Dueling Diets and Family Gatherings

My poor mom. Today she had to battle in the carb and fat wars. One group staunchly low carb, the other devotees of the low fat lifestyle. When plans to get the big pork loin fell through, we went with brats. I told my hubby to get some turkey brats too, but he just didn't get it. Of course, the low fat crew went to the store to get their own. A bit embarassing, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

My sweet mom made coleslaw for us, baked beans for them. Of course, they also got corn on the cob, bread, chips and cheese dip. We got nuts and jicama for our dip. I brought along Green Chile Cauliflower, some coconut bark, and made herb dip. Poor mom, she even bought regular and low carb ice cream. I told her not to--and I was right; it was yucky. But she didn't want us to be left out, so we ate it.

Funny thing about the brats. Turkey brands differ widely. Our Johnsonville brats had 270 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 2 carbs. The Jennie-O Turkey Brats have 230 calories, 18 grams of fat and 4 carbs. If the nutrition is that close, I'm going to choose the real version every time. There are sausages out there that have lower calories and fat, but I wonder how many people are fooled into thinking turkey is always a healthier choice? While I ate my tasty, full strength brat, I did manage to mention how good my husband's cholesterol just tested, and how well his diabetes is now under control. I was on the low fat road to "health" for so many years. It sure didn't work for us, and I hate to see others put such faith into it.

But no matter which brat you choose, I'm sure both are better with some flavored mustard. This is one variety I really enjoy. Woeber's also makes a Champagne Dill that is great with tuna salads. I buy mine at Food Pyramid, but you can order online. I think I may experiment this summer with making some of my own flavored mustards. A recipe for honey mustard is in the e-book, but there are lots of flavors to explore.