Friday, June 4, 2010

My 5 Favorite Products Of The Moment

I have been shamefully remiss in updating this blog. Thanks to those of you who have continued to stay tuned.

A brief update: I've been living with my DS for just over 7 months now. Things are going well. I have lost 127 lbs eating tasty, amazing food. I have experimented a lot with different things, have learned a lot, and continue to learn more each day.

Anyway, I'm back and I plan on updating a lot more regularly. I have a slew of recipes, foodie experiments, ramblings and recommendations that I am looking forward to sharing. 

For now, here are my 5 Favorite Products Of The Moment. 

1. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate Squares

My taste for sweets has changed significantly since I had the DS. I still crave them, but not nearly as much. Nowadays I tend to prefer goodies with more subtle and complex flavors. This means that when I crave chocolate, I want dark chocolate. These Ghirardelli squares fit the bill perfectly. 

The pieces are a decent size, each one providing two delicious bites (or three, if I'm feeling particularly restrained) of luxurious, good-quality chocolate. I usually stop at two squares, as that is more than enough to satisfy my craving. 

Just for fun, Google "dark chocolate health benefits". Eaten in moderation, these suckers are practically health food. Each square contains: 4.25 g fat, 5 g net carbs, 0.5 g protein 


2. Sargento String Cheese

I have tried pretty much every brand of string cheese out there. I strongly prefer the flavor and texture of Sargento. Do yourself a favor and get the regular kind, though, not the "Lite" version. 

These save me during busy work days. When I have no time to fuss with a snack, I can just pull these out of my lunch bag and chow down. At 8 grams of protein per stick, they pretty quickly add up to a decent count. I have been known to go through about 4-6 throughout the course of the day, which means 32-48 grams of protein from snacking. 

Incidentally, these also make fabulous low-carb mozzarella sticks, using crushed pork rinds as "breading". They can either be baked or deep-fried. Each piece contains: 6 g fat, >1 g carbs, 8 g protein. 



3. Turkey Hill Diet Peach White Tea 

This is my absolute favorite calorie free liquid. The white tea is very light and crisp. It doesn't have an overly artificial taste and the peach flavor manages not to be overwhelming. It goes down smoothly.

My only criticism, if you can call it that, is that this is so difficult to find. It's hit or miss at my local grocery stores. When I do find it, I stock up. Zero calories, yay! 


4. Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Foil 

Why am I recommending aluminum foil of all things? One word: bacon! 

The key to making perfect, hassle-free bacon is cooking it in the oven. No messy pan, no hovering over a greasy skillet, and it comes out crispy and delicious. The non-stick wrap helps prevent the bacon from sticking to the baking sheet, and it also makes for easy clean-up.


5. Blue Diamond Cinnamon Brown Sugar Almonds 

OMG. Just...yum. 

Yes, these do have carbs and even a little real sugar. But they also happen to be an excellent source of protein and fiber. I consider them to be a healthy snack as well as a decadent, tasty treat.

They can be mixed together with plain almonds to cut down on the sweetness and carb count. For snacking purposes, they also pair well with a sharp cheese. That sweet and salty combination can't be beat. 

One of these days, I may crush them down and attempt to make almond meal or a pie crust out of them. 

Blue Diamond apparently makes a Vanilla Bean flavor as well. Sadly, I can't find them anywhere, but they sound divine. Each 1 ounce serving (24 nuts) contains: 14 g fat, 7 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 6 g protein.



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