Dukan Diet

It's July! In Utah this is a double-holiday month because we have Pioneer Day along with the 4th of July, so people here get two long weekends to spend celebrating.  And summer celebrations are prime time for grilling outside or starting to enjoy garden produce; I love the food from this time of year.  People tend to eat lighter foods when it's hot outside, which also makes this a perfect time to find new Phase One recipes from other blogs.  This round-up has some lovely ideas for grilled foods or garden vegetables; hope you'll find at least one or two recipes here that might become a favorite on your table.  (You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)

It doesn't take more than a peek at the South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-up for May to see that food bloggers have made the mental switch to summer eating.  There are lots and lots of salads, an abundance of foods cooked on the grill, plenty of fish, very few soups or stews, and recipe titles with summer ingredients like Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Basil, or Pesto.  Everyone loves summer don't they, (even people who haven't spent 30 years of their life teaching elementary school!)  I get so inspired by the fresh bright flavors that come with summer eating, and I think this recipes round-up has enough good ideas to keep you eating delicious food for weeks, whether or not you're doing Phase One.

(You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)

It's Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S. and and I'm looking forward to a busy weekend of holiday activities with family and friends, visiting graves, and maybe even a little gardening, so I don't think there'll be much blogging going on here the next few days.  But since Memorial Day is the unofficial start of grilling season, before I get busy going to Real Salt Lake games and having my family over for the first barbecue of the summer, I want to leave you with some recipe ideas for the holiday weekend.

There are a lot of tasty options in the Grilling section of the recipe archives, but I've picked my very favorites and updated this old Memorial Day Grilling post with 25 Favorite Healthy Grilling Recipes for Chicken, Fish, Pork, Beef, and Vegetables.  These are all things I've made many times; hope you enjoy!  And if you're in the U.S. I hope you take a moment to reflect on the real meaning of the day and give thanks for all those who lost their lives defending the freedoms we enjoy.   Happy Memorial Day everyone.

I really did enjoy my years teaching elementary school, but on April Fool's Day I'm glad I'm not at school with a whole room full of fourth graders trying to trick me.  Other than that, I love the first day of April, because when it's April there's no denying that it's spring!  That's true even if the Utah weather is dumping snow on us like it did over the weekend; it won't be long before we're growing veggies and herbs and enjoying the sun.  This time of year can be challenging in the eating department though; some days are still pure comfort food, but other days a simple salad seems like it would be plenty.  Luckily there's something for everyone in this month's South Beach Diet Phase One Low-Glycemic Recipes Round-Up; hope you will find something fun to try. 

Let's all wave goodbye to November.  And since another month has ended, it's time for another round-up of South Beach Diet Phase One recipes I've posted during the month or found on other blogs.  Since it's the month with a holiday where overindulging in food is part of the tradition, you might think November would be slim pickings when it comes to South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes, but this round-up has surprisingly good assortment of dishes.  And just in time, since my normal December plan is to be ultra disciplined the first three weeks of the month (since I know the days from Christmas to New Year's will be pretty indulgent.)  For anyone else who's doing a little pre-holiday dieting, I hope these recipes will be useful. 

(You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)

Thanks to Evita at Evolving Wellness for asking this question:

How about beans? I cannot imagine getting them out of my diet. Do you ever eat them and if so how? I cant imagine raw?

A legume is a plant in the family Leguminosae, or a fruit from these plants. But to most folks, legumes are more commonly known as beans.

Take a look at a list of common legumes. I bet more than one of these will surprise you:

• alfalfa
• black beans
• carob
• clover
• cowpeas (black-eyed peas)
• garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• lentils
• mung beans
• peas
• peanuts
• soybeans

Anyone else surprised to see alfalfa on the list? I always thought it was a grain. And how about, peanuts? Carob? Surprised me.

The Musical Fruit

Sprouted legumes are an economical and essential part of a living food diet. They are easy to digest, and an excellent source of protein and fiber. Get in the habit of rinsing legume sprouts before eating. This helps to remove surface sugars that contribute to those musical toots.

You can purchase sprouted legumes or start sprouting your own at home. Almost any grain or legume can sprout, although they will have different sprouting times. A glass jar, some tulle netting, a rubber band, and youre good to go. Or you can buy a sprouting kit.
I love crunchy spouts – green peas, cow peas, red lentils, garbanzo beans – in my salads. Ive also experimented with recipes using sprouted legumes. Heres a few of my favorites for you to try. Enjoy!

Sprouted Hummus

1 C mixed crunchy sprouts*
1 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

* My favorite combo is green peas, red lentils, chickpeas, and adzuki beans.

Sprouted Lentil Tabouli

3 C red lentil sprouts
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 bunch parsley, rough chopped
1/2 head celery, finely chopped
2 cucumbers, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with sea salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice and olive oil to taste.
Curried Lentil Salad
from The Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon

2 C sprouted lentils
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder

In a small bowl, mix the liquid aminos, lemon juice, garlic and curry powder. In a separate mixing bowl, combine lentils and onions. Pour dressing over the lentils and toss well.

This salad also makes a tasty filling for an avocado or pepper half.

Black Bean Dip*

3 C sprouted black beans
3 small tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 clove garlic

Using a food processor or high-powered blender, combine all ingredients until well mixed and smooth.

* Besides making a wonderful dip, I like to place some on a large leaf of red lettuce along with sliced avocado and roll like a burrito. Yum!

Ive always loved making smoothies, but I learned something very important this year while working with my registered dietitian, Heather Wallace: Its imperative I include protein with every meal and snack. Therefore Ive been adding a scoop of whey protein powder to my daily smoothies and have noticed I do stay fuller longer. The added protein also helps my muscles recover from my workouts. Its a win-win all the way around!

Here are four of my favorite recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Shake
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop whey vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon flaxseed
1 packet Stevia or 1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 to 8 ice cubes

Berry Smoothie
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 scoop whey protein powder
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 teaspoon chia seeds
(Sometimes I throw in a handful of spinach, kale, or a teaspoon of honey.)

Nut-Butter Smoothie
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon almond butter or NuttZo (peanut-free option)
1 scoop whey protein powder
1 teaspoon honey
7 to 8 ice cubes
(Im off bananas and peanut butter right now for food sensitivity reasons, but if you love bananas, throw one in for extra deliciousness or substitute Nuttzo for peanut butter!)

Fruit Smoothie
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen mixed fruit
1 scoop whey protein powder
4 to 5 ice cubes

By Beth Blair

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-diary/4-smoothie-recipes-weight-loss