mischiefdm's Journal

Well, I had my fill of phyllo dough!

Dec 07 2009 18:37

Working with phyllo dough is a PTA! I had it from hell to breakfast while trying to make crust for Thanksgiving but got the hang of it by third pie crust. It is definitely a 2-people job as it takes one person keeping the stack covered while the other is working with one sheet and I only had 2 hands! It was good but never again.

Just got through modifying Paula Dean's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake to be healthy and only 102 cal by substituting canola oil, egg beaters, FF cream cheese and sucralose. Also, I didn't use a cake mix but made my own concoction from whole wheat flour. It didn't turn out gooey but enticingly good and this will be my holiday pumpkin treat from now on.

Crustless pumpkin pie

Nov 16 2009 19:26

Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Submitted by cpapalia

Makes 16 servings

Crustless pumpkin pie

Ingredients

28 oz pumpkin 3/16 cup sugar (use 1.5 cups Splenda) 1 cup egg beaters 1 tsp vanilla (alter to your liking) 1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice OR 1 tbsp cinnamon, .5 tbsp nutmeg, and .5 tbsp ginger (alter to your liking) 1 tsp salt 11 oz nonfat evaporated milk

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl (NOTE: do not use sugar, use 1.5 cups Splenda - this sugar equivalent is just in place for the correct calorie count, as the Splenda database entry is inaccurate)
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Placemark to use recipe while traveling.

Athens Phyllo

==========

Here's a modification of South Beach recipe:

133 g (6 (9" by 14")) sheets whole-wheat phyllo dough,

thawed[146695]
1/3 cup Splenda zero calorie[101167] I used 3/4 cup per HG recipe
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
15-ounce (1 can) pumpkin puree[11424]
9 tbs (3 large) egg whites[114538]substitute
.25 c (1 large) egg yolk & white sub[100773]
382.8 g (12-ounce 1 can) FF evaporated milk[1097]
2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup[95194](15)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract[2052](4)

Instructions
Position rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 350°F.

Stack phyllo sheets on plastic wrap or waxed paper; cover

with a barely damp towel to prevent sheets from drying out.

Lightly coat 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Lay 1 phyllo

sheet in the pie plate. Coat sheet with cooking spray,

making sure to spray edges. Repeat with remaining sheets,

rotating each slightly in the pan to form a circle. Fold

and crimp edges.

Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper on top of crust.

Weigh crust down with pie weights or dried beans and bake

until edges are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. While

crust is baking, combine sugar substitute, cinnamon,

ginger, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed,

beat pumpkin puree, egg whites, and egg yolk until well

blended. Slowly add milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, beating

until blended. Add spice mixture and blend well.

Remove pie weights from crust. Pour filling into crust and

bake until tester inserted in the center comes out clean,

45 to 50 minutes. Remove pie from oven and cool at room

temperature to set. Just before serving, top each slice of

pie with 1 to 2 tablespoons whipped topping and chocolate

shavings (if desired).

This is a South Beach recipe that I modified by adding 1/2

cup more sweetener and substituting eggs and using FF milk. Makes 8 servings at 126 cal each with A rating.

Note that I couldn't find "phyllo dough" but found Fillo Dough at Whole Foods Market; however, Wahlmart is supposed to have the latter now that I know what to look for.

Evaluation

Oct 21 2009 14:28

Had a real good workout yesterday at the gym with an hour on the floor doing stretches and weights then another hour in the swimming pool. Pool time is split between water aerobic and swimming. Three years ago, I could barely do one lap and now am doing 8. I could do more and have done 9-10 but 2 hrs exercising is enough in once stretch.

My weight is back down to 130.4 where I was 2 years ago and last July so I've met my original goal and should be satisfied. Got tired of wearing baggy pants and bought some new ones that fit. Now my mind has to adjust to that tight fit again and not think 'fat' because of the snugness. The new clothes aren't too tight, just not loose like the old ones. Strange what the mind does with the feeling of clothes for me.

I'm starting to talk myself into feeling comfortable with myself; maybe that is the first step to maintaining or accepting success(?)

Frittata

Oct 11 2009 13:36

I just found out that my crustless quiche is actually a Frittata! So be it, I have one every Sunday and this one was with asparagus. Small, thin asparagus was on sale; I stocked up and froze a bunch to have on hand just for Sundays!

Might say that my other day breakfasts have changed to a concoction of steel cut oats, pearl barley, wheat germ or bran for the base then mixed with cottage or ricotta cheese or yogurt, some peanut butter, sweetener and sometime blueberries.

For someone who never used to eat breakfast, I really look forward to it now. Oh and I got a breadmaker that makes tasty bread even if it doesn't turn out right!

Got it at goodwill store for return of something else and couldn't make up my mind if I wanted to keep it but the loaf comes out like the size of a regular slice should be so it's a winner over my beer bread. Problem is that I can't eat that much bread to test out all the enticing recipes but have given loaves away.

Measurement time again 10/06

Oct 08 2009 12:17

Got my measurements taken on Tuesday and am up 3.1 lbs and 1% in BodyFat percentage as to be expected from my binging on pizza and traveling. Pancakes and gooey desserts didn't help on my trip.

My lean mass is better at 130# than it was at 127# so I will have to rethink my goal of losing any more to get the flab off my thighs. I may have to live with what I look like at a healthy 130.

I'm still shooting for 30/30/40 ratio for fat/prot/carb although my analysis may not reflect it due to pizza, etc. The report below is just for the past 31 days as CC can go more than those amount of days and it was 53 days since last measurements but I could calculate exact calories in increments for 1650 avg and above my 1400 target. That's about what I should eat at maintenance, so why did I gain? Probably wrong combination/type of food. Am I never going to eat processed foods again in my life? No, but I don't need to binge on pizza!

Fat - 29.5% (1,757 grams)
Protein - 27% (3,620 grams)
Carbohydrates - 43% (5,764 grams)
Alcohol - 0% (47 grams)
Other - 0%

Daily Calorie Intake - 1,606 cals
Daily Sodium Intake - 2,147 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 58 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 204 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 17 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 31 grams
Nutrition Grade

It might be a couple of months before the next measurements as I will be traveling the end of this month and plan to be gone until after Thanksgiving with a short trip back just to get injection in my hip. May get a real feel of what the rest of my life may be like.

Africam

Sep 24 2009 20:47

I've become fascinated with Africam.com webcam and chat! Watching it since 8am to 9pm, I saw the sun set and rise, as it is now getting daybreak and all the birds are waking up the world. Something was splashing in the water all night, probably fish eating but I see ducks now. So far I've seen antelope, water buffalo, elephant and lions. Really a treat.

Oh, and on the next site there are pink flamingos!

I'm trying to find out what the exchange is to R2665.00 for an overnight stay to see if I can take a trip.

RealAge website

Aug 30 2009 12:24

I was looking for something else and ran into the RealAge Home Workout Center that gives examples for 20-Minute Workout that is quite interesting.

I took their quiz and they rated me 7 years younger! The results of the quiz were quite enlightening as they indicated that I was over-exercising and that may be why I now have a bad hip acting up. Who knows, but it's in line with my docs thinking.

edited PS

It has a section where one can calculate how much time of a given exercise it will take to burn off the effect of eating a certain food and this is an example:

"If you have 1 cup of dried apricots, you will need to read sitting down for 5 hours and 19 minutes to burn those calories.

A fitness plan can help make your RealAge younger. Create a 20-minute workout."

Notice that my exercise to read sitting down! WooHoo!

Nutella!

Aug 26 2009 11:45

I was looking for almond butter and ran into Nutella so decided to buy some to see what all the fuss was about with the stuff. I have a sweet tooth but have to say that it is too sickening sweet for me to eat alone! Mixed it with sc oats, ricotta cheese and wheat germ for breakfast this morning which took the place of any sweetener but think I prefer peanut butter and brown sugar or splenda. Might consider putting it into some baked products. Whatever, that's my taste. Now to find some almond butter.

Got the Xray results directly and it looks to me like I don't need a hip replacement but have to wait and hear that from the doctor and see what can be done.

Can't believe this lab that I go to as they have lost my blood sample twice for a CBC and have had to have blood drawn 3 times! Third time is a charm.

When I got results from doc for 4 different tests, I noticed on the report (reading at home) that the CBC had been canceled due to no sample. I called the lab to ask how that could be considering they took the sample along with 4 others. They said something happened and the doc has to order the test again.

I said the doc didn't cancel the test; you folks did! I'm not paying for an appointment to get a test that you canceled! Finally, after talking to a supervisor, a priority recall was ordered.. then they lost that sample too! I want to know what my CBC is to see if I'm taking enough iron and I'm going to get those results yet!

//end of rant

Happy Wednesday!

Medical again!

Aug 19 2009 14:00

Saw my pain management doc as follow up from steroid injections to back and neck, both which improved 90% and 50% respectively but I'm still having pain in left leg between knee and hip, mostly in groin. Two months ago, she said the bulging disc could transfer effect from rt. to left leg, which agrees with what my primary doc thinks, but yesterday she did a test that indicated the problem is with my hip! An xray can determine whether it can be treated with a shot or a hip replacement.

In the meantime, I can't do PT leg exercises for my back; can't do my squats, can't walk like I used to; probably shouldn't be marching in one place for 10" either. Walking in the swimming pool is recommended but the pool is 40 miles away and I can't go everyday! Makes me wonder if I'm supposed to be riding in a cart in the supermarket, heaven forbid!

Other than that, I'm in great shape and planning on flying to Montana to see my nephew over Labor Day and look at an apartment with a swimming pool. May move sooner than I had anticipated or planned.

We shall see what my weight does without usual exercise and just healthy eating. Although I had 2 pieces of cake and a cookie yesterday at a meeting, I was down a # this am; effect may not show up until weigh in day on Friday!

Either that or I needed more calories and carbs which have been down to 32% last couple a days.

Here's to Adjusted Life and Mindful Eating in a nutshell! If I had some wine, I'd drink to it.

Monthy Body Fat %

Aug 16 2009 10:52

Got my measurements taken on Friday and am down 2.2 lbs and almost 1% in BF percentage but I'm losing 20% more muscle than fat which I don't understand. Reading up, I find that one does lose both so may be expected on the lower end of the scale. I've cut down on some cardio but going to the gym and not swimming in like going to church and not praying!

Don't understand the caliper method of determining BF as they measure fat in arms, back and stomach but all my fat is in my thighs! BF online calculators are 1% lower than the caliper method, FWIW.

The 30/30/40 ratio for fat/prot/carb seems to be working for me although fat was up for the total month and calories were a 75-100 more too.

Fat - 32.1% (1,693 grams)
Protein - 28.8% (3,419 grams)
Carbohydrates - 39.1% (4,639 grams)
Alcohol - 0%
Other - 0%

Daily Calorie Intake - 1,435 cals
Daily Sodium Intake - 1,747 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 51 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 165 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 12 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 31 grams
Nutrition Grade

Although the percentages seem to be off the gram ratio shows 1/2.01/2.74 which still appears to be ok as I don't want too much protein and reduce carbs with goods fat intake is a good plan approaching Mediterranean diet. [Now I've got the Med and Zone diets in one; wonder what's next that will be coincidental.]

I wasn't going to go below 128 but since I'm still carrying 5#s on my thighs, I'll see what 125 does for final goal.