Tips

Out of the Box Diets

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Eat like a caveman, lock your kitchen down at night and writing to an imagined pen pal. Depending on who you believe, these could be very unusual weight loss tips or they could turn out to be diets that work.

The Flintstones Diet. Can anybody say Yabadabadoo? In his book “The New Evolution Diet: What Our Paleolithic Ancestors Can Teach Us About Weight Loss, Fitness, and Aging” author and grandfather of the Paleo Movement, Arthur De Vany encourages modern day Janes and Joes to follow the dietary patterns of our ancestors.

The Paleo movement believes that in order to lose weight we must do as our ancestors do. This means that large amount of meat is eaten, avoiding modern food (bread included as agriculture wasn’t invented yet 40,000 years ago) and then fasting in between those meals just like how a regular cavemen would in between hunts.

As you can tell, this diet is not for the faint of heart as it requires a lot of self-discipline not to go and eat a burger, which by the way wasn’t around until 1880.

The Kitchen Lockdown Diet. And in James Beckerman’s, M.D book “The Flex Diet: Design-Your-Own Weight Loss Plan” that is just one of the more than 200 ways he tells you how you can lose weight.

The Flex diet is divided into three parts which are Today, Every Day and Your Way. In the first stage, followers of the diet are promised that they can lose at least five pounds in two weeks time, and the tips you followed for this stage you take to the next until the thrid stage wherein you already have developed your own intricate system of dieting.

It sounds too easy right? Think again. For the most part, Flexers for the most part of this diet are left to their own devices. Sure there area 200 ways on how to lose weight, but which one should you follow? Which combinations are right for you? How long until you’re confused at which tip you’re following again? Who knows.

The Love is the Answer Diet. Jean Fain, author of “The Self-Compassion Diet: A Step-by-Step Program to Lose Weight with Loving-Kindness” suggests that love can melt away those extra pounds.

According to Fain, the Self-Compassion Diet utilizes four proven psychological routes that can lead to weight loss, these are meditation, hypnosis, self-compassion and group support. Now I know what you’re thinking, how can a diet that tells someone to create an imaginary friend and write that imaginary friend a letter going to work? In an interview this is what Fain says,

Researchers have shown that hypnosis and meditation help dieters get a handle on the range of eating issues, but given the number of diets most Americans have under their belts or elasticized waist-bands, these less-traveled psychological routes may sound like dead ends. I encourage a healthy mix of skepticism and curiosity. Certainty only comes with time and experience.

If you want to know more about diets that work, fast weight loss tips and how to lose belly fat, just head on to http://losebellyfatmethods.com.

Tips

Green Tea Weight Loss – How to do it Right?

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Drinking green tea to burn fat has become a common means for weight reduction. Even so, you have to do it correctly to achieve the results you want. If your plan is to consume one cup of green tea daily and you’re counting on the extra weight melting off, you’re going to be disappointed. You have to consume a great deal of green tea to deliver genuine weight-loss benefits, and you must consume the appropriate type of green tea. Read on for a simple guide to getting ideal results compiled from the results of numerous scientific studies regarding green tea weight loss.

To begin with it’s the anti-oxidants in green tea, known as EGCG that actually induce the green tea weight loss effects. EGCG, whilst supplying the additional key health benefits of green tea like decreasing your chance of cancers and cardiovascular disease, increases your metabolism securely and holistically with no negative effects. The research has shown that for optimum weight loss effects you have to take in about seven hundred mg of EGCG daily. With this amount, EGCG uses up, typically, seventy-five to eighty calories per day.

There are two feasible approaches to consuming that much green tea every day – by drinking green tea or by taking the health supplement version of green tea known as green tea extract. If you choose to drink green tea then you’ll need to drink it in the form of loose leaf green tea rather than using green tea bags. The reason behind this is that the leaves in tea bags are sliced into tiny pieces which exposes 1/2 to 2/3 of the EGCG anti-oxidants to air, opening them up to oxidative damage. Because of this you would have to drink two to three times as many cups compared to loose leaf green tea. The truth is you still have to consume around six cups of loose leaf green tea daily anyway. Typically, a cup of freshly made loose leaf green tea supplies around a hundred and twenty mg of EGCG. So six cups supplies you with seven hundred and twenty mg of EGCG.

For many people, consuming six cups of loose leaf green tea every day just isn’t possible, which is the reason why green tea extract is very common these days. Using green tea extract you can know precisely how much EGCG you’re consuming since every pill or tablet contains a standard dosage. Just look at the content label to determine the amount of pills you must take to reach  seven hundred mg. Don’t be concerned if your dosage goes above this number, since research has shown that even with extremely high doses (much greater than seven hundred mg), EGCG is quite safe, however over seven hundred mg the green tea weight loss results do not increase.

Uncategorized

Trans Fats Linked to Depression

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It’s not a secret that obesity can lead to more serious ailments such as heart attacks, developing diabetes and contracting some types of cancers, which is why America has been obsessed with finding ways to lose belly fat. But recent studies show that obesity can also affect our mental health.

According to a study conducted among 12,000 Spanish university graduates in the course of six years time, students who consumed more trans fats than their peers were at a greater risk of being diagnosed with depression.

Trans fat, commonly found in junk food has been found to raise one’s level of bad cholesterol which makes it one of the primary causes for an increase in numbers of coronary heart disease. In fact in a previous study it was estimated that trans fats caused more than 20,000 deaths in a year in the US alone from heart disease.

And this could be where a vicious cycle of depression and living an unhealthy lifestyle may form. Dr. Valerie Taylor, mental health lead at the Canadian Obesity Network and assistant professor at St. Joseph’s Healthcare cites that those who are sickly will likely be depressed and those who are depressed similarly care less about their health.

All over the world, depression affects an estimated 151 million people with bad eating habits cited as one of the factors that might have caused or contributed to the depression. Given this, health experts such as Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, professor of preventive medicine at Spain’s University of Navarra and co-author of the study mentioned above suggests that including a healthy dose of olive oil and Omega-3 – also considered as fat burning foods – in your diet can help negate the effects of trans fats.

Healthy Products

The Rundown on the Benefits of Sublingual B12

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Vitamin b12 plays an integral role in our central nervous system and in our metabolism and is considered the most important component of the vitamin b complex family. If a person is lacking in this key vitamin, health care experts recommend the use of b12 supplements to nourish the body and bring back lost nutrients. Several modalities of b12 supplements have been introduced to the public which include the tablet or the liquid sublingual b vitamins, that are fast gaining popularity as they are both affordable and effective. They are strategically placed under the tongue for faster absorption and assimilation. More information can be viewed at liquidvitaminbguide.com.

To provide you with a broader understanding as to how sublingual b12 vitamins benefits you.

Absorption – one of the biggest factor why sublingual-b12 is most advised by physicians is due to the fact that they are absorbed faster by the body by placing a lozenge or a few doses of liquid vitamin b12 directly under the tongue which instantly takes the nutrients to our blood vessels. Though a brief look at sublingual b12 vs injections would show that the latter is much easier absorbed by the body, it is often too costly and can only be administered by a medical professional.

Retention – the sublingual way of taking vitamin b12 allows for more nutrient retention in the body as compared to the conventional oral pills. Through the sublingual modality, the nutrient easily passes through the blood stream instead of going into the digestive tracts which could reduce the potency of the b12 vitamin.

Cardiovascular health – vitamin b12, in general, has the unique ability to reduce a kind of amino acid called homocystein that damages the arteries, accumulates cholesterol and thus increasing the risk of contracting a heart disease.

Memory power – the sublingual-b12 is also used to enhance brain memory, thus college students have long relied on this supplement to enhance their thought clarity and recall.

Working Out

Keep Your Workout on Point with a Wrist Heart Rate Monitor

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A wrist heart rate monitor is more than a toy for gadget freaks. Used properly, you can get more out of your average workout than you possibly could without the aid of such a device. A heart rate monitor lets you know when you need to push yourself harder or ease up on your exercise with real time feedback.

The operational design of a wrist heart rate monitor is pretty straightforward. Most models take a wireless transmission of your heart rate information from a chest strap (though some models, like the ones in the Mio watch line, have a sensor in the watch band), and compare this to the maximum heart rate prescribed for your age group. If your heart rate goes over or under a certain percentage of the prescribed heart rate (determined by entering your date of birth), the heart rate monitor watch will beep until you bring your heart rate back into the target zone. For a workout of moderate intensity, you can set the zone between 60% and 75% of your maximum heart rate, for instance.

Some of the higher end watches, like Polar F11, have even more features. Perhaps the most significant is the ability to connect the watch to a computer and transfer information recorded by the device to the Web. Most heart rate monitor (HRM) watch manufacturers have their own sites dedicated to user fitness tracking. Once you have your workout stats up on the website, you can review the effectiveness of you exercise habits and make more informed adjustments to your regimen.

Another feature of advanced watches is the ability to accept signals from coded transmitters, which prevent interference from other transmitters used by other HRM watch users. This might not seem like a critical feature, but if anyone you works out in a crowded gym, there’s a high likelihood of encountering interference. If you work out alone, you probably won’t need this feature; but the computer connectivity will still be of great value.

Healthy Products

Lose Weight Safely with Skinny Fiber

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Many people look for weight loss products that will help them lose weight the quickest. However, one important factor they should not overlook is the safety of the product. Many products contain artificial ingredients which may be harmful to the human body. Skinny Fiber is a new weight loss solution that contains only natural ingredients which have been proven to help weight loss. The main active component is fiber which is vital to reducing body fat and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Fiber is usually found in fruit, vegetables, tree extracts and seeds and Skinny Fiber encapsulates these ingredients so that you will not have to waste time consuming them one by one.

When you consume less calories, you lose weight. One way to lose weight is to make yourself feel full so that you eat less. Skinny Fiber follows this principle by making you feel fuller so that you will have a lower appetite and crave less unhealthy snacks. When you do not have cravings, you tend not to eat. There is no need for strenuous exercise or starving yourself to lose weight. Fiber has this natural effect but along with this it also helps to boost your metabolism and helps to cleanse your system.

Skinny Fiber has several benefits. First and foremost, it can improve the absorption rate of minerals and vitamins from foods in your everyday diet. Skinny Fiber can also help you to burn fat quickly by breaking down fat so that your body can burn it quicker than normal. Blood sugar imbalances will be improved and you will notice a difference instantly because is a common cause of hard weight loss. Many weight loss products claim to give you rapid weight loss, however the cost of this may be to your long term health. Skinny Fiber offers a way to safely lose weight without harming your body or giving long term side effects.

Tips

Twenty Tips to Getting Skinny Fast

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If you have a goal in mind such as getting a bikini ready body, looking great in an evening dress for a holiday party or you just want to lose weight to feel healthier, then you’ve probably Googled “getting skinny fast”, scoured the Internet for weight loss tips from the last celebrity who lost 10 pounds fast or you’ve tried a Master Cleanse or other juice fast diet. If instead of following the latest weight loss craze you committed to finding a method that works for your lifestyle and personal preferences than you would start to become your own weight loss success story. While the tips below aren’t “The Best Way To Lose Weight Fast” hopefully they will give you some ideas that you can incorporate into your own life to help you reach your weight loss and health goals.

  1. Eat more meals, not fewer. Instead of skipping breakfast and sipping a cup of soup for lunch only to be famished by dinner which tends to give you license to have a “treat” since you ate so well all day, try eating five to six small meals throughout the day. Figure out your ideal calorie intake and divide that out between breakfast, lunch, dinner and two to three snacks.
  2. If you can’t do a long workout on a particular day, then aim to increase the intensity.
  3. Increase the intensity of your regular workouts in short spurts. Do your normal pace for five minutes, then a slightly increased pace for one minute, then back to your normal pace, then an even more slightly increased pace for one minute. Continue this patter until you’ve completed your workout.
  4. Look for fun ways to work out. If you’re social, trade your weekly dinner with a friend for a long walk & coffee; if you’re competitive, join a team; if you love the outdoors, scrap your gym workout for a hike – well you get the idea. If you’re having fun working out, then you’ll stick with it, maybe even adding more workouts to your week. Wouldn’t that be lovely!
  5. If you find it difficult to not have an after dinner snack then aim to make it a fresh fruit or veggie.
  6. Don’t avoid carbs – you need them for energy. Just make sure they are good-for-you carbs such as whole grains, beans, fresh vegetables and fruit.
  7. Omega 3 fatty acids are very important for your body – don’t eliminate fats completely, just make sure that the fats and oils you consume are of the healthy variety.
  8. Protein will fill you up and give you energy, so don’t avoid it, just be smart about it. Choose lean proteins and serve them with lots of veggies.
  9. Flavor your water with a healthy drink powder or fresh citrus juices such as lemon, lime or grapefruit. Not only will this help to keep you hydrated, it will give you something to do with your hands and mouth if you tend to eat when you’re bored, but also lemon juice helps your digestion to perform more effeciently, eliminating waste more quickly and can even relieve constipation.
  10. Add strength training to your workout routine. You’ll feel better, look better, and burn more calories throughout your day just resting.
  11. When weight training, make sure to give your body a day of rest in between workouts. If you want to workout every day you can choose to do upper body one day and lower body the following day.
  12. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Many times when you think you’re hungry you’re actually thirsty. Next time you’re hit with a craving or feel like you’re starving drink a large glass of water first and see if that takes care of things.
  13. Think of your diet as a lifestyle change, not as a temporary thing. If something isn’t working for you, rather than tough it out, look for other things that will work for you that you can live with.
  14. If you can eliminate alcohol entirely, more power to you, but for those who enjoy a drink now and then, make sure that one or two drinks aren’t the calorie equivelent of an entire meal. Look for low calorie substitutes for your favorite alcohol drinks.
  15. Make sure to eat a nutritionally balanced diet or your body can rebel causing you to crave the things its not getting. Thirst can feel like hunger (drink more water), a craving for fat can point you towards a cheesecake binge …
  16. Avoid empty calories in sugary drinks like soda & juice. Substitute plain water, flavored water and diet drinks for these sugared beverages whenever possible.
  17. If motivation is a problem for you then look for ways to support your weight loss efforts such as a walking club, a friend you meet at the gym, joining a sports team …
  18. Look for low calorie or healthier substitutes for your favorite high calorie foods.
  19. When you find yourself turning to food for comfort, out of boredom or for reasons that have nothing to do with being hungry, pay attention. Stop. Ask yourself why you’re eating and if anything else will help other than food. Now to be realistic, you may not be able to to do this in the moment, but later, stop and take a look at your choices and see if you can substitute healthier behaviors than eating yourself away from your goal.
  20. Look for ways to add calorie burners to your day. We all know the basics, park further away from your destination, take the stairs instead of the elevator but here are some ideas you may not have thought of:
  • walk to your co-workers desk instead of sending an email or using the inter-office mail service
  • when at the park with your kids keep moving, either playing with them or walking the perimeter of the play area or bring stretch tubing and do a strength training session
  • do leg lifts while brushing your teeth or blow drying your hair
  • do squats over the toilet instead of sitting down
  • walk in place or around the room while talking on the phone
  • when driving, pull your navel towards your spine and/or clench your buttocks
  • use a back pack or bicycle saddlebags so that you can do errands on your bicycle instead of in your car
  • use a bicycle sidecar to take your little one to school or on errands with you
Uncategorized

The Real Reason Why Losing Belly Fat is a Good Idea

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More and more people are becoming aware of how they look and this has set the stage for a rise in interest in fitness and weight loss programs. Eliminating belly fat seems to be the focus of many new fitness programs and books on how to lose weight fast. Although it’s good that people are making an effort towards exercising and losing weight so that they can feel confident with the way they look, there is a more important reason why a flatter belly is a good goal.

The health constraints that a bulging stomach imposes on your body is something that should be considered when aiming for a flat belly. Excessive belly fat is a sure sign of visceral or intra-abdominal fat, which is linked to high insulin, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and many other health challenges. This kind of fat may be the most dangerous kind of fat and can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancers. So when you’re dreaming of a new set of washboard abs, let your inspiration be not only looking fantastic in a bathing suit but also living a longer and healthier life.

Now that you have a solid goal in mind, now that you’re motivated to start moving towards a healthier lifestyle, now that you have a picture of the swimsuit you want to wear pinned up on your dream board, there are many effective ways to lose belly fat. Some of these programs and tips are easier than most people think. While working your core muscles is helpful towards getting a flat belly, contrary to popular belief, sit-ups, crunches, and all those exercise machines
designed to target the abdominal muscles are not the best way to get a flatter tummy. Your stomach muscles may be carved into a six-pack but you won’t be any closer to your swimsuit, weight loss or health goals if your six-pack is covered with a layer of fat. Regular aerobic exercise and a healthy diet will burn more fat than these targetted routines because these are designed to burn fat and build muscle all over your body. The good news is that since the abdomen stores more fat than any other part of your body, the belly fat is usually the first to melt away.

Aiming for tighter abs because you want to look good is not a bad goal but remember that a flat stomach has extreme health advantages that will take you a longer way towards a happy life than the right swimsuit will.

Working Out

Benefits of Owning a Portable Treadmill

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Have you purchased fitness equipment only to move it to your garage, shed, or basement? And once the workout equipment is out of sight, you of course, forget about it and stop using it. Your expensive treadmill, Bowflex, rowing machine … ends up gathering dust and taking up storage space that could be put to better use.

The problem many people face when buying home gym equipment is space. These machines don’t look that large at the department store or even online, and you think that they will fit fine in your spare bedroom, but once the machine is in your home, you realize that it is much larger than it seems. In order to save space the machine gets moved out of the house and is never used again.

Portable gym equipment can help you remedy this situation. There are many different options available, but a portable treadmill, in particular, is a great way to have workout equipment in your home without concern for taking up too much space. They can easily be stored and taken out when needed for a workout, with convenient and easy folding on the machine.

There are both manual and electric models available. The most portable options will be the manual units because they are lighter than most electric ones available, most weighing as little as 50 pounds, making them easy to move from place to place. Besides the benefit of portability, these machines also have a display to help you track to fitness progress with a calorie counter and distance and time indicators.

Most motorized treadmills will come with many more features and benefits than their manual counterparts. One great example is the NordicTrack EXP2000. It is a motorized portable treadmill that has 9 built-in workouts to keep you motivated and help you avoid boredom. These machines are heavier than the 50lb manual options, but are easier to use and have more features.

If having gym machines in your home is appealing, but you are short on space, consider getting a portable treadmill for their space saving benefits. They can be a much better investment than bulky machines that will end up not being used.

Basic Information

Starch Substitutes for Food Combining

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Breading for a Starch Meal

Try not to fry, instead brush or spray a cookie sheet with oil and “oven fry”. It’s important to use a flat sheet or cookie sheet rather than a pan with high sides, otherwise your food will bake, not “fry”. Even better, place a cooling rack inside a roasting pan. Spray rack with oil and place your food on the rack before baking.

  • whole grain bread, crumbed in a blender or food processor
  • whole grain flour
  • For a thicker coating dip food in nondairy milk, veggie broth, or any other liquid (even water) before dredging.

Baked Goods

These substitutions don’t work well for cookies, but are great for cookie bars, cakes and other baked goods. Since I don’t eat eggs very often I keep a couple cartons of frozen egg white in the freezer to use when baking.

  • Two egg whites for one whole egg.
  • Replace white flour with sifted whole grain flour for a Starch Meal, using 1/4 less than the recipe calls for.
  • Replace sugar with Stevia , Splenda, Truvia, honey, agave nectar, pure maple syrup, pr any other unrefined sugar. You’ll have to experiment with the amount that will satisfy you and work with your recipe.
  • Substitute cocoa powder and unsweetened or bittersweet (bittersweet does have some sugar though) chocolate wherever you can. Adjust the sweetener to compensate for the loss of sugar that would have been in the semi-sweet or milk chocolate.

Crusts for a dessert

  • For a pastry crust use a whole wheat pastry crust. If you’ve got the time you could make whole wheat tortillas, adding in some ground nuts, flavoring extract and acceptable sweetener and use those in place of a pastry crust. Another idea would be to use a crumb crust, using store bought  or home made natural cookies, instead of a pastry crust.

Crusts for an entree

  • For a pastry crust use a whole wheat pastry crust. If you don’t have a recipe for one I’ll be publishing one on the Starch Recipes page sometime in the near future.
  • Whole wheat tortillas.
  • For a crumb crust make sure that the crumb mixture consists of whole grains or ground nuts.

Potatoes

Use the chart below to choose a potato that’s lower in starch. Keep in mind though that a potato’s starch content determines the best way to use it. The rule of thumb: the more starch a potato has, the less moisture it contains, which results in a fluffier texture when cooked. Note: new potatoes (which are often red potatoes) can be any type of potato that’s been picked before it matures. They have the same starch content of the mature potato.

I buy mostly low starch potatoes and use them in place of the more traditional Russet or Baking potatoes. They cost a little more, but what would you pay to lose a pound?

High Starch

Medium Starch

Low Starch
Russet Long Whites Round Whites
Baking Yukon Gold Eastern
Idaho Finnish Butter Purple Peruvian
All-Blue
Round Reds

Misc.

Diced or chopped: For the most part, as long as your serving this recipe with a Starch meal, (not a Protein meal) it’s okay to leave the potatoes in. However if you’ve had a lot of potato in your diet lately you may want to use one of the following substitutes:

  • cauliflower is the most direct substitute for potatoes and one you can always count on.
  • mushrooms
  • carrots
  • green beans
  • jicima

Pureed: Use cauliflower instead of potatoes.

Mashed Potato Crust or Topping

  • mashed cauliflower
  • whole grain biscuit dough
  • brown or wild rice crust
  • whole grain pastry dough

Here are some breads you can purchase:

  1. Ezekiel bread (made with sprouted grains
  2. whole wheat pita bread
  3. whole wheat tortillas (Since fat free whole wheat tortillas are difficult to find and generally taste horrible, I’ve included a very simple recipe.)
  4. Whole wheat lavosh. These are fat free and taste great. Many supermarkets carry them, and almost every health food store I’ve shopped at. Very cheap, very big, excellent for wraps. I use these in place of tortillas all the time.
  5. Whole grain naan.

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Basic Recipes

Fat Free Whole Wheat Tortillas

You won’t miss the fat in this recipe, and they’re so easy to make. A really fun family project. You mix up the dough, and divide it. Then let one family member roll out the tortillas, another cook them, another fill them, another roll them, another stack them in a baking pan to keep in a warm oven. Because making tortillas will coats my kitchen with a flour residue I always make as many as I can at a time and freeze or refrigerate the leftovers.

  • whole wheat flour
  • water
  • salt to taste
  • optional: herbs fresh herbs are best, but if you don’t have them use dried, just in lesser quantities: basil, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, minced garlic, minced dried tomatoes, cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, finely minced citrus zest … You might also want to try mixing a little flavoring extract into the water especially if you’re making a dessert tortilla. Vanilla, rum, coconut, chocolate, or orange extracts go great with cinnamon and/or citrus zest. I haven’t yet tried using flavoring for non-dessert tortillas but I’d like to try tequila, vodka, maybe even wine. Don’t worry about the alcohol, it burns off when you cook the tortillas. If you try it, please e-mail me with details of your experience.

Mix the flour with enough water to form a stiff, but workable dough. Cover dough and let rest for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate and proceed the next day. Cut dough into equal sized pieces, depending on how large you want your tortillas. On a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a thin tortilla. Heat griddle or heavy pan. Place first tortilla in pan and let it cook while you roll out the next tortilla. When the tortilla bubbles on the top and has small brown dots on the underside, turn it over. It will cook very quickly on the second side. Continue cooking and rolling until all of your dough is used.

Fat-Free Whole Wheat Bread

Stir 2 packages yeast into 2 cups warm (not hot) water and 1 cup low-fat or non-fat rice or nut milk. Allow 3-4 minutes for yeast to dissolve, then add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/4 cup date or maple sugar and 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, and any of the optional ingredients below. Knead for 2 minutes, adding a bit more flour to keep the dough from being too sticky. If using a food processor mix ingredients in processor, knead for 10 seconds. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add another cup of flour, kneading the dough for 10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to keep dough from being too sticky. Using food processor mix for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until dough is elastic. At this point you can either continue to make the bread or freeze all or half of it. If you’re using frozen dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight, then proceed. Oil the bowl, place a towel or plate over it and set to rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Or you can set the oven to warm, turn off, and place dough bowl in oven, uncovered. Punch down the dough. You now may add anything from the list below. Divide the dough in half and place in nonstick or lightly oiled loaf pan. Cover with towel or oiled saran wrap and let rise 1 hour. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until browned and sounds slightly hollow when you thump the bottom of the loaf. Let it cool on a rack or towel before slicing.

You may add at least 1 cup and up to 2 cups of any of the wonderful ingredients below:

  • green or black olives (don’t bother slicing them, but make sure they’re pitted!)
  • roasted onions
  • roasted garlic
  • any fresh herbs you have on hand (rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram …)
  • chunks or shredded soy or nut cheese
  • minced dried tomatoes with roasted onion, roasted garlic and fresh herbs
  • 1 cup ground  or minced nuts
  • substitute chicken, beef, vegetable broth, water from steamed vegetables, or from soaking dried tomatoes or mushrooms for the water
  • minced veggies: carrots, broccoli, spinach, onion, garlic, mushrooms, bell peppers

I prefer to bake all my breads in shaped bread tins (order tins). They come in several different shapes and while that’s fun, it’s really the texture of the loaf that I’m after. Because these pans have a cap on both ends, the bread turns out very compact and can be thinly sliced, which makes for wonderful sandwiches and “holders” for bruschetta and other spreads. If you have kids you may find you have more luck getting them to eat whole wheat bread if you serve it to them in these fun shapes. As an alternative (to the kids turning up their noses dilemma) you can make their sandwiches and then use cookie cutters to cut them into shapes. Depending on the sandwich filling I save the discards in a plastic bag in the freezer and use them later to make bread pudding or strada.

When using shaped bread tins don’t allow the bread to rise beyond what it normally would while defrosting. If using bread dough straight from the bowl, let it rise 30 to 60 minutes, punch down, shape into a thick snake and slip into lightly greased bread tins.

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Vegetable “Pasta”

Sometimes it’s handy to have a substitute for whole grain pasta, such as when you are wanting to get more veggies into your diet. This is actually a “Neutral” recipe, suitable for either a Starch or Protein sauce.

Using a vegetable peeler or the slicing side of a grater make long, thin strips of any of the following:

  • broccoli stalk (first peel and discard tough outer portion of stalk and 1/4 inch off end of stalk)
  • carrot (first peel and discard tough outer layer and don’t forget this is a starch)
  • zucchini
  • beet (first peel and discard tough outer layer and don’t forget this is a starch)
  • sweet potato (don’t forget this is a starch)
  • fennel
  • turnips
  • taro root
  • bamboo shoots
  • spaghetti squash
  • tofu: freeze a block of firm tofu, then cut into noodle size strips. Heat through or saute to brown.

Don’t risk scraping your knuckles by worrying about getting the very last bit of each vegetable. I save the “bits” and use them in other dishes, eat them right then, or freeze them and use to make a vegetable broth.

If you’ve used the slicer section of the grater to make your veggie strips you’ll need to stack the slices and cut them into 1/4 – 1/2 inch wide strips. Lightly steam or dry saute the veggie strips until “al dente”. Top with butter and a sprinkling of soy Parmesan cheese, shredded soy or nut cheese, or any of your favorite pasta sauces.

Soy Mayo

Puree in blender 1/2 a package soft tofu, juice from 1/2 a small lemon or lime, sea salt & pepper to taste. When tofu is smooth, you may have to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice, with the blender still running drizzle in 1/4-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil until mayo is desired thickness. Also taste the mayo – if it tastes a bit floury add more oil.

If you don’t like the strong taste of extra-virgin olive oil you could use canola oil or nut or seed oil instead. Be aware that olive oil and canola oil are the most hearth healthy, but an occasional foray into nut and seed oil won’t be harmful and you may relish the change every now and then.

Whole Grain Breads