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Cookout Menu Ideas and Survival Tips

Summer cookouts can be one of the hardest eating events to navigate since they tend to go on for several hours. Rather than having 3 things to choose from you have a smorgasbord of foods and beverages making it easy to overindulge. The idea of wanting to sample small bites of everything can quickly add up and once alcohol is involved, forget it! Here are a few simple tips that will allow you to indulge a bit without the guilt.

Top 7 Tips for Surviving Cookouts

Zone BBQ Tip: Eat Before You GO

Eat Before You Go: Sampling new dishes prepared by someone other than ourselves is part of the fun at a cookout. You can still sample the things you want to try, but don’t skip meals leading up to the event. Starting your day with your usual breakfast, and either a snack or lunch before you go will make you less ravenous or likely to go off the deep end with your food choices and portion control.

Zone BBQ Tip: Fill Up on Quantity

Fill Up on Quality: Fill your plate with grilled vegetables, fruits and lean protein to start. This will allow you to get full on higher quality foods first and then you can always go back later if you are still hungry or want to sample something a bit more indulgent.

Zone BBQ Tip: Move Away From the Table

Move Away From the Table: We tend to hold most of our conversations around where food is placed. Rather than grazing the entire time and feeling as though we never fully ate, make a plate of food and then move the conversation to another area where you’ll be less prone to keep going back for more.

Zone BBQ Tip: Pick Your Pleasure

Pick Your Pleasure: Decide whether you want to have alcohol or sweets, but not both. Alcoholic beverages can seem really refreshing on hot days, but the calories can quickly add up. If you choose to drink, pick light beers, wines, and spirits and avoid beverages mixed with juices and simple syrups. Make a mental note of how many drinks you want to have before starting and stick with it. If sweets are your pleasure the same rules apply. With both alcohol and sweets try and consume protein around the same time so you avoid spiking your blood sugar making you want to go back for more.

Zone BBQ Tip: Ditch the Chips

Ditch the Chips: Be choosy with what you are going to have. Nibbling on pretzels, potato chips or crackers isn’t all that exciting, plus the salt can make you feel bloated and retain fluid. Why not save your calories for something better? Choose foods you don’t usually get to have and if you go for something that is more carbohydrate centric just try and balance it with protein.

Zone BBQ Tip: Hydrate

Hydrate: Being in the sun or long exposure to heat can easily zap our energy making us reach for salty foods and drinks to perk us up. Make sure to stay hydrated especially if consuming alcohol and reach for food (fruits and veggies) and beverages that will help you hydrated throughout the day.

Zone BBQ Tip: Bring It

Bring It: If you know you want to be a bit more indulgent but don’t want to completely blow it, make the dish yourself and find a way to lighten it up. Here we’ve given you some ideas on things you can bring if you are attending or make if you are hosting that are light on calories and balanced in protein, fat and carbs but not on taste.

FREE recipe cards below. 

Here are a few delicious Zone approved recipe ideas which you may find helpful when planning your menu. If you need more, please check out our recipes at www.zonediet.com. 

Zone Diet TzatzikiTzatziki Dip  :  Instructions

  1. If not using an unstrained yogurt, strain it using a strainer lined with a coffee filter for a few hours to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
  2. Quarter the cucumber and cut off all the seeds. Grate the cucumber and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for around 20 minutes. Give it a squeeze in paper towels to help release excess liquid.
  3. Stir all ingredients into a bowl to combine. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Zone Diet Fusilli Pasta Salad

Zone Cookout Fusilli Pasta Salad  :  Instructions

  1. Prepare Zone PastaRx Fusilli according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
  2. Hard boil 4 eggs. Set aside, whites to be added to salad at the end.
  3. In a large bowl make sauce by whisking together 0%-fat Greek Yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, vinegar, dijon mustard, pickle relish, dill, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
  4. Add in the prepared vegetables (red bell pepper to onion) and then gently toss in Zone PastaRx Fusilli, egg whites and olives until well-combined; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Zone Diet Spinach Orzo Salad

Spinach PastaRx Orzo Side Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette  :  Instructions

1. Prepare Zone PastaRx Orzo according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of liquid an drain. Set both aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, make your dressing. Whisk the lemon juice, reserved pasta water, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour onto the salad and toss to coat.

3. In a large bowl, combine the thawed, squeezed spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives and cooled Zone PastaRx Orzo.

4. Pour dressing onto the salad and toss to coat. Add more reserved pasta water if desired, and season to taste. 

Zone Diet Burger Wraps

Burger Wraps  :  Instructions

  1. Mix ground turkey and one-quarter of the onion and bell pepper.
  2. Divide the mixture and form into 2 patties.
  3. Grill the patties until cooked.
  4. In a pan add olive oil and sauté the remaining bell pepper, onion and mushrooms.
  5. Layer, staggered, 3 lettuce leaves for each “wrap.”
  6. In each “wrap” spread 1/2 cup spinach and add half of the cheese slice.
  7. Divide the sautéed vegetables and the broken up burger (chop each burger into a few pieces).
  8. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing in each wrap.
  9. Have grapes for dessert.

Zone Diet Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay and Vegetables with Peanut Sauce  :  Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Whisk remaining tablespoon of soy sauce with chili sauce, red pepper flakes, peanut butter, sesame oil and parsley until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Preheat broiler.
  4. Thread chicken, bell peppers and onions onto skewers.
  5. Place skewers on a lightly greased, rimmed baking sheet. Broil on top rack with the tomatoes for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
  6. Serve satays on a platter over broccoli with tomatoes around the edge and the reserved sauce for dipping on the side.
  7. Have a bowl of strawberries.

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062524---Keto-Blog

Ketogenic Diets and Aging

Chances are, you or someone you know has tried the keto diet at some point in time. This high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan appeals to many due to its promise of rapid weight loss. In this blog, Dr. Sears explores some of the latest scientific findings on ketogenic diets and provides caution before hopping on this trend. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan. This significant reduction in carbohydrates to induce a metabolic state is called ketosis. This only occurs when there is not enough carbohydrates in your liver to completely convert fatty acids to carbon dioxide and water. The normal conversion generates the chemical energy (ATP) that keeps us alive. In the absence of ketosis, each fatty acid generates 108 molecules of ATP when oxidized in the mitochondria. Ketone bodies make less ATP when they are metabolized by mitochondria. How much less? About five times less. This is like switching the gasoline in your car from high-octane fuel to low octane fuel as ketone bodies increase in the blood. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, ketones are not an ideal energy source for the brain, as glucose remains the preferred fuel for ATP production in brain cells. Lack of blood glucose is a highly stressful situation for the brain. This is why the body secretes the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands during ketosis to breakdown protein and convert the amino acids into glucose for the brain. This explains why even under complete starvation for 38 days, the blood glucose levels never dropped below 68 mg/dL. This is still considered as a normal blood sugar level. Where did this blood glucose come from if there was none in the diet for 38 days? The answer is neo-glucogenesis primarily using lean body mass. Ketogenic Diets Pros and Cons Interest in ketogenic diets rises and falls about every 20 years. They’re very low-carbohydrate diets that claim that carbohydrates make you fat and keep you fat. This is simply not true. It is not carbohydrates per se but a disrupted metabolism that makes you fat. To be more specific, it is the inhibition of AMPK, the master regulator of your metabolism that makes you fat. Why? As AMPK activity increases, you burn stored fat faster. Frankly, I’ve always been amazed by the re-emergence of ketogenic diets. Eighteen years ago, I published the premier clinical study demonstrating that, under equal calorie intake in which all the food was provided to the subjects for six weeks, the Zone Diet was better than a ketogenic diet in reducing total weight, excess body fat, and inflammation. Now, a recent study revealed some more very concerning findings about the long-term effects of ketogenic diets. This new study indicated that following a keto diet causes a rise in senescent cells, popularly known as “zombie cells.” Zombie Cells are damaged cells that no longer divide but don't die. That’s bad enough, but zombie cells continue spreading inflammation throughout the body. As the number of zombie cells increases in your body, they become a living nightmare. Why? Zombie cells accelerate aging because they cause the earlier development of many chronic diseases. In this study they found that zombie cells in the animals began to appear while they were on a ketogenic diet. The zombie cells then disappeared when researchers changed the diet to a “non-ketogenic diet” (i.e., the Zone diet). And when the animals were given a Keto diet again, the zombie cells reappeared. Notice a trend? If you want to hear more about this study you can listen to our recent podcast at Dr.Sears.com. Based on earlier blogs, this adds to the list of downsides for following a ketogenic diet versus the Zone Diet. PROS Rapid initial weight loss: This is primarily due to the loss of retained water from the glycogen stores in the liver, which is rapidly used up to maintain blood sugar levels. Since these glycogen stores in the liver contain significant levels of retained water, much of the initial weight loss is water rather than stored body fat. If your main goal is loss retained water, this can be seen as a benefit. Of course, going to a sauna would also work. Reduced hunger: Ketogenic diets are rich in protein. Any increase in protein intake can help reduce hunger. CONS Production of acetone: One of the ketone bodies produced during ketosis is acetone, which is also the main chemical in nail polish. Increased calcium loss: A ketogenic diet can lead to higher calcium loss from bones. Limited fat utilization: High levels of dietary fat reduce the likelihood of using stored body fat for energy unless you also significantly restrict calories. Reduced energy levels: The lack of ATP production on a ketogenic diet can lead to easier fatigue during mild exercise. Damage from cheat meals: After seven days on a keto diet, a single high-carb cheat meal can damage blood vessels. Lack of polyphenols: This makes it difficult to activate genes that optimize metabolism by improving mitochondrial efficiency in converting fat into ATP. No long-term weight loss advantage: Long-term studies show no difference in weight loss between a ketogenic diet and a low-fat, high-carb diet. No short-term metabolic advantage: Careful studies demonstrate that fat loss on a ketogenic diet is the same as on a low-fat, high-carb diet with the same caloric intake. Compromised gut health: A lack of fermentable fiber from carbohydrates can lead to poor gut health and an increased risk of developing a leaky gut, which can cause significant inflammation. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are the metabolic product of fermentable fiber. These SCFA are powerful epigenetic signaling agents that enhance gene transcription. Ketosis generates a different type of hydroxylated short fatty acid (3-hydroxyl butyrate, that has no effect on gene transcription. In addition, the lack of SCFA has significant negative consequences on the gut-brain axis. Cortisol build-up: To produce glucose for the brain, cortisol levels increase to breakdown protein to make sufficient glucose via neoglucogenesis. Excess cortisol can lead to insulin resistance that cause regain of some of initially loss body fat. In addition, increased cortisol levels cause a depressed immune system as well as destruction of memory cells in the hippocampus. The initial benefits of following the ketogenic diet result in some initial weight loss (primarily water weight rather than fat loss), long-term studies show no significant differences in overall weight loss. Now new findings show a ketogenic diet may lead to significant adverse health consequences by accelerating the formation of zombie cells. Call me crazy, but I feel the key to longevity and wellness comes down to better metabolic control instead of living in a constant state of ketosis. Following Metabolic Engineering® for a lifetime provides that pathway of losing body fat without ketosis. References 1. Johnston CS, Tjonn SL, Swan PD, White A, Hutchins H, and Sears B. “Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets.” Am J Clin Nutr 2006 83:1055-61. 2. White AM, Johnston CS, Swan PD, Tjonn SL, and Sears B. “Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss: a pilot study.” J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 107:1792-1796. 3. Sung-Jen Wei, Joseph R Schell, E Sandra Chocron, Mahboubeh Varmazyad, Guogang Xu, Wan Hsi Chen, Gloria M Martinez, Felix F Dong, Prethish Sreenivas, Rolando Trevino Jr , Haiyan Jiang, Yan Du, Afaf Saliba, Wei Qian, Brandon Lorenzana, Alia Nazarullah, Jenny Chang, Kumar Sharma, Erin Munkácsy, Nobuo Horikoshi, David Gius. Ketogenic diet induces p53-dependent cellular senescence in multiple organs. Sci Adv. 2024 May 17;10(20):eado1463. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1463. 4. Owen OE, Felig P, Morgan AP, Wahren J, Cahill GF Jr. Liver and kidney metabolism during prolonged starvation. J Clin Invest. 1969 Mar;48(3):574-83. doi: 10.1172/JCI106016. 5. Chriett, S., Dąbek, A., Wojtala, M. et al. Prominent action of butyrate over β-hydroxybutyrate as histone deacetylase inhibitor, transcriptional modulator and anti-inflammatory molecule. Sci Rep 9, 742 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36941-9. 6. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Jan 31;11:25. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00025. 

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050824---Tofu-Blog

Tofu: Tips and Recipes Ideas

I have been eating tofu for a very long time, much longer than the 30 or so years I have been following the Zone Diet. Back then many of my favorite recipes came from the Tassajara cookbooks by Edward Espe Brown, the celebrated chef from the kitchen at California’s famous Zen Mountain Center, and cookbooks by Louise Hagler, a.k.a. Wendy Louise, a well-known authority on vegetarian cooking who is associated with a community in Tennessee known as The Farm. Those books are still among the best resources for tofu recipes. My mantra has always been if you don’t like something, don’t eat it. Keep this in mind if you’re new to tofu, start slowly by combining it with flavors and foods you like.    Tips and Suggestions    Firm-sprouted tofu is my preference for the Zone Diet. Unlike traditional tofu, which contains significant amounts of both protein and carbohydrate, sprouted has almost no carbohydrates. It’s lighter tasting, refreshing, and very filling.   Freezing tofu results in a chewy, sponge-like texture. I don’t recommend freezing, but some people prefer it when using tofu to substitute for meat in a recipe.    Baked tofu comes in a variety of flavors and makes an excellent quick meal with some vegetables and fruit added. It’s also great in salads.     Tofu made it into the book “The Top 100 Zone Foods” by Barry Sears.    Some recipes call for draining the tofu first. I find that usually isn’t necessary.   Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever is added to it.    Add nutritional yeast flakes to give a cheesy flavor to vegan tofu scrambles and dips. It’s also rich in protein and vitamin B12.   Cherry Vanilla Tofu “Ice Cream”   Tip: This doesn’t freeze or store well, so prepare only the amount you plan to serve immediately.   Using an immersion blender or a food processor blend equal parts of frozen dark cherries and firm tofu, plus some vanilla extract (preferably alcohol-free for best flavor). Serve immediately.  Tofu Scramble  This is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and we’ve even brought it on long day hikes for a snack.   Crumble some firm tofu and stir in a generous amount of seasonings, taking care not to overdo it with the salt. Heat in a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet with a little Zone-friendly oil to the desired doneness.    Optional: If time allows, sauté some chopped onion in the skillet before adding the tofu and seasonings.    My favorite seasoning combination for this dish at my house is onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, some oregano or thyme, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. The yellow color of the turmeric makes it somewhat like scrambled eggs.   Tofu Veggie Almond Pasta Salad   Dressing: Thin some smooth almond butter by stirring in some water, a little vinegar, and either soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (an unfermented soy sauce found in the health food section of most grocery stores).    Toss together cooked Dr. Sears’ Zone PastaRx Fusilli, tofu cut into cubes, matchstick cut red bell pepper, chopped green parts of scallions (a.k.a. green onions), and the almond butter dressing. Serve immediately or chill to serve later. It will keep well in the fridge for two or three days.   Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.  Experiment and have fun with it. Try using tofu to make cheesecakes, whipped desserts, tofu chocolate pudding, tofu “cream” based soups, tofu pot pie (think chicken pot pie), tofu burgers, tofu burritos, Buffalo tofu (like Buffalo wings), layered Mediterranean dips, tofu “meatballs”, grilled tofu, and more.    Enjoy! 

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