Update

Hey gang. I'm working on several things at the moment for this blog that I think you'll enjoy. For now I'll just have to give you an update on some things, at least until I have these other posts ready.

Blogging: I have some product reviews in the works - complete with a few recipes. I can't wait to share some of the yummy stuff I've tried! I'm also in the process of reading Dr. Eades The 6 Week Cure for the Middle Aged Middle. So far it's been a stellar book and I'll be sharing my thoughts on it soon. I'm also going to try out the diet plan they use, so will try to update on that progress when I can.

Photography: For those that are interested, there has been a lot going on with me in this area. I was recently accepted as a participating photographer for Think Pink Photography. I find it a huge privileged to be listed among some of the most amazing photographers in the business. Think Pink is a completely volunteer network of photographers who donate their time and talent to photographing breast cancer patients and survivors. Some of the stories these photos tell are simply awe inspiring. And if non-cancer patients book a session and tell us they found us on Think Pink, we donate a portion of that session to the Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation.
On a similar note, I'm also participating in the one day event called Images for a Cure, in which all session fees for Oct. 11th, 2009 (in my case Oct. 10th) are donated to breast cancer research.
My photography schooling is quickly coming to a close. I should hopefully be finished by Jan. of 2010! :)

Ok, gotta run, but will be back very soon with some great stuff for you!

Low-carb bake mix, chocolate almonds and sugar habits

Hello all you wonderful people out there in internet land! Isn't it just a peachy day!?!

*This is me trying to be chirpy and happy. I think it comes across as more annoying than anything though, so I'll stop.*

Honestly, yesterday was a rough one. I'll spare you the details. Let's just say I burned myself 3 times by the end of the day and it was no surprise ending. :{

Today is a new day, so I'm working on a better outlook. And if you have some good mojo, please send it my way just in case.

Weight-loss has been slow, but steady. Can't ask for more than that really.

I've recently put up 3 new articles on Examiner. Please come visit me at these links so I can buy my kids some shoes.

Atkins announces new Atkins Cuisine pasta and bake mix

Kick the sugar habit with 12 week teleclass

Cocoa Roast Almonds make mouths happy

Review and a Giveaway: Grace Island Baked Cheese Crisps

When I first heard about this tasty sounding new product called Grace Island's Baked Cheese Crisps, I'll admit to having high hopes. Having lived through the whole "low-carb craze" era, where every manufacturer and his dog were pushing their products as low-carb. I'll also admit to being skeptical. Many of those products were not truly low-carb, and some of them were down right nasty tasting. (Nasty as in maybe a dog really did come up with the product.)
With these conflicting emotions fighting for precious, but rare, real estate in my brain, I took a bite of the Baby Swiss flavor. I immediately sold all remaining land to Hope and gave Skepticism it's eviction papers.

I. Am. In. Love.



Not only do these awesome little crisps taste great, but they are also all natural. Grace Island's Baked Cheese Crisps are gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, sugar-free, corn-free and contain no MSG. Does it get any better than that? To quote Kalista Johnston, owner of Grace Island Specialty Foods Inc. and creator of the snack, "The really exciting thing about my crisps is that they are not the usual low-carb new product 'frankenfood'. They are just plain old fresh, wholesome ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now..."



Kalista being a low-carber herself, she knows just what we are looking for. With this in mind she created a product that is healthy, packaged for portion control and easy to take along anywhere - no cooler required! Let me also add that these little bites of heaven are filling and available in 4 great flavors: Romano & Black Peppercorn; Parmesan & Italian Herb; Baby Swiss and Asagio. One serving carried me over for quite a long time.


Nutritional info for the Asagio flavor:

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Serving Size: 1 bag (29 g)
Servings Per Container: 3 bags

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 160
Calories from Fat: 120
Total Fat 13g
Saturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 200mg
Total Carbohydrate 4g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 0g
Protein 10g

Ingredients:
Cheese (milk, cheese cultures, rennet, calcium chloride, salt), egg white, sesame seed, garlic, onion, salt, spices, natural flavor

Allergen Alert:
Contains: Milk, egg

Processed in a grain-free kitchen

To learn more about this amazing product be sure to check out her website at www.graceislandfoods.com.

Don't run off just yet though! I have a fun surprise for you. Kalista has agreed to give two of my readers a sample pack of Grace Island's Baked Cheese Crisps. To enter your name in the giveaway you'll need to participate in a little scavenger hunt. Here's how it works. Simply visit www.graceislandfoods.com and find the answers to the following questions:

1. What state does the Grace Island Specialty Foods, Inc. reside in?
2. What page do you use to submit recipes for inclusion on the website?
3. What is the catchy little saying you'll find on every page of the website?

Send your full name, mailing address and the answers to these questions to me at healthylowcarbliving@gmail.com by March 29th. Be sure to put CHEESE CRISPS GIVEAWAY in your subject line so I can be sure it won't end up in my spam filter. If you find all the correct answers your name will be entered in a random drawing on March 30th. I'll announce the winners here on my blog, so be sure you check back on March 30th!

Latest from Examiner.com

Well, my little notifier feed thingy-ma-bob over on the right isn't quite working like I'd expected, so I'm going to give a quick update on my latest offerings at Examiner. Here's what I've been talking about lately:

PureVia enters the sweetener race

Authors of Protein Power giving away free books

FDA warns tainted weight-loss products pose great risk to health

Eat Smart Nutrition Scale - smartest scale on the block

Study says sugar as addictive as drugs

Oprah is still battling the bulge

And a four part series on the basics of Atkins:

Atkins basics 101 - induction

Atkins basics 101 - ongoing weight-loss

Atkins basics 101 - pre-maintenance

Atkins basics 101 - lifetime mantainence

Hope you enjoy!

Pan Perfection

On today's Examiner I talk about a pan I fell in love with. I'm not leaving my husband for it, but he's fallen in love with it too. Is that creepy? ;)

The pan that is eggs-actly right.

And now, it's time for.... an update!

Here's the low-down of the hoe-down were are having in M-town. (Please.. no offers to write poetry for you. Really. I'm much too busy. :p )

On Examiner: Last night I put up a review of Perdue's Short Cuts pre-cooked chicken. Be sure to take a looksie. And later today I'll have an interesting article about depression and low-carb, so be sure to check back.

Weight-Loss: I finally have an update! I started back on strict induction just over a week ago and as of this morning have lost almost 7 lbs. I'm drinking lots of water, and am eating only whole foods, with the exception of an occasional shake or low-carb bar when I'm on the run. I'm trying to make those a rare thing. I'm planning on adding exercise back into my routine today. I've been so busy lately that exercise got shoved aside. I've reworked my schedule and shoved it right back in. I've actually made my workout part of our home school P.E. time. I'm exercising with the kids, so that's a good improvement for us all. Anyway, I'm finally losing weight again. I'm not sure why it's working this time and didn't last time (Probably hormonal. Curse you hormones!!!), but I'm not complaining. I'm enjoying the ride back down.


Photography: Some of you may be wondering how my photography schooling/career is going. Right now, it's not. I've been so busy I have had little chance to do much with my camera. Obviously if a job came in I'd be all over it. But right now it's just slow going. I will share with you a job I did this summer though.

I took the following shot for a 50's themed restaurant called T-Birds:

(click to see enlarged.)

It was enlarged to around 40"x80" and was placed as the main focal point. Here's a shot just after it was hung:


(click to see enlarged.)

I need to take a recent shot now that all the other decorations are hung around it. (And I just had lunch there yesterday... I should have thought of it then.)
Anyway, I'm very proud of the way this project turned out and the restaurant owner really liked it.

Cat: My kitten Jazzy is all grown up now. Well, she'll be a year old next month anyway and she's no longer resembles that tiny little creature we brought home. She spends her days attacking our legs from some hiding place and sleeping. Occasionally she eats and uses the box. Speaking of which, we are trying to toilet train her. Don't laugh. I bet it's easier than potty training a toddler. And I don't have to worry about the cat hiding behind a chair with a red face 'cause she's "doin' her bizness" in her drawers.

Win A Box of Truvia to Try For Yourself!

The news about the new stevia based sweetener by Cargill called Truvia is spreading fast. Everyone seems to love it as much as I do. Even my husband has decided that he'd rather use Truvia over any other sugar alternative.

You've read my review as well as all the other reviews.... You've heard all the raving...

So how would you like to try some for yourself?

I'm happy to announce that 5 lucky readers will get a chance to do just that, thanks to the great folks at Cargill.

Here's how you enter:

Send you full name and address to healthylowcarbliving@gmail.com by August 7th, 2008. And be sure you put Truvia Giveaway in the subject line so it doesn't go to my spam filter! (Remember, your privacy is important to us and we will only use your information to send you your prize.) On August 8th we will randomly draw five winners and then announce it here later in the day.

That's all there is to it. So get those entries sent in soon! Good Luck Everyone!

Review: Truvia - Nature's Calorie-Free Sweetener

July 9th, 2008 marked the first day that the long awaited sweetener Truvia could be sampled. Cargill, the makers of Truvia, is having a 3 day exhibit in New York City to showcase their newest offering. I was honored to be invited to this special occasion where you could not only learn more about Truvia, but could taste it for yourself. They also have a greenhouse set up where you could learn all about the process that turns Stevia plants into Truvia. Alas, due to those two little annoyances called time and money, I was unable to travel to NYC for the big unveiling. But the nice people at Cargill saw to it that I had all the info from the briefing, as well as some products to sample, so I could share my thoughts about Truvia with you, my readers.

So what do I think?

It's good. Really good. I-could-eat-it-straight-out-of-the-package good. Not something I can say for other sugar substitutes. The texture is perfect, the taste is amazing. No licorice after taste or cooling effect like you sometimes experience with Stevia.



They sent me a box of 40 packets, which is currently available for sale on www.truvia.com for $3.99. You can also find it in select D'Agostino supermarkets in NYC. In the next few months they expect to have it available nationwide at grocery and retail, restaurants and other food establishments.



They also sent me a dark chocolate bar made with Truvia so I could see how it well in works in products. I have to say, everyone in my family really liked it. And that's saying a lot since my daughter hates dark chocolate.

So, you ask, are there any downsides to this new sweetener?

Possibly.

Look closely at the carb count on the package:




Three carbs. All from Erythritol. I was under the impression that the ingredient Rebiana, which comes from the Stevia plant, would be a stand alone ingredient. But for some reason they have added Erythritol, which many of you know is a sugar alcohol. The mildest of them all, but a sugar alcohol none-the-less. If you count SA's in your carb count, then this new sweetener isn't such a bargin. If you find Erythritol messes with your tummy like other SA's then you won't want to use this much either. Same goes for those who avoid SA's due to the rise in blood glucose they can cause.

Approximately 1 hour after eating the candy bar, which I probably had 3/4 of, I had the familiar tummy rumblings. Not a good sign. Not as bad as if I'd ate something with Maltitiol, but rumblings all the same. I tested my blood glucose after about 2 hours and did not see a rise, but then we believe I'm hypoglycemic so I'm not sure I would have seen such a result anyway.

ADDED: Dicussing this with Jimmy Moore, he pointed out that the 2nd ingredient is isomalt, which I missed noticing for some reason. That could easily explain the tummy issues. Erythritol has never had such a sudden effect on me, so now the rumbling down under makes more sense. :) BUT, adding isomalt to the candy kind of ruins the whole purpose of trying it.

So in this regard, I'm disappointed.

I wrote Cargill to ask them about this. I read in the material they gave me that it is used as a bulking agent. I did not know this and don't think I ever remember seeing it listed as such on any other product I've tried. (After some research I see that it is in fact used as such often.) As soon as I hear from them, I'll update it here.

The other question you may have is about the safety of this new sweetener. You can find all the details about this in my last blog post about Truvia, where I highlighted the research behind Rebiana.

Update: As I mentioned before, I wrote to Cargill to ask them about the erythritol in Truvia. I just received a response and wanted to share that information with you.

After asking about the reason for using erythritol and how it effects blood glucose levels, the reply is as follows:

Erythritol is a natural, non-caloric alternative to sugar. It has been part of the human diet for thousands of years as it is present in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, as well as foods such as mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine soy sauce and cheese. Since 1990, erythritol has been commercially produced and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as enhance taste and texture. It is used as a bulking ingredient in the tabletop formula. It is what gives Truvia its crystal form and is not a fermental/sugar alcohol product.

Regarding consumption, before Truvia natural sweetener was made available to consumers, Cargill commissioned a rigorous set of scientific studies that established the safety of rebiana. The results confirmed the positive findings of earlier studies and addressed unresolved questions. The results have been published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A panel of independent experts reviewed a dossier of all available toxicity and safety information relevant to rebiana, and concluded that rebiana is safe for use as a general purpose sweetener. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) supports rebiana use as a general purpose sweetener in food and beverages.

OK. It sorta answered my questions. Enough so that I'm satisfied with the answer. I know that in the research they found no significant raise in blood glucose levels with Truvia. I can only assume that means they tested it as Truvia, with the erythritol added, and not just rebiana.

Again, they reiterate the fact that erythritol was used as a bulking agent. And that it is not a fermental/sugar alcohol product. After doing some reading on this sugar alcohol that's not a sugar alcohol, I can see why they chose it. From About.com:

Erythritol has not been found to affect blood sugar or insulin levels and has a zero glycemic index.

In reasonable amounts, erythritol doesn’t cause digestive upset and diarrhea that other sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol are known to cause. This is because erythritol is a smaller molecule and 90 percent of erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine and for the most part excreted unchanged in urine. This quality makes erythritol unique among the sugar alcohols.

So what amount of erythritol would you have to consume to experience gastric issues? Looks like it's around 80 grams. Looking at that in terms of Truvia, that'd be about 27 packets. Hopefully no one is using that much sweetener in a day anyway. If you'd like to learn more about Erythritol, be sure to check out the following articles:

What Is Erythritol? (about.com)

What is Erythritol?

Erythritol - What Is It and Where To Get It


So. My final decision? I like it. After learning that there should be no gastric distress or blood sugar issues with Truvia, I'll be happy to use it. I think it will be a great addition to a low-carb lifestyle, as always, if used with common sense. Look for it to start making it's way to retailers and into food products in the near future... just be sure to keep an eye out for isomolt and it's siblings. They can hit you when you least expect it! *wink*

Review: Eggology's On-The-Go 100% Egg Whites

If you are a fan of eggs, but don't always have the time to fix them, you're going to love this product.

I'm a huge fan of quick and easy. And Eggology has put together a couple of great products for those of us who NEED something on the go.

With Eggology's On-The-Go 100% Egg Whites you can just shake it up, remove the upper part of the label and pop it in the microwave for 95 seconds. When you open up the microwave you get this...



Kinda cool huh? Just break it up with a fork, season to your likings and eat. How much simpler could you get for a hot breakfast on the fly?

And the taste is great. Just like you'd expect from any egg you fixed yourself. The texture is perfect as well.



And the nutrition info shows it can be a great fit in a low-carb lifestyle (or any lifestyle for that matter).



They also make larger containers of egg whites that can be used for a variety of purposes. I plan on using mine for recipes that call for egg whites only (and save my whole eggs for other things).



They also have hard boiled eggs that you can just grab n' go.

You'll be happy to learn that Eggology products are Kosher, Organic and Certified Humane! No icky hormones or horrid treatment of animals with Eggology.

So whether your watching your carbs, calories, or even fat, eggology should be a good fit into any diet. I give it a thumbs up and will be using their products often.

Be sure to check out their website at www.eggology.com. There you can place an order, learn more about their products, or locate a distributing store near you.

Quickie Review: Instone Banana Creme Pudding

No pictures for you today. Just a quick review.

The Instone Banana Creme flavored pudding was MUCH better than the chocolate. It did taste like regular banana creme pudding! I think I'd enjoy having it now and then. But it's really sweet and I couldn't even finish half the pudding.

That's it. Short and sweet. :)

Product Review: Instone High Protein Pudding

I have two flavors, but have only tried the Milk Chocolate, which I'm reviewing here. I'm having a hard time describing this product. I think the word I'm looking for is...

YUCK

I really tried to like this pudding. I wanted to like it. I just can't force it down. The texture is right. Smooth and creamy.




But the taste.... I can taste the protein. Sorry. Pudding shouldn't taste like Pork Rinds. Chocolate pork rinds is all that comes to mind when I take a bite. *Just took another bite to confirm* Yep. Chocolate pork rinds. It's a weird aftertaste. But maybe I'm just one of those people with a sensitive palate.

Here's the nutrition info:



If you want to give this product a try for yourself, you might be able to find it at your local GNC or health food store. According to Netriton the company is currently in limbo and it's possible that the new owners may be manufacturing more soon. I can only hope they rework the taste as well.

I have the banana cream in my fridge as well, but I'm almost afraid to try it. I'll be sure to let you know if it's any better.

Product Reviews: K2O and Jack Links

Here's a couple of product reviews I did this afternoon on two items I tried earlier in the day. And before anyone feels the need to point it out, I know I said Monosodium wrong. I'm lucky I can even say my own name after the day I've had... :0)