Food inspiration, or what's for supper?
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Yesterday I finally satisfied a craving I have been having and made nacho bowls. Chips, queso, taco meat (with peppers and onions), taco sauce, black olives, jalapenos, and sour cream. It is something my family did a lot when I still lived in IN because it was easy to make for the whole group. I was talking to my cousin about meal ideas for an extended family vacation we are planning for Sept and these came up as an option. Which made me want them even more then I already did.
I have also decided to up my calories and take some time to log for how I feel then for weight loss. Been having an increase in tummy issues and my fatigue has been really bad. I know what I eat impacts both so I kinda want to focus on that for a bit. No sense trying to lose weight if I still feel like crud. So I am going to use MFP as a food log more then a calorie counter, though I will not do maintenance calories but a tiny bit under.2 -
Sounds delicious, Athijade, and a good option for a large group meal! Our family always held "Tortillas with stuff in them" as a special meal. Lots of options for filling and lots of hot tortillas usually made everyone happy and could fit into any special diet.
You know your body best...I think the idea of continuing to log makes very good sense - just up your calories to find the level that keeps your weight stable. That is something I'm going to try very hard to do from here on in for the rest of my life. LOG LOG LOG1 -
Logging is a multi-tool! Can be used to stop us from eating things. Can be used to discover things we would rather eat if other things we enjoy or believe we enjoy are incompatible with our goals (in conjunction and with the assistance of food scientist and explorer hamsters!
) Can be used to pinpoint issues. Can be used to help us make good or bad decisions.
Yes, logging can be "challenging" if we are eating a wide variety of items that we didn't cook. This can be a bad and terrible thing, or an opportunity to explore food we have more "input". It's not necessarily a terrible thing. I STILL would rather "off-load" the counter of whether I've consumed enough calories today and I should be re-evaluating my desire to buy a six pack of donuts in view of the fact that I don't need to acquire extra calories than sit there and contemplate: am I full enough now? Do I really want the donuts or am I being a greedy little *kitten* or having a "moment" that has nothing to do with my needs for an appropriate number of Calories to function**
**and of course this second one is the much more likely scenario when it comes to myself.
@Athijade if you manage to view logging as something you do for yourself, as a data gathering exercise, as a fun experiment, as information that you can use to figure things out... maybe it will be even more fun!
Over the years I've discovered a thing or two. One is that not weighing regularly usually means that I am going up in weight. Only once did I go down in weight while weighing less often!
And the second is: Can I survive and even control my weight without logging? The answer will surprise you because it is actually yes. I believe that over the past few years I've developed/re-developed sufficient awareness of my personal hunger / actual need for food cues as expressed in my own brain that I DO know whether I am eating for need or other reasons. BUT, the mind share of having to be aware of these cues and heading them without the external validation of seeing what the ledger says? Too much mindspace and work! I would rather just simplify my life and log!
I do believe that you should be lose weight while eating in a similar fashion to how you intend to maintain weight. Will it pan out that way longer term? Of course not: change seems to happen whether we want it or not. And for sure frequency of eating out and handling larger restaurant portions especially as we age or if we become less active remains a challenge for people who are used to cleaning their plate!
But the intent and establishment of a baseline of habits and tools and options during weight loss is I think important especially for the ones among us whose weight trajectory was pretty much in one direction through most of their adult lives.
Hmmm... not sure what prompted this... but a bit to long to just delete... so there it is!
Glad to hear that @Athijade is planning to continue logging I guess is what I'm saying?
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@Yoolypr so that's an interesting take on the lasagna. I admit to going both ways myself. The lower calorie route; but, also the more filling route.
So I really don't know from where I am sitting which option I would prefer. I admit with lasagna that I've sometimes chosen the higher calorie meat option because I believe it to be more satiating even if a few more calories, (but still the low calorie version of the meat option, not the extra fatty one)
Sort of like a complicated reasoning that if I spent 20% extra calories but get 25% extra satiation then it's a good trade off!
Never mind: I'll go hide now!1 -
The lasagna recipe I have is from hubby’s Sicilian grandma. She never used meat in lasagna- only cheeses. I don’t know if that was to save money or maybe a Lenten/Friday meatless meal? She used ricotta, mozzarella and Romano cheese. I added the spinach and de-fatted cheeses. Always a winner at our house!
I did have to measure the portion because no matter what it’s still pasta and cheese.
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Oh sure, just bring out the Sicilian Grandma!🙀 Next thing I know there will be olives in the lasagna!!!😇😘1
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Funny - although Grandma used olive oil (Italian of course) she wasn’t a fan of olives. Probably because the only kind easily available then were the brined kind in a jar with pimento middles.
Grandma also taught me how to make pasta using a hand cranked pasta machine and handmade potato gnocchi. Also ravioli made with the homemade pasta - unbelievably soft and delicious. And homemade sauce with meatballs.
Luckily hubby is a great cook and usually I leave these recipes to him. Lots of work but soooo worth it. Unfortunately I have to control carbs and control portions.
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That hug is because you have to control carbs and portions
Wouldn't it be nice if that wasn't necessary! 1 -
BUT.... if you hand make the noodles starting from flour and water... and you only make them in 85g portions using the HAND CRANK too... Well then. By the time you finished making them and got started on the SECOND portion... how many calories would you say you will burn in the making
EXACTLY.
PS. The green things with the pimento inside are SOMETHING... but that something is NOT an olive!!!
Sicilian olives are definitely something I would consider spending some calories on!1 -
I love your thinking, PAV
Sicilian olives and Maldovian feta (I picked up some yesterday) ... can make anything wonderful 1 -
Hand cranking pasta will never equal the calories going in. Sad but true. So unless I’m working eight hours in a pasta factory 🏭- small portions only.
Did I mention lasagna with homemade noodles? OMG! Divinely tender and thin. 👅 Yesterdays lasagna was with store bought noodles however. No need to tempt myself beyond all reason. 😈
Kalamata olives!1 -
Are you saying that Kalamata olives are to Sicilian olives as commercial dry pasta is to home made fresh pasta?
Harsh!😘0 -
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Huh: my only experience with unbrined olives is that they were extremely hard / not really edible. Had to be slit and brined to be happy olives. Let's forget the giant green things in a jar. Not much taste there, is there? Sometimes middle eastern little green things in a jar are better than nothing? Not great. But better than nothing?0
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Can’t always find these or similar brands. But they are made with sea salt and water. Incredibly buttery!
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Canned olives! Never thought of them. Conceptually I don't see why I never consider cans given that the process would be similar to a jar, right? I guess I know why. The only time I tried canned olives it was the terrible tasteless black sliced ones!
Anyway. I think we have a diction issue? You said, I thought, olives NOT in brine. And then you're talking about olives in salted water? <-- what's the difference between salted water and brine???!!??!?!?!0 -
Anyway. I think we have a diction issue? You said, I thought, olives NOT in brine. And then you're talking about olives in salted water? <-- what's the difference between salted water and brine???!!??!?!?!
These olives are very lightly salted but not what I’d consider brine. Kind of like the difference between sauerkraut and lightly salted sautéed cabbage. None of that overwhelming puckery strong salt taste.2 -
I love olives. From the cheapest to the most expensive. Also pickles. I want to try those buttery olives!
Tonight I am making the falafel bowls. Not even sure I will add a grain really. May just do greens, some chopped cucumber, roast some zucchini, top with olives, and drizzle on some tzatziki.1 -
@PAV8888 thank you for the kind and thoughtful words.
I think I am just tired right now. My depression has been bad and I have been feeling lonely. Being stuck inside by myself for so much of the winter is starting to wear on me. Plus, whenever there is a time change (stupid daylight savings), it really throws me off and takes WAY too long for me to get back to baseline.
But you're right. Logging is a multi tool. I can use it for multiple things. Right now I need it to help me figure out what is causing me to not feel well. I need it to so I can see what changes I can make to feel better in general. Are there specific things that make me feel bad food wise? Like dairy. I had dairy milk one week for my cereal and it tore me up. But is it all dairy? What about soy? How much fiber can I handle? Sugar?
I do want to lose weight. I need to for my health.
Right now I have my calories set to maintenance for my goal weight. I will use this as my max. My main focus with be on the food I eat and how it makes me feel.3 -
Athijade-I think taking the time to learn how your body reacts to certain foods is a valuable learning experience. The more you know the better you can work on future weight loss. Keep logging and experimenting with various foods!3
