pepper and garlic powder and rub into roast. Let sit 10 minutes at room temp. Heat oil in a big pan. You want it hot - but not smoking. Put in roast and let brown well, over medium heat, for about 5 minutes per side or until really browned nicely. Once that's done, Raise heat to high and add water. Bring to a good boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours -turn roast every 1/2 hour so it doesn't dry out. Remove roast from water and raise heat. Add in mushrooms and dried onion and let boil for about 2 minutes. (There should be about 3 cups liquid at this point -you may want to skim off some of the fat on top). Mix guar gum with 1/2 cup cold water and whisk into the boiling gravy to thicken. Allow to boil for 2 minutes. Serve hot. 1042 Calories (kcal); 110g Total Fat; (92% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 2168mg Sodium NOTES : Counts for guar gum not included - adjust accordingly Chicken or Beef StrogonoffRecipe By : unknown Categories: Beef / Pork Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 1 1/2 pounds chicken -- or beef cut into stir fry strips 4 tablespoons butter -- divided 1/2 onion -- sliced thin 1 clove garlic -- finely chopped 1/2 cup water 1 chicken bouillon cubes -- or 2 1 pint sour cream -- 1 medium container (pint?) dash mustard pepper dill seed -- optional In skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter and add onion and garlic (and sliced fresh mushrooms or canned if you like) . Brown on low heat (not to burn garlic) and cook until onion is carmelized. Remove from pan and set aside. In same skillet add 2 tablespoons butter and meat strips. Add pepper and dill seed. Cook until well browned and butter has cooked away. Then add 1-2 boullion cubes (beef or chicken) and 1/2 cup water. Continue cooking until ll moisture has gone and beef/chicken is coated nicely. Turn heat to low and add sour cream, 1 small squirt regular mustart. Add onions and garlic (and mushrooms if used) Stir well and heat through without boiling. 2487 Calories (kcal); 220g Total Fat; (79% calories from fat); 101g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 776mg Cholesterol; 1806mg Sodium CHEESEBURGER QUICHERecipe By : Dave K Categories: Beef / Pork 3/4 pound ground beef 1/3 cup chopped onion 2 eggs -- beaten 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup heavy cream 6 ounces cheddar cheese -- grated 4 ounces mushrooms salt and pepper Brown ground beef & onion, drain grease. Add mushrooms & cook through. Mix eggs, mayonnaise, cream, cheese & salt & pepper, and pour over ground beef in a pie pan. Bake on 350 for 40-45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. 2913 Calories (kcal); 272g Total Fat; (82% calories from fat); 115g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 962mg Cholesterol; 2053mg Sodium Creamy Mushroom Pork ChopsRecipe By: Roni Categories: Beef/Pork 1 tablespoon Butter 4 pork chops -- (4 to 6), bone in Garlic Salt Black Pepper 1 Jar Ragu Parmesan Alfredo Sauce -- (16 oz.) 8 ounces button mushrooms -- whole 1 Pinch Dried Thyme Melt butter in large skillet. Season chops on both sides with garlic salt and pepper, and brown in butter. Transfer chops to slow cooker. Remove skillet from heat and stir alfredo sauce into drippings. Slice mushrooms and scatter over chops in slow cooker. Pour alfredo sauce over all. Sprinkle with dried thyme. Simmer on medium low heat about two hours or until chops are fork tender. 1083 Calories; 71g Fat (59.7% calories from fat); 97g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 326mg Cholesterol; 360mg Sodium Zuchini LasagnaRecipe By :Indiana Jules Categories:Beef/Pork 1/2 pound Italian sausage -- ground cooked til crumbly 3 zucchini -- medium, peeled, sliced and boiled for 3 minutes 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese 2 cups Mozzarella cheese 1 cup low carb Spaghetti sauce -- (I use Classico Sun Dried Tomato 8 carbs) 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese Spread a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a corning ware type dish. Then begin layering your lasagna with the ingredients from above. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350. Then uncover for 15 minutes at 350. Let stand for 10 minutes. Then enjoy!! 1895 Calories (kcal); 150g Total Fat; (70% calories from fat); 110g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 453mg Cholesterol; 3094mg Sodium NOTES : Counts for spaghetti sauce not included No Carb Juicy MeatloafRecipe By : Cris Categories: Beef/Pork 2 pounds ground beef 1 pound bacon 2 eggs Spices to taste Half cook the bacon in a skillet then drain off the grease then add it to the hamburger. Mix in the two eggs with the bacon in the hamburger. Put the meatloaf into a pan and cook at 400 for about 45 minutes. It is very juicy without being mushy in the middle. Very tasty! 5561 Calories (kcal); 473g Total Fat; (77% calories from fat); 300g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1532mg Cholesterol; 7974mg Sodium Alfredo ChickenRecipe By: Katie Categories: Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 2 pounds boned and skinned chicken breast halves 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup onion -- chopped 1/2 pound mushroom -- sliced 1 package frozen spinach -- thawed and drained 8 ounces heavy cream 1 stick butter 8 ounces parmesan cheese 4 ounces muenster cheese -- sliced Place chicken breasts in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. While chicken is baking, prepare topping and sauce. In a small skillet over medium heat, saute onions and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter until onions are translucent and soft. Add spinach and continue to cook until mixture is fairly dry. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 stick of butter. When butter has melted, add cream and heat until just hot. Add parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted. At the end of 30 minutes, remove foil and spoon spinach mixture over chicken breasts. Pour sauce over everything, and top with muenster cheese. Do not recover. Return to oven and bake until it is bubbly, about 10 - 15 minutes. 4277 Calories; 302g Fat (63.7% calories from fat); 346g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 1404mg Cholesterol; 8922mg Sodium. CHEESELOVER'S QUICHERecipe By : Newmom Categories :Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 1 small onion -- chopped 1/2 cup Swiss cheese -- cut in 1/2" cubes 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese -- cut in 1/2" cubes 1 cup cheddar cheese -- cut in 1/2" cubes 4 eggs 1 dash cayenne pepper -- optional 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 cup cooked ham -- cut in 1/2" cubes Heat oven to 375 F. Combine swiss, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, ham cubes and onion in a bowl. Add into a pie plate or quiche pan. In small bowl beat eggs, then add cayenne pepper. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 23 to 30 minutes or until egg mizture is set in the center. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 1446 Calories (kcal); 102g Total Fat; (64% calories from fat); 108g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 1054mg Cholesterol; 3276mg Sodium Egg PizzaRecipe By :Genell Categories:Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 1 egg 5 pepperoni slices -- (about 1 oz) 1/2 ounce mozzarella cheese -- grated Fry the egg in 1 tsp butter, breaking the yoke. Fry well on both sides. Place fried egg on a cookie sheet, layer egg first with the pepperoni then the cheese. Grill under broiler 2 mins. For the rest of the family or others not in the Induction period add a tablespoon of pizza sauce on the egg before the layer of pepperoni. Don't forget to add the sauce carbs-- The kids love it!!! 247 Calories (kcal); 20g Total Fat; (73% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 221mg Cholesterol; 675mg Sodium Turkey/Cilantro MeatballsRecipe By :B Categories :Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 1 pound ground turkey -- (I use dark meat - it holds up better and has more flavor) 1 large clove garlic 1 large bunch fresh cilantro -- including maybe 1" stem 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt pepper About 1 hour before actually baking, in a food processor, puree the cilantro, garlic and olive oil, creating a "pesto". Mix well with the ground turkey. Season with salt & fresh ground pepper to taste. Let marinate for 1 hour or more. Preheat oven to 350. Form meatballs (my family likes walnut size) and bake for 1/2 hour - 45 minutes or until done through. You can serve rice with it for the rest of the family if you want! 920 Calories (kcal); 65g Total Fat; (64% calories from fat); 79g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 359mg Cholesterol; 428mg Sodium Orange Baked Chicken BreastsRecipe By :SweetWillie Categories:Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 6 chicken breast -- boneless and skinless 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon orange extract 1 teaspoon No-Salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 cup brown sugar twin Spray glass baking dish with Pam. Put chicken breasts on bottom. Mix remaining ingredients well and pour over. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 3003 Calories (kcal); 161g Total Fat; (49% calories from fat); 363g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 1114mg Cholesterol; 1100mg Sodium Ginger Glazed ChickenRecipe By :SweetWillie Categories: Chicken/Poultry/Eggs 1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- grated 2 cloves garlic -- minced 1 tablespoon brown Sugar Twin 1/8 teaspoon salt substitute 4 boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth Preheat oven to 375. Combine first four ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub mixture on both sides of chicken. Place in glass baking dish. Add chicken broth to dish and bake 30-35 minutes until chicken is not longer pink. 1064 Calories (kcal); 12g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 221g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 548mg Cholesterol; 745mg Sodium NOTES : Counts for brown sugar twin not included. Here is a listing of some helpful websites to get recipes from: Please note that all of the above recipes came from the Atkins Friends site. I have left those recipes unchanged, unedited, just as I found them during my search for better meals to eat. Any comments listed with each recipe comes from the person who submitted the recipe to the Atkins Friends site. Atkins Friends Low Carb Recipes Low-Carb-Cookbooks Photopics Low Carb Recipes Kathy Land Low Carb Recipes Black Dirt Low Carb Recipes On a personal note to anyone who is considering this as a diet, I have done this and it worked well for me. 99% of the recipes I used came from the above listed sites and that is why they are listed here in this feature. They are the ones I tried and enjoyed. For anyone who chooses to try this diet, I am here for you as personal moral support, and will answer any questions you may have, no matter how silly it may sound, don't be afraid to ask. I am in the process of making some tables to go with this feature and when they are done, they will be listed under the Cosmic Cookbook on the front page. These tables will list off, for most categories of food, a bit of nutritional information, as well as the carbohydrate counts. I hope you find these helpful!! Thanks again for all your support of this site, and in complete contradiction to the content of this article, it being against Carbs, please visit the Candy Making Section for lessons on making homemade candies. This is located in the Cosmic Cookbook as well. Have a great month all!!! Till Septembers feature, be safe, happy and healthy!!! Kali (Nightsky_Stargazer)
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