Upsides to the Down Economy/ Forbidden Fruits

   OK, not to beat a dead horse but while on this HcG diet (I've lost 3 pounds in three days) it really makes me appreciate all the foods I normally have access to, that now do not. What do I miss? Number one: milk in my coffee. On this diet you are allowed one tablespoon in your coffee, which doesn't even change the color from black.
Number two: different fruits. On the first phase of HcG, you are allowed grapefruit, oranges, strawberries and apples. Apples are one of my favorite foods, and the others are fine but it's mango season in Miami and I love mangoes. Also miss grapes, cherries, blueberries and pineapple.
Number three: different vegetables. The veggies you are allowed on this diet are limited and you can't mix them. I don't mind the vegetables listed, but wish you could have more than one and I miss baby carrots, potatoes (sweet or regular) and the delicious steamed, mashed cauliflower with garlic my husband makes. I also miss popcorn, pasta, nuts and sushi, but this too will pass. The good news is, most of what I miss is healthy, so I can eventually re-incorporate it into my diet, post HcG.
   Eating healthy has let me explore different ways of cooking. I did an article on Seasons 52, a restaurant where no item is more than 500 calories, and they use creative cooking methods to get the most flavor from their foods. So I am trying: roasting, baking, grilling and caramelizing. I caramelized some onions today to be used for the flat iron steak for Father's Day tomorrow. Also, garlic, vinegar, herbs, chicken broth and hot sauce are allowed as a way to spice things up on HcG.
I am kind of surprised, but so far, I don't miss wine or dessert. Dessert has been a cup of herbal tea, so I'm getting to drink my stash of Celestial Seasonings  tea that has been lingering in the pantry.

Fruits I can have

Forbidden Fruits

Carmelized onions

 

























 And did you know that tea can also be used as a seasoning? I found recipes using green tea as a marinade in teriyaki chicken and as an aromatic (with garlic, ginger and orange peel) in orange peel scallops. It is also used, brewed, for sauces to go with the dishes. I can't have scallops, but can have shrimp and the peels of lemons, oranges and grapefruit have a ton of flavoring from the oils, without adding any calories. So I shall sip my tea and crunch on my Melba toast and dream of the day, when as a skinny minny, I can go back to the plethora of good eats God has provided.