bigtom1948

Good point on the establishment of your own approximate BMR showing how many calories you burn per hour in several states from sleep through vigorous exercise to arrive at a maintainence point for a health weight. This can be a daunting and expensive process and even at completion the results are only for that point in your life as your body fluxes by decreasing adiposal tissue, hopefully, plus the gain of lean muscle mass through exercise coupled with the more efficient use of your foods vs. just storage as fat. The Basal Metabolism Rate (really rates based on activity level) is a valuable tool used by both dedicated amature and professional athletes many of whom consume 7-10Kcal a day while training. Body builders are a whole other animal who swing between eating heavy for bulking out and near starvation for competitions. You have to admire that dedication to the sport and the attention to nutrition they express in order to excel it's really hard on a body though. For most of us though, i'm afraid we are just underestimating how many calories we take in and overvalueing our calorie expenditures through exercise and normal daily activities. I know through my own experience that a big part of my gain was through continueing to eat as a person involved in 3-4 hours of daily physical traing in body sculpting even after a sudden drop in that activity due to a back injury. I put on 15+ pounds a year doing that for over 10 years. I told myself that I had cut on my foods to relate to the reduced caloric expenditure brought on the injury to my back but I fell into that trap of self deception I mentioned at the head of this paragraph. (Knowing about the danger doesn't always save us from making the same mistakes as others) So I think we agree that equalibrium is possible but is variable due to a number of data sets that come into play and the possible wild card of denial. Weight loss still all comes down to the eat less and exercise more mantra and if I am reading you right there is no fixed number that you can plug into the equation to set a stable caloric value, we must be vigilent and adjust as needed. All of us are different we'er not one size fits all so that conclusion should be no suprise to anyone who thinks seriously about the issue. Thinking now that's the rub Thanks for presenting the well thought out points and laying them out in a logical order, it was a fun read and very informative, I really enjoy your post's.

I second the congrats, hope your surgery was uneventful and that you are recovering well. Good luck on the beginning of the new journey into Band Land.

Good for you, the temptation is really there but if your going to commit to the surgery then you have to start saying no to it. Gosh it is hard to do. Thanks for the critique of the IsoFlex and Unjury I plan on stopping by GNC today to pick up some protien powder and some Unjury clear protien for just after surgery. I really hope this goes well for us both I know, for myself, the greatest fear is failure. That would be really hard to deal with. Trying to stay focused but its hard especially when you consider the length of the journey and include the roadblocks set up by the insurance company. Sheesh, I made the decision in May 2010 and 8 months later It's close to happening. The decision wasn't a whim or snap judgement I really didn't need to wait that long. I think that it's just the insurance company wearing you down in hope that you'll give up but we'll both near the finish of the beginning, yea for us and all the others that have persevered and like MLK said "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize"

Last cut & past lost a few of us again. There are 31 of us now 1/28/11-Smokey2112 2/02/11-ManningFan 2/02/11-TylerAshton567 2/02/11-Shawnypoo 2/04/11-blondeej (Trisha) 2/05/11-Korilynn 2/07/11-ruthiesmg. 2/07/11-KOKIE 2/07/11-soon2besexynslim 2/09/11-Mrs.Mustang 2/09/11-Bunnykins 2/09/11-Loozer2B 2/10/11-JMH80 (Jackie) 2/10/11-Elle23 2/10/11-Trns4md 2/10/11-TexasNurseMom 2/10/11-bigtom1948 2/11/11-Justplaintired 2/11/11-KeeKee99 2/11/11-Care2teach 2/14/11-Alikitty 2/14/11-sdjenk 2/16/11-TexasMama 2/16/11-ThisMumRocks 2/17/11-Newbranden in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Aguila 2/17/11-wantinghealth 2/18/11-daisy_0729 2/21/11-hoagy 2/23/11-Angel2001 2/25/11-Sophinator 2/28/11-Post Modern Retro Pretty

10 days down and 4 to go. Tomorrow I go for final pre-op weigh in to see if the ol liver has shrunk down enough to make the surgery less risky. I don't seem to be STARVING now so I guess it's true that hungar pangs relent after a while. That is good cause in the past I never let that monster suffer ever since I left the Navy. So I certainly hope the 10 days of pseudo food (OptiFast) has shown about a 10-12 pound drop, per my home scales, but the only scale that matters is the one in the doctors office and for some reason they frown on a nude fat man standing on the scale like I do at home. My appointment is 2:30PM and I have to be fasting 6 hours for the preop workup at the hospital. Heck by 2:30 I would have just finished shake #3 of 5 so that 24oz of shake won't be on the scale. After the weigh in its off to the hospital conviently placed right next door to the doctors office. There i'll be poked, prodded and x-rayed I am sure. Thursday is the big day and once again my scheduled time is 2:30PM also fasting so I guess I should look at that as a jump on the weight loss. I am supposed to stay overnight and I will just cause I do indeed want to get whatever pain ablation I can, the heck with that grin and bear it stuff. If I was a girl and having a kid I would at the first contraction be yelling for pain blockers. There should be no need to suffer and I want IV anti nausea cause every time I go under I get sick. Don't want to throw up my brand new band and ruin a brand new close relationship. The next day, my wife will drive me home and pamper me as much as I allow her to All in all an adventurous week in store for me and the other 02/10/2011 bandsters 1 or 2 listed on the Feb 2011 Bandsters I understand are going to be at the same hospital on the same day. Well I'll try not to moan too loudly and just try to listen to my new audiobook to take my mind off any twinges and twangs of discomfort (The Med's will help, I hope) Well if I don't post any more preop be sure that I will afterwards. I don't expect it will be horrible as this is far from my doctors first time out of the gate for this surgery. He seems confident so I will be too. Bye for now...

I was just looking at the pics of the storm and thase poor folks stuck on the road. I don't miss the snow at all if I would have to be out in it. Not much snow here in Tampa bay though Boy is your doctor liberal in the post op foods mine has already advised me that 1-2 weeks of clear then we'll see on mushies, wait some more and then Real food. The post op phase is what other threads have called Bander Hell I hope that I can just tip the hat to that devil and move on rather quickly. But I guess it all depends on how quickly I heal and how I tolerate the new food limits brought on by the band. Did your doctor pre fill your band? If not, when did he/she say you could expect your first fill? You seem to have a great attitude about your surgery and by what you type you seem to have a good outlook on the eventual outcome. That, right there, is more than 1/2 the battle. Keep up the good work, I am sure you will do great.

I'm glad you both enjoyed it The turkey bacon sounds great (better than bacon bits I used I'll do that next time I make it after my surgery and healing phases. For now my wife is joining my sister for meals or eating out. I, am enjoying my delicious Optifast, yessirreebob Let me know if you try the tomato soup, Its quite good and though it cuts way down on the salt it's still tasty.

IT really is good I just posted another recipe in the Mushies thread for homemade tomato Soup you might like 111 cal per serving with very low sodium and it makes a great base to Spaghetti Sauce and Chilli too

Isa is right you do have to establish a calorie deficit to lose weight but we all already knew that. The consistancy of your body mass and your relative activity and your age will all affect the weight loss progress. For me at age 62 it's going to go much slower than someone in thier 20's or 30's your metabolism does slow with age per all tyhe doctors I have talked to so it takes more time to lose weight and more work (exercise) to maintain my hoped for new body. I am sure you will do fine and you don't have to spend the whole day working out and starve yourself on top of that to lose. Because if that's the case I will probably fail (I don't intend to do that though ) Wishing you Good Luck and Steady Progress Julius

Homemade Tomato Soup Here's a nice low calorie low sodium Homemade Tomato Soup for you when you progress from Clear liquids. This is a nice soup with a little more flavor than the typical canned ones. Vary the consistency by changing the amount of Water or leave it our completely for a condensed tomato soup you can use in recipes. Note the Campbell's condensed tomato soup has 550mg of sodium per serving (2 servings per can) 1/2 c Onion,Chopped 1/2 t Garlic,Minced 1/2 c Celery,Chopped 1/4 t Red Pepper Flakes 2 T Olive Oil 4 cups No Salt Added Tomatoes I used the diced variety (available canned in most grocery stores) 1/2 cup Water Saute the onion, garlic, celery and pepper flakes in the oil until softened. Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. Yield: 4 Servings Servings Per Recipe 4 Nutritional Facts per serving: Calories 111 Total Fat 7 gr Saturated Fat 1 gr Polyunsaturated Fat 1 gr Monounsaturated Fat 5 gr Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 43 mg Potassium 517 mg Carbohydrates 12 gr Dietary Fiber 3gr Protein 2 gr Start with the condensed option listed above and this makes a base for a nice mild spaghetti sauce. Just add to it 1 pound of cooked 93% lean beef add 4 oz can of mushroom stems & bits (drained), and one chopped and sauted bell pepper plus 1 T Italian seasoning allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes or more to marry flavors and serve over whole wheat Pasta. It's tasty, low cal and without added sugar and salt of store bought sauce. Because of the low salt it may seem a bit bland to the taste to some of us but if you usually salt your pasta while cooking, you probably won't notice. For us bandsters 1/2 cup of pasta with 1/4 cup sauce is a reasonable serving. (my banded daughter that that amount makes her feel full) Whole wheat pasta takes longer to cook, doesn't swell as much and is dense enough that it stays above the band long enough for you to feel full. You can also make Chili from it to substitute chilli powder (amount varies based on your taste but no less than 1 T) for the Italian seasoning and add 1 can of drained black Beans and one can of drained pinto beans add Cheyenne pepper and jalapeno to your taste. As chilli should be hot and sweet 2 T of sugar is optional and not included in nutritional calculations. Makes 8 - 1 cup servings Nutritional Facts per serving: Calories 240 Based on an average of 2 oz beans 2 oz beef per serving Total Fat 12 gr Saturated Fat 2.5 gr Polyunsaturated Fat 1 gr Monounsaturated Fat 5 gr Cholesterol 61 mg Sodium 300 mg Potassium 517 mg Carbohydrates 22 gr Dietary Fiber 6gr Protein 21 gr This soup is a very versatile base.

Homemade Tomato Soup Here's a nice low calorie low sodium Homemade Tomato Soup for you when you progress from Clear liquids. This is a nice soup with a little more flavor than the typical canned ones. Vary the consistency by changing the amount of Water or leave it our completely for a condensed tomato soup you can use in recipes. Note the Campbell's condensed tomato soup has 550mg of sodium per serving (2 servings per can) 1/2 c Onion,Chopped 1/2 t Garlic,Minced 1/2 c Celery,Chopped 1/4 t Red Pepper Flakes 2 T Olive Oil 4 cups No Salt Added Tomatoes I used the diced variety (available canned in most grocery stores) 1/2 cup Water Saute the onion, garlic, celery and pepper flakes in the oil until softened. Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. Yield: 4 Servings Servings Per Recipe 4 Nutritional Facts per serving: Calories 111 Total Fat 7 gr Saturated Fat 1 gr Polyunsaturated Fat 1 gr Monounsaturated Fat 5 gr Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 43 mg Potassium 517 mg Carbohydrates 12 gr Dietary Fiber 3gr Protein 2 gr When you are able to move from mushies these may be interesting to try: Start with the condensed option listed above and this makes a base for a nice mild spaghetti sauce. Just add to it 1 pound of cooked 93% lean beef add 4 oz can of mushroom stems & bits (drained), and one chopped and sauted bell pepper plus 1 T Italian seasoning allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes or more to marry flavors and serve over whole wheat Pasta. It's tasty, low cal and without added sugar and salt of store bought sauce. Because of the low salt it may seem a bit bland to the taste to some of us but if you usually salt your pasta while cooking, you probably won't notice. For us bandsters 1/2 cup of pasta with 1/4 cup sauce is a reasonable serving. (my banded daughter that that amount makes her feel full) Whole wheat pasta takes longer to cook, doesn't swell as much and is dense enough that it stays above the band long enough for you to feel full. You can also make Chili from it to substitute chilli powder (amount varies based on your taste but no less than 1 T) for the Italian seasoning and add 1 can of drained black Beans and one can of drained pinto beans add Cheyenne pepper and jalapeno to your taste. As chilli should be hot and sweet 2 T of sugar is optional and not included in nutritional calculations. Makes 8 - 1 cup servings Nutritional Facts per serving: Calories 240 Based on an average of 2 oz beans 2 oz beef per serving Total Fat 12 gr Saturated Fat 2.5 gr Polyunsaturated Fat 1 gr Monounsaturated Fat 5 gr Cholesterol 61 mg Sodium 300 mg Potassium 517 mg Carbohydrates 22 gr Dietary Fiber 6gr Protein 21 gr This soup is a very versatile base.

Woo Hoo 29 of us now 1/28/11-Smokey2112 2/02/11-ManningFan 2/02/11-TylerAshton567 2/02/11-Shawnypoo 2/04/11-blondeej (Trisha) 2/07/11-ruthiesmg. 2/07/11-KOKIE 2/07/11-soon2besexynslim 2/09/11-Mrs.Mustang 2/09/11-Bunnykins 2/09/11-Loozer2B 2/10/11-JMH80 (Jackie) 2/10/11-Elle23 2/10/11-Trns4md 2/10/11-TexasNurseMom 2/10/11-bigtom1948 2/11/11-Justplaintired 2/11/11-KeeKee99 2/14/11-Alikitty 2/14/11-sdjenk 2/16/11-TexasMama 2/16/11-ThisMumRocks 2/17/11-Newbranden in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Aguila 2/17/11-wantinghealth 2/18/11-daisy_0729 2/21/11-hoagy 2/23/11-Angel2001 2/25/11-Sophinator 2/28/11-Post Modern Retro Pretty

Already posted this earlier on another thread. This is a meatless meal served to my wife and I by my banded daughter and her husband, also banded, they had no problems getting it down and it was very tasty too: CRUSTLESS SPINACHMUSHROOM QUICHE Sodium Per Serving 112mg Serves 6 as an entrée, 8 as a side dish This recipe was given to me by a vegetarian friend. It is so good and no one will ever know it contains tofu . . . unless you tell them! Optional - I add 2 level tablespoons of Oscar Mayer real bacon bits but it does increase the quoted fat and salt levels a bit. 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (This is also know as sweet butter) ½ sweet onion, diced 2 shallots, chopped 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped (about 1½ cups) 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon garlic or onion powder ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 eggs, beaten, or ¾ cup egg substitute 8 ounces firm tofu ½ cup lowfat ricotta cheese 2 ounces no-salt-added Swiss cheese, shredded (about ½ cup) They used slices diced into small bits. ¼ cup lowfat milk 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and moisture squeezed out teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (ground spice may be substituted but flavor is not as intense) Preheat oven to 350oF (180oC). Coat a 9-inch quiche or pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat; add onions, shallots and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes; add garlic, basil garlic powder, tarragon, thyme, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until you smell the garlic, 1 to 2 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly. Mix together the eggs, tofu, ricotta, Swiss cheese, milk, and spinach; add to onion mixture. Pour into prepared quiche dish and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until custard has set and top is lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. NUTRITIONAL INFO PER 6 SERVINGS: Calories 200 Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 5g) Cholesterol 125mg Carbohydrates 9g (Fiber 2g, Sugar 5g) Protien 20g Sodium 112mg

Bet you could eat this homemade blueberry/pomagranate/watermelon pop while the stomach heals they look yummy. http://www.everwell.com/food/meal_makeovers/watermelon_pomegranate_pops.php

On day six of Optifast, real hungar pangs have relented thankfully. My bowels while still noisy have stopped making me feel like I just returned from a trip to Mexico eating what the natives eat. BTDT before . Ten days to go and I have meals till the 8th and my surgery is the 10th seems we missed a day or perhaps it's on purpose for pre-op. I meet the hospital team on 02/07/2011 and I'll see then. It's funny though I am not excited, thrilled or anxious at this point, like everyone else here seems to be. I feel indifferent about it, like I am an observer not a participent, It's bewildering, I'm not feeling at all emotional about it. Perhaps next week, when it's closer, that'll change. Elle, I am a terrible list maker. If the items on your list aren't too personal, could you share them? It's always easier to inprove the wheel then to invent it. thanks Been researching healthy meals that you make from scratch that don't take forever to make for when I finish with the mushie stage. This is a good site to check out: http://www.everwell.com/recipes/

On day six of Optifast, real hungar pangs have relented thankfully. My bowels while still noisy have stopped making me feel like I just returned from a trip to Mexico eating what the natives eat. BTDT before . Ten days to go and I have meals till the 8th and my surgery is the 10th seems we missed a day or perhaps it's on purpose for pre-op. I meet the hospital team on 02/07/2011 and I'll see then. It's funny though I am not excited, thrilled or anxious at this point, like everyone else here seems to be. I feel indifferent about it, like I am an observer not a participent, It's bewildering, I'm not feeling at all emotional about it. Perhaps next week, when it's closer, that'll change.

You are absolutely right on the low fat ad scam a tad lower fat but more salt and more sugar mostly as high fructose corn syrup. Getting away from processed foods as much as possible would be good. There are anecdotal indications that the obesity explosion was helped along by three main things since the 1950's Processed food (made with cheap high calorie fillers, read in SUGAR) the obscuring of what a normal portion size is by the Super Size Crowd and our increasingly sedentary workstyle. This dosen't absolve us of personal responsibility but it does make it harder to succeed. Well you and I and all the rest of us past, present and future bandsters are aware and working on the problem. As far as the food goes, I am planning to eat the foods I like and with the bands help control portions and avoid feelings of constant physical hunger. The mental hunger issue also has to be met square on and dealt with by honest introspection whenever it rears up, I think that this will be the hardest part. I am not going to go on any regimen that severly reduces or elimanates any food class such as carbs and fats. We all know that fad or trick diets don't work and fats and carbs satiate hunger. Like your desire for a bit of cheese most of which do have substantial fat contents. The real skill is balancing your nutriants and contriolling quantites while keeping physical hungar at bay. Sadly, up to this point, I have failed multiple times. None of us are deluding ourselves by thinking the band is a cure all and no work is required but the assistance of not being able to engorge ourselves like a bloated tick ready to drop off the dog will help . So I think you are doing it right by researching and knowing whats in the food you are about to consume and then making the appropriate choices. So easy to say but so hard to practice in our lives, I guess thats what the doctor means in the phrase " changing your lifestyle " So what are you eating now 3 days after the surgery? clear liquid or onto mushies? Are you healing up OK?

Whoops, sdjenk, ya lost a bunch of us in that last Cut & Paste 1/28/11-Smokey2112 2/02/11-TylerAshton567 2/02/11-Shawnypoo 2/04/11-blondeej (Trisha) 2/07/11-ruthiesmg 2/07/11-soon2besexynslim 2/09/11-Mrs.Mustang 2/09/11-Bunnykins 2/09/11-Loozer2B 2/10/11-JMH80 (Jackie) 2/10/11-Elle23 2/10/11-Trns4md 2/10/11-TexasNurseMom 2/10/11-bigtom1948 2/11/11-Justplaintired 2/11/11-KeeKee99 2/14/11-Alikitty 2/14/11-sdjenk 2/16/11-TexasMama 2/16/11-ThisMumRocks 2/17/11- Newbranden in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Aguila 2/18/11-daisy_0729 2/21/11-hoagy 2/23/11-Angel2001 2/25/11-Sophinator 2/28/11-Post Modern Retro Pretty

I like this recipe but you don't have to buy Garam Masala you probably have all the ingrediants for it in your spice rack already. Here's the recipe for it: 1 ½ tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp cinnamon powder ½ tsp nutmeg powder ½ tsp red chili powder (may use cayenne), adjust for level of spiciness)

Yeah it does sound strange but once you get below about 1,000 calories the body shifts to starvation mode and weight loss can actually slow. Weird Huh? You want to avoid very low calorie plans in weight loss because you can set your set point too low and then you'll gain more weight than you may expect when you establish a new normal intake point for yourself with your dietitions guidence. To get an idea of the amount of calories you will need try this site: http://www.freedieti..._calculator.htm just remember to put the goal weight in the calculator to reflect how many calories you need to maintain the goal. You can also put in your current weight just to see approximately how many calories you needed to maintain that size. Good luck and a 2-3 pounds a week is less likely to result in regaining than 5 or more we all didn't gain overnight and even with the band we shouldn't expect to lose it too fast.

Whoops, ya lost a bunch of us in that last Cut & Paste 1/28/11-Smokey2112 2/02/11-TylerAshton567 2/02/11-Shawnypoo 2/04/11-blondeej (Trisha) 2/07/11-ruthiesmg 2/07/11-soon2besexynslim 2/09/11-Mrs.Mustang 2/09/11-Bunnykins 2/09/11-Loozer2B 2/10/11-JMH80 (Jackie) 2/10/11-Elle23 2/10/11-Trns4md 2/10/11-TexasNurseMom 2/10/11-bigtom1948 2/11/11-Justplaintired 2/11/11-KeeKee99 2/14/11-Alikitty 2/16/11-TexasMama 2/16/11-ThisMumRocks 2/17/11- Newbranden in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Aguila 2/18/11-daisy_0729 2/21/11-hoagy 2/23/11-Angel2001 2/25/11-Sophinator 2/28/11-Post Modern Retro Pretty

We need to be mindful of fat only because it is the most calorie dense food. However, some of the more essential Vitamins are only in fats. In the qieche 5 grams of saturated fat per serving is really very low. For example a 4 oz slice of Bon Appetit pound cake shown above has 430 calories and 24 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbs and only 7 grams of protein. Notice that the calories and the fat are more than double the values for the same weight of quiche and it has more than 5 times the carbs. ( I showed that because I love those things) The choice of low fat swiss cheese helps keep it that way. This particular quiche was really good and even though it has onion and shallot and garlic those ingredients do not overwhelm the meal. The mushrooms can be white button or the more flavorful portabello's the choice makes no difference in the nutritional values. I made this when I got home from visiting my daughter and added the bacon, just cause I like it . Once you can eat solids again I am sure you will enjoy it.

Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing over Chick Pea salad This recipe is from EatingWell.com They say it's a side salad but I can see it as a mid day meal a serving is about a cup of food and that's about all we will be able to handle, for myself I would add a piece of thinly sliced ham, chicken or turkey breast from the deli. Those meat options are not included in the nutritional tables suppied in the recipes. Cottage cheese blended in a food processor to a creamy texture, while not traditional in Ranch dressing, delivers unbelievable richness with minimal calories and fat. Serves: 10 Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 10 min Ingredients: 1 small shallot, peeled 3/4 cup(s) nonfat cottage cheese 1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoon(s) buttermilk powder 2 tablespoon(s) white-wine vinegar 1/4 cup(s) nonfat milk 1 tablespoon(s) fresh dill, chopped 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper Procedure: With the food processor running, add shallot through the feed tube and process until finely chopped. Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk powder and vinegar. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 3 minutes. Pour in milk while the processor is running. Scrape down the sides, add dill, salt and pepper and process until combined. Note: I don't have a food processor so I used my blender. I hand minced the shallot and put it in en masse with all the other ingredients except for milk. Don't remove lid while running to add anything! Turn it off, then add the milk and restart blending till smooth. It worked fine for me and the dressing came out rich and full bodied. The only problem is that the dressing, being freshly made wo/ preservatives, does not keep more than a day or two, but has a very nice lite flavor and is easy to make. Nutritional Information (per serving) 1/10th of mixture Calories 19 Total Fat 1g Saturated Fat 0 Cholesterol 1mg Sodium 125mg Total Carbohydrate 2g Dietary Fiber-- Sugars-- Protein 2g Calcium0 Try it over this Chickpea Salad for a light band friendly lunch: This recipe was also from EatingWell.com Feta cheese and chickpeas lend a Mediterranean flair to this satisfying side salad. The Creamy Dill Ranch is great with it, but would also be good with a tangy vinaigrette. Serves: 6 Total Time: 10 min Prep Time: 10 min Ingredients: 1 can(s) chickpeas, rinsed 3 cup(s) cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 2 cup(s) grape tomatoes, halved (or cherry tomatoes) 1/4 cup(s) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese 1/4 cup(s) red onion, diced (I substitute w/ sweet onion) 1/2 cup(s) Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing, see recipe above Freshly ground pepper, to taste Procedure: Place chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, onion, dressing and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until coated. Nutritional Information (per serving) 6 servings Including Dressing Calories 90 Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 3mg Sodium 238mg Total Carbohydrate 14g Dietary Fiber-- Sugars-- Protein 5g Calcium 0

Saw in this thread that someone wanted a low cal low carb dressing for salad. Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing This recipe is from EatingWell.com Cottage cheese blended in a food processor to a creamy texture, while not traditional in Ranch dressing, delivers unbelievable richness with minimal calories and fat. Serves: 10 Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 10 min Ingredients: 1 small shallot, peeled 3/4 cup(s) nonfat cottage cheese 1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoon(s) buttermilk powder 2 tablespoon(s) white-wine vinegar 1/4 cup(s) nonfat milk 1 tablespoon(s) fresh dill, chopped 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper Procedure: With the food processor running, add shallot through the feed tube and process until finely chopped. Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk powder and vinegar. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 3 minutes. Pour in milk while the processor is running. Scrape down the sides, add dill, salt and pepper and process until combined. Note: I don't have a food processor so I used my blender. I hand minced the shallot and put it in en masse with all the other ingredients except for milk. Don't remove lid while running to add anything! Turn it off, then add the milk and restart blending till smooth. It worked fine for me and the dressing came out rich and full bodied. The only problem is that the dressing, being freshly made wo/ preservatives, does not keep more than a day or two, but has a very nice lite flavor and is easy to make. Nutritional Information (per serving) 1/10th of mixture Calories 19 Total Fat 1g Saturated Fat 0 Cholesterol 1mg Sodium 125mg Total Carbohydrate 2g Dietary Fiber-- Sugars-- Protein 2g Calcium0 Try it over this Chickpea Salad for a light band friendly lunch: This recipe was also from EatingWell.com Feta cheese and chickpeas lend a Mediterranean flair to this satisfying side salad. The Creamy Dill Ranch is great with it, but would also be good with a tangy vinaigrette. Serves: 6 Total Time: 10 min Prep Time: 10 min Ingredients: 1 can(s) chickpeas, rinsed 3 cup(s) cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 2 cup(s) grape tomatoes, halved (or cherry tomatoes) 1/4 cup(s) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese 1/4 cup(s) red onion, diced (I substitute w/ sweet onion) 1/2 cup(s) Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing, see recipe above Freshly ground pepper, to taste Procedure: Place chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, onion, dressing and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until coated. Nutritional Information (per serving) 6 servings Including Dressing Calories 90 Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 3mg Sodium 238mg Total Carbohydrate 14g Dietary Fiber-- Sugars-- Protein 5g Calcium 0

That looks like a keeper to me simple but not a band blocker. Thanks