Days 300 - 306

My week of low carb living in three sentences.

1. My weight is remaining stable - right around the 180 lbs mark.

2. I've been adding organic cinnamon to my coconut peanut butter protein pudding and shakes. Why? It may help manage long term blood sugar levels. Link - The Latest on Cinnamon and Blood Sugar

3. I'm weening myself of of diet soda - even Hansen's (more natural than most diet soda). Here's why and what I'm drinking instead: Link - All Natural, Sugar Free Soda Alternatives

Select highlights from our low carb menus:

Monday - LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Pudding - a few ounces of organic shredded coconut, 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin, 1/2 tsp of organic cinnamon and Also Salt

Tuesday - 2 organic Roma tomatoes topped with organic sour cream, raw Manchego (sheep's milk) cheese and several slices of natural, peppered salami

Wednesday - In-n-Out 3x3 cheeseburger (w/no bun) and grilled onions and sliced organic avocado

Thursday - shrimp and organic avocado slices

Friday - Cajun (spicy) catfish and homemade mashed cauliflower

Saturday - beef brisket (from Whole Foods Market) and mashed cauliflower

Sunday - 3 sunny side up organic, omega-3 sunny side up eggs on a bed of mashed cauliflower and several slices of natural bacon

Favorite Snack of the Week - Eden Organic Pumpkin Seeds (Regular and Spicy Varieties)

I like having some pumpkin seeds and a True Blueberry or Tangerine Zinger "Soda" as a late night snack. Lots of antioxidants, healthy fat, fiber, nutrients and protein.

300 and Beyond

I'm thinking of blogging in a new way. My plan is to write one blog a week that will highlight one meal from each day. In addition to that, I'll also write about a lesson that I've learned along the way.

I think that kind of a schedule is better suited for my current lifestyle. I need to find ways to make my hours work better for me and those I care about. This change will help with that.

Throughout the week, I'll regularly visit your blogs and try to stay connected in that way as well.

297, 298 and 299

Menu highlights from the past few days:

+ Thursday Night - salmon fillets in a butter/lemon/white wine sauce over some homemade mashed cauliflower

+ Friday Night - Leftovers. Cowboy burger and an organic avocado.

+ Saturday (Casino) Night - Our local casino/card room makes a pretty mean grilled salmon. I always order it with a side of steamed broccoli and nothing else. To drink - a bottle of water. My fellow card players frequently comment on my food selection. I guess it's something that isn't often ordered in that setting. :)

Mad makes some interesting choices at the casino as well. For dinner she ordered a tuna fish sandwich with avocado slices. She eats everything but the bread! The food at Hollywood Park Casino is surprisingly decent ... if you choose carefully.

+ Sunday Brunch - organic, omega-3 cheesy eggs, natural center cut bacon and organic avocado

+ Sunday Dinner - 4 Pasilla peppers stuffed with organic feta and provolone cheese

More to come ... I hope!

296

A sonic blast from the past. Pavement is reuniting in 2010. How rad ist that?

Update: I think I'm going to disappear for a few days. I'm getting that feeling again.

9:30 am

+ an LC Coconut Coffee Protein Shake - 2 Tbs of organic coconut "butter" and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

12:45 pm

+ LC Coconut Sun Butter Protein Pudding - a few ounces of shredded organic coconut, 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of sunflower seed butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

2:45 pm

+ a cup of instant organic coffee (black)

5:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea

More to come ... I hope.

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10:30 am

+ a cup of organic, instant coffee (black)

12:00 pm

+ 2 small, organic Roma tomatoes topped with organic sour cream and raw Gruyere cheese

+ 2 lamb and basil sausages from Whole Foods Market

3:30 pm

+ an LC Mocha Coconut Protein Shake - a few Tbs of organic coconut butter and organic cocoa powder, cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

5:45 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea

7:45 pm

+ 2 small, organic Roma tomatoes topped with organic sour cream and raw Gruyere cheese

+ many slices of natural sopressata

11:00 pm

+ Purple Tongue Maker - frozen organic blueberries and raspberries, cold water and shredded coconut

More to come ... I hope!

294

I'm posting late. I didn't get around to visit any blogs today. Tomorrow will hopefully work out better in that regard.

10:00 am

+ a cup of organic instant coffee (black)

12:30 pm

+ LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Pudding - 1 Tbs of organic coconut "butter", 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

3:30 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

6:30 pm

+ leftover lemon-herbed chicken with oven roasted radishes

10:30 pm

+ several slices of natural sopressata topped with Italian spinach dip

More to come ... I hope!

293

10:00 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

12:15 pm

+ LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Pudding - 1-2 Tbs of organic coconut "butter", 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

5:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

7:30 pm

+ 2 "cowboy" burgers

+ 1 large, organic avocado

10:30 pm

+ spicy, organic pumpkin seeds

+ a can of Diet Hansen's Ginger Ale

More to come ... I hope!

292

11:30 am

+ an LC ChocoCoffee

12:30 pm

+ organic, omega-3 scrambled "cheesy" eggs (w/organic sharp cheddar)

+ several slices of organic bacon

+ a large, organic avocado

3:30 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

6:30 pm

+ a cup of organic instant coffee (black)

7:30 pm

+ LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Pudding - 1 Tbs of organic coconut "butter", 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

10:30 pm

+ an LC Iced Peanut Butter Cup - cold water and 3 ice cubes, 3 Tbs. of organic cocoa powder, 2 Tbs. of organic peanut butter, 3 packets of stevia and inulin and a dash of Also Salt


More to come ... I hope!

291

I've been adding coconut butter to my shakes the past few days. Coconut butter is basically a combination of coconut oil and coconut flesh - whipped together. It provides about 18 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and sugar per 2 Tbs. serving. The variety I found at Whole Foods Market is raw and organic. Tasty too.

The reason I opted for this version of coconut is because a) it contains a higher percentage of fat than the shredded coconut and b) because it retains some fiber and mixes more easily than the coconut oil.

Always the experimenter.

11:00 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

1:30 pm

+ an LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Shake - 1 Tbs of organic coconut "butter", 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

5:00 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

+ psyllium husk capsules (part of a periodic cleanse/short fast)

8:00 pm

+ pork al pastor ala Whole Foods Market

+ an organic avocado

More to come ... I hope!

290

We went to see a play last night. It was an odd (and occasionally funny) duck called, "Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas".

10:30 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

12:00 pm

+ an LC Coconut Peanut Butter Protein Shake - 1 Tbs of organic coconut "butter", 3 ice cubes + cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 2 packets of stevia + inulin and Also Salt

3:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

5:00 pm

+ an LC Mocha Coconut Protein Shake - 1 Tbs of organic coconut "butter" and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 Tbs of organic cocoa, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

7:30 pm (dinner on the go)

+ shrimp cocktail - no sauce

+ an assortment of artisan cheeses

11:00 pm

+ spicy, organic pumpkin seeds

+ natural, peppered salami

+ Italian spinach dip

More to come ... I hope!

289

Roasted Chicken and Radishes

I tried out a new recipe today. Oven roasted radishes. They're awesome! If ever you crave a potato alternative ... give that a shot. The recipe is super simple to make. I'll post pictures later.

1. Quarter a bunch of radishes.

2. Toss with olive oil.

3. Place on a baking sheet and season as you wish - freshly ground pepper, rosemary, sea salt, etc.

4. Cook for 25-30 in a 350 degree oven. You may want to turn or toss the pieces at about the 20 minute mark (optional).

5. Enjoy!

Update: I think the next time I make these, I'll probably cook them 5 minutes longer (so that they'll be even softer - a texture even closer to potatoes). Careful with the salt too. My "LC potatoes" were a little over-salted. I sea-salted by eye. Apparently I need glasses. :-)

9:15 am

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

1:15 pm

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a Tbs of organic coconut "butter" and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

5:15 pm

+ 4 Italian stuffed Roma tomatoes halves

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ 3 pieces of lemon-herbed chicken and oven roasted radishes

11:00 pm

+ LC chocolate peanut butter "milk" - 3 ice cubes, cold water, 3 Tbs of organic cocoa powder, 2 Tbs of organic peanut butter, 3 packets of stevia + inulin and a dash of Also Salt

More to come ... I hope!

288

10:15 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

12:00 pm

+ an LC Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic coconut milk and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, 2-3 tbs of organic peanut butter, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

2:00 pm

+ a cup of organic instant coffee (black)

4:30 pm

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

6:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

7:30 pm

+ leftover grilled Alaskan salmon fillets and homemade Parmigiano-Reggiano cauliflower mash

+ a few thin slices of natural prosciutto

10:30 pm

+ several slices of natural sopressata topped with Italian spinach dip

+ a handful of raw organic almonds

More to come ... I hope!

287

10:00 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

1:00 pm

+ an LC Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic coconut milk and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, 2-3 tbs of organic peanut butter, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

4:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

6:00 pm

+ a cup of organic instant coffee (black)

7:00 pm

+ grilled Alaskan salmon fillets and homemade Parmigiano-Reggiano cauliflower mash

10:30 pm

+ naturally peppered salami topped with organic sour cream and garlic broccoli

+ a handful of spicy organic pumpkin seeds

+ a Diet Hansen's Cranberry Grapefruit Diet Soda

More to come ... I hope!

286

Italian Stuffed Tomatoes and Center Cut Bacon ala Wifey

10:00 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

12:00 pm

+ an LC Purple Tongue Maker - a few ounces of frozen wild organic blueberries, frozen organic raspberries, a few ounces of organic shredded coconut, cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

1:45 pm

+ a cup of organic instant coffee (black)

3:30 pm

+ 1/2 cup or so of homemade tuna salad with fresh herbs

+ a handful of organic black, olive oil cured olives

+ a few ounces of raw Gruyere cheese

5:30 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ Italian Stuffed (Organic) Roma Tomatoes and Organic Center Cut Bacon

11:00 pm

+ thinly sliced sopressata topped with Italian spinach spread

+ an ounce or so of raw cheese (not sure what variety)

+ a can of Hansen's Diet Ginger Ale Soda

More to come ... I hope!

285

Spicy Shrimp and Stuffed Peppers ala Wifey

11:00 am

+ organic, omega-3 cheesy eggs with several slices of organic bacon and 3/4 of an organic avocado

2:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

4:30 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ spicy, wild caught shrimp

+ stuffed Pasilla peppers (with soft goat and Monterey Jack cheese)

11:00 pm

+ a handful of Marcona almonds

+ a Hansen's Diet Black Cherry Soda

284

1:00 pm

+ a few of Mad's new and improved LC chocolate walnut cookies

+ a cup of organic coffee with a splash of heavy organic cream

3:30 pm

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

6:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

8:00 pm

+ stuffed Pasilla peppers (with soft goat and Monterey Jack cheeses)

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

283

I dedicate today's menu to my online pal, Vadim! If I can do this many shakes ... you can too!

9:45

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

12:15 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

2:15 pm

+ an LC Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic coconut milk and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, 2-3 tbs of organic peanut butter, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

4:00 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

6:00 pm

+ an LC Purple Tongue Maker - a few ounces of frozen wild organic blueberries, frozen organic raspberries, a few ounces of organic shredded coconut, cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

12:00 am (casino meal)

+ a grilled salmon fillet and steamed broccoli

More to come ... I hope!

282

9:30 am

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

2:00 pm

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

5:00 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

7:30 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

9:00 pm

+ leftover extravaganza - LC chili, LC chicken salad, 1/2 of an organic avocado, sliced raw cheeses and prosciutto


More to come ... I hope!

281

I've been using shredded coconut instead of coconut milk (in my protein shakes) the past few days. This sort of happened by accident. I ran out of coconut milk and Mad bought some shredded coconut for possible use in a cookie recipe. Let's call this a happy accident. :-)

Adding the shredded coconut makes for a more filling and nutritious shake - more fiber and nutrients.

11:00 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

1:45 pm

+ an LC Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic shredded coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein powder, 2-3 tbs of organic peanut butter, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

5:00 pm

+ an LC Coffee Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic (shredded) coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a tsp of organic instant coffee and a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

8:00 pm

+ 3 pieces of dark meat oven roasted chicken

+ broccoli with roasted garlic

10:30 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)


More to come ... I hope!

So Far So Good!

Hello All!

I've been scooting right along on the LC program. Yesterday marked week four and so far I've lost 7 pounds! I'm happy with the slow and steady progress. After the week that I gained one and a half pounds, I decided to count my carbs very carefully. I tend to consume lots of "hidden carbs", such as half and half in a few cups of coffee daily and diet juices (I hate the taste of water. There. I've said it.) Anyway, the scale started moving in the right direction again once I started keeping careful track of my consumption. I hope to keep up the good fight! In the meantime, summer is almost over and I've hit the ground running. Not sure if you guys know what I do for a living, but I run Meg Ryan's film and television production company. We're small, but pretty busy these days and gearing up for a busy fall season. I hope you are all doing well. I don't get to check in with you all every day, but Harry keeps me posted!
Warm regards,
Madeleine

Photopalooza!!!

Marcona Almonds and Spicy Olives

LC Chili and Organic Guacamole

Pasilla Peppers Stuffed with LC Chili and Monterey Jack Cheese

The top two pics were from Sunday night's get together. The third is from tonight's dinner. Delicious!

280

Three pieces of good news.

1) Mad's progressing well in her LC program. She may want to share the details herself so I'll say no further. I'm just feeling happy about that and very proud of her!

2) My weight is back to the 180 mark. Last weeks gain was apparently due to the higher (LC cookie-induced) carb intake. Problem fixed.

3) I was able to sleep fairly well last night. I woke up once but luckily fell back asleep. It's a good thing too. My brain was starting to get kind of wonky by yesterday's end. Wonkier than usual, that is.

10:15 am

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

12:15 pm

+ an LC Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Shake - a few ounces of organic shredded coconut and cold water, a scoop of natural vanilla egg white protein powder, 2-3 tbs of organic peanut butter, organic sprouted flax meal, 3 ice cubes, a dash of organic stevia and Also Salt

3:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)

5:30 pm

+ a mug of LC ChocoCoffee (2-3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee, 2 packets of stevia and inulin, a dash of Also Salt and hot water)

7:30 pm

+ 3 LC chili and Monterey Jack stuffed pasilla peppers

11:00 pm

+ a handful of Marcona almonds

+ a Hansen's Diet Blueberry Pomegranate Soda


More to come ... I hope!