Kitchen Redo Week 3

Well, I took a break from Carolyn's Kitchen Recession Redo with a little trip to Florida and now I'm back and Nathaniel has added the new hardware and is installing new lights on the kitchen ceiling. If you look at old photos you'll see a ceiling fan with light kit that everyone hit their head on...kind of dumb. Now there are sleek new brushed nickel lighting fixtures....but they are so bright it's like crime lighting. So dimmers are being added. Just got back from Home Depot where I am getting to know the guys in each department. Looked for a sink...finally decided on a

pretty $300 double sink in cream. Then.......Recessionistas..........found the same one in the Clearance area for $52 and it came with a bonus cutting board. Still NOWHERE on counter top decision...since got a quote of $2800 for granite. No way.....and can't sink to laminate just yet.

Carolyn's Kitchen Recession Makeover Day 4

Jumping ahead to Day Four....the cabinets are painted with oil base Linen White

and antiqued with Cream Fleece both by Benjamin Moore. Nathaniel Gabaree, the talented painter and makeover artist has attached the cabinets with new brushed nickel hardware and the knobs are set to go on next.

Still hanging in the balance....new appliances, countertops and flooring. Got to leave something to do next week. Nathaniel is taking a break for his birthday and will be going to New Orleans with his wife and church group to help repair/build projects there for a few days. They are so lucky to get someone as talented as him to volunteer!

The kitchen is already so much better....and so much brighter and cleaner. I vow to avoid

cluttering the counters and will replace plates, glasses, etc in cabinets carefully and will NOT squirrel away uneeded/never used items. Hello Goodwill!

Carolyn's Kitchen Recession Redo Day Two

Cabinet doors, hardware all removed.....a big job in itself. Everything sanded. Bigger Job.

Now frames and doors, drawers all being primed...this is not final color. This is primer white. Trying Benjamin Moore Linen White as

"color"...and will add glaze to help hide the dings of life on old cabinets. But will everything be TOO white...with all of the white tiles and appliances.

Oh my! All I really wanted was the Diane Keaton's kitchen in Something's Got to Give!!

Carolyn's Kitchen Recession Makeover Day One

What can I say? I could shoot an episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show in my kitchen or Leave it to Beaver? This kitchen is old and I've tried to update a bit with Benjamin Moore Kittery Point Green paint instead of blue and white striped Waverly wallpaper. And the GE wall ovens ( circa early 1970's) were originally "harvest gold" but I had them painted white in last recession redo. Hey, they still work. Took out cabinets over middle peninsula counter to open up kitchen and hang wine glasses. Friends still ask, "Where are the wine glasses?" Uh...over your head. Time to say goodbye and step boldly into the dream kitchen future. But not too boldy...I can't afford it. I DO want a new stove....what do you think? Take out the wall ovens totally, remove the cook top and replace with fabulous new stove top with oven below? The wall oven area becomes more counter top. About the ceiling fan with light kit. It's in the perfect spot for every tall person to hit their head. Gotta go. TODAY: Kitchen Makeover Artist/Angel has arrived. Nathaniel is going to paint the cabinets Benjamin Moore Linen White and glaze with a bit darker color. NO! I am not replacing the cabinets. Got estimate for $30K. My budget is a tenth of that. Recession realities and sweet solutions. I'm off to Home Depot to look at the farmhouse sink in the clearance section.

Limit Accessories This Summer

Where once the season’s latest designer pumps imported silk ties might have been wardrobe musts, today’s economic realities have launched a new enthusiasm for finding more affordable style statements.
Magazines often show side-by-side comparisons of high-price ensembles next to far less expensive versions to help shoppers find something to suit their tastes and budgets.
The same concept can be applied to balancing your calorie budget smartly at meal time when you’re trying to cut back on consumption but still crave foods with flair.
If weight control is your goal, why not get to know and love the style of eating that delivers on flavor and nutrition without the waist-widening price tags?
Know the limits
Think of blue cheese and bacon crumbles as accessories for your plate. They add flavor and flair to a dish, but too much just piles on unnecessary fat and calories.
When you’re dining out, it’s not necessary to totally avoid the butter, gravy, cheese sauce and full-fat salad dressings; just learn to accessorize sensibly. Note that even olive oil, which is a heart-healthy fat, still carries a sizable caloric tag. So go easy on dipping bread into those little bowls of olive oil. Because the bread acts like a sponge, you can easily soak up several hundred calories’ worth of oil before you even finish reading the menu. Oil, cream and butter-based sauces are what dietitians call “energy dense” —- they pack a lot of calories per ounce. Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, tomato-based sauces, broths and salsas are nearly calorie-free and can be used liberally.
So, if it’s a punch of flavor you’re looking for to liven up a salad or grilled chicken and fish, learn to identify ingredients, sauces and sides that perk things up while keeping calorie counts down.
In moderation
Olive oil, 2 tablespoons: 240 calories, 28 grams fat
Butter, 2 tablespoons: 216 calories, 24 grams fat
Hollandaise sauce, 2 tablespoons: 135 calories, 14 grams fat
Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons: 200 calories, 22 grams fat
Pesto sauce, 2 tablespoons: 155 calories, 15 grams fat
Tartar sauce, 2 tablespoons: 140 calories, 16 grams fat
Cheddar cheese slice, 1 ounce: 114 calories, 9 grams fat
Mexican queso cheese sauce, 2 tablespoons: 100 calories, 8 grams fat
Cream cheese, 2 tablespoons: 100 calories, 10 grams fat
Blue cheese crumbles, 2 tablespoons: 60 calories, 5 grams fat
Cheese sauce, 2 tablespoons: 60 calories, 4 grams fat
Sour cream, 2 tablespoons: 52 calories, 5 grams fat
Shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons: 50 calories, 4 grams fat
Bacon crumbles, 2 tablespoons: 50 calories, 3 grams fat
Better choices
Vinegars: No calories or fat
Lemon or lime juice: No calories or fat
Salsas, 2 tablespoons: 10 calories, no fat
Picante sauce, 2 tablespoons: 10 calories, no fat
Red wine reduction sauce, 2 tablespoons: 10 calories, no fat (made without butter)
Horseradish, 2 tablespoons: 10 calories, no fat
Tomato-based sauces, 2 tablespoons: 14 calories, no fat (without olive oil in recipe)
Mustards, 2 tablespoons: 15 calories, 1 gram fat
Apple butter, 1 tablespoon: 20 calories, no fat
Steak sauce, 2 tablespoons: 30 calories, no fat
Barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons: 30 calories, no fat
Cocktail sauce, 2 tablespoons: 30 calories, no fat
Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian and co-authorof “The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!” E-mail her at carolyn@carolynoneil.com