(Part 2) Best products from r/1200isplenty

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this (only a bit) but, uhhh, I love Ikea's children's dinnerware? Perfect size for most of my meals, easy to store, comes in fun colors. And cheap.

I don't know where you live, but if you can order from amazon I would highly recommend these soups.

This one is only 190 calories per container, has 12g of protein, 12g of fiber and 360mg of sodium. It is hands down my favorite lunch food. It has a strong smokey flavor that I hated the first time I ate it, but grew to love by the 2nd cup. I usually pair it with potatoes, a salad or a scrambled egg.

This one is 360 calories, has 20g of protein, 28g of fiber, and 660mg of sodium. This one makes a good lunch on it's own for me.

Most of my suggestions are already listed so I won't repeat them, but the one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is a popcorn popper. Popcorn is one of my favorite things to snack on and I have this super cool silicone popcorn maker for the microwave. You can pop with or without oil and it's collapsible which makes storage way easier than one of those tall electric air poppers.

Nice quick and easy lunch, love it! If you also like Vietnamese pho, you should also check these out. I get them at the international grocer near me, but as you can see, you can order them off amazon too. Of course this instant pho is nowhere near as awesome as the real deal, but you can't beat it for a super cheap and easy likeness. I also hook mine up with an egg, but I just crack it in there and let poach during the last minute in the microwave. Also, the whole pack is only 194 calories plus the 78 calories for a large egg: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043OQUVC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HaskDbYTWG4FK

If you're in the market for a good spiralizer, I'm a HUGE fan of the Oxo Good Grips. I bought 3 <$5 cone-shaped ones from stores like Ross and HomeGoods before splurging on this one. It's so much easier to use than the cones (and safer) and I like the noodle size. I actually ended up getting some for my sister and mom as well.

I dont know redditt etiquette - if its too late to respond, but I'm going to try anyway.

MY partner and I both use vanilla and chocolate gold standard. we buy them at costo when they are on scale. I make pancakes with the vanilla and we drink the vanilla and chocolate. I personally like them mixed together. For my coffee, I add in the premier protein. Its already in a liquid (~75 mL is 40 cal with 8g of protein) so it mixes really well. It takes like really indulgent coffee creamer. we also get them at costo when they are on sale. Heres links to them both:

https://www.amazon.com/OPTIMUM-NUTRITION-STANDARD-Protein-Chocolate/dp/B000QSNYGI?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Protein-Shakes-Vanilla-pack/dp/B01JH07K24/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_121_tr_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QMMZ9AF1G2MCW3WWV68G

I dont use social media enough to keep up with something like that. But I do use MFP if you wanted to exchange names!

I'm in a similar tiny kitchen. Since you're close to a grocery store, try to pick a recipe then just buy the necessary ingredients. I love soups, stews, chili, casseroles, stir fry etc. - things that end up in one pot, have a lot of leeway on ingredients, and can be made quite low cal. Prep all the ingredients first so you can use the stove as additional counter space.

For recipes, I love pretty much anything on www.skinnytaste.com. My method is to pick a recipe, buy all the ingredients, make it, then find a second recipe that uses the leftover ingredients with minimal additions (for example, make a casserole then throw all the leftover veggies in a pot for soup with some different spices.)

I also have a multicooker which is great because it can do a lot of things in a tiny space. I have this one, but I hear great things about Instant Pot. It's a lot more expensive than getting a slow cooker alone, but being able to walk away from rice or use it as a pressure cooker as well has been worth it.

It's a "Coolbites Premium Bento Box" - right now it's on sale for only $10 on Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/CoolBites-Premium-Bento-Lunch-Built/dp/B017WX70NC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499881904&sr=8-1&keywords=coolbites

Each lunch in the picture was a full lunch - I like to eat a light lunch so that I can have a filling dinner and nighttime snacks! You can actually fit quite a lot of food in the bento box, by the way, if that's what you're wondering about!

Happy to answer any additional questions if you think of more! :)

The only one that I have found worth taking for iron is hemaplex. https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Plus-Hema-Plex-Tablets-Count/dp/B004RD1AAA/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3MW8P84M5LXS1&keywords=hemaplex+iron+supplement&qid=1574083016&sprefix=hema%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-6

This has one tablet with iron, vitamin C, vitamin B complex, a little bit of calcium, and ZINC. I tested as anemic on last well check and taking this pill actually makes me feel better. It is the only medication I take daily (or semi daily as I'm no good with pills). Zinc is as important as magnesium, iron, etc. and no one really talks about it. A deficiency affects your mood often creating a lack of pleasure, attention, and energy. For some, overeating is medicating all these things (or lack there of).

I was wanting to make the famous brownies, and was pondering how I could make it even lower calories. Most chocolate chips are about 70-80 calories for the same amount, but these are 50. Just popped open the bag and tasted one, and seems pretty good so far. It's what I was waiting for to make "the brownie" recipe with pumpkin! So excited to taste them!


Link to where I got mine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H2AAXMQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Check out GG Crispbreads. I buy them at Whole Foods. Each cracker has 20 calories and 4g of fiber. I typically eat 6-8 a day. You can top them with pretty much anything and they are easy to travel with. Throw peanut butter or laughing cow in your bag to top them, no fridge needed.


https://www.amazon.com/GG-Scandinavian-Crispbread-3-5-Ounce-Packages/dp/B003G1ZRTY

I am fond of these tortillas. They are about $4 a pack in my neck of the woods.

My favorite dipper is cucumber for low cal. Carrots are great too. I also drink a lot of sugar free hot chocolate. It's only 25 calories a mug.

You can do it manually with a caliper like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Accu-Measure-Fitness-Personal-Caliper-Measurement/dp/B000G7YW74

Or you can do it manually with your measurements, google "body fat percentage calculator" you'll need a tape measure.

Or electrically with a device.

Several options if you go this route: There is a handheld device like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306CN-Body-Fat-Analyzer/dp/B00A1ODX9A/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1524511317&sr=1-5&keywords=electronic+body+fat+measure

Or I have a smart scale that does it that I love:
https://www.amazon.com/Yunmai-Bluetooth-Smart-Scale-Monitor/dp/B01B8LEELA

Italian-ish (36 cal)

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1 tsp better than boullion chicken

1/2 tsp lemon juice (estimate)

1/2 tsp garlic and parmesan seasoning

splash of Worcestershire sauce

1 cup leafy greens (Spinach, Argula, and Baby Bok Choy salad mix)

40g portabella mushrooms (caps broken up into small pieces, steams finely shredded with fork to give it a texture like shredded chicken)

chives

Asian-ish (50 calories)

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1 tsp Chicken Base

splash of Worcestershire sauce

40g portabella mushrooms (or shiitake) prepared the same as above

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

chives

1/8 tsp sesame oil (put it in your bowl and then pour soup on top)

100g bok choy (stems and leaves roughly chopped)


Doesn't seem like much but it keeps me full because it makes a pretty big bowl and I find both very tasty. Add just a tiny bit of finely shredded chicken on top for a more filling and better texture. I also sometimes do zucchini noodles but very rarely, I like it light.

For me, a kitchen scale has been the most useful when calorie-cutting, because it gave me a good idea of portion size. This is the one I use, and its just over $10 and is nifty because it weighs in grams and ounces (although I'm sure most do). If you check amazon, some of the highest rated scales are under $15.

Any of these are probably good. I personally use this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B013KAW5IQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1453733143&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX220_SY330_QL65&keywords=zoodler&dpPl=1&dpID=41UVlXyV6HL&ref=plSrch
It's just small and easy to store and easy to clean and it's not at all hard to use. If you can find a place that ships internationally, then all you need is this little gadget and then you can noodle most veggies.

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I typically don't try to hit 92g protein a day since my goal is lower. Some days I overshoot, some days under ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

meal, protein, calories:

high protein cereal mix (see below): 16.75 g P, 167.75 Cal

strawberry smoothie: 15.64 g P, 223.9 Cal

salad: 1.7 g P, 137 Cal

beyond beef lettuce wrap: 20g P, 260 cal

Brussels sprouts with veggie "bacon bits": 5.78g P, 82.1 Cal

taco style bowl: 32.15 g P, 472 Cal

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details:

cereal mix (no milk) - .5 c Stay Steady Cereal, .25 c Kashi GoLean Chocolate Crunch, .25 c Dixie Smaps High Protein Maple Pecan Cereal

salad - spinach with bits of: artichoke hearts, tomato, sweet pepper, white beans, peas, pickled beets, carrots, red cabbage all tossed with very dilute follow your heart ceasar dressing and a little spray of Thrive oil, and salt, pepper

smoothie - strawberry smoothie 1.5 c Silk Protein Milk, vanilla, 90 grams frozen strawberries, packet no calorie sweetener, dash salt

beyond burger lettuce wrap beyond beef burger + lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard

Brussels sprouts 170 grams (uncooked wt), veggie bacon bits (made from pinto beans!), salt, pepper

taco style bowl:

164 grams chopped mushrooms

1/3 cup corn, frozen

21 g onion

¼ c black beans

36 g avocado

150 g tomatoes

taco seasoning

1 beyond patty crumbled

to make this - pan fry mushrooms & beyond patty, add in taco seasoning, black beans, corn, onion. Top with tomato and avo.

I like to make a bunch of burritos and freeze them, so it's super easy to make a lot at once and grab one to take to work whenever I need an easy, low-cal lunch.

To make mine, I throw some chicken breasts into a slow cooker with enchilada sauce and a little can of green chiles (or your favorite salsa would work), cook on low 6-8 hours, then shred. I make "Spanish rice" by cooking rice and subbing half the water with salsa. And then I usually prep some kind of veggie, like peppers and onions or some black beans and corn (I'm actually really into pickled carrots lately).

Throw moderate amounts of each (going light on the rice) into a low-carb tortilla (I get these, 50 cal each), wrap up tight in plastic wrap, and continue until you have a pile of burritos to freeze. Just keep track of how many total calories everything is and then divide by how many burritos you made. Mine usually come out to about 250-300 cal each.

xpost

I made this with


1/2 Tbsp Veggie Bacon bits - my favorite!


3 Tbsp Daiya cheeze sauce - This is better than the Daiya cheeze shreds. I do not like the shreds, but I can definitely recommend this sauce.


56 grams Fiber Gourmet Light Elbow pasta


broccoli, salt, & pepper

Looks like it has the same calories (260 packaged) per serving (2.5 ounces) as the original. Only difference calorie wise to the original seems to be the cauliflower box is smaller so it has 2 (instead of 3) servings per box.

https://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Macaroni-Cheese-Cauliflower-Original/dp/B0796BRV5D

https://www.target.com/p/kraft-macaroni-cheese-dinner-original-7-25-oz/-/A-12954218

Info | Details
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Amazon Product | Ikea 36-piece Dinnerware Set, Assorted Colors
>Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. By using the link above you get to support a chairty and help keep this bot running through affiliate programs all at zero cost to you.

Kitchen: Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale (12 lbs Edition), Tempered Glass in Elegant Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MSZBSI/

Body weight: pretty sure it's this one: EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Lighted Display, 400 lb. Capacity and "Step-On" Technology [2014 VERSION] - 10,000+ Reviews EatSmart Guaranteed Accurate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KXZ808/

Love Pho. I like this one and this one and this one

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Digital-Multifunction-Measurement-Supported/dp/B00F3J9EGO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1484270627&sr=8-5&keywords=food+scale


I have used that one for a year now and I love it over most of the other cheap ones because it has a bowl to weigh stuff that's easy to wash as opposed to a flat permanently attached platform.

This is the food scale I use. I've had it for about 2 years. It's still on its original batteries and I use it multiple times per day. (: I'm no expert, so there may be better and cheaper ones out there, but I really like mine!

The Black bean soup is 9g at 170 calories here

The split pea soup is 8g at 130 calories here

All-in-all they are pretty good too!

There are a bunch of well-rated ones on Amazon in the $10-$15 range. I have this Ozeri one and it's fine.

We ran out of space in our kitchen for gadgets so we use this really compact one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013KAW5IQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just have this Oxo one (mine has two blades). It's the only one I've ever used so I can't say if it's amazing compared to others or anything, but it works just fine for me! I've used it a billion times for zoodles, and another time to make a "different looking" cucumber salad. I think that particular one wouldn't be great if you had to make a bunch for a lot of people, but for one dish it's no problem.

Welcome to the world of zoodles!

My recommendation for a kitchen scale: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MSZBSI/ref=pe_385040_30332200_TE_item

It's lasted me around 8 months this far and is very accurate. Just a tip for portion control: most nutritional facts have the weight in grams so it's easy to figure out the calories accurately.

Edit: I recommend putting a plate on it, zeroing the scale, and weighing the food. It also does negative grams so you could see how much you could see how much you took out of a container.