The great thing about the South Beach Diet is if you’re a food lover it’s the diet for you. The fact the get to snack is great. But the food also taste great, and everything is designed to satisfy your hunger so you won’t feed on heavy carb foods. This is why I don’t like to call it the diet but a way of life.

How many of us have dreamed of eating eating eating and still losing weight? How many of us have started our selves, or overfed ourselves with the same foods on some ridiculous fad diet? We can now basically eat what we want and still lose weight.

My favorite snack is cookies, so here are some cookie recipes that fit right into the South Beach Diet:

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

This will only take you about 15 minutes for prep time, 30 minutes total. This recipe serves 12, portioned in 2 piece servings.

This is a great cookie recipe which is simple to make and all it takes a few ingredients. The best thing is there is no flour. You will find that it has a deep nutty taste. It has little bit of fruit on top. Everyone will love this cookie. Beware they are so delicious that it is hard to limit yourself to one serving.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar substitute (Granular)
1 L. egg
1 TS baking soda
1 C fat-free peanut butter
1 TS vanilla extract
1/4 C jam, use your favorite flavor but make sure it is sugar-free.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine egg, sugar substitute and vanilla with a mixer which is set to low for about 4 minutes. Add baking soda and peanut butter. Mix until dough comes together. Form into little balls on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Make an indentation and fill the jam.

Put in oven and bake until the bottom is lightly brown which is about 12 to 14 minutes. Put on a cooling rack. Once they are cool, enjoy!

SOUTH BEACH DIET OATMEAL COOKIES

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 cup oat flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
BUTTER MIXTURE:
1/2 cup brown sugar twin
1/8 cup Splenda
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 egg
1/2 cup walnuts-chopped
1/4 Cup low fat milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Set aside for later. Cream the butter, sugar and Splenda in a large bowl. Add egg to the mixture. Mix in dry ingredients well. Add nuts. Add enough milk to make the consistency so that it drops from spoon onto the greased cookie sheet. You may not use all of the milk. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

These are both great cookie recipes. They are easy to make and they are a great snack.

Phase 1 Mayonnaise

We can’t have mayonnaise during phase 1 and this is something that I have really missed. However, we can create our own mayonnaise that we can use in other South Beach Phase One meals. This is a great alternative if you don’t even like mayonnaise.

Ingredients:
2 cups light olive oil
2 eggs
2 small lemons
salt & water

Separate the yolk from the rest of the egg. With just the egg yolk in a bowl, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon while whisking the yolk. This can be done by hand or you can use a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil as you are whisk or pour it through the lid if you are processing. You can add a little water if it starts to look to heavy or if it is getting too thick. Add the water a little bit at a time until it is the thickness of mayo. You can store your homemade mayonnaise in the fridge, in fact it should be chilled before you use it. It will taste much better.

Vegetable Quiche Cups

This is a great South Beach diet phase 1 snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped spinach
4 eggs
2/3 cup green pepper chopped
2/3 cup onion chopped
2 slices 2% milk cheese

In a saucepan with water, cook the spinach just until it is heated up. Use a muffin pan with cupcake cups in it. Combine the eggs, peppers, onion, spinach and 1 slice of the cheese. Pour equal portions into each cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown. It is much easier to make a whole bunch at a time and then refrigerate them in baggies. You can take portions to work and eat them for breakfast or an afternoon snack. These are so delicious that I strongly urge you to try making these!

Smoky Roasted Vegetables

This oven roasted vegetable recipe is very good with the smoky flavoring. This is a good lunch or dinner meal.

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
2 medium summer squash
2 medium red and yellow bell pepper
2 lbs fresh asparagus
1 red onion
4 tbsp olive oil
Smoke flavoring
Salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Chop the vegetables into bite sized pieces. Put all the vegetables in a roasting pan. Toss in the oil, smoke flavoring, salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are brown.

The Secret to Creating South Beach Diet Recipes That Don’t Taste Like Cardboard

It is no secret that the South Beach Diet is one of the most effective means of losing an extraordinary amount of body fat in a short period of time. But does the goal of looking great naked mean that we also have to sacrifice taste? One thing that makes the South Beach Diet so easy to stick with is that you can often find a wide variety of delicious recipes, while still following the program. These South Beach Diet recipes also ensure that you will not have the temptation to cheat by engorging on those fattening foods you often end up craving when following other diets. By eating a variety of meals, knowing the proper types of seasonings, and substituting unauthorized ingredients, you will find it much easier to remain on the South Beach Diet and achieve the body of your dreams.

One of the greatest advantages of the South Beach Diet is that it doesn’t severely restrict the foods that you are allowed to eat. This means that you have a wide variety of South Beach Diet recipes to choose from. One of the main reasons that most people find it hard to stick with a diet is because their recipe choices are so limited, that they often end up becoming bored. South Beach Diet recipes consist of a wide variety of meats, vegetables, cheeses, and nuts. And in Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, you can even begin incorporating more whole grains, fruits, and dairy products. But, of course, no recipe is complete without you being able to flavor your food with a variety of seasonings.

South Beach Diet recipes also allow you plenty of leeway when it comes to spices and seasonings. The primary requirement in terms of flavoring your food is that you avoid any added sugar. This leaves the door open for many different flavoring options on the South Beach Diet, including broths, extracts, spices, peppers, and various sauces. Not to mention the wide variety of herbs that are available to give your South Beach Diet recipes a more robust flavor. Of course, you are still going to want to satisfy your sweet tooth, and there are ways of doing that while still following the guidelines of the South Beach Diet.

While on the South Beach Diet, you are still going to be able to enjoy cookies, candies, cakes, brownies, and pies. How, you ask? Well the secret lies in knowing how to substitute the ingredients that are an absolute detriment to your South Beach Diet success. Sugar can be effectively replaced with Splenda. There are delicious pie crusts that can be made from coconut. The amount of alternatives that are available is almost endless. And there are even sugar-free candies available that taste just like the real thing.

The entire premise of the South Beach Diet is that it is much more than a diet; it is a permanent change in the way you eat. Because there are so many South Beach Diet recipes that enable you to enjoy a variety of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, and snacks, it is going to be so much easier for you to make that change. Remain creative with your South Beach Diet recipes, and your weight loss will feel almost effortless.

Three South Beach Diet Meals that will keep you filled.

You won’t feel that you are missing anything with these great tasting and nutritious meals. These recipes are for all three phases. They are designed to make you feel satisfied with no cravings. These recipes also show how easy it is to have great food
on the South Beach Diet.

We start with an omelette that takes less then 15 minutes to make and will give you a good meal for the beginning of the day. Cheese and Canadian bacon help satisfy the cravings for fat and protein. You may be surprised how well vegetable juice substitutes for orange or apple juice. Make the juice from fresh vegetables because some store bought juices add sugar.

The lunch salad is very filling and the crunchiness of the vegetables help satisfy the cravings for fries or chips. Use store bought chicken strips and packaged spinach to make your own healthy ‘fast food’. Spinach is used because it is much more nutritious than Iceberg lettuce.

You will finish the day of feeling very satisfied, and full, with the London Broil and Asparagus. Look for low sodium beef broth. In Phase 2 and 3 you can substitute the beef broth for red wine. This adds a more robust flavor to the beef.

If you like good home cooking these meals are sure to show up many times in all three phases of your South Beach Diet journey.

Breakfast:

• Cheesy Canadian Bacon Omelette
  Coffee
  Vegetable Juice

Cheesy Canadian Bacon Omelette

4 eggs
4 Tbsp. milk (low or nonfat)
6 slices chopped Canadian Bacon
2 tsp. green onion sliced
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Beat eggs and milk in with whisk until fluffy. Fold in ham and onion.

Spray your nonstick skillet with cooking spray or dribble in some olive oil. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and cook on medium heat. Cook 6 minutes or until the bottom of the eggs are set but top is still moist.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over half of the omelette. Using a spatula, fold the eggs over the filling, add pepper to taste and cover. Remove from heat and let stand 1 minute. Cut the omelette in half to serve 2.

Lunch

• Quick Chicken & Spinach Salad
  Sugar-Free Gelatin
  Iced Tea

Quick Chicken & Spinach Salad

Put 1/4 of the salad (without the chicken and dressing) into a bowl with a lid and place in the refrigerator. This can be your side salad for dinner.

INGREDIENTS
1 bag Spinach leaves
1 pkg. chicken breast Strips
2 cups broccoli
1 cup cucumber
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup sprouts
1 cup tomatoes
1 avocado
Oil & vinegar to taste

DIRECTIONS
Lay spinach in large bowl. Cut other ingredients into bite sized pieces and combine them with spinach. Add oil and vinegar and mix lightly. Serve immediately.

Dinner
 

• London Broil with Asparagus
  Tossed Salad with Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing
  Iced Tea

1-1/2 Lb London broil
1/2 pound asparagus
2 tomatoes diced
1/4 cup beef broth
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 Tbsp minced oregano
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut beef into strips.

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onions, asparagus, beef and a little salt. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are tender and golden. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and broth, and simmer until the sauce starts to bubble, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Health benefits

However, extensive research into the diets of thousands of people who eat along Mediterranean lines shows that they are less likely to have heart attacks or strokes, or to develop certain cancers, than people who eat in the northern European style. No matter how healthy a diet is, it is impossible to escape from the energy equation when trying to lose weight, so calorie control is key to avoid overeating on a Mediterranean-style diet. Even so, choosing to ‘eat like a Cretan’ can be a helpful basis for a calorie-counting eating plan.

Eating out is quite easy as Mediterranean-style food is very popular, Indulgent foods, e.g. olive oil and red wine, are recommended as part of the diet. A Mediterranean-style diet can help heart health as well as weight loss.

Portion control is needed to avoid overeating oil-rich food. A diet designed for sunny climates may not be satisfying to eat in northern Europe. A traditional Mediterranean lifestyle is very active: doing plenty of exercise is strongly recommended.

Typical day’s eating

Breakfast

Fresh fruit
Bread Yogurt

Lunch

Salad dressed with olive oil
Bean and tomato soup
Bread

Dinner

Fish stew
Pasta
Roasted vegetables
Piece of cheese
Fresh fruit

Drinks

Water, black coffee
Glass of red wine

Other

Grilled vegetable kebabs: perfect in a Mediterranean-style diet and good for you, too.