The new SoWal Diet Plan...go to Pandora's. 
SoWell on Sowal
- Thread starter Teresa
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
The new SoWal Diet Plan...go to Pandora's.
Since I am 450 miles away, it should be pretty effective:funn:
SoWell on SoWal (as well as several other things) motivated me to get moving and I lost 25 pounds since January and I feel grayt. I tried South Beach once and liked it - lost about 12 lbs about 2 years ago, but gained it back. I hope this plan works better. There's nothing special I'm doing except reducing calories (portion control, I'm guessing about 1200 calories/day), exercising (1/2 hour walking fast either on tread mill or outside), and working with a trainer who I've been going to twice a week (I haven't cancelled unless I've been out of town). My goal is to make lifestyle changes and focus on health rather than dieting. And it has worked so far. One of my secret weapons has been these very healthy 65 calorie each and they fill you up granola bars that I make (and I keep them in the freezer and eat them frozen because I like them better frozen and they fall apart if I don't freeze them). I have them for breakfast and snacks and I haven't tired of them yet -- I still look forward to them:
Chewy Apricot-Almond Granola Bars
From: Smart Cookies by Jane Kinderlehrer
Yield 25 squares, 65 calories each
1 ? cups rolled oats
? cup sunflower seeds
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp honey or molasses (honey cream works well, too)
? cup peanut butter (smooth works best)
? cup wheat germ
2 tbsp dry milk powder
? teaspoon cinnamon (I add extra)
? cup dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp raisins (optional ? I use dried cherries)
? cup almond slices, lightly toasted (I use any kind of sliced almonds, sometimes toasted, sometimes not)
1. Toast the oats and sunflower seeds on a cookie sheet in a 350 oven for 5 ? 7 minutes until dry and crisp (I don't bother toasting them)
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the lightly beaten egg, honey or molasses, and peanut butter. Stir with wooden spoon until ingredients are well-combined, then turn off heat.
3. Add the toasted oats and seeds, wheat germ, milk powder, cinnamon, apricots, and raisins.
4. Press the mixture into an 8 inch square dish, lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled.
5. Press the toasted almonds over the top of the granola mixture. Cut into 1.5 inch pieces and refrigerate (I like to keep in fridge overnight before I cut them because they are fragile and can fall apart easily) or freeze (I like eating them frozen, too).
I sometimes double/triple the recipe and keep them in the freezer, cut up into bars and ready to eat. I bring them to work for snacks. They sometimes break up into smaller pieces, but that's OK with me -- you could add more peanut butter or honey, I suppose)
Here's another favorite recipe (you can substitute chicken or pork for the shrimp)
South Beach Lettuce Wrappers with Shrimp (excellent)4 servings; 80 calories each serving
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped (I chop 3-4 pieces per shrimp ? not finely chopped at all)
? cup finely chopped celery
? cup water chestnuts chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (I didn?t have any so I used a white balsamic vinegar I happened to have around the house)
8 large leaves Boston lettuce
Toasted chopped peanuts
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are opaque. Remove the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the celery, water chestnuts, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
4. Return the shrimp to the wok and add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through.
5. Evenly divide the shrimp mixture amnong the lettuce leaves. Garnish with the peanuts.
Chewy Apricot-Almond Granola Bars
From: Smart Cookies by Jane Kinderlehrer
Yield 25 squares, 65 calories each
1 ? cups rolled oats
? cup sunflower seeds
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp honey or molasses (honey cream works well, too)
? cup peanut butter (smooth works best)
? cup wheat germ
2 tbsp dry milk powder
? teaspoon cinnamon (I add extra)
? cup dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp raisins (optional ? I use dried cherries)
? cup almond slices, lightly toasted (I use any kind of sliced almonds, sometimes toasted, sometimes not)
1. Toast the oats and sunflower seeds on a cookie sheet in a 350 oven for 5 ? 7 minutes until dry and crisp (I don't bother toasting them)
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the lightly beaten egg, honey or molasses, and peanut butter. Stir with wooden spoon until ingredients are well-combined, then turn off heat.
3. Add the toasted oats and seeds, wheat germ, milk powder, cinnamon, apricots, and raisins.
4. Press the mixture into an 8 inch square dish, lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled.
5. Press the toasted almonds over the top of the granola mixture. Cut into 1.5 inch pieces and refrigerate (I like to keep in fridge overnight before I cut them because they are fragile and can fall apart easily) or freeze (I like eating them frozen, too).
I sometimes double/triple the recipe and keep them in the freezer, cut up into bars and ready to eat. I bring them to work for snacks. They sometimes break up into smaller pieces, but that's OK with me -- you could add more peanut butter or honey, I suppose)
Here's another favorite recipe (you can substitute chicken or pork for the shrimp)
South Beach Lettuce Wrappers with Shrimp (excellent)4 servings; 80 calories each serving
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped (I chop 3-4 pieces per shrimp ? not finely chopped at all)
? cup finely chopped celery
? cup water chestnuts chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (I didn?t have any so I used a white balsamic vinegar I happened to have around the house)
8 large leaves Boston lettuce
Toasted chopped peanuts
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are opaque. Remove the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the celery, water chestnuts, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
4. Return the shrimp to the wok and add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through.
5. Evenly divide the shrimp mixture amnong the lettuce leaves. Garnish with the peanuts.
Paula, you are always so inspirational!
The wraps sound wonderful!! I think I'll give 'em a try!!
The wraps sound wonderful!! I think I'll give 'em a try!!
Grayt recipes Paula. 
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
thank you iwiwt for jump starting this thread. DD and I have been talking (PMing) about doing so for a few weeks now. I truly need to be inspired by all of you.
uh.. Miss Kitty - pandoras? you don't likey? what is the story???
uh.. Miss Kitty - pandoras? you don't likey? what is the story???
Well missy...it's about time you got your self back on sowal!
One of our members had a bad experience at P's last night. There is a whole thread about it.
Well missy...it's about time you got your self back on sowal!
I thought you had been kidnapped and hawg tied! Glad you're back.