Low-Fat Lifestyle

…BELL PEPPERS!

I always just associated peppers with salads, but not anymore. Now, I think of them as a snack first!

And - something I consider with all vegetables because I’m a klutz - they’re not difficult to cut. I bought a huge bag of mini bell peppers at Costco, and they stayed fresh for a surprisingly long time.

Aside from being low fat, they’re loaded with nutrients: beta carotene, folic acid, vitamins B6 and C,and thiamine.

Oh, and they actually taste good. Add fat-free ranch to make them even better!

It seems so simple (because it IS), but I figured I’d share, since it’s a snack I really hadn’t thought of before!

Image via mykindofcooking.blogspot.com.

amotherfuckingmonster-deactivat asked: How did the low-fat pie crust taste? And how many servings did it make?
I also add honeyin my greek yogurt, cause otherwise it does taste like sourcream!

Answer in my ask :)

Hey! Sorry if this response is a bit delayed.

The low-fat pie crust was actually really good! I’m picky about my sweets, but this was really good. I’m hoping to experiment with a homemade graham cracker one soon. And, in terms of servings, it was realistically 8-10. If it was something bought in a store, the package would probably say 12, but my portions are a bit more generous. If you make it, I’d love to know what you think.

And honey in greek yogurt is the secret!!

Although this might not look the most appetizing, it’s a really healthy, filling, low fat, fool-proof lunch idea: ground 99% lean turkey meat, green beans (just the microwavable frozen kind), Trader Joe’s organic quinoa and a little bit of Smart Balance light butter spread. And you can eat it hot or cold. Definitely something worth trying!

There is a fantastic iPhone app that I highly recommend for food information: Fooducate. It’s free. It’s informative. It’s simple to use. The app not only gives food products a grade, but tells you the nutrition info and bad health aspects of the food. To find a product, just scan its Barcode or search by name. So easy and so useful. Give it a try!

I wouldn’t normally advocate eating cannolis and cupcakes, but it is totally okay when it comes from Carlo’s Bakery. Calories and fat don’t count when it’s made by the Cake Boss! My gallbladder may disagree later, but it was totally worth it. Mirror Awards. The Plaza Hotel. Cake Boss. Can it get better?

Nutritionally, fat-free plain greek yogurt is awesome: TONS of protein, relatively low in sugar, and absolutely devoid of fat.

However…it tastes pretty nasty. It’s like eating sour cream straight out of the container. And it certainly doesn’t look appetizing either. Overall, I just find it kinda gross.

Flavored greek yogurts taste better, but they add a ton more sugar. 

An easy fix is to add honey and cinnamon. These two ingredients totally transform the taste of the yogurt, making it not only tolerable but actually enjoyable to eat.

Try it. It really does taste good!

Such a healthy and delicious breakfast: 2 Van’s Lite Waffles, a couple spoonfuls of Better’N Peanut Butter, and one sliced banana. Two waffles have only 2g of fat and pack 6g of fiber, 3g of protein, and 17g of whole grains. And all of this tastes amazing and is so quick to make in a toaster oven. Definitely a breakfast worth trying.

Steak has a reputation for being very fatty. True, a lot of steak is full of fat. Generally, the fattier the steak, the juicier and better it tastes.

But there are certain cuts of steak that are naturally lower in fat, and the degree of marbling it has also indicates the fat content. So how to figure out what’s okay to eat? Keep reading. The chart below is from the Beef: It’s Whats For Dinner website, where you can download a copy for yourself:

Image via beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

Different grades of meat, based on degree of marbling, are also a huge tip off to how fatty the meat is. Prime has the most marbling (aka the most fat). Choice has the second most marbling, followed by select and standard. Practically speaking, select and choice are probably your best options when buying meat at the supermarket because standard would be too tough and not very tasty. 

Also, cooking the meat on a grill will let fat drip off, making it even leaner.

Knowing these things should help make eating steak a little easier!

Bacon is one of those foods that I’ve really missed since being diagnosed with my gallbladder problem.  Truly, there’s no substitute for the taste of bacon.

I’ve tried turkey bacon, which tasted like artificial junk. Maybe it was just the brand I bought, but this stuff didn’t look like bacon and tasted like a science experiment.

So, I was extremely happy to discover that Canadian bacon is MUCH lower in fat than regular bacon!

Image via foodsubs.com.

I tried Hormel Canadian-Style Bacon, which only has 70 calories and 2.5 grams of fat in 2 slices. ONLY 2.5 GRAMS OF FAT - AND IT’S BACON. (Bonus: It’s also gluten free!)

This isn’t a “diet” food. It has great taste and was easy to cook. It is higher in sodium, but hey, it can’t be perfect. I wouldn’t eat it every day, but it’s definitely a welcome break from my Cheerios and oatmeal.

If you’re trying to eat a low-fat diet, choose Canadian bacon over regular bacon. (This can also be helpful to remember if you’re going out to breakfast!)  It’ll save you from eating a ton of unnecessary fat and still let you eat foods that are full of flavor.

sally--albright asked: Thanks for this blog! As someone recently diagnosed with gallbladder disease, it's awesome to see so many yummy things to eat that won't drive my gallbladder up the wall.

I’m so happy my blog has helped you! Thanks for reading :)