Almost 64, and still learning new foods! Squashes, Yum! I'd never tried Acorn squash, and I'd never liked the sound of Spaghetti Squash but I am in love with both now! I like mine baked in the oven (not much on cooking in a microwave) and baked both types on 375. Next time, I've going to do the spaghetti squash at 400 though as it took a bit longer. both around an hour in my oven. I cooked them both insides up even though it said either way, depending which recipe I was looking at dribbled olive oil and spread it around, salt and pepper. On the Acorn I cut into cris-cross, then dribbled a little butter/cinnamon & br. sugar I stirred together. Yum, turned out great. Tonight I had the spaghetti squash with chic tenders cut up on top of it, poured a garlic/parmesan pasta sauce in. I was sure missing out not ever trying spaghetti squash, I doubt I ever eat regular spaghetti or pasta again it was so good I need to lighten up on the white-flour carbs anyway.
I love squash, too @Denise Happyfeet , and spaghetti squash is definitely an alternative to using carb-loaded, unhealthy pasta. I made some with regular spaghetti sauce and added hamburger meat balls before and liked it. We have another one, and I just haven't cooked it yet; but I plan on having them more often this winter. I also like all of the golden winter squashes; but they are higher carb, so I only use those sparingly right now, as well as pumpkins. Last summer, I got one of those little veggie spiralizers, and those will turn a zucchini into noodles . I have been looking at recipes using veggie noodles, and also riced cauliflower, and making my own flour-free bread and muffins. Bobby still eats regular bread, but I have been doing the low-carb for a while now, and it really agrees with me. So, although squash is not a new food for me by any means, it IS new to me to be using it in place of pasta.
Did I already ask you and @Bobby Cole if you would adopt me? LOL I'm all into the squashes now I like the idea of making a zuccini into noodle form!! Have to see if I can get a spiralizer, sounds like an excellent idea. Yes, I read somewhere about how eating too many carbs, which are the bad, the simple? Well anyway, how they can actually cause GERDS and the other "gut" issues, which I seem to have developed. I realized I had gotten into a bad habit over the past, couple of months eating just carbs (white jasmine) and a meat. No vegies except in my brekkie. So now I am switching off especially because of my stomach thingys I like to make sauces for stir-frys, or I whipped up the coating for my squash (the cinnamon one). I read about it but I just threw the amounts together on my own. I love using ginger, I think I'll try to remember to put some of that in as well. I still have two, full bowls of spaghetti squash!! So I'll make some pork I think tonight, and a sauce of some sort
We actually eat a lot of vegetables, @Denise Happyfeet , especially ones that are not starches, like potatoes. Since I have been on the Ketogenic Diet, I have lost almost 40 lbs, have more energy, and much better muscle tone as well. I have lost fat and gained muscle, and this eating program works so well for me that I plan on always eating this way. We have greens, salads, and veggies with our main meal each day, and I often have something like broccoli or zucchini with my morning meal as well. What we avoid are the foods that only add carbs, like potatoes, corn, rice, and of course, breads and sugars. Since Bobby is not on a diet, he still eats whatever he wants of those foods, and I am in the process of learning the low-carb versions of things like bread and rice. I have tried microwave keto bread, and it is great for when I really want a sandwich, and the other day I made a pumpkin low-carb mug cake and frosted it with cream cheese, which was totally delicious, and you wold never think it was diet food. I posted the picture and recipe for that if you are interested, and we have more ideas for low-carb eating in the thread about that under diets. Here is the picture of the pumpkin muffin again in case you missed it in the recipe section.
@Denise Happyfeet , What a coincidence! I just roasted a halved acorn squash in the oven last night. I could only have olive oil spray and and a little salt though. I usually do it like you described except for the cinnamon.
I google everything Ina, here is some info on those foods: http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/simple-carbohydrates-complex-carbohydrates
Basically a simple carb is one that breaks down fast into sugars in your body, and spikes insulin response. Breads, sweets, most fruits and grains, and starchy veggies like potatoes would be examples of more simple carbs. A complex carb is one that digests slower, such as broccoli, or even dry beans, like navy beans. Most of the simple carbs are also on the inflammatory foods list, and that is why eating them can inflame muscles and joints, and worsen things like arthritis or fibromyalgia. I first started really looking into what inflammatory foods do to a person after I had the heart operation. My whole chest was inflamed and very painful after the operation, and I wanted it to heal up as fast and as well as it could heal; so I started reading about anti-inflammatory foods and inflammatory foods. That was the start of me modifying my diet, and seeing what did and did not affect pain in my body. Just cutting back on inflammatory foods helped me a lot, and I didn't have as many days of needing help just getting around the house. Here is a good page that explains more about complex carbs and has a chart. http://www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm
I like a balance of the "right" foods, and you mention the weight (congrats, it takes work I learned losing 20 lbs about 2 years ago now). You also mentioned the tired feeling, and yes, that is why, I'm betting, I've had so little energy!! Thanks for that reminder. I am always tired an hour or so after eating a sandwich and chips for lunch. Really don't realize how I am slipping until I start feeling bad, low energy etc. Thanks again Yvonne. I'm interested in your meals, and treats that are actually healthy Cream Cheese is ok?? I'm glad if it is, yum
It can really be fun, sort of a hobby, finding out about foods, and trying new things. Do you have some new foods you've tried, or would like to @Ina I. Wonder I sure can't recommend squashes enough, I'm gonna turn into a squash junkie
Denise, I am on the Ketogenic Diet, and this is a very low-carb eating plan. Many people do it for health reasons because it switches your body from burning sugar to burning fat, and helps cancer patients as well as people with seizures, or memory problems. I am doing it because it helps me to feel better and lose weight. Since cream cheese has virtually no carbs in it, it is totally allowable for me to eat it. I think that there are as many different eating plans as there are people just about, and each one of us chooses what works best for us. There is probably no "one size fits all" when it comes to diets, and especially when we all have different goals. My main goal is to be pain-free without medication, be physically active, and mentally alert for as long into my senior years as possible. I am already in much better health right now than I have been for the last 10-15 years of my life, and that motivates me to continue on.
Oh I love the dribbling of the cinnamon, melted butter, and br. sugar, LOL! Wonder if that is like the "Running of the Bulls" only different, LOL Have you tried the spaghetti squash? What a nice surprise after saying "oh ick" for years to my sister
I'm a veggie person, but my doctor tells me I need eat more meat. He recently told me that I was supplementing with too many pill supplements, and not eating enough real food. I plead guilty. Food hurts my tummy. Bobert told me he now understood why his papaw was always hassling me to eat. He brought me a hamburger that he cooked, althought he did remember to put the burger on the low carb bread that I purchased last week. I eat lost of squashes, greens, turnips, carrots, pickles, avocados, and I love jalapeño stuffed olives. I fluctuate between 130 and 140 easily. So for me it isn't about weight, it's about what I can eat without hurting what's left of my intestines.
I'm learning some things about foods that will rebuild (so to speak) my stomach, as well as build help either repair, or stop the progress of some nerve/bone/cartilage issues. I do take some supplements as well, but try not to go overboard if I can get things I need from foods. Which nowadays is a real task at time Love the vegies you are eating, sounds very healthy to me. I don't care for red meat anymore, but I like the white meats, and fish, love fish, especially salmon but those are so expensive here. Go figure, right on the ocean here
Yes, Have been eating spaghetti squash for years, but not that often. It has no appreciable taste for me, anyway but is a great low carb vehicle to shove yummy tomato sauce and some grated cheese into my face, instead of carb-laden pasta. Eggplant is even better, I think.