Ideal Weight & Wellness

We know what we're making for dinner!

Braised Baby Fennel

Ingredients
12 to 16 baby fennel bulbs
5 Tbsp. olive oil
4 shallots cut into rings
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 scant tsp. tomato paste
5 Tbsp. water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions
Trim off the feathery tops and the stalks from each fennel bulb, leaving about 1 ½ inches of stalks intact
Discard the stalks and tops (or reserve for another use)
Remove any bruised areas and trim the base of the core
In a large, wide saucepan or deep fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil
Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes
Add the fennel bulbs, stir to coat with the oil, and add the garlic and bell pepper
Toss the vegetables, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and sea salt and pepper
Stir with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes
Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish and sprinkle with the chervil.

Happy Motivation Monday!

Gosh, its hot outside. We're making these right away!

Ideal Protein Mango Sunrise (Phases 1-4)

Ideal Protein Mango Sunrise
Ingredients:
1 packet of Ideal Protein Raspberry Gelatin
1 packet of Ideal Protein Peach Mango Drink

Directions:
Mix the Ideal Protein Raspberry Gelatin and the Ideal Protein Peach Mango Drink in a bowl. Refrigerate until solid. Or freeze for an Ideal Protein Popsicle!

And don't forget it!

Time to fire up the grill! Have you ever tried skewering your meat with herbs? Rosemary works great and adds so much flavor.

It's popsicle season! What kind are you making this summer? 🍧

We're proud of you. Keep going!

Don't forget one of the easiest and tastiest snacks - zucchini chips! We love adding our favorite seasoning mix or salt after cooking. Yum!

Missing burgers? We love this twist - Tuna Patties!⁠
⁠
(Eat once or twice a week only)⁠
Servings: 2 Proteins (2 patties= 1 protein)⁠
⁠
Ingredients:⁠
- 2 6oz cans of Tuna⁠
- 2 tsp of Dijon Mustard⁠
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest⁠
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice⁠
- 1 tbsp of liquid from can of Tuna⁠
- 2 tbsp of fresh chopped Parsley⁠
- ½ packet of IP Sour Cream & Onion Soy Puffs (crushed)⁠
- 2 tbsp of fresh chopped Green Onion or Yellow Onion⁠
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)⁠
- A couple squirts of Hot Sauce (sugar free)⁠
- 1 raw Egg⁠
- 2 tbsp of Olive Oil⁠
- ½ tsp of Butter⁠
⁠
Directions:⁠
1. Drain the liquid from the tuna cans. If you are using tuna packed in water, reserve a tbsp of the tuna water, and add a tsp of olive oil to the tuna mixture in the next step.⁠
2. Mix tuna with mustard, crushed IP puffs, zest, lemon juice, water, parsley, onion, hot sauce in a medium bowl and salt & pepper to taste. Taste the mixture before adding the egg to see if it needs more seasoning to your taste. Mix in the egg.⁠
3. Divide the mixture into 4 parts. With each part, form into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Place onto a wax paper lined tray and chill for an hour. (You can skip the chilling if you want, chilling just helps the patties stay together when you cook them.)⁠
4. Heat the olive oil and a little butter in a non-stick fry pan on medium high. Gently place the patties in the pan, and cook until nicely browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.⁠
5. Serve with wedges of lemon.⁠
⁠
TIP: For a complete supper meal serve patties with a spring mixed green salad. Julienne some bell peppers add cucumbers and diced tomatoes and tossed with olive oil and vinegar. Or use an IP dressing instead…

Just a little motivation for your Monday. Have a great week!

It's salad season, and we couldn't be happier. Here's a great quick one to mix up your salad repertoire! ⁠
⁠
Tomato Salad with Cardamom⁠
3 pints mixed small heirloom tomatoes, halved, quartered if large⁠
¼ cup Quick-Pickled Chiles⁠
1 garlic clove, finely grated⁠
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice⁠
3 tablespoons olive oil⁠
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom⁠
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper⁠
¼ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems⁠
⁠
Directions:⁠
Combine tomatoes and pickled chiles in a large bowl. ⁠
Whisk garlic, lemon juice, oil, and cardamom in a small bowl and pour over tomato mixture; toss to coat. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper; top with cilantro.

We're almost halfway through the year, is anyone feeling 😅 about that? All we can say is to stay determined in your health and wellness goals. You've got this!

Summer is almost here and we're making some delicious light cool soups in celebration. This one is a favorite! ⁠
⁠
Gazpacho ⁠
Serves one person⁠
2 eggs, hard-boiled
¾ cup cucumber, diced⁠
¾ cup tomatoes, diced⁠
¼ cup tomato coulis⁠
¼ cup onion, 1 tbsp. garlic ⁠
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. olive oil
Sea salt & pepper to taste ⁠
⁠
In a blender, blend together cucumber, tomatoes, tomato coulis, onions, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Pour the soup in a bowl and top it off with the eggs. Ready to serve

YUM!!!

Garlic Herb Chicken and Vegetables SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL - www.bit.ly/Official_IdealProtein Connect with online: VISIT Ideal Protein's Website - bit.ly/IdealProteinOfficialLI...

"Be kind to yourself" is something I say all the time-- I say it to my clients, to my friends and to myself. The way you speak to yourself matters!
--Julie

Cake balls? Yes please!! Have you tried either recipe? Let us know what you think.

This sounds so yummy! Let me know what you think!

Great write up on why sodium/electrolytes are so important during Phase 1. We have 5 yummy water enhancer flavors and rumor has it that a new flavor is coming soon. Happy weekend!!
--Julie

The IP Water Enhancers are unique products since they fill two important niches with respect to our Diet Protocol. First, it must be understood that we are a VERY low sodium diet (most people get too much sodium, not from the “salt shaker” but from foods such as bread, cheese, cold cuts and “restaurant entrees”). While in Phases 1-2, these foods are restricted, so their dietary intake of this important electrolyte will be greatly reduced.

In the hot summer months, or if you have a have strenuous job, or working outside in the heat and perspiring, you are urinating out potassium and sodium. So, please add the water enhancers to your Liters of water.Also, for patients with hydration issues, the electrolytes help to increase the level of electrical charge across the membranes, thus ensuring higher water absorption. This way, your cells pull in the water you drink, and you're hydrated at a cellular level.

It’s a fact that some people just don’t like drinking plain water;If you are one of those people that find it hard to drink the mandatory 2 liters of water per day, these flavored water enhancers can help.There are no “hidden carbs” in this product and Dieters may consume as many as they want per day, without negatively impacting their weight loss (it’s unlimited and unrestricted!).

And, Lean Body Mass can be influenced by other factors outside of muscle; most notable, WATER. Here is another area where hydration can be addressed with the water enhancers.Healthy ranges of hydration are 45-60% for women and 50-65% for men.


The water enhancers contain 100 mg of sodium, the main electrolyte for our protocol. Additional electrolytes are the potassium tablet, calcium, and magnesium. In the us, when the DV (Daily Volume) is

Happy June! Here's a good dessert recipe for those later phases (3-4) of IP!

Coconut Mango Popsicle
Ideal Protein Phase:
3-4

​Ingredients
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp water
2 ½ cups frozen mango chunks
½ cup pineapple juice

Directions
In a medium bowl mix together the coconut milk, sugar, yogurt and water until well blended
In a blender, puree the mango and pineapple and smooth
Alternate putting 1 tbsp. of each mixture into Popsicle molds until full.
Freeze 1 hour

Another beautiful, light meal as the days start to get warmer. ⁠
⁠
Celery Slaw with Shrimp⁠
Ingredients:⁠
½ cup Walden Farms⁠
¼ cup olive oil⁠
¼ cup unfiltered cider vinegar⁠
1 tsp. dry mustard⁠
1 garlic clove, minced⁠
2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined⁠
3 Tbs. olive oil⁠
1 tsp. mild Spanish smoked paprika, pimento de La Vera⁠
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste⁠
½ head green cabbage, cored and shredded⁠
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced⁠
6 green onions, white and light green portions, chopped⁠
1 bunch red rashes, trimmed and thinly sliced⁠
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley⁠
⁠
Directions:⁠
To make the vinaigrette, in a food processor or blender, combine the Walden Farms, olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic and process until smooth. Set aside. (The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered tightly and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.)⁠
⁠
In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp, olive oil, paprika, and a little salt and pepper. Preheat a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the shrimp and saute until they turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining shrimp. Set aside to cool.⁠
⁠
To assemble the slaw, add the cabbage, celery, green onions, radishes, parsley and vinaigrette to the shrimp and toss to coat all the ingredients evenly. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.⁠
Transfer the slaw to a serving bowl or deep platter.⁠

Just a little reminder on this Monday...

Summer is on its way here and we're thinking of bright, fresh veggies as the days get warmer.

Green Bean and Yellow Tomato Salad with Mint
Ingredients:

1 lb. long, slender green beans such as Blue Lake or Kentucky Wonder, ends trimmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 or 2 yellow tomatoes, cut into wedges about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup scallions, sliced-thin
2 tsp. white vinegar, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes; the timing will depend on their size. Drain.
In a large serving bowl, combine the hot beans, mint, olive oil and salt and toss to mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Just before serving, add the tomatoes, onion, vinegar and a grind of pepper to the bean mixture and toss to mix. Taste and add more vinegar, if necessary. Serve the salad at room temperature.

Fennel gets overlooked, but its such a delicious (and IP friendly!) ingredient.

Braised Baby Fennel
Ingredients
12 to 16 baby fennel bulbs
5 Tbsp. olive oil
4 shallots cut into rings
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 scant tsp. tomato paste
5 Tbsp. water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions
Trim off the feathery tops and the stalks from each fennel bulb, leaving about 1 ½ inches of stalks intact
Discard the stalks and tops (or reserve for another use)
Remove any bruised areas and trim the base of the core
In a large, wide saucepan or deep fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil
Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes
Add the fennel bulbs, stir to coat with the oil, and add the garlic and bell pepper
Toss the vegetables, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and sea salt and pepper
Stir with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes
Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish and sprinkle with the chervil

Here's an oldie but a goodie! Missing a Big Mac on phase 1? We don't miss McDonald's but sometimes we do crave a juicy burger.

BIG MAC IN A BOWL
Servings: 2
(1 serving is 8oz lean protein + 2 C. veggies/salad)
Ingredients:
16 oz. lean ground beef
Salt & pepper, to taste
¼ C. chopped red onion
½ C. chopped tomatoes
2 oz. chopped dill pickle (sugar free)
6 C. chopped romaine lettuce (lettuce is unlimited)
2-3 T. Walden Farms Thousand Island Dressing
Directions:
l. Brown hamburger in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Drain off any fat. Add salt & pepper to taste.
2. Place desired amount of lettuce in a bowl and add hamburger, onion, tomato and dill pickles.
3. Top with dressing and toss.
Feel free to tweak a this recipe according to your personal taste-buds. Don’t like red onion then use yellow, don’t like tomatoes then omit and so on.

It's a hard thing to remember, but important. Keep going!

More delicious greens to make that are IP friendly, so nutritious, and incredibly delicious.

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, about 1 lb. (500 g), ends trimmed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. water

Directions
In a nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until just golden (about 1 minute)
Transfer to a small plate
Add one-third of the broccoli rabe to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and adding the rest after the first batch begins to wilt
Season with salt and pepper and stir in the red pepper flakes
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the water
Cover and cook until the broccoli rabe is crisp-tender (about 5 minutes)
Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the sliced garlic and serve immediately

We love making a big sheet bake of vegetables - try throwing any IP friendly vegetables with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic, and enjoy!

We're just remember a steak and rutabaga fries we had the other day, and gosh, we miss it.

😆😆😆

Just a reminder as we enter a new month. 😊

Such an easy and delicious meal - ready in 15 minutes from start to finish- perfect quick dinner!

THAI CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

Serves: 2 (protein + veggies phase 1)
Ingredients
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 11/2 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
• ¼ WF pancake syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 basil leaves, chopped
• ½ head iceberg lettuce, cut into half
Instructions
1. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat until oil is very hot. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink and starts to brown, break it up with a wooden spoon as necessary. Should take about 3 minutes.
2. Add red curry paste, ginger, garlic, peppers, coleslaw mix, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add WF pancake syrup and green onions, and toss. Remove from heat then add chopped basil and toss. Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl.
3. Serve by placing spoonfuls of chicken into pieces of lettuce, fold lettuce over like small tacos, and eat.

How's your new year going? 😇 We sure are glad there are plenty of chocolate goodies from Ideal Protein! ⁠