The Montignac Method

[bleudauvergne]

I have stalled at 5 lbs. It's rather discouraging.

I think I haven't been eating enough - and I haven't been eating enough fiber. So today's lunch is going to be all about fiber fiber fiber.

This morning, having my breakfast was very satisfying, and I feel like I have much more energy than I did yesterday when all I got was an apple.

Getting back on track...

What Montignac says about the size of meals:

Breakfast:

It should be your biggest meal of the day, and should include lots of fiber at least 5 times a week. Skipping breakfast was pretty deadly for me, as you saw yesterday. I am sticking with the Montignac big breakfasts. Just having a piece of fruit is a no-no.

Lunch:

Lunch should be a rather large meal, including lots of vegetables, and if you are going to have red meat or something rather fatty, lunch is the best time to have it. When preparing my own lunch on weekends, I have to say I am a sucker for soups, but following the Montignac plan, soups are more appropriate at the end of the day. This is something I am going to have to adjust. I also tend to make lighter lunches. But being on the Montignac plan I am going to have to change my ways and have my “dinner” during the day.

Dinner:

This is where the Montignac plan throws me for a loop. Instead of a multi course meal, like I’m used to, (we normally would start with a little nibble of something, sometimes have a sit down appetizer or amuse geule, and follow with a main dish, salad with vinaigrette, and cheese.) This concept of the smaller meal at dinner is a conflict with my inner drive to get into the kitchen and cook at the end of the day. Aside from being tired last night, I was also a bit on edge because I knew that the cooking in the evenings might become a problematic thing for me. I love my kitchen time. And I don’t want to start giving up my projects, which I often tackle during the week..

Solutions:

My lunch options have been rather limited here at the school, because I am at the mercy of the cafeteria and the café. Today I ordered a “plateau fraicheur” at the café which looked good from a distance, like a big salad. However, it was a thin layer of yucky tasting fast food lettuce, a mound of canned corn (off limits for me) which had seeped sweet juice all over a good bit of the lettuce, two deli slices of ham, which upon first bite my refined tastebuds knew right away had been sugar cured, so that was left aside, a large floret of cauliflower (great), and a sliced whole tomato (superb). I was able to eat about half of what was on the plate while sticking to the Montignac rules. I took two pieces of fruit, a peach and an orange, to eat in the afternoon.

But I know that a few leaves of lettuce, a stalk of cauliflower and a tomato is not what Montignac recommends for lunch. Therefore I need to come up with a plan. I think I am going to have to start brown bagging it. This means I can cook in the evenings and still have small dinners.

Edited June 8, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

What I love is fruit with my cheese -- a crisp apple or pear.  If that's a verboten combination on the diet, I have a bizarre thought: Jicama.  100 grams has only about 4 grams of carbohydrate (after subtracting fiber), and it has both the crunch and some of the juicy sweetness of an apple.  It might be found under the name yam bean. Unfortunately, I don't have a glycemic count on it.

Good luck with it all! You seem to be doing terrifically well.

Hi mags, thank you so much for your encouragement. I've searched on jicama, and am not finding it in the glycemic indexes. Can you tell me more about it?

Here is a link to Mendosa's glycemic index. The recommendation from montignac is that when you have a protein meal, you can have as much of anything with a glycemic index 30 and under as you want.

I wonder if somehow combinations of foods have an effect on the glycemia level in the blood, so that if something normally has a high glycemic index, when combined with something else it takes on a lower one. In any case, I think he talks about this in Stage II, the maintenance phase.

Edited June 8, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

According to this website, jicama is "Low Glycemic Index."

The Publix (a supermarket chain) website has some more information about jicama.

[bleudauvergne]

According to this website, jicama is "Low Glycemic Index."

The Publix (a supermarket chain) website has some more information about jicama.

Thank you Rachel! Hmm, haven't seen those at the market, I'll keep an eye out.

[NulloModo]

It is a mexican vegetable. Not always easy to come by even in this area of the U.S. (mid-atlantic). Supposedly it is seasonal with fall being the major growing season.

[Bux]

Perrier is an elegant ladies' drink?

Pan, the elegant ladies are slim. I suspect the elegant ladies are drinking water, that non-caloric drink. The brand is immaterial.

[bleudauvergne]

Perrier is an elegant ladies' drink?

Pan, the elegant ladies are slim. I suspect the elegant ladies are drinking water, that non-caloric drink. The brand is immaterial.

Yes, it's very chic to order a Perrier in a cafe. Although the price can be reasonable at the corner market in big bottles, Perrier costs more than the average soft drink, which costs roughly 30% more than beer here. It's quite expensive and even more expensive in the prime seats on the place. Some statistics from that evening - all of the people with dogs on leashes ordered Perrier. The dogs were also served tap water in little plastic bowls under the table! When the dog owners left, when the waiter cleared the table, he took the bowl and put it on his tray to carry back to the cafe.

THE 5 lb. STALL - I FOUND THE CULRPIT.

It was the nuts I've been snacking on for the past three days. Both of the nuts list FARINE (flour) and AMIDON DE BLE (starch) in their ingredients. We had some nuts last night with sparkling water before dinner. Although I had been feeling great all day, I suddenly felt wierd and like something was not quite right. Loic said maybe he thought it was the bubbles in the water. By the end of dinner I was so tired I just went straight to bed.

This morning during the walk, I thought I'd check the ingredients of the package. Lo and behold, returning for breakfast, in examining the package - they contain these ingredients. No more nuts for me.

I have not gained but I have not lost since we started eating the nuts.

[Rachel Perlow]

Nuts with flour and starch in the ingredients? Are these flavored or something? Sounds like you need a different source for your nuts.

[bleudauvergne]

Nuts with flour and starch in the ingredients? Are these flavored or something? Sounds like you need a different source for your nuts.

Nice observation, Rachel. No, they were just salted, and tasted totally benign. But now we know and I will examine packages more carefully. They probably powdered them to absorb the oil and keep the pack clean looking.

The weather was pretty hot, so we moved to the end of the table next to the window and had the TdeV popped from the mould which had been defrosted in the fridge, in a bed of the leftover lentils. The moulinex did not do good things to the sauce when pulsed with the meat. I was not happy with the way it looked at all. Next time, I will probably seperate the sauce from the meat, and then layer them. It tasted fabulous, especially after we drizzled a basalmic vinaigrette over it. But it didn't look entirely too appetizing. Oh well, we live and learn.

That was followed by a simple plate of salad and the cheese.

Last night I added a P'tit Severin, which is Brebis from the Ain, and some Brie de Meaux with was just "a point", meaning perfectly ripe and alive and ready to eat. We like it to be "bien fait", meaning that it's soft all the way through to the middle. So on the plate you have (click the orange words to see the description of the cheese at fromages.com)

In the center St. Marcellin,

Then starting from the top St. Nectaire, and in clockwise direction:

P'tit Severin - a brebis de pays produced by Le Berger des Dombes in the Ain

Bleu d'Auvergne

Brie de Meaux

Comte

average serving.

I also mixed up a non-fat version of Cervelle de Canuts, made with fromage frais 0% and including a little bit of everything, thyme, parsley, chevril, chives, a little bit of sage, garlic, and red onion. This went directly to the fridge because this is better the second day.

Today began with a bowl of cherries, and a brisk walk in a northeast direction, up to Croix Rousse, through Place Sathonay, which is just around the corner from where we live. It was wierd to see the place completely empty. In the evenings the light is very special on this place, because of the tall old trees that canopy it like forest cover. The light catches in the branches and filters through and everything seems to be bathed in a warm light haze. Many people bring boules in the evening. Total strangers, young and old, play boules Lyonnais against each other in teams. It's good entertainment just at the end of the work day. There are always lots and lots of children here, and there are rarely any seats at any of the four cafes around the place at the end of the day, so you must bring your own aperetif if you plan to have one, and take a seat on one of the benches surrounding the place.

After a good climb, a view looking southwest over the city from Croix Rousse.

Edited June 10, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Today's lunch was a white bag lunch, since the brown bag is nearly non-existant in France.

A box containing the last of the lentils, three dried apricots, a few slices of various cheeses, a yougert, and an apple for the afternoon.

We went to a hat exhibition this evening, and looked at hats. My sister in law is getting ready to graduate from hat making school. It's been a very intense school. She did one year of sewing in order to be accepted to this school. She just completed an internship and will be going to work in a hat shop in Grenoble this fall. Her class had a show of their creations from this year. It was really very stimulating.

The evening's meal began with 2 dried apricots, while I prepared the first course.

Something very good for the heart.

Line fished bass fillet (which I had in the freezer) very lightly rubbed with goosefat on both sides, and spread with purreed sorrel in which I mixed a large spoonful of the Cervelle des Canuts that I made yesterday. This was baked, the pan covered with foil, from frozen, for 5 minutes at 400f/200c, then taken out and rolled and finished uncovered. Drizzled with a drop or two of our best olive oil, and a dusting of fleur de sel, and we were happy.

No cheese, but we did have 2 squares of chocolate and 10 cl of wine. The wine tastes great, on the third day.

Edited June 9, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[Priscilla]

The TdeV mold certainly looks fantastic in the photo -- but of course I defer to your judgment. The lentils are downright inspiring.

And izzat Franciscan Ivy I see?

[bleudauvergne]

The TdeV mold certainly looks fantastic in the photo -- but of course I defer to your judgment. The lentils are downright inspiring.

And izzat Franciscan Ivy I see?

Yes, it's that's California Franciscan Ivy, I got the set at a flea market for $35 as a student many years ago. It's really my favorite daily serving set. There plates are three different sizes, and there are 2 sizes of bowls. I have been looking for replacement pieces and some of the things like a soup tureen, sugar set, etc. I understand that a British manufacturer now produces it new, and that would be the logical place for me to get the pieces. Hey, thanks for asking!

About the TdeV mould, I wanted it to be glossy and have some transparence to it, and pick up the light, as it was the herb I had placed in the moulds were not really visible and it wasn't exactly what I was shooting for. But thanks anyway!

Edited June 9, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[Priscilla]

And izzat Franciscan Ivy I see?

Yes, it's that's California Franciscan Ivy, I got the set at a flea market for $35 as a student many years ago. It's really my favorite daily serving set. There plates are three different sizes, and there are 2 sizes of bowls. I have been looking for replacement pieces and some of the things like a soup tureen, sugar set, etc. I understand that a British manufacturer now produces it new, and that would be the logical place for me to get the pieces. Hey, thanks for asking!

Ah, I thought it was the vintage CA stuff -- sure shows itself well. (As does all your tableware.) Wedgwood Group owns Franciscan and is still producing some of the patterns, I think, not sure about Ivy. Might make an interesting eBay survey.

[curlywurlyfi]

sigh. I am reading this blog, and drooling, and thinking wistfully, "gosh, isn't Lucy amazing, wish I were a bit thinner", whilst I eat my breakfast - white flour pancakes, full sugar raspberry conserve, and black coffee.

Hmmmmmm.

Fi

[Bux]

About the TdeV mould, I wanted it to be glossy and have some transparence to it, and pick up the light, as it was the herb I had placed in the moulds were not really visible and it wasn't exactly what I was shooting for. But thanks anyway!

I suppose a thin layer of clear aspic might have done the trick. Although the mold didn't have that glossy finish it might have had in a multi-starred restaurant or in the window of charcuterie where sales appeal would be a different issue, it certainly appeared to be appealing from the photograph. It looked good enough that, had I seen that plate delivered to an adjoining table in a bistro, I might have enquired about it and ordered it. I also happen to like lentil salads. Was that a lettuce or parsley leaf I see sticking out from the font right edge? On a plain plate, a bit of green around the edge would be a nice addition and it occurred to me that a bit of salade might also complement the taste.

[bleudauvergne]

It looked good enough that, had I seen that plate delivered to an adjoining table in a bistro, I might have enquired about it and ordered it. I also happen to like lentil salads. Was that a lettuce or parsley leaf I see sticking out from the font right edge? On a plain plate, a bit of green around the edge would be a nice addition and it occurred to me that a bit of salade might also complement the taste.

You're too kind, Bux!

It was a leaf of parsley, which complimented the lentils quite well. I ended up adding more parsley as I was eating it. (and the vinaigrette)

Yesterday was a long day. I will summarize the meals, because my camera ran out of batteries.

Breakfast: whole grain bio bread with cervelle des canuts.

Lunch: I packed a lunch of various beans, and 2 cervelle des canuts sandwiches, which I did not eat due to a colleague inviting me to lunch. I ended up having a salad with muchroom stuffed eggplant, marinated artichoke hearts, semi dried tomatoes, and shavings of parmesean. Delicious.

Dinner was a ceasar salad with cubes of cheese, followed by a glass of the new bottle, a Cote Roti which was just simply incredible.

Photos as soon as I can get my new batteries.

Edited June 11, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Some advice from the book for Stage I

Never skip a meal, always eat until you aren't hungry anymore, try not to snack, make your meals at regular times, breakfast is the best time for fiber, Try not to eat too much fat at dinner, remember to lean towards good fats, favor fish over read meat, don't have more than one glass of wine (10cl) or

one glass of BEER (20cl) after dinner.

Beer? Beer? How could I have missed this important detail?

This will eventually get more interesting. But not before we have finished the fabulous wine we opened up last night. Nicolas was right on the mark with this one. It is amazing.

So today's breakfast was had at the office, due to the fact that to iron some things and it was raining. We still got up early, but we didn't go for a walk.

Lunch was also in the office since I had lots and lots of work to finish up.

Beans

and sandwiches.

These sandwiches are very good. It is the fat free Cervelle des Canuts plus a grape leaf on each one. Oh but the sandwiches were very very good. I had packed them for yesterday, but they had to go in the frigo due to my going out to eat with a friend. So the filling seeped some juice into the bread and they were just wonderful today. I am going to serve this on thinly sliced bread as aperetifs.

The food eaten in the office was breaking the rules, because Montignac says that meals should be taken at the table, with plates, silverware, and real dishes. This is in the idea that meals should be somewhat ceremonialized in order for you to be fully aware of what you are taking in. But today it was unavoidable.

Edited June 11, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[balmagowry]

Never skip a meal, always eat until you aren't hungry anymore, try not to snack, make your meals at regular times, breakfast is the best time for fiber, Try not to eat too much fat at dinner, remember to lean towards good fats, favor fish over read meat

Oh dear, this would be torture for me - damn near impossible. Favoring fish over red meat I can deal with, but having all meals at regular hours? Sigh. I bet it would be good for me. But I just can't imagine it. How did I ever do it at boarding school, I wonder?

These sandwiches are very good.  It is the fat free Cervelle des Canuts plus a  grape leaf on each one.  Oh but the sandwiches were very very good.  I had packed them for yesterday, but they had to go in the frigo due to my going out to eat with a friend.  So the filling seeped some juice into the bread and they were just wonderful today.  I am going to serve this on thinly sliced bread as aperetifs.

Yes, they look and sound wonderful. I love that soaking-in thing, just as every once in a while I crave a wilted salad. Something tells me I am going to have to emulate your Cervelle des Canuts before long.

BTW, I see you've picked up my ("my"? La-di-dah, do we think we invented it? Sorry...) trick of storing pictures off-site. I wonder if Jinmyo can see them - it occurred to me belatedly that she might have her browser security set not to load images stored on a different site from the web page displaying them.

The food eaten in the office was breaking the rules, because Montignac says that meals should be taken at the table, with plates, silverware, and real dishes.  This is in the idea that meals should be somewhat ceremonialized in order for you to be fully aware of what you are taking in.  But today it was unavoidable. 

If memory serves, the solution to that lies in hathor's foodblog: wasn't there a lunch toward the end there where they ate in the office and trotted out proper placemats and silverware and linens? I remember some discussion of that custom - seemed very civilized to me. Why not keep a little table-setting kit in a desk drawer?

[bleudauvergne]

If memory serves, the solution to that lies in hathor's foodblog: wasn't there a lunch toward the end there where they ate in the office and trotted out proper placemats and silverware and linens? I remember some discussion of that custom - seemed very civilized to me. Why not keep a little table-setting kit in a desk drawer?

That is a fabulous idea, Lisa. You always have very good ideas. Yes, that's what I'll do.

We are going to start having carb meals in the evenings so I am headed to the special places in town that sell the makings of Montignac friendly pasta tomorrow, in the 6eme. It might also be an opportunity to pick up a setting of something pretty.

Edited June 11, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Today is the big trip to the bio shop to get equipped to prepare real evening meals with ingredients allowed in Montignac. I am having pasta making pangs. I am wondering how I can accomplish this and still be able to eat the finished product, since Montignac says that the pasta maison found in Italian delis is normally unacceptable. I am going to have to get creative here.

Edited June 12, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

We went to the 6eme arrondissement to the BIO shop we know there to get more whole grain and legume products. It’s been two weeks since I started the plan, yet we haven’t really done much in the way of equipping the kitchen. We are going to this bio shop because it is the best equipped place we know of, they do a brisk business, and for that reason their products are always fresh, never bordering on expiration like some other shops we know. Cours Vitton is really not far from where we live, only one metro stop to the east, but it might as well be another world. Lined with picturesque and beautifully manicured trees and ending at a large garden/park on a square near the Rhone, Cours Vitton is the avenue where you’re most likely to see people wearing plaid as any other street in the city.

The property prices are the highest in Lyon in this neighborhood. Sometimes the reason escapes me, because it seems rather boring to me, not enough activity. Many of the luxury brand shops found near Bellecour, (where you’re most likely to see leopard print rather than plaid) have smaller preppy sized branches here in this neighborhood. There are no gangs of youths, skateboards, no loud noises, no busses barreling down the street, not a speck of grunge or tortured youth in this neighborhood, rather cars parked along the park, every other one a jaguar, sidewalks teeming with tanned spiffy looking slim and angular madames, coiffed with smooth sable colored bobs, sporting Kelley bags, strings of pearls, perfectly tailored khakis and pressed cotton blouses. We walk from the metro station towards the BIO shop. The shop has an entire row of Montignac products, mostly jams and jellies, a hazelnut spread like nutella, chocolate 85% cocoa, and we look at it and the ingredients but don’t buy it, because we can make our own compote fresh. What we do buy:

Type 150 Flour (integrale)

Whole wheat hard semolina flour

Hazelnuts (because I was inspired by the nutella like spread)

Assorted integrale wheat pastas

Round Italian brown rice

Brown basmati rice

No salt vegetable bullion cubes (something that I keep at all times in my kitchen)

Brewers yeast

Sea salt

Infusions

Beans, lentils, etc.

Some of their bakers Pain Integrale to freeze, it tastes good and is sold fresh at a good price.

We left the shop loaded down with all these basic ingredients, and decided to have lunch at a café. We strolled down tree lined Cours Vitton and my mind was on the hazelnuts as we passed Bernachon, where I once saw a sign advertising their own raw cocoa powder and cocoa butter. I dragged my protesting husband inside the boutique / showroom, just to inquire about the price. The cocoa was displayed on top of the candy counter, and the price was 5 € for a ½ pound, so we got a ½ pound (250 grams) bag. I plan to use this to create no sugar / no flour desserts, and to make a rendition of that halzelnut/chocolate spread.

I once fought for a package like that, story here (click).

The staff was friendly and helpful this time.

We passed the window where they normally have a few cakes and goodies, because Bernachon is a fine pâtissière as well as a chocolatier.

and continued down the avenue in search of a reasonably priced café.

We ended up leaving Cours Vitton to find a place to eat, and just around the corner on Avenue de Saxe, the prices dropped from astronomic to reasonable. Talk that morning about steak had my husband in the mood, so he ordered a steak frites and I had a salade gourmande, which featured smoked magret de canard, pine nuts, and walnuts.

For dessert I had a fromage blanc a la crème.

We ordered wine, but I had one taste at the end of my meal, and left it, because in comparison to the Cote Roti we've been enjoying at home, this stuff tasted like it belonged on the salad rather than directly on the palate!

Edited June 13, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Home Made Whole Wheat Pasta

MobyP's stuffed pasta classes got me started making pasta at home and completely hooked, and it was one of the things I really felt bad about leaving behind when I started the Montignac plan. I decided to give a try of making whole wheat pasta, since they sell it in the shops I can try to make it at home.

Of course I was not going to include oil or eggs in the pasta, since the pasta meals should include as little fat as possible. Actually you can include around 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a Montignac starch meal, but I preferred to leave it out for this first attempt to see if it would work. Apparently Genoa style pasta is made without eggs or oil, so why can’t I do this at home? My main fear was that it might fall apart.

The recipe:

70 g. whole grain fine semoulina

55 g. whole wheat flour (type 150)

70 ml / 1/3 cup water

1 t. fine sea salt

Whole flour

Whole hard semoulina

finely ground sea salt

Pulse the dry ingredients in the mixer with the dough paddle to mix them well, and then add the liquid in one pour, and continue to mix until it looks like crumbs.

Stop the machine and gather everything into a ball, and get all of the dry flour, and mix it into a ball. Return to machine.

Mix with dough paddle on low speed for approximately 4 minutes. The dough will break apart again and then with time stick together again.

The dough should be a smooth homogenous mass. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the frigo for at least an hour.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During this time, I decided to make room on my shelves for the new products from the BIO shop, and removed lots and lots of illegal things from the cabinets.

I will be giving these things to friends and neighbors. I think I might make a “tamale kit” for an American friend who loves tamales (masa harina is not available here).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you are ready to roll out the pasta, divide the ball into 4 equal parts. Roll one portion, keeping the others still in the covered bowl, and run it through the pasta roller at the largest size.

Fold the first roll into thirds and run through again to soften it up and get a regular size.

Run though the roller at progressively smaller sizes until you get it the thinness you want. I ran it through a total of 6 times and stopped at setting 6 out of 8.

Then run through the linguini cutter, while gently twisting into a pile.

Cook in a pot of salted (1T. salt per pot) boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and add to your prepared sauce, and serve immediately. I served it with a tomato puree from the market, revved up with a clove of garlic, herbs, a packet of spigol seasoning, and a cube of veggie boullion which had been dissolved in about 1/3 cup boiling water.

Topped the dish with prepared “beluga lentils”, and served.

A little bit too much sauce, but we could mop it up with bread!

Bread is allowed with the pasta meals. Very satisfying. If I'd thought ahead, I would have perhaps toasted it.

This is going to become a regular occurance for dinner. I think I may tweak the proportion of semolina to flour, using more of the semolina next time to give it more tooth, although personally I can say that this pasta stood up to the pasta maison made with regular refined flour. It was really good.

Edited September 22, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[Pan]

More delicious pictures!

Did the fromage blanc a la crème have sugar in it?

[docsconz]

Lucy, do you know the rationale for no fats with pasta? It doesn't make sense intuitively or from a glycemic index perspective. You used whole wheat flour which is good and lentils high in protein, but I would think the overall glycemic index of this dish with the tomato sauce would still be fairly high.

[Rachel Perlow]

About the TdeV mould, I wanted it to be glossy and have some transparence to it, and pick up the light, as it was the herb I had placed in the moulds were not really visible and it wasn't exactly what I was shooting for.  But thanks anyway! 

Ah, then you needed to line the mold with aspic.

Melt/bring to boil some stock or consomme (that you just happen to have in your fridge or freezer! ) and fill the mold, chill for 5 minutes, drain off the extra stock (it can be refrozen). Place your leaf in the bottom, add another few drops of stock to set it (chill), then add your terrine filling.

And izzat Franciscan Ivy I see?

Yes, it's that's California Franciscan Ivy, I got the set at a flea market for $35 as a student many years ago. It's really my favorite daily serving set. There plates are three different sizes, and there are 2 sizes of bowls. I have been looking for replacement pieces and some of the things like a soup tureen, sugar set, etc. I understand that a British manufacturer now produces it new, and that would be the logical place for me to get the pieces.

I checked on Replacements.com and they do have Franciscan Ivy. You may want to check that out.