Phase 3/4 recipe over at Saved by the Egg Timer today!

Hello to all the greatest and most successful HCGer's out there! 

The Phases To Forever members get a Phase 3/4 recipe today over at my Family Recipe Blog called Saved by the Egg Timer.  It is a Protein Packed Chocolate Cookie recipe that is wonderfully healthy, full of protein and healthy fats to help you maintain your amazing weight loss.  Please check it out and as always, if you have any questions about the recipe.  Feel free to ask over on PTF Facebook page where I can answer you promptly.  If your wondering, someone else probably is too!

While you are over there, check out the other P3/4 friendly recipe too!
Flavored Coffee Creamers and here
Homemade Peppermint (and sugar free) Peppermint Extract
Homemade Breakfast Sausage- minus the sugar for P3

Giardiniera

Grilled Green Beans (one of my summer fave's!)

Peach Syrup- replace sugar with 2 tsp stevia

Curried Chicken Stir Fry- serve without rice

Smokey Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Wings- sugar free jam

and out of season but still yummy...Gingerbread Syrup

 

Wow there was a lot more than I thought there would be, hopefully you will find something that suites your taste buds.

 

Have a great weekend!
~Natasha

Tomato Turmeric Soup

Great flavor to beat the bland out of you!  Don't let bland get to you in P2, it is possible to love your meals! 
This culture cross of spices is a perfect mix.  We have Turmeric from India, Cilantro and Cumin from Mexico, Plum Vinegar from Japan to blend sweetly into this nice soup.

The flavorful turmeric boosts moods, aids as an anti-inflammatory to your skin and blood vessels, natural pain reliever and cancer cell killer.  Turmeric helps detox your liver and fight obesity.  Kick your health into high gear while enjoying every slurp. 

Tomato Turmeric Soup
(1 serving)
1 tomato, diced  (feel free to experiment and add any other kind of veggies you like such as asparagus, cabbage,  onions, radishes, spinach, fennel...)
1 green onion, sliced
2 TB cilantro, chopped
1 C of water or protocol veggie or chicken broth
1/2 C water
1 TB Ume Plum Vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
Dash of salt and fresh cracked pepper
3 1/2 ounces of any protocol allowed meat you wish
 

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat through to a simmer, add any meat that you wish.  Before I add the meat I like to blend it up in a blender or immersion style.  Enjoy!

Phase 3/4:  Saute some red onion, tomato and garlic in 2 tablespoon of grass fed butter before adding the rest of ingredients.  Use all chicken broth instead of water and add more meat.  Try adding sliced grilled steak or ground beef to the soup at the end.  Top with a splash of fresh cream. 

Lemongrass Lettuce Wraps

This is good with ANY meat! A must try, all ingredients are in the produce section of most grocers.  If you cannot find some, try different types of markets- asian and farmers markets should carry these herbs too. 

I heart lemongrass so much, what a wonderful way to welcome Spring!  This perennial herb has a lot of great uses along with health benefits.  Studies and good ole' traditional practices have proven that it helps to detoxify the bodies liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. Cutting down on uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and toxins in our body while improving digestion, blood circulation and gastronal intestinal health.  Also said to improve our skin by reducing acne and helping to tone muscle and skin tissue. 

Who wouldn't want those benefits?  Especially while losing weight we need all the help we can get with the whole skin tightening right?  Learning this I am going to be adding more lemongrass to my meal rotations!

PS- I am working on the spring planting project I mentioned last post with the lettuce boxes.  I will post as soon as I can!  Start saving your clear plastic lettuce boxes you buy at the store, don't throw them away!



P2- please ignore the red onion in this, I am past P2 and added sliced red onion as suggested below.

Photo Credit

Lemongrass Lettuce Wraps
(Serves 1)

3.5 oz chicken breast, boneless and skinless- diced small (any meat!)
1/4 C water
1 TB lemon grass, sliced (white part only)

1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced  (you can use powdered too)

1/4 tsp celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 TB fresh Thai basil leaves, sliced (regular basil works too)

1 TB fresh mint leaves, sliced

1 TB cilantro

few drops or pinch of stevia

1 TB water

red, butter, romaine lettuce leaves all work well.


This is what lemongrass will look like at the stores and markets if you have not used/ bought it before.

 Season the chicken with ginger, salt and pepper.  Cook chicken over medium heat in 1/4 cup water and lemongrass for 10 minutes or until no longer pink through the center. Transfer to a plate to cool.  Shred into small pieces, toss with basil, mint and cilantro.  Add the lemon juice and stevia to the chicken mixture and mix until evenly coated.

Open a a few lettuce leaves and stack; spread chicken mixture onto the lettuce leaf.  Fold and enjoy!

Phase 3/4: Cook your chicken in 2 tablespoons coconut oil instead of water. Add sliced red onion and bell peppers when cooking the chicken ,julienne some cucumbers to place on top before rolling up too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost Creamy Tomato Soup

Hello!  I have missed you!  We have been busy busy busy getting a new kitchen to create in!!! I hope that will be enough reason for you to forgive my absence. 
Today it is rainy and drab here, perfect for a warm bowl of soup.  Tomato soup is perfect to soothe away gray clouds.  I am glad it is raining in place of the snow though!  Welcome spring rains, after this year even the hardiest of Midwesterners are ready for some much needed warmth.

Hint:  My next post will be about Spring and planting herbs, herbs are so wonderful for Phase 2....it let's us feel a little like cheating using fresh herbs and does good for our taste buds.  During my Phase 2 last summer my Rosemary plant could not keep up with me!  So just a head's up- start saving those clear boxes that you buy your lettuce or spinach in (if you buy that kind).

Also:  My amazon store has been going haywire.  I will try to get things up and running again soon :)  If you have any questions about products just email me and I will give my help and suggestions.  Email address here or here.

That is all for now, have a wonderful day of scale dropping fun.  ~Natasha

Photo Credit

Almost Creamy Tomato Soup

Makes 2 servings- only one serving per day.

2 TB water

1 tsp onion powder

2 14-15 oz cans tomato puree or diced tomatoes (love Muir Glen Fire Roasted)
1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 C protocol allowed chicken broth (see here)
10-15 drops stevia or 1/4 tsp powdered stevia (optional)

2 TB milk

1/2 tsp celtic sea salt

Caution Note:  I have 2 days worth of milk in this recipe.  If you plan to eat this twice in one day, add only 1 TB milk.  If you need your milk in your coffee than just omit the milk completely.  You can also half the recipe but why cook more?

In medium sauce pan over medium heat, add ingredients up to the broth.  Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn to medium-low and stir in the stevia, milk and salt.  Let cook 10 minutes.  If you used diced tomato and want it creamy then let cool and blend in a blender or leave in the pot and mix it up immersion style. 

Note:  You can choose to add any meat you want or eat on the side.  Cooked shrimp to make a shrimp cocktail soup! 

P3/4:  Use 1/2 cup heavy cream in place of milk and use olive oil in place of water. Can also replace 1 whole onion for onion powder. 

Photo Credit