What to Eat on Oprah's Boot Camp
Whether it's a late afternoon snack you're craving or you're stumped at the breakfast counter, the Harpo Boot Camp Team weigh in on what to eat. Even one of our members offers up a favorite (spinach soufflé). Yum!





Oprah's Boot Camp community
Two of Oprah's Boot Camp members give their favorite recipes a healthy makeover to keep the joy of eating on their plates.

Member Recipe: Mexican-inspired Chicken
Posted by: harborblvd

Ingredients:
  • 4–5 cups of water (I also use chicken stock)
  • 8–10 tomatillos
  • 8–10 cloves of garlic
  • 2 onions, chunked
  • 4–6 chicken breasts
  • 5 chili peppers (look like jalapeños, but longer and skinnier. If you can't find these, use 2 jalapeños)
  • salt and pepper
Directions:
Boil all of the ingredients in a large pot until everything is soft. Remove chicken and set on a plate. Dump everything else in a blender and puree. Add liquid back to pot, cut chicken into large chunks and throw back in pot. Boil for about 10 minutes. Add one can of rinsed and drained black beans.

It should be like soup when you're done. We used to eat it with rice and tortillas. Tonight we had it with some whole-wheat tortillas on the side.

Member Recipe: Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Posted by: flutteringfly

Ingredients:
  • 2–3 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup margarine or butter
  • 1/2 cup Splenda® Blend Baking Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or raisins
Directions:
Mix melted butter/margarine then add Splenda® and mix well. Add eggs, banana and salt. Mix water and baking soda together and then add to mixture. Add flours and mix well. Mix in walnuts/raisins. Pour in greased bread pan and bake at 325° for 50–60 minutes. Let cool and enjoy. This can be frozen for later enjoyment, too.
Oprah's Boot Camper, Kathleen Penny
Kathleen's motivation for participating in Oprah's Boot Camp wasn't just to lose weight—she wanted to set a healthy example for her young daughter. With this menu, she's a good role model for all of us.

Breakfast
  • Two cups breakfast tea with skim milk
  • Two eggs scrambled with feta cheese
  • Two pieces of turkey bacon
Snack
  • Blueberries or grapefruit
Lunch
  • Salad with carrots, red onion, yellow pepper, grilled chicken and shredded cheddar cheese
  • Orange
  • Chai tea with 1 Splenda® and skim milk
Snack
  • Apple, 6 almonds, cheese stick
Dinner
  • Turkey cheddar cheeseburger stuffed with baby Portobello mushrooms
  • Steamed broccoli
healthy salad plate
Stacey says she prepares meals ahead of time for the week, so she's less likely to make bad food choices. "I try and bake enough chicken and salmon for three of four days, pre-make salads to bring for lunch, and make sure I have enough fruits and vegetables," she says. Here's a sample menu from one of her Boot Camp days!

Breakfast
  • Turkey bacon or turkey sausage, two strips or links
  • Two eggs (scrambled or hard boiled)
  • Grapefruit
  • Coffee w/ non-dairy creamer and Splenda®
Snack (between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.)
One of the following:
  • Almonds (about 10)
  • A small apple
  • A small grapefruit
Lunch
One of the following:
  • A healthy salad
  • Turkey chili
Afternoon Snack
One of the following:
  • Veggies
  • A small apple
  • A small grapefruit
Dinner
  • Either baked salmon or chicken
  • Vegetables (zucchini, broccoli or a small salad)
  • Berries (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)
Oprah's Boot Camper, Dana Leavitt
Dana was frustrated during portions of her boot camp experience with her slow weight loss. Mind you, Dana had already lost 20 pounds prior to Oprah's Boot Camp! For extra motivation, she was instructed to e-mail Oprah her daily menus. Here's a sample:
Morning
  • Three glasses of water
Breakfast
  • 1/3 cup of low-fat cottage cheese
  • One cup of berries
  • Two small chicken sausages
  • One cup of coffee with hazelnut milk and Splenda®
  • One glass of water
Lunch
  • Herbal tea with Splenda®
  • Salad with four ounces of grilled chicken, veggies, and two slices of avocado
  • Calorie-free dressing
  • One glass of water
Snack
  • A couple handfuls of almonds (I think that I ate too many almonds this day because I did not eat enough fat at lunch to feel satisfied. I have to balance this better!)
  • One apple
  • One slice of low-fat cheese
  • Herbal tea with Splenda®
  • One glass of water
Dinner
  • Salad with three ounces of sliced turkey, veggies, 2 slices of avocado
  • Calorie-free dressing
  • Three glasses of water
  • Herbal tea
grapefruit, breakfast option for Oprah's Boot Camp
We know the whole "no white stuff" Boot Camp rule can be tough, in particular, in the morning. So what did the Harpo Boot Camp Team eat for breakfast? Here are a few options to get your day off to a good start.

Kathleen's Choices
According to Boot Camper Kathleen, minimal dairy is okay for her if it's in the form of low-fat cheese or cottage cheese as the protein portion of her meals. "I do believe you need to limit your milk intake, especially with lattes for calorie-sake," she says. "A little bit of milk in your tea is fine."

Kathleen's breakfasts consist of one of the following meal options:
  • Two hard boiled eggs
  • Two pieces of turkey bacon and a cheese stick
  • One cup cottage cheese and a hard boiled egg
  • Two-egg omelet with turkey bacon and broccoli
  • Grapefruit
  • Berries

Dana's Choices
Says Dana, "You really just need some protein to start your day. You can cook your bacon and eggs at the beginning of the week, and just grab them as you need them." Dana suggests using individual containers of cottage cheese to make things easier, as do individually wrapped cheese sticks.

Dana's typical breakfasts can be a combo of one of the foods from each group:
  • One cup organic, low-fat yogurt or 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese or 4 scrambled egg whites
  • Berries or a piece of fruit
  • Two slices of one of the following: turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, turkey sausage or chicken sausage
More Tips:
Boot Camper Stacey says that a great alternative to turkey bacon is turkey sausage. She'll eat that with two eggs, any style, for breakfast.

To clarify the "no white stuff" rule: It's no refined carbohydrates. This means goodbye to the "white" sugar, rice, pasta and bread. Stacey suggests that instead of sugar, try Splenda®.

As far as dairy goes, make sure it is low-fat or non-fat. Only eat yogurt once a day, and watch out for cheese because it has a lot of fat. For example, Dana eats one low-fat string cheese or a slice of low-fat cheese every day with her afternoon snack.
Fresh Spinach
If you don't like spinach, read no further! But if you love spinach soufflé, a fellow Boot Camp member suggests trying this for breakfast or, really, any meal.

Spinach Soufflé for Breakfast
  • Heat a little olive oil in a small frying pan (Don't use cooking spray...it may stick.)
  • Mix two eggs and a big handful of fresh spinach.
  • Fill the blender about 1/2 full with mixture.
  • Add 1 clove garlic, a little red onion and salt/pepper to taste.
  • Puree everything. Note: it will be very liquidy.
  • Pour blender contents into frying pan. Watch it until the edges begin to firm up.
  • Sprinkle a very little grated Parmesan on top. Turn the heat back to medium to medium-low and cover.
  • Keep an eye on it, occasionally lifting the lid. The soufflé is done when puffy and firm in the middle.
  • Member note: Mine slid right out of the pan and onto the plate...nice crusty bottom. I thought it was great! With an orange, it made breakfast really good.
  • Shopping list: eggs, fresh spinach, garlic, red onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, Parmesan cheese
Posted by: suzanne316
Published 01/01/2006
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

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