Weight Change-due to EVOO, could it be

203.4

Been doing a little experiment, Barb gave me the idea, I have a link to her journal in the side bar. The last two days I have been adding extra virgin olive oil to my psyllium drinks (8 oz. water , 1/8 tsp cinnamon, .5 T. oo, and 1 T psyllium) . Two days ago I had 2 of those as snacks and added 1 T oo to my pasta, yesterday I had 2 drinks for snacks....1 had .5 T oo in one and the other had 1 T. The last two days I have been down each day which never happens to me. Could just be a coincident..........the saga continues tomorrow.

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The Forum-YOAD Message Board



A big thanks to Marshall (AKA) Orlando Tek!

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Spread the Word
A lot of people trust email every day. It is our responsibility as people who know how to detect spoofing to spread the word. Link to this article, post it on your site, email it to friends, review it, translate it, anything that you think will get the word out faster!



http://singpolyma.net/2007/07/how-to-avoid-getting-prankethd-scamed-or-phished/

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Bacon

Although bacon's nearly carb-free status gained it 15 minutes of fame back when the Atkins diet was hot, no one with a health conscience can look at it today and see anything more than strips of saturated fat and salt. But that doesn't mean we don't crave it! To assuage our longing for crispy, smoky bacon, we gave a lot of alternatives a taste test. Five made the cut with our die-hard bacon lovers. BLTs, anyone?!


Good News for Bacon Lovers!

THE REAL THING
2 strips = 80 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g sat. fat), 300 mg sodium, 4 g protein
If you're going to indulge in gen-u-ine bacon, it's not so much the calories you'll regret. It's the hit of skin-aging, heart-threatening, well-salted, grease-dripping saturated fat.

THE WINNERS!
Morning Star Bacon Strips
2 strips = 60 calories, 4.5 g fat (.5 g sat. fat), 220 mg sodium, 2 g protein
Of all the veggie bacons we tried, this was the only one that made the grade with our testers. Not only do these soy-based strips smell like bacon as you fry them up, they taste surprisingly close to the real thing. And they cook up much crispier than you would expect, despite having almost no bad fat. Find them in your freezer section.

Trader Joe's Applewood-Smoked Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 60 calories, 2.5 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 250 mg sodium, 7 g protein
Surprisingly, turkey bacons don't fry up to nearly the same crispiness as the Morning Star strips. The texture is softer and chewier -- more like Canadian bacon -- but the taste is rich and smoky, and it nicely flavors an egg sandwich.

Wellshire Farms Uncured All Natural Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 40 calories, 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 360 mg sodium, 6 g protein
This all-natural brand tastes so hearty, it's hard to believe each strip -- and they're big -- contains only 20 calories and just a trace of fat. If you can live without the crunch of pork bacon, this one tastes the most indulgent while doing the least diet damage. Plus, there are no preservatives, antibiotics, or nitrates, though it's high on the sodium side.

THE RUNNERS-UP
Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 40 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 280 mg sodium, 6 g protein
Like the other turkey bacons, this extra-lean variety isn't a clone of the real thing, but if you think "chewy" rather than "crispy," the rich, smoked flavor will liven up a sandwich or spinach salad. And it's hard to knock 0 fat grams.

Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 70 calories, 6 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 380 mg sodium, 4 g protein
This one comes closest to matching the true aroma and flavor of pork bacon (maybe it's all that salt). Tip: It cooks up super fast in the microwave, so if you're not careful, you’ll have bacon chips instead of strips. But don't toss them if that happens -- crumbled up, the bacon bits make a tasty topping for a salad or baked potato.

At RealAge, there's a reason we call saturated fat -- the artery-clogging kind that, appropriately, saturates meat and whole-milk dairy foods -- an aging fat: Avoiding it can make your RealAge more than 4 years younger!

RealAge

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

Makes 4 servings, generous 1/2 cup each

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
¾ cup "lite" coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt



Instructions



1. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)
2. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard skin. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a medium microwaveable bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher. Add coconut milk, ginger and salt; stir well. Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.



Tips

To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven just before serving.



Nutrition Information

Per serving: 130 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 339 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (400% daily value), Vitamin C (35% dv), Fiber (14% dv), Potassium (14% dv).

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Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad

Makes 6 servings, 2 cups each

Ingredients

Dressing
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar (brown sugar sub.)
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (see Ingredient notes)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tahini paste
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or reserved chicken-poaching liquid

Salad


2 tablespoons sesame seeds
8 cups shredded napa cabbage (1 small head; see Ingredient notes)
1 ½ cups grated carrots (2-3 medium)
5 radishes, sliced (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped scallions
3 ½ cups shredded skinless cooked chicken (about 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast) (see Tip)



Instructions

1. To prepare dressing: Combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce in a glass measuring cup; stir to blend. Heat canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan; bring to a simmer. Whisk in tahini and broth (or poaching liquid); cook until reduced slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.

2. To prepare salad: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.

3. Combine cabbage, carrots, radishes, scallions and chicken in a large shallow bowl. Stir dressing to recombine and drizzle over the salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.



Tips

Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

To poach chicken: Combine two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 chopped scallions, 2 slivers fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic in a large skillet; bring to a simmer. Add 11/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook over medium heat until no longer pink inside, 10 to 15 minutes. The flavorful poaching liquid will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.




Ingredient notes:
Chile-garlic sauce is a spicy blend of chiles, garlic and other seasonings; it is found in the Asian section of the market.


Napa cabbage has an elongated head and is pale green in color with tender, tapered white ribs. Its tightly packed, crinkled leaves have a crisp texture. Discard the cone-shaped core. One small head yields about 8 cups shredded.


Nutrition Information

Per serving: 289 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 7 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 3 g fiber; 518 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (100% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv).

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7 Super Foods to Improve Cholesterol

7 Super Foods to Improve Cholesterol
Whole foods and great recipes for a healthy heart


The best meal for anyone worried about their cholesterol is a meal low in saturated fat and abundant in fruits and vegetables. And although there are no magic bullets beyond that healthy prescription, certain foods have been shown to give cholesterol levels an extra nudge in the right direction.

Weave some of these whole foods, all pinpointed by research as cholesterol-friendly, into your daily diet, and be sure to try some of our heart-healthy recipes below.



Alcohol
Drinking a glass of wine with dinner—any alcoholic beverage, in fact—has been shown to raise good-cholesterol levels and lower the risk of a heart attack. (Excessive drinking, however, raises heart-disease danger.)

Almonds
Substances in almond skins help prevent LDL “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized, a process that can otherwise damage the lining of blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.

• Sprinkle almonds on cereals and salads, nibble on a handful for an afternoon snack.

Avocados
The monounsaturated fats in avocados have been found to lower “bad” LDLs and raise “good” HDLs, especially in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.

• Slice avocadoes into sandwiches and salads or mash with garlic, lemon juice and salsa for a terrific guacamole.

Barley
When volunteers in a USDA study added barley to the standard American Heart Association diet, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels fell more than twice as far.

• Barley makes a great substitute for rice, adds depth to soups and is terrific combined with dried fruits, nuts and a little oil and vinegar for a hearty salad.

Beans & Lentils
From a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels fell almost twice as far in those volunteers on a low-fat diet who added beans and lentils (along with more whole grains and vegetables) to the menu.

• Experiment with beans in soups, salads, and dips. Tuck them into burritos, lasagnas and casseroles.

Blueberries
Blueberries contain a powerful antioxidant called pterostilbene that may help lower LDL cholesterol.

• Toss a cup of frozen blueberries together with a half-cup of orange juice and vanilla-flavored yogurt into the blender for a healthy breakfast drink. Sprinkle fresh blueberries on cereals and eat them by the handfuls for snacks.

Oats
When women in a University of Toronto study added oat bran to an already heart-healthy diet, HDL-cholesterol levels—the beneficial kind—climbed more than 11 percent.

• Consider a daily bowl of oat bran hot cereal or old-fashioned oatmeal for breakfast. Oat bran muffins can also pack a tasty dose into your day.

Eating Well

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Easy Salmon Cakes

I saw this recipe over on the 3fatchics/YOU: forum and looked it up on Eatingwell.

If you are trying to boost your intake of omega-3s, try this simple favorite. It is a great way to use convenient canned (or leftover) salmon. The tangy dill sauce provides a tart balance

Easy Salmon Cakes

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 ounces canned salmon, drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked salmon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 ¾ cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Creamy Dill Sauce (recipe follows)
1 lemon, cut into wedges


Easy Salmon Cakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450�F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley; remove from the heat.
3. Place salmon in a medium bowl. Flake apart with a fork; remove any bones and skin. Add egg and mustard; mix well. Add the onion mixture, breadcrumbs and pepper; mix well. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, about 2 1/2 inches wide.
4. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook until the undersides are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn them over onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.
5. Bake the salmon cakes until golden on top and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Creamy Dill Sauce. Serve salmon cakes with sauce and lemon wedges.


Tips

Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.



Nutrition Information

Per serving: 324 calories; 13 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 133 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 7 g fiber; 673 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: 27% dv fiber, 171 mg calcium (15% dv).


Creamy Dill Sauce

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (canola oil based)
¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste



Instructions

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, scallions, lemon juice, dill (or parsley) and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.



Tips

Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.


Nutrition Information

Per tablespoon: 28 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 50 mg sodium.

Eatingwell

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