Good morning, Bess! I'm messing around here at work and happened to stumble across a link that Karen posted for holiday recipes! I'm gonna go back and check it out myself, but immediately thought of you. So here it is in case you haven't had time to look !
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...threadid=104837

Shadow....
I just wrote you a big long post and I lost it somehow!!!!!
Guess I'm tired. So I will try again tomorrow. Lots to ask.....
Thanks for all your help.
Post you tomorrow!
Hope you get this!!!!!

Argh - I just hate losing posts!!! And it always happens on the long ones ! Hope you got some rest last night . Ask away when you're ready - hopefully I'll be able to help.

Hi Shadow.... I'm back!
A little less tired but with a sick kid at home today so I have to make it quick.
I just want to remind you I am challanged in the kitchen & I have a stupid question!
How do you make the pumpkin pie like the recipe without a crust? How do you bake it? In what & for how long?
Now that you have probably stopped laughing.... I had written you a nice thank you note for all your help and added that I agree the desert should come with me.

I also have a cooking question....
I want to take an existing recipe and calculate the carbs to see if I can use it for my vegetable on thanksgiving!
My recipe:
Turnip Puff:
cook whole turnip and cube it. blend it together with 2 tbsp flour, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup butter, and 1 tsp baking powder.
put mixture in casserole and bake 350 for 1hour. What do you think the carbs are for the whole casserole? How many do you think for 2-3 tbsps of it as a side dish? Or maybe you could at least tell me how to calculate it myself?!

Any help is greatly appreciated


By the way ...I lost the last long post trying to add a smiley face from the list! figures, eh?! There I go being Canadian again ....sorry about that!! LOL

Oh Bess - I hope your child is feeling better!

It is the thought that counts - and just knowing you were trying to thank me is enough ! FWIW, I've lost posts too trying to put smilies in .

And believe it or not - I didn't laugh. The first time I tried it I was worried since I didn't know how it would turn out. I've done it several ways - the easiest is to bake it in the pie pan you would normally use - just spray or coat the pan to keep it from sticking, pour the pumpkin in and bake like you would a regular pie. Now, I've noticed for some reason it tends to dry out somewhat but since I like LOTS of whipped topping, it's never bothered me so I haven't tried to find out why. I think part of the problem is losing the moisture provided by the crust. I think this year, instead of spraying my pan w/ one of the cooking sprays, I'll coat it well with butter which should help. I may even cover it for a little while. Just keep an eye on it - it should be just fine as long as you take care to not overbake it. I've also baked it in mini pie tins too. I've baked it in mini loaf pans. Just depends on my mood and how much oven room I'm going to have. Does any of this help? I might try a pumpkin/cheesecake recipe this year that looks awfully simple. Anyway - I agree that you are best off taking your own dessert .

Now, for the turnip puff, here's what I came up with (and it isn't pretty) -
turnip - 8.11 carbs
eggs - 1.2 carbs
brown sugar (packed) - 53.52 carbs
baking powder - 1.11 carbs
flour - 11 carbs
Grand total: 75 carbs (entire recipe)

Never having seen this, I have no idea the quantity it would make and therefore how much of the entire thing 2 - 3 T would be carb wise. I guess it would depend on if you're really going to be able to limit yourself to that small amount. And if you think it's going to cause cravings - I could see brown sugar being a big trigger there.

What *I* would do would be to make a more carb-friendly version. If nothing else, I would substitute the brown sugar. I don't use Brown Sugar Twin (the American version is horrid but I understand Canadian brown sugar twin is very good . Have you had any experience with it? I'm sure there's info on Karen's thread on it since she's Canadian. I know I've seen brown sugar subs in some of her recipes - she mixes the Brown Sugar Twin w/ splenda. Might be worth checking out to save yourself a bunch of carbs . I know it would vary volume-wise. Maybe if you posted a question on Karen's forum or under Techniques and Tips, someone who knows a heck of a lot more than I do could answer before you need to know .

Or, if you think you wouldn't like it made any other way, you could think of something else that would please you but have fewer carbs. Not much help, am I ?

I'm sorry I don't know the answers - looks like its time to expand my cooking skills!

Have a great evening, Bess!

Bess - I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and got some links to pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake. I think the first time around doing anything its simpler if you have a recipe (I'm sure you remember our discussion about this) . So, here are some recipes you might want to check out:
Basic pumpkin pie:
http://bbs.eatprotein.com/cgi-bin/u...t=002206#000000


Pumpkin cheesecake with pecan crust:
http://bbs.eatprotein.com/cgi-bin/u...t=001456#000000


Pumpkin pie cooked in custard dishes:
http://bbs.eatprotein.com/cgi-bin/u...t=001378#000000


Simple pumpkin cheesecake:
http://bbs.eatprotein.com/cgi-bin/u...t=000507#000000

I still feel terrible that I can't help with your turnip puff . I am assuming its a Canadian standard? Let me know what you try and how it turns out .

Hi Bess . Just wanted to pop in and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving ! I hope you had enough time to get your menu squared away. Let me know how it goes !

Shadow...

Thanks for the help with the turnip puff! I was shocked on the amount of carbs as I guess you were too! It makes a medium size corning casserole dish full. Enough for a crowd of 20 or so to have a tbsp or so each! But like you said, that would still be alot of carbs. My judgement was to "Can" that idea!!!!
I had french style green beans instead! Much easier!!!

For desert I had your pumpkin in tart trays! Loved it! Will do it for Christmas too!
So glad I asked!

Planning ahead was a great Idea. I didn't feel deprived at all! Lots to be thankful for ! The turkey is the best part anyway. I have been having turkey salad ever since. Lots left over.

I will look into the recipes you posted and check out the cheesecake for sure. My husband loves cheesecake so that would be one we could both eat. Love to do that. One desert for everyone!

Happy thanksgiving.....a day later for me and a month early (or so) for you!

Bess: I'm so very glad the day went well for you !

The green beans sound like they were a better option than the turnip puff and I agree - the turkey's the best part ! Yes, I was horrified to find out how many carbs that puff had ! And to think I used to eat things w/ brown sugar in and thought it was "good" for me !

So happy you liked the pumpkin !

Now, if only I can be as well behaved as you, come my Thanksgiving Day !

Okay - I must get going now. I'm so glad you popped in - I was wondering how your day went ! As always, it was great to "hear" from you !

Shadow...
just wondering how long you have been on the program?
you are so helpful!

Hi Bess ! I started "clean eating" (no flour, sugar, trans fats) 2 years ago. Then I started PP a little over a year ago.

Hope you have a great day!

HI!
I was really disappointed about the scales this morning. I have been very very good for the last 2 weeks and I am definitely stalled! Can't get below my current weight. I have found this week especially difficult and I am at the point where I need to do something positive or I may do something really negative.

I went and checked out a forum on stalling and one of the chats was about "refeeding". The theory is that sometimes when you are on the diet you stale due to a change in your system and that if you shock it by eating carbs for one meal that it kicks your system into weight loss again.

Recently, a girl on that forum was stalled for 3 weeks and ate 2 meals off LC and now is down 5.9 lbs in a little over two weeks!!! Awesome.

I am thinking about trying it??? Or I could journalize and see if there are problems with my eating .....but truthfully I don't see how there is problems with my diet. We have chatted here about that and I seem to be doing great that way.

What's your thoughts on it?

Hiya, Bess!

Okay, first of all....2 weeks of no change is not a stall. Frustrating, yes - a stall, no. A true stall or plateau is absolutely no change in weight OR measurements for at least 6 weeks.

The body needs time to adapt to changes. So, you've lost weight and now your body wants to get comfortable with the new weight before it moves on. While two weeks seems like a long time to you, it is not to your body. You've undertaken a new WOE for it to adapt to and now you've lost weight for it to adapt to. It just takes time.

Now, just to clarify for you - what these people are doing are not "refeeds". They're cheats, plain & simple. A refeed is part of a very strict bodybuilding plan and there are absolute rules about what to eat before, during and after a refeed as well as when to eat it and the types of workouts done.

And, for every one person who says a cheat caused weight loss, you'll find another person who says it caused them a huge weight gain and brought back the carb addiction, cravings, and severe physical side affects (lethargy, headache, bloating, etc).

I think once you've reached goal, a higher carb meal is a great idea to keep things interesting and your metabolism guessing. You may want to re-read the part about visiting the Honey Tree in your book. But I don't know that it's wise before then. However, this is all just my opinion .

Here's something to consider... "Recently, a girl on that forum was stalled for 3 weeks and ate 2 meals off LC and now is down 5.9 lbs in a little over two weeks!!! " Who's to say that if this girl had simply perservered under the guidelines of her plan, that she wouldn't have lost that weight in that same 2 weeks' time? And, how much of that 5.9 pounds was simply lost water weight that she had gained from the carbs she indulged in? Just a couple points to ponder .

The bottom line is - it's something only you can decide. And whatever you decide, I wish you well!!

If it were me - and believe me, I've had weeks with not changes - I would be patient a while longer. The better you treat your body, the better it will treat you .

HTH

Shadow....
I'm glad I checked back this afternoon. I think you just gave me a kick in the butt and I think I needed it.

After reading your post, I understand that 2 weeks isn't that long but when you are going thru it, it seems like forever. I think, because I never really had this happen the first time, that I just want the weight loss to be like last time.
Maybe this is just part of the same problem....second time around!

Since I feel the need to do something, to have some control back ....
I think I will try journaling. Maybe then someone will see if I am really screwing up!

Thanks

Bess: I am much relieved at your decision ! I will pop over and look at your journal and see if there's anything I can suggest.

And, while I know that 2 weeks is really not a long time, I also know it IS frustrating! I certainly understand that . But, since this is your second time around, all the rules are going to be different than the first time.

Have you checked your measurements?

Hang in there, Bess! I know it can be difficult when you're not seeing consistent results. But you're doing a GREAT job so don't lose hope, okay? The results WILL come, honest !