One of the hardest factors in any diet, is trying to eat well on the road. Whether you're mobile or sitting at a desk, you're not at home, and in order to eat the way you want to, your food has to be as mobile as you are. Obviously, refrigeration is helpful, whether it's an ice pack or a real fridge, but we still need inspiration and ideas to help keep us on our regimen. CZ turned me on to a fabulous book called: "Crack the Fat-Loss Code" by Wendy Chant. This book helps us to become more aware of carbohydrates, and how they play out in our diets.
Since this plan allows 1 T of olive oil, or equivalent, per meal, we can make a batch of chicken "stir-fry" that will give us several meals. This will allow us greater ease in transport, as it is easy to package, carry and warm up as needed. I have used salmon, chicken and tofu as the protein sources, so please feel free to be resourceful, as well as creative!
It's worth it to get yourself a food scale, just because it takes out all the guesswork, and makes it easier to see how much those ounces really amount to. But you can also get your already cooked turkey breast (for instance) at the deli, and they will be happy to divvy up your purchase into the necessary portions for salads, soups and al fresco!
Food will always cook down, as much as 2 ounces per serving, but not as much as it does when it is prepared quickly. This plan also recommends eating every three hours, and consuming 20 grams of carbs a day, so you do have to do a little math. I'll try and make that as easy as possible, but math is not one of my talents! If you're really interested in this program, it's an easy and inspiring read. The following veggies are the lowest in carbs, but broccoli is the highest (on this list) with 4 carbs per cup.
So:
3-4 ounces of turkey or chicken breast (per serving), or 4-6 ounces of Salmon, or 4 ounces of tofu;
please adjust according to surf, turf or soy!
For four portions:
1-1/4# Turkey Breast, cut into bite-size slivers
1-2 cups o sliced celery (0 grams o carbs), cut on the diagonal (makes it more interesting)
1 cup o sliced mushrooms (1)...or more if you're not concerned with carbs
1 cup o spinach (1)...ditto
1 cup o asparagus (2), or broccoli (4)...ditto
1-2 cups of lettuce (0) per serving, if you want to have your stir-fry over a salad, hot, warm or cold!
2-4 T Olive Oil or Coconut Oil; half for the veggies, half for the Turk, Surf or Soy
1 t Soy Sauce, or Dr. Bragg's Aminos (These will have a scant amount of carbs, but we're not using much)
1 T Tarragon, and/or Basil (some folk don't take to Tarragon)
1 t Dill
1 t Mint
1/2 t Cumin
1/4 t Chipotle chili powder, or Chili Powder (Warning: careful here, chipotle is powerful strong), optional!
1/2 t each, Garlic and Onion Powders
S & P to taste
1 c Water, as needed, or chicken or vegetable broth (check for carbs)
Method:
Heat half of the oil in large frying pan or wok at slightly higher than medium temperature. When ready, stir fry the chicken with half the seasonings, but do not overcook; try and take it out before it's done! If you are using tofu, just heat it up as it will fall apart with too much time and attention. For fish, about 2-3 minutes.
The art of stir-frying is to keep it moving so it cooks quickly, evenly and stays crisp.
Remove protein from pan.
Add the rest of the oil and seasonings and cook the celery first for about 5 minutes, adding water (1-2 T at a time) as needed to keep it from drying out, then add the mushrooms and asparagus or broccoli, the soy or aminos for about 3 minutes. Cooking times may vary, so suit yourself in terms of desired doneness. Of course, the crisper they are, the more nutrition they hold, so try not to overcook! Just before they are done, add the spinach, chicken, more water if needed, turn off the heat, remove from heat and cover for at least 5 minutes to finish cooking and rest, you deserve it just as much as the dish does!
Add salt and pepper to taste, divide into four portions and enjoy your low carb, super nutritious mini-feast.
Bon Appetite! And thanks to CZ for the inspiration!
Suggested Music:
For cooking: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Volume 3, or Michael or Janet Jackson, any volume
For eating: Compact Jazz with Astrud Gilberto
