Hello! Just wondering if there is anyone else in a similar position to me. I started my weight loss journey in 2012 and lost almost 100lbs in a year. Ended up 121lbs and stayed that way for years. On and off towards middle age I’ve gained a few lbs here and there but nothing dramatic until this year when I ended up on Sertraline (Zoloft) which caused me to gain 24lbs roughly. I cannot get this off, I’ve come off the meds, exercise and watch everything I eat and nothing. I don’t want to go back to bad habits which in the year of weight loss I become so obsessed I almost lost everything else. I’m trying to be more gentle with my body, not punish it with exercise but try to do it for my overall health. I do feel a little gremlin in the back of my head though tempting me back into my old ways. I’m wanting to be sensible about it really and hoping there are others like me who have recovered and have done this the safest way.
Discover the secret to preparing delicious and healthy meals that will satisfy even the heartiest appetites! All you need is some know-how and a few essential tools. One of the most useful pieces of cookware is a Dutch oven – a versatile cooking pot that turns basic, nutritious ingredients into flavorful masterpieces.
Find out why a Dutch oven is a must-have, how to choose the perfect one, and get inspired by the incredible dishes you can create with it. Start cooking with confidence and elevate your culinary game today!
What is a Dutch Oven?
A Dutch oven is a heavy cooking pot with a tightly fitting lid. You can use it both on the stovetop and in the oven for a variety of dishes.
Dutch ovens are similar to standard stockpots. However, they typically have wider bottoms, shorter heights and thicker walls. They also have sturdy handles on each side, so you can keep the heavy pot balanced and steady when placing it in or taking it out of the oven or off the burner.
Apart from its cooking capabilities, a Dutch oven also serves as a tableware. They often come in pretty colors, so they are great for keeping food warm while serving.
Why Should You Get One?
Dutch ovens are best for browning, braising and simmering your favorite dishes. They’re ideal for making soups and stews, since you can put all the ingredients in the same pot. However, you can also use them to make great cobblers and fruity desserts, as well as for bread baking.
Whether you’re on a weight loss journey or simply aiming for a wholesome meal, Dutch ovens are ideal as they cook slowly, letting the flavors of simple ingredients shine. With their thick walls, Dutch ovens maintain a steady temperature, radiating heat so that the ingredients cook evenly. The tightly sealed lid helps retain flavors while cooking, without any evaporation.
If you’re camping or cooking over a fire, Dutch ovens allow you to prepare delicious meals wherever you go. However, it is recommended to avoid using enameled Dutch ovens over an open flame. Instead, opt for a non-coated, plain cast iron Dutch oven.
There are even outdoor or camp Dutch ovens, which feature three legs that elevate the pot for convenient coal placement. These Dutch ovens also come with a flat lid, specifically designed to hold coals and equipped with a wire for easy campfire suspension.
Types of Dutch Ovens
When it comes to Dutch ovens, you have a variety of options to choose from. Chefs and seasoned cooks favor cast iron for its durability and heat retention, making it the classic choice. However, stainless steel and ceramic models have also gained popularity.
While cast iron warms up slowly, it keeps food cooking steadily due to its superior heat retention. Nowadays, people highly seek enamel-coated cast iron Dutch ovens. Not only do they add a pop of color to your kitchen, but they are also easier to clean and maintain compared to uncoated cast iron. Enameled Dutch ovens versions do not require seasoning, unlike other cast-iron pans.
Experienced cooks do not recommend using non-stick coated Dutch ovens because they do not produce the flavorful bits that form on the bottom of the pot.
When shopping for a Dutch oven, you’ll find that the standard size is 5.5 quarts. This is just right for making meals for a family of four. However, smaller options are available for smaller households, while larger ones are suitable for entertaining or cooking big batches for meal prep.
Choose the Dutch oven that suits your needs and enjoy the versatility and performance it brings to your cooking.
How to Use a Dutch Oven
One-Pot Meals
Dutch ovens are excellent for braising meat, a method of cooking that seals in juices and slowly heats them up. This process is especially helpful with tough cuts of meat and it’s an ideal way to caramelize onions or garlic before adding other ingredients.
Many are also oven safe. You can make, for instance, a whole chicken dinner by searing it in the Dutch oven on the stove and then putting it in the oven with potatoes and carrots. Beef and pork roasts come out of the Dutch oven juicy and flavorful.
Slow-Cooking Soups, Stews and More
Many stews and soups taste best when they cook slowly for hours, so these pots work well for preparing them. Chili, curry and many other dishes rely on those same conditions.
Baked Goods
You can also use the pot to heat and soften fruit like peaches or apples, then top them with dough and bake in the oven to make a cobbler. In a Dutch oven, bread bakes up crusty on the outside, soft inside.
What to Cook in a Dutch Oven
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The dietitians at Nutrisystem have given their approval to a few tasty and easy recipes that will help you get started with using a Dutch oven.
You can have Sunday dinner any day of the week with this family-friendly recipe. The chicken breast stays juicy and tender while the potatoes become crisp, and the onions caramelize and sweeten.
The whole meal comes out of the oven all at once, fragrant and delicious. You can prepare and finish it in less than an hour, and you only need to clean one pot when you’re done.
Baking your own bread fills your home with the most comforting aroma and treats you and your family to the joys of bread fresh from the oven. This loaf contains lots of fiber to fill you up because it is made with whole wheat flour. A hint of honey gives it a lightly sweet taste.
The Dutch oven ensures that the bread bakes evenly and comes out with a nice chewy crust. It’s so easy and satisfying to bake, you may never buy packaged bread again.
Warm up your kitchen and your body with this hearty soup. You make it with super-nutritious butternut squash along with seasonal root vegetables like carrots, parsnips and rutabaga. They all become tender and sweet as they simmer slowly in the Dutch oven.
Add pesto and herbs for a punch of flavor and a little milk to help make the soup creamy. Double the recipe and freeze the extra servings so you can enjoy them when you need a healthy, homemade lunch on a busy day.
Hi, 30 (F) here, who for the last year, has been floating around 155lbs. Weight loss, healthy eating, and working out seems like it’s on my mind 24/7… I feel like I’m in this never ending cycle of eating healthy, working out, & doing great for a few days to completely self sabotaging. Then it’s always, I’ll start tomorrow, next week, after XYZ occasion, etc.
Any tips/tricks to kick this shitty habit? I usually do pretty good with working out, but keeping my diet in check seems to be the harder part (guilty of the late night, before bed, snack binging). I not only want to drop a few lbs, but also FEEL better when I eat better and move my body more. However, despite knowing that, it’s easy to fall into old habits.
What keeps you motivated? Did you have an “ah ha!” Moment to where you finally stuck to something that worked for you?
The title sounds incredibly dumb, because OFC you're going to start being more aware of your body during weight loss, you HAVE to.
But it's a really weird feeling. I knew I was chubby, but I didn't FEEL like I was fat. Now I've lost almost 30 pounds and I feel more aware of the fat on my body. I feel my stomach poking out further than it should, the chubbiness of my legs and thighs where it shouldn't be chubby and most of all, the weight of my body against my ankles.
It feels like I've been blinded by delusion before. I've lost weight and yet I feel bigger, in a sense. I feel the fat that's not supposed to be there even more and it feels out of place. I'm not sure how I was ever at the point where I thought being bigger than what I currently am was acceptable.
As per the title, I'm feeling really down about this week of weight loss.
I started out at 260.14lbs and am now down to 243.61lbs in four weeks, which I know is really good. However, I've only lost 1lbs this week and it's hit hard. I've since gone back and checked my TDEE and realised I need to be eating less calories, but I was only really going over my calorie limit inadverdantly by 163 calories a day and I have been going on 30 minute brisk walks every day this week.
I just don't know what I'm doing wrong and I'm feeling really miserable and scared that I'm at a plataue, but I don't know what I need to do to jump start myself again.
I know I had my period this week, but that has never stopped me from losing weight before, as in I have always been able to lose at least 2lbs when I'm on my period.
I'm also worried because it's making me feel like I need to fall into disordered eating habits, but I know I can't do that and won't do that. My head is just feeling all over the place and I really don't know where to go from here.
Exercise: Stationary bike 30 minutes 7 days wk. if home. If traveling either fitness room or walk/hike.
Motivations: Pre-D, like to hang around for a little longer, still active but excess weight is a drag on physical demands (fly fishing, boating).
Diet: Keto combined with IF 16/8. Carbs between 18-25, mostly under 20, kcal <1000, average around 800. 2-3 meals a day. I am never hungry and love my diet. I love to cook, that helps. I know these are low for many, doc says to keep it there if I'm OK with it until around Thanksgiving, then do some blood work. No side effects, sleep fine, more energy, more mental acuity than before.
Like many, this is not my first attempt at major weight loss--my first was in 1975 then three since then. Last one I was good for two years around the 160-175 mark, but then the exercise burnout ( had a trainer who thought I could compete in the seniors bodybuilding comps) plus the recession was stronger than I.
At 74, I don't have that many more chances, lol, and I think seeing results happen somewhat quickly plus a diet I really love will help me maintain my weight once I get there, and I will. I should hit it by mid 2024 worst case.
Biggest challenge is we travel a lot, and either there's regional food I "have" to try or we are just too lazy to crack open the tuna and sardine cans we carry when traveling. The last couple of trips-- no loss, no gain, but it's still wasting a couple of weeks. Since starting, I don't think I have ever been out of ketosis, so there's that.
Not a big drinker, but I'm in a hot summer climate and still can work outside for 10 hours at 105°, but a few cold beers still are tempting and those I miss. Old Fashioneds are out, at least the way I like them, but I'm enjoying experimenting with bitters and spirits which is clearly the safest on keto. Wine--maybe a glass twice a week before dinner.
Hoping for some good general or specific advice, this forum and those related have been beyond helpful, thanks so much.
I broke my wrist in early August so I’ve been out of a job and was riding on about 800 dollars for bills (took the bulk) and food up until this week. Now, I’m eating whatever I have left in my pantry and freezer.
I was actually on a mini plateau from August 20th-September 4th and I finally went down on the scale. I’m still eating enough calories (slightly less than my TDEE but it’s all I can afford right now lol) but it’s definitely with healthier foods than the low calorie fast food I was eating prior to August. I’d kill for a power bowl right now.
So, if you are struggling with those last 5 pounds, try being poor! It’s awful!
