Week 1 - Day 2 PP, ATTACK Diet

Now for the second of three ATTACK days.

Weigh in first, there is the first sign of weight loss, 1 kilo gone. I woke up at 3am a bit hungry so had a few spoons of vanilla forme yoghurt and was able to go back to sleep.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

When feeling next hungry - 9am
3 oatbran muffins
White coffee with Natvia

When next hungry 10.30 am
3 meatballs
Pot of chamomile tea sweetened with Natvia

Lunch time meeting, so 12 noon
Chicken noodle soup.

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 2 pm
2 teaspoons Apple cider in water
Smoked salmon rolls
Pot herbal tea sweetened with natvia.

When next hungry 2.30 pm
Jelly and vanilla forme yoghurt.
Oatbran muffins

When next hungry 4.30 pm
150ml tub forme yoghurt

Dinner 6.30 pm
Chicken breast, seasoned and grilled.

Supper 8pm
Baked custard

9pm
150 ml forme vanilla yoghurt.
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons in water
Chicken breast fillet

Exercise
30 min stationary bike

Supper
Baked custard
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/search?q=Baked+custard

Cooking for tomorrow
Nil

Day 7, PP day CRUISE diet

This will be my last example diet day as my systems for Dukaning are up and running now. There is considerable organisation and food preparation to be successful on this diet. To finish this week, I have a PP day on the CRUISE diet.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

Breakfast 8.30am
200 ml of forme yoghurt

When next hungry 10am
3 oatbran muffins
White coffee with natvia

11 am black coffee

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 1.15 pm
Hot smoked salmon and Dukan mayonaise

When next hungry 4.30 pm
meatballs
2 cups herbal tea with Natvia

5.30 pm
meatballs
Black tea with Natvia

Finish second 1.25 L bottle of water by 6pm

7.30 Dinner
Altamtic salmon fillet with Dukan mayo

9.00
Yoghurt 200ml

7.30 dinner
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Dry fried Atlantic Salmon (seasoned with lemon pepper) and served with Dukan mayo.

Supper Yoghurt
4 sugar free marshmallows

Slim tea.

Note that this was Easter Sunday. I did not have any chocolate, nor did I crave any either. I admit, I did avoid being near any hot cross buns as their smell is normally too tempting.

In general, I feel well, energised and balanced. It is a diet that suits me and my chemistry well. By the end of 7 days, I had dropped 3.5 kilos, feel more myself and am already over a third of the way there. I am quite comfortable that I can continue the cruising process for another 6-8 weeks to lose the weight.

Day 6 PV day CRUISE Diet

Now for my second PV day on the CRUISE diet. That is alternating PV and PP until the target weight is reached.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

Breakfast - 8.30 am
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons (dilute in water)
Scrambled egg white omelette - made with spinach Pureegg whites and steamed mushrooms and zucchini.

When next hungry 9.00 am
Listerine breath strip
Black coffee

When next hungry 11.00 am
3 oatbran muffins

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 1.15 pm
Roast chicken on lettuce bed with Dukan mayonnaise (30:70 mix of philadelphia and natuural yoghurt, mixed with an egg yolk, dijon mustard salt and white pepper).

When next hungry 2.30 pm
Instant coffee with Natvia
2 sticks celery

When next hungry 4.30 pm
Licorette x3 (sugar free licorice lolly)
Listerine breath mint
Finish bottle water

30 minute brisk walk

Dinner 6.30 pm
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons in water
Chicken cooked with sping onion, and green beans.

Supper
Forme yoghurt and steamed rhubarb

Day 5 PP day. CRUISE Diet

Now for another PP day on the CRUISE diet.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

Breakfast - 8.30 am
3 meatballs

When next hungry 10.00 am
3 oatbran muffins
black coffee

40 minute bike ride
black coffee

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 1.15 pm
Roast chicken (no skin, no wings)

When next hungry 3.30 pm
meatballs
2 cups herbal tea with Natvia

5.30 pm
meatballs
white instant coffee with Natvia

Finish second 1.25 L bottle of water by 6pm

7.30 dinner
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Dry fried Atlantic Salmon on noodles.

Supper Yoghurt

Slim tea.

Cooking list for tomorrow:
Muffins
Chicken soup
Jelly
Meatballs
Lasagne

Week 1 - Day 4. CRUISE Diet

Now for my first PV day on the CRUISE diet. That is alternating PV and PP until the target weight is reached.

Weigh in first, there is another sign of weight loss, down another 0.5 kg. so that is 3 kg of the 10, or 30% of the way. From previous experience, on cruise, I can loose 1 kilo a week, so I will now move to weekly weighs. So probably another 2 months cruising to drop the weight (early June), then another 2 months to consolidate.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

Breakfast - 6.30 am
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons (dilute in water)
Mushroom omelette - made with Pureegg whites and steamed mushrooms.

When next hungry 9.00 am
Listerine breath strip
Black coffee

When next hungry 11.00 am
3 oatbran muffins

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 1.15 pm
Fresh vegetable noodle soup.
(Rinse half packet slendier spaghetti noodles, one half of a massell reduced salt stock cube, 1 teaspoon onion flakes, 1/8 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 sachet natvia, 1/2 cup grated zucchuni, 4 cherry tomatoes quartered is added to a plastic Multix screw top container. At lunchtime add boiling water and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well and serve).

When next hungry 2.30 pm
Jelly and vanilla forme yoghurt.

When next hungry 4.30 pm
150 ml Yoghurt

Dinner 6.30 pm
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons in water
Fresh vegetable noodle soup
Steak and broccoli

Supper
Baked custard
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/search?q=Baked+custard
with stewed rhubarb (cut into 2-3 cm lengths into a straight sided bowl. Cover with natvia to taste. Microwave, about a minute a stick).

Week 1 - Day 3, PP day, ATTACK Diet

Now for the last of three ATTACK days.

Weigh in first, there is another sign of weight loss, down another 1.5 kg. so that is 2.5 kg gone, or 25% of the 10kgs I wanted to loose. I know that only some of this is fat, most is fluid and the changing over of my intestinal biotica, from that which supported the high fibre of the CSIRO wellness diet (which does not work for me) to the high protein of the ATTACK stage. Need to keep drinking water to help the transition.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.

When feeling next hungry - 9.30 am
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons (dilute in water)
1 serve if Chicken noodle soup with slendier slim noodles.

When next hungry 10.30 am
2 oatbran muffins
Instant coffee with no fat milk and Natvia

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 12.30 pm
2 teaspoons Apple cider in water
Chicken thighs
Pot herbal tea sweetened with natvia.

When next hungry 2.30 pm
Jelly and vanilla forme yoghurt.

When next hungry 4.30 pm
150 ml Yoghurt

Dinner 6.30 pm
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons in water
Roast beef

Exercise, 30 minute stationary cycle, upper body exercises.

Supper
Baked custard
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/search?q=Baked+custard

Cooking for tomorrow
More meatballs

Week 1 - Day 1 PP day, ATTACK diet

Okay, time to start.

Dukan dieting involves organisation and a good deal of cooking. So I am going to itemise my actual food consumption on the first week of the diet for my future reference.

Day 1 of three ATTACK days

Weigh in first, mmmm yes I thought so ... I would like to drop 10 kilos. Now that my hypothalamus is working again, I should be able to do that in 2-3 months.

Measure out 1.25 litres of water to drink in the morning, and 1.25 l for the afternoon.
Take vitamin capsule.
Black coffee no sugar.
Brisk walk 15 minutes x2.

When feeling next hungry - 9.30 am
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons (dilute in water)
1 serve if Chicken noodle soup with slendier slim noodles (500g chicken mince, 1 packet noodles, 2 Massell's salt reduced chicken stock cubes, mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Add in natural low fat yoghurt; 3-4 serves).

When next hungry 10.30 am
2 oatbran muffins
Instant coffee with no fat milk and Natvia

Finish first bottle of water by noon.

When next hungry have lunch 12.30 pm
2 teaspoons Apple cider in water
Tuna in yoghurt and salt and pepper, made 3 serves from a 400g tin of Sirena tuna.
Pot herbal tea sweetened with natvia.

When next hungry 2.30 pm
Jelly and vanilla forme yoghurt.

When next hungry 4.30 pm
Mini meatballs - made up 20 meatballs from 500g beef, half with added curry powder, half with added moroccan seasoning. My family will snack on the left overs, so I will save some for tomorrow.

Dinner 6.30 pm
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons in water
Poached 200g Atlantic Salmon, serve with yoghurt

Supper
Baked custard
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/search?q=Baked+custard

Cooking for tomorrow
Need to make chicken noodle soup for the next few days.

Shopping list for starting Dukan

Time for another Dukan intervention.

I think a 3 day Attack, and then cruise back down to a better weight for me. If I start on Monday, I can use the weekend to get organised.

Let's look at a proposed menu and a shopping list for the week ahead (3 Attack, 4 cruise = 5 Pure protein days (PP days) and 2 days where I can add in allowable (green) vegetables (PV days). These are Thursday and Saturday.

My first decision is how to have my oatbran. I prefer to have mine as a muffin as I can pre-make it. So during Attack, I will have only 2 muffins a day, then move up to 3 a day while cruising, and then 4 when stabilising.

Here is the recipe.
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/search?q=Muffin
I will need to make 2 dozen for the week ahead, and then freeze them.

Next is the litre of non-fat dairy per day.
I will use some in my coffee, and there is some already in the muffins.
I will make some extra jelly to go with Forme vanilla yoghurt.
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/jelly.html
as that always fills me up.

On the 2 PV days I will have some rhubarb with my yoghurt (a few sticks, washed, trimmed and chopped, splinkled with natvia to taste and then in the microwave for 2 minutes). Then add Forme vanilla yoghurt.

Lunch
I will also have 2 days where I have the salmon cheese roll for lunch.
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/salmon-roll.html

and 2 days with canned tuna would be good
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/canned-tuna.html

and three coldest days I will have chicken noodle soup
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/chicken-soup.html

Dinner
2 nights I will have poached salmon for tea
2 nights beef (roast/steak)
3 nights chicken (thigh/breast)
For the PV days I will have some broccoli, mushrooms, green beans and cauliflower
I am keen to try this eggplant and garlic recipe
http://www.dukandiet.com/weight-loss-secrets/eggplant-recipe
and I note that more coloured vegetables are now on the list like carrot, capsicum, tomato and pumpkin http://www.dukandiet.com/low-carb-diet/food-list
which will make things much easier

I will try to start each main meal with some apple cider vinegar
http://www.dukandiet.com/weight-loss-secrets/apple-cider-vinegar-for-weight-loss

Supper is baked custard, using up my egg quota
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/baked-egg-custard.html

Snack foods
for PP days, mini meatballs, chicken thighs, prawns
for PV days, celery, cucumber, carrots, cherry tomatoes.

I feel full just writing it all down.

So my shopping list (or at least what I will need to check I have):
4 litres Forme vanilla yoghurt
6 flavours of Aeroplane jelly lite
200g Oatbran
baking powder
1 dozen eggs
egg whites
Rhubarb
natvia
4 pack UHT skim milk
8 packs of Slendier Spaghetti
2x100g smoked salmon
1 tub Philadelphia extra light cream cheese
Sirena tuna in springwater
tub of plain natural non-fat yoghurt
500g chicken mince
2 fillets of Atlantic salmon
1 roast beef
1 beef fillet steak
2x500g 5 star beef mince
2 x Lilydale chicken breast
4 x 600g Lilydale chicken thighs
Moroccan seasoning
dried onion flakes
celery
cucumber
broccholi
cauliflower
mushrooms
coriander
garlic paste
eggplant
garlic bulb
pepsi max
listerine breath strips
multivitamins
apple cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
massel salt reduced chicken stock cubes

Wish me luck!

'Flu' and keeping the weight off after Dukan

The maintenance stage of the Dukan diet worked quite well for me for over a year and then I got the flu. Not just a cold, but a 2 weeks in bed, shivering cold with fever, sore all over, secondary chest infection type of flu. After that, Dukan stopped working for me. I never really got over feeling cold, so I had to start drinking hot water to stay warm, not that I was that thirsty. I tried attacking and dieting like before but nothing substantial happened anymore.

How different this was to when I first tried Dukan. In the Dukan book there was a mention of others for whom the diet had stopped working.

6 months later I was 10 kilos heavier and on my GPs doorstep asking about my thyroid function, which was low normal, but I knew there had been a significant metabolic change in my system.

I was speaking  to a friend who had followed my lead and lost weight with Dukan and had stabilised nicely - and then they said they too got the all-encompassing flu and lost their 'set point' weight, gaining a kilo a week to be back to where they were before hand.

So I did some reading and yes, influenza, as well as other viruses, do upset your metabolic pathways.

The research was mainly in the immunology lab where cell culture metabolic profiles were analysed post infection, but there was also some animal experiments that showed that hypothalamus function was the issue.

Viruses work by inserting their nuclear material into yours and getting your cell machinery to work to  replicate it, rather than make things for you. The hypothalamus is the master endocrine gland, impacting on all the other glands - pituitary, thyroid, adrenal. So a hit to the hypothalmus can have a major effect.

I stumbled across a 'hypothalamus re-set' diet - actually a whole series of them - that seemed to have worked for me. Yes, I lost the excess weight and a new set-point for my weight has been held. I feel my systems are back to how they were before the flu attack. I think that if I wanted to lose more weight, that Dukan principles would probably work for me again.

I am warm again without having to take supplements. I get the full sensation in my stomach again when eating  [I thought I always had this - you know Christmas full -  but I think this was just pain. This full sensation is quite different, coming in at the top of the stomach and very strong].

Another sensation I am enjoying being back is thirst. I knew I hadn't been drinking enough before, but was never inclined to drink - but not anymore (and yes I checked my blood sugar and that is all good - I haven't got latent diabetes).

There have been a few people I know for whom the Dukan did not work, and now I think this could be a way forward for them.

So what are these hypothalamus-reset diets?

They are 7 week long intervention diets that include a period of 23 days where you take a supplement to open up the molecular 'doors' on the abnormal fat cells in your body and keep them open. During this time you have a 500 calorie diet - actualy, there are 24 consecutive days of 500 calories. But the mobilised fat and 500 calories work together so you largely don't feel hungry and can be quite active (although only light exercise is allowed).

There are many other rules on this diet - it is very strict. Let me give you a sample - during the 24 days of 500 calories you can not colour your hair. You can not use leave in conditioner or oils. Only oil free moisturisers. Special Crystal Deodourant. Mineral make up only -  lipstick okay. Oil free soaps.

Then there is the diet itself. Only 2 types of vegetable a day from a short list. Only 2 lots of 100g of lean protein - but different protein sources from a short list. 2 fruits from a short list and 2 tiny serves of carbohydrate (2 mini toasts) a day. There are rules about when you take the supplement, when you brush your teeth and when you can have coffee. But it is only 24 days. The other days are relatively easy, much like Dukan PV days with fruit and without the oatbran.

The first one I tried was AuGO+ (I did the 6-day detox, then the diet, and raspberry ketones) and the next one was from  Trim N Healthy (no detox, diet and Vitamin B12, maintenance drops). Same principles, different types of supplements with similar point of action, similar outcomes although the metabolic set point readjustment was highly noticable with AuGO+ and this is my preference over the homeopathic option.

What I learnt from these experiences was that taking a daily probiotic was important - those poor gut flora miss out on so much during this process. I also took metamucil capsules (psyllium) which together with slim tea, kept the system moving.

So if you are stuck dieting, why not try one of these intervention diets and re-set your hypothalamus and see what it can do for your system.

Extend your eggs

As I am an  afternoon oatbran muffin eater, I like to have eggs for breakfast rather than a galette. But an egg or 2 on its own is not really enough. Here are 2 "extenders" that I like to use in my scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Puregg Simply egg whites - I will put a layer of this in the pan first before my eggs; and Philadelphia extra light; I use about 100-150g, scoop out as smaller pieces. It takes a little mixing in the pan as you cook, but helps make the eggs smooth and tasty. 

Lasagne

Slendier Slim have released a lasagne version that I have been playing with. The product has some similarities to pasta, but is made of a vegetable called konjac and is okay to consume on PV and PP days.

The mince meat (lean beef or chicken/turkey) is seasoned (stock cube, chilli garlic etc) and cooked on a stove top until brown. Add a jar of low fat pasta sauce (Braille Arrbirrata) or a little water and 200g Philadelphia extra light cream cheese for a PP day. Set aside.

The cheese sauce is a 400 g packet of Philadelphia extra light (microwave 30 sec to be soft), mixed with about 200g plain no fat yogurt until smooth. Then stir in 2 egg whites). 

Start layering, meat, cheese, pasta, meat, cheese, pasta, meat, cheese, pasta, then cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika. You can also sprinkle  a tiny bit of strong Parmesan cheese.

Bake 35-45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.  

Pretty good. The PV day lasagne with chicken mince is pictured here.

Creamy Chicken Soup

Here is a 5 minute recipe for everyday dukanning that I hope you will enjoy.

You will need
500 g lean chicken mince
2 cups water
2 Massell's chicken-style stock cubes
1 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 - 2 teaspoon mixed herbs
Salt to taste
1 packet slim pasta - spaghetti - now called SlendierSlim pasta, made from konjac, 2xwashed in water and drained.
A couple of dollops of natural no fat yoghurt.

Heat water in pan, add chicken, stock, onion, garlic, herbs and stir to separate the meat into grains. Bring to boil until all pink has gone from meat. Add spaghetti and stir, shortening strands to manageable eating lengths. Add in yoghurt and blend through. Heat to boiling. You can reduce this dish, but it is great as a soup, so dish up and enjoy. It is all free so you can have as much as you like to keep you full. For me, this makes 3 serves.

Fruity Dukan Cookies

Okay, fruity cookies may be a stretch, but they are fruit flavoured and they are small as a cookie...but probably closer to a short muffin.

This is an original recipe, but as far as I can see, it complies with the Dukan principles.All Dukanites need oatbran each and every day of every stage of the Dukan diet. This is how I have been having mine.

I make four dozen of these at a time (limit of my kitchen) and freeze them in four packs for enjoying with either a morning or afternoon tea. If you were attacking, the packs would only have 3 cookies.


First I preheat the oven and arrange the trays to cook as many batches at once as possible.

Then get the muffin trays out. To avoid sticking, I use spray oil, and then wipe with kitchen paper, so there is nothing visible left. This feels more like 'cleaning' the tray, rather than 'greasing' the tray.
Here are the ingredients:



For one batch I mix with a spoon
250g yoplait forme vanilla yoghurt
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
100g oatbran
1 sachet of Aeroplane light jelly crystals (provides sweetening and flavour). I like to mix it up, but try port wine, strawberry, lime, vanilla berry, mango & passionfruit ....
Once mixed, transfer, a desert spoon at a time, evenly between the cups on a 12 cup muffin tray. I then set the batch aside and then start mixing another batch in the bowl (with out washing). I have an idea that the longer these sit, the better, as the oatbran swells and takes on more of the flavour.
Here they are ready to go in the oven - mango and passion fruit, strawberry, lime and port wine flavours.




I then bake all trays at 180-200 C for 22 minutes. They spring back when touched and have a light brown appearing on some of them. I often let them cool in the trays (as I am off doing other things) and then, when cold, gently run a dinner knife around the edge to loosen before packing for storage.

Here they are ready to put into the freezer.




They freeze and defrost well, and a minute zap in the microwave will bring them from frozen to ready to eat.

Enjoy!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Salmon omelette Dukan style

The new year brings renewed efforts, and I have been asked to refresh the blog for the latest Dukanites.

I did try a Dukan omelette this morning.





First, I whisked 2 eggs (yolk limit for a day) with 2 egg whites and a splash of skim milk with a fork for about 15 seconds. Then I poured it into a warmed nonstick frypan on medium heat. I use my fork to move the mix around and let the unset mix fill the gaps. When about 50% set I added some Huon smoked salmon and a few teaspoons of Philadelphia extra light to the top of one half of the omelette and ground some black pepper. When about 95% set it was time to fold in half and transfer to a plate.

Quite delicious!

Canned Tuna

A quick note about tuna. Tuna makes a quick and easy snack, but you need to be careful when choosing canned tuna. I suppose it is the Dukan principles, avoid processed food, oils and buy basic ingredients and jazz it up yourself using Dukan-compliant ingredients.

Tuna canned in springwater is a better choice than tuna in brine as it minimises your salt consumption (which can lead to fluid retention). In general, I prefer the taste and appearance of Sirena branded tuna, and their springwater tuna is no exception.

Lately, for lunch, I have been draining a 185 g can, splitting it bewteen two screw top containers and adding natural no fat yoghurt (Tamar no fat is my favourite, but not available this week, so a small pack of Black swan was a substitute), lemon juice and pepper, and stirring it up. Works well. I have been taking one for lunch and storing the other for the next day. 

Sweetening without sugar

I love sweet things. I need more sweetner than most people, having 3 tablets in my coffee. My theory is that the reason why some people need more sweetness than others has to do with the amount of 'sweet' taste buds they have inherited. My guess is that I don't have many, so I need lots of sweetness to get the message to my brain that something is sweet. It is only a theory.

So when Dukaning, it is important to know the ins and outs of how to sweeten your food without using sugar.

First, I do try to avoid those foods that have sweeteners that say 'excess consumption may have a laxative effect'. They never actually say what excess is, do they? I may have some sugar free gum or lollies in the late afternoon, which generally have phenylanaline.

Here are some of my favourites: Extra Lemon and lime gum, Jila spearmint (Australian made) and Licorette (packaged in Australia).

When cooking, you have some other options. I know started with Splenda, which contain sucralose, which works well as tablets, but the granulated form has maltodetrin which really ups the Calories in this so called 'low calorie' sweetener. 

100g Splenda granulated has 373 Calories (1560 kJ)!

My absolute favourite is Natvia. Like sugar it is made from a plant, the Reb A fraction of Stevia. No laxative effect, great sweetness and it really is low calorie (Australian product). It comes in satchets, (Coles)  and even in tablets (IGA). Unfortunately, Natvia is expensive, but I figure, I am worth it.

100g Natvia granulated has 20 Calories (85 kJ).

When making liquid Drinks or desserts I sometimes add a few drops of Sweet As, which is a saccharin sweetener (Australian). You need to be very careful as a drop too much and sweet becomes bitter. This is not very expensive and lasts a long time.

100 ml Sweet As has 0 Calories (0 kJ)

Hot and spicy seafood soup (mock laksa)

Time to warm up with this ultra quick soup - sort of like a laksa with lots of chilli to get your metabolism racing!

Put seafood (cooked frozen prawns and sliced squid) into a saucepan.

Add spicy paste, look for a low fat one, I am using Nonya Laksa Paste whick is 8.5% fat.

Add 1/2 of a packet of drained and rinsed slim pasta

Add water to suit, about 2 cups for a hungry girl

Then a squirt of fish sauce

Bring to the boil for a few seconds, 

Decant to a bowl

Stir in a dollop of low fat yoghurt.

Yummy. I suppose you could add some coconut essence to have a more laksa taste, but I thought it was great at this stage and ate it all up!

Half eaten....A PP day cold day treat.

This is a variation of the Goji berry cookies the Elena shared last year.
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/2011/09/goji-berry-cookies.html

with the berries replaced with strawberry essence and red food colouring.

Warm oven to 180C
Prepare a 12 muffin tray ( I spray my 2x6 silicon muffin trays with oil and then wipe with a kitchen paper)

Mix in a bowl
6 heaped dessertspoons oatbran
2 heaped dessertspoons natvia
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3 heaped dessertspoons forme yoghurt
(base recipe)
Add a cap if strawberry essence and a few drops of red food colouring.

Spoon a dessertspoon-full into a muffin tray, just covering the bottom. Adjust levels with remaining mixture until roughly even.

Cook about 20-30 mins and allow to cool on wire rack.

The 'cream filling' was made by sweetening some phildelphia extra light with natvia to taste. You can thin with a little yoghurt or quark.

Allow cookies to cool, slice with a knife, smear cream on and replace top.

A pretty pink oatbran treat!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Strawberry oatbran cookies

New Product review: Slim pasta

Have you missed noodles on Dukan? Now you don't have to - with a newly available product on Adelaide shelves called Slim Pasta. (Update: it has had a name change Slendier Slim).


These gelatinous noodles are made from the root of a plant called Konjac, grown in Asian countries. Being a plant, I suppose it would sit best for inclusion on a PV day. (Update: Dukan has approved these for all stages of the Dukan Diet). 

Slim pasta make two products, http://www.slimpasta.com.au/ an Angel hair and a spaghetti version (with added wheat flour). I have only ever found the Angel hair product - not sure the other is Dukan compliant. 

(Update: the lines have been extended to wok noodles, rice and lasagne).  

I have found the Angel hair product in two places, my health food shop and my local Fruit and Vegetable specialist shop, but if you are keen you can by online (30 packs for $99)! 

(Update: the product is available in most supermarkets now).  

The noodles are delicate and arrive suspended in fluid. You have to drain, wash and warm. I tipped mine into a seive, ran tap water over it and then transferred to a pyrex bowl and poured on boiling water from the kettle to cover. I left this for a minute and then drained again before including in my dishes. I have served them in various ways with some success. My favourite so far was a laksa-style dish with a spicy clear soup with prawns, greens and slim pasta as the noodles. I also served it alongside some rather hot currys and as a rice substitute. I plan to try modifying some of my other Thai recipes next.

Basically it has little taste - it is a carrier food, just like regular noodles. It feels like a firm jelly to eat. It was somewhat filling - but then so is meat. My family are happy to eat it too - but then they were surprised to see noodles again. Definitely worth a go. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Adelaide, South,Australia

Product review: Queen Maple Flavoured syrup

I thought I would try a new product with my Dukan pancakes. It is Queen Maple Flavoured Syrup. It is an Australian made product that I was able to buy from Coles.


It is sugar free (sweetened with Sorbitol and Sucralose), but has some carbs (5g/35 g serve) and does provide 77kJ of energy which you will need to work off some how. It certainly looked and smelt similar to Maple syrup and with my pancakes and yoghurt it made a nice change for a weekend treat.

Orange yoghurt cake

Page 149 of Recipe book

In a mixing bowl I placed 3 eggs, 150g Forme Vanilla yoghurt, 1 cap orange essence, 1 sachet
(8g) dried yeast, 4 sachets native and 4 tablespoons white wings cornflour.













I mixed with my hand electric beater for about a minute then poured into a loaf tin that had been lightly sprayed with oil.


After 45 min at 180c it looked like this: about a 50% increase in volume and browned all over.











I allowed it to cool and then sliced it in half







I then mixed 1/2 tub Philadelphia 1/2 cap orange essence, 2 teaspoons Forme vanilla yogurt and 2 sachets natvia and used this to fill the cake.The cake was a nice change, but I hadn't let it cool enough before filling.

Small pancakes

Oatbran pancakes are delicious but fiddly. The recipe is simple (see below), but they tend to fall apart when you try to flip them. You can push them together and they do re-fuse, but it is a disappointmnet in the morning that is avoidable.

Solution- try dividing the mix into 3, making the flipping manageable. Also remember to keep the heat to medium so the oatbran has time to cook and set, helping it hold together.




Then serve with yoghurt- yum!





Quark recipe
150 g BD farm Paris creek German style Quark (no fat), which is a third of the 450g tub
1 egg
Oatbran (1 1/2 for attack, 2 tablespoons for cruise)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons natvia



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Lemon chilli prawns

I found some special sprinkle for seafood, but it was full of sugar, so here is my take on the sprinkle's ingredient list, reinvented for Dukan and my herb garden!

A sprig of lemon verbena (~15 leaves; this was originally lemon myrtle)
a handful of coriander leaves,
three sprigs of parsley

Chopped together

Then mix with:
4 sachets of natvia
a teaspoon of dried chilli,
a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic,
a teaspoon of horseradish
a sprinkle of lite salt
a teaspoon of maize cornflour
The juice of one lemon

Allow this to steep with defrosting cooked prawns before plating up for serving.




A nicely zesty combination!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPa d

Cooking meat while at work

Okay, this is a tip for all those who are trying PP days while at work. It also assumes that you have access to a sandwich press at work.

I think we all agree that freshly cooked meat tastes the best, and reheated offerings are often disappointing. Well these last few weeks I have been exploring the use of the sandwich press as a device to freshly cook meat in my work's kitchen.

The meat I have been cooking is lean chicken thighs. This is the way it works....

At home, I prepare the thigh meat. If the thigh is not well trimmed of fat, take the time to trim (so that you don't have to wear the fat yourself). While you have a knife there, try to make the thigh even in thickness, adding a few extra slits in the thick sections to fully open out the thigh.










Lay an individual thigh out on Glad bake (or alfoil).

Season the meat lightly with Masterfoods Morrocan seasoning (I tried another variety recently and it was not even close in flavour).









Wrap it up - I tend to use the 'fish and chipper' wrapping technique where you start at one corner, fold in the edges and then roll. Imagine the size of your work's sandwich press and try to get a parcel of that size.

I then put the parcel in a plastic luchbox or baggy for the trip to work. Chicken left at room temperature, particularly after it has been handled, can be a microbial mine field, so keep the chicken cool during the trip and at work and cook it that day.










To cook the parcel, first warm up the press and put on any exhaust fans. Place the parcel in the press and put on a timer for 5 minutes (I use a timer on my iPad) but if the parcel is thick, I go up to 7 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn off the press and transfer the parcel to a plate. You can leave the meat for a few minutes at this stage or eat straight away. Check that the sandwich press is still clean.

The meat will be swimming in its juices when cooked and although this juice is tasty, this will be high in fat, so keep consumption of these juices to a minimum. I tend to eat the meat while still on the paper and in its juice and then wrap the whole lot up when I am finished and pop the excess in the bin.









A cooked lunch at work in under 10 minutes with very little mess. Very nice.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Eggs Ham and Silverbeet for a PV breakfast

I grow silvetbeet in my garden and enjoy cutting 8-10 fresh leaves for a weekend breakfast for myself (not everyone likes greens.... but I do).

I de-stem and wash the leaves in my sink. Then, in a frypan whith a fitted lid, I add 3 pieces of Hans 97% frat free bacon or ham and partially cook and turn.



Then I add the silvertbeet leaves, roughly tearing them as you go.




Crack in two eggs, sprinkle with Lo Salt and then cover and reduce heat to medium.




Check the progress of the eggs each minute so whites are set and yolks runny.




Use a fork to push in the outer edges. Then use a spatula to plate up - the ham helps make this transfer easier. Cracked pepper to finish.




All done, delicious and so good for you too!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad