Hello!
I bought the book last weekend and ate wave one for the weekend, not at all for Monday (retirement dinners at work), and then officially started Sonoma Wave One on Tuesday.
I like the recipes for the most part, but they are hard to cook for just one!
The hardest thing so far is that I am hungry during the day with limited snacks... 11 almonds doesn't really do the trick.
Today I had the mushroom omlette for breakfast (5 am), a chicken black-bean spread wrap with spinach and a little goat cheese for lunch (11 am), a cucumber and almonds for a snack (1pm), brocolli-mushroom-olive-caper stir fry for supper with some Quinoa Pilaf and a couple of veggie sausage links for supper (4 pm). But I got so hungry that I just ate a whole-grain bagel with low-fat sundried tomato cream cheese here at Panera Bread (6:30 pm). Luckily I'm not awake much past 8:30 at night or I think I'd die.
Is anyone else hungry? Maybe the breakfast was a bad idea... yesterday I had a piece of whole grain toast with a laughing cow wedge and 2 hardboiled egg whites on top, and that kept me fuller for a longer time. Maybe this morning since I didn't really have fiber from the carbs (only 2 eggs and mushrooms) I got tired and hungry much sooner.
Overall, I'm excited by these tastes and ideas -- I love some of these recipes (except I didn't really like the marinade for the flank steak given -- too rosemary-y... ugh).
But that's it! Here I am and excited! I've tried new things (Quinoa!) and feel pretty good.
Welcome! Hope you enjoy the food as much as we do!
I agree with your assessment regarding breakfast. I found that the egg-only meals left me hungry and I needed something with fiber to keep me filled up. So much for the claim that protein keeps one satisfied ... I guess we're all different.
If you get hungry during the day, my understanding is that you can have unlimited Tier 1 vegetables while on Wave 1. At least I did ... and I lost weight. I ate primarily red bell pepper slices, cucumber slices, and tomato wedges. I was surprised that did the trick for me and rarely felt hungry while on Wave 1. I'm on Wave 2 now and feel great ... of course, a bit of dark chocolate and/or a glass of wine on occasion does the trick for me!
I guess my only complaint about the book is that most of the recipes serve 4, and that's hard for one person. I try to either cut recipes down, or make foods that will freeze well. Maybe we can put together some tips and recipes for the singles!
I bet you could half many of the recipes. That would give you a dinner and a lunch since in wave 2 lunch and dinner portions are the same.
We have the same problem but in the opposite direction. (We have more than 4) To combat that problem I double the recipe and DH and I always have leftovers for lunch.
BTW the leftover Mediteranean pork chops, tandoori chicken and pepper lime chicken make killer wraps!!!!!! Just slice thin, put on a whole wheat wrap add romaine lettuce and spinach and roll up! I wrap them in plastic then foil so they don't fall apart when you open the wrapping.
I'll definately look for better single-person serving recipes.
It helps that whenever I buy boneless skinles chicken breasts, I always cut them to 3-4 oz pieces and freeze them seperately. I can just reach in and grab one, and then I thaw it while I get marinades/veggie prep ready.
I'm excited for my salad today... YUM! I feel a lot better after my breakfast: a slice of whole grain bread with a laughing cow wedge and 2 hard-boiled egg whites.
I love the diet....I found if I eat Oatmeal for breakfast it wards off those hunger pangs better than the eggs did......I was surprised how good the quinoa was...is even better made with low fat low sodium chicken broth
Lots of things on here I have never tried before, but am trying them all
I did not care for taboullah at all, but made myself eat it lol
I am single so I cut the recipes in half, freeze other serving or incorporate it into lunch the next day
The black bean soup is really good so I make the whole batch and then break it down into 8 servings and freeze....works well when on the go and no time to mess around
It's only my husband and me ... the recipes that serve 4 usually work for us (he's a big, but not fat, guy at 6'3" and 215 pounds) and if we have leftovers, it's my lunch for the next day. Those that serve 6 or 12 I have successfully cut. For the lunches that serve 4, I successfully cut to 1 for just myself.
I pre-cook 4 to 6 chicken breasts at a time so I always have cooked chicken ready for a salad or wrap. That has been a great time saver and means I don't have to eat any processed lunch meat.
Maybe the next time chicken breasts are on sale I'll cook up a few and have them cut into strips... it's easier to measure out 3 oz of chicken that way -- and I do like to have wraps for lunch at work.
I'm not a big oatmeal fan, though. Maybe b/c I don't like sweet? I don't want cinnamon and splenda on it at all! I just want ham and melty cheese...
I buy the $20 family packs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Costco..
Then cut up 3 into strips and marinade them in a ziplock bag.. feeds me, hubby and 3 kids just fine.. and then I get another 3 breasts and do the same and freeze in the marinade (last night was greek dressing) and then use 4 whole ones for baking/broiling (also freeze with marinade..)
I get 3 meals out of the pack. for a family if FIVE!
If I only use the whole breast, I may... only get 2 meals.
I am with you Phys... meat and cheese over sugar anyday!
Great suggestions! I cook extra and use it for lunch (mostly wraps). Also, when I grill or broil meat I make extra to make into soup. Last night I made chicken (the one with lime it was great!) and tonight I will make White Chili (yum!). I haven't frozen any yet but that is an option.
The recipes just kick butt! I have only made a few that I didn't love.
About being hungry: I wasn't but my husband was. He ate a lot of vegetables and because he is a bigger man he would have a slice of WW bread and PB and that normally did the trick. Also, thirst is often mistaken as hunger. Could you be a little dehydrated??
Stick with it and you will find ways to make it work for you. And with these great recipes you might want to invite that someone special over for dinner (could be fun!).
Gina
New to Sonoma
