The 17 Day Diet (41 page)

Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 pound of lean ground turkey

1 envelope of taco seasoning

Generous bed of lettuce

1 cup chopped tomatoes

2½ cup chopped onions

Salsa

¹
/
₃
cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

In a saucepan, brown the ground turkey over moderate heat. Add one envelope of taco seasoning and cook according to package directions. Place generous servings of lettuce on 4 plates. Top with turkey mixture, tomatoes, onions, salsa and cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Village Salad

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup chopped red onions

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons reduced-fat feta cheese

Directions

Combine tomatoes with sea salt; let sit for 5 minutes. Then mix tomato and salt together with the rest of the ingredients. Makes 1 serving.

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

1 baked chicken breast, diced

1 scallion, diced

½ cup chopped red grapes

2 tablespoons chopped celery

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 to 3 Boston or iceberg lettuce leaves

Directions

Mix together all ingredients except lettuce leaf. Refrigerate until chilled. To serve, take 1 Boston or iceberg lettuce leaf at a time, and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center. Wrap the lettuce around the filling. Makes 1 serving.

Spicy Yogurt Dip and Veggies

Ingredients

32 oz. fat-free plain yogurt

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Seasoned salt

Cut-up fresh veggies

Directions

Line a strainer with a coffee filter or white paper towel. Place the strainer over a bowl (this catches the liquid that will drain off the yogurt). Spoon in 32 oz. of fat-free plain yogurt in the filter-lined strainer. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. This process yields about 16 oz. of yogurt cheese. Season the cheese lightly with the seasonings suggested above, or add freshly chopped herbs such as parsley, rosemary or thyme. ½ cup of yogurt cheese = 1 probiotic serving. Use as dip for fresh vegetables.

Chicken-Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

4 baked chicken breasts, diced into small chunks

1 ½ cups cabbage, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 cup okra, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 large celery stalks with leaves, chopped

1 15-oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 14-oz. can fat-free chicken broth

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place all ingredients, except chicken, in a large pan and simmer for one hour or until vegetables are soft. Add in chicken and heat thoroughly. Enjoy this soup for lunch or dinner. Makes 4 servings.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

4 cups of raw vegetables (green beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, artichoke hearts, etc.)

Fat-free Italian dressing

Directions

The night before, steam some raw vegetables (green beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, artichoke hearts, etc.) in at least 2 cups of water until they’re tender but still crisp. Place in a glass dish and pour fat-free Italian dressing over veggies. Refrigerate overnight. Drain and serve on a bed of lettuce top with roasted red peppers (no oil) from a jar. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, peeled

4 egg whites

Fat-free Parmesan cheese

Garlic powder, to taste

1 cup of low-carb marinara sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut into ¼ inch slices. In a shallow dish, beat egg whites and 4 tablespoons of water until foamy. Dip eggplant slices into egg whites, then into fat-free Parmesan cheese, pressing cheese into eggplant. Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spray vegetable cooking spray over eggplant slices. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Cover with 1 cup of low-carb marinara sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly. Makes 2 large servings.

Sesame Fish

Ingredients

1 pound of tilapia

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lite soy sauce

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

Spray a broiler pan with vegetable oil spray to prevent fish from sticking. Place tilapia. Whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and garlic until well blended. Pour over fish. Sprinkle sesame seeds over fish. Broil at medium heat about eight inches away from heat for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Makes 4 servings.

Salmon Lemenato

Ingredients

2 pieces wild salmon

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 lemons

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon in a shallow glass dish that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Drizzle olive oil over salmon. Top with garlic. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the salmon and sprinkle with oregano. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 2 servings.

Oven Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

¾ cup reduced sugar ketchup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. In the meantime, stir together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, agave nectar and chili powder to make the barbecue sauce. Remove chicken breasts from oven and coat with sauce. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Turkey Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey

2 cups black beans (For Cycles 2 and 3 only)

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

In a saucepan, brown the ground turkey over moderate heat. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Low-Carb Primavera Delight

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

1 small onion diced

2 diced garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for pasta. To prepare it, cut it in half (lengthwise). Scoop out the seeds and pulp as you would with any squash or pumpkin. Place it in a glass baking dish with about ½ inch of water, rind side up. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees. You can also microwave the squash for 8 to 10 minutes per half on high. Let the squash stand for a few minutes after baking or microwaving. Separate strands by running a fork through in the “from stem to stern” direction. Place strands in a separate bowl.

In a medium frying pan, sauté broccoli, onion, garlic and oil until vegetables are crisp tender. Add squash and heat thoroughly. Serve on plates topped with heated marinara sauce. Makes 4 servings.

15
Mister M.D., Can You Please Tell Me More?

T
he 17 Day Diet
is simple, easy, and doable, but still questions arise from time to time. Here are the questions I’m frequently asked, along with my answers. This information will help you.

Diet Issues

Q. I just need to lose those “last 10 pounds.” How long should I stay on the diet?

A.
You should lose those 10 pounds rapidly on Cycle 1, if you follow it to the letter. Or you may have to continue into Cycle 2. It all depends on your individual metabolism. Everyone is different and loses weight at different rates. If you’d like to accelerate your weight loss and get to that goal faster, increase your exercise time and intensity each day. Just hang in there, don’t get discouraged, and you’ll achieve your goal weight in no time.

Q. Can I switch some dinners to lunch, and lunch to dinners?

A.
Yes, you may switch lunches with dinners. It is good idea to eat lightly in the evening anyway. I recommend switching lunches and dinners if you are a shift worker, especially. If you switch, be sure to not eat carbs past 2:00 p.m.

Q. Is the 17 Day Diet safe for everyone?

A.
The diet is designed for people in normal health. Anyone who goes on this diet should have the blessing of his or her physician. Do not follow this diet if you have type 1 diabetes, any serious medical disease, or if you are pregnant or nursing.

Q. I’ve gotten great results so far on Cycle 1. Can’t I just stay on it?

A.
Great job with your weight loss! That tells me you have a strong will for healthier habits and respect the gift of your health. Keep going! I don’t advise staying on Cycle 1 more than 17 days, however. The diet is carefully designed to keep your metabolism charged up, to prevent plateaus, and to re-introduce foods gradually back into your life. It’s best that you follow all three Cycles as described. Then after 51 days, you get to return to Cycle 1 for continued weight loss.

Q. Can I drink fruit-flavored green tea on the diet?

A.
Yes, as long as it is not sweetened with added sugar. Many green teas in the supermarket are flavored with a hint of natural fruit and no added sugar. These are very tasty and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Q. When you say “liberal amounts” of a food, does that mean a huge piece of meat or second helpings of those foods?

A.
No. It’s important to not overload your stomach. Use my Hunger/Fullness Meter to keep that from happening. Eat until satisfied, not to the point in which you feel like your stomach is going to explode.

Q. There is a lot of protein on the 17 Day Diet? Why?

A:
Protein is the major component of all of your body’s cells, and it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough. Recent research indicates that we may need more than previously thought. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for all adults is 0.37 grams of protein per pound of body weight, or about 15 percent of your daily calories. But you probably need more if you exercise, if you’re dieting and as you age.