I was looking to lose weight and decided to explore keto dieting. We had experience with the Adkins low carb version back in the 70s — so long ago, eh? It worked, but there are associated problems, many of which are listed here. If memory serves me well, most didn't seem to be a big deal for us, but then Sue developed ketoacidosis or DKA.
Nevertheless, science advances, and fifty years later, I was pretty sure that a keto diet could be done safely, so I bought book to try to figure out just how to go about it. I soon decided that it wasn't for me, but, oddly enough, I am also still confident that it can be done safely and effectively. Just not by me.
As it happened, I didn't get too far with the book and gave up on the keto notion toute de suite because it seemed to be too involved for lil ole me to do it right. Early in the book, I think that I had already been advised to purchase three kitchen aids in preparation for this diet. It was seeming like a lot. Nevertheless, I plodded on but soon closed the book with a final thud when I got to the fourth recommended device — a machine to make spaghetti-like noodles from zucchini.
It was an appliance too far, as it were.
That was back in January, but when this ↓↓ image recently popped on everybody's favourite social media app, I smiled and decided to share it and a bit of the above context (as I have written above) with my fine blogging friends.
We have done both zucchini and spaghetti squashes and even served with a homemade pasta sauce they never tasted as good as a pasta dish, albeit being healthier.
ReplyDeleteI've never understood presenting one food as if it were another. Spag squash is squash! It's a nice food already. I grew it when our son was small, and he was amazed by the strands when we cooked it.
ReplyDeleteI've never understood the presenting of one food as another either. I have two nieces that were into vegan for a time and so much of their food attempted to replicate the hamburger. There are lots of tasty vegetable dishes that don't resemble a hamburger but they weren't into those.
ReplyDeleteI've had spaghetti squash a number of times in my life too. I like squash and I like spaghetti but putting them together sort of ruins them both in my opinion.
I tried a package of zucchini noodles. Bleh for either a vegie side or alleged pasta. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteWe've been forced to cut carbs/sugar to deal with slightly elevated A1C/pre diabetic tests. And it's hard -- especially for Rick who is skinny as a rail already and needs those carbs to fuel his cycling journeys. It does help with weight but I become more and more convinced that being mindful but not excluding is a better way to live. (We'll see how the next round of blood tests pan out!)
ReplyDeleteI think they taste pretty good but nothing like real pasta.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I remember Atkins and Keto...and prefer my current diet of eating everything I like. Maybe too many carbs, but hey, I'm living for today, not a whole lot of tomorrows. Those substitute noodles are fun, I think I have half a bag of spinach noodles somewhere. Sometimes I do something adventurous, but no dieting for me anymore!
ReplyDeleteMy husband found one from France that involved cooking without flour. I was not amused. Nor does the pasta bit sound like fun. Diets ... yesterdays.
ReplyDeleteMy partner had undiagnosed gall stones. The Keto threw him into a medical emergency! We love spaghetti squash. IF my zucs do well this year I might buy a spiralizer. (We're trying to ditch pasta.) My childrens former nanny (yes he was a guy) is a well known vegetarian chef in Italy of all places. I wish he would write a cookbook because the things he did with zucs were something something!
ReplyDeleteSpaghetti squash for me too. I like it just as well as noodles.
ReplyDeleteAfter many comments, I find myself craving pasta. Alas, it won’t happen for awhile now, but I won’t starve in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteBoooo to no carbs! ;). I could never.
ReplyDeletePretty presentations of these dishes.
ReplyDeleteI love carbs and they are comfort food although my A1C would disagree. I have argued (unsuccessfully) on several forums that calling something spaghetti or lasagne is not correct since the dish is named after the noodle. Noodle! Not strings of zucchini. *climbs down off soapbox*
ReplyDeleteI tried spaghetti squash a couple of years ago for the first time and I loved it. That looks really good. I'm diabetic so I eat low carb but not Keto. I still have to have a few carbs during the day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. I LOVE spaghetti . . . REAL spaghetti. As always, I enjoyed reading here. I wish you well, my friend! Have a wonderful Weekend!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could follow that diet either. I'm in the process of trying to lose a few pounds. I'm doing it the old fashioned way: Exercise more and eat less. Easier said than done.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the answer is less carbs vs no carbs. I have just crossed the 20 lb weight loss marker over 6 months. It is not the dramatic weight loss advertised everywhere you look, but it is happening. Zoodles? Nah. I let a zucchini get large, cut in half lengthwise, seed it, stuff it with sausage, peppers onions, mushroom and marinara, bake until tender, top with mozzarella, put back in the oven until cheese is melted. No special appliances required.
ReplyDeleteI think balance is best. I also have to watch my A1C, but I have found that does not mean I need to cut all carbs. I have never been a junk food eater nor a soda drinker, so those are not a problem. I would not be interested in keto. I love pasta way too much!!
ReplyDeleteIf Sue were a diabetic on insulin, keto diet would be considered risky. Low refined sugar diet should be the way to go.
ReplyDeleteAfter far too many years of trying to lose weight I've accepted the inevitable--the pleasure of good food outrank my desire to be lighter.
ReplyDeleteWeight loss equipment is a huge money maker.
ReplyDeleteI am not in favour of these 'diets' as they so often fail. If it is too hard to do it, you fail, as well.
ReplyDeleteI purchased one of those vegetable spiralisers and made courgetti spaghetti exactly once. I am too Italian I think to enjoy it. Instead, I make normal spaghetti with a fresh courgette sauce. Not bad at all. The spiraliser hopefully makes someone else happy now.
ReplyDeleteI remember eldest daughter and son-in-law following the Atkins and they lost a lot of weight and looked really good on it. Then they stopped - I think the flatulence put them off!! Now, they're happy, but not thin. Eldest daughter goes to Slimming World, or some such now, which she and her friend call 'Fat Club.'
ReplyDelete