As you’re first beginning this journey, starting with meals on plates can be a helpful way to get used to the simplicity of this way of eating. Lunch is a plate with a serving of protein, a serving of vegetables (most likely with your serving of fat on them), and a piece of fruit on the side. Dinner is a serving of protein, a serving of vegetables, and a generous salad.
Laying it out like this is helpful for the first few months, and then you may find, as many of us do, that you can just dump everything into one large bowl (those are the recipes you’ll find in Chapters 7 and 8). People who are on maintenance and have grains at lunch and dinner frequently enjoy having one big veggie-grain bowl with their protein of choice. Simple.
For now, allow a plate to let you start acclimating your system to what the right proportions are for a meal that will really sustain and nourish you. Let your brain form and ingrain that mental picture so that when, down the line, you are making a plate for yourself ofFAThanksgiving buffet, for example, getting the right ratio of vegetables and protein will be easy.
But first we’ll start by sharing some of our favorite ways to prepare protein options. Some are meat, some are vegetarian, and some are vegan. As we’ve said, this way of eating will work for anyone, regardless of your preferences.
Number of Servings: Multiple | Serving Size: 4 ounces | Trigger Level: 
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
One 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu
Olive oil spray
3 to 5 tablespoons soy sauce
Dry the tofu on paper towels, pressing out as much water as possible. Then cut the tofu into ¼-inch-thick square slabs.
Coat a frying pan with olive oil spray.
Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of soy sauce.
Place the tofu slabs in the pan and cook on high heat until the soy sauce has mostly evaporated (the tofu will get a little crispy).
Pour more soy sauce over the top of the tofu and turn the slabs over, cooking again until crispy.
Weigh 4 ounces tofu/tempeh for women.
MEN’S OPTION Weigh 6 ounces tofu/tempeh per serving.
Recipe by Julia Carol
Number of Servings: Multiple | Serving Size: 6 ounces | Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
3 cups dried beans (any variety other than smaller legumes such as lentils, adzuki, and split peas)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of chili powder
Rinse the dried beans thoroughly.
Place the beans in your pressure cooker and pour enough water over the beans until the water covers the beans by 4 inches. Let the beans soak for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Return the beans to the pressure cooker. Add enough water so that the level rises an inch above the beans.
Pressure cook the beans for 48 minutes.
Add the salt and chili powder.
Weigh 6 ounces for a women’s protein serving.
Serve immediately.
MEN’S OPTION No modifications.
Tip
You can cook the beans without soaking them first, but soaking helps reduce the gas-producing oligosaccharides and aids in digestion. You can refrigerate or freeze your cooked beans to use as entrées, or to add to soups and salads.
Recipe by Julia Carol
Number of Servings: Multiple | Serving Size: 4 ounces | Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
Cooking spray
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Pinch of garlic salt
Pinch of chili powder (optional)
Warm a heavy skillet and coat it lightly with cooking spray.
Place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Sprinkle with a big pinch each of garlic salt and chili powder.
Cook on medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown.
Turn the breasts over and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked all the way through.
Weigh 4 ounces for a women’s protein serving.
MEN’S OPTION Weigh 6 ounces of chicken per serving.
Recipe by Julie Boyd Smith
“I use this as the base for many meals, like my pork lettuce-leaf tacos, chili, and stir-fry, or simply heated in a pan on its own!”
Number of Servings: Multiple | Serving Size: 4 ounces |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
3 to 5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
5 garlic cloves, peeled
4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
Cut the pork into 2 or 3 pieces to fit your pressure cooker. Cut slits in the meat and insert the garlic cloves. Season the pork with the salt.
Place the pork and 1 cup water in the pressure cooker and cook on high for 90 minutes.
When the pork is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the fat and bone.
Shred the meat.
Weigh 4 ounces for a women’s protein serving.
MEN’S OPTION Weigh 6 ounces of shredded pork per serving.
Recipe by Sue Gaulke
Number of Servings: 2 | Serving Size: ½ of Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 1 serving | 0 serving |
½ ounce olive oil
½ ounce butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
Enough shrimp to yield 8 ounces cooked (start with approximately 15 to 16 ounces)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Melt the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and lemon and lime juices and stir to combine.
Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove pan from heat.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the pan and weigh out 8 ounces.
Combine the 8 ounces of shrimp with the cilantro, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Divide in half for a women’s portion.
MEN’S OPTION Use same portion as women for ¾ protein and 1 fat per serving.
Recipe by Louanne LaRoche
Number of Servings: 2 | Serving Size: ½ of Recipe | Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 6 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
Olive oil spray
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 to 2 fresh salmon filets, enough to yield at least 8 ounces cooked
Salt and black pepper
1 lemon, quartered
Fresh spinach, enough to yield 12 ounces cooked
Coat your skillet lightly with olive oil spray and set the heat to medium. Once the pan is warm, brown half of the garlic.
Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add the salmon to the skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side.
Squeeze the juice from 2 lemon quarters over the fish; then season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Coat a separate pan with olive oil spray. Sauté the spinach and the remaining garlic until the spinach is slightly wilted. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon quarters and season with salt and pepper.
Weigh out 6 ounces of sautéed spinach and top with 4 ounces of salmon.
Serve immediately.
MEN’S OPTION Use 6 ounces of salmon per serving.
Recipe by Evelyn Zoecklein
Number of Servings: 1 | Serving Size: Entire Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 6 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 1 serving | 0 serving |
6 ounces red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cut in half, seeded
4 ounces hummus, any kind you like
½ ounce pumpkin seeds
Pinch of cumin
Fill the pepper halves with hummus.
Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and cumin on top.
MEN’S OPTION Use 6 ounces of hummus per serving.
Recipe by Julie Boyd Smith
“I served this dish to a group of women artists with a simple green salad (topped with oil and vinegar dressing). Everyone thought it was wonderfully rich and indulgent, and no one guessed it was BLE!”
Number of Servings: 1 | Serving Size: Entire Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 0 ounces | 6 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
6 ounces fresh blueberries
1 ounce goat cheese
1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely diced
1 ounce sliced almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place half the blueberries in an ovenproof bowl. Scatter the goat cheese on top. Sprinkle the basil over; then add the remaining blueberries. Top with the almonds.
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until the almonds are browned.
MEN’S OPTION Use an additional ½ ounce of goat cheese per serving.
Recipe by Ronald Mackenberg
Number of Servings: Multiple | Serving Size: 5 ounces |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 1 ounce | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 0 serving | 0 serving |
2 pounds ground beef
1 egg
8 ounces marinara sauce, divided
6 ounces riced cauliflower
2 ounces diced onion
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the beef, egg, 4 ounces of marinara sauce, and all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand. Form into two loaves and place them on the baking sheet.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Top with the remaining 4 ounces of marinara sauce.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Weigh a 5-ounce serving.
MEN’S OPTION Serving size is 7 ounces.
Recipe by Louanne LaRoche
Number of Servings: 1 | Serving Size: Entire Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 14 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 1 serving | 0 serving |
10 ounces large sweet red peppers
6 ounces cooked black beans
4 ounces red onions, chopped
1 ounce cotija cheese or nondairy cheese
2 ounces salsa
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the peppers in half and remove the seeds.
Fill each pepper half with beans and onions; then top with the cheese.
Bake the peppers for 20 minutes.
Serve topped with salsa.
Garnish with desired amount of cilantro.
MEN’S OPTION No modifications.
Recipe by Sue Gaulke
Number of Servings: 4 | Serving Size: ¼ Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 2 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 1 serving | 0 serving |
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ of the Dairy-Free Pesto recipe
2 ounces mozzarella cheese
8 ounces chopped tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the chicken for 10 minutes.
Turn the chicken breasts over and continue baking for 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and weigh out four 4-ounce portions.
Evenly distribute the Dairy-Free Pesto and mozzarella cheese over the top of each portion of chicken.
Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and top each serving with 2 ounces of chopped tomatoes.
MEN’S OPTION Weigh 6 ounces of chicken for each serving.
Recipe by Ruth G. Poley
Number of Servings: 1 | Serving Size: Entire Recipe |
Trigger Level:
EACH SERVING PROVIDES
| VEGETABLES | FRUIT | PROTEIN | FAT | GRAIN |
| 6 ounces | 0 ounces | 1 serving | 1 serving | 0 serving |
Olive oil spray
1 large eggplant, enough to yield 4 ounces when baked
2 ounces cooked ground beef
1 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese or nondairy cheese
1 ounce grated Parmesan or 2 ounces Nondairy Parmesan Cheese
4 ounces marinara sauce
Pinch each of salt and black pepper
Pinch of oregano
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet lightly with olive oil spray.
Wash and peel the eggplant. Cut crosswise into 1¼- to 1½-inch-thick slices. Place the eggplant on the baking sheet and mist with olive oil spray.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the eggplant softens.
Remove from oven and weigh 4 ounces of eggplant slices to be used when layering the ingredients.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Coat a small 1- to 2-quart baking dish lightly with olive oil spray.
Place a third of the eggplant at the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with a third of the meat, a third of the mozzarella, and a third of the marinara. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Repeat twice more until all the ingredients are used, ending with the marinara sauce.
Top with the Parmesan, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Allow to cool for 2 minutes and serve.
MEN’S OPTION Use 3 ounces of beef and 1½ ounces of mozzarella cheese per serving.
Note
2 ounces of marinara count toward your vegetable portion and 2 ounces count toward your condiment allowance.
STARTING DATE August 17, 2017
HEAVIEST WEIGHT 310 pounds
STARTING WEIGHT 281 pounds
GOAL WEIGHT ACHIEVED October 17, 2018
CURRENT WEIGHT 161 pounds
HEIGHT 5'10"
Before I discovered Bright Line Eating at age 44, all-consuming food thoughts had been controlling my life for decades. Sometimes the thoughts that plagued me were about specific foods—single-minded obsessions that I couldn’t quiet until I had hunted down exactly what I was craving and eaten the entire bag. At other times, the thoughts were just a broad overwhelming signal screaming, “EAT. ALL. THE. FOOD. NOW!” Worst of all were the thoughts of being broken, which were accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame. I just wished I could be “normal” around food.
My eating often felt uncontrollable and relentless. I had periods of healthy eating, but I always slipped back into bingeing. I preferred to eat alone. The more overweight I became, the less I liked to eat in front of others. Social occasions became battles with myself to not eat too much of certain foods. These events usually ended with me alone at home comforting, rewarding, or punishing myself by eating.
As bleak as this life sounds, the emotional discomfort isn’t what initially drove me to Bright Line Eating. My body simply couldn’t support my weight any longer. Intense lower back pain made walking down a flight of stairs unbearable. I was in agony. I was also a type 2 diabetic with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, gastric reflux, sleep apnea, degenerative disk disease, and recurrent episodes of intense abdominal pain and nausea following acute gallstone pancreatitis and removal of my gallbladder. I was an addict who couldn’t stop killing herself with food.
I had received a link to Susan’s website from a trusted source. Thankfully that seed stayed planted in my mind until I was ready to seek help. I planned my last binge and my first day of the 14-Day Challenge at the same time. All my bases were covered!
More than 14 months later, I am still amazed by the way Bright Line Eating has allowed me to transform my old relationship with food. I have not eaten flour or sugar since Day 1. I only eat at mealtimes and I eat bounded quantities of healthy foods. I have a fifth Bright Line of No Fast Food.
My life is no longer centered on food. My food is taken care of. I don’t have to worry about it anymore! And that is so humbling after decades of worry. Food feels almost effortless, to be honest, thanks to my surrender to the program, the diligent nurturing I give it every day, and my strong connection to others on this path. That is the secret to my newfound peace. I am no longer driven by my obsession or addiction. I have room to breathe. I have room to live in my new healthy body!