Newbie questions and in need of menu critique
 

Hey guys! I am new to the South Beach diet and gearing up to start on Monday. I lost 100lbs doing low carb, but fell off the wagon about a year ago and have gained 40 lbs back My previous diet was not as near as healthy as South Beach so I am going to give this a try... I need some help though!

1. How important do you guys feel the limit of caffeine is? I usually have a couple glasses of iced tea a day... they are probably bigger than a serving, I sweeten them with sweet and low.
2. Do you feel one artificial sweetener is better than another for weight loss on South Beach? I know people have taste preference and the health risks that are associated, but just from a weight loss stand point?
3. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I drink hot tea on weekends... I like to use honey to sweeten it. I assume this is out for now?

FINALLY:
Here is my plan for next week and I wanted to get your opinion and make sure I am interpreting the meal plan correctly.

Monday:
B: Egg White omelet with spinach, onion and cheese. And 6oz V-8
S: Edamame
L: Mixed Greens salad with chicken, green peppers, onions, and cheese. 2T dressing with 3g Sugar or less.
S: 2T Hummus with bell pepper strips
D: Grilled/Roasted Veggie Antipasto with Parmesan, Garlic and Soy Grilled Pork Chops, Side Salad, 2T Salad dressing 3g Sugar or less (Recipes follow)

On Mondays I work, but the rest of the week I work and go to school, so I am going to lump them together:
Tues-Thurs.
B: Vegetable Quiche to go, Ricotta Creme muffin (recipes follow)
S: Sweet pepper sticks with mozzarella (recipes follow)
L: Mini Eggplant Pizzettes, Side Salad, 2T Salad dressing 3g Sugar or less (recipes follow)
S: Roasted Chickpeas (recipes follow)
D:Taco Bake

Monday Dinner:
Grilled/Roasted Veggie Antipasto with Parmesan
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 ounces asparagus
2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped fine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat broiler or grill. Roast peppers whole until skins blister and
blacken. Remove and place in covered bowl. Thinly slice zucchini and
yellow squash. Toss squashes with asparagus, salt, pepper, and 2
tablespoons of olive oil. Cut tomatoes in half and lightly sprinkle
with salt and pepper. Lay vegetables on grill or on cookie sheet below
broiler and roast about 5 minutes until they begin to brown and become
tender. Remove from heat. Take peppers once cool enough to handle and
rub off blackened skin. Cut off top to remove core and seeds and cut
in 1/4-inch spears. Arrange on platter and dress with herbs, vinegar,
remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Garlic and Soy Grilled Pork Chop
2 Servings
Ingredients:
2 boneless center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed of all visible fat
1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh herbs, for garnish
Instructions:
Sprinkle the pork chops all over with soy sauce, garlic, paprika,
salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 2
hours.
Coat a grill rack or broiler-pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat the
grill or broiler.
Cook the pork chops 4" from the heat, turning once halfway through
cooking time, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in
the center of a chop registers 155°F and the juices run clear. Garnish
with the herbs.

Weekly
B:
Vegetable Quiche Cups To Go
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
3⁄4 cup liquid egg substitute
3⁄4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheese
1⁄4 cup diced green bell peppers
1⁄4 cup diced onions
3 drops hot-pepper sauce (optional)
Instructions:
Microwave the spinach for 2 1/2 minutes on high. Drain the excess liquid.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups. Spray the cups with
cooking spray.
Combine the egg substitute, cheese, peppers, onions, and spinach in a
bowl. Mix well. Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for
20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Quiche cups can be frozen and reheated in the microwave. Any
combination of appropriate vegetables and reduced-fat cheeses may be
used.
Serves 1
Ingredients:
6 oz vegetable juice cocktail
Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
Serves 1
Ingredients:
4 oz Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
Instructions:
Feel free to add 1-2 packets of sugar substitute or flavor your yogurt
like a ricotta creme.
___________________________
Ricotta Muffins
Heat oven to 400, spray a muffin pan.
Then, mix 2 cups ricotta (part skim has less sugar), 4 eggs, 6-8 packs
splenda (depending on how sweet you prefer) and vanilla extract to
taste.
Mix the ingredients and pour into muffin tin.
Bake 20- 30 min or more until toothpick comes out clean.
Serves:12, one muffin=one serving

S:
Sweet Pepper Sticks with Mozzarella
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 ounce part-skim mozzarella
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Open 3-15 ounce cans of garbanzo beans (chick peas) and dump into a colander.
Rinse well with cold water.
Drizzle with olive or canola oil, tossing until well coated.
Add about a teaspoon of pickling salt (larger grains) and spices to
taste.
Mix well and spread on a baking sheet.
Roast for about 30-40 minutes, tossing frequently for even baking.
Remove and set aside to cool.
1/2 cup serving

L:
Mini Eggplant Pizzettes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 eggplant, 3 inches in diameter, peeled and cut into 4 half-inch thick slices
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup pasta sauce (sugar free)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 ounces Canadian bacon
Instructions
Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 425°F. Brush both sides of the
eggplant with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Arrange on
a baking sheet and bake until browned and almost tender, 6 to 8
minutes, turning once. Spread 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce on each
eggplant slice. Top, if desired, with the Canadian bacon (optional)
and shredded cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve hot.

D:
Taco Bake
Serves 4:
1 can refried beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 can green chilis
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
1-2 t garlic powder
2-3 TB tomato paste
2/3 C shredded f/f or l/f cheese
Preheat oven to 450. Take a flat casserole dish, spray with cooking
spray and spread refried beans on the bottom. Season with salt and
pepper and bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute meat, onions, bell pepper, garlic (season with S&P)
until onion begins to soften and meat beings to brown. Add mushrooms
and cook until they've released their water and meat is thoroughly
browned. Drain fat and add all spices, and cook for about 2-3 minutes
until spices toast. Add green chilies and tomato paste, along with a
little bit of water, if needed. The mixture should be moist but not
runny.
Take the casserole dish with the beans, pour mixture on top and top
with cheese (sometimes I add olives and green onions at this stage).
Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted
and just starts to bubble. Serve with generous heaps of lettuce as a
bed.

Hi Linda and :welcome2:

I am not the resident expert on menus. I do love the Taco Bake. I don't go overboard on my caffeine but I don't purposely limit it either. My sweetener of choice is Splenda and I do any baking with a combo of Splenda and Agave Nectar. I don't use honey. Just my personal choices. My take is that we all start somewhere and as time goes on we make changes and find our comfort zone. I started out an ethical carnivore and have transformed to pescatarian. I do like automating; eating the same meals over and over.

Best Wishes!

I don't watch caffeine intake. As I'm trying to decrease my intake of Coke Zero, I find myself drinking more coffee, at least at work. I prefer the taste of Splenda, but don't use a lot of it, except for the diet pop stuff.

Your menus look good, except no dairy. I tend to eat the same breakfast and lunch every day. Just mix up my supper entree and veggies. Eat the same snack most evenings.

Welcome to SB!