The 8-Hour Diet (21 page)

8 MINUTE MEAL!

Greek yogurt is made with milk that has been skimmed of its watery whey, which gives it an impossibly creamy texture and twice as much protein as standard yogurt. If you haven’t already fallen in love with Greek yogurt, this 60-second breakfast will help seal the deal.

4
POWER FOODS   
1
SERVING

1 cup sliced strawberries
*

½ cup blueberries (frozen are good, too)
*

2 tsp sugar

4 or 5 mint leaves, sliced thinly

1 container (8 oz) low-fat plain Greek-style yogurt (Fage 2% is our favorite)

¼ cup granola

Combine the fruit, sugar, and mint in a bowl and allow to sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon half of the yogurt into a bowl or glass, top with half of the fruit and granola, then repeat with the remaining yogurt, fruit, and granola. Pour any accumulated juice from the fruit over the top.

358
CALORIES

7
G FAT

4
G SAT. FAT

37
G SUGARS

7
G FIBER

*
Any juicy fruit will work well here: raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, mangoes.

8 MINUTE MEAL!

This is the kind of power breakfast you will crave after a morning workout session. The whole-wheat tortilla makes it perfectly portable (especially wrapped in foil) but this can just as easily be converted into breakfast tacos by substituting warm corn tortillas.

6
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

½ Tbsp olive oil

2 cooked chicken sausage links, diced

1 red onion, diced

6 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and black pepper to taste

Chopped cilantro

4 whole-wheat tortillas (10")

1 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and heated

½ cup shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

1 cup of your favorite salsa

Chopped jalapeños (optional) to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and onion; cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn the heat to low.

Pour the eggs into the skillet. Cook slowly, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon until the eggs are firm but still moist. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cilantro.

Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. (Or heat them individually in a dry pan until warm and lightly toasted.) Divide the eggs, beans, cheese, and avocado among the tortillas. Roll into tight packages and top each burrito with salsa, more cilantro, and jalapeños (if using).

468
CALORIES

25
G FAT

9
G SAT. FAT

812
G SUGARS

11
G FIBER

8 MINUTE MEAL!

Plain oatmeal is boring and flavored packaged oatmeal contains too many funky ingredients and a deluge of added sugars. This recipe solves both problems by combining lightly sweetened homemade oatmeal with the Elvis-approved combination of peanut butter and banana. Make the agave syrup your go-to sweetener; it has the same amount of calories as sugar or honey, but it has a much gentler impact on your blood sugar.

2
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

4½ cups water

2 cups rolled oats

Pinch of salt

2 bananas, sliced

2 Tbsp peanut butter

¼ cup chopped almonds

2 Tbsp agave syrup

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and add the oatmeal and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the oats are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid.

Add the bananas, peanut butter, almonds, and agave syrup and stir to incorporate evenly. If the oatmeal is too thick, add a splash of milk.

320
CALORIES

10
G FAT

1
G SAT. FAT

17
G SUGARS

7
G FIBER

8 MINUTE MEAL!

Among the many virtues of a frittata: It takes just minutes to make, packs a perfect balance of lean protein and healthy fat, can be made with dozens of different ingredients, and travels extremely well. Make one on Sunday night and take a wedge to work each day.

4
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

½ Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup bottled roasted red peppers, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups baby arugula or baby spinach

4 thin slices prosciutto or other good ham, cut into strips

8 eggs, beaten

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta

Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick, 12" oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat. Add the roasted pepper and garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Stir in the arugula and cook for another 2 minutes or so, until lightly wilted. Add the prosciutto, then pour the eggs over the top. Season the eggs with a good amount of salt and pepper, then dot with the crumbled goat cheese.

Cook on the stovetop for 5 to 6 minutes, until most of the egg has set. Place the pan 6" under the broiler and cook for about 3 minutes, until the rest of the egg has fully set and the top of the frittata has begun to brown. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and cut into wedges.

342
CALORIES

24
G FAT

11
G SAT. FAT

752
MG SODIUM

1
G FIBER

8 MINUTE MEAL!

This breakfast sandwich is based on the famous everything bagels with lox of the New York Jewish deli canon; only this sandwich trades the bloated, carb-heavy bagel for fiber-rich whole-wheat bread.

5
POWER FOODS   
4
SERVINGS

¼ cup whipped cream cheese
*

8 slices whole-wheat or 9-grain bread, toasted

2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups mixed baby greens

1 large tomato, sliced

Salt and black pepper to taste

8 oz smoked salmon

Spread 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese on each of four slices of toast. Top each with capers, onion, greens, and a slice or two of tomato. Lightly salt the tomato, then add as much pepper as you’d like (this sandwich cries out for a lot of it). Finish by draping a few slices of smoked salmon over the tomatoes and topping with the remaining slices of toasted bread.