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.

My 5 Favorite Products Of The Moment

1. Ortega Whole Grain Corn Taco Shells
Crunchy tacos are a fun, tasty way to get in protein. These are fairly generous in size and only 5 net carbs per shell. They would pair well with almost any protein: seasoned beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp or beans.  I like to load my taco with carne asada as a base, then pile it high with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, avocado and lettuce. Each shell contains: 3 g fat, 8 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 1 g protein 

2. Tropicana Light Orangeade
Since my Duodenal Switch, getting in fluids can be a drag. Plain water does not go down well. Crystal Light, Sugar-Free Kool-Aid and beverages of that ilk taste overly sweet and artificial to me. Carbonation doesn't agree with me, and I don't do caffeine for unrelated medical reasons.

That's why this stuff is such a god-send. It tastes fantastic and I can't detect any hint of sickeningly sweet artificiality. I think this is owing to the fact that it contains a bit of real fruit juice. The juice does give it 5 calories per 8 ounce serving, but I think it's well worth it. An 8-ounce serving contains: 5 cals, 0 fat, >1 g carbs, 0 protein 

3. Amish Classics Cheese Cubes
These high-quality cheese cubes are sold in a zip-lock style bag. This brand is more protein-dense than its competitors. My local grocery store carries the Swiss, Hot Pepper, and Colby Jack varieties. Right now, I am on a Colby Jack kick. These make a great snack on the go, and the flavor and texture beats the heck out of string cheese. I have this as a mid-morning snack almost daily. A serving of 4 cubes contains: 9 g fat, >1 g carb, 7 g protein 

4. Jif To Go Creamy Peanut Butter Cups
Jif is definitely not the most low-carb peanut butter on the market, but I have been unable to find an equally yummy replacement. I am willing to accept the few additional carbs in exchange for keeping the taste. It is still an excellent source of protein and fat.

These individually packaged cups are an extremely convenient grab-and-go snack. Some days, I unabashedly dive in with my spoon and eat the peanut butter straight up. I also enjoy these with a few apple slices or baby carrots. Each cup contains: 32 g fat, 15 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 15 g protein

5. Breyer's CarbSmart Almond Ice Cream Bars
These are only 5 net carbs a piece, and they taste amazing!

The first time I bit into this ice cream bar, I could have kissed the box. It is coated in dark rather than milk chocolate, which helps keep the Splenda-sweetened flavor from being cloyingly sweet. The almonds add a hint of saltiness, which helps to further mellow out the sweetness. Beneath the crispy chocolate shell there is rich, creamy vanilla ice cream. What a welcome change from the wimpy, watery, skim-milk based "ice cream" that I've encountered in so many other diet ice cream bars over the years.

I count myself fortunate in that I don't have any issues with sugar alcohols. My sweet tooth has also abated to a large extent since surgery, so I don't crave these constantly. Pre-op, I could have easily knocked off a box of ice cream bars in one sitting. Now, I might indulge in one of these a couple of times a week, and that is more than enough to satisfy my internal ice cream beast. Each bar contains: 15 g fat, 9 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar alcohol, 3 g protein

Truffle Butter

Truffles can be intimidating to cook with.

For starters, they cost a small fortune. That fact, coupled with their ubiquity in gourmet dishes, could easily give the impression that they are too high-brow for use in every day cuisine.

But despite their haughty reputation, truffles are a versatile and wonderful ingredient. They provide an earthy, savory, smoky flavor that adds depth and richness to a wide variety of foods.

This is why I love, love, love truffle butter. It is a creamy butter generously infused with pieces of truffle. It makes truffles accessible and easy to work with. You can use truffle butter to make a simple, delicious and relatively inexpensive meal.

I usually purchase my truffle butter from The Fresh Market for less than $5.

For those who don't have The Fresh Market, I have also seen it at Costco. It can be ordered online too.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook with it.

--Place a dollop on top of ribeye or filet just before serving
--Generously toss Dreamfields Angel Hair pasta with it and pair with sauteed scallops
--Melt in a pan and scramble eggs and parmesan cheese
--Top off roasted veggies with some
--Use in place of regular butter as a topping for popcorn--goes great with a little parmesan as well

I tell you, the stuff is delicious.