First week of the diet

Approximately two weeks ago my mom came to me and said she really wanted to go on a diet and base it on the South Beach Diet. In case you hadn't heard of it, its written by a heart doctor and is high fiber, low fat, low carbs, low sugar, high in lean proteins. We have both been on it before although we did it separately as I was in Louisiana and they were in Seattle. I was very happy to do this as I had attempted to try to do something like this with the dinners I was making when I first came to Texas but no one else seemed interested in making it happen so it fell to the side.

Due to this I spent 3 days looking over stuff and putting 2 weeks of menus together. Gave them all to my mom for review, made changes where indicated and then made shopping menu based on the first week of menus. $400 later we had a weeks worth of food. Isn't it always the way when you are changing a way of eating????

The first week went well until the end. My Father had a melt down and, I guess, wasn't in the mood for anything I made, and lost his cool. He wasn't mean verbally. It was more attitude and it hurt my feelings and pissed me off. Which in turn pissed my mom off. And of course since I am just like her means she and I should not share the same space when we are both mad because we will both push each others buttons.

But today is a new day, a new week, and are working through it. My dad's take on food is more simple and straight forward and he likes the same ole same ole. But that has what got him and us in the state we are in.

So you wanna know what got made huh?? Ok here we go:

Pre Diet:

Chicken Soup with Kale

Day 1:

Midmorning snack

Veggie Dippers with Avocado-Cilantro Guacamole

Lunch

Chock-full-of-veggies Chili

Mixed green salad

2 tbsp Cilantro-Lime dressing

Mid-afternoon snack

Chilled shrimp cocktail w/spicy red pepper sauce

Dinner

Grilled sirloin steak

Hearts of palm “potato: salad

Steamed Broccoli

Grilled Bell Peppers and Onions with minced garlic and balsamic vinegar

Dessert

Maple-Almond Flan

Day 2

Midmorning snack

1 oz reduced fat cheese cubes and grape tomatoes

Lunch

Clear mushroom Soup

Sliced Steak on a beg of mixed greens

2 tbsp Lemon Vinaigrette

Mid-afternoon snack

Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Roll-Up

Dinner

Sheppard’s Pie

Radicchio and endive salad

2 Tbsp Dijon Vinaigrette

Dessert

Peanut Butter Delight

Day 3

Midmorning snack

Tex-Mex Smoked Turkey Roll-Up

Lunch

Black Bean Soup

Chopped Salad with Tuna and White Beans (On chopped romaine: 6 oz light Tuna, chopped Cucumber, Tomato, Celery, Radish, ½ c canned white beans, ½ c diced avocado)

Lemon Vinaigrette

Mid-afternoon snack

Plum tomato halves topped with 1 oz crispy reduced-fat turkey pepperoni slices

Dinner

Roasted Rotisserie Chicken on a bed of mixed greens with toasted pistachios

2 Tbsp Green Goddess dressing

Roasted Artichoke Hearts

Lima Beans

Dessert

Lime Zest Ricotta Crème

Day 4

Midmorning snack

Roast Beef and Horseradish Roll-Up

Lunch

Green Gazpacho

Southwestern Chicken Salad (toss left over chicken with ½ c canned black beans, 1/3 diced small avocado, chopped scallions, and prepared salsa, on a bed of salad greens)

Mid-afternoon snack

Celery Sticks stuffed with 1 wedge French Onion and garlic reduced fat spreadable cheese

Dinner

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes, Spinach and Capers

Jicama and Red Onion Salad

2 Tbsp Lime Vinaigrette

Dessert

Chilled Espresso Custard (pg. 235)

Day 5

 Midmorning snack

Caprese Bites (Cut 1 part-skim Mozzarella stick cut into 4 pieces; place each into a hollowed out cherry tomato. Micro to melt if desired)

Lunch

Easy Salmon Salad (toss left over salmon with diced cucumber, and place over salad mix and watercress)

Mid-afternoon snack

Veggie Dippers with Indian-style yogurt dip

Dinner

Home-style Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms and White Beans

Mixed Salad Greens with ¼ c toasted Pine nuts

2 Tbsp Dijon Vinaigrette

Dessert

Cocoa-Nut Mousse

Day 6

Midmorning snack

1 oz asst. reduced-fat cheese cubes with crudités

Lunch

Lump Crabmeat Salad in a Tomato Bowl

(4-oz lump crabmeat, ¼ c fine diced bell pepper, 1 minced scallion, 1 Tbsp Mayo, 1 Tbsp nonfat plain yogurt; served in hollowed out tomato)

Sugar free Popsicle

Mid-afternoon snack

Latte with fat-free milk

30 Pistachios

Dinner

Ginger-Dijon Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Surprise South Beach Mashed “Potatoes”

Asst Grilled Veggies: Asparagus, Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Fennel

Dessert

Baked Ricotta Custard

Day 7

Midmorning snack

1 reduced fat spreadable Cheese Wedge with cucumber sticks

Lunch

Cobb Salad

(Chopped romaine topped with diced deli chicken, 1/3 diced avocado, 2 slices crumbled turkey bacon, chopped tomato, and chopped red onion)

2 Tbsp Lime Vinaigrette

Mid-afternoon snack

 Labne (Kefir Cheese) Balls  with crudités

Dinner

Mediterranean Skillet Cod

Oven-roasted Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Black Pepper

Julienned Vegetable Salad with crumbled reduced-fat feta

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette

Dessert

1 no-sugar Fudgesicle with an 8-oz glass of milk