Detox - Day 2

Okay, I've got two days under my belt ... yippeee for me.  Today, I also made a delicious recipe for dinner from the book, Sexy Forever.  Here's what I ate:

Breakfast:  It's Sunday, so I chose the meal plan with protein/healthy fat/veggies because I have more time; scrambled eggs with sauteed veggies. 

First, I heated some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauteed a cup of sliced mushrooms (this makes 2 servings).  Then, after 5 minutes, I added a cup of fresh spinach.  Put the lid on to steam for a couple minutes.  When wilted, I stirred it all together to coat everything with the olive oil.  While that was cooking, I beat 4 eggs (2 eggs per serving) with a little 2% milk (use non-fat dairy with carbs).  Then, pour the eggs in the pan, along with 1 ounce of shredded cheese until the eggs are scrambled and done. 

Remember, one cup of raw veggies is one serving.  I'm not used to putting anything in my scrambled eggs, except cheese, but I have to say I liked it.  Probably because I like mushrooms and spinach.  It was very filling and satisfying.  And the best part was, it was done in one pan!

AM Snack - I love, love, love cherries. and this week they were on sale for $2.69 a pound.  Taking Suzanne's advice regarding toxins, while making breakfast I put the cherries in a bowl,  Then I squeezed fresh lemon juice over them and covered them in water.  Then, you let them sit for 60 minutes as it washes away the toxins.  I have to say, the water was a little dirty looking and little white stuff floated to the top.  Then, I rinsed them and popped the cherries in a large zip lock baggie.  I felt good eating my 14 cherries knowing they were clean.  (I also had 1 ounce of Maqui Juice.)

Lunch -  leftover cheeseburger and salad from yesterday.  All I did was reheat the hamburger, melted a little cheese on top, and it was just as delicious as yesterday.

PM Snack - You can have 3 servings of fruit per day, so I had two clementines because I love fruit.

Dinner - Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Pan Juices (pg. 254 in Sexy Forever)

First, I have to say that this was absolutely delicious.  My husband and I kept saying, 'this can't be diet food'!

Suzanne recommended calling the meat department ahead of time to order the 5-pound roasting chicken because you need it deboned and butterflied.  However, my butcher was not willing to debone the wings or the drumstick part; just the breast and the thighs.  But, it was beautiful to see it, as I've never done this before.  It layed nice and flat in my roasting pan, making it easy to brush on the coating.

I've never used tumeric before, so I took a leaf of faith and bought it.  Following the directions, you mix 4 tablespoons olive oil with 1 tablespoon tumeric to make a paste.  Mine was a little more runny, and in hindsight, I'd use 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Then, you brush all of it over the chicken.  Be careful, because I found out later that tumeric stains your fingers.  Next, season with sea salt and pepper, then lay a bunch of fresh rosemary on top.

I'm not normally a big herb user, so this is new.  But, Suzanne claims that herbs enhance meals so much that you don't feel like you're on a diet.  Then, best of all, you slice 2 tablespoons of butter ... yes, butter, and dot the chicken with it.  Place it in the over for 1 hour (350 degrees).

While that was cooking, I sauteed 1 cup of broccoli in some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkled some onion powder on top.  After a few minutes, I used a vegetable new to me ... kale.  I cut off the stems, and loosely chopped it, then added 2 cups to the pan.  I added a little more onion powder and sauteed for 5 minutes.  Then, you add a tablespoon of butter, melt and stir. 

Again, in hindsight I would have sauteed the veggies for another 2-3 minutes as kale is thicker than lettuce and wasn't as tender as I hoped.  However, the broccoli was browned and crispy, which made the dish quite good.

To finish the chicken, you drain off all but one tablespoon of the drippings, then add 1 cup chicken stock.  Boil until it reduces by half ... and then, more butter!  Add 2 tablespoons and swirl til melted.  Then, drizzle a little bit on your plate and place a serving size (6 oz.) of chicken on top.  Remember, the pan juices serves 4, so only use enough for 1 serving per person.

OMG ! ! !  My hubby and I were in heaven.  The tumeric paste and rosemary gave the chicken the most yummy flavor, ever.  It was smooth and rich tasting, but not overly rich.  Usually with chicken, once you get past the skin, the chicken is pretty bland.  But, this chicken had flavor thru-and-thru.  And, I think because it tasted full-bodied in flavor, I didn't feel the need to eat more than my 6 ounces.  I was full.  Tumeric is my new best friend!

The best part ... we have enough for two more meals (and probably a little extra for a salad later in the week, too).  Plus, the rosemary was so crispy that I removed it from the stems and put it in the fridge to use for a meal next week.  Now, that's being frugal!