CHEAT DAY:EASY,

HEALTHY, DELICIOUS LOW-CARB

FOODCopyright Dannielle Blumenthal 2016

INTRODUCTION

WHY THIS AND WHY NOW?• This presentation is an accompaniment to “Make Your Diet Your Own,” also on

SlideShare. • It represents the foods I eat on “cheat days” when I’m off my diet, but still want to

eat both deliciously and well. The key difference between these recipes and the diet ones is twofold: grains (carbohydrates) and cheese.

• As someone who continually struggles to overcome negative patterns around food, I hope these recipes help you to reframe eating as a pleasurable, self-nurturing experience at all times.

• The recipes you see here represent about three months of experimentation in the kitchen, adapting from existing recipes & making up my own..

• I hope to share many more in the future, and hope you’ll share your best healthy recipes with me as well. May you live long, eat well and prosper.

CHICKEN

CHICKEN SALAD WITHARTICHOKE & MAYO DRESSING

• Chop up the chicken meat• Combine mayo, grilled artichoke• in oil, and mustard to taste• Serve over spring mix or your• favorite greens

WARM &COMFORTINGCHICKEN SALAD

• Chop up leftover chicken• Make the dressing:

combine grilled artichokes, pinch horseradish, mayo & sesame oil

• Stir & serve

PERFECTBROILEDCHICKEN

• Broil chicken thighs skin-on• Ten minutes on one side• Ten minutes on the other

(Note – for variety you can also dust chicken with almond flour and bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees)

MEAT

STEAK & MUSHROOMSIN AH-SO SAUCE

• Broil the steak; set aside• Chop & sautee the

mushrooms• Cut up the steak & fry with

the mushrooms• Pour sauce over (use any

sauce you like) – not too much!

BROILED STEAK IN PEANUTSAUCE

• Broil steak and set aside• Cut up & fry in sesame oil• Pour peanut sauce over

(peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, olive oil, artificial sweetener of choice)

• Bring to a boil • Top with sesame seeds and

serve

DECADENTCHOLENT• Put cholent bones in pan• Add meat if you want• Place celery, onion, carrot

all around (not really a low-carb set of veggies but you won’t eat them anyway)

• Pour chicken broth over• Cook at 450 degrees F for

an hour, covered• Discard everything except

the bones – enjoy.

FISH

TILAPIA INCURRY SAUCE• Fry fresh tilapia in butter• Sprinkle with sea salt – I

used Trader Joe’s Himalayan salt with truffles

• Flip fish over to brown other side

• Top with any curry you like – I used Kitchens of India chickpea curry (if you’re seriously watching carbs, discard most of the sauce after cooking)

• Simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat

• Serve immediately.

EGGS

FRIED EGGS,FAKIN’ BACON& DELICATEASPARAGUS

• Crack two eggs into hot butter – flip and fry other side

• Microwave a few strips of Morningstar or other fake bacon (Morningstar is low-carb).

• Steam thin asparagus and fry briefly in pan grease.

• Serve all three together for a beautiful presentation.

*NOT* PASTA

PAN-FRIEDSHIRATAKENOODLES

• Rinse a packet of shiratake noodles

• Immerse in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cut strands with scissors

• Melt butter in pan and toss in noodles

• Pour 2 beaten eggs over• Fry one side, then flip and

fry the other• Serve topped with salmon

cream cheese, sour cream, etc.

FRIED TOFU &SHIRATAKE NOODLES INPEANUT SAUCE

• Get a pack of fried tofu and cut up.

• Prepare shiratake noodles and set aside.

• Prepare peanut sauce as for steak (peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, artificial sweetener – bring to boil)

• Combine, top with sesame seeds and serve

ZUCCHININOODLESWITH PEANUTSAUCE

• Use your “spiralizer” to make zucchini “noodles”

• Fry briefly in oil• Prepare peanut sauce as

for steak (peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, artificial sweetener – bring to boil)

• Combine and serve immediately

CURRY-MUSHROOMTOFU NOODLESTIRE FRY

• Rinse a packet of shiratake noodles

• Immerse in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cut strands with scissors

• Melt butter in pan and toss in mushrooms

• Sprinkle with curry & turmeric

• Pour 2 raw eggs over & fry• Sprinkle with sea salt &

serve

KELP NOODLESWITH SHIITAKEMUSHROOMS

• Get kelp noodles in the health food store – open packet, rinse and cut up

• Fry shiitake mushrooms in butter

• Add kelp noodles,• Sprinkle on turmeric and

curry• Add salt• Pour in 3T cream, bring to

boil• Add unsweetened almond

milk• Cover and simmer for 5

minutes• Refrigerate and eat a little

bit later on – the flavors marry and it is absolutely declicious.

*NOT* BREAD

MY FAVORITEPALEOBAGELS

1. Mix 2 c. almond flour 1 c. wheat bran 1/2 tsp baking soda2. Separately mix 4 eggs 2 T maple syrup 2 T apple cider vinegar 2 T almond milk3. Spray donut pan with oil - bake 350 degrees for 20 min - abt 300 cals each - but check oven after 10 minutes, results vary - take out when light brown

*NOT* CEREAL

NOT CEREAL

• Pour some unprocessed wheat bran into a bowl

• Add heavy cream• Add water• Eat and enjoy

CHEESY

PORTABELLA MARGHERITA

• Lay mushroom cap side down on baking sheet• Remove stem• Add tomato sauce to bottom (preferably no sugar)• Top with cheese• Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 min.

BUTTERY,CHEESYBROCCOLI

• Nuke broccoli till soft• Add butter• Melt American cheese over• Stire and enjoy

SQUASH,BROCCOLI& MELTEDMUENSTERCHEESE

• Bake squash till soft; mash• Fry with broccoli• Top with muenster cheese

SPAGHETTISQUASHSPAGHETTISURPRISE• Bake spaghetti squash uncovered

at 400 degrees F for 1 hour (prick flesh with knife to let steam out; add water to bottom of pan so it doesn’t scorch)

• Let cool, halve and scoop out seeds; set separate flesh with fork and set aside

• Put 4 cups of plain, sugarfree tomato sauce in your pot and bring to boil

• Add squash, turn down heat by half, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes

• Top with cheese and turn off heat• Mix & serve

SALAD

SALAD DRESSING• Blend any combination of

oil, mayonnaise, mustard, natural salsa and spices in a small blender

MASONJAR SALAD• Put salad dressing in the

bottom• Add chopped cucumber

above• Add chopped zucchini

above that• Top with spinach, kale,

mixed greens, etc.• When ready to eat, shake

and dump out into bowl – keeps for a week

KITCHENSINK SALAD**This salad is not low-carb, but it’s worth it anyway on a cheat day.

1. Chop spinach and/or other greens

2. Add oily vegetables – tomato, grilled artichoke

3. Add avocado chunks4. Add shredded carrot,

chopped cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, and any other vegetables desired

5. Top with spicy sriracha ranch dressing

FAST SALADWITH VEGANCHICKEN STRIPS

• Get a takeout salad at Subway or elsewhere

• Bring your Trader Trader Joe’s vegan chicken strips

• Top with mayonnaise• Mix, eat and enjoy

CAULIFLOWER

CAULIFLOWERMASHEDPOTATOES

• Nuke cauliflower till soft• Fry onion in butter or oil till

brown• Mix cauliflower, onion and

salt

BUTTERYCAULIFLOWERWITHFAKIN’ BACON

• Nuke cauliflower• Microwave Morningstar

fake bacon and cut or crumble into pieces

• Mix cauliflower, fake bacon, oil and salt

MASHEDCAULIFLOWERWITHMAYOSALSA

• Microwave a bowl of cauliflower (covered) for 7 minutes and mash

• Mix equal parts no-sugar-added salsa and mayo

• Add salsa-mayo mixture to cauliflower

MUSHROOMS

“MUSHROOMSTHAT TASTELIKE LOBSTER”

• Get Lion’s Mane mushrooms at farmer’s market if you’re lucky

• Cut and fry in butter• Add a little cream• Sprinkle with salt

OTHER GREATVEGETABLE RECIPES

DELECTABLECHICKPEAS& AVOCADO

• Open & rinse a can of chickpeas

• Mix with a chopped avocado

• Add grilled artichokes and sundried tomato

ROASTEDKALE INMEAT GREASE

• When you’re done broiling steak or burgers, save the grease

• Mix with kale• Roast at 375 degrees F for

45 minutes

DRINKS

ZERO CALORIELEMONADE• Blend ice, spring water,

lemon juice, and 3 packs Stevia

• Add water, lemon juice, and Stevia to tweak to taste

COFFEE WITHCREAM• Heat up 8 oz. water• Add 1 teaspoon Elite

instant coffee (best brand out there)

• Add heavy cream to taste

SPINACHSOUP WITH KICK

• Blend a can of spinach, unsweetened salsa, chicken soup in a blender

• Enjoy hot or cold

SMOOTHIE

• Make instant coffee with water

• Combine with ice, water, heavy cream, and artificial sweetener in blender

REMEMBER:

THESE IDEAS ARE JUST STARTERS -MAKE YOUR DIET YOUR OWN.

GOOD LUCK!