When in this part of the country, it is mandatory to eat a slice of Shoofly Pie. For me, that was no problem. It’s one of my all-time favorites. Shoofly Pie is a classic Pennsylvania Dutch recipe featuring a super-rich filling made with brown sugar and molasse and it is decadent. Shoofly Pie is basically a Pecan Pie without pecans. Tradition has it that the term “shoo fly” came … [Read more...]

It starts and ends with New Orleans, not only our cruise but the history of the Mississippi River. New Orleans is a history buff’s paradise. French explorers and traders first arrived in the 1690’s. The city was founded in 1718 by the French, named La Nouvelle Orleans – The New Orleans. For a period, it was under Spanish Control, then back to the French then purchased by the United States in … [Read more...]

In the never-ending battle for Truth, Justice, and a Shrinking Waistline, I’ve found a big helper. Carb Control Wraps from L’Oven Fresh. I like a sandwich for lunch, but a couple slices of bread will cost you at least 120 calories, plus all those carbs. I happened to see the Carb Control Wraps and noted that the package said only 60 calories per wrap. I bought a package of 8 and they are … [Read more...]

  I was up 7 ½ pounds after our week-long cruise and a travel day of scarfing fast food. Plus, I was no Miss Twiggy before we left. Time for Dr. Atkins. In 10 days, I lost 10 pounds. When the Atkins Diet broke some 30 years ago, everyone ridiculed it. It was unhealthy and unsustainable, “they” said.  Now “they” are all using Dr. Atkins’ diet of eating more protein and fewer carbs, … [Read more...]

  You can’t fool a pair of bathroom scales. Even if you rationalize that one handful of peanuts won’t hurt, they don’t lie. Even if the bag of Fritos is “almost empty” and you’re just finishing them off, they don’t lie. Bathroom scales won’t let you eat more than a tiny bit of pasta or a whole baked potato with sour cream or a slice of birthday cake with ice cream – even if you‘re just … [Read more...]

Is it possible to lose weight or even hold you own during a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas? The answer is no – it’s not possible. We are all up a few pounds if we’re lucky. We very well might be up by more than a few, but it’s no big deal. Easy come, easy go, right? Just go on a diet. But… A diet is only be a temporary bandage on a more serious wound if it doesn’t taste good and … [Read more...]

I believe that all calories are not created equal. In my experience, caloric intake in the morning is a good thing, while pigging out at dinner and dessert is anything but a losing proposition. As mentioned before, I weigh every morning and the scales reveal my sins or virtues from the previous day’s meals. I am in the midst of a struggle to shed a few of those “holiday pounds” from … [Read more...]

Folks trying to drop a few pounds often run into problems between meals – like with snacks. I know I do. When you’re extremely hungry and dinner or lunch isn’t quite ready, it’s easy to stray and eat fattening snacks – like crackers, chips or too many nuts. One snack that is both satisfying and nutritious is popcorn – but not all types of popcorn. A medium-sized box of buttered movie popcorn … [Read more...]

Bathroom scales don’t lie. No matter how you may rationalize that homemade bread isn’t as fattening as store-bought stuff - therefore you can eat a bigger slice for toast with butter and jam– the scales simply tell it like it is. You eat more calories than you burn, and you’ll gain weight. Period. Weighing every day, recording it and trying to eat sensibly – not on some super strict diet – … [Read more...]