Dana's blog

My Apologies

I have been very quiet recently, and I want to apologize. It turns out that only part of my problem was sodium deficiency. The whirly head upon standing and the cramps when I pointed my toes went away, but after a few days of feeling much better, I was exhausted again, yawning all day, and barely able to think. Part of that was that my insomnia, usually pretty well controlled, has been acting up, but even on days when I'd slept well the night before I was tired and blank.

Clearly, sodium was not my whole problem.

That Nice Boy I Married Weighs In

That Nice Boy I Married, who long since has pretty much taken over the My Total Gym Transformation blog, and mostly writes about our Slow Burn fitness program, has added his voice to the outcry against Hope Warshaw, and her article in Diabetes Health urging diabetics to eat lots of carbs, and take lots of medication. Read his article here.

Atkins Wept

Found this on a fitness message board. It was from 2006, or I would have pointed out to this poor person that A) this diet wasn't even a teeny bit low carb, B) eating low carb and low fat at the same time is a bad idea, and C) there's no need to restrict sodium on a low carb diet.

My low fat, low carb, low sodium diet

I'm 57 and need a low fat, low carb, low sodium diet. Following is the diet I've been using. Am I missing anything? Does anyone have any suggested changes?

Cheerios (1 cup)
Fat Free Milk
Banana
6 oz can of apple, orange or pineapple juice

Increasing My Sodium Intake

Serendipity is often a pleasant thing. It's funny how events just sort of compile themselves in a useful shape, sometimes.

A few days ago, I was annoyed when I opened the freezer on the top of my kitchen fridge, and a bag of steak bones, accumulated over many months, fell out at my feet. I figured that was the universe's way of telling me it was time to make beef broth.

The Hope Warshaw Issue

The low carb world has been abuzz with the news that Diabetes Health Magazine recently published an article by a registered dietician and diabetes educator named Hope Warshaw. Ms Warshaw wrote this article, she says, to debunk two what she calls “common old dogmas” regarding diabetes management.

Marinated Chuck with Chipotle and Sherry

I've been marinating chuck roasts again! This was fantastic. Truly, I'd rather have a well-marinated chuck than a sirloin or filet mignon. Much more flavor!

Marinated Chuck with Chipotle and Sherry

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Splenda -- or other sweetener to equal 2 teaspoons sugar
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 chipotle chile canned in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons meat tenderizer
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck 1 1/2" thick

Recipe: Ham, Gorgonzola, and Pecan Salad

Ham, Gorgonzola, and Pecan Salad

1/2 cauliflower head -- a big one
1 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon ground dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces ham, in 1/2" cubes
5 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese -- or other mild blue cheese -- you can buy five-ounce tubs already crumbled.
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350.

If That's Paradise, I'll Take Bloomington

So I'm working on a new recipe, and watching the History Channel, which pleasantly surprised me by actually showing a program about history, when an ad comes on for Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars. There's a guy in the office, sitting in his gray fabric box on the cube farm, just another stressed-out cog in the economic machine. He stealthily unwraps an Almond Joy candy bar, as the perspective changes to a shot from the outside of his cube. Palm trees appear, rising above the fabric walls, and sun is shining only on his little gray box.

1001 Low-Carb Recipes

I was just looking at the Amazon page for 1001 Low-Carb Recipes. I noticed that it was averaging four stars. Most of my books do better than that, so I looked at a few of the negative reviews to see what folks' objections were.

Lime-Ginger Marinated Chuck

Our favorite cut of steak is ribeye, but sadly it's running $11.99/lb around here. That's just not in the budget. Happily, I can still get chuck for $3/pound and under. It's too tough to broil or grill as-is, but marinated and tenderized, it's wonderful -- tender and flavorful. This is my latest marinated chuck steak, and That Nice Boy I Married and I both thought it was wonderful.

Lime-ginger Marinated Chuck Steak

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Splenda -- or other sweetener to equal 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce

And the E Coli Culprit Is...

Have you heard? The source of the killer e coli epidemic in Europe -- epicenter Germany -- has been identified. The culprit? Sprouts.

Yep, sprouts. Cute, nutritious, totally health-foody, utterly vegan sprouts. After all, they're kept damp and warm while they're growing. Get a germ in there with them, and you might as well have invited them to the bacteria version of the Ritz.

Brooklyn Deli UnPotato Salad

Brooklyn Deli UnPotato Salad

This started with a recipe I found in the same book that I consulted for the basics of chopped liver. This started with a potato salad recipe in a chapter about the Jewish deli culture of New York City. I was intrigued, mostly because of those olives. Sounded different from anything I'd tried before, and it is. Good, too. I think it would be particularly good with poultry or fish, but decide for yourself.

1 cauliflower head
3 celery ribs
1/4 red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Recipe: Seriously WASPY Girl Chopped Chicken Liver

Seriously WASPy Girl Chopped Chicken Liver

I started with a recipe for chopped liver in a Jewish cookbook, but obviously with butter in it, this ain't kosher. Awfully good, though; I'll be making this often. A great way to work liver into my diet -- and yours, I hope! You can make this kosher easily by substituting chicken fat or coconut oil for the butter, but if you go with coconut oil, I'd go with one that doesn't have much of a coconut flavor or odor.

5 ounces chicken livers
1 cup finely chopped onion fine
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Why I've Been Quiet

I've been quiet for most of the week; haven't even posted much to Facebook. I apologize, and feel like I owe you all an explanation.

Those of you who have listened to this week's podcast know that Dr. Andry, the doctor who diagnosed me with PCOS in the late winter, put me on a new blood sugar drug, Victoza, a week ago this past Wednesday. It seems to be doing the job, though the verdict is not yet in. My morning, fasting blood sugar numbers are sporadically looking better; the question is will that become a constant thing?

Review: BK Angry Burger

If you look in a dictionary of English idiom under "fool's errand," you will see a picture of me in my trusty old Camry, driving all over hell-and-gone in the Midwest on a June Sunday. That's how I spent my day yesterday.

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