Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

I have been following the weight loss plan I mentioned in my post of August 25th fairly well.  I'm tracking everything I eat and the approximate number of calories, focusing on high nutrient whole foods and avoiding processed foods almost completely.  So far I have lost about 2 pounds in the last 10 days, so I think I will make some adjustments to try to speed things up a bit.  Exercising for only 15 minutes at a time doesn't seem to be doing too much and I am still not mentally into the high intensity weight workouts, so I will notch that up to 30 minutes of cardio and light weight training at least 4 times per week.  Also, I may have been overdoing the nuts and seeds a bit.

I love green salads, especially at this time of year, and will be increasing that portion of the diet.  I may need to stay a little closer to the Eat to Live diet which is primarily low starch veggies and a little lighter on the fat levels, although we do need healthy fats in order to absorb fat soluable vitamins and to get our good omega fats which have great health benefits.  I am looking for a weight loss plan that burns body fat relatively quickly without leaving that worn-out starvation feeling.  So far I feel very good and have lots of energy.

Speaking of green salads, I came across a recipe for kale salad that was easy to make and very delicious.  I tweeked it a little for my own taste, adding more ginger and substituting sesame oil in place of some of the tahini sauce.  Below is my version of the recipe. Fresh ginger really makes this salad extra yummy!

Fresh Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

2 bunches of organic kale (no pesticides!)

2 tbsp tahini dressing/dip

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 inch section of fresh ginger root, peeled

2 rounded tsp crushed garlic

4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Juice of 1 small lemon

3 tbsp honey or other natural sweetener

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 

Wash kale and lay flat on paper towels; pat dry with additional towels. Strip the leafy part from the stems with fingers. Chop washed and deveined kale into strips by layering several leaves one on top of the other and thinly slicing. Slice again crosswise to get smaller pieces.

Blend dressing ingredients in blender or food processor to make a smooth puree.  If it tastes a little too tangy for you, add more honey or your favorite natural sweetener. Pour dressing over kale and toss to combine thoroughly. Let the salad sit for ten or twenty minutes to marinate. Toss again just before serving.  Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

This dressing is also good served with spinach or other dark green leafy veggies. 

Veggie Weight Loss Plan

Yesterday I decided to start a weight loss program based on a combination of several different plans I have read about.  My goal is to lose about 20 pounds in the next 7 weeks.  One of the plans is a vegetarian option focusing on low starch vegetables and high fiber fruits and whole grains.  This is the Eat to Live Diet which was discussed in one of my previous posts. (Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss)  The second plan is also vegetarian (although it also includes options for nonvegetarians) and includes more selections of high protein grains and legumes such as quinoa, soy, and nut butters--one small serving with each meal or snack.  This plan also emphasizes 15 minutes of high intensity weight training at least 3 times per week.  I will try to manage the intensity level as best I can even though I am not very big on high stress workouts.  I will probably include more types of interval workouts which alternate cardio and weights.  Here is a link to the Fat Burning Furnace diet plan if you want to check it out: Click Here!  The third plan focuses on belly fat by suggesting foods that help to target that part of the body.  These foods are packed with monunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which help to burn fat and reduce inflammation, including olive oil, avocados and certain nuts and seeds.  The best book I have found which centers on this concept is this one: Flat Belly Diet!    All of these plans have options that I really like, so I am going to pick the foods and the suggestions that appeal the most to me and see how it goes, making adjustments as I go along.  I will report here on my progress periodically.

These are the basic foods I will be eating:  green veggies (lettuce, kale, bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, zucchini, artichoke), other low starch veggies (cauliflower, eggplant, onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots), plant proteins (soybeans, tofu, black/navy/pinto beans, chick peas (garbanzos), lentils, green peas, raw nuts and nut butters, seeds), high fiber fruits (apples, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, papaya, bananas, berries, grapes, peaches, pineapples, mangos), whole grains (oats, whole wheat pasta or bread, rye, quinoa, millet, barley, sprouted grain bread or tortillas), and other nutrient rich whole foods such as sweet potato, melons and fresh corn (limited quantities).  Fats include olive oil, avocados, nut oils, sesame oil and coconut oil, plus flax seeds.

For beverages I will try to stick to herbal teas and water or mineral water flavored with small amounts of fruit juice such as freshly squeezed lemon, lime or grapefruit, or blended smoothies made with fresh fruit and soy or almond milk.

For two meals a day I will include 2 servings of fruit or veggies (about a cup each), 1 serving of protein (palm of the hand for legumes or tofu), and one serving of carbohydrates (1/2 to one cup depending on how dense the food is).  The third meal will be primarily low starch veggies and a small serving of protein.  Fats should be limited to small portions, just enough to stir fry the veggies or add texture to salad dressings (sticking to low fat dressings on salads).

For snacks I plan to include cut veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumber, zucchini seasoned with herbs and some fat free marinade.  Also apples or applesauce, edamame, or some raw nuts and seeds.  Green salads with low starch veggies and fat-free sugar-free dressing can also be used as snacks, and can be included with meals without adding much to total calories.  For a treat, the Flat Belly Diet also allows some indulgence in dark chocolate, which has natural substances that boost good HDL cholesterol, relax blood vessels and help regulate insulin and seratonin, the "feel good" brain chemical.  The darker the chocolate the higher the cacao content and the least amount of sweetener will be added in processing.  It is possible to find good organic chocolate that is lightly sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice; I look for chocolate that is at least 70% cacao and has less than 7 grams of sugar per 100 calorie serving.

For the next 7 weeks I am going to stay away from added sugar (with the exception of the small amounts in dark chocolate) or excess sodium, and highly processed foods.  Even some of the meatless veggie products such as veggie burgers can contain ingredients that are not natural so I am going to read the ingredients before I buy them.  In sticking with natural whole foods, I believe that my body will get all the nutrients it needs and be relieved of some of the burdens of filtering out toxic chemicals that are found in many of the processed foods we find in grocery stores.

OK, that's the plan.  I will report my progress and any pitfalls I run into as I go along....