what foods to start with?

Wegmans has both in the "natural foods" section.  I've also found them at places like Trader Joes and Whole Foods, as well as at non-chain "health food" stores. 

You can also make them pretty easily if you have a good blender or magic bullet and a little ingenuity ;-).  Safflower oil seems to taste the best (to me) and you just put a little in the blender with dry roasted nuts of whatever type you want to make into butter.  You can add a little salt if you want, too - just don't overdo on either the oil or the salt.  You'll need to stir several times during the process.

homemade nut butters (and the type I've described from the store) DO separate - that's a good thing.  You can just stir them back up with a good stiff knife and they will be a very nice consistency.

Karen

I agree whole heartedly on NOT adding the low fat mac and cheese and crackers.  Keep the carb demons at bay if they were a problem for you before hand.

Sounds like you are on a similar program to mine with soft foods...it sounds like you can have ground meat if you are talking chilli and what not. You can do some burgers (no bun)  Make them yourself using very lean ground beef (preferably 93% or better)  To keep them moist, add some finely minced onion before cooking or other veggie with a lot of water in them.

I ate a lot of chilli...and actually make it IN the crock pot (for the most part)  Finely chop some onion and or other veggies, sautee in a nonstick pan.  Add ground meat and coo****il brown.  Put in the crock pot with canned tomatoes (I use a combo of pureed and crushed...hubby doesn't like to "see" the tomatoes....but you could use whole or chopped tomatoes) and season to your liking (I generally use salt, pepper, red pepper (aka cayenne), chilli powder, cumin)  I also generally like to add a little bit of splenda.  If you dont' want to use all the spices AND the veggies the other option is to buy a good quality organic salsa, to your heat liking, puree it up (or leave it chunky.....) and sub that for some of the canned tomatoes.  Let it simmer away!

I like to put a pork loin in the crock pot with just a little bit of stock (I use a combo of beef and chicken) and then NSA bar b que sauce and cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.  Take it out, shred it, and put it back in the crock pot to combine with the sauce.

I know Liz has made short ribs in the crock pot...I think she used beef stock, a chopped onion, short ribs, and a packet of onion soup mix?  I can't quite remember, but she said it tasted GREAT

Good luck!

Thanks pam! Where do you find NSA or sugar free bbq sauce? I got the kraft light bbq sauce that has 3 gm sugar for 2 tbsps- not sure if that one would be ok?

Liz, there are many recipes for SF bbq sauce. I made my own. I wouldn't trust the "light" designation to be WLS friendly. Those condiments can be tricky about hiding sugars.
 
Here is "my" recipe - it is best after a few days, and freezes well. (Karen, did you post this one here originally? I use it ALL the time!)

 Sugar Free BBQ Sauce

1 tbsp canola or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup ho****er
3 (6oz.) cans tomato paste, divided
1 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tbsp liquid smoke, hickory flavoured
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Tabasco (+ 1 tsp. for spicier sauce)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until translucent (approx 2-3 minutes).

Mix the bouillon and water until partially dissolved. Add bouillon mixture and all remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Stir well using a wire whisk.

Simmer, uncovered, 25-30 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Stir frequently. Refrigerate overnight in a non-metallic container. Sauce is best if prepared a day before using. Keeps well, refrigerated, for 1 week.

NOTE: Best if refrigerated overnight before using!

• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Makes: Makes 4 Cups (32 oz) (or 42 3/4 oz. servings)

Lynn,

I've posted some others, but that one doesn't "look" like one of mine, i don't think... 

Liz makes an awesomely good ginger BBQ sauce that she posted here, too - it freezes really well and makes a very, very good pulled pork.   Here it is... I've used this a ton of times.

Ginger Pineapple BBQ Sauce

 

• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil

• 1  (12 ounces) jumbo onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoon(s) peeled and chopped fresh ginger

• 3 tablespoon(s) chili powder

• 3 clove(s) garlic, crushed with press

• 1 can(s) (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice

• 1 can(s) (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

• 1/3 cup(s) ketchup

• 1/4 cup(s) cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoon(s) diabetisweet brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon(s) molasses

• 2 teaspoon(s) dry mustard

• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

Directions

1. In 5- to 6-quart saucepot, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. (Do not use a smaller pan; sauce bubbles up and splatters during cooking — the deeper the pan, the better.) Add onion and ginger and cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender and golden. Add chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add garlic and crushed pineapple with its juice, and cook 1 minute longer.

2. Remove saucepot from heat. Stir in tomatoes with their puree and remaining ingredients.

3. Spoon 1/4 of sauce into blender. At low speed, blend sauce until smooth. Pour sauce into bowl; repeat with remaining sauce. Return sauce to saucepot; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, 25 minutes or until reduced to about 4 3/4 cups, stirring occasionally.

4. Cover and refrigerate sauce if not using right away. Sauce will keep up to 1 week in refrigerator or up to 2 months in freezer.

Use to coat grilled shrimp, chicken or pork!