Have you heard of this one yet?  I was sent this book, The O2 Diet,  by my friend Kim and looked forward to reviewing it because it is loaded with information about antioxidants and why they are so important in our diets.  I’ve always been interested in learning more about these disease fighting, age minimizing substances in our foods and in our supplements. 

The book is not about writing down your daily calorie intake.  It’s about getting the right nutrients in the foods you chose to protect against “free radicals, the culprits behind many forms of cancer, heart disease, and ..wrinkles.”   It is a beginners “how to” book:  How to embark on a life style change that you can stick with and not engage in dieting.

Instead of going through page by page indicating how the author, Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN offers suggestions on a 32 day meal plan which details the foods and offers easy recipes to follow or how excerpts can be found on most pages with valuable information such as proper ratios of carbohydrates to fats to proteins, I will present some delicious recipes from the book.  A complete shopping list, life journal, and meal planner are also offered at the end of the text. 

Crunchy Chicken Salad Boats: The following serves 1 so increase ingredients accordingly per people you wish to serve.  The flavors are fruity and smooth.  The crunch of the walnuts is so pleasing with the pop of the grapes.  This is a perfect lunch dish.

• 3 TBS fat free plain yogurt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp grated gingerroot
• 3 oz shredded rotisserie chicken breast, skin removed (about 3/4 cup) *Or use a vegetarian substitute.
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp chopped walnuts
• 2 TBS finely chopped Granny Smith apple
• 2 TBS quartered red grapes
• 2 Kirby cucumbers halved lengthwise

Combine yogurt, vinegar, honey and gingerroot in medium bowl. Add chicken, walnuts, apple. Mix well. Gently stir in grapes until just combined. Seed and scoop out flesh from cucumber halves using rounded teaspoon or melon baller. Divide chicken salad among the cucumber boats.

Salmon with Raspberry – Balsamic Glaze – Makes 1 serving so increase ingredients accordingly.  Fruity and fresh.  A brilliant dinner and so full of goodness!

• 6 fresh raspberries
• 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh squeezed Orange Juice
• 1/4 tsp orange peel
• 1/2 tsp honey
• Splash of red wine (1 tsp)
• 4 oz skinless salmon fillet, preferably wild caught (about 3/4” thick)

Mash raspberries and vinegar with fork in small bowl. Stir in orange juice, peel, honey, and wine until combined. Set aside. Coat a non stick skillet with canola oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook the salmon about 4 min. per side or  until the fish is cooked through. Set aside. Remove skillet from heat and carefully wipe away any liquid with a paper towel.  Return skillet to medium heat and add reserved raspberry mixture. Stir constantly, cook 2 min. or until thickened.  Pour sauce over salmon and serve with asparagus on the side.

Spinach, Bok Choy, and Tofu Stir-Fry NOTE:  I did not include the tofu because I used this as a side dish and didn’t need the extra protein.  This is a peanutty, spicy dish.  You can just feel all the goodness as your body takes it in with every bite.

• 1 TBS chunky natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp rice vinegar or honey
• 1/4 tsp soy sauce
• 1 TBS water
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp finely grated gingerroot
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp safflower oil
• 1/2 cup trimmed and thin sliced bok choy ribs and leaves
• 1/2 cup tofu, cut into 1/2” cubes
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup thin sliced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 1 tsp thin sliced scallion
• Combine the first four ingredient in a small bowl. Add the next three ingredients. Stir to combine. Heat oil in non stick skillet over medium heat. Separate the bok choy ribs from leaves. Place tofu in a single layer in the skillet and add the bok choy ribs. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Flip tofu and cook 3 more minutes, stirring to brown all sides of tofu.  Add reserved bok choy leaves, spinach, bell pepper, mushrooms, and scallion. Stir in reserved peanut butter mixture and cook, stirring 3 more minutes or until spinach wilts and peppers are slightly softened.
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We had to enjoy a dessert after all this.  I used the following recipe which is actually listed under Breakfast foods.  It was a WONDERFUL end to a great meal and very much like a rice pudding with fruit. Yum-E!

Berry Creamy Quinoa Parfait – makes one serving.

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
• 1/2 tsp honey (optional)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
• 1/4 cup frozen pure unsweetened acai berry puree, thawed (I couldn’t find this so I used raspberry applesauce with acai berries)
• 2 TBS chopped walnuts

Mix quinoa, yogurt, honey(if using), vanilla, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Fold blueberries gently into the acai pulp in another small bowl, stir to coat. Spoon 1/3 of the quinoa mixture into a glass, then 1/3 of the blueberry mix and 1/3 of the walnuts.  Repeat layers twice, ending with the walnuts on top.

The O2 Diet even indulges our party–hardy attitudes by offering a Blackberry-Thyme Margarita.  WOW!  Perfect!  I just can’t say enough. Delish!

This makes 2 servings, but you WILL want to increase this recipe.

• 16 large fresh blackberries, divided
• 4 small fresh thyme springs, divided
• 6 TBS 100% blue agave silver tequila
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 3 TBS fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 TBS Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• 2 cups ice cubes, divided
• 1/4 cup chilled sparkling wine

Place 14 blackberries and 2 thyme sprigs in medium bowl. With the back of a wooden spoon, press firmly on the solids and mash.  Mix in the tequila, simple syrup, lime juice and liqueur, then add 1 cup of the ice. Stir to blend well. Strain into a large glass measuring cup. Mix in the sparkling wine.  divide the remaining ice between 2 tall glasses. Pour the margarita mixture over the ice. Garnish each drink with 1 blackberry and 1 thyme sprig.

If you are interested in making a positive life style change in a way that incorporates good foods, not “diet” food, and you want a detailed plan, make sure to review  The O2 Diet by Keri Glassman, RD.  If you are interesting in this book,  leave a comment and let me your thoughts.  

Today’s run was 10.08 miles.  I could have done without that extra .08 because it was an uncomfortable and arduous run. 

Shane and I set out at 5:40 am.  It was 7 degrees.  I wasn’t going to run 10 miles on the dreadmill so we wrapped up and ventured out.  I took water with me for Shane’s sake.  We went down Culver Ave and ended up going across Eagle St.  We went up Mohawk towards the Parkway and then to Utica College.  At UC, we stopped for water.  This is when the run turned bad. I took my gloves off. Shane was getting frosty feet.  He took only a couple of sips of water.  My hands were so cold with my gloves off  that putting the water container back into my pocket took about 2 minutes.  Getting my gloves back on with frosty fingers was no easy task either. 

The Garmin decided it was low on battery time.  My hands just wouldn’t warm up.  Shane seemed happy to be turning for home.  At the 8 mile mark, I had icicles on my eyelashes.  When I looked at Shane his chin and around his mouth had formed about 2” icicles.  It was a long trek home but we made it.   I got Shane in a nice warm shower, fed him a full breakfast with Ted’s left over Chicken Daniele from last nights meal…

As soon as we arrived home, I inhaled a delicious, crisp and sweet apple.  For breakfast, I had a wonderful Egg Beater omelet to refuel.  It was made up of 3/4 cup Egg Beaters, left over greens (mostly the hot cherry peppers), broccoli florets, asparagus pieces, and a handful of spinach.  Feta cheese and Pomegranate Black Bean Chipotle Salsa to top it off. A piece of black rice bread on the side.

Speaking of last night, it was another fantastic meal at one of our favorites: Daniele’s Valley View:

We just eked in for the end of happy hour.  Neither one of us could finish two glasses of wine. But had fun trying.

Wonderful, hot cherry pepper loaded greens.

The freshest tasting Sushi grade tuna ever imaginable.  It was coated in a mustard peppercorn spicy crust, seated on a bed of whole pea risotto, and drizzled with a light champagne cream sauce.  On the side were sugared strawberries.  Amazing how all those flavors came together but still maintained their individuality in the dish.

Tuna always, without fail, gets in my teeth.  As I stood in the bathroom flossing my teeth, I thought how much healthier it is to engage in flossing.   Then I thought of something horrible.  What if I didn’t floss and brushing didn’t get all those dinner orts out of my mouth?  Would that be the same as leaving a tiny piece of tuna on a table in 92 degree weather for, let’s say, 3 days?  GROSS!   That is completely unhealthy.  No wonder flossing can increase your life span!

“Merely inculcating the flossing routine into daily routine could increase one’s life span by a year. A well-identified fact is the apparent association in between gum diseases and cardiovascular ailments. When one flosses regularly it is the best step one could take at curbing this onset.”  Source: Simple Health Guide

Our internal body temperature is about 98.6 degrees.  Our oral temperature is about 92 to 100 degrees F.  If you don’t floss, here is a thought for you:  What about all those tiny bits of food particles wedged between your teeth (and gums) that might just stay there for days.   They are being exposed to a moist, warm environment. Would you eat food that had been left out in that environment?  Flossing helps to promote good health, good oral hygiene, and the people you talk to (really close) will thank you for it. 

For more flossing information and a TERRIFIC apple crumbles recipe for vegetarian Nutty French Toast, see this link.

Next up:  A book review.  It’s a diet book …OH NO! you say?   That’s what I said but there are some terrific recipes and I just couldn’t resist sharing them with you. Stay tuned, and if you are interested after reading the review, let me know.  I just might send you this book.  It’s called “The O2 Diet” by Keri Glassman, RD.  Here is a review from WebMD

Five Grain Pilaf