Suzanne, I had the same questions regarding the recipes in Sue's photos. Below is what I posted and then her response.


"Sue, I went through your pictures. You look FANTASTIC! And what a beautiful family ... I'd be proud, too!

I have to say I'm glad I wasn't hungry. YUM! YUM! If I didn't live in Texas, I'd be knocking at your door! A few questions:

1. Cabbage soup. Is this in the recipe section under popular links? If yes, is it the eclectic cabbage soup recipe? If not, may I have the recipe please?

2. For the chicken stir fry wraps, do you just stir fry veggies with chicken and add soy sauce?

3. I've never had tofu before, but it looks delicious. What seasonings do you use? What type and brand name do you like?

4. Kale sausage soup. Is that the kale & bean soup with turkey sausage recipe in the recipe section? If not, may I have the recipe please?"

Sue's response:

"I don't usually stick exactly to recipes. Some of the meals you see in my photo album were loosely based on recipes, from Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, Zone books etc. Others I just came up with on the spur of the moment, depending what was on hand in the fridge.

About your questions:

1. It was adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe. I don’t remember all of the ingredients. My best guess: ground turkey, chopped onion, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, canned diced tomatoes, steel cut oats, bay leaf, paprika, allspice, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil and water.

2. This was taken from a Martha Stewart recipe. Yes, any Zone balanced stir fry would do. For chicken stir fry wraps I usually season the stir-fry with sesame oil tamari and vinegar with a pinch or two of fructose.

3. I use tofu (usually firm tofu, the cheapest OG non-GMO brand I can find; Usually Whole Food brand at about $1.50 a tub) for all kinds of things from breakfast to dinner to dessert, savory to sweet. The slab of tofu in my signature was probably seasoned with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

4. That kale and sausage soup was thrown together from leftovers.

Sorry I'm not of more help with those recipes. As you can see, I kind of do my own thing being sure to keep it Zone balanced. I begin by jotting down the amount of protein I start with (usually enough for 4 or 5 three block meals; 12 to 15 blocks) and then keep track of the approximate amount of C and F as I add it, so the blocks balance. When it's all cooked I usually dish out the appropriate number of 3 block meals so there's no guessing involved."

Suzanne, I hope this helps. Perhaps Sue can help further on the dishes I didn't ask the recipe for.

Happy Zoning!
Karen

Thanks Karen...

They looked so good I thought that maybe I could get a couple yummy recipes...The stir fry lettuce wrap is what got me!

Thanks
Suzanne

Oh, Suzanne, I know exactly what you mean! YUM! I've had them a couple of times ... I've used both butter lettuce and tender cabbage leaves. I liked it both ways.

Happy Zoning!
Karen

Hi Suzanne!


I don't have any recipes there, just photos. I don't use many recipes, just cook what comes to mind with the ingredients I have on hand at the time. :-)

Hi Karen!

Thanks for posting the info from my previous response!

You're welcome, Sue! I was hoping I wasn't stepping on your toes, but I had bookmarked your response to me so I thought I'd share it. I found your information helpful!

Happy Zoning!
Karen

I have been using theiPhone application LeanMe for a month now. it is a little more expensive than the others (I tried out several before I found this one) but all I can say is WOW! It makes keeping track of what you eat a breeze. It allows you to custom enter food and keeps track of the percentages.

You can actually build meals they call them "cards" with it to keep as a reference and all the calculations are done for you. Then you just add that card to your day.

It also has a very nice progress log where you track your weight, BMI and measurements. A+++

http://www.leanme.net/leanme/Overview.aspx

I go ahead and subtract the fiber from the carbs when I enter a food so the percentages are pretty close.

I have found that logging what I eat and my exercise is crucial and this makes it so easy I had to share.

Also, I have found that using a digital scale helps in the kitchen to learn what a "portion" really is.

Laurel, I think I remember someone else posting a tip similar to yours. Was that you a few weeks ago?

Thanks! I don't have an iPhone, but if I did, I would most certainly utilize this application. Thanks for sharing that!

Yes, I posted when I had just gotten it and then again after a few weeks of use. I think it also works with the iPod Touch...

I love stir frying a big handful of spinach and break open 3 egg whites on it with a few pieces of any low fat meat or other vegetables, let it cook and turn it. Delicious and with a half a grapefruit I am in the zone for a lovely morning. And supper a package of extra firm cubed tofu stir fried in soy sauce and just add the vegetables of my choice (or yours)puts me square in the zone. The zone is fun, exciting, and so very healthy....every meal is a wonderful challenge.... been at it several years now Iris Crockett<img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'>

Sounds delicious Iris! Thanks for the tip!

Sounds delicious! I have done this with other veggies, basically take a bag of frozen mixed veggies, stirfry until cooked through, and then break open the eggs as you described, along with some meat and maybe some cheese.

I have a question...how do you really know you are in the zone...I have been eating my blocks everyday...and I have not lost a pound.

Has this happened to anyone else?

In the Zone, you will experience a feeling of energy, good levels of alertness, mental focus. You will not be hungry for 4-6 hours after a meal, and you should not feel any cravings. That is basically how you will know.

Fat loss is secondary; that is, it is one of the results of being in the Zone. But, you may lose bodyfat and not lose scale weight, if you have actually gained lean body mass.

mmm, Iris, and CC, sounds like an easy brkfst.....

I have my small tip since we eat a lot of veggies and fruits and they have pesticides (its not possible to buy always organic). When I bring them from supermarket I put them in a big bowl,cover with water and let it stay for appr.30min,than I dry them and they are ready to use.Also I do the same with greens, berries but right before using them.I think its even make taste better.Sorry for my English.

Ive really enjoyed reading this thread. Ive been an "on again off again" zoner.....but am really serious about making it a lifestyle now. I was really interested in the Excel worksheet that Bridget talked about. She said,

The Excel spreadsheet format works for me. I created 3 Menu Plans (Plan A, Plan B and Plan C) for my meals and snacks that I rotate every two weeks. I have a total of 6 weeks to progress through Plan A, B, and C before I begin the cycle again with A. I go to the store just every two weeks, so I created a grocery list for Plan A, B and C with the items and amounts to last 14 days. Before I go to the store, I take an inventory of my "left-over" food items (canned, frozen) and then use my Excel grocery list to figure how much more of the left over food items I need. If I don't need the left overs, I save them until they appear again in the next cycle.

I wonder if I could get a copy of the format she used. It sounds really helpful and I like the idea of going to the store every 14 days.

Keep the tips coming!!!
Barbara

Hello... I have just started the Zone... I saw a show where some guy in Mexico who weighed almost a half a ton was put on the Zone and lost weight even though he was bed fast.. so I work in an office and live a fairly sedentary life.. I am 61 years old so a lot of the gymnastic exercises are beyond me... I have found that YOGA works quite weill, it mostly tones the muscles and you only have to do what is comforable. Also I have created a listing of the foods that I cook with the nutruition value on the inside of my pantry door. So when I start putting things together, all of the numbers are there,,, I just have to add up and divide by the number of servings it makes and puts them in the freezer for quick.. "GRAB AND GO" meals. Since I have had one stent put in and take cholesterol lowering medication, I am looking for protein alternatives to the cheese and eggs for snacks... I have found that protein powder in my oatmeal waffles to help balance out the Zone. I stay away from Aspertame, using Stevia instead.

I know I'm posted as a newbie. That's just because I have never posted before. In reality...

I have been doing the zone for 6 years and I hate cooking so I purchase all my lean meat for the week and grill it all at the same time. Then I put it in the fridge.

Example meal: Then for lunch I toast a piece of organic Eziekle bread,2oz of chicken cold, 1 slice of fat free cheese, a little lite mayo,some almonds, steamed veggies or strawberries and no fuss! Dinner microwave some of the pre cooked meat,olive oil for fat, or nuts, add veggies and a glass of wine, done!

For other meals I use meal replacement shakes or protein/zone bars. And 1 day a week. I designate that to be pig out day! I go off the zone and eat anything I wanted to have during the week that I craved. It satisfies the need to have what you want and it helps you remain disciplined the other 6 days of the week.

I have been eating 6 meals a day with one pig out day for over 20 years now and it really helps you stay on your program.

Joanne and Bobbi.....thanks!
bobbi, your approach to cooking makes it sound awfully easy...I like it!

I am new to this forum. My friends told me about this then I saw it. This forum is dedicated to who wants Healthy but delicious-recipes. I think this forum is useful to every one. I think Health is Important to do any thing to every one. If we have unhealthy we can't do any thing and we should maintain proper food to our body and we maintain balance our brain. I think this site will be the better one when compare to other. I fully recommended to all people.
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Thanks, Leo ! We agree!

If you buy a salad at the deli, ask to see the ingredients. They have the containers right back there and I did that today and was shocked. My 3 bean salad's first ingredient was corn syrup. <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/sad.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Sad' align='absmiddle'>

A great kitchen tool to use instead of a blender is hand-held immersion blender. I have a food processor and a blender too, but I've been making my Zone smoothies with a hand-held blender for years. I find they give you a lot more control over the finished product, and clean-up is fast and easy. I've had a few different ones, and have found that the Kitchen Aid is the best by far (heavy duty, metal stalk and blade so it's more durable, multi speeds and relatively inexpensive at Target). I especially like that it gives me a lot more control over the texture. I find you can have a thick silky smooth finished product and at the same time leave some bits/chunks of fruit in it if you like, all depending on how you manipulate the hand blender in the blending cup (leaving some pieces of fruit is better than totally liquefying when it comes to staying in the Zone with homemade smoothies and shakes, re insulin control).

test, sorry