hi everyone! ok so no secret :hungry: I LOVE FOOD!

here are some foods i have been eating lately and REALLY loving!

1. health nut BREADS: 1 oversized slice = 90-100 calories. organic bread with flax seeds and sunflowers.

2. LA tortilla factory wraps...rosemary and something. these are 100 calories for a HUGE 10 inch wrap! most low cal. wraps are 100 calorie for a 6 or 8 inch so these are bigger and taste AWESOME! also made with unproccessed wheat flower!

3. yoplait LIGHT yogurt KEY LIME PIE! 90 calories. i eat one of these for Breakfast about 4-5 times a week and i LOVE them!

4. fudgecicles (sp) (no sugar added) GREAT for a choco fix! 40 calories per single bar!!! even if you have 2 a 80 cal. snack is AWESOME!

5. wal mart brand sweetened with splenda peaches. THE WHOLE CAN is a whopping 110 calories!!!

6. litehouse sesame ginger dressing. i use this for my stir fry's. its 35 calories per 2 tbsp. OR brush it on chicken or pork as your grilling!

you guys give me some good foods to try!

Dreamy chocolate Fudge

Serves: 50

Indulge with this creamy delight.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups sugar substitute

2/3 cup evaporated 2% milk

2 tablespoons stick butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine sugar substitute, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a medium size heavy saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil and stir 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips and vanilla until completely melted and smooth. Pour mixture into foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm to the touch. Remove foil from pan and fudge. Cut into squares. Refrigerate any remaining fudge

NUTRITION INFO

Calories: 38

Fat: 2.2 g

Carbohydrates: 5.8 g

Protein: 0.4 g

From one chocolate lover to another:

ShellyJ - if you are really struggling and want/need some chocolate - I found Weight Watchers' candies to be yummy (made by Whitman's)--- they really do the job and taste as good as the regular stuff - just watch out and eat only one at a time - they have 'saturated fat' which I have to watch due to high cholesterol

you can buy them by the bag (I think 6 in these) or individually - I found them at Jewel/Albertson's and Walgreens

Crispy Butter Cream Caramel : 3 pieces have: 8g fat, 6 g sat. fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, 23g carbs, 9g dietary fiber, 7g sugar, 3g Protein -- so again - ONE piece isn't too bad

the whitmans are SF right? i cant do that AT ALL!! i think my constipation problems are a direct result of the atkins diet and SF chocolate. thats why i eat the real stuff! lately its just EVERYWHERE! even if i dont over do it on chocolate, i usually eat more in general on days i eat chocolate. it triggers other cravings!

Here's some of my favorite meals lately -

fresh green Beans, carrots, and fake crab with garlic and onion (fried with a little olive oil)

mushrooms, spinach, carrots, garlic, onion, in a little olive oil. (sometimes add some chicken breast to this)

crockpot black beans with fresh salsa (tomatoes, onion, pepper, cilantro, garlic)

cabbage, carrots, sprouts, craisins, pumpkins and other seeds mixed with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Road Queen all that stuff sounds delicious and it's healthy too, is it high in protein?

The fake crab is a good source of Protein - 21 grams in 3 ounces. 1 c of chicken breast - 40 grams. Spinach, for a vegetable has 5 grams in a cup. A cup of black Beans - 15. I also sprinkle almond slices on meals to add protein, calories, and fat. I think tonight I am going to make a veggie tuna cheesy chowder. The tuna, cheese, and milk will provide protein.

I am still using Protein powder and Protein Bars to get in protein. And calories. If you notice my signature, I am living in the heart of Africa and right now there is a diesel fuel shortage so food supplies are not getting here. Even without the fuel issue, it is difficult to find things we are used to eating. The people here eat a very high carb diet and their protein can be gross - grasshoppers, termites, etc. One of my goals is to get in 1000 calories per day and it's difficult. Snacking during the day just doesn't happen - my office location is dirty, the toilets are challenging, and I cwould never eat in the building

Thank goodness for amazon groceries, netgrocer, etc.

The people here eat a very high carb diet and their Protein can be gross - grasshoppers, termites, etc. One of my goals is to get in 1000 calories per day and it's difficult. Snacking during the day just doesn't happen - my office location is dirty, the toilets are challenging, and I cwould never eat in the building

Thank goodness for amazon groceries, netgrocer, etc.

OH MY!!! well that defintally helps to cut out snacking and grazing! the foods you suggested sound GREAT to me! i eat a heck of a lot of black beans!

i also TOTALLY had forgotten how much i LOVE fresh green beans! i bought a big ole' bag and am making them tonight! unfort. calvin HATES them! he puts blue cheese on them YUCK!

thanks again everyone! i have a whole list of new foods to try!

Careful with the fake crab. It is usually very high in sodium and carbs (high in carbs for a meat, that is). The carbs nmay not bother you, but watch out for the sodium content. at least the stuff at my grocers is high, maybe it is different there? Now I'm curious. Let us know the sodium content.

Paul, thanks for the heads up but there isn't even a label on them. When I first moved here, they were the only protein I could tolerate. I still have problems with getting protein and rely on protein shakes alot. There isn't alot of meat here and I can't tolerate most of it. I will probably get an un-fill when I get to a country with a dr. Moving to one of the poorest countries in the world with a band is definately a learning experience...Celeste

I'll bet it is tough!

The crab does taste good though. I've used it in a stir-fry, or even made a low-fat version of Crab Alfredo sauce with it, and used Dreamfields low-carb noodles. It was tasty.

Sounds to me like you are doing pretty darn well, despite the circumstances.

Perhaps we should all pitch in and send you a big care package of tasty morsels!

I'll trade you for some chocolate covered honey ants. YUM!! taste just like rasionettes!!!

Wait... those are bad.. never mind.

Thanks to the internet, I do have a stash. I have Snyders pretzels, hickory farm sausage and cheese, organic popping corn, beef Jerky. Tonight, I was too exhausted to cook so I just had sausage and cheese for dinner. In 4 months, I have finished 2 bags of pretzels and am working on my 3rd. Its mostly to know that I can have comfort foods.

Kell, I forgot about tuna and egg salad mixtures. I used to love that. I have some tuna packets so I will make some next week. There is a yummy yogurt mayo here that is pretty healthy. I also make tuna and avacado salad.

I made a tuna vegetable chowder with canadian bacon, skim milk, low fat cheddar cheese, (cauliflower pureed for thickener) the other night. (cause I found this cheese in the store)

Kashi crackers are also great. I need to order more. Other things I will order soon

Craisins

pumpkin seeds

Almonds

S. Beach chocolate chip Cookies

go-gurt's (I think that's what they are called). They are yogurt in a tube that you can take on the go. Just snip off top and push up yogurt. I throw them in the freezer and I'm addicted to them. A nice cold frozen treat. I just wish I could find them in the sugar-free type.

Laughing cow lite cheese (35 calories in a wedge) with few low fat triscuits and salsa. Sometimes I subsitute the salsa with Simply Fruit (no sugar added) jam.

1. My homemade crab cakes with homemade remoulade sauce

2. Avocados

3. Marinated mozzarella cheese

4. La Tortilla low-carb tortillas (all flavors)

5. Bagged salads

6. Litehouse light Bleu Cheese dressing

7. Matrix 5.0 vanilla protein powder

8. Dry cocoa powder

9. sf CIB

10. Breakstone cottage cheese

11. Classico Spaghetti Sauce (basil-sundried tomato)

12. Sweet and Spicy tuna in the pouches

13. 100 cal packs of South Beach Diet whole grain crackers

Paula Deen made a no sugar cookie, I just made some and they are pretty good and my hubby can eat them with his diabetes.

1 cup natural Peanut Butter

1 cup splenda

1 egg

vanilla

Mix ingredients, roll into small balls and place on baking sheet, mush in fork marks. Place in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

The come out slightly crispy and fluffy, so yummy!!!

I would think I could add protien powder to them next time.