Denise's Daily Dozen (62 page)

Week Two Saturday Daily Dozen Meal Plan

You’ve been eating healthy foods for almost two weeks, so by now you’re probably craving the good-for-you Daily Dozen foods like the fruit medley for today’s breakfast. It’s a tropical and tasty blend of pineapple, mixed berries, and grapes sprinkled with my favorite topping: flaxseed. These fruits are some of the most colorful—a good indicator that they are loaded with nutrients. Research shows that the deep pigments in fruits and vegetables provide benefits beyond what vitamins and minerals offer. Of course on top of that, they’re yummy. I also say that about dinner’s Asian Lettuce Wrap, another fabulous meat-free dish that will fill you up—without filling you out. Here, you can sauté any vegetables you like. Some of my favorites are broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and mushrooms, but any produce that you add to the mix will help you on your quest to a slimmer, trimmer you!

Y
ou’re not only making over your body, you’re working to feel great for life!

BREAKFAST

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese (2 protein)

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, for topping (1 healthy fat)

1 cup fruit medley (pineapple, mixed berries, grapes) (1 fruit)

Garden Salad with Fresh Berries

1½ cups mixed greens

½ cup sliced cucumber

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Place the greens in a bowl and top with cucumbers and strawberries. Drizzle on the olive oil and vinegar and toss well.

MORNING SNACK

1 cup sliced mango (1 fruit)

LUNCH

Garden Salad with Fresh Berries (2 veggie + 1 fruit + 1 healthy fat)

Men add:
4 ounces grilled chicken breast (1 protein)

1 granola bar (make sure it has no more than 200 calories) (1 grain)

AFTERNOON SNACK

1 part-skim mozzarella string cheese (1 protein)

6 whole wheat crackers (1 grain)

Men add:
1 kiwi (1 fruit)

DINNER

Asian Lettuce Wrap (2 veggie + 1 grain)

Asian Lettuce Wrap

2 cups mixed vegetables

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 iceberg lettuce leaves

Sauté the vegetables with the soy sauce in a nonstick pan. Once they’re tender, add the sautéed vegetables and brown rice to a lettuce leaf. Then roll the leaf to wrap it up.

MEASURE UP!

Success can be measured in more ways than one. Of course, watching the numbers on the scale continue to go down or dropping clothing sizes is one sign that you’re doing great with your healthier lifestyle. But also focus on your state of mind. Feeling happier, energetic, and more upbeat is also a good indicator of fitness and success!

Week Three Saturday Daily Dozen Meal Plan

Think of healthy food as fuel to power through your busy life!

Today’s breakfast is proof positive that you can eat foods that taste indulgent but are actually healthy. My Savory Breakfast, which is lean ham, turkey, or Canadian bacon and cheese on an English muffin, is perfect for a leisurely Saturday morning. Enjoy a vitamin-C-packed grapefruit as your snack—remember, this nutrient can bolster your immune system but also plays a role in collagen production, so it just may ward off wrinkles. Add the almonds and you’re getting a wonderful source of vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and phosphorous, as well as monounsaturated fat, protein, iron, and calcium. Yes, all that in one tiny little almond! For lunch, you’ll eat one of my favorite chicken salads. It combines delicious grilled chicken, crisp salad greens, and crunchy walnuts, which are fiber- and protein-packed. For your snack, have a Kashi granola bar. I really like these and all the flavors they come in, but if you don’t or can’t find them, any granola bar with two hundred calories or less will do. Combine this with the fruit cup and the carbs, protein, and fiber will help you sail through those 4 PM cravings and keep you far away from the vending machine. And I just know you’re going to love tonight’s dinner: Unstuffed Cabbage. This is a family favorite that’s so simple to make but absolutely delectable. It combines lean ground turkey, cabbage, and brown rice with yummy spices like garlic, thyme, and pepper.

MANAGE MINDLESS EATING

Avoid eating right out of a box or bag—something research shows can cause us to eat 20 percent more. Make sure anything you eat is put on a plate or in a bowl and enjoyed while seated.

HAVE AN
I CAN DO IT
ATTITUDE!

I always look at the bright side of life, but now there’s research to show that doing so can help you with your fitness and weight loss goals. A recent study found that people who really believed they would reach their goal of making exercise and eating right a regular part of their lives were more likely to be doing just that one year later!

BREAKFAST

Savory Breakfast (1 grain + 1 protein)

1 medium banana (1 fruit)

MORNING SNACK

½ grapefruit (1 fruit)

2 tablespoons almonds (1 healthy fat)

Men add:
2 tablespoons almonds (1 healthy fat)

Savory Breakfast

1 whole-grain English muffin

2 tablespoons shredded light Jarlsberg cheese (or any light cheese you have)

1 ounce cooked lean ham, turkey breast, or Canadian bacon

Split the English muffin and top each half with cheese. Toast in the oven or a toaster oven until the cheese is melted. Top with your choice of meat.

LUNCH

Grilled Chicken Salad with Walnuts (1 protein + 2 veggie + 2 healthy fat)

Men add:
2 tangerines (1 fruit)

AFTERNOON SNACK

1 granola bar (1 grain)

1 cup diced mixed fruit cup (strawberries, grapes, tangerines) (1 fruit)

Grilled Chicken Salad with Walnuts

Women: 3 ounces grilled chicken breast

Men: 4 ounces grilled chicken breast

1½ cups mixed greens

½ cup chopped tomato

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette (no more than 100 calories per 2-tablespoon serving)

In a salad bowl, combine the ingredients, drizzle with dressing, and toss.

DINNER

Unstuffed Cabbage (1 protein + 2 veggie + 1 grain)

Men add:
1 cup skim milk (1 protein)

Unstuffed Cabbage

3 ounces ground turkey breast

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1½ cups chopped cabbage

¼ cup tomato sauce

cup brown rice, dry

Pinch of thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. Brown the meat in a sauté pan with the onion and garlic; transfer to the baking dish. Add the cabbage, tomato sauce, rice, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Pour the broth over the meat mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and stir. Continue baking, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.