Releasing Fat with Chicken Soup

My quest to release fat continues. The Digest Diet (the latest book from the people at Reader's Digest) has menus for 21 days and the first four days include nutrient-rich soups. I've made "diet" soups in the past and they almost always have been watery and flavorless.

The recipe for Hearty Mexican Chicken Soup was an amazing surprise. The broth is made from chicken stock and re-hydrated ancho chilies. By reducing down the chilies and the water that they are soaked in (along with the seasonings and a pureed onion), you concentrate the flavor plus build body. Even though the soup looks like it could set your kitchen on fire, it was not spicy - there was just a hint of heat that lingered after each bite. And the sprinkling of (unsalted) pumpkin seeds gives it a yummy crunch and a shot of flavor. Delicious!

I'm always somewhat conflicted about posting recipes from sources that are only available to paying members. Since this book is so new, I've decided not to publish it here but have found a very similar recipe online.  The only vegetable in The Digest Diet soup was zucchini. Next time I think I'll add more of an assortment, like the recipe in the link.

Releasing Fat and Loving Every Sip

The cover of this month's Reader's Digest looks like an infomercial. It screams out...

Eat to Release Fat

Revolutionary Diet Plan!

Drop up to 21 pounds in 21 days!

If this were any other magazine, I would probably  walk on by without a second glance, but I LOVE Reader's Digest and subscribe to it on my iPad. So I read the article. It turns out it is mostly an advertisement for a new book they are hawking, The Digest Diet. 

I told myself a long time ago that I was never going to buy another weight loss book or gadget ever again. My struggle with weight is definitely not due to a lack of knowledge or a lack of gadgets. But this is READER'S DIGEST and, as I have mentioned before, I am a sucker for infomercials (and apparently, things that look like infomercials). So I bit and ordered the book. (It comes with a 14 day-money back guarantee and they pay return shipping so I figure, what's the harm?)

Since I do not intend this posting to be a book review, I am not going to go into much detail about the content. I found it to be consistent with what I know about diet, exercise and general healthy living. What it does do very nicely is pull together information about foods that the author says helps your body release fat and provides recipes and menus for a 21-day Fat Releasing plan.

I've decided to give it a try. I've started adding nonfat yogurt, light coconut milk, and flaxseed meal to all my smoothies. I'm experimenting with new flavor combinations that I would not have considered previously, like banana and peanut butter. (According to the book, nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, all of which are fat releasers.)

In the photo:

• Coconut milk
• Cabbage and cauliflower
• Natural, no-salt-added peanut butter
• 6 oz nonfat yogurt with flaxseed meal
• An overly ripe, but perfectly sweet, banana 
• Not pictured are a splash of low-fat milk and water, to liquefy
• Also not pictured are soy protein powder and fiber

I'm still adding protein powder and fiber to my shakes (this plan seems to be a little light on protein, especially in the first four days). So far, things are going well, and I am finding my smoothies to be a lot more satisfying (calorie-wise thanks to the yogurt and milk) and actually, a lot more delicious too.

Beets are Real Plants!

It wasn't until last year that I learned that beets are plants, that they aren't born in cans. That they grow in orbs, not slimy slices. Thank you, Alton Brown and Good Eats, for introducing me to lovely beets and delicious beet greens.

I love them roasted or steamed, in salads or glazed. And now I love them raw. Lots of juicers on the web recommend adding beets and their luscious leafy tops to smoothies and I am addicted. My favorite blend includes beets, oranges, a carrot for good measure, not to mention their green tops and a generous helping of peppery arugula.

The beet to orange ratio is more like 1 : 3 (contrary to what the photo suggests). The flavor of the beets and greens is really strong so in order to be able to taste the oranges, you have to either use a high orange to beet ratio or use fresh orange juice as the liquid.

Happy Sipping!

A New Spin On Tabbouleh

I'm having a lot of fun experimenting with new combinations of ingredients. Rather than just tossing in random vegetables, I try to put a new spin on my favorite dishes. (Get it? A "new spin," as in spinning in the blender?) Today I'm having a Tabbouleh smoothie - all the ingredients of the Mediterranean salad minus the bulgar.

Here's the list:

• parsley
• roma tomato
• green onion
• lemon
• sliced cucumber
• mint
• and a handful of kale for good measure

I used water to liquefy since I didn't want to mix in too much tomato or introduce unusual flavors. It was yummy!

Happy sipping!