Flaxmeal Pancakes!

So pancakes are definitely one of my weaknesses when considering a low-carb lifestyle long term!  How can a person seriously give up pancakes?  Well I refuse to, but since I'm also so thrilled with the results I've been getting, I'm not about to set the progress back by splurging for the real thing.

I've been trying a few of the MIM recipes from the Atkins website and discussion boards.  A MIM, otherwise known as Muffin-in a-Minute, is primarily made of flaxseed meal.  The stuff is mostly fiber so when you are counting *net* carbs like on an Atkins diet, it's next to nothing!  Flaxseed absorbs water and with all that fiber keeps you filling full longer, which is a huge plus to anyone in the mindset of "dieting".  You don't have the middle of the morning or middle of the afternoon cravings when you eat something like this or even when you add it into other foods.  I mixed a little bit into some cottage cheese and didn't even notice a change in the flavor.  I've also read about people adding it into yogurt and soups (although don't add it into something hot until just before you're ready to eat).

Anyway back to the pancakes...The recipe is easy and makes only 6 small pancakes so you're not tempted by a lot of leftovers, although you should be full enough not to want seconds anyway!  I served them warm with a little pad of butter and Maple Grove Farms sugar-free syrup.  The sorbitol in the syrup is a sugar alcohol and gets subtracted from the total carbohydrates just like fiber when you are counting net carbs, so it's  a nice big 0 per serving.  Plus the serving size is 1/4 cup which is more than enough for 3 small pancakes.

Here is a link to Atkins MIM page with all the flaxseed recipes.  The pancake recipe is towards the bottom of the page and also includes a recipe for a single pancake if you only wanted to make one to go with something else for breakfast.  I won't post the exact recipe here, just in case they put out a copyright on it!  I will mention though that I left out the vanilla extract when I made mine.  I'll try to remember it next time because I will definitely be making these again, but I didn't leave it out on purpose.  I was just hungry for pancakes and got a little too eager to get these on the griddle.  I don't think they took longer than normal pancakes like the recipes says they should, but they did start to get a little dark so I may turn the griddle down lower than I typically would for pancakes next time and then let them cook a little longer that way.

I can also see these being very good with some cut up strawberries or blueberries and some homemade whipped cream (made with Splenda of course).  They aren't the light fluffy buttery pancakes you'd get at IHOP; hey are much denser and more filling!  These definitely satisfied the craving for pancakes though!  And I'm looking forward to experimenting with them again.

I know it's been a long while since I've posted on here.  I keep meaning to come back to this and keep running into other things that take priority.  I haven't forgot about my resolutions and goals however, and I've been working on some new things to help achieve them!  Recently we started on a low carb diet.  I'm not following a specific diet like Atkins, but I have been trying out a few of their products.  We are simply just cutting out the vast majority of bad carbs from our diet!  The first week, when I kept myself on target the most, I lost almost 6 pounds!  SUCCESS!  Then Easter came along and so did a bunch of Easter candy and then a gazillion other reasons to "cheat" a little, and well the weight loss came to a quick halt.

This week I've been trying out a lot of new low carb recipes, and we're finding some new and different things that we enjoy on this diet.  I'm hooked on this website:  http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html.  It's filled with yummy low carb recipes and most of them include pictures as well as the nutritional info for the recipe.  She also includes comments about how the recipe turned out, what to change, and other good tips.  It's been a huge help in transitioning some of our favorite meals to lower carb versions.  In celebration of Cinco de Mayo this evening I made chicken enchiladas with low carb tortillas and used her recipe for Mexican rice using grated cauliflower.  The texture isn't exactly that of rice but the flavor was spot on and was an excellent substitute.  Tomorrow, I'll be using the rest of the grated cauliflower to do a Asian style fried rice.

I'm trying to get the diet and overall healthy living back on track.  The countdown to our wedding is definitely underway and Operation Beachbody is a must, especially since we've already booked the honeymoon cruise!  I'll try to keep posting here any new and delicious recipes I come across.  Try them out on your own as well! Lets keep each other motivated!

Resolutions

I'm not really sure I understand the meaning behind New Year's resolutions, unless it's just simply to make us feel bad about the things we never get around to accomplishing while we are busy getting through the year.  Resolution, to me, sounds more like solution.  It's the end result.  Problem solved.  But when we make New Year's resolutions we aren't solving problems.  We are creating or defining problems with ourselves and setting goals to correct those problems over the coarse of the year.  Its a very strange ritual.  Nevertheless, I can't stop myself from doing it.

I've taken a break from working out, cooking and eating healthy food, and all that other stuff that's supposed to be good for you.  I convinced myself that it would all be my New Year's "resolution" and I would start today, or rather Monday because it's easier to set routines on weekdays around here.  I didn't meet my weight loss goal that I wanted to by Christmas.  I didn't get to wear my gray cashmere sweater on Christmas Day.  And frankly I think even if I had lost that extra 8 pounds to reach my goal, I still wouldn't have been able to wear the sweater.  That thing is way smaller than I remember.  So for now it continues to remain a decoration in my closet.

Back to the resolutions, or lets just call them what they really are...problems.  I want to lose weight, get in shape, and be more active.  All of those are essentially the same thing.  I also need to drink more water, eat fewer carbs, and a ton more vegetables.  I'm sure these things are on many people list of things to do for the New Year, however I don't want to take a year to do them.  These are lifestyle changes that need to happen immediately and last a lifetime.  Wow, now that sounds like a daunting task!  How in the world does anyone keep "resolutions" like that?!  One day at a time, one meal at a time, one snack at a time.  It's not about solutions or results.  It's about preparedness and opportunity.

This year my focus is not going to be on what I want to do, but rather how I'm going to do it.  One day at a time, one meal at a time, one snack at a time.  If I'm prepared, then I can do it!  Wish me luck everyone, and I hope all of you have a very Happy New Year!