Moderation, not Deprivation

by holly{B}

While Goreans are a diverse group, with different nationalities, religions and holidays, the one thing most have in common is using food to celebrate those holidays. And it’s generally at that time of the year in which we bring out the old family recipes, the ones which celebrate our ethnicity and distinguish us from our neighbors. Growing up in a working class neighborhood in southwestern Pennsylvania, our neighbors were from many different backgrounds. During the holidays we’d exchange gifts of cookies, cakes and breads. It gave us the opportunity to share who we were, and where we came from, with each other.

Unfortunately, those old family recipes aren’t so good for the waistline. And once January rolls around, everyone’s thinking of how to shed those extra pounds. Losing and maintaining a healthy weight is easier today than it ever was before. Food manufacturers are now required to divulge the ingredients they use and publish the nutritional information on their products. Pre-packaged diet foods are a billion dollar industry due to their convenience and accuracy in measuring portions, calories, carbohydrates and fats. Knowledge of the different diet plans available and how they work can be found on the Internet and in bookstores and local libraries.

When the holidays are finally over, many of us have no problem sticking to that diet; after all, who wants to look at another cookie? But once we’ve reached the middle of the month, our bodies start to tell us something different. It’s at that point where we need to decide how best to deal with those cravings. Depriving yourself of one particular food group for too long is not only unhealthy, but it sabotages your diet and maintenance plan. And it’s also at that point where you miss the home cooked meals, especially if work and family obligations prevent one from cooking and baking on a regular basis.

One can calculate the amount of calories in any recipe, provided it uses exact measurements (e.g. standard measurements of teaspoons or tablespoons rather than a “dash” or “pinch”). While some ingredients are easy to measure (and some even come packaged with their own measurement in ounces) others can pose a more difficult challenge. Food scales are easy to buy and are fairly inexpensive. Also, if you look at the packaged meals you’ll get an idea of what one serving actually looks like. Slim-Fast offers free advice on-line and also provides pictures of proper portions.

The following links provide calorie counters of various foods and ingredients. The first link was designed for those who find success with the Atkins Program. The second link will provide a calculation of calories and fat for each food item.

Listed below is a sample calorie counter of various foods, ingredients and beverages. If you have a favorite recipe or dinner plan in mind, hopefully this calorie counter can help you evaluate how appropriate the meal is for your family and friends. If your recipe requires an ingredient not listed below, just use either one of the above links for reference.

If you plan a formal dinner party, you can include the calorie/carbohydrate/fat content of each menu item on the reverse side of the place/seating cards. You can always substitute no-calorie sweeteners or low-calorie ingredients, e.g., Egg Beaters, for various high-calorie recipes. However, it’s probably better to use real butter or margarine rather than substituting diet brands in your baking. Diet butters and margarines don’t work well in recipes and the taste isn’t good. But Splenda works great in pies and cookies and tastes very similar to sugar.

A girl wishes everyone all the best for the new year.

Beverages

50 Calorie Drink:
1/3 cup whole milk

100 Calories Drinks:
1 fluid ounce brandy or cognac
4 fluid ounces champagne
1 fluid ounce of gin, rum, vodka or whiskey
2 fluid ounces sherry
3 1/2 fluid ounces table wine
8 fluid ounces lemonade
8 fluid ounces regular soda pop

150 Calorie Drinks:
12 fluid ounces beer or ale
8 fluid ounces Bloody Mary
6 fluid ounces highball
3 1/2 fluid ounces Manhattan
3 fluid ounces martini
8 fluid ounces Tom Collins
1 cup apple cider or juice
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup grape juice
1 cup pineapple juice

200 Calorie Drinks:
8 fluid ounces gin and tonic
8 fluid ounces screwdriver
5 fluid ounces whiskey sour
6 fluid ounces hot cocoa

300 Calorie Drink:
8 fluid ounces eggnog (non-alcoholic)

Appetizers and Snacks

50 Calorie Portions:
2 stuffed mushrooms
1 cup plain popcorn
5 medium or 4 large dried apricot halves
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
2 tablespoons chopped dates
2 tablespoons raisins

100 Calorie Portions:
1 ounce beef jerky
1 ounce cheese
1 egg
1/4 medium avocado
1/2 cup fruit in syrup
1 medium plantain

150 Calorie Portions:
2 halves deviled egg
3 shrimp puffs
1 ounce pretzels, corn chips or potato chips (generally 12 count)

200 Calorie Portions:
3 cheese puffs
22 almonds
7 Brazil nuts
12 cashew nuts
10 macadamia nuts

250 Calorie Portions:
1 egg roll
3 Swedish meatballs
1 serving shrimp cocktail with sauce

300 Calorie Portions:
1 serving French onion au gratin soup
1 cup fruit flavored yogurt

Breads and Grains

50 Calorie Portions:
4 plain crackers
1 plain graham cracker
3 pieces Melba toast

100 Calorie Portions:
1 slice (1 ounce) bread
1 pita
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 ounce cereal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 pancakes (4" diameter)
1 hamburger or hot dog bun

150 Calorie Portions:
1 bagel
2 slices garlic bread
1 medium muffin (blueberry, bran or corn)
1 English muffin
1 slice cinnamon toast

200 Calorie Portions:
1 soft pretzel
1 scone
1 waffle (5" diameter)
1/2 cup bread stuffing

Condiments, Flavorings and Ingredients

50 Calorie Items:
2 tablespoons bacon bits
3 tablespoons ketchup
8 olives
1 large pickle
2 Tablespoons relish
2 Tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon jam, jellies or preserves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon cream cheese or 2 tablespoons imitation cream cheese
2 tablespoons half & half
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon instant non-dairy creamer
3 tablespoons whipped, non-dairy topping

100 Calorie Items:
2 slices bacon 1 tablespoon bacon or chicken fat
1 tablespoon butter

150 Calorie Item:
1 cup plain, unflavored yogurt

200 Calorie Item:
1 cup creamed soup

Basic Entrees

100 Calorie Entrees:
1 ounce poultry, fish or meat
1 sausage link
2 slices Canadian bacon

200 Calorie Entrees:
3 ounces beef or pot roast
4 ounces baked or roasted chicken or turkey
1 beef enchilada
4 ounces fried fish, fish sticks or cakes
pizza - 1/8 of 14" pie
1 cup beef & vegetable stew
1 beef taco

250 Calorie Entrees:
8 ounces chicken cacciatore
3/4 cup chow mein with noodles 1 serving chicken or shrimp creole
1 cup beef goulash
6 ounces lasagna
5 ounces lobster Newburg
4 ounces meat loaf
7 pieces ravioli with tomato sauce
4 1/2 ounces or 3 stuffed shells
4 ounces fried shrimp
6 ounces spinach souffle
7 ounces Swiss steak

300 Calorie Entrees:
1 stuffed pepper
1 serving sweet & sour pork

350 Calorie Entrees:
6 ounces eggplant Parmigiana
1 cup franks & beans
1 cup spaghetti with meat sauce

500 Calorie Entrees:
1 serving beef Stroganoff over noodles
1 cup chicken a la king
fried chicken - 1 large breast or 1 leg and 1 thigh
1 cup deviled crab
1 serving eggs Benedict
1 cup macaroni & cheese

Vegetables and Side Dishes

100 Calorie Portions:
1 cup cole slaw

150 Calorie Portions:
10 french fries (2" x 1/2 x 1/2)
1 cup mashed potato
1/2 cup potato au gratin
1/2 cup Spanish rice
1/2 cup macaroni salad

200 Calorie Portions:
1 cup creamed soup
1 serving Caesar salad

Desserts

100 Calorie Desserts:
1/2 cup ambrosia
1 brownie (1 3/4" x 1 3/4" x 1)
1/2 cup fruit flavored gelatin
1/2 cup sherbert

150 Calorie Desserts:
1 slice (3 1/2" x 3" x 1/2") pound cake
1 cupcake with icing
1 medium (unfilled) doughnut
1/2 cup ice cream
4 ounces frozen yogurt

250 Calorie Desserts:
1 piece (2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/2") coffee cake
1 filled doughnut

300 Calorie Desserts:
1/2 cup chocolate mousse
1 medium eclair

350 Calorie Desserts:
cheese cake - 1/8 of 10" cake - no topping
8 fluid ounce milk shake

400 Calorie Dessert:
1 piece (3" x 3" x 2") frosted cake

450 Calorie Dessert:
1 slice fruit pie - 1/6 of 9" pie

500 Calorie Dessert:
1 serving (2 1/2" cube) strawberry shortcake with whipped topping

Candy

All the Following Contain 150 Calories Each:
1 ounce (6 count) chocolate kisses
1 ounce fudge
15 jelly beans
5 large marshmallows
1 ounce chocolate covered peanuts
1 cup popcorn - caramel coated with peanuts
1 ounce chocolate covered raisins