Diet Secret #1

I love food. Let me say it again. I LOVE food. Like Joker to Batman, it’s been my evil arch nemesis throughout my year long quest to get back into shape.

Early on I figured out that the key to my diet is moderation. I can’t give up chocolate, cookies, and pastries. I won’t give up potatoes, bread, and pasta. And, while it’s not necessary, I thoroughly enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail.

A diet of bland crackers and four paper thin cookies just wasn’t going to work for me. Dinners were the biggest challenge. I grew up on full meals, which included meat, starches, and veggies. These alone weren’t bad. However, vegetables were coated in butter, meats tended to be fried or roasted, and the starches oozed with greasy gravies. To top it off, I added salt to everything. Clearly, I was one big heart attack waiting to happen as I reached adulthood.

My biggest coup was figuring out how to make tasty “diet” food. One of my favorite experiments began with the grill. Considering California’s grilling season lasts about ten months each year, I figured this would be the best place to start. I nixed the roasted potatoes and corn on the cob from the grilled chicken’s side and replaced them with a large portion of spring salad. The trick was substituting the dressing. I tried the Wishbone low calorie/low fat option and didn’t care for it. Since I chopped a half-breast of BBQ chicken onto the salad, I figured I’d keep the taste consistent and drizzled about a tablespoon’s worth of BBQ sauce onto the salad instead. Presto! Low calorie, NO fat solution.

In honor of my first diet creation, I listed the recipe below. The marriage of salty and sweet flavors works surprisingly well. There are enough flavors and textures in here to keep your taste buds interested and enough food to keep you satisfied.

BBQ Chicken Salad
• ½ grilled chicken breast (sprinkled with season salt, lightly coated in oil to keep from sticking to the grill [keep the skin on so the meat doesn’t burn, but remove the skin before eating for less fat and calories.]
• Your favorite salad mix (2+ servings worth)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 apple (chopped)
• 1/4 chopped cucumber
* Handful of pimento stuffed green olives (chopped)
• Handful of dried cranberries
• Handful of slivered / chopped almonds (optional)
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons of Jack Daniel’s Honey Smokehouse BBQ Sauce