Lean Plate Club

Nutrition and Health

Welcome to The Lean Plate Club, hosted by Washington Post health and nutrition writer Sally Squires. Share your tips on healthy recipes, meal plans, sugar alternatives and resisting overeating with other readers.

Now that the school bell is ringing for many kids, there's a morning time crunch at home that often leaves little time for breakfast. How do you entice your kids to the table -- and make sure that they eat the food that will help boost their performance in school? And what can you eat in the morning to feel sharper on the job? During today's discussion, Sally will share tips to keep your family well nourished as school starts and life goes from the lazy days of summer to the fast pace of fall.

On Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET , Sally, who has a master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University, leads a lively discussion for readers looking for new ways to eat smarter and move around more throughout the day. The Lean Plate Club is dedicated to healthy living -- whether you're trying to whittle your waistline or simply maintain it.

We want to hear your tips, strategies, meal plans, successes, setbacks and more. Of course Sally will be happy to answer questions and turn others over to the Club. None of this, however, is a substitute for medical advice.

Squires is a veteran health reporter for The Washington Post. She is co-author of "The Stoplight Diet for Children" and author of the upcoming "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club" (St. Martin's Press; 2006).

Sign up for the free Lean Plate Club e-mail newsletter. The Lean Plate Club column appears weekly in the Washington Post Health section and is nationally syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group.

Sally Squires's Recent Columns

Discussion Transcripts

A transcript follows .

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Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club. The e-mail newsletters should be in your electronic in-boxes now. And for those who had trouble getting into the web chat last week, our apologies. We had a bit of technical glitch that is now fixed.

If you'd like to subscribe to the free e-mail newsletter, just log onto www.leanplateclub.com. Look for the newsletter box. Click the subscribe button and you should be good to go. If you have subscribed and have not received your newsletter, please let me know at leanplateclub@washpost.com. And for faster response, please put trouble receiving newsletter in the subject line.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all those who have suffered so much in the Gulf Coast and all those who are trying to provide help and relief.

Smart eating is always a topic at the Lean Plate Club, but today we're also talking about the smart eating that you can do to help you and your family survive during a disaster.

And in today's LPC newsletter, you'll find more about the taste test of meals ready to eat that we conducted as well as a resource list and a lot of other recipes for possible dinner tonight. Thanks to the LPCer who e-mailed me this week, each newsletter will also contain at least one link to a vegetarian meal.

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Sally Squires: So what food and drink do you stock just in case of emergencies? Tell us that today, or share your tips for achieving a healthier weight, staying physically active despite a busy schedule or a healthy food find or great tasting healthy recipe. Do that and one of these prizes could be yours.

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford (The Crossing Press)

The Take-Control Diet by Ian K. Smith, MD

The Ultimate Body: Beginning Workouts for Weight Loss by BodyWisdom

I Hate the Gym by Jessica Kaminsky

In making this offering we are not endorsing any exercise regimen, weight loss program, book or tape. It's just a way to show you the wide array of information available as you instill healthier habits. Winners are announced at the end of each chat.

Now on to the chat!

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Washington, D.C.: You mention jerky in your column today and I have recently heard through a nutrition message board about vegetarian jerky. What is this product made of? Is it nutritionally sound? Where can I purchase it?

Sally Squires: There is indeed vegetarian jerky. It has a combination of wheat gluten and soy protein, plus flavorings. Vegan Dream makes one variety. Company Web site says that ingredients are wheat gluten, defatted soy flour, garlic powder, onion powder, chili pepper paste* (chilis, garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar), sea salt, black pepper, psyllium husk, vitamin C, soy sauce (water, extract of soy beans, wheat flour, salt, sugar).

One ounce has 80 calories, 13 grams of protein, 0 fat, 23 grams of carbs and 630 milligrams of sodium.

You can learn more at www.vegandream.com

Anybody tried this? If so, how does it taste?

There's also salmon jerky available at Whole Foods, which won't be for vegetarians but could be an option for others.

It's pretty pricey, however, and doesn't seem to have the shelf life of other jerkys as I recall, but it would be good for having as an unrefrigerated snack (rather than as food to stock for emergencies. Unless, of course, you rotated it fairly often in your pantry.)

Hope that helps. Thanks!

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Washington, D.C.: Sally -

Help! I ate my normal breakfast this morning - Shredded Wheat, banana, skim milk. But at about 11:30 I became starving hungry. My hands were shaking, I felt dizzy. This is what happens when I get too hungry. Anyway, I headed for the vending machine because I was too shaky to wait to get downstairs to go buy something real to eat. I ate a Snickers bar, figuring that would get my sugar levels back up. Then I bought lunch - chicken salad on wheat bread, bag of chips that came with it. I usually wouldn't eat the chips, but did today thinking that I had already blown it with the candy bar. Then after I ate my lunch, I bought another bag of chips and ate those. I am sitting here at my desk feeling sick to my stomach from the amount of food I consumed within an hour and am actually contemplating another candy bar. I feel like there is a switch that goes off in my head when I get super hungry that makes me eat enormous portions of really unhealthy food. Do you know what causes this? Also, what about getting so hungry to start with? I feel like if I could get the shakes under control, I wouldn't binge eat like this and my weight would go down. I am about 10-15 pounds overweight. I exercise regularly or I'd be much heavier. I just can't seem to control my eating. HELP!

Sally Squires: DC: What time are you eating breakfast? You're eating a great meal, but if it's really early, say 6 a.m. and you find you're hungry and shakey at 11:30 a.m. that is pretty reasonable. If you're eating later and then find this occurs, it would be a very good idea to check with your doctor. When was the last time you had a physical? Specifically, have you ever had a glucose tolerance test?

You might want to ask your doctor about having that if these symptoms persist.

When you get overly hungry--and then eat that unhealthy food--you're likely boosting your blood sugar and then get a burst of insulin which send your blood sugar plummeting and makes you hungry again...in short, a vicious cycle.

So you want to reach for healthier food to start with, plan some healthy snacks for those bad moments and see if that helps. But do contact your doctor if you have not had a recent physical. Let us know how it goes. Thanks.

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Upper Marlboro, Md.: I would like to offer a suggestion for those who are watching their weight and want a very satisfying and filling snack. Orville Redenbaccher's snack sized bags are generously filled, have plenty of fiber and only 100 measely calories when popped. I eat it every day! You can buy the snack sized bags at Shopper's Warehouse or Food Lion.

Sally Squires: Great suggestion and that popcorn is also a whole grain. Thanks very much!

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Rockville, Md.: When it comes to foods you keep on hand in case of a disaster, I always think of canned soup. I like the Amy's soup and the Trader Joe brands.

Sally Squires: Canned soup is a great option. So are those boxes of soup that are also now available. Both are filled with water. Many have a lot of salt too, so if you can stock the low sodium or no sodium varieties it would be good since the salt will likely make you thirstier if water is not readily available. Thanks!

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Biloxi, MS: Hi,

In reference to MRE's, I am glad to have them right now since my husband and I live in Biloxi. They have sustained us since we have very few grocery stores available. The few fast food restaurants are without iced drinks and have very limited menus.

Some MRE's taste better than others but they give us strength and a feeling that someone cares.

Would I volunteer to eat them on a regular basis if I had access to fine restaurants and all grocery supplies? NO. But right now, beef stew & crackers (my favorite of the packages)tastes great!

Thanks,

Linda H.

Sally Squires: How wonderful to have you on the chat, Biloxi! We sure wish you, your husband and all the others down there and now scattered other places all the best in recovering from this awful disaster.

And there was wide agreement here that the MRE's were pretty good if not what most of us would choose to eat on a regular basis. But I too really liked the crackers and tried the Vegetable Manicotti. The pasta was pretty good. My husband loved the Beef Stew as did several other testers. Hope you won't have to eat MRE's for much longer, but glad tha you have them available. Thanks very much for joining us today!

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Steubenville, Ohio: RE: Emergency rations. After the recent disaster in the South, I have resolved to be prepared and if the authorities ever tell us to evacuate, I'm loading up my disaster kit, my Westie and going. I have canned fruits, vegetables, tuna, crackers, breakfast bars so far and will add as I get ideas. Also another kit of things to keep clean with, paper towels, cleaners, shampoo, soap, dish soap, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, then add my pet's needs, some clean clothing and bedding, (my car will be fairly well stocked) and I intend to keep track of expiration dates and rotate my stock. This might sound like "overkill" but after what the people in the South have had to endure, I can't be prepared enough.

Sally Squires: Yes,I think that Hurricane Katrina provided a very important lesson for us all. Doesn't matter where you live, every place can have something bad happen. As they say in the Scouts, "Be Prepared." Sounds like you are. Thanks much!

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Mt Airy, MD: I read your article with interest noting that I am probably well prepared for any catastrophe. I would say more prepared than most. Our elevation is pretty high so we shouldn't have to deal with flooding, but in case of a blizzard I alway have a case of water, sodas, & juice in the garage next to the talkgate of our SUV. My pantry is always stocked with Peanut butter and Jelly, bread in the freezer, etc, but now that we have a generator we can have lighting, use the microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and use our well pump. We can't use the furnace, but we have several cord of wood out back that would sustain us for several weeks. I suppose not everyone has the ability to do everything that we do, but even if you could do just a few of them you would probably fare pretty well in a catastrophe.

Sally Squires: We're all coming to your house in case of an emergency, Mt. Airy. Sounds like you are very prepared. Thanks very much.

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San Antonio, TX: I have tried an MRE, back in the mid-1980's and was very happy to do so. I was in a hurricane shelter at the Seabee base in Gulfport, MS during Hurricane Elena. Not bad, don't remember what kind it was. I tried to make it last most of the day since I heard it had lots of calories and I had just started Weight Watchers again for the umpteenth time. I finally made Lifetime last year.

Sally Squires: Congratulations on making your lifetime goal! That's fantastic. Add another vote for MRE's. Yes, you're right, they do have about 1,200 calories per pack--which for many of us women is nearly a day's worth of calories. Thanks.

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Washington, DC: I always have regular (not-instant) oatmeal in the pantry. First, it really is an awesome breakfast on a lazy, chilly weekend morning. But I use it for so much more. I make oatmeal raisin cookies with bananas instead of butter - it makes for a healthful dessert, but I can also cut back on the sugar and they're like breakfast bars! When I make meatloaves and meatballs, I even use the oatmeal instead of bread. It contains more fiber and protein than bread.

Sally Squires: That's a great staple to have on hand. And let's not forget the recent study that found kids who ate oatmeal for breakfast performed better in school. Thanks, DC

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Re: MREs: Sally,

The military-style MREs sound like a good easily portable way to get some nutrition when times are tough. However, I was concerned when I read that each meal contained about 1200 calories. Is each meal meant for one person in one sitting? If so, are these to be used in situations where one is eating only one meal a day?

Sally Squires: Actually, the Army sources that I interviewed said that the troops get issued three MRE's a day. So that would be about 3,600 calories. But remember, they are often in the field, carrying backpacks and M-16's. They're likely moving a lot.And the troops are mostly young people with higher calorie needs than middle-aged folks.

One of my newsroom colleagues who was embedded in Iraq said that she actually gained weight while there. Now, you can see why.

But apparently some troops don't eat all three MRE's per day, particularly those who have to really be on the move, such as Rangers.

Hope that clarifies things. Thanks.

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District Heights, MD : This is really a comment. My mom always told me when I was a child to adulthood to always keep canned food (rotate every year), peanut butter, crackers, and water in storage just in case of emergencies. You go mom for being on target!

Sally Squires: She really was on target. And I think many of us have forgotten this important lesson. So let's all give a word of thanks and praise to our various mothers. Thanks, District Heights.

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Tampa, Fla.: Healthy hurricane cookbook

Disaster cooking at busycooksabout.com/cs/seasonalcooking/a/disastercooking.htm

Also, the cooperative extension services in several of the hurricane prone states have info on meals without electricitiy or refrigeration.

washingtonpost.com: Thanks for your note. The second link you sent in is not working. If you re-send it, we'll check it out for posting -- thank you!

Sally Squires: Thanks Tampa. And having lived in your neighboring city of St. Petersburg for a few years, I know that you pay close attention to hurricane preparedness. Hope you can re-send tha second link. It sounds really interesting. Thanks!

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Gaithersburg, MD: For "shaky and hungry" --

I get like that sometimes. What I do is keep a supply of food in my desk that has "staying power" and a low glycemic index. For example, if I get ravenous, I'll fix a packet of plain oatmeal with Splenda and cinnamon. Or, I'll have a very small tin of tuna. Either of these will usually take the hunger/shakiness away . . . if I need to eat more, I'll just double the packet.

The last thing I'll do is eat a lot of sugar or plain carbs. No staying power -- I'll get a sugar rush, then get hungry again quickly.

Sally Squires: Great suggestions, Gaitbersburg. Soups are another option. So would be soy nuts or other nuts. Thanks!

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Ballston, VA: In an effort to eat healthier, I started to bring in cottage cheese for lunch. It's so bland, how can I dress it up a little?

Sally Squires: I happen to love cottage cheese, Ballston, so you've come to the right place. I put red pepper flakes on my cottage cheese. But it's also great with fruit--slices of apples, peaches or pears. You could also mix a little with some applesauce.

Other suggestions out there?

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Washington, DC: Hi Sally,

First an update. I wrote in a few months ago saying how I gained weight after a painful breakup. Well I am happy to say that I am exercising regularly and feel great doing it. I am also making better food choices, which is how I normally eat. And all my clothes fit with some extra room in my pants!

A healthy food idea that I came up with. I had a bunch of ripe bananas and decided to slice them in half and put some natural peanut butter and a drizzle of honey on them. I put the other slice on top and then put them all in the freezer. So when I want to eat something sweet and healthier I eat one of these bananas.

Sally thanks again for all of your encouraging words!

Sally Squires: Whoo-hoo! Congratulations on more than fitting back into those pants. So glad to hear that things are going well. Thanks for the tip and the update. Way to go!

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SCARSDALE, N.Y.: Can you please advise where I can purchase the MRE packages you wrote about in the Lean Plate Club ... Thank you

Sally Squires: We purchased our MRE's at Rangers, a Surplus store in Bethesda, Md. But you can get MRE's at most Surplus stores or on the web. They run about $80 for a case of 12, which provides a variety of meals.

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Cottage cheese: I like to add black pepper to my cottage cheese or occasionally I will add 2-3 green olives.

Sally Squires: Those olives are great idea--a source of health fat and plenty of flavor. Thanks.

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Arlington, Va.: I have a question about shelf-life for some of the foods mentioned in your column today. If you've had canned goods for years, are they still okay to eat (assuming no obvious signs of problems, like a bubbled lid). And what about those foil packages of tuna?

I usually keep canned foods like beans and soups in my pantry. But I think some of them have been there a while.

As for drinks, I always have bottled water around and usually lots of gatorade.

By the way, the Red Cross sells emergency preparedness kits which include some food and water as well as many other important items. Go to http://www.redcross.org/ and scroll to the bottom to see a link to their store. They also provide disaster preparedness education to community groups -- contact your local chapter (which you can search for at the link above) to find out more.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: I did a quick search for shelf life of canned foods and came up with a canned food association, but it's in australia. I'll keep looking. My understanding is that most canned food will last for at least a year or two. When the chat is finished, I'll see what else I can find. In the meantime, we're posting another link to a paper by a faculty member at the University of Georgia in Athens that gives some valuable info on this topic. It's coming up next.

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washingtonpost.com: Consumer's Guide: Preparing an Emergency Food Supply Short Term Food Storage

Sally Squires: Here's the link as promised.

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Albany, N.Y.: This isn't particularly pertinent to the LPC, but one of the things I found most disturbing about the hurricane is the plight of pets. Besides considering provisions for myself, I am not going to let myself run low on dog food ever again.

Sally Squires: Yes, as a pet lover too, my heart broke for all those animals that had to be left behind and for the families that I'm sure are mourning them very much. Most shelters won't take pets for obvious reasons. So making plans as much as possible for your four legged (or other) pets is a good idea. Thanks Albany. And by the way, it's also important to have proof of pet vaccinations handy...

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Boston: Sally,

I have just started adding 2 tbsp of flaxmeal to my daily oatmeal, and I'm just so excited, I had to share! I'm not a fish-eater, so it's hard for me to get in my Omega-3s. This is a great way to do it, as well as a good way to add protein and fiber!

Question for you: do you know what the recommended daily allowance is for Omega-3s or flaxmeal itself?

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Flaxseed is an excellent food. And yes, it does have omega-3 fatty acids, which by the way, don't have an official recommended daily intake. But the American Heart Association recommends eating about two meals weekly of fish or seafood.

There are plenty of foods that have omega-3s. We'll post a link in a minute to a previous article that I wrote on this topic for Health that will give you more specifics. Mungo beans--a lentil like bean used in a lot of Indian cooking--nuts and cantaloupe are a few that immediately come to mind.

Thanks.

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Tinned fish: I used to turn my nose up at tinned fish, but then one day my roommates mom, made a patti spread with tinned sardines. We spread it on toast for breakfast, it was great ... Also good to keep on hand in case of emergencies ... good protein source ...

Sally Squires: Excellent protein source. And they are tasty, aren't they? Also you can now by sardines in all kinds of interesting sauces including mustard and more. Great suggestion. Thanks.

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Veggie Jerky: Tofurky jerky is great Especially for road trips.

Sally Squires: Thanks. Didn't know about Tofurky jerky. There's got to be a song jingle in that somewhere!

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washingtonpost.com: The Omega Principle (Post, Aug. 19, 2003)

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Washington, D.C.: What about Horlick's tablets (sold through Vermont Country store) as a compact food source (not meant to replace more substantive food, however, merely to supplant) --where do I get MREs---thanks

Sally Squires: Do you mean Horlick's Malted Milk tablets? They would certainly provide some calories or supplement in a pinch. Plus they'd be kind of fun to eat. Don't know what their shelf life is.

As for MRE's, Army-Navy Surplus stores usually have them. And you can buy them on-line. The EpiCenter in Oregon is just one place that carries them. http://theepicenter.com

But there are plenty of others. "Google" MREs and you'll seed.

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clearwater Florida: Where does one buy MRE'S you mention in you r column: $80 for 12 meals? They would be great to have here in hurricane prone Florida. Thank you!

Sally Squires: They would indeed Clearwater. One more time: Find MRE's at Army-Navy Surplus stores or on-line....They're designed to be stable for three years at 80 degrees. Do ask when you buy them when the surplus stores received them, however, just to make sure that you know what time frame you're working with...

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Speaking of cottage cheese: to the person taking cottage cheese to work..this takes a little more work, but sometimes I make mac-n-cheese with cottage cheese. Ok so same recepie, the cottage cheese replaces the milk and butter (not the cheese). Anyways, its a yummy low-fat alternative.

Sally Squires: Reminds me of a recipe from the American Heart Association that uses cottage cheese in a salmon mousse. Lots of ways to use this verstaile, but often under-estimated cheese. Thanks.

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Augusta, Ga.: Another suggestion for cottage cheese ... My grandmother used to mix it with sugar and cinnomon, put it on a slice of whole wheat, and then bake it in the oven until the bread is toasty. You could use splenda instead of sugar to shave off calories.

Sally Squires: Yum. Sounds great! Just another example of how versatile this cheese can be.

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vitamins: I am a female in my early twenties. I want to start taking a multi-vitamin. Any suggestions on a good multi-vitamin. I heard that Centrum does not have a lot of calcium in it...

Sally Squires: Most multivitamins don't have much calcium in them. For that, you will probably need a calcium tablet--Viactive, Caltrate, Tums, etc.---are just a few of the many varieties. If you can, get one that also has vitamin D, since it helps build strong bones too and most of us don't enough.

There are a whole variety of multis out there. And increasingly, many experts say that they're a pretty cheap nutritional insurance policy. But when you reach for a multivitamin, reach for one that keeps most ingredients at 100 percent or less of the recommended daily allowance. That will help keep you in safe territory.

And if you can, use the multi to supplement--not replace--bad food choices.

Hope that helps. Thanks.

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Princeton, N.J.: I keep water, peanut butter, and a blanket in my car all the time. Let's face it, it doesn't have to be as bad as Katrina for people to get stuck without the basics. I like knowing that if I breakdown in a remote area at night, I can be comfortable until morning when it will be safer for a women alone to be out walking.

Also, we are campers and always keep plenty of fuel for the camp stoves on hand. When our power was out for a few hours and we were having a dinner party, we just cooked on the camp stove--it was cold out, but the guests all thought it a hoot!

Sally Squires: Well said, Princeton. We also keep sterno around for the same purposes. The power can go out for a lot of reasons. As we learned here from Hurricane Isabel a year or so ago, it can take a while for things to get back to normal even when it isn't nearly as catastrophic as what the Gulf Coast experienced. Thanks. And while we're at it: don't forget that it you wear glasses or contacts, you probably want an extra pair. Also have a back up supply of prescription meds.

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Fort Worth, Tex.: Over the last couple of years I've worked to eat more fresh and frozen foods rather than canned which makes disaster planning a little bit more of a necessity. Growing up our pantry was always packed with canned goods, so food was always available. I also now use a Brita water filter, so less likely to have bottled water around, but will add that to my stocks.

I usually have bottled or boxed juices, single packs of applesauce, soy or rice milk, boxed soups, instant oatmeal, dried cereal, prunes, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, canned tuna and wild salmon in my pantry, but need to give a little more thought to the amount and to rotating stock. I also keep protein bars and protein powder handy. I live alone, so have to consider shelf life after opening a 32 or 64 oz. container.

I'll pass on a couple of thoughts from a survival website that I saw a few days ago. Protein requires a lot of water to metabolize, so disaster food should perhaps emphasize carbohydrates over protein. Dried foods will also require more water in the diet for digestion, so keep that in mind if planning to use substantial amounts of jerky, etc. Finally, nutritional balance is probably not the first concern during a disaster, but if you are especially concerned, have standard daily multi-mineral/vitamins in your disaster kit.

My hat's off to the ingenuity of those in New Orleans surviving over a week in those conditions, I'm not sure that I could have.

Sally Squires: Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this, Fort Worth.And that boxed salmon is a great idea. The MRE's are very balanced, but they do have a fair amount of carbs, because you're right, you need 'em especially under these circumstances.

Thanks for your input.

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washingtonpost.com: About.com: Ricotta (Cheese) Recipes

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Ricotta help: I have ricotta in the fridge (part-skim), half of the large container ... any ideas what to do with it besides veggie lasagne?

Sally Squires: You can use ricotta in a myraid of ways, from cheesecake--okay that's pretty high calorie!--to various casseroles and stuffings. Also Canoli--the wonderful Italian dessert--is stuffed with ricotta. I found a lot of recipes on homecooking.com and even one spread, made with ricotta, orange juice, cinammon, nuts and raisins at www.therecipebox.com

We'll post it momentarily....

If other LPCers have suggestions, just e-mail them to me this week at leanplateclub@washpost.com

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Thank you: Hi! last week (I think it was last week), I wrote asking about places to buy fish (I just moved from Chicago). One of the suggestions you made was Trdaer Joes. I went there this weekend, and bought Salmon burgers.. They were yummy ... Basically patties like hamburgers but made of salmon ... it was a nice change.

Sally Squires: Great! Thanks for letting us know. Thanks.

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DC: Sally, I'm sure you've talked about this before, but I need

help with snacks. Sometimes I have yogurt with chopped

fruit and a few walnuts, sometimes a piece of cheese or

some peanut butter on crackers, but I need more ideas,

especially for winter when I start craving carbohydrates.

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Some cereal bars--especially the ones that are lower in sugar--may be good choices for you. In fact, a bowl of unsweetened whole grain cereal with some slivered nuts and a glass of skim milk would be a great snack.

Peanut butter with whole grain crackers is another winner. Just watch portion sizes on the peanut butter.

A wedge of Laughing Cow cheese in a mini whole wheat pita is quite filling. You might try a handful of soy nuts--there are a variety of flavors to choose from. Soup is a great snack. Campbell's Soup At Hand Tomato is about 100 calories. Top with some parmesan cheese--or not--and you've got a delicious snack.

Also check out soy milk. Silk's chocolate soy milk is a real treat. Or if you looking for something warm, you might have a cup of hot chocolate.

Popcorn is another good snack. So are an ounce of torilla chips with salsa, guacamole or a little of both. The trick with snacks is to be very very careful with portion size.

And of course there are energy bars. Pria makes a very good one that has just 110 calories and comes in good flavors.

Hope that helps.

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Central Lake, Mich.: Are these recipes published on this Web site?

Sally Squires: I'm not sure which recipes you mean, Michigan. At various times, we do have a recipe link on the www.leanplateclub.com website. Right now, you'll find a link for high protein recipes supplied by the University of Washington in Seattle. The LPC e-mail newsletter always has recipes links to a wide variety of fare. And our Food section also provides recipes on the website. So does Kim O'Donnel's web chat.

Hope this gives you what you are seeking. If not, e-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com

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Atlanta, Ga.: RE: Cottage Cheese. Try equal amounts of cottage cheese and low-fat/ fat-free yougurt. Light'n'lively sells individual packs of cottage cheese and if you mix one of those packages with a small container of something like light'n'fit yougurt ... it makes a really good snack. And is a bit of a sweeter alternative to pepper or olives.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Great idea. Thanks Atlanta.

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Pedomet, ER: I have two pedometers but both appear not to work correctly -- I'll walk a dozen steps and they will register more than 100 steps. What am I doing wrong? Also, about how many miles in 10,000 steps per day? Thanks.

Sally Squires: Sounds like they are a bit off. Also check their placement. Are you wearing them at your waist? A good place is above one hip. Ten thousand steps is about 5 miles. And you can find lots more about pedometers at www.americaonthemove.org or at shapeup.org, the website for Shape-up America!

Hope that helps.

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Austin, Tex.: Will MRE's show up on the shelves of markets near me anytime soon? Are there also 400 calorie versions for those of us who are not combat ready hunks?

Sally Squires: No, there are not smaller versions. But there may be one day. And you could simply spread your MRE over the day, Austin. The "meals" such as the beef stew or vegetable manicotti ran about 300 or so calories. Info is on the package. I don't know if there are any plans to sell MRE's in grocery stores...

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Boston: Question on calcium or vitamin D, maybe I confusing them. I thought I heard that your body can only absord 500 grams of calcium (vitatmin D?) at a time. So anything excess - like taking a calcium pill with viatmin D with a glass of milk - would be wasted.

Is this true?

Sally Squires: It's actually 500 milligrams and it does appear that's a peak threshold for absorption. Taking the vitamin D with it is a good idea at any time. Some calcium tablets should be taken with food for best absoprtion. Others are best taken in between meals. There's a recent LPC column on this very topic at www.leanplateclub.com.

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Washington, D.C.: I always make sure to have low-sodium chicken broth. I can use it to make great sauces, jazz up brown rice or pastas, even make pesto (I use some broth instead of some of the olive oil). It adds so much flavor, and makes things like brown rice taste much, much better. It inspires me to eat them!

Sally Squires: Thanks, DC

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Southern Maryland: I gained a lot of weight on antidepressants, and picked up a copy of Dr. Hedaya's book which you recommended in a recent column. Since mid-July I've lost 7 pounds. Not astronomical, but a good start. I used to crave carbohydrates, drank mugs of tea and coffee all day long. The first thing I cut out was caffeine, and now I make sure I get a serving of protein at each meal. Protein keeps you from being hungry and suffering sugar-level dips and spikes. No more carbo-cravings, and in fact I have to remind myself to eat on weekends when I'm away from the usual workday schedule.

Sally Squires: Protein is indeed satiating. In fact, a recent study from the University of Washington found that when study subjects boosted protein to about 30 percent of daily calories, they spontaneously cut their daily intake by almost 500 calories and yes, lost weight. So that's a really good thing to do. Continued success in your efforts.

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NWDC: I was diagnosed with hypertension 18 months ago and my doctor advised me to lose weight. I wanted to pass my experience on as it goes against the grain of much of what I see in these chats and..it worked! My doctor said to focus on diet first (she recommended a South Beach-like regimen) and NOT on exercise. She said that undertaking a new diet and exercise both at once is too much for most people and they fail. So I started the South Beach diet and lost 30 pounds and have managed to keep it off. I am losing about a pound a month now, and am only 10 pounds from my ideal BMI. A couple of months ago I started swimming for 40 minutes three times a week and now I feel tone and strong and my weight loss has picked up again.

I just wanted to pass on my story because most advice I see tells people to focus on exercise but my doctor's advice of losing the weight first really worked for me, when exercise in the past did not.

Sally Squires: Congratulations on what you have accomplished! That's wonderful. And your doctor has a very good point. Behavioral research shows that when you're starting any new habit--eating, exercise, quitting smoking, whatever--that it's best to do only one thing at a time. The reason is that if you start multiple new habits together, when you slip--and everybody slips up sometime or other--you're more likely to abandon all the habits you started rather than just the one.

That's why slow, gradual change is a really good thing. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with changing your eating habits and slowly adding in more physical activity. SO it could be taking the stairs, going for a five minute walk at lunch. Just moving more and gradually adding more activity. Think of being the turtle not the hare, as you demonstrate.

Thanks.

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Davidson, NC: My mother is mildly hypoglycemic, so she has to eat small portions throughout the day in order to avoid feeling shaky and hungry. Her method of eating throughout the day has helped me to lose weight and get in more healthy foods. Here are some snacks that help me get through the mid-morning and late afternoon:

small apple with 1Tbs low-fat peanut butter

string cheese and a few whole grain crackers

snack size popcorn (or share a bag with coworkers)

baby carrots and hummus

You can also try soup, small portions of trail mix, yogurt, or even a glass of milk (if you have access to a refrigerator)

Sally Squires: Thanks very much for passing these along Davidson.

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Charleston, WV: I have a great snack suggestion, good for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike:

Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs (Veggie Dogs). My family of meat-eaters love them, and I (a non-meat eater) find that it can really help deal with between meal snack issues.

Tasty, nutritous, easy to fix, 150 calories. Make them in your toaster oven, add a little mustard, and SMILE.

Sally Squires: They sound great. And as I said in this week's e-mail newsletter, I really enjoyed the Boca sausages, which are also meatless. Thanks.

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Boston: Similar to the first question - I eat at about 7:30 AM every day. I cup of kashi and 1 cup of milk. I usually mix with fruit. I also have a banana. And then I drink coffee with skim milk through out the morning. About 2 cups.

I find that I'm starving by 11. Even if I eat the banana a little later, I still am.

I like to eat at noon.

Should the kashi and fruit sustain me till lunch?

Sally Squires: Is the Kashi cereal sweetened, Boston? If so, consider switching to an unsweetened whole grain cereal, such as shredded wheat, or one of Kashi's unsweetened varieties. You might also try oatmeal made with milk for more protein. And consider half a banana or a higher fiber fruit, such as berries, which may give you more staying power. Also, plan a mid-morning snack of about 100 calories for about 10:30 before that hunger strikes. You might have a cup of nonfat yogurt with some slivered nuts.

Let us know how it goes.

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25 Pounds GONE: Just wanted to celebrate that I have lost 25 pounds, 2+ dress/pant sizes and am feeling better than ever....Happy Birthday to me!!

Sally Squires: Congratulations and a very Happy Birthday. Wishing you continued success with your healthy habits.

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O'Fallon, IL: Have I tried MRE's?

Yes, I thought they were what they are meant to be, quick energy with some taste. Hey, the one I had even came with a tiny bottle of Tabasco! The meatloaf was meatloaf, and would be a great idea to have around for an emergency.

Sally Squires: Thanks for weighing in!

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Baltimore, MD: Cottage Cheese alternative: red jello and cottage cheese is a super yummy, low cal and low fat meal! It's easy to premake the jello and take tupperware containers to work!

Sally Squires: Thanks Baltimore. Add one more cottage cheese fan to today's web chat.

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Lubbock, Tex.: MREs have GOT to taste better than some of the Lean Cuisine and even Stouffer's boxed dinners I've bought recently. They were tasteless and required much added seasoning and even then, it too me a while to find the itty-bitty pieces of meat in some of them.

Incidentally, if one wants to try MREs, where can we get them?

Thank you for your wonderful columns.'

Sally Squires: Actually, there's a new variety of Lean Cuisine that I liked a lot. (Yes, they send samples for us to try. But I would have liked them if we had bought them too.) But I think that the Western Beans in the MRE I tried would give them a run for their money. Find MRE's in Surplus stores and at the sites listed above.

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Seattle, Wash.: Hi Sally,

My firm provides each employee with a disaster kit, plus has two closets of additional supplies. The firm also has a seminar twice yearly on being prepared. I'm new to the area, so I thought it was a little silly when I first started working. Not anymore! The firm suggests having 3 days of food/water/medications and comfy clothes & shoes in case there is an earthquake. Downed power lines, excessive glass on the streets, and disrupted highways could prevent us from reaching home. In addition, the firm gave out a copy of a disaster preparedness calendar from the Red Cross. It is a 24 week calendar of things to buy from the grocery or hardware store to keep in your home. The list is pretty extensive, so it is broken down in the 24 weeks so that you aren't buying a ton of supplies any given week. I'm starting to follow its recommendations!

Sally Squires: Smart idea, Seattle. And another example of how people throughout the country are looking at good ways to stay prepared. Thanks. I hope you never need your supplies.

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Derwood, Md.: Sally,

I travel a great deal for my work. My friends and co-workers say there is no way I can eat well on the road by primarily going to fast food restaurants. I avoid fried items, substitute baked potatoes or salads for fries, drink diet soda or iced tea with no sugar and eat a lot of chicken. This seems to work quite well. Any thoughts?

Sally Squires: You bet Derwood. In fact, I will have to respectfully disagree with your friends, at least after we taste tested some healthy fast food fare. Some of the salads we tried got great marks from our tasters as did the veggie burger at Burger King. And now you can also get soups and plenty of grilled sandwiches. But stay away from the fried stuff which is high in trans fat. Check out the story at www.leanplateclub.com Thanks.

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Sally Squires: Thanks for a great chat everybody. Guess we can conclude that more of us are getting prepared for disasters of any kind and that cottage cheese and MREs have more fans than we realized.

Winners today are Biloxi, Tampa, the Tofurkey jerky submitter, Arlington for the Red Cross link, Steubenville and DC who is feeling dizzy after breakfast. Please e-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please include winner in the subject line.

Until next week, eat smart and move. Thanks to all.

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Wichita, Kan.: My 15-year-old daughter has recently decided to become a vegetarian. What can I do to ensure that she is receiving the amount of protein that she needs? I'd like some easy recipe / dinner ideas that are high-protein. Thank you!

Sally Squires: P.S. Wichita--check out the vegetarian resource group, www.vrg.org, where you will find plenty of help. Also, the book: "What No Meat?! What To Do WHen Your Kid Becomes a Vegetarian" by Debra Halperin Poneman and Emily Anderson Greene. And MeatlessMonday.org.

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.