Zero Sugar Cookbook

By David Zinczenko

Lose up to a pound a day with more than 100 mouthwatering recipes for sugar-free meals, drinks, snacks, and desserts, based on the cravings-busting, fat-melting science from Zero Sugar Diet.

With Zero Sugar Diet, #1 New York Times bestselling author David Zinczenko continued his twenty-year mission to help Americans live their happiest and healthiest lives, uncovering revolutionary new research that explained why you can’t lose weight—showing that it’s not your fault! The true culprit is sugar—specifically added sugars—which food manufacturers sneak into almost everything we eat, from bread to cold cuts to yogurt, peanut butter, pizza, and even “health” foods.

Now, with Zero Sugar Cookbook, Zinczenko shows how you, too, can melt away belly fat, boost your energy levels and metabolism, improve your gut health, and take control of your health.

Inside you’ll discover:
Belly-Filling Breakfasts Enjoy quick and delicious morning meals to supercharge your day.
Skinny Soups and Salads Slim down one taste at a time.
Indulgent Pizza and Pasta Craft hearty Italian classics made healthier at home.
All-American Classics Make your favorite go-to comfort foods—and watch the pounds melt away.
10-Minute Meals Whip up the quickest, easiest, tastiest meals for when you want something satisfying—fast.
And Delicious Desserts! Cap your amazing meals with insanely decadent post-dinner delights.

“I’ve lost 15 pounds thanks to Zero Sugar, and my friends and family have all lost weight. Easy and delicious, these recipes really work!”—Barbara Skarf, Southfield, Michigan
 
“I lost 10 pounds and have a flatter tummy! And the best part is, I don’t need sugar and I don’t crave desserts.”—Lisa Gardner, Elgin, South Carolina
 
“I have type 2 diabetes, and Zero Sugar changed my life!”—David Menkhaus, Liberty Township, Ohio

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Dec 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984817341

Book preview

Cover for Zero Sugar CookbookBook Title, Zero Sugar Cookbook, Author, David Zinczenko, Imprint, Ballantine Books

This book proposes a program of diet and exercise recommendations for the reader to follow. However, you should consult a qualified medical professional (and, if you are pregnant, your ob/gyn) before starting this or any other fitness program. Please seek your doctor’s advice before making any decisions that affect your health or extreme changes in your diet, particularly if you suffer from any medical condition or have any symptom that may require treatment. As with any diet or exercise program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, stop immediately and consult your physician.

Copyright © 2018 by David Zinczenko

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

BALLANTINE and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

Portions of this book previously appeared in Eat This, Not That!

ISBN 9781984817334

Ebook ISBN 9781984817341

randomhousebooks.com

Book design by Andy Turnbull, adapted for ebook

Photography by Waterbury Publications

Cover design: Andy Turnbull

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

UNLEASH THE POWER OF THE ZERO SUGAR DIET

A look at the remarkable and revolutionary Zero Sugar Program, and the stunning, proven health and weight-loss benefits behind it.

CHAPTER 1

WHAT ZERO SUGAR REALLY MEANS

Let’s Talk About the Sweet Science.

CHAPTER 2

THE SECRET WEAPONS OF SWEET-SPOT EATING

Discover How to Spot the Sneaky Sources of Hidden Sugars.

THE ZERO SUGAR DIET AT-A-GLANCE

CHAPTER 3

ZERO SUGAR BREAKFASTS

Savor Satisfying Morning Meals to Supercharge Your Day.

CHAPTER 4

ZERO SUGAR APPETIZERS & SMALL BITES

Start Every Meal Right with Apps and Snacks That Are Too Good to Be True.

CHAPTER 5

ZERO SUGAR SOUPS & SALADS

Never Has Food This Healthy Tasted So Good.

CHAPTER 6

ZERO SUGAR SANDWICHES & BURGERS

Tuck into Heroic Handheld Meals to Satisfy Any Appetite.

CHAPTER 7

ZERO SUGAR PIZZA & PASTA

Indulge in Hearty Italian Classics Made Healthy at Home.

SPECIAL SECTION: MUFFIN-TIN MEALS

CHAPTER 8

ZERO SUGAR AMERICAN CLASSICS

Eat All Your Go-to Comfort Foods and Watch the Pounds Melt Away.

SPECIAL SECTION: PLANT-POWERED MEALS

CHAPTER 9

ZERO SUGAR SKINNY SLOW COOKER

Set It and Forget It—for Unforgettable Meals.

CHAPTER 10

ZERO SUGAR ONE-PAN RECIPES & CASSEROLES

Serve Dinner Tonight and Enjoy Leftovers Tomorrow.

CHAPTER 11

ZERO SUGAR 10-MINUTE MEALS

Enjoy the Quickest, Easiest, Tastiest Meals for When You’re Short on Time.

CHAPTER 12

ZERO SUGAR DESSERTS

Finish Off with Insanely Decadent Post-Dinner Delights.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Unleash the Power of the Zero Sugar Diet

A look at the remarkable and revolutionary Zero Sugar Program, and the stunning, proven health and weight-loss benefits behind it

Want to know the real power of any diet plan?

It’s so simple. I’ve been at the forefront of the weight-loss fight for more than twenty years and I can tell you, without question, there are many ways to lose weight but there is only one way to make that weight loss permanent.

Think about every diet you—or anybody else—has tried. Diets work. Even the craziest ones (there is no Whale Blubber Diet, but I bet if you lived in Alaska and ate 1,200 calories of whale blubber a day and nothing else, you’d lose weight…though I don’t know how healthy you’d be). Calorie restriction has been shown again and again to work for weight loss. And that means all kinds of calorie restriction. I’m not here to pass judgment on all the diet plans out there. But I can tell you this: I have been boots-on-the-ground for healthy weight loss for decades and research may evolve, new ideas may emerge, tastes may change, but when it comes to any diet or eating plan, to be successful, you have to have one crucial element.

Good food? Well, yes.

Results backed by science? Yes, that, too.

Motivation? Of course.

Okay, maybe you need more than one element, but I can say that the Zero Sugar Diet has all of these things going for it. But we need to add one more.

It’s easy to forget about it because dieters are so focused on the food, the science, the motivation. In the past twenty years, I’ve spoken with thousands of people who are serious about changing their lifestyles for the better, losing weight, and eating with intelligence. They’ve been on many different diet plans and most of them have lost impressive amounts of weight on each of them. Even the diet plans I’ve created over the years—The Abs Diet, eighteen editions of Eat This, Not That!, The Super Metabolism Diet, The Zero Belly Diet, and now The Zero Sugar Diet—are all effective and literally have resulted in people losing more than a million total pounds.

But every single one of them requires something that pushes beyond the food, the science, and the motivation for long-term, permanent success: sustainability.

Let’s make it fridge-worthy (or maybe meme-worthy, or whatever will help you remember the sentiment):

You can lose the weight if you stick to the plan. But can you stick to the plan after you lose the weight?

The Zero Sugar Diet was a phenomenal success, but it was designed as a fourteen-day plan. Will it work after those fourteen days? Of course! It’ll work as a long-term lifestyle and I encourage it. And that’s why we’re here. I spoke with so many of those Zero Sugar dieters on our test panel and after the book went on sale, and as successful as they had been, as good as they felt, as healthy as they’d become, they all had one common request. And I consider that request to be a synonym for sustainability: IDEAS.

I lost 10 pounds and have a flatter tummy!

LISA GARDNER, ELGIN, SC

The Zero Sugar Diet, thankfully, includes zero whale blubber. It includes a fantastic roster of healthy, whole foods that can be combined in dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to make each meal delicious and satisfying. And that, friends, is why we’re here for the Zero Sugar Cookbook. You wanted to succeed on the Zero Sugar Diet, you have succeeded, and now you want to live a healthier lifestyle according to the simple Zero Sugar guidelines. What do you need? Ideas!

So here they are in one book: dozens of recipes that capture the essence of the Zero Sugar Diet—eliminating added or hidden sugars from the foods we eat (particularly processed or prepared foods)—while giving you what you really want: delicious, healthy options for meals and snacks throughout your day.

● What do I want for breakfast tomorrow? Here’s an idea (see this page ).

● I could use some snack suggestions. Here are some more (see this page ).

● I want to plan dinners for the week and I’m out of ideas. Try these (see this page ). Ideas drive any healthy lifestyle, and the Zero Sugar Cookbook has hundreds of ideas that can be mixed and matched and played with to form even more ideas.

● I see the Roasted Carrots recipe on this page . I love it, but what if I combine it with…(insert your great idea here)?

● The Turkey–Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash on this page is amazing. I can have it for dinner! Yes, you can.

● Ooo, I really like the Muffin-Tin Meal on this page . Finally something that keeps me on track that I can serve to the whole family.

See? Ideas.

That’s what I want you to keep in mind as you read this book. It’s something to lean on, especially when your brain is luring you toward less-healthy foods. Quite simply, you don’t need them. The recipes in this book aren’t just healthy, they’re stunningly delicious and satisfying. You’ll see in the coming chapters exactly why they’re so amazing (hint: fewer added sugars and more flavor and nutrition, for starters), but for now, take this to heart: You can dive into the Zero Sugar Diet, or continue embracing it, and never run out of meal and snack ideas. That’s why I created this book. Ideas for sustainability. Success insurance. Or maybe just another weapon in the fight against temptation.

What You’re Up Against

I can tell you from experience that sticking to a diet is simple. I wish I could tell you it was easy. I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible for people for two decades. But when you talk about the enemy of your health—added sugars, also called free sugars, sweeteners you didn’t even know were there—I’m sorry to say that an army is standing against you.

Who are these people? Well, they aren’t some secret society or covert team operating in the shadows. They’re normal folks, just like you and me. They just happen to work in an industry that wants to keep you eating, and eating some more.

● Food Manufacturers. They spend millions, if not billions, engineering foods to set off more and more reward bells in your body and brain. They peddle the food in gorgeous packaging with sexy buzzwords and hope you won’t read the ingredients label. The food is cheap, is easy to prepare (if you have to prepare anything at all), and requires little from you except eating as much as you please, and eating some more. And it really is this simple: You eat, they make money. That’s all it’s about.

● Food marketers. They work hand in hand with the manufacturers to make the cheap, unhealthy food as attractive and irresistible as possible. Funny commercials! Melt-in-your-mouth photography! Bet you can’t eat just one! Don’t take that bet.

● Your family and friends. Wait, what? Yes, your social group affects how you eat. Sure, family and friends will be supportive when you tell them you want to eat healthier and lose weight. But you’ll also be exposed to all the stuff they’re eating and showing off, whether it’s on their own dinner table or all the social feeds showing you posted photos of decadent meals in fun locales. They mean no harm, but food envy is a real thing.

Oh, and there are more people out there working against you—in the government, in agriculture, in the healthcare industry. It hardly seems fair, doesn’t it? Why would all these people want me to fail? Because if you fail, if you continue to consume the processed and engineered foods they provide, they win. They make money. They make more of the same unhealthy food and all of us just eat it up. This is why obesity and metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes are epidemic in our society.

You can break that cycle, right here, right now.

You can eat better and change how your body reacts to food, literally flipping a switch so you lose weight and feel healthier.

You hold the power.

You can win.

Let me show you how the Zero Sugar Cookbook can help.

This Is Your Body on Zero Sugar

The key to the Zero Sugar Diet is eliminating added sugars. Does that mean you consume no sugar at all? Of course not. There’s a big difference between, say, the added sugar in a fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and the natural sugar found in an apple. But when you kick all those added