2400 Calorie Diet: How Many Servings of Grain
Do You Need Each Day?
Article by Diet Bites
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For the 2400 Calorie Diet, the daily recommendation equals eight ounces of grain per day. The base amount of the official American Food Pyramid is six servings with eleven as the top tier. Some examples of one serving include:
1/2 cup of Bran cereal; serve with 1/2 cup of reduced fat milk and a fresh fruit selection and you'll get in servings from the dairy and fruit groups added to your nutritional picture.
1 slice of whole grain bread, such as New York Rye. Add some lean deli meat and low fat mozzarella cheese along with a fresh vegetable assortment - and you'll have a swell poor man's gourmet sandwich.
You'll want to add yellow sunshine rather than the white blob - and if you add a couple of thin slices of avocado and tomato, you'll even have servings from the fruit group. A well-built sandwich can contain servings from all five basic food groups.
1/2 cup of cooked elbow macaroni; let's add some roasted chicken breast to the macaroni, a bit of reduced fat sour cream, some sauteed sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, celery and bell pepper along with a shot of soy sauce, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a 1/2 teaspoon of dill and we now have a skinny casserole fit for a king.
Whole Grain Diet Recipe: Glazed Chicken Couscous
If you have never tasted couscous - you are in for a delicious treat. It's flavor reminds me a bit of a firm-textured pasta that has been pulverized into tiny grape seed-like pellets. Many different varieties of couscous can be found at your local market.
For our diet recipe, we make use of the regular, plain version - and take note that this serves four generously. Add more whole grain goodness to your meal via multi-grain dinner rolls - along with a healthy vegetable medley.
Glazed Chicken Couscous Recipe Ingredients
2 cups of cooked couscous (175 kcals per prepared cup and 6 protein grams)
2 cups of cooked chicken breast*
2 Tablespoons of chopped pecans OR English walnuts (optional)
1 Tablespoon of dried cranberries, 1 Tablespoon of golden raisins*
1/3 cup of orange marmalade plus 1/4 cup of bottled chili sauce
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How to Prepare Our Recipe for Glazed Chicken Couscous
This diet recipe goes together in a flash! Add the orange marmalade and chili sauce to a non-stick skillet. Heat well - until the brew starts to come to a rolling bubble. Add the chicken and stir to coat well; add the nuts and stir again. Finally, add the dried fruits and the cooked couscous.
Chicken Prep Notes
You can opt for the dark meat if you wish for a few more calories - and you can also opt for turkey or your favorite lean meat, hulled and deveined cooked shrimp or drained black beans instead of the chicken.
Dried Fruit Prep Notes
Any variety of dried fruit will work - or it can be omitted.
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2,200 Kcal Plan | 2,400 Calorie Diet | 2,600 Kcals
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