30 Day Metabolic Diet

January – Overnight Oatmeal – Sous Vide or Slow Cooker
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January – Overnight Oatmeal – Sous Vide or Slow Cooker

Have you ever cooked your oatmeal in your slow cooker? If so, you know what a cleanup mess it is. Ta da! Here is the solution…cook it in individual serving jars or larger jars for 2 servings or cook it sous vide overnight. Why didn’t I think of that? This helpful tip came from a neighbor and friend. Thank you Josh and Juliette.

There is a backstory to this recipe. We locked ourselves out of the house a few mornings ago, seriously we had just installed a fancy new front door lock and not gotten around to hiding a key. Dumb eh? Thank goodness our neighbor was up, had coffee ready as well as good conversation which turned to sous vide oatmeal. We had an hour to wait until someone with a key showed up. I can talk about food anytime and the two of them are definitely foodies. You might ask, what were we doing out in the yard in our pajamas (without our cell phones) in the early morning? Well, if you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that we are getting ready to sell our Oakland house. This has been difficult for us all but even harder on Casey and Quinn, or dogs. Quinn is a bit of a nervous nelly anyway and she started drinking huge amounts of water. We feared the worst and spent many hundreds of dollars in tests at the vet, which were all negative. But, the last test for diabetes required a first morning urine sample. Yep, that is what we were doing out in the yard while it was still dark, collecting pee. What we do for our furry friends! The lock out seemed symbolic in a way, the house saying “You want to leave me? Then I will kick you out!”.

Warm and friendly neighbors with coffee and cell phones are priceless.

I digress, back to food. This recipe will work on a slow cooker set on low, or with your sous vide machine. You will need to add water to the slow cooker – just up to an inch below the rim of the jars. Then set it on low for overnight.

My sous vide maker decided to give up the ghost and I had to order a new one from Amazon. Sorry that this has delayed the posting of the recipe. I will make these in single (1 cup) serving sizes, each in a pint canning jar. That way there is room for you to stir in milk, butter, or some other flavorings after it is cooked. I found all that was needed was a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Steel Cut Oatmeal

This is a life changer as far as oatmeal is concerned. The oats come out creamy but with a tiny bite of texture in the middle, much as you would want in a great risotto. The freeze dried fruit melted in and gave a slight hint of sweetness and flavor, the oats were the star however.

The directions below are written for steel cut oats. You can certainly use rolled oats (I will try them next and let you know) or another type, check the package directions for the oatmeal to liquid ratio before beginning, it could be different from those given below.

Sous Vide Overnight Oatmeal with Strawberries

Overnight Sous Vide or Slow Cooker Oatmeal

For each 1 cup serving:

  • 1/4 cup steel cut oats
  • 1/2 cup water, oat milk or rice milk or regular milk or even half and half
  • 1/2 cup water
  • pinch of salt
  • optional – freeze dried fruit (I used strawberries and blueberries)
  1. Set up the sous vide machine, fill a pan with water to what will be an inch below the rim of the canning jars. Make sure that the water is above the minimum of your sous vide machine.
  2. Or, add water to your slow cooker to the same line. You want the water to be higher than the oatmeal but about an inch below the rim of the jars.
  3. Preheat your sous vide machine to 155 degrees F.
  4. Set you slow cooker to low.
  5. Add 1/4 cup of steel cut oats to each jar (add any optional freeze dried fruit)
  6. Add 1/2 cup water, oat milk or rice milk to the jar.
  7. Add another 1/2 cup of water on top.
  8. Add the pinch of salt and stir. Screw on the jar lids and settle the jars in the water.
  9. Cook for at least 8 hours or overnight (mine cooked for about 10).

Note: You can make a larger portion in a gallon freezer bag if you have a lot of mouths to feed, it will work in both the slow cooker and sous vide. Make sure the bag’s top stays above the water level.

Sous vide water bath set up with 2 canning jars

Sous Vide Overnight Oatmeal

I am telling you, I am not a huge oatmeal fan but these were a game changer. Just the right consistency, creamy but not heavy.

2 phase 1 breakfasts already cooked. I will reheat the other tomorrow morning.

Update: I did an experiment last night with cooking other types of oatmeal sous vide, and varying amounts of liquid. I found that the overnight cooking did not require a change in the package recommended oats to liquid ratio. And, I much prefer the steel cup oats to regular rolled oats (even the more expensive organic type). Another recommendation is to try and find unsweetened oat milk and replace half the recommended liquid with oat milk. Of course you could also use regular milk or half and half (rice milk didn’t do much) or coconut milk…oh my the possibilities. But in phase 1 stick to oat milk. This time I didn’t add any fruit. The freeze dried fruit is definitely the best choice. If using any other type (including raisins) add them after the oatmeal is cooked. The possible exception would be apples which will dissolve into an apply saucy oatmeal mix.

January – Fast Metabolism… Get Ready
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January – Fast Metabolism… Get Ready

Here is a brief background sketch of the program and an easy filling soup recipe for a phase 1 lunch or dinner.

The 3 phases of each week are designed to shake up your bodies routine approach to food by keeping it surprised. It does that by flooding it with vital nutrients you may have been missing, but never in the same way for more than two or three days in a row. According to Haylie this strategy keeps your body working, surprised, and supported. It reverses the biochemical patterns that have slowed your metabolism. She calls it a wake up call that will trigger a calorie and fat burn.

If you have been on a low carbohydrate or low fat diet for years, your body has gotten used to it. It’s much like doing only one type of exercise, the other muscles haven’t been used.

Phase 1 – Days 1 and 2 – Unwind Stress and calm your adrenals

Days 1 and 2 are high in carbohydrate-rich foods, natural sugars from fruit, and B and C containing foods. We will be eating moderate amounts of protein but low fat. Days 1 and 2 are designed to calm your adrenals.

What does this look like? Three carbohydrate rich meals with moderate protein and low fat, plus 2 fruit snacks.

Phase 2 – Days 3 and 4 – Unlock stored fat and build muscle

These two days are the reverse of days 1 and 2. Days 3 and 4 are high-protein, high-vegetable, low-carbohydrate and low-fat. They are high in foods that support liver function. I personally found these two days the most difficult.

What do they looks like? Three high protein, low-carb, low-fat meals, plus 2 protein snacks

Phase 3 – Days 5, 6 and 7 – Unleash the burn, Hormones, Heart and Heat

These three days are high healthy fat, moderate carbohydrate, moderate protein, and low glycemic fruit. They are designed to support your heart and hormones, increasing your bodies fat burning ability.

What do these days look like? Breakfast has a grain, veggie, healthy fat, and fruit. Lunch is a vegetable plus fat and fruit, dinner is protein, veggie and a grain. There are two snacks of a healthy fat and vegetable.

A note on exercise: The book suggests cardio activity in phase 1, weight lifting or a muscle building activity in phase 2, and yoga or another relaxing activity (even getting a massage) in phase 3.

Guidelines

These are also called Rules, but I dislike that word. It reminds me of grammer school or the backs of doors in 3rd story walkup hotel rooms. These guidelines are important though.

Here are the do’s:

  • You eat five times a day – you are turning up your metabolism, that means your body needs consistent food at regular intervals. Do not skip meals or snacks even if you are not hungry.
  • Eat every three to four hours except when sleeping. This means that if you stay up late you may need to eat an additional phase appropriate snack.
  • You need to eat within 30 minutes of waking. Again, you want your body to have that fuel. That means you may need to plan breakfast the night before. If you have to rush out the door, have your snack and eat breakfast later.
  • Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day, for me that means 8 cups of water. I found keeping track in a journal or on my Fitbit app was helpful.
  • Eat organic when possible.
  • Meats should be nitrate-free. Nitrates in food slow down the breakdown of fat, not what you are trying to do.

And the don’ts:

  • No wheat (exception is sprouted wheat)
  • No corn
  • No dairy
  • No soy except for tamari and Bragg Liquid Aminos, which are fermented. Exception: if you are a vegetarian or vegan you can use organic, non-GMO tofu or tempeh or edamame as a replacement for meat. Phase 1 and 3 have vegetarian options but this is more difficult in phase 2 without soy.
  • No refined sugar
  • No caffeine
  • No alcohol
  • No dried fruit or fruit juices
  • No artificial sweetners
  • No fat-free diet foods

How much food can you eat? It depends on how much weight you would like to loose. In my posted recipes I will give portion sizes for less than 20 pounds. If you would like to loose more, you can actually eat more. Email or comment to me and I will give you the portion sizes. I found an inexpensive food scale useful, as well as measuring cups.

I strongly suggest buying the book for more information. This is only an introduction. The book also has recipes in the back, as well you can purchase additional books with more recipes. I will be posting what I eat on the program, but there are other options. For example, I don’t usually eat smoothies, however she has several recipes for them in the book.

Here is a recipe for a phase 1 dinner, add a fruit for a phase 1 lunch. Make it ahead, you can even freeze it. A serving will be about 2 cups.

Turkey, white bean and kale soup

Turkey, white bean and kale soup

4 servings of about 2 cups each (2 1/2 quarts)

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 1 cup of chopped celery including some of the tops
  • 1 cup of chopped carrots, not too small
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 4 cups of vegetable, turkey or chicken stock
  • 3 cups of chunked winter squash (butternut, kaboucha, or delicata), peeled if necessary (you can often find chunked butternut squash already prepared at the grocery store).
  • 3 cups of chopped kale (I used baby kale and added it whole just before serving, it was only slightly wilted)
  • 2 cans of white beans or cannellini beans or 1 of each, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  1. In a large soup pot, saute the turkey, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of water with a teaspoon of salt until beginning to soften. Add an additional tablespoon of water if things seem to be sticking.
  2. Mix in the thyme, rosemary, cumin, bay leaf, and chili powder. Let simmer for a minute or two with the turkey and vegetables.
  3. Add the broth, squash, kale (if using regular sized kale), and beans. Bring to a boil.
  4. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. If using baby kale, add it to the soup just before serving so it is only slightly wilted.
  6. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

For a vegetarian version, add another can of beans (maybe black bean or adzuki).

Turkey, Kale and White Bean Soup

 

January – Turkey, White Bean and Kale Soup
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January – Turkey, White Bean and Kale Soup

It’s soup weather here in the Northern Hemisphere. This warming, healthy, low fat and very filling recipe fits the bill. It is wonderful with a slice of toasted sourdough bread on the side and a substantial meal on it’s own.

The only fat in this recipe is from the turkey, a meat which tends to be low in fat to start.

Turkey, Kale and White Bean Soup

Turkey, white bean and kale soup

4 servings of about 2 cups each (2 1/2 quarts)

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 1 cup of chopped celery including some of the tops
  • 1 cup of chopped carrots, not too small
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 4 cups of vegetable, turkey or chicken stock
  • 3 cups of chunked winter squash (butternut, kaboucha, or delicata), peeled if necessary (you can often find chunked butternut squash already prepared at the grocery store).
  • 3 cups of chopped kale (I used baby kale and added it whole just before serving, it was only slightly wilted)
  • 2 cans of white beans or cannellini beans or 1 of each, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  1. In a large soup pot, saute the turkey, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of water with a teaspoon of salt until beginning to soften. Add an additional tablespoon of water if things seem to be sticking.
  2. Mix in the thyme, rosemary, cumin, bay leaf, and chili powder. Let simmer for a minute or two with the turkey and vegetables.
  3. Add the broth, squash, kale (if using regular sized kale), and beans. Bring to a boil.
  4. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. If using baby kale, add it to the soup just before serving so it is only slightly wilted.
  6. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

For a vegetarian version, add another can of beans (maybe black bean or adzuki).

2 cups of this soup would be a phase 1 lunch or dinner. If you are not avoiding dairy, a spoonful of freshly grated parmesan sprinkled on top would be delicious.

This recipe is adapted from one in the Fast Metabolism Diet.

Celery, Onion and Carrots

Large soup pot, this was my mother’s

Saute the turkey, onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a little salt

Delicata Squash, you don’t need to peel it

Turkey, White Bean and Kale (not yet) Soup

 

Turkey, White Bean and Kale Soup

Turkey, Kale and White Bean Soup

 

January 30 Day Challenge, The Fast Metabolism Diet – Get Ready…Get Set
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January 30 Day Challenge, The Fast Metabolism Diet – Get Ready…Get Set

A friend recently sent me a link to an article in the NY Times about resolutions. It claims that most resolutions are broken by January 8. We have a big head start since we are not even starting until Monday, January 8! It had some interesting notes on change and sticking to it, will-power and self control alone will not get your through the next 30 days.

In the article “The Only Way to Keep Your Resolutions”, David DeSteno writes that:

“pride, gratitude and compassion, whether we consciously realize it or not, reduce the human mind’s tendency to discount the value of the future. In so doing, they push us not only to cooperate with other people but also to help our own future selves. Feeling pride or compassion has been shown to increase perseverance on difficult tasks by over 30 percent. Likewise, gratitude and compassion have been tied to better academic performance, a greater willingness to exercise and eat healthily, and lower levels of consumerism, impulsivity and tobacco and alcohol use.

If using willpower causes stress, using these emotions actually heals: They slow heart rate, lower blood pressure and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. By making us value the future more, they ease the way to patience and perseverance.”

We are each other’s support team. Whether you plan to give up sugar or alcohol, any single one or all 5 of them (wheat, sugar, alcohol, dairy, and caffeine), we can be there for each other. I am grateful for your support, it will keep me on track. And since we are doing this together, I feel compassion for your struggle since it is my own as well. Whether it is wine-oclock you miss, or that instant wake-up jolt of coffee, or the temporary high that sugar gives you…I am there with you.

Let’s not look at this as deprivation. Look at it as bonding new friends, as resetting those taste buds, as resetting your own body’s metabolism to prime shape for 2018 so you can take on the year with all systems on “go”. There were many personal challenges for me in 2017, it was a difficult year. Downsizing, selling a home of 27 years, facing cancer again, and the current political situation all took a toll. I am ready for that reset. Happy to have you with me.

So, let’s talk about preparations. I found that buying the book had benefits, the food lists are right at your fingertips for each phase of the diet. It was also available as an e-reader. The first week the whole system seems complicated, I will try and simplify it for you. It does get easier. But the food lists are essential. My intention is not to reprint the book but rather guide you through the next 30 days with suggestions, menus, recipes, and my own experience. I would love to hear about your own.

On Haylie’s website I found a list of essential foods to have on hand. Here is the link to the essential grocery list.  Below I have rewritten it with my own comments:

Grains and Nuts

  • Steel cut oats or old fashioned rolled oats (no sugar added) – stay tuned for an overnight crockpot or sous-vide oatmeal recipe
  • Quinoa – lots of folks like quinoa, myself not so much, but it’s good for you
  • Brown rice
  • Raw nuts (no peanuts)
  • Raw sunflower seeds – I didn’t find these essential but nice mixed with other nuts as a snack in Phase 3

Freezer Section

  • Frozen berries if they are not in season, also frozen mango
  • Frozen shrimp and/or fish

Non-Dairy Items

  • Eggs and egg whites (I find the processed egg whites faintly disgusting but that is only me). I use the whites from a fresh egg and mix the yolk into my dog’s food, it is very good for their coats.

Meat and Fish

  • Turkey or chicken breasts – I will be cooking a whole turkey breast for “leftovers”, recipe to be posted for sous vide but you can easily roast it in the oven as well. Boneless turkey breasts are on sale now with the end of the holiday season. I bought one and put it in the freezer.
  • Deli meat without any nitrates – use turkey or lean roast beef
  • Lean ground turkey or beef – stay tuned for an excellent chili recipe which can be frozen
  • Turkey, beef, elk or bison jerky – Unfortunately I could not find a tasty one that was commercially available without additional added sugar…maybe you will have better luck. Or, you can make your own. Here is a link to the recipe, I haven’t tried it yet but will and will post the results.
  • Canned tuna and/or salmon in water
  • Tofu if you are a vegetarian

Condiments and Pantry Items

  • Chicken, beef or vegetable stock – try to find organic brands without added sugar, or make your own. I will post an easy recipe for chicken and vegetable stock.
  • Canned or dried beans – maybe time to use that Instant Pot you got as a present?
  • Sea salt or Himalayan salt – those salts have a higher mineral profile compared to table salt and less additives.
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Tamari – this is a wheat free soy sauce which is fermented. You may find it in the Asian section of the grocery store.
  • Olive oil – extra virgin
  • Herbal tea without caffeine – try to buy organic, I am fond of Numi’s Turmeric Three Roots with ginger, licorice and rose.
  • Sparkling water – at wine-oclock try sparkling water with a wedge of lemon or lime, maybe it is the ritual you crave.

Basic Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

  • Apples
  • Fresh berries if in season and affordable
  • Oranges
  • Lemons and limes
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Broccoli
  • Cucumbers
  • Kale or spinach
  • Green or red peppers
  • Mushrooms
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Yellow and/or red onions
  • Garlic

Nice-To-Have Extras

  • Almond, coconut, and/or oat milk
  • Coconut water – replace the water with it when cooking rice or oatmeal, it’s a taste treat
  • Sprouted grain bread and tortillas. You may find Ezekiel in the freezer section. I found several other options and you can find even more online. I must admit that I would put these in the essential list.
  • Brown rice pasta (or quinoa pasta if you enjoy it)
  • Turkey bacon – try to find one that is sugar and nitrate free. Let me know if you do, I could not.
  • Stevia or birch based xylitol – I am going to add my personal take on this one. Haylie allows it on the diet. But, one of the purposes of the program (in my mind) is to retrain your taste buds to the inherent sweetness of foods. It might take a couple of weeks for you to detect the nuttiness and mild sweetness of oatmeal, but it will come.
  • Freeze dried berries without sugar if they are out of season.