Zesty Balsamic Pork Tenderloin: C2

Servings: 6
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes

1 center cut pork tenderloin (roughly 18 oz, or about 6 servings)
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup hot sauce (I prefer a thicker, richer hot sauce for this dish, such as Valentina)
1/3 cup Stevia in the Raw (I use the granulated form)
2 TBS whole grain mustard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or if there are preparation directions on the packaging of the pork, follow them accordingly).
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, mustard and Stevia until the Stevia has dissolved. Taste test the sauce to ensure it has the right sweet/tart/tangy balance for your palate.
3. Using a fork, pierce the pork several times on all sides, then place in  shallow baking or casserole dish. Don't use too big of a dish, as you don't want the marinade to spread too thin.
4. Pour marinade over the top of the pork, and turn the tenderloin several times to ensure it is thoroughly coated in the marinade. The marinade may seem a bit thin, but it will thicken as it bakes.

5. Bake 45-60 minutes, or according to the directions (I bake mine for 50 minutes to achieve a medium well temperature) Cut down the thickest portion to check the doneness prior to serving.

6. To serve, cut into 1 1/2"-2" inch thick slices, and garnish with the marinade. Serve with quinoa or brown rice and vegetables (I like broccoli with this dish).

Enjoy!

C2: Day 3: New favorite recipes!

So far, I am loving this second cycle! The biggest drawback so far is that I am cooking for one, so any leftovers when preparing the recipes cannot be eaten for two days. It's also a bit of a bit of a buzzkill to go from eating delicious, satisfying dishes such as Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice or Chinese Steak and Broccoli (my new favorite recipes!) and then the next day revert back to the rather stale, limited menu offered on Cycle 1. It was fine for the 17 days that it lasted, but you realize how much you've missed grains and red meat once they're back on your plate!

But I believe in the science behind Dr. Moreno's diet plan, so am doing my best to follow the diet as he intended.

On to my meals:

Breakfast:

Old fashioned oatmeal mixed with greek yogurt
6 strawberries

Snack:

Carrots

Lunch:

Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice

with steamed broccoli

Snack:

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Dinner:

Blackened Shrimp with sauteed collard greens

C2: Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice

One word to describe this dish: DELICIOUS! I used 4 slices of boneless pork chops that were equivalent to about 1 1/2 pounds total, each cut about 3/4 inch thick. Be sure to adjust cooking time if you are preparing very thickly cut chops. Cut off fatty portions prior to eating.  Pair with your favorite vegetables (I enjoy it with steamed broccoli or sauteed collard greens).

Serves: 4

4 boneless pork chops
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 TBS powdered Truvia or Stevia in the Raw
3 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Cholula for this recipe, but any will work fine)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper


1. Prepare the marinade: in a casserole dish, whisk all ingredients minus the pork until Truvia is dissolved and ingredients are blended thoroughly. I recommend taste testing the marinade to make sure the balance of flavors suits your taste.

2. Pierce each side of pork chops with a fork several times to help the marinating process. Add pork chops to dish, coat each side with marinade and make sure they are thoroughly coated. I chose a fairly shallow casserole dish to ensure the pork was soaking in the marinade.

3. Cover dish and place in refrigerator, let sit for 6-12 hours.

4. Once it has marinated sufficiently, prepare brown rice according to directions.

5.  In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Place marinated pork chops in oven and cook for 30 minutes.

7. When finished cooking, cut through the thickest chop to ensure it is cooked appropriately. I cook my pork medium well (when cooking it at home), if you want it well done you may want to cook it a bit longer.

Cycle 2: Day 1: The "Before" Picture

Despite the fact that I haven't been a complete saint on this diet, I am quite proud of how much I have accomplished. I am now taking meals daily with me to work, which has proven to be 100% effective in avoiding late night binges. I am cooking almost daily, utilizing fresh produce, and am back to taking my multi-vitamin on a daily basis. I am fortunate that I have a job that is far from sedentary- most shifts I am moving quickly with no breaks for up to 14 hours. If it weren't for that extra caloric expenditure, I am sure that my moment of clarity (to get on a diet!)  would have arrived at a moment more serious than barely being able to squeeze into my size 6 jeans.

I also recall two years ago, when I had a surgical procedure that involved remaining off my feet for two weeks. Before that time, I had numerous photo shoots for modeling, and remaining in great shape was literally part of the job. I took some time off from the shoots due to the surgery, and also made the change from bartending to serving for a few months. I burned far fewer calories serving, and what turned into a two months without exercise resulted in a 10+ pound weight gain. At the heaviest, it may have been fifteen.

A few months later, I began bartending again, and within a week I was down five pounds. But because I was in front of the camera less, the few extra pounds that remained I wasn't very conscious of. It wasn't until the following spring, when I had to prepare for a few more photo shoots, that I realized I had yet to get back to pre-surgery shape.

I have been very blessed with some amazing modeling and acting opportunities, the most recent national catalog shoot being a year ago. I have other career aspirations that I am working toward, but this diet has made me motivated to get back to the shape I was in when I was always swimsuit ready. Not as much for the way I looked, but the way I felt. Confident, happy, energetic. It's crazy what a few pounds due to an unhealthy lifestyle can do to both your energy levels and your psyche.

My official "before" picture:

This is from a few years ago...this is my goal for my "after" picture:

Photo Credit: JMT Photography

Yes, I'm sure this had a touch of Photoshop- but my abs really did look like that. It's strange, but seeing that picture is more than enough motivation to to work on getting them back!

Being healthy is my main objective on this diet. I'm actually a big fan of curves- aka Marilyn Monroe style.I was born with the body style predisposed for curves, which has been a blessing and a curse. I've never wanted to be model-skinny, just toned and in shape. I actually lose weight in my bra and butt first, so I have to balance my weight training, cardio and diet carefully to keep the curves I have. I've heard many trainers say "It's 90% diet," and I believe it. I have maintained a regular workout routine through the years, but my off-kilter eating habits prevented me from staying in optimal shape.

For Cycle 2 I am back to my full-speed workout routine. I will include it in this blog in case anyone wants to follow along. I adore barre workouts, and also will be doing some Zumba as well. 

To prepare for this new cycle, I prepared a large amount of brown rice and beans. I have a feeling those will be my staples for the natural starches.

Exercise:

Tracey Mallett Functional Intensity Training

This is a killer workout! It involves 3 25-minute workouts, able to be done separately or combined for a very intense workout. I am starting today with the first workout, Total Ripped Body. This is the first of Tracey's DVD's I have bought that is not in her actual Barre series, and I absolutely love it! I appreciate the fact that there are cardio intervals built into the work out, so I have both strength training and cardio in one short but challenging 25-minute routine. And it's FUN! I like high energy, no-boredom routines, and this DVD delivers.

Breakfast:

Boiled Egg
6 strawberries

Snack:

Dannon LIght & Fit Yogurt

Lunch

"Chinese" Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry with Brown Rice

This is my new favorite recipe! I found the original at the Rainy Day Gal website (be sure to check it out!). I made some adjustments to accommodate Cycle 2.

Snack:

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

Dinner

Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup

C2: "Chinese" Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry

This is a FABULOUS recipe! Easy to make, tender and flavorful steak, and easy to add/modify as you see fit (ie, adding onions, peppers, etc. to make it more of a "stir fry"). I found the original recipe at Rainy Day Gal's website , be sure to check it out! I made several modifications to make it C2 compliant, so the recipe as I prepared it is below. I like to prepare this with brown rice, when eating this for lunch. Delish!

Serves 4

1 lb. Cycle 2 approved steak (see Cycle 2 list...I used flank steak)

2 cups broccoli

1 TBS Baking powder

1 TBS cornstarch (not listed on the 17 Day Diet, but a lot of recipes I looked up for the diet contain it...so I 

am making sure I use it as sparingly as possible)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup powdered Truvia or Stevia in the Raw

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 TBS garlic powder

1. Combine baking powder, cornstarch, Truvia, water, soy sauce and olive oil in mixing dish. Using a fork or whisk, combine ingredients.

2. Cut steak into strips, and add to above mixture. Combine thoroughly.

3. Let marinate in fridge for 1 hour. If you desire brown rice, prepare at this time.

4. Once the hour is complete, heat large skillet,  and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Place over burner set on medium-high heat.

5.  Fill saucepan with 1/2 cup water, place fresh or frozen broccoli in pan. Bring to a boil, and let steam until the broccoli reaches desired tenderness.

6. Place marinated steak strips (including any marinade remaining in bowl) in heated skillet. Add red pepper flakes and garlic powder, stir. Cook until well done.

7. In a bowl, place rice (if desired), broccoli, and steak. 

Enjoy!