Okay, I "budgeted" to eat out tonight. I decided to have the mashed potatoes. I'm "guessing" a half of a cup. It was Ruby Tuesday's, not a huge serving. I'm not even sure the steak was really 7 ounces, but it was thick. I'm not brave enough to slap a scale on the table.

I'll let you know how it is in the morning. I hope it's not mourning! Because I LOVE potatoes.

eta:Just so anyone who was wondering wouldn't have to hunt for the result. I am up a pound. However, I also had one glass of wine. In the future, I may wait a few more weeks and hopefully lose more than 4 or 5 pounds to give it another go. I am still not quite in my ratios, though my total calories were low, because I didn't get enough fat. And maybe that's the issue and not the potatoes.

Whats the pate recipe using chicken livers? anyone have it?

Elizabeth,

I keep trying to answer your PM - but keep getting a message that you have too many messages in your account. We're only allowed ten total - and that includes any copies you may have kept in your 'sent' folder. So.... I'll post it here, and hope you see it!
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Try 1/2 cup of your salt (pulse several times to break up the bean before pushing 'on') -- then taste to see how potent it is. You don't want to dilute it too much; it's mostly for cooking/baking where a little goes a long way. If it seems too strong just add a bit more salt. You can always add more, never take away.

One tip: after you put the bean and salt into the processor bowl, cover the top with saran wrap before putting on the lid. It will keep the salt from flying all over the place. Let me know how it goes...

Lisa

Ack, sorry about that! I thought I had 5 spots left in my inbox for some reason - I didn't realize that my sent messages counted towards my limit.

Anyway, I'll try it out tomorrow! Thanks for the advice.

Here is an explanation of how to cook chips (french fries in USA) from http://www.easypeasy.com/guides/article.php?article=55

The one I used (brought the last of it for lunch today, damn it's good. May have to get more chicken livers) is from the cookbook 'Nourishing Traditions'. I'll try to remember to post it when I have the cookbook handy!

But *in general* it's something like:

In a large skillet sauté a chopped up onion and a 1/2 pound of mushrooms in butter (I used bacon drippings, and only had a 1/4 pound mushrooms handy). When they are getting soft and cooked looking add 1 pound of chicken livers (my container was 20 oz and I used the whole thing). Sauté about 10 minutes or so until the chicken livers are looking "done" (but should still be slightly pinkish on the inside).

At that point add a tsp or so of mustard, some sea salt, and 2/3 cup white wine, other suggested seasonings (I added a little rosemary). Simmer gently until the liquid is essentially all reduced (about 15 minutes), then remove from heat. Allow to cool to about room temp, and then place everything in a food processor. Add a 1/2 stick (1/4 pound) of softened butter and then blend in the processor until smooth and blended.

Scrape out of blender and pack down into a crock or jar.

That's basically it. but later on I'll check the cookbook to see what I missed, though I don't think I missed *too* much.

In general I am not eating fruit, as wanting to keep my fructose low. I have had fruit once in the two weeks I've been on this plan, and that was on Easter Sunday where I was not exactly stringent, and had some fresh strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream.

Still, the local farmer's market opens for the season on June 6, and that should be right in strawberry season, so I may well have to break down and have some fruit then. The season may only last a few weeks but the farmer's market strawberries are awesome.

How about a bowl of popcorn with a TON of butter

mmmm...just thinking about eating popcorn with butter is making me want to try this diet again. I'm like NancyLC though and dairy usually stops all intestinal movement for me

Right now I am following the specific carbohydrate diet to try to heal my insides and you are never allowed corn but I have had a serious love affair with popcorn in the past. Maybe after a month or so I will be healed enough that I can try to add some popcorn (wishful thinking, I know)

Aw! I've had to resort to Bunker Busters (suppositories) a couple times now. Talk about nasty and painful.

Well, the cheese is gone just need to consume a few pints of heavy cream, sour cream, and creme fraiche and perhaps I can find regularity again. I did enjoy my cheese holiday very much, except for the bathroom issues.

I've been getting gluten free rice crackers at Trader Joe's. They're small little things. I think about 35 makes up about 25 carbs or so, so I usually have 1/3 serving at a time.

Bunker Busters LOL Been there, done that, don't want to ever go there again!

Yeah, I've been known to go on a few cheese benders myself and it is always so much better going in than coming out. I always think maybe this time will be different but it never is

LOL! It really does always feel like such a self-indulgence... and it truly always is. Cheese is like crack for me. They need to have meetings for people who abuse it.

I haven't been abusing cheese, as I don't particularly care for cheese, but I have been going way overboard on butter and cream. It's kind of shocking to me how much I've eaten of both of them in the past week.

Once I use up the dairy I bought for the OD experiment I'm definitely going to go back to my mostly paleo ways and see how high I can get the fat without resorting to milk products.

Just as an example of how far I've sunk into dairy-land...

Last night I made tiramisu filling. It was 8oz mascarpone cheese beat with 3 egg yolks, 1/4 cup erythritol, a dash of vanilla, and a dash of orange liqueur. Then I whipped a cup of heavy cream and folded it in.

This morning I ate some of it with a spoon for breakfast and washed it down with teeccino made with 1/4 cup heavy cream.