The 8-Hour Diet (25 page)

Using a potholder, place the pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mushrooms have begun to caramelize. Add the red wine and the stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the alcohol has burned off and the liquid has reduced by about half. Stir in the rosemary.

Divide the steaks among four plates, top with mushrooms, and spoon on the sauce. Serve with a side of
Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli
to boost fiber.

329
CALORIES

10
G FAT

3
G SAT. FAT

366
MG SODIUM

1
G FIBER

8 MINUTE MEAL!

Meat, stick, fire: Few dishes are as primal and satisfying as a flame-licked skewer loaded to the hilt with fresh ingredients. The key to this one is the hoisin, an Asian ketchup-like condiment perfect for sauces and stir-fries.

3
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

2 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp dark or toasted sesame oil

1 tsp chili sauce or paste, such as sriracha

1 lb sirloin, cut into ¾" pieces

8 scallion whites, chopped into ½" chunks

20 small mushroom caps

20 cherry tomatoes

8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes

Preheat a grill. Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili sauce in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer half to a separate bowl.

Thread the beef, scallion, mushrooms, and tomatoes in an alternating pattern onto the skewers. Use a brush to paint the skewers with some of the hoisin glaze. When the grill is hot, add the skewers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, basting with a bit more of the sauce as you go. The skewers are done when the meat and vegetables are lightly charred and the beef is firm but still yielding to the touch. Brush the kebabs with the reserved glaze before serving.

231
CALORIES

8
G FAT

2
G SAT. FAT

368
MG SODIUM

3
G FIBER

8 MINUTE MEAL!

Supermarket rotisserie chickens are a gift to cooks with little time to spare. They can be devoured straight from the container, of course, but remove the skin and shred the meat and you have an amazing building block for salads, sandwiches, and insanely delicious 5-minute tacos.

3
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

8 corn tortillas

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about three-fourths of a store-bought chicken)
*

1½ cups bottled salsa verde

½ cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese

1 medium red onion, minced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, quartered

Heat the tortillas in a large skillet or sauté pan until lightly toasted. Combine the chicken with the salsa in a large mixing bowl, then divide evenly among the tortillas. Top with crumbled cheese, onion, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

389
CALORIES

13
G FAT

4.5
G SAT. FAT

800
MG SODIUM

5
G FIBER

*
Be sure to remove the skin first. As delicious as it may be, its finer points will be lost in the salsa-strewn meat itself, so you may as well save the calories.

8 MINUTE MEAL!

The wok is a powerful weapon of mass reduction, capable of producing lean, intensely flavorful dinners in a matter of minutes. Follow the basic technique below, but feel free to switch up the meat and vegetables to suit your tastes.

3
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into ½" pieces

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

½ Tbsp sesame oil

½ Tbsp peanut or canola oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger

2 cups sugar snap peas or green beans

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (preferably sambal oleek)

Black pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, cornstarch, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a mixing bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the sugar snaps and stir-fry for 1 minute, using a metal spatula to keep the vegetables in near-constant motion. Add the chicken, along with its marinade, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the meat begins to brown on the outside. Add the mango, chili sauce, and black pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute longer, until the chicken is cooked through and the mango has softened into a near sauce-like consistency. Serve over brown rice.

242
CALORIES

8
G FAT

2
G SAT. FAT

265
MG SODIUM

2
G FIBER

Another example of how easy and awesome it is to cook your dinner inside a few sheets of aluminum foil. Feel free to change up the vegetables (broccoli, green beans, and button mushrooms work great) and the chicken (why not cod or snapper?) to fit your tastes; it’s the technique, plus the powerful base of soy, mirin, and ginger, that makes this such a satisfying dinner.

3
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)

12 spears asparagus, ends removed, chopped

4 oz shitake mushrooms, stems removed

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp mirin (sweetened sake), sake, or sweet white wine

Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Lay four large (18" × 12") pieces of aluminum foil on the kitchen counter and fold each into thirds. Place a chicken breast in the center third of each piece, then scatter the asparagus, mushrooms, and ginger over each. Drizzle with the soy sauce and mirin and season with a small pinch of salt (remember, soy sauce already packs plenty of sodium) and black pepper. Fold the outer two sections of the foil over the chicken, then roll up the ends toward the center to create a fully sealed packet.

Arrange the packets on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. Place each packet directly on a plate and serve.

239
CALORIES

4.5
G FAT

1
G SAT. FAT

633
MG SODIUM

2
G FIBER

You know you’ve got a great vegetarian dish when a hard-core carnivore wouldn’t miss the meat. One bite of this complex curry—rich with coconut milk, garbanzo beans, and soft cubes of butternut squash—and it’s safe to say that even the most dedicated meat eaters will be happy to take a night off.

4
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

½ Tbsp canola oil

1 medium red onion, diced

½ Tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 cups cubed butternut squash
*

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can (14 to 16 oz) garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), drained

1 jalapeño pepper, minced

1 Tbsp yellow curry powder

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (14 oz) light coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and black pepper to taste

Chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the squash, cauliflower, garbanzos, jalapeño, and curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes, until the curry powder is fragrant and coats the vegetables evenly. Stir in the tomatoes and coconut milk and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the lime juice and season with salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with the chopped cilantro.

267
CALORIES

9
G FAT

5
G SAT. FAT

563
MG SODIUM

9
G FIBER

*
Carrots or potatoes would both be perfect substitutes for the squash, just in case butternut is not in season.

8 MINUTE MEAL!

One of the fastest, leanest meals imaginable gets a bit healthier with the addition of lightly wilted spinach and a scattering of sundried tomatoes. Serve as is or over the top of a small portion of whole-wheat linguine or quinoa.

4
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
*

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 cups baby spinach

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (softened in hot water for 10 minutes before cooking)

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is light brown, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and continue cooking until translucent.

Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt and add to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just pink. Stir in the spinach and sundried tomatoes and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

170
CALORIES

5
G FAT

1
G SAT. FAT

403
MG SODIUM

2
G FIBER

*
Farmed shrimp from Thailand and other parts of Asia are often processed in squalid conditions. Whenever possible, look for wild-caught shrimp.