The Fat Flush Cookbook (2 page)

In addition, there is another major aspect to consider—time, or the lack of it. On a daily basis I receive hundreds of faxes, emails, and Internet postings from readers from all walks of life with one common denominator—they are all racing against the clock. Many of them have full-time jobs that are sometimes 24/7, they are working strange shifts, they commute to
work, they try to keep workout appointments at the gym, they are raising a family, and they still want to reward themselves with fast, easy, great-tasting recipes that won't pack on the pounds.

So when you said you wanted more Fat Flush recipes that were appropriate for each of the three phases of the plan (but most especially ones that could be used for the more stringent phase 1) and that were speedy without sacrificing taste or quality, I listened. And the result is a three-diets-in-one cookbook containing an unbeatable collection of weight loss recipes which, for the most part, take less than half an hour to prepare yet are wonderfully aromatic and full of flavor because of the tantalizing and unusual use of herbs and spices on the food itself or in dressings, pâtés, marinades, and condiments.

Not only will you flush away fat and drop a dress (or pants) size or two in the process, but the
Fat Flush Plan Cookbook
is guaranteed to open up a whole new world of eating, cooking, and exotic flavorings that are good for weight loss and overall well-being. Whether its a main dish like Tangy Chicken with Tomatillos or a condiment such as Cran-Jewel Ketchup, a dessert like Vanilla Peaches or a topping such as Minty Dill Pesto, the breakfasts, entrees, soups, side dishes, dressings, beverages, condiments, and sweet indulgences within these pages will spice up your life and enhance your health.

Did you know that the average spice rack in an American kitchen contains around 15 different types of herbs and spices? So you don't have to look any farther than your own kitchen to add pizzazz to your recipes and find proven metabolism boosters and fat burners (cayenne, ginger, garlic, mustard, cinnamon) to wake everything up. Not everybody in the country has an herb garden or can locate fresh herbs in the grocery store, so, with the exception of the more easily available fresh ginger, parsley, and cilantro, most of the recipes call for the more convenient and potent dried versions that most likely are already in your kitchen cupboard. (True herb lovers are always welcome to use fresh, of course. It takes 1 tablespoon of the fresh herb or spice to equal 1 teaspoon of the dried, crushed herb. Fresh is usually three times as potent as the dried version.)

I promise that the
Fat Flush Plan Cookbook
will make it easier than ever for you to meet your weight loss goals despite your hectic lifestyle. And you will be able to do this without sugar, salt, and undesirable fats. So what are you waiting for? It's time to revisit and rediscover what the Fat Flush phenomenon is all about, how the choices have evolved, which herbs and spices are the best for weight loss and healing, and how to Fat Flush your kitchen for those fast and fabulous recipes that are just pages away.

As hundreds of thousands of satisfied Fat Flushers already know, the Fat Flush concepts represent a paradigm shift in weight loss and lasting weight control by targeting the liver as your number 1 weight loss roadblock. In fact, believe it or not, nothing you do to control your weight is as important as keeping your liver healthy.

This is the biggest weight loss story in years. And that's why I believe that
The Fat Flush Plan
became a
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestseller within the first two months of publication. It's also the reason that the Fat Flush interactive messaging board has become so busy on iVillage.com, the top destination for women online, and has received up to 700,000 unique visitors per month.

To further assist you in your Fat Flush journey, I have created this companion cookbook with easy and zesty recipes that are designed to increase metabolism, flush out bloat, and speed up or maintain fat loss. And that's not all you will achieve. The Fat Flush principles and ingredients incorporated in these recipes extend beyond just weight loss. The added bonus of internal cleansing, liver detoxification, and body purification will provide you with unexpected mental and emotional benefits such as mental alertness, increased energy, appetite control, satiety without food cravings, and a noticeable decrease in depression, irritability, and anxiety.

There are 200 unique Fat Flush recipes and snacks—many of them ready in less than 20 minutes—which are easily identified for each of the three weight loss phases of the Plan. For example, the phase 1: Two-Week Fat Flush recipes are designed for accelerated weight loss; the phase 2: Ongoing Fat Flush recipes are designed for transitional weight loss wherein more food choices are provided; while phase 3: Lifestyle Eating recipes are designed for a lifetime plan to help you stay fit permanently without having to give up your favorite foods.

Keep in mind that the entrées, soups, salads, dressings, condiments, beverages, and even sweet indulgences contain the world's best fat flushing ingredients (such as, cranberries, flaxseed oil, apple cider vinegar, and lemons) plus cleansing and metabolism-boosting herbs and spices (such
as ginger, cayenne, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and fennel), which are far more than just flavor enhancers.

Every day science reveals how some of the original Fat Flush staples and spices, such as cranberries, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and cilantro, are not only good for weight loss but also provide spectacular health benefits as well. Just before
The Fat Flush Plan
was released at the end of 2001, a highly publicized study appeared in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
which ranked cranberries as one of the most healthful foods to consume. Scientists at the University of Scranton proclaimed that cranberries, when compared to 19 other fruits commonly eaten in the United States, have extraordinarily high amounts of a certain antioxidant called phenols, which protect against heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Apple cider vinegar—long heralded in folk medicine for its cleansing and therapeutic effects on obesity and arthritis because of its high concentration of potassium, trace minerals, and enzymes—has been the subject of university studies and has been found to live up to its legend. A recent Arizona State University trial found that participants who consumed as little as 1½ tablespoons of the vinegar ate 200 fewer calories at the following meal.

Ginger, a primary fat flushing herb that boosts metabolism and reduces fatty buildup, has recently been found by Danish scientists to head off migraines and ease arthritic aches and pains.

Another Fat Flush favorite, cilantro, also known as Mexican parsley, is more than just a frequent flavor enhancer in the recipes. It has been found to help with the removal of heavy metals from the system, primarily mercury, which can negatively affect the central nervous system.

The Fat Flush recipes have been specifically created with many of these superstar health foods and spices as well as lots of colorful veggies, fruits, lean proteins, and satisfying oils to zap
all
the five hidden weight gain stumbling blocks, which underlie the excess poundage currently plaguing over 114 million Americans.

My research, online counseling, and hands-on experience with nearly 10 million dieters over the past 20 years have revealed that the real culprits behind weight gain are not simply a lack of will power, overeating, or underexercising as you have been told. They are far more insidious and alarming.

Here's a thumbnail sketch of the
five hidden weight gain factors
which provide the scientific foundation behind the Fat Flush philosophy:

1.
Your tired, toxic liver.
The number 1 weight loss stumbling block, a liver overloaded with pollutants and toxins, cannot efficiently burn body fat, and thus it will sabotage your weight loss efforts. The recipes eliminate all liver damaging elements. They omit caffeine, sugar, trans fats (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable fats and oils) from fried foods, margarine, vegetable shortenings and commercial
vegetable oils, and yeast-based foods (soy sauce and most vinegars). And they feature liver-loving ingredients like cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale), eggs (high in amino acids which are needed for the liver to break down fats), and liver-supporting herbs and spices such as garlic, onion, and ginger root.

2.
When fat is not fat.
The number 2 weight loss stumbling block—waterlogged tissues—results when you consume too little water and protein and from food sensitivities, hormonal fluctuations, and certain medications. You'll find that filtered water is a major component in all the diet phase protocols because of its purifying properties and ability to remove wastes from the body. Powerful (yet so simple and easy to make) protein-based recipes are provided with beef, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, and whey. The latest health food darling—ruby red cranberries—plays a feature role in many of the condiments, such as Cranberry-Catsup, and the dishes, such as Cran-Raspberry Sauce. In addition, the majority of the recipes eliminate two of the food groups that can promote water retention—gluten-rich grains and dairy products. The flaxseed oil featured in the salad dressings acts as a natural hormone balancer and as replacement therapy. Parsley, cilantro, fennel, and anise are sprinkled throughout the recipes because of their diuretic qualities.

3.
The fear of eating fat.
The number 3 weight loss stumbling block—lack of fat-burning fats—flies in the face of everything you have been told for the past 20 years. The truth is that certain fats [like flaxseed oil, gamma linoleic acid (GLA) from evening primrose oil, borage or black currant seed oil, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)] can accelerate fat burning, trigger fat loss, and provide long-term satiety while maintaining lean muscle mass. While the GLA and CLA fats are taken as dietary supplements, nutty ground up flaxseeds (in addition to the flaxseed oil that serves as a basis for delightfully light dressings and vinaigrettes) are contained in many of the breakfast smoothie recipes and their variations. I also encourage you to select meats from grass-fed cattle whenever possible. This is the best natural food source of CLA.

4.
Excess insulin.
The number 4 weight loss stumbling block—excess insulin—is a fat-promoting hormone created by foods high in carbohydrates. The Fat Flush program combats excess insulin by providing a diet equation of 40 percent total calories from essential (and blood sugar stabilizing) fats, with the rest of calories divided between powerful protein dishes (which produce the hormone glucagons that counteract insulin) and low glycemic (or slow-acting) carbs from rainbow colored veggies and fruit. The Fat Flush dietary approach increases insulin efficiency and transforms the body into a fat-burning, not fat-building, mode.

5.
Stress as fat maker.
The number 5 weight loss stumbling block—stress—functions as a fat maker because the stress hormone cortisol, like insulin, is a major fat-promoting hormone. Cortisol, however, has a propensity for stimulating central fat or tummy fat. Fat Flush recipes feature lightning fast meals and quick and easy snacks that can correct the stress fat cycle by reducing cortisol levels through proper meal timing. The key here is to eat something about every three hours
before
you are hungry. The meals-in-minutes techniques help to balance blood sugar throughout the day, thereby avoiding cravings and fat storage.

You're getting closer and closer to the next level of the Fat Flush experience. The next chapter includes comprehensive food options for each level of the plan with recommended portions to help you make the program more convenient and more practical than ever. Then I'll help you set up your Fat Flush kitchen with some suggestions on the best time-saving utensils and equipment to have on hand to maximize your results. And, before your know it, you'll be ready to start on that fast and fabulous food. Just make sure you also make some time for shopping—clothes shopping, that is, because you'll soon be ready for a fabulous new wardrobe!

Fat Flush is really an eating evolution.

As many of you already know, a foundational and comprehensive list of acceptable foods, beverages, spices, and brand names for each of the three phases of the program is provided in
The Fat Flush Plan.
Also provided are sample menu plans and culinary ideas for each phase. As new research becomes available, there will be new herbs, spices, foods, sweeteners, and brand names that I will be adding periodically to your Fat Flush repertoire. Many of you will be delighted to note that in developing the recipes for this book, I have introduced additional Fat-Flush–friendly foods and seasoning options (and in some cases additional brand names) that are in line with the plan's cleansing, weight loss, and lifestyle principles. You'll also find a list of new ingredients for Phase 3 and special-occasion cooking.

And so, what else is new?

During the week before you begin phase 1 for the first time or before you start phase 1 all over again, there are many practical ways to prepare your body for the Fat Flush experience. As I explain in
The Fat Flush Plan,
tapering off alcohol, coffee, tea, colas, and other soft drinks (which are major liver stressors) and substituting herbal coffees is probably the single most important thing you can do to prepare your system for cleansing. This step will also help to forestall the withdrawal symptoms of fatigue, headaches, irritability, and increased hunger once you are on the full-fledged program.

Besides getting caffeine out of your life, I have learned that the next two next biggest Fat Flush challenges are getting rid of sugar and getting the salt out. So, let's take out the sugar first!