The Supermarket Diet

When I bought The Supermarket Diet Cookbook a few weeks ago hoping to find a variety of healthy recipes, I had never heard of the "Supermarket Diet." I was just looking for new recipes to try. When I got the book home and started to read through it, it really made sense to me. And the recipes sounded yummy. So I decided to try it. I have been doing it for a week now and as you can see by my weight loss counter, I have lost a few pounds (like 3 this week). I am REALLY enjoying the food and the portions seem huge! I am never still hungry at the end of a meal. I LOVE that I get a treat of 125 calories every day. I can still have a latte at Starbucks when I want. So I highly recommend giving this a read if you are interested in losing weight and you enjoy preparing your own meals. I wanted to post here two of the recipes we have REALLY liked.

Honey Pecan Belgian Waffles (9 servings)

1 1/4 c whole-wheat flour
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c oat bran (I used ground flaxseed meal instead)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c buttermilk
1/4 c butter, melted
2 eggs
2 T honey
1/2 c finely chopped pecans, toasted if you like

1. Spray waffle maker and preheat. In large bowl, combine flours, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and honey. Stir until flour mixture is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Stir in pecans.

2. When waffle maker is ready, pour batter and make waffles according to manufacturer's directions. (I was able to make almost 6 waffles and I have this waffle iron.)

3. Serve drizzled with honey and 1/2 cup fruit (berries or diced peaches) each serving.

Greek Salad Pitas (4 servings)

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans (also called chick peas)
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 t olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, peeled
4 (6 to 7 in) pitas (about 150 cal each)
3 c sliced romaine lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
2 oz feta cheese crumbled (1/2 c)
2 T chopped mint leaves (I didn't used this)

1. In a food processor, combine beans, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic. Puree until smooth.

2. Cut off top third of each pita to form a pocket. Use half of bean mixture to divide evenly inside pockets.

3. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and mint. Use mixture to fill the pockets. Top with remaining bean mixture.