RECIPES

iowagreen

POSTED: Wed, 07/22/2009 - 11:24pm

low fat - non fat

I notice is some of Mireille's recipes she will call for low fat items - also during recasting the recipe for apple tart without dough - sometimes this seems conflicted with the full fat moderation french approach I read about and the idea that a tart, as is, in moderation is OK - am I making any sense?? It is late...
REPLIES 27  (Jump to bottom of page)

mkalvar57

POSTED: Wed, 03/23/2011 - 10:10pm

vegans, vegetarians, sugar-eliminators etc

I'd love to get some views on what the French would think of all the eating style changes one sees recommended in American magazines in the name of health---eliminating everything from meat to dairy to glutens.... Who could live in France and follow this? Is it really healthful? I cant help thinking that really good, fresh beef, chicken or fish wouldnt taste so good and be so satisfying if we weren't MEANT to have it! And how about yogurt--no yogurt if one cuts out dairy, as some advocate doing! I am really confused about what eating style is best and would love some Franco-phile feedback! Thanks!

JSB

POSTED: Thu, 03/24/2011 - 9:21am

Hello and welcome

Great to have you with us.I believe it is about balance and moderation,with personal preferences in the mix.Humans are Omnivores.If you have allergies or an intolerance,you need to heed that but otherwise eat what you like,what tastes good,what is whole and healthy and most of all ENJOY.Jean

mkalvar57

POSTED: Fri, 03/25/2011 - 7:08pm

I think you are right!

I think you are right!

vickie2

POSTED: Thu, 03/24/2011 - 11:27am

Well said Jean!

I totally agree with you Jean! Balance and moderation are the keys. One of my favorite parts of FWDGF (first book) is when Mireille talks about how, at Christmas, French women could not live without a slice of the traditional Christmas yule log cake, and how no person needs to live without a treat like that when there is balance. However, I think that recipes like apple tart without dough are good in the beginning because eating like a French woman takes practice and some dicipline. Once we "have learned the new world order" (as Mireille says), we can enjoy a small slice of tart.

mkalvar57

POSTED: Fri, 03/25/2011 - 7:09pm

Yes, it takes attention and

Yes, it takes attention and the right attitude!

bananie67

POSTED: Wed, 03/23/2011 - 9:07pm

Hmmm

This just made me think... when did it become common practice to start taking the fat out of milk? I bet it's a pretty recent concept. I will have to research this tonight. This is what I'm thinking- recipes such as the apple tart without dough is the perfect kind of dessert during recasting. You want a little treat while going through this phase, and this is the perfect option. During equilibrium, have a little slice of delicious apple tart with dough!

miamoki

POSTED: Sat, 03/05/2011 - 2:43pm

You are making perfect sense!

I also do it according to taste and list of ingredients. I buy this 40% lower fat bacon at whole foods. It is made by a company called Wellshire. I find that it tastes the same, actually better to me now because I'm so used to it. I find regular fat bacon to be extremely greasy. So if I like the taste of the lower fat product and it doesn't have a bunch of chemicals added or sugar or salt added to replace the fat, then I use the lower fat product, which is why I usually buy my low fat items at a store like whole foods.

Leahrose

POSTED: Wed, 11/17/2010 - 6:25pm

You are making perfect sense

I believe that, for some things, "low-fat" is the way to go. I like to buy low-fat peanut butter, and such. However, I also believe that if you are going to treat yourself, don't worry over the low-fat qualities. If you are smart enough to have educated yourself (i.e. with mireille's books) then you will do fine. Moderation is the way to go no matter. Don't let yourself think that just because it is "low-fat" that you can eat more. Be smart and stay in moderation, but enjoy life and food and pleasures the RIGHT way.

Robbyn

POSTED: Wed, 11/17/2010 - 10:31pm

MODERATION MAMA'S!!!!

I couldn't have said it any better! We have to try to be Moderation MaMa's!!!! That's the key! :D

frenchy

POSTED: Fri, 07/24/2009 - 5:44am

Taste?

Is there a point when rather than looking at low fat-full fat the concentration lies in taste? I love the Stoneyfield Farm Probiotic yogurt in French Vanilla. The taste is fantastic and it is low fat. I also love the full fat home-made and some of the other brands. It isn't that they are low or full fat. They taste great.

valerie51

POSTED: Fri, 07/31/2009 - 10:52am

Taste is important

I agree with Anna, though. After years of eating low-fat and no-fat tasteless foods, I eat full fat, natural food. And as Frenchy said, taste is very important. I ate and ate and ate...low-fat tasteless food...and was never satisfied. Now, I eat real, whole food, usually full-fat, and find myself satisfied much longer. Out of curiosity (my diet days still linger from time to time), I compared the calories of all the low-fat days I used to have with how I eat now; and to my delight, I eat fewer calories now and am always satisfied. I say this to emphasize the point that Mireille's ways do work. And they work without making us feel deprived.

Anna

POSTED: Tue, 08/04/2009 - 5:09pm

Valerie, I've had the same experience

I actually first noticed it with yogurt. I used to eat low-fat yogurt, but I both a) always wanted something sweet with it to enhance the flavor, and b) would never feel satisfied and would want to go eat cookies afterwards. The taste just was not good enough. With just 1/2 cup of full-fat yogurt, I was totally satisfied.

I now eat full-fat everything, and I find it helps me eat much less overall and much less sugar, and is SO much more enjoyable.

Leahrose

POSTED: Wed, 11/17/2010 - 6:21pm

I find that

When I make homemade yogurt, I just go with the best milk that I have- 2%. If you want to go with 1% be my guest, but you are SO missing out on the flavour. I don't usually choose to go with whole because that is too thick (or maybe rich is the right word) for me. 2% creates a yogurt that has all the flavour, but not too much fat (but enough to please you heartily:) When I buy yogurt, I don't buy it because of its low/full fat qualities, but I buy it based on its sugar. I want a plain, natural, flavourful yogurt that lets ME sweeten it how I want it- I don't want a company to do it for me. I usually buy plain or traditional (honey yogurt) so if i want to sweeten it I can (whether that be with some jam or fruit- then I can control the sugar). Granted, if it is a fat-all-the-way yogurt, then yes, I won't get it. I still want to be "low fat." Its just that I don't make that my priority with yogurt. In general, yogurt is good for you... if you do it right. Keep the sugar down, the fat in check, and keep it natural, and you will be just fine in the end.

valerie51

POSTED: Tue, 08/04/2009 - 6:41pm

funny

I dieted for so many years...gave the diet industry so much money...and I laugh when I think that when I began to eat real food, with fat in it, I lost weight. People don't believe me when I tell them this is how I lost weight...I think this is so sad. The diet mentality seems to have overtaken sanity. The kicker is that I am on a strict budget and when I don't buy junk or diet food, but real food, I save money, and am satisfied with so much less.

Anna

POSTED: Wed, 08/05/2009 - 11:13am

So true

People don't believe me, either. It's like they think they need to suffer to lose weight, and there's so much misinformation being handed out, by the media, food industry and even some doctors. The money savings is amazing, too. It's truly life changing to eat real food again.

St.TropezChic

POSTED: Tue, 08/11/2009 - 11:42am

Red Wine

Do you think the resveratrol in red wine really does boost the metabolism (i.e., boosts body's fat-burning)? If so, it's a great reason to enjoy wine with cheese, n'est-pas? :^) Lorraine

frenchy

POSTED: Tue, 08/11/2009 - 5:06pm

I take

the resveratrol capsules and have noticed a huge difference. I drink the ocassional glass of red wine or champagne and not near the amount that is called for to get the resveratrol to work...according to Dr. Oz that is...I thought the suppliments in this case might be worth a try.

iowagreen

POSTED: Tue, 08/11/2009 - 5:19pm

Brand

What is the brand you take? It seems they are flooding the market and many are poor quality. Thanks!

frenchy

POSTED: Wed, 08/12/2009 - 9:54am

Walgreens

I use Walgreens Finest and compared it to what Dr. Oz said should be in it. I take one capsule in the morning and one at night. That dosage gives you the required amount.

frenchy

POSTED: Mon, 08/10/2009 - 8:43am

A thought here

I read once that the hardest thing to do is to try to help the ones closest to you and have them not listen. My parents believe that in order to lose weight they need to drink some protein shake in the morning, eat a big lunch and eat nothing for dinner. What I said went in one ear and out the other. Oh, and let's not forget the low-carb yogurt with that shake.

Anna

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 1:21pm

Iowagreen,

You write beautiful prose. What a nice ode to summer pleasures.

JSB

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 8:20pm

He does write well...

found myself captivated.As for the discrepancies,I had not really paid attention but I see Greg's point.In my situation,I need to have lower fat options,at times.And I am accustomed to skim milk and find the others unpalatable.What I have been doing with full fat items is using less and where I am able buying organic.Jean

iowagreen

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 8:58pm

thanks you two

Thanks Jean and Anna you are too kind.

Anna

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 12:31pm

Recipes

I don't think the website recipes that call for low-fat are necessarily Mireille's. I've noticed they're usually the Jacques Pepin recipes. I personally would bet Mireille would just use the full-fat products that are in her fridge. I know I do. To me, Mireille's approach seems to be, don't eat anything low-fat that doesn't come that way in nature. So, yogurt, cheese, egg and milk should be consumed in their natural, full-fat versions, but in small portions. Fat is extremely satisfying, so eating full-fat versions results in eating less. That's my take, anyway, and it works for me. I'm a size 0 or 2 and eat plenty of fat. It keeps me full and eating less throughout the day.

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 10:17pm

Good Point

Re: full fat usually will mean smaller portions. It's all about being in touch! Thanks for sharing your size, you dispelled my old '80's myth that 'eating fat makes you fat'! I mean I know that the concepts of FWDGF work, when applied, but sometimes that old thinking creeps in.

Viva la Diva

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 12:00pm

Try it and see...

You make sense! I have found that I should just try it and see. Take yogurt for example, I cannot stomach full fat, so I eat low fat and apply the 50% rule and the first three bites! Funny, re: the tart, we stopped using crusts years ago and don't even t miss them anymore, too filling, we have all learned that we don't like to feel stuffed! Give it time and see what the zipper and the mirror say! I think it is all very personal. Hope this helps.

iowagreen

POSTED: Thu, 07/23/2009 - 12:43pm

thanks

Yes, I suppose it is all personal - so many different metabolisms, ages, histories, emotions, - etc. - it is hard to do a blanket statement. Probably why so many diet books written for the masses fail. Probably the biggest thing is moderation and balance - very personal. So much of what Mireille talks about. Too much one day, balance out the next, stomach upset, check into it, full after a meal - what did you eat - too much dessert? too much wine? We are such imperfect beings - I find bringing compassion and joy to my plate and day helps so much. This is a short journey, this life, too short not to savor the first sweet peach of the season, the sun on your neck, the light on the hills or the smell of my dogs after running through the pasture. I find these moments make my day longer, in a good way, they fill my "plate" so it is rich and satisfying. OK- I am getting a little too philisophical - time to weed, and then lunch. I appreciate everyone here even if I don't post alot, I read alot. Nice group of people for a public website - kind of unusual... no? Have a great day - moment to moment.


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