The Yogurt and the Muffin
This is a short little tale about my experience with a hotel buffet.
The back story…
My husband was honored recently. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at the venerable Hilton Hotel in Milwaukee.
The place is beautiful. When I was a little girl the hotel was called The Mark Plaza and was one of the two fanciest hotels in the city. Lots of crystal chandeliers and big, open hallways with fancy carpeting and beautiful furniture.
After the big ceremony dinner, I woke up hungry the next day. We were meeting some of my family members for breakfast, so we agreed to eat in the café on the first floor. They had a hot breakfast buffet and a cold one. The cold one was cheaper, of course, and I wasn’t really all that hungry, so I opted for that one.
I fully expected the bagels, the toast, the cereals and all the rest of the sugar. I also expected fresh fruit so I knew I could dig into that. I was hoping for yogurt and there was some.
For breakfast lately, I have not been eating a lot. I usually eat unsweetened, full-fat, lactose-free yogurt that I sweeten with a little vanilla and a few stevia drops. Because lactose is milk sugar I avoid some of the carbs by buying lactose-free and it tastes wonderful, so why not. I did not expect lactose-free yogurt on the buffet. That would have been too much to expect but I was hoping for some full-fat yogurt; sweetened with fruit or not, I knew I could eat a little and be satisfied. It’s the fat in the yogurt that keeps you full and focused until lunch. When I am at home I eat 1/3 – ½ cup of the yogurt and I’m full until about 11:30 AM. I don’t need a full carton of it. I’m satisfied with less.
So I crinkled up my nose when I saw all they had was one of those “lite” yogurt offerings with the fruit added. I took one anyway and just resolved not to eat all of it.
Then I was tempted.
Around the bend from the yogurt was a display of mini-muffins (sort of half-sized). They drew me in. I had not had a muffin over six years, so I thought I’d taste a mini one. They had banana nut and I used to be a banana nut bread fiend, so I took one of those.
I made my way to my seat and sat down to eat my breakfast.
I opened the yogurt first and took a small spoonful and put it in my mouth. I am glad I was sitting at the end of the table because the face I made might have scared the person across from me. I was not expecting the onslaught of gross flavors in my mouth. The artificial flavorings and the artificial sweeteners assailed my taste buds. I almost gagged. I literally had to put my spoon down and stared into the cup like I was looking at a bad science experiment.
So much for that, I thought.
Onto the muffin. I originally thought I’d only eat one bite but now I was ready to eat more. It was a treat, so let’s take advantage of it.
I bit into it fully expecting it to taste like a mini-version of my mother’s old-fashioned banana bread. I could not be MORE WRONG. It too was chockful of artificial sweetener. They must have used sucralose to sweeten it; thinking they’d save me some calories. YUK.
Well, they did save me some calories. I picked at it, but I could not finish even a mini-muffin. It was so bad I decided to just hold on until lunch. Hungry I would be.
I learned my lesson. I know the world is a minefield of artificial sweeteners and artificial flavorings. Over 6600 products in the normal grocery store now contain some amount of aspartame. That stuff is not good for you, and that’s saying it mildly. I knew that already.
I just didn’t realize how when you get that stuff totally cleared out of your system how BAD it tastes when you encounter it again and bite into something expecting it to taste normal and all you get is a blowback that tastes like a combination of lead and sewage. There’s a metal aspect to it and another element that is hard to describe except to stay it tastes spoiled. I’m not even sure there was any real banana in it. It might have been banana flavoring.
So be forewarned. One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is get those artificial sweeteners, the flavorings, and the preservatives out of your system. One of the nasty things you can do is try eating them again.
My body was trying to tell me something. I listened and got it loud and clear.
Cheers,
Egg Muffins
The best low carb breakfast ever.
Egg Muffins
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z3 (ZReboot) and Zola To Go! recipe submitted by Plan Z dieter, Amy.
Servings: Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients:
- 10 – 12 eggs (use 10 if you want less egg in your muffin, 11 or 12 if you want more)
- 6 Tbl whipping cream
- breakfast meat of choice (ready-to-eat ham, cooked sausage, cooked bacon)
- shredded cheese (whatever flavor you like)
- assorted veggies as desired
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk eggs and cream together. In a greased muffin tin put some of the meat in the bottom of each muffin mold filling about 1/3 of the way full, top with egg mixture to about 2/3 full, then add cheese or veggies on top.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. I love switching up ingredients – I’ll do bacon, Swiss, onion, and spinach one time. Ham, cheddar, and broccoli. Sausage, mozzarella, tomatoes, and mushrooms. The possibilities are endless! Perfect for Zola to Go, too.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Peel or No Peel
There is one major, basic rule of thumb I use to decide if I am going to spend a bit extra and buy organic.
The rule is: Am I going to peel it?
If I am going to peel it, I will likely buy conventional. If I am going to be eating the outer coating (or peel) then I am going to spend, on average, about 15% more and go with the organic version. I think it’s worth it.
The item has no peel? Buy organic.
If it has a peel? Buy conventional.
This is even truer if the product I am buying I am going to be eating raw.
For this column, I am focusing on the avoidance of pesticides. If I were to include the topic of GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) then the list would be longer of things I want to buy organic. I just wanted to keep this simple.
This topic really revolves around the produce department, and if you are buying fresh produce, I want to commend you. Gone for me are almost all canned vegetables and most frozen ones, too. I want my produce to be as fresh as possible.
Let’s start our tour of the produce department and look at what we’d want to buy organic.
This is my list. It might not be totally comprehensive because while I write this I am in my office and not the grocery store, but you’ll get the idea and can apply your learning next time you’re at your local grocery. If I listed everything in the produce department this column would be rather long.
Fruits I buy organic:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Tomatoes (yep, tomatoes are technically a fruit)
- Pears
Vegetables I buy organic:
- Celery
- Green onions
- Peppers (hot or mild)
- Cucumbers
- Anything leafy: including:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Greens of any kind
- Swiss chard
- Lettuce (remember the romaine scare we had recently?)
- Cabbage (you can get away with this one not being organic if you completely peel off the first layer)
So think about it. Do you really need to buy an organic orange or clementine if you are going to peel it? How about that banana? And no one is going to eat the outside of a pineapple, so you can get away with non-organic. Kiwi comes to mind. I peel mine. Wash your hands after you peel the item if you are going to eat it with your hands; especially if you eat your oranges right after you peel them.
My husband obsessively washes all of our veggies before I cut them up. Even if I am going to cook them completely, his goal is to get off the pesticides. There are lots of veggie wash spray products on the market.
Some sources say if you use a light salt water solution that will do the trick to clean them and most agree that about 70-80% of the pesticides are removed with cold water washing by hand. My husband just doesn’t trust that this is thorough enough. He wants his veggie wash.
There are a couple of notable exceptions I found as I did some research.
Some find that when asparagus is tested for pesticides it really has very little. For some reason it just doesn’t “stick” or maybe most farmers who grow asparagus see no need for pesticides. Many old-school people also peel asparagus. They want to get the little prickly spines off so they peel it right up to the top.
I don’t wash mushrooms and they are known to be low in pesticide absorption. I learned from a restaurateur that I used to work for in my 20’s that if you wash mushrooms you make them soggy and you wash off some of the nutrients. I just use a brush and get off any residue. I do try to buy them as clean as possible in the first place.
I’ll add one other topic in short form. You might consider paying extra for organic meat and dairy. You’re not peeling your dairy or your meat but you’re eating what they ate. Whatever they were fed or injected with, they ingested, and it became the product you’re now eating. So, if they were fed grains treated with pesticides you might want to think twice. I buy organic meat and dairy when I can.
In the effort to make “progress” and “feed the world” our food and farming systems have made compromises and got away from organic growing methods. They see them as advancements. Some of us disagree.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Grilled Italian Veggies
This is super easy. A great summer entrée that comes together in a flash.
5 Ugly Things I’ve Learned About Gastric Bypass Surgery
Right off the top, I have to admit I have no personal experience with gastric bypass surgery and I am not a medical professional. What you are going to read here are things I’ve learned in talking to people who have had weight loss surgery. They wanted to share with me some of their experiences. You’ll also see a few statistics.
I put my foot down in my own weight loss journey when gastric bypass surgery came into the market decades ago. At this point, there are several types of surgery all aimed at helping people lose weight. I am lumping them all into the category of bariatric surgery.
Over the years I tried every type of diet I thought might give me hope of losing weight and keeping it off. Some helped me get the weight off, but none helped me keep it off. When it came to bariatric surgery I was adamant that I was not going to do it unless the doctors told me death was imminent and I had no other options.
So I’ve never done it. Why?
First off because death is one of the listed side effects. They don’t emphasize that 1 out of every 1000 patients who undergo gastric bypass die within a year after the surgery. I don’t like those odds.
Patients undergoing bariatric surgery had a 1-year case fatality rate of approximately 1% and a 5-year case fatality rate of nearly 6%. Less than 1% of bariatric surgery patients died within the first 30 days after the procedure. -- This info was produced by the CDC and several study sources.
Reason #2
People have a tendency to gain the weight back. Most people tell me they do pretty well for about a year. Then they start to gain it back. Some of the factors involved: When they make your stomach smaller and you fill up on a piece of protein about the size of a hard-boiled egg, what do you do next? The medical professionals don’t seem to provide you with the psychological support people need. Imagine you’re at a family celebration. You’ve eaten your small meal while everyone else is still passing bowls and platters of wonderful food. You’re very limited and they will go on eating for 30 minutes or more while you sit there feeling left out.
I have talked to people who express how they were used to chewing a certain amount of time and they miss that. People who have bariatric surgery are people who love food, love eating food and, in many cases, love cooking food.
I went on a diet one time where all I did was drink doctor-prescribed, chalky diet shakes for over 3 months. The first week I went insane because I was not cooking. I truly became depressed. It didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t need to eat but I had to smell food! I have the discipline it takes to be able to cook a gourmet meal for a full table of people and not eat any of it. Most people don’t. I’m not bragging. It was not easy. I just imagine most folks can’t pull that off.
I’ve heard lots of stories of how bariatric patients realize they can eat longer if they eat carbohydrates. They don’t fill them up as fast, so they can eat more. I hear about patients eating popcorn by the bucket full. One woman talked about how her mother started living on chocolate and champagne. She could eat that and feel like she was having fun, but she was also gaining the weight back with a vengeance. You can stretch that reduced stomach out again.
You have to learn how you got fat in the first place, how to get it off, and then how to keep it off. It will be up to the patient to implement the plan but if they don’t learn it in the first place they can’t put it into action. They just go back to eating the way they used to and gain it all back.
Reason #3
Complications. I have never talked to any gastric bypass patient who hasn’t told me of complications they had as a result of the surgery. Many of them tell of having to have more surgery to fix what went wrong. I know one woman who spent years in pain. They could not figure out why. She was sick every single day and uncomfortable all the time. Turns out they didn’t put her internal plumbing back together the right way and it was causing havoc. A specialist finally figured it out and of course, they had to do a second surgery to fix it.
Reason #4
This one applies to anyone who loses a lot of weight; no matter how they go about it. That’s skin tightening surgery. When the fat empties out, the skin has already been stretched and it sags. Some folks; especially younger people can recover from the weight loss and their skin will magically tighten back up but for many, it won’t. Unless you have so much overlapping skin that you get infections and regular rashes from it, your insurance won’t pay for the skin tightening surgery. And it’s expensive. I’m facing that myself. I already have plenty of skin bagging and all of the exercise I do won’t fix it. When I’m finally done losing all I want to lose I have to make the decision of whether I want to face plastic surgery and the months of recovery. The scars, and more. I’m not looking forward to it but I’m also afraid currently to show my body. It’s not pretty.
Reason #5
It’s hard to put this delicately but if you have bariatric surgery you’re looking at some messy and embarrassing side effects. One is called dumping. You can use your imagination, but it means a lot of running to the potty in a real hurry or find things running down your leg. It also means unexpected gas attacks that won’t give you warning.
There you have my top 5. Believe me when I tell you this list could be quite a bit longer.
Cheers,
Chicken Verde
This is going to taste just like a traditional enchilada without the tortilla. If you have Mexican food fans in your family this is a hit!
Chicken Verde
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe and Zola to GO! This is going to taste just like a traditional enchilada without the tortilla. The ZReboot people even get to have the ooey, gooey cheese topping. If you have Mexican food fans in your family this is a hit!
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the chicken
- 3 boneless, skinless, chicken breast pieces
- 1 cup organic chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups of water
- 1 clove of minced garlic (jar garlic will work)
- 1 good grate of sea salt
For the sauce
- 1-1/2 lb of tomatillos (Peel them. They will be sticky. Don’t worry. Then cut them in quarters.)
- 3 serrano peppers chopped (Take off stem and cut crosswise into slices. You can even add the seeds. Careful not to get juice in your eyes.)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ of a medium white onion, chopped
- 1 cup of chicken broth
For Toppings
- chopped tomato bits
- chopped red or white onion
- minced cilantro
For Z3
- Grated cheese. Cheddar, Chihuahua or Mexican blend.
- Sour cream (optional)
Instructions:
For the chicken. Get out a medium sauté pan. Add the chicken and other ingredients. Bring to a boil to poach the chicken. Boil for approximately 15 minutes, turning once, until no pink remains. Set aside until cooler. Then shred with two forks. To make this easy, first I slice it in 1/2 “ slices. Then just pull at the slices with the two forks. Work across the grain and it pulls right apart. (If you have kids, get them to shred it. That’s a good cooking lesson. A nearby spouse can do this too!)
While the chicken is cooking you can make your sauce.
Get out a large sauce pan. Put in the tomatillos, onion, peppers, and garlic. Cover with just enough water so they float. Bring to a boil. Cook on low boil for about 10 minutes until the tomatillos go from bright green to mossy green and until they are fairly soft. Strain them along with the onion.
Then put in your blender with the last portion of chicken broth. The mixture will be hot, so be careful when you go to blend them into a sauce. I put the top on tight, vent it (take out that round plug in the middle), cover with a folded kitchen towel. Hold it down tightly and then turn on low. The hot air pressure has to escape so be careful. If you keep it low you should be fine. Don’t make the mistake of blasting it or you’ll be scraping green slime off your ceiling!
Put the shredded chicken in a bowl. Pour one cup of hot tomatillo sauce in and stir it all up. (You might have to re-heat this mixture if it’s been hanging around a while). There will be extra sauce for garnish or for those who want extra.
To serve. Get out soup bowls. Put a cup of chicken mixture in the bowl. Top with a little extra tomatillo sauce. The put on grated onion, cilantro and chopped tomato. This will likely be your protein and veggie portion, depending on how much you garnish it.
For the ZR3 version, the only difference is serving and cheese. When you put the chicken in the bowl I’d put a nice layer of cheese on top and pop it in the microwave to melt the cheese. Then garnish with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and even a dollop of sour cream. I love the cold sour cream on top of the hot cheese and chicken.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Hallelujah! Spiked Sparkling Water
For those who want to have a beverage that contains alcohol but zero carbs (or close to it), the beverage companies are finally listening!
The only drawback I see to this category of beverage is you have to remember you’re not just drinking water! You have to sip it; not guzzle it.
The category is called Spiked Sparkling Waters.
I have found 6 so far, all thanks to Dieter Hannah and her mother. Hannah tipped me off to a beverage her mother found that she thought just might work as Hannah transitioned in Plan Z from losing weight to learning how to maintain her weight forever. Hannah has a smart mom.
Brand names include: Truly, Smirnoff Spiked Sparking, Sauza Agua Fuerte, White Claw Hard Seltzer and Henry’s Hard Sparking.
I have tried two so far. I liked them.
One of the awesome things about these offerings is the beverage companies are stepping outside the normal lemon, lime and orange offerings. They are mixing up some interesting, more exotic, combinations including things like grapefruit/pomelo, black raspberry, mango, pomegranate and wild berry. Some are offering variety packs too. Can you say, "Healthy Party?"
Some interesting details:
The carbohydrates involved in a single serving range from ZERO to 2. You can find a few low carb beers in the 3 range, but this is progress, and for those of us who don’t like beer it’s a nice, refreshing change. Most beers are up in the 7-9 carbs per serving and some top out at almost 20. This gives you a beverage with less kick than a martini that you can feel okay about drinking at the pool party or after a tough game of softball at the park.
The Sauza Agua Fuerte is featuring tequila as it’s alcohol base. Things like vodka, whiskey, and tequila have no carbs in them so they make a good base to a cocktail. This one will have a little different flavor profile than the others using a pure alcohol base. Think very light margarita.
White Claw Hard Seltzer features its water. They use a special technology they are very proud of to give you a pure drink experience.
Henry’s is the lowest in calories at 88. For those who still count calories that might factor in but they are all about 100 so who cares about a few calories here and there. It’s the counting of the carbs that counts.
Good news is there are no artificial sweeteners in any of them. A couple use a cane sugar in the fermentation process but when it results in ZERO or 2 grams of carbs in the final product I’m not worried about it.
So imbibe in moderation and celebrate the fact that you have more options now. Bring your own to the party until the other hosts figure out they should be drinking this too.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola Pops
Try them with spiked sparkling water for a grown-up twist.
Zola Pops
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This recipe was contributed by Plan Z dieter Amy from Chicago. Good thinking, Amy! Great idea!
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 cups strawberries, raspberries or blueberries
- 1/4 cup sparkling water (if you're in ZReboot, try adding spiked sparkling water for a grown-up twist)
- 3 - 4 tsp Truvia
Instructions:
Mix the berries, sparkling water and Truvia together in your blender or food processor. Pour into popsicle molds and let set at least 8 hours to freeze. If you have larger molds this recipe should make 4 popsicles.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Why We Can't Stop Eating Unhealthy Foods
Sugar scientist and UCSF professor of health policy Laura Schmidt questions whether consumers really do have freedom of choice – and what policymakers can learn from corporations in nudging consumers toward healthier behaviors.
Raspberry Coulis
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. Raspberry coulis is often used by dessert chefs to decorate your dessert at a restaurant. They put a swirl of it on your plate or maybe drizzle it over the top of the dessert. You can be fancy or plain as you wish. Once you're in ZReboot try it with a dessert like almond pound cake. It will also be great over vanilla ice cream.
Servings: This makes enough for several desserts depending on how much you want as a portion. I usually serve 1 – 2 Tbl as a portion. You can also easily double this recipe for a crowd. It keeps for about a week covered in a container in the fridge.
Ingredients:
- 1 pint of ripe raspberries
- ¼ cup of water
- 2 tsp of vanilla
- 1 – 2 tsp of stevia liquid sweetener. Or you can use granular. The amount you use just depends on how sweet you want your coulis. I try to use less if possible.
Instructions:
In a small saucepan add the water and the raspberries. Turn the heat to medium or medium-high. You want to get it bubbling. Break up the raspberries with a spoon so they break down into mush as it cooks. When it’s all hot, bubbly and mushy take it off the heat and add the flavorings. Stir. Taste to see if it’s sweet enough for you. Don’t burn your mouth. Just taste a bit on your finger. Adjust sweetness if necessary. Leaving it a bit tart doesn’t hurt either!
If you have a mesh strainer most folks will strain this to get the seeds out. Just pour it in a strainer in two batches. Press on the sides with the back of a spoon to force the strained liquid through the mesh and into a bowl. The seeds will be left in the strainer. Toss those.
This is not a necessary step. The sauce is perfectly fine with the seeds still in it. It’s just an extra step to make it totally smooth.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
33 Years of Lemon
I got the day off yesterday for the first time in 34 years.
34 years, you say… and no day off? What’s that all about?
Well, I am talking about just one day of the year; my husband’s birthday. Until yesterday, I had a streak of 33 years in which I made my husband a unique lemon dessert for his birthday celebration.
His favorite flavor, as you can guess, is lemon.
I was challenged, for sure, as the years went by. I baked lemon cheesecake, made lemon tarts, lemon cake with lemon cream cheese frosting and even lemon pudding. The list goes on and on.
But this year we are traveling in France on a long-planned vacation. We are in the wine country around Bordeaux.
I do have a little kitchen where we are staying but it made no sense to buy all the stuff I would need to make a lemon dessert. If I were to make a cake I’d need the flour, the leavening agent, eggs and more. Just too much stuff.
So when my husband came back to the place we are staying the other day and announced that he’d seen the cutest little lemon loaf cake in a window of a French pastry shop I hatched my plan.
I could buy that cake and just make a sauce to go with it. So voila! I made a raspberry coulis sauce and topped a little piece of the cake with that and some whipped cream. Bingo. Lemon dessert with just five minutes of work and one little saucepan to wash.
I’d call that taking the day off!
Earlier in the day, we had his celebration at a Spanish Bodega. We walked all up and down a quay where there is one fabulous restaurant after another. We read all the posted menus and I left it up to him which place he’d like to choose. He chose Malika Kafe. Here’s the website in case you’d like to read the menu. When you pull it up on your computer you can hit the translate button so it will change from French to English. Mind you, I had much more of a challenge at the restaurant with my phone translator; trying to find a fish that Chris would like. He chose the cod and had a fabulous meal.
This birthday is in books, and I hardly lifted a finger.
Cheers,
Raspberry Coulis
Raspberry coulis is often used by dessert chefs to decorate your dessert at a restaurant. They put a swirl of it on your plate or maybe drizzle it over the top of the dessert. You can be fancy or plain as you wish.
Grilled Peaches
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. I adapted this recipe for Plan Z from one of Bobby Flay’s ideas. I love a good grilled peach in the summer. Even if you have a crowd over for a barbecue you can grill up a bunch of these in a jiffy and everyone will enjoy a healthy dessert.
Servings: Serves 4 – 8 and can be doubled easily. The portion depends on whether you serve each person 1 or 2 halves. I think one is plenty but if you set these on a platter for the crowd to consume, they might take two. They are that good.
Ingredients:
- 4 fairly ripe peaches, cut in half and pits removed
- ½ tsp of cinnamon (or to taste)
- 1 – 2 tsp of Truvia. This will be to taste
- oil spray - you can use coconut oil or olive oil spray
- mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
If you cut the peach in half across the belly the pits remove fairly easily. Just work your way around the pit with your sharp knife. Don’t cut through the pit. That makes your job harder. Just twist the two halves apart and lift out the pit.
Make sure your grill grates are pretty clean. Spray the grill grates.
Then just spray the flesh side and put them on the clean grill. Grill at medium high for about 3 minutes. Don’t mess with them a lot. If you just leave them, you get nice grill marks. As soon as they are hot they are done.
Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with cinnamon and Truvia. Let that mixture set for a minute so the Truvia melts and the cinnamon sinks in. Garnish with mint leaves if you choose.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Ranch Chicken
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This chicken is super moist and yummy. The ranch dressing gives it a gourmet feel without any work at all!
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients:
- six 6-8 oz chicken breast pieces (you can also use thinly sliced chicken breast or chicken tenders)
- olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup of ranch dressing (use a good one, full-fat, organic if possible)
- 1-2 cloves of chopped garlic (optional)
- 3 Tbl of Worcestershire
- 1 Tbl of Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp of vinegar (A white one. I used champagne vinegar)
- a sprig of fresh rosemary (optional, but delicious)
Instructions:
Pound your chicken breast pieces so they are 1/3" (or so) thick. (I do this by putting them in a baggie and then pounding them with my meat mallet. I do this so they will cook faster). Spray with olive oil spray.
In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients.
Put your chicken in a large container. Pour the dressing mixture over. Now spread it across both sides of the chicken so the pieces are all coated. Let marinate in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but not all day or all night.
Preheat your grill pan*. Place the chicken pieces in the pan and put your heat on medium. Grill the chicken a few minutes until you have grill marks. Turn over. Grill the other side. It only takes about 5 minutes per side and your chicken will be done. Check one piece by cutting into it to make sure the chicken has no pink.
Serve with veggie side and a salad.
For Z2, this is one Tbl of your dressing allotment.
*You can also cook these on an outside grill -- sooooooo good! Just keep the heat low enough so you don't scorch them. Or they can be baked in the oven. The baked in the oven version is the easiest and still yummy. They should be done at 375 in about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
International Steak Marinade
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe submitted by Plan Z dieter Amy.
Servings: Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds steak
- 1 clove garlic, quartered or minced jar garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Bragg’s Aminos
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon beef broth or water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions:
Remove fat from steak and score both sides by cutting 1/4 inch deep diagonal slices forming a diamond pattern.
Mash garlic with salt. Add soy sauce, tomato paste, broth, pepper and oregano. Mix well and rub into steak.
Wrap in waxed paper and let stand in refrigerator 5 to 6 hours, or overnight. Broil or barbecue to desired degree of doneness.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
The Real Deal
"I gotta say Plan Z is the real deal!
I have tried several programs that all ended the same way - gaining the weight back. Zola really made this program to work and help train yourself how to eat and what to eat. The recipes are delicious and super easy to make. All the tools you need to be successful are in the Plan Z manual. I lost 25 lbs and I feel like I didn't have to sacrifice to do so. I would definitely recommend this program to everyone!!
Also, because I lost so much weight I had an online closet sale to get rid of all my XL clothes and in doing so I made $507 - so I won twice!!
Thank you, Zola and team, for making this possible."
Dieter April
American Breakfast Is Really Dessert
American breakfast is really disguised dessert eaten in the morning. While the World Health Organization recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average American consumes 23. And some of these sugary breakfasts are coming from foods that are traditionally thought of as healthy. Chobani Blueberry fruit on the bottom Greek yogurt contains 15 grams of sugar—that's more sugar than a 1/2 cup of Breyers vanilla ice cream! However, breakfast doesn't have to be dessert.
My Good Friend
Tick. Tick. Tick.
My best friend, Tom, called the other day.
“Hey, Buddy, I had a heart attack,” he said. Not the opening I expected.
On Monday, March 19, 2018, Tom had quadruple bypass surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He turned 68 on March 7th and two weeks later he was in the emergency room.
It gives one pause.
Of course, I went to visit my best friend once he had been home from the hospital a few days. He has a new drug regimen and an upcoming physical therapy session as soon as his chest healed enough.
Tom is retired. He exercises. He’s was a champion wrestler in college. He did everything right.
One thing he said to me when I visited was, “Someday, I’m going to eat a cheeseburger again.”
“Tom, the burger and cheese are okay. It’s the bun that you’ve got to worry about,” I told him. As VP of Anger Management, I’ve spent a lot of time studying what makes us fat. It’s the sugar. It’s the healthy-whole-grains. But when people get heart attacks, they blame the artery-clogging-saturated-fat.
Doctors lecture that it’s your fault because you ate too many fats.
I would argue that it’s the fault of the USDA Dietary Guidelines, which are based on the lipid hypothesis espoused by Ancel Keys.
As soon as my best friend had a heart attack, I started reading more about heart attacks. I want to help him. But I don’t know if I can convince him that the doctors he let cut him open to save his life know anything about what will prevent another heart attack.
Except statins, of course.
You have to take a statin to prevent another heart attack. Right? And you should adopt the Mediterranean diet, which cannot be defined.
I wouldn’t take a statin.
Here’s the crazy thing: Only fifty percent of the people who have heart attacks have high cholesterol. The other fifty percent have “normal” or low cholesterol.
And I’ve learned that heart attacks are really about inflammation rather than cholesterol. It’s the inflammation that causes the arteries to need repair and cholesterol does its job.
Plus, if you don’t eat cholesterol, your liver makes it for you.
And your brain needs cholesterol. In fact, your brain uses 25% of your body’s cholesterol even though it is a small percentage of your body’s mass.
“Statins prevent heart attacks. Without question. But lots of people have to take lots of drugs in order to prevent one heart attack. So, it’s not worth the trade-off,” says Dr. Stephanie Sennef.
I can’t give you (or Tom) medical advice. Here’s what I’m doing to try to prevent a heart attack of my own.
I’m doing my all to reduce inflammation. My last C-Reactive Protein blood test was good, much better than when I was eating high carb/low fat.
I’m eating my superfood smoothie most mornings and eggs the rest.
And I’m not feeling guilty when I eat a steak or an omelet.
I’m reminded of the middle age man who went to his doctor and said this: “Doc, I’ve quit smoking. I drink non-alcoholic beer, I’ve cut out red meat and bourbon. And I’m eating egg beaters and turkey bacon. Am I going to live forever?”
“No,” said the doctor. “But it’s going to feel that way.”
Stay angry, but not too angry. Excessive anger can cause heart attacks, too.
Cocoa Fruit Superfood Smoothie
Almost a chocolate peanut butter cup, but exceedingly good for you.
No More Fat Clothes for Fat Months
"Three wonderful words....I'M A Z-LIFER!
Here is my story.
My whole life (and I mean my whole life) I've been 25 lbs overweight. Back to school shopping for me meant the shopping in the "chubby" section at Sears. I was terrified when I was fitted in front of the other ballerinas for our dance recital costumes. My little chubby face would turn beet red and my stomach would be churning until the measurements were taken. My Dad called me "pleasantly plump" and [would] tell me I was just like his sisters having "big bones."
From elementary school, I moved into junior high and high school still 25 lbs more than I'd like to be. I think I was the youngest person at Weight Watchers meetings and over the course of my life even became a Lifetime Member. In fact, they asked me to become a WW team member and be the leader of our local meetings. I think they saw in me the thousands of dollars I spent over my life at WWs so why not have her "teach." Not for me...[I] must not be a very good student or believer because I lost and regained those same 25 lbs more times than I wish to remember. Besides Weight Watchers I did the egg and fruit diet, ate only graham crackers and an apple every day of my senior year, tried eating only fat-free products and convinced myself that Diet Coke was my "salvation."
Through this whole time, I still remained 25 lbs overweight and this continued throughout college and my 3 pregnancies.
Then in 2013, I found Plan Z. Two friends were very successful on it so I picked their brains and ordered my first round. Being 25 lbs once again overweight doesn't sound like a ton of weight to lose but for me, it had truly been a lifetime.
I followed ZReduction to the tee with very little cheating going thru both Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas. SUCCESS! I lost 26 lbs and kept it off for 6-8 months. Slowly I put back on 15 lbs and went back on ZReduction for the second time. It worked again because I worked the whole program and got my mind wrapped around the education part of the Plan. My daughter also joined me on Plan Z plus my sister and we all looked fabulous at my daughters June 2016 wedding.
Fast forward to December 26, 2017...I ate myself through Christmas and drank my red wine and cocktails where ever I went. I was up 15 lbs once again from my happy place so ordered Plan Z for the third time and vowed it will be the last. It takes a few weeks to get over the headaches and detoxing and I always ask myself "why do you keep doing this to yourself?" Slow learner is my only answer. Success once again....lost those unwanted 15 and am happily in reboot enjoying my food. I've always been a foodie and enjoy cooking so your recipes Zola have become family favorites.
Besides the recipes, education support, Tuesday chats and talking to you during stalls I'm finally heading to be a Z lifer. My clothes feel so wonderful......no more have fat clothes for fat months....only clothes I love to wear in my size. Never again will I take the same 25 lbs off!! It's my personal commitment. I'M FINALLY AN EDUCATED EATER....Such a good place to be for the rest of my life.
Thanks, Zola.....You have literally saved me from this 25 lb spiral and for that I'm extremely grateful."
Sincerely, Margo
Our Tutty Buddy
When he opened his mouth to speak what came out was barely audible. It was not a meow by any standard. It would hardly hit the chart as a mew.
A precious, quiet, little mew.
His voice says it all about his personality. This was the most cuddly, demure, quiet, easy and unassuming cat you could ask for. He never caused a ruckus; never picked a fight. He’d rather just cuddle and sit quietly on your lap.
And don’t get me started on nap time. If he saw I was going to take a nap on an afternoon weekend he’d spin in circles with excitement as I got a pillow out of the drawer and drew down the blankets to crawl in. He’d come to my right side and nuzzle his head in my armpit and just purr like a little engine; padding away on my side. He was my pacifier.
His official name was Tut. His breed is Abysinnian. A Cleopatra cat, like the sculptures you see in the museums. We called him all kinds of things besides Tut and he would jog over to us no matter which name we called. Tut, Tut. Tutty Buddy. Big Butt Tut. He had a bunch of nicknames.
We lost Tutty recently as he battled a serious and seemingly uncontrollable battle with diabetes and then adding pancreatitis on top of it.
Tut never showed pain. Most cats don’t. This guy never complained. He never even gave you a clue that he could not carry on just like any other day.
But I made Tut a promise.
Over a year ago Tut’s diabetes was out of control. We could not get his blood sugars in line. The vets could not figure out why Tut became diabetic. He wasn’t even overweight. Each day I had to poke Tut’s delicate ears to measure his blood sugar. Each time he whimpered quietly in protest, but he never reached out a paw to hold me off. He knew I loved him and what I was doing must be for the best; even though he could not understand why I would hurt him.
One evening Tut’s blood sugar inexplicably dropped to 50! Normally it was over 300-600 and we had a goal of getting it under 150. But 50 was way too low. He dragged himself from the bedroom, trying to come to dinner. He was blind. He was sniffing his way across the floor because he could not see. He was in terrible condition and about to go into a coma. I called the emergency vet and we did some things to stabilize him. Then I took him into our den and let him crawl into his travel cage. Tut loved boxes and bags of any kind. He gladly went in. He felt safe there.
I watched him until 2 AM. He seemed to be resting but I said my goodbyes to him; not knowing if he’d live to see the light of day.
Next morning, big surprise. Tut was fine. His blood sugar was normal! This had never happened! Vets didn’t know what to think.
For weeks after that Tut remained stable. I was ecstatic, but I made him a promise. I told him if his diabetes came back I would never put him through the suffering he went through before.
We “bought” 18 months. It wasn’t until 18 months later that his diabetes came back with a vengeance. The pancreatitis came too so we knew he had to be on opioid pain meds to manage his pain. And he was looking at being poked twice a day again. Seemingly forever.
I could not put him through that.
The vet said she’d respect my decision but that Tut’s blood sugar probably would bounce all over the place; uncontrollable and that he’d likely feel crappy for the rest of his life.
I could not keep him around for my benefit. I had to let him go.
I cannot tell you how sad I am. It’s hard to measure.
One minute I regret my decision; which I also made with my husband, but the next I want him back.
Give Tut a box or a bag to crawl in and he was the happiest guy on the planet. Bags meant more than treats.
We’ll miss Tut but we have to go through our sadness for his benefit. Some say it’s the best gift you can give your kitty, just to let him go.
I’ll miss that little mew; probably forever. He had a solid 16 years and had been through more than I can write about here, but he was always a happy-go-lucky guy just satisfied with being part of our family.
Miss you, Tutty Buddy.
Ciao,
Grilled Asian Salmon
When my husband is in the mood for Asian food, this is his favorite dish. It’s a super easy dish, so it doesn’t take much to talk me into it.
No Longer the Big Guy in the Room
Dave's interview took place after he lost 40 pounds. He kept losing and has now lost over 70 pounds.
“So, when that first digit on your weight changes to a 3##, your motivation changes.
At least it did with me.
I didn't get depressed, I got ANGRY. Why was I so fat?!
I heard about the Plan Z Diet and wanted to try it. Little did I know that it wasn't that I was eating too much, I was eating the wrong stuff.
So with some determination and a little bit of sacrifice (that was made a lot easier with the ZR50 crave control spray), I lost 70+ pounds!
I have also stopped most of my medications, still working on that last pill. My knees don't ache when I get out of bed anymore.
I was so successful, that both my sisters also started the plan.
I feel so much better and don't feel like the biggest guy in the room anymore.”
Dave Stanford,
93.1 FM - WDHR
Today's Best Country
It Is A Life Changer
Listen to Doug's interview, which took place after Doug completed his first round. Since that time he's lost a total of 84 pounds and married the woman he loves.
Zola,
I started out as a skeptic at age 58. I was resigned to being "big" the rest of my life. I assumed when you get older you just pack on pounds. I signed up at the urging of a family member - that hurt! I have tried many of the different diets out there and had some minimal success but the weight always came back.
I was hopeful that I could maybe lose 20 pounds. Boy, was I wrong. The weight just started coming off and kept on coming. I eventually did four rounds. I was so happy to get to 200 and then the last round got me down to 177. I lost four inches in pants waist size and went from 2XL shirts to a size Large. I am happy that I have found something that works. I avoid all those bad foods: potatoes, noodles, pasta, bread and sweets and anything with sugar or HFCS....all the things I have learned from you!
I got married in November to the most beautiful lady and I am blessed in so many ways. One way is that I can be at this healthy weight and MAINTAIN it!
I want to be this thin the rest of my life. It is a life changer.
Thank you Zola!
- Dieter Doug