I'm watching what I eat and cutting calories where I can. I have been using an on line tool called
I'm also trying to give up dairy for at least a week to see how it goes.
I have heard that this may help lose more weight faster, if you are allergic to dairy.
With these two things in mind I have been looking for ways to keep with the plan and still enjoy what I'm eating.
I do not have to give up anything. I have chosen to change a few things.
I have chosen to take an alternative route rather than the interstate to fatlandastan.
Yes I am dedicated to making healthy choices,but lets remember also that my real love of food and cooking got me where I am today.
OK there are other issues too but that is my monkey and will not be in a blog anytime soon.
So if I can have what I want for a few less calories by cooking it a little different. Then I'm up for the change. If it taste good then it really is a win.
Happy to report this was a happy and tasty change.
Almost everyone has heard of "The Hungry Girl" well this is the tail of how I tricked my family into eating one of her recipes.
More importantly how I tricked my mother in law into eating tofu.
Hell the real truth is how I tricked myself into eating tofu.
I'll give the people who know me a moment to get their heads around that last statement...... True enough I did not eat it plan or cubed in a meatless recipe. But to replace the creamy goodness that is cream cheese in a guacamole recipe; well that's just witchcraft. Deceitful trickery at the least.
Here are the cast of characters in our Little play. It's been said that "All the world's a play." So I say then have fun with the role.
First make sure you have the house or at the least the kitchen to yourself.(rule #62) Covert operations go best when only a few people are involved.
Drain the peas and Tofu... again I will give the people who know me a moment to "simmer" the words... peas and tofu. I know it's not easy to hear.
Now as the peas and tofu drain you need to hide all evidence that peas and tofu were ever in the kitchen .
This is important. If you give the least hint that you changed the recipe even a little from what the family is use to.They will always look in the trashcan first. Trust me on this one. In 92' I tried to use generic mac & cheese and was found out by a 4 year old.
! HIDE THE EVIDENCE!
(rule #18)
Scoop out the avocado and place in the food processor. Let's take a minute to thank the inventor of this little gem. It's a wonder,a time saver. A boon to cooks' universal.
I for one would not want to be without mine. That being said; chop the tomatoes by hand the food processor renders them unrecognisable.
(rule # 25)There is always a trade off.
Making sure no one is around add the whole can (15oz.) of peas to your processor, with a 1/4 cup of the tofu. Now blend till smooth. I add my onions and peppers here. One jalapeno pepper and 1/2 of a sweet onion.
It doesn't matter if you can tell what they are, little bits of "zippy" in
a sea of green yummy goodness I hope.
Transfer to a different container.... here is where you get left to your own devices. You could put this in a really nice serving bowl if that is the practice at your house, I would not.
(rule #63 Don't draw added attention to yourself when trying to fool anyone.)Or KISS. Keep it simple stupid.
This is just asking for questions. Questions that just don't need to be asked or even pondered.
Fold in the tomatoes and chill for about 2 hours or over night.
Now is the tricky part.
Judging you family .... no no no not that kind of judging. Unless your into all the drama and grief you bring on yourself.
Assess the group tendencies towards anger and violence (rule #6 Asses the situation.)
How mad at you are they going to be if you tell them after they eat this new lower carb., fat, and calorie recipe change. Is telling them worth it.
You have to find the "Joy Level" received by the telling.
To do this you will need to assign your laugh factor a number from 1 to 100 subtract the "cold shoulder level" (also on a 1 to 100 scale) you may receive from the party fooled.
This is the "Joy Level". This number divided by number of days it will take them to get over the trick you played on them.
If you do not get a number grater then 8 I say keep it to yourself or blog about it,but don't tell.
Here is the recipe from Woman's World
Mash 1 15oz can of young peas,drained.
Add 1/2 cup mashed avocado
1/4 cup well drained silken tofu
4 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 of an onion chopped
1 sm. jalapeno
ground cumin & chili powder to taste
fresh cilantro if desired.
(or if you like the taste of soap in your food.)
Yeah I'm one of them. I don't know why but this stuff taste like soap to me, and it makes me Itch if I get it on my skin. But that's another blog............
So on Hungry Girl she says it's about 78 calories for 1/3 cup using Greek yogurt in place of the tofu. With the tofu it's about the same only 85 calories for the same 1/3 cup. and no dairy.
So I liked this dip. It was wonderful on my taco salad and really good on my special k "chips"
Mother in law did not see any difference.
I'm not telling anyone I made a big change in the Guacamole recipe for now. Well no one but you guys. "Wink,wink,nudge nudge."
The Joy Level of this trick is in the fact she and I ate something that was lower in fat and good for us too.
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