What Is the Difference Between the Keto Diet and the Atkins Diet?

Now that grilling season has kicked off, the idea of eating an unlimited amount of barbecue sounds like a dream. I mean, who wouldn’t want to pile up a plate of burgers, ribs, and steaks? The prospect of meat-heavy meals, while still dropping pounds, may attract dieters to two popular low carb eating plans: the keto diet and the Atkins diet.

But focusing on the meat-heavy parts of both eating plans is selling them short—and actually a major misconception. Both the keto diet and the Atkins diet are actually centered on consuming fat. (Yes, really, fat, not tons of meat. More on that later.)

The two diets actually have a lot in common and overlap in some stages, says dietitian Kristen Mancinelli, M.S., R.D.N., who specializes low-carb diets.

“The Atkins diet is not different from the ketogenic diet,” Mancinelli says. “The only difference is that Atkins starts you in a ketogenic diet and over time adds carbs back in. So when you are in the ‘induction’ phase of the Atkins diet, which is the beginning, you are absolutely on a ketogenic diet. No difference at all. Atkins says you should stay there for a couple of weeks but recommends you stay longer if you want more aggressive weight loss. It’s really left up to the dieter to decide how long they want to be in be induction [or ketogenic] phase before they move on.”

So what exactly does a ketogenic diet consist of? The keto diet is a very high fat diet, with moderate protein intake designed to put the body into a state of ketosis, says Amy Goodson, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., L.D., registered dietitian and consultant in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “This means the body uses ketones as a source of energy instead of glucose or carbohydrate,” Goodson says. (Ketones are a result of the body breaking down fat for energy, which happens when carb intake is very limited.)

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To successfully put the body into a state of ketosis, you would have to consume 70-80 percent fat, 20-25 percent protein, and 5-10 percent carbohydrates, Goodson says. The Atkins diet relies less on ratios, but the concept is similar: You can eat unlimited protein and fat, and in phase one, you only eat 20 grams of carbohydrates, ideally from veggies, according to Goodson. “The idea is that protein and fat make you feel more full and you will, by default, feel satiated and eat less,” she says.

And sorry to burst your bubble, carnivores, but neither diet is all-you-can-eat meat. “Many people mistakenly believed that the Atkins diet is a high protein diet, but that is just a misconception,” Mancinelli says. “If they read the instructions for following an Atkins diet they would see that it’s not so. You do eat meat, but most of your calories come from fat.”

In addition to protein sources like eggs, fish, poultry and meat, you’ll end up filling up on many healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, tree nuts, and seeds, and low-carb veggies like spinach and kale, if you’re trying to follow either eating plan closely.

Bottom line?

The Atkins diet is a branded ketogenic diet, with a slight twist. “Again, there is no difference and no choosing one over the other,” Mancinelli says. “The Atkins diet provides a plan for increasing carb intake over time, whereas a ketogenic diet is technically ‘all in,’ and once you start reintroducing carbs then you would say you’re no longer on a ketogenic diet…the main difference between the two is that one provides a stepwise process for going off the diet and the other does not.”

Trying to figure out which is best for you? Speak with your doc or go see a registered dietitian to see if the finer points of the eating plans work for you.

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10 Unusual Kitchen Gifts Dad Never Knew He Needed

We’ve all struggled with standing in a checkout line around Father’s Day and holding a set of whiskey stones or Himalayan shot glasses and wondering if dad will truly appreciate yet one more novelty gift—or hold it against us in his future will. Shopping for pops can make Mother’s Day seem like a breeze, but if you’re finding yourself eternally stuck, might we suggest the always delightful route of an unusual kitchen gadget? We’ve scoured the net for the best and most unusual kitchen gear, which—should any of it end up in dad’s possession—will transform him from Chef Boyardee to Chef Boulud in no time.

For the Wine Snob: Pocket Wine Aerator

Amazon

If dad considers himself a certified sommelier, he’ll enjoy this pocket wine aerator from Eparé, which can aerate a glass to its maximum potential in just 15 seconds—no fancy snake-shaped decanter necessary. 

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For the Guy Who Likes His Steak Moo’ing: Wireless Meat Thermometer

Amazon

Pairing with an app, this high-tech thermometer makes sure pops will get that perfect medium rare each time. MEATER’s thermometer has sensors that measure the temperature of the meat and the ambient temperature in your oven or grill, giving you a countdown clock for when to remove your juicy steak from the heat, as well as a guide for how long you should let it rest. 

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For the Guy Who Refuses to Order Dominos: A Portable Wood-Fired Pizza Oven

Amazon

Admittedly, we’re not sure how a pizza oven that fires up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit and can cook a pie in just 60 seconds can even be legal to buy and ship on Amazon, but we’re certainly not going to be the ones to call the cops here. The Uuni 3—as it’s otherwise known—runs on its own fuel, which means dad won’t even have to find an outlet to slurp down a slice. At $299, its all-around awesomeness is the only reason we’d put this splurge-worthy gift on the list.

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For Mr. Butterfingers: A Garlic Chopping Vehicle  

Amazon

Whether taking a knife skills class is in his best interest or not, dad will appreciate this handy garlic chopping tool, which quickly minces up the vampire killer with one easy slide across a countertop. The best part: The more he wheels it around, the finer a chop he’ll get.

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For the Brunch Buff: All-in-One Breakfast Sandwich Maker

Amazon

Imagine a morning at dad’s place, sipping coffee and frying up the ultimate hangover breakfast sandwich with this baby. It even has a timer to let you know when your breakfast creation has been cooked to peak perfection. Face it: This is basically a gift for you, too. 

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For the Bespoke Bartender: Whale-Shaped Ice Cube Set

Vineyard Vines

Any master mixologist probably already has a set that can make ice spheres or clear ice, but little whale-shaped ice cubes from one of his favorite weekend clothing brands? Yeah, that’ll be a killer addition to his bar game. 

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For the Man Who (Rightfully So) Thinks Blue Cheese Belongs in a Cocktail

Amazon

It’s perhaps the cheapest thrill here at under $8, but will pack a lot of impact in dad’s cocktail game. After all, what really is better than a blue cheese-stuffed olive in an ice-cold martini? Absolutely nothing, which is why we bet he’ll get fascinated by this olive stuffer pretty quickly. 

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For the Urban Dad: A Microwavable S’mores Kit

Amazon

Who needs a campfire when you can microwave your own s’more? We’ll admit—we were skeptical of those Amazon reviews, until we tried it out ourselves in a tiny NYC apartment microwave. When it comes to those gooey, delicious treats, this is the real deal, folks. 

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For the BBQ Enthusiast: A Cutting Board Designed for Meat

Amazon

It may look like your average, run-of-the-mill cutting board, but aside from non-slip gripper feet that keep it perfectly in place, this Architec board has a concave shape that locks in all the juices to maximize flavor. 

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For the Guy Who Will Smoke Anything: A Kitchen Counter Smoking Box

Amazon

Load some wood chips, herbs, or spices into this food smoker and watch dad’s face as it smokes up—with a magic-like effect—to add that smoky flavor to cheese, cocktails, or even a day-old pulled pork sandwich. 

Buy Now

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In a Ridiculous Rebrand, IHOP Becomes IHOb, and You’ll Never Guess What the “b” Stands For

Last week on social media IHOP teased that they were changing their name to IHOb, but the company wouldn’t announce what the “b” would stand for. Most Twitter users, including yours truly, assumed they would rebrand as the International House of Breakfast, and we all begrudgingly moved on with our lives. But oh man, it turns out we were way off!

The beloved pancake temple officially announced today that the “b” actually stands for burgers! HUH? Who goes to that blue-roofed breakfast haven for a burger? Isn’t that what every fast casual dining chain this side of Olive Garden is for?

While the restaurant does acknowledge this is only a temporary stunt, meant as a marketing push for their new burger line, they are going all out with the campaign. Beyond the new logo on their social media feeds, they’ve also propped up new signs outside several locations.

They weren’t playing. #ihop ➡️ #ihob pic.twitter.com/ZTySiRM7DH

— Drew Malino (@DREWMALINO) June 7, 2018

In an interview with USA Today, Chief Marketing Officer Brad Haley had this to say, “The whole goal of this effort was to convince people that we were just as serious about our burgers as we are about our pancakes. Consequently, we needed to make a bold signal to disrupt people’s thinking about IHOP and make it IHOb.”

While this certainly draws attention to their expanded menu, it’s also incredibly ridiculous. After all, IHOP has existed for sixty years on the strength of its iconic breakfast offerings. How can boring old burgers possibly compete with something as amazing as the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity pancake platter? It just seems a fools errand to draw attention to something so out of their wheelhouse. Maybe the “b” will end up standing for “backlash”? Because that seems like the likeliest outcome of all.

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Green Goddess Veggie Burgers

Trust me, I love grilled meats as much as the next dude blogger, but I also want to feed something delicious to my vegetarian friends, and store-bought frozen veggie patties don’t always get the job done. I find so many of them to be under-seasoned and mushy.

So, say hello to these Green Goddess Veggie Burgers!

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How Does Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping Work?

Magic Shell has been around for quite some time now, but it hasn’t lost the power to impress and delight ice cream lovers everywhere. The way the thin, liquid topping hardens into a shiny shell once it hits a frozen sphere of gelato or the twisty top of a soft serve cone does, indeed, seem magical. But the secret to this alchemy, once tightly under wraps, has long been out in the open, and it is this: coconut oil.

Back in 2007, when we first investigated the science behind Magic Shell, the tight-lipped folks at Smucker’s declined to return a series of phone calls, but eventually, a company rep did email us—to say that information about the product was proprietary.

Hoping to extrapolate, Chowhound then called Mister Softee and Carvel to find out how their own Magic Shell–like toppings worked.

Mister Softee was the first to answer. They said the secret ingredient in their soft serve topping was “edible-grade paraffin wax,” which was kept warm before application, so the wax is in a melted state. When ice cream is dipped in it, the wax hardens. (It’s not that unusual; paraffin wax is sometimes added to chocolate to give it a pretty sheen.) But wax was not listed as an ingredient in Magic Shell (and still isn’t).

Luckily, Carvel—the ice cream chain that transforms its Fudgie the Whale cake into a Santa Claus cake for the holidays (simply by turning it 90 degrees)—was next to return our calls, and they gave us the scoop, so to speak. Like Magic Shell, Carvel’s Brown Bonnet chocolate topping (which they also use to coat the chocolate cookie crumbs that stripe their ice cream cakes) instantly forms a hard shell around ice cream. And, just like Magic Shell, one of its main ingredients is coconut oil. These days, it’s a fairly common pantry ingredient, and extremely familiar to anyone into vegan baking, as it can be substituted for butter. Best of all, it’s often found in major supermarkets, whereas it used to be something you had to hunt for in health food stores.

All tropical oils, including coconut, are naturally high in saturated fat—consisting of about 90 percent of the stuff. As Paula Figoni explains in her “How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science” (a literal textbook on the subject), “the more saturated fatty acids in fat, the more solid the fat. Tropical oils are all solid at room temperature but will melt quickly if the room is too warm.” As everyone who has kept coconut oil in their cupboard through a cold winter and a sweltering summer is aware, coconut oil becomes solid at 70 degrees, melts at about 74 degrees, and freezes at 25 degrees. That’s why, to maintain the chocolate coating in a liquid state before application, Carvel told us they keep their Brown Bonnet in a warmer. Similarly, that’s why the label on Magic Shell (and other brands of similar toppings) warns against refrigeration and recommends running the bottle under hot water before use. When the coconut oil-infused topping meets a suitably cold surface, the fats solidify, and the magic happens!

If you want to practice a bit of simple kitchen wizardry at home, try making your own Magic Shell style topping, in classic chocolate, or any other flavor you like. And you don’t have to stick to pouring it on ice cream—try dipping ice pops in it too, use it to cover homemade ice cream bars, or even to coat frozen fruit like bananas and strawberries.

Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

Chowhound

Our recipe for a homemade version of Magic Shell actually uses vegetable oil, but you can swap it out for the more common coconut if you prefer; you can also use any intensity of milk or dark chocolate you like. It’ll work on literally any flavor of ice cream. And if you want to make it even more interesting, try sprinkling the surface with a little something extra before it firms up on your ice cream, like sea salt, toasted coconut, sprinkles, crushed cookie bits, or finely chopped toasted nuts. Get our Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping recipe.

Mint-White Chocolate Ice Cream Shell

David Lebovitz

A snappy white chocolate version with the cool tingle of mint is perfect over dark chocolate ice cream. Get the recipe.

Homemade Nutella Magic Shell

Inspired by Charm

Since Nutella is already in semi-liquid form, this is even easier than the already-incredibly-simple versions using chocolate chips; just microwave the chocolate-hazelnut spread with coconut oil until it’s all melted, stir, and sauce any flavor ice cream (banana would be particularly great, but toasted pecan gelato is just nutty enough to work) to your heart’s content. Get the recipe.

Peanut Butter Magic Shell

Garlic and Zest

Creamy or chunky, salted or not, peanut butter topping is the next best thing after chocolate—but why not make them both? You can also make this with natural-style peanut butter if you prefer (but either way, be sure to try it over chocolate ice cream—or on peanut butter frozen yogurt if you can’t get enough PB). Get the recipe.

Strawberry Magic Shell

Go Dairy Free

Make your ice cream pretty in pink—and deliciously fruity—with this strawberry shell. If you have trouble finding freeze-dried strawberries, you can also use strawberry cake mix to flavor your topping. Try it over roasted pistachio ice cream. Get the recipe.

Birthday Cake Magic Shell

Crazy for Crust

Other flavors of cake mix work, too! Here, classic yellow mix pairs up with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles for an extra-festive birthday cake shell. Try this one with fresh strawberry ice cream. Get the recipe.

Butterscotch Magic Shell

Port and Fin

Replace the standard chocolate chips with butterscotch chips for a tasty twist on the original. This would pair perfectly with the cinnamon in our Mexican chocolate ice cream. Get the recipe.

Orange Creamsicle Magic Shell

Rachel Cooks

Speckled with vanilla beans and fresh orange zest, this dreamy Creamsicle-inspired shell is a delight. Try it over graham cracker malted vanilla ice cream for a change. Get the recipe.

Espresso Magic Shell

Mom Makes Dinner

If you like the chocolate-coffee pairing (or if there’s just not enough caffeine in chocolate alone for you), try this espresso-flecked version on chocolate, coffee, or classic vanilla bean ice cream. Get the recipe.

Whiskey-Infused Chocolate Magic Shell

Food Republic

Booze does tend to make things even more magical (in the right quantities, at least), so break out the whiskey if you want a grown-up chocolate shell. This would be superb with caramel ice cream, especially if you add an extra pinch of salt. Get the recipe.

This post was originally published on September 4, 2007 and was updated on June 10, 2018.

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9 Ways to Make Hummus Healthier

Hummus is already a dang healthy snack—each scoop provides a dose of protein, fiber, healthy poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, and a bit of iron, potassium, and B vitamins. But believe it or not, you can make this smart snack even healthier with a few easy tricks that really pump up the nutrition.

Choose the right tahini

Tahini—a creamy sesame paste that’s a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine—is also a critical ingredient in traditional (and delicious!) hummus. Look for a brand with minimal ingredients on the label; this will help you avoid ingesting unnecessary preservatives or a boatload of sodium and sugar. If you see much more than sesame seeds, oil, and perhaps a bit of salt, keep on searching.

Ditch the canned beans

If you have the time, it’s worth soaking and cooking your own dried chickpeas versus opening a can. Canned beans can be high in sodium, plus they usually cost more than dried ones, says Kristian Morey, RD, LDN, an outpatient dietician at
Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. Rinse dried chickpeas, then place them in a large pot and cover with a few inches of water; bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until softened (about one to one-and-a-half hours).

Chowhound

Rinse your beans

If you don’t have access to dried chickpeas or are in need of a quickie hummus fix, rinsing canned chickpeas in a colander is a good way to reduce the amount of sodium you’re consuming. If you think they’re lacking flavor, add a sprinkle of salt as
you blend.

Go easy on the olive oil

Tahini contains oil and has a slightly loose consistency, so there’s no need to pour tons of extra olive oil into your food processor; although olive oil contains healthy fats, you should still consume it in moderation. If your hummus is too thick, thin it out with lemon juice or a bit of water, first—then drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top when you’re ready to serve for a burst of deep flavor. “I also find that using a high speed blender can help you attain the same creamy texture as those with more oil,” says Morey.

Substitute nut butters for tahini

Sesame seeds are tasty but they don’t have a whole lot of nutrients. If your goal is health over authenticity, try substituting almond butter for tahini, says Joel Gamoran, national chef of Sur La Table and host of A+E Scraps on FYI. Almond
butter has a mild flavor, so it won’t be overpowering, and it’ll deliver a bit more protein, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals.

Blend in veggies

Chowhound

Grinding up vegetables like spinach, kale, beets, carrots, or sweet potatoes alongside the chickpeas and tahini can give your hummus a serious nutritional punch, not to mention a brilliantly fun color that is sure impress both your taste buds and guests.
Don’t be afraid to play with unique spices that complement your veggie choice. “Adding spices like garam masala, turmeric, cumin, or even cinnamon increases antioxidant properties,” says the culinary team at Vitamix.

Experiment with beans

Chickpeas are the canvas for traditional hummus, but pretty much any bean can be transformed into this dip. If you’re looking for more protein, try blending lentils, black beans, or cooked edamame (soy beans), which all contain slightly more than
garbanzos. You can also sprinkle protein-rich toppings like chia seeds or flax on top before serving.

Revamp your dippers

There’s nothing better than dragging a hunk of piping hot pita or salty, crunchy pita chips through a big bowl of hummus. But if you’re looking for a low-cal, low-carb option, crunchy raw veggies can really do the trick. “Bell peppers, snap peas, cucumbers, radishes, celery, and carrots will still get you that crunch that you crave,” says Morey. If you’re not ready to ditch carbs completely, make your own pita chips with whole wheat pita—cut into triangles and bake in the oven at 350-375 degrees until golden and crispy.

Read the ingredient label

Let’s face it—you’re probably not going to whip up a batch of homemade hummus every time the craving hits. That’s okay! The store-bought variety can be just as good (and tasty!) as making it from scratch. Scanning the nutrition label is key, though,
since some brands contain more sodium or artificial ingredients than others. “Choose ones made with tahini or olive oil, and watch for excessive sodium and additives, preservatives, and colors. Low sodium versions would be less than 140mg per serving,” says Marisa Moore, RDN, a registered dietician nutritionist based in Atlanta.

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Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Marinated meats grilled over glowing coals, called satays in Southeast Asia, have an irresistible combination of sweetness, heat, acid, and spice that is downright addictive.

Travel to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali and Cambodia, and you’ll find these popular snacks on every corner.

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