The South Beach Diet Regime

South Beach Diet

For the past 14 days I’ve been manfully following the South beach diet regime. That’s phase one nearly over, because of a few slips I’ll carry phase 1 on to Friday. It’s been quite painful for me. I love my bread and potatoes. The lack of fresh carb power has made me irritable and gave me a slight headache. Especially trying to keep up my exercise sessions at the gym.

It made it quite difficult for me to adjust my eating habits. You have to ditch the carbs for two weeks. No sugar or starchy foods, no alcohol of any kind. I did wonder if you could use beer or wine in the recipes. As the alcohol is burnt of during cooking.

Eating five times a day is hard to adjust to. That’s five prescribed types of meal. No carbs. I felt I was preparing food all day long, as I was not used to preparing food the South Beach way.

Like now I only had lunch a little while ago and I’m hungry already.  I could have my afternoon snack of ½ a cup of dry roasted soy nuts and a glass of 1% or fat free milk, which has no taste at all.

Have you ever eaten Ricotta cream, I hadn’t on it’s own before or in a cheesecake. Never again, I’ll have to find another way to eat it, without it touching my mouth. The same with avocados, I can’t eat those if I feel their texture. No doughnuts or sugary cakes as a quick snack.

I could just kill a couple of English scones (home made) strawberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream, available from Whole food markets, a  typical English cream tea. www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

But besides all the grumbling I have lost between 6 and 8 lbs. and my waist, where ever that is, has diminished nearly an inch. Only 12 more pounds and 6 inches to go, losing the inches, is more important than the pounds.

The South beach diet book gives you a suggested daily meal plain and the recipes to go with it.

Most of them are quite tasty if you add a few embellishments. No extra fat or sugars, starchy food though, a few tastier vegetables and spices.

Here are a couple recipes I used and modified to my liking.

Cod with tomato and peppers;

Ingredients;

Extra-virgin olive                                                Can of diced tomatoes

A medium zucchini cut into ¼ inch slices

2 pequillo peppers sliced thinly. Buy them in a jar.

1 small sliced onion
6 oz cod fillet per person

3 garlic cloves minced                                    2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Fresh lemon zest                                                asparagus

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

I also added Sundried tomatoes and fire roasted red peppers. These were from a jar; 2 sticks of celery; a can of anchovies. These were wrapped around a caper. What a job to have on your CV! Plain anchovies work fine drain them from the oil. I didn’t but a handful of capers would give a nice touch of taste, as would some pitted olives.

I used fresh pequillo peppers the first time I made this dish, I didn’t feel they added any taste. The second time I didn’t have pequillo peppers, I’ll have to buy a jar they maybe tastier.

Method

In a large enough frying pan or your electric wok, on a medium heat, heat the olive oil with some ground black pepper, I have this thing about putting in fresh ground pepper in with the oil. Add the garlic for a few minutes to cook the flavour into the oil. Add the onions to slightly soften then add the zucchini, celery, peppers and sun dried tomatoes. Add the anchovies being careful while stirring trying not to break them up. Fry these together for a few minutes to blend the flavours, stirring to make sure nothing burns then add the tinned tomatoes. Stir everything in together and simmer for about 10 minutes. Do a taste test to see if you need to season with salt and pepper.

Nestle in the cod fillets into the sauce, covering the fish with some of the mixture. Let the dish simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fish is looking opaque and cooked through.

Serve on a warmed plate.

Make a gremalata with the lemon zest and parsley, squeeze a little lemon juice in with gremalata. Sprinkle over the dish when served.

This would be great with wholemeal pasta, sweet potato fries, boiled new potatoes or brown rice.

With South beach diet, just a side salad and asparagus.

To cook the asparagus, heat a little extra-virgin (I love that phrase) olive oil, grind in some black pepper, fry the asparagus just enough to soften.
I learnt last night one of the American chefs, Rachael Domenica Ray, I think, I've never seen her show calls Extra-virgin olive oil "EVOO". Would she like me to call her "RaDaR?
Why can't they just speak English?

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes, Spinach and Capers

Ingredients

6oz salmon fillet per person                                    3ozs baby spinach 3 cups

1 pound plum tomatoes                                           1 medium onion

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil                                    1 Tbsp washed drain capers

2 minced garlic cloves                                             4 Lemon wedges

2 sticks of celery Optional, I like to add celery to almost anything.

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

While you were preparing the ingredients have the grill/broiler on to heat up to maximum heat. Cover the grill pan with kitchen foil and brush with olive oil. You could spray with that awful cooking spray stuff.

Place the salmon flesh side up in the grill pan, season with salt and pepper to your taste. Grill without turning until salmon is cooked through, 8-10 minutes depending on your grill.

While the salmon is grilling in a large frying pan or saucepan or even better your wok. Heat the oil; add the onion and garlic and celery if using, stirring occasionally until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, spinach and capers. Cook for a few minutes, being careful not to over cook the spinach.

The salmon should be ready now. Transfer to warmed plates and spoon over the tomato mixture, squeeze over the lemon juice and serve warm.

The fried asparagus goes well with salmon.

Serve with a green and red leave salad, remember this a South beach diet meal and a blue cheese dressing.

Blue cheese dressing: Blend together ½ cup of low fat mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp of crumbled blue cheese, 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice and few dashes Tabasco sauce. Whisk in ¼ cup of fat-free buttermilk, season to taste with salt and black pepper.

One very thing about the South Beach diet book it has some very good recipes for quick salad dressings.

These are just a few of the meal ideas, there are plenty of meat dishes you can try.


These meals can be easily cooked in your electric wok.

Decadent slow cooked Lamb shanks

LAMB SHANKS IN PORT AND RED WINE WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

My first signature dish, everyone needs a signature dish or two, maybe three. Something you cook really well.

This recipe I combined from a few recipes I’d seen and eaten.

My first experience of this recipe was at a country pub not too far from Bath, www.visitbath.co.uk. The meal was so popular at the pub you would have to give your order at the time of reserving a table.

When my daughter told me this I was wondering why it was so popular. Once eating the meal I knew why, it was very good. It had to be ordered in advance as it takes a few hours to cook.

My version is cooked wholly in my electric wok and slow cooker. You can use a heavy frying pan and a casserole dish in the oven. Or even completely on a low setting in your wok.

Now the recipe:

Ingredients:

Lamb shanks                           1 per person

Plain flour                          

Virgin olive oil

Sprigs of fresh rosemary                                   

Small onions                           2 or 3 per shank

Sundried tomatoes                  half a cup drained

Port                                           125 ml

Dry red wine                             375 ml                 

Chicken stock                          125ml

Chopped parsley

Method: 

Toss the lamb shanks in the flour:

Heat the olive oil and brown the shanks with a few  sprigs of rosemary.

Drain off the excess oil on kitchen roll:

Put the shanks into your slow cooker or slow cook in the oven:

Fry the onions with the rosemary for a few minutes to soften a little, I feel this brings out more of the onion flavour, remove the rosemary.

Add the onions, sun dried tomatoes, port, red wine and chicken stock.

Cook slowly 4 to 6 hours until shanks are fully cooked; i.e. flesh beginning to fall off the bone.

Add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary towards end of cooking.

Remove shanks and keep warm. Put the heat setting on your slow cooker to high and simmer the juices until sauce thickens. Add corn flour thickener if necessary.

Sprinkle over the chopped parsley

Serve with broccoli or asparagus and fresh baby carrots.

I fry asparagus in a little olive oil and fresh ground black pepper and sprinkle with fresh lemon zest. Don't over cook the asparagus.

John’s style roast potatoes.

 Drinks, wine; a good quality rose or a light red wine. It is quite a rich dish so nothing too heavy.

Serve a lemon sorbet to clean the pallet before serving dessert.

Try a measure of peppermint liqueur or cordial with the lemon sorbet.

Something I found out getting rid of a bottle of Crème de Menthe.

Save the richer red wine and rest of the port for after dinner cheese and biscuits.

Stir-Fry my way

STIR FRY MY WAY

Staying with the healthy eating theme lets look at cooking a stir-fry.

Stir-fry’s are really quite easy once you have the hang of it.

I prefer the traditional round bottom wok I understand the flat bottom wok is to accommodate electric cookers.

The first time I saw a wok being used was at the food stalls in Singapore where the food was cooked fresh in front of you. There the round bottom would sit comfortably inside the gas ring with the flames licking up the sides. It was quite mesmerising to watch these wizened Chinese cooks throw the noodles and vegetables around in and out of the wok with such dexterity.

When I cook a stir-fry I like to have colour, lots of red and green vegetables, with a blend of tastes from the Asian sauces. I recently went to stir-fry demonstration at a local posh kitchenware shop. Their dishes tasted okay but lacked the excitement or colour and different tastes.

A great website for Chinese and stir-fry cooking is www.chinghehuang.com. I may have mentioned the website on a previous post but it is well worth checking out the site.

Ching he Huang cookery books and Ching’s wok are available from; www.amazon.com

www.amazon.co.uk

What you’ll need for your Stir-Fry;

A round bottom non-stick wok; I like electric for a few reasons, your not tied to cooking over a hot oven. You can place them anywhere in the kitchen or cooking area, close to where you’re chopping up the meat and vegetables. When the weather is okay you can cook outside, that’ll save the cooking smell inside. Electric woks are so convenient, very easy to take apart and wash, even in the dishwasher.

Provisions;

It’s best if you can keep a supply of meats or seafood and vegetables in the fridge or freezer. Not forgetting the sauces and spices you may like. Once you’ve mastered your favourite stir-fry’s you’ll cook them more than once a week. They are quite quick and easy to prepare.

Any meat you fancy, even a mix will do. I only mix white meats like chicken and pork. Good quality beef cuts are a must. I’ve never used lamb. Prawns a must when thinking of seafood but just about all seafood are fine for stir-fry. Fish, you have to be a bit more selective, salmon is fantastic tuna works as well.

The vegetables, green and red; Onions red or white, shallots, spring onions (scallions) fresh ginger, garlic, broccoli, mangetout, asparagus, celery, baby carrots, red and green bell peppers, red and green chillies, baby sweet corn, bean sprouts, cilantro, there maybe more you like. Just try them and experiment, trial and error that is how the recipes are discovered.

Asian sauces and spices; Chinese 5 spice powder, light soy sauce, Thai fish sauce, Shao Hsing rice cooking wine, plum, hoisin, black bean, teriyaki, oyster sauces and any that I’ve missed. Canola and sesame oil, sesame gives your stir-fry a more subtle flavour.

The noodles, there oodles of noodle types. My preference is the fat pansit style noodle that comes from Philippines. You get some equally good nodles from Thailand, what ever you prefer. I always get those you just pour boiling water over for a few minutes before adding to the main event.

How I cook a stir-fry;

I would first get all the ingredients together, sauces and spices, meat and or seafood and the vegetables. Then prepare the meat/seafood and the vegetables you’ll be using.

Lets say a chicken breast and prawn dish; the prawns break off the head and the leggy bits, leaving on the main shell and tail. The chicken breast cut into thinnish strips so it will cook quickly and evenly. You could also use pork loin.

Then prepare the vegetables;

Onion or shallot thinly sliced, crushed cloves of garlic to your taste, finely chopped or grated ginger.

Broccoli broken into florets, mangetout, celery, a note about celery. You don’t have to cut off and throw away the leaves, if they are fresh chop them up with the celery and cook with the dish.

That’s enough greenery, red pepper de-seeded and cut long ways, carrots cut the same way for Feng shui or cut into slivers with a potato peeler. If you like a little spicy heat a few whole red chillies. Keep them whole and whoever doesn’t like them can avoid them.

The sauces, decide what you’ll use, not too many. Maybe hoisin and plum this time and a little oyster sauce.

Boil a kettle of water to have ready to pour over the noodles, have the noodles in a suitable bowl or saucepan.

Have the wok nice and hot, pour in a little oil to cook the chicken and prawns. Cook until the prawns are pink and the chicken slightly cooked coloured all over. Remove from the wok and keep warm.

In with a little more oil if needed and fry the onions, garlic, ginger, celery and chillies if you’re using. Fry until onions starting to go translucent add the sauces you’ll be using, using a teaspoon. Taste to see if you like adding a little more if needed. Add a little soy sauce and rice wine, with a little fish sauce for a salty taste. Then add the broccoli, mangetout and carrots. Cook for a few minutes stirring in well with all the sauce, don’t over cook the broccoli, it looks horrible.

Add the chicken and prawns mixing in well the vegetables.

While you were doming all this, you would have poured the boiling water over the noodles to soften them. Drain of the water in a sieve and stir in well with the sauce, meat and vegetables.

Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and/or spring onions cut length ways.

You could serve the noodles separately.