The Plan Z Diet Crunch!

The Plan Z Diet Crunch

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet





While developing the Plan Z Diet, I never really thought much about what I now call the Crunch Factor. I was never the kid in our family that face-planted in the bag of potato chips. I left that to my brothers. I went for the donuts.

I never wanted to eat the hard candy. I’d rather have a brownie or ice cream for my treat.

After designing the Plan Z Diet, doing it several times, and taking in all the data from dieters, my mind has totally changed. My taste has changed, too.

Watch the video above on why crunchy foods taste so great and why you come back for more.

I get it now. As I developed the Plan Z Diet I was worried about people getting a little bit of carbohydrate from a bread source into their meals, but my only source without going over my designed allotment was to find breadsticks and crackers that could fill the bill. The softer choices like bread and rolls contained too many carbohydrates. It wasn’t til later that I heard from so many dieters that said the only thing they craved was something crunchy and that the breadsticks and crackers were helping fulfill that craving. Having a Crunch Factor has been vital.

Then it happened to me, too. I started craving crunchy and it carries over beyond when I am doing a Plan Z Diet ZReduction to lose weight. I am now part of the population that craves crunch.

Maybe that comes from eating more salads. I find myself loving the crunch that romaine lettuce provides and am not so attracted to plain leaves of greens.

I now crave my husband’s bacon. Not because it’s bacon, but because he’s an expert cook in the bacon category. His bacon comes out crunchy but not crumbly. It’s perfect. I don’t crave just any old bacon. I want HIS bacon fresh from the pan, left on the paper towels for a few minutes to drain and crunch up. And then dive in.

I also crave fried chicken. Fried chicken is a huge offering in Chicago right now. I don’t eat it often. I usually eat breast meat and I factor in the carbs from the breading into the food allotments for the day. So I’m not likely to eat two things that involve breading in one day or in even 3 or 4 days. But the crispier the chicken the better. That never used to hit my radar. I also think with so much chicken competition in Chicago that the chefs are really stepping up their game and cooking chicken in delightful ways.

And then there’s the delightful sound of a fresh stick of celery…or the crunch of a pickle.

What are your favorite crunchy foods? Let us know. And if they fit the Plan Z Diet ZReduction, (fresh and flavorful) you get bonus points! Just like the video, you can submit your recipe offerings, too. Just enter those in the comments section below the article. If you give us permission to repost them on our site, we will give you full credit.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

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

Plan Z Diet Fluffy, No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Plan Z Diet Fluffy, No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet



Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReboot recipe. I came up with this recipe as a tribute to Plan Z Dieter Ron and his wife Jean. This darling couple drove from Wisconsin to Chicago just to meet me and my team. They wanted to thank us for developing and supporting Plan Z. Ron lost 69 pounds, feels great and looks fantastic. Thanks Ron!

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of cream cheese (1 lb)
• 2 lemons, juiced (about ¼ cup)
• 3 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/8-1/4 cup of Truvia
• 1 – 2 tsp of lemon zest (plus more for garnish)
• Berries for garnish

Instructions:

Let your cream cheese come to room temperature or zap it (opened) in your microwave for 15 seconds on high to bring it to temp.

Put the cream cheese in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, Truvia, vanilla and the zest. In order to zest a lemon you use a tool called a microplane or rasp. Gently glide it over the lemon peel so you get shavings of the yellow part and not the bitter pith underneath. Tap the microplane on the counter to release the shavings. You can buy a fine microplane at any housewares store.

With an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese mixture until light and fluffy. This will take 1 – 2 minutes to get it nice and fluffy. Make sure the sides are scraped down so it all gets mixed.

Divide mixture among serving dishes. Then garnish.

Serving Suggestions:

If you are going to serve it right away, great. If you want, you can cover it and keep it in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Be sure to take it out of the refrigerator about 15 – 30 minutes before you want to eat it or it will taste refrigerator-cold.

Leftovers store well in the refrigerator, covered in plastic. Just like any other cheesecake they will become a bit more stiff over time. You can remedy this by stirring it up.

Blueberries, traditionally, go great with lemon. If you want more blueberries you can stud your cheese cake by stirring some extras in before you put it in your serving dish.

I also garnish with a bit more zest for more yellow color.

The amount of Truvia and zest you put in are up to your taste buds. I’d start with the smaller amount, mix, taste and then judge.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

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

Plan Z Diet Fluffy, No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe Copyright 2015 Plan Z Diet by Zola

Plan Z Diet Cheesy Scallop Bake

Plan Z Diet Cheesy Scallop Bake

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet





Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReboot 3.5 recipe. This dish is similar to the fancy French dish called Coquilles St. Jacques but it’s much easier to make. Simple ingredients, a little sautéing and then pop it under the broiler. With a salad and side veggie this is fancy enough to serve to company.

Servings: Serves 3 – 4 (depending on serving size). Can be doubled and served from a 9″ X 13″ casserole dish.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of Panko breadcrumbs. Panko crumbs will give you a crunchier topping than regular bread crumbs.
• 5 Tbl of melted butter
• 1 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/3 cup of mayonnaise
• 4 ounces of softened cream cheese
• ¼ cup of dry, white wine
• ¼ tsp of garlic powder
• 3 Tbl of minced, fresh Italian parsley
• 1 pound of bay scallops
• ½ pound of sliced mushrooms (you can use fancy or plain)
• ½ cup of minced shallots or sweet onion

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 1 Tbl of the melted butter. Set aside.

In another small bowl combine the cheese, mayo, cream cheese, white wine and garlic powder. Just mush it around until it’s mixed up. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, saute the scallops in 2 Tbl of the melted butter just until they are cooked. This will only take a few minutes on medium high. Scallops are done when they are no longer opaque. You can decide how well done you like your scallops. My husband likes his cooked a bit more but you don’t want little rubber blobs, either. The scallops are going to give off a lot of liquid. When they are done tilt the pan over your sink and t

ry to get a bit of the liquid to drain out. Then set the scallops on a platter covered with paper towels. The paper towel will absorb the rest of the liquid.

Using the same saute pan put in two more Tbl of melted butter and saute your mushrooms and shallots. You just want to get them cooked but you don’t need to go so far as to brown them. This will also take just about 3 minutes on medium high. Preheat your broiler.

Now you’re going to assemble. The saute pan already has the mushrooms and shallots in it. Add the cheese mixture and the scallops. Heat on medium until the mixture is hot and gooey. Transfer it to an 8” X 11” (or 9 X 9”) oven-proof dish. Gently spread on the bread crumb mixture. Place on the oven shelf about 6” below the broiling element and broil until the coating begins to brown. Keep an eye on it. This won’t take long.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

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

Plan Z Diet Cheesy Scallop Bake Recipe Copyright 2015 The Plan Z Diet by Zola

C or O?

C or O?

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

I was listening to a radio talk show yesterday while I drove back from a company retreat. The experts they had on were seafood people. The chef works at a restaurant called Catch 35. His general manager was on the show too.

I learned a couple of things I thought I’d share with the Plan Z Diet.

The first thing was about cooking shrimp. Shrimp are so easy to cook but many people screw them up. They don’t have any real measure for how long to cook them.

The chef said it very well. He said when the shrimp are in the shape of a C they are done. If they are in the shape of an O you went too far and they are now overdone.

Easy. Just cook them to the C shape.

I often put the shrimp in at the last minute because I don’t want them to become over-cooked. I get the whole sauce prepared and just cook the shrimp by warming them in the sauce. That often works.

He talks about why you don’t want to buy cooked shrimp. They are just so easy to prepare and will taste better freshly cooked so why not use fresh? I’ll admit I buy cooked shrimp sometimes. If I am really strapped for time I don’t want to take time to rinse and thaw and then take off the shells and de-vein them. I can just drop cooked shrimp into a meal very easily and all I have to do is heat them up if it’s a warm dish. He makes the case for doing the extra work.

The General Manager was asked about buying the fishes that are now coming in from Asia. I have seen some new ones at my fish monger that are from Vietnam. Lots of fish now come from China too and Malaysia. He said to buy all North American fish if you can. Wild caught is always best. The reason is it can be caught and shipped into the store in less than 48 hours. If it’s coming from Asia it has to go through Customs and of all the hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish that come into the airports each day less than 2% of it is inspected. Those countries don’t have the same quality control laws that the US and Canada do so you are taking a higher risk buying their fish. That and it came a long way.

The distance theory also applies to lobster. There’s cold water lobster and warm water lobster. He says cold water lobster is sweeter. Better, firmer flesh too. And lobster from Maine is his preference over lobster from Australia and New Zealand. It takes a long time to fly a lobster from New Zealand. Even if it’s immediately frozen his opinion is that it begins to deteriorate early on.

So there you have your seafood lesson of the day.

Now that you’re hungry for seafood, let me offer up my recipe for my Plan Z Diet Cheesy Scallop Bake. I love this stuff!

Plan Z Diet Cheesy Scallop Bake

You can easily make it with shrimp too.

Cheers,

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

Plan Z Diet Shrimp in a Creamy Mustard Sauce

Plan Z Diet Shrimp in a Creamy Mustard Sauce

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet




The Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReduction recipe. This dish comes together in what feels like an instant. The sauce is quick and easy and because you are using cooked shrimp, it doesn’t take long to cook, maybe 15 minutes total. This tastes very gourmet without the fuss of slaving over a hot stove all day. And it’s nice enough to make for company.

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of cooked shrimp (approximately 8 per serving of medium-large shrimp), thawed. Tails on or off – your choice. I leave the tails on for looks but I don’t eat them.
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 1 cup of organic chicken broth
• ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• 3 Tbl of Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbl of minced, fresh tarragon
• 1 Tbl of minced, fresh chives
• Olive oil spray
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Season shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lightly spritz one or two large sauté pans with olive oil. In the pan(s) add the shallots. Sauté them lightly just to loosen up the shallots. Add the tarragon. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar. Then add the broth and the shrimp. Heat until the shrimp are hot. Then add the cream and mustard. Simmer on medium just until the sauce begins to thicken a bit. There isn’t that much cream in this dish so it won’t thicken like a regular sauce but you should be able to get it to thicken a bit.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve the shrimp on plates with a scattering of the fresh chives. YUM!

Enjoy!
Cheers,

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

The Plan Z Diet Asks How Good Can Things Get?

The Plan Z Diet Asks How Good Can Things Get?

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

Not long after we started our sales training company in the 1980’s I heard a speech about goal setting that inspired me. The story goes like this:

There was a study done at Yale University involving the graduates from the class of 1953. Researchers had polled the senior class about their future. They specifically asked how many of them had written down their goals. The answer was 3%. Three percent of the graduates had specific, written goals. The rest were unwritten or unclear. Twenty years later they checked back on the graduates and found that the 3% with the written goals had accumulated more personal financial wealth than the other 97% of the class – combined!

Like I said, that inspired me. So I wrote down my top 10 goals and put them on an index card. I used to carry that index card in my Daytimer where I logged all of my appointments. I came across that list regularly so it sort of stayed in front of my face for regular review.

Some of the goals were financial. Some of the goals were things that I wanted to get done or maintain. Some were short term and some were long term. The first of the financial goals I surpassed in just the first year. A very large financial goal, I blew away in about year 4. It was a 10 year goal so getting it done in 4 years was a big deal to me. One was to have a second home in Chicago. I got that done too. One was to maintain a happy marriage. I’m going on year 28 now. If the goal had not been met it had been replaced by something in the same category that was even bigger. Circumstances changed for me so some of my goals needed adjustment. That happens.

The thing is, the process worked. And it worked big time.

Fast forward. Not too many years ago I found out the study was a hoax. No one ever surveyed the Yale class of 1953. No one. Just about every famous motivational speaker told that story and each of them credited a study that turned out to be fictitious. Brian Tracy told the story. Anthony Robbins admitted he told the story. He credited Zig Ziglar. Zig had told the story too. They all thought that it was true. It wasn’t.

My opinion? Who CARES! If the act of writing down the goals works; even for three percent of the population (or pick a number) then I’m a supporter.

Just for grins I’ll tell you a couple of stories about the grads of the Yale Class of 1953.

One of the grads became CEO of Coca Cola. His name is Roberto Goizneta. He thought he’d be working in Cuba, but instead he became the leader at Coke. Two other guys were partners who started one of the biggest law firms in New York City. They planned to be lawyers so that worked out well for them. Another guy, Forrest Mars, Jr. became the CEO of Mars, Inc. I have to say we should have seen this one coming since his last name is Mars but let’s give him credit in that he had to be prepared for the job. He’s retired now but the family still owns Mars.

For the last couple of years I will have to admit I have been lax in writing down specific, written goals. I have done business plans and made plans for my future but I didn’t do the personal index card. I haven’t carried an index card around with me. I just haven’t done it. I got out of the habit.

I was thinking about it this morning and I attributed my lack of initiative to the economy. We’ve all been hit with so much disappointment in the last decade it’s no wonder we’re skittish to make plans. Everyone has been blindsided by disappointment. I dare say none of us is totally immune.

I will tell you though that I have decided to come out of my own personal shell and get out a new index card and make a new list. I have every confidence that if I do that I’ll make those goals.

How about you? What are you doing to determine your future? Are you going to make a list and review it regularly? I hope so. And I hope you make your goals.

Cheers,


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

Plan Z Diet Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Plan Z Diet Porcini Mushroom Sauce

By: Zola

Chief Dieter

Plan Z Diet

The Plan Z Diet by Zola

This is a Plan Z Diet ZReboot sauce that can be served on steak, chicken, roast beef or even a full-flavored fish like sea bass or halibut. A splurge for sure. The Plan Z Diet by Zola offers you comfort food and even luscious gourmet offerings.

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup of porcini mushrooms
¼ cup of ruby port
½ cup of water
1 Tbl of olive oil
1 Tbl of butter
3 Tbl of finely diced shallots
½ cup of prepared beef or beef/veal demi-glace
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
2 Tbl of butter
Whisper of cayenne (optional)

Instructions:

First thing is to prep the mushrooms. I do this early in the day. In a small bowl, just add the mushrooms with the water and port. Let them soak. (If you can’t do this early in the day you’ll need a good 30 minutes. They need to soften)

Drain the mushrooms and coarsely chop them.

In a saute pan add the olive oil and the butter. Put in your mushrooms and your shallots. Saute on medium until the shallots are loosened and the liquid begins to dissipate from the mushrooms. Stir often. Add the prepared demi-glace and stir. (Mine comes as a gel so I scoop out what I need and just add water to the pan. Keep stirring til it melts. Sometimes it comes frozen with the water already in it and you might just have to thaw it. All brands are different. Just follow the instructions on the container.)

Season with salt and pepper. Taste to make sure the mushrooms are done to your liking. The sauce will be glossy and fairly thick. Then turn OFF the heat. Add the rest of the butter to give it even more richness. Stir to incorporate. Decide if you want to add a whisper of cayenne. I do it just to give the flavor a bit of brightness. Not spicy heat.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve over your protein.

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

Porcini Mushroom Sauce Recipe Copyright 2015 The Plan Z, Diet by Zola