I’ve been taking photos of food for a while now, not so much to lose weight, but simply because I like taking pictures and I love food and it’s a great way to remember what I eat. Now, a new study suggests that this habit may actually be more effective than a written food diary for weight loss.
From the New Scientist:
[Researchers] at the University of Wisconsin-Madison told 43 people to record what they ate for one week in words and as pictures.
When they quizzed the volunteers, photo diaries seemed to be the most effective. Not only did they provide powerful visual documentation of snack binges, they also triggered critical evaluation at just the right time - before the food was eaten. “I had to think more carefully about what I was going to eat because I had to take a picture of it,” was a typical response.
In contrast, written diaries are often completed long after the meal and do not create as powerful a reminder of the quantity and quality of the food that was eaten.
At the moment, I only take pictures of my food if it’s really yummy or pretty and I can be bothered. But I love the idea of doing this all the time, for every meal, so I can have a historical account of my eating habits over time. I think it’d be interesting to correlate what I’m eating with my mood, and to see how the types of food I eat changes with the seasons and my ever-changing tastes.
Does anyone else do this? I think I’m going to start!
Snap-happy dieters reap benefits [New Scientist]
Photos:
1.
Solution-driven, 2.
Cross section of a TVP Meatball, 3.
Salad Saturday: Rocket Tabouleh, 4.
Bircher Muesli, 5.
My magnificent lunch, 6.
Corn tortilla porn, 7.
Pizza at Story Deli, 8.
Dinner is served, 9.
Quinoa-amaranth timbales with puy lentils, roasted root vegetables, and sauteed kale, 10.
Southern style, 11.
Aloo Gobi, Dhal, Roast Cauliflower, & Basmati Rice, 12.
6-Grain Porridge with Soymilk & Nanner, 13.
Enchiladas, 14.
Besan Cheela “Omelet”, 15.
Vegan Cabbage Rolls, 16.
Back on the Bircher Muesli wagon, 17.
Spaghetti, Tomato-Basil-Garlic Sauce, Tofu Neatballs and Roasted Brussel Sprouts, 18.
Salad with french beans and goat’s cheese parcels, 19.
Vegetarian food at Cafe Lipp, 20.
Puy Lentils, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Pumpkin, 21.
Tofurkey DinnerCrossposted to SmarterFitter.com
First in a series of high protein vegan meals!
Tofu is a source of confusion for many aspiring chefs, vegetarian and meat-eaters alike. The trouble with tofu is that, when it doesn’t turn out well, it really doesn’t turn out well. I still recall my first attempt at stir-fried tofu, the soggy, gelantinous blobs that fell out of the skillet, ruining an otherwise edible pile of rice. A few more years and experiments later, I think I finally get it.
This recipe requires no marinating or special tofu prep - literally crumble it into the pan. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand to spruce things up, though we feel that the onion, soy sauce, nutritional yeast and cilantro are essential. Also, make sure you use firm tofu, not the silken stuff. To save on time, you can always use frozen veggies (we just discovered the joyful convenience of frozen diced onion - so wrong, yet so right).
Served with a slice of whole wheat toast, this meal has more than 25g of protein and fewer than 400 Calories.
Tofu Scramble
The essentials
- 1 block (450g) firm tofu
- 1 onion, diced
- 10 sprigs cilantro (coriander) with stems, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
The veggies
- 4 mushrooms, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 cup kale, chopped
- Other veggies: bell peppers, jalapeno, broccoli, peas
The instructions
- Put a frying pan on medium heat and add the olive oil
- When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent
- Using your hands, crumble the tofu into the pan and sprinkle on the turmeric. (At this point the tofu might give up a lot of water. If so, turn up the heat and let the water boil off. This is key to not ending up with a soggy mess.)
- Add the soy sauce and the remaining veggies and cook until veggies are tender
- Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and cilantro. Mix well.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Serve hot with whole wheat toast and a side salad.
Makes about 3 servings. Per serving: 103 Calories (kcal); 14g Total Fat; 22g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate
(Scrambled tofu with 1 slice whole wheat toast: 378 Calories; 26g Protein, 16g Total Fat; 38g Carbohydrate)
Nutrition information derived from the USDA food database.
Crossposted to smarterfitter.com
Heh heh. Balls.
We’re heading to Paris in a few minutes, so I don’t have much time to fulfill the writing portion of my Dinner Project plan, but I did take a photo last night. The lesson: I have much to learn about lighting, but this is a start.
About the meal:
- Spaghetti with Tim’s bad-ass tomato-basil-garlic sauce
- Leftover tofu “neatballs” (a veganized version of this recipe)
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese (so much for the vegan thing, but this recipe on 101 Cookbooks inspired me)
Au revoir!
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