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Janet’s “Life-Saving” Make-Ahead Lunches

Janet Hunter from Texas was the winner of your Redo You 2010 Contest! After suffering a heart attack less than two years ago, this Better Nutrition reader transformed her health and body by changing the way she eats.

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Living primarily out of her car between visits to the dying for up to 17 hours a day literally almost killed “Chaplain Janet”. To lock in a more healthful routine, Kat urged Janet to set aside a weekly “make-ahead day” to prepare some of her suggested meals in advance. Here’s a list of Janet’s favorite lunches and snacks:

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM KAT JAMES ABOUT HER SPECIAL LOW-IMPACT RECIPES…
Please note that my following Low-impact recipes are neither low-fat, nor low-calorie. They are designed to work best in the context of a very low-glycemic diet, meaning that they will only produce the kind of health miracles Janet Hunter experienced if you cut out sugar of all kinds (even hidden sugars in certain grains, beans and fruit, for some metabolically-challenged people). To learn how to follow my program, Total Transformation® completely, to experience the complete biochemical benefits Janet did, be sure to purchase my book, The Truth About Beauty or learn more about my Total Transformation® Programs through my free newsletter at www.InformedBeauty.com (more on that below).

Kat’s “Impossible” Flourless Griddle Cakes with Acai Maple Topping

Deceivingly nutritious and slimming in the context of her low-impact diet, Kat’s “impossible” flourless (and ultra low-glycemic) pancakes and waffles also make a great roll-up-and-go snack or meal when filled with either sweet, nutty, or savory fillings, such as almond butter, eggs, or even last night’s chicken and vegetable leftovers. The high fiber and nutrient content of the white chia or Salba plus the high protein will hold you much longer than conventional pancakes or waffles. The Acai Maple Topping is also loaded with nutrition, boasting one of the most antioxidant-rich super-fruits. Kat recommends getting completely off of blood-sugar-spiking foods and beverages in order to enjoy the slimming effects of this “low-impact” favorite featured at her Total Transformation® Programs.

Combine the following liquids with a whisk or hand mixer:

5 medium organic eggs

1/2 cup organic heavy cream or unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk

5-1/2 Tbsp. of organic butter, melted and slightly cooled to warm

Combine the following dry ingredients with a fork (a measuring cup is the easiest way to measure and then mix all in one cup):

1/3 cup ground chia or Salba seed

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsp. non-alum baking powder

Gradually whisk pre-combined dry ingredients into egg, cream, and butter mixture. Allow batter to sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and just before pouring into well-heated and buttered stovetop or electric griddle or waffle iron (follow waffle iron directions; some do not require greasing). Fry pancakes until bubbles form, then flip to finish (or as directed in waffle instructions). Top with Kat’s Acai Maple Topping (see below). Serves four. For a lunch recipe, try wrapping the waffles around grilled chicken, avocado, lettuce and tomatoes.

Kat’s Acai Maple Topping

Melt 2 frozen packages of unsweetened acai puree (such as Acai Roots) in a small saucepan with 6 Tbsp organic butter and 1/2 cup of food-grade glycerin (or just use more butter). Add a small amount of non-bitter stevia powder or liquid to taste, such as NuNaturals, and 1/2 tsp. maple flavoring, such as Frontier’s.

“Kat’s Biggest Gainer” Winner’s Janet’s Kale Chips

Just bake pieces of Kale in oven, pre-soaked in lemon juice, herbs, garlic or onion Real Salt, and a little grape seed oil!

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange favorite pizza toppings such as unsweetened tomato sauce, herbs such as basil and oregano, parmesan cheese, and onion and garlic slivers atop overturned large Portobello mushroom caps, reserving the mozzarella cheese to add at the last minute. Place these works of art on foil or a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until sizzling and fork-tender. Top with mozzarella cheese and put under broiler until golden brown, or around 3-5 minutes. Variation: use Greek salad ingredients such as olives, red onion, and feta instead, or just broil or sauté the mushrooms alone after brushing them with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, maybe a sprinkle of rosemary. Serve whole or in strips over a bed of baby greens drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Pot Roast

This could be your family’s favorite traditional recipe using jicama instead of potatoes (Janet skips the cooked carrots which also tend to spike her blood sugar), or there are some pre-cooked grassfed roasts available, such as US Wellness Meats’ (www.USWellnessMeats.com) Pre-Cooked Grassfed Pot Roast in Gravy. Just preheat your oven to 350 degrees and heat up the roast in a large oven pan.

Kat’s bonus tricks: Kat likes to surround the roast with rough-cut onions and large button mushrooms (stem side down) and spinach leaves toward the end. Sometimes Kat sprinkles roasted pumpkin seeds into the gravy for added heartiness, especially in the colder months. Cook 30 minutes. Check to see if meat is hot all the way through and veggies are cooked. When almost done, add some cream to the gravy and juices, stir, and return to oven to complete.

Kat’s Ever-Variable Quiche

5 eggs

2 c. half and half

1/8 t. nutmeg (Kat is big on nutmeg)

1 t. basil

hint of cayenne

1 c. diced chunks mozzarella

2/3 c. goat cheese

1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

1 c. diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms (whatever)

We also added prosciutto.

7 oz. fresh spinach

Pour egg mixture over baked crust. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Add shredded cheese and bake 15 more minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Kat’s Nutty, Herby Quiche Crust

1/2 c. coconut flour

1/2 c. hazelnut flour

1/4 tsp onion salt

1/4 c melted butter

1 egg

1 T Salba

1 T Rosemary or sage (or whatever herb corresponds with the quiche recipe you want)

Pat into quiche dish. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes

Kat’s Enlightened Cheesecake

This is my brand new, accidental cheesecake breakthrough still being tweaked… a much-less-likely-to-fall, no-burn, fluffy-yet-firm cheesecake. I recommend my “Graham Cracker Crust” facsimile and amazing, non-spiking “Jubilant Cherry-less Cherry Sauce” or “Cherruberry Sauce” as the ultimate accompaniment. Experiment with swirling chunks of the sauce (or smartly sweetened melted chocolate) right into the top of the pie, or putting a layer of it just on top of your crust before pouring in the cheesecake batter… I also love making the almond bark crust and putting a layer of almond butter on top of it, with some additional salt, then adding either the “cherry” sauce, or acai, or pomegranate seeds for a “peanut butter and jelly” dynamic.

1 cup xylitol

5 packages cream cheese, room temperature

6 med. eggs

1-1/2 Tbs. Vanilla

1-3/4 cup heavy cream

1-1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 juiced med. Lemon

Beat xylitol with cream cheese first, adding eggs and remaining ingredients. Beat until very fluffy. Taste to check desired sweetness and add more xylitol or erythritol if needed, but don’t make this too sweet so the sour cream flavor comes through. Pour mixture into the crust that has been laid into the cheesecake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hr and 15 minutes (once the cake does not rise higher), then turn oven off and leave it for about half an hour, and then open oven slightly until room temperature (making cheesecake in the evening is a great time. Then you can let it cool overnight). Refrigerate once cooled.

Kat’s Low-Impact “Graham Cracker” Crust

1/2 c. almond or hazelnut flour

2 Tbs. coconut flour

4 rounded Tbs. toasted wheat germ

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Real salt or other sea salt

1/3 c. butter, melted or softened

Combine all ingredients and press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze. Fill with cheesecake batter and bake according to recipe.

Janet’s Kat-ified Mexican Casserole

Use thin, large slices of boiled or steamed jicama (simmer or steam for at least two hours) over as the tortillas and layer with chile, cheese, sauteed onions and bell peppers.

Kat’s Soda Upgrades

  • Cream Soda- seltzer water, vanilla stevia to taste
  • Cola- seltzer water, cola flavoring syrup sweetened with xylitol from naturesflavors.com, xylitol or stevia to taste,
  • Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke: seltzer, smart sweetener plus cherry cola flavoring from naturesflavors.com (NOTE: be sure your flavoring is not sweetened with a high glycemic sweetener; read ingredients because some flavorings have regular sweeteners. Concentrates or xylitol-sweetened syrups are the way to go.)

Other Quick Fixes

Janet mentioned Kat’s Turkey-Tomato-Fennel Sauce over Hemp Seed but since that recipe is in Kat’s book, The Truth About Beauty, we offer these quick fixes instead:

Kat’s Quick No-Spike Cucumber Salad: Slice a cucumber, place a dollop of full-fat sour cream, bit of stevia, lemon or lime juice, garlic Real Salt, and dill. Voila!

Kat’s Fiberlicious Flourless Cheese Crackers: Choose a favorite organic hard cheese and grate, or if you’re in a hurry, simply place slices of it on a non-stick, greased cookie sheet, or over chia seeds. Bake at 350 until golden-brown on the edges. With U.S. Wellness Meats’ All-purpose Season Salt, it makes these taste distinctly CHEETO-ISH!

Kat’s Cream Cheese Nut Balls or Pumpkin Seed Rolls: Just roll cream cheese (herbs optional) into your pre-toasted, herbed nuts or pumpkin seeds!

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Want More of Kat’s Amazing Low-Impact Recipes?

Join Kat James’ Total Transformation® Recipe Workshop and Her Total Transformation® Member Library
Want more Kat James Low-impact recipes, be sure to subscribe to Kat’s free weekly Kat James newsletter. Once you receive it, you’ll be eligible to subscribe to Kat’s exclusive, member-supported Total Transformation® Member Library for endless “Low-impact” recipe options. By subscribing at www.InformedBeauty.com to Kat’s newsletter, you’ll also hear about all of Kat’s programs (and upcoming Better Nutrition articles by Kat!) and success stories like Janet’s as well as all of her newest Low-impact recipes as they are added to the Total Transformation® Member Library, along with her full radio shows (see TheKatJamesShow.com for more information).

To learn more about Kat James, purchase a copy of her book, The Truth About Beauty at www.InformedBeauty.com. To sign up for Kat’s weekly newsletter visit www.informedbeauty.com. Listen to The Kat James Show on Thursdays at 6:00 PM Eastern, 3:00 PM Pacific, and on Saturdays at 3:00 PM Eastern, noon Pacific on XM 170 Family Talk. Go to www.TheKatJamesShow.com for more information.