Thanks for sharing!
 

The recipes you have posted look great. I can't wait to try them - thanks for taking the time to post them.

I made the ZUCCHINI OMELETTE "PANCAKES" this weekend but added cooked mashed up cauliflower as well - loved them! Geat lunch idea the omelettes are huge so I have found it hard to eat the whole 2 cups of veggies at the same time.

I tried the big mac salad both with just ground beef and with bigger chunks of beef like your photo - definitely liked it better with the bigger chunks. I made patties, cooked them on the BBQ and cut them in pieces. Awesome grilled flavour - not quite as pretty as your photo but YUM!

Making sweet and sour beef soon, it looked amazing.

Love the variety that comes from everyones experiments!

Wow - thanks for all these great ideas. Keep up the good work and looking forward to joining facebook with you and the gang!

you are freaking amazing! i'm such a visual eater and often style the food on my plate when i make something especially nice.

Thank you for some great recipes and insipration!

Great recipes! Thanks so much for sharing all your work! Your FB page is wonderful too.
Just curious, are you Finnish? Steven doesn't sound very Finnish and your English is great if you are a Finn!

Thanks for the kind words. I didnt update the FB page or this thread last week because I was in Italy with my wife. More to come...

:-) Both of my parents are American. I lived in Finland and learned finnish when I was younger and moved back about 15 years ago. My wife is also Finnish and kids are dual-nationality.

My coaches are launching IP in Finland later this year, so my ID is for both my location as well as where I am doing IP.

and here is an updated picture after losing 35lbs. (I need to put together before/after but am waiting to lose a little more weight.)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...42822756_n.jpg

I'm a Finn too and was in Finland last summer three months and gained back 13 lbs :( and for reason ♥ So happy that Ip is going to start in Finland too, good Diet. I try to start over again but it seems that second round is more difficult to start but I'm going to do it - i really need that!!

Spinach Soup
 

SPINACH SOUP: This is an easy way to freshen up an Ideal Protein Leek Soup mix to make some Fall/Winter friendly comfort food.

I wasnt going to post this because its so simple, but the taste is so good and I think many of us just need to be reminded of different options that I felt it was worth posting.


http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...90302344_n.jpg

1. Cook up fresh spinach (2 cups) with 1 tsp olive oil, a pinch of nutmeg, and a squeeze of lemon.
2. Add Ideal Protein Leek Soup to a blender with 8-16oz hot water (1-2 cups depending on taste and if you want thin or thick soup). (Be careful that the water is not boiling, or you may create too much pressure with a closed blender lid which can pop off and burn you)
3. Add the cooked spinach to the soup and blend. You can pour into a bowl and microwave for 1 minute to get piping hot if desired. Spice with sea salt/ pepper.
4. You can add a boiled egg white (take out the yolk) if desired and ok with your coach to add the extra protein.

I have also added roasted cauliflower to this to thicken the soup quite a bit, but also enjoy it with just the spinach.

Finn Steve..You look great in the picture! Congratulations on losing the 35 pounds. I am extremely impressed you managed to stay on IP while in Italy. I loved the Italian food when I was there.

Green Bean Casserole
 

CREAMY GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE:
My mom used to make a delicious green bean casserole at the holidays. This is my Ideal Protein version.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...11072413_n.jpg

1. Empty 1 to 2 cups of canned green beans (with water) into a stovetop pan and heat .

You can also add 1 can of sliced mushrooms to cook along with the beans.

Drain the liquid and set aside. (You can also boil fresh green beans which will be more crunchy. I personally like the beans a little softer as they are from a can)

2. Make the Ideal Protein Mushroom Soup with a little less water than in the instructions to make a very thick sauce.

3. Add green beans to soup/sauce. Add spices to taste (for example, black pepper, sea salt, chili powder, lemon). Add in dried onion flakes if desired and stir.

4. Move to an oven proof pot and bake at 200 C / 400 F. You can add additional onion flakes or sliced mushrooms to top of casserole. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

I did NOT stay on IP while in Italy. I had talked to my coach about the trip before starting the program a few months ago and I asked if I should wait to start until after the trip. She said that I would enjoy the trip more if I lost weight before going and she was right. It was a revelation to be able to walk, climb stairs, etc without breathing heavily or feeling tired.

I ate well, but made many of my food choices based on the things I have learned on the diet... but did eat gelato, pasta, and pizza as planned.

I have read some comments on the board which discourage a planned cheating for a holiday, but it made me enjoy my vacation more (without going hog wild) and also put me in a good mental state to be actually EXCITED to return to the diet and routines when I got back last night.

I think its a personal decision. Some people find it too hard to cheat then return to the diet without being tempted to do it again. But I have already stayed 100% on program for quite a few special parties as well as work travel since starting, so that worked for me but might not work for others.

I am glad you enjoyed your vacation and wonderful Italy!!! Isn't it nice to go up stairs without panting? I have noticed that I walk much faster now with my weight loss.
You are ready to go and inspired on IP. The Bean casserole should be very good, especially for out holidays coming in the fall.

Nice to meet you Steven! My parents immigrated from Finland in 1952 and I was born in Canada. But I'm still a proud Finn! I'm glad you had a great holiday in Italy - I just can't see how a person could go there and stay on diet, it would be most frustrating! Congratulations on your IP success and thanks again for sharing the wonderful recipes. :thanks:

You look great Steven, you can definitely tell a difference!

I'm glad you enjoyed Italy, I know there is no way I could go there and be OP. My 15yo son went there this summer and all he has talked about is the Gelato.. and pasta.

I think your recipes are super and the pictures. Very professional and lovely to look at. I'm wondering where you get products like "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," the teas, etc. I know I can't get Splenda since it hasn't been approved in Germany, but PAM spray, etc. would be a godsend. Also, I sent an e-mail to your clinic asking about buying IP packets but it got returned because the address wasn't correct? Any advice would be very much appreciated.