Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes

 

What I did with the last of my summer tomatoes?  I had two roma's left that I needed to use.  It was the absolute last of the fully ripe, summer tomatoes.  I wanted to do something special with them.  It is always hard to say goodbye to tomatoes.  I decided to roast up some fennel since I needed to eat and it was a 5:2 Fasting Day.  Fennel is low in calories.  This meal turned out to be roughly 200 calories.

Roasted Tomato and Fennel

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large head of fennel
1 clove garlic
2 roma tomatoes
salt and pepper

Saute the fennel in olive oil until lightly golden. Add in garlic, cook one minute.  Add in tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat it just until tomatoes have softened a little. 


About 200 calories.  Fennel is 27 calories per cup so it depends on how much you add.

Healthy Meatless Stuffed Peppers

This is a great, light meal- full of flavor and texture and deliciousness. Very 5:2 friendly.  And I am all about 5:2 Diet.  I have lost a total 22 pounds since Fathers Day.  Which may not be a lot to some but for me it is a milestone.  I don't lose weight very easily.  This plan is totally working for me.  Just recently though I hit a plateau so I switched it up to every other day. Dr. Krista Varady is the pioneer of that one. The Every Other Day Diet.  My husband has been doing her plan since Fathers Day.  He has lost 32 pounds.  Wow!

If you want to read more about it go here to James Clear for an excellent article outlining why it works. Or you can watch the documentary from the BBC from Dr. Mosley.  He later wrote the 5:2 Diet Book.

I am totally sold on it.  Works for me.  I can eat basically what I want most days and fast for 2 or so days a week.  Even on the fasting days its fun for a foodie.  Trying to find delicious, seriously low cal meals that fill your belly.

These peppers totally fill the bill.  I made them last week and I am making them again tonight! It may be a lot of steps but it is totally worth it. 

Healthy Meatless Stuffed Peppers
Makes six stuffed peppers.

1/4 cup dry quinoa
2 tablespoons black beluga lentils
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 basil leaves
4 large tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup asiago cheese
1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
2 teaspoons avocado oil (or whatever oil you use)
7 green bell peppers (1 for chopping the rest for stuffing)

In a small sauce pan combine quinoa and beluga lentils with 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover.

In another small sauce pan add tomatoes, garlic, salt, and basil. Bring to a boil and gently simmer uncovered until tomatoes are falling apart. Once the tomatoes are tender, puree gently.

While those are simmering away, chop up one green bell pepper, red bell pepper and the onion. Preheat oven now to 350F.

Once the quinoa and belugas are done, transfer to a bowl.  In that same pot sauté the peppers and onions until soft and tender. Transfer to the same bowls as the belugas and quinoa.

Cut tops off of peppers and scrape out the innards. In a pot with a little bit of water, steam the peppers until the are just soft.  The green color will lose its brightness and they will be a little flexible.  

In a 9 x 9 baking dish pour the tomato sauce. Place steamed peppers into dish and measure out a 1/4 cup of pepper/quinoa mixture into peppers.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of asiago and then layer another 1/4 cup of pepper quinoa mixture.  Then another tablespoon of asiago cheese.  If you like sprinkle some cracked pepper over top.  Cover with foil and place in the oven for about 30 minutes.

About 100 calories per pepper.

Tender Zucchini Noodles with Scrambled Eggs

Zucchini is like miracle food when it comes to 200 or less.  You can really eat a lot of zucchini without eating too many calories.  Love it.

The hardest part of this dish is chopping up the zucchini.  I used the mandolin to cut thin slices and then I cut those into small strips.  If you have one of those ribbon cutters, that will work perfectly.

Salt the zucchini liberally and let sit for fifteen minutes.  Rinse and squeeze gently before adding to the pan.


Tender Zucchini Noodles with Scrambled Eggs

This makes two servings. Calories in italics.
Calories per person is 217

2 medium to large zucchinis.  You should end up with about 6 cups of zucchini (before salting) (114)
1 teaspoon olive oil (40)
4 eggs scrambled (280)
season with garlic powder, salt and pepper

In a large, non stick fry pan heat olive oil.  Add gently squeezed zucchini. Cook over medium heat until the zucchini has wilted.  Move aside and cook eggs.  Or you can cook your eggs in another frying pan.

Divide zucchini and eggs between two serving plates.

5:2 Lentil Toss

5:2 recipes can be very easy if you have things made up before hand. I had these lentils already cooked so this dish was a breeze to put together.  Obviously, you can use any kind of lentil.  I used black beluga lentils here. They hold their shape nicely after cooking.

Lentils are a very healthy addition to this dish.

Lentils are "a rich source of numerous essential nutrients, particularly dietary fiber and protein supplying 122% and 52% of the Daily Value (DV), respectively. Micro nutrients in high content include folate (120% DV), thiamin (76% DV), phosphorus (64% DV) and iron (58% DV) (table).

With 26% of total food content from protein (table), lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% versus 31%).

The low levels of readily digestible starch (5%), and high levels of slowly digested starch (30%), make lentils of potential value to people with diabetes. The remaining 65% of the starch is a resistant starch classified as RS1^, as a high-content resistant starch, which is 32% amylose. A minimum of 10% in starch from lentils escapes digestion and absorption in the small intestine (therefore called "resistant starch")^. Source Wikipedia, click here).

Lentil Toss
Calories are in parenthesis. 

1 cup fresh zucchini, diced (21)
1 small tomato diced (22)
1 cup lettuce torn into bite sized pieces (8)
1/2 cup lentils, cooked (115)
1 teaspoon olive oil (40)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
s and p, to taste

Toss this salad together and enjoy!
206 calories

5:2 Scape, Broccoli, Carrot Stir Fry

Obviously, you can toss any vegetables into this combo.  Stir fry is really my go to meal a lot of time. If you managed to reserve a good portion of your calories, you can even have it with some quinoa.  A little quinoa mind you because those carbohydrate calories add up REAL fast. But quinoa is worth it because it can fill your belly and has some much, nutritionally, going on.

All of the 5:2 recipes I am posting I try to get it at under 200 calories.  Obviously if you have a lotted yourself  more calories you can up the vegetables or up the fat or add in some quinoa.  Cooked quinoa is a 110 calories for a 1/2 cup. Or you can add in some peanuts- 160 for a quarter cup.

Scape, Broccoli, Carrot Stir Fry

1 teaspoon sesame oil (40)
1 cup broccoli (31)
1 cup carrots (45)
1 cup celery (16)
1/4 cup chopped scapes (50)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee- 9)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic


Heat a wok or a large frying pan.  Once it is hot add in sesame oil and vegetables.  Keep flame at about medium high.  Keep stirring so that it does not scorch.  Some browning is good because it beings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables.  Once they are crisp tender add in garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

Total calorie count: 191.

5:2 Pepper, Radish, Avocado Toss

Doing the 5:2 - it's just finding the right ideas on how to deliciously fill your belly with goodness that is under 200 calories.  Using vegetables is really key to get the most bang for your caloric buck!  You find stuff to make and then forget about it, which is why I am making a 5:2 category so I can go back and remember delicious and nutritious ways to eat my calories. Plus you can get stuck in a rut of eating the same types of things because you know they are fine.  Its so much better to get some variety in there.  Keeps your interest!

Pepper Radish Avocado Toss
Calorie counts on the side in parentheses.

1 tablespoon flavored vinegar (I used the coconut balsamic for this one) (30)
1/2 cup radishes (9)
3/4 cup orange pepper (25)
1/4 cup (36 grams) avocado diced (57)
1/4 cup garbanzo beans (50)
fresh cracked pepper
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
cilantro would be a great addition to this

Mix all together.  If you can let it marinade for a little while- even better.

Total calorie value: 171

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Things are continuing with my 5:2 diet.  This is what part of my meal was last night and tonite.  I liked it that much.  My husband said the salad tasted like something out of a gourmet restaurant.

Isn't summer great for healthy eating?  There is so much available and it is so fresh and delicious.

Three egg whites and the ribbon salad clock in at about 130 calories.  Can't beat it!

Buy a really nice feta for this salad.  It really relies on the flavor of some good feta. If you are doing the 5:2 then you can spend a little more on it because you are eating way less otherwise. Right?

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

zucchini sliced with a peeler into ribbons
lemon juice freshly squeezed- half of a lemon for two plates of salad
dill, a couple sprigs per plate
garlic powder, just a little bit
basil 1 or 2 leaves sliced thinly for each plate
fresh craked pepper
kosher salt
feta (1 ounce per plate)

Toss the zucchini in a bowl with the kosher salt.  Let stand fifteen minutes.  This will help the zucchini release some of its juice.  Gently squeeze the zucchini and mix in the remainder of the ingredients.

5:2 Diet and Me

Have you ever heard of the 5:2 Diet?  Most of you probably have not.  If you live in the UK, you probably have heard of it.  Its really taken off their.

Before your withers go up, "like, another diet' really!?!?!".  I sure understand that but listen to the video.  You can find it by looking for Michael Mosley and the 5:2 Diet. 

The science behind the diet is incredible.  I am going to stop right here and say it is not a diet for me. I have adopted it as a way of life.  I can't begin to tell you the profound freeing experience it has had on me and my psyche.

I am going to get real with you here.  This is my story.  I have been fat since second grade.  I have also been very active my whole life.  It is hard for me to sit.  I have to go - go- go.  Mind you since I am pretty heavy right now, it limits me.  But not that much.  I bike, I walk, I do aerobics, I love Zumba... The list goes on.  There is not a friend or family member around that will tell you that I am lazy. 

Speaking of my family.  And my family life.  Growing up they were all thin.  They didn't do soccer, track and field or basketball like me.  Yes, they moved around a lot.  But they were able to eat more than me and still be thin.  We ate good in our household.  By good, I don't mean junk food.  I mean lots of fruit and vegetables.  My Mother never scrimped on them.  I grew up canning with her and picking them. We had a huge garden.  We frequented the public market often. I knew vegetables inside and out.  My Mother did not use processed stuff at all.

How did I become so fat?  I have no idea.  But I bet Dr. Mosley might have an idea why.  He would probably call it Metabolic Disorder.

I have tried every diet under the sun.  Read nearly every psychological book on how to stop overeating.  I have gone to Overeaters Anonymous, Weight Watchers. Listened to countless podcasts on how to lose weight. Worked with a personal trainer. Nothing has worked.

In February, I really started in earnest (again), counting calories.  About 1500 per day. I was exercising about 5 days a week.  The weight wasn't moving.  It just wasn't moving.  I would lose a couple pounds and it would go right back on.  Because of my age, I thought this was a major factor. Ironically I got the stomach bug in that time and normally you lost a few pounds when that happens.  I gained it.  I freaking gained four pounds.  I have been beyond discouraged but I kept trudging on.  I was pretty determined this time.  I cut my calories back to 1250 and that helped a little but it was a lot of restriction and a whole lot of hungry.

I had gone to the doctors regarding some issues with my hands.  She ordered some lab work.  Since I had not eaten yet that day I fugred I would just get it over with right away.  My labs came back as cholesterol 244 - but my good cholesterol is pretty high.  She feels that kind of balances things out. My diabetes markers- indicated I was prediabetic. At least one of my numbers indicated that.  It really was no surprise.  I had given up most sugar some time ago in this effort to lose weight and felt significantly better.  I also have mostly given up white flour because it seems to have a gluten allergy type affect with me.  So I had really pretty much eliminated them.  Yes, I go back in six months to get labs.  If things don't change she want to put me on meds possibly.

At that time my husband had found Dr. Mosely's documentary online.  He showed it to me.  I had gone on it the next day from my doctor visit.  Even before I knew my labs.  The first two days were a fail.  I ate about 900 calories the first day and 1000 the next day.  But I kept on.  I figured it was my trial run.  The next week I did it!  I stayed on 500 calories for two days totally successfully. I ate lots of vegetables and lean meats.  Like egg whites.  I have been following it since.

The other five days you eat 2000 calores. I have to say for the most part I get to about 1600.  I just don't eat that much because I dont eat that much starch.  At least the white flour variety.  A few days in there though- there was parties and I ate about 2000 calores.  Snacky, crappy food.  Even with that I lost.

That is unheard of for me. I can't eat ice cream or cake and get away with it.  Never!

Now, don't go off thinking that you can eat crap for those five days.  That kind of defeats the purpose now doesn't it?

When I started this journey- about three weeks ago I weighed 302.  My heaviest has been 325.  I have mainly stayed in the 295 to 310 range for the past 12 years.  Obviously I have done a pretty good job of maintaining and albeit grotesquely huge size, I have not gained.  I credit that in large part to the exercise I do.  And really, my blood pressure has been good all this time. 

What have I learned in these weeks since June 21st?  I have learned, from my fast days, that I am not really that hungry eating 500 calories a day.  It mostly has been pretty easy for me.  At meal time I need something don't get me wrong but 100 to 200 calories does it for me.  I am totally able to abstain on those days.  I have learned that most of my food cravings are mental.  I carry that over to my eating days.  I have learned that I obsess about food less. Doing without really helps get you in touch. 

This really has been a freeing experience for me.  I feel like I actually can do it.  That I have the tools for success.  That weight loss is in my reach.  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I feel.  I want to shout it to the world.  To share my good feelings.  But everyones journey is their own.  So I am quiet about it.  But if anyone asks me- as they begin to notice my loss...  Honey! I will be right there telling them and sharing my enthusiasm. 

Thank you so much to Dr. Mosley and my husband for finding that video.

My 5:2 Pinterest Link.

Me and my friend.  I am over twice her size.