Keep it Simple

Meat, veggies and a handful of nuts...pretty basic! Veggies consist of: 2 zucchini, 2 stalks celery, 2 carrots and 2 cups of snow peas, and 1/2 cup onion. I stir fried these in about 2 TB olive oil and added salt, pepper, garlic powder and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
3 oz skirt steak (3 blocks protein)
2 cups mixed veggies (2 blocks carbs/ 1 block fat)
Handful of almonds (2-3 blocks fat)
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Pure Protein???

One of the enlightening facts that I learned this weekend in Robb Wolfe's Nutrition seminar was the importance of pure protein. The photo above shows different kinds of protein, however, there is a difference in how your body sees these. In order for your body to release Glucagon (counter hormone to insulin) your protein source must be a pure one (it must have had a face, and soul and you killed it to eat it!!!!). Therefore, if you are using dairy products (string cheese and Greek yogurt) as a protein source your body will not recognize this as a protein source and will not release Glucagon. Does this mean you need to cut out all dairy? Not necessarily. You may just need to re-visit your protein sources to make sure they are pure and use dairy in moderation. Post thoughts to comments. Post thoughts to comments...

Salsa Burger

This is a turkey burger patty with a half an ounce of mozzarella cheese and about a TB of salsa. Quite tasty...even without the bun!
4 1/2 oz turkey patty (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups green beans (1 block carbs)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 blocks carbs)
Make sure you add fat to this (I had almonds).
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Robb Wolf

I attended the Robb Wolf nutrition seminar this weekend at CFSCC. It was amazing! However, my head is spinning and quite frankly I think I need a day or two to wrap my brain around some of this information. In the meantime...I want you all to ask yourselves what it is you want out of your nutrition? Do you want to look better or perform better or both? Are you getting that right now? Think about this a bit...what do you like an dislike about how you are eating, and are you willing to be open to change? Post thoughts to comments.

What Are Your Staples????

There are certain foods that I would not want to be without in my house on the Zone. Ground turkey, mozzarella cheese, cashews and lots of fruits and veggies! I would love to hear what your staples are so that we can hear about new foods we may not be trying! Post thoughts to comments.

Chicken Quesadilla

1 whole wheat Carb Balance Tortilla (cut in 2 halves)(1/2 block carbs)
1/8 cup black beans (rinsed) (1/2 block carbs)
1/2 red bell pepper sliced (1/4 block carbs)
2 oz grilled chicken sliced (2 blocks protein)
1 oz shredded mozzarella (1 block protein)
2 cups mixed green salad (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat)
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Think Thin...

I am not a big advocate of eating protein bars in general. I really believe that if you can eat real food instead of processed you are always better off. However, I am also a realist and I understand that there are times that whipping out a balanced snack is simply not an option. When I am forced to resort to a protein bar, the best option I have found out there (in my opinion of course) is Think Thin. They are one of the only bars that contain no sugar and they are gluten free. They are fairly well balanced 2 blocks, and come in a few different flavors. You can purchase these at some grocery stores (Trader Joe's)and online. Post thoughts to comments.

Grilled Chicken Salad

With the weather as hot as it has been...not cooking is a nice change! Use whatever protein you have leftover or grill some up for lunches later in the week!
Grilled Chicken Salad- 3 blocks
4 cups mixed greens (1 block carbs)
1/4 cup kidney beans (1 block carbs)
1 TB crumbled feta (1/2 block fat)
3 oz sliced grilled chicken (3 blocks protein)
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing (2 blocks fat)
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Pita Crusted Chicken

I generally cut two skinless, boneless chicken breasts into pieces for this, which makes enough for a family of four. Dip you chicken into whole wheat flour, then egg whites and finally pita bread crumbs (the blender works nicely to make them really fine). In a skillet heat 2 TB olive oil over med-high heat. Brown both sides of the chicken and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Pita Crusted Chicken- 3 blocks
3 oz chicken (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups soyaki green beans with almond slices (1 block carbs/ 1 block fat)
1 cup mixed green salad ( 2 blocks carbs/ 2 blocks fat)
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Question to You!!

I get asked frequently about how to Zone when you are eating out or traveling. Rather than answer it from only my perspective (which is limited because I do neither very frequently) I want to put the question out to you. How do you Zone when you eat out? And for those of you who travel frequently...how do you Zone when you are dashing through an airport or have no access to a kitchen? Please pass along any tips you may have to offer!!

Pork Chops with Apple Relish

I use thin cut pork chops for this because they cook quickly and tend to dry out less. To make apple relish: in a small saucepan add 1 Granny Smith apple cut into small pieces, 2 TB sugar, 1/2 TB apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat until apples are tender and reduce heat to low. Serve over pork chops (makes 2 servings)
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Pita Pizza!

I generally split one of these in half and have it with a salad. However, there are some nights I just get sick of salad and eat one of these as my whole meal. This whole pizza is 3 blocks...so it is your choice which version you want!
Pita Pizza (3 blocks)
1 whole wheat pita pocket (2 blocks carbs)
2 TB pizza sauce (negligible)
1/2 green bell pepper slices (1/4 block carbs)
1/2 red bell pepper slices (1/4 block carbs)
9 slices turkey pepperoni (2 blocks protein/ 3 blocks fat)
1 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (1 block protein)
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BBQ'd Prawns

I used a chipotle BBQ sauce on these to add a little spice, but choose whichever marinade or grilling sauce you like. These take just a couple minutes on the grill which makes dinner really simple.
BBQ'd Prawns- 3 blocks
5-6 prawns (3 blocks protein)
3 cups mixed green salad with fixings and olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing (3 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat)

Finally...We Made It!!!!

So...the 40 days of no cheating is officially OVER!!! I want to thank Kelly Greco and Skip Hanson for sticking with this with me(you both are ROCK STARS). It has not been an especially pleasant experience and one that I would not recommend. So, as I stated before...appreciate your cheat days and use them how they are intended. Have a wonderful Easter holiday!

Turkey Meatloaf

This is such a great classic Zone meal! I generally make two loaves so that I have leftovers for lunch!
Meatloaf Dinner- 3 blocks
4 1/2 oz turkey meatloaf (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups green beans (1 block carbs)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 blocks carbs)
9 cashews (3 blocks fat)
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Chicken Vegetable Soup

A classic! Make sure you add extra protein and fat to balance as this has little. (You can add extra chicken to each bowl with some cheese)
To make: in a medium pot combine: 1 carton organic chicken broth, 2 carrots sliced, 2 stalks sliced celery, 1 parsnip cubed, 2 zucchini sliced, 1/2 onion chopped. Add all ingredients in pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Santa Maria Tri-tip

Trip Tip Dinner- 3 blocks
3 oz sliced tri-tip (3 blocks protein)
2 cups mixed green salad with goat cheese, kidney beans, pecans and olive oil dressing (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat)
2 cup stir fried veggies (1 block carbs)
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Turkey Taco Salad

This is one of my favorites! Make extra turkey taco meat for leftovers and your set!
Turkey Taco Salad- 3 blocks
3-4 cups mixed greens (1 block carbs)
3 oz turkey taco meat (2 blocks protein)
1/4 cup kidney beans (1 block carbs)
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese (1 block protein/ 3 blocks fat)
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Snacks!!!

I get asked frequently about snacks and snack ideas. If you click on the picture above you can enlarge and print out this list. It gives you some options for putting together snacks. Each category lists either a protein, fat or carb that is one block. This is by no means a list of all the snacks you can have, but it is a good start for mixing and matching. Post thoughts to comments.