Fellow foodies?

vinerie

Looking for some fellow foodie-types for friends. I know a lot of people eat protein shakes and other types of 100-calorie snacks, or popcorn for dinner and it works. I am a "foodie" ( I actually hate that term, but I don't know what other term to use), which means for me that I cook a lot, appreciate complex flavors and whole foods and satisfying meals. (This makes logging an arduous task, as I'm constantly inputting recipes and my meals include several parts). Last night I made this wonderful pork/shrimp wonton soup, with my own stock from a roasted chicken I made earlier. Here is the recipe, for anyone who wants to try:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016046-pork-and-shrimp-won-tons

Anyhow, I've hovered around 198-200 for months, and I really want to get past this plateau. (I'm 6-1 inches tall, 37 years old, Female. Shooting for 175-180 pounds as a goal weight). But I also know that I can't (don't want to) do it by eating frozen meals or pre-packaged food, eating a granola bar for dinner, or skipping meals, etc. I am trying to find some like-minded friends, so feel free to add me, so we can peek at each other's diaries and hopefully share some recipes, too!

kamber13

I'm a huge "foodie"... LOL. I'm obsessed with Korean,Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Mexican flavors. Most of my recipes have 4-5 different spices at a minimum. I'm also in love with garlic!!!

To lose weight, I've focused on stripping down the high calorie fillers in my recipes like rice, breads, and or pasta and replaced them with vegetables like cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, and onions. This has lowered my meals to around 200 calories without sacrificing the flavor.

With all that said... I completely understand the annoyance of logging in my daily meals. I post a lot of simple recipes in the group Recipe Swap.

It looks like we fall under the similar weight class. I'm 5'6", 181 lbs, and aim for 152 lbs.

astralpictures

I think almost everyone here is a "foodie," or else we wouldn't be here to lose weight ;-)

sandryc79

I am a big foodie (literally, but I am getting smaller all the time! ) I love cooking healthy recipes now. I am trying to use my culinary powers for good!

That said, most of my calories came yesterday from eating 2 creme brule. (Isn't that terrible?!) My boyfriend's mother loves my creme brule and requested it and somehow I ended up eating 1 for breakfast as a "test" to make sure they set and the flavor was good, and a second for dinner with my guests.

Tonight I am back on track. Slow cooking some pork with thyme and sage from my garden, shredding that with a mushroom sauce and eating it with some roasted potatoes and crisp kale. Yum!

lemurcat12

I love cooking and getting inspired by different recipes and have found that a strength in weight loss, actually, as I enjoy thinking about how to modify recipes and when I start thinking about food it's pretty easy to channel that to thinking about cooking and maybe how to create a flavor combination that is intriguing me. I've always loved reading cook books (I hate cooking from recipes, though), so now I find myself also thinking about what different things I might do to keep the same basic taste or add in more veggies, etc. It's also been a good excuse to really read some of my veggie-focused books, like Greene on Greens.

I find the recipe builder annoying and more often than not log by just jotting down ingredients I use when cooking (while chopping I dump things on the scale). I also largely ignore ingredients like garlic and spices and herbs, as my recipes/logs aren't for use as recipes, but just to get a calorie count. That makes it easier for me.

That said, I have tended to become a pretty simple cook during much of this process, but in thinking about it I always have been when cooking routinely during the week simply due to lack of time. I play around on the weekends.

I'm actually taking a logging break right now, so my diary won't be all that interesting to you for a bit, but I am planning to use this time to get back to experimenting more in the kitchen (or at least will if I can ever get home before 9 pm).

sandryc79

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I find the recipe builder annoying and more often than not log by just jotting down ingredients I use when cooking (while chopping I dump things on the scale). I also largely ignore ingredients like garlic and spices and herbs, as my recipes/logs aren't for use as recipes, but just to get a calorie count. That makes it easier for me.

x2 on the annoying recipe builder. It isn't that user friendly at all. The only thing I miss about weight watchers online is I found their recipe builder much more useful and user-friendly.

janejellyroll

sandryc79 wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I find the recipe builder annoying and more often than not log by just jotting down ingredients I use when cooking (while chopping I dump things on the scale). I also largely ignore ingredients like garlic and spices and herbs, as my recipes/logs aren't for use as recipes, but just to get a calorie count. That makes it easier for me.

x2 on the annoying recipe builder. It isn't that user friendly at all. The only thing I miss about weight watchers online is I found their recipe builder much more useful and user-friendly.

I cook all the time and I hate the recipe builder -- it's so un-user friendly. I would actually upgrade to premium if they figured out a way to make it work better (like remembering my commonly used ingredients).

osz1810

I love food too , I cook all my meals.

amcook4

I'v found that being a "foodie" actually makes it easier. My husband & I love to cook and we cook a lot. I've found that a lot of ethnic foods can be pretty healthy if properly done. We are meat eaters but have found a love for vegetarian SE Asian dishes, those are usually super healthy, like a chickpea curry (made with lite coconut milk) or curried lentils. Our homemade ramen (with homemade bone broth that simmered for 16 hours) last night was delicious, and pretty healthy. We also subscribe to a CSA and having a random variety of vegetables show up has forced up to find unique and tasty ways to eat vegetables.

Even though the recipe builder has its flaws, it is wonderful to be able to know exactly what I'm eating and it much more accurate than always guessing.

JoRumbles

I am a foodie. For recipe books I like all of the Hairy Dieters books (UK based books). When I use those I just be sure to weigh everything out and then I trust the calorie count in the book.

For other things I wouldn't count herbs, spices garlic which cuts down on the logging time. What I find annoying is other recipes that I know I can easily reduce the calories by making a few tweaks but its such an effort to add the 30 item list! I sometimes just avoid these- I guess I could enter negative calories- take off some of the spoons of oil or chicken skin for example?

sandryc79

amcook4 wrote: »

I'v found that being a "foodie" actually makes it easier. My husband & I love to cook and we cook a lot. I've found that a lot of ethnic foods can be pretty healthy if properly done. We are meat eaters but have found a love for vegetarian SE Asian dishes, those are usually super healthy, like a chickpea curry (made with lite coconut milk) or curried lentils. Our homemade ramen (with homemade bone broth that simmered for 16 hours) last night was delicious, and pretty healthy. We also subscribe to a CSA and having a random variety of vegetables show up has forced up to find unique and tasty ways to eat vegetables.

Even though the recipe builder has its flaws, it is wonderful to be able to know exactly what I'm eating and it much more accurate than always guessing.

I love making chickpea and lentil curries and they are so easy to make flavorful and low calorie. The Ramen sounds lovely, I have been using my own bone broth to make egg drop soup a lot lately. (Sounds stupid but I live for a simple delicious bowl of egg drop soup and finding the perfect balance of flavor is challenging)

I wish my boyfriend were as into Asian and Indian flavors as me. He will eat and enjoy them occasionally but complains is I do it as frequently as I want to.

North44

My husband and I are foodies too. He loves to cook and I love to eat his food! Last night he made chicken thighs with a sorrel sauce and some pasta with radicchio and peas (frozen not fresh unfortunately but still good) I have absolutely no idea how to enter some of that stuff in. He signed up with a local farm to get a delivery of vegetables and fruit every Monday and so is having to figure out what to do with things like sorrel and beets and all sorts of stuff. He got the recipe from a newsletter the put out. So delicious! We love to try new things both at home and out.

We are supposed to get Yukon gold potatoes and dill today I'm so excited lol

I don't worry too much as I still manage to lose weight.

jumblejups

Just on the recipe builder thing, I find it annoying too, I add everything as a meal and then I save it with the weight (eg 'Pork Belly and Apple 457g'), I weigh the whole lot after cooking as I usually make extra so need to put it in a container anyway. Then I just weigh my portion and take the relevant amount - so 110g of the pork belly would be 0.24 of the whole meal. It means deleting the meal then adding from my list, and it sounds convoluted, but it's actually quite easy! If I make a similar recipe another time I can add the portion of the meal and the change ingredients as needed.

Foodies over here too...

vinerie

sandryc79 wrote: »

Tonight I am back on track. Slow cooking some pork with thyme and sage from my garden, shredding that with a mushroom sauce and eating it with some roasted potatoes and crisp kale. Yum!

I have a garden too! I love working in it. I've got kale and lettuce in there right now. Peas are looking good, and beans are growing, too. Can't wait for tomato season!

I think people are right, to some degree, that being a foodie makes this easier. Clean, wholesome foods can never be a bad thing. The challenge, as always, is portion control. Also, I go out to eat and out for drinks a lot and it is so hard to lose weight doing that, so I'm trying to cut back.

vinerie

People in this thread may be interested in a story from today's New York Times: Eating healthy at restaurants (including a section titled 'Lemon and umami are your friends').

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/27/upshot/How-to-Eat-Healthy-Meals-at-Restaurants.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1

segacs

I've become a bigger 'foodie' since starting at MFP.

I always loved food, but now I figure I'm on a more restricted calorie "budget" so I am much more judicious about not wasting those precious calories on sub-standard food. I save them as much as possible for high quality food. In fact, I fear I'm in danger of becoming (or perhaps, have already become) a veritable food snob.

Lazz5k

LOVE food. love good food, healthy food, food presentation. Obviously I love to splurge every once in a while but I love trying new things

AdamImadA

amcook4 wrote: »

I'v found that being a "foodie" actually makes it easier. My husband & I love to cook and we cook a lot. I've found that a lot of ethnic foods can be pretty healthy if properly done. We are meat eaters but have found a love for vegetarian SE Asian dishes, those are usually super healthy, like a chickpea curry (made with lite coconut milk) or curried lentils. Our homemade ramen (with homemade bone broth that simmered for 16 hours) last night was delicious, and pretty healthy. We also subscribe to a CSA and having a random variety of vegetables show up has forced up to find unique and tasty ways to eat vegetables.

Even though the recipe builder has its flaws, it is wonderful to be able to know exactly what I'm eating and it much more accurate than always guessing.

AdamImadA

Homemade ramen sounds awesome!!!

Francl27

astralpictures wrote: »

I think almost everyone here is a "foodie," or else we wouldn't be here to lose weight ;-)

Pretty much...

The recipe looks amazing, but way too many ingredients for my cooking skills (and patience, really).

amcook4

adamklug73 wrote: »

Homemade ramen sounds awesome!!!

Oh goodness it was! Fresh homemade broth, lots of veggies, noodles and an egg. Nom.

harpsdesire

I've cut back on eating complex, interesting recipes because I'm daunted by trying to input/track/log them, and the additional prep time of weighing each of the 14 ingredients and messing with mfp on my phone trying to get all the input right >_< I'm becoming a lazy cook.

North44

amcook4 wrote: »

adamklug73 wrote: »

Homemade ramen sounds awesome!!!

Oh goodness it was! Fresh homemade broth, lots of veggies, noodles and an egg. Nom.

My husband has made homemade ramen- it is so good!

vinerie

amcook4 wrote: »

adamklug73 wrote: »

Homemade ramen sounds awesome!!!

Oh goodness it was! Fresh homemade broth, lots of veggies, noodles and an egg. Nom.

Nothing eats a homemade broth, right? And it's totally diet friendly-- e.g. Much lower on sodium than store-bought.

Recipe?

McCloud33

I've found that finding 2,3,4...recipes that you really like and then just rotating them helps keep down on the problem with logging. I only "diet" in no more than 5 month intervals where I'm really strict about my calorie intake. The other seven months I try to maintain/bulk to gain some muscle. I couldn't do it if it was 24/7/365

funfang

sandryc79 wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I find the recipe builder annoying and more often than not log by just jotting down ingredients I use when cooking (while chopping I dump things on the scale). I also largely ignore ingredients like garlic and spices and herbs, as my recipes/logs aren't for use as recipes, but just to get a calorie count. That makes it easier for me.

x2 on the annoying recipe builder. It isn't that user friendly at all. The only thing I miss about weight watchers online is I found their recipe builder much more useful and user-friendly.

I am so glad I am not the only one! I was just wondering if there's any simple calorie calculator that just add up calories for me without going through all the fuss. I love to cook and often try to play around with different ingredients ( I am not a good recipe follower)

I am definitely a foodie, I love all kind food!

amcook4

vinerie wrote: »

amcook4 wrote: »

adamklug73 wrote: »

Homemade ramen sounds awesome!!!

Oh goodness it was! Fresh homemade broth, lots of veggies, noodles and an egg. Nom.

Nothing eats a homemade broth, right? And it's totally diet friendly-- e.g. Much lower on sodium than store-bought.

Recipe?

This is what we used for the broth, http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-bone-broth-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-215311

For everything else we just added in what was on sale at the grocery store/what looked really good. We let it cool so we could skim the fat, then reheated it back up and added in chopped bok choy and dry ramen noodles a few minutes before serving, after serving we added in green onions, pea sprouts and hard boiled egg. (And mushrooms for my husband)