Production Development & Direction: Chad Bennett, Joni Camacho, Steve Coulter, Kim Niemi, Neysa Siefert NBCU, Reveille, and 25/7 Productions would like to thank the many people who gave their time and energy to this project: Stephen Andrade, Carole Angelo, Sebastian Attie, Nancy N. Bailey, Alyssa Bieler, The Biggest Loser contestants, Dave Bjerke, Jill Bowles, Jill Carmen, Meegan Carroll, Scot Chastain, Ben Cohen, Jason Cooper, Marie Crousillat, Dr. Michael Dansinger, Kat Elmore, Cheryl Forberg, Devin Franchino, Jeff Friedman, Wendy Gable, Christina Gaugler, Marc Graboff, Bob Greenblatt, Jenny Groom, Bob Harper, Chris Harris, Paige Hicks, Shelli Hill, Susan Hindman, Dr. Robert Huizenga, Jill Jarosz, Helen Jorda, Edwin Karapetian, Alex Katz, Allison Kaz, Anna Kournikova, Loretta Kraft, Pam Krauss, Laura Kuhn, Beth Lamb, Todd Lubin, Roni Lubliner, Mitch Mandel, Rebecca Marks, Gregg Michaelson, Yelena Nesbit, Jessica Nubel, Julie Nugent, Kerry O’Donnell, Trae Patton, Ed Prince, Dolvett Quince, Scott Radloff, Joel Relampagos, Brandon Riegg, Karen Rinaldi, Melissa Roberson, Beth Roberts, Maria Rodale, Jessica Roth, Leslie Schwartz, Carrie Simons, Lee Straus, Kelia Tardiff, Paul Telegdy, Deborah Thomas, Julie True, Dianne Vezza, Emily Weber, Liza Whitcraft, Julie Will, Yong Yam Contents INTRODUCTION NOTES TO THE CHEF, FROM THE CHEF The Biggest Loser Eating Plan 20 Minutes to a Better Body Breakfast on the Double Apps and Snacks, Pronto Speedy Soups and Sandwiches Throw-Together Salads and Sides Mains in Minutes Lickety-Split Sweet Bites and Sips ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INDEX Introduction I believe that one of the main reasons I’ve been able to maintain a 70-pound weight loss for close to 20 years is because I’ve learned to “be prepared” when it comes to food. The truth is, we’re all insanely busy, and some days it just doesn’t seem like there’s enough time in the day to cook a healthy meal. So we grab something on the run that we know isn’t great for us and, in many cases, doesn’t even satisfy us. Then we’re stressed out because we couldn’t find time to burn those extra calories in the gym … and we come home exhausted yet again … and the cycle continues. The next thing you know, you’re writing to Bob, Anna, or even me saying, “Please help me. I’m so stuck. I just don’t know what to eat!” But you probably do have a general sense of what to eat. You just don’t know how to find the time to create a healthy eating plan without feeling overwhelmed. Well, if you’ve opened up this book, you’ve taken the first step toward solving that problem. Over the years, I’ve tackled a wide variety of themes to help you create delicious, healthy food at home—from family-friendly, budget-conscious meals to guilt-free desserts to takeout favorites. And each time I traveled across the country to promote the books, speak to audiences, and give cooking demos, I heard the same response over and over: “Okay, now I believe that healthy food can taste great. I just don’t have time to make it!” Well, the excuses stop here. I promise you that you have enough time in your day to make the healthy meals and snacks in this book. I created these recipes with a wide variety of needs and occasions in mind. There are elegant dishes for entertaining (I always encourage people to bring their own healthy dishes to parties) like Asian Crab Salad-Topped Brown Rice Crisps (page 93) and Curry- Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Peach Chutney (page 177), and happy hour faves like Sweet Potato No-Skins (page 94) and Pork Notsticker Lettuce Wraps (page 91). There are plenty of kid-friendly dishes that your whole family will love like Kids’ Favorite Chicken “Pucks” (page 184) and Crustless Turkey “Pizza” (page 194). And there are tons of delicious, healthy options for quick and easy breakfasts, on-the-go lunches, simple dinners, and even snacks, desserts, and cocktails! Many of them can be packed for portable to-go meals that are way tastier and easier on your waistline than takeout. And unlike most “convenience options,” they’re all made with fresh, wholesome ingredients, so they’re preservative free! So the next time you think there just aren’t enough minutes in the day to eat healthy, I suggest you flip through these pages and let your mouth start watering. You’ll be shocked at how quickly you can throw together these satisfying, healthy dishes, many with as little as 5 to 10 minutes of prep time. Once you get into the habit of planning and packing your lunches and snacks like the Biggest Losers (and I) do, not only will you save money, you’ll also find yourself eating more satisfying, delicious foods and still fitting into your favorite jeans. It’s truly an honor and a pleasure to be a part of The Biggest Loser community. I’m looking forward to hearing from each and every one of you—from your weight-loss struggles and successes, to your cooking challenges and concerns, to the recipes you want to see in future books! Notes to the Chef, from the Chef A s is evident by the title, this book is all about making it a little easier to live a healthy lifestyle, no matter how much (or how little) time you have to spare each day. In the pages that follow, you’ll find simple, delicious, calorie budget- friendly meals, snacks, and desserts that you can make in minutes—as well as tips and strategies from The Biggest Loser experts and contestants that will show you just how much of a difference 20 minutes a day can make in your weight- loss efforts. Eating Clean The Biggest Loser eating plan recommends an all-natural diet free of highly processed/refined foods, trans fats, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, and the artificial flavorings and sweeteners that are added to many “diet” foods to create flavor and texture. In my recipes, you will only find ingredients that follow those guidelines. (Per Biggest Loser expert Dr. Robert Huizenga’s suggestion, I also avoided foods that contain evaporated cane juice, fructose, and many other ingredients that are often considered passable.) In a perfect world, all of the experts on the show, myself included, strive toward eating a very clean diet of all-natural foods. That said, you have to create a sustainable weight plan that works for you and your family’s needs. So if, as you start flipping through the recipes in this book, you think, “That sounds great, but I can’t find that ingredient at my grocery store” or “I wonder if I can make this with the staples in my pantry, instead of investing in a whole new set of basics,” don’t worry. The guidelines in this book are just that—guidelines, not absolutes. The important thing is to create a healthy lifestyle that you can realistically adapt without feeling overwhelmed. You might start off by changing a few bad habits, and eventually eliminate most or all refined sugars or artificial ingredients from your diet—just as you might start your workouts 10 or 20 minutes at a time, and eventually build up to an hour or more. The keys to long-term weight loss are planning and consistency. Baby steps are okay. I want to make it as easy for you as possible to enjoy the delicious recipes that I’ve developed for you in this book. To that end, I’ve compiled a list of ingredients that you might not be as familiar with, followed by a list of time- saving cooking strategies. I hope you’ll peruse them before you get in the kitchen. I think they’ll make grocery shopping and cooking a bit easier. No-Sweat Shopping I’d strongly encourage anyone trying to live a healthy lifestyle to visit a local natural food market or grocery store chain at least once a month. There are so many new and interesting ingredients turning up on the shelves every day, many of which will become staples in your kitchen. If you can find a health food store that carries bulk foods in serve-yourself bins (many Whole Foods markets do), you can sample new ingredients without making a big up-front investment. Take a trip to Whole Foods: Whole Foods Market is the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods, with 200 stores throughout North America and the United Kingdom. It has a reputation for being a little pricey, and in some instances it can be (especially for specialty goods and organic produce), but I do believe that you can stock up on some basic staples there without breaking the bank. Whole Foods is great for buying products like infused olive oils, nitrate- free meats, low-sodium broths (as opposed to “lower sodium” found at many traditional grocery stores), salt-free spice blends, beans, and extra-healthy breads and tortillas, most of which have a long shelf life. Investing in a few good- quality oils and vinegars will pay off over time, and they will add a lot of flavor to the healthy dishes you create. Shop in bulk: Another way to make shopping for natural foods more affordable is to buy in bulk. Peruse the bulk bins for grains like quinoa, oats, bulgur, and short-grain brown rice, as well as nuts, dried fruit, and other cooking essentials. Make an effort to plan ahead and shop smart, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much money you can save. Key Ingredients Below is a list of the key ingredients you’ll need to make the recipes in this book, as well as suggested substitutes you can use in their place if you have trouble finding what the recipe calls for. Note that substitutions will affect the nutritional content and fat and calorie counts listed for each recipe, but they are still good options for health and weight management. Almond Mozzarella Cheese I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this naturally low-fat alternative to the dairy mozzarella cheese I used to rely on. While I won’t pretend that it tastes like