Recipes? Thought I'd share and ask......

OK, A lot of recipes on the Main Board tonight And mostly all Pies and "Mock-Sweets!" Killin' me! I'm not one to have many cravings But it's a parade of Chocolate, Ice Cream, Cookie- Madness out there! So, I thought I'd pass on some here as well But not from "Come to Dark Side" Mock-Sweets List. I'm assuming there are a lot of us Who keep the Skinless-Boneless Chicken Breast Suppliers In Business. Yes? And, most folks either have trouble with leftover re-heated chicken Or at least don't enjoy "Dry-Chicken-Meat." Well, Back during my first months Post WLS I had plenty of time living in my recliner to watch (what else) The Food Network! I never missed Sarah's Secrets with that sweet Sarah Molton. I in fact, was one of the call-ins on the show Back in November of 2003. It was the "Chicken Breast Poaching" Episode. Exciting, right? How sad is that..... Anyway, I've used this trick to cook chicken ever since And it makes the White meat Super Juicy even on a reheat the next day. Put the chicken (whole Breasts, don't cut up) In a saucepan and cover with COLD Water. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the poaching water. (Or 1/4th cup of white wine.) Put it on medium heat. The moment that the chicken gets to the BEGINNINGS of a boil (Not a boil, just the beginning bubbles) Take off of the heat and let stand until water is nearly room temp. It JUST cooks to the center and it works No matter How thick or large the breasts are. Never eat Dry White meat again! If you put it in the fridge, keep the Breasts whole And chop or prep them the next day as needed. Whatever recipe that you would make Just add the chicken last. I swear by this! It's my Powercrunch bar! Thought I'd pass it along in the crowd of Pie recipes For some balance. Question- Are SF, "Mock-Sweets" a satisfying end to a craving? Or a "gateway food" that reinforces the notion that - Food = Comfort/Treat Rather than Food = Fuel? Thoughts? Best Wishes- Dx

Thanks, Dx, I'm printing this out so I remember exactly how to do it. Your timing is good; I'm having a back-to-basics week coming up. Just had 14 relatives here for the weekend for a belated Christmas gathering, and there was the usual banquet of food! Although I do not eat the cookies, bars, etc., I have to confess to over-eating during my preparation time and then while they were all here--not terrible food choices, but definitely too much of it, too close together in time, bouts of grazing, not enough protein & too many carbs, not enough water & Crystal Light, didn't get to the gym or out to walk, you know the drill. I feel sluggish & bloated. For me, yes, the s/f or low-count "treats" are generally a bad idea. For most of my first year post-op, I was disciplined about not even trying most of them (with the exception of the sf Popsicles & various protein bars). I didn't want to start toying w/ substitute sweets that might set me up & keep me in those bad habits. I still TRY not to make or buy stuff like this (like recipes for cookies, desserts, other snacks) cause I know I'll love them and won't be able to let them alone--I've learned this the hard way. I made one of the peanut butter cookie recipes and had a terrible time limiting myself, and unfortunately, I don't dump. Thanks again! Jo 295/155 (at goal)

Jo, I fortunately and unfortunately Dump on just about any sugar. And I think that has given me a bit of an aversion to sweets. I do make some Big-Ole SF deserts from time to time, But mostly for my poor "Sweets-deprived" family. Since Dad isn't bring home ice cream and cookies and such All of the time, the "cupboard is bare" or must seem so most of the time For everyone else in the house. They do pick up pastry now and then on the way home And my wife makes awesome blueberry bread That is completely coated in a caramelized sugar crust. But that is usually one of those things She makes to take to the office or church. She has issues with sugar and always has. Her blood sugar seems to "bottom out" shortly after the "spike" And it makes her sleepy and groggy. She's always been great about limiting it to special occasions. Now, it's far easier for her to have less in the house. Even though I've consciously worked To establish food as just fuel and not a treat I still want the most flavor per oz I can get. This usually leads me to sauté and fry more than I probably should But I've gotten good about using canola and olive oils at least. No more starting dishes with a pound of bacon and then Frying the onions in the fat. Health "Conscious," not Obsessed. That's why it's probably good that I stumbled on the "poaching" Early on when I still had the "Health Zeal" going for me, And that it turned out that I like the chicken this way. Otherwise I'd be the next Colonel Sanders when it came to chicken! I do find that when I do have a SF Blueberry cheesecake or muffins or such, That I want more than I've planned to have. But fortunately the "sweets aversion" Keeps me from wanting anything Too Sweet tasting. I don't know what I really think about the "roll of sweet tasting foods" In an overall diet. (and that's 'Diet' as in 'food intake' rather than 'plan of restriction') Fruit seems to be plenty sweet enough, and for me, dried fruit stuff Tastes Too sweet. I'm hoping this aversion lasts for me. I think back on when I kept the Keebler Elves working round the clock And put Ben & Jerry's heirs on easy street for generations to come. Very different choices now. Very different habits. I tried more SF "treats" in my first year Post-Op 10 times as much as I have since. Maybe it took several dumping episodes to re-set my tastes. Glad to have my chicken. And more glad that I find it satisfying. Best Wishes- Dx

Sugar-deprived family! Oh lord can I relate!!! I have 3 1/2 gallons of ice cream in the freezer in the garage...and nearly daily I hear, can we have ice cream. I think on it a second, decide "I" don't want any and tell them not tonight. Finally, my daughter looked at me and told me that SHE had not had WLS. I so badly wanted to reply back, "And I hope you never do...leave the ice cream." But I was good and didn't! I don't want to push her the OTHER way either. ugh.

And with a house full of teen-aged friends of my son's They are always on the prowl for AnyThing sweet and semi-edible! I do supply chips and salsa and tons of sandwich and cereal stuff For the "locusts," but that's about it. Fortunately they can strip my home bare of any "poor food choices" In less than an hour, no matter how much stuff I bring for them. Best Wishes- Dx

Interestingly (only to me) I dump on the mock stuff and not the real thing. Not sure what that is about. So the mock stuff does not enter into my overall ever-growing list of variety. I do eat a serving of some kind of dessert like goodie on a daily basis, if that is my desire. I have learned that if I deny myself and use words like can't and diet, the infant in me rises up and eats everything in sight that has the slightest bit of sugar. I am not from the food as reward camp. I am for the food as fuel thinking...I would add that my fuel also needs to have long lasting quality and therefore satisfaction. Karen

Karen, I also shoot for "long lasting" foods. This may be why my fats intake is A higher than I see folks out here eating. Or it could just be that I like Fats! I do plan for them rather than Eat without awareness as in the past. I just see a lot of stuff about Super awsome SF deserts And a lot of stuff about Carb Cravings. I'm wondering if there is some inter-play That I'm not seeing.... Best Wishes- Dx

this is perfect for what I call planned overs, where I make a batch of something that can be used for several different meals, ie. the chick breasts could be sandwiches, enchiladas, soup, chicken salad , etc. I hate dry chicken (& so does my pouch, it will make me very sick) so this is perfect. I wonder the same on the mock sweets. I found if I ndulge in SF stuff too much I tend to try to fool myself into thinking it doesn't "count" but of course it does. i have found that many sf treats esp those w/ sugar alcohols have just as many if not more calories than the real thing. I dump only sporadically, and If I eat protein first it is less likely that I will dump ( should I even know this? if I were perfect I would not) even tho I should not, I do occasionally indulge myself, I was on a sf icecream with strawberries/& 0 cal chocolate syrup from walden farms kick almost everyday for a couple weeks. Stress mangement at its worst. I don't know if it is good or bad, (probably bad) but when I get a big sugar crave on I have a detour or one way bar, which has 6 grams of sugar/15 grams of protein as opposed to a snickers which is around 25-30 grams of sugar and maybe 1 gram of protein. It is a better choice than the candy and lower cal, but still is it a good choice?

willow, didn't you just have PS? Back so soon? Or "bumped date?" I also have problems with any "dry" meats And this has been great for me. One of those early tricks that I found That has stuck with me. I tried and played with a lot of SF stuff earlier on But don't so much any more. I think my Dumping Syndrome is working for me. I do get cravings for textures in my foods- Super crispy is the big one, but not a "must have" sort of thing The way nicotine was. Best Wishes- Dx

I had ps out pt sat, Im on a lot of drugs so excuse my typos! surgery 730 am home by 1 pm ( it is an hour drive) so I can only sit at the puter a few minutses at a time. i feel like I have been beeaten.