The Big BLOB Weight Loss Blog

In the past week I have had this incredible urge for CHOCOLATE and for something sweet. So last night I finally gave in and decided to make my favorite brownie recipe.

I have been making this recipe for over 15 years, it is great … dense, slightly gooey brownies which can be made with the bakers chocolate chunks or with cocoa powder.

Since I have been working at cutting down on sugar and carbs, I thought I’d give the Splenda sugar substitute a go.

Now, I’m NOT imagining this … on their package it says .. “Measures cup for cup like sugar. Great for Cooking and Baking.”

So ma I crazy or what, but doesn’t that IMPLY you can use it in your regular baking recipes? That’s what I understood so I blithely started making the very recipe I’ve made hundreds of times over the years.

My first inkling that something was wrong, was when I dumped in the cup of Splenda. The consistency and texture was very different than usual. But, you know I am still believing the advertising, so I keep on going. I mixed in the rest of the ingredients.

My second inkling that something was wrong, happened when I went to pour the batter into the baking dish. Sheesh … it didn’t even cover the bottom of the pan … the same pan I have used for the past FIVE years. HMMMMMMM I said to myself. This is weird.

As the “concoction,” which I now was quite skeptical about, baked. I took my “prize” of the raw batter. YES, I am still a kid. I will admit out here in public that I lick the bowl … and not only do I lick the bowl, but I make sure there is lots to lick! Third inkling that something was wrong … it tasted different and WAY too sweet.

Finally the timer went off and I hauled the MESS out of the oven. Much of the oil in the recipe was now floating on top of a very unappetizing HARD lump of something that didn’t even come near the ooooy gooey incredibly wonderful brownies I was looking forward to.

BOOOOOOOOO ON YOU SPLENDA.

I know that Splenda has a website with recipes and once I overcome my sheer disappointment at the mess I created, I might see if they have a brownie recipe for the next time I have a craving.

I have also seen several “With Splenda” recipe books in the various bookstores and on Amazon. But … for now, I am just TOTALLY annoyed at Splenda for what I consider to be misleading advertising. It is NOT just like sugar. It cannot be used “virtually everwhere sugar is used, even in cooking and baking.”

Total bummer. One Day later and one Splenda cooking disaster later … I am STILL craving a hit of chocolate!

Melanie

Marlene Koch\’s Sensational Splenda Recipes: Over 375 Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories

Cooking Healthy with Splenda (R)

I tried this recipe the other day … and had it for both lunch and dinner!!

The surprize ingredient is beets. The beets blend perfectly with oranges and with olives. It is a well balanced meal of protein and carbs. AND it was very good. I LOVE lentils!!

Visit the California Olive Organization and take a look at some of their other great recipes.

The Low-Cholesterol Olive Oil Cookbook: More Than 200 Recipes–The Most Delicious Way to Eat Healthy Food

LO HAN

What is it?

Lo Han sweetner is extracted from a plant that is a member of the cucumber and squash family. It is a fruit that is grown in the mountains of Southern China. It is supposed to be 250 times sweeter than sugar.

Just a bit of a tangent here. Sugar is pretty sweet … so if something was twice as sweet how would you know that? So how on earth do they measure that something is 250 times sweeter than sugar? By weight? By volume? Or do “they” just say, “Oh this is soooooo sweet, it must taste 250 times sweeter than sugar!” I’m OK now, sometimes I just wonder about strange things!

The really interesting thing about Lo Han is that it has been used for centuries, in China, for congesting, colds and sore throats.

Where can you find it? You’ll have to visit a BIG city health food store for this, since it is not nearly as well know as Stevia or a few of the other alternatives. I’ve also included some links for you to purchase it over the Internet. It comes in liquid and powder form. It can be used as a cooking alternative.

Taste Test: OK … so here’s were some of your genetics come into play. Some people say it is metallic and bitter. Other people say it has NO after taste at all! So if you are trying it for the first time, get the smallest container you can, because metallic and bitter is NO fun at all. Brings licking copper pipes to mind!

Is it safe? According to the Chinese it is. According to the FDA, it hasn’t been approved.

For those that know what this means … Lo Han has a LOW glycemic index, so this along with Stevia is a good alternative for Diabetics.

Lo Han is stable in heat so you can use it in cooking and baking.

Two alternative names you might see … lo han kuo and luo han kuo

Lo Han Sweet 80 Grams

You’ve probably guessed by now that I’m a BIG fan of the 40-30-30 or ZONE diet because it is a relatively easy diet to stick to, and because there really isn’t anything that you can’t eat … as long as you keep your intake of carbs, protein and fat in balance.

I love the books on my shelf ( see my bookstore ) but was also excited to find this website:

It’s a zone eating plan that ADDITIONALLY focuses on low glycemic index foods. (I’ll cover this more in the next few weeks).

In additino to a Menu Planner, Shopping List, Progress Log, Discussion Groups this program also includes a Zone Meal Designer which allows you to adjust recipes to fit you. It also includes a Nutrition Label Analyzer and becasue so many family’s often share the same weight problems it has a Family Life Style section. It’s quite a powerful program that can be VERY MOTIVATING.

You should check out the success stories … and maybe even BECOME one!

Go to THE FORMULA ZONE

Hope you like it as much as I do!!

Melanie

In the past I have followed the 40-30-30 eating plan with success … and the nearest past has been for the past few months.

The eating plan can be used to lose weight … or as a way to eat in a healthier manner and to FEEL better.

One of the biggest differences I notice on this eating plan is how I feel:

The bottom line is I just FEEL better, I have way more energy and best of all after the first few days I haven’t had any cravings for the salt-sugar cycle. For those of you who haven’t been through it, the salt-sugar cycle is a binge cycle that can last for days or even weeks. First of all you want something salty and filled with fat such as chips, tacos, pizza … then once those cravings are satisfied you HAVE to have sugar and chocolate. Then it’s back to the salt/fat.

I’ll explain 40-30-30 more in the days to come, but the nutshell version is:

What this does is even out your blood sugar so that you are even through out the day. It is a drop in blood sugar that sets you up for the cravings and binges. With the 5 to 6 meals a day, your blood sugar stays even and you never get into “starvation” mode.

Now I won’t pretend that I am perfect … I do have the occasional binge, BUT the binges are smaller … 3 lumps of chocolate instead of a whole BOX of 16 hedgehogs or a whole BOX of turtles.

The 40-30-30 eating plan takes some thought and planning, but it is worth it.

It is also a great eating plan for those who have a history of diabetes in the family and are at risk for becoming diabetic … and for those who are already diabetic.

More tomorrow!

Formula 101: Maintaining 40-30-30 Nutrition for a Lifetime

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