I need some suggestions for variety in my meals. I don't eat a lot of red meat, just because I never liked it a lot. I do eat some pork and an occasional steak. However, I eat so much chicken, that I'm chickened out. LOL I love fish, flounder in particular. Can anyone give me some ideas on variety, including how things are prepared? These are some of the foods I like:

Veggies:
Green leafy veggies (cabbage and collard greens)
Green beans
Broccoli

Meat:
Poultry (mostly chicken)
Steak (a little)
Pork (bacon, sausage (red hots...yummm), very little ham)
Fish (flounder)

FYI, I love fried chicken, but I get tired of it quickly if I eat too much of it. Any suggestions so that I won't be eating the same things prepared the same way all the time? Thanks for any help you can give me. Also, if there is a food not on my list that you would recommend for its nutritional value or great taste, by all means let me know.

I don't eat any of the stuff you've posted except broccoli (I can choke it down). Anyone who says there's not enough variety with low carbing is crazy.

- How about eggs? They're cheap and you can cook 'em many different ways.
- Cheese? A necessity for choking down broccoli.
- How about tuna? Cheap and a good source of omega-3s. (Can you tell I'm cheap? )
...and I dare you to try tofu. It's fairly flavourless; it takes on the flavour of whatever you cook it in. Soy is good for you.

Here's an idea for sausage: sautee a small zucchini with a small tomato and some cut-up sausage in a bit of olive oil. Add a tad of onion or anything else you want to spice it up with. It's fast and delicious!

Also, let me know of suggestions while eating out. Sometimes I eat out, and it can be difficult LCing. While I don't have a problem when I eat out at a "sit down" restaurant, it can be hard when I happen to go to a fast food place. Any good meal choices? I ask because a lot of the time something starchy is always associated with a menu choice. I steer clear of sandwiches because I'm not that strong to take off the bun. LOL Some fast food places I go are:

Bojangle's (chicken and biscuit place) - I usually don't have a problem there.
Chick-Fil-A (a big problem if I go....I rarely go) - I should just get the nuggets
KFC - same as Bojangle's for me
Chinese - I love the meats and the veggies. I no longer eat any rice or starchy stuff if possible. However, some of the food is very salty.

Sometimes it's hard if you go to places who don't have a good selection of veggies (or none at all). For me, a meat and veggie would be just fine.

Hi Golden Girl. Good luck eating out. I try to avoid it. The only thing that saves me is salads. At the mall food court, we have a pizza place that makes a really good caesar salad. (But sometimes I buy a slice of veggie pizza and just eat the cheese and veggies. ) Subway makes decent salads, too, with whatever kind of meat you want on it.

Chili is another thing you can probably have at a fast food joint.

For snacks: I keep cheddar cheese cut up into one-ounce slices to grab quickly. I also keep several hard boiled eggs on hand. Don't be afraid to eat wierd stuff like a big spoon of peanut butter or cream cheese. It looks wierd, but it's a perfectly good snack. Whatever works for you!

I'm doing a lot of experimenting with dry meat rubs, and with using olive oil and different herbs to first marinade my meat in. I'll use a resealable plastic baggie and put a few pieces of meat into it with the oil, herbs, or whatever. Let sit for however long in the fridge. Makes a nice flavour change from just plain meat with salt and pepper. I'm am soooo not a cook, but it works for me.

Also try stir frys. Bok choy and a little onion, green pepper, celery, and very thinly sliced steak pieces. I find it very "refreshing" and light compared to a "meat and vegetables" meal.

Snacks:
Dill pickles/ Cheese slices.
Try Nat's Mock danish recipe. It's great!
Shrimp/ with mayo/ mustard mix for a dip.
Celery or broccoli with herbed cream cheese. (I mix garlic powder, dry basil, and dry oregano in cream cheese and let it sit overnight...super dip!) This is a very regular one for me.
Cheese chips. Recipe under Karen's corner.
Nuts. (I only take a few, as I find it hard to control myself with these.)