Best SBD Snack Ever!

Snacking is an important part of the South Beach Diet. Which, let's face it, all maturity aside, that's awesome.

But the usual snacks have to be thrown out -- things like chips. 

While this is sad, I've found a delicious snack that makes me pretty darn glad to be snacking South Beach Diet style.

Peanut Butter, reduced fat

Sugar-Free Jell-O chocolate pudding

Just dip the tip of your spoon (small spoon, ideally) into the peanut butter then take a scoop of chocolate pudding, and it's absolutely to-die-for delicious.

And it's sticking with your diet! The Jell-O Pudding has only 60 calories, and if you're conservative with how much peanut butter you use, it can be about a 200 calorie snack. Genius!

Try it, let me know if I'm just weird.

Meal Plan - SBD 2

Breakfast:

1 egg, fried (with pepper and salt)

handful of mushrooms, stir-fried with sundried tomato oil

2 tablespoons Pace salsa

1.5 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

- I fried the egg and stir-fried the mushrooms until cooked through. Then I piled the mushrooms on top a small pile of the salsa, melted the cheese over the egg just as it was finished frying, then put that on top of the salsa & mushroom pile. Voila! Delicioso, and less than 300 calories.

Lunch:

Cooked 2 chicken tenders in a pan with some sundried tomato oil, salt and pepper

Heated about 1/2 cup to a 1 cup of black beans in the microwave and melted about a tablespoon of cheddar over the top.

I threw in a dollop of plain yogurt, some Pace salsa, and the chicken tenders cut into cubes.

Serve it warm and it is absolutely to die for delicious. Yum. I sorta like it when everything on my plate sort of melds together -- on Thanksgiving, my mashed potatoes become a place where the other foods go to die. It's like a pile of all the Thanksgiving goodness in one bite. Which is why I like meals like this you can serve in one bowl, 'cuz all the flavors are compact.

Dinner:

4 meatballs with marinara sauce, and a sprinkle of parmesan

Roasted vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, garlic, tomatoes)

Snack:

A few tablespoons of reduced fat peanut butter

Monday Grub: Chicken Meatballs and Marinara

Do not try to make chicken apple sausage Italian.

As a continuation of my South Beach Diet Day 1 (which has been very difficult, already! Grrr.), I decided to make meatballs and marinara sauce.

There are no breadcrumbs involved in the meatballs, so it's still SBD. Here's the recipe for CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH MARINARA

Ingredients:

SAUCE:

1 lg. can of crushed tomatoes with basil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 small onion, diced

MEATBALLS:

3 Chicken sausages (fully-cooked; I used chicken apple sausages because they were leftover, but that is a HUGE mistake. Disgusting to mix that sweetness with the tomato and garlic flavor of the Marinara. My Recommendation: use unflavored chicken sausage, or Italian-flavored chicken sausage -- Lastly, 3 chicken sausages is good enough for 1-2 people.)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 handful parsley

1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

Start the sauce first. Heat a dutch oven. When hot, pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil in there. Toss in the garlic until aromatic. Throw in the onions. Cook for about a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir. Lower the heat and cover.

While that cooks, prepare and cook the meatballs. By the time you're done, the sauce should be reduced.

For the meatballs, put everything in a food processor. Heat a pan with oil (sundried tomato oil, if you have it; olive oil, if not). When hot, drop the meatballs into the pan and cook until browned on both sides. This should take 3-5 minutes.

Put the meatballs in a bowl, pour some of the marinara over it and sprinkle some shredded mozzarella over that.

Voila! SBD Yumminess.

Monday's Workout

Monday:

Elliptical where you can adjust the incline and resistance.

Workout using the Gluteal regimen provided for 45 minutes.

Increase the resistance at 10 minutes / 15 minutes / 25 minutes / 35 minutes, then decrease the resistance gradually until you're finished.

No weights today. We'll hold off on that 'til tomorrow.

Stop Being Scared of Eggs

It's important for you to stop being scared of eggs for breakfast. Ellie Krieger, perhaps one of the most famous nutritionists in America (check her out on FoodNetwork.com), has assured us all that it's former taboo presence on the breakfast table is no longer accepted by nutritionists and doctors.

Eggs are...

- High in protein (5.5 grams ea.)

- Low in calories (68 calories ea.)

- Eggs promote weight loss! (a study reported that those who ate 2 eggs for breakfast instead of a bagel, lost 2.5 more pounds than bagel-eaters, had more energy, and experienced an 83% decrease in waistline)

- Eclectic, since you can mix them with vegetables you love or a bit of cheese to create something new every day.

This morning, I re-started my South Beach Diet. So, I am making 2 hardboiled eggs for myself. If you're interested in following along and starting the diet with me --I'll also include my work out regimen-- then maybe fire up some eggs for yourself. They don't have to be hardboiled. Experiment! (I'll have some more egg recipes as the next 2 weeks go on.)

A Sensible Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken and Veggie Noodle Dish

I ate a large breakfast this morning of eggs, mushrooms and avocado in a warm tortilla with cheese. So I skipped lunch with ease.

I decided to round out the day with a nice, healthful portion of a really tasty, fully flavored sensible dinner: Teriyaki Chicken with Veggies Noodle Dish.

For 2 lovebirds...

INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup julienned carrots (shave 'em yourself, it's fun!)

1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen, but whatevs)

1/4 mushrooms (use your fave/s)

4 green onions, chopped

6 oz. angelhair or spaghetti whole wheat pasta (break in half for easier serving; eyeball it, but this should definitely be enough for 3 servings...in case someone wants seconds)

1/4 cup low-sodium teriyaki

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

2.5 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

3 cups spinach or bok choy

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

pinch of salt

RECIPE:

Cook the pasta according to directions. Reserve 1/8 cup pasta water after you drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a nonstick pan/wok over medium-high heat. Add green onions, carrots, peas, mushrooms. Season the chicken with salt/pepper and add to the pan. Flip the chicken after about 3-5 minutes to cook through.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the teriyaki sauce, reserved pasta water, and chili garlic sauce. Mix well.

Start heating 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a small frying pan. Add the minced garlic. Once this becomes aromatic, add the spinach/bok choy. Cook until slightly wilted. Add soy sauce.

Once the chicken is cooked, add the cooked pasta and the teriyaki sauce mixture. Mix to combine well.

Serve with the spinach/bok choy and enjoy!

Guilty Confession of the Week

Guilty Confession of the Week:

I can't get enough of tater tots. It's ridiculous. The place I go to trivia every Monday night has added tater tots to their menu for the past few months, and every Monday I look forward --literally, get excited over-- to eating the tots.

But these tots aren't goopy, greasy, squishy tots that cafeterias usually dished out --and even those were good, in my opinion. These have a spice to them that sort of takes you aback, makes you curious.

I did very well today, eating-wise. Until the tots. Mondays, they're the death of me.

Guilty Confession of the Week

Guilty Confession of the Week:

My boyfriend and I ordered a Domino's pizza. It was a rainy day, pouring. Without a car and in Boston where public transportation is a pain in the fattest ass in America, there was no way we were going out to get groceries or fast food. We had very little food in the house. Stuff to make spaghetti with some frozen spinach or something, maybe, but that was about it. So, my boyfriend eagerly suggested pizza. 

Yes, I can --and should-- just say, "Go ahead, I'll just make myself something simple." Or, "No, I'll order a sandwich or a salad." But I didn't. I don't. Ever. I had a dream once where I woke up saying "I don't want any pizza!" and my boyfriend's comment was, "I've never known you to refuse pizza before. It must've been a dream."

(On a contextual, justifying note -- I never ate pizza as much as I do now before I met my boyfriend.)

But it's not the eating of the pizza that is my guilty confession. He ate his 4 slices, and I shoved down 3. I was full at two, but it just looked so good and was still so hot, I ate a third. I couldn't, literally, stomach a fourth. So, my boyfriend left the box on the stovetop for us to throw away in the morning.

In the morning, I thought about the pizza. I really did. I thought, well, when he's in the shower, I'll eat that piece. I didn't even want the damn pizza! I wanted to eat something healthy, even my body felt that way, but my brain was like -- "Now's your chance to get that fourth slice!"

So, when my boyfriend went into the shower, I made to throw it away and then took a big bite of it. ...then I felt disgusting. I felt utterly and ridiculously disgusting. And I thought, Why do you feel you have to do this? This isn't normal.

I spit it out.

There are some things that are getting out of hand. That is why the 1 pound a week is an important accomplishment, and though small, not insignificant. I need to meet this goal before I can move on to the next.

Any words of advice?

Workout - Sunday 9/21

My new goal is to start picking up some mileage on the treadmill. When I started a few days ago, it hurt (cramping and heartburn) to finish a mile at 15 minutes. I know, pathetic.

Today, 1 mile in 11 minutes. Yay!

Anyway, this was today's workout:

ELLIPTICAL TRAINER:

5 minutes - warm-up. I walked to the gym from my apartment.

6 minutes - at resistance level 6. (if you also have incline, raise the incline to match)

2 minutes - increase the resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

2 minutes - decrease the resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

6 minutes - pedal backward at resistance level 6.

TREADMILL:

11 minutes - run a mile. I changed my speed a few times, but on average I stayed on 5.5 or 6.

5 minutes - cool down.

Stretch!

Workout - Day 3

ELLIPTICAL TRAINER

*I got on the treadmill, and when it didn't work, took it as a sign. Then realized that was just an excuse to avoid the Inevitable Cramp-Giving Treadmill. But when I got the platform rolling, and it began to squeak like a rusty wheel, I really did take it as a sign. Back to the Elliptical I went. Distress finds comfort in familiarity.

5 minutes - Warm Up

6 minutes - Increase speed, increase resistance to 6 (or whatever feels like medium to you)

2 minutes - Increase speed, increase resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

2 minutes - Maintain speed, decrease resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

6 minutes - Increase speed, pedal backwards.

5 minutes - Decrease speed, increase resistance to 6 (or whatever feels like medium to you)

2 minutes - Increase speed, increase resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

2 minutes - Maintain speed, decrease resistance by 2 every 30 seconds.

5 minutes - Increase speed. Sprint.

5 minutes - Cool down.

*This burned 375 calories for me, and I had a pretty good sweat. If you're not sweating, obviously increase the resistance and/or speed, or even the time limit for each segment of the exercise. If it's too hard, go slower with less resistance for now; you'll get there.

Workout - Day 2

ELLIPTICAL TRAINER

5 minutes - warm up

5 minutes - fast walk

5 minutes - increase speed, increase resistance to 5

5 minutes - increase speed, increase resistance to 10

5 minutes - decrease resistance to 5, maintain speed

5 minutes - decrease resistance to 0, increase speed

5 minutes - cool down

This sort of tests your endurance because it forces you to maintain your speed and a high resistance, which gets really tiring after the first minute or two. Just crank up that fast music, and go for it though!

Workout - Day 1

ELLIPTICAL WORKOUT - 30 MINUTES

5 Minutes - Warm up at a brisk walk

2 Minutes - Increase resistance to 3 and speed to a fast walk.

2 Minutes - Increase resistance by 2 every 15 seconds.

2 Minutes - Decrease resistance by 2 every 15 seconds.

3 Minutes - Sprint.

2 Minutes - Decrease speed to a fast walk.

2 Minutes - Increase resistance by 2 every 15 seconds.

2 Minutes - Decrease resistance by 2 every 15 seconds.

3 Minute - Increase resistance to 10 and sprint.

2 Minutes - Decrease resistance to 0 and speed to a fast walk.

5 Minutes - Cool down.

Lunch - Day 1

1/2 cup chicken salad

green tea

Sugar free banana/chocolate jell-o pudding - 60 calories

Mid-Afternoon Snack - Day 1

1/2 cup reduced fat cottage cheese - 90 calories

glass of green tea

TOTAL: 90 calories

Breakfast - Day 1

1 egg - 70 calories

1 tablespoon reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded - 10 calories

1 tablespoon salsa - 0 calories

1 cup 1% milk - 100 calories

TOTAL: 180 calories

*Different from last time -- I've decreased the amount of cheese. One slice of cheese is too much, and unnecessary for one egg. It's overkill. One tablespoon of shredded cheese was PLENTY. I'd use nonfat milk, but my boyfriend did the grocery shopping this time and he hates it. I'd use Egg Beaters, but didn't have them in the fridge.

What the hell does Vivianno even mean?

I'm assuming it's some sort of flourishing version of "life". Which, compared to the other heavy coffees and sugar, caloric, syruppy goodness at Starbucks, it's sorta spot on.

But let's examine what Starbucks considers a life-giving force:

Calories: 270

Pretty bad when you consider a Grande Mocha Light Frappuccino has half that! What kind of freaking life force is this? I don't trust a life force that wants to make me fat under the guise of being a health nut.

Saturated Fat: 2.5g out of 5g Total Fat

Ok. That's half! Half is bad! ESPECIALLY bad when you consider that a Grande Mocha Light Frappuccino has 0g of Saturated Fat and only 1g of Total Fat! What a sham!

Ok, but surely it has more protein, less cholesterol and sugars, and more fiber and vitamins, yes?

Carbohydrates: 44g

Let's just halve that, shall we, for the Mocha Light. All that sugary yummoness in a Mocha Light Frapp and still less carbs? Get outta town!

Protein: 21g

Ah, there's the rub. With that protein powder add, the Vivianno has an edge over Mocha Light's meager 6g of Protein. But it's in the running with its 6g Fiber content, the Mocha Light having just 2g less.

And while the Vitamin A & C, the Calcium and the Iron contents are all more in the Vivianno, let's be honest -- we're not REALLY having the Vivianno because we need vitamins. We're having it because it's got chocolate and bananas in it and it says Vivianno with nice pastel colors and claims to be healthy while also delicious. We're probably more likely to get our Vitamins elsewhere throughout the day.

So why get a Vivianno? Who the hell knows. If you're going for chocolate anyway, go for a Mocha Light Frapp. The girl next in line may be a bit smug after you order your frapp and she orders a Vivianno, thinking herself healthfully superior. But try and keep from shouting at her -- you are right, and she is wrong. Now go enjoy your lower-cal, lower-fat, lower-cab drink with lower-guilt.

The Ultimate Burger Recipe

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. lean beef

1 head iceberg lettuce (or whichever you prefer)

1 large tomato

light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)

dill pickles

4 slices reduced-fat cheese (I like American)

Whole wheat buns

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

Put the beef in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste (usually about a teaspoon each) and the minced garlic. Use your hands --get gritty-- and mix this altogether. (Don't overhandle the beef; the less you handle, the more moist and tender the meat will be.)

Flatten the beef in the bowl and use your hand to make a cross in the meat, dividing it into 4 equal sections.

Take each section and roll into a ball, then flatten into a patty. A good technique is to press out from the middle gently with your thumbs.

If not using a grill --which I don't because i'm poor and don't have any outdoors-- poor the olive oil in a flat pan over medium-high heat and cook each patty. Depending on your taste, 1-2 minutes per side.

When you're on the second side, layer 1 slice of cheese atop each patty to melt.

Serve with all the fixins you want! The more veggies the better.

Make Brownies Low-Fat

Don't abandon brownies just because you're on a diet.

The best part about the diet I advocate is that it's about eating healthy, but not denying yourself. If you really want chocolate --like when I'm on my period, my chocolate radar turns on instantly-- then have some, just be diplomatic about portions and the amount of times you're shoving it in your mouth.

Here are some sure-fire ways to make delectable brownies less fatty:

1. Use wheat flour - wheat is great for you; not only do people who eat wheat tend to be thinner, but they are also heart-healthy. It's good at breaking up free radicals in the blood, keeping cholesterol and blood pressure at a healthy level.

2. Replace butter/oil with applesauce - one for one should do, but you may need to test the quantity exchange per recipe. Applesauce is a good substitute because it does the job of the fats (i.e. keeps everything from sticking together and keeps things moist) but without the, well, FAT! Best part is, your chocolate brownie won't even taste appley!

3. Replace butter with margarine - if you're not comfortable with using applesauce, at least use margarine. It's lower in fat and calories.

4. Use cocoa powder - use chocolate chips, that's fine. It creates a wonderful rich flavor to your brownies. But try and replace some of those highly-caloric chips with some cocoa powder, which is low in cals.

5. Replace eggs with egg beaters - egg beaters are a wonderful invention, better than sliced bread, I say. 1/4 cup egg beaters is equal to 2 eggs. But while 2 eggs have 140 calories, 1/4 cup egg beaters is only 60 calories! Genius.

6. Replace sugar with Splenda - some may be a bit hesitant to use fake sugar. I'm with you, I get it. I heard that Splenda was invented when two scientists were trying to create bug repellant and accidentally added the solution to his coffee. Sounds like a myth to me, but I'm still wary when I see the texture of Splenda sugar. STILL - Splenda is low carb and low cal. Use the sugar and the brown sugar versions when baking. (If you're too scared, stick with regular sugar; just be sure not to eat much sugar the rest of the day as too much of a good thing isn't good -- though that sounds like a myth too.)

Try my favorite recipe keeping the following tips in mind (this is the one I make for boyfriend, so it's a proven wonder):

INGREDIENTS:

12 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter (try Smart Balance. It’s all natural, so it’s not great to eat on a sandwich or out of the jar, but it’s good in baking because it gets the flavor right and because there’s so much sugar in the other ingredients, you don’t notice it’s all natural)
4 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle.

Spray olive oil cooking spray (or butter) on a 13×9" baking dish. Sprinkle flour over the baking dish (this makes it extra nonsticky and gives it a cakey feel).

Melt margarine, peanut butter and chocolate in a heavy 3qt saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.

Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk in brown sugar and vanilla.

Whisk in eggs one at a time.

Whisk together flour and salt then whisk this into the chocolate mixture.

Spread all of this into the pan. Bake 30 minutes or until pick inserted comes out with crumbs. Cool completely before eating.

Breakfast on the SBD

Eggs, eggs, and more eggs.

If you don't like eggs, you're not going to have a problem on the SBD, it's just going to make breakfast less interesting for you than for the rest of us.

Consider this:<