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060221---Meal-Planning-Benefits-blog

Meal Planning Benefits

There are two types of people, those who know what they’re eating for their next meal and those who figure it out the hour before. Where do you fall? If you tend to wing your weeknight meals, the thought of meal planning can seem daunting. Finding time to sit down and write out your menu for the week, making a list, shopping for ingredients, and then the actual meal prep can seem like a lot. The reality is that all this upfront planning actually saves you time and money, helps with weight control, and is good for your health. Here’s why.

The Benefits of Meal Planning

1) Saves You Time and Money: When you go to the store without a plan you spend more money. The reason is you are more likely to overbuy which leads to food waste. How many times have you done the refrigerator cleanout before trash night and the wilted produce, the questionable meat, and the leftovers all end up in the trash? Did you know that the average household wastes almost 32% of its food each year? 1 That is a substantial amount of your income! Meal planning can also save you time and money by helping you avoid takeout when you're time-crunched or those trips to the store for missing ingredients where you end up spending more on things you don’t need.

2) Helps with Weight Control: It is well established that making your own meals helps with weight control. A recent study showed participants in a 40-week Weight Loss Program who frequently planned their meals lost more weight than those who did not2. Another study showed women who meal plan are less likely to be overweight and men and women who plan are less likely to be obese3. Meal planning gives you greater control over the ingredients you use and their healthfulness. Unlike eating out, when you eat at home you have a better sense of your portions and how much you consume. Where eating out often comes with extra sugar, sodium, and fat, when you cook at home there are no hidden ingredients.

3) Makes You More Successful with Your Health Goals: With any goal having a plan makes you more likely to stick with it and succeed. Meal planning goes beyond weeknight meals to include being prepared for those times you might get tripped up. If a meeting goes late, sports go into the evening, or you get stuck on a call, having healthy foods prepped in the fridge, in your purse, or at your desk ensures you have what you need to succeed. Meal planning is associated with a healthier and more varied diet3.

4) Reduces Stress: Meal time can feel stressful and not knowing what you have on hand, especially if you have people in your household that rely on you for meals, can put the pressure on. Planning ahead reduces stress and then when the questions start to roll in about what’s for dinner, you can say what you are having with confidence and start delegating on how everyone can help.

Want to start meal planning but not sure where to begin? Download our free 7 Day Zone Meal Planner and get started today.

0621---Free-7-Day-Zone-Diet-Meal-Plan

References

  1. The Shocking Amount Of Food U.S. Households Waste Every Year. Available at : https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2020/01/26/the-shocking-amount-of-food-us-households-waste-every-year/?sh=6e5c70dc7dc8. Accessed: June 1, 2021.
  2. Hayes JF, et al. Greater Average Meal Planning Frequency Predicts Greater Weight Loss Outcomes in a Worksite-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Program. Ann Behav Med. 2021. PMID: 32301494
  3. Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, Ibanez G, Allès B, Kesse-Guyot E, Hercberg S, Péneau S. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Feb 2;14(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-04617. 

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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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Simple Homemade Zone Meals

Simple Homemade Zone Meals

  Even people who swear by Dr. Sears' new pasta meals should create one homemade Zone meal just about every day. Cooking in the Zone isn't hard to do, especially if Zoners keep packages of frozen chopped onion and chopped peppers in their freezers. If a cup of chopped onion is needed, it's ready to go. Also keep sacks of frozen vegetables, including broccoli florets, handy.   Here are some meals, shown for both women and men, that are a snap to make for people on the go.   Ginger Chicken Ingredients:   Dinner for women 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast 2 cups broccoli florets 1 ½ cups snow peas ¾ cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated ¼ cup water ½ cup seedless grapes Dinner for men 1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast 2 cups broccoli florets 1 ½ cups snow peas ¾ cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated ¼ cup water 1 cup seedless grapes Directions: In a wok or large nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute, turning frequently, until lightly browned, about five minutes. Add broccoli, snow peas, onion, ginger and water. Continue cooking, stirring often, until chicken is done, water is reduced to a glaze and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. If the pan dries out during cooking, add water in tablespoon increments to keep moist. Serve grapes for dessert or garnish dish with grapes. Salmon Patties Ingredients:   Dinner for women 3 ounces canned pink salmon 2 egg whites 1/3 cup slow-cooking oatmeal, cooked Quarter of an onion, diced 1 teaspoon dill Garlic salt and pepper 1 teaspoon refined olive oil ½ apple Dinner for men 4 1/2 ounces canned pink salmon 2 egg whites 1/3 cup slow-cooking oatmeal, cooked Quarter of an onion, diced 1 teaspoon dill Garlic salt and pepper 1 1/3 teaspoons refined olive oil 1 apple Directions: Flake salmon in a medium bowl. Combine all ingredients except olive oil and mix well with hands. Heat olive oil in pan at medium heat. Shape mixture into a patty and cook for about three to five minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Serve immediately. Have apple for dessert. Tuna and Three Bean Salad Ingredients:   Dinner for women 3 ounces canned tuna ¼ cup kidney beans, canned, drained and rinsed ¼ cup garbanzo beans, canned, drained and rinsed ¼ cup black beans, canned, drained and rinsed 1 teaspoon olive oil Rice vinegar to taste 1 teaspoon onion powder or to taste ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or to taste Bed of lettuce Dinner for Men 4 ounces canned tuna ¼ cup kidney beans, canned, drained and rinsed ¼ cup garbanzo beans, canned, drained and rinsed ¼ cup black beans, canned, drained and rinsed 1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil Rice vinegar to taste 1 teaspoon onion powder or to taste ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or to taste Bed of lettuce ½ apple Directions: Mix together tuna and beans. Whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour over tuna mixture and toss. Serve over a bed of lettuce. Have fruit for dessert. Chicken and Green Beans Italian Style Ingredients:   Dinner for Women 1 teaspoon olive oil 3/4 cup onions, chopped 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon bay leaf (1 small) Italian seasoning to taste Salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces 3 ounces precooked chicken Dinner for Men 1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon bay leaf (1 small) Italian seasoning to taste Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch pieces 4 ounces precooked chicken Directions: Cook the green beans to your liking - boil or steam. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saucepan. Add onion and saute until tender. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid from beans, add to the tomatoes and onion mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

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