Gobble Gobble

Gobble Gobble

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

The avian flu outbreak across the country has already taken a toll. The price of eggs has jumped a minimum of 13% but in some places has risen as much as 50%. That’s a lot of yuk to the yoke of your budget.

The price of eggs on the wholesale level has risen, too. That affects other things you buy in the grocery story like mayonnaise or even the price of a cake mix. Anything that has eggs in it.

But it’s not likely to end there. Some expert prognosticators are looking ahead to Thanksgiving.

The early data says we will have enough turkeys. That’s step one. The next issue is what will that turkey cost? Some say that as long as gas prices and other production factors stay low, the price of a turkey won’t rise much as the holiday approaches.

Others are not so positive. Some are recommending you buy your frozen turkey now and make room for it in your freezer. Those same people are saying that the retailers are likely to take advantage of the situation and cause a media frenzy which always drives prices up – to the retailer’s advantage.

I’m not a big fan of buying a frozen turkey. I prefer a fresh one, but this whole issue got me to thinking.

I know turkey is a staple at most Thanksgiving feasts, but if we were forced to think outside the turkey barn (and inside the parameters of the Plan Z Diet), what might we come up with?

Besides, the whole purpose of Thanksgiving is to get together with friends and family and feast. Combine that with making an effort to be thankful for what we have, as well as those we have around us, and we have the makings for the Thanksgiving holiday.

I don’t see the word turkey in that whole last paragraph. Do you?

I’m always open to trying new things; especially when they involve food for the Plan Z Diet.
So if you decide to go turkey-less this year, what else might you do?

First thing I thought of was standing rib roast. My mother used to save up the budget to get a rib roast for Christmas. We didn’t have turkey. We didn’t have turkey at Easter, either. We had ham. So even a bargain-priced roast beef might be in order. Go red meat.

My next thought was to have a chili cook-off for the feast. Each family segment could bring their favorite chili recipe. You could to blind taste tests. You could have prizes. You could have a garnish-making exercise with the whole group chopping tomato, onion bits, jalapenos and more. What would you put on your chili? This might be a whole lot easier to clean up than the traditional turkey fixins. For example, you could try the Plan Z Diet Roasted Red Pepper and Beef Chili

Plan Z Diet Roasted Red Pepper and Beef Chili

Or give your Thanksgiving a tropical twist with my Plan Z Diet Caribbean Chicken Chili. You could even replace the chicken with turkey if you wanted to make your dinner a little more traditional.

Plan Z Diet Caribbean Chicken Chili

On Christmas Day my mother often made up a big batch of sloppy Joe’s for lunchtime. We called them Spanish hamburgers. That kind of meal would be just as much fun to eat while you watch football. A change of course. Speaking of change of course, how about breakfast for dinner? So many people tell me how much they love brunch and they’d rather eat that than any other style of meal.

I’m just trying to get you to think creatively. Maybe this year you’ll do something else different for the big turkey holiday and if the clean-up is fast and easy, those of you that want to get to the mall can get there faster.

Whether you have this for your holiday meal or just a Saturday lunch, this freshly made sloppy joe is a big hit. I even eat it with no bun.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

Plan Z Diet Butternut Squash Breakfast Casserole

The Plan Z Diet Butternut Squash Breakfast Casserole

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReboot recipe.

Serves: Serves 4 – 6 as an entrée. Serves 8 – 10 as a side dish

Ingredients:
2 Tbl of coconut oil. I prefer coconut oil but if you can’t get it, use olive oil.
3 cups of diced butternut squash
¾ cup of diced onion
7 eggs
1/3 cup of cream
3 cups of shredded Cheddar, divided
2 Tbl of gravy flour or regular flour
¼ tsp of sea salt
A dusting of cayenne pepper or regular black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a 9″ X 13” ovenproof pan put in your butternut squash pieces. Toss in the oil to coat the pieces and the bottom of the pan. Roast at 375 degrees for up to 30 minutes to caramelize the squash. If you see browning edges that’s fine. That’s good. It makes the squash sweeter.

When that’s done pull it out of the oven, sprinkle in the onion pieces and set it aside for the moment.

In a large bowl put in the eggs and the cream. Beat with a mixer or vigorously by hand for about 15 seconds to get them well mixed. Then add 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the flour. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Then pour the mixture over the squash and onions. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Put back in the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the top has a nice orange and lightly browning crust.

The surface will be poofed up, much like a soufflé. If you want to eat it fluffy, eat it right away. If you want you can also let it rest and it will sink but it will taste great either way.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

The Plan Z Diet Vegetable that Tastes Like Candy

The Plan Z Diet Vegetable that Tastes Like Candy

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

Talk about a maligned and shunned vegetable! I’ve been walking by this golden beauty in my grocery store for decades. I thought they just looked like massively large peanuts.

We ate acorn squash in my family. We didn’t venture past the big green acorn to try out other options. I’ve totally missed the flavor and health benefits of this beautiful vegetable for way too long. Now I’m a huge fan.

Butternut Squash. Let’s start with a little history lesson:

Butternut squash is a winter squash. Zucchini and yellow zucchini would be summer varieties. The ones with the harder shells on them are winter squashes. They are easy to recognize in the produce department.

All squashes have their ancestry in North America. Over 10,000 years ago the Indians were planting squash. They were part of what they called the “Three Sisters” – maize, (corn), beans and then squash. The Native Americans prized their squash because it had such a nice shelf-life and would travel well if necessary.

The benefits of butternut squash go way beyond a nice hard shell. The innards are full of health benefits, too. The flesh is full of vitamins A and C. The seeds are packed with protein and heart healthy fats. So don’t just roast pumpkin seeds this year. Save some of the ones from the butternut squash! The seeds are smaller and more tender than the cousin from the pumpkin.

Butternut squash is an amazingly healthy vegetable. It’s got antioxidants in it.

Antioxidants help prevent cancer. It’s got properties in it that will help prevent arthritis and can reduce your chances of lung cancer. It’s also good for your eyes because it has lutein in it. Imagine your squash can help you keep from developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration which can lead to blindness. All that from a vegetable. The power is packed in that huge peanut-shaped wonder with the flesh-colored skin.

This squash will even help with constipation or other digestive problems. It’s chock-full of fiber and has 30% fewer carbs than potatoes. I’m going to try to convince you to serve this at your holiday table this year instead of potatoes. Butternut squash is versatile, too. You can roast it; which is my favorite because that’s what brings out the sweetness. You can puree it, put it in soups and stews, you can bake it or even boil it.

Prepping a butternut squash can be a bit intimidating. That might be part of why I didn’t try one sooner. I know from experience how hard an acorn squash can be to cut. The butternut looks like it would be hard a as rock. But don’t let that deter you. With a bit of care and practice and you’ll be an ace at it.

First thing you need is a sharp knife. My Dad would tell you that in order to cook ANYTHING the first thing you need is a sharp knife. He’d contend that a sharp knife is a lot safer than a dull one. Chefs would agree. When I worked in restaurants as a young foodie, I noticed the knife sharpening company came every Sunday night. They took the knives away and left us with a whole set of super-sharp ones. The knives never went more than a week without being sharpened. Keep that in mind when you think of your home knives. I take mine at least once a quarter to be professionally sharpened. I can tell when they need it. Just try cutting a tomato. If the knife doesn’t slide right through…you are in need of a sharpening.

But I digress.

Here’s how I prep a butternut squash for roasting. I take my knife and cut off each end. About an inch of clearance will do it. Hold firmly with one hand and slide the knife down through the squash. If the knife gets stuck I carefully raise the squash with the knife hooked to it and tap the squash with knife inserted onto my cutting board. That extra force gets the knife to go through. Keep your other hand out of the way. Or use it to hold the other end of the squash. Then I peel it. I just use a vegetable peeler. Be sure to throw the peels in the compost or garbage. Garbage disposals don’t like those peels. I promise you that.

Then I cut the squash in half across to make two smaller chunks. Now I have flat sides so things get easier. Lift the one piece up on its side and cut through. If there are seeds, scrape them and the stringy parts out. If I am roasting cubes I just cut the rest into rings and I can easily cut into cubes.

If I am making fries I just cut long pieces. And If I am making the a gratin I am looking for slices that are a bit bigger. They might not be shaped exactly like potato slices, but no matter.

You are ready to roast.

Cheers,

To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

Plan Z Diet Pork Loin Chops with Sizzlin' Cherry Sauce

Plan Z Diet Pork Loin Chops with Sizzlin' Cherry Sauce

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReduction recipe. This dish comes together quickly. Two pans and voila! If you don’t like spicy food you can leave the cayenne out. It does give a nice little zip to the sweet cherries though, so you might consider leaving it in or just cutting it back.

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 pork LOIN chops. 6 – 8 oz each. Trim the fat off the sides.
5 Tbl of shallots, minced
½ cup of chicken broth (with no sugar)
1 can (15 oz) of tart cherries packed in water. If you cannot get the ones packed in water be sure to rinse them very well, drain, and then add a ¼ cup of water to the pan to make up for the juices missing.
A pinch of cinnamon (or to taste)
A pinch or two of cayenne (or to taste)
2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp of Truvia. You can add a bit more of you like, but once you are used to less sugar in your food you won’t need it.
olive oil spray
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the sauce:

Spray a medium sauce pan and put in the shallots. Cook on medium just to loosen them. Add all of the ingredients except for the loin chops and keep cooking on medium to meld the flavors. Toward the end I used my wooden spoon to break up some of the cherries so they made a mushier sauce. I left most of them whole, though. I cooked this about 10 minutes.

For the chops:

In an ovenproof pan* (like a cast iron one), spray and set the heat on medium high. Put your chops in. Spray the tops of the chops and sprinkle on grated sea salt and pepper. Saute the one side for 3 minutes. Flip them over and season the other side. Then put them in your 400 degree oven to roast for about 15 minutes more or until your meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. That will leave them lightly pink in the middle and juicy. If you want to cook them more well-done, I’ll leave that up to you.

*if you don’t have cast iron you’ll have to take the chops out of your saute pan and put them in another oven–proof container; like Pyrex. If you don’t, you’ll ruin your pan by melting it in a very hot oven. I highly suggest you buy a cast iron saute pan. They are inexpensive, last forever and work great for dishes like this. I use mine almost every day.

Spoon the sauce over the loin chops and serve with salad greens. I actually skipped dessert the first time I made this. I felt quite satisfied.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

My Plan Z Diet Summer Vacation

My Plan Z Diet Summer Vacation

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet




It’s located in the woods, on 20 acres with a pond. An idyllic setting. Gardens all around. Walking paths and places to just sit and take in the view. There are bird feeders filled to the brim. About a hundred goldfinches arrive daily to take in the bounty. You can just sit and listen to lots of other birds or even spot a bunny hopping along, or even a toad.

This is where I went on my Plan Z Diet summer vacation.
And this is what I did.

I read novels. We watched movies when it rained. We went out to a comfortable lunch every day. Then we went to the grocery store and bought food and made dinner in. We just chilled.

If you haven’t heard of VRBO yet I suggest you check it out. VRBO stands for Vacation Rental By Owner. Whatever your budget they have options for you.

This isn’t like AirBnB. With VRBO you get the whole house. The owners are vetted in advance. The system is very secure. I have used them to rent locations around the US and even Mexico.

This particular owner is amazing. He and his partner have 3 houses in Michigan. We have now stayed in two of them. Both are spectacular cottages.

We like the places these guys own for some very selfish, “Zola-style” reasons. The biggest one is probably the kitchen. The kitchen has everything. And I mean everything a gourmet cook could want. How may cottages would you think you can rent that come with a food processor? And a big stand mixer. And sharp knives for chopping. And dishes for dinner for 12 or more. And even a rasp. These kitchens have it all. That’s part of why I cook while I am on vacation and love staying in their places.

The other big reason we love them so much is the décor. These guys know how to decorate and take great pride in how coordinated their places are. The ones we have stayed in are both decorated in ‘modern cottage’. They are sort of a riff on This Old House but they have all of the updated amenities and everything is new. It just looks old.

The gardens are worth a day of gazing. From every angle you would swear you are looking at a postcard. I went on an adventure with this place where I went to each side of the house and took in the gardening work that had been done. They plant things that are easily maintained but still get a grand impact. Their displays of hydrangeas at this particular location were gorgeous, and huge. I mean 10 feet tall in some cases. I even picked a few blossoms and put them on the dining room table. I probably should have asked for permission first. I don’t recommend picking flowers from bushes that are not yours, but there were hundreds of blooms. Having 3 on the table would not be missed.

We go to little towns and wander when we go on our lunch outings. The towns that dot the west coast of Michigan are all cute. One is more quaint than the next and the shopping is high quality. None of this just fudge and beach towels, (although they have those too). You can do high quality shopping in every town from the Indiana state line on up. We concentrate on staying within 3 hours of Chicago for a special reason. We can take our cats on vacation with us.

The cats have become very accustomed to the travel. They no longer freak out when they get to a new location. They just prance around and sniff to make sure all is secure, and settle down for a nap. The adore a good screen porch where they can sniff the country air. It’s so relaxing to be reading a novel with a cat purring in your lap. I get more R & R when they are with me. It sort of puts me in a Zen zone. It’s nice to get out of the big city once in a while.

So, no big trip to some exotic foreign land for me this summer. Just a Plan Z Diet trip to the woods. Here’s a pic of the house and a recipe to enjoy.

Cheers,

To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

Let's Go Shopping

Let's Go Shopping

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet




Our economy is a mess. I think we’d all be willing to acknowledge that on one level or another. While the political parties duke it out on how to balance the budget and reduce the debt, I suggest we all go shopping.

Lest I sound like a woman running away from her problems, let me explain.

I’m one of those people who believe that if we all chip in and do our part we can solve many of the economic problems on our own. We don’t need the Government to step in and help us support each other. We can do that on our own. As an entrepreneur I am particularly sensitive to supporting my fellow business folk. So I am going to be one of those people who ‘shops small’ this season. I am going to buy things from local, small, stores owned by people who live in the same city I do. There are so many other things we can buy that are a bit different. A bit more charming and personal. I’ve seen some lists that provide inspiration and I’ve got some creative ideas of my own. I thought I’d share them with you today since we’re all going to be on a dead run to do our shopping in the next month. So, ready. Set. GO!

Haircuts. Is there a salon or barber in your area that you can buy certificates from? Some people are hooked on one hairdresser but others would be grateful to get a gift of a haircut.

Oil Changes. I’m sure there’s a local car fix-it shop that does oil changes. A gift of a certificate to get that done would be helpful. We all need to change our oil.

Gym Memberships? This might be a BIG gift of a full year membership or it might be a trial certificate for one visit. Same thing for the local tennis club or even a golf course. That goes for trips to the local place where you can practice hitting balls.

Restaurants. I’d give certificates for breakfast out. What a nice treat for a weekend. Breakfast is the cheapest meal so you can get a good deal too. Good value for money.

Wine. Little wine shops are popping up all over. Some of them specialize in bottles of wine for under $10. There’s a sweet idea.

Jellies. Speaking of sweet ideas. You can pull up my recipe for homemade jellies made with no sugar and give healthy candy for Christmas

Nuts. Give nuts that you roast and season. If you email me I’ll send you a recipe for Zola’s Nuts. Just buy your supplies at the local grocery store. Even if it’s a chain it’s probably owned in the US and it supports local jobs.

Cleaning. How about you hire a cleaning lady for a woman in need? Just one day of cleaning can really spruce the place up.

Snow Removal. Maybe there’s a little old lady down the street who could really use her sidewalk cleaned this winter. How about you make up a homemade certificate and have your teenager on the hook to do the shoveling? I made a lot of money as a young teen shoveling snow. And I loved it. Same goes for cutting the grass. Or weeding the garden.

Plays. Buy tickets to a play. Local playhouse. Give the gift of culture.

Music. There are probably musical events in your area that you can buy tickets for too. Many people wouldn’t buy the tickets for themselves. They’d probably just stay home and watch TV, but if the tickets were purchased that would get them out of the house and maybe meet new people.

Crafts. The first weekend of December I’m going to a huge craft sale in Chicago. There will be about 400 vendors who are all local artisans, offering their wares. Everything from knitted scarves to pottery and art. Chicago does everything big but I am confident there’s something like this taking place in your town too.

Hardware. A gift certificate to the local hardware store could come in handy.

Handyman. Speaking of handy. How about you hire the services of a local handyman for a day for a person in need? Keep your neighbor off his ladder. He shouldn’t be cleaning out those gutters. Get some young buck to do it.

Charity. How about you donate to a local charity on behalf of a friend who doesn’t need gifts anyway? We have started this in our family. We just give a small gift and the rest of the funds go to someone who really needs it. This kind of gift feels good for everyone involved. Last year I got creative and gave charitable contributions based on the hobbies or preferences of the person whose gift it was. So if my recipient was an athlete I gave to an athletic charity. You’d be amazed at the massive number of charities you can find on the internet that really need help. And they can be local too.

A few years back some creative marketing genius came up with the idea of gift cards; those plastic things you find in the rack at just about every store. Well, we all jumped on that and it became a huge industry. How hard would it be to either buy the local certificates from stores near you, or make your own homemade certificates and then just wrap those in some creative fashion?

This list is meant to inspire. I’m sure you have some super ideas of your own. And your recipients will be thankful. You inspire me throughout the year to write and communicate from the Plan Z Diet with the world afar. And that’s a gift for me. Thank you.

Cheers,

To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/

Givaudon. The Purveyor of Obesity?

Givaudon. The Purveyor of Obesity?

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet





I about lost my appetite last night while watching 60 Minutes. . Most of America overeats. That’s just what we do. And now 60 Minutes was exposing us to what we really eat. Great timing.

Chemicals. Magic. Illusion. Madness. That’s what we eat when we eat processed food and that's why I tell you to avoid boxed food on the Plan Z Diet.

I’m going to share with you the link to the 60 Minutes segment featuring a company called Givaudon. It’s a company you’ve probably never heard of but I guarantee you’ve consumed their products.

Givaudon specializes in flavorings. FAKE food tastes. Wait until you see what they can do to reproduce the flavor of chicken. That chicken noodle soup you ate? You know the joke about the proverbial chicken that only ran through the soup? Now you will find out it’s true. They can make you think you ate real chicken when all you had was a Givaudon experience of fairy tale chicken.

They call themselves illusionists; flavor experts who can duplicate and manipulate any flavor on the planet. And they show off in this segment like they are proud of what they do, when in fact they should be ashamed. At least that’s my opinion.

They admit they are in the business of addiction. They proudly agreed that they are in the business of addiction. Then, when they realized that maybe that word wasn’t giving off the positive impression they should portray, they manipulated the conversation to relate that they are only hoping you’ll want more of the product; that they will have instilled a pleasurable experience that you’ll want to repeat over and over again. So what’s the difference? There is none.

The flavoring business is nefarious at best.

It’s no wonder the huge majority of American’s are getting fatter. The manipulation is horrendous. And at the end of this segment you’ll see that they are transitioning now to produce even more flavorings to “help” us get thinner. Yeah, right.

I can see I’m on my Plan Z Diet soapbox now, so I’ll close off and let you decide for yourself. If this segment doesn’t get you to beg off of artificially flavored and processed food, I just don’t know what will.

I hope this sinks in and sinks in deeply.

Cheers,


To read more of Zola's blogs CLICK HERE or head over to https://www.planzdiet.com/blog/