Sexy Forever: How to Fight Fat After Forty (33 page)
Read Sexy Forever: How to Fight Fat After Forty Online
Authors: Suzanne Somers
Tags: #Health; Fitness & Dieting, #Aging, #Diets & Nutrition, #Diets & Weight Loss, #Weight Loss, #Women's Health, #General, #Diets, #Weight Maintenance, #Personal Health, #Healthy Living
Preheat a grill to medium. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and spines. Cut each half of the flesh into about 4 good-sized pieces so they will not fall through the slots of the grill. Place the peppers on the grill and cook, turning frequently, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, the olives, capers, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Serve warm.
CHOPPED ANTIPASTO SALAD
Protein, Vegetables, Healthy Fats
Detox, Level 1, Level 2
Serves 2
Wild arugula, celery leaves, and escarole give you a burst of antioxidants with their dark green leafy goodness. Wild arugula has a lovely ragged edge and slightly bitter taste. The idea to use the celery leaves came from growing celery in my garden. I had so many gorgeous leaves that are normally trimmed off by the time a head of celery gets to the grocery store. Instead, I chopped up the leaves and added them to the salad. Delicious and packed with nutrition! Escarole is an underused lettuce with a hearty texture. Top with grilled chicken covered in herbs and plenty of Italian additions. You have a salad worth staying at home for—for lunch or dinner!
Herb-Grilled Chicken Breasts
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons paprika
Antipasto Salad
½ head escarole leaves (about 4 cups)
8 ounces arugula
2 large handfuls chopped celery leaves (about 1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped
½ cup marinated artichoke hearts
½ cup sliced hearts of palm
¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
Red Wine Vinaigrette
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of sesame oil (optional)
Drizzle the chicken breasts with oil. Season with salt, pepper, and the dried herbs and paprika until well coated on both sides. Grill on medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside to cool. Chop into bite-size pieces.
Assemble the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and toss. Drizzle a touch of sesame oil over the top and toss again. Add the reserved chicken and give one final toss. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Place into salad bowls and serve.
GRILLED ZUCCHINI
Vegetables, Healthy Fats, Carbohydrates
Level 1, Level 2
Serves 4
For most of the year, zucchini grows like crazy in the warm California sun where we live. It’s most tender if you catch it at about 1½ inches in circumference. You can blink and it will be 4 inches thick! I pick several each day from my organic garden, and I’m always looking for new ways to cook it. This recipe combines the tart taste of plain yogurt with fresh dill and lemon. Yogurt is listed as a Carbohydrate, so count a little toward your servings. For a version with no carbs, use a basil pesto instead of the yogurt and dill.
4 ounces plain whole-milk yogurt, preferably Greek style
2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill, or 2 teaspoons dried
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 medium zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick
Preheat a grill to medium high. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, dill, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice, and sea salt and pepper. Add the sliced zucchini and gently stir until the zucchini is well coated.
Place the zucchini on the grill and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
CARAMELIZED FENNEL
Vegetables, Healthy Fats Detox, Level 1, Level 2
Serves 4
Fennel grows abundantly in our organic garden. I love the fresh, crisp taste. Our grandkids like to chew on the stalks while we are walking up the hill back to the house. I usually chop it into salads. Last week I had soooo much of it, Alan and I had a hard time eating it all. I decided to cook it down in olive oil and butter, and the result was divine! Slow-cooked and incredibly sweet as it caramelizes. All those nutrients? A bonus!
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
6 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When melted, add the sliced fennel and sauté for about 10 minutes, turning consistently for even browning. When brown on all sides, reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
SAUTÉED BOK CHOY
Vegetables, Healthy Fats Detox, Level 1, Level 2
Serves 4
My husband grew up in an interesting household: his mother ran a boardinghouse and seventeen people lived with him his entire life, including seven Chinese brothers with whom he became very close. I grew up in an Irish household where my mother cooked meat and potatoes, whereas Alan was exposed to winter melon, water chestnuts, and exotic vegetables like bok choy. Bok choy tastes great in soup, sautéed, or eaten raw in a salad. These are tender and sweet from the soy sauce.