Diary of a Really Bad Eater - Low Carb Life
Ok, since this is our third article together, I feel like we know each other. So, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m actually not a picky eater at all. In fact, I’m just the opposite – my natural tendency is to eat anything, and everything, in sight. This series of articles should be more appropriate titled “Diary of a Reformed Fat Girl.” You see, I used to be fat. Very fat. I’d like to blame my Italian grandmother, but that wouldn’t be completely fair. It’s true…every five minutes my grandmother would say “Mangia!” and shove food in my face. And when I’d say, “Nonni, I’m not hungry,” well, it was as if I’d stabbed her through the heart. But I can’t totally blame her. I love food! So I ate. And ate. And ate some more.
I was a fat girl for most of my life (ironic, considering I was born a “preemie”). It wasn’t until after college that I finally said “Basta (Enough)!,” and started the Atkins diet. At first, a low-carb lifestyle wasn’t easy to adopt (especially the two-week induction phase that prohibits wine)! But once I got into the swing of things, Atkins transformed my life. It sounds cliché, I know. But it’s true. I lost over 100 pounds on the Atkins diet. And I’ve kept it off. Mostly because I’m what people call a “picky eater.”
The truth is, though, I’m not picky. I just don’t eat a lot of food. Anymore. I don’t eat beef or fish (by choice), or foods high in carbs, like pasta and rice. So, that doesn’t leave me a lot of options besides chicken and salad (or turkey and pork, which I do eat). I’ve lived a low-carb lifestyle for almost nine years now, and I’ve retrained my brain on how to eat. I’m sure a lot of you are thinking, “Yuck! Who can live without bread and potatoes?!” It’s not always easy. Especially as an Italian. And as an avid baker.
Sometimes I really do miss certain foods, and I will give in (I’ve learned that deprivation is the worst thing you can do). But I’ve also learned that so many foods are naturally low in carbs (see the stuffed chicken recipe from my first article - when stuffed with spinach, the recipe is virtually carb free!); it’s what we add to the food that increases the carb content. But for those foods that are naturally high in carbs, I’ve figured out ways to “re-create” them. It’s crazy how many ways you can easily convert “regular” carbohydrate-loaded recipes into low-carb recipes. And they taste almost exactly the same as the carb-laden food, and are delicious! There are tons of books out there with really great low carb recipes in them. I’d like to share a few of my favorite low-carb recipes with you. I hope you enjoy them!
Mashed Potatoes
I call this recipe “Mashed Faux-tatoes.” It’s super simple to make, and tastes so much like real mashed potatoes!
- 1 head of fresh cauliflower (or 1½ lbs of frozen cauliflower)
- 4 TBSP butter
- Salt
- Black pepper
Steam the cauliflower until it’s tender and breaks easily when pierced with a fork. Drain the cauliflower well; then mash it using a ricer until it’s the texture of “mashed potatoes.” Mix in the butter; add salt and pepper to taste. This recipe yields six large servings, each with approximately 3 grams of net carbohydrates.
Variations: This recipe is quite versatile. If you like cheesy mashed potatoes, mix in some grated Parmesan cheese! Or if you’re more of a garlic mashed potato person, mix in 1-2 cloves of minced garlic or ½-1 tsp. of garlic powder!
Pancakes
These pancakes may not taste like the ones you get at IHOP, but they’re actually quite tasty and just as easy to make as regular pancakes!
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup vanilla-flavored whey protein powder (available at GNC or any nutrition store)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Coat a large skillet or griddle with non-stick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and ricotta until smooth. Then whisk in the remaining ingredients until well combined. Drop the batter onto the skillet or griddle; use a tablespoon for small “silver dollar” pancakes or a ladle for larger pancakes. Just be sure not to overcrowd the pan! You cook these pancakes just like regular pancakes - When bubbles begin to form along the sides and tops of the pancakes, flip them and continue cooking on the other side. If you have extra pancakes leftover, you can freeze and reheat them in a toaster! This recipe yields 10-14 “silver dollar” pancakes, each with approximately 0.6 grams of net carbohydrates.
