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High Protein Recipes

Crock Pot Whole Chicken Recipe

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Summer time is coming up and that means one of my favorite seasonal high protein foods barbecue smoked chicken! The big problem with barbecue is in order to make it right you have to slow cook it, and most of us don’t have a smoker or slow cooker in our back yards. This handy dandy recipe give you the sweet sweet taste of juicy slow cooked smoked chicken all with the help of a crock pot instead of a back yard smoker. Best of all, it’s high in protein and contains no added sugar or carbs!

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 whole chicken, 4 – 5 pounds
  • 1 onion – quartered
  • 1/4 cup bottled smoke
  • aluminum foil

For DRY RUB:

  • 1/4 cup Chili Powder
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cumin

Mix the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Alternatively you can use a store bought seasoning. I prefer to make my own so I’ve given you my recipe. Make sure your chicken is cleaned and any excess fat or feathers have been removed. Line your crock pot with aluminum foil leaving enough extra foil hanging outside the pot to fold over and wrap your chicken after the next step. The foil is what allows the chicken to cook slowly but not turn into a soggy mess when it’s done.

Place the chicken in the crock pot and cover every inch of it in the dry rub, including inside the cavity. Place the quartered onion inside the chicken’s cavity, pour in the bottled smoke and wrap the aluminum foil around the chicken to completely enclosing it. Cover with the crock pot lid and turn that bad boy on.

Let the chicken cook on low for 5 – 6 hours or on high for 3 – 4  hours. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 175 degrees. When the chicken is done, pull it out of the pot and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving. If all goes according to plan you should have a beautiful golden well seasoned “SMOKED” bird. and remember with crock pots and slow cookers, leave the lid on until you’re almost done, if you looking you ain’t cooking. This recipe can be used with pork loin or brisket also.

Max Saffron is a blogger out of Dallas, Texas. He writes for Dallas Accident Recovery a site dedicated to information on legal, financial and medical issues surrounding automobiles and auto accidents.

Recipes

Pros and Cons of Cooking Spinach

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Spinach is one green leafy vegetable that is very rich in nutrition. Most people can relate to having been cooreced to eat spinach as a child because of their parents belief that spinach helps to keep the doctor away. The real truth is that spinach contains a variety of components which help maintain good health and build up immunity against diseases. However, one question remains – which is best, cooked or raw spinach?

Eating raw vegetables of any kind is generally encouraged in any weight loss program. And while that is certainly true, cooked spinach has its own unique advantages over raw spinach. Cooking spinach seems to improve your body’s ability to absorb the beneficial nutrients. Whether you boil, steam or fry, cooking spinach changes the iron into a form that is more readily absorbed into the body. Spinach contains iron in the non-heme form which is not as bio-available as heme iron that is found in foods from animal products. Moreover, spinach in its raw form contains a compound known as oxalic acid which inhibits iron absorption by binding onto it. When you cook your spinach the oxalic acid and other inhibitors will be unlocked and iron will be made more bio-available.

Secondly, cooked spinach releases more lutein. Lutein is a type of phytochemical that protects the eyes from the formation of cataracts and other age related complications like macular degeneration. In raw form, spinach has lower levels of lutein.

On the other side of the argument, raw spinach has more antioxidant properties compared to cooked spinach. The antioxidants are found in the form of vitamins like A and C and also flavanoid polyphenolics. Cooked spinach still contains these antioxidants but in reduced quantities.

Another disadvantage to cooking spinach is that there is a tendency towards overcooking it which greatly reduces the nutrient load. When cooking be careful to keep an eye on it and remove it from the heat right at the moment that it wilts. There is no need to cook it any longer than that.

The one method that I would not recommend is to boil spinach in a pot of water – unless you’re making soup and are boiling the spinach in the broth you’ll end up consuming. Boiling in water that you’ll then throw out means you’ll lose the water soluble vitamins such as the B complex vitamins.

So bottom line – cooked spinach is going to give you a more nutrition packed meal, just be careful not to overcook it and not to boil it and toss out the water.

 

Garlic Spinach

One of my favorite ways to serve spinach is to saute sliced onion in extra-virgin olive oil. Seasone with sea salt and black pepper and a bit of crushed red pepper if you like. Once the onion starts to soften, add some crushed or sliced garlic and continue sauteing until the onion is soft. Add handfuls of fresh spinach. Turn off the heat and allow the spinach to wilt. Season again with salt and pepper and serve with just about any meat dish or add some more extra virgin olive oil and toss with whole grain pasta.

 

Spinach Pizza

Pick up a prebaked whole wheat pizza crust. Spread with tomato sauce. Top with 1 bag of baby spinach that’s been steamed, squeezed dry and chopped, then mozzerella, Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle with sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Bake until cheeses are melted and slightly browned.

 

Cheesy Spinach Eggs

And here’s a recipe from our book “The UnDiet: 2 Weeks of Extremely Low Carb Menus & Recipes” which is only 3 carbs for the entire recipe. You can decide if this is one or two servings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or butter

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

¼ cup mascarpone cheese

3 large eggs

¼ teaspoon each dried basil and thyme

small pinch each of salt and black pepper

1 – 2 cups fresh spinach, steamed, squeezed dry and chopped

Instructions:

In a medium bowl mix all ingredients except spinach.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture and spinach to pan. Stir once to combine and then allow the eggs to cook without stirring. Lift the edge of the eggs every now and then, tilting the pan to allow the uncooked egg to run to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat when the eggs are still slightly runny as they’ll continue cooking for a few minutes. This method keeps the eggs nice and moist, rather than dry and overcooked.

 

 

Beverages Recipes

Eating More Greens to Improve Your Health

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We’re working hard on getting our new book “The UnDiet – 2 Weeks of Extremely Low Carb Menus & Recipes” out on Kindle and so we are very pleased that this guest poster has offered to share these delicious fruit smoothie recipes packed with “green power”.

 

 

Getting more vegetables and green foods specifically into your diet has a wide host of health benefits. These plants can improve all aspects of your life, including cardiovascular and weight loss advantages. Whatever challenges you face in your life, there is no doubt that more greens can help you meet those obstacles.

First off, any kind of green you eat is beneficial because of the chlorophyll present. As you probably know, chlorophyll is the substance in plants that makes them look green, and it is responsible for carrying out the process of photosynthesis, which creates energy for plants in the form of glucose. Interestingly enough, chlorophyll is extremely similar to hemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the human body. The two molecules are virtually identical, except that there is a magnesium atom in the center of the chlorophyll, and an iron in the center of the hemoglobin. It is extremely incredible how they are so similar, and the phenomenon is evidence of the intimate relationship between man and plant.

The point of that little science lesson was to demonstrate the importance of consuming green foods. They flood the system with chlorophyll, the constituents of which can be used to improve the quality of the blood. Since the blood is such a critical aspect of our bodies, having healthy blood usually leads to health in other areas. Chlorophyll has also been shown to have potent antibacterial and energy producing properties, and is a superfood in its own right. Yet this molecule is just one of the many reasons to consume green foods.

All green foods contain many other phytonutrients which act as antioxidants, eliminating free radicals and decreasing the rate of aging. Antioxidants also help prevent cancer, which is why foods like spinach and broccoli are recommended as anticancer foods. There are also many of the common vitamins found in foods like these. For example, spinach is very high in both Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as a vegetarian source of iron. Of course, there is also magnesium in all green foods, as it is present in the chlorophyll.

Getting more green foods into your life is not as hard as it seems. Besides simply making a conscious choice to purchase more at the grocery store, there are also shortcuts of sorts. You can get green drink mixes that integrate many different plants into the formula, and these products enable you to get many servings of vegetables in a single drink. Enzymes and probiotics are also featured in green drinks, so there is no shortage of benefits to drinking them. You can also purchase a juicer and make your own green drinks in your home, and both routes are equally acceptable for getting more plant nutrients on a daily basis.

For a quick start on upping your greens intake, here are two great and simple recipes to try out.

Hemp Power Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup spinach

1/2 cup kale

1/4 cup almonds

3 tablespoons hemp seed

1 tablespoon hemp seed oil

Mix all ingredients together for a raw salad that is jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, Omega-3, and fiber. You cannot get better than a salad like this. And if you want your greens meals to taste even sweeter, then the next recipe will be even better.

Ultimate Antioxidant Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach

1 cup blueberries

1 cup almond milk

3 tablespoons

Chocolate Hemp Shake powder (or any good quality chocolate protein  powder)

4 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in a blender, pushing down the spinach as necessary to make sure it is properly pulverized. Both spinach and blueberries are respective superfoods in their vegetable/fruit categories, and the cocao in the HempShake powder compliments the protein with even more powerful antioxidants. Fitting both of these recipes into your day will ensure complete nutrition.

Kid Friendly Neutral

Neutral After School Snacks

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There’s nothing like a quick and easy snack that contains no starches, no proteins and is essentially a “neutral” snack. Neutral foods are made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and/or soy.

Apples with Cheese: top apple slices with thin slices of non-dairy cheese.

Apple Peanut Butter Sandwiches: slices of apple topped with peanut butter.

Baked Tofu: slice baked tofu into sticks.

Banana Peanut Butter Bites: slices of banana topped with peanut butter.

Coconut Milk Yogurt: eat as is, use as a fruit dip or freeze in popsicle molds.

Frozen Grapes: freeze grapes. Eat directly from the freezer.

Roasted Endamame: pour one layer of shelled soybeans into a pie plate. Spray or drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and garlic or chili powder if you like. Roast at 450 degrees until lightly browned, about 10 to fifteen minutes. These are more delish than you can imagine!

Soy Yogurt: eat as is, use as a fruit dip or freeze in popsicle molds.

Veggie Sticks: dip radishes, celery, carrot, jicama, cucumber, bell pepper … into your favorite lo-cal dressing or stir lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper and a little garlic into lo-fat yogurt.

 

$$$avers Recipes Starches

Healthy Dip – Prepare Your Own Hummus Recipe

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Mediterranean cuisine has introduced us to our a different kind of healthy dip or spread. Hummus is a popular alternative to sour cream dips or cream cheese spreads. Some people buy hummus from a specialty shop already prepared. However, because the cost of preparing a hummus recipe on your own is very inexpensive and so easy to make, you could whip up your own hummus dip in just a few minutes and save yourself a bit of cash also. And the varieties  – you can make lemon or garlic flavored or even a super spicy dip for the adventurous palate. You can add spinach or roasted peppers or even roasted eggplant.

Ingredients

There are two basic ingredients – chickpeas and tahini. In some other recipes, garbanzo beans are listed as the main ingredient. Chickpeas and garbanzos are the same thing, garbanzo being the Spanish term for chickpea. Tahini is the other main ingredient used in every hummus recipe. These are sesame seeds that are ground until the seeds achieve the consistency of a paste. You can make this yourself in a food processor or pick up a jar of tahini.

Hummus recipe preparation

Preparing the hummus dip does not require any culinary expertise and preparation can take as little as 5 minutes. You just  place the ingredients in a food processor, run the small appliance until the chickpeas are crushed and processed to achieve the desired consistency. If you need to add liquid to get the hummus to the desired consistency you can add extra-virgin olive oil, broth, water or even tomato juice. Taste and add salt to taste (if needed). Truly – it takes less than 5 minutes.

Nutrients

As this dip is made from beans (chickpeas or garbanzos beans) and seeds, hummus is rich in protein. The two ingredients both come from the plant kingdom like the main ingredient of any quinoa recipe. Thus both hummus and quinoa recipes are loaded with protein. Other nutrients in a hummus dip are iron, folic acid and monosaturated fats. With sesame seeds in the tahini paste, the hummus dip is a good source of amino acid. Again, like quinoa, hummus is a good source of protein and dietary fiber.

Due to the simple way to prepare the dip and the availability and affordability of the ingredients, you can serve hummus dip very frequently. If you want to have hummus dip with a twist, add other ingredients for a different taste. Hummus is also good for vegetarians and goes well with chips, breads and fruits.

NOTE FROM UNDIET: We like hummus also because it is a good way to have a healthy spread or dip when having a Starch meal. We generally will add vegetables to the hummus to cut down on calories and to add a nice flavor.

Dessert Fruit Kid Friendly Recipes

Healthy and Easy Fruit Dessert Recipe

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Desserts can often be a tricky area when living a healthy lifestyle.  Luckily, there are many desserts that call for natural ingredients that can actually provide health benefits to your diet and can work with your plan on how to lose weight fast through nutrition.  One of my favorite desserts involves using papaya, mango, pineapple, a little coconut milk and some pistachios.  Because of its ingredients, this dessert is not only a healthy option but is also gluten free and can be eaten by people who suffer from diabetes (depending on their current blood sugar levels). This dessert tastes delicious and is high in vitamin C, fiber and beta-carotene.  Plus, it is quick and easy to make.

The first thing to do is slice up a ripe pineapple, mango or papaya.  You can mix up a combination of the fruit or choose just one.  Place the slices into a bowl or on a serving platter.

Next, you will drizzle coconut milk (or lite coconut milk) on top of the fruit.  For about every 16 slices of fruit, you should use approximately 4 teaspoons of coconut milk.

Lastly, add about 2 tablespoons of pistachios.  Most people like when the pistachios are chopped up into smaller pieces, but chopping or not chopping is up to your personal preference.  If you are short on time, the dessert can be eaten immediately.  However, if it is a hot day it is usually better to pop it back into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to make it cooler before eating.

This is also a good recipe to serve to kids on a hot day instead of popsicles.  Just prepare the fruit and coconut milk and stick it into the freezer for about 2 hours.  You can add the pistachios when your kids are ready to eat or leave them off for your picky eater.  If you are adding the pistachios, I have found that slightly mashing the fruit up inside of a bowl makes it easier for the kids to eat the fruit and pistachios at the same time.  For more health and fitness tips, visit Know My Body.

High Protein Recipes

How To Make Shrimp Cocktail With A Food Processor And Quality Ingredients

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There’s nothing quite like the refreshing and cool taste of a shrimp cocktail. There’s a bite and a lightness to it that makes it the perfect appetizer or mid-day snack. While most people prefer to order them in, it’s a great idea to make homemade cocktails from scratch. Follow these simple and easy steps and you can enjoy shrimp cocktails in the comfort of your own home.

Get your ingredients

The great thing about shrimp cocktails is the fact that their ingredients are actually really easy to find. For the sauce, all you need is chili sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, cilantro, lemon, and a bit of pepper. These are all things that you can easily find in any grocery store or supermarket. For the shrimps, it’s really best to buy them raw and fresh from a local fish market. Pre-cooked shrimp can come across as rubbery or hard and can really ruin a cocktail.

Make your sauce

While a lot of people like to make their sauce by mixing it in a bowl, you can save a lot of time by using a food processor. You don’t need to set your processor at a very high setting since nothing is being chopped or cut. The food processor can basically mix your ingredients quickly and evenly, something that might not happen if you’re making the sauce by hand.

Boil your shrimp

There are basically two ways to boil your shrimp: Plain or with light flavoring. Either way works perfectly fine since the cocktail sauce is the main source of flavor. If you’d like to add a bit of seasoning, you can put some lemon juice, garlic, chili pepper, and salt into the boiling pot before adding the shrimp. Once you put the shrimp in, all you have to do is wait until it turns pink. This indicates that the shrimp is done and it only takes a few seconds.

Cool your ingredients

This is an important step since shrimp cocktail should be served cold. The sauce and the shrimp should be placed into separate containers and then put into the fridge. It’s best to cool all of the ingredients for at least two hours so that no lingering heat remains.

Assemble your cocktail and serve

The cooled shrimp should then be mixed with mayonnaise and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Martini glasses should be lined with lettuce and the cocktail sauce should be placed on top of them. Next the marinated shrimp can be added to the mix and the entire concoction should be served right away.

UnDiet Note: you can mix the shrimp with yogurt in place of mayo or half yo and half mayo – if you would like and this Shrimp Cocktail recipe will be just as impressive.

So next time you’re pressed for potluck or dinner party ideas, consider making a fresh and tasty shrimp cocktail. Your guests will be impressed and they’ll never know how easy it was to put together. If you’d like other recipes and ideas, check out kitchopper.com for awesome suggestions that are sure to impress. It’s amazing how meals can be elevated when you just add a little shrimp!

 

High Protein Recipes

High Protein Salad Recipes

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Want a quick and easy salad for lunch or to round out a low carb chicken dinner?  The recipes here are not only healthy, but bonus! – they’ll make your tongue tingle!

Basics

Use low fat yogurt rather than nonfat or full fat yogurt.

Substitute half low fat yogurt for half of any sour cream or mayo in your favorite salad dressing recipe.

Add low fat yogurt to your favorite bottle salad dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Eggs

Also see Rome Zucchini Salad under Sausage heading below.

Quick Egg Salad

In a bowl mix equal amounts of low fat yogurt and mayo. Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper and mustard.

Stir in:

  • egg white, scrambled
  • green onion, sliced
  • celery, chopped or sliced

Pile salad onto any of the below:

  • toasted high protein bread
  • chips made from protein tortillas (slice into desired size and toast in the oven until crispy)
  • protein tortilla lined with lettuce – roll and eat
  • lettuce leaf cup
  • cucumber slices

Dilled Egg Salad

This summery salad has been adapted from the book “Vegetarian Sandwiches”. You can use this salad on Protein bread or crudites when you make it with eggs. Make the tofu version if you’re going to be having this on whole grain bread or bagels.

Mix dressing in small bowl:

  • 2 tablespoons drained yogurt or mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • (1/4 teaspoon honey)
  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced or 1 clove roasted
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste

In medium bowl use a fork to roughly mash 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped, or 1/2 cup extra-firm tofu (not silken).

Stir in:

  • 3 tablespoons minced bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced celery
  • 1 tablespoon minced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon drained, chopped capers
  • 2 tablespoons, minced dill pickle
  • 2 tablespoons minced, jicima

Layer salad onto a slice of Protein bread garnished with a slice of tomato or cucumber, shredded lettuce or jicima or micro-sprouts. Serve open faced or topped with another slice of Protein bread. An alternative to Protein bread would be to stuff celery sticks or cherry tomatoes, roll up in a lettuce leaf with deli-sliced meat, or spread on top of slices of tomato and/or cucumber.

If using the tofu version then make the sandwich as above using whole grain bread or bagel in place of Protein bread.

Basil Omelette Salad

This is one of those dishes I conjured up when it was cold outside, there wasn’t much in the fridge and I was feeling guilty for not eating enough vegetables that day. I wasn’t up to a bowl of cold lettuce so this crepe-thin omelette with piles of tomato and basil was the perfect solution. I’m calling it a salad because it’s mostly raw veggies.

Stir 1 teaspoon basil pesto, (or 1 teaspoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil), into 1/4 cup egg whites ( or 1 whole egg). Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Pour into heated, lightly oiled pan. Tilt to coat bottom of pan. When top of omelet is almost dry carefully loosen omelette from pan and flip over. Tear one slice mozzarella or white non-dairy cheese into pieces and place on top of omelet. Cover and turn off heat.

While cheese is melting prepare salad. Chop & toss 1 tomato (Optional: add 1/4 avocado, 2 – 4 tablespoons red bell pepper & 1 – 2 tablespoons red onion) with 1 teaspoon basil pesto, seasoning with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Slide omelette onto plate. Spoon half the salad onto half the omelette, fold omelette over salad. Top with rest of salad.

Sausage

Chipotle Sausage Salad

This is a variation of the New ‘awlins Sausage Salad, born out of desperation for the taste of that delectable delight, but missing some of the key ingredients.

Shape 2 cups sausage into 1/2-inch balls. Cook sausage balls with 1 cup chopped onion over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes, stirring or shaking occasionally so that all sides are browned. Alternatively you could cook large sausage patties, then cut them into 1/2 inch squares.

While sausage is browning assemble in large bowl

  • 1 cup julienned celery
  • 2 stalks green onion, sliced
  • 1 cup julienned jicima

When sausage is cooled enough to touch add to salad bowl and toss with

  • 1 teaspoon canned chipotle in adobe sauce or 2 teaspoons reconstituted dried chipotle
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Taste and add sea salt and black pepper to taste.

If you like it hot, then use your choice of hot sauce in place of the chipotle in adobe sauce. We like a bourbon hot sauce cuz the bourbon heightens the chili pepper’s heat. So, although the smoking process lowers the heat of the jalapeno, this sauce has a nice kick along with the smokiness of chipotles.

New ‘awlins Sausage Salad

This salad is great as a main dish with a side of Perfectly Neutral Mashed “Potatoes”.

Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main dish.

In a food processor pulse 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, stems removed until roughly chopped

Add and continue pulsing until finely chopped

  • 1 green, red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 stalks green onion, trimmed and sliced in 1/4-inch long pieces

You’ll have more of this garnish than you’ll need for the salad. Use leftovers to garnish other salads, soups and casseroles. It will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. It’s great stirred into mayo and used to spread on bread for a sandwich.

Scrape mixture out into small airtight container.

As you prepare each of the ingredients below place them in a medium serving bowl:

  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 4 large link sausages, casings removed, cooked and chopped
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped peeled jicima
  • 1/2 cup cooked, chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped dill pickle
  • 1/4 cup bell pepper mixture

Toss with your favorite creamy salad dressing. Go light on the dressing as this salad is very flavorful. This salad can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or so – keep leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Rome Zucchini Salad

I was trying to fix this salad for a friend at her house without making a trip to the grocery store and so came up with the following version. This salad is great as a main dish with a side of Perfectly Neutral Mashed “Potatoes” topped with a little pesto or Parmesan cheese.

In a food processor pulse until roughly chopped

  • 1/2 bunch fresh basil, large leaves torn
  • 4-8 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley, stems removed

Add 2 stalks green onion, trimmed and sliced in 1/4-inch long pieces and continue pulsing until finely chopped.

Scrape into medium salad bowl and add

  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 4 large link sausages, casings removed, sliced and cooked
  • 2 cups chopped zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup cooked, chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan (use grated only if you don’t have shredded on hand)
  • (1/4 teaspoon sea salt)
  • (1/4 teaspoon black pepper)

Toss with your favorite creamy salad dressing, preferably a garlic or tomato dressing. Go light as this salad is very flavorful. Garnish with toasted pecans.

Chicken

Green Chicken Salad

The herbs are the key to this salad. The flavor will change drastically depending on what herb or herbs you choose. Try cilantro, parsley, or basil alone in the salad. Other herbs such as rosemary, tarragon, or sage are too strong tasting to use more than 1/4 cup, but you can mix them with other herbs to make up the 2 cups. Lime juice works especially well with cilantro, orange juice is wonderful with rosemary, lemon goes with everything.

Use a food processor to finely dice each set of ingredients. Dump ingredients into a medium bowl as you go along.

  • 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped and 1 clove garlic or 2 cloves roasted garlic
  • 2 cups fresh herbs and 2 cups lettuce
  • 1 cup leaves and inner celery stalks (taste to make sure they aren’t bitter) and 1/2 cup red onion and/or green onion
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup radish, cut into quarters (squeeze diced radish in your hands to release as much moisture as possible before adding to mixing bowl)

Dress lightly with mayo. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, and a little fresh lemon, orange, or lime juice if you like. Not too much juice though; you don’t want to thin the dressing.

Serve:

  • on top of a bed of lettuce lightly dressed with an oil and vinegar dressing
  • spooned onto cucumber slices (taste wonderful lightly salted or sprinkled with citrus juice)
  • stuffed into celery sticks
  • spooned onto radish slices (don’t use radish in the salad itself)
  • rolled up inside lettuce leaves

Pesto Cottage Cheese Salad Dressing

Puree until smooth

  • 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup pesto

Taste and add sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Feta Tarragon Salad Dressing

Let this dressing rest for at least 30 minutes before serving to give the flavors the chance to develop.

Puree in blender until smooth

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 cup feta cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely ground flaxseed (if you need to grind the seed, do it in the blender before adding other ingredients)

With blender running slowly pour in 1/2 cup soymilk.

Tuna

Cherried Tuna & Beans

Mix in a bowl:

  • 1 cup cherries, halved
  • 2 cups fennel, thinly sliced (you could also use celery)
  • 1 can water packed tuna, squeezed to drain well
  • 1 can soybeans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red or green onion, optional

Toss with your favorite oil and vinegar dressing. We love to use a raspberry or cranberry vinegarette.

Tuna Carrot Slaw

This very simple salad doesn’t look as good on the page as it tastes when made. It’s become one of my new favorites. I’m giving the recipe for one serving since I love to have this for lunch, but if you want to serve it for dinner, just use the amounts in brackets to serve four. Make it up at least thirty minutes before serving to give the flavors time to meld.

Stir together in small (medium) bowl

  • 1/4 cup mayo [1 cup]
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice [1 -2 tablespoons]
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped [1 tablespoon dried, 1/4 cup fresh]
  • dash or two of cayenne [1/8 teaspoons]
  • small pinch of black pepper [1/4 teaspoon]

Add to bowl and stir until well coated with dressing

  • 2 large carrots, shredded [8] 2 tablespoons (chopped red or green onion) [1/2 cup] 1 handful water-packed tuna, squeeze in your hands until very well drained [1 cup] 2 – 4 tablespoons cashews, chopped [1/2 – 1 cup]

Prosciutto Melon Salad

Remove the seeds from 1 cantaloupe. With a spoon or melon baller scoop out the flesh to form bite-size pieces. Cut a small section from the end of each cantaloupe half and set aside the cantaloupe shells. In a medium bowl add to cantaloupe and toss until well mixed

2 cups torn lettuce 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped sea salt and black pepper to taste Scoop salad into melon halves. Garnish with thinly sliced prosciutto and grated or thinly sliced Parmesan.

Reuben Salad

Arrange on a bed of lettuce

  • corned beef, diced or cut into large chunks
  • swiss cheese, shredded or cut into small cubes
  • sauerkraut or sauteed, shredded cabbage

Drizzle with dressing.

Dressing

Mix with fork or shake in a bottle

  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • balsamic or unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
  • Dijon mustard
  • sea salt
  • black pepper

Basic Protein Salad

I was never a salad eater before I started working with the principles of the UnDiet. Even though this salad seems pretty simple – and it is – it makes all the difference. My mouth is watering just writing this down. This salad is an entire meal, and often in my house!

To a bowl of lettuce add any of the following:

  • bite-sized chunks or shredded cheese
  • sausage
  • pepperoni
  • ham
  • turkey
  • chicken
  • corned beef
  • roast beef
  • shrimp
  • lobster
  • crab
  • ham, turkey, or chicken salad made with sugar-free mayo
  • hard-boiled eggs

Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Dress with mayo thinned with fresh lemon or lime juice, or just drizzle on a little extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Mexican Caesar Salad Protein, Neutral if not using feta cheese

Puree

  • 2/3 cup creme fraiche, real or soy sour cream, or firm tofu
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2-4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, 1-2 tablespoons dried

Break 8 cups romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Toss with enough dressing to evenly coat. Garnish with 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds & (3 tablespoons feta cheese).

Egg Salad Salad

The recipe title is not redundant, this is an egg salad that is a SALAD. The measurements here are not exact but they don’t need to be. You can make this salad with small amounts of produce leftovers and adjust the amounts according to what you have.

Pulse in food processor until finely diced, but not pureed

  • 1/2-1 cucumber, seeded and peeled (if the skins aren’t waxed then you can leave the peel on)
  • a pinch of sea salt

Dump from processor bowl into strainer and allow to drain for 30 minutes

Pulse in food processor until very finely diced, but not pureed

  • 4-8 hardboiled eggs
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2-6 stalks celery
  • 1 tablespoon-1/4 cup onion
  • (green cabbage)
  • (jicima)
  • (water chestnuts)
  • (green beans)
  • (choose only one: sesame seed oil, dill, or tarragon to taste)

Add cucumber and pulse just until thoroughly mixed into the salad.

Serve on top of:

  • Protein Bread
  • cucumber rounds
  • zucchini rounds, raw or cooked
  • thinly pounded and cooked chicken breasts

or wrapped up in:

  • lettuce leaves
  • slices of corned beef, ham, or any spiced ham such as prosciutto

Perfect Potluck Picnic Pea Salad

This can be served in a large bowl or mounded on a platter lined with lettuce leaves.

Combine

  • 2  ~ 10 ounce packages frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 cup cheese, cubed (cheddar, Edam, jack, mozzarella – choose one, don’t mix cheeses)
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

BLT Salad

Mix in salad bowl and set aside 1/2

  • 1 cup mayo
  • (1/4 cup creme fraiche, yogurt, or sour cream)
  • fresh lemon or lime juice, just enough to thin the mayo to pourable consistency
  • 2-3 cloves roasted garlic
  • (1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)
  • (1/4 teaspoon horseradish)
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste

Add to bowl

  • Romaine lettuce
  • bacon, crumbled or cut into bite-size pieces
  • tomato, chopped or sliced
  • (cheese: cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, jack)

If you need to add some of the reserved dressing do so. Leftover dressing can be used on any other salad.

Broccoflower Salad

This is a very large salad which is good for potlucks. You can cut the recipe in half to serve to your family or make the entire recipe and use the suggestion below for leftovers. If you only have 1/2 a head of cauliflower or broccoli just use more bell pepper, celery, or tomato.

A couple of hours before serving mix in large bowl

  • 3/4 cup sugar-free bottled Ranch dressing and 1/4 cup mayo or
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 2 cloves roasted garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro or parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Scoop out 1/2 the dressing and set aside to drizzle over assembled salad. Add to bowl

  • 1 head broccoli florets, slice each head lengthwise into bite-size pieces
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2-3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 cup olives, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup cheese, cut into cubes (Mozzarella, Gouda , Provolone, or Edam)
  • 1 large tomato, with seeds removed and chopped- if you think you’ll have leftovers use the tomatoes as a garnish so you don’t have to pick them out before cooking up the casserole below.

Broccoflower Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place leftover Broccoflower Salad in oiled baking dish. Pour a little heavy cream over veggies, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. (Drizzle or dot with butter.) If there’s not much cheese in the leftovers add some cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until veggies are just tender.

Chicken Salad with Egg Yolk Dressing

Makes 4 servings.

This is a great way to use egg yolks leftover from making UnDeviled Eggs.

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
6 stalks celery
2 dill pickles
1 tablespoon capers
3 cups chopped chicken breasts
2 tablespoons green chilies
1/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon mustard

Directions

In a medium bowl, use a fork or potato masher to mash together egg yolks, yogurt and mustard. Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper and garlic.

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Eat as is or:

  • mound on top on cucumber slices
  • roll inside lettuce leaf
  • serve on a bed of steamed greens dressed with lemon or lime juice and a little salt and pepper
Fruit High Protein Kid Friendly Neutral Recipes

Low Calorie & Sugar Free Jello Gelatin Dessert Recipes

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Cool, clean, sometimes creamy and rich, sometimes bursting with fresh Fruit, gelatin desserts make my mouth water just thinking about them! And the beautiful thing is that I can have a rich and creamy dessert that is low calorie, high protein, low carb, low fat, Atkins compliant, in The Zone, Somersized … name your diet plan and jello will most likely be acceptable.

I prefer not to use sugar-free gelatin because it’s sweetened with aspartame. Aspartame has a strange effect on many people, completely halting weight loss. Don’t worry, it’s not permanent. It usually only lasts for the day that you’ve eaten aspartame. But since I don’t like to sabotouge a day of dieting, I prefer to use plain gelatin and flavor it with various items. If however, you don’t want to bother, you can always substitute sugar-free fruit flavored gelatin in the recipes below.

Note: If you use agar-agar or a soy based gelatin instead of gelatin then these recipes will be Neutral or vegan instead of  high protein recipes.

Basic Fruit Jello

If you’re having trouble getting your children (or DH) to eat fruit, this is an easy way to sneak it in.

Puree in blender

5 cups Fruit, fresh or frozen so that you end up with 3 cups puree
1/4 cup honey, agave nectar or unrefined sugar such as Sucanat or Rapadura

Dissolve 1 packet unflavored gelatin by sprinkling it over 1 tablespoon cold water in the same container that you’ll be serving from or storing your jello in. Then stir in 3 tablespoons boiling water. When the gelatin is dissolved stir in fruit puree. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

Insanely Low Calorie Fruit Flavored Jello

Dissolve 1 packet unflavored gelatin by sprinkling it over 1 tablespoon cold water in the same container that you’ll be serving from or storing your jello in. Then stir in 3 tablespoons boiling water. When the gelatin is dissolved stir in 3 cups water and enough of your favorite sugar free drink powder to flavor 3 cups of water. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

Basic Creamy Jello

Dissolve 1 packet unflavored gelatin by sprinkling it over 1 tablespoon cold water in the same container that you’ll be serving from or storing your jello in. Then stir in 3 tablespoons boiling water. When the gelatin is dissolved stir in:

3 cups non fat yogurt, pureed tofu, light cream cheese or light sour cream

1/4 cup honey or agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Flavor with any of the following:

  • maple syrup instead of honey and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • juice from one lemon, lime, or half an orange – use in place of the water and to replace an equal amount of yogurt
  • 1 cup strong decaf coffee in place of 1 cup of the yogurt
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup pureed fruit to replace 1 cup yogurt

Dripless Popsicles

This is such a brilliant way to enjoy a cold treat on a hot day without the mess of sticky juice running down your hand. Make up a batch of Basic Jello or Basic Creamy Jello according to the directions above. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Banana Cream Jello

Mash 1 to 2 bananas and stir into the Basic Jello or Basic Creamy Jello recipe, adjusting the liquid so that the total amount of jello is 3 cups.

Creamy Orange Gelatin

Puree in blender:

3 ounces tofu
1 cup nonfat yogurt or lowfat cream cheese
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
1 teaspoon orange oil or orange extract

Pour puree into a saucepan. Sprinkle 1 envelope unflavored gelatin over the puree. Stir over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved, 2-4 minutes. Pour into dishes. Chill until set.

Jello Torte

Make up 1 batch of Basic Jello. Pour 1/2 of it into a serving container and refrigerate. Set aside the other 1/2 of the recipe on the kitchen counter, do not refrigerate it. When the refrigerated jello is semi-firm, stir in 1 cup of your choice of fruit. Place back in refrigerator while making up 1 batch Creamy Jello.

Pour 1/2 the Creamy Jello into the serving container. Refrigerate until this layer is semi-firm.

Pour remaining 1/2 of the Basic Jello over the Creamy Jello. If the Basic Jello is not liquid enough to pour, gently reheat it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds or over a double boiler. When this layer is semi-firm pour the remaining half of the Creamy Jello over it. Refrigerate until firm.

Toppings for Jello:

  • UnDiet Whipped Cream: Whip heavy cream flavored with vanilla extract and sweetened with honey, agave nectar or unrefined sugar until stiff peaks form.
  • Creamy Dip:: Whip 1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream that’s been whipped into soft peaks together with 1 teaspoon grated orange peel, 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice and 1/2 cup date or maple sugar.
  • sliced almonds
  • chopped nuts
  • well-drained mandarin orange slices
  • sliced strawberries
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • boysenberries
Internal Cleansing Low Calorie Neutral Recipes Vegetarian

Juice Fast Diet for Quick Weight Loss

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A juice fast is usually a last ditch diet effort to lose stubborn weight because the diet is extreme. However, it can be highly effective for those who manage to stay on this rigid diet.

The main benefit is that this is a quick weight loss diet. You can lose anywhere from one to four pounds daily in the beginning of a juice fast, slowing down to about a pound a day as the fast progresses. It is not unusual to see someone drop 30 pounds on a 30-day fast and that kind of weight loss can be transformative.

Staying on this diet is a challenge but for those who have staying power, the benefits far exceed weight loss. Fasting has been shown to be a healthy practice that detoxifies the body and cleanses the blood.

Here are a few recipes to use during a juice fast;

  • 6 carrots
  • 6 kale leaves
  • 4 stalks celery
  • 4 beets
  • 2 turnip
  • 1/2 lb. spinach
  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1/2 of an onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Place all ingredients in water and gently boil until vegetables are tender. Drain liquid for use during fasting.

Here is a lemon juice recipe that speeds detoxification

  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
  • 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 32 oz steam distilled water

While you can drink commercial juices, make sure you avoid any juice that contains sugar or artificial ingredients. It is better to lean more toward vegetable juices instead of fruit juices. It is typically recommended that you sip 4 to 8 glasses of juice throughout the day and also drink an additional 6 to 8 glasses of filtered or purified water throughout the day.

It is also important to know that you might feel the effects of detoxification, especially in the early days of the fast diet. Flu-like symptoms are the common symptoms of detoxification. If you feel ill, increase your juice intake by an additional glass to slow the detoxification process.