A Month-long Birthday Present to Myself

Mark and me in Bora Bora on April 4th, 2011

On May 9th I'll be turning 51. Typically I do a 3-week cleanse leading up to my birthday. It's the greatest gift I can give myself - the clean living allows me to hit my body's reset button and enter my next year of life at the peak of good health.

But this year I missed the opportunity. My husband Mark and I had the great fortune of escaping to French Polynesia in April and by the time we returned and reacclimated to life in the Midwest, there wasn't enough time to squeeze in 21 days of angelic eating and non-drinking before May 9th.

Before the trip I worked pretty hard to fit into my bikinis, shorts and sundresses, so I felt good about my appearance and well-being. And I gave myself permission to eat like every meal was my last while on vacation, knowing full well that I’d return to my healthy habits once I returned to my day-to-day life.

Not the case! Since the trip I can't - or won't - shake my gustatory fervor and have been devouring everything on every plate that has been set in front of me, as well as downing a glass of wine or two with more meals than I’d care to admit. And there's no hiding the error of my ways - it's there on my thighs and belly, and I can only imagine what I look like walking away...

But now I’m getting a chance to clean up my act. Whole Foods has invited me to take the Engine 2 Diet challenge beginning Monday, May 2nd. A 28-day program, the Engine 2 Diet calls for the gradual elimination of meat, dairy, processed foods, and oils. On top of that, I’ll be working out 6 times a week.

I’m already a vegetarian who rarely eats dairy so that part of the program will be a snap. And I'm pretty much a workout fanatic so I look forward to trying a new fitness regimen. What concerns me is the elimination of oils. I have no idea how to cook without my beloved olive oil or how the recipes in this program will taste, not to mention how hard they'll be to scrape out of the pan! But why I do this stuff – I get excited when I can add super-healthy, great tasting recipes to my cooking repertoire; if there's a workout that really works, count me in; and, of course, I love to share everything I learn with any- and everybody.

So, for the month of May, I’ll be a lab rat, testing recipes and workouts, putting discipline back into my daily routine, and reminding myself that this experiment is the month-long celebration of planting both feet firmly in my 50s. I’m looking at this challenge as a way to readjust my nutritional focus and whip myself into shape for the summer. I know it's not going to be easy but I'm sure I'll learn a lot - these nutritional hot-boots always bring up new issues and insights.

I'll be posting my thoughts and experiences as things progress so be sure to stay tuned to see what develops!

Curried Chickpeas (Adapted from Joan's on Third)

Here’s another instant success! I whipped this up and both Mark and I were amazed at how quickly it came together. And it's so rich and delicious; I think it would be great on a bed of leafy greens but if you don’t have time to toss up a salad, trust me, it stands on its own.

Curried Chickpeas (Adapted from Joan's on Third)

1/2 C diced onions
4 t best-quality olive oil
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T lemon juice, or to taste
Salt

In a large sauté pan heated over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil until deep golden and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, cilantro and lemon juice and continue to stir to develop the flavors, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt, or to taste.

Cool the salad, then transfer it to a container, cover and refrigerate until chilled before serving, at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and lemon juice as desired. This makes just over 3 cups salad.

Nutrition per serving: 238 calories; 9 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 1 grams saturated fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 276 mg. sodium. Makes 4 servings.

From LATimes.com

Cauliflower and Potato Tarkari (Potatoes and Cauliflower Curried with Tomatoes)

This is another thumbs-up dish from the my-husband-is-an-ominvore-but-will-eat-anything-that-tastes-really-good category. Savory, rich and satisfying, this dish instantly became a favorite we'll return to time and again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Cauliflower and Potato Tarkari (Potatoes and Cauliflower Curried with Tomatoes)

2 C potatoes, diced
4 C cauliflower florets
1 C green peas
1 C onion, chopped
2 C tomatoes, diced
3 dried red chilies
1 bay leaf
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 t turmeric
1 T curry powder
1 t garlic, minced
1 t ginger, minced
1 t chili powder
2 C vegetable broth or water
4 T cooking oil
Salt and Pepper
2 T chopped cilantro (for garnish)

In a non-stick sauce pan, heat oil and fry dry red chilies, bay leaf and cumin seeds until dark. Add onion, turmeric, garlic, ginger, curry powder and chili powder and fry until brown. Add potatoes, salt and black pepper and fry on low heat for ten minutes or so until potatoes are lightly browned and cooked half way.

To the potatoes, add cauliflower and stir-fry for 10-15 minutes, gradually adding broth. When potatoes and cauliflower are almost done, add diced tomatoes and green peas and cook for five more minutes or so until all the liquid is completely absorbed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or roti (flat bread).

From explorenepal.com

Curried Lentils

I just made this recipe for the first time and it was quick, easy and super tasty! This is another dish Mark and I will keep on the short list of go-to recipes. Just note that while prep time is short (think 10 minutes, max), the cooking time might go longer than the recipe calls for – I cooked my batch of lentils for an extra 25 minutes to get them to the consistency I like. But even so, if you can make this one ahead of time, just reheat it, make some basmati or brown rice, and toss up a leafy green salad. It’s a quick, healthy dinner in just a few minutes!

Curried Lentils

1 C brown or green lentils (I used brown)
2-3 T grapeseed or olive oil (I used 2T olive)
1 onion, chopped (I used a sweet yellow onion)
1 T chopped fresh ginger or 1 t powdered ginger (I used powdered)
1 or 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced (I used 2)
2 T chopped parsley or cilantro (I used cilantro)
1 T curry powder (I used ½ T hot curry powder and ½ T sweet curry powder)
2 C water or vegetable broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 t salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Pick over the lentils, removing any stones or debris. Rinse the lentils under cold running water, place in a colander, drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring well. Reduce the heat and stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, carrot and the parsley or cilantro. Sauté the vegetables for 3 or 4 minutes or until soft, stirring often (I let them cook for about 8 or 9 minutes to get the carrots nice and soft).

Add the curry powder and cook 1 minute or so longer, still stirring. Raise the heat a bit and stir in the water or vegetable broth, the salt, black pepper and the lentils. Bring the pot to a boil and then quickly reduce the heat to low.

Cover the pot and cook the lentils over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy, stirring a couple of times (be sure to just check them regularly - it took my batch about 45 minutes to get to a nice firm/soft consistency). Serve the lentils over cooked rice, couscous or macaroni.

Nutrition Per Serving: Calories – 243; Carbohydrates – 33g; Protein – 13g; Fat – 8g; Saturated fat – 1g; Cholesterol – 0mg; Sodium – 610mg; Calcium – 50mg; Dietary Fiber – 9g

From the Minneapolis StarTribune – Startribune.com