Happy New Year! As we welcome 2024, we always try to make a new year’s resolution or two, hoping for a better year to come.
For me, helping out at the restaurant, intermittent fasting (or IF) was how I lost a few pounds. It wasn’t intentional, but with just no time to sit and have a meal until after the lunch break after 2 p.m., by which time I was no longer hungry, I lost 10 pounds and have kept that weight off for over a year.
But you can IF intentionally for weight loss like a science, either through time-restricted (or TRF) or alternate-day fasting (or ADF). With the 16:8 plan, every day, you are allowed only calorie-free beverages for 16 hours of the day, and then consume all your food during the 8-hour window.
With the 5:2 plan, you eat as usual for 5 days of the week, then consume 25 percent of what you usually eat, or about 500 calories for women, on the two nonconsecutive days. To make this plan a success, eat high-dietary fiber, lean protein and vitamin-packed food options. Hydrate with water during the non-eating times to make you feel full.
Another resolution may be to cook nutritious meals at home, yet not be a slave to the kitchen. I try to make quick meals that the grandchildren will eat, but not labor over the meal. As it turns out, one grandchild may like a new dish and the other may not, as the two like totally opposite foods.. Only problem for me is I still spend more time in the kitchen than I would like to, starting dinner at 4 p.m. to have dinner for the kids at 5 p.m., eating and then cleaning up the dishes, sweeping the floors, and not leaving the kitchen till 7 p.m.
Cooking Light came out with a 30-minute meals magazine that has several recipes using rotisserie chicken. Those on the west side of the island are fortunate to have easy access to Costco and their $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Chief Financial Officer Richard Calanti says, “I can only tell you what history has shown us. When others were raising their chicken prices from $4.99 to $5.99, we were willing to eat, if you will, $30 to $40 million in gross margin by keeping it at $4.99.” Costco’s philosophy is that its low costs and deals are what drive its membership to customers every year. So let’s take advantage of that and make different meals from it.
Tortellini, Chicken, and Arugula Salad
Cooking Light
1 (9 ounce) refrigerated cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions
8 ounces skinless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded, about 2 cups
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
3/4 ounces or 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Place tortellini and chicken in a large bowl.
Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board. Mash with the side of a knife to form a paste. Place in a small bowl. Whisk in oil, zest, juice, sugar and pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons dressing to tortellini and chicken, toss to coat. Gently fold in arugula, shallots and remaining dressing. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Here’s a great soup for a cold evening!
Five-Spice Chicken Noodle Soup
Cooking Light
Serves 4
2-1/4 cups water
1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 inch slice fresh ginger
2 cups chopped bok choy
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, thinly slice into strips
2 ounces dried some noodles, broken into 2 inch lengths
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
Combine water, chicken broth, green onions, soy sauce, garlic, five-spice powder and ginger in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir in bok choy, pepper strips and noodles.
Return to a boil, reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are just tender. Stir in cooked chicken and cook until heated through, 5 minutes.
Correction:
In my Food Hub article of last week, I misspelled Adaptations as well as their website: https://adaptationsaloha.com. Thanks Maureen Datta of Adaptations Inc. for pointing that out to me.
May you all have a great year in 2024 with good health and happiness!
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.