… and also dinner most days.

Some people were asking for more detail of what I make for meals. I pointed them to https://lerner.net/oh-boy-doug-food-again/, but thought I would give an even simpler, more direct answer here – with photos. This is the breakfast I just had. It is very simple WFPB (whole food plant based). I think it’s close to Mary’s Mini, part of Dr. McDougall’s “Starch Solution.” It just naturally turns out that way because I like keeping things simple. Eating this way has helped keep my weight down, and cured me of all sorts of things. See my recent post https://lerner.net/no-more-hospital-visits-needed/.

Without further ado…

I started with two “new” brown potatoes. The total weight was 389 g (13.7 oz), with a total of just 331 calories. Potatoes are perhaps the best, satiating starch bargain there is. Finish a meal with them and you feel full.

I used a potato scrubber to get them nice and clean.

Then I quartered them. So I now have 8 good size, filling chunks of potato to cook. At this point I put them in my new microwave, which has a water compartment and steamer function, and set the steamer for 17:30 minutes (my best guess based on weight) while I prepare my first course – my big breakfast salad.

Here are the ingredients for this morning’s salad. There is a package of pre-washed mixed salad veggies. I get about 4 different kinds of mixes. Some cherry tomatoes (sometimes I use whole tomatoes and cut them up). Half of an orange sweet pepper (I used the other half last night). And a cucumber.

After cutting up the cucumber and washing the tomatoes, I added one teaspoon of ground flax seed. That’s a healthy fat recommended by Dr. Greger. I have three of these salads a day, so that gives me the tablespoon of ground flax seeds he recommends per day. Looking good so far!

Now it’s time to make my homemade dressing. I start with 50 cc of soy milk. The “whole soy milk” I like best is this one. It includes the okara, natural fiber, and tastes creamy. It only has one ingredient: organic soy beans. To that I add some grated ginger, one heaping teaspoon of nutritional yeast flakes, and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

When I stir in the vinegar some reaction occurs and the dressing becomes thick and creamy.

I pour it over the salad.

And here it is all mixed together. Total calories: just 141! I take this to the other room and eat it while the potatoes finish steaming.

The bell rings – the potatoes are finished steaming and look great! They are cooked well, are solid but soft and moist on the inside.

I sprinkle some spices on top (this morning was ginger powder and a bit of turmeric) and I sparingly drizzle some ketchup on top.

Sometimes at this point I will mash them with my fork and if I do that I may add some more soy milk as an extra moistener. But lately I prefer it this way. I take the plate to the other room and eat. And I’m full.

The total for both large courses: just 472 calories!

For lunch I have been having the same salad (maybe a different veggie mix), and usually instead of potatoes for lunch I’ll have a 300 g package of frozen, mixed veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) – just 99 calories. I steam those as well, for 11 minutes, while having my salad.

For dinner I tend to repeat my breakfast. Again, maybe a different salad mix.

For in-between snacks, lately I like sliced, raw zucchini sprinkled with cinnamon. Or sliced, raw eggplant.

I usually don’t have fruits when I’m being extra careful about my weight, but sometimes I’ll have a serving of watermelon after my morning walk. And that’s where I’m headed out to now!

I hope this was helpful for the lazy among us who really hate spending time in the kitchen, don’t have fancy kitchen utensils, and are just basically bored the minute they hear the word “recipe.”