Roberto Donna’s White Beans, Kale and Shrimp Salad with Basil Dressing

Roberto Donna’s White Beans, Kale and Shrimp Salad with Basil Dressing

excerpted from “Diet Simple”

4 servings

8 oz. Dry Cannellini Beans (or 24 ounces canned, rinsed)
1/2 bunch Kale, cleaned, tough stems removed, chopped
1/ 2 Peeled Onion
1 Celery Stalk
4 Fresh Sage Leaves
1/2 Medium Carrot
8 oz. Shrimp (optional, if using shrimp)
2 Cups White Wine (for cooking the shrimp, if using shrimp)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10 Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Optional step if starting with dried beans: Soak the cannellini beans in water for 12 hours; drain and place in a pot of water, add salt and pepper; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Optional step if using dried beans: Chop and add the onion, celery and carrot, cooking another ten minutes. Add the finely diced sage to the pot and drain the cooking liquid. Place in a cool location.

If using canned beans: Rinse the beans in a strainer, add to a large bowl. Chop all of the vegetables and the fresh sage leaves and add to the beans. Toss beans, vegetables and sage together.

If using shrimp: Wash and clean the shrimp and poach for three minutes, or until done, in the White Wine.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dressing: Finely chop basil and add the balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk until emulsified.

Presentation: Place a large, clean Kale leaf and  1/4 of the mixture on each plate. Top with 2 oz. of the shrimp and a drizzle of the basil dressing.

As a James Bread Award winning Chef and Restaurateur in Washington, DC, Roberto Donna is committed to introducing others to the real flavors of Italy, which he provides in his seven restaurants. Born in Torino, the Piedmont Region of Italy, Roberto Donna’s fervent mission is the promotion of his authentic Italian cuisine.

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Carla Hall’s Hearty Greens Salad with Warm Balsamic Cherry Vinaigrette

Photo by Polly Weidmaier

Carla Hall’s Hearty Greens Salad with Warm Balsamic Cherry Vinaigrette
Excerpted from “Diet Simple”

8 servings

6 c (1 pound) Mixed Hearty Greens (Kale, Rape, Collards, and/or Mustard), washed well, stems removed, rolled and cut thinly (chiffonade)
4 T Canola Oil
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
1 T Dijon Mustard
2 t Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ c Cherries, pitted and halved
¼ Red Onion, sliced thinly

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.

2. While the oil is heating, combine the balsamic, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a boil, and continue to stir.

3. If it is too thick or too strong with vinegar, add a dash of water. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the cherries to the mixture. Toss the greens with just enough vinaigrette to wilt the greens, then drizzle additional vinaigrette around the plate. Garnish the salad with rings of red onion.

Deep Green Leafy Vegetables have the highest antioxidant content of all vegetables. High in fiber, they are rich in minerals, B-vitamins, beta-carotene, and lutein, a compound which may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of preventable blindness). Absorption of carotenoids, such as lutein, in your body is increased by cooking and by the presence of fat (so cook in a little healthy olive or canola oil!).

Carla Hall, Top Chef finalist, is the owner and chef of Alchemy Caterers, a catering and private chef company in Washington, D.C. She teaches cooking classes at Culinaerie, as well as team building classes at different venues in the metropolitan area.

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ABC Primetime News Special: Celebrity Weight Loss

Katherine explains on ABC’s Primetime News Special, “Celebrity Weight Loss: What Really Happens” Why… For Your 2011 New Year’s Resolution, do yourself a HUGE favor… Just Say NO…. NO MORE DIETS!

Don’t be a sucker for the endless, unrealistic promises of these SMUT purveyors! Yes, you heard the usually mild-mannered Katherine Tallmadge correctly….

I hate fanatical diet programs! They take the joy out of eating.  Heck, they take the joy out of living! And the research is pretty clear by now that too-tough diets simply don’t work for most people.  Even if you lose weight initially, you’re going to get bored or frustrated with all the restrictions and gain your weight back. Or maybe the diet is just too darn unhealthy to stay on.

So if you ever see a diet which emphasizes eating a very low carbohydrate diet or even an extremely low fat diet, or if it recommends packaged foods, liquid supplements or diet pills, I recommend you run – quickly! – in the other direction. Because it’s not something which can – or should – be maintained.

• A good diet is one you can follow for life. One which you enjoy.  It’s a strategy which makes you feel energetic and comfortable.
• It’s a way of living which science has shown will enhance your health, the quality of your life, and possibly even extend your life.

• A good diet is one which works with your lifestyle, whether you’re a full-time mom, a high powered professional – or a combination thereof!
• Studies verify weight loss maintainers follow diets with flexibility and choice, ones which can fit into their lives.

I’m passionate about helping people solve their weight problems which saps them of health, energy and happiness.  Let alone all of the horrible and preventable life-threatening and chronic diseases which inevitably occur, like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Though the problem of overweight and obesity is a large one and seems to be growing (two thirds of all adults and one out of three children), it’s a manageable and solvable problem.  One of the reasons people struggle so much with their weight is they make the mistake of believing they need to do something radical to lose weight – like restricting your eating to cabbage soup for every meal, fasting, cutting out all carbohydrates, cutting out all fats, constantly figuring out percentages of this or that nutrient, going on a liquid diet, or taking unsafe diet pills and supplements.

The studies which analyze successful weight loss maintainers versus weight relapsers confirm the radical diets actually backfire. So don’t get seduced by their empty promises. Stop being a sucker! If the diet is too strict, punishing or depriving, it can’t last, and the weight is gained back.  If those diets produce anything, it’s eating disorders, feelings of deprivation and depression, and demoralizing yo-yo’ing weight.

Instead, make your 2011 Resolution to start…

• A way of eating you’ll love, and will always satisfy your hunger and cravings,
• A joyful lifestyle you’ll want to keep forever.

Look for a way of eating and living which will give you…

• A greater sense of well-being, less anxiety and depression,
• Increased metabolism, so your body burns fat more quickly and efficiently,
• A heart working more efficiently, decreasing your risk of a heart attack,
• Lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower blood glucose levels,
• A boosted immune system that cuts your risk of cancer, colds, flu and disease, Stronger bones and stronger muscles,
• Improved techniques for coping with daily stresses and strains of your busy life.

As a weight loss counselor, one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that weight loss doesn’t have to be – and can’t be – a depressing, depriving, angst-ridden chore.  I’ve witnessed the joy, surprise and relief of clients as they learned that losing weight the “Diet Simple” way is an easy and positive experience.

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# 1 THE SUNDAE SOLUTION

Photo: CA Strawberry Commission

NOW it’s official: You can eat a chocolate sundae every day and still lose weight…

One of my clients, Jennie, almost always snacks in the afternoon. She view these snacks as ‘rewards” for getting through another day of drudgery. Of course, these same snacks contribute to her weight problem.

My advice to her (and I’m pretty proud of it ): Have a chocolate sundae every day.

I know this sounds strange, but here’s why it helps. The chocolate syrup that you pour over ice cream isn’t  exactly lean, but that’s okay because underneath the chocolate – the sundae part – is fresh fruit instead of ice cream. Fruit is a lot better for you than ice cream, and the chocolate provides a slightly sinful incentive to make the  switch seem worthwhile.

Almost any fruit works with chocolate syrup – strawberries, bananas, peaches, take your pick. Apart from the fact that a fruit sundae is deliciously fresh tasting, filling, satisfying,  and low in saturated fat and calories, it makes a great substitute for other snacks that really load on the calories.

THE SUNDAE SOLUTION has been responsible for hundreds of people eating  – and LOVING – more fruit. If you try it, you will too!

BOTTOM LINE: Lose 9 to 35 pounds

A tablespoon of regular chocolate syrup has about 50 calories. Pour it over fruit, and your total is about 110 to 160 calories. Compare that to the usual snacks – a candy bar or protein bar, for example, has about 250 calories, and an ice cream cone has about 500 – and you can see why substituting the fruit sundae can lead to impressive amounts of weight loss. Make the switch every day, and you can count on losing 9 to 35 pounds in a year.

Get more wonderful tips like this that will make your diet simple!
Click here to buy “Diet Simple,” the book

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Diet Simple for Dogs?

I found “Diet Simple” through a friend. I could have used the “Diet Simple” principles so long ago!

I never had a weight issue until college.  I suppose it is a classic story. My metabolism changed and I was dealing with a whole different eating agenda, and – oh, the stress! I gained the freshman 15 and spent years trying to get rid of it.

Ever since then it has been a struggle. I’ve been on a constant weight roller-coaster; I’ve never felt  in control but didn’t quite understand why.  I read diet books and tried diets and they just sent the same old message: if I stop eating I’ll lose weight.  It was so frustrating!

And then I found “Diet Simple” through a friend. I could have used the “Diet Simple” principles so long ago!  I wish I had known about them sooner. I know I wouldn’t have struggled all those years. I was an athlete but I wasn’t eating right, This caused many injuries which  I don’t think I would have had if I had been following this plan.

What’s wonderful about “Diet Simple” is that you can still enjoy eating good food. I have even used some of “Diet Simple’s” principles for my dog!  He suddenly has a waistline and the vet is very pleased with his improved vigor and health. He no longer limps the way he used to.

Now I feel great, terrific.  Better than I ever have!

I’ve given the book to all of my friends, definitely!  I’ve given away at least 20 Diet Simples! Katherine is very inspiring and obviously committed to the concept of health and wanting to help people.
-Grace S., Washington, D.C.

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Katherine Tallmadge explains to CNN why breakfast controls weight

“Diet Simple” contains 192 strategies for healthy weight loss. What’s one of the most effective, enjoyable, and simple changes you can make in your eating? Simple: Add breakfast to your day. Katherine explains to Washingtonian…

Also, CNN spoke with Katherine Tallmadge about breakfast. Here’s a part of that conversation.

What exactly is it about breakfast that makes it so beneficial? And are all are breakfasts created equal? A study from Pediatrics, published in March 2008, looked at 2,000 teenagers and found that teens who ate breakfast weighed less, exercised more and ate healthier food than their classmates who didn’t eat breakfast.

CNN: Explain the real benefits of eating breakfast. In your experience, have you seen among your patients the same results this study showed: that people who aren’t eating breakfast actually weigh more? How is that?

Tallmadge: In general, people who ate more in the beginning [of] the day ate fewer overall. As soon as you start eating, you start raising your metabolism; your whole body is burning calories earlier in the day. Helps control your appetite. People who skip breakfast — victims of vending machines. The pickers — they eat overall more calories, tend to eat more.

CNN: What about for the people who say, “I just don’t have time to eat breakfast”? What are your tips?

Tallmadge: Everyone has time to eat breakfast. If someone says they don’t, then they should be happy being fat and unhealthy… I apologize for the glib answer… but it’s TRUE!

Scientific studies confirm breakfast eaters get more nutrients for the whole day, are more likely to lose and maintain healthy weights, have more energy, concentrate better, and eat fewer overall calories during the day.

My favorite breakfast? a warm bowl of oatmeal cooked in milk with fruit and nuts… even a peanut butter sandwich with yogurt and fruit, or eggs on whole grain toast with spicy chicken sausage… Do you like lox on a whole grain bagel? How about whole grain blueberry pecan pancakes? All excellent choices… Bon Appetit!

Photo: USA Rice Federation

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John Ash’s Grandmother’s Pot Roast

By Merelymel13

CHEF JOHN ASH SAYS his grandmother had a real touch for wholesome, comfort foods like this savory pot roast. The meat is cooked until falling off the bone, stracotto, as it would be called in Italy. Styles may change; dishes like this won’t. That’s why I decided to include it in Diet Simple. It’s lean and a great source of protein, iron and vitamin A. You can keep it in your refrigerator for up to three days and slice it for a sandwich or toss it in a salad using Dan Puzo’s Red Wine Vinaigrette.

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