CRUNCHY SNACKS

ONCE YOU ARE POST OP SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS, THE ONE THING YOU CRAVE IS SOMETHING CRUNCHY. THAT'S NOT TOO GOOD CUZ CRUNCHY USUALLY MEANS CARBS!!!!!!!! OF COURSE, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE CELERY WITH PEANUT BUTTER OR BABY CARROTS WITH LOW/NO FAT DIPS ... BUT, IF YOU'RE TALKIN' CRACKERS ... MS CHERYL OFFERS REDUCED FAT CLUB CRACKERS BY KEEBLER AT OUR THURSDAY EVENING LCBBuddies MEETINGS, WHICH HAS 33% LESS FAT THAN ORIGINAL CLUB CRACKERS & HERE ARE THE NUTRITIONAL STATS ... 5 CRACKERS (I CAN USUALLY EAT 2 OR 3 WITH MS CHERYL'S CHICKEN SALAD ON THEM) 70 CALORIES 2.5 GRAMS FAT 12 GRAMS TOTAL CARBS WITH ONLY 2 GRAMS OF SUGAR CARBS ONLY 1 PROTEIN MS BRITTY JUST INTRODUCED ME TO QUAKER RICE SNACKS & QUAKER SOY CRISPS ... THE SOY CRIPS NUTRITION ARE MUCH BETTER BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PROTEIN FROM THE SOY. BOTH OF THESE SNACKS ARE VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT THEY DON'T FILL UP YOUR POUCH SO IF YOU EAT THEM ALONE, YOU COULD EAT THE WHOLE BAG IN NO TIME FLAT ... SOOOOOOOOOOOO ... BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THESE ... A LOT OF CARBS IN ALL TYPES OF CRACKERS & CARBS WILL SLOW YOUR WEIGHT LOSS DOWN. SOY CRISPS = WHITE CHEDDAR & BBQ FLAVOR 18 CRISPS (AGAIN, I CAN EAT 3 CRISPS WITH MS CHERYL'S CHICKEN SALAD ON THEM, BUT I COULD EAT THE WHOLE BAG WITHOUT ANYTHING ON THEM, SO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL) 120 CALORIES 4.5 GRAMS OF FAT 14 GRAMS TOTAL CARBS WITH ONLY 3 GRAMS OF SUGAR CARBS 7 GRAMS OF PROTEIN WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR CRACKERS OR CHIPS RICE SNACKS = CARAMEL CORN, APPLE CINNAMON, CHOCOLATE, RANCH, SOUR CREAN & ONION, BBQ & NACHO CHEESE FLAVORS 7-12 SNACKS 70 CALORIES 2.5 GRAMS OF FAT 11 GRAMS TOTAL CARBS WITH 4 GRAMS OF SUGAR WHICH IS THE MOST ONE SHOULD HAVE PER SERVING ONLY 1 GRAM OF PROTEIN AGAIN ... NEWBIES & SHORT-TIMERS ... DON'T EVEN TRY THESE; THEY ARE A TRAP FOR SURE. IF YOU ARE STRONG-WILLED, LONG TIMERS MAY BE ABLE TO EAT THEM IF YOU CAN STAY TO JUST A COUPLE BUT THEY ARE VERY SALTY SO INCREASE YOUR FLUIDS. I CANNOT CAUTION YOU ENOUGH ON FOODS LIKE THIS ... USE THEM SPARINGLY AS A TREAT & USE THEM WITH WITH A PROTEIN SOURCE ON THEM SO YOU CAN ONLY EAT A COUPLE!!!!!!!!!!!! IF YOU FIND THAT YOU CAN'T STOP EATING THEM, DON'T BUY THEM!!! BETTER NOT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAN RUIN YOUR SUCCESS!

Another idea, someone on the main board suggested was to make pepperoni chips. Get the turkey pepperoni and bake it in the oven until crisp. I am not exactly sure of the exact temperature and for how long but I thought I would try them some day. Julie

If you get the info, let us know, Ms Julie, cuz "crunchies" are a real issue the further out you get. That's one of the reasons I love the Power Crunch Protein Bars ... they have that crispy crunch to them.

I posted a request to have the recipe for the pepperoni crisps and protein balls, I had that one but can not find it... As soon as I know I will post it on our message board. Hugs Julie

Super! &, thanks Ms Julie!

I love to bake shredded parmasian cheese, and then break it up and have with a little bit of ranch dressing as dip. Its mostly protein, and satisfies that "chip" urge. Mary

Sound really good, Ms Mary ... What temp & how long do you bake the cheese chips? I bet you could do that with cheddar & other hard cheeses as well, don't ya think?

I bake at 350 and start keeping a really good eye on it after about 10 minutes. You want to bake them long enough to be crispy, but its easy to burn. I have found that the cheddars and jack cheeses are really greasy after I bake them. I haven't tried the more expensive cheeses, they might work.

Didn't think of that, but you're right ... Some cheeses do get greasy!

Good tips, Lady D! The soy crisps are very addicting- I have often eaten a whole bag in one sitting without noticing until I reached in and found it empty. The bbq ones are great. I used the garlic ones (Gen Soy, I think) with hummus spread on them. It will be some time before I am eating those again, but yeah, crunchy things are appealing to me during this puree phase. I am glad to have this board and all of you for these tips, because changing one's entire diet is challenging. Thanks again!!! Christine