Low Carb Meatloaf~What a wonderful idea!

Making Meatloaf Low in Carbs as featured on LowCarbDiets@About.com

Meatloaf seems to conjure up the phrase "comfort food" without even trying. Everyone's mother or grandmother seems to make the "best" meatloaf, and there are so many variations you could have a different one every night of the year. These are the basics to making a meatloaf, with variations for low-carb eaters.

There are four components to the basic meatloaf: The meat, the seasonings, the "filler" and the sauce. Any one of them can be varied to suit your own tastes. Then you can put your name on your very own meatloaf recipe!

Let's take the components one at a time:
The Meat
Meatloaf can be made out of any kind of ground meat. Ground beef is traditional, but there is no reason you can't use turkey or any other kind. "Meatloaf mix," which is available in some stores, is a combination of beef, pork, and veal.

Many recipes include sausage (taken out of the "skin"). Any meat is fine; however, it's best to avoid very fatty meats as they will release a whole lot of grease. Most meatloafs have 1 ½ to 2 ½ lbs. of meat for a standard loaf pan.

The Seasonings
The seasonings can vary depending upon your taste and adventurousness. Meatloaf can be made Italian style, Mexican style, or plain American style. It can be flavored with anything from wine to hot sauce to curry powder. Garlic is a favorite, as is Worcestershire sauce and ketchup (though low-carb eaters will want to watch the sugar in regular ketchup).

The Filler
Just ground meat can be very dense, plus it won't hold as much juice. Usually meatloaf is mixed with some kind of starch such as bread or oatmeal to absorb the juices and make it less dense, about ½ cup of filler per pound of meat. Vegetables such as spinach, onion, mushrooms, or green peppers also make the loaf less dense, as well as add flavor. Fruit such as chopped apple or applesauce is not an unusual addition, adding juiciness as well as a sweet counterpoint to the savory loaf.

On low-carb diets, starchy fillers are discouraged, especially bread crumbs. It is perfectly fine to just leave it out. But if you do this, know that you'll have to drain the excess grease and juices, or form it on a baking sheet instead of in a loaf pan. Here are some low-carb ideas for fillers for meat loaf:
low-carb bread crumbs
possibly oatmeal (not instant), depending on carb allowance
dried vegetables such as onion, tomato, and mushrooms, or dried soup mix (count carbs -- can't use in the same quantities as other fillers)
Fresh or frozen vegetables such as spinach and others listed above will make the loaf less dense, but not absorb juice
crushed pork rinds
TVP
Carb Counters Instant Mashers
Thicken Thin NOTcereal and/or NOT sugar
Putting the Loaf Together
In addition to the filler, egg is usually used as binder, usually 1 per loaf does the trick. Some say that more interferes with the texture.

Your hands are the best tools for mixing up a meatloaf, but don't overdo it. The heat from your hands will melt the fat and give the loaf a gummier texture.

The Sauce or Topping
Though a topping for the meatloaf isn't a requirement, it is common. Most popular are some sort of tomato-based sauce such as ketchup, barbeque sauce, tomato sauce or paste, or my childhood favorite, piquant sauce. Mushroom gravies are also common. Bacon is another topping that a lot of people like.

I like to put tomato-based sauces on about 10 to 15 minutes before the end of cooking. I would add gravies after the meatloaf is on the plate.
How to Make a Low-carb Gravy

Cooking the Loaf
Though we usually think of meatloaves as being in large loaf pans, they will cook faster if divided up into small loaf pans or even muffin cups. At 350 F, the muffin cups will cook in 15 to 20 minutes, as compared to an hour or more in a large loaf pan. Some say that cooking it longer at 325 F will create and improved texture. In any case, when the middle is 155 F, the meatloaf is done.

It's also fun to make meatloaf in different shapes on a baking sheet. Hearts are popular, or see the cat above for real creativity!

Now, let your imagination run wild, and let us know what you come up with!

Sounds yummy to me! I'm going to Melbourne this weekend for a girls weekend, but when I get home I'm going to give it a try.

Funny Friday Picture

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Plus, jerky makes a great low carb snack.

Eat To Lose Before and After Workouts

Eating just the right thing before lifting weights or jumping on the elliptical trainer can keep you energized until the end. What you eat "depends on how hard and how long you're exercising," says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Nutrition for Women. Here are her surprisingly easy ways to fuel your muscles before different workouts and--pant, pant--help you recover after you've worked your butt off.
A solid aerobics session--30-60 minutes
BEFORE

"A small liquid snack 5 minutes before a run, step session, or power yoga class turns into fuel almost immediately," says Somer. Let these rules be your guide:

1. Keep it light (under 200 calories) for faster digestion.

2. The less time you have to eat before exercising, the less you eat. You don't want stuff sloshing about in your tummy as you move.

3. Skip juice blends or energy drinks that list high-fructose corn syrup or glucose gels on the label. Both heavy-hitter sweeteners can make blood sugar levels plummet mid-workout.

A few 200-calorie-and-under suggestions:

A make-it-yourself 8 ounce fruit and low-fat yogurt smoothie or one of Dannon's Light & Fit ready-to-drink fruit smoothies
Carnation No Sugar Added Instant Breakfast drink made with a cup of skim milk or light soymilk
A 6 oz. glass of OJ and 2 graham crackers
AFTER

To re-hydrate and keep your blood sugar stable, have some water and:

A low-fat granola or energy bar
A cup of low-sodium chicken noodle soup
A piece of fruit or a small bunch of grapes

Hit-the-wall aerobics--60 minutes or more
BEFORE

You want a snack that keeps muscles supplied with a steady flow of glucose. "Just as a car sputters to a stop when it runs out of gas, you 'hit the wall' or 'bonk' if your glucose supplies are drained. Once that happens, no snack will fuel you fast enough to finish the workout," warns Somer. Before you go all out, have some:

1. Water to ward off dehydration, especially when it's hot.

2. Easy-to-digest, high-quality carbs that leave your GI track quickly and supply enough glucose to fuel a long workout.

3. Protein from yogurt, milk, soymilk, or nuts to offset a rapid drop in blood sugar from eating those carbs.

4. Foods that are light (again, 200 calories) and low-fat to avoid digestive problems. If your energy dips or your legs become shaky, eat more the next time until you hit on the right amount.

Good carb-protein combos:

Half a 4 oz. whole-wheat bagel with 1 tbsp. low-fat cream cheese
A small slice of last night's vegetarian pizza or 2/3 cup leftover spaghetti with marinara sauce
1 stick of low-fat string cheese, 1 medium pear, and 3 whole-grain crackers
AFTER

Recover with more water and a 100 calorie, all-carb snack, such as:

50 pretzel sticks
1/2 cup Breyer's Double Churn Fat-Free Caramel Swirl ice cream
Half a baked potato topped with 2 tbsp. salsa

Up to 60 minutes of gentle yoga, stretching, or tai chi

BEFORE

A pre-workout snack isn't essential for low-sweat activities--say, an hour of yin yoga or a stretch class. But if you're hungry, try a banana for potassium and 2 graham crackers for carbs. Wash it down with some water.

AFTER

All you'll need is more water.

Semi-tough strength training--30-45 minutes
BEFORE

Carbs with a dash of protein is your fuel of choice. Only serious body builders and weight lifters who pump for more than 45 minutes at least three days a week need extra protein--"most people get plenty," says Somer.

If you're borderline hard-core, try these 200 to 250 calorie protein-laced snacks:

Half a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread and a piece of fruit
A handful of trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, and seeds)
3 whole-grain crackers with 1 Tbsp. peanut butter and 6 oz. of V8 juice
AFTER

Re-hydrate with water and have the other half of that turkey sandwich--the protein helps repair and build muscles.

For the average gym rat who does 30 minutes of weight training two or three times a week, just have a high-carb snack 10 minutes or so before you start:

Plain, nonfat yogurt mixed with berries or applesauce
1 tbsp. nut butter and a sliced 1/2 banana on a 10" whole-wheat tortilla, all rolledup burrito-style
1 small (2 oz.) carrot-raisin muffin and a 6 oz. glass of OJ

An all-day hike, cross-country ski or snowshoe trek
BEFORE

To build your glycogen stores, plan ahead.
1. For a day or two prior to your outing, eat high-carb meals of whole-wheat pasta or brown rice dishes.
2. Drink ample fluids, too--at least 10 cups a day. Before setting out, have a substantial high-carb meal of pancakes or waffles with fruit.
3. In addition to lunch, pack a couple of energy bars, dried fruit-and-nut mix to nibble every 2 hours.
4. Regularly sip water or sports drinks; don't wait until you get thirsty.

AFTER

(Soak in the hot tub!) And keep drinking water. Have a high-carb snack such as a muffin, popcorn, pretzels, or hot cocoa and a graham cracker.

***

Not only will exercising regularly burn off all those snacks and more but it can make your RealAge as much as nine--yes, nine--years younger. And your body inches trimmer.

Nice.

This article was originally posted on Yahoo Food, but I thought it was interesting that what you eat makes a difference in how you burn fat. There are some definite low carb options in there, such as the Dannon Lite and Fit Smoothies(Carb and Sugar Control Option) and Low Fat String Cheese. I am certainly going to give this a try with my walking routine.

There's a man in my coffee beans!

Hey, waiter, there's a man in my coffee beans! Yes, there is a man there all right. Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, then your right half of your brain is better developed than most people. Find him in between 3 seconds and 1 minute, and it means your right half of the brain is developed normally but if you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then it is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. But you really do need more time to find a real good man. Perhaps, a lifetime.

See how Fergie reportedly lost 20 pounds...

Here is a scanned article from Life & Style Magazine telling how Fergie apparently lost 20 pounds on a diet that seems to be fairly low in calories and carbs and high in fiber. After the Kimkins fiasco, I have been looking for some menu options that will allow me to add some additional fiber into my diet. I think I might give this a try but still try to keep my carbs as low possible.

6 Diets To AVOID~by Joy Bauer M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

When it comes to losing weight, everyone's in search of a magic bullet. But don't fall for the hype. Unfortunately, there's no short-term fix for long lasting weight loss.

So learn to identify these six red flags:

1. Diets that promote or promise drastic weight loss.

When you start a diet, you can potentially drop a lot of weight during the first two weeks (some of which will be water weight). However, if you lose more than two pounds per week in the weeks that follow, you run the risk of losing "muscle mass," and your metabolism will slow down in response. That's why true health experts advocate losing weight slowly and gradually - so you melt away fat while sparing precious muscle.

2. Diets that claim to work because of special supplements, creams, or potions - no diet or exercise required!

Or diets that make you buy mega supplements in order to follow the program. If it sounds too good to be true, it is!

3. Diets that differ entirely from the way you currently eat (or like to eat).

If a plan is incompatible with your lifestyle, chances are slim you'll stick with it.

4. Diets that are less than 1,000 calories.

Too difficult to sustain and can often leave you cranky, irritable, and with a bad headache. Not to mention hungry and lethargic.


5. Diets that claim they are effortless.

There's no such animal. Losing weight takes focus and effort. Period.


6. Diets that cut out entire food groups, or focus on only a few foods.

Not realistic for the long haul; the sign of a plan you're soon to go off.