Recently in Good eats Category

Tell me, is there really a "bad" french fry?

By nature, french fries are some of the yummiest things on the planet that are horrible for us.

Have you ever had french fries so good that you want to thank the man/woman who created this fried batch of culinary goodness?

I know I have. If my waistline is the judge - probably more than once.

Anywho, I found this story on french fries, and the ones with the most fat, calories, etc.

I was shocked by some of it, and not so much shocked by other parts.

Are your favorite fries on this list?

You really should check.

Confused about which popular diet works best?

Yeah, me too.

Before we throw in the towel, MSN comes to the rescue. The Web site pulled together this article on the country's top diets.

It sums them up in simple terms, and with the pros and cons of each diet. The list includes information about popular fare such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, the South Beach Diet, etc., and the experts' take on them.

Like most dieters, I've tried more than one of these. I wish I'd had this list BEFORE I spent my money.

Sigh.

I was good over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Aside from lots of lean turkey breast, I did not overeat this holiday.

No extra helpings of mashed potatoes.

No second square of stuffing.

No heaping spoonful of candied yams.

No going back for a second plate.

No desserts of sweet potato pie for me.

Nope, this woman resisted the temptation.

How did you guys do?

Thanksgiving is a time to pig out, right?

No! says health experts. We should not use the holiday as an excuse to break our diets.

Does this mean we will stand on the sidelines, looking longingly at the food table and secretly coveting the plates of others?

No.

We can (and will) eat, but we should not overeat, health experts tell us.

NewsReleaseWire.com featured an article with the following holiday eating tips:

1. Call a friend a few days before the party to find out what they are serving.

2. Plan what you will eat before going to the party.

3. Under no circumstances go back for more food.

4. Talk more, eat less - Pick two new people at the party you would like to get to know more about. Introduce yourself!

5. Have fun. Enjoy your holiday favorites, but in moderation.

Whatever you do, have a good holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I have to give up one of them. I came to the realization last week that I was probably drinking about 500 calories of the two together each day.

That's a lot of calories, and a little less than half of what I should have total for a day.

At first glance, the easy choice appears to be the soda.

With 150 calories, and 41 grams of sugar in one, 12-oz can of Pepsi, the decision seems like a no-brainer.

But my go-to drink of choice, Vitamin Water, has it's own issues.

Junk food companies aren't being honest with us.

They downplay the bad stuff about their products, and lobby against legislation that would limit our reach.

Well, that's what this article says.

I'm assuming this is some kind of diet therapy. The woman, who you see crying, is mourning the loss of something.

I'll let you guys watch it, and tell me what you make of it.

I'm not sure what to say.

Can someone tell me why all the foods that I like to eat are on the "bad, evil foods" lists?

I mean, every time I find something healthy - something that doesn't taste like sandpaper, and that is better than say, french fries covered with cheese, bacon and green onions, dipped in ranch dressing, someone one says it too, is bad for me.

Mmmmm. . . bacon. . . (Sorry, I needed to have a bacon moment.)

In this story, there's more of my favorite "healthy foods" that are no so healthy.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Bagels with cream cheese - 700 calories?

What about reduced-fat cream cheese, or diet bagels?

That's a lot of frigging calories. Seriously.

And granola bars are good. Really good.

They keep me from chewing off my own hand around 4 p.m., when I'm starving and just getting off work and the temptation to go to McDonald's and get many, many cheeseburgers is almost overwhelming, but I resist -- thanks to that granola bar.

Oh well. I knew those foods were too good to be true.

Here's a list of healthy, yes, real healthy,items available at your local grocery store.

Imagine a diet where you actually could enjoy food again.

No starving.

No deprivation.

No binging on a bad of Chips A'hoy cookies because you haven't had sugar in weeks.

Maybe that's only me.

Anywho, some new diet trends are emerging that talk about eating better, and not starving, as a weight-loss solution.

In this story, nutrition experts and dieters talk about eating healthy to lose weight, but not waging an all-out war against food.

I weighed myself Monday.

It was not a high moment of the day.

274.

Yes, you read that right.

274.

This is the heaviest I've ever been. I wanted to cry and was in a panic.

However, I've got a plan.

For those looking for someone else to blame for their weight gain, the people who do studies are offering another scapegoat.

Personally, I blame the media.

Anywho, a series of new studies presented this month by taste and hearing experts suggests that repeated infections may damage a vital taste-sensing nerve in kids, perking a preference for rich foods and making them prone to weight gain later.

Here's the story on it.

Just when you thought you were eating healthy, those people who do studies come along and ruin it.

Apparently, those cute little snack packs that boast only 100 calories are deceptive.

I just knew eating only 100 calories of Chips A'hoy cookies was a crime against nature. You can't get the real flavor of a cookie in less than 200 calories.

Oh, wait, that's not what they mean.

Between three to four years ago, my favorite aunt, Aunt Brenda, gave me a George Foreman grill for Christmas.

Until this weekend, the gift had sat on my counter in its box. (Sorry, auntie.)

However, I wanted something grilled this weekend, and didn't feel like dealing with charcoal, lighter fluid (fire! fire! fire! said in Beavis voice) or trying to keep my cat, Mo, from escaping every time I open the patio door.

So, I dusted off the box and freed the Foreman grill. Much to my surprise, it's one of the best gifts ever (other favorite gifts include my heated blanket - Thanks mom and dad - my make-up travel bag - from Ann - and the "In Death" books I got from Amanda.)!

I used the grill to cook a bunch of stuff this weekend, and I wanted to share a good, healthy recipe with you guys.

For those looking for a low-fat way to have "fried" chicken, Bisquick offers this recipe.

Ingredients

2-3 lbs meaty chicken pieces

2/3 cup Bisquick reduced-fat baking mix

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon butter

From eDiets.com comes this healthy take on one of my favorite recipes from childhood, Sloppy Joes.

I can remember my mom (or dad - I'm from one of those modern families, where the dad cooks, too) making those messy sandwiches, and the four of us making a mess eating them.

Growing up, my family usually all sat down together for dinner. Between me, my brother and sisters cutting up at the dinner table, and my folks trying not to laugh at our outrageous behavior (the liver stand-off and FART the rubber glove), those were good times.

So, thanks, mom and dad, for insisting that we eat together, and for the good memories. Here's a tasty, healthier way to be sloppy.