Chocolate & Other Semi-Sweets

Thanks to Jeannie for the idea, I managed to find a version of the dark chocolate she was yakking about I was never much of a 'sweet-tooth' person but since I've started paying attention to what goes into me, I've noticed a lacking in the sugary department, especially after a regular meal (dessert is a food group, I'm pretty sure ;-)

Up here in Canada, you can get something made by Lindt at Superstore that looks & pretty much tastes like a chocolate bar. It is by no means sweet; more like the semi-sweet stuff my Mom used to use for baking but not as thick in bar form. Still, 3 squares a day is satisfying and seems to be within healthy range.

Read the labels -- Lindt offers 5 or 6 varieties (in Andy Griffith voice) The 'Brandy/Cherry one looked goooooood!) but the healthiest one I found was labeled '85% Cacao'.

Also, being a morning juice fiend, I had a hard time giving up my daily 8-12 ounces of apple/orange beverage until I found Crystal Lite. The brand probably doesn't matter -- its just a sugar-free powder you add to water (think Kool-Aid without adding the cup 'o sugar like in the old days). Its sweet/sour enough to fool me and goes good with my good ole 1/2 bowl of Cheerios. Cheerios=CARBS=BAD but my after-meal reading is good as long as I have my slice of cheddar with (or better still, BEFORE) the cereal ( a tip from Jeannie or Lanie ... I forget which one since both are so helpful

Also, also; did you know that 1% cottage cheese has slightly more carbs and sugar in it than 2%? I didn't until today. I had been buying the 1% for 2 or 3 months, assuming it was lower in fat & therefore better but today I read the labels & found that the 2% was better for me.

Why is it that when you finally have the need to read, your eyes don't work as good as they used to? ;-)

Anyway, go back to page 1 & read all the questions/answers around here. Back in July '08, I did. I'm down 33 pounds, still no meds & my doc now laughs when I visit him. He NEVER laughed before. Maybe I just look funny??? ;-)

Also, also, also; MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Chris

My Hubby is Swiss - I know all about Lindt chocolate I've always been a fan of the dark chocolate (I find milk chocolate leaves a mucus pool in the back of my throat - Yuk!). Although a self-proclaimed sugar junkie here (well, at one time anyway), I've always appreciated savouring the "good stuff" (I.e. premium chocolate, ice cream, etc). Much more satisfying and a little goes a long way. We have one square/day of Lindt after dinner.

What we often call "chocolate bars" are actually candy bars - and say as much on the packaging (never knew until I looked). In Canada, it can't be labelled "chocolate" unless it is 65+% cacao. I don't like my chocolate over 85% and prefer the 70%-80% best. If you're a fan of Lindt, then you HAAAAAAAAVE to try the Chilli and the Fleur de Sel (for something truly unique). We tried them last year when my SIL brought them from Switzerland. They just started selling them here (Ottawa) now. I think I have 5 each in the drawer

Just thought I'd share an idea with you...dessert on a stick! Think about it - if everything was bite-sized, wouldn't you be able to have your cake and eat it, too?

I've been all about thinking outside the box these days, especially when it comes to packaging & portion control. Just because it's packaged a certain way, doesn't mean I have to eat it that way. Someone else decided to put 2 cookies in a package, or that a pie should be made in a 9" pie plate. I'm having fun rethinking some of those "standards".

I recently made rice crispy squares for my Nephew. I made them in a pan twice as big and cut them into tiny squares. 3 squares made me feel like I was eating more but in actuality, the portion was less then 1/2 the size of a "normal" portion. I made an amazing dessert last night with 3 X one melon ball scoop of premium ice cream (3 different flavours), 5 raspberries, 3 blackberries, 1-inch round of banana quartered, sprinkling of peanuts, 1/2 wafer cookie (those cigarello-looking things), and square of chilli Lindt chocolate. Wow! 21 grams of carbs, sure but, once in a blue moon - simply divine. I'd rather have that than two cookies for the same amount of carbs.

Congrats on all your successes so far, too, Chris! I get a sense that you're feeling much better these days and are sincerely liking some of the changes you've made. Good on you and keep that attitude going - it's contagious, you know

A Very Merry Christmas to All!
Kris