Bland Diet to Lose Weight
Low Calorie Recipes
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
Losing Weight Doesn't Mean Eating a Bland Diet
Diet Time often equals bland-tasting-food time. It's a key reason why diets often don't last very long. Bland diet foods based on the Food Pyramid typically include:
Vegetable Group Bland Food List = Carrots,
Cucumbers, Celery, Cabbage, Lettuce
Grain Group Bland Food List = Rice Cakes, Plain Toast or
Bread, Hot-Air Popcorn
Fruit Group Bland Food List = When Grapefruit OR Banana
Rules!
Dairy Food Group Bland Food List = Skim Milk, Fat Free Sour Cream,
Light Margarine, Fat Free Cream Cheese
Protein Group Bland Food List = Vegetable & Animal Proteins Served Without Sauces or Gravy
Tips That Add Flavor
Vegetable Food Group Tips, Tasty Recipe Tips
When carrots are sweet they are an exceptional treat. However, with today's production techniques, the markets are mined with tasteless vegetables and fruits.
Candy Carrots Diet Recipe: To erase the bland taste of carrots cut into rings and boil in a bit of water. Drain and add a dash of honey and ground cinnamon. These are so tasty that you won't even consider adding margarine or butter.
Low Calorie Cabbage Roll Diet Recipe:Rather than eating a pot of boiled cabbage or cabbage soup try blanching the leaves in boiling water (use care and remove kids and pets from the kitchen) (the mean mother in laws can stay).
In a deep bowl combine equal amount of the leanest ground beef you can find at the market along with reduced fat sausage (use your favorite flavor: sage, maple, hot & spicy, original).
Add Minute rice that has been prepared separately according to package directions - only boiling the rice for half the time required. The rice will fully cook with the meat. You can use regular rice if desired.
Next lay cabbage leaves flat and place a large spoon of the meat mixture to one side then roll.
Place into a non-stick baking dish. I always spray my dish with cooking spray because more often than not, foods have a propensity to stick.
Be sure to place the fold of the cabbage roll on the bottom of the pan.
For sauce, add catchup to the top of each cabbage roll. Bake in a 350º oven until done.
Grain Group Tips
Rice cakes can be brought from the Land of Bland by spreading with a spoon of fruit preserves or whipped peanut butter. When it comes to toast, whole grain is not only healthier than a-typical bread, it's also tastier.
And when it comes to popped corn, you might be more satisfied by purchasing those 100-calorie snack bags of popcorn. If the popcorn is still too bland, spray on a bit of zero calorie 'butter' spray.
Fruit Group Tips
We were shopping the other day at the market and a lady was thrilled that she'd found white-flesh peaches in the fruit section. But when she went to grab one, they were as hard as the third pig's brick.
She was sorely disappointed, telling us that she wasn't from Texas - rather from California and the fruits here were so bland in comparison to the sweet, ripened fruits she was used to.
Therefore, when shopping it's best to purchase the ripened fruits that are in season rather than allowing the rock-hard fruit to ripen after purchased. Bananas are the exception.
Speaking of which, those special diets that feature one fruit - like the banana and the grapefruit, they're for the birds.
Whenever you see a one-food item being central in a weight loss plan - run, don't walk the other way. A healthy diet invites all the foods to the table.
If you like strawberries then try adding these to your menu: fresh strawberries added to morning cereal frozen strawberries blended with 1 cup of skim milk to create a tasty ultra-low calorie diet shake tiny fresh strawberries added to your salad. Strawberries go extremely well with baby spinach.
Dairy Group Tips for Enhancing Bland Foods
Yes, low fat and fat free dairy products are the pits. They either taste funky, slimy or just plain bland. The positive is that they generally work exceptionally well in low calorie recipes.
To liven the flavor of low fat dairy products try incorporating sweet fruit (if you can still find some!). Whirl frozen berries with cold skim milk and a bit of chopped ice.
Where sour cream and cream cheese are concerned, opt for the regular versions and use slightly less.
The full-blown version of sour cream contains about 60 calories per serving compared to 40 calories of the low fat version. If you love cream cheese, check out the full-blown whipped versions. So good! So light! And fewer calories and fat grams.
Protein Group Tips
Grab your lacy apron and your spice rack. Spices can take proteins from bland to grand if a jiffy! For salmon, try rubbing with dill. For chicken, use lemon pepper.
Bland Diet In Summary
If you're considering going on a diet - or if you are currently on a diet, make a list of the healthy foods that you enjoy, then create a menu around those tasty foods. And of course, pairing your daily diet with activity equals accelerated weight loss.
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