Mushroom Swiss Burgers

July 3, 2012 by

Mushroom Swiss Burger - A Pinch of Joy

Mushroom Swiss Burgers evolved when I picked up some burgers from a supermarket deli after work one night. We all liked it so well, that I just had to come up with a copy cat version.  The grocery store version may have it on speed – just heat the cooking surface and 10 minutes later you have burgers.  But the home made version is less expensive and only takes a couple of minutes to mix — plus the ability to plan ahead far enough to also buy mushrooms and swiss cheese when you find the meat on sale.  You get that picture, I’m sure – no need to say more!

I usually buy 90% lean or higher if I am going to use the ground beef in a dish, but 85% lean works well when the meat does a solo appearance. If you are going to grill or fry ground beef patties, a bit of fat is necessary to keep the burger together and to give it flavor.  Much of it will cook off so it is not eaten. The store version had small chunks of Swiss cheese right in the mix but the taste comes through with a slice or two on top of the cooked meat.  The buns in the photo are thin buns.  Several companies now make these available nationwide, including Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats, Arnold Sandwich Thins, Sara Lee Thin Buns.   I do buy certain brands of regular buns, too, because what we eat at any given time often depends on which store I shop for groceries that week – not endorsing any particular product.  If you are concerned about nutrition and health, it pays to read the labels on all bread products  as there can be quite a variation in carbs, calories and nutrition available.  It’s time well invested and you’ll only have to do it once, if you keep a list of what brands and types meet your criteria.

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Mushroom Swiss Burgers

Mushroom Swiss Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean
  • 1 egg white OR 2 tablespoons egg substitute
  • 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 4 ounces mushroom, chopped
  • ½ to 1 tsp salt, depending on your taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 4 -6 slices Swiss Cheese
  • 4 -6 buns

Instructions

  1. Mix first six ingredients together in large bowl.
  2. Form equal sized patties. Makes four large or six medium patties.
  3. Patties will be somewhat soft because of the egg so place on cooking surface carefully and turn by slipping spatula under entire burger and then lifting all at once.
  4. Grill to desired doneness – about 3-5 minutes per side, turning carefully. OR
  5. Alternatively, Cook in skillet over medium heat until done, about 3 minutes per side, plus an additional 3 minutes on first side while pan is covered to make sure interior of meat reaches even temperature.
  6. Add a slice of Swiss cheese and slip into a bun.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/07/mushroom-swiss-burgers/

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

June 13, 2012 by

Orange, red, yellow sweet pepper salad

I love the bright colors of this salad.  It just sings party!  You can slice the peppers and onion into rings before marinating for a fun party look.  Or slice the peppers lengthwise and dice the onion for a side salad.   Or you can slice the peppers lengthwise and then cut them into pieces about an inch long, as I did, and used diced onion.   With the smaller pieces, you can add the marinated peppers to a tossed salad, put a spoonful on top of a burger or use it to flavor another dish – besides eating it as a salad.  Besides its colorful versatility, this combination has several “good for you” benefits!

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in the “new world”, the sunshine colors give a hint to the nutrional punch packed by bell peppers,  One small red, yellow or orange pepper has three times the daily required amount of Vitamin C.  They contain Vitamin A which helps night vision and other compounds which help protect against macular degeneration and cataracts.  These two vitamins boost immunity and guard again heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.  They are a good source of Vitamin B6 and folic acid.  Lycopene is found in red peppers and helps protect against certain cancers.  Peppers are a good source of fiber, with its associated benefits.  That’s a lot packed into a pretty pepper!

The dressing has a lot of health benefits as well.  Continuing studies, in particular at Arizona State University and Lund University in Sweden and Tokyo University in Japan, verify the benefits of acetic acid found in vinegar.  Vinegar decreases blood glucose levels.  According to Dr. Carol Johnston of ASU,   “[Vinegar] in inexpensive and can be easily incorporated into the diet. Used in combination with diet and exercise, it can help many people with type 2 diabetes.”

Other studies have shown regular consumption of as little as 2 teaspoons of vinegar a day  will help with metabolic syndrome ( pre diabetes) and produce moderate weight loss.  Dr. Johnston recommends an easy way to consume vinegar is through dressings on salads and cooked vegetables with a mix of 50-75% of vinegar to oil.  Our dressing is 75% vinegar.  If you are using this recipe for that purpose, you can eliminate the sugar or choose a sugar substitute.

Who knew healthy food could look so festive and taste so good???

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 each red, yellow and orange bell peppers
  • 1 small onion
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon of sugar or equivalent sweetener
  • 1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley – optional

Instructions

  1. Wash, seed and slice the peppers.
  2. Prepare the onion – diced finely or sliced thinly into rings.
  3. Whisk together oil, vinegar and sugar.
  4. Place peppers and onion into bowl and pour the dressing over them.
  5. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
  6. 6 servings
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/06/sweet-pepper-fiesta-salad-2/

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Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with apple

May 9, 2012 by

Grilled ham and cheese sandwich with apple

Several women from the neighborhood occasionally get together  to try new places to eat,  maybe shop a little and, always, talk a lot.   One restaurant had this sandwich on the menu – but no idea which one,  when or where.  I know I was intrigued by the combination and ordered it and have been making it at home ever since!

Sourdough bread is a good bread for those who are diabetic. Studies have shown that  it does not raise blood glucose in the way that other breads will.  Scientists believe that the fermentation process used to make the bread rise produces lactic acid and reduces availability of simple carbohydrates, keeping blood sugars stable. The scale measuring the  rate at which a food makes blood sugar rise is called the glycemic index.  Anything that is rated 55 or less is considered to have a low glycemic index.  Sourdough rates 54.  The glycemic index is used alone for weight loss or blood sugar control or in combination with carb counting.  At our house, we rely mostly on carb counting and use basic knowledge of the glycemic index to make an informed choice that allows for foods that might not be eaten otherwise.  Choosing bread is one of those situations.   Pick an artisan sourdough as that is more likely to use sourdough starter and the fermentation process.

So —- good bread, a nice yellow cheese and a slice of thick ham (or several slices deli cut).  The quantity of the filling depends on the size of the bread.  For the one shown in the picture, one and a half slices of boneless ham and 2 slices cheese were needed to fill the large slices of bread.   Sliced in half, the finished sandwich makes a filling lunch for one.   I go for the sweeter, firm textured apples, like Gala and use just one for 3-4 servings. If you slice it too thickly, the apple will not stay in place.  Thinner slices allow it to cook slightly and to be held in place by the cheese.

Serve with a light soup, salad or let it be the solo star.  It’s a hearty sandwich that will keep you going!

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Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with apple

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with apple

Ingredients

  • 4 slices sourdough bread, sliced
  • 2-3 slices ham
  • 2-4 slices cheese such as cheddar, Colby, Colby Jack
  • 1 apple, unpeeled, sliced thin
  • Softened butter or margarine

Instructions

  1. Wash and thinly slice one apple. Set aside.
  2. Place large skillet on medium heat.
  3. Butter one slice of bread and place buttered side down in skillet. Repeat with another slice of bread.
  4. Place a slice of ham on each piece of bread. Use additional slice or part of slice to cover bread.
  5. Lay apple slices across each sandwich, on top of ham, covering it well.
  6. Top each sandwich with cheese slices so that each sandwich is fully covered.
  7. Butter the remaining two pieces of bread, placing one atop each sandwich with butter side up.
  8. Adjust heat, as needed to ensure even browning. When bottom bread is golden brown, carefully turn sandwich.
  9. Sandwich is done when the second side is golden brown and cheese is melted.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/05/grilled-ham-and-cheese-sandwich-with-apple/

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Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

April 19, 2012 by

Cauliflower Gratin as substitute for Macaroni and cheese

Cauliflower, Mark Twain once sniffed, was nothing but cabbage with a college education. Boiled and buttered, the way grandma used to do it, cauliflower was nothing to write home about.  Now it is on restaurant menus and is a sought after addition to meals.  Cauliflower began to appear on vegetable trays, in snack packs and anywhere a crunch was needed. Cooks everywhere took a closer look when low carb dining became important to a large part of the population.   Cauliflower is only 5 carbs per serving and it’s somewhat bland flavor and good texture makes it an acceptable substitute for potatoes, pasta and rice.   This recipe uses it as a substitute for Mac n Cheese.  (Mock N Cheese! My sister, Vee, told me it was not a good name if I had to explain it.  First she hinted ever so diplomatically with a laugh and a hmmmm — or maybe it was a snort like a hmmmm.  Was she right? )

Precook the cauliflower in the microwave, covered, just enough to make it crispy soft – you can  put a fork in it, but it retains some of its crispness.  While it is microwaving,  begin to make the roux in a large pan.  The onion and garlic aren’t enough to jump out, but they give a depth to the dish.  Same with the nutmeg – although you can smell it during baking, you can’t really taste it.  The cheese does play a part in the flavor, but you can adjust to what you have on hand and what your tastes are. The milk and cream can vary, as well.  If you have whole milk use 2 cups of it.  Two cups of half and half work or if you want a richer flavor use all cream. You can leave the cauliflower in sections, just as you placed them in the baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over it.   You will have a proper cauliflower au gratin then –especially  if you also sprinkle a couple tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs over the top before baking. To make it a substitute for macaroni and cheese,  run a sharp knife through the partially cooked cauliflower in the pan until the texture is somewhat reminiscent of large elbow macaroni.  Pour on the cheese sauce and bake for Faux Roni?  Mock N Cheese?  Good stuff!

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Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, about 3 pounds
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack)
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese (or Swiss)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Turn cauliflower upside down and cut all around the stem with sharp knife. Remove tough leafy stems. Do not cut the florets apart.
  2. Spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse cauliflower sections and place without draining into baking dish. Cover dish with upside plate or piece of waxed paper. Microwave 3 minutes on high.
  3. Turn oven to 400 degrees.
  4. In large pan, melt butter over medium heat.
  5. Add onion and garlic and saute’ until fragrant, 1-3 minutes
  6. Add flour and stir to form a roux. Cook, stirring contantly about 1 minute. Lower heat if necessary to avoid browning the roux.
  7. Add cream/milk slowly, whisking to keep the mixture smooth.
  8. Bring mixture to slow boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thick, smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  9. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and grated cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.
  10. Pour evenly over the cauliflower in the 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle grated parmesan evenly over the top.
  11. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/04/mock-n-cheese-aka-cauliflower-gratin/

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Meals that mend: eating to heal

March 13, 2012 by

Meals that mend, eating to heal

Had a burp in the bubble of serenity (such as it is!) here at Chez Charlene. Wheels had surgery yesterday (at home now and doing fine – thank you!) but has to be off his feet for several days followed by reduced activity for a couple of weeks.   Good health is controlled by diet and exercise, so it takes a little planning to keep that balance during a down time.  Even the healthiest of us can’t avoid strains, sprains, or some periods of forced inactivity for other reasons. It is possible to adjust your way of eating to maintain health during those times – and even to aid quick recovery!

Off to the grocery to do some thinking and planning on the move. Problem: Control the number of carbs and calories per meal to avoid weight gain and unstable blood sugar and still provide enough food and nutrients to heal, feel well and stave off hunger!    Solution:   Spread things out with five or six small meals instead of three larger ones.   Increase protein, as studies have shown protein to be  essential for healing.  Protein can also speed the healing process!  Up the amount of fiber and drink plenty of water to prevent that sluggish feeling from inactivity,as the nurse reminded me. Once I had those three guides in mind, the rest was much easier. Here’s what I put in my grocery cart*:

  • Several packages of microwavable fish fillets – each 2 carbs, 15 grams of protein.   Two fillets for lunch with a salad
  • Eggs – 4-6 grams of protein.   Scramble or poach for a meal, hardboil for sandwich, add to salad, by itself
  • Yogurt- low carb – 4-8 grams carb and 8 grams of protein.  Anytime stand alone or addition to meal
  • Sugar free jello    Free food anytime – minimal nutrition but adds to liquid intake.
  • Peanut butter – Good source protein 8 grams in 2 tablespoons, 7 grams carbs.    It was on sale for $2 – a steal since the drought in Georgia raised the price of peanuts!  Veggie accompaniment, spread for sliced apples, cracker spread
  • Cottage Cheese – 4 grams carb and 12 grams protein.  Meal accompaniment or snack, with salad
  • Cheddar Cheese – ¾ oz pieces – 0 carb and 5 g protein. With fruit, on sandwich, with meal, snack
  • Thin pork chops –counter top grill ready – 16 grams protein.  I already have a big ham, ground beef, roast beef and chicken in the freezer at home.   For sandwich, alone or on top of salad
  • Slim Buns, wholegrain – 4 grams protein, 20 carbs.    I’m a latecomer to this bandwagon, but each brand we’ve tried have proven to be tastier than low carb bread, and 10 – 15 carbs lower than using two slices of bread for a sandwich. Actually we don’t eat a lot of sandwiches, but convenience, ease in eating and whole grain won out this time.
  • Fresh vegetables – great source of fiber, and many vitamins and minerals essential to the healing process.   Includes Wheels’ favorite of the month — Brussels sprouts and asparagus  (I’m trying to keep my opinion on those two to myself — bleccchhhhhh –oops, failed!)  Carrots, cherry tomatoes, salad greens, celery, peppers – with meal and for unlimited snacks.
  • Fresh fruit – generally 15 carbs per standard serving, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Apples, clementines (small size portion control!), strawberries and cantaloupe.  With meals or alone as snack – serve with a protein such as peanut butter or cheese
  • Weight Watchers Strawberry Smoothie and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bar    One bar is 12 grams carb and 3 grams of protein. (Their “serving” is two bars)  While the carb count for a single bar is too high to ignore, it is reasonable for the feeling of indulgence!
  • A big bunch of miniature roses — for a pinch of joy every time we see them!

These foods aren’t unusual in our routine, but I will pay closer attention to making sure they are worked in regularly with the balance weighted toward keeping a higher protein level and a lower carb level than normal. Wheels should be well fed and on his feet soon! Hope this will save YOU some time if you are ever in this situation!

*Now . . . do you call it a grocery buggy or a cart? Or something else??

 

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Crockpot Chicken N Dressing

September 23, 2011 by

Crockpot Chicken and Dressing - A Pinch of Joy

Eating healthy is not difficult.  Small changes make the biggest difference.  Limiting carbs has gone a long way toward our goal of eating more healthy meals.  If I had cooked a  meal like this  before it would have included the meat with potatoes or rice plus dressing and a starchy vegetable like corn. Now we choose “just one”.  Just one kind of carb is all that is needed for satisfying appetitite, maintaining the daily carb goal and reducing calories without sacrificing nutrition.    Tonight this dish was served with Sesame Beans and a tossed salad like   Salad with Fruit and Nuts. That’s it.  Full and satisfied. . . and a great reason to get in and out of the kitchen more quickly!   I have a theory that preparing a meal should not take longer than eating a meal!

Monitoring servings and serving sizes is a second little change that has made a big difference.  The dressing I used is 22 carbs per serving.  A box makes 6 servings.  It will be all gone at the end of dinner.  With three people eating, that means we will each have consumed 2 servings of dressing.  It is important to know this.  If we ignore that fact and pretend we only each had 1 serving — well, you know what that will do to the carb counts for the day.   Not to mention the difficult conversation with yourself in the mirror (or worse, the doctor or weight loss coach)  that begins:  “I don’t know why my numbers haven’t changed “.  (Oh yeah, so guilty!)

Last winter I took a nutrition class, a refresher, offered by one of the grocery chains.  The newly minted dietician was excited to introduce a new way of limiting carbs and moderating servings.  It is the plate method, a guide from the United States Department of Agriculture.    If you look at the plate, it provides a quick and easy visual.   Half your plate should have  fruit and/or vegetables.   Slightly less than one quarter of the plate is for  protein and the other slightly larger quarter is for grains.  In the example above, the Sesame Beans and Fruit and Nut Salad would fill half the plate.  The chicken fills the quarter designated for protein and the dressing is the quarter designated for grains.  The grain foods and fruits are the ones that contribute most to your daily carb count.   The plate method is another great tool for keeping yourself healthy and provides a quick check for carb counting.

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Crockpot Chicken N Dressing

Crockpot Chicken N Dressing

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, frozen
  • Pepper to your family’s taste, none, little, lot
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 medium ribs of celery, sliced thinly
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed low sodium cream of chicken soup with herbs, undiluted
  • 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (6 ounce) package low sodium stuffing mix

Instructions

  1. Spray slow cooker pot with cooking spray.
  2. Lay chicken breasts in bottom, overlapping as needed and add pepper.
  3. Add sliced celery and onions on top of chicken.
  4. Pour chicken soup over chicken, celery and onions.
  5. Mix together chicken broth and package of stuffing, then spread over top of chicken.
  6. Cook on low for four hours. Dressing will still be moist.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2011/09/crockpot-chicken-n-dressing/

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Crockpot Calico Beans

September 15, 2011 by

Crockpot Calico Beans - A Pinch of Joy

Perfect for a summer barbecue or an autumn tailgate party, this dish is quick to make!  Gather your crockpot and all the ingredients.  Pour, stir and cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Perfection for a side dish with brats or burgers.  Or make it a main dish with a tossed salad.

This recipe is foolproof and flexible and known also as Trucker, Cowboy or Prairie Beans.   Chips* contributed it to the Quasquicentennial cookbook and I have tweaked it several ways, including using the crockpot.     Her family prefers the deeper flavor from baking and a little extra kick.  Chips adds  1 tablespoon mustard and 1 teaspoon chili powder, though she warns against using beans or BBQ sauce with chili flavor.   She also uses Splenda brown sugar and has used ham instead of bacon.  My sister Bee  uses Campbell’s pork n beans from the original recipe, but I like Bush’s baked beans because they are “thicker”.  Kidney beans, dark or light, it doesn’t matter, but do pick up the low sodium version on your grocery shelf.  (Less salt = good for you.)  And I sometimes add a can of black beans for their nutritional value.   If you are looking for the recipe so you can get going and get to the party on time, scroll on down and hit print.  But you already know that this is a great dish for crowds because it will fill your crockpot.  And you also know that it is perfect for potlucks and picnics.  Besides your family.

But, if you gasped when you saw the picture of the ingredients and thought “does she know how many carbs are in those beans?”, then read on.   Legumes, which is what these beans are called, are in a special class.  Yes, they are higher in carbs – but they also have a built in protein and plenty of fiber.  Legumes  tend to be absorbed more slowly into the blood stream.  The slower absorption keeps blood sugar levels more even and keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer than more quickly digested foods.  Eating healthy for the long term requires a balanced diet that takes into account all your nutritional needs.  The soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and keep you regular.  Protein is necessary for energy and strong muscles.  Good– and good for you.

* Full Disclosure:  Chips’  brother  married my sister Kay.  Millions of beans were consumed in the evolution of this recipe with no harm done.

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Crockpot Calico Beans

Yield: 25 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Crockpot Calico Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 cans Pork n Beans or baked beans 28 oz each
  • 1 can red kidney beans, drained (dark or light)
  • 1 can lima beans, drained (or Great Northern beans, drained)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
  • 8 slices bacon, crisped and cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup catsup
  • ¼ c Barbecue sauce
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp chili powder, optional
  • 1 tbsp. mustard, optional

Instructions

  1. Spray crockpot (It took me forever before I tumbled to this simple tip! )
  2. Brown and drain ground beef and bacon.
  3. While they are cooking, put all other ingredients into crockpot, turned on low.
  4. Add cooked meats and stir gently until blended.
  5. Cook on low for about 3 hours.
  6. OR can also bake at 350 in 9x13 pan, uncovered for 1 hour
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2011/09/crockpot-calico-beans/

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How to Steam Corn in Your Microwave

September 1, 2011 by

Steam Corn in your microwave

A while back I was picking out a few roasting ears from the giant grocery bin.  The woman next to me was furiously shucking her corn and loudly complaining because the store hadn’t provided a trash can for her husks.  I picked up the pile of silk and green discards she threw in front of me and said  “Corn stays fresher longer, if you wait to husk it until just before you use it”  She glared at me with baleful eyes and I braced for impact.

And then a sweet voice from her other side arose over the grocery din.  “I do even better than that,” a brightly dressed woman said.  The first woman glared at both of us then, threw her husked and bagged corn in her cart and huffed off briskly.  “Tell you what I do,” the other woman confided to me.  “I don’t even husk them before I cook them.”

Curiosity piqued, I asked how she managed that.   “Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook your meal,” she replied.  “Then pull off the top layer of husks and discard them.  They are the ones that have gotten dirty from the field and from being handled.  Then break or cut off the bottom stem that was fastened on to the corn stalk.  Make the cut right up next to the cob.  Cut the top off too.  Just the tip and maybe the first three or four kernels of corn.  Don’t even try to get the silk off.  Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Let it cool.  Stand the ear on its end – the one that was fastened to the stalk.  Take a clean paper towel and beginning at the other end, wipe all the husks and silk right off the ear!  Butter it and you have the very BEST corn ever.”

I tried it that night and haven’t looked back!  She was right!  At first, I cooked each ear by itself for three minutes.  Then one meal I impatiently threw two ears in the microwave for three minutes.  Perfect corn for two people in half the time!   A tip of the hat to the angry husker because otherwise I’d have just picked out my corn and would never have learned about Perfect Corn from the Perfect Stranger!  And  now you know the secret too.  Too bad Mad Husker missed out!

As you can see in the photo tutorial above, I added one more step to Perfect Stranger’s method.  The corn is steaming hot right out of the microwave  so I use the paper towel to open the husk and let the steam out.  After it cools enough to handle, I go ahead and “wipe” the husk and silk off with the paper towel.  Gather it all into a neat little package and discard.  The BEST and easiest corn ever!

To print or download carbohydrate count for corn, go to Downloads for a list of Carb Count of Common Vegetables.   Edited to add:  If you’d like another way to cook corn in the microwave, see Take 2.

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Carb counting 101

August 27, 2011 by

Carb counting is NOT a diet like the much publicized plans as Atkins and South Beach.   Carb counting is a lifestyle of checking and planning your food consumption to keep blood sugar levels stable or for weight loss or just healthy eating.   Carb count refers to the number of carbohydrates found in a serving of food.  Dietary carbohydrates, put simply, are the sugars and starches in food that influence blood sugar levels and/or weight.  The scientific/medical definition is more complex, but easily researched if you are interested. For the cook’s purpose – all you need to know is the carb count per serving and what the carb goal per day is.

Your doctor will help you determine your daily carb intake, depending on your activity.   You also need to use common sense. The first goal given Wheels, as a highly active person, would have increased his carb intake beyond what he had ever eaten on a daily basis.  Research, questions and providing more information produced a goal that was more in line with his needs.  In general, most people need around 45 carbs per meal depending on activity level.  I’m not going to tell what guideline is used in our house, because YOUR needs are more important here.

First step in implementing carb counting is to become familiar with the nutrition label found on the back of every food package.  This, unfortunately, is time consuming.  Spend time in the grocery aisle reading labels and you  quickly learn which items and brands are best suited for you.  (Hint: it is almost never anything labeled “fat free” or low fat.)  Keep a list.  Once the learning curve is past, your grocery shopping will take no more time than before.  Promise!

Check two things on every nutrition label 1) Carbohydrates.  This item is followed by a number.  The lower the number the better. You may hear that you can subtract fiber and/or sugars that are listed below the carb count.  I figure  it won’t make a difference in the long run so I vote for the simple solution  – use the carb count. 2) Serving size.  If you have two different products with the same carb number, compare the serving size.  If one is bigger with the same number of carbs – there’s your choice.  Pay attention to serving size when it comes time to – you know – serve.

A cup of milk or slice of bread will generally have 15 carbs, as will a small piece of fresh fruit, half cup of oatmeal, one third cup of pasta, 2 small cookies, 1 tablespoon of syrup, jam or jelly or half a dozen crackers.  The good news is that many fresh vegetables have a negligible carb count, eggs, meat and more have none.  Follow along as we chronicle and share our good eats!


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