I was desperate for a crispy snack and the only thing I could find that had any potential were some oyster mushrooms I’d planned on using for a mushroom pate. Late night snack attack won and we were off to the drawing board.
I separated the frills from the stems and tossed everything with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic salt and black pepper, poured it out on a parchment lined baking sheet and baked it at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes. I was amazed at how crispy and delish they were!
Here’s another one of our UnDiet recipes for losing weight that also works for a vegetarian losing weight and adheres to the principles of food combining. Call it a three-fer!
I love Trader Joes! They are my go-to source for quick and easy meals. A few choice purchases and I have the makings for several entirely different meals. I recently picked up a small tub of their Parmesan Artichoke Dip which has a cream cheese base. I spread it on top of a toasted piece of their whole wheat naan bread, then added some thinly sliced fresh tomatoes. Delicious! Then I had some dental work and couldn’t chew for a few days. I didn’t want the artichoke dip to go to waste so I mixed up this Creamy Rice Soup and I was in heaven!
Remember that I put amounts in my recipes to make it easier to give my readers an idea of what I’m doing, but there is no need to use exact measurements. A large spoonful can serve as a 1/4 cup measure, a coffee mug (which is usually what I use to serve soup in) holds about 1 & 1/2 cups, etc.
This is not a chicken and rice soup recipe though because that would be a bad food combination. See the notes at the end of the post.
Stir together and heat until very hot:
2 cups broth (I used french onion broth but any vegetable broth will do)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice or brown rice pilaf
Alternatively you could use 2 cups of leftover whole grain pasta or shirataki noodles.
Remove rice from heat and stir in 1/4 cup each of Trader Joes Artichoke Parmesan Dip and diced soy cheese. Grab a spoon and I guarantee you’ll be in heaven too!
You can also add more rice so that you have a stew rather than a soup.
If you are not a vegetarian losing weight you might be tempted to stir in some cooked chicken or turkey for a very hearty soup but it’s not a good idea when practicing food combining to mix a grain (the rice) with a protein (chicken or turkey).
I hope you’ll enjoy these recipes for losing weight for dinner tonight! And if you want to be prepared for those nights when you’re not up to cooking, pick up one or more of the delish brown rice mixes below.
If you’re on a high-protein or low-carb diet plan then this Step isn’t for you. Fruit is too high in carbohydrates if you’re relying on your body’s metabolic reaction to a Protein Binge for weight loss. We’ll take a look at the Protein Binge Breakfast in a later issue which would be a more appropriate breakfast choice for you. That said, you should still be aware of the basics of Fruit First as we’ve found that when weight loss on a high protein diet plan stalls, carb loading will often kick you back into weight loss mode.
The single most effective step in successful weight loss, using the power of properly combining whole foods, has been shown to be the living Fruit breakfast. This step speeds along the process of eliminating the waste products that your body is still working to rid itself of from the previous day. It also ensures that you have at least one meal each day, that is nothing but living foods. We’ll talk more about living foods and their contribution towards weight loss in an upcoming UnDiet Step.
This Step is all about changing your breakfast habits. You’ll eat nothing but fresh or frozen Fruit, (no canned Fruit, because the canning process cooks the Fruit) until noon. During weight loss, go easy on the bananas, dried Fruit, and watermelons as these cause your insulin level to rise too high. Eat as much Fruit as you need to feel satisfied, either all in one sitting or staggered throughout the morning.
When you get up in the morning it’s good to start with an UnDiet compatible beverage such as a glass of water, a cup of herbal tea, water with fresh lemon or lime juice. Skip high-glycemic sweeteners and Fruit juice during weight loss. If it’s not morning without a cup of coffee in your hands, switch to decaf and use only nondairy milk, cream, half and half and/or Splenda, Sweet ‘N Low or Stevia if you must have sweetener in your java. A half hour later you might fix a bowl of fresh Fruit. An hour or two later you might have a Fruit shake. Whatever it takes to make you glad to wake up to another day on the UnDiet.
Note: Eating nothing but fresh and/or frozen Fruit in the morning until noon is one of the most important ways to achieve your weight loss and health goals. I realize though that there will be some mornings that through either circumstance or mood nothing but fresh Fruit is not possible. When that’s the case, go ahead and have a whole grain, sugar-free cereal or other UnDiet compatible breakfast food along with as much Fruit as possible before or with the meal, but not after the meal. Wait two hours after you’ve taken your last bite and have a large beverage. Continue enjoying UnDiet compatible beverages until lunch.
If you don’t have time in the morning, or if you’re afraid you’ll lose your resolve when faced with a banana and a blender when what you really want is a bowl of Lucky Charms, blend up a Fruit shake the night before. I like to make up a big batch of Fruit shakes and then I have them for several days. It’s more difficult to make up a Fruit salad the day before as most cut Fruits turn brown after an hour or so. I do however wash grapes, cut up melons, strawberries, and citrus Fruits, putting them in baggies or airtight containers, as they keep very well for a couple of days this way. This also makes them easy to snack on when you want “just a little something”. You can also find pre-sliced apples in most grocery stores.
