1.Gravy: fatty but not many carbs--why a no-no?
2.Ready made Caesar salad dressing; I really don't want to make from scratch. Any suggestions? Also, Caesar salads usually have coutons.
3. Any type of peanut butter OK?
4. I'd like to add pineapple chunks or grapes to a chicken salad?
5. She recomends white cheeses--what about white cheddar or low fat yellow cheddar?
6. Husband won't give up a.m. glass of OJ--any thing to do to make this OK? (Ice cream at night will be another battle!)
7. Chicken/Turkey skin - on or off?
8. Potato salad w/mayo - OK?

And that's the beginning. Let me know if I'm doing something I shouldn't re forums. Thanks.

I think I'm going to tackle this one:

1. It's the type of carbs, typically white flour or corn starch, used to thicken it. Big insulin boosters.

2. Caesar salad dressing is usually a good bet. Check the ingredients and nutritional statement to make sure it doesn't have a lot of sugar/carbs in it. It's usually best to skip the croutons.

3. Organic is best. Check the label to make sure there are no added ingredients like sugar and even fat. I usually find those peanut butter dispensers that make it before your eyes from raw peanuts. That way you know all you are getting is ground up peanuts. And it's really good!

4. Just watch the carb count. Fruit is OK. Some fruits have higher glycemic indexes, but I think that when they are mixed substantially with fat and protein, their glycemic effect is minimized. However, I am not speaking from experience since I don't eat fruit.

5. No low-fat cheese is good. It's that fat in the cheese that makes it a good source of nutrition. However, yellow cheeses have dyes in them. That's why they are not recommended. A good white cheddar (non-dyed) is acceptable.

6. You're going to have a fight. OJ is very bad -- big big insulin hit. And icecream will just feed his sugar addiction.

7. Chicken and Turkey skin are both perfectly acceptable and can greatly enhance your enjoyment of the fowl. Many people enjoy a good crisp poultry skin.

8. I wouldn't recommen potato salad. Because of the carbs, you can only eat about 1/4 cup and it's hard to stop at 1/4 cup. But mayonnaise (real, whole fat) is definitely recommended.

One of the things to keep in mind is that fat is good, low-fat is bad when you are purchasing food.

Hope this helps.
;-Deb

You can make a reduction gravy by heating the drippings from your meat on high, then slowly adding stock or heavy cream and stirring until the volume is reduced by half or it's the thickness you like. That's the basic recipe - you can add whatever seasonings you like. I sometimes add a little red wine if I have some leftover that a guest brings (usually Mom). The alcohol boils off, but I do take into account the carbs. HTH!

Deb - like the new pic - your hair looks good like that!

Jen

Deb gave you great answers, there!

I thought Dr S's rationale about cheese was more about eating non-aged cheeses. (?) I'd have to re-read to see if she said that or it was my guess from her list!

Anything you put gravy on, you can put butter on now. I love a sandwich of cold roast beef spread with butter on lettuce or chard leaves (instead of bread). It's hard to convert from the common misinformation about fats being good, isn't it? Nothing low-fat...everything full-fat.

Gravy: I find that making a gravy the way Jen said is the greatest. The only addition I would make is a bit of butter at the end. It's amazing how creamy it makes the sauce. Just swirl it in as you remove the pan from the heat (if you cook it too long, it will separate). I finish most of my sauces that way. Very decadent!

Cheese: Yes, Dr. S. is concerned about aged cheeses as well as dyed cheese. Myself, I kind of disagree, for no apparent reason. But I do limit my aged cheese use. My primary cheeses are Mozzarella and Monterey Jack. I don't know if Monterey Jack is aged or not, but it's sure good . And Dr. S. seems to like Mozzarella.

BTW: Thanks, Jen, for the compliment.

;-Deb