Joel’s Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Turkey Meatloaf

Since I’ve been working on my series on dieting and metabolism, I’ve neglected posting some of my new recipes. This turkey meatloaf has good flavor by itself, and is good with salsa, low-sodium catsup, or mustard. I like to put a slice inside a whole wheat pita with some thinly sliced onions and mustard for lunch. Two slices make a good entrée for dinner accompanied by vegetables, a salad, and either a baked potato or baked sweet potato with non-fat sour cream. I boosted the protein and kept the sodium very low by using soy bread crumbs; if these aren’t available, you can substitute bread crumbs. This recipe makes 12 slices. Each slice contains 68.58 calories, 13.14 g protein, 3.29 g carbohydrates, .78 g fiber, .41 g fat, and 67.17 mg sodium.

Ingredients

19.2 oz. white ground turkey breast (I used Honeysuckle White)
1/3 C soy bread crumbs
3 T egg whites
½ C chopped sweet onion
1 T chili powder
2 T prepared mustard
3 T sodium free catsup
Cavender’s salt free all purpose Greek seasoning-to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the catsup, mix remaining ingredients, and form into a loaf. Place loaf into a shallow pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, remove foil and spread 2 tablespoons of catsup over the top of the load. Return the loaf to the oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Here is my recap for the last two days.

Daily Dietary Recap-6/2/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1227.62	83.63 g	204.13 g	1150.72 mg	13.55 g	8.79%

Daily Dietary Recap-6/3/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1080.31	57.79 g	215.17 g	705.91 mg	13.97 g	10.04%

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

About two months, and 14 pounds ago, I published a week’s worth of sample menus for my 1400 calorie, low-sodium, and low-fat diet. I am now 3.35 pounds away from my goal, 159 pounds. When I reach it, I will have lost a total of 51.25 pounds since I started this project January 3, 2007. My blood pressure is consistently low normal without medication and I have made working out at the fitness center a normal part of my life. My sample menus are not carefully prepared and balanced by a dietitian; they are literally what I ate on a given day to meet the requirements of my less than 1400 calorie, less than 20 % of calories from fat, less than 1500 mg of sodium, diet.

Since then, aside from the main page, the page with my sample menus has become the most popular on my blog. I wondered how my diet had changed, I’ve come up with a number of new recipes, and thought some might find an update of more sample menus useful. My low sodium chili, Joel’s chili 3, remains a staple in my weekly menus but I don’t need to serve it over brown rice or pasta as much as I did at first. Eating 4-7 times per day was something I did right, right from the beginning. I have learned that it keeps my metabolism up. Chocolate or strawberry low fat frozen yogurt has become something I eat regularly and something I look forward to as a reward for making smart choices during the day.

A lot of dieters talk about reaching a plateau where they keep doing the same things but their weight loss stops. I have never had that happen on my diet and I attribute that to my 3-4 day a week habit at the fitness center, and the fact that I eat throughout the day.

I am not a trained nutritionist, and my only criteria for selecting these foods for my own diet are those of calorie, sodium, and reduced fat. My personal goals in addition those previously-mentioned are: 78-158 g protein, 30-38 g fiber, and less than 300 mg cholesterol. Your recommended diet may be very different. I only offer these menus to share what I have eaten on given days while staying loyal to my diet.

Monday

Breakfast: ¼ pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) in ½ whole wheat pita with 1 t. mustard (left over from the night before, I was in a hurry)

Snack: 10 white seedless grapes

Lunch: 1 cup Joel’s chili 3,

Snack: 25 white seedless grapes

Dinner: 4 fish tacos, including 4 oz. wild salmon, 4 small corn tortillas heated in dry skillet, 1 thin slice of Swiss cheese (mozzarella or non-fat cheddar is better), lemon juice, and green taco sauce; 2/3 C steamed corn, 9 Brussels sprouts, and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, and 3 T Joel’s salad dressing .

Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: 1 small bag 94% fat-free popcorn

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1348.79, Protein: 64.77, Carbohydrates: 216.22 g, Fiber: 35.42 g, Fat: 27.38 g, Percent calories from fat: 18.27%, Saturated fat: 11.17 g, Cholesterol: 166.48 g, Sodium: 1026.42 mg.

Tuesday

Breakfast: 1.5 cup old-fashioned oatmeal with 1 T brown sugar, .5 oz. raisins, 1 T flax seed meal, and 1 t. cinnamon.

Snack: small banana

Lunch: tuna salad, very low sodium tuna, non-fat mayonnaise, onions, pickles relish, in ½ whole wheat pita

Snack: small banana

Dinner: Chicken tenders and tofu in sweet sour stir fry with.25 C pineapple, ¾ C broccoli stir fry, .1 package light firm tofu-baked, 1 T sweet-sour sauce. ½ C brown rice, 2 C grilled summer squash and sweet onions, 1 serving steamed spinach (about 4 C raw).

Dessert: ¾ C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: 1 Ry-Krisp sesame cracker

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1284, Protein: 58.21, Carbohydrates: 230.9 g, Fiber: 34.37 g, Fat: 19.13 g, Percent calories from fat: 12.8%, Saturated fat: 25.62 g, Cholesterol: 122.5 g, Sodium: 589.72 mg.

Wednesday

Breakfast: 4 oz blueberry all-natural yogurt

Snack: small banana

Lunch: 1.5 C Joel’s chili 3

Snack: 4 oz blueberry all-natural yogurt

Dinner: Healthy Choice Lemon Pepper Fish dinner, 9 Brussels sprouts, 3 Ry-Krisp sesame crackers and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, sweet onion, and 2 T Vidalia onion fat-free dressing.

Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: ½ whole wheat pita with 1 T low-fat mozzarella cheese

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1345.04, Protein: 54.74, Carbohydrates: 260.88 g, Fiber: 40.74 g, Fat: 18.01 g, Percent calories from fat: 12.05%, Saturated fat: 59 g, Cholesterol: 88.13 g, Sodium: 1319.72 mg.

Thursday

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with .5 C Egg Beaters, steamed spinach, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, and 3 T red bell pepper.

Snack: None

Lunch: ¾ C Joel’s Chili 3

Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt

Dinner: 1 serving (4 oz. chicken) stuffed chicken breasts, 1 C baked sweet potato, 2/3 C steamed mixed vegetables, and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, sweet onion, and 2 T Vidalia onion fat-free dressing

Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: none

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1276.85, Protein: 86.88, Carbohydrates: 195.52 g, Fiber: 29.16 g, Fat: 18.62 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.12%, Saturated fat: 74.19 g, Cholesterol: 119.7 g, Sodium: 1168.62 mg.

Friday

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with 1/3 C egg whites, 3 mushrooms-chopped, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, and 3 T red bell pepper.

Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt

Lunch: 1/2 whole wheat pita with ¼ pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) and mustard

Snack: 1 medium orange

Dinner: 1.5 cups no-yolks noodles, 1.5 cups chicken cacciatore, and 1 serving steamed spinach (about 4 C raw).

Dessert: 1.5 C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: 1 medium orange

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1371.3, Protein: 75.7, Carbohydrates: 216.45 g, Fiber: 35.43 g, Fat: 20.64 g, Percent calories from fat: 11%, Saturated fat: 6.22 g, Cholesterol: 183.75 g, Sodium: 729.35 mg.

Saturday

Breakfast: ½ C GoLean Crunch cereal, 1/3 C skim milk, ¼ C wild blueberries.

Snack: None

Lunch: 1 C lima bean, portobello mushroom, barley soup, 1/8 pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) in ½ whole wheat pita

Snack: ¼ cantaloupe

Dinner: 1 serving baked salmon in dill sauce on steamed spinach, with 4 corn tortillas, and 2/3 C steamed corn.

Dessert: 1 C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: ¼ cantaloupe and 1 small bag 94% fat-free popcorn

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1310.17, Protein: 61.15, Carbohydrates: 238.94 g, Fiber: 49.47 g, Fat: 21.55 g, Percent calories from fat: 14.81%, Saturated fat: 6.5 g, Cholesterol: 102.5 g, Sodium: 906.92 mg.

Sunday

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with 1/3 C egg whites, 3 shiitake mushrooms-chopped, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, 3 T red bell pepper, and 1 T mild salsa.

Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt

Lunch: 2 Joel’s healthy enchiladas, 1/3 C Joel’s chili 3,

Snack: 3 oz. baby carrots, ¾ C GoLean Crunch

Dinner: 3 oz. roasted skinless boneless chicken breast in ½ whole wheat pita with secret sauce, 1 C steamed corn.

Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack: 1 medium orange, 5 Ritz low sodium crackers

Dietary Summary: Calories: 1349.82, Protein: 74.99, Carbohydrates: 216.57 g, Fiber: 28.6 g, Fat: 20.99 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.83%, Saturated fat: 6.58 g, Cholesterol: 135.8 g, Sodium: 1078.01 mg.

As you can see, I eat a lot for someone on a calorie, fat, and sodium restricted diet. But, I lose weight consistently, I have good energy, and I am seldom hungry.

Here is my recap for the last two days.

Daily Dietary Recap-6/1/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1349.68	90.86 g	228.62 g	957 mg	11.55 g	7.55%

Daily Dietary Recap-5/31/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1389.53	92.68 g	234.55 g	718.14 mg	12.43 g	7.51%

Joel’s Healthy Enchiladas

I am fond of Mexican food but most of it is too high in sodium, and frequently fat, to fit my diet. I had a taste for enchiladas the other day and decided that I would try to see if I could come up with a recipe that was low in sodium, fat, and calories. This recipe fit the bill nicely and made enough for a satisfying dinner and a couple of lunches I took to school.

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

2 C tomato sauce-no added salt
2 T corn starch
2 T chili powder
1 C water, reserve ¼ C to mix with the corn starch

Combine tomato sauce and ¾ C water with chili powder in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmering boil. In a small cup, add the cornstarch to ¼ C of cold water and stir so the cornstarch doesn’t settle to the bottom, and add it all at once to the simmering tomato sauce. Simmer for about 7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and become smooth. Stir with a wooden spoon frequently while the sauce cooks.

Sauce: This recipe makes 3 cups and we will only use one cup in the enchilada recipe, so freeze the rest for later. Nutrients per 1 cup: calories-66.67, protein-.23 g, carbohydrates-1.4, fat-0, sodium-24.48.

Enchiladas

Ingredients

9 Mi Casa white corn tortillas (any corn tortillas will do)
1 C Joel's Enchilada Sauce
¾ pound extra lean ground beef (94/6)
1 C black beans (cooked)
1 medium onion, chopped (reserve 2 T if desired to put over the top of the enchiladas)
2 T chili powder
4 T. low-fat mozzarella cheese-grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Brown ground beef with onions in a skillet sprayed with pan spray. When nearly browned, add 1 C cooked black beans and 2 T chili powder and heat through. This is the filling for the enchiladas. Heat the tortillas a few second in a microwave oven until warmed. Add the filling to each tortilla, roll it, and place seam side down in a casserole dish sprayed with pan spray, repeat until all tortillas are finished. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of Joel’s enchilada sauce, and the reserved 2 T chopped onion (if desired) over the tortillas and place in the oven until the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.

A serving of this recipe is 2 tortillas and it makes 4 ½ servings. Nutrients per serving: calories-225.82, protein-8.22 g, carbohydrates-28.69, fat-4.54 (17.1%), and sodium-206.82. This recipe freezes and reheats well.

Baked Salmon in Dill Sauce on a Bed of Steamed Spinach

Tonight's dinner was a nice salmon filet baked in a mild dill sauce. Preparation was quick and easy and the result was impressive as well as being healthy.

Ingredients

2 filets wild salmon 4 oz. each
12 C raw spinach

Sauce
1/4 C non-fat sour cream
1/2 t. dill
1/2 lemon juiced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the sauce by combining 1/4 C non-fat sour cream, about 1/2 t. dried dill, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Set this aside in the refrigerator so the flavors can blend while rinsing and drying the salmon filets, about 4 ounces each. Wash about 12 cups of spinach and put them in a microwave safe bowl, covered.

Spray an ovenproof container with olive oil spray and spoon in enough sauce to cover the bottom. Place the salmon filets in the container, spoon more sauce over the filets, and put the container in the oven for fifteen minutes. While the salmon is baking, microwave the spinach on high for three minutes. Placed 1/3 of the cooked spinach, about four cups raw, onto each plate and top it with a salmon filet. Sprinkled each salmon filet with paprika and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

This entree' contains 136 calories, 23 g protein, 8.5 g carbohydrates, 4.17 g fat, and 151.25 mg sodium. As pictured with 2/3 C steamed corn, and two corn tortillas, warmed in the oven, the meal contains 286 calories, 28.08 g protein, 49.04 g carbohydrates, 5.33 g fat, 246.5 mg sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-5/2/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1121.5	57.42 g	180.76 g	906.25 mg	16.56 g	11.29%

Bananas, Dieting, and Blood Pressure

Bananas are one of my favorite snacks on this low sodium, low fat diet. They are full of flavor, as are most fruits; they are portable, come pre-wrapped, and more importantly are loaded with potassium. As one of my original motivations for going on this diet/exercise regime was to lower my blood pressure without medication, this is an important plus. Bananas are also helpful in preventing leg cramps when exercising in warm weather. One medium banana has 105 calories, .39 g fat, 26.95 g carbohydrates, 3.1 g fiber, a single mg of sodium, and 422 mg potassium.

Potassium, a mineral element, works with sodium to regulate blood pressure. People who eat more potassium have lower blood pressure than those who eat less. So, potassium plays an important role, along with weight reduction and exercise, in lowering blood pressure without medication. Foods that have substantial amounts of naturally-occurring potassium are potatoes, spinach, and squashes (cucurbits) like Hubbard, acorn, zucchini, yellow crookneck, and other summer squashes. Fruits, such as melons, bananas, watermelon, oranges and orange juice are also high in potassium. Most of these potassium-rich foods are low in sodium and in calories.

Fortunately these foods are among my favorites and my blood pressure is now stable in the low normal range. Not everyone who has high blood pressure has the type that responds to a sodium restricted diet, but I count myself fortunate that mine does. Eating well with these healthy foods among our choices is not only delicious, but also therapeutic.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/30/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1212	81.62 g	168.84 g	574.25 mg	24.76 g	18.31%

Forty Pounds Cumulative Weight Loss since January 3

When I weighed in at the fitness center Saturday, I found that I have lost a total of forty pounds. I am only 1.25 pounds away from my first goal, to become overweight. I should easily reach that goal this week. After that, my next goal is to reach the pre-1998 normal Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27.4. That means a loss of 15 more pounds. I’ve been working out 3-4 times per week so I can attribute some of my weight to muscle and as the BMI is based on a sedentary population, I should look pretty good at that weight.

According to the Mayo Clinic Weight Calculator, at my current activity level, I should need about 2000 calories per day to maintain my new weight. I don’t know what I will do with an additional 600 calories each day. I will still maintain my maximum 1500 mg of sodium to maintain my blood pressure at its current low normal level without medication, and I will still keep the fat calories to less than 20% of my daily total.

Here is my recap for the last two days.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/28/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1088	57.2 g	173.14 g	664.75 mg	17.14 g	14.09%

Daily Dietary Recap-4/29/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1243.67	77.77 g	211.77 g	686.80 mg	20.20 g	14.62%

Lima Bean, Mushroom, and Barley Soup

Pictured are lima beans fresh from the garden before drying. Where I grew up, Indiana, we called the dried ones butter beans. The weather has turned unseasonably chilly and I had a fire in the woodstove last night and again this morning. It wasn’t too cold, but it did take the chill off from the rain. This cool weather has turned my thoughts to soup, always a challenge for a low sodium diet. My lima bean, portabella mushroom, and barley soup is hearty, filling, and low in sodium and fat. It also has a healthy amount of protein and blood-pressure-healthy celery.

Ingredients

2 C Large Dried Lima Beans-soaked overnight, drained
1 Stalk Celery- coarsely chopped
1 C Carrots-sliced
2 cloves Garlic
2 C Onion-chopped
2 C Portobello mushrooms
.5 C Pearled Barley
.5 C Apple cider vinegar

Soak beans overnight, at least 4 hours, drain and rinse, and add 8 cups of water, no salt added non-fat chicken broth, or vegetable broth. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until beans are tender, about two hours. Adjust the liquid level to your preference. My recipe makes about 12 cups. Each 1 cup serving contains 99.3 calories, .12 g fat, 6.52 g protein, 21.58 g carbohydrates, and 21.58 mg sodium. If you choose to add a half teaspoon of salt, it only brings the sodium level up to 111.63 mg.

Here is my recap for yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/26/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1364.5	68.84 g	220.01 g	964.57 mg	20.81 g	13.71%

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%

Non-fat Refried Beans and Healthy Tostada

I decided that I could make my own non-fat refried beans that had no added sodium and tasted just as good as the canned beans. I started with pinto beans this time as it is more traditional and soaked the beans, rinsed them and changed the water, then cooked them (two cups dried) with two quarts of water, ½ cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 t. onion powder, and 1 t. garlic powder for about two hours. I then mashed them and spread about 2 T on a homemade tostado, added non-fat cheddar cheese, non-fat sour cream, chopped onions, and chopped lettuce.

To make the crisp tortillas, I preheated the oven to 400º and sprayed a cookie sheet with olive oil spray and placed corn tortillas (normally low in fat and sodium) in the oven on the sheet and turned them about every five minutes until they were crisp.

Each tostada prepared this way has 83.75 calories, 6 g protein, 16.5 g carbohydrates, .5 g fat, and 110.75 mg sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/20/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1132.5	85.26 g	169.1 g	975.5 mg	19.92 g	15.74%

Healthy Tortilla Chips

Last night I had a hankering for corn chips. I made some healthy chips and enjoyed them with some non-fat sour cream for a special treat. I’ve referred to healthy chips before, but this time I made them a little differently. I used Mi Casa tortilla chips (lower in sodium and fat), and put them in the microwave for thirty seconds until they became puffy. I finished them in the oven under the broiler so they crisped up and lightly browned. They were delicious and had only 40 calories per tortilla, .5 g fat, and 28.5 mg sodium.


Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/17/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1353.54	57.5 g	270.75 g	1232.49 mg	16.78 g	11.66%

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%

Seven Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

I’ve been asked by a number of people to tell them what do eat and when. I guess they feel that they can follow directions better than coming up with their own menus. I am presenting here, not sample menus exactly, but what I ate on specific days to meet the requirements of my less than 1400 calorie, less than 20 % of calories from fat, less than 1500 mg sodium, diet.

As you can see, there is quite a lot of food here, so much that sometimes I get tired of chewing. I also believe that eating 4-7 times each day helps keep my metabolism up so I am continuously burning calories. These menus are just a starting point for you and are offered as suggestions of the types of foods you can eat on a low-fat, low-sodium, and calorie limited diet for weight reduction.

I am not a trained nutritionist, and my only criteria for selecting these foods for my own diet are those of calorie, sodium, and fat reduction. My personal goals in addition to the above-mentioned are: 78-158 g protein, 30-38 g fiber, and less than 300 mg cholesterol. Your recommended diet may be very different. I only offer these menus to share what I have eaten on given days and stayed loyal to my diet.

Monday

Breakfast

1.5 C Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs, 1/3 C Non-fat milk, ¼ C Dannon All Natural non-fat Plain Yogurt, ¼ C Wild Blueberries

Morning Snack

1 medium banana

Lunch

1 1/2 C Joel’s Chili 3, 1 T non fat sour cream, 1 T apple cider vinegar

Snack

18 White Cheddar Soy Crisps

Dinner

Healthy Choice Chicken Margherita dinner, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onion, and 2 T poppy seed fat free dressing, 2/3 C steamed corn, 4 C (raw) spinach steamed,

4 Asparagus spears steamed

Dessert

1/2 C Yarnell's low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt

Snack

¼ cantaloupe, 1 Ry-Krisp cracker

Calories: 1369, Protein: 65.76, Carbohydrates: 247.11 g, Fiber: 48.79 g, Fat: 20.65 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.58%, Saturated fat: 3.78 g, Cholesterol: 75.63 g, Sodium: 1370.25 mg.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Omelet with ½ C Egg Beaters, 1/8 C Sweet Onion, 3 Mushrooms (chopped), and 1 T Old El Paso Taco sauce-medium

Morning Snack

1 C Kashi 7 whole grain Honey Puffs (dry from box)

Lunch

½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita, ¼ C Extra Lean ground beef patty (96/4), 4 oz. Dannon All Natural strawberry yogurt

Snack

Health Valley Vegetarian chili 1.5 C

Dinner

Salmon taco and pita: 4 oz Wild Salmon-baked, 1 Mi Casa White corn tortilla, juice of 2 Lemon wedges, slaw cabbage, 1 T non-fats sour cream; .25 C, 1 T Old El Paso taco sauce-medium, 2/3 C corn, 4 C (raw) spinach steamed

Dessert

1 C Yarnell strawberry low-fat frozen yogurt

Snack

2 Natural Ry-Krisp crackers, .5 oz non-fat cream cheese .

Calories: 1230, Protein: 105.3, Carbohydrates: 204.44 g, Fiber: 40.97 g, Fat: 15.56 g, Percent calories from fat: 11.39%, Saturated fat: 5.02 g, Cholesterol: 142.5 g, Sodium: 1179.5 mg.

Wednesday

Breakfast

1.5 C Old Fashioned oatmeal, 1 T flax seed meal, .5 oz raisins, 1 T brown sugar

Morning Snack

None

Lunch

½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita, ¼ C Extra Lean ground beef patty (96/4), 4 oz. Dannon All Natural strawberry yogurt

Snack

None

Dinner

3 oz. pork roast, 1 C baked sweet potato, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onion, and 1 T Fat free Vidalia onion dressing, 2 mushrooms-broiled, 2 C yellow summer squash-straightneck

Dessert

none

Snack

¼ cantaloupe, 2 Natural Ry-Krisp crackers

Calories: 1165, Protein: 69.93, Carbohydrates: 192.71 g, Fiber: 41.75 g, Fat: 17.59 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.59%, Saturated fat: 4.57 g, Cholesterol: 121 g, Sodium: 911.97 mg.

Thursday

Breakfast

4 oz. Dannon All Natural Blueberry Yoghurt, Small banana

Morning Snack

Small banana

Lunch

1 C General Tso's Tofu, ½ C brown rice, Roasted vegetables with 1 medium turnip, 1 sweet onion, 1 clove garlic

Snack

None

Dinner

½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita, ¼ C Extra Lean ground beef patty (96/4), 1 tsp mustard-Griffins, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onion, and 2 T poppy seed fat free dressing, 1 ½ C Steamfresh broccoli, carrots, sugar snaps, and water chestnuts

Dessert

1 C Yarnell's Chocolate Frozen yogurt

Snack

2 Natural Ry-Krisp crackers

Calories: 1304, Protein: 60.26, Carbohydrates: 223.09 g, Fiber: 25.75 g, Fat: 13.2 g, Percent calories from fat: 9.11%, Saturated fat: 4.87 g, Cholesterol: 101.41 g, Sodium: 927.88 mg.

Friday

Breakfast

1.5 C Old Fashioned oatmeal, 1 T flax seed meal, .5 oz raisins, 1 T brown sugar

Morning Snack

2 Ry-Krisp sesame crackers

Lunch

1 C raw cauliflower, 1 Wasa Lite Cracker, 1 C Joel’s chili 3, 1 T non-fat sour cream, ½ C brown rice, 1 C Poinsettia fruit salad

Snack

1 Ry-Krisp sesame cracker

Dinner

1 Stuffed chicken breast, ¾ C Steamfresh broccoli mixture, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onion, and 1 T Newman's low-fat sesame ginger dressing

Dessert

none

Snack

Grapefruit-Ruby Red 1 Small

Calories: 1185.3, Protein: 67.18, Carbohydrates: 197.15 g, Fiber: 35.7 g, Fat: 18.78 g, Percent calories from fat: 14.24%, Saturated fat: 3.94 g, Cholesterol: 98.76 g, Sodium: 900.98 mg.

Saturday

Breakfast

1.5 C Old Fashioned oatmeal, 1 T flax seed meal, .5 oz raisins, 1 T brown sugar

Morning Snack

None

Lunch

2 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 1/2 Kangaroo WW Pita, 1 T secret sauce

Snack

Grape tomatoes .30 C

Dinner

3 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, ½ C brown Rice, 2/3 C Great Value Deluxe Stir Fry vegetables, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onion, 1 C Poinsettia Fruit Salad

Dessert

1 C Yarnell strawberry low-fat frozen yogurt

Snack

2 Natural Ry-Krisp crackers

Calories: 1194.84, Protein: 59.36, Carbohydrates: 206.86 g, Fiber: 30.41 g, Fat: 17.55 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.22%, Saturated fat: 4.65 g, Cholesterol: 111.25 g, Sodium: 478.16 mg.

Sunday

Breakfast

2 RyVita Cracker, Omelet with ½ C Egg Beaters, 1/8 C sweet Onion, 3 chopped mushrooms,1/4 C snow peas in ½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita

Morning Snack

2 RyVita Crackers, 4 Flat Earth Peach Mango Crisps

Lunch

Not-so-sloppy Joes in ½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita, 1 t. Griffins mustard

Snack

2 RyVita Crackers, ½ C fresh pineapple

Dinner

5oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 1 1/3 C Great Value Deluxe Stir Fry vegetables , secret sauce, Salad with 2 C fresh greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, 1/8 C sweet onions, 2 t. Ken’s raspberry-walnut vinaigrette dressing

Dessert

1 C Yarnell strawberry low-fat frozen yogurt

Snack

½ Kangaroo whole wheat pita with 1 oz. non-fat cream cheese

Calories: 1381.14, Protein: 101.3, Carbohydrates: 196.35 g, Fiber: 40.29 g, Fat: 20.81 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.56%, Saturated fat: 6.69 g, Cholesterol: 181.25 g, Sodium: 1462 mg.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/7/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1369.21	65.76 g	247.11 g	1370.25 mg	20.64 g	13.58%