Restaurant Desserts

[Waterbabe_Helena]

I am staying at a UK hotel for a week. All food is included in our booking. They are keen to cater for all special dietary needs. I am getting worried because each time we go there, I weaken, eat the fabulous desserts and take months to get back on track. So I am planning ahead this time.

It occurred to me that I could ask the restaurant manager to give me a golf-ball sized lump of clotted cream each night, so I don't get tempted to have something chock-full of sugar. I'm just about to phone him and tell him this, when it occurred to me that he will probably ask if the chef can garnish this rather plain dish with something "extra".

I thought maybe a strawberry would be allowed.

Has anyone any other ideas?

Helena

[Chef Kevin]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

I had to get out an English to American dictionary!!!

Clotted cream sounds and looks amazing, I need to try it!!

It looks kinda like a custard. What is the flavor profile?
slightly sweet from the lactose caramelizing?

[Waterbabe_Helena]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

Clotted cream tastes more or less the same as very thick, very dense heavy double cream. It's just a solid lump rather than runny, and therefore is as easy to eat as icecream.

[not2late]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

The strawberries will depend where you are in your Atkins. If you are in Induction....strawberries and other fruits aren't allowed.

I've had clotted cream before and it's very rich and delicious on its own. Just stick to that if you are still in Induction.

[Waterbabe_Helena]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

I started on 16th July.

[not2late]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

I started on 16th July.

It doesn't really matter when you started Atkins. Some people start Atkins and stay in the Induction phase for months beyond the initial 14 days. So they are still on the Induction phase and non-Induction foods aren't legal for them.

If you moved to On-Going Weight Loss phase after your Induction, then you know how far you've gone on the OWL carbohydrate ladder. So what you are allowed to eat will depend on what 'rung' of the carb ladder you are on.

[Waterbabe_Helena]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

I just wanted some other ideas to offer the chef, other than what I had already thought of. That's all.

[Chef Kevin]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

well, I have been reading about this stuff! Very interesting. So, I take it the portion on this is small, and if it is, what are we talking, a couple of strawberries? Really, that's a small amount of carbs. If you are careful with the rest of your day, should be no real problem. I stay in ketosis up into 40-45g a day, so just go easy. It might be a good chance to learn how much you can eat while staying on track.

[not2late]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

well, I have been reading about this stuff! Very interesting. So, I take it the portion on this is small, and if it is, what are we talking, a couple of strawberries? Really, that's a small amount of carbs. If you are careful with the rest of your day, should be no real problem. I stay in ketosis up into 40-45g a day, so just go easy. It might be a good chance to learn how much you can eat while staying on track.

Even that amount can be a "problem" for some people, Chef. If you read through the On-Going Weight Loss forum, you'll see OWLers who run into problems with perfectly "legal" OWL phase foods.

When I went through OWL I learned that cantaloupes cause cravings for me, any dish that combined eggplant and tomatoes triggered something in me whereby I couldn't stop eating that dish or others, wheat caused me to wheeze, some brand of ricotta cheese completely stalled my weight loss. We have OWLers who can't eat broccoli or celery (causes cravings), can't eat nuts or seeds (causes cravings/stalls loss), can't eat some fruits (cravings, stalls loss, etc.), can't eat fresh cheeses (same reasons), can't eat some starchy veggies, can't eat some legumes, can't some grains. That's the beauty of OWL phase, you learn what your body can tolerate or not.

As you can see from Helena's siggy, she's fallen off the program before. And it would be a deathly shame if she falls off again, because strawberries are a trigger food for her.

I can't speak for anyone else, but being at a hotel, where you cannot control your food 100%, it's easy to succumb to temptations and eat "badly" or eat "off plan"---we have a lot of folks who do that due to the pressures of traveling and being in an unfamiliar place/situation. It's best for Helena to stick to her Atkins as closely as she can and not allow the fact she's in a hotel to be the excuse for her to have "one little bite". Again it would be a shame if that "one little bite" causes her to fall off the diet for a month or two (or several!)

[CATBLUE]

Re: Restaurant Desserts

Why not contact the chef and ask for a cheese plater for desert instead of sweets? Then you can nibble and still not be really bad..or ask for an egg custard made with splenda and cream... he can do that. And if he knows you are going to have it every night he can make them a few days in advance.

Offer him a challenge. Tell him what you can eat and allow him to try to develop a dish for you. Sometimes people rise to a challenge and will surprise you with their creativity!