First published at www.johnberardi.com, Jun 5 2003.

If you’re like me, once you grasped the intricacies of John Berardi’s dietary combinations outlined in his Massive Eating and Don’t Diet programs, you began to suffer the cruel fate of food monotony. The taste and creativity of a meal quickly takes a position on the backburner when six meals a day must be planned with precise macronutrients ratios, within an ever-evolving daily caloric goal. When I began, I found myself grabbing two cans of tuna and a pile of brown rice, and calling it a meal. That gets old quick, and soon my friends were embarrassed to eat with me in public. So for the sake of my taste buds and for the sake of not being forced to live the life of a hermit, I slowly experimented until creating a number of recipes that could actually be considered proper meals. These are meals that you could make for a date. Said date might even be impressed for reasons beyond the fact that she is not eating large amounts of fat and carbs together.

So put down that days-old rubbery chicken breast and shot glass of flax oil. It’s time to turn those P+C, P+F meal combinations into something more than macronutrient ratios.

Protein + Fat Meals

Bring on the fat! All of the following are P+F meals work for Massive Eating, as well as any low-carb diet. These meals tend to be a little harder to get creative with, given the ubiquity of carbs in the modern Western diet. But stick to these recipes, and you might not even notice the scarceness of those tricky little carbs.

Polyunsaturated Beef Stew

The ingredients and nutritional info below are for one serving, so quadruple the ingredients when you cook it and put the leftovers in the fridge for later.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 5 baby carrots, halved
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1 cup beef broth (from can or bouillon cubes)
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef cubes in a nonstick skillet spayed with Pam, just until the outside of the pieces are slightly cooked (inside still raw).
2. Put beef cubes in a larger pot with the broth, onions, celery and carrots.
3. Cover and boil over low heat for 30 min to 1 hour.
4. Stir in the flaxseed oil just before you eat it.

This is one of the only dishes I've made that flaxseed oil doesn't ruin the taste of it when you mix it in.

Macronutrient Profile:

• K/cal: 450
• Fat: 27 g (5s, 8m, 12p)
• Carbs: 10 g (2 fiber)
• Protein: 40 g

Turkey Kebabs With Spicy Beans

Here's a recipe that you might use to impress someone special, or just to take a much needed break from the grilled meat, oil shot syndrome.

Ingredients:

Turkey Kebabs

• 1 lb. ground turkey, 7% fat
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon ground celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• couple dashes ground red chili
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1" cube fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  Spicy Beans (side dish)

• 1 lb fresh green beans, cut into 1" links
• 4 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Turkey Kebabs

1. Mix all of this together in a big bowl, then form into 2" balls and put on a baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle top of meatballs with black mustard seeds, then bake at 400-degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Spicy Beans:

3. Boil the beans in a big pot for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse in cold water.
4. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and add garlic and mustard seeds.
5. Fry until seeds start popping, and then add the beans.
6. Stir-fry for 10 minutes or so, remove from heat, then stir-in the olive oil and the rest of the spices.

Macronutrient Profile:

Nutritional information is for 1/2 of the turkey kebabs and 1/3 of the beans.

• K/cal: 677
• Fat: 48 g (9s, 30m, 7p)
• Carbs: 11 g (4 fiber)
• Protein: 55 g

Mediterranean Salad

Here’s a good quick fix for filling-in one of the P+F vacancies, or for serving as an appetizer with one of the other main dishes.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz extra lean ground beef
• 1 oz pecans
• 8 giant pitted olives
• Generous amount of romaine lettuce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

1. Fry the ground beef in a nonstick skillet, breaking into small chunks with spatula.
2. Remove from heat and stir-in pitted olives and pecans.
3. Put this mixture over a bed of lettuce, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Macronutrient Profile:

• K/cal: 703
• Fat: 55 g (12s, 32m, 9p)
• Carbs: 6 g (4 fiber)
• Protein: 50 g

Asian Chicken Curry

Here’s a real bastard-child recipe that mixes Asian and Indian elements, as well as some good old natty PB.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. Grilled chicken breast, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 6 white mushrooms, sliced (replace with shitake if you’ve got them)
• 2 cups chicken broth, from bouillon
• 4 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-inch cube of ginger, finely chopped
• Spices, below

Instructions:

1. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger in a nonstick pan with cooking spray for a couple of minutes, add the veggies and continue stirring for a few more minutes, then add the chicken and broth.
2. Bring to a boil, then stir-in a dash of tumeric (not too much), a teaspoon of ground celery seed, as much chili powder as you dare, a teaspoon of coriander, a dash of cumin, and salt to taste.
3. Stir-in the peanut butter slowly, then serve it up.

Makes 2 servings.

Macronutrient Profile (each serving):

• K/cal: 525
• Fat: 23 g (5s, 12m, 5p)
• Carbs: 14 g (5 fiber)
• Protein: 66 g

Beef Curry

Here’s another good curry recipe; just be sure to keep your gym clothes out of the kitchen when you’re cooking all this curry, so the smell doesn’t mix with all the guys wearing High Karate cologne in the gym.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Beef Sirloin, grilled to medium-rare and cubed
• 1 small-medium eggplant, cubed
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup broth (beef or chicken bouillon)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-inch cube of ginger root, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons plain yogurt, whole
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Spices, below

Instructions:

1. Fry the onions, garlic, and ginger in a nonstick pan with cooking spray until brown, then add mushrooms and eggplant.
2. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then add beef and broth.
3. Bring to a boil, and add the following spices: 1 bay leaf (whole), 5 cardamon pods, a dash of chili powder, a dash of tumeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground celery seed, 1 teaspoon Masala spice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Stir-in the yogurt, one tablespoon at a time. The fat profile of whole yogurt is not ideal, but even just four tablespoons really makes this dish nice and creamy. Add more if you want it to taste better, and don’t mind the extra saturated fat. Just before serving, stir-in the olive oil.

Makes 2 servings.

Macronutrient Profile (each serving):

• K/cal: 528
• Fat: 26 g (6s, 15m, 2p)
• Carbs: 14 g (4 fiber)
• Protein: 57 g

Salmon With A Cream Spinach Sauce

Here’s a way to have your fish oil, and eat it too. This one is damn tasty, and quick to boot. When I first started trying to make fish meals with sauce, they turned into a mushy sludge. But salmon is an ideal choice because it’s fairly solid, and if you don’t overcook it, it doesn’t flake apart. The sauce with vegetables adds a boatload of flavor and transforms it into a well-rounded meal.

Ingredients:

• 20 oz salmon fillet, skin removed
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 1/3 raw eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 large slices onion, finely chopped
• 1 plum tomato, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-inch cube ginger root, finely chopped
• 1 ½ oz. goat cheese, soft type
• Spices, see below

Instructions:

1. The salmon needs to be lightly seared. This is best done on an outdoor grill by placing the whole fillet/ fillets on a grill at high heat for 4 minutes on each side. The outside will get browned, but the inside will still be raw. You can also do it on a Foreman Grill, for a quick 4 minutes (don’t overcook), or in the oven on broil for 4 minutes on each side.
2. After searing, cut the salmon into large cubes (1-2 inches) and set aside. Use a sharp knife, and be careful not to cause too much flaking (quick slashes).
3. While you’re pre-cooking the salmon, spray a heated nonstick pan (large wok-style) with cooking spray, and toss-in finely chopped onion slices, garlic, ginger, 4 whole green cardamon pods, and 1 whole bay leaf.
4. Stir-fry on medium heat for 10 minutes, until onions start to become brown. Keep some extra chicken broth to add to the pan when it gets too dry (a couple of tablespoons at a time).
5. Add the tomatoes and eggplant next and stir for a couple of minutes, then pour-in one cup of chicken stock.
6. Bring to a boil and add the following spices: ½ teaspoon tumeric, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, and salt to taste (½ -1 teaspoon, depending on how salty the chicken stock is).
7. Mix these spices together, and as the mixture is at a low boil, stir-in the goat cheese, 1 tablespoon at a time.
8. Add the salmon cubes to the mixture, being careful not to break-up the pieces by placing them gently in the pan and spooning sauce over them.
9. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stir-in ½ teaspoon Masala spice (careful with those salmon chunks!), and it’s time for gnashing of teeth.

Makes 2 servings.

Macronutrient Profile (each serving):

• K/cal: 658
• Fat: 36 g (10s, 12m, 12p)
• Carbs: 14 g (5 fiber)
• Protein: 67 g

*A Note About Spices:

It’s amazing how picking-up a few spices, other than salt and pepper, can really make a huge difference in everyday cooking. A dash here, a pinch there, and suddenly you’ve got some gourmet muscle food. Make a trip to the spice section of a larger specialty market (whole foods, central market, etc.), or better yet, a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food market. Pick up these spices (they'll be useful for spicing up all kinds of food):

(Fill a little baggie with each):

Ground cinnamon
Ground tumeric
Ground celery seed
Whole green cardamon pods
Whole bay leaves
Ground cumin
Whole black mustard seeds
Ground red chili pepper
Ground coriander

These spices are super-cheap, and they make your food taste great. Plus, they are full of anti-oxidants. Also, pick-up some whole garlic and ginger root. You can store the ginger root in the freezer indefinitely.

Desserts, Snacks and On-The-Go Meals

While sit-down meals are great, a lot of us find ourselves in work settings where grabbing a pre-made bar might be the most convenient option. The following recipes are portable and quick.

Protein + Fat Snacks

If you like the health benefits of flax, but can’t stand the taste of the oil, these recipes are especially for you.

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

Some people have told me that these bars stick to their teeth, which might result from adding too much water. I try to use as little water as possible, making it more of a moldable matrix instead of a slimy mess. Just be sure to drink a lot of water with the bars so you can digest the protein.

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 2 scoops flax meal (ground flax seeds)
• 4 tablespoons chunky natural peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Mix these together in a bowl, adding ¼ cup water (or less if you can manage) and Splenda, to taste. At first, it will seem like it’s not enough water, but keep stirring, and it will eventually become a moldable blob of dough that looks like what you would imagine it will on the way out of your body.
2. Divide the mixture in half, and put it into separate pieces of plastic wrap, shaping into a bar within the wrap. It’s easier to shape them by laying plastic wrap in one side of a small casserole dish, pressing the dough into the natural shape of the dish.
3. Put the bars into the fridge, or store them in the freezer. You can eat them chilled, or even frozen, or you can eat it right out of the bowl with a spoon if you’re feeling impatient.

The carb amount is on the high-end for P+F meals, but they are mostly low-impact carbs from the flax seeds. Plus, you get the added benefits of the fiber.

Macronutrient Profile (each bar):

• K/cal: 380
• Fat: 23 g (5s, 11m, 7p)
• Carbs: 15 g (6 g fiber)
• Protein: 33 g

Almond-Coconut Bars

Here’s a variation of the previous bars, with a few more bells and whistles, making them taste sort-of like an Almond Joy, if you have a vivid imagination.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 5 tablespoons lowfat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (blanched and raw)
• 5 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
• 1/2 cup granulated Splenda
• 1/4 cup water
• ½ tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract

Instructions:

1. Nuke the cream cheese just until it’s soft enough to mix.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in bowl, and then mix in the rest, until it becomes a big glob. Resist the temptation to add more water; just keep stirring and it will mix.
3. Press into 8×8 brownie pan, sprayed with pam.
4. Chill and cut into 5 pieces. Put each piece in plastic wrap and store in fridge or freezer.

Like the other bars, these melt very easily; so don’t keep them in your back pocket.

Makes 5 bars.

Macronutrient Profile (each bar):

• K/cal: 270
• Fat: 14 g (4 s, 5m, 5p)
• Carbs: 12 g (3 fiber)
• Protein: 27 g

Banana Flax Loaf

The tastiness of this treat increases exponentially with the amount of Splenda and oil that you put in it. The ingredients below have modest amounts of each, to avoid too many carbs and a larger than normal fat-protein ratio. But don’t be afraid to tweak the ingredients to get the desired taste.

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops vanilla or chocolate protein powder
• ½ cup flax meal
• ½ cup granulated Splenda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 oz chopped walnuts
• 1 jumbo whole egg + 1 egg white, beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons banana extract
• ¼ cup water

Instructions:

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the oil, water, eggs, and banana extract and mix well.
3. Coat a 4X8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray, and pour-in the mixture.
4. Sprinkle some whole flax seeds over the top and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees (don’t over bake or it will become dry).

Makes 4 servings.

Macronutrient Profile (each serving):

• K/cal: 350
• Fat: 21 g (3s, 8.5m, 8.5p)
• Carbs: 13 g (4 fiber)
• Protein: 30g

* A few notes about some of the dessert ingredients:

Flax meal is simply ground flax seeds. Flax seeds are cheap as sin in bulk, and you can grind them at home with a hand-held coffee grinder. I usually grind them just before their used. If you want to make the meal in bulk, just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge to preserve its freshness.

Splenda is used as a low-calorie sweetener in many of these recipes, as I prefer its taste to other artificial sweeteners, but others can be used according to your preference. Splenda is not entirely carb-free, since they use a bit of maltodextrin to give it texture. There are 24 carbs in 1 cup of granulated Splenda. This was calculated into the nutritional information for the relevant recipes.

So there you have it. These meals should give you enough variety to avoid the tuna can doldrums. Bon appetite!

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John Williams is an archaeologist by training but his free time is occupied with eating well, training hard, and learning more about fitness and nutrition. John can be contacted at [email protected].