Breakfast: Faux Fried Egg - Pineapple Cottage Cheese with half a Peach (Ricotta Cheese sweetened with SF Torani with an apricot half works too)
Lunch: When I was in Dallas at the Obesity Action Coalition Convention I ate at this quick serve restaurant called Zoe's Kitchen. Thank you to my pal Kaitlin for bringing me. It's a franchise so by the list of locations some of you will have these in your neighborhood. Lucky ducks. Temecula needs one. I'd totally be a regular for their "Protein Power Plate" (Flat Grilled Chicken, Caramelized Onions, over a Marinated Slaw) but till one comes to my 'hood I just had to recreate it at home. It will be a reoccurring meal at my house.
I slightly caramelized a few onions. Slice a few yellow onions and cook them low and slow in a drizzle of olive oil, stirring occasionally till they get golden brown. Set aside. I tossed a couple of chicken breasts, pounded flat, swiped with a little olive oil and sprinkled with Greek seasoning on the BBQ.
Shelly's (Zoe's Knock-off) Marinated Slaw
1 - 10 oz. Bag Shredded Angel Hair Cabbage
1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
3-4 Green Onions, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Champagne or Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Greek Seasoning (Oregano, Black Pepper, Garlic, Sage blend)
dash of Salt
Mix all ingredients together and let sit for a half hour or so. Makes a family size amount.
To assemble the Protein Power Plate: you need dollop of slaw, top with a spoon of caramelized onions and top that with some grilled chicken. Soooo good.
Dinner: Mini Meatloaf and Sliced Tomatoes (just sprinkled with salt, pepper, and oregano)
Shelly's "With the Works" Turkey Mini Meatloaves
4 strips Bacon, cut in half, uncooked
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 1/4 pounds Ground Turkey, the average weight of 1 package
1/4 cup Oatmeal, dry
1/4 cup Milk
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped Dill Pickles
1 Tablespoon Prepared Mustard (Yellow or Dijon)
1 Tablespoon Ketchup
1/2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
a few twists of Black Pepper
Saute onions till golden. Set aside to cool. Soak oats in milk for 1 minute. Beat egg. Add egg and soaked breadcrumbs to ground turkey. Add cooled onions and all remaining ingredients. Mix till combined.
Divide into 8 equal mounds. Form into mini meatloaves or if you have this super groovy pan like me use it. Top with a 1/2 a slice of uncooked bacon. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Remove portion from pan. Top with 1/2 a slice of American Cheese and place under the broiler till melted.
These freeze well. I wrap them in foil and then place them in a freezer Ziploc bag. I defrost in the fridge and then nuke. I have found the trick to eating leftovers as a post-op is to keep things moist. I love this microwave steamer gadget for that. You put a couple of tablespoons of water in the base and it steam heats the food. Totally keeps foods from drying out. One of the best post-op gadgets in my kitchen.
Leftovers are great as is or you can crumble the meatloaves up and use as a soup start for Minestrone.
Snack: Oodles of coffee and a Cracked Black Pepper Cheesestick. I finally found this flavor. I love the Tomato Basil one. These are tasty too.
