Phad Thai-phase 4

1/2 lb. dried rice noodles, 1/8 in wide-ish
warm water
1-2 chicken breast, boneless, skinless and diced or slivered
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/4c. + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp Distilled Vinegar
1 tsp. paprika
4 green onion, slivered
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
3/4 lb. bean sprouts
3/4 c. roasted peanuts (chopped fine)
lime wedges

Directions:
1. Soak noodles in warm water until they bend and soften slightly, about 30 min. Drain.
2. Mix sugar, vinegar, paprika and fish sauce in small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat wok or large frying pan and fry meat then add noodles.  Add garlic and sauce.
4. Make a hole in the middle and fry eggs in that hole using a lil oil if you need more.
5. Add sprouts and garnish with nuts, onions and lime.  Serve.

This is not a recipe from my diet but it is the best Phad Thai recipe I have found.  I love Thai food and can usually tell a good Thai restaurant by their Phad Thai.  This is the closest recipe I have found to my favorite!

Chocolate Chip Cookies, made with white beans-phase 4 (so far)

1/2 c. cooked white beans
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs (1/4 c. egg powder + 1/2 c. water)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. Beat beans and sugar together.  Add eggs and vanilla
2. In separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mix to bean mix.  Stir until well blended.
3. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Cover and refrigerate dough for one hour.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 350° for 10-15 min.

I found this recipe on a food storage site and loved it!  Don't tell anybody you used beans and they often can't even tell!  There is almost no fat in this and its got all the right stuff in it!  I haven't tried doing this with a whole sweetener yet like agave nectar but that is something I am definitely going to attempt when I am on that phase in my diet!  This was a very happy recipe for me because it gave me a way to cook yummy chocolate chip cookies that I DON'T have to use Margarine or Crisco...I hate using that stuff when I don't have too.  I am pretty scared of margarine and allowed it in my home for Vanessa who can't have dairy...but we try really hard not to ever use it.

Turkey Meatloaf-phase 1

2 lbs. Ground Turkey
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1 sm. onion
2 eggs
1 c. riced cauliflower
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 can diced tomato

Directions:
1. In chopper or small processor, chop peppers and onion to fine
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Form into "loaf".  I pressed mine into the bottom of the bowl and then just pushed it out onto my hand using the natural curve of the bowl to slide it out.  It fit perfectly into my electric pressure cooker and I used my wire rack that goes inside it.
4. Pour can of tomato onto the top of the loaf then I used the can and filled it half way with water and poured that in too.
5. I pressure cooked mine on high for 35 min and used Natural Release.


I got this idea from my aunt who doesn't like to cook but she sure comes up with some good ideas and recipes...I think a bit of Italian Seasoning would be good in there, or something...I am sure you could bake this in the oven but I was short on time so just threw it together and let my pressure cooker do the work.  I love how it made the texture and will probably do it that way again.  The leftover juice would make an awesome soup base, but that will have to be for another post.

Slow Cooker Yogurt-phase 1

8 c. 1% milk
3/4 c. powdered milk
3/4 c. Mountain High Yogurt, Plain

Directions:
1. Pour milk and powdered milk into crock pot, whisk together.
2. Cook on Low temperature for 2 1/2 hours.  Unplug.
3. Let sit for 3 hours.
4. Whisk in yogurt for starter.
5. Incubate in an insulated grocery bag, cooler or wrap with towels or blankets until morning.
6. Line wire mesh strainer or colander with coffee filter and strain yogurt to desired thickness.


I usually start this at around 1:00 pm.  I have used instant and non-instant powdered milk and like the non-instant best.  It really made a thicker, creamier yogurt.  I prefer Mountain High, it has made the best consistency for me, it has 5 live active cultures vs the 4 that Nancy's has.  It was ok, but the texture with Mountain High was better.  If you put the yogurt starter in too soon...the milk is too hot yet and really makes a tangier yogurt.  Not sure if it kills the culture or not but I liked it MUCH better waiting the full 3 hours after cooking.  I strain mine to make the "Greek style" yogurt.   You can save a bit of your own homemade yogurt for the starter for your next few batches but eventually I get a fresh start.  I did try one attempt of adding Vanilla and Truvia to a batch and it didn't set well so I will probably just continue to add those per serving.  Let me know how it works for you and if you try any different variations.

Cauliflower Flat Bread or Pizza Crust-phase 1

4 c. Cauliflower, riced (see step one)
1 c. Egg whites
1 c. Nutritional Yeast
2 1/2 c. low fat Mozzerella Cheese, grated
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 Tbsp granulated Garlic
1 tsp. Italian Herb Seasoning
dash or two of basil

Directions:
1. Grate Cauliflower in a food processor or by hand.  This creates the "rice".
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. I use a Sil-Pat sprayed with Pam, you can use parchment paper as well.  Press into flat rectangles for flat "bread" or into a circle for pizza.  About 1/2c. of mix for bread and 1c. for pizza.
4. Bake at 425° for 20 min.  Pick them up and turn them over and bake for another 10-15 min.  You may have to adjust your heat for how brown you like it or altitudes etc.
5. For pizza add your toppings and put back in oven, you can broil them to brown cheese or bake to just melt cheese.

I got this recipe from a lady who is online doing this diet.  I have tweaked it a little bit for my own personal tastes, but its basically the idea that came from her.  Mom and I make our Turkey Burgers, Hamburgers, Deli sliced meat sandwiches etc on this bread more than we ever use it for pizza.  It is loaded with fiber and nutrition and really not super high in fat.  I would use a Fat-Free Mozzarella if i could find it...but we don't seem to carry it here.  I found the Nutritional Yeast at our health food store and also at Fred Myer in the health food or bulk section.  I love the "riced" cauliflower and have used that in place of rice in a fried "rice" dish as well and it was fabulous...again, from this lady, who I cannot seem to get back to her site...can't remember where it was...

Apple "French Toast" Phase-1

1 apple, peeled and diced
4 eggs
1 pkg. Truvia
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. SF Syrup

Directions:
1. Cook diced apples until softened.
2. Scramble eggs with spices and vanilla.
3. Pour scrambled egg mix over apples and cook until done to your liking.
4. Serve with a lil bit of SF Syrup over it.

This is a favorite breakfast of mine on this diet.  I think this will be a fave long after I am done with this diet.  You can leave the peels on the apples for fiber but I am not a fan of the peels cooked.  My mother prefers it without cinnamon and I am sure there are variations but I have not tried any yet.

Stuffed Portabello -phase 1

1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 egg whites or 2 Tbsp dehydrated egg with 4 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. dried bell peppers
1/2 onion, diced
1 celery stalked, diced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
3 Portabello mushroom caps, cleaned out and stem removed
3 Tbsp. grated fat free or low fat Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1. Mix everything except mushrooms together.
2. Stuff mushroom caps with turkey mix.
3. Bake at 400° for 45 min.
4. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 15 min or until internal temp reaches 160°.


I got the idea for this recipe while surfing the web.  I had to change some of the ingredients to work with the first phase of the 17 day diet and found it worked beautifully!  I can see this becoming a personal fave.  It's very easy and most ingredients are kept on-hand.  I cannot find Fat-free Parmesan so I just used the parm that comes from Costco in a 5 lb. bag.