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STEAMED VEGGIES



1. Wash and cut your favorite veggies into the desired bite sized pieces. A tip, cut those varieties that take longer to cook into smaller thinner pieces, those that cook faster into larger chunks. Then you don't end up with hard under cooked carrots together with mushy over cooked squash.

2. Place the cut veggies into a steamer basket n a pot containing about 1 inch of water. When it comes to a boil cover the pot, turn heat down to low and cook just until veggies are tender but still firm.

3. Serve immediately with a drizzle of evoo if desired.


Some of my favorite veggies and veggie combinations:

Yellow squash

Yellow squash and zucchini squash

Yellow squash, zucchini squash and carrots

Yellow squash, zucchini squash, broccoli and carrots

Green beans

Red, orange and green peppers

Peppers and broccoli

Broccoli and carrots

Asparagus

Asparagus tips, yellow squash, zucchini squash, red onion, and a variety of colorful peppers (red, orange and yellow)



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Today's meals and snacks (13 blocks)...


Breakfast:

Brownie Batter Smoothie (recipe posted earlier in this thread)



Snack:

1/2 Zone bar



Snack:

The other 1/2 of the Zone bar



Lunch:

Turkey chili topped with a spoonful of yogurt and some guacamole; a few black berries



Snack:

Hummus deviled eggs (egg whites filled with hummus, yolks discarded)


Dinner:

Minestrone soup (recipe posted earlier in this thread), fat free mozzarella flavor soy cheese, raw almonds, a few blackberries



Bedtime Snack will be:

Plain fat free yogurt mixed with almond flavor and Macadamia nut butter

This recipe was inspired by a salad I saw at Whole Foods. It the flavor is truly amazing when made with organic Brussels sprouts, fresh lemon, thyme and chives and finely grated raw milk Parmagiano - Reggiano cheese.



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Brussels Sprouts Slaw


Ingredients:


slaw:

Fresh brussel sprouts, cut into a thin sliced shred

Slivered Almonds

Thyme leaves

Chives, snipped

Sea salt and ground black pepper

Finely grated Parmesan cheese



dressing:

Lemon juice

Almond oil




Directions:


1. Toss slaw ingredients together.

2. In another bowl, whisk dressing ingredients with a fork until well blended.

3. Pour dressing over the slaw and toss lightly.

It's great to prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Yesterday's meals and snacks (13 blocks):



Breakfast:

Steel cut oats and Zone protein powder topped with a splash of soy milk

blackberries

raw almonds



Snack:

1 Dr. Sears Zone bar



Lunch:

Chicken breast and roasted Brussels sprouts (both seasoned with Thai seasoning**), topped with fat free mozzarella flavored soy cheese and drizzled with fresh squeezed lemon juice

bowl of minestrone soup (recipe posted earlier in this thread)

a couple slices of home made pickled organic golden beets (my daughter's recipe)

raw almonds

a few blackberries



Snack:

Hummus deviled eggs (egg whites filled with roasted red pepper hummus, yolks discarded)


Dinner:

Cold leftover Thai - seasoned chicken

Minestrone soup (recipe posted earlier in this thread)

Burssels sprouts slaw (recipe posted earlier in this thread)



Bedtime Snack:

Plain fat free yogurt mixed with almond flavor and Macadamia nut butter



** "oganic tai chi" by elements of spice (www.elements-of-spice.com). It contains sea salt, garlic, sugar, paprika, onion, pepper, chili, basil, ginger, lemon grass, coriander leaves and lime zest, and comes in a bottle with a spice grinder cap. Whole Foods sells this brand.

I'm enjoying reading through all your recipes and tips, Sue. Thank you.

When you steam a group of veggies together,(or make a salad or soup, etc.) do you measure each of them or if they're all in the favorable group can you just throw them together and know that the overall measurement will make up the number of blocks you need? I've cooked for a lot of years and the thought of measuring vegetables every time I cook makes me grooaaan. I do measure/weigh the protein and fats, esp. until I get used to Zone portions.

What's the simplest way to Zone-ify recipes I've been using, like chicken-vegetable soup, for instance? It doesn't have any unfavorable ingredients, but how do I know what volume I can eat and stay within my 3-3-3 limit? Thanks for your help!

You're welcome Lolly!

No, I don't measure veggies when I steam them. I know how much I want to take by sight. For instance I know that a certain squash is 1/2 block, a pepper is 1/2 block, etc. I loosely think in blocks in my mind as I cut up veggies sometimes, but it's not a deliberate effort. It just comes naturally at this point.

For changing favorite recipes, I begin by choosing the amount of protein I'm going to use, to correspond to the number of servings I'd like. Let's say it's your soup and you'd like 4 3-block meals. Then you'd use 12 blocks of chicken. Next count the amount of C blocks in the recipe. If it include 4 C blocks for example (1 C block per each 3 block bowl), you can either add more carb to the soup, or you can eat 2 C blocks on the side with each bowl of soup, such as fresh cut veggie sticks with hummus dip, or fruit for dessert. For the fat, since you have 12 blocks chicken, you'd simply use 12 blocks of a Zone favorable fat in place of the fat in the recipe. At first it might also be good to label leftovers as to block amounts. Once you've been doing it a while, this won't be needed. You'll know by sight.

Thanks; that makes sense. Labeling leftovers by block amounts is a great idea too.

Here’s another quick and chocolaty favorite shake I made up. I had it for breakfast today. :-)



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VANILLA-CACAO ZONE SHAKE


Shake together 1 Zone Vanilla Shake mix packet, 1 heaping tablespoon Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder (raw chocolate powder) and 1 cup of Westsoy Unsweetened Chocolate Soy Milk.

It's so thick it's more like pudding than a shake!


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What I've eaten so far today:

Breakfast:

a Vanilla Dr. Sears Zone Shake packet mixed with a heaping T raw cacao powder and 1 cup west soy unsweetened soy milk; a few organic non-irradiated (woo hoo!) raw Sicilian almonds

Snack: 1/2 of a Dr. Sears Zone bar (Sweet and Salty Nut Crunch flavor, love these!)

Lunch: spaghetti squash topped with spaghetti sauce and ground lean turkey, drizzled with Dr. Sears Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Snack: plain yogurt mixed with some Dr. Sears Zone Protein Powder, Dr. Sears Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and vanilla flavoring, then topped with a spoonful of mixed berries

Dinner will be ginger lemon salmon, a collards and portobello mushroom side dish that includes olive oil, and thawed frozen peach slices for dessert. Also, I'll have another snack before bed.

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SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH MEAT SAUCE, OR WITH LEMON CHICKEN TENDERLOINS

I use spaghetti squash a lot, as a pasta substitute. To cook one, cut it in half, remove seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake in a 375 oven for about 35 min, or until the shell gives slightly when you put pressure on it. Cooking time depends on the size of the squash. Take care not to overcook it, or it’ll become a bit mushy, and too much like squash. I'll cook one and remove the strands, keeping them in a bowl in the fridge. That way we have pasta ready to use for the next few days. I just did this again this past weekend. The first day I browned ground turkey, stirred it into our favorite spaghetti sauce and topped the squash with it. The next day I quickly stirred eth cooked squash in a skillet on the stove on the stove top with a little olive oil that I had quickly sautéed fresh minced garlic in, and some fresh basil, just long enough to heat the squash. Then I seasoned it with salt, pepper and a little grated Parmigiano-Regiano cheese. I served it with lemon chicken tenderloins (tenderloins seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with thinly sliced lemon and capers , then baked in lemon juice; drizzle with a little Zone Olive Oil after they're cooked).


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Here's what I've been eating today (a 13 block day)...



Breakfast: Same as the one in my post from yesterday ( a vanilla Dr. Sears Zone shake mixed with raw cacao powder and unsweetened chocolate soy milk)


Snack: The other half of the Zone bar from yesterday’s snack


Lunch: (from Whole Foods) Cajun grilled shrimp, one very large balsamic grilled artichoke heart, black bean salad, wild organic blueberries (thawed frozen berries), raw Sicilian almonds


Snack: Cajun grilled shrimp, roasted red pepper flavored hummus , a few fresh strawberries, a few more of those almonds


Dinner: Thai seasoned cod and veggies, and a bowl of sliced fresh strawberries for dessert.


Bedtime snack will be ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt mixed with alcohol free vanilla flavoring and a teaspoonful of Macadamia nut butter

Sue,
I love reading your menus and your recipes.
They always give me ideas.
I don't have alot of the brands and stores that you have there.
I live in WV.
I love squash what does the spagetti squash taste like?
If I like squash will I like it?
Thanks,
Cynthia

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THAI SEASONED COD AND VEGGIES


Place a cod fillet and and a 10 oz package of frozen veggies* sprinkled with Thai seasoning in foil, wrap it and bake. Drizzle with a little Zone Olive Oil after baking


*veggies: “Organic Garden Stir Fry” by Columbia River Organics

It contains broccoli, green zucchini, carrots, yellow zucchini, green peppers, and onions.


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YOGURT!


I used to make my own yogurt all the time, in an insulated canister, a quart at a time. Now I buy it to save time, since there are so many good ones to choose from (and because long ago, my kids decided to turn the yogurt making insulator canister into a crayon container!). I buy plain yogurt, usually fat free, and don't sweeten it. I prefer to mix things into it just before eating it, whatever I feel like having at the moment. Here are some of my favorites:


Yogurt, alcohol free vanilla flavor (glycerin based, by Frontier), and crunchy peanut butter

Yogurt, alcohol free almond (glycerin based, by Frontier), and almond butter

Yogurt, alcohol free almond (glycerin based, by Frontier), and Macadamia nut butter (love that one!)

Yogurt, a little fruit (strawberries and peaches are my two favorites), extra virgin olive oil, protein powder (enough to balance the carb in the fruit); almonds on the side

This next one is a tie with the vanilla peanut butter one for my most favorite:

Yogurt, alcohol free vanilla flavor (glycerin based, by Frontier), Zone Olive Oil

I've also added raw cacao powder to all of the above (my favorite brand is Navitas Naturals). Delicious!

Enjoy!


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I want to make the pumpkin muffins however the protein powder I use is soy based & is comprised of 1g=F, 0g=C & 24g P. How can I adjust the recipe without making the muffins to moist or dry?

Hi!

I don't know Kimberly. I don't have a pumkin muffin reciep and I've never tried making one.

This is a great dish for company. I served it on Easter. Cut up the leftovers and toss with a mixture of mayo and plain yogurt for a delicious chicken salad!


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LEMON CHICKEN TENDERS


Ingredients:

Chicken tenders
Salt and pepper
Thinly sliced lemons
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Capers
Extra virgin olive oil


Directions:

1. Season tenders with salt and pepper.

2. Place in a baking dish and pour lemon juice on top.

3. Place lemon slices on the tenders and then sprinkle the capers on top.

4. Bake at 350 (375 if the tenders are frozen) for 20 to 30 minutes just until the pink color is gone from the meat. They’ll be juicier if you cover with foil for the first half of the baking time.

5. Remove from oven, drizzle with the olive oil and serve immediately.

Steamed whole green beans go good with this meal.


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This is a family favorite at our house. It's as good as (we think it's better than) any lettuce wedge salad we've ever had in a restaurant!
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LETTUCE WEDGE SALAD


Ingredients:

A head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 to 6 wedges (number of wedges depends on size of head)
1 packet Simply Organic ranch dip
2 cups plain yogurt
Shredded low fat mild cheddar cheese
Turkey bacon, cooked crisp and chopped/crumbled into small pieces


Directions:

1. At least 30 minutes prior to serving mix the ranch dip mix with the yogurt. If needed at serving time, add little water to achieve the consistency of a very thick creamy salad dressing.

2. Place 1 wedge of plate and top with a generous amount of dressing.

3. Top with the cheese and bacon.


It's delicious!


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Holy cow! What a gold mine! Recipes! Yipee! I'm rich! Thanks Sue!

You're welcome!

Enjoy!

Count this one as a carbohydrate choice (I make a scant 2 blocks at a time).


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CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY FROZEN TREAT

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of frozen organic wild blueberries (they're sweeter than others), zapped in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds; they should be frozen, but a bit softer then straight out of the freezer.

A generous heaping tablespoon of Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder; you can substitute cocoa powder, but it won't be quite as chocolaty tasting.

Frontier alcohol free almond flavoring, to your taste (I just pour some in!)

A spoonful or two of plain yogurt


Directions:

Blend all ingredients together with an immersion blender. Serve immediately!


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Another day of meals (13 blocks; 3 block meals and 1 block snacks)...




Snack: yogurt mixed with macadamia nut butter and alcohol free almond flavoring



Breakfast: egg white omelet filled with soy cheese and hummus, sliced tomato, blueberries, almond oil and raw almonds


Snack: 1/2 Dr. Sears Zone bar


Lunch: Chicken salad (leftover lemon chicken plus canola oil mayo mixed with yogurt), green bean salad (leftover green beans with a dressing of a block of Zone olive oil, some vinegar, salt & pepper), minestrone soup



Snack: hardboiled egg whites filled with hummus (our Easter eggs!)



Dinner: Salmon, steamed mixed veggies with Zone olive oil, strawberries



Bedtime snack: 1/2 Dr. Sears Zone bar

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BOK CHOI



Cut into large bite sized chunks. Saute in light plive oil ,or sesame oil ,or a combination of both. Season as you like. My favorite way to season is as follows. When it's just beginning to turn opaque, stir in about 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger and a very generous pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook only about 1 min more until it's very fragrant. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in 1 to 1 1/2 T each of Braggs Liquid Aminos (or substitute a bit less of a low sodium soy sauce) and apple cider vinegar.


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Collards are inexpensive, very Zone friendly, and delicious!


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COLLARDS



1. Wash the collards, lay the wet leaves on top of each other (no need to cut out stems or veins, unless you prefer to eat the leaves only), roll lengthwise into a long roll, and cut across at 1 inch intervals. Then cut through the 1 inch strips in a few places. Set aside.

2. Thinly slice 1/4 of a large onion and sauté in a large skillet over medium heat with a little light olive oil. When it softens a little, add the wet collards and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring to distribute olive oil and onions, and to wilt down the greens enough so the pan can be covered (the volume of greens diminishes greatly as they wilt).

3. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and a little soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (not too much or it's too salty!). Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer about 45 -50 min, being careful to always keep a little liquid in the pan so it doesn't burn. If you have to add more liquid, use plain water. If you keep adding more broth, it'll end up too salty.

That's all there is to it, very easy!



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STUFFED EGGPLANT

Makes 2 meals of 3P, 2.5C, 4 to 5 F


Directions:


1 eggplant, inside scooped out and chopped, leaving ¼ to ½ inch shell (2C)
1 T olive oil (9F)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion chopped (1C)
6 blocks chicken sausage; for this recipe, remove meat from casing (6 P)
1 cup fennel, chopped (1C)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (1/4C)
Scant ½ cup spaghetti sauce (3/4C)
Soy sauce (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos), salt &pepper, onion powder, basil, and oregano
Small amount of shredded cheese for garnish if desired

While preparing the stuffing, bake the eggplant shells in a baking dish covered with foil at 375 degrees F until they become soft. Do not overcook.

To make the stuffing: In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil. Add sausage. When cooked, add fennel, mushrooms, and chopped eggplant. Continue to sauté until the fennel is tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce and seasonings.

Fill shells and return to oven, uncovered, for 10 - 15 min.

Serve garnished with cheese if desired.



VARIATION:

Eliminate the spaghetti sauce and half (3 blocks) of the sausage; add 3/4 block of chopped apple and 3 blocks of cubed mozzarella. Delicious!



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