Daily Archives: October 5, 2017

About This Blog

stones-1372677_960_720Well, in other posts, I told you WHY I am doing this blog.

But, what am I trying to accomplish with this blog?

Truly… I had difficulty finding information or resources that I needed to understand and combat my Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes.  I’m just trying to present what I have found so that others can find it in one place and to present some things that are working for me.  All of this in the hopes that it helps others!

Granted, there are some great sites out there (I have discovered along the way) for diabetes, low carb living, etc., but no one really could help me with the extreme low carb diet required for having Metabolic Syndrome.  Many had snippets of things that were useful that I will share. Some more than others.  I am grateful for them all!  Some I’ve had to discover on my own.

I hope to share:

  • How I understand Metabolic Syndrome & Diabetes
  • Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes Links
  • Cookbook Reviews
  • Book Reviews (Health related)
  • Low Carb Recipe Links
  • My Own Recipes
  • Eating Out Advice
  • Fast Food Advice
  • Fast Food & Restaurant Reviews
  • About Exercising

That’s it.  That’s it in a nutshell!

It is helping me.  I hope that if you are reading ANY of the information on this site… that it helps you!

I hope you will join me on this journey!

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright

Fast Food Carb Review – Five Guys

IMG_1670[1]I had only eaten at Five Guys twice before.  Good burgers.  Good fries and onion rings.  Not my favorite.  It was my sister’s favorite.  I hadn’t been to one in many years.

I tended to not like to walk into a fast food place when a drive-through was more convenient.  It wasn’t “fast” enough.

I liked McDonald’s fries better than Five Guys’ for some reason (although I loved Wendy’s best until they changed their oil or product many years ago and they dropped off the top of my list.)

I hadn’t been there, that is, until I was out a few weeks ago at a store that was next to a Five Guys.  I thought I would walk in since it was close and I was already parked.  Why not? I was on this new low carb way of living and burgers were always a good way to go when out shopping or traveling.  Especially until I could get what I could have and not have under my belt when eating out.  I was and am still working all that out.

What greeted me (aside from the delicious smell of potatoes and onions frying) was a sign I hadn’t expected.   At the top of their toppings menu it said “ALL TOPPINGS FREE”. At the bottom of their menu it said “ALL BURGERS AND DOGS AVAILABLE BUNLESS”.

First of all, even though you give Wendy’s, McDonald’s and other burger chains their bun back when you ask for it bunless… they then proceed to CHARGE you 20 to 25 cents for putting extra lettuce on it.  My husband just gets the burger and takes the bun off.  Me?  I don’t like cheese to stick to the bun and so I pay.  But Five Guys doesn’t charge you no matter HOW you want your burger or WHAT you want on it!  Their cred with me immediately went up!

I ordered a double beef patty with cheese “bunless”. I was asked if I wanted it in a lettuce bun or a basket.  The difference was one was wrapped up to eat as if it were in a bun only this one was made of lettuce.  The other was laid on top of the lettuce in a basket to to use a knife and fork.  I got the lettuce bun but still used a knife and fork.
Basically what I had was around 5 Net Carbs with 2 patties, cheese and lettuce.  If you start adding things is where you have to be careful.  Tomatoes 2 carbs, Onions 2 carbs, Mustard 0 carbs, Mayonnaise 0 carbs, Ketchup 5 carbs, Pickles 1 carb.  If you stick with basic beef, lettuce, cheese you can usually stay low carb.  It all depends how many Net Carbs you have to play with.
I have to tell you… hands down… short of cooking at home or a gourmet burger at a service restaurant this was the best burger I had ever had!
Not to mention the polite courteous service.  No judgement.  No confusion over what was being asked for.  Just a great place with great food!
Other diabetics I knew already knew this secret.  I didn’t, but now I want to tell everybody!

GO!  Go eat at Five Guys!  A delicious surprise and they have a fan forever!

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright

Cookbook – Quick & Easy Low-Carb Cookbook

cd876-img_2113255b1255dQuick & Easy Low-Carb Cookbook by George Stella

This is a great first low-carb cookbook.  I love it because it gets you into the groove of using spaghetti squash, zucchini and cauliflower!

It has a great couple of pages about:

  • Spaghetti Squash
  • Zucchini Noodles
  • Zucchini Ribbons
  • Cauliflower Mash
  • Cauliflower Rice
I definitely got to feeling better about losing pasta after starting to use these alternatives instead of pasta and rice.  One day after eating cauliflower rice for dinner my husband said “I’m not missing rice at all.”  I had to agree. The pain of losing a beloved food was lessening with each new delicious recipe I tried.  But back to the cookbook…

George Stella’s pictures look better in the cookbook, but you can see here that I got my start on them from his cookbook!

 

 

I’ve tried some recipes and can’t wait to try some of the others including:

  • Skillet Pizza (Mozzarella)
  • Pepper Jack “Corn” Muffins
  • Fried Cod
  • Cauliflower Risotto
  • Berry& Cream Cheese Cookies
  • Coconut Mug Cake
  • Coconut Cheesecake

And much much more!

I have tried the Skillet Pizza and it works!.  There are also either Almond Flour or Cauliflower based pizza crusts in his other cookbooks and all three versions are good.

A definite cookbook for the collection!

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright

Low Carb Restaurants – BBQ

pork-1329681_960_720Barbeque joints are plentiful all over the country.  My husband and I could pretty much drive anywhere and eat at nothing but burger or barbeque places… and pretty much do!  They are an awesome place to go when low carbing it.

What you have to be careful of at barbeque places is the sugar in the sauces and the sides. I’ve also had to walk out of barbecue places because they have NO sides that I could have.

You can get any barbecue but make sure you ask for sauce on the side.  Then I’m usually looking for a low sugar coleslaw, green beans or a salad.  If they have any of those, I’m happy.

Don’t get me wrong. This sounds easy… but it is HARD to not eat the fries, baked potatoes and banana or bread puddings… or my achilles heel… peach cobbler!  It gets easier day by day, but if I can do it… I KNOW you can do it!

Simply remember the rule of thumb… basically, leave off the breads, breading, potatoes, onions, high carb fruits and veggies and desserts.  Get lettuce wrapped double meat proteins (if they aren’t on a bone) or  have proteins on top of the salads.  Beware of hidden salad carbs, especially in croutons and sugars in dressings or toppings!  If you follow this rule of thumb you can find quite a lot to eat.

Also, I know there is a bun in the picture, until I put in a picture of a plate I’ve had.  Just a place holder for now!

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright

Low Carb Restaurants – Steak Houses

steak-1076665_960_720Steakhouses like Longhorn’s, Outback, Texas Roadhouse, Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris, Logan’s, Fleming’s, Saltgrass, Black Angus, Ponderosa, Sizzler, etc. are one of the best places for folks on a low carb diet to visit.  Steak (unbreaded chicken or fish), vegetables and/or a salad and your good to go!  Even a burger (unbreaded chicken or fish) and leave off the bun and then exchange the fries for a low carb vegetable (often broccoli, mixed vegetables or green beans) is a good way to go.

Just remember the rule of thumb… basically, leave off the breads, breading, potatoes, onions, high carb fruits and veggies and desserts.  Get lettuce wrapped double meat proteins (if they aren’t on a bone) or  have proteins on top of the salads.  Beware of hidden salad carbs, especially in croutons and sugars in dressings or toppings!  If you follow this rule of thumb you can find quite a lot to eat.

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright