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The Ten Most Recent Comments By Jenn

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Oh, and another good snack for when you're feeling peckish and snacky is popcorn. You can make it on the stove in stock pot with a lid using only a teaspoon or two of oil (just make sure to keep shaking it) and it tastes waaay better than air popped or microwave. And then have fun creating spice mixtures to toss with it: cinnamon and a little powdered sugar; smoked paprika and nutritional yeast; finely grated parmesan and rosemary; chili powder and garlic salt, and on and on. You can make enough for a few days at a time and keep it in a ziploc. Only danger is, it's easy to eat a big ol' bucket of popcorn in one sitting, but it's still got way more fiber than those snack packs, and fiber is a dieter's best friend...

Jenn at 12:42PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Agree totally with Megnut on this one: it may only be 100 calories, but it's still junk food. The kind of food that comes in these packs doesn't do much to satisfy or nourish. What it does is keep you in the habit of craving sugar and other simple carbohydratey rubbish. I lost over 100 pounds on my own--I know of what I speak. If you're craving something sweet and filling, here is my favorite treat: roasted fruit (apples, pears, peaches, plums--depends on the season) sprinkled with cinnamon/nutmeg/garam masala etc, no sugar necessary, spooned over plain yogurt and sprinkled with a bit of granola for crunch.

That said, congrats on the continued downward trajectory of the scale, Ed. It's not easy to lose weight for those of us who are obsessed with food 24/7.

Jenn at 12:25PM on 02/21/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: 'The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook'

Biscuits fresh out of the oven, crispy on top and kinda wet on the inside, with a big ol' dose of sausage gravy waiting in the wings. Also, greens with the perfect ratio of vinegar to pork. And speaking of pork: pulled pork. Oh good gosh, it's time for my midmorning snack.

Jenn at 10:29AM on 07/26/07

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: 'The Silver Palate Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition'

From the moment I was old enough to read--and pull a chair up to the stove--I was cooking from the copy of the Betty Crocker cookbook my mother received as a wedding gift. Weekend breakfasts, class projects, birthday cakes, Thanksgiving dinner, it all came from Betty. The covers were falling off and the page with the snickerdoodles recipe had so many stains and bits of dough stuck to it, it was getting hard to read.

Jenn at 4:41PM on 05/01/07

From Talk

Question of the Day: What surprises your friends most to hear that you make yourself?

Energy bars. For some reason people think it's totally obsessive. But the storebought ones are too sweet (brown rice syrup is still SUGAR!), not to mention expensive. I make all different flavors: pumpkin spice, peanut butter and banana, oatmeal raisin. I experiment with wheat flour, oats, nut butters, dried fruits, fruit purees, flax seeds, stuff like that. It's no harder than making brownies.

Jenn at 12:04PM on 04/26/07

From Required Eating

Cookbook Giveaway: 'Super Natural Cooking'

Greens, greens, greens. I just cannot get enough of them. Kale or broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic and olive oil. Braised mustard greens with vinegar. Steamed chinese broccoli with a little oyster sauce and sriracha. Collards. Dandelions. Slightly bitter. Slightly rich. They are by far the most satisfying vegetables on earth.

Jenn at 11:20AM on 04/25/07

From Required Eating

Cookbook Giveaway: 'A Twist of the Wrist'

Frozen haricots verts (trader joe's or whole foods)--they're cheap, they're good, they look classy-like, and they save sooo much time because you don't have to trim a great big pile o' beans. Also, canned garbanzos--toss them with a simple sauteed veggie, parmesan, and pasta, and it's a perfect meal . And Goya seasonings, especially ham flavor and achiote & cilantro.

Jenn at 1:24PM on 04/17/07

Responses to Comments by Jenn

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Ed, I know how tough this is...I was diagnosed, fairly recently, with Type II diabetes. I've done a huge amount of reading and soul-searching during these past few months, trying to figure out how, for the first time in my adult life, I am going to make changes in my diet and exercise patterns and make them sustainable for the rest of my life (I'm 57). In the past year, I've gone from 276 pounds to 245 (my goal is 220) and brought my blood sugar under control. Counting carbs, measuring my portions and exercising every day are so contrary to how I've lived my life up until now BUT I have designs on someday being a grandfather and a happy retiree. Please Ed, give up the junk food and focus on big flavors and on calories worth the investment. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

Scottzel at 8:26AM on 02/26/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

I'm down 2 pounds this week. No idea how. I think it's the consistent exercise.

I have nothing to add to the comments above on 100 calorie packs, except that you can buy something similar for popcorn. I find that very filling and as we all know, has little downside. Not much nutrition, tho.

daveinfred at 4:19PM on 02/22/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

If portions is a concern Ed, you might like these bowls
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,694417,00.html

Certainly not cheap, but they're good for portion control and certainly look nice.

ag3208 at 10:22PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

yes, i agree with megnut et al. those highly processed foods are just so unhealthy and unsatisfying in the long run. it would be far better to eat lower on the food chain and consume fruits and veggies for snacks. what about a banana or an orange and a small handful of almonds for a snack, a hard boiled egg and a couple of raw carrots, an apple with a little peanut butter on it, a small bowl of homemade granola with some almond milk, or a container of leftover roasted veggies from the night before.


.

cybercita at 6:52PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

(oops, didnt read the posts by megnut et al. above, who said everything I wanted to say better than I did.)

seyo at 3:36PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Today's weigh in:

175/lbs / 22%

triple w00t!!! I did not expect to have rebounded from last week so well.

My opinion of 100 calorie snack packs, is that it's like giving a heroin addict a teeny tiny shot. Or giving an alcoholic a pony bottle of beer. It's still 100 calories of crap. Seriously, CheezIts and Snackwells are what you crave? Why not just forgo the 3 or 4 snacks (or more?) and just look forward to eating 400 calories more of REAL FOOD at your next meal? Why not eat an apple if you really need a snack?

seyo at 1:35PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

I love the popcorn and yogurt suggestions.

Was too scared to get on the scale this morning. Maybe I'll try later.

Kerosena at 12:53PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Oh, and another good snack for when you're feeling peckish and snacky is popcorn. You can make it on the stove in stock pot with a lid using only a teaspoon or two of oil (just make sure to keep shaking it) and it tastes waaay better than air popped or microwave. And then have fun creating spice mixtures to toss with it: cinnamon and a little powdered sugar; smoked paprika and nutritional yeast; finely grated parmesan and rosemary; chili powder and garlic salt, and on and on. You can make enough for a few days at a time and keep it in a ziploc. Only danger is, it's easy to eat a big ol' bucket of popcorn in one sitting, but it's still got way more fiber than those snack packs, and fiber is a dieter's best friend...

Jenn at 12:42PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Sorry to double-post, but I forgot my yogurt-flavoring tip: Try adding about 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds to your morning (or snacktime) plain Greek yogurt. It's tart and sweet, plus antioxidant. And Fairway has been selling nice tubs of seeds, so you don't have to deal with the peeling and staining.

tantejoan at 12:32PM on 02/21/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

See, that IS the trap. These little snack packs do not deliver the satisfaction that regular snacks provide. It makes you long for good mouth-feel, so you eat some more. It's why we all wound up eating full boxes of those Snackwells -- no satisfaction. My way is is strict, but works for me: none of these little darlings, and instead a strictly rationed -- and very occasional -- dose of full-fat flavor. A handful of Double-cheese baked Cheetos, for example, will do the trick. A couple of spoonsful of Bobbi's wonderfully garlicky hummus, straight. Or that Zaro's brownie, if you prefer. Try it.

tantejoan at 12:26PM on 02/21/08