Cook once a week, Eat once a day

She · Apr 22, 2012

That sounds yummy!

yesican · Apr 22, 2012

I know the Paleo diet works.  I have an acquaintance who dropped like 80# and his wife did also.  They have their kids on the diet. He was a type I diabetic and was on next to no meds last time I met him.  One thing with eating low carbs you don't have the high's and lows of blood sugars which creates the hunger.  They eat more than once per day but with eating low carb you could get use to once per day.  And this diet would work great with vandwelling for those willing to forgo a "normal" diet.  Have you noticed a change in your grocery as well?Rae

owl · Apr 22, 2012

VJG1977, The chicken salad sounds great, I'm going to make it today. I like the idea of cooking once a week. I may try that only making more than one type of meal to add variety. Keep the ideas coming you guys!

VJG1977 · Apr 22, 2012

yesican said:
I know the Paleo diet works.  I have an acquaintance who dropped like 80# and his wife did also.  They have their kids on the diet. He was a type I diabetic and was on next to no meds last time I met him.  One thing with eating low carbs you don't have the high's and lows of blood sugars which creates the hunger.  They eat more than once per day but with eating low carb you could get use to once per day.  And this diet would work great with vandwelling for those willing to forgo a "normal" diet.  Have you noticed a change in your grocery as well?Rae

<div> </div><div>There were several reasons for going to one meal a day.  You can google Ã¢Â€Âœintermittent fastingÃ¢Â€Â.  I read enough to believe that there is a real health benefit to fasting for a period of time.  There are several schedules on line: fasting one day a week, eating every other day or eating during a specified window each day.  I chose to eat after I get home from work between 5 & 7 pm.  Now I am the first to admit that I am not perfect.   IÃ¢Â€Â™ll cheat on the weekends, eating more from boredom than hunger.  One of my desserts that I have after a meal is sugar free baked egg custard.  The only carb heavy cheat I allow is raw peanuts in the shell.  They have a very small blood sugar impact.  If my meal doesnÃ¢Â€Â™t have enough fat, IÃ¢Â€Â™ll have some extra custard at night.  Another reason for eating one meal a day is that is that I do not have to worry about what to eat for breakfast or lunch.  Also there are no dishes to clean for breakfast or lunch.  <span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; font-style: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">IÃ¢Â€Â™ll have to track my grocery bill for a while.  I do know I spend more on non-food items than food.</div>

VJG1977 · Apr 29, 2012

For this week I fried 8 hamburgers, 4 at a time.  Then sautÃƒÂ©ed a thin sliced large onion in the same pan.  IÃ¢Â€Â™ll reheat 2 at a time for a meal and top with the onions and cheese. One day IÃ¢Â€Â™ll reheat them in garlic butter and top with pizza sauce. On another day IÃ¢Â€Â™ll add mustard and hot sauce. One day IÃ¢Â€Â™ll use taco seasoning and top with picante sauce.  There are so many ways to dress up a burger I never get tired of them. I also hard-boiled a dozen eggs.  I usually slice 4 eggs and top with sugar free mayo mixed with paprika, Splenda, dry mustard, and salt/pepper.

owl · Apr 29, 2012

vjg1977 where do you get your ideas for the weekly menu? Diabetes is on the increase in this country primarily because of processed food I think. When anyone shares ideas about food or diets some folks feel threatened because it violates their comfort zone. I appreciate you sharing your experience with us. I hope you continue to share. New horizons.

yesican · Apr 30, 2012

Keep sending them recipes.  Not being diabetic there is no immediate incentive to eat once a day other than ease of living while living the vandwelling life.  This means there has to be some really good recipes to entice me into what I believe would be a better way of life by losing the habit of eating foods for comfort.  Habits are so hard to break!

owl · Apr 30, 2012

This is a salad I like to make often.       Cube cooked ham   Mix with mayonaise   frozen peas, shredded   cheese. Add spices   you like. Quick and easy!

yesican · May 1, 2012

Oh..owl..that sounds good.  I just happened to have bought a chunck of ham.  Think I'll give that one a try tomorrow. Thanks

VJG1977 · May 1, 2012

After Christmas KrogerÃ¢Â€Â™s, a local grocery store, had Ã¢Â€ÂœKentucky Legend HamsÃ¢Â€Â on sale and I bought six 4lb hams.  These are hickory smoked and fully cooked, just heat and serve. I like to bake them 20 minutes per pound with an apricot glaze.  Take the juice from a can of pineapple rings add Ã‚Â¼ cup apricot jam, Ã‚Â¼ cup dark brown sugar and stir while heating in small saucepan.  Place 3 of the pineapple rings in the bottom of pan, sit the ham on them, cover the ham with the remaining pineapple rings, and use natural wooden toothpicks to hold in place.  If you use colored toothpicks the color will bleed out.  Pour the glaze over the ham, cover and bake 80 minutes.  IÃ¢Â€Â™ll take a pound of this to make ham salad, cube some for omelets and slice the rest. Ham salad     1 lb     ground fully cooked ham  1 hard-boiled egg, chopped   2 tablespoons finely chopped celery           2 teaspoons finely chopped onion          2 tablespoons sugar free sweet pickle relish          3/4 cup sugar free mayonnaise   1 tablespoon prepared mustard   2 teaspoons horse radish This web site has local sales papers for grocery stores. <a href="http://www.sundaysaver.com/" target="_blank" target=_blank>http://www.sundaysaver.com/</a>

VJG1977 · May 3, 2012

owl said:
vjg1977 where do you get your ideas for the weekly menu? Diabetes is on the increase in this country primarily because of processed food I think. When anyone shares ideas about food or diets some folks feel threatened because it violates their comfort zone. I appreciate you sharing your experience with us. I hope you continue to share. New horizons.

<div>I check the sales papers for the grocery stores near by and pick the best buy on meat.  I try to rotate between beef, pork and chicken.  Once IÃ¢Â€Â™ve picked the meat I just try to fix it differently each time.  This week Food Lion has country cut pork ribs on sale for $1.79 a pound.  I make a big pot of low carb bar-b-que sauce and slow cook the ribs on the stove.  <a href="http://www.sundaysaver.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 12pt; ">http://www.sundaysaver.com/</a>  This <span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333; background:white;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">web site has local sales papers for grocery stores all over the US.</div>

VJG1977 · May 11, 2012

Barbecue Pork Ribs There are many different barbeque styles across the US. Each region or state seems to have a favorite.  I am too lazy to clean a grill and like to get it going and leave it alone.  I make mine in a pot of sauce and let it slow cook.  Olive oil1 small onion thin sliced 1 cup catsup 1 cup white vinegar Ã‚Â½ cup dark brown sugar 5 lbs country cut ribs beer hot sauce to taste Add olive oil to bottom of soup pot and cook sliced onions till soft.  Add catsup, vinegar, brown sugar and ribs.  Add enough beer to cover ribs, stir. Reduce heat to low simmer, cover and cook till meat is fork tender. Low carb version use sugar free catsup and 2 Tbs molasses. I love pizza but cannot eat the crust so I make mine on top of the stove. No Crust Stove Top Pizza Olive oil Ã‚Â¾ cup sliced onion Ã‚Â½ tsp minced garlic Ã‚Â¼ tsp dried oregano Crushed red pepper flakes to taste 14 pepperoni slices 2 Tbs. pizza sauce Ã‚Â½ cup shredded pizza cheese Optional: any topping you want, if raw meat (hamburger, sausage) precook & crumble Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet: add sliced onions and cook till tender and transparent.  Add dash of dried oregano, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to taste and cook a couple of more minutes Toss; add pepperoni slices, (any toppings) and pizza sauce and cook till onions are browned on bottom.  Top with shredded pizza cheese cook till cheese is melted.  Slide out of pan onto plate.

VJG1977 · May 13, 2012

These two dishes would be hard to do in an RV.  You really need a full size oven.  For those that still live in a house and part time in a camper these are a couple of the dishes I cook on Sunday and eat all week.  Baked Egg Custard 12 eggs1 Qt Heavy Whipping Cream 1 Cup Sugar Cinnamon Nutmeg 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Preheat oven to 350.  Place a large dish in oven with 1-inch water, needs to be able to hold 2 Ã‚Â½ quart casserole dish.Scald cream, bring just to the point tiny bubbles form then remove from heat. In large bowl whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, a couple shakes cinnamon and nutmeg.  While whisking eggs drizzle in a little of the hot cream.  Gradually add the cream while whisking the eggs. Pour mixture into casserole dish, dust top with cinnamon and place in water bath. Bake 1 hour. Low carb version use Splenda can cut in half. use 6 eggs pint of cream.  This is good hot or cold. Mini Meatloaf I modify the Lipton Onion Soup Mix Meat Loaf and bake it in cup cake pans. Cook at 350 for 35 minutes.  Makes around 18 to 20 mini loafs. 1 envelope soup mix 2 lbs ground beef Ã‚Â½ tube of crackers crumbled 3 eggs Ã‚Â½ cup water Ã‚Â½ cup ketchup Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Press into cup cake pan, top with teaspoon of topping. Topping Ã‚Â½ cup ketchup Ã‚Â½ cup dark brown sugar In small saucepan mix Ã‚Â½ cup ketchup and Ã‚Â½ cup dark brown sugar. Heat on low to combine. Low carb version use sugar free ketchup, 2 Tbs molasses and crushed pork rinds in place of crackers

She · May 13, 2012

Have you ever looked at Wheat Belly?<div> </div>

VJG1977 · May 20, 2012

She said:
Have you ever looked at Wheat Belly?<div> </div>

<div> </div><div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Verdana;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";background:white;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Thanks for the suggestion.  I read a lot of the Wheat Belly Blog.  Since I am eating low carb now, I have already cut out all wheat. </div>

VJG1977 · May 20, 2012

Fried<span style="font-family: Arial; color: windowtext; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> Kielbasa w/ onion and cabbage 1 lb Kielbasa (Polish Sausage) sliced into 1-inch pieces 2 small onions sliced Ã‚Â½ head cabbage Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Coat bottom of large skillet with olive oil add sliced onions and cook till soft. Quarter cabbage, remove core and cut into 2 inch pieces, add to onions. Toss or stir cover and cook till cabbage is wilted, add sausage. Season to taste. Cook till sausage is done.  I like to leave lid off and turn the burner up to high.  Toss and cook till parts are crispy. <span style="font-family: Verdana; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Optional:  Start with potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces, fry in oil till browned then add onionÃ¢Â€Â¦.<div><span style="font-family: Verdana; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Optional:  Start by frying some bacon and cooking the rest in the bacon grease.  Add crumbled bacon back at the end.</div>

VJG1977 · May 22, 2012

tween said:
If I am really in a bind for food, I use my "trail rations".  Those are a "cookie dough" mix of Tang, Peanut Butter, and instant oatmeal. Stir with a spoon and eat. I also add the Tang and powdered Gatorade to my drinking water and take multivitamins and mineral tabs.  When you calculate in the hassles of cooking and keeping food, cleaning the dishes, it's so very little less money  than the "$ menu" at Mac's and other places, that I mostly just eat at restaurants, or out of Family Dollar stores. I do keep a solar powered "icebox", cause I love salads, and that sort of fresh veggies is needed in your diet, at least a few times a week. Mostly, tho, I buy them at the Deli, ready to eat, and the icebox just keeps the dressing from spoiling. I got BAD sick once, trusting the little packets of dressing to be unpierced and safe to eat, without refrigeration!

<div>I can see the peanut butter and instant oatmeal but Tang?  Tang is basically orange flavored sugar.  A 24-gram serving has 22 grams of sugar.  Have you considered using whey protein instead of Tang?  Then you would have a homemade protein bar.  <span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";background:white;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">From MacÃ¢Â€Â™s $ menu it would cost me $9 a day to get 1800 calories and I would be drinking water.  With 2 of the items being side salads IÃ¢Â€Â™d still be getting over 240 grams of carbs.  For less than $5 a day I can cook and stay under 10 grams of carbs.<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:#333333;background:white;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">  </div>

VJG1977 · May 26, 2012

CHILI  2 Ã‚Â½ LBS Ground Beef, I use 80/208 oz can tomato sauce with 2 cans water 1 medium Onion diced, About 1 Cup Ã‚Â¼ cup Chili powder Ã‚Â½ Tbs Cumin Ã‚Â½ Tbs Oregano 2 Tbs Paprika Ã‚Â½ Tbs minced Garlic1 Tbs ground red pepper Brown Ground beef and drain fat.  Add onion and rest of ingredients.  Simmer on low till you cannot wait any longer.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  To stretch add precooked beans with onions or serve over rice.  <span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; background:white;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

VJG1977 · May 28, 2012

Homemade KetchupIngredients: 16 oz of Tomato Paste 1/3 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder Ã‚Â½ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons sugar or Splenda for low carb. 2 tablespoons molasses Ã‚Â½ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder A pinch of each of the following: Cloves or all-spice and cayenne 2/3 cup of water Put all the dry ingredients in a blender or clean coffee grinder and blend well, I like a very fine grind. Combine all ingredients in saucepan and simmer over low heat 45 minutes.  Put in fridge to let flavors meld overnight.<div> </div><div>I believe any recipe you find is just a guideline and should be personalized to your individual taste.  I like a lot of onion, garlic and pepper so any recipe I find I up those and try.  I rarely measure when cooking now.  I just eyeball it and cook by taste.  </div>

She · May 28, 2012

Is the molasses necessary? Maybe a substitute? I think that would raise my sugar a little too much.

Cook once a week, Eat once a day

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