The UnDiet Weight Loss Guide » July 3, 2009

Daily Archives: July 3, 2009

High Protein Recipes Vegetarian

Parmesan Cheese Crisps

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When I first made these crispy treats I thought they were a unique invention. Since then I’ve found various versions for them in many cookbooks. Here’s the basic recipe along with a few variations.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper lightly brushed or sprayed with extra-virgin olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup of shredded fresh Parmesan or Parmesan-reggiano in a circle. You can make your circles any size you want. Bake until melted and browned on the underside – 7 to 10 minutes. Let crisps cool then peel off parchment paper.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

They’re great to snack on, and garnish soups and salads.

Variations:

  • Place cookie cutters on parchment lined and oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese inside cookie cutters. Remove cookie cutters and bake cheese as directed.
  • Sprinkle over cheese before baking:
    • crumbled bacon bits (real or soy)
    • cayenne pepper
    • crushed and dried red pepper
    • freshly ground peppercorns
    • sprinkle cheese overly thinly sliced ham or corned beef, bake as directed then top with lettuce or spinach leaves and roll into a tight tube as soon as you’re able to handle without burning yourself and before the cheese completely cools

 

Tips

Eating Out – Italian

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It’s a bit difficult to eat at an Italian restaurant and stick to your UnDiet. The reason that most of us go to an Italian restaurant is for the pasta and very few Italian restaurants offer whole grain pasta. Don’t despair though, it is possible to enjoy Italian delicacies on the UnDiet.

Basic Tips for Eating Out

Set aside half your meal to eat the next day or if it won’t keep for the next day, save it for a snack later.

Starch

Skip the bread, pizza and pasta (all made with white flour), or bring your own whole grain pasta and ask the chef to cook it for you. I’ve never run into a restaurant that won’t accommodate a request like this.

If you must have pizza, don’t eat the crust. Either use a fork to eat just the cheese and toppings or order a plain green salad and scrape the pizza toppings, cheese and all, onto your salad.

Bruschetta on whole wheat bread.

Caesar Salad – set the croutons aside.

Ask for spaghetti squash or another vegetable in place of the pasta. Top with your favorite sauce from the menu.

Protein

Antipasto is a good Protein Meal.

If you’re ordering a Caprese Salad skip the olive oil. Good mozzarella and tomato only needs a drizzle of balsamic olive oil and basil leaves.

There are generally good seafood dishes on the menu although you should skip breaded seafood dishes.

If you must have a cream sauce look for cream sauces with non-dairy additions. For instance a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce is going to be about 250 calories less than an Alfredo Sauce.

Stuffed mushrooms are wonderful if they are not deep fried.

Chicken or Eggplant Parmigiana.

Meatballs – order grilled vegetables on the side, then give the pasta to someone else at your table and eat your meatballs with the vegetables.

Spinach dip with vegetables instead of bread.

Caesar Salad with chicken.

Broth based soups are good choices. A cream soup would be your next best choice and if you can get a cup of plain broth on the side to add to your cream soup, even better. Adding the broth doesn’t cut any fat or calories from your cream soup but it will be more filling.  If you want to cut the calories ask for an empty cup along with your cup of broth. Scoop out some of the cream soup and add the broth to your soup bowl.

Order your favorite pasta sauce served over grilled or steamed vegetables instead of pasta.

If you’ve had a Protein Meal, the gelato isn’t a bad choice for dessert, or have a glass of wine while everyone else eats dessert.

Fruit Kid Friendly Living Food Neutral Recipes

Cinnamon Banana Pudding

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Puree in blender:

  • 2 bananas
  • 10.5 ounces or 2 cups soft tofu
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Double this smoothie and use the extra to make Cinnamon Banana Sorbet for later in the day.

Cinnamon Banana Ice Cream

Freeze smoothie mixture, stirring every 30 minutes with a fork until it’s the desired consistency or throw it into an ice-cream maker.


Tip: an ice-cream maker transforms any smoothie into a healthy treat!