Joel’s Black Bean Confetti Salad

This healthy salad goes well with an outdoor barbecue or a formal dinner. It is served cold and has black beans, multicolored bell peppers, red onions, and yellow corn in fat-free lime vinaigrette. A generous one cup serving has 97.63 calories, 5.86 g protein, 20.19 g carbohydrates, 4.75 g fiber, .32 g fat, and 81.82 mg sodium.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 medium red onion, diced (I have used half red and half Vidalia onion)
1 large bell pepper’s worth of green, red, and orange peppers, diced
1 cup corn kernels (I undercook frozen corn, chill and add to salad)
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
White pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Rinse and clean the beans in a colander with cold water. Cover the beans with cold water and soak overnight or at least 4 hours. Drain, rinse, and return the beans to a pot with bay leaf, ground black pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil, simmer until the beans are tender but not falling apart, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Drain the beans, remove the garlic and bay leaf, and rinse under cold water until chilled. In a large bowl, add the onion, peppers, and corn, to the black beans. Spray lightly with olive oil spray and toss gently. Add the lime juice and seasonings and mix again. Refrigerate before serving to allow the flavors to blend, at least 30-60 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving. This recipe makes six generous one cup servings or 8 three-quarter cup servings.

Here is my recap for yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-5/5/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1281.83	90.16 g	166.4 g	939.37 mg	21.92 g	15.39%

Chicken Cacciatore, Low-sodium/fat/calorie, High flavor

This recipe is a winner. I made it last night and couldn’t get over the flavor. I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I think it would freeze well. I also want to try it with tofu instead of chicken. As is, a one cup serving of the cacciatore has 154.2 calories, 19.42 g protein, 14.01 g carbohydrates, 2.79 g fat, and 61.9 mg sodium.

Chicken Cacciatore (makes 9 cups)

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½“ pieces
1 large bell pepper, cut into coarse pieces
1 large onion cut into pieces
½ pound sliced mushrooms
1 bay leaf
½ t. basil
½ t. oregano
¼ t. thyme
3 cloves garlic, smashed with flat side of large knife
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste-no salt added
3 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes-no salt added
½ C red wine vinegar

In large skillet sprayed with olive oil pan spray, sauté chicken breast pieces over medium heat until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside. Sauté peppers and onions until peppers are tender and onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients including chicken and simmer about 15 minutes. Serve over noodles or rice.

Here's my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/24/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1361.3	74.7 g	214.95 g	696.85 mg	20.64 g	11.08%

Baked Asparagus Frittata with Low-Fat Hollandaise Sauce

Asparagus, a few volunteer onions, and elephant garlic plants are the only things coming up in my garden since I was gone on sabbatical last year. The asparagus is three years old and is surprisingly tender far down the stalk. Asparagus contains more folic acid than any other vegetable and is low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It is rich in fiber, potassium, thiamine, vitamins A, C, and B6, and the powerful antioxidant glutathione. The delicate flavor and health benefits of asparagus highly recommend it. It is a nice accompaniment to most meats and fish and in combination with other foods, it has enough flavor to hold up well.

By the way, the effect asparagus has on the urine by creating an odd smell is thought to be due to the breakdown of methyl mercaptan and other sulfurous compounds. Mercaptans are the compounds that give skunks their characteristic odor. That notwithstanding, it makes a great centerpiece vegetable in this baked frittata.

Ingredients (Makes four servings)

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
½ large onion, thinly sliced
1 small summer squash, chopped
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1 T. chopped fresh basil
¼ C fat-free evaporated milk
1 C Eggbeaters or egg substitute
½ C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C fresh asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces, parboiled until crisp-tender about 3 minutes or longer, depending on size

Sauce (Makes 16 1 T servings)

1-1/2 T cornstarch
1/2 t. dry mustard
2/3 cup non-fat milk
2 T Eggbeaters
2-1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. margarine

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 10” non-stick skillet with olive oil pan spray and sauté first 7 ingredients until lightly browned. Add basil. In a small bowl, whisk Eggbeaters, cheese, and milk. Add the asparagus to the pan and pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Bake until set (a knife inserted in the center should come out clean), about 15 minutes, and when done, sprinkle with mozzarella. The frittata should sit for five minutes before cutting.

In the meantime, combine cornstarch and mustard in a small sauce pan, slowly add milk
and Eggbeaters and whisk. Heat gradually over low heat while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Add lemon juice and margarine while stirring.

Serve one quarter of the frittata with one tablespoon of the sauce.

Each serving of this recipe contains 140.64 calories, 13.35 g protein, 13.47 g carbohydrates, 3.25 g fat, and 245 mg sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday and Wednesday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/18/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1345.04	54.74 g	260.88 g	1319.72 mg	18.01 g	12.05%

Daily Dietary Recap-4/19/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1276.85	86.88 g	195.52 g	1168.62 mg	18.62 g	13.12%

Delicious Peachy Low-Fat, Low-Sodium Salad Dressing

For years I have been looking to replicate a salad dressing I enjoyed when I lived in Laguna Beach, California. It was the house dressing of a sushi house near the beach, and it had a nice light fresh taste with a little hint of fruit and it made an otherwise pedestrian salad the perfect prelude to what was usually a spectacular dinner.

I have also been looking for a salad dressing that I could include in my new low-fat, low-sodium, and low-calorie lifestyle. The problem with most salad dressings is that they can be either low, or non-fat, but not low in sodium. The best I’ve found is Maple Grove Farms of Vermont fat-free poppy seed dressing, but it has 120 mg sodium in two tablespoons. Last night I achieved both goals. In fact, this dressing is even better than the one I remember. All you need to make it is a food processor and the ingredients. I splurged and used 3 tablespoons on my salad last night and it only had 29.36 calories, .17 grams of fat, and 50.31 mg sodium.

Joel’s Salad Dressing Number 1

Ingredients

2 ribs celery
¼ C raw ginger
2/3 C non-fat sour cream
½ C non-fat plain yogurt
1 clove garlic
¼ C rice vinegar
Juice of one lemon
4 green onions (tops and all)
½ red bell pepper
1 peach
¼ t. dry mustard
Onion powder to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste


Add all ingredients to food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend and serve over fresh green salad. This recipe makes two cups and a 2 tablespoon serving has, 20.33 calories, 1.4 g protein, 4.06 g carbohydrates, .11 g fat, and 33.54 mg sodium.

Here is my recap for the last two days.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/11/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1291.04	61.53 g	200.51 g	1279.32 mg	23.51 g	15.55%

Daily Dietary Recap-4/12/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1378.49	64.77 g	216.22 g	1026.42 mg	27.38 g	18.27%

Ten Secrets of Weight Loss-Fourth and Final Part

I will finish up the last four things I have learned during my weight loss today.

The Ten Secrets of My Weight Loss
1. Knowledge is power-the knowledge to make choices
2. Non-fat sour cream is my friend
3. Non-fat cream cheese is my friend
4. Fiber is filling
5. My palate took about three days to retrain to a low sodium diet
6. My dinner plate is a riot of color compared with what it used to be
7. Almost any recipe can be remodeled to accommodate my diet
8. Exercise accelerates the weight loss and blood pressure lowering process
9. Vinegar wakes up the flavors of food
10. A playful attitude about food and a willingness to experiment have been strong allies

Seven: Almost any recipe can be remodeled to accommodate my diet I enjoy the challenge of starting with my favorite recipes and foods and making changes to them to reduce the calories, fat, and sodium. I avoid using salt substitutes because they are typically very high in potassium and I prefer a natural taste. While there are health benefits to a diet high in potassium, such as, increased bone strength, suggestions that potassium can help with the elimination of excess sodium in the body and positively affect blood pressure, and the findings that some stroke, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma patients have low levels of potassium. In the case of the latter, no direct causal relationship has been found. It’s not too hard to get adequate potassium with a good diet of natural foods, including “meats, fish, vegetables (especially potatoes), fruits (especially avocados, dried apricots, and bananas), citrus juices (such as orange juice), dairy products, and whole grains”. The recommended daily intake for adults is 2000 mg. I prefer to get my potassium from the foods I eat.

For added flavor, I increase my use of herbs and spices and find that I lean more toward cumin and red pepper than I ever did before. The reduction of sodium naturally increases the availability of the more naturally-occurring subtle flavors of ingredients. Non-fat versions of familiar dairy products work just fine for most recipes. I generally find that non-fat sour cream has a better texture and flavor than plain non-fat yogurt although I use both.

It is possible to select meat cuts that are both low in fat and in sodium (see my warning on the hidden sodium in supermarket meats). Boneless skinless chicken breasts, extra lean ground beef (96/4), fat-trimmed sirloin steak, and most fish meet the requirements for my diet. Turkey is also good, but many turkey products have been brined or soaked in salt water, so check the labels. Natural pork can also work but the same warning applies to treating or processing so check the sodium content. Most of the unprocessed meats have naturally occurring levels of sodium between 40 and 75 mg per four ounce serving. In recipes calling for ham, Canadian bacon is lower in calories and sodium if used sparingly and combines well to enhance milder flavored foods.

Bread can be a problem because salt is used to limit the action of the yeast in raised breads. I find that some brands of corn tortillas are low in both fat and sodium and whole wheat pita fits the bill as well. I prefer to make my own whole wheat tortillas or chalupas.

Salsas, especially homemade, are great for picking up the flavor of any meal. Generally the milder the salsa, the less sodium is used. Green salsas tend to be lower as well. I have come up with my own special sauces and find that mustard is full of flavor without salt or calories.

Most fruits are full of flavor and combine well with other ingredients in recipes. I also find that I am using more red bell peppers because they are sweeter and more robust in flavor.

Of course the key to weight loss is portion control. I have retrained myself to consider the generally recommended 4 ounce portions normal.

Eight: Exercise accelerates the weight loss and blood pressure lowering I am not going to belabor the point here because the relationship between weight loss and exercise has been covered much better elsewhere, but it’s true. Even small increases in exercise can be very rewarding. I have a stationary exercise bicycle in my study so I can pedal while I watch the morning news on my off days from the fitness center. I like being able to track my conditioning level by measuring my heart rate on the machines when I work out. It takes much more exertion to reach my target cardio training level (140 for me, age-based) so I get direct feedback on my conditioning level. I also watched my blood pressure drop to within normal levels without medication.

Nine: Vinegar wakes up the flavors of food I like vinegar so it’s pretty easy to include it in my recipes and my diet. There are so many wonderful types and flavors available now, from the full flavor of balsamic to the more subtle white wine vinegars, that experimenting with them is fun. I seem to recall that Adele Davis, the prolific nutritionist of the 1950s and 60s advocated keeping a cruet of apple cider vinegar on the table to splash liberally on greens and other foods. I do. She also suggested adding vinegar to the soup pot to release the calcium from soup bones.

Vinegar is the secret to my low sodium, low fat chili. I also use it in my not-so-sloppy Joes, and in my balsamic chicken.

Ten: A playful attitude about food and a willingness to experiment have been strong allies I enjoy food and experimenting with the ways that food can be prepared. Food is my hobby. I especially like growing it as I always have a large organic garden. I like reading cookbooks and recipes. I seldom create a recipe without consulting several different versions on the Internet or in my cookbook collection and choosing the most interesting ingredients and methods from each. I have also had a few flops, but undeterred I press on. My recommendation is that you move fearlessly into the world of low fat, low calorie, and low sodium cooking, and experiment with a sense of humor and discovery.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/3//2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1304	60.26 g	223.09 g	927.88 mg	13.2 g	9.11%

General Tso’s Tofu, and Roasted Turnips, Onions, and Garlic

Today I am going to share a couple of recipes that turned out really well. I’ll finish the diet secrets tomorrow.

General Tso’s Tofu

This recipe is based on a similar recipe from VegWeb. I made some changes to lower the calories, substituted a few ingredients (not strictly vegan), and was thoroughly happy with the delicious result. This recipe has lots of flavor and a delicious sauce. The next time I make it I will add some pineapple making it more of a traditional sweet-sour dish.

Ingredients

1 box of firm tofu (I used NaySoya Lite Firm Tofu)
6 T cornstarch (reserve 1 T to thicken sauce)
3 chopped green onions (with green parts too)
1 T grated ginger
1 T pressed garlic
10.5 oz. very low sodium chicken broth (for vegan version, use vegetable broth)
1 T low sodium soy sauce
5 T sugar (or other sweetener)
2 T white wine vinegar
1 red bell pepper coarsely chopped
red pepper to taste

Steamed broccoli (to serve with the main dish)

I prepared the tofu by freezing it overnight (this optional step gives it a chewier texture), let it defrost, and pressed the water out of it between two plastic cutting boards with a weight on top for 30 minutes. I cut the tofu loaf in half from the top and then into eight slices, I cut those slices into four pieces (essentially cubes) making 32 pieces. I put 5 tablespoons of the cornstarch in a press-to-close plastic bag and added the tofu cubes in batches, shaking to coat.

I then sprayed a skillet with olive oil pan spray, heated to medium low, and added the tofu. When one face of the cubes was golden brown, I turned the cubes so eventually all side of the tofu were a golden brown. In another skillet, also sprayed with olive oil pan spray, I tossed the green onions, garlic, ginger, and red bell pepper over medium heat for two minutes and set it aside.

I added the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper, and vinegar to the vegetables. I mixed ¼ C water with 1 T cornstarch and added it stirring well. While the sauce was thickening, I added the browned tofu. I served it with the broccoli over brown rice. Serves 4.

One-fourth recipe (about 8 cubes with sauce) has 174.15 calories, 10.6 g protein, 18.7 g carbohydrates, 2.07 g fat, and 213.46 mg sodium.

Roasted Turnips, Onions, and Garlic

I know of few vegetables that aren’t enhanced by roasting. It seems to enhance their natural flavors. Roasting, and the vinegar, brings out the natural sweetness of the turnips and onions. Accompanied by the onions and garlic, it becomes a robust side dish. I served it with the tofu dish, and found that both recipes reheat well and made a great lunch reheated in the microwave at school. The aroma when it was reheating brought lots of positive comments so you might want to take enough to share. The proportions aren’t critical so you can use what you have on hand. Serves 4.

Ingredients

3 medium turnips peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 medium head garlic
3 small sweet onions cut into wedges
1 t. poultry seasoning
4 T white or balsamic vinegar
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add turnips, onions, poultry seasoning, and vinegar to a roasting pan and stir to distribute the vinegar and spices. Add the garlic head whole, or if you prefer, simmer the garlic for 7 minutes in water, peel, and add the garlic cloves whole. Roast for about 45 minutes stirring three times and increase the temperature to 425 degrees. Bury the whole garlic head under the vegetables or add the previously prepared garlic and roast until the vegetables are nicely browned. Finish by grinding black pepper to taste, and serve hot.

This dish contains 105.25 calories, 3.3 g protein, 24.26 g carbohydrates, .31 g fat, and 77.75 mg sodium per serving.

When these two dishes are served together with the broccoli, they make a veritable feast that is low-sodium, low-calorie, and very low fat.

Here is my recap for the lst two days.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/1//2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1104	63.10 g	154.11 g	850.53 mg	14.05 g	11.45%

Daily Dietary Recap-4/2//2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1346.98	68.4 g	223.26 g	1022.74 mg	14.78 g	9.86%

Ten Secrets of Weight Loss-Part 3

I will continue with my list of the top ten things I have learned so far about weight loss. It seems to be working as I weighed in at the fitness center today and my cumulative weight loss since January 3, 2007 is now 33.5 pounds. I will talk about numbers 4-7 today. For reference, here is my top ten list.

The Ten Secrets of My Weight Loss

1. Knowledge is power-the knowledge to make choices
2. Non-fat sour cream is my friend
3. Non-fat cream cheese is my friend
4. Fiber is filling
5. My palate took about three days to retrain to a low sodium diet
6. My dinner plate is a riot of color compared with what it used to be
7. Almost any recipe can be remodeled to accommodate my diet
8. Exercise accelerates the weight loss and blood pressure lowering process
9. Vinegar wakes up the flavors of food
10. A playful attitude about food and a willingness to experiment have been strong allies

Four: Fiber is filling Fiber also has specific health benefits and provides filling bulk without adding calories. A high fiber cracker or two and a glass of mineral water is my way of coping with the relatively rare hunger pangs I get now. Fiber helps me to feel full and postpones my desire to eat on my reduced calorie and fat diet. High fiber foods take longer to chew and fool me into thinking that I have eaten more than I actually have.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a high-fiber diet may reduce my risk of hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Soluble fiber may also lower blood cholesterol levels and slow the absorption of sugar. It may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

My target, based on the Mayo clinic recommendations, is 30-38 mg of fiber. On a normal American diet, this may be difficult to achieve. I even read an article that recommended that most Americans start their day with enough Metamucil to provide half of their target fiber. On my diet, I haven’t had any trouble reaching my fiber goals. Reaching these goals happened without consciously thinking about them because foods that are low in fat and sodium also seem to be high in fiber.

I like crackers that are high in fiber and whole grain like Ry-Krisp (2 g) and Wasa (1.5 g), my morning oatmeal has 6 g, the flaxseed meal I cook with it has 2g, and the small box of raisins I also cook in my oatmeal (.5 oz.) has 1, for a total of 8 grams of fiber. One cup of my chili has nearly 11 grams, a baked sweet potato has 6.6, an orange has 3.3 grams, and a grapefruit has nearly 4 grams. My plate is always filled with fiber-rich vegetables too. So, I feel full and I have no need for Metamucil.

Five: My palate took about three days to retrain to a low sodium diet. When I first started eating foods without added salt like oatmeal and brown rice, I felt like I was eating tasteless cardboard. I also stocked up on Mrs. Dash products and salt substitutes. I still use the Mrs. Dash seasonings, but I haven’t touched the salt substitutes since the first week of my diet. When I revisited the food that previously had no taste, I found that they were rich with flavors. I was able to taste the subtle rich flavors that are naturally in all food when my palate was not jaded by salt.

Six: My dinner plate is a riot of color compared with what it used to be. My wife was the first to notice how attractive my plate has become at the evening meal. Salmon, brown rice, mixed vegetables, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, salsa, sweet potatoes, a colorful salad, and other foods combine to create a plate that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. This unintended benefit adds to my satisfaction with my low calorie diet. It is also healthier to eat a variety of foods.

Once again, I left my thumb drive at school so I will have to double up on my recaps tomorrow.

Diet Recipes-Balsamic Chicken and Poinsettia Fruit Salad

Vinegar is a great way to punch up low-fat and low-sodium recipes and no vinegar has more flavor than balsamic vinegar. This vinegar originated in Modeno Italy and is dark and thick with complex flavors. It has a sweet taste and combines well with chicken and vegetables, as well as, providing the dominant flavor in many salad dressings and as a crusty bread dip with extra virgin olive oil. It contains no fat or sodium and that makes it a great diet bargain, providing excellent flavor at little cost.

It is traditionally made from white grapes whose juice is reduced to 50% of its original volume by boiling. It is then fermented and aged, usually in hardwood casks.

Balsamic Chicken

This dish is easy to make and I usually have the ingredients on hand. Last night I made it and served it over brown rice for me and basmati rice for my wife. The proportions of vegetables aren’t too critical and any of your favorites can be incorporated. When my garden starts producing, I will use several of the squash varieties I typically grow.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, smashed by the side of a heavy knife
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or the less expensive chicken tenders)
2 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

Cooked brown, basmati, or white rice

Prep Tip

When preparing bell peppers, just cut straight through the stem from top to bottom and use your fingers to remove the stem, membrane, and seeds. This is much faster and easier than trying to carve around the stem.

Preparation

Spray a large skillet with olive oil or regular pan spray and sauté the onions and garlic for about three minutes until lightly translucent. Move the onions and garlic to the side and lightly brown the chicken breasts, about 4 minutes on each side. Add the next five ingredients and simmer about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce will reduce and the flavors blend.

This will yield four 4 ounce portions of chicken breast and two and a half cups of balsamic vegetables. A meal of four ounces of chicken breast, one cup of vegetables, and ½ cup of brown rice contains only 334.73 calories, 31.59 g protein, 42.51 g carbohydrates, 2.27 g fat, and 108.29 mg sodium.

Poinsettia Fruit Salad

This natural fruit salad contains no added sugar but has plenty of flavor. The blueberries turn the whole salad a bright red, thus the name I use for it.

Ingredients
.5 Cup Wild Blueberries
3 Medium oranges peeled and cut into segments
1 large apple-peeled and cut into coarse pieces
16 oz. fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 lemon wedge-juice

Preparation

Combine first four ingredients and squeeze lemon juice over all. Stir to combine and refrigerate 1 hour or more to allow flavors to combine.

This recipe makes 8 cups and a one cup serving contains 56.38 calories, .91 g protein, 109.15 g carbohydrates, .3 g fat, no cholesterol, and 1 mg sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-3/11/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1132.4	59.91 g	161.54 g	445.17 mg	11.72 g	8.52%