hi all!
i have a couple of question and would appreciate it if u could help me out. i live in the Middle East so its really tough to get a certain product.

1. can we use 'I can't believe its not butter' during Phase 1?
2. can we have deli Turkey and Roast beef during Phase 2?
3. does it have to say 'unsweetened cocoa' on the box? i've seen a cadbury coca powder...it doesn't say unsweetened but it does say to add sugar in order to make a drink or something.
3. i'm having a tough time finding the right cheese for this diet. i have asked the following question in another thread 'help with cheese please' so i just thought of adding it here. this is the only cheese i could find that i think would be suitable for Phase 1. however...i do need ur help and approval. i can't find any cheese that has 0g or 1g of carbs.

Kraft Fat Free natural shredded mozzarella cheese which has total carbs 2g and calories are 45 per serving and 0 sugars

Kraft fat free cheddar cheese. it has a south beach diet recommendation label on it for phases 1,2 and 3. again it has 2g of total carbs, 45 calories per serving and 0 sugar.

Kraft Sting Ums string cheese, Low moisture Part Skim Mozarella Cheese.

Thank u so much for helping me out i'll be back with more questions once i reach Phase 2. hope ur not sick of me by then

Don't concern yourself so much with the carb count of cheese and look at the fat content as this is more important on South Beach. Any low fat cheese will work....low fat mozzerella, ricotta, cheddar, etc. Cottage cheese works too!!

I found the Smart Balance here but if you cannot find it, do the best you can with what you can find...so if it I Can't Believe its Not Butter is what you have, then you will make that work!!

I eat deli turkey and roast beef but not every day. Stay away from heavily processed meats like pastrami, corned beef, salami.

Hope this helps!!

Hey! I've been using the Kraft cheese, both chedder, mozzarella, and the string cheese. For some reason, my mozzarella has the SB stamp too I'm also a cottage cheese addict--weird, i know. I decided to stay away from the deli meats, esp since they often have added sugar or fat, but once in a while is prob ok

thank u so much Judy and Trustycat for ur input. i really appreciate it. i guess i'm just going to have the kraft cheese in small quantities.
btw..Judy, i have posted the chana dal recipe in the other thread. here's the link: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=221530
hope u like it.

i have one more question. i would love to try this amazing dish...prawns and broccoli but the problem is it requires us to add a tbsp of butter for cooking. instead of butter can i use I can't believe its not butter as a substitute and cook? i also have to include cheese as a topping. i'm still on phase 1.
if u would like the recipe of prawns and broccoli just let me know and i'll post it.
Thanks once again.

I'd just like to add a little to this post also. Keep in mind eating deli style meats you are getting a lot of extra salt. You might retain water too?

As to the butter / margarine question trans fats should be your worry. They really are not good for you. There are several that are trans fat free, just look at the lable. I use olive oil in a lot of cooking, but have to admit I use real butter just like it better.

Good Luck,
skippie

I really admire your attention to getting all the details right!! you must be a very good student!!

I've used the I Can't Believe Its Not Butter in my cooking and it was OK. I personally don't think there is anything wrong with using a tablespoon on real butter in a recipe...sounds yummy!!

thanks for the compliment Judy
i'm trying to do everything right in order to lose weight. i've been very good since a week. i'm so close to completing my Phase 1. i'll be back with a couple of questions again once i start with Phase 2. hehehe..don't get sick of me by then