Black Bean Brownies (best dessert EVER!)

No matter how wonderful the South Beach Diet is, there will always be those cravings for sweet. Well, I am delighted to say that I finally found the best sweet so far. I know, when you see "bean" in the title, you are already pushed away. Bot do not fear, beans are used only for their texture, they have a neutral taste, like a blank slate. Read me out:

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Ingredients for 4 servings:

eggs - 2 (1/2 cup egg substitute for the vegan version)

vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

olive oil - 2 tsp

beans (black or kidney), canned, drained - 120 grams / 4.5 oz / 0.75 cups

cocoa powder (unsweetened) - 1.5 tbsp

sweetener - 3-4 tbsp

baking powder - 1/2 tsp

for extra flavor:

orange extract - 1/2 tsp

orange zest - 1 small orange yield

Instructions:

1. Grease an 4" x 4" square tray with a light cooking oil spray (or use 4 muffin forms). Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

2. Drain and rinse the black beans.

3. In a food processor, beat the eggs lightly and add vanilla extract (orange extract, if using any) and the olive oil, and continue blending.

4. Add the baking powder and sweetener, and keep blending, still on low speed.

5. Add the black beans and run on medium to medium-high, until the beans are pulverized and it becomes a smooth paste (you'll still be able to see tiny pieces of beans, it's OK).

6. Add the cocoa and run on low again, until fully blended.

7. Add the orange zest, if using any, and mix one more time.

8. Then pour the mixture in the tray (or muffin forms) and put in oven for about 30 minutes, until they rise nicely and you'll see the surface has a small crack, like the French baguettes have.

9. Let cool down and enjoy!

Nutritional information for 1 serving:

Calories: 91

Carbs: 7

Fiber: 2

Fat: 6

Protein: 5

Easy-Breezy Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is the easiest recipe on my blog so far. Healthy, nutritious, low-calorie, non-fat!, and of course South Beach friendly, you can do it while watching your favorite TV show.

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Ingredients for 1 serving:

mushrooms, raw - 250 grams / 9 oz

zuchinni, diced - 1,5 cup

onion, diced - 1 medium

vegetable broth (or just plain water) - 500 ml / 2 cups

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Put the mushrooms, zuchini and onion to boil in water or vegetable broth until nice and tender (about 20 - 30 minutes).

2. Turn the heat off and let cool down for a few minutes. Then using a blender, put the boiled vegetables in batches (if your blender is not that performant) and blend well.

3. Add as much liquid as you want, depending on how thick you like your like your soup.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Nutritional information:

Calories: 135

Carbs: 25

Fat: 0

Fiber: 5

Protein: 9

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a hearty, delicious recipe, that tastes great without a side dish, but goes well with a side salad, like an easy chopped lettuce with oil and lemon juice.

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Ingredients for 4 servings:

beef stew meet - 500 grams / 1 pound

olive oil - 1 tbsp

garlic, chopped - 2 cloves

onion, raw, chopped - 1 medium

mushrooms, canned, sliced - 200 grams drained solids

red whine - 1/4 cups (optional)

beef or vegetable broth - 4 cups

non-fat yoghurt - 1 cup

Worcestershire sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)

parsley, fresh, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

tomato paste - 1 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown in the oil for a few minutes.

2. Toss in the garlic, onion, mushrooms and cook for another 7-10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

3. Pour in the broth, the wine and the Worcestershire sauce (if you decided to use any) and bring up to a boil.

4. Lower the heat to low, add the tomato paste, and cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until meat is really tender (it took me about an hour). If the liquid is too low, add more broth or water.

5. When the meat is finally tender, uncover and simmer a little longer (15 - 20 minutes) to reduce the liquid.

6. When the liquid is reduced to about half, turn off the heat and stir in the yoghurt and parsley. Enjoy hot!

Nutritional information for 1 serving:

Calories: 395

Carbs: 11

Fiber: 3

Fat: 18

Proteins: 22

Tuna salad

There are hundreds of Tuna Salad recipes out there. This is just one of them, but I found it has the best balance between taste and nutrition. And besides, it's so easy to make!

Ingredients for 1 serving:

canned tuna in water - 1 can (115 grams / 4 oz drained solid)

onion, chopped - 1/2 medium onion

garlic cloves, minced - 1-2

dill, fresh, chopped - 1 tbsp

parsley, fresh, chopped - 2 tbsp (you can also use dry dill and parsley, but put half of the quantity)

celeriac, grated - 3-4 tbsl

lettuce of your choice (I prefer Boston lettuce) - 1/2 head

black olives, sliced, seeded - 2 tbsp

olive oil - 1 tbsp

lemon juice - 1/2 lemon yield

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Drain the tuna well, wash the vegetables and pat them dry. Then cut the lettuce in thin stripes.

2. Put the tuna, onion, dill, parsley, celeriac and olives in a large bowl and mix.

3. In a cup, put the minced garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil and blend well using a spoon. When everything is well blended, pour over the rest of the salad and mix well.

4. Leave in the fridge for about 15 minutes for all the ingredients to catch flavor, and enjoy cold.

Nutritional value:

Calories: 307

Carbs: 13

Fiber: 5

Fat: 15

Mushroom haggis – Drob de ciuperci [Romanian Cuisine]

An extremely easy to make recipe based on mushrooms. It is healthy, low fat and with a very low calorie count. Eat as a side dish or a snack. Definitely worth trying!

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Ingredients for 8 slices:

mushrooms, canned, cut – 220 g / 7.5 oz drained solids (the equivalent of 2 cans of mushrooms)

eggs – 3 medium (with whites separated from yolks)

onion, chopped – 1 large / 5 springs green onion

olive oil – 1 tbs

dill – 10 springs fresh / 1 tsp dry (try always to go for the fresh, it has more flavour)

salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and stir fry the onion for a few minutes, until it becomes golden.

2. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, and stir on medium-low heat until the all the water that they leave evaporates. Add the dill and stir.

3. Beat the yolks and mix them with the mushrooms.

4. Beat the egg whites stiff and slowly incorporate them in the mixture.

5. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.

6. Pour the composition on a pan previously covered with baking sheet. Leave in the oven for about 50 minutes.

7. It can be served war, or refrigerated.

Nutritional value per slice:

Calories: 38

Carbs: 3

Fiber: 1

Fat: 2

Protein: 6

Garam Masala [Indian spice]

In Hindi, garam means “hot and masala means “mixture.” It is a common blend of spices used for curries, rice, koftas and other traditional Indian reciped. However, you can use your imagination and create your own marinades and seasonings for chicken, fish and steak.

(picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Garam_Masala_new_2008-1.jpg)

Ingredients:

cumin seeds – 2 tbsp

coriander seeds – 2 tbsp

cardamom seeds – 2 tbsp (honestily, first time I made Garam Masala I didn’t have any, and it still turned out good)

black peppercorns – 2 tbsp

cinnamon stick, broken up – 1 stick (7-8 cm / 3 inch long)

garlic cloves, whole – 1 tsp

nutmeg, grated – 1 tsp

malabar leaves (a.k.a. Indian bay leaves) – 2-3 (optional)

saffrom – ½ tsp (optional)

Instrucitons:

1. Put the cumin, coriander, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and malabar leaves (if you have any) in a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Toast, stirring occasionally, until hey turn a few shades darker and release a sweet smoky aroma (for about 10 minutes).

3. Cool completely

4. Transfer the mixture to a coffee grinder (or a spice mill) and grind until you obtain a powder.

5. Stir in the nutmeg and saffron.

6. It can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place, for 3 months. After 3 month it will start losing flavor (like all spices in general)

Chicken Korma [Indian]

I’ve been trying for a long time to make Indian food at home, and with this dish, I could feel for the first time the authentic Indian taste: spicy, flavorful, delicious. And it’s adapted to SouthBeach! (It required one night to marinade, so keep that in mind when you decide to make it. I forgot the first time I cooked, and I had to wait, and wait, and wait…)

Ingredients for 2 servings:

chicken breast – 250 g / 0.5 lbs

finely grated ginger – 1 tbsp

garlic – 2 cloves

non-fat yoghurt – 100 g

red chilli – 1 piece (preferably dried)

onion, finelly chopped – 1

olive oil – 1 tbsp

coriander, ground – 1 tbsp

black pepper, ground – 1 pinch

turmeric – 1 tsp

garam masala – 1 tsp (this is an authentic Indian spice that can be easily made at home; I’ll post the recipe below)

water

coconut, shredder – 1 tsp

salt, to taste

almonds, ground – 4-5

coriander leaves, finely chopped – to garnish

lemon juice – 1-2 wedges yields

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite size chinks.

2. Mix the chicken with the grated ginger and the yoghurt. Cover and marinade for 12 hours or in the fridge overnight.

3. Liquidize the chopped onion and red chili in a ble

nder. Add a little water if necessary, and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.

4. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.

5. Add the ground coriander, ground black pepper and garam masala, and stir fry for about 1 minute on really low heat. This will allow the oil to catch the flavor. Make sure it doesn’t stick or burn, stir continuously (preferably with a wooden spoon).

6. Turn up the heat, add the onion and chili paste, and stir fry for about 10 more minutes.

7. Add the chicken and the marinade and continue to stir fry for another 10 minutes.

8. Add the coconut and enough water to just cover the chicken, and bring to a boil.

9. Then add the almonds.

10. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is tender (about 30 minutes)

11. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix well.

Nutritional value for 1 serving:

Calories: 324

Carbs: 25

Fiber: 4

Fat: 10

Protein: 31

Endives salad

This easy recipe takes only 5 minutes to make. The endives are low-calorie high-carb and really yummy. Great idea for a quick lunch!

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Ingredients for 1 serving:

endives – 1

mayonnaise – 1 tbsp (I strongly recommend homemade mayo, you can make it your own way, or use the recipe I posted in Dressings and Sauces. At least you know all the ingredients it contains)

chicken breast, boiled – 50 grams / 1.5 oz

lemon juice – 1 wedge yield (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut the endive in small pieces: first cut it once lengthwise, then chop each half into 1 cm / 0.3 inch bits.

2. Place the pieces in a sieve and wash under cold water. The reason I prefer washing after I cut them is because endives (like lettuce, cabbage, etc.) have more layers, and it is tricky for the water to penetrate under al layers and clean them thoroughly.

3. Pat them dry with paper towels and put them in a bowl.

4. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and spread over the endives.

5. Add the mayo and mix well. If you want, you can also add lemon juice for a fresher taste.

Nutritional value:

Calories: 220

Carbs: 1

Fiber: 16

Fat: 10

Protein: 17

Fish kofte [Turkish]

The koftes are a type of meatballs specific in the Middle East. Usually made from beef, lamb or even chicken, mixed together, you can also find variations like fish kofte or vegetable kofte (zucchini, eggplant). This recipe is adapted to the SouthBeach Diet, and it can be a delicious snack or lunch.

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Ingredients for 25 koftes:

fish of your choice (I used pangasius or tilapia)– 200 grams / 7 oz after being previously cooked in the oven and de-boned

red pepper – ½ of a medium one

onion, chopped – 2 medium

garlic cloves – 2

celeriac (celery root), grated – 25 grams / 1 oz

mushrooms – 200 grams / 7 oz (I used canned ones)

eggs – 4 (use more if you want a tighter composition)

salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme to taste

olive oil – 1 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Chop the red pepper, onion, garlic, celeriac and mushrooms, and using paper towels press until most of the water is drained.

2. Place all the drained vegetables in the blender and blend until they become a smooth paste.

3. Add the cooked fish and blend until homogenous.

4. Put the eggs in the blender as well, and add 1 tbsp of olive oil

5. Heat a non-stick pan and using a spoon place the koftes.

6. Turn them 3 times (first on one side, then on the other one, and then one more time on the first side). It takes about 5-7 minutes for a kofte to be ready.

Nutritional value for 1 kofte:

Calories: 30

Carbs: 2

Fiber: 1

Fat: 2

Protein: 3

Garlic-Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds

I'm not a big fan of beens, but this recipe is absolutely delicious! Guaranteed! And it's so easy to make!

Ingredients for 1 serving:

frozen green beans - 1.5 to 2 cups (75 g to 100 g)

shallots, chopped (you can use red onion as well) - 2 tbsp

garlic, slivered - 2 cloves

olive oil - 1 tbsp

lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

lemon juice - 2 wedge yields

almonds, slivered - 3

parsley, chopped, raw - 1 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C / 450 F

2. Trim ends from green beans (if necessary) and cut into pieces about 5 cm / 2 inches long

3. Place beans in a plastic bowl and add shallots (onion), garlic, olive oil, salt an pepper. Toss well (preferably using a wooden spoon) until everything is fully coated with oil.

4. Put the oiled beans with shallots and garlic in a non-stick pan, and leave in the oven for about 12- 15 minutes, until shallots and garlic are lightly browned. (For the last 3 minutes I prefer broiling, to give it a nice crunchy feeling)

5. When done, toss with almonds, lemon zest and parsley, then sprinkle a little lemon juice on top, and serve immediately.

Nutritional value:

Calories: 162

Carbs: 15

Fiber:3

Fat: 9

ENJOY!

Pudding

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Ingredients for 1 serving:

- unsalted, non-fat soft cow cheese (available at Balkanic or Eastern European stores); if you can't find it, ricotta works as well - 100 grams / 3.5 oz

- sugar substitute of your choice - 1 packet

- vanilla and/or rum extract - a few drops

- egg white - from 1 egg

- slivered almonds - 3

Instructions:

1. Beat the egg white until stiff

2. Add the beaten egg whites to the cheese and mix until you get a fluid, homogeneous paste

3. Add the sugar substitute and the vanilla and/or rum extract

4. Pour the entire composition in a muffin form

5. Heat the oven at 180 C / 350 F and leave the form for about 25 minutes (until you see the composition raised)

6. Eat warm

Nutritional value:

Calories: 72 (with 0% soft cow cheese) / 140 (with ricotta)

Carbs: 2

Fiber: 0

Fat: 0.3 (with 0% soft cow cheese) / 10 (with ricotta)

Protein: 16

Variations:

1. Add 1 tsp of cocoa and 1 tsp of instant coffee

2. Add 1 tsp of lemon or orange peel

ENJOY!!

Glycemic Index

Here you can find the most common food choices, with their glycemic index number. Your aim, in order to follow the South Beach Diet, as well as to live a healthy life-style, is to keep the GI as low as possible. Hopefully this table will prove helpful

GI lower than 50

Fruits (fresh or dried)

apples

oranges

grapefruit

tangerine

pears

apricots

cherries

strawberries

raspberries

blackberries

blueberries

peaches

prunes

watermelon

cranberries, etc.

apple juice

Vegetables

all lettuces

spinach

cucumbers

fresh

corn

green and yellow string beans

raw carrots

tomatoes

cabbage

rapini

peas

mushrooms, etc.

Milk products – from cows, sheep, or grains (almonds, soy, rice, oats):

milk

cheeses 35% fat or less

buttermilk

yogurts

Breads and Pastries (breads, bagels, croissants, cakes, pizza crusts, crackers)

none

Pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, macaroni, shells, vermicelli, etc.)

All pasta, whole or multigrain, made from any non-refined grains

Cereals

none

Rice

wild rice

Beans

alfalfa

lentils (brown, red and green)

beans (red, Mung, black, white, Pinto, chick, lima, Aduki, black-eyed, Great Northern, etc.)

peas (yellow and green), etc.

Grains and nuts

Peanuts

pecans

walnuts

hazelnuts

almonds

soy

sunflower seeds, etc.

GI between 50 and 70

Fruits

fresh bananas

pineapple

mangos

kiwis

grapes

dates

figs

all fruit juices, except apple

Vegetables

boiled or roasted potatoes

beets, cooked

carrots

corn (popped and canned)

Milk products – from cows, sheep or grains (almonds, soy, rice, oats)

creams and cheeses 35% fat or more, including ice creams and custards

Breads and Pastries (breads, bagels, croissants, cakes, pizza crusts, crackers)

all breads and pastries, refined and non-refined (non-refined being lower on the Glycemic

Index and nutritionally superior)

Pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, macaroni, shells, vermicelli, etc.)

all pasta made from any refined grains

Cereals

all cereals, refined and non-refined (non-refined being lower on the Glycemic Index and nutritionally superior) made from any of the abovementioned grains

triticale

Kashi,

Hemp and muesli cereals

Rice

white and brown Basmati rice

Jasmine rice, long

grain white rice

Beans

Boston-type baked beans

Grains and nuts

cashews

macadamia

coconut

sesame (tahini)

Others

Honey

soft drinks

sucrose

white sugar

GI higher than 75

Fruits

dried bananas

candied fruits

Vegetables

french fries

fried vegetables

chips

instant mashed potatoes

Milk products – from cows, sheep or grains (almonds, soy, rice, oats)

none

Breads and Pastries (breads, bagels, croissants, cakes, pizza crusts, crackers)

Waffles

sweet and salty munchies (pretzels, chips, caramel corn, etc.)

corn chips

hamburger and hot dog buns made from refined grains

Pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, macaroni, shells, vermicelli, etc.)

none

Cereals

all sweetened cereals made from refined grains

Rice

minute rice

Beans

none

Grains and nuts

none

Others

soft drinks added with maltodextrin

Food list allowed on SB

You probably already know what South Beach is all about. But maybe you forgot some details, or you’re not sure about a veggy or a type of meat. This is why I decided to post this list, for anyone’s reference. Also please feel free to comment if you have any question, and either me or another willing SB-er will happily answer.

FOOD LIST OVERVIEW

PHASE 1

Vegetables to enjoy listed alphabetically (legumes included):

May use fresh, frozen or canned, without sugar added

Artichokes

Asparagus

Beans, Green

Beans, Italian

Beans, Wax

Beans or Legumes:

Black Beans

Butter Beans

Chickpeas or Garbanzo

Kidney

Lentils

Lima Pigeon Peas

Soy Beans

Split Peas

Broccoli

Bok Choy

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Capers

Cauliflower

Celery

Collard Greens

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Hearts of palm

Kale

Leeks

Lettuce (All varieties)

Juice (Limit to 6 ounces per day) -Tomato -V8

Mushrooms (All varieties)

Mustard Greens

Okra

Onion - Limit to ½ per day

Parsley

Peppers (All varieties)

Pickles - Dill or those sweetened with Splenda

Raddicchio

Radishes (All varieties)

Rhubarb

Sauerkraut

Scallions

Sea Vegetables

Snow peas

Spinach

Sprouts, Alfalfa

Squash, Spaghetti

Squash, Summer

Zucchini

Swiss Chard

Tomato - Limit to 1 whole or 10 cherry per meal

Turnip Greens

Turnips

Water Chestnuts

Vegetables to avoid

Beets

Carrots

Corn

Potatoes, white

Potatoes, sweet

Yams

Meats to enjoy

Fat-free low-fat only lunchmeat

Lean cuts of beef, such as: Sirloin (including ground)

Tenderloin

Top round

Cornish hen

Turkey bacon (2 slices per day)

Turkey

chicken breast

All fish and shellfish

Boiled ham

Canadian bacon

Pork tenderloin

Chopped veal

Veal leg cutlet

Veal top round

Meats to avoid

Beef brisket, liver, rib steaks (other fatty cuts)

Chicken wings & legs

Duck

Goose

Any processed poultry products

Honey-baked ham

Veal breast

Cheese to enjoy

Fat-free or low-fat only

String

American

Cheddar

Cottage Cheese

Cream cheese substitute

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Provolone

Ricotta

Cheese to avoid

Any non-reduced fat

Edam

Brie

Fruits, starches and dairy to avoid

Avoid ALL fruit, dairy and starches (bread, oatmeal, rice, etc.) including yogurt (cup style & frozen) & milk (even soy)

Nuts and seeds to enjoy

count out 15 nuts for a snack (unless specified differently)

Almonds (plain, not flavored)

Cashews

Pistachios

Walnuts

Pine nuts

Peanuts (20 small)

Peanut butter (1 teaspoon)

Pecan halves

Sunflower seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Miscellaneous to avoid

alcohol of ANY kind

any seasoning that contains sugar or MSG

Any drink with sugar (sweet tea, sodas, Kool-Aid, juice, etc.)

Oils to enjoy

Canola oil

Olive oil

Peanut oil

Sweets

For a sweet treat substitute try sugar free jello, popsicles, fudgesicles, etc. It should help satisfy that

sweet tooth without cheating. Also, remember that fiber, protein, fat and acidity (a squirt of lemon or even

the zest) all will slow down the sugar release from eating high carb foods. If you just have to cheat, have

some fiber rich food, or protein with it to help from starting a craving cycle.

Snacks

Remember to have a small snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon to help control portion sizes during

mealtime. Perhaps a very small salad with a piece of lunch meat or cheese.

PHASE 2

Foods you can reintroduce to your meals after the first two weeks.

Fruits

Apples

Apricots - dried fresh

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cherries

Grapefruit

Grapes

Kiwi

Mangoes

Oranges

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Strawberries

Dairy

Milk

light soy

fat-free or 1%

Yogurt

light, fruit-flavored

plain, low-fat or fat-free

Starches (use sparingly)

Bagels, small, whole grain

Bread, multi-grain, oat and bran, rye, whole wheat

Cereal

Fiber One

Kellogg's Extra-Fiber All Bran oatmeal (not instant), other high-fiber

Uncle Sam

Muffins, bran - sugar-free (no raisins)

Pasta, whole wheat

Pita, stone-ground, whole wheat

Popcorn

Potato, small, sweet

Rice, brown, wild

Vegetables and legumes

Barley

Beans, pinto

Black-eyed peas

Peas, green

Miscellaneous

Chocolate (sparingly), bittersweet, semisweet

Pudding, fat-free

Wine, red

Foods to avoid (or eat rarely)

Starches and breads

Bagel, refined wheat

Bread - refined wheat white

Cookies

Cornflakes

Matzo

Pasta, white flour

Potatoes - baked, white instant

Rice cakes

Rice, white

Rolls, dinner

Vegetables

Beets

Carrots

Corn

Potatoes

Fruits

Bananas

Canned fruit, juice packed

Fruit juice

Pineapple

Raisins

Watermelon

Miscellaneous

Honey

Ice cream

Jam

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EASING INTO PHASE 2 BY DR. AGATSTON

Fruit

1 fruit serving allowed daily to begin, gradually increased to 3 total servings for the day

Fruit choices (with suggested serving size)

- Apples, 1 small

- Apricots, 4, or 7 dried apricot halves

- Blueberries, 3/4 cup

- Cantaloupe, 1/4 or 1 cup chunks

- Cherries, 12

- Grapefruit, 1/2

- Grapes, 15

- Kiwi, 1

- Mangoes, 1/2

- Oranges, 1

- Peaches, 1 medium

- Pears, 1 medium

- Plums, 2

- Strawberries, 3/4 cup

Starches

1 starch serving allowed daily at first, gradually increased to 2 or 3 total servings for the day

Starch choices and carbs (with suggested serving size)

- Bagel, small, whole-grain, 1/2 small

- Bread, 1 slice (multigrain, oat and bran, rye, whole-wheat)

- Cereal, 1/2 cup (Fiber One, Kasha, cooked, Kellogg's Extra-Fiber All Bran, oatmeal (not instant), other high-fiber, Muesli, toasted, Uncle Sam)

- Couscous, 1/2 cup

- Muffins, bran, 1 (sugar-free (no raisins))

- Pasta, whole-wheat, 1/2 cup

- Peas, green, 1/2 cup

- Pita, 1 small (stone-ground, whole-wheat)

- Popcorn, 1/2 cup

- Potato, small, sweet, 1 small

- Quinoa, cooked 1/2 cup

- Rice, 1/2 cup (brown, wild)

- Wheat germ, 3 Tbs.

Milk

1 - 1 1/2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)

Milk choices

Milk, no fat or 1%, 1/2 cup

- Light soy, 1/2 cup

- Plain, low-fat or fat-free yogurt, 1/2 cup

Don’t forget (for all phases)

1. Drink at least eight glasses of water or decaf beverages (club soda, unsweetened flavored seltzers, decaf tea or coffee [no sugar], decaf sugar-free sodas) per day.

2. Limit caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup per day.

3. Take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement.

4. Take a daily calcium supplement (500 mg for men of all ages and women under 50, 1,000 mg for women over 50).