∞ Stalled But Determined Challenge! ∞

[svenskamae]

More high fat recipes:

Boursin-style dip for raw veggies or as spread
8 oz cream cheese
1 T. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. dry mustard
1 T. minced fresh parsley
1 T. minced fresh chives
Other herbs to taste (optional)
Cream to thin
Mix ingredients. Store in fridge but serve at room temperature.

Cream cheese smoked oyster spread
Mash contents of 1 tin of smoked oysters in oil and stir into softened cream cheese along with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce to taste. Thin with sour cream, if desired.

Shrimp spread with dill
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 oz cooked shrimp
Chopped dill
1 stalk celery, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
Few drops Tobasco
Pinch black pepper
1 T. Lemon juice
Combine ingredients in food processor.

Lemon Tarragon Smoked Salmon Spread
1 4 oz package smoked salmon
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 T. prepared horseradish, or to taste
2 t. dried tarragon
Pinch salt
4 t. lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon
Pulse salmon in food processor to dice. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Artichoke pesto dip
6-8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
1 7-oz container pesto sauce
Pulse in food processor.

[svenskamae]

ABC Dip
1.5 cups grated sharp cheddar
3/4 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Minced onion
Crumbled cooked bacon
Mix, chill, and serve (preferably at room temperature)

Liptauer Cheese Spread
6 oz cream cheese, softened
4 T. butter, at room temperature
2 anchovies, minced (or use whole small jar plus oil)
1 shallot, minced
1 t. capers
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. caraway seeds
Salt and pepper
Cream cheese and butter. Add rest of ingredients. Blend well. Chill overnight to let flavors marry.

Spinach Dip
10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1.5 c. sour cream
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. oregano.
Pulse spinach in food processor. Add rest of ingredients and blend well.

Herbed Cream Cheese
8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 t. dried dill
1 T. minced parsley
1 t. dried basil
1 chopped scallion
Sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped, to taste
Combine ingredients. Good spread on slices of tomato, topped by sprouts.

Tuna Pate'
8 oz package cream cheese, at room temp
2 T. no-sugar catsup
2 T. minced parsley
1/4 c. minced onion
1/2 t. Tobasco
2 6-oz cans of tuna, drained (preferably in olive oil)
Blend all ingredients except tuna, then blend in tuna until well blended. Pack into bowl and chill at least 3 hours.

Red pepper Dip
Cream cheese, at room temp
Roasted red peppers, diced (jarred okay)
Smoked paprika
Combine using food processor.

Mozzarella Cheese with Oil and Herbs
1 lb. mozzarella
5-6 T. good olive oil (more is fine)
Minced fresh herbs
2 T. capers
Oil-cured olives, diced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon (or lemon to taste)
Pepper
Slice cheese into 1/3-1/4" slices. Place in bowl and grind pepper on top. Add remaining ingredients, taste, and adjust seasoning. Chill.

Marinated Goat Cheese
6 oz log chevre
1/4 c. good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried basil
Ground pepper
Salt
Cut cheese into cubes. Drop into glass jar with tight-fitting lid (like a Mason jar). Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cheese. Close cap and shake to distribute ingredients. Chill at least 2 hours.

[svenskamae]

For those of us who like avocadoes and are beginning to think of them as a whole food group ...

Avocado Salad
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
2 ripe tomato, cored and diced
Minced cilantro
1-2 T. lime juice
Salt and pepper
Toss ingredients.

Avocado Salad with walnuts
1 large avocado, diced
2 T. lemon juice
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. oil-cured black olives.
Place avocado in bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Season to taste.

West African Avocado Salad
1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced
1 tomatoo, sliced
1/4 c. peanuts
1/3 c. peanut oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T. wine vinegar
Pinch cayenne, salt and pepper
Arrange tomato, egg, and avocado on plate. Whisk dressing ingredients, season to taste, and drizzle on avocado. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Avocado Salad with Curry Dressing
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. curry powder
1 T. lime juice
1 T. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 large carrot, shredded (optional)
Heat 1 T. oil in small skillet. Remove from heat and stir in curry powder. Transfer to small bowl and which in 1/4 t. salt and the citrus juice. Slowly whisk in remaining oil. Season to taste. Pour over vegetables and toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Bistro Avocado Salad
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
Juice of 1 lime
1 medium tomato, cored and cubed
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 t. brown mustard seeds
1/2 t. ground coriander
2 T olive oil, plus more if desired
1/2 t. salt
Ground pepper
Heat mustard seeds and coriander in oil in hot skillet until fragrant and mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from heat, and put oil and spices in bowl with salt, pepper, lime juice, and more olive oil; whisk to make dressing. Put veggies in bowl and toss with dressing.

Avocado and red onion salad
1 large avocado, peeled and cubed
1 minced scallion
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. good olive oil
Minced parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup diced red pepper
Toss ingredients. Also add ripe tomato, if desired.

Avocado and Artichoke Hearts Vinaigrette
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. snipped fresh dill
1 avocado, peeled and cubed
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
Pepper
Mash garlic with salt. Blend in lemon juice, oil, pepper, and dill. Toss dressing with veggies. Chill at least 1 hour.

[svenskamae]

Creamed Spinach
2 pounds fresh spinach
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Parmesan, grated (optional)
Wash and drain spinach and remove stems. In large pot, saute onions and garlic in butter and olive oil until translucent. Add spinach. Stir constantly, pressing down with spoon, until spinach is wilted. Add cream and cook, stirring constantly. Season to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

Silky Chard
2 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup feta
Lemon wedges
Heat oil and saute garlic. Add chard and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with oil (adding more if desired), cover, and cook 5-10 minutes, until tender. Toss in feta and stir, just to heat. Serve with lemon wedges.

Wilted Spinach Salad
3 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 lb spinach, cleaned and stemmed
1 T. lemon juice
3/4 t. salt
Pinch nutmeg
In wok, heat oil and stir fry green onion for 1 minute. Add garlic and mushrooms and stirfry, adding more oil as needed. Add spinach and cook 2 minutes, or until wilted. Stir in lemon, salt, and nutmeg. Add crumbled bacon, as desired.

Tahini Salad
2 large cucumbers, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
Sprinkle of fresh or dried mint
Chopped flat parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T. or more of olive oil
Greek yogurt or sour cream, to taste
Salt
Combine veggies in bowl. Stir together dressing and adjust seasoning. Toss dressing with vegetables. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

Mixed veggies in sour cream
Look through the fridge for any non-greens salad veggies you have, like tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, celery, and radishes. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss in bowl. Mix with sour cream and drizzle on some good olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[svenskamae]

Broccoli Salad
1 or 2 heads broccoli, divided into florets and steamed until tender-crisp
1/4-1/3 cup sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4-1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
Mixture of mayo and sour cream to make 3/4 cup
1-2 T. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Diced ham (optional)
Combine ingredients. Diced ham makes it more like a meal but isn't necessary.

Green Bean Salad with Bacon
2 16 oz cans green beans, drained, or equivalent fresh, steamed until tender crisp
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. salt
Hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional0
4 or more slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Mayo and sour cream, combined in whatever portions you like, to make 1/2 cup
1 T. vinegar
1 t. mustard
1/4 t. salt.
In bowl, combine beans, onions, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill overnight. Make dressing by combining mayo, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, eggs (if using) and salt. Combine marinated beans with dressing. Sprinkle with bacon and paprika.

Ranch-Style homemade salad dressing
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. dried dill
Grind of pepper
Put ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake well. Let chill several hours before using, then shake again.

Louis Sauce for shellfish (crab, shrimp, lobster)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup no-sugar catsup
1 t. prepared horseradish
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper.
Mix ingredients. Put on or use to dip shrimp or crab.

[drjlocarb]

RECIPES!!!

I love recipes!
Thanks for all of these!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by drjlocarb

RECIPES!!!

I love recipes!
Thanks for all of these!

You're welcome. Here's to successful high fat. low/moderate protein meal planning.

[Mobear]

Lots of recipes . Thanks so much....see quite a few I will try.

Svenskamae I really hope you are correct about the 15-20% protein. Since last week I have made a real effort to get the fat up to 80% have been around 135-150g a day. At this level I do get some appetite suppression. My protein is running about 48-53g a day and that is a little more comfortable.

I still find it very difficult to balance everything. Years ago I did a diet where I was eating the same things over and over and I am NOT going there again....I hated it. So, my fitness tracker and I are becoming best buds and I am spending lots of time figuring things out.

Cathy and Speck - how are you both doing? Svenskamae 50g is an awesome number to shoot for - it has taken me quite a while to work down to that from what I was eating.

[Key Tones]

Hi all,

I ate a dinner of cauliflower last night with a little feta cheese and garlic sauce (made with lemon, olive oil--made by a local restaurant here), subbing out my protein for the most part for dinner. Oh my gosh, that was lucious. Wow, I feel good today.

I finally saw that horrible pop up of pounds after coming back from vacation, up five, but now down two, so three more to go to make my stats honest.

I believe, perhaps, the reason I didn't do well on the 50 grams protein/high fat diet at my last attempt was perhaps a lack of sufficient vegetables. I don't know. I'm willing to try it again. I did eat 70 grams of protein yesterday. As I recall, that was where I hit the wall before. I don't know why I seem to have to have 70 grams. We'll see. I'll give it a trial go to push it down.

Did you see Jimmy Moore's post? He suddenly accelerated his weight loss in the past month with no exercise. Wow...

[clackley]

Wowsa!!! Jimmy is doing amazing! I wish he would share a typical menu.

I made cauli and cheese last night and had it for my first meal today along with my usual bacon and just realized it is 5 hours later and have absolutely no hunger. I love the stuff and would gladly start every day with that.

Svene, thanks for all the terrific looking recipes.

Cream cheese smoked oyster spread
Mash contents of 1 tin of smoked oysters in oil and stir into softened cream cheese along with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce to taste. Thin with sour cream, if desired.

This one really appeals to me!! Cutting and pasting up a storm here!!

[Speck333]

Mobear, thanks for asking. I'm still plodding along. General low carb, mostly Primal, most of the time anyway. Still trying to find my mojo.

[Mobear]

OH.MY.GOSH Last week 192.6. This morning 190.4 Finally, VIRGIN territory.....after more than a year. Holy cow.

More later....after HWC with coffee

[drjlocarb]

[drjlocarb]

Speck, when you find your mojo, see if mine is there hanging around with yours.

[clackley]

Originally Posted by Mobear

OH.MY.GOSH Last week 192.6. This morning 190.4 Finally, VIRGIN territory.....after more than a year. Holy cow.

More later....after HWC with coffee

OMG, that is so exciting!!! Way to go Maureen!!! More details!!!

[Key Tones]

Originally Posted by Mobear

OH.MY.GOSH Last week 192.6. This morning 190.4 Finally, VIRGIN territory.....after more than a year. Holy cow.

More later....after HWC with coffee

Fantastic! Do tell!

[Mobear]

Wish I had some great answer on what I did, but I think it was a combination of a number of things.

Between 9/6 and 9/12 my calories increased from previous weeks and my lowest calorie day was 1417 and the highest was a whopping 1619 - oh my gosh - I was terrified! Carbs were fairly consistent at about 26 - 33g. Protein this past week was under better control and ranged from a low day of 43 to 52g. I really never thought I would be able to eat that small number of grams - many times it just seems like 2 bites.

Fat has ranged from 115 (1day) to 150 with several days at 147. I have been much more diligent about trying to balance each meal (not just the entire day). The Optimal diet gives a range of 2.5 - 3.5g fat to protein and I've been trying to stay with that for each meal. Prior weeks I would realize at dinner that my fat grams were low and eat a couple of fat bombs, candy, HWC, whatever to balance the day.

Since I started balancing each meal, I have not felt as hungry. I was becoming very concerned that so often I was hungry and getting up at night to eat....a very bad old habit. I just hate being hungry and that seems to be under better control right now.

Thanks for all the good wishes . This loss is giving me more encouragement to keep going....and of course my LCF are a big help

[clackley]

That is so awesome. I was just reading another possible explantion from our very own Drj. and thought it might be good to revisit it...

"The adaptation IS training your body. There are different pathways
and enzymes needed to digest fats/ptn/carbs that are genetically coded
for and the cells need time to up-regulate these to enable them to
produce the ATP needed to run each individual cell. It takes time for
the body to change this system. It will change the enzymes/pathways
needed in response to food in the diet.

What this tells me is if you are doing LC/HP/MF, the body will
up-regulate pathways for protein digestion(gluconeogenesis) and down
regulate carb digestion, but will not up-regulate fat metabolism. BUT,
if you eat LC/MP/HF, the body will up-regulate the fat burning
pathways which "trains" your body to metabolize fat(ketogenesis) and
it will easier to switch to using FFA released from your fat cells
once it is used to utilizing fat from dietary sources.

"I think many LC people have a problem with the concept of eating a
higher fat diet thinking that the body should be supplying all the fat
and we don't need to be eating it. But, if you aren't eating it as a
higher % of your calories, the body will not get the "hint" and switch
to ketogenesis. I think the pathways are signaled from dietary input.
The fat is supposed to be for emergencies and if you are eating carbs
and/or protein as your main dietary sources, it will regulate to what
it thinks will be in constant supply and leave the stored fat alone.

This training process will not happen overnight.(turning genes on and off)


I think I have trained my body to use protein VERY efficiently, but
not so much with fat. I can use fat when needed as I have been in
ketosis for 3 years with no weight loss for the last 2, but the
nutritional ketosis levels are proof that the body has fully adapted
to using fat as a major fuel source.

I need to down regulate gluconeogenesis and try to up-regulate ketogenesis.


Do I think all LC dieters need to be this strict? NO, but I think
those who have stalled on LC may need to consider it.

Generic LC worked great for me in the past, but I think my body has
decided LC is normal and the higher protein has made me very efficient
at LC/HP WOE and this is why I have high FBG on LC but not on a higher
carb diet. I think the gene expression for a LC/HP diet are always
sitting in the background waiting to be used, but the HF pathways are
not fully in use.

I think this is an excellent explanation.....

[svenskamae]

I'm so happy for you, Maureen. I hope that the downward trend continues.

I am noticing my clothes getting looser using the higher fat, lower protein approach. I'll keep in mind your balancing across meals approach as another possible tweak. And it's good to know that the scary increase in calories didn't prevent your weight loss.

I hope we'll be hearing lots more success stories here soon.

[drjlocarb]

Oops!

I think I may have made myself unpopular on the NK thread.

I don't think NK is something for the beginner to worry about. I think when you first start LC, you can do just fine. Am I wrong?

If you are just starting LC, you will do just fine. Unless you have to "train" your body to use fat, you can lose weight on general LC.

[drjlocarb]

Or my post there is gone.

[Speck333]

Originally Posted by drjlocarb

Speck, when you find your mojo, see if mine is there hanging around with yours.

Will do

Originally Posted by Mobear

OH.MY.GOSH Last week 192.6. This morning 190.4 Finally, VIRGIN territory.....after more than a year. Holy cow.

More later....after HWC with coffee

Can't wait to read on!

[Mobear]

Drj I think when the NK thread was moved to other weight loss plans a lot of posts were deleted....particularly if they had links to websites with ads (Rebecca). Maybe your post had something in it? I do agree that NK should be for people that have trouble after being on LC for some time. It seems reducing carbs and protein drastically might be extremely difficult for anyone eating the SAD.

I do think your ideas about NK being a training situation are probably correct. If I am in NK (no meter), then it took my body a long time. I've been lowering the protein since early August, but have just recently upped the fat (and calories).

On a different note - I was figuring out the nutrition on a recipe I'm going to try and decided to put all the ingredients in my fitness tracker (Cathy uses the same one). I was really disappointed when all the spices came up as zeros - even though the amounts were 1tsp or more . Had to go back and look them up on the USDA website - what a pain.

I'm planning on making Dotties Mac/Cheese that Drj posted a link to the other day. If anyone has made this I'm wondering if a 16oz bag of frozen cauli would be about the same amount as 1 large head trimmed? I read thru the linked thread and Dottie did say you could use frozen and just let it thaw - but no amount was given. Any one have any idea if 1 16oz bag would be enough?? Thanks

[clackley]

I agree with you Drj in that newbies can do just fine with an Atkins type woe and never have to fiddle the way one does with NK. I feel certain it will be too restrictive for those just starting out and could be to their determent.

Maureen, that tracker is just ridiculous sometimes. I have recently discovered that some of the counts for protein are way off. On the bright side, I am becoming a walking/talking food tracker myself!

[Mobear]

I have a question about MCT. My understanding is coconut oil is a MCT. Somewhere, where, I read that the body does not store MCT as fat. Since I have been using coconut oil in mayo and candy, sometimes for frying, I decided to add it to my morning coffee and found out I really like it.

This morning over on the NK challenge thread I read a post from Shelley and in it she said "But Phinney/Volek do NOT like the use of MCT oil...have to do more research to find out why".

I asked if anyone has more info on this, but didn't get a response. Just wondering if anyone here has more info? I haven't read Phinney/Volek's book and there is a long waiting list from my library. Now I'm wondering if adding this to my coffee and increasing the amount I'm using is a good idea.

Anyone have any info?? Thanks.

[Key Tones]

RE: MCT - can't cite the source now, but I have read that it is supposed to be easier for the body to use it for energy. I don't think that the body doesn't store it. If it can digest it, it seems it can store it. I also remember reading that farmers don't like to feed it to animals because they become restless (energetic?) and tend not to fatten up . I think it was a Ray Peat book.

RE: Protein-Sparing Modified Fast - I am reading Thin So Fast by Dr. Eades. Apparently, he lost his weight using this method and designed a low carbohydrate diet as a maintenance plan.

(!)

OK, this is ringing true for me, except that I was not energetic on my PSMF, whereas Dr. Eades said after the first few days he felt energetic. I'll see how far off my plan was from his. I don't have the book in front of me but he said something like he went from 215 to 175 in 8 weeks, losing the weight quickly without the detriment of losing lean body mass.

Just be advised that apparently he says his newer books are what he recommends now. Frankly, I want to see just what exactly he did to lose weight himself.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Mobear

I have a question about MCT. My understanding is coconut oil is a MCT. Somewhere, where, I read that the body does not store MCT as fat. Since I have been using coconut oil in mayo and candy, sometimes for frying, I decided to add it to my morning coffee and found out I really like it.

This morning over on the NK challenge thread I read a post from Shelley and in it she said "But Phinney/Volek do NOT like the use of MCT oil...have to do more research to find out why".

I asked if anyone has more info on this, but didn't get a response. Just wondering if anyone here has more info? I haven't read Phinney/Volek's book and there is a long waiting list from my library. Now I'm wondering if adding this to my coffee and increasing the amount I'm using is a good idea.

Anyone have any info?? Thanks.

I have read the Phinney and Volek books, and I don't recall them clarifying the reasoning behind not liking the use of MCT oil. I don't think they have any objection to coconut oil, though. There is overlap in the composition of oil sold as "MCT oil" and coconut oil, but they are not entirely the same thing. The Livestrong website cites some study about "the effects of medium chain triglycerides on athletic performance have produced very inconsistent results." Since the second Phinney and Volek book is about athletic performance, maybe that is what underlies their qualification about MCT oil.

I don't have any hesitation about using coconut oil or coconut butter, largely because Dr. Mary Enig, who is an authority on fats and who publicized the harms from transfats and vegetable oils long before anyone else, is a big supporter of coconut oil. I have read in multiple sources about how the body processes medium-chain fatty acids like coconut oil differently than other fats--maybe gall isn't involved?--so they tend to get burned for energy rather than stored as fat.

[Mobear]

Thanks for the info on coconut oil and MCT. I was thinking about order MCT, but think I'll just stick with coconut oil for now.

I forgot about the "more energy" part from coconut oil so definitely have to stick with using it in my coffee early in the day. I have problems with epic insominia. Taking supplements that were recommended by a friend has helped but on a scale of 1 - 10, my sleeping is about a 5 The sad part is I never really feel good and rested and my cortisol is probably high. I'm sure all of this impacts my weight loss.

My midweek peak at the scale is not encouraging. Seems I'm up 2lbs. Not what I am hoping for, but Thursday is the "official" day so guess I'll just hope it goes away again.

Svenskamae how are you doing? You started NK testing a few days ago didn't you? Are you in NK? I'm still struggling with keeping the protein down and some days I'm up at 55 eventhough that is a little higher than I'm aiming.

Key Tones are you now trying for NK?

[drjlocarb]

A quick look through the book shows they recommend coconut oil but no mention of the MCT oil. Could it be they don't like the commercially bottled stuff?


My understanding of the MCT is that they are very hard for the body to assemble for storage and, like alcohol, will be used first, before other energy sources, as bodies primary fuel source.

[Key Tones]

Mobear,

I don't know yet on NK. I tried for a few days but couldn't get my protein down without hunger. I'm sure there is an adjustment period.

I'm going to see what Dr. Eades says in this book because I know PSMF works for sure.