Happy New Year! As we welcome 2024, we always try to make a new year’s resolution or two, hoping for a better year to come.
For me, helping out at the restaurant, intermittent fasting (or IF) was how I lost a few pounds. It wasn’t intentional, but with just no time to sit and have a meal until after the lunch break after 2 p.m., by which time I was no longer hungry, I lost 10 pounds and have kept that weight off for over a year.
But you can IF intentionally for weight loss like a science, either through time-restricted (or TRF) or alternate-day fasting (or ADF). With the 16:8 plan, every day, you are allowed only calorie-free beverages for 16 hours of the day, and then consume all your food during the 8-hour window.
With the 5:2 plan, you eat as usual for 5 days of the week, then consume 25 percent of what you usually eat, or about 500 calories for women, on the two nonconsecutive days. To make this plan a success, eat high-dietary fiber, lean protein and vitamin-packed food options. Hydrate with water during the non-eating times to make you feel full.
Another resolution may be to cook nutritious meals at home, yet not be a slave to the kitchen. I try to make quick meals that the grandchildren will eat, but not labor over the meal. As it turns out, one grandchild may like a new dish and the other may not, as the two like totally opposite foods.. Only problem for me is I still spend more time in the kitchen than I would like to, starting dinner at 4 p.m. to have dinner for the kids at 5 p.m., eating and then cleaning up the dishes, sweeping the floors, and not leaving the kitchen till 7 p.m.
Cooking Light came out with a 30-minute meals magazine that has several recipes using rotisserie chicken. Those on the west side of the island are fortunate to have easy access to Costco and their $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Chief Financial Officer Richard Calanti says, “I can only tell you what history has shown us. When others were raising their chicken prices from $4.99 to $5.99, we were willing to eat, if you will, $30 to $40 million in gross margin by keeping it at $4.99.” Costco’s philosophy is that its low costs and deals are what drive its membership to customers every year. So let’s take advantage of that and make different meals from it.
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TORTELLINI, CHICKEN, AND ARUGULA SALAD
Cooking Light
1 (9 ounce) refrigerated cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions
8 ounces skinless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded, about 2 cups
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
3/4 ounces or 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Place tortellini and chicken in a large bowl.
Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board. Mash with the side of a knife to form a paste. Place in a small bowl. Whisk in oil, zest, juice, sugar and pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons dressing to tortellini and chicken, toss to coat. Gently fold in arugula, shallots and remaining dressing. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.
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Here’s a great soup for a cold evening!
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FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Cooking Light
Serves 4
2-1/4 cups water
1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 inch slice fresh ginger
2 cups chopped bok choy
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, thinly slice into strips
2 ounces dried some noodles, broken into 2 inch lengths
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
Combine water, chicken broth, green onions, soy sauce, garlic, five-spice powder and ginger in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir in bok choy, pepper strips and noodles.
Return to a boil, reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are just tender. Stir in cooked chicken and cook until heated through, 5 minutes.
Correction:
In my Food Hub article of last week, I misspelled Adaptations as well as their website: https://adaptationsaloha.com. Thanks Maureen Datta of Adaptations Inc. for pointing that out to me.
May you all have a great year in 2024 with good health and happiness!
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.