Hi Cynthia!

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying my recipes! I've just added some more here.

If it's not overcooked, spaghetti squash is very mild. It doesn't have a strong squash-like flavor. I would guess you'd like it.

Let me know if you try it!

Sue, I just shopped and picked up the Navitas Cacao nibs and tried them in a smoothie!! Really good! (It's pretty much your smoothie recipe, with the cherr, banana,etc.) mmmmm....the nibs are like chocolate chips in chocolate chip ice cream....

Hi!

Thanks for the tip! Yes, I’ve heard of nibs referred to as nature's chocolate chip. Be careful with those. As I remember, they have a lot more fat than the chocolate powder. I think they make nibs rolled in sugar, too.


BTW, I looked for 365 turkey bacon at WF today, couldn't find it, asked the meat guy, and he thinks they don't make it anymore. I'll have to look for it on the WF web site.

Another tip for everyone reading here, look close at the package when you buy Navitas Naturals cacao products. The powder, nibs, and other cacao products all have the words Cacao Power on the front of the label in large lettering (Power looks a lot like Powder when you see it on the label!). It's easy to accidentally pick up the nibs and think you've picked up the powder.

hmm, yes. The nibs were the only option at my WF that day,- I looked for the powder- but I didn't note that the fat was pretty high with the nibs.....Oh my. Well, the amount I use (slightly less than a quarter cup-yes, delicious!) has about 9 grms, that being 3 times the fat needed for that meal, but ....oh well, i'll just have to wait till I've used it up.....(no I can just use less!)

oh yeah...I guess just about a T. of the nibs would probably be great for the fat content of your smoothie, folks! the carbs are offset by fiber, so there ya go!

This omelet was inspired by recipes in Zone books. It's a favorite at our house! You can see photos of it in the album in my signature below.

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INSIDE OUT OMELET

(2 3-block meals)


Sauté 1 block of chopped sweet onion with 1 block of chopped fresh tomato in a generous two teaspoons of light olive oil (refined not extra virgin) until soft.

Add 8 beaten egg whites to pan.

When almost cooked through sprinkle with 1 block of previously cooked and chopped turkey bacon and one or two blocks of shredded low fat mozzarella cheese, fresh snipped chives and S&P.

Fold in half and heat through until cheese begins to melt.

Cut in half to yield two servings.

Serve immediately with fruit and/or hummus to provide the rest of the carb in the meal.


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The salad in this meal was inspired by a recipe I saw in a cooking magazine. It's delicious!

This is pictured in the photo album in my signature below.



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RANCH FLAVORED CHICKEN WITH CUCUMBER AND PEPPERONCINI SALAD

Chicken: spread frozen chicken tenders with a mixture of Simply Organic ranch dip mix that has been stirred into plain yogurt; bake covered in 375 oven just until pink color is gone.



Salad: Toss chopped English cucumber, diced pepperoncini, crumbled low fat feta cheese with a dressing of almond oil, pepperoncini liquid (from the jar), and S&P.



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This is quick and esay, and is also included in the photo album in my signature.



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THAI TOFU WITH MANGO SALSA



Ingredients:


Firm or extra firm tofu, cut into slabs
Thai seasoning spice blend
Light olive oil suitable for cooking (refined, not extra virgin)
A purchased freshly made mango salsa
Black beans
Fresh mixed baby salad greens



Directions


1. Sprinkle slabs of tofu with a Thai seasoning spice blend and then brown in oil in a non-stick pan on the stove top.

2. Serve on a bed of baby greens, topped with a purchased freshly made mango salsa (the one pictured is from Whole Foods Market), and some black beans.


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hey sue, i just had a quick question, when you say OG, what does that mean? Cant wait to try this recipe!

Kelly, OG is and abbreviation for organic.

Enjoy!

Here’s one of my several chocolate tofu recipes. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Tofu Dessert

Chocolate tofu Ingredients:
1 tub extra firm tofu
4 generous Tablespoons (or more if you like) raw chocolate powder (Navitas Naturals is excellent), or cocoa powder
2 teaspoons almond oil or light tasting olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons fructose
1 teaspoon of alcohol free glycerin based almond flavoring

Toppings:
Fresh or frozen (thawed) fruit
Dark sweet cherries are my favorite on this. Blackberries are also good.

Directions:

In a food processor or blender process the chocolate tofu ingredients with a little water (not too much or it will be runny; it’s better on the thicker side). Process until is a smooth consistency. Then process longer and the texture will become silky smooth. Top with the fruit.

The chocolate tofu makes 5 dessert sized servings, about 1P, 1F each (contains negligible C). Top with an appropriate amount of fruit to provide for your carb balance.


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Sue,

I just made your Brownie Batter Smoothie and it is fantastic! I didn't have any frozen cherries so I substituted frozen strawberries. It is so decadent! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. This just made my night.

Decadent, I agree! (that's whey I like it!) I'm eating one right now! Thanks for letting me know how much you like it. :-)

oh! ok thanks!

Hi Sue,

I just tried your Brownie Batter Smoothie recipe for breakfast this morning and just had to post how GOOD it is!!! I have been in the Zone for 6 weeks and check these forums often for guidance and inspiration and have printed out many recipes....but this one was SOOO good that I was inspired to make my first post. Thank you so much for all the recipes and ideas you provide....

Jana

PS....the Smoothie was sooo chocolatey good that I actually felt guilty and had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't cheating! I think I'll use your suggestion of making another batch and freezing it in thirds for snacks...it will be perfect when chocolate cravings hit.....I think it will taste just like chocolate fudge ice cream!

Wow, I feel honored to have inspired your first post!

Glad you liked it jana! I love it! For a change, try making it with 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. The sesame oil gives it a nutty flavor.

Mmmm...I'll try that today. I'm on 3 block meals so I adjusted the recipe to increase the carb to 3 by using 1/3 banana and 16 cherries and decreased the oil from 1 Tbsp to 1 tsp, so today I will just replace the olive oil with sesame. Thanks for the suggestion.

Sue, I wondered if you would mind posting the nutrition info on the West Soy Unsweetened Chocolate Soy milk? I live in Ontario Canada and have been unable to find it....or any unsweetened chocolate soy milk for that matter. I did find plain unsweetened soy but was hoping to find a chocolate that may be close to what you are using if I could compare labels. I did find an unsweetened chocolate 1% cow's milk...that may get me closer to the Zone than the sweetened choc soy that I am using now. I think it may be easiest for me to figure out if I had the West Soy stats and I could compare to the various labels at the store.

Also, while I have your ear....there are many kinds of plain yogurt out there that have varying levels of protein. Should I be aiming for the highest protein content that I can find or should I be aiming for the closest to the 7 grams of protein and 9 grams of carb combo (1P,1C block per 1/2 cup)? This is a question I've had in my mind for awhile...now that I'm posting I thought I might as well ask!!

thanks so much for your help

BTW, your grandson is adorable!

Oh I cant wait to try something anything...LOLmy day has been aweful i have the 5 kids cauing havic and i started my day sick my meals where planned, so i am sticking with lunch and dinner plans, looking for a snack at nap time sue! haha how i love nap time <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'>

Sue..
You have alot of awesome meals i cant waite to try. However you only had a few snacks. unfortunatly i have to go to the grociery store to purchase some stuff. so i guess i will have to do yogurt ans nuts today<img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/wink.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Wink' align='absmiddle'>

Janet, for your plain yogurt, just aim for one that has a protein/carb ratio of 0.6-1.0.

Many yogurts are 11g protein and 17g carb per 1 cup serving, this is a ratio of 0.65 (11/17), so it is within the Zone ratio.

I have also seen 11g protein and 19g carb per 1 cup serving, this is a ratio of 0.57 (11/19), which is a bit outside (too carb heavy).

Another one I have seen is 15g protein and 19g carb, this ratio is 0.79 (15/19), nearly perfect.

Finally, 12g protein and 18g carb is a ratio of 0.67 (12/18), which is good.

So, just take the grams of protein and divide by the grams of carb to get the ratio.

Sue -
Your Bok Choy reciepe? Looks awesome, I was going to make it friday for dinner. But there is no directions just ingredients. Would you share the directions with me please??? <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'> I love asian food. Oh also Stuffed abbage soup.
I havnt been a zoner long enough to adapt reciepes yet. lol

where is the reciepe for brownie batter smoothie?

Julie,
I have a recipe collection on another thread. Look under the Cooking Tips tab, and scroll down a bit.

Here is a link, if that is helpful!
http://www.zonediet.com/Community/F...fault.aspx

Thanks Julie!


For the bok choi, take a large head of it, cut bite sized (sometimes I also add thin sliced oninon it, or shredded carrots, or both), saute it over medium heat in the oil (use the amount of oil you want for your fat balance) until it's translucent, and add the rest of the ingredients during the last minute of cooking to flavor it. I don't measure it all so I'm not able to give precise amounts.


The smoothie is on the first page of this thread, near the top of the page.


Enjoy!

Thanks Jana! I'm going to be spending the next few weeks with him. :-)

Here's the info for the soy milk I use, including nutrition labeling. Click on the flavor you want in order to view the nutrition label. Note that this soy milk contains only 1 gram of insulin stimulating carb per cup of milk, so the carbs do not need to be considered in your meal count. In my smoothie recipe here any variety is fine or you can substitute another milk, or even water. So little is used in that recipe that there's no need to count it. The address:

http://www.westsoy.biz/products/unsweetened.php



Most plain yogurts will be acceptable for the Zone. If you wish to be more precise, the best ones to use would be those that have a P/C ratio of around .75 (divide the P grams by the C grams. Use an amount per block that will give you about 7 P grams (usually a generously sized 1/2 cup). I your yogurt doesn’t have a ratio of P/C that you’re comfortable with you can add P or C to it (add a little protein powder for P, add some fruit for C, etc.). Greek yogurts are usually higher in protein, and the volume that yields 7 grams of protein (1 P block) will be smaller that with regular yogurt.