ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy: Quick, Delicious Meals for Your Healthy Zone Lifestyle (ALL OTHER HEALTH) - Hardcover

BAKST

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0071457909 ISBN 13: 9780071457903

Publisher: McGraw Hill, 2006

Synopsis

From the cooking expert at ZonePerfect Nutrition, daily and weekly menus that make it easy for you to stay in the Zone

Offering a proven formula for permanent fat loss, optimal health and all-round peak performance, the Zone diet has an estimated over two million followers worldwide. Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy shows you how to stay in the Zone while enjoying delicious, easy-to-fix meals. It features 150 recipes from Gloria Bakst, whose work as the cooking and lifestyle expert at ZonePerfect Nutrition appears in the "Cooking with Gloria" section of ZonePerfect's well-traveled website.

Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy shows you how to adapt the Zone's 40-30-30 (carbs-fats-protein) formula to real food and your real life and supplies daily and weekly menus along with down-to-earth explanations of the latest nutrition research findings.

Easy and Tasty Recipes for Zone Living:

• Lettuce Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce
• Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Tuna and Apple Salad
• Shrimp Scampi with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Scallops with Orange and Sesame
• Grilled Swordfish in Lime-Cilantro Sauce
• Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Strawberries
• Chicken Taco Salad
• Open-Face Avocado-Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Turkey Apple Quesadillas
• Grilled Lemon-Basil Pork Chops
• Chili-in-the-Zone
• Zucchini Lasagna
• Spicy Eggplant Stir-Fry
• Steamed Butternut Squash with Bok Choy and Mushrooms
• Sweet Crisps with Ricotta and Berries
• Apple Crisp or Fresh Fruit Crisp

About this title

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

From the Back Cover

Keep your body in shape and your taste buds happy in the Zone

Gloria Bakst, a former food expert at ZonePerfect Nutrition, presents her mouthwatering collection of meal plans and recipes that will keep you in the Zone. So scrumptious and so simple to make, you just won't believe it's . . .

Breakfast . . .
Sunday Brunch Bagels with Smoked Fish
Blueberry Smoothie

Appetizers, Soups, and Salads . . .
Stuffed Mushrooms
Shrimp Soup with Ginger and Snow Peas
Arugula and Roasted Pear Salad

Fish and Seafood . . .
Grilled Swordfish in Lime-Cilantro Sauce
Baked New England Cod
Mussels with Artichoke Hearts

Poultry and Meat . . .
Chicken Stir-Fry with Almonds
Sauteed Turkey Breast with Mushroom & Garlic
Marinated Lamb Kabobs

Tofu, Tempeh, and Other Vegetarian Main Courses . . .
Italian-Flavored Tofu Sausage with Vegetables
Chili-in-the-Zone
Zucchini Lasagna

Vegetable Side Dishes . . .
Brazilian Black Beans with Salsa
Oven-Roasted Orange Vegetables
Grilled Eggplant with Hoisin Sauce

Desserts and Snacks . . .
Sweet Crisps with Ricotta and Berries
Summer Cherries Jubilee
Almond Biscotti

150 easy-to-make recipes . . .
2 weeks of family-friendly menus . . .
1 ZonePerfect program for every lifestyle!

Lose weight. Increase energy. Improve health. Feel great. These are just a few of the amazing benefits of the Zone lifestyle, the perfect 40-30-30 balance of proteins, carbs, and fats that's scientifically proven to help you slim down, shape up, and satisfy your cravings for real food. But how do you juggle your family, career, and busy schedule if your diet plan is hard to follow? It's easy with ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy.

Specifically designed for real people with real lives, this incredible collection of simple recipes and meal plans takes the hassle out of shopping, cooking, and eating "in the Zone." Food expert Gloria Bakst avoids the overly complicated "block" method of other Zone meal plans and provides a realistic alternative for people on-the-go. She's done all the work so you don't have to, creating a wide array of mouthwatering dishes that are perfectly balanced, surprisingly easy to cook, and unbelievably good.

You'll learn how to:

• Stock your pantry and shop using the book's handy food guide
• Prepare delicious, balanced meals your whole family will love
• "Eyeball" a restaurant menu to find Zone-friendly items so you can eat in the Zone wherever you go!

For more than ten years, the Zone has proven to be a safe, effective way to eat well, feel better, and look your best. But that doesn't mean you have to work all day in the kitchen. All you need is ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy.

From the Inside Flap

Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Christie Brinkley, and Lorraine Bracco are among the celebrities and world-class athletes who have publicly sworn by the Zone diet for years
Gloria Bakst is known for preparing the easiest and best-tasting Zone recipes
Books about the Zone have sold more than 5 million copies

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy

Quick, Delicious Meals for Your Healthy Zone Lifestyle

By Gloria Bakst

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright © 2006 Gloria Bakst
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-07-145790-3

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction: Welcome to the ZonePerfect World
1 Living in the Zone
2 Two-Week Menu Plan to Get You into the Zone—and Keep You There!
3 Breakfast
4 Appetizers, Soups, and Salads
5 Fish and Seafood
6 Poultry and Meat
7 Tofu, Tempeh, and Other Vegetarian Main Courses
8 Vegetable Side Dishes
9 Desserts and Snacks
Appendix A: Food Guide
Appendix B: Converting to Metrics
Index

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Living in the Zone

I love living in the Zone, and now that it's been my life for the last decade orso, I can't imagine leaving it behind. I feel great, sleep soundly, am mentallyalert, and am always ready for anything!

You will feel the same way once you make the commitment to eat and live in theZone. I promise that life will get only better. Like me, you will walk aroundwith a feeling of well-being and wonder how you can persuade your friends andloved ones to join you. If you are in charge of shopping and cooking in yourhousehold, you will be able to bring your family along with you into the Zone.They'll thank you. Zone-friendly meals are absolutely delicious and include thefoods we all love. And there is no guilt in the Zone. If you slip up, noworries. Just resume the plan with the next meal.

I am not perfect. At some meals, I trip up or, more likely, make a consciousdecision to eat foods I know are not Zone favorable. After four hours, or thenext morning, I feel sluggish and unfocused. If I have eaten far too manycarbohydrates, I feel worn down and have what I call a food hangover. I can'twait to get back into the Zone. And it's so easy.

Shopping in the Zone

It's important to keep a running shopping list so that when you go to themarket, you are prepared. I like to shop at large natural food markets such asWhole Foods and Wild Oats markets. These stores offer the same convenient, one-stop shopping that other supermarket chains do. They are not necessarilyvegetarian markets; most sell wild-caught fish, free-range poultry, andresponsibly raised or grass-fed beef. The produce is generally organicallygrown. If you don't have access to one of these markets, you can easily makewise decisions at most mainstream supermarkets.

When I go into a large market, the first place I look is the produce department.If the apples, lettuce greens, berries, and green beans don't look fresh andinviting, I walk out. If I have no choice, I buy frozen vegetables and fruitrather than fresh, which are always a good, healthful alternative. Another placeto check is the fish department. If it meets my standards, my confidence meterrises! The fish should look fresh and clean, and whole fish should have bright-lookingscales and gills and clear eyes. The catch should be displayed oncrushed ice, and there should not be any noticeable odor. A fish department withgood turnover is key.

Otherwise, I look for a well-stocked, clean store with friendly, helpfulpersonnel. I never hesitate to ask questions and to "make friends" with thebutcher, the produce manager, and the folks at the deli counter. This makesshopping more pleasant and can also save time and be of help when you're lookingfor something particular.

Cooking in the Zone

First and foremost, it's critical to be organized. This means knowing what foodyou have on hand and what you need for the week's meals. Yes, when you live inthe Zone, you have to think about food. A lot! I don't know about you, but thishas never been a hardship for me.

I keep the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer stocked with Zone-friendly foods atall times. This makes it easy to prepare meals and snacks as the days go by, andso if I can't get to the market, I can stay in the Zone.

Staying in the Zone means eating three good meals a day (including breakfast)and two snacks. I eat my snacks at midafternoon and then in the evening shortlybefore bed. (Turn to Chapter 2 for my two-week menu plan, to get a good idea ofhow to plan these meals, and see "Eating the Right Amounts" later in thischapter.) It also means never letting more than four or five hours go by withouteating. If you are eating the correct Zone balance of approximately 40 percentcarbohydrates to 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat based on caloric intakeand using the mathematical formula on page 269, you won't feel hungry for yournext meal, but you will feel ready. But don't worry. I have done the math, too,so you don't need to unless you want to.

If you have Zone-friendly food in the house or easily accessible at work, thisis simple.

For this reason, when I shop, I stock up on packaged soy foods such as tofu,tempeh, soy crumbles, and soy cheeses. I buy non- or low-fat dairy cheeses,eggs, and sliced meats such as ham and turkey. If I see nice-looking smoked fishin the deli department, I buy some to snack on.

I keep containers of hummus and baba ghanouj, hard-cooked eggs, and sliced coldcuts in the refrigerator to make snacking easy. I also stock my refrigeratorwith olives, avocados, guacamole, and salsa, as well as lettuce greens, freshspinach, yellow squash, zucchini, and fresh green beans. I keep a store oflemons, limes, and oranges as well as whatever other fruit or berries are inseason. My favorite Zone-friendly fruits include pineapples, strawberries,blueberries, and peaches.

For nonperishable foods, I buy bags of dried beans and lentils; cans oftomatoes, cooked beans, artichoke hearts packed in brine, and low-fat chickenand vegetable broth; jars of peanut butter, almond butter, and sugar-freepreserves; and packages of almonds and walnuts. I always have both regular oliveoil for cooking and extra-virgin for uncooked preparations. Besides olive oil, Ikeep canola oil and small bottles of specialty oils such as toasted sesame,almond, and walnut.

I stock the freezer with low-glycemic frozen vegetables such as broccoli,spinach, green beans, artichoke hearts, and pea pods (not high-glycemicvegetables such as corn and English peas), frozen berries such as blueberriesand strawberries, and frozen fruit such as peaches and nectarines. I also keepcooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts and shrimp in the freezer, both goodsources of protein.

We are born with a hankering for sweets, but refined, processed cane sugar(white sugar) is never Zone friendly and will only create carbohydrate cravings.I satisfy my sweet tooth with whole fruit and an occasional baked good. Forsweetening, I use fructose (as syrup or granules) and Splenda, a cane sugarproduct with rearranged molecules so that it adds sweetness without affectinginsulin levels or adding calories. (Stay away from artificial sweeteners, whichraise insulin levels.) After fructose and Splenda, I suggest stevia. Consideredan herbal supplement, it is nearly 300 times as sweet as sugar, which makes ittricky to measure; if you use too much, the food tastes bitter. It's great forsweetening fruit and dairy products but is less successful for baked goods. LikeSplenda, stevia does not affect insulin levels. My next two choices forsweetening are brown rice syrup and then honey.

I also stock up on ZonePerfect nutrition bars and ZonePerfect shakes. Both makegreat snacks.

Finally, I keep a few bottles of nice white and red wine in a cool storage area.A four-ounce glass is only 5 grams of carbohydrates and delightfully accentuatesmany meals. Depending on the brand, low-carbohydrate beers have 2 to 3 grams ofcarbs. I stay away from other liquor, but if you like scotch, vodka, or otherspirits now and then, keep in mind that an ounce equals 9 grams ofcarbohydrates, so go easy.

If your tap water does not taste good, put a filter on your faucet or buybottled water. It's important to drink eight eight-ounce glasses a day. Someliquids can be decaffeinated tea or coffee.

The Zone-Friendly Kitchen

Since cooking in the Zone does not require any special techniques or fancyequipment, most home kitchens are already there. You will need the usualequipment such as cutting boards; good, sharp knives (chef's, paring, andserrated); a good vegetable peeler; tongs; and long-handled wooden spoons. Ialso suggest glass baking dishes, nonreactive mixing bowls (those not made withaluminum), a roasting pan, and good, heavy saucepans with lids. A large,nonstick skillet is extremely useful.

Without doubt, you will need an accurate kitchen scale to weigh food. Once youget in the habit of using a scale, it will become indispensable, even after youget a pretty good idea of how to guesstimate and "eyeball" most foods.

I suggest you invest in a good steamer. I like the bamboo steamers that sit in aflat pan. Equally good are stainless steel steamers fitted with a perforatedinset. What I don't like are those flimsy collapsible baskets—they arenothing but frustrating.

Beyond a steamer, I suggest you outfit your kitchen with a food processor and agood, heavy-duty blender. I would be lost without either one. The blender isessential for making smoothies, and smoothies are essential for me!

A good countertop grill, as well as the grill in the backyard, makes cookingeasier. Grilling is a wonderful way to cook without added fat. In wintertime,the countertop grill steps in to do the job. Finally, a slow cooker is a handyappliance, especially if you lead a hectic life. And who doesn't?

Eating Out in the Zone

If you're lucky enough to eat out, enjoy it! This is a meal that you don't haveto shop for or cook. You probably are with friends or family, and the atmosphereis festive. But remember to eat in the Zone whenever possible.

This means hold the rolls, ask for extra vegetables in place of rice, pasta, orpotatoes, and order a lean protein without much or any sauce. Drink waterinstead of alcohol, and split a dessert with a friend. If you "blow it," don'tdespair. Just go right back to the Zone four hours later or the next morning. Igo off the Zone from time to time, but when I do, I cannot wait for my next mealto get back to the program. Because of this, I always say there is no room forguilt in the Zone!

Keeping Active in the Zone

As with any healthy lifestyle, eating right is only part of it. Exercise, stressreduction, and good sleep habits contribute to your overall well-being and,along with your food choices, are inextricably intertwined.

Everyone who can should walk for at least thirty minutes a day. This should be abrisk walk, not so strenuous that you cannot keep a conversation going but rapidenough to get your heart rate up. Divide this into three ten-minute walks ifthat fits more easily with your routine, but please, don't ignore it!

Beyond walking, I urge everyone to work out with weights or other resistancetraining (such as push-ups) two or three times a week. Ask a trainer or consultanother reliable source as to what is best for your age, weight, and fitnesslevel.

Any and all exercise fits into the Zone lifestyle: running, swimming, rowing,cross-country skiing, dancing, playing tennis, biking, working out on cardiomachines at the gym—anything that gets the heart beating above itssedentary rate.

Yoga and Pilates are great for muscle toning and, when practiced regularly andcorrectly, are more strenuous than you might think. These disciplines also arebeneficial to mental clarity.

All exercise reduces stress levels and relieves everyday aches and pains.Consult your doctor before you begin an exercise regime, but, happily, most ofus can work out to some degree.

When exercise and nutritional food become part of our daily lives, stress levelsgo down and we tend to sleep better. This is good news, because, according tosome statistics, nearly half of all Americans complain of sleep disorders atsome time in their lives. I believe everyone should get at least seven hours ofpeaceful, uninterrupted sleep every night, although I know there are those rareindividuals who exist on fewer hours. If you are sleep deprived, you have lessenergy, probably won't push yourself to exercise, and may eat more than youshould.

If you feel tired rather than sleepy, a little exercise will help. Tie on a pairof walking shoes and hit the pavement! First, drink a glass of water; fatiguealso is associated with dehydration.

Eating the Right Amounts

The Zone is devised on eating a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat everyday. Everyone who eats a Zone-friendly diet should consume regularly scheduleddaily meals and snacks that maintain a 40-30-30 balance. Sound scary? Toodifficult?

It's neither scary nor difficult, as you'll discover once you get in the habitand begin cooking and eating the healthful recipes I have assembled here. Youwant to vary the proteins and carbohydrates you eat, and you never want toexceed the recommended amount of either. When it comes to fat, there is a littlemore leeway. I don't suggest filling up on sugary sweets, but a little extraolive oil won't hurt you unless you are truly trying to lose weight. Unlikecarbs, fats don't affect insulin levels.

Once you get in the habit of eating in the Zone, you will be able to eyeballportion sizes and tell at a glance if you are in or out. Essentially, to be inthe Zone, most of your plate should be filled with low-glycemic vegetables suchas broccoli, spinach, green beans, artichoke hearts, pea pods, and other greens.Salad is always a good choice, too. Add some sliced strawberries or anotherfruit and you have the carbohydrates that make up 40 percent of the meal. Theprotein serving should be about as large and thick as the palm of your hand.Choose lean protein, such as white meat chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu.Finally, you need only a little fat to satisfy the final 30 percent. This meansabout a tablespoon or less of monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil or mashedavocados.

While monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil, rapeseed oil, and the fats foundin almonds, peanuts, cashews, tahini, and avocados) are considered good fats,polyunsaturated fats (such as soy oil, safflower oil, and corn oil) are onlyfair choices and so, when you have the option, go with monounsaturated fatsevery time. Saturated fats (those found in animal protein and dairy products)are not healthful. Consume them sparingly, and then only in the form of leanprotein and low- or nonfat dairy.

Trans fats, associated with cardiac disease, diabetes, and even some cancers,are never good for you. Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added tovegetable oil in a process call hydrogenation, which makes the fat solid at roomtemperature (think of margarine) and increases the shelf life of products. Notsurprisingly, the food industry has had a long-standing relationship with transfats, which turn up in all manner of processed foods such as cookies, potatochips, candy bars, and frozen foods. As of January 1, 2006, food companies arerequired to begin listing trans fats on nutrition labels, where they will gettheir own line just below saturated fats. As well as looking for trans fats onthe label, stay away from the words "partially hydrogenated," which indicatetheir presence as well.

Before you're comfortable eyeballing your food, you may want to understand how Iget to the 40-30-30 balance. Turn to page 269 for the mathematic formula. Butdon't worry too much. Throughout the book, I do the heavy lifting by figuringthe nutritional counts; you need only count the carbs, protein, and fat grams toput together Zone-favorable meals. Start with the Seven-Day Quick Start on page14 and the Seven-Day Plan for Living in the Zone on page 20, and thenfamiliarize yourself with the Food Guide on page 265 to get the idea of how toassemble meals that are squarely and deliciously in the Zone.

I have put together a general outline of how most healthy men and women shouldeat to stay in the Zone. It's tricky to be precise, but I think you'll get theidea. (If you are overweight, please consult with your doctor before you decideon the Zone as a weight-loss program.)

Healthy women of average weight and height who exercise moderately (thirtyminutes of walking a day, for instance) should consume approximately 1,100calories. This breaks down to:

Total each day: 109 grams of carbohydrates, 82 grams of protein, and 39 grams offat

Each of three meals: 29 to 33 grams of carbohydrates, 22 to 24 grams of protein,and 10 to 11 grams of fat

Each of two snacks: 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat

An easy way for a healthy woman to eat right would be to consume about 3 ouncesof meat or poultry, or 41/2 ounces of fish at a single meal. Add a lot of freshvegetables, a small handful of legumes, and fruit.

Healthy men of average weight and height who exercise moderately (30 minutes ofwalking a day, for instance) should consume approximately 1,500 calories. Thisbreaks down to:

Total each day: 151 grams of carbohydrates, 113 grams of protein, and 50 grams of fat

Each of three meals: 43 grams of carbohydrates, 32 grams of protein, and 14 grams of fat

Each of two snacks: 11 grams of carbohydrates, 8.5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fat

An easy way for a healthy man to eat right would be to consume about 4 ounces ofmeat or poultry, or 6 ounces of fish at a single meal. Add a lot of freshvegetables, a handful of legumes, and fruit.

It's just fine for both men and women to eat a smaller breakfast than I suggest(but don't skip it altogether!) and then increase amounts proportionallythroughout the day. As long as you have eaten as the day goes by and consume theappropriate amounts, all is well.

If you exercise for more than two-and-a-half hours a week and consider yourselffit, you most likely fall into the "very active" category and therefore can eata little more at each meal. Very active women can consume 1,300 to 1,400calories a day and very active men, 1,700 to 1,800 calories a day. For moreexplanation and a chart of Zone-favorable foods, turn to page 265.

Elite athletes—those who run marathons or play professional sports, forinstance—have different needs. To calculate yours more precisely, go toZonePerfect.com or call toll-free 800-390-6690.

As you get more into the Zone way of life and as your energy increases, you willprobably become more active. If so, you might feel the need to increase yourintake of food. The important thing is to maintain the 40-30-30 ratio and to eatregularly, without ever allowing more than four or five hours to elapse betweenmeals.

Welcome to the Zone!

I am so happy you have decided to join me in the Zone. I have never felt betterand never been more content. When winter arrives at my New England door, I don'tworry as much as I once did about getting colds or the flu; I get up everymorning looking forward to the day ahead; and I tackle new projects and oldproblems with energy and calm determination. I attribute this overall sense ofgratification to the Zone.

This way of life works for most people. However, a small percentage of thepopulation is intensely carbohydrate sensitive. Others have thyroid conditions.Menopausal women may not respond as readily to the Zone as younger women. Forthese folks and others whose bodies don't react easily to the 40-30-30 way ofeating, I urge patience and diligence. Try the diet for a week or so, and thenadjust it to meet your needs. You may have to stay away from unfavorablecarbohydrates (no cheating allowed!) or increase your activity level. But stickwith it. It will work, and you will feel wonderful!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy by Gloria Bakst. Copyright © 2006 by Gloria Bakst. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw Hill
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0071457909
• ISBN 13: 9780071457903
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 305