Hungry Eye

The other day, I received an email from someone who asked asked in part: “Be honest, how hungry am I going to be on NutriSystem? Does the food contain something that makes you not as hungry? Is this a starvation diet? Am I going to become irritable and grouchy or get the shakes?” I’ll share with you what I told her in the following article.

Eating Regular Glycemic Friendly Meals On The NutriSystem Diet Does Help With Hunger: First of all, you may be relieved to know that you eat no less than five meals per day on this diet.  Yes, the portions are smaller than the super sized meals that most of us have unfortunately become used to, but you adjust to this pretty quickly.  And, you are able to add in your own sides with each meal.  In short, you are eating every few hours and you get some control over what you are eating.

Also, the foods are carefully designed to contain high amounts of protein and fiber while maintaining healthy levels of complex carbohydrates.  This helps with satiety. The buzz word that the company uses for this is “glycemic friendly” but what this really means is that your blood sugar stays at steady and optimal levels so that you don’t experience that jittery feeling or have the severe rises and falls that makes us irritable and ravenously hungry.  You stay on a more even keel which helps to make this a little more bearable.

With that said, these foods don’t contain appetite suppressants.  There are no stimulants and I actually prefer this.  I don’t want to become dependent on something that isn’t healthy for me and I don’t want to be chained to a stimulant in order for me to have success. I’d rather learn a new lifestyle that is sustainable.

Is NutriSystem A Starvation Diet?: Absolutely not.  As I said, you eat regularly.  And you also consume around 1200 calories per day which is a high enough level to be totally safe.  You are eating quite regularly and you are getting enough. Sure, the portions may take some getting used to and you won’t be eating as many carbs, but you won’t be lacking anything that your body needs.  I believe that the criteria for a starvation diet or a diet severe enough to require a doctor’s prescription is around 800 calories or less.  You are no where near this level on NutriSystem.  They even have a new flex plan that allows you to take two days a week off of the diet completely, so by no stretch of the imagination is this diet severe or dangerous.

And you’re certainly not limited to typical diet fair like shakes and salads.  There are over 170 choices, including pizza, tacos, ravioli, macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake, and biscotti, to name only a handful of options.  I believe that there are certainly enough choices to keep you interested and satisfied. Will there be an adjustment period? Probably.  But will you be ravenously hungry?  In my experience, no, not nearly as much as you may fear. 

Ava’s NutriSystem Review Website features videos, tips, coupons ($100 off or weeks of food for free), comparisons to other popular diets, information on the diet’s flex program and the free counseling, and FAQs related to success on this diet. She also offers a free ebook (“Getting The Most Out Of NutriSystem”) to help you get started. You can visit her at http://celebrity-diet-review.com/nutrisystem.



By: Ava Alderman

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY is famous for its menu of Cheesecakes – their Original Cheesecake – White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle – Pumpkin Cheesecake – Coconut Chocolate Cream – as well as Burgers, Pizza, Pasta, Steaks, Sandwiches.

Its Old Fashioned Burger is charbroiled on a toasted Brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and mayonnaise. It is served with French fries or a Green Salad.

The Cheesecake Factory started as exactly what it’s called – a cheesecake factory. Oscar and Evenlyn Overton were selling some of the best cheesecake around to local restaurants when they decided to branch out and start their own restaurant.

Today they’re consistently rated as one of the best places to spend an evening with friends.

Market Force Survey recently ranked The Cheesecake Factory #1 as the favorite casual-dining restaurant chain, with Texas Roadhouse, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Olive Garden and Ruby Tuesday finishing out the Top Five Favorite Casual and Family Restaurant chains.

>>> If you want to prepare a delicious meal to impress family, friends or even a hot date you met at one of the hot new Romance sites like WUVING.com – here are the The Cheesecake Factory’s most popular recipes of all time…

–The Cheesecake Factory Pasta Da Vinci–

Penne Pasta – Enough for 2 servings according to the box

1/4 Red Onion – Chopped

1/2 cup Button Mushrooms – quartered

1 tsp Garlic – chopped, not minced or crushed

1/2 lb Chicken Breast – Cut into bite-size pieces

3 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 cup Madeira wine (red)

1/2 cup Water

2 Tbsp Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp Parsley

Follow the directions on the box for the pasta. Make sure you cook them “al dente”.

Saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in 1 Tbsp of the butter until tender.

Remove the onions, mushrooms and garlic and set them aside until later.

In the same pan, cook the chicken, stirring frequently.

Remove the chicken and it aside until later.

To the same pan, add 2 Tbsp butter and melt over a low-medium heat.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter and stir to make a roux.

Slowly add in the wine, water and heavy cream, stirring constantly.

Cook over a medium-high heat until thickened – Stirring often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the parsley and let simmer for a few minutes.

Add the chicken, mushrooms, garlic and onions back in and simmer for 2 more minutes.

Pour over the pasta and server with Parmesan cheese.

*

–The Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira–

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 boneless chicken breast

8 asparagus spears

4 slices mozzarella cheese

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

3 cups Madeira wine

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cover chicken breast with plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thick.

Sprinkle each filet with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat.

Saute fillets 4-6 minutes per side until done and browned just a bit.

Remove from pan and wrap in foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.

In chicken pan add olive oil and sliced mushrooms; saute for about 2 minutes.

Add Madeira wine, beef stock, butter, and pepper.

Bring to boil then reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 original volume. When sauce is done it will be thick, and brown.

While sauce is reducing, bring a pan of water to boil.

Add salt to water at boil; blanch asparagus (3-5 minutes).

Drop asparagus in ice water to halt cooking.

Set oven to broil.

In baking dish arrange chicken, cross 2 asparagus stems over each piece of chicken and top with a slice of cheese.

Broil until cheese melts.

Put chicken on plate.

To serve, top with 3-4 tablespoons sauce on each piece.

*

–The Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake–

Crust:

1/4 cup pecans chopped fine

1/4 cup walnuts chopped fine

1/4 cup almonds chopped fine

3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers

2 tablespoons melted butter

Place all of the nuts along with the vanilla wafer crumbs into a large bowl.

Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the mixture and mix by hand.

Lightly butter a 9″ springform pan.

Press the crust mixture into the pan making sure you don’t let it get too think in the corners.

Do your best to make the sides even, about 1 1/2″ up the sides of the pan and then set aside.

Filling:

1 1/2 lbs cream cheese (do not use low fat)

1 1/3 cups sugar

5 large eggs

16 ounces sour cream

1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice (or try using 1 tsp of lemon zest)

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Using an electric mixture on Low Setting (this slow setting is critical) beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Continue mixing on LOW while you slowly add the sugar to the cream cheese.

Continue mixing on low while you add one egg at a time, beating after each egg.

Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice (or zest) and mix on low. Add in the sour cream and mix on low until completely blended.

Pour the mixture into the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake on the top rack of the 325 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, prop your oven door open, turn off the oven and let the cake sit inside the oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let your cheesecake cool in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

*

–The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake–

Crust

1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

Filling

1 cup sugar

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

Topping

Freshly whipped cream

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and then drizzle the melted butter over the top.

Mix this together well enough to cover all of the crumbs with the butter. Do not let it turn into a paste.

Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake for 5 minutes, then chill it in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Combine the cream cheese, 1 C sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

Mix until smooth using an electric mixer (remove the lumps but don’t over-mix).

Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy.

Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Bake for 60-70 minutes.

The cake will rise and turn a nice golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room tempurature.

When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator and let it chill for 24 hours.

When the cheesecake has chilled, release the spring and romove the sides of the pan.

Cut the cake into 8 equal pieces and garnish with generous amounts of whipped cream (if you wish, lightly dust with some of the spices).

Source: The chefs and bakers of The Cheesecake Factory – Thanks Guys & Gals!

A Graduate of the Holland College Culinary Course, Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years. He is a member of the Canadian Culinary Federation. Brian’s articles reflect his interests in food service, dreamstudy, imaginative literature and our best friends — our dogs.

His Home Page is A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR – A Literary Chef. His articles have been reprinted on numerous culinary websites and various Blogs, including the popular romance siteWuving.com.

Some The Cheesecake Factory other Menu Entrees:

Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Crispy Coated Chicken Breast Covered with Melted Cheese and Either Spicy BuffalChipotle Mayo. Served on a Brioche Bun with French Fries or Green Salad.

B.B.Q. Pulled Pork Sandwich

Slow Roasted Pork Covered with Our B.B.Q. Sauce on a Brioche Bun. Served with Cole Slaw, and French Fries or Green Salad.

Grilled Portabella on a Bun

A Giant Portabella Mushroom Served on a Bun with Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Red Onion, Melted Cheese and Spicy Mayonnaise. Served with French Fries or Green Salad.

Kobe Burger

American Kobe Beef with Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions on a Toasted Brioche Bun. Served with French Fries or Green Salad.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Served Over Pasta with Mushrooms, Peppers and Onions in a Spicy New Orleans Sauce.

Chargrilled Coulotte Steak

U.S.D.A. Prime Sirloin Topped with Butter Served with French Fries and Crispy Onion Rings.

- Brian

Dig in and enjoy!



By: Brian Alan Burhoe

About the Author:

Kansieo.com