Improvised menu plan

I started the year following a menu plan in the January 1012 issue of “Oxygen” magazine. Several people in a Facebook group were doing it (and I don’t know if they still are – we’ve all stopped posting about it).

The article starts on page 94 of the magazine (in case you want to follow the plan) and is called “10 Pounds Down!” The idea is to eat clean (non-processed or processed as little as possible and without preservatives) foods and lots of canned tuna in several different ways so it doesn’t get boring, and you'll lose weight in 4 weeks. Other forms of protein are also included, such as chicken breast, pork, and haddock.

I started modifying recipes right away, because I don’t particularly like some things that were called for, such as avocado (taste is too strong for me). Other things, I thought I didn’t like, but tried anyway – sardines (which I had probably last eaten when I was 8) and cottage cheese (I’m not sure if I had ever tried this). I’ve already ended up using the menu as a guideline and did what I wanted, keeping my foods as clean as possible.

I’ve found a good, filling snack is 1/2 cup cottage cheese mixed with 1/4 cup trail mix (pretty much any nut-fruit trail mix will do, but I like the Cherry-Chocolate Trail Mix from Whole Foods).

Not on the Oxygen menu, but I also tried carambola (star fruit – a bit bland, like kiwi) and pomegranate (yum!).

KALE-APPLE STIR FRY

This is a modification of a suggestion in the Oxygen magazine article. I liked it and will probably tamper with it some more in the future.

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
3 c. chopped kale
1 medium apple, diced
1 T onion, chopped
1 T soy or pine nuts
1 c. cooked brown rice

Directions:

Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir fry until cooked.

Makes 1 serving.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE MUFFINS

I changed the original recipe for these muffins to use agave nectar, instead of sugar, making it a cleaner product. I’ve found the extra fluid provided by the nectar is absorbed nicely by the whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cranberries
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup walnuts or other nuts, chopped, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease or spray the bottoms of the cups with some kind of shortening.

Mix orange juice, olive oil, egg, agave nectar, baking powder, and salt well in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix just until moistened. Fold in the cranberries, orange rind, and walnuts. Divide batter among muffin cups. Alternately, you can place in prepared loaf pan.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 servings.