Want to lose weight? Or at least not gain any?

People give you all sorts of advice. And there are zillions of diet plans and books out there. And after a day like yesterday, eating awful, salty, fattening foods while watching the Superbowl, I could sure use some help in this area, as I am sure zillions of others can.

So I think I will follow some advice I heard a few days ago that made such good sense I have to pass it on.

The advice was from, of all people, a professional baker: cookbook author, Paula Shoyer, who wrote “The Kosher Baker: Over 160 Dairy-free Recipes from Traditional to Trendy.” She was talking about desserts but the philosophy applies universally. Here’s what she said:

“Desserts need to be so good that you’re satisfied.”

Food, anything you eat, needs to be so good that you’re satisfied. If it isn’t good you keep eating, even if you’re not hungry, because your mouth, tongue, brain are waiting for something the food isn’t giving you.

Food has to have the right balance of ingredients, the right taste and texture, it has to taste natural and satisfy all your senses and if it does, it is good and you feel fulfilled, gratified, content and without need for more because what you have already eaten is enough. It’s like a good book whose plot and characters keep you interested and the story moves along as it should until at last there’s a plausible and appropriate way to finish things and it’s time for The End and you don’t need more than the memory of the good read you just had.

Paula mentioned this fabulous bit of wisdom in the context of her children scoffing down an entire package of store-bought cookies. They would never have eaten as many of their Mom’s well-made, tasty, additive-free, home-made cookies. 

“They were still looking for that buzz,” she said. Which they never got from the packaged cookies, which lacked that balance, that goodness, that special quality that would have satisfied.

So friends, eat well. Follow Paula’s advice. Don’t eat an entire bag of chips or cookies looking for the buzz. Make something homemade, judiciously seasoned, gently sugared, light on the fat and salt. Real stuff — butter and sugar but less of it, with just enough salt to bring out the best in the other ingredients, not to mask flavor of inferior goods. 

Like this fruit galette (btw, Shoyer uses margarine to keep her desserts pareve for use with meat meals, but you can use butter for dairy or vegetarian meals or if you aren’t kosher):

Paula Shoyer’s Fruit Galette

dough:

1-1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold pareve margarine, (frozen for at least 30 minutes) cut into 6 pieces

1 large egg, separated

3 tablespoons ice water, divided

Filling:

3 cups fresh fruit (berries, plums, peaches or apricots cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar for top of galette

To make the dough: place the flour, salt and margarine into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 10 times or cut the margarine into the flour and salt by hand using two knives or a pastry cutter. Add the egg yolk and one tablespoon ice water. Pulse 5 times or mix gently by hand. Add another tablespoon ice water and pulse 5 times or mix again. Add the last tablespoon of water, a little at a time, pulsing or lightly mixing the dough for 10 to 15 seconds until it looks like clumps of couscous. The dough does not have to come completely together. Gather the dough into a ball. Take a large piece of plastic wrap and sprinkle some flour on top. Place the dough on the floured plastic, wrap the plastic around it and then flatten. Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the rack on the lowest shelf of your oven.

Take a large piece of parchment and sprinkle it with some flour. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on top of the parchment. Sprinkle some flour on the dough and place a second piece of parchment on top. Roll out the dough until it is 12-13 inches wide, trying your best to keep the shape round. Peel back the top parchment and sprinkle some more flour once or twice while you are rolling. Place the dough round on a baking sheet.

To make the filling: place the fruit in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle on top of the fruit and mix gently. Place the fruit in the center of the circle and spread it outward, leaving a 2 or 3 inch border on the outside. Take one small section of the dough border, about 2 inches and fold it over the fruit, leaving the fruit-filled center open. Pick up another 2 inch section of the border and repeat, pressing one section into the next to seal it, so you end up with dough pleats.

Beat the reserved egg white and brush it all over the dough. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. Move the galette to the middle rack in the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings

Still groaning over how much food I consumed from Hanukkah through New Year’s Day.

Why do I do this?

It doesn’t help to know that most people overeat during the holidays.

But I am happy to say that throughout most of the year we eat good food that’s fresh, simple and healthy. So I’m right back in the routine as of today. This week we’ll be having the soup I posted about yesterday and also this chicken dish (with a roasted sweet potato and steamed broccoli).

This recipe, for Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breast, calls for a spice blend called Ras-el-Hanout. There’s a recipe for it in my book, Hip Kosher, but you can also find the blend in some specialty stores that sell spices (it’s basically a mixture of cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper plus warm seasonings such as ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves). This dish goes well with sauteed escarole and roasted carrots and/or parsnips.

Roasted Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breast

2 bone-in whole chicken breasts, each about 1-1/2 pounds

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon Ras-el-Hanout

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and place them on a rack in the roasting pan. Brush with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Roast for 10 minutes. Combine the remaining tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, Ras-el-Hanout, lemon peel and paprika in a bowl and set aside. Brush the chicken with the spice mixture. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees. Roast for another 30 minutes or until cooked through (meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast will register 160 degrees). Let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Makes 4 servings

UGH. I did it again. Ate too much on New Year’s Eve and for the entire weekend.

I do this every year.

And to make matters worse, I went to the movies and ate an entire tub of popcorn.

So I need to get back to culinary reality. Eat sensibly.

Time for a hearty, nourishing, tasty and filling soup. But one that also is low calorie and low fat.

This one:

Winter Vegetable Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium leek, chopped

2 medium cloves garlic, chopped

3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 small turnips cut into bite size chunks

2 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

28 ounce can tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 cup cut up green beans

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn (or extra peas or canned beans)

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened. Add the carrots, celery, parsnips, turnips and potatoes and cook for one minute. Add the stock, water, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the tomatoes and green beans and cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and corn and cook for another 10 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings

Does anyone else diet for a couple of weeks before going to the doctor for a regular, annual-type checkup?

You know, so that the doctor doesn’t either yell at you or because you want him/her to be impressed that you aren’t overweight or too overweight?

I used to laugh at my husband because I would notice how is eating habits changed about 3-4 weeks before his doctor appointment. He didn’t actually say anything. It was sort of stealth dieting. But I caught on a few years ago and I started teasing him about it.

Until one of my daughters recently pointed out out that I do it too.

I confess. She was right.

Neither Ed nor I weigh too much for our age (according to the charts which I must say seem a lot more liberal than the ones they used to use). It’s just those couple or six extra pounds that seem to creep up on you during the year. 

That are so much more difficult to lose as you get older. Even when you work out 2-3 times a week like I do.

But there is that doctor’s appointment in a couple of weeks. So here comes the dieting, no longer a secret.

It’s really really difficult to diet when you are in my business — food writing — and you have to think about food all the time and test out recipes too, like for the article I just sent in for ice cream sundaes and sauce. Fortunately my next article includes recipes for fish salad and ceviche, which can be low low calorie as well as delicious.

In the mean time I can tell you that it is possible to eat good food that is easy to prepare, doesn’t take too much time to cook and still tastes very good. Like grilled fish, grilled turkey or chicken breasts. Try this recipe, even if you aren’t watching your weight. If you use an outdoor grill, preheat it to hot but cook the chicken over medium heat or indirect heat.

Btw, I am aware that agave, which was once highly touted as a low-glycemic ingredient is not any better than corn syrup or honey. So use any of these.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange-Agave-Soy Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey

1 tablespoon grated fresh orange peel

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 scallions, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or use 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper)

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil, agave syrup, orange peel, ginger, scallions, garlic and hot pepper sauce in a deep dish. Immerse the chicken in the marinade, refrigerate and let rest for 1-4 hours, turning the breasts occasionally during that time if possible. Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill the breasts for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness, turning the pieces occasionally, or until cooked through. Makes 4 servings

There are 12 reasons I may not be losing weight, according to an article I read at everydayhealth.com.

II’d like to lose 7-8 pounds. That’s not asking too much!

So let’s see:

Reason:

#1 - not exercising enough. (I work out 3 times/week. That has to be enough)

#2 - not getting enough sleep (hmm, maybe)

#3 - too much stress (everyone is stressed aren’t they?)

#4 - skipping meals, which leads to food cravings (not me, I eat at least 3 meals/day)

#5 - big portions (well, maybe we’re on to something. I’m only allowed cheese the size of 2 dice? Are you kidding. That’s just to see how it tastes!)

#6 - drinking too many calories (NO. I haven’t had a soda since 1983)

#7 - being lax about exercise and calories. In other words eating too much for the amount of exercise I eat. But wait, isn’t that the same as: # 1, #5 and #6? (I think they are talking about hidden calories, like eating a salad but then loading it with high calorie dressing)

#8 - slipping on the weekend, such as having an alcoholic beverage. (Ooops, here we go!)

#9 - being impatient with weight gain. (got me here too.)

#10 - having a “medical condition.” - (does that include getting old? Is age a medical condition?)

#11 - I’ve reached a plateau - (how can that be if I haven’t lost more than one pound?)

#12 - I am the right weight for my body - (WHAT??? Have they seen the photos??)

As a girl and young woman I was always the right weight, never skinny but not overweight either. Until I met my husband who was extremely encouraging of my interest in cooking. That plus my new job, where everyone brought in a huge breakfast and so I added a blueberry muffin in addition to the usual yogurt. The extra pounds just crept up little by little.

So, here I go again, trying to get those 8 pounds off. Better throw out that piece of cheesecake sitting in my fridge (how did it get there anyway?)

Salmon is one of the best diet foods. I really don’t like the word diet and I hate thinking about foods that can help me stick to one. I know, I know, “it’s a way of life not a diet” but I do NOT find that kind of talk helpful when I’m trying to shed a few pounds. I don’t want to think about always eating fish and lean chicken and facing life without french fries forever. 

But salmon is different. It’s actually delicious and it’s meaty and filling. And it looks good too. Besides it takes under 5 minutes to prepare and about 15 minutes to roast. A really quick-fix-dinner for during the week. Even my mother made salmon and she never knew a fish that she liked.

So here’s my recipe for an easy dinner dish. It doesn’t go well with french fries, so I won’t even miss them. But sauteed fennel and parsnip “fries” would work. 

Roasted Pistachio Crusted Salmon

4 salmon filets, about 6-8 ounces each

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place the salmon filets in a baking dish. Mix the olive oil, mustard and lemon peel together in a small bowl and spread this mixture evenly on top of the fish. Sprinkle with the nuts and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (the center should still be slightly under done). Makes 4 servings

Did anyone else gain 2 pounds overnight from Super Bowl food?

Two pounds!

Yes I realize it’s all salt. I can’t get my wedding band off even if I use lots of soap and that ring is usually a little large on my finger.

I have officially become my mother. Or maybe my grandmother. This is what happened to them when they ate salty foods.

For Super Bowl we always go to my brother’s house and Eileen, my sister-in-law, usually makes turkey breast. But she’s been busy lately so they served a full-deli: meats for sandwiches, potato salad plus 2 bags of potato chips (I’m not even counting the hors d’oeuvres a few hours before, including hot dog-in-blanket and Buffalo wings). 

So I spend an entire week trying to eat sensibly and maybe even lose a pound or four and then blow it all in one day on a plate of Lay’s because, they were right — you can’t eat just one.

Today: plain yogurt with dried apricots for breakfast. Not sure for lunch, maybe a hard cooked egg. Dinner? Fish. Maybe this recipe:

Roasted Salmon with Brown Rice Salad

1 cup brown rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

1/2 cup toasted chopped or slivered almonds

1 cup thawed frozen peas

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 salmon filets, each about 6 ounces

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the rice, let it cool slightly and spoon into a bowl. Add the red onion, almonds and peas and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Combine the olive oil, sherry wine vinegar, orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, orange peel and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the rice, toss and let rest for at least 15 minutes. Place the salmon filets in a baking dish and brush each piece with some of the remaining mustard. Roast for about 15 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. Spoon equal amounts of the rice on 4 plates. Top each with a piece of salmon and serve. Makes 4 servings