Holiday Support Thread

[Bring it on]

I thought that I would start a holiday support thread as this week will be full of temptation for me and others I'm sure. Feel free to drop in and let us know how you are doing this week with all of the goodies around.

Bring your successes. Bring your shortcomings. My intention is for this thread to be an open forum of support.

I'll start: Yesterday, I had way too many carbs at a Sunday brunch. Today is a new day.

[misty1028]

Well I'm in, I think since I'm having Thanksgiving at my house and doing the cooking, that I'll do great. It's the rest of the year that will be harder with all the family gatherings and xmas parties. But I've been trying to plan ahead for each event. I really don't want to have regrets at the beginning of the New Year.

[crobyninc]

Great idea! Lets hope we don't need the support and we will all stay on our WOE no problems!

[suzanneyea]

I eat before I go. If I arrive too hungry and there is nothing for me to eat, that can be a problem. One year they poured the gravy on the turkey and then served it! Thankfully, I had eaten ahead of time and just told my family I did not feel well.

[KellBell1234]

Dinner won't be a problem, but I will have to make sure I have LC desserts for my sweet tooth. I'm thinking I'll make a LC cheesecake.

[Bring it on]

Originally Posted by suzanneyea

I eat before I go. If I arrive too hungry and there is nothing for me to eat, that can be a problem. One year they poured the gravy on the turkey and then served it! Thankfully, I had eaten ahead of time and just told my family I did not feel well.

That is a great idea. I have done that a few times. I will fill up on healthy foods before an event and it really helps. Thanks for reminding me.

[LJB]

Thanks, Rich! I need all the support I can get!

The best part is with my abstaining from alcohol I am not going to bars and parties this weekend. Thanksgiving dinner will only be with my Dad and some movies to keep us company. I will send him home fed and with leftovers to boot!

[Kaimi2008]

Great thread, I will be having the "works" with my family & enjoying it. Also, I plan on doing lots of walking.

Happy Thanksgiving,

[mrsadm]

Hi, please count me in too! I plan to eat some of my favorite food at Thanksgiving, which is homemade cranberry sauce. But other than that, my plan is to avoid the potatoes, pie, and other bad stuff.

I really like the idea of making a low carb dessert so I don't feel deprived while others eat pumpkin pie. I think Linda Sue's web site has some pumpkin dessert recipes, so here I go searching for something good!

[Kaimi2008]

Originally Posted by mrsadm

Hi, please count me in too! I plan to eat some of my favorite food at Thanksgiving, which is homemade cranberry sauce. But other than that, my plan is to avoid the potatoes, pie, and other bad stuff.

I really like the idea of making a low carb dessert so I don't feel deprived while others eat pumpkin pie. I think Linda Sue's web site has some pumpkin dessert recipes, so here I go searching for something good!

Pumpkin Snack Cake

1 1/4 cups Carbquik Bake Mix
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon mace OR ginger
1 1/2 cups Splenda
3 tablespoons Diabetisweet Brown Sugar Substitute
4 eggs, beaten
1 15-oz can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Macadamia Nut Oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Set aside. In medium bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, Brown Sugar Substitute, extract, and oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased sheet cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes being careful not to overbake (remember — ovens and baking dishes vary!)

When cool, top with whipped cream, frost with cream cheese, or eat as snack cake squares.

Makes 12 squares. 4.5 carbs per square.

**
Pumpkin Crème Brûlèe


Ingredients:
1 quart heavy cream
2 vanilla beans (split)
1 cup Splenda
1 cup Splenda
20 egg yolks (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 pint pumpkin puree (1 med can pumpkin)
as needed Brown Sugar Twin
AND Diabetisweet (for tops)

(This recipe can be cut in half to make 6-8 servings.)

Combine the heavy cream, vanilla and 1 cup Splenda, bring to a boil. Combine the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of Splenda. Add 1/3 of the hot liquid to the egg mixture, stir constantly. Add the egg yolk mixture to the remaining hot cream, stir constantly. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. Fold in the pumpkin puree.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Fill buttered ramekins 7/8 full, place in a water bath. [Place ramekins in a deep roasting pan and fill pan with enough water to reach halfway up sides of ramekins.] Bake in a 325°F oven until just barely set. Cool 30 minutes, then chill overnight.

Cover the surface of each custard with 1/8-inch of Brown Sugar Twin mixed with Diabetisweet. Set ramekins in a deep roasting pan, surround with ice.*

Caramelize sweeteners under the broiler or with a torch.

*Note: Setting ramekins in ice keeps the custard from becoming reheated when caramelizing the top.

Makes 14 servings. 6 net grams of carbohydrate per serving.

**
Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bar Ingredients:
3/4 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons oat flour
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1/4 cup sweet almond oil (or other vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar Twin
3/4 cup Splenda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In bowl beat eggs with Brown Sugar Twin. Add vanilla extract and canned pumpkin, mixing well after each. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix almond flour, baking powder, oat flour, salt, Splenda, and spices till well mixed. Pour egg/pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and be careful to mix extremely well. Pockets of unmixed batter will result in dry, lumpy bubbles in the finished bars. Add chopped nuts and mix again to distribute well. Pour into baking dish that's been greased with butter or PAM. For thin bars, use a 12"x8" pan; for thicker bars, an 8"x8" does nicely. Pyrex dishes bake these bars more effectively than metal baking pans, so if you use metal, watch your bars more closely.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes for rectangular pan, and 30-40 minutes for square pan. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing, then cut in squares and enjoy! These bars can be frosted when cool as well. Here's a frosting recipe that works really well with these bars:

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
1 8-oz package cream cheese at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavor extract
3 pkts Splenda
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar Twin
sprinkle of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients well. For a more creamy (and prettier) frosting, mix with electric mixer till whipped. A drop of yellow food color is nice, but optional.
Spread on pumpkin bars.

Makes 12 squares. 3 carbs per square (including frosting.)

**
Pumpkin Muffins


Ingredients:
3/4 cup Vanilla whey protein powder
1/8 cup "Just Whites" (egg white powder)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2/3 cup Splenda
1 cup canned Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/8 cup water
3 Tablespoons oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil 2 muffin tins, or use paper liners with a quick spray of Pam.

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix all liquid ingredients in large bowl; then add dry ingredients and mix with hand mixer for one minute. Pour into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes (watch carefully - ovens vary!)

Makes 12 muffins. 4 carbs per muffin.

[misty1028]

Kaimi thanks for the recipes I was just trying to think of a few extra LC recipes other that LC cheese cake. I have alot of company coming so I figure I'd be ready. I will be making a few reg. pies like apple and chocolate cream. But I'd like the rest to be LC. An it's funny if I don't say anything they don't even know the other desserts are LC and they love them.

[maryvit]

I plan on eating a big breakfast ... we'll be at the mil's from game time on (Pack game is 11:30) and cooking smells will be in the air all day ... I may have to run home @ 1/2 time and have a lc lunch so I can hold out for the dinner which is usually 5ish

I'm hoping to be in control all day .. but either way - i'll post what happened ..may need a kick in the booty by friday!!!!

[Ilpirata]

I've got Freindsgiving tommorrow night with "The Works" I'll probably just be eating Turkey... Then I've got T-Day dinner at Black Angus with the old folks Thursday which should be fine. My WOE is more extreme than regular Atkins - I'm taking a mini "Atkins Vacation" Wed and Thurs and just sticking to good clean low carb to get through.

[AnneEliot]

My plan is to bring my own side dish (whipped cheesy cauliflower) and my own low-carb dessert (low carb praline pumpkin pie); to allow myself a glass of wine with dinner; and to have a small omelet before I go.

ETA: A whole side dish and a whole pie, not just servings for just me!

[sugarless4life]

Its a DAY. Don't let a DAY take you a YEAR to undo ....

That's all I have to say!

Betty

[Stevie Renee]

I am not worried at all about the food. I am worried I may strangle my brother..grrrr..
I need support to stop me. lol

He just gets under my skin to no end. lol

[Bring it on]

Originally Posted by Stevie Renee

I am not worried at all about the food. I am worried I may strangle my brother..grrrr..
I need support to stop me. lol

He just gets under my skin to no end. lol

LOL, Oh yes this can be a family issue support thread also.

[brandy998]

Thank you for starting this thread! They say having a plan is a key part of staying on plan and this thread is a great way to get us all started thinking about what challenges we will face over the next few weeks during the holidays. We go to the local country club as guests of my grandmother and they thankfully always have a roast beef and smoked salmon so I've already decided that roast beef with fresh horseradish and smoked salmon with onions, eggs & capers along with some salad and ranch dressing will be my staples. IF they have some green beans or broccoli or other suitable veg that is not en casserole I'll consider having a bit of that but otherwise it's meat & salad for me! I've already planned NOT to have dessert and thankfully desserts aren't my temptation anyway (for me it's bread and butter and stuffing!) Anyway, I have a plan and at least right now, I'm feeling pretty strong about it! Good luck to each of you as you try to navigate AWAY from the gravy boat and the dessert table!

[Teefie]

There are some good ideas in this support group. I think I'll walk Thursday morning and make sure that I have a good breakfast and lunch before I go to the family dinner.

[crobyninc]

I got Linda Sue's Low carb Pumpkin Pie bake in the oven!!! YUM, it smells so good in my house. I made it in cupcake tins, so I have little mini pumpkin pies for tomorrow! A little dollop of hwc and it is perfect! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[misslatte]

Originally Posted by crobyninc

I got Linda Sue's Low carb Pumpkin Pie bake in the oven!!! YUM, it smells so good in my house. I made it in cupcake tins, so I have little mini pumpkin pies for tomorrow! A little dollop of hwc and it is perfect! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Oh! That's a great idea! This will definitely help with portion control.

[fawn]

When you are nourished, it's difficult to over feed