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The recipes in these appendices are for basic
foods, much like our ancestors might have eaten before the current weight gain epidemic.
They have simple flavors that you won’t soon tire of. They taste good enough to be satisfying, but not so good that you can’t stop
eating them. Learn to appreciate their natural flavors and textures. If you don’t want to use sugar or one of the other sweeteners used
in these recipes, try substituting a different sweetener. Just be aware of the
calories you are adding. Calories from any sweetener, no matter how “natural” it is, will contribute to weight gain.
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Seasoned Brown Basmati Rice
If you don’t like the brown rice you have tasted in the past, you
are not alone. Give br own basmati rice a chance. Basmati is known for a
pleasant flavor. It really doesn’t need any seasoning, just a little salt, but
you can add seasonings for variety. If you can’t find brown basmati rice in your local grocery store, try a health food store or the
Internet. Place 2 cups brown basmati rice, 3½ c u p s water, 1
tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a pan. Add ½ teaspoon dr i
ed dill weed, mint, or parsley. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then
turn the heat down and simmer until the water is gone (about 30–40 minutes).
Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for 15 minutes more before eating. For
variety, substitute converted rice for the brown rice, or add a little wild rice.
Substitute 2 teaspoons lemon juice for the herb. Eat with lunch or dinner as a
side dish or topped with vegetables. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Brown Basmati Rice for Breakfast
Brown basmati rice makes an excellent hot breakfast cereal that
will keep you satisfied for hours. Follow the recipe for Seasoned Brown Basmati Rice, but instead of
adding any of the herbs mentioned in the recipe, try c ho p p e d dried
fruit or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, or anise seed. Eat
the rice as a hot cereal in milk and topped with fruit, nuts, or a little honey. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Oatmeal
Avoid single-serving packages of instant oatmeal, which may
contain about as much sugar as they do oats. Instead, try regular (old-fashioned)
rolled oats or steel-cut oats. While oatmeal cooked using regular rolled oats
is creamy, oatmeal from steel- cut oats is firmer. Boil 2 cups of water. Add a pinch of salt and 1 cup regular
rolled oats or steel-cut oats. Stir once and remove from heat. Let it sit
covered for 10 minutes. If the oatmeal comes out thicker than you like it, use
more water. You can substitute milk for some or all of the water for a richer
flavor. If you want the oatmeal creamier, stir it for a minute before removing from the heat. Eat with milk and fresh fruit, raisins or other
dried fruit, nuts, or a little honey. Makes 2 to 4 servings.
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Fried Oatmeal
Place 2 cups leftover cooked oatmeal in a plastic container
and press it down to remove the air spaces. Leave it in the refrigerator
overnight to cool and solidify. Remove the oatmeal from the container in one
piece and cut it into ¼-inch thick slices. Fry the slices in a small amount of oil
over medium heat. When the slices have browned on the bottom, flip them over to
brown on the other side. Eat dribbled with a little molasses or jam. Makes 2 to
4 servings.
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Hulled Millet
Place 2 cups hulled millet, 3½ cups water, 1 tablespoon
oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a pan. Cover with a lid and bring to a
boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the water is gone, then remove from heat
and let it sit 15 minutes. Eat as a substitute for rice, or as a hot cereal
with milk and topped with fruit or nuts. You can also add a little honey to make
it more satisfying. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Bulgur
Bulgur is wheat that has been steamed or boiled, dried, and then
crushed. Place 2 cups medium-ground bulgur, 3½ cups water, 1
tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a pan. Cover with a lid and
bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the water is gone, then remove from heat and let it sit 15 minutes. Use the bulgur like
rice, or as a hot breakfast cereal in milk and topped with fruit, nuts, or a
little jam or honey. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Light and Crunchy Granola
Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine ¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt,
¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ te a s p o o
n salt. Mix well. Add 2 cups rolled oats and ½ cup chopped
nuts or seeds. Pecans, cashews, walnuts, slivered almonds, peanuts,
sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds all work well. Stir until all of
the rolled oats are moistened. Spread the mixture ½ inch deep on a cookie sheet.
Bake until some of the granola begins to brown (about 20–30 minutes). Allow to cool before eating. Most granola recipes call
for oil or syrup instead of yogurt. Yogurt gives the granola a lighter taste
and fewer calories. For variety, add some shredded coconut to the mix, or use
different nuts. To make a lighter granola, substitute puffed wheat for some of
the rolled oats. Enjoy the granola in low-fat milk or yogurt, topped with
raisins or fresh fruit. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Copyright ©Stan Spencer, PhD –Originally appeared in The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss by Stan Spencer, PhD
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