It has been so long since I've been concerned with portion size. I should have been, but wasn't, 'til now that is. Is there a source here or on the net someplace that gives acceptable portions of various foods? I don't really want to weigh and measure everything as I did that years ago so religiously. But, right now I'm simply guessing. Is there a happy medium? Please share what you do to keep your portions in control or any advice you may have on the subject?

I made these again this past weekend for lunch with friends on Sunday. I made them with a whole cup of sugar (I forgot that I had cut back on the sugar the first time) and they were WAY too sweet for me, but everyone liked them just as well as they did the brownies made from a boxed mix with oil and whole egg. So YAY Side by side, they were just as readily eaten as the regular full fat turtle brownies (with nuts and caramel). No, I didn't tell anyone that they were fat free and made from black beans

I did make them from ww flour again, and sifted out the bran....worked great!

I made the Beanie Brownies today and they are awesome! Actually hubby and I only ate one each with 1/4 cup of low fat vanilla ice-cream and it was wonderful! I made the brownies with barley flour as I cannot have wheat. I used the 15oz can of black beans rather than yogurt. They were dark and moist and simply delicious. This is definitely a keeper. We only bought a pint of ice-cream and at this rate it will last a long time in our freezer. Before this first week of our new eating plan we would have easily polished off a pint of ice-cream per person at one sitting.

quote:

Originally posted by GoingSkiing:


We only eat one brownie a week... so I went back to white flour. There is only two tsp. of white flour in a brownie. I'm ok... eating that little bit of white flour a week.

I used the ww because it was all I had. I didn't have any white flour. BUT the sifting it worked fine. I may just do that....I ALWAYS have soft wheat on hand to grind. Don't always have white flour on hand.

Do you use the egg white?
nope... maybe that is the difference...

Oh, and when you use the ww flour, do you sift out the bran? Can you feel the bran in the consistency of the brownie with it in there?
I didn't sift... it was a little "gritty".

We only eat one brownie a week... so I went back to white flour. There is only two tsp. of white flour in a brownie. I'm ok... eating that little bit of white flour a week.

We eat mostly whole wheat bread, pasta, etc... so in the big picture... no big deal.

quote:

Originally posted by GoingSkiing:
I use a 15 oz. can... and use the whole thing...

Sometimes I use whole wheat flour... sometimes white.

Hmmm, I'll have to try it sometime. I would think that the batter would be really thin....and that it would change the overall texture....but I will have to give it a try. Now when you puree your beans, do they end up VERY liquidy? I'm wondering if this particular brand of beans has more liquid and less beans than other brands? I used Natural Value Organic black beans.

Do you use the egg white?

Oh, and when you use the ww flour, do you sift out the bran? Can you feel the bran in the consistency of the brownie with it in there?

quote:

Originally posted by TriGirl:
Note to self: if there is ever a chefkathleen.com potluck, let someone else be the first one to try Denise's contribution.

LOL!!! The trick is to use the cans of beans with onion flavor...

I keep thinking of Rachel Ray and nutmeg, "It is that special ingredient that makes people say... Hmmmm.... WHAT is that??"

Just kidding... look for beans with no onion...!

quote:

Originally posted by Lori4squaremom:
(I had assumed she meant a 14 or 15 oz. can), and then measured out 2/3 of a cup and it was only half the can. SO, if you are using a 14 or 15 oz. can only use half of it.

I use a 15 oz. can... and use the whole thing...

Sometimes I use whole wheat flour... sometimes white.

quote:

Originally posted by TriGirl:
Note to self: if there is ever a chefkathleen.com potluck, let someone else be the first one to try Denise's contribution.

LOL! My agency had a healthy eating fair this time last year and someone brought black bean brownies. I was a volunteer handing out tastes of the healthy dishes employees had made, and every time I would explain what was on the table, every person would go "BLACK BEAN BROWNIES!?!?" when I got to that plate. (Picture that Pace Salsa commercial where they go "New York CITY!!?!")

I tried them and thought they were QUITE tasty. I was ready to turn my nose up at them but they were good. A little dry as I recall, but very good flavor.

Well, I decided to make Denise's version of these brownies....I've been reading about them for months and months and keep saying "next time, next time". Well, I have cans of black beans and all the other ingredients so I made them. YUMMMMMMM!!!!

Now I pureed the can of black beans (I had assumed she meant a 14 or 15 oz. can), and then measured out 2/3 of a cup and it was only half the can. SO, if you are using a 14 or 15 oz. can only use half of it.

But the brownies really are delicious! And I also only used 3/4 C. sugar also. Oh, the other thing I did was I used ww pastry flour (I sifted it so that the bran was sifted out). VERY yummy!

I go through spells where I measure portions religiously (when I'm trying to adhere to WW PTS).

But I've found that listening to my body, i.e. how hungry am I, how full am I, do I feel heavy/light in recent days, helps more. I have succeeded on vacations this way, and come back the same or a half-pound lighter.

It is a balance! I'm still trying to figure out what works best for me.

Note to self: if there is ever a chefkathleen.com potluck, let someone else be the first one to try Denise's contribution.

quote:

Originally posted by bj:
I can't have corn either so will have to figure out a substitute there...

I laughed so hard over the beanie thing. I'll bet my hubby has never had a bean brownie, come to think of it, neither have I! I think I'll leave out the onion though.

I don't even bother with the corn starch.

I fed one of the onion beanie brownies to my kid (who was 12). He said, "That was good..." so I took them to a pot luck... and they all got eaten.

I posted a dessert recipe with no wheat... I'll bump it up... I think the thread is called "Drat... Cake!" or something... Cate posted it... she doesn't eat wheat either.

quote:

Originally posted by grrlscout:
There are some visual reminders of portion sizes at the end of this article:

http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/nu.../portioncontrol.html

Some other handy sites:

http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/eating/size_does_matter.html

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_3_2x_Portion_Control.asp

http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/000507/000507eatsmart.html

These are all neat articles and visuals. Thanks so much!!

Well Lord Love a Duck!! Black Beanie Brownies!!

Denise you should write a book! I enjoy your posts so much. You are just full of good ideas and your humor is delightful. I'm going to have an entire Tips from Denise notebook before long! Thanks for the recipe. I'll use barley flour, as I cannot eat wheat. I can't have corn either so will have to figure out a substitute there, my baking powder will replace it and the soda ok I think. I laughed so hard over the beanie thing. I'll bet my hubby has never had a bean brownie, come to think of it, neither have I! I think I'll leave out the onion though.

I started out weighing my cereal and crackers and things like that on the food scale. Eventually I learned what a portion should look like in the bowls and dishes I use. But every now and then I pull the scale out again just to be sure.

I would never overeat meat because I don't like it that much, but I definitely need to portion out pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, etc., because I love them. I have a scoop set from Weight Watchers that has a half cup scoop and a cup scoop -- I just have to make sure that I use a level scoop.

There are some visual reminders of portion sizes at the end of this article:

http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/nu.../portioncontrol.html

Some other handy sites:

http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/eating/size_does_matter.html

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_3_2x_Portion_Control.asp

http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/000507/000507eatsmart.html

quote:

Originally posted by bj:
what is a "No Pudge" brownie? Is there a recipe for that here someplace?

There is a brand called "No Pudge".

Here is a recipe for a "No Pudge" clone.

* * * *
For some reason, I've been able to make these and cut them up and freeze them. We have them for one dessert on the weekend with 1/4 c. of light ice cream (well it is Lite Hagen Dazs... so it isn't THAT light... but better than regular Hagen Dazs )

I've got a deal with myself that if the brownies start whispering to me from the freezer... I'll put them in the trash and put cat litter on them.

* * * * * *

No Pudge Brownie Clone
(I googled this recipe
http://www.recipezaar.com/116219)

1 cup* sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt


2/3 cup** non-fat vanilla yogurt (a 6 oz. container, Dannon works best)
2 egg whites (this is for cake like brownies and is optional)

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all dry ingredients.

Add yogurt and mix well.
Batter will be very thick.

Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread batter evenly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).
Remove and cool.

Dip a knife in warm water and cut into 16 squares.

* I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup and nobody noticed.

** instead of yogurt, I took a 15 oz can of beans (both beans and the liquid) and whirled them in food proc. until smooth. I used garbanzos one time and black beans an other time. I thought the black beans sort of gave it a mocha-coffee thing. I left out the salt from the dry ingredients as the beans had some salt.

Brownies do look better made with yogurt.

(Check the ingredients on the can of beans... I used a can that had onion in it . I gave an onion brownie to ds and he said it was good, so then I took them to a potluck... and they still all got eaten... but I thought I could taste the onion... but I knew it was in there. )

The beanie brownies and yogurt brownies freeze and defrost really well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GoingSkiing,

Thanks so much everyone. All of this information is so very helpful.

Bee thanks for the links I have them bookmarked and will be researching the sites for further info.

Cathy J by a hand cream bottle do you mean a pump bottle? I don't like a dry salad so I know without a doubt salad dressing has been a big downfall for me. I've begun now though to have my dressing on the side, dipping the tongs of my fork into the dressing, then into my bite of salad, and I can hardly believe how little I can use in that way. But I would still like to measure it first in order to be sure.

Denise thanks so much for sharing your ice-cream experience. That helped me sooooo much--a real light-bulb moment for me. We are not interested in quick loss either, but just loss rather than gain, and learning a healthier lifestyle in the process. BTW, what is a "No Pudge" brownie? Is there a recipe for that here someplace?

Cathy J... What is a hand cream bottle????

As for portions I weigh and measure when in doubt and I take small first servings so I can have "2nds" which makes me feel better When I am eating out I try to leave something on my plate...even if it is the overcooked veggies!