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G.M.’s Playbook: 

A manual for  

healthy cooking  

By 

 

G. M. PRABHU For my children in the hope that they would adopt this approach 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2012 by Gurpur M. Prabhu. All rights reserved. Print for personal use only. 

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 Oven-roasted spicy cauliflower and potatoes, black-eyed peas, and seasoned white rice

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CHAPTER 1. Introduction 

When Paula Deen, the famous chef on the Food Network, admitted in January 2012 that she was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, it caused quite a stir in the media. The main reason was that she had known about this diagnosis for the last three years, but had continued to promote the use of unhealthy ingredients instead of encouraging her audience to take up healthier choices. This is by no means an isolated incident on the Food Network channel. If you are interested in healthy eating choices you should not watch their shows for useful ideas but only for entertainment value. And as for the hosts and judges, with the exception of Alton Brown, the less said about them the better. This cooking manual is for people who are interested in adopting a healthy diet and not for losing weight. It is not a gourmet recipe book, but one you can use for everyday cooking. I discuss a variety of things that will make it easy for you to manage the task of cooking on your own. There has been a lot of responsible research on the harmful effects of processed foods and in this manual I set out to gather some of the conclusions from on-going research and show how they can be channeled into changing your food habits and approach to food consumption. It is difficult to motivate someone to cook by offering a recipe book with a list of recipes. You need a “playbook” with a system, the right gadgets, the right mind-set, and a few easy recipes to get started. Instead of being a chore, cooking should be a fun thing to do. In addition to a few simple recipes, this manual contains a system that one can follow – right from what utensils to have, what foods to buy, what spices and cooking oils to buy, and what food combinations produce healthy digestion in the long run. I offer recipes that are practical, easy-to-make, healthy, and flavorful. The spices used, like garlic, turmeric, coriander-cumin, and others have significant health benefits as well. The recipes are not all authentic Indian or Thai or Chinese, but based on my experience with a fusion of Indian, Thai, and Chinese spices to create healthy, flavorful dishes.1 Traditionally, Indians eat very spicy food but I am in the minority – I like to taste the vegetable I am eating and consequently use less spice but focus more on flavor. The health benefits of spices like turmeric, for example, are felt only when they are consumed over a long period of time and quite regularly in your diet. I have read a lot of the literature and done a lot of research and my suggestions are based on what I have learned. My advice is practical and I offer concrete tips on how to make a few permanent changes. Systematically, every week, you should begin eliminating some foods that are known to be harmful for your health. The enemy is sugar and processed food, not fat. In early April 2012 on CBS 60 Minutes, there was a segment by Dr. Sanjay Gupta who interviewed Dr. Robert Lustig of the University of California, San Francisco. His YouTube video link is given below and you should watch the first 35 minutes to realize that sugar is the number one killer in that it is the cause of many debilitating diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&feature=youtube_gdata_player                                                             1 Thanks to my sister, Deena, and Ranganath Nayak for some of these recipes and for my education in the kitchen.  

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CHAPTER 2. Equipping your kitchen Cast Iron Skillets: Lodge Logic 8-inch pre-seasoned

Lodge Logic 10 ¼-inch pre-seasoned

Whisks (at link below, the smallest one is the most useful): http://www.walmart.com/ip/Good-Cook-Whisks-Pack-of-3/14938586 Two Cutting Boards: Mainstays Microban 10 inch by 14.5 inch (two different colors) Stainless Steel Cookware Set: Mainstays 7-piece Set (Note: The above items are available at Wal-Mart. For the rest you can shop elsewhere.) Set of Measuring Cups and Spoons and one Grater Silicone Spatula (should be able to withstand high temperatures)

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Non-stick Cookware set What you really need are a good 10 inch omelet pan, two quart-size pots with lids (1 qt. and 2 qt.), and a wok. If you can get these individually, that is good; however, a set will be cheaper and the Rachel Ray set pictured below is available online for about $100 from Amazon. The All-Clad nonstick cookware is high quality but expensive.

Wooden Spoons (a set like shown below)

A pair of good oven mitts 1 Kool Pak (8″ x 6″ x 6″) and a set of flat BPA-free Ziploc storage containers to carry lunch

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Oneida 7-Piece Silicon tool set

Wok with a lid and a steaming rack (Fox Run Craftsmen or other)

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J. A. Henckels 35386-000 International Everedge 13-Piece Knife set

I use the small paring knife only for vegetables, the six-inch knife for fruits (like cantaloupes) and the long 8-inch knife for meats. Also, I use a cutting board of one color exclusively for fruits and vegetables and the other cutting board exclusively for meats. Chef Mate Can Opener

2 White Plastic Colanders (with handle)

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CHAPTER 3. The First Week If you watched Dr. Robert Lustig’s video, then you realize that you have to work hard to reduce your consumption of sugar, especially fructose. Needless to say, it is a very difficult task. Before I get you started on a shopping and cooking spree, I will offer a weekly plan which will make it easy for you to cook regularly and not treat it like a chore as you might otherwise think it is. All this may appear intimidating at first, but it is really very simple and once you understand and follow the system, it will come naturally to you. Just like mastering plays in a sports team’s playbook. The following items should be removed from your shopping list and discarded from your pantry:

Potato chips and all other chips, baked or non-baked, and processed potato products All soda pop, diet or non-diet, including Vitamin waters (eliminate fully after 6 weeks) All the bread you have, especially white bread and whole wheat, etc. White rice (except long-grain Basmati rice) All butter substitutes including Smart Balance and margarine All the oils you have except virgin olive oil and pure non-hydrogenated coconut oil All candy, cookies, and items that contain a lot of sugar. Keep just a little bit of sugar.

For the grain component, you should buy long-grain white and brown Basmati rice, Multi-grain bread that is baked fresh (using just the basic ingredients), and quinoa. For the “crunchiness” feeling you get from chips, I propose switching to celery sticks, baby carrots, Vegetable Root chips, and Sweet Potato chips available at Trader Joe’s. During the first week, you will start the first Monday by eating only fruits the whole day.2 Avoid bananas on this day. No fruit juices. No smoothies. Just plain, real fruit. Eat as much as you want and whatever you like. Drink only black coffee (no cream or milk) or water or green tea, without any sugar or sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners. No Vitamin water or flavored water, just plain water. No soda pop or diet soda or chai with milk, etc. To help you give up soda pop and diet soda pop, for this first week, I will allow you to drink soda pop only on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and a maximum of two 12 oz. cans each day. Slowly, over time, you will have to eliminate them. Note about Cooking wines: Do not use wines labeled as cooking wines from the grocery store. In fact, never cook with a wine you would not drink. I recommend using Sauvignon Blanc for a white cooking wine and Pinot Noir for a red cooking wine. Other wines also work, like Vinho Verde from Portugal with its green-appley tart notes and lower sugar and alcohol levels, and the Rocca di Tufo Rosso, an Italian red wine whose acidity is balanced nicely by ripe fruit.

                                                            2 This is part of the General Motors diet. We are not following this diet; just one day of it as a will‐power exercise. 

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Week One

Foods permitted

Drinks permitted

First Monday

Allowed to eat only fruit all day. As much as you want and whatever you like so that you do not go hungry. Avoid bananas.

Nothing else. No bread, no protein, no vegetables, no rice, just FRUIT.

TIP: The hardest time is in the evening when you come home between the hours of 7 and 9 PM. I suggest finding a “dollar” theater close by to your place – and seeing a movie there during these hours. No popcorn. Drink only water and you can chew some sugarless gum if you want to.

Only water, black coffee, black tea, green tea.

No soda pop, no fruit juice, no smoothies made of fruit, no milk, no vitamin water, no milk with coffee/tea and no sugar or sugar substitutes with coffee/tea, no chai latte, no frappé, no brevé and . . . definitely no Shamrock shake and Orange-Mocha Frappuccino!

Note: You may make more frequent trips to the bathroom on this day; that is to be expected.

Tuesday through Sunday

Eat whatever you like with the following constraints:

Get rid of the bread you have at home and buy only Multi-grain bread. If you have a bakery that makes this fresh, please buy from there.

Buy Trader Joe’s Virgin 100% Coconut oil and use only this oil, or virgin olive oil for your cooking.

Use real butter. No substitutes.

NO Potato chips. From Trader Joe’s buy Vegetable Root Chips and Sweet Potato Chips.

Do try and eat breakfast every day.

No meat protein for lunch – only at night. You can eat 1 cup of raw unsalted almonds during the day for protein.

Eat dinner before 7 PM. No sugary dessert, except one bowl of grapes two hours after dinner every day.

No fruit juices or smoothies all week.

Limit your soda pop consumption to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday only and you should drink not more than two 12 oz. cans on those days.

No Soda pop on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Alcohol consumption should be limited to not more than one glass of wine each day. Limit hard liquor to one day a week.

 

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Note about Cooking oils: From all my research this is what I have learned. For cooking purposes, you should choose oils with a high enough smoking point temperature. Virgin olive oil has a smoking point of 375 to 400 degrees (190 to 205 Celsius) and virgin coconut oil has a smoking point of 350 to 375 degrees (175 to 190 Celsius). Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoking point temperature and is good for salad dressings and other uncooked uses. Virgin olive oil and virgin coconut oil, not extra virgin, are what I would recommend for cooking. Coconut oil boosts the metabolism and also has tremendous health benefits (see paragraph below). The coconut oil should be 100%, pure, and virgin (meaning cold pressed) – what you really want is non-hydrogenated, unrefined coconut oil (Trader Joe’s Virgin coconut oil is organic and priced best also at $5.99 for 16 oz.). Note about health benefits of Coconut oil: Most of the recent research on coconut oil3 has been carried out in localized populations and I have not come across any broad long-term studies that prove its benefits. If the brain becomes insulin resistant and loses its ability to convert glucose into energy, it can begin to atrophy from starvation. Substances that can feed the brain and prevent brain atrophy are called ketone bodies, or ketoacids. Ketones are what the body produces when it converts fat (as opposed to glucose) into energy. A primary source of ketone bodies are the medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) found in coconut oil. Coconut oil contains about 66 percent MCTs. Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are fats that are not processed by the body in the same manner as long chain triglycerides. Normally, a fat taken into the body must be mixed with bile released from the gallbladder before it can be broken down in the digestive system. But medium chain triglycerides go directly to the liver, which naturally converts the oil into ketones, bypassing the bile entirely. The liver then immediately releases the ketones into the bloodstream where they are transported to the brain to be used as fuel. In fact, ketones appear to be the preferred source of brain food in patients affected by diabetes or Alzheimer’s. Note about Multi-Grain bread: Multi-grain releases insulin into the body at a much slower and more beneficial rate for you than other breads. It is best eaten at breakfast with a source of protein like fresh avocado spread and a poached or boiled egg, or with peanut butter. Avocados are a good source of omega fatty acids and I prefer Eggland’s Best eggs because of their omega fatty acid content and also how their chickens are bred. The combination of avocado, multi-grain bread, and protein from the egg releases energy slowly and this will keep you from not feeling hungry till lunch time. (Aside: Avoid eating plain bread without at least a peanut butter spread that has protein, or honey apple butter or mango butter, and definitely avoid bread sandwiches with potato chips in between, which were my comfort food for many years!) If you experienced withdrawal symptoms during the first week from a lack of sugar, that is all right. I experienced a triple whammy because I also made the decision to permanently abandon Starbucks and McDonalds (the latter was difficult because I really like their French fries).                                                             3 If you are on any medication, please consult your doctor before using coconut oil and other spices. 

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CHAPTER 4. The Second Week During this second week I want you to eat more often during the day. The meals you will eat are:

(1) Breakfast: No meat protein, except a boiled or poached egg twice a week with bread (2) Mid-morning snack: 1 cup raw unsalted almonds (3) Lunch: No meat protein or cheese for lunch. Consider adding one apple to your lunch

every day (the pectin in apples have high fiber and will keep you feeling full). (4) Dinner before 7 PM (5) Fruit dessert two hours after dinner. I recommend a bowl of grapes.

Grains allowed: Multi-grain bread (eat it with protein like a boiled or poached egg, or a peanut butter spread), white Basmati rice, brown Basmati rice, and quinoa if you like it. Vegetables: Italian blend frozen, seedless cucumber, 1lb. bag of baby cut carrots, and other vegetables you like, but NO potatoes. The only thing I want you to do is to buy organic apples and celery because the regular ones have a high content of pesticides (strawberries also do, but organic ones are expensive). Trader Joe’s is good and inexpensive for most organic produce. Coconut Oil: This oil does harden up because of its good saturated fat, and what you should do is to use one teaspoon of the “white stuff” which when heated up melts into about one tablespoon (there is no reason to use more than two tablespoons of oil for most dishes). Dinner: Eat only one type of meat protein for dinner. If you are vegetarian, then the combination of “beans + grain” forms a protein with many of the amino acids your body needs. If you eat fish, do not buy farm-raised fish, just eat wild salmon – this is the heart-healthiest fish and you should try and eat this at least once a week or once in two weeks. Farm-raised fish, including tilapia, contain too many omega-6 fatty acids to be considered healthy because of the diet fed to the fish. Wild salmon is a “fishy-smelling” fish, and that’s because it contains a lot of healthy omega-3 fatty acids which smell fishy. Eating tilapia once a month is okay; make sure you do not buy the farm-raised variety from China. USA farm-raised tilapia is okay. (For more details, Google the phrase: Dangers of farm raised fish) Drinks: No soda pop or diet soda except on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and limit of only two 12 oz. cans per day. No fruit juices or smoothies. For sweeteners for tea/coffee, avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners like Splenda or Nutrasweet, and avoid the Food network’s latest marketing hype on agave nectar. It has a very high content of fructose and does not pass the grandmother test (i.e., would your grandmother recognize this as being food?). The best sweeteners are honey, or natural Maple syrup. Black tea with honey is good, while green tea can be had by itself. Breakfast: If you eat natural oatmeal for breakfast, add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to your oatmeal.

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Recipe for Oven-Roasted Vegetables: I want you to try the following recipe one time this week. This recipe uses coconut oil and some very healthy spices with good anti-oxidant properties. So keep handy some Turmeric, Red Chili powder, and Garam masala in your spice pantry. You can get these spices at an Indian grocery store. Do not buy your coconut oil from an Indian grocery store because it is usually refined and not non-hydrogenated. Initially try ¼ teaspoon of each as suggested in the recipe below, and then when you are used to the spices, you can increase it to ½ teaspoon of each. Ingredients 1 Packet Italian blend frozen vegetables (this blend has the best combination of low glycemic index vegetables and they are already chopped!) ¼ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon red chili powder ¼ teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon minced garlic (I buy a small jar of organic minced garlic to avoid any chopping and make my life easy) ½ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil 2 Tablespoons white wine (try Sauvignon Blanc) Directions Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (175 Celsius). Rinse the frozen vegetables in a colander with some warm water and set aside. In a cast iron skillet or other flat non-stick pan that is ovenproof, put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (2 teaspoons of the white stuff will melt into roughly two tablespoons when heated). When the oil is hot, add the spice mixture of red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala, to the oil and let it cook for half a minute. Then add the minced garlic and stir for half a minute with a stainless steel or heat-resistant silicone spatula. Add the vegetables and stir, add salt, turn the heat off, and add 2 tablespoons of white wine. Place in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes. After this, turn the oven setting to broil, and broil on middle rack for 5 minutes. Remove from oven using a mitt, taste, and add more salt as needed. Additional Indian spices should not be added at this time because Indian spices should be cooked through and not sprinkled later like black pepper for example. If the dish is not spicy enough for you, then next time you cook it, you should increase the spices to ½ teaspoon of each spice.

Washing and maintaining cast iron skillets: You should NOT put cast iron cookware in the dishwasher. Wash it with warm water and soap, scrub well, and dry completely on both sides with a paper towel. Once a month, heat the clean cast iron skillet, put one tablespoon of oil on the cooking surface, and spread it with a paper towel (oil rub). Warm for 5 minutes and turn off.

When you go grocery shopping, always go alone. Do not go with any friends and do not go with anyone in your family. Stick to my list and your list and do not buy any pre-cut and pre-packaged fresh fruits and vegetables from the stores because the combinations used in their packages are not based on healthy choices, but on color or some other factors.

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CHAPTER 5. Shopping List and Cooking Techniques Oils to use

Non-hydrogenated (virgin) coconut oil available at Trader Joe’s for $5.99 for 16 oz. Do not buy coconut oil from an Indian grocery store because you will invariably get refined coconut oil which is hydrogenated. As long as the label says pure and virgin then it is non-hydrogenated (like the one at Trader Joe’s which is also organic).

Virgin olive oil Extra virgin olive oil or Walnut oil for non-cooking uses such as salad dressings, etc. When oil is labeled “Extra virgin” then its smoking point temperature is lower and

therefore it is not a good oil to cook with at cooking temperatures which are typically above 350 degrees (175 Celsius).

Real butter (avoid substitutes like Smart Balance, margarine, etc). Spices to use for cooking The spices I’m going to recommend are ones that are not only flavorful, but also healthy because of their antioxidant properties and medicinal value. The effects of these spices will be felt when you incorporate these spices in your regular food over a period of time (more than one year).

Curcumin: Has many health benefits that help alleviate diseases of the brain, arthritis, and cancer.

Turmeric: Main spice that contains curcumin and has good antioxidant properties. Garlic and Ginger: Some will find garlic a bit strong. That’s why I suggest starting out

with organic minced garlic and using a little bit at a time till you get used to it. Another useful thing I find is ginger-garlic paste which saves me time in chopping.

Cinnamon: This has good health benefits and you should use it often – start by adding half a teaspoon to your oatmeal or shredded wheat cereal in the morning.

To obtain the necessary spices for your pantry, you have to make a trip to an Indian grocery store, an Asian/Chinese grocery store, and a regular grocery store (more in the appendix). From Indian grocery store

1 small packet Turmeric powder 1 small packet Red Chili powder 1 small packet Garam masala (contains a mixture of spices) 1 small packet Curry powder (contains a mixture of spices) 1 small packet Cumin powder (NOT the same as curcumin) 1 small packet Coriander powder 1 small packet Coriander-cumin powder (a mixture of both coriander and cumin) 1 small packet Cinnamon powder 1 small packet Paprika

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1 small packet Black Mustard seeds 1 small packet Cumin seeds (NOT the same as curcumin) 1 small bottle Ginger-Garlic paste (buy the combination – they also sell Garlic paste by

itself. This bottle should be refrigerated after opening) 1 bottle of Hyderabadi Korma cooking sauce by Kitchens of India (their other flavors are

not as good, and this is available at regular grocery stores like Hy-Vee in Ames) From Asian/Chinese grocery store

Mae Ploy Thai Red Curry Paste (available in a plastic jar, needs to be refrigerated after opening)

Japanese Shichimi Togarashi Rice wine vinegar

From Regular grocery store

Salt and sea salt Whole black pepper corns in an adjustable grinder dispenser Small jar of white pepper Mrs. Dash’s Extra spicy seasoning blend (no sodium) Garlic salt Seasoned salt Two 8 oz. cans of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce Organic minced garlic Italian Blend frozen vegetables (the best combination of low glycemic index vegetables) Small jar of honey Welch’s Grape/Strawberry jelly without high-fructose corn syrup (read label carefully) Concentrated Lime (small green colored 6.75 oz. plastic container) Concentrated Lemon (small yellow colored 6.75 oz. plastic container) One 14 oz. can of Coconut Milk (Regular, not Lite, by Thai Kitchens, this is the best one) Sauvignon Blanc (or other white wine of your choice for cooking) Pinot Noir (or other red wine of your choice for cooking)

Buy the smallest size Indian spice powders because they will become stale if you store them for more than six months in your pantry. Every six months buy a fresh batch of small spice packets. Cooking Rice (easiest way is to use a rice cooker with white rice and brown rice settings) Wash 2 cups of white Basmati rice and rinse out the water. Put the rice in a 2-quart pot and fill it up completely with water. Heat on medium high, stirring occasionally, and when the surface starts to boil for 3 minutes, put the lid on and turn off the heat. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then open the lid and pour out the water and rice into a colander and let the rice sit in the colander for half an hour till it cools and all the water drains out. Same method for brown Basmati rice, except for the time in the pot which should be 30 minutes after boiling instead of 15 minutes.

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Basic techniques for cooking The two basic techniques are Oven-roasting and cooking in a wok on the range (preferably gas). For oven cooking, use a temperature of 350 degrees to 375 degrees (175 to 190 Celsius). It is better to use virgin olive oil because it has a slightly higher smoking point temperature than coconut oil. And you should use a cast iron or oven-proof skillet and a stainless steel or heat-resistant spatula. The basic idea is to slowly experiment with the spices till you get used to them. Do not use more than two tablespoons of oil. Warm up the oil and when it is hot, add half a teaspoon or one teaspoon of minced garlic, then add combinations of turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala and salt, or you can try red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder, and salt, or you can try red chili powder, cinnamon powder and salt, or just curry powder by itself and salt, etc. Start with small amounts and adjust as needed. I have found turmeric, red chili powder and garam masala work well for the frozen vegetable blend. The spices have to cook in the hot oil for a minute or so, then add the vegetables and optionally two tablespoons of white wine and stick it in the oven at 350 degrees on the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes. What you want to make sure is that you get some curcumin in your food and also some red chili powder because the capsaicin in Thai and Indian red chili peppers are good in boosting the metabolism. To cook 1 lb. fresh green beans, I remove the ends, cut them in half, wash and drain and set aside. Then I heat coconut oil, add the beans, add garlic salt, seasoned salt, some crushed black pepper, Mrs. Dash’s Extra spicy seasoning (or Shichimi Togarashi), a teaspoon of lime concentrate, stir it for a couple of minutes, and then stick it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees (and optionally garnish with almond accents when it is done). Taste and add sea salt if needed. Start initially with ½ teaspoon of each spice and adjust accordingly. For asparagus, you can just stir fry on the range without using the oven because it needs less cooking time. For cooking on the range, use a non-stick wok with coconut oil and do not turn the range above the medium high setting. For vegetables, once the oil is really hot, add 1 teaspoon of either black mustard seeds or cumin seeds, and wait till the seeds produce a crackling sound when added to the oil, then add your desired combination of spice powders and let these cook in the oil for half a minute to one minute (you can also add 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and one or two tablespoons of water) and finally add the vegetables and stir them in the wok and cook with lid covered for about 20 minutes or till the vegetables are done. If you like, you could also add ½ to 1 teaspoon of lime or lemon concentrate. This works well for vegetable combinations like broccoli and cauliflower, or cauliflower and peas. Turmeric with its yellow color works well in these recipes because it gives the cauliflower a nice yellow color and contrasts well with the black mustard seeds. When cooking with vegetables, add the ones that take longer to cook first (for example, add cauliflower first and let it cook for ten minutes before adding frozen peas). Poultry I like to buy Harvestland chicken http://purelyallnatural.com which, unfortunately, is available only at Wal-Mart in Ames. Chicken breast should be cooked on the range, while chicken thighs can be cooked in the oven. To cook 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, empty out one bottle of Hyderabadi Korma (see my shopping list above) into a pot, adding enough water to the

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bottle to clean out all the sauce. Warm this up on medium low for 5 minutes and add ½ teaspoon salt to it. In a cast iron skillet, add one tablespoon olive oil and when hot, add the thigh pieces (cut them in half if you like and remove the fat) and sear for about 5 minutes on each side. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon lime concentrate, add the Korma sauce, and stir. Turn range off, cover with foil, and place in a 375 degree oven on lowest rack for 40 minutes. Take out when done and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. (Note: If you have enough oven-proof skillets, you can use the oven-roasting technique to cook multiple dishes in less than an hour.) To cook 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast meat cut into ½ inch cube-sized pieces, here is one method. A good sauce for the chicken is tomato based. Empty out one 8 oz. can of tomato sauce in a 1-qt. pot and add about 2 tablespoons of water and warm for 5 minutes on medium low heat, adding ½ teaspoon salt. Slice one small red onion into thin slices. Add two tablespoons coconut oil to a preferably 2-qt. non-stick pot if you have one and when warm add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add one tablespoon ginger-garlic paste and two tablespoons water and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the following combination of spices: ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, and cook this for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir for a few minutes till the chicken loses its pink color. Add the tomato sauce and ½ teaspoon salt and cook with lid covered for 20 minutes on low heat. When done, add two tablespoons coconut milk (or 2 tablespoons cream) and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Sometimes what I do is use a tablespoon of raw unsalted almond or cashew butter and dissolve it in the tomato sauce with a whisk when it is warming up so that the sauce consistency is smooth. You can experiment with other combinations of spices or add more once you get used to them. (Note: Spices like turmeric are hard stains to get off from clothes or even counter tops, so it is best to buy a set of very small bowls and before you make any dish, measure out your spices carefully into this bowl, and then you can empty this bowl into the hot oil.) Thai Red Curry (for chicken, shrimp, or just vegetables) Take whatever combination of meat and vegetables you want and make sure they are all chopped about the same size. Empty out the contents of one 14 oz. can of Thai Kitchens (regular) coconut milk into a 1-qt. pot and warm it on low heat. When it is warming up, add two tablespoons of Thai Red curry paste and dissolve it in the coconut milk with a whisk. Add ½ teaspoon salt and taste the sauce, adding more red curry paste if needed. In a 2-qt. pot, add two tablespoons coconut oil and warm it up. When hot enough, first add the meat and stir fry till the pink color for example on chicken is gone. Then add the vegetables of your choice (chopped bell peppers, chopped onions, sliced water chestnuts, baby corn, sliced fresh mushrooms, etc.). Vegetarians can empty one packet of Italian frozen blend vegetables. Add enough salt and stir fry for 5 minutes. Then add the sauce and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes with lid on. Garnish at the end with basil leaves (coarsely chopped). The combination of spices in the red curry paste including the capsaicin in the red chili peppers is very healthy. Do not have this more than once a week.

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CHAPTER 6. Approach for Meal Planning The food you eat should accomplish the following objectives: Keep you healthy, produce good digestion, and keep you energetic during the day. My shopping list is based on a number of factors, mainly low glycemic index and low glycemic load as factors that measure how fast a carbohydrate triggers a rise in circulating blood sugar levels – the lower the index and the lower the load the better it is for you. From a standpoint of digestion and a more effective metabolism, foods can be classified based on their pH levels, ranging from most alkaline to most acidic. The 80-20 rule says that you should choose 80% of your foods from the alkaline side and 20% from the acidic side (most dairy products, eggs, and meats all fall on the acidic side). Low-Glycemic Index foods The effects of insulin are fairly well known today. After eating a high-carbohydrate meal, your insulin level spikes and your blood sugar plummets, making you very hungry. That is why you crave more carbs, more sugar, and eat more the whole day. Studies have shown that people who eat a low glycemic load diet – which lowers blood sugar and keeps insulin levels low – had much higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and much lower levels of triglycerides. It appears that the best way to address your cholesterol is not necessarily to eat a low-fat diet, but to eat a low glycemic load diet which keeps the blood sugar even. The formula used to compute your Total cholesterol is [ LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides)/5]. This number should normally be less than 200. The published evidence is quite clear in documenting that the total cholesterol level itself is not the most important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. The important predictors of heart disease are the ratio of HDL to Total cholesterol (0.24 or higher is best) and the ratio of Triglycerides to HDL (smaller than 2 is best). See the link at: http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com/public/523.cfm Acidic vs. Alkaline foods A pH balanced diet is a vital key to health maintenance. A pH level of below 7 is called acidic, a pH level of 7 is neutral, and a pH level of above 7 is called alkaline (on a 0 to 14 scale). A healthy body, according to many studies, is one in which the pH level is slightly alkaline in the range 7.35 to 8. To maintain good health, your diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods. Alkaline forming goods generally include most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, and herbs and seasonings. Acid forming foods generally include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes. In addition to pH balance, good digestion is also important. Proteins require an acidic environment for digestion while carbohydrates (starches, fruits, and sugars) and fats require a more alkaline medium. Apart from the enzymes in raw foods which help to digest them, the body’s enzymes are needed to digest what we eat and make it small enough to pass through the minute pores of the intestines. Hence, if you eat two or more foods at the same time which

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require opposite mediums for digestion (acidic vs. alkaline), the digestive process may be compromised. Based on this observation, here are some effective tips that may aid some people in their digestion. These tips require some of us to eat foods in proper combinations and can become quite a frustrating experience at first. It is best to develop your own rules of thumb and come up with a list of do’s and don’ts that work for you. A few principles are given below.

1. Don’t mix starchy foods with proteins or acid fruits at the same meal. This is because the acids will neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and may cause indigestion and fermentation. Proteins are best digested when combined only with non-starchy vegetables. Starches also should not be combined with acid fruits but may be combined with non-starchy vegetables. Avoid eating sweet fruits and acid fruits together (do not buy pre-packaged cut fruit, which is based on color combinations).

2. Don’t mix sugar and starch, and sugar and protein at the same time. Sugars inhibit the production of enzymes that begin the breakdown of starches, and proteins can take 3 or more hours to digest which force the sugars to wait until the proteins are fully digested (and can lead to fermentation). Artificial sweeteners are not easy to digest because they contain preservatives that can slow down the digestive system.

3. Eat only one kind of protein at a meal. Proteins can be obtained from several sources: grains and beans together, dairy, meats, and eggs and nuts. Each of these requires different digestive enzymes to properly digest and you should try not to combine them. Nuts, for example, contain a lot of fat and require more time for digestion.

4. Eat fastest digesting food first. When you consume protein and non-starchy vegetables, try to eat the vegetables first followed by the protein.

The table below classifies the categories of different fruits and vegetables. Acid Fruits  Sub‐Acid Fruits  Sweet Fruits Non‐Starchy Vegetables 

Blackberry, Plum, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon/lime, Raspberry, Pineapple, Strawberry 

Apple, Pear, Mango, Papaya, Blueberry, Peach, Cherry, Plum, Kiwi, Apricot 

Banana, Grape, Figs, Papaya, Prunes, Raisins  

These include: Asparagus, Green beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Eggplant, Brussel sprouts, Okra, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Zucchini, and others 

Change in Approach to Dessert One important thing to take away from this is to never eat a sugary dessert right after a meal. If you grew up with the idea of dessert being apple pie and ice cream right after a meal, that idea should be abandoned. You should eat your dinner before 7 PM and wait for two hours until 9 PM or later to have dessert. I strongly recommend a small bowl of red or green grapes for dessert. You can also try plain 6 oz. yogurt mixed in with blueberries and cut strawberries. Other sugary desserts should be limited to at most twice a week.

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Basic Meal Schedule You should plan on eating five times a day and not skip out on any meal or snack. Here is a general schedule you can follow.

Breakfast: I know many of you are in a rush in the morning, but you should not skip breakfast.

Mid-morning snack (around 10 AM) Lunch (in the 12 to 2 PM time frame): NO protein, starchy and non-starchy vegetables. Dinner (in the 6 to 7 PM time frame): Protein, non-starchy vegetables, avoid potatoes. Dessert (only after 9 PM): See paragraph above about a change in approach to dessert.

I pack my lunch the night before in Ziploc boxes in the fridge and take it to work in my Kool Pak the next day. A sample outline for a week is given below, but you can change things around. Nuts are very good for heart health and a daily serving is strongly recommended. Since nuts require more time for digestion, they are best eaten every day as a mid-morning snack. It’s a good idea to develop this into a habit. You are going to have to give up potato chips, mashed potatoes with gravy, and French fries (sweet potato fries are okay once in a while).  

Monday 

 

Tuesday 

 

Wednesday 

 

Thursday 

 

Friday 

 

Saturday 

 

Sunday 

Breakfast:

Half a cantaloupe, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

Some of you may like Almond milk instead of regular milk.

2 Boiled or poached eggs with salt and pepper on toasted multi-grain bread with a small sliver of butter, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

2 Peaches. 1 bowl oatmeal cooked in milk and sprinkled with ½ tsp cinnamon powder. 1 cup black coffee.

1 Piece toasted multi-grain bread with butter and grape jelly, 1 Banana, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

Half a cantaloupe, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

Best is 1 cup coffee + 1 cup green tea every day.

½ lb. Strawberries. 1 Peach, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

2 Boiled or poached eggs with salt and pepper on toasted multi-grain bread with a small sliver of butter, ½ glass milk, 1 cup black coffee.

Mid-morning:

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

1 cup raw unsalted almonds.

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Monday

Lunch:

Sandwich on multi-grain bread. Use a fresh avocado spread with lettuce, tomato, green pepper , and seedless cucumber. (optional: red onion). 1 Apple. Drink Water.

Tuesday

½ seedless cucumber cut into slices and sprinkled with salt and pepper, 1 cup baby carrots, 4 stalks of celery cut into thin slices, and 1 medium tomato cut up. 1 Apple Drink water.

Wednesday

Salad greens with chopped cucumber, tomatoes, freshly ground black pepper, feta cheese crumbs , and croutons. But NO dressing. 1 Apple. Drink water.

Thursday

½ seedless cucumber cut into slices and sprinkled with salt and pepper, 1 cup baby carrots, 4 stalks of celery cut into thin slices, and 1 medium tomato cut up. 1 Apple. Drink water.

Friday

Sandwich on multi-grain bread. Use a fresh avocado spread with lettuce, tomato, green pepper , and seedless cucumber. (optional: red onion). 1 Apple. Drink Water.

Saturday

Two slices pizza with topping s of mushrooms, green pepper, and onions. If you get pizza with egg plant that is even better. 1 Apple. Drink Water.

Sunday

½ seedless cucumber cut into slices and sprinkled with salt and pepper, 1 cup baby carrots, 4 stalks of celery cut into thin slices, and 1 medium tomato cut up. 1 Apple. Drink water.

Dinner (6 to 7 PM):

Asparagus, Egg plant, Indian raita, and chicken curry with white basmati rice (recipes given later). Drink water.

1 packet of Oven-roasted Italian blend vegetables (recipe in Chapter 4). Eat half of this along with brown basmati rice, raita, and black-eyed peas (recipe given later). Drink water.

(The grain + bean combo of rice and black eye peas forms a protein.)

Wild Salmon with Broccoli and Green beans. Along with white basmati rice from Monday (recipes given later). Drink water.

(Instead of rice, you can try Quinoa or pasta for the grain component on some days.)

The remaining half of Tuesday’s cooked vegetables along with chicken curry, raita, and left over brown rice from Tuesday. Drink water.

Vegetables and protein of your choice. I would recommend eating out at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Drink water.

(Note: You can cook any combination of non-starchy vegetables and protein – the entries here are just examples.)

Left over Broccoli and Green beans from Wednesday along with left over black -eyed peas and raita from Tuesday with brown rice. Drink water.

(Note: No protein at lunch, only at dinner.)

Oven-roasted sweet potatoes, Egg plant curry, spicy roast cauliflower with pita bread or Indian Naan. Drink water.

Dessert (after 9 PM): 1 Bowl of red grapes

1 Peach

1 Bowl of green grapes

1 Peach, or

Plain yogurt with blueberries

1 Pear

Apple Pie and ice cream

1 Peach

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CHAPTER 7. The Third Week Just like in the first week, during this week you are going to pick one day where you will eat ONLY vegetables, raw or cooked, but no potatoes. No bread or grain or protein. And drink only black or green tea, coffee, and water. During this week, soda pop drinkers will reduce their consumption to two days a week, maybe Tuesday and Saturday, and limit of two 12 oz. cans per day. So far I have given you very few recipes. If you think that you will start cooking regularly and eating healthy foods by buying a fancy recipe book with pictures, think again. It ain’t gonna happen. There are recipe books with glossy pictures of celebrity chefs that we can stack from earth to the moon and yet the number of people who actually use these books to cook regularly is woefully small. I’ve seen many such hard cover books on sale for $4.99 and they sit on the shelves of book stores for months till they are remaindered. Besides, many of these recipe books do not address the real issues of healthy eating. So what gives? The problem, of course, is that one needs a mental attitude, a system, and motivation to change. Hopefully this manual will get you started on that journey. If you believe that change is easy, one answer is yes. Yes to changing your belief about change being easy. The real answer is that it is definitely NOT EASY. Change is very difficult. If people tell you otherwise, especially motivational “management-type gurus,” line them up against a wall and call in the French Legion. These gurus deserve to be taken out, and quickly. I know that I am lazy by nature. I’m also not a person who takes kindly to change. So how do I accomplish all the changes I am proposing in this manual? The key answer is to recognize my shortcomings and utilize many shortcuts. If you have read this manual carefully until now, you would have noticed that I use techniques with minimal chopping (I use minced garlic, ginger-garlic paste, pre-cut frozen vegetables, and avoid hard work as much as possible). My favorite recipe for scrambled eggs is the one from a former classmate, Mahesh Uberoi: “let someone else make them.” You just have to find shortcuts that work for you. My main roadblock is mental. If I have to start cooking in the evening, the very thought of having to prep by chopping and cutting acts as a turn off to the process of cooking and I can be pretty fast at reaching out for processed food or driving into a fast-food drive-through. Over the years, I have tried to change myself and what works for me is to do all the prepping ahead of time the previous day and to reduce the actual time of cooking a healthy meal to less than 45 minutes with minimal effort. Getting a sous chef to do the prepping is best, but I am not that lucky. In this chapter I will give you some recipes that are both easy to make and healthy. In all my recipes I use a minimal amount of salt. You should add more salt to suit your palate.

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Yogurt-based Raita (Indian salad) Ingredients ½ seedless cucumber, finely chopped (with skin removed) ½ red onion, finely chopped 2 small Roma tomatoes, finely chopped 2 6 oz. jars of plain yogurt 2 Tablespoons water ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon Japanese Togarashi ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves Directions Put the chopped cucumber, onions, and tomatoes in a bowl that has a lid (because it will be stored in the fridge). Empty the jars of plain yogurt into another small bowl. Using one tablespoon water for each jar, clean out the remaining yogurt from each jar and empty it in the bowl. Whisk this mixture well till you get a smooth consistency. Add the whisked yogurt to the bowl with the vegetables and stir in. Add the salt, black pepper, and Togarashi and stir the mixture. Finally add chopped cilantro. Cover with the lid and store in the fridge. This will last in the fridge for about one week. I usually make a batch on Sunday which lasts me a whole week. The above recipe is intentionally mild and this raita salad will be soothing when you eat it with food cooked using Indian spices that some of you may not be accustomed to. Rice (White and Brown Basmati, 2 methods) The easiest way to cook rice is to use a rice cooker that has settings for both white rice and brown rice. I will describe two methods to cook rice if you don’t have a rice cooker. Method 1 Nicely wash 2 cups of white Basmati rice and rinse out the water. Put the rice in a 2-quart pot and fill it up completely with water. Heat on medium high, stirring occasionally, and when the surface starts to boil well for 3 minutes, put the lid on and turn OFF the heat. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then pour out the water and rice into a colander and let the rice sit in the colander for half an hour till it cools and all the water drains out. Use the same method for brown Basmati rice, except for the time in the pot which should be 30 minutes after boiling instead of 15 minutes. Depending on the rice, whether it is short grain or Jasmine rice or long-grain Basmati rice, the time to let the rice sit can vary. Allow the surface to boil nicely with bubbles before turning it off. Also, for two cups of rice use a 2-qt. pot because you need the extra volume of water to let the rice cook. Some people cook white rice for 12 minutes and brown rice for 25 minutes; you should check what consistency you prefer for rice and adjust the time accordingly.

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Method 2 (Seasoned rice) Ingredients 2 cups white Basmati rice 4 cups of water (ratio is 2 cups of water for every cup of uncooked rice, 2 ½ cups for brown rice) 1 cup frozen baby peas 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 1 small sliver of butter ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cumin seeds Directions Soak 2 cups of white Basmati rice in a 2-qt. pot. Set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze the rice with your hands and carefully drain out the water, taking care not to lose any of the rice grains. Now add 4 cups of water to the pot and warm the pot on medium high heat. As soon as the water warms up, add one sliver of butter and dissolve it into the rice-water mixture. Keep stirring the rice as the water heats up. When the water is boiling nicely (surface boil for 3 minutes), reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. All the water will be absorbed into the cooked rice and no final draining is required with this method. Turn off the heat and set aside for 20 minutes. As long as you use a 2-qt. pot for 2 cups of rice, the water level will be low enough so that water does not drip out from the top when you put the lid on. If it does, one technique to avoid this dripping is to close the lid partially for about 5 minutes when you first lower the heat, and then to close it completely after that. When cooking brown Basmati rice, use 2 ½ cups of water for every cup of uncooked rice, allow the rice to boil nicely (surface boil for 5 minutes) before turning the heat low and covering with a lid. Brown rice takes longer to cook and you should let it simmer on low heat for 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes. Heat one tablespoon coconut oil in a large wok-like dish and when the oil is hot (be patient for the oil to get hot), add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the frozen peas and salt and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the cooked rice to the wok and stir nicely for about 5 minutes, so that the rice grains are separated and do not stick together. This seasoning works best with white rice, not brown rice. Trader Joe’s Quick Cook Organic brown basmati rice is good.

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Curry Beans (courtesy of Tim Mooney)

Ingredients Two 14 oz. cans of kidney beans or black-eyed peas. Preferably buy the low sodium variety 1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (you can also use fresh diced tomatoes) 1 Tablespoon curry powder 1 small onion, ½ green bell pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 Tablespoon coconut oil Directions Open the cans of beans and empty contents in a colander and wash and drain thoroughly with tap water so all the preservatives are removed. Set aside. Chop one small onion and half a green bell pepper. In a 2-Qt. pot, add one tablespoon of coconut oil and set heat to medium high. When oil is hot, add onions and stir for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then add chopped green pepper and one teaspoon of minced garlic and stir for a minute. Empty the can of diced tomatoes, add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, half a cup of water, stir this and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans, ½ cup of water, mix in the pot and let it cook on medium low with lid covered for 15 minutes. Add a little more water if required. Depending on the sodium level in the cans, taste first, and add salt only at the very end if needed. Optionally, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Cooking Beans from scratch Canned beans contain a lot of sodium and many of the cans also contain BPA (Bisphenol-A)4. While beans combined with a grain are a good source of protein, they can produce gas if you are not used to them or if they are not cooked properly. Here is a technique to cook beans from scratch and minimize the gas-producing effects.

                                                            4 Do not warm up food in plastic or Styrofoam containers, which contain endocrine disruptors. Plastic containers 

should be BPA‐free and “triangles” with numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 are safer. Avoid triangles with numbers 3, 6, and 7. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/opinion/06kristof.html  

25 

 

Soak the beans in tap water for 15 minutes. Then using your fingers, squeeze them around and you will notice a distinct coloration in the water (this comes from the oligosaccharides). Drain the water completely and repeat this process three times. Then let the beans soak in a pot with enough water for 6 hours. Use only ½ lb. of beans; the beans will usually double in size when soaked, so use a large pot and enough water. After six hours, drain all the water. Alternatively, you can wash beans once in cold water, rinse, and then bring them to boil in a large pot of water. Turn the heat off, cover with a lid, and let them soak for one to two hours. Discard the water and start cooking. Using some fresh water, boil the beans in a large pot, with a piece of fresh ginger (crushed gently with a pestle) and a one-inch strip of a Japanese seaweed called Kombu (for those in Ames, this is available at Wheatsfield). As the beans start to boil, you will notice some foaming at the top. Skim the foam and remove as it starts gathering, adding more water as needed. The heat should be medium high and this process can take up to 45 minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes, depending on the beans used. Do not add anything else to the beans at this stage except water and ginger and Kombu (no salt or baking soda or vinegar). After the beans are tender, turn off the heat, let it cool, then drain away the water and whatever remnants of Kombu remain (if you cannot get rid of all the Kombu, don’t worry, it is safe to eat). Now you can use as much of the beans as you want to cook, storing the remaining in the fridge (up to one week, and in the freezer if longer than that). Use the recipe I gave above for curry beans. If you use black-eyed peas, they usually cook faster than other beans like kidney beans or chick peas. The slow boil technique significantly reduces the gas-producing side effects of beans as compared to using a pressure cooker which cooks the beans faster but is not as effective in gas reduction.

26 

 

CHAPTER 8. The Fourth Week During this week, soda pop drinkers will continue to limit their consumption to two days a week, with at most two 12 oz. cans each day. The only other change this week is to eat at least one dinner consisting of beans, brown rice, and vegetables. You should not have any meat protein that whole day and your only source of protein should come from the combination of beans and rice. A recipe for Indian dal is given below. Toor Dal (an Indian lentil)

  

Ingredients ½ lb. non-oily Toor Dal (pictured above) 3 green chilis (buy from an Indian grocery store) 4 or 5 curry leaves (buy from an Indian grocery store) 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds ½ teaspoon asafoetida powder (optional, buy from Indian grocery store) 1 inch piece Kombi seaweed ¼ inch piece of ginger ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon salt Directions Soak the Toor dal in a bowl and wash and clean three times, squeezing the dal to remove much of the oligosaccharides. Soak the dal overnight in a bowl with clean water. Before cooking, wash and drain the dal three more times. Use the technique described in the previous chapter to boil the dal in a large pot with kombu seaweed and ginger, skimming all the froth as it boils. Add water as needed and let this cook for about one hour at least on medium high heat till the dal is cooked. Drain the water, saving some so that when you whisk the dal you obtain the consistency of a hearty soup – not too thick and not too dilute.

27 

 

Slit the green chilis lengthwise and place in a small bowl. Wash your hands right away. It is a good idea when handling red chilis and green chilis to wash your hands right after handling them. Wash the curry leaves and put them in the same bowl. In a 2-qt. pot, add one tablespoon coconut oil and set on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the black mustard seeds so that they crackle (it can take about 3 minutes for the oil to reach this temperature, so be patient before adding the mustard seeds). Add the asafoetida and the green chilis and curry leaves and stir for 30 seconds. Now add the dal mixture to the pot, add salt, and bring to a boil. Add more water as needed for desired consistency. Taste and add more salt as needed. Finally add the chopped cilantro leaves, turn off and cover with a lid. Optionally, some people will also add one small dry red chili pepper and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder to the seasoning. When eaten with rice, the combination of rice and dal is a source of protein. Toor dal is especially “gassy” and if you are not able to digest it well you should try Masoor dal or Moong Dal with the same recipe.5

  

Masoor dal  

  Moong dal (available un-husked also, which is yellow in color) TIP for storing and chopping Cilantro, Basil, Parsley and other leaves: When you buy fresh cilantro, basil, and parsley, and other leaves it is a good idea to store them in a zip-loc bag in the freezer. Whenever you need some, take it out of the freezer, chop, and then wash before using as a garnish. Chopping these leaves when they are in a frozen state is much easier than when they are fresh.                                                             5 There are many recipes for Indian dal, sambar, rasam, etc.; I have just given one that is simple. 

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CHAPTER 9. The Fifth Week This week, soda pop drinkers are allowed to drink pop on only ONE day of the week – maybe on Saturday, a limit of two 12 oz. cans. A summary of other recommendations is given below and you should continue with these.

No potato chips and potato derivatives, only sweet potato. Avoid fruit juices completely, unless you make them fresh yourself. Boiled or poached eggs twice a week for breakfast with multi-grain bread. No meat protein or cheese for lunch. Dinner before 7 PM. Only one type of protein at dinner (do not combine different kinds of meats). Once a week, have beans and brown rice and veggies for dinner, no meat all day. Use only honey as sweetener, no sugar and sugar substitutes like Splenda, etc. Use virgin olive oil and virgin coconut oil (non-hydrogenated, the one from Trader Joe’s

is best and least expensive). No sugary dessert – eat some fruit after 9 PM or 2 hrs after dinner – a couple of pieces of

small dark chocolates are okay. Multi-grain bread, quinoa, brown Basmati rice or white Basmati rice. Use the spices listed in Chapter 5.

Note about Indian Spice powders: When using Indian spice powders, you should not sprinkle them on top like salt and pepper after cooking. This is because they need to be cooked through with the dish, otherwise you will get the raw taste of uncooked spices. This happens in a few Indian restaurants when you ask for a dish to be spicy, they usually sprinkle the spice powders at the end and that is not a good idea (one exception is garam masala, which is mostly pre-cooked and can be added later). So after you cook and eat a dish the first time, the next time you cook it, increase spices in increments of ¼ teaspoon from the time before. In this chapter I will give recipes for oven-roasted vegetables using a cast iron skillet. Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes Ingredients 2 sweet potatoes ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil Chopped thyme leaves

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Directions Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (190 Celsius). Wash and scrub the potatoes nicely, and cut them into approximately 1-inch pieces. In a cast iron skillet, heat up two tablespoons of olive oil, and when hot, add ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Let it cook for half a minute then add the sweet potatoes. Stir for a couple of minute. Turn the range off and place the skillet in the oven and bake on middle rack for 45 minutes. Remove from oven when done, transfer to serving dish, and then garnish with chopped thyme leaves. Oven-Roasted Spicy Cauliflower

Spicy roast cauliflower, spicy roast potatoes, black-eyed peas and seasoned Basmati rice Ingredients 1 medium-size head of fresh cauliflower (or 1 packet pre-cut frozen cauliflower florets) 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil ¼ cup chopped scallions Directions Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (190 Celsius). Cut the fresh cauliflower into small florets (or use already cut frozen cauliflower florets). Wash and rinse in a colander and set aside. In a cast iron skillet, heat up two tablespoons of coconut oil, and when hot, add the minced garlic and the spices and let it cook for half a minute. Add the cauliflower and stir nicely so that the spices are coated evenly on the cauliflower florets as much as possible. Turn off the range and when the oven reaches its temperature, place the skillet in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes

30 

 

(cauliflower takes less time to cook). Then turn the oven setting to broil and keeping the skillet still on the middle rack, broil for about 10 minutes (when the cauliflower just starts to blacken). Remove from the oven, add more salt if needed, transfer from skillet to a serving dish, and then garnish with chopped scallions. A cast iron skillet works best for oven-roasted vegetables. Oven-Roasted Spicy Potatoes

So far I have asked you to avoid potatoes. However, the oven-roasted technique is a healthy way to cook potatoes. Use the directions given for oven-roasted sweet potatoes, but for the spices you should use ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon coriander-cumin powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and chopped thyme or dill for garnishing. Try with 1 lb. small B-size red or white potatoes washed nicely and cut into 1-inch pieces with the skin on. Garnish after transferring from skillet into serving dish. You can use this oven-roasted technique with other vegetables like Brussels sprouts, ends chopped off and cut in half or wedged (use garlic, red chili powder, garam masala, lemon juice, and salt for 45 minutes and garnished with thinly sliced caramelized onions).

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CHAPTER 10. The Sixth and Final Week This is the week when the training wheels come off for the soda pop drinkers. From now on you are going to give up drinking soda pop completely. On this basis I called my broker and dumped all my stock in Coca Cola and PepsiCo. Against my broker’s advice, I had already dumped my stock in Starbucks and McDonalds at the end of the second week. The challenge this week is the following:

Fruit-only day on Monday (from week one) Vegetable-only day on Thursday (from week three)

These exercises (from the General Motors diet) are meant to help you strengthen your will power and resolve to avoid sugar and processed foods. Some people who have tried my program improvised on these exercises by starting out Monday of every week on the all-fruit diet, but ate raw unsalted almonds for a mid-morning snack and some pistachios in the evening at 5 PM. I think this is an excellent idea. What I would suggest if you try this approach, is to eat half a cantaloupe in the morning, grapes and strawberries for lunch, and apples and pears in the evening. The pectin in apples will keep you feeling full and you will have less of a temptation to reach out for processed food in the evening hours which are the hardest. In this chapter, I am going to finally unload some of my other recipes onto you. Egg Plant Curry Ingredients 1 lb. egg plant (I prefer small Indian egg plants, but you can use other varieties also) 1 medium onion, chopped small 2 medium tomatoes, chopped in small pieces ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 Tablespoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 2 Tablespoons water ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves Directions Cut off the stems of the small egg plants and cut each egg plant into 1-inch size pieces. Rinse the egg plant in a colander and then place them in a bowl fully covered with water for about 30 minutes. Heat the oil to medium high in a wok and when it is hot, add the cumin seeds till they

32 

 

crackle. Add the onions and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add all the spices and two tablespoons water and let this cook for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the water out of the soaked egg plants and add them to the wok. Add salt and about half a cup of water and cook with the lid covered for about 15 minutes or until the inside of the egg plant changes color from white to clear translucent. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and stir in for 5 additional minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped cilantro. Green Beans with Almonds

Ingredients 1 lb. fresh green beans ¼ teaspoon garlic salt ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon Mrs. Dash’s Extra spicy seasoning blend 2 Tablespoons coconut oil 1 sliver of butter 1 Tablespoon lime concentrate 2 Tablespoons white wine (Sauvignon Blanc) ¼ cup Almond accents Directions Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (175 Celsius). Cut off both ends of the beans and then cut each bean in half. Wash and rinse in a colander and set aside. Add two tablespoons coconut oil to an oven-proof skillet. When the oil is hot, add the beans and stir and then add all the spices and stir for about two minutes. Then add the lime concentrate and the wine and stick it in the middle rack of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on how al dente you like the beans). Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving dish, add a sliver of butter and stir in the almond accents.

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The same recipe can be used for asparagus but asparagus can be cooked on the range itself and does not need to go into the oven. You can also substitute the Mrs. Dash extra spicy blend with Japanese Togarashi and skip the almond accents for the asparagus. Vegetable Soup Ingredients ½ lb. cauliflower florets (or you can use the frozen variety that is already cut) ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ cup frozen green peas ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger 2 cans (14 oz. each) vegetable broth ½ teaspoon white pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 1 (14 oz.) can creamed corn ½ cup Hungry Jack Scallop potato flakes (for thickening instead of corn starch) ¼ cup chopped scallions ½ cup croutons Freshly ground black pepper Directions Pour the chicken broth and vegetable broth into a pot and start warming at medium high heat. When it starts to warm, add the turmeric powder and cauliflower and cover with a lid for 8 minutes. Then add the green peas, ginger, white pepper, and salt and boil till cauliflower is cooked and soft. Add the creamed corn and stir in till it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, add the scallop potato flakes and keep stirring till the soup thickens. You may add as much potato flakes depending on the consistency you want for the soup. Turn heat off and garnish with scallions. Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and croutons before serving. In this recipe I recommend using potato flakes to enhance the flavor of the soup instead of corn starch. Cashew Butter Chicken Ingredients 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breast meat, cut into roughly ¾ inch cube size pieces 1 medium yellow onion – thinly sliced 1 Tablespoon ginger-garlic paste 1 Tablespoon garam masala 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 ½ Tablespoons raw, unsalted, cashew butter – available in bulk at most co-ops – you can buy this in small quantities of perhaps 4 to 8 oz. (You can also try unsalted almond butter)

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¼ cup chicken stock ¼ cup coconut milk – I recommend Thai Kitchens coconut milk (regular, not light) 1 teaspoon lime concentrate ½ teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon salt 1 can (14 oz.) Hunt’s Tomato sauce 1 bunch chopped cilantro leaves 2 Tablespoons coconut oil Directions Prepping Coconut milk: Open the can of coconut milk and warm it in a small pot at medium low heat and stir for 5 minutes till the coconut milk turns into a smooth sauce like consistency. Turn heat off and set aside for later use. Unused quantity can be refrigerated for later use in other dishes. Prepping Tomato sauce: Empty the contents of the tomato sauce into a 1-qt. pot and add ¼ cup of water. Warm it on medium low heat. As it begins to warm, mix in 1 ½ tablespoons raw, unsalted, cashew butter and whisk till the butter dissolves into the sauce. The sauce should change color from red to a pinkish or (rose) color. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt into this sauce and set it aside. The consistency of the sauce should be smooth and all the cashew butter should be dissolved and stirred into the sauce. Prepping the Chicken: In a large wok, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. When hot, add the stir-fry chicken pieces and stir fry for about 8 minutes on medium heat till most of the pink color of the meat turns white. Add ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lime concentrate and stir for one minute, turn off and set aside. The chicken should NOT be in frozen state – if frozen, then thaw it by keeping in the fridge a day before you cook it. Do not keep the chicken outside at room temperature. Preparing the Main Dish: Measure out the garam masala, turmeric, red chili powder, and paprika into a small cup and set aside. In a 2-qt. pot, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. When hot, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes at medium heat. Add one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste, 2 tablespoons water, stir and keep lid covered for 2 minutes. Add in all the spices from the small cup and ¼ cup chicken stock and stir the mixture and cook for 3 minutes with lid covered. Add the chicken that has been set aside and stir nicely so that the spices coat the chicken pieces. After a couple of minutes, add the tomato sauce mixture along with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt (you can add ¼ cup water to clear out any remnant sauce from the small pot into the large pot with the chicken), and cook with lid covered on medium low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in ¼ cup coconut milk (or cream) and stir for 2 minutes. Taste for salt and add if needed. It is best if this is cooked a day ahead of time and kept overnight in the fridge. Warm up before serving and garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves (about half a bunch). Eat with rice or Indian roti or paratha. (Note: Cashew butter chicken has become a favorite Christmas dish for an American lady’s family in Ames; she first tasted it when I cooked it for 300 people at a fund-raising banquet.)

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Chicken Korma (Hyderabadi) Ingredients 6 boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces, each cut in half with the fat trimmed 2 Tablespoons ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon concentrated lime juice ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder ½ teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon salt 1 bottle of Hyderabadi Korma sauce (by Kitchens of India) 2 Tablespoons coconut oil Directions Place the meat pieces in a large bowl. Add the ginger-garlic paste, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lime juice and stir nicely so that all the pieces are coated with this mixture which will serve as the marinade. Keep in the fridge for at least one hour. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (190 Celsius). In a small cup, measure out all the spices. In a 2-qt. pot empty the contents of one bottle of Hyderabadi Korma sauce. Of all the sauces made by Kitchens of India, this one is by far the most flavorful. Add a little water to the bottle to salvage all the sauce and you can also add ¼ cup of water to the pot. Warm the pot on medium low heat for 5 minutes and add ½ teaspoon salt and stir nicely. Turn the heat off. You need a cast iron skillet to get the best results from this recipe. Heat a large cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add the contents of the measured spice cup and heat for 1 minute. Then add the chicken pieces and stir so that all the pieces are coated evenly by the spices – and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side till the chicken pieces start to brown. Now add the sauce mixture from the pot to the skillet, turn the skillet off, and carefully place the skillet covered with aluminum foil in the lowest rack of the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. (The chicken should reach its internal cooking temperature of 160 degrees – you can use a meat thermometer in one of the pieces to check the temperature). Chicken Biryani (the easy way) Ingredients ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into ¾ inch cube size pieces ½ can petite diced tomatoes 1 medium red potato 1 medium onion, thinly sliced Two ½ inch long thin cinnamon sticks 5 small cloves and 5 cardamom pods (hit with a pestle to crack the covering a tad)

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2 Tablespoons Patak’s Biryani paste 1 bay leaf 2 cups uncooked white Basmati rice 2 Tablespoons coconut oil 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon salt 2 ½ cups water 1 teaspoon saffron (optional, it is expensive) Directions Wash the rice, drain water, and set aside. Remove skin of potato and cut into small ¾ inch cubes – add ½ cup water and microwave for 3 minutes. Warm the coconut oil on medium high heat in a fairly deep pot – when it is hot, add in half of the sliced onions, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and one bay leaf. Stir for 1 minute or so – then add in the chicken and fry for 5 minutes till the pieces turn white. Add in the diced tomatoes, Biryani paste, and the potatoes along with water of the potatoes and fry for another 5 minutes till the tomatoes start disintegrating. Now add the rice, and 2 ½ cups of water, and one teaspoon salt. Stir the mixture in the pot nicely – when it starts to boil, add the heavy whipping cream, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off. Before serving, fry the remaining sliced onions till caramelized and garnish on top of the biryani. Before eating it, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, and the bay leaf. If you use saffron, dissolve it into the whipping cream before pouring it in. Note: The water to rice measure is normally 2 cups water to 1 cup uncooked rice – but since we are adding water from the potatoes, the whipping cream, the tomatoes, and the chicken will release some water – we use only 2 ½ cups of water – otherwise there will be too much water. Thai Red Curry Shrimp (works also with Green Curry and Yellow Curry) Ingredients ½ lb. Jumbo uncooked frozen shrimp, tail-on and deveined, with skin removed ½ medium yellow onion – coarsely cut ½ small green bell pepper + ½ small red bell pepper – coarsely cut 2 medium-size mushrooms, stem removed and thinly sliced ½ Zucchini 1 small can (8 oz.) Sliced water chestnuts, drain water from can, rinse well, and set aside 1 can (14 oz.) Coconut Milk (regular) – by Thai Kitchens (this is the best quality I have encountered) 2 Tablespoons Mae Ploy Red curry paste (or Green curry or Yellow curry) 1 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons coconut oil ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro (or basil, or arugula)

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Directions Wash and drain the shrimp in a small bowl and set aside till thawed. Warm the coconut milk in a small pot on medium low heat and when sufficiently warm, add the red curry paste and dissolve the paste completely into the coconut milk (with a whisk) till the consistency becomes smooth like a sauce. Taste the sauce and add more paste if needed and dissolve the extra paste. Coarsely cut the onion and peppers. Cut the ends of the Zucchini and remove the skin in stripe-like fashion – leaving every alternate “band” of skin on and removing the one next to it. Then cut the zucchini across into thin round pieces and cut each round piece into half so that it is a semi circle. The dark green skin of the zucchini should be alternately visible in each semi circle. In a wok, add the oil, and first cook the onions for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and the water chestnuts and stir for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and stir fry till the white color disappears on each side – not more than 5 minutes. Add in the zucchini and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the red curry sauce, the mushrooms, and salt, and bring to a boil on medium low heat. Turn off, and add the cilantro. Taste for salt, adding more as needed. Options: Instead of shrimp, you can use ½ lb. boneless, skinless breast chicken pieces cut into stir-fry size pieces – or you can omit meat altogether and use only vegetables of your choice. Spicy Fish (Wild Salmon or Tilapia) Ingredients ½ lb. wild salmon or tilapia fillets, 4 fillets (boneless with skin removed) 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon asafoetida powder (you have to buy this at an Indian grocery store) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 2 Tablespoons water 1 teaspoon lemon concentrate, and four lemon wedges (for serving later) 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 2 Tablespoons white wine (Sauvignon Blanc) Freshly ground black pepper Directions Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the fish fillets and set aside. In a large ziploc bag combine all the ingredients except the last three, put the fish in this bag, and mix with your hand so that the marinade coats the fish pieces evenly. You can store the zip loc bag in the freezer to use when you are ready (but it should be thawed first). For cooking, use an oven-proof skillet and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. When the oil is hot place the skillets in this pan and cook on each side for 3 minutes (5 minutes for salmon), pressing firmly with a silicone spatula. Turn the heat off, add the white wine, and bake in the middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove when done and add freshly ground black pepper and a lemon wedge before serving.

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Fried Tilapia Ingredients ½ lb. tilapia fish fillets (boneless) ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon asafoetida powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons rice flour 1 Tablespoon bread crumbs (Panko is best and I grind it before using) ½ to ¾ cup coconut oil Directions Cut the fish fillets into small 2-inch square size pieces. Wash and drain the water and set aside. In a small bowl, mix in the turmeric, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt and add one tablespoon of water and stir the mixture well. Add the contents of the bowl to the fish as a marinade so that the spice mixture evenly coats the fish pieces. You can keep the fish in the fridge for an hour or so if you want or you can fry it after 10 minutes. Half an hour before cooking the fish, take it out of the fridge and set it aside. Heat the oil in your small cast-iron skillet. The fish will be shallow fried in this skillet. Mix the rice flour and ground Panko bread crumbs, and coat each fish piece with this mixture as evenly as possible. When the oil is hot, fry the fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side till it is golden brown. Keep the fried pieces on a plate with two paper towels to drain the oil. You can fry as many pieces at a time as will fit into your skillet. Chicken Chow Mein Ingredients ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into stir-fry size pieces 1 cup water chestnuts 2 cups broccoli slaw (or frozen French cut green beans) ½ cup chopped scallions 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 packet noodles (I use Ching’s Hakka Egg noodles) 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

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Stir-fry sauce ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup water 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar 2 Tablespoons ketchup (contains high-fructose corn syrup, but it is good in this sauce) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon hot mustard (buy from a Chinese grocery store) 2 teaspoons warm water 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (Hot Red Chili paste, buy from a Chinese grocery store) Directions Soften the noodles by placing them in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, drain in a colander, and wash with cold water to stop the cooking process. Empty the noodles for later use in a bowl. Add 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil and using your hands spread the oil evenly on the noodles, separating them out as much as you can. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, and lemon juice. Mix well. Combine the warm water with the hot mustard and set aside as well. Then add your desired quantity of hot mustard and Sambal Oelek for the sauce. You can make more of this sauce and refrigerate for up to one month. Bring 2 tablespoons of olive oil to high heat in a wok. Add the minced garlic, stir for half a minute, and then sauté the chicken pieces for 7 to 8 minutes till they are reasonably cooked. Add the water chestnuts, red bell pepper, broccoli slaw, 4 tablespoons of the stir-fry sauce, and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the cooked noodles and stir fry the contents of the wok for 5 minutes. Turn off, cover with a lid, and garnish before serving with chopped scallions. A fried egg on top of the chow mein on each serving plate adds pizzazz to the presentation. In Conclusion This manual is not intended as a weight-loss program, but to help you in your life-long fight against sugar and processed food. Most of my recipes are non-traditional and not authentic Indian or Chinese or Thai, but they are flavorful and mostly easy to prepare. You should experiment with your own spice combinations once you get used to them. The Monday all-fruit diet, where you eat just fruits and some nuts all day, is good to adopt throughout your life to strengthen your will power. If you can give up drinking soda pop and diet soda pop, that alone will have tremendous health benefits. The same goes for fruit juices and smoothies. Some sugar is all right to have and you should not resist too much the occasional cup cake or brownie or cookie at the office. A couple of small pieces of dark chocolate and a teaspoon of cinnamon every day are good for you. What you can control are the fast-food chains that you drive through and what you get from there when you do so. I wish you luck. You are welcome to send me suggestions or point out errors at prabhu@iastate.edu .

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Appendix: Minimal Shopping List (to work from) Organic: Apples, Celery (wrap stalks in aluminum foil and store in fridge to preserve crispness) Trader Joe’s: Coconut oil, Vegetable root chips, Sweet potato chips, Honey Apple butter and Mango butter to spread on multi-grain toast, Quick cook organic brown Basmati rice Milk: 2% or lower, or almond milk Yogurt: 6 oz. cans of Plain yogurt Butter: Real butter of your choice, unsalted Eggs: Eggland’s Best Chicken: Smart Chicken (has no arsenic) https://www.cafetecumseh.com/SmartChicken/ Fish: Look for Product of USA on label for both Wild caught Salmon and Farm-raised Tilapia Beans: Black-eyed peas, red kidney beans, toor dal, masoor dal, moong dal Baby carrots, Salad greens of your choice, seedless cucumber Croutons, Feta cheese crumbles (in box with lid, much easier to save in fridge) Tomatoes (keep outside fridge for up to 4 days and then move into fridge after that) Avocado (keep outside fridge): When you cut it, squeeze ½ a lime and the acidity will prevent it from browning in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Alternatively, you can cut half an avocado, keeping the pit and shrink-wrap the half with the pit tightly so minimum air is trapped inside and this way it will not brown for 2 days in the fridge. Buy only 1 avocado a week for regular use. Salad dressing: Try to give up salad dressing altogether. Or make your own using walnut oil, some minced garlic, salt and pepper, and the juice of ½ a lemon. Fresh Vegetables: Green Beans, Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli (or buy separate packets of unfrozen pre-cut cauliflower florets and broccoli florets; do not buy the two packaged together because cauliflower takes longer to cook than broccoli), Eggplant, Zucchini, smallest size sliced Mushrooms (so you can use all of them in one dish), 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, Red onions, Sweet potatoes, Broccoli slaw, Green bell pepper, Red bell pepper (on sale only), Cilantro, Basil, Parsley, Thyme, and fresh ginger and garlic once you get used to them (the flavor of your food will be much better with fresh ginger and garlic). Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic should be stored outside in a cool, dark place and not in the fridge. Ginger should be stored in the fridge. Frozen Vegetables: Italian Blend, Sweet Peas, and other stir-fry mixes that you like. Fruits: Cantaloupe, Grapes (avoid imported grapes if possible), Strawberries, Peaches, Blueberries (on sale only). Go shopping once a week. Look for the day when the weekly sale starts (usually it is Thursday). Make a meal plan for the following week based on what is on sale, and then prepare a shopping list based on your plan. Try to plan for a salad every day. With a list, you will resist impulse shopping by buying stuff that you are not able to use, and having to throw away produce that starts rotting. Trust me; I have done this many times, so I know from experience. You do not have to buy everything that is in this appendix; figure out what you are going to use each week, and then choose accordingly based on your list and the items on sale.