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Saturday, December 31, 2011

A *Sparkling* Holiday Wish!

Hi from London!

I can't believe it's Christmas eve!

Another year is winding down and there is so much to be thankful for. 2011 has been amazing. The Champagne Diet has really exploded and reached the next level. We've been featured all over the globe, the book is about to take off, I've traveled overseas to meet friends and fans, and people are really starting to understand the true message of what The Champagne Diet really is. Living your most effervescent life means taking chances, not being afraid to fail, pursuing all of your dreams (no matter how silly they may seem to others) and loving life with every fiery part of your heart.

Truly embracing The Champagne Diet means allowing only the best into your body and your life. But none of that stuff happens magically. The first step is really believing you deserve it all. The first step starts with you. Forging a truly amazing relationship with yourself is the key, and once you create that, nothing can shake it. That self-love leads to love in all other areas of your life; career, passion, relationships, friendships and family.

I hope that you all know how beautiful, special and worthy you are. You all deserve a "Champagne Life" and don't let anything or anyone else tell you differently.

I want to thank all of you who continue to read the blog, tweet, Facebook and LIVE The Champagne Diet. You have all changed my life through your unwavering support and dedication. Please know how much it means to me. I am so excited to see what 2012 has in store for all of us.

Cheers!

Cara

Friday, December 30, 2011

French Bubbles in the UK

Before heading to London a couple weeks ago, I had a laundry list of Champagne-related things I wanted to see and do. With only 5 days scheduled in one of my favorite cities in the world, I knew it would be hard to pack everything into an already jam-packed schedule.

During one of our more touristy days, my husband and I decided to knock out all the "must-see" attractions in London. We would hit the London Eye, Big Ben, the Thames River and Buckingham Palace. We set out on our journey mid-afternoon Saturday, and as soon as we got off the tube stop for The London Eye, we came across a Christmas market on our walk over. I was thrilled. I am obsessed with Christmas markets. All those gifts, food and drinks in one place makes me so happy. The Christmas lights wrapped around all the booths are an added bonus that really put me over the edge and take me into a little holiday wonderland that I never want to leave.

 Within 5 minutes of walking through the market, I see the French Bubbles booth. I think I literally jumped up and down. What a sparkling surprise! I have been following @FrenchBubbles on Twitter for a long time now; we often tweet back and forth, share links, etc. I couldn't believe I got to see them in person - and the fact that it was not on my itinerary made it so much more fun and spontaneous.




I think I actually ran over to the booth and yelled to my husband, "I'm blogging about this!!" He's so good, he whipped out the camera and started snapping photos. Luckily I am married to a professional photographer so you can thank him for these amazing shots.

If you don't know about French Bubbles, I'll give you some background info. They are a company that believes in bringing high quality, "true" French Champagnes to the UK. They select only the best growers to be a part of their line of Champagnes, and they make that line accessible to everyone. You'll only find their Champagnes at places like their Pop Up Champagne Bar in London, markets like the one we found them at, or through their website.




According to their official site, French Bubbles founders, Maud Fierobe  and Stefano Frigerio, wanted to develop a brand with a different and  interesting standpoint and believe they have come up with a unique  proposition that gives French Bubbles that ‘je ne sais quoi’!





I chatted up the intern who was running the booth, and told him I ran The Champagne Diet, but I'm pretty sure he had no clue who I was. But that was okay, I was so ecstatic to sample the different Champagnes on hand, and even more excited that I could buy a flute and walk around with it (New York really needs to get on board with that!)



My French Bubbles experience was wonderful and totally unexpected. I can't wait to go back to London and stumble upon them again. Yet another excuse to head across the pond!

Cheers!
Cara

Onion Dip (C1)

Onion Dip (C1)
Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

Remember the onion dip that is at most parties? Yes, the one that we really should not have on this diet!

Well there's hope! Here's a recipe using homemade fake sour cream instead of the real stuff that is to die for!

First, make your faux sour cream.

Then:

Finely chop 1 large onion.

In a skillet/frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil over a medium high heat and put the onion in the pan.

Cook until the onion is softened -- most likely about 5-7 minutes; put the entire contents of the pan in a dish and combine with the faux sour cream mixture, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tsp of paprika.

Season with salt as tastes dictate.

Cover and refrigerate.

Simmie's Notes:
The combining of all ingredients can also be done in a food processor if you desire a creamier dip.  Personally, I like little bits of the onion in my dip!

Faux Sour Cream - Homemade (C1)

Faux Sour Cream (C1)
Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

16 ozs plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
Water as needed

Combine the yogurt and lemon juice and whisk well.  Taste test the mixture to make sure it has enough of the tartness/sourness of sour cream that you enjoy -- if not, add a little bit more of the lemon juice until it reaches the right flavor.

Modify the thickness a little bit at a time by adding 1/2 tsp of hot water and whisking well until it gets to the consistency that sour cream is.

Simmie's Notes:
This can also be done using Dill Weed instead of the lemon juice.  The amount of dill weed to be used varies depending on the brand of dill weed that you use.

Stuffed Tilapia (C1)

Stuffed Tilapia (C1)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator


Lay fish on pan that has been sprayed with PAM or other vegetable spray.

Place on half of the fish: sliced mushrooms, crabmeat, spinach or anything else that strikes your fancy!

On the other half, spread fat-free cream cheese (1-2 Tbsp is a condiment sized portion).

Roll and sprinkle a dash of low sodium Taco Seasoning on top and spray with PAM.

Bake @ 450 for about 10 minutes (until golden brown).

Serve with vegetables of your choice such as spinach; also mock mashed potatoes (made with cauliflower). The recipe for the mock mashed potatoes is here.

NOTE:
If you use the crabmeat as stuffing as mentioned above, this would then become a C2 recipe.  Use a C1 compliant ingredient to stuff the tilapia if you are in Cycle 1.

Crab Cakes (C2)

Crab Cakes (C2)
Photo by Nelda Ephraim

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387
Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator


You will need:
Can of fresh crab meat
Egg or Eggbeaters
Scallion
Parsley

Take the crab meat out of the can and squeeze out the excess water.  Mix in a little bit of either egg or eggbeaters and season with whatever seasonings you enjoy.

Form into patties, re-dip in the egg/eggbeaters.

Sprinkle with a little bit of  bay seasoning.

Spray your pan with PAM and saute until brown on both sides.

Simmie's Notes:
You could probably use canned salmon for this recipe and make salmon cakes as well!

Blueberry Muffins (C2)

Blueberry Muffins (C2)
Recipe Author: Becky Yokeley Love


2 scoops vanilla whey powder
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup applesauce
2 egg whites (6 Tbsp liquid egg whites)
1/2 cup stevia (sugar substitute equal to 1/2 cup sugar)
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 and spray muffin tins with non stick spray.

Mix flour, whey powder, oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt together.

Add applesauce, sugar, egg whites, and water, mix until just blended.

Add in blueberries.

Bake for 20-30 min or until tops have lightly browned.

12 muffins = 70 calories / 11 carbs / 2 sugar / 2 fiber
6 muffins = 139 calories / 22 carbs / 4 sugar / 3 fiber

Note from Simmie: If you'd like these to have more moisture, you can either add more applesauce or 1 Tbsp of olive oil.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Thai Chicken (C3)

Thai Chicken (C3)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup salsa
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2Tbsp. light soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger root
1/8 tsp. black pepper
chopped cilantro and scallions

In medium bowl, combine ingredients; mix well. Pour this mixture over chicken. 

Put chicken in a pan sprayed with Pam and cook on low until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Hot & Sour Soup (C3)

Hot & Sour Soup (C3)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

2 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
1/8 pound pork, cut into thin strips (use chicken strips in cycle 1 instead)
1/2 cup straw mushrooms
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup bamboo shoots (Thinly Sliced Cabbage strips instead of bamboo shoots)
1/2 cup water chestnuts (omit in cycles 1 and 2)
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp chili paste
3 eggs, beaten

Start the stock simmering. Cut all veggies and mushrooms so they are small, . Add in all remaining ingredients except the egg, and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Then mix in the eggs stirring them to form threads, and remove from heat after 10 seconds, when they firm up.

For people not on C2 yet, use chicken instead of pork~

TO MAKE THIS A CYCLE 1 RECIPE:
Use chicken strips instead of pork.

Apricot Glazed Chicken (C1)

Apricot Glazed Chicken (C1)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

Spray a non-stick pan with Pam or drizzle of EVOO and saute your chicken breast or tender. Then measure out a tablesppon of fat-free/sugar-free Apricot jam or preserves and melt in pan with chicken. 

This is good over some veggies too.

Newbie Tips


Are you new to this diet and want wondering what to look out for? Here's a few tips that will help you lose weight faster!

FIRST:  Ditch the mindset of less food = loss of weight.  This diet is not your run of the mill diet, but is one where the MORE YOU EAT, the MORE YOU WILL LOSE.  Bare minimum for women is 1,200 calories a day and for men it is 1,500 calories per day net of exercise, meaning eat back what you burned off in exercise.

H O W E V E R ..... you will find on this diet that if you are a woman and eat at least 1,500 calories a day or are a man and eat at least 1,800 calories a day, your losses will be much better.  Eating every 2-3 hours helps a lot in order to get all the food in!  Yes you heard it here, EAT MORE!

YOGURT
Your yogurt does not have to be nonfat or fat free; it should be lowfat, tho with no sugar in any form listed in the list of ingredients.  It is to be NSA (no sugar added), not sugar free--there is no such thing as sugar free yogurt as all dairy products have naturally occurring milk sugars.

There really is no magic number on the sugar grams for yogurt, but we highly recommend keeping the grams of sugar to 10 grams of sugar or less per 6 ounce serving.  For yogurts that show 8 ounces as the serving size, that would mean that the 8 ounce serving should show 12 to 13.5 grams of sugar for that 8 ounce serving.

The yogurts with fruit in them are generally considerably higher in sugar than if you had bought a plain yogurt and added your own fruit PLUS the fruit added to yogurt is not counted as your fruit serving.  I'd recommend getting the plain and adding some Stevia sweetener and your own fruit to it.

Fruit flavored yogurts? Where do you think the sweetness comes from? Especially in Greek yogurts that are fruit flavored, that flavor comes from added sugar, so steer clear of these.

Lowfat/Nonfat yogurt can be used in place of sour cream!  If you want the sour cream flavor, just add some dill weed and fine tune it until you get the flavor just right for you.  It's great for dipping veggies in as well!

MENUS
If you use are using the menus from the book, please note that they do not contain enough calories by themselves to sustain weight loss.  You will need to add at least 300-400 calories a day to them to reach the minimum 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) to keep you out of Famine/Starvation mode. More is better!!!! Better yet, target 1,500 calories a day for women and 1,800 calories a day for men net of exercise.

What Famine/Starvation mode does is send a signal to your body and your body hoards both calories AND weight, plus long-term it can really mess up your metabolism.  Some have seen a complete stop in their weight loss due to this alone.

While you don't need to count calories all the time on this diet, I do recommend that when starting out, you keep a food log and track calories to make sure that you're getting your minimum caloric requirement in.  A good website for this is MyFitnessPal.com.  After you have a handle on what that looks like for you, then you can stop counting calories if you want.  It's a good idea to track them again periodically to make sure you're still on track, especially if your loss has slowed down substantially or stopped.  Remember in C2 that your loss will not be at the high rate it was in C1.

HUNGRY? WHY?
Are you hungry on this diet? Then you're not eating enough! This is an "Eat More, Lose More" diet and also one in which Dr. Mike has said "If you're hungry, EAT!".  Just supplement your menu plan with foods from the "Freebies" list (list of foods in the book of the lean proteins and cleansing vegetables).  To quickly look at the list, check out the grocery list here.

GREEN TEA
If you have low iron, do not drink the green tea -- it can make your iron deficiency worse. Also, if you have high blood pressure it can make it even higher, and if you are on blood thinners, please PLEASE talk to your doctor before using the Green Tea.  There are a number of medical conditions where green tea is not recommended.  Talk to your doctor before drinking green tea.

If you have some issues with constipation, it is most likely related to green tea; backing off on it or eliminating it will probably help the situation.

HOW LATE CAN I EAT.....?
The only food you are limited as to how late you can eat it is the fruit in C1 and the starches in C2.  For both of those, don't eat them past 2 p.m. OR closer to your bedtime than 8 hours prior to going to sleep.  The 2 p.m. deadline is based on an assumption that most people go to bed around 10 p.m.

FOR BEST LOSSES:
For the best losses, stick to only the Food Lists found in the book, at least for the first round of the 3 cycles.  Dr. Mike has made some modifications to the diet, but if you are in your first round of cycles, you will do a lot better if you keep it simple and follow the food lists in the book.  Basically: if it's not listed in the Food List for the cycle you are on, don't eat it.

This basically means: unsweetened almond milk is C3; nuts and seeds are C3 (including avocado and allowable peanut butter); no coconut oil or protein powder; hold off on agave for as long as you can (it is allowed, but it is still sugar!), and remember that any hot, spicy chiles or peppers such as jalapenos are C3, as is Cilantro.

This also means not using the Cultural Exceptions listed in the book under a different chapter. Dr. Mike told me in January 2013 that the Cultural Exceptions are for those who would completely walk away from this diet if they can't have those foods.  Be honest with yourself--limiting yourself to not eating a few foods is not going to make you give up on this diet.

Quick Pasta Sauce (C1)

Quick Pasta Sauce (C1)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

Take 3 or 4 large tomatoes and quarter them; add a few cloves of garlic, 1/2 small onion.

Broil on high until they are a little brown and sizzling.

Remove from the broiler and switch them to a frying pan sprayed with PAM.  Saute the tomatoes & roasted garlic & onions.

Add:
pepper 
basil
parsley
oregano
a lil twist of sea salt
1/2 tsp of Truvia

Let it cook down a little of the liquid, then put it into jars.

Potato Chips (C2)

Potato Chips (C2)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387
Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

Simply thinly slice 1 medium potato (I leave the skin on).

Then spray a baking sheet with Pam and lay the slices of potato on the PAM.

Salt & pepper them; I also use hot pepper flakes!

Bake @ 450 until golden brown (about 5 minutes) , then turn them over and brown that side.

You can eat them with a tablespoon of Salsa OR low sugar ketchup, depending on what cycle you're on~
ENJOY!

Brown Rice Crust for Quiche (C2)

Brown Rice Crust for Quiche (C2)

as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Patty Hecke

Cook 1/2 cup of brown rice in water until it is done.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare a pie plate: Spray pie plate with Olive Oil.  (Crisco has a spray olive oil)

Mix about 1 Tbsp. or a little more of olive oil with your rice and stir well.

Dump into your pie plate and spread around and up sides.

Put in oven on middle rack for about 30 minutes checking every now and then.

Then switch to the broiler for a little longer about 10-15 minutes, till brownish.

Fill with your quiche filling and cook again till filling is set.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Veggie Omelet (C1)


Veggie Omelet (C1)
Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

½ cup Egg beaters (or 2 large eggs)
¼ cup Egg beaters that are WHITES only
¼ cup Fat-free cheese of your choice (cheddar, mozzarella, etc.)
1 cup cut, cooked and seasoned string beans

Combine the two types of egg beaters and beat well until well combined.  The egg whites are not mandatory in this recipe, but help to spread it out a bit more.

Add the fat free cheese to the egg mixture and mix well.

Then add the green beans to the mixture.  Depending on how thick you want it, you may decide to use less green beans.  I thoroughly enjoy the taste of the green beans.

Put in a small frying pan and cook! I don’t make it as I would a traditional omelet, but move the ingredients around like you would with scrambled eggs – whatever works for you.

Makes 1 large serving.

SIMMIE’S NOTES:

This recipe will leave you VERY satisfied and ready to start your day.

Play around with other vegetables in this omelet – zucchini, asparagus, etc.  Also consider adding some tomatoes if you’d like (but I’d cut back on the amount of veggies if you do!).

The egg white is included in this recipe as a “filler.”  It can EASILY be eliminated.


Calories:  Total calories: 123

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Struggling With Your Eating? Carrot Cake May Be The Answer.

I ate too much. I kid you not. Eight days filled with fried foods is weighing me down. And while I don’t celebrate Christmas, it happens to be my husband’s birthday. So I made the obligatory carrot cake with cream cheese frosting—his favorite—a total yum— and probably ate a bit more than was necessary. And that was after the Indian food we had out—shared lentil soup, appetizers—the works.

Having my jeans fit rather tightly can be challenging even if I needed to gain some weight—which I don’t. Somehow, there’s just no positive reinforcement in our culture for having your waist band cut into your flesh—even if it’s truly a sign of progress, of necessary weight gain for recovery. Growing out of your clothes (unless you’re an adolescent, entitling you to indulge in the newest fashions) yields little benefit in our society. But in my case, that’s beside the point. My personal goal is maintenance, within my normal and healthy weight.

Yes, even nutritionists can, and do, overeat at times. Of course I know better, yet I found myself grazing on salted, roasted cashews rather mindlessly while mixing up the carrot cake batter. And serving the cake from the table? Big mistake. It called to me, a mere arms-distance away. Those skinny, knife thin slivers don’t really count, do they?

What did I resolve when I woke up this morning? First, I wouldn’t dare consider weighing myself—no need to see what I already knew. I might have considered a bowl of bran flakes or oatmeal. But I really felt like having the freshly baked bread I made the night before. (I was rather productive on Christmas, wasn’t I?) 

Rather than have the cereal while yearning for the bread, I decided to have what I really wanted. And so I cut a thin slice of this rather dense, wholesome bread, chock full of oats and flax, figs and walnuts, seasoned with anise seed, and had a bowl of yogurt and fig jam to go with it. And, had my coffee, of course.

What I didn’t resolve was to make up for the extras consumed in the many days before. I did not resolve that I blew it, that I shouldn’t even bother, because it’s useless. Or, that the leftover carrot cake was to be trashed, so that I wouldn’t eat it again. I wouldn’t dream of such a thing (besides, my husband would probably fish it out of the trash barrel if I did). And if I did, it would only reinforce that cakes were something I wasn’t entitled to eat, so it was now or never when they were within my reach. This, of course, would only lead to overeating. I did, however, slice it up, wrapping each slice individually, and froze it.

I did not resolve to skip my usual workout, or my walks with Mica (you know who he is, by now, right?), because “why bother?” I love my treks through the woods by my home. It’s hard to know who gets more excited at the sight of a squirrel—me, or Mica.

Yes, it’s a process. We all need to remind ourselves of what is in place, rather than focusing on where we slipped. This morning’s Skype session with a client overseas addressed, in part, expectations. It came naturally to Anna to focus on the fact that her weight had not yet improved. But the positive changes she has been making were far less obvious to her, and certainly more difficult to measure. She needed to recall that having two chocolates, only two, was in fact, progress. Yes, there was a time, not too long ago, that she would have laughed when I suggested this was possible; chocolate was something to be avoided, when trying to manage weight, for fear that once she started she’d have no control over stopping.

Being able to distinguish her hunger—and her fullness—has also been a major recent achievement. Previously, without this awareness, she was left without the tools to self-regulate food intake. One night this week, she chose to have a snack, responding to this hunger, prior to dinner being ready. As a result, she was left with little hunger at mealtime. She gave herself permission to delay dinner—rather than eating it at the planned time—another step forward in listening to her body’s signals. She knew she could, and would, eat again later when she needed to. The fact is, as a result, she ended up being more in control of her eating, versus overeating.

But if the only goal is pounds lost, then she made no progress this past holiday week at all. Anna needed to revisit the house-building analogy, to shift her focus on what’s truly important at this stage of our work together. Building her foundation is a necessary first step to changing her relationship with food—and ultimately her weight.

As for me, I did have a lighter dinner this evening—a root vegetable soup, accompanied by the sliced homemade bread. And, I mindfully enjoyed every bite of the microwave-defrosted slice of carrot cake. 


And I’m feeling quite good.

PS: Here's the recipe some of you requested!

Joel's Birthday Carrot Cake
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 
3 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
3 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple

(See Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Line 2 round cake pans with wax paper, then grease or spray them. (a  13 X 9 inch pan works fine too, but doesn't look as awesome!)
Blend the dry ingredients in a mixer.
Add the next ingredients, through vanilla, beating thoroughly.
Then fold in remaining ingredients.
Pour batter evenly into the two pans.
Place in middle rack of oven.
Bake approximately 1 hour, or until the edges pull off the sides or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cakes.
Let cake cool 10 minutes in the pans. Then flip them over onto plates or cake platter. They should fall from the pans with ease.
Peel off the wax paper and let cool an hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz reduced fat cream cheese or Neufchatel (brick form), room temperature
4 Tbsps (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectionary sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsps milk

Blend it all until smooth, without lumps, and it's ready to use.
Frost one whole cake. Then drop the second cake onto the first and frost top and sides.

Sit down with a slice, and enjoy every bite. Remove the rest from the counter, by slicing and removing the pieces from view (freezing is ideal!)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Apple Spice Cake (C2)


Apple S
pice Cake
Recipe Author: Kevin Lee


Thanks to Kevin Lee for this scrumptious-sounding and looking recipe!!!

Basic oatmeal cookie muffins/bars recipe:
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups uncooked oats
10 pkts truvia (equivalent to 20 tsp of sugar)/Stevia Extract: 7 tsp
2.25 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1-3 Tbsp olive oil [to make them more moist]

To the above basic muffin/bar/loaf recipe, make the following changes; most of them are "to taste" measurements.

Add:
flax seed oil
fresh apple
agave nectar
reduce the oatmeal to 1 1/2 cups and cook 1 cup of steel cut oatmeal and add it to the mixture
a little extra vanilla
cinnamon

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Turkey Breakfast Sausage (C1)

Turkey Breakfast Sausage (C1)
as posted to 17 Day Diet Support Facebook community at: 
http://www.facebook.com/17daydietsupport

Recipe Author: Tracey Miller Brown


2 pounds white meat ground turkey
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used a 5 pepper blend)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (use less, if desired)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well-blended.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray.

Form the turkey sausage into patties, and fry until browned on both sides, and no longer pink in the center, approximately 15 minutes.

Or cook as crumbles in a skillet to use scrambled with eggs.

Peach Chicken Salad (C1)


Peach Chicken Salad (C1)
as posted to 17 Day Diet Support Facebook community at:
http://www.facebook.com/17daydietsupport

Recipe Author: 17 Day Diet Support Administrator

Serves 4


3 medium fresh peaches, peeled and cubed
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

MINT VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sweetener equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, chicken, cucumber and onion and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mint, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth.

Drizzle over chicken mixture and toss to coat all ingredients.

Zucchini Muffins (C3)

Zucchini Muffins (C3)
as posted to 17-Day-Diet Facebook community 
at http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: 17-Day-Diet Administrator

Zucchini
Spinach
Red Onion
Mrs. Dash
Eggbeaters (1/4 cup yellow and 1/4 whites only)

Slice the zuccini, add spinach, red onion, Mrs dash, and eggbeaters.

Spray muffin pan with Pam & bake @ 450 for about 15 minutes

Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions (C1)

Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions (C1)
As posted to http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Ronda Bloom Vaughn


2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 teaspoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Chopped garlic
Black pepper
Nonstick spray
Onions
Mushrooms
Worcestershire sauce

Marinate the chicken breasts in the olive oil, lemon, garlic and pepper.

Pan fry with non stick spray, dump the whole thing in the pan, juices, garlic and all.

When chicken is done, transfer to plate, cover with foil and DO NOT clean pan, just add a bit of water to bring up the tasty browned bits from the bottom then add finely chopped onion and mushrooms. Sautee until soft and the mushrooms release their moisture. Season with pepper and just a dash of Worcestershire sauce (not too much as there is a lot of sodium, literally just a few drops). Top your chicken with the mushrooms, add a generous side salad and enjoy! Delicious!

Creamy Curried Chicken (C3)

Creamy Curried Chicken (C3)
As posted to http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Patty Hecke

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes 
1/2/ tsp. garlic powder
1 T. flour* (could be deleted ) 
1/4 tsp. pepper 
1 T. olive oil. 
3/4 C. Fat Free chicken broth
1 Large onion-chopped 
1/2 C. plain nonfat or greek yogurt
1 T. curry powder ( more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon * (could be deleted)
1/4 C. toasted slivered almonds, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste) 
1. T. chopped fresh cilantro

Coat the chicken with flour and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. 

Add the onion and cook until soft. 

Stir in curry powder, salt , cinnamon, garlic powder and pepper and cook for 1 minute. 

Add the chicken and cook with the chicken broth. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened. 

Remove from heat. Gently stir in yogurt until well blended and smooth. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro. 

Serves 4.

* could be deleted

Chicken Salad (C3)

Chicken Salad (C3)

Recipe Author: WeareHis Home

Note:
If you use the milk called for in this recipe, it is a C3 recipe.
If you substitute oil or yogurt for the mayonnaise, it is then a C1 recipe.


1 chicken breast, 3 ounce , cooked and diced
¼ cup, celery, fine dice
¼ cup onion, fine dice
8 red grapes, quartered
½ an apple (about the size of a baseball), small diced
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
½ teaspoon of tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

The entire recipe for the chicken salad is 294 calories!

I had 1/4 of the chicken salad on 1 slice of whole grain bread (cycle 3).

Total with the chicken salad was approximately 155 calories.

Stuffed Cheesy Baby Bella Mushrooms and Spinach (C1)

Stuffed Cheesy Baby Bella Mushrooms and Spinach (C1)

Recipe Author: Mandy Connolly


12 medium baby bella mushrooms (each about 2 inches wide)
One 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

Remove mushroom stems and set aside. Place mushroom caps on the baking sheet, rounded sides down. Bake in the oven until slightly softened, 12 - 14 minutes. Leave oven on.

Meanwhile, chop mushroom stems. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add stems and cook and stir until soft, about 3 minutes.

Place cooked stems in a medium bowl. Add spinach, cheese, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Pat mushroom caps with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Evenly distribute spinach mixture among the caps, about 2 tablespoons each. Bake in the oven until filling is hot, 8 - 10 minutes. Enjoy

10 Vegetarian Christmas Recipes

Vegetarian Christmas Recipes for the Holidays that are gluten free to boot
Here are a hand-picked few of my favorite gluten-free vegetarian recipes.

Winter Solstice has blessed us with a turning point. Daylight now grows longer inch by inch. Or is that minute by wintry minute? In spirit, I suspect, it is both. Christmas is almost here, and the season celebrating rebirth, light, and sliding into credit card debt is in full swing. Carolers are caroling. Gift wrappers are gift wrapping. Egg noggers are nogging. The shiny New Year crouches right around the corner.

And recipes are flooding my in-box for... ham. Roast beef. Rack of lamb. Wait a duck fat glistening minute, here.

Where are the vegetarian Christmas recipes?

I can't be the only person not forking a slab of meat on Christmas day. I can't be the single solitary soul who doesn't treasure bacon fat like it's a princess tiara. I'm not alone in my imaginings of a fresh and lively meatless Christmas dinner--- am I?

Okay. Okay. I get it. I honestly do. I realize I'm in the minority here. That to most folks celebrating the winter holidays in all their myriad and nuanced diversity, meat is the centerpiece of celebration. I acknowledge that. I even accept that. Just because I've been a vegetarian 78% of my life doesn't mean I bury my head in the sand of denial. I cope. I deal.

I go with the flow.

But just so you know? The UN thinks vegetarianism is not only a cool idea, it may be necessary to save the planet. So here's ten of my favorite vegetarian and vegan recipes for Christmas. With love.


Read more + get the recipe >>

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Crockpot Lasagna (C3)

Crockpot Lasagna (C3)
as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Patty Hecke


1 8-oz. pkg lasagna whole wheat noodles (uncooked) (C3)
1 lb. cooked ground turkey or lean beef (turkey=C2; beef=C3)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 28-oz. jar low carb spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup water.
15 oz. low fat ricotta cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you could also use veggie cheese)

Break noodles, place half in the bottom of a greased slow cooker (Use Pam spray).

Stir in the seasonings with the ground meat.

Spread half of the meat over the noodles in the cooker.

Layer with half each of the sauce, water, ricotta cheese and mozzarella over meat.

Repeat layers.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.

You could also add some onions to the meat while browning; also garlic would be a nice addition!

This is C3 due to the whole wheat noodles and the amount of cheese being used.  To make this a healthier/lower carb version of this recipe:

  • Replace the whole wheat noodles with something else--cabbage has been used by some. With cabbage, this could then be used as a dinner meal and not a prior-to-2 pm meal.
  • Use ground turkey for the meat instead of the beef.


Poulet Provençal (C4)

Poulet Provençal (C4)
as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Stephanie Bollman

8 pieces skinned chicken
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
2 bell peppers (you pick the colors), sliced in two inch lengths
2 onions, sliced
1 cup pitted green olives
1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces)
1/2 cup white wine (red will work too)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
salt and pepper

Very lightly coat the bottom and sides of a crockpot with olive oil. 

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place them in the bottom of the crockpot. 

On top of the chicken, distribute the garlic, then the peppers, onions, and olives. 

On top of this pour on the tomatoes, wine, and olive oil. Finally sprinkle on top the herbs and salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Variations

Potatoes: To make serving supper even quicker, place 4 or 5 peeled and chunked potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot before you add the chicken. This will give you everything you need for a complete meal in one pot.

Fennel: Include sliced fennel along with the bell peppers and onions to add a mildly sweet taste. You could also toss in a couple pieces of orange peel with the fennel for more Provencal flavor.

Stove top method: This recipe can also be cooked in several hours on low heat. Be sure to use a sturdy pot (not cast iron).

Simmie's Notes:
Green olives are not permitted, so be aware of that, although since this is serving 4-6 people, the amount of green olives per person is pretty minimal. This has been re-classified as C4 due to the olives.


Oven Roasted Asparagus (C1)

Oven Roasted Asparagus (C1)
as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Ronda Bloom Vaughn


1 bunch 12 to 14 oz of Asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Trim off and discard tough ends of asparagus spears. Peel stem ends if you desire

Arrange asparagus in a shallow baking dish

Drizzle oil onto the asparagus, turn stalks to coat

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Bake until asparagus is tender; about 12 to 18 minutes depending on thickness of stalks.

Sprinkle with cheese, then ENJOY!


Popcorn Cauliflower (C1)

Popcorn Cauliflower (C1)
as posted on 17-Day-Diet Facebook community page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/17-Day-Diet/178916518816387

Recipe Author: Patty Hecke

1 head cauliflower (or 1 head equal amount of pre-cut commercially prepped cauliflower)
4 tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon salt, to taste 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Trim the head of cauliflower, discarding the core and thick stems; cut florets into pieces about the size of ping-pong balls. 

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and salt, whisk, then add the cauliflower pieces and toss thoroughly. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup (you can skip that, if you don't have any) then spread the cauliflower pieces on the sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning 3 or 4 times, until most of each piece has turned golden brown.  (The browner the cauliflower pieces turn, the more caramelization occurs and the sweeter they'll taste). 

You can added some Mrs. Dash and some garlic powder. MMMMM good! Sprinkled with a little sea salt at the end.

Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Becky's Meatloaf (C1)

Becky's Meatloaf (C1)
Recipe Author: Becky Yokeley Love


1-2 lbs ground turkey
1-2 diced onions
3/4-1c ketchup
few tbsp grape jelly probably equalling 1/4-1/2c

350 for 45 min - hour

This same recipe can be made into meatballs -- I use it for both.

If you make the BBQ sauce in book its WONDERFUL :) Meatballs cook for 20-30 min then put them in crock pot with a bit of water for rest of day :)

Simmie Note:
You could also use salsa or sweet chili sauce in place of the ketchup!

Monday, December 19, 2011

This Holiday Of Miracles—Ancient Wisdom About Managing Your Eating

Taking back control. Rededication. Surviving persecution and abuse.  Triumph after being restricted, forbidden from following your own path. Your prized possession, quality olive oil, gets you through, for much longer than you ever believed it could.

These phrases describe the festival of Hanukkah, yet I can’t help but repackage them as a recipe for moving forward with our eating—both, during this holiday season and beyond, for Jews and non-Jews alike.

First, here’s my very brief summary of the holiday (for a more complete story, check out Chabad and Wikipedia). 

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem a long, long, time ago, more than 21 centuries ago. Following a rebellion against Hellenization, after being persecuted, denied following their own religion, a group of rebels fought back and regained control. They cleansed their temple, and wanted to light their 7-branched menorah, the candelabra, but there was only enough of the purified olive oil required for this ritual lighting to last one day. And yet, voila, it lasted all 8 days. This was great cause for celebration, and what better way than include a lot of fried food?

Some summarize our history more like this: They tried to kill us. They couldn’t. Let’s eat.

Thus, the tradition is to celebrate this triumph over oppression and the miracle of oil. And not just any foods, mind you. The Hanukkah mandate is eating oil rich foods, traditionally white carb types—it’s enough to cause panic among the health conscious and weight-focused.  We eat fried latkes (aka potato pancakes), with sufganiyot for dessert (aka doughnuts). And did I mention this lasts for not one night but for 8?

Regardless of your particular culture or religion, we are all confronted by food challenges this season. And while I have addressed this subject in various posts previously, http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2011/11/taking-charge-practical-strategies-for.html, http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/12/recovering-from-slip-coping-with.html, I thought I’d give a bit more support to get you through this challenging (yet potentially joyous) season.


Balance

From my own experience, I’ll tell you that eating latkes or similarly fried foods, as the main entrée, isn’t going to work for me. I have no problem with including oil in my diet (see http://bit.ly/dOZNqH  and http://bit.ly/uqnq92), but I need to have some balance. All too often, health-promoting types (nutritionists included) get stuck focusing on individual foods or nutrients, neglecting one important fact—we don’t eat single nutrients or food items. 


And we don’t need to get all nutrients from a single food! No, we eat foods together, providing us the opportunity to balance our meals, and our day’s intake, to stay healthy.


Take control of portions

Yes, Hanukkah at my house will include latkes, on more than one night. There will be the traditional potato and onion ones, and my more recent favorite—a parsnip-potato pancake. Perhaps I’ll even try a cardamom leek fritter recipe I stumbled upon recently. But served as the whole meal? I don’t think so. So what will I do? I’ll serve them with a soup and a salad, some lighter fare. On one night, I’ll also serve my homemade sufganiyot, these two-bite delights that really satisfy; at least the portions are small. The bottle of oil, in my home, lasts way more than eight nights, I’ll add. While the sufganiyot are deep fried, I’m light handed pouring oil for my latkes preparation.


Choose what you enjoy. Enjoy what you choose.

Wondering how you’ll manage the Christmas bird or roast with all the fixings, with a yule log for dessert, too? You, too, can add some balance, picking and choosing the richer and the less dense items. But do include foods you enjoy! Otherwise, you may find yourself indulging when you aren’t hungry later, making up for your feeling of deprivation.

And please don’t forget to leave leftovers! Better to enjoy the extra food when you aren’t stuffed; won’t the cake and pie taste better when you’re hungrier? Perhaps for breakfast the next morning? Yes, it’s allowed!

If you are doing the preparing, shopping and cooking for the holiday feast, remember that you have the right and the ability to dictate the meal content. Substitute some applesauce instead of the full amount of butter in the cake. Offer a range of your favorite vegetables to accompany the meal. Strain the fat off before mixing the gravy. Determine the ratio of desserts to guests—must it be one pie for every two people?


Be prepared.

Feeling overwhelmed? Preplan as much as you can. Make a shopping list; then send someone else to retrieve the foods. Bake in advance, and then freeze cookies and cakes. Sure, you may end up eating them right from the freezer, but wouldn’t they taste better eaten mindfully at room temperature?

Plan for the holiday eating schedule—be sure to eat breakfast in the morning, rather than letting one meal slide into the next. And don’t even think of restricting early in the day to compensate for potential overeating later. That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster.


Consider your limits.

And do watch your alcohol intake if you are trying to stay in control of your eating. Sure, it might decrease your stress, but it will also decrease your inhibitions around food (and, perhaps around those difficult relatives). That may be fine, if you are comfortable with the outcome. But it seems to me that rarely is the case.

I hope this helps limit the holiday stress.
Do enjoy the holidays, including your favorite foods!

Happy Holidays!



Friday, December 16, 2011

The Gifts You Brought Me: Priceless Progress This Holiday Season

Winter holidays are still several days away, but early gifts of gratitude have already shown up at my office. Yesterday’s were particularly sweet to me. Kay presented me with a lovely handcrafted pair of earrings, sold as a fundraiser for Project Have Hope. (Love that name!) 

Guess who knew there were some yummy cookies to uncover?
But I was even more touched by the additional part of her packaged gift, which Mica (canine to the left) unwrapped for me last night. Kay apparently recalled my familiarity with and love of her favorite cookies—Petite Ecolier. Yes, Kay could openly discuss how many chocolate covered French biscuits she consumes, and the pleasure they bring her. Gone are the cookies eaten in the closet—and the car, and in front of the computer screen.

I earned silver yesterday, but felt like I was the recipient of a gold; I loved the sterling earrings crafted by an Israeli artist that my patient knew I’d appreciate. But the even greater gift was my experience of our session. 171.5 pounds she has lost since we began our work together, from her presenting weight until now. 


No, that was not a typo. She started just below 400 pounds. There was no gastric bypass, in spite of the urging of her doctors. She has needed to decrease her diabetes medications as she has continued to progress. And after years of me patiently wearing her down, she is now exercising regularly. This was the most challenging piece to accomplish. Yes, she bought herself a new bathing suit for her water aerobics class she attends twice weekly. And she has been consistently walking a couple of time per week as well. It was quite the gift to behold all the progress she had made! You can read an old post on her: http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2011/02/maggies-152-lbs-weight-lossthis-time.html.

The other gifts were not intentionally timed with the holidays, nor were they intended for my benefit alone. There was Kate’s decision that life is worth fighting for, that her eating disorder needs to leave and that she needs to accept that a higher level of care is not a failure, but a move forward. Termination with some patients was also a gift—no, I wasn’t losing patience with them—it’s just that they were ready to move on—and I was so pleased to watch them fly.

Wishing you a peaceful road ahead.
Emails with thanks and appreciation for this blog arrived throughout the year— comments from Australia and British Columbia to France and Switzerland, from patients and fellow professionals as well as strangers—tales of a post, or a sentence, even, that made a difference, providing a sense of hope that wasn’t there before, a new perspective on their situation, a motivation to reach for something better than they have. Not all were positive and upbeat, that’s for certain. But having someone reach out for help, and appreciate that support I have given, is quite a gift.

These have been the greatest gifts I could ask for.


Coming up: More management strategies for this challenging, food-focused time of year. Look for it within the next couple of days.


Thursday, December 15, 2011

A Sign of the Times

Every now and then, I venture out to go shopping at mainstream chain clothing stores.  Although I find it onerous, there are certain things I can't get at thrift stores.  For example, I can never find nice jeans.

The last time I set foot in these stores was about two years ago.  It was tough to find pants my size at that time-- many stores simply didn't sell pants with a 30 inch waist.  This year, it was even harder, since some of the stores that formerly carried 30W pants no longer did.  I managed to find my usual 30W 30L size in two stores, but I had a bizarre experience in both cases.   I put them on, and they were falling off my waist.  Since my waist size hasn't changed in two years, and my old 30W 30L pants of the same brand still fit the same as they did when I bought them two years ago, I have to conclude that both stores have changed their definition of "30 inches".  My new size is 28W 30L, which is tough to find these days.
Read more »

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Calculating Percentage of Weight Lost

My favorite topic!!


Comparing pounds lost between two people is a bit of an exercise in telling you not much.  Unless you weigh exactly the same amount, have the same amount of exercise, eat the same things and have body metabolism that's exactly the same thing, along with the same family history inclinations, it's like comparing apples and giraffes -- it doesn't really compare well.

For instance, if two people lost 20 lbs in the first 30 days, you'd think their "success" rate was about the same, right?  Well look at this:

Person 1 weighed 180 to start.
Person 2 weighed 325 to start.

Person 1 lost 20 pounds which is 11% of their body weight lost.
Person 2 lost 20 pounds which is 6% of their body weight lost.

See how using pounds skews the perception? With percentages, even though we know we shouldn't compare with each other, it gives a better view of the amount lost -- puts it into better perspective.

To calculate percentage of your total body weight you've lost:

Starting Weight minus current weight = total pounds lost so far.
Total pounds lost divided BY your starting weight, then move the decimal 2 places to the right gives you your percentage lost.

An example: Someone with a starting weight of 240 who now weighs 219:
240 minus 219 = 21 lbs lost so far
21 divided by 240 = 0.0875;
to get the decimals in the right place, move the decimal over 2 places to the right = 8.75%