| (Ailsa's Apple Crumble Diet)I'm Scottish, so | | | | that's possible ... Oh, to be Gorgeous!!Apple |
| it's not a big stretch that I love Oatmeal, | | | | Crumble for OneCrumble Mix:4 Cups of Oatmeal |
| like any Good Scot! We grow up eating tons | | | | (Quick-cooking Rolled Oats)1 Cup Flour |
| and tons of Porridge, and then anything else | | | | (Regular, Barley or Whole Wheat... I use the |
| with lots of Oatmeal in it. Oatmeal is like | | | | Barley Flour all the time, now.)1 Cup Bran |
| Soul Food for the Scots! After my Second | | | | Flakes1/2 - 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar (Start with 3 |
| Child (Aidan) was about Two, and I still | | | | 4 cup of Brown Sugar, and gradually use |
| hadn't lost that 'Baby Weight' -- not all of | | | | less...)1 - 2 tbsp. Cinnamon3/4 to 1 Cup |
| it, since there was a fair bit to lose... | | | | Butter, melted or soft (I always pop it into |
| Anyway, I knew I had to come up with | | | | the microwave for about 30 seconds to melt |
| something that was tasty enough to make me | | | | it.)2 tsp. VanillaFruit Base:Apple Sauce Just |
| want to eat it, and good enough to replace my | | | | keep a jar of Unsweetened Apple Sauce in the |
| delicious Chocolates. And it had to be | | | | Fridge -- the 'Fruit Base' goes in a regular |
| something I could make quickly and easily, | | | | Bowl right before you add the Crumble |
| and that I could just incorporate into my | | | | Topping, don't add it into the Apple Crumble |
| regular daily diet. That's when I came up | | | | Mix(!)...Optional: You can add any other |
| with 'The Scottish Diet', with the Apple | | | | fruit -- peaches, stawberries, blueberries, |
| Crumble for One Recipe.And in case you're | | | | raspberries or any other Fruit Mix are |
| wondering, 'The Scottish Diet' is not "Eat | | | | delicious. This Dish uses a Full Serving of |
| Sweeties all day, then have Fish & Chips for | | | | Fruit, so it's very good for you, too!I like |
| Dinner" ... although that does sound good! | | | | to put some chopped Pecans or Walnuts |
| ha,ha! No, no. It's all about the Oatmeal for | | | | sprinkled on the Apple Crumble, and that's |
| this Diet. Oatmeal is a food that 'stays' in | | | | really tasty.You can mix 'n match so you |
| your system ("sticks to yer ribs", as they | | | | always have 'new' treats!Directions for the |
| say in Scotland...), so it's a great thing to | | | | Crumble Mix:Blend the Dry Ingredients, then |
| add to your Daily Diet to help you feel | | | | mix in the Butter and Vanilla... I use a |
| satisfied and full and at the same time | | | | Pastry Cutter to mix up a big batch of the |
| control your hunger for a few hours. It's | | | | Crumble Mixture, but you can use a Spoon and |
| very filling, as well as being nice and | | | | Fork just as well.Put it in an Air-Tight |
| tasty. Oatmeal is a Natural Whole Grain | | | | Container or a Large 'Zip-up' Freezer Bag and |
| Product, so it digests slowly, which is good | | | | pop it in the Fridge.I put in a 1/4 or 1/2 |
| for maintaining your Blood Sugars (important | | | | cup measuring cup -- those plastic ones -- |
| for Diabetics or when you need to control | | | | right in the container so I can easily |
| your Food Intake and Cravings...).Oatmeal | | | | measure out a 1/4 cup for a small serving of |
| helps with Lowering your Cholesterol and, of | | | | the Apple Crumble Treat, or 1/2 cup of the |
| course, it's good for 'moving things through' | | | | Crumble mix if it's for your Breakfast or |
| your system. Sorry -- had to say it! | | | | Lunch.(Add a wee bit more Cinnamon if you are |
| Actually, if you or someone you know has IBS | | | | dealing with Diabetes, since there have been |
| (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), tell them about | | | | some studies to indicate that Cinnamon may |
| this Apple Crumble for One so they can give | | | | help in managing your Blood Sugars.)How to |
| it a try. And the Bran & Barley in this | | | | Make Apple Crumble for One :Pour about a 1/2 |
| Recipe are great for that, too. There have | | | | Cup of Applesauce into a Bowl (or Peel and |
| been some Studies to indicate that Cinnamon | | | | Cut 1 Apple into little pieces and put on a |
| may help with Diabetes, so if you are dealing | | | | plate)Sprinkle 1/2 a Cup of the Oatmeal |
| with that, add an extra Tablespoon or Two of | | | | Topping over the Fruit.Pop it in the |
| Cinnamon in your Oatmeal Mix, or sprinkle it | | | | Microwave for 1 Minute on HighThe Cut Fruit |
| on each bowl of Apple Crumble.There's a Full | | | | will probably require between 2-5 minutes, |
| Serving of Fruit in each Bowl of the Apple | | | | depending on how soft the apple is, so the |
| Crumble for One, so that's very good for your | | | | Apple Sauce is much faster and easier.Voila! |
| overall health. It's nice and sweet, and you | | | | You're done and now you have Apple Crumble |
| can change the Flavor of the Crumble Dish by | | | | for One! Good luck with the 'One' bit, |
| adding different types of Fruit, and | | | | though, since it often seems that someone |
| occasionally sprinkling some Chopped Nuts on | | | | comes into the kitchen just as this comes out |
| top of the Crumble. Chopped Pecans with the | | | | of the Microwave who 'just wants a wee bite', |
| Apple Crumble is very, very tasty.Quick word | | | | then they take at least half of it! ha,ha,ha! |
| about the word 'Diet'. Not a big fan of that | | | | But at least they're all eating something |
| word, except in the sense of 'what you might | | | | tasty and healthy! Now, that's a real treat!I |
| eat each day' in a nice, normal kind of way. | | | | developed this Recipe to help me to lose some |
| I'm no' one for denying myself, if you know | | | | weight -- about 30 pounds! No kidding! Check |
| what I mean! ha,ha,ha! My take on depriving | | | | out my Apple Crumble Diet Page if you want to |
| yourself is that it is a surefire way to | | | | find out how you can lose weight with Apple |
| prevent weight-loss, since then you're mad | | | | Crumble, too! It really works!Another name I |
| that you can't have what you really want (and | | | | considered for this Scottish Diet -- "The |
| feel you clearly deserve...!). I think you | | | | Chin-Be-Gone Diet"... do you like that?? How |
| can still have a treat -- just keep it in | | | | about, "Oh, Hey! There's my feet!"... you'll |
| moderation, and have your wee treat in the | | | | only get that if you've been through the |
| early part of the day. Maybe for a | | | | stage where you look down and really can't |
| mid-morning snack, or in the middle of the | | | | see yer feet, then one miraculous day, there |
| afternoon. It's the Bedtime Cheesecake you | | | | they are -- in plain site! And, oh, that's a |
| want to avoid... If you eat the treats during | | | | joyous day, ain't it?? ha,ha!One More Thing |
| your busy part of the day, you'll have 'used | | | | (fer sures, this time!): I've heard a lot |
| up' your treat by the time you go to | | | | about psyllium lately. I hear it's fantastic |
| bed.Anyway, make up a giant batch of the | | | | for weight loss, so that's enough for me to |
| Apple Crumble Oatmeal Mix, keep it in the | | | | run out and buy two boxes of whatever I can |
| Fridge with a jar of Apple Sauce, and have it | | | | find that might mention 'psyllium' on the |
| at least once a day. More often if you are | | | | Label... Anyway, I found All Bran Cereal with |
| wanting to lose a fair bit of weight. I lost | | | | Psyllium at Walmart, and now my favorite |
| well over 30 pounds on this 'Scottish Diet', | | | | breakfast is Special K sprinkled with the All |
| but some of it snuck back on, so now I'm back | | | | Bran with Psyllium, topped with a lot of |
| at it. Good thing I love it so very much!If | | | | Blueberries. Yum! It's sooo crunchy and |
| you want to lose 20 pounds or more, have the | | | | delicious... really!And then I've started to |
| Apple Crumble for One for Breakfast, Snacks, | | | | occasionally sprinkle the All Bran Cereal |
| and Lunch. When you get down to the last Ten | | | | (with Psyllium, of course!), onto the Apple |
| Pounds, or to maintain your New Weight, have | | | | Crumble for One, after it's been in the |
| the Apple Crumble once or twice a day to keep | | | | microwave, so the 'Bran Buds' (oooh, that |
| things nice and stable. (And I feel like 'the | | | | sounds tasty, don't it? Bran Buds??) don't |
| last ten pounds' are your own personal | | | | get mushy. Gives the Apple Crumble, which I |
| decision about how much you think you should | | | | love, a little crunchy texture.Dwight Tidbit: |
| weigh, or how you want to look -- not some | | | | One morning I was having this for breakfast, |
| stooopid number in a book... you know when | | | | when I said to Dwight that I couldn't see the |
| you look and feel good, so go with your 'gut | | | | Psyllium listed as an ingredient when it was |
| instinct', so-to-speak, on that one!)Pop into | | | | written right across the Cereal Box.... well, |
| my Fitness Page to see some easy and very | | | | Dwight looks at me like I'm an idiot and says |
| effective exercises you can do at home so you | | | | in a not-very-nice voice, "Psyllium is part |
| can start to Build Muscle, which is one of | | | | of the Bran, Ailsa..." Hmmm. So I says to |
| the other Big Keys to slimming down and | | | | him, "Mystery Man, don't talk to me like I'm |
| staying in Shape. Remember never to 'Drink | | | | the moron...". I said it mostly to amuse |
| your Calories' -- try to drink Water, Tea -- | | | | myself, but now you can see how lovely it is |
| anything that has no Sugar in it. I'm a 'Tea | | | | around here in the mornings! ha,ha,ha!Oh, and |
| Jenny' (Scottish for someone who drinks a lot | | | | if you're wondering how I got from 'Dwight' |
| of Tea!), and I realized that I was adding a | | | | to 'Mystery Man', it's very clear in my own |
| fair bit of extra Fat to my Daily Diet just | | | | head -- Mister to Mystery plus man.. Mystery |
| from the milk in my Tea, so I switched over | | | | Man... seems about right, since there's more |
| to Skim Milk Powder, which I love.Oh, and | | | | than one mystery around here!Ailsa Forshaw is |
| here's my last wee Diet Tip: Eat what you | | | | a Writer currently stuck in Alberta, Canada, |
| Love. If you aren't enjoying the food | | | | but with great aspirations of 'living |
| tremendously, skip it. Enjoy every bite, or | | | | somewhere warm'-- and Publishing many items! |
| forget it. And Chew Slowly -- the wolf-like | | | | Ailsa's website, ( came after years of |
| eating canny be good for you! ha,ha,ha! Plus, | | | | Teaching, Building & Writing. She has Two |
| that's never good to look 'beastly' when | | | | lovely children, 17 & 5 (very careful |
| you're eating, right? So take wee bites, chew | | | | planning), and is still married...with one |
| well, and eat yer Oatmeal! Soon you'll be | | | | gorgeous wee dog. |
| even more beautiful than you were before, if | | | | |