Looking for a Lower fat/Higher protein diet?

There's a very simple replacement for your evening dinner that will instantly eliminate countless grams of fat and boost your protein intake, which will also be very tasty and filling. I came upon it after having an epiphany caused by roasted Brussels sprouts.

What is this mystery diet you say? Well, the first and most important step is to eliminate potatoes from your diet, full stop. Mashed, fried, baked, roasted, all of them. Gone. Don't even stop at the potato section of the supermarket. In my house, the only potato we will eat is roasted sweet potatoes, and that is a rare occasion. Sweet potatoes are extremely high in antioxidants, it dwarfs the nutritional value of regular potatoes. One downside to sweet potatoes: extremely high glucemic value. Diabetics: this is a big no-no for you.

Ok, so you've eliminated the potatoes. Most of you are westerners, and we all know Americans, Irish, and the rest of us LOVE our potatoes. It's a travesty to even contemplate knocking them off our plates at dinnertime. So what do we replace them with?

The answer can be found in any common grocery store: brown grains. Barley, brown rice, and quinoa are some of the best grains you will find on the face of the planet. They all have extremely low glucemic values and they are packed with protein. Avoid white grains at all costs. They are nutritional garbage, and their glucemic value is through the roof. The best grains I have located are sold at Trader Joes for 3 bucks a packet. It is a blend of barley, rice, and spelt, and when cooked with chicken stock it tastes buttery and moist. Cook one cup of the grains with 3 cups of water mixed with one or two cubes of chicken stock, based on your taste preference. This goes extremely well with the next item on the new menu.

Eliminate all red meats. I know this will be hard. I love steaks too, being from the Midwest. It has to be done though. Cooking one chicken breast for dinner in place of a roast or steak will save you at least 20 grams of fat, 300 calories, and massive amounts of cholesterol. On top of the health benefits, chicken cooks faster, marinates faster, and goes with more sauces and side dishes than beef or pork.

Last step to close out the dinner is the best part, which is too often overlooked. Roasted vegetables are incredible. I have a variety of greens that I like to roast, but the best ones are Brussels sprouts and asparagus. I know, I know, if you're like I used to be, you're probably gagging at the thought of Brussels sprouts in any form. Trust me though, all you have to do is shake them in some olive oil and salt and roast them at 350 for about 35 minutes and they will come out very sweet and crunchy. The salt mixes with the sweetness of the veggie and creates an extremely tasty side dish. It completely changed my view of vegetables.

So if you're keeping score, the final rundown of this diet is one chicken breast, cooked in any form you like (I prefer grilled), half a cup of quinoa or barley/rice, and about 4 ounces of roasted vegetables. If you eat this meal for dinner only 3 times a week you will see notable changes in your health, stamina, and strength. Good luck exploring the multiple combinations of the ingredients, and fun ways to cook the chicken or other poultry. Most importantly, enjoy!