P3 Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

This dressing is very much like a caesar dressing, but it is vegetarian. I love it with lots of garlic!

I feel comfortable using this dressing on P2, in place of my milk allowance, but that it something you'll need to decide for yourself and test to make sure it doesn't cause a gain for you. It should be fine on P3 though for sure.

Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

1 cup Mayonnaise (I use Hain Safflower Mayo)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (juice of one lemon)
2 cloves Garlic (or more) minced
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt (or more, to taste)
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate. It tastes best if it's made a little ahead of time.


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P3 5-minute Strawberry Ice Cream

I make this when my kids are having ice cream and I want my own treat. Often I just make this for them too since they love it and it's healthier than regular sugary ice cream. So easy, I always have the ingredients on hand, and it takes no time at all in my Vitamix!

Quick Strawberry Ice Cream

1 10oz pkg frozen Strawberries
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
Liquid Stevia to taste

Blend frozen strawberries with yogurt. Add stevia to taste - start with about 10 drops and taste, adding 1 drop at a time, mixing and tasting until it's just right.

I think you could sneak this one in on P2 if you used your milk allowance for the day and 1 serving of strawberries! 

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P3 Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

I love grilling food. It just gives such an amazing flavor for such little effort. These kabobs are delicious with just a little spritz of olive oil and some salt and pepper.

P3 Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

Chop veggies of your choice into large chunks. I used yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion. Thread onto skewers, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill to desired doneness, about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

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P3 Chocolate Cheesecake

Warning: this is RICH! I baked it in a casserole dish without a crust but it would work fine with a crust as well. I recommend almond meal, butter and stevia or erythritol for a crust.

This is a small cake. For a full cheesecake, I would recommend you quadruple this recipe (so use 2 pkgs of cream cheese, 4 eggs, etc).

Chocolate Cheesecake

3 Tbsp Butter
6 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened (1/2 package)
4 Tbsp Erythritol, like Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Zero or Z-Sweet, powdered (I whiz mine up in the blender)
20-25 drops Liquid Stevia
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350* and spray a small oven-proof dish with cooking spray. (Mine is about 4" square.)

Melt butter and remove from heat. Stir in cocoa and cream cheese. Add erythritol one tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly as you add each one. Add liquid stevia and vanilla, mix well. Stir in egg and pour mixture into prepared dish. Bake about 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in for about 30 more minutes. The center should be set but wiggle some if you jiggle the dish. Remove from oven and let cool, then refrigerate at least a couple of hours to set. Slice and serve.

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P3 Creamy Coleslaw

Coleslaw has been on my list of things to figure out for HCG Phase 3, because so many of the traditional recipes call for sugar.  Once again, liquid stevia comes through for me as a great sugar substitute. My husband even loved this coleslaw, and he isn't a big fan of it in general. Score!

Creamy Coleslaw

3 Tbsp Mayo (with no sugar)
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
8-10 drops Liquid Stevia
1/4 tsp Celery Salt
1/2 - 1 tsp Poppy Seeds
1 large head Cabbage, shredded

Mix all ingredients except cabbage together, and then toss with cabbage.  I recommend starting with half of the dressing, and then adding and mixing, so you don't end up with too much dressing.

On HCG Phase 2, if you do well using mayo in place of your milk allowance, you could make a side of this coleslaw on P2.

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P3 Virgin Pina Colada

Pineapple is a *maybe* on HCG Phase 3 but I know several HCG-ers who did fine eating it on P3.  This is such a treat and the kids can have it too!

Pina Colada

1 cup Fresh Pineapple or 8 oz can crushed Pineapple, with the juice

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

2 cups Ice Cubes

10-12 drops Liquid Stevia

Combine all ingredients in a blender (I used my vitamix, of course). Blend well and serve! 

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P2 Tomato Soup

This is super easy and so yummy!  You could even dip your melba in it to pretend it's grilled cheese.  Well, maybe not, but whatever.  It's an idea. :)

Tomato Soup

1 clove Garlic, minced
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1/4-1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4-1/2 tsp Thyme
1/4-1/2 tsp Parsley
1/3 cup Cottage Cheese (I used low-fat, technically rogue on HCG P2)

Drain a little juice from the tomatoes into a saucepan and saute the garlic for a minute.  Dump in the tomatoes and spices and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cottage cheese and blend until smooth.  An immersion blender works great for this if you have one.  If not, transfer the soup to your blender to puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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P3 Hot Chocolate

My kids love this and I don't mind them drinking it since it isn't full of sugar like the commercial mixes.  It's great with a dollop of homemade sugar-free whipped cream too.

Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate

1 1/2 Tbsp Water
1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
pinch Salt
1 cup milk
1/2 to 1 tsp Vanilla
Liquid Stevia to taste

Mix water, cocoa and salt in small sauce pan and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in milk and stir while it heats, but don't boil it.  Pour into a mug, add vanilla and stevia to taste.

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P2 Chocolate Mousse

Oh my goodness.  I was skeptical about this as I mixed it up but I am amazed at how good it tastes!  This dessert counts as a protein, so for me, it works best on a day I'm busy and don't have time to cook up two proteins for meals.  Or if you're just craving chocolate, it'd be worth planning to have this dessert as a protein.  Yum!  If you like cheesecake, I think you'll like this.  It would also make a fabulous fruit dip - for apples or strawberries! 

Chocolate Mousse

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese (I used low-fat, technically rogue on HCG P2)
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
Splash of Vanilla
Liquid Stevia to taste

Puree all ingredients together and adjust stevia to the sweetness you like.  Start with just a few drops and add one a time until you like it.  Enjoy!

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P2 Cinnamon Baked Apple

I enjoy a little "dessert" on Phase 2 and this hits the spot.

Cinnamon Baked Apple

Mix the following in a small baking dish:

1 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Liquid Stevia to taste (5-10 drops)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

Core an apple - I use this handy tool.  Slice apple and coat in cinnamon mixture. Bake, covered, at 350* for 10-15 minutes or until desired doneness.

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P2 Salsa Scrambled Eggs

Quick, yummy breakfast that counts for 1 protein and 1 fruit or vegetable serving.

Salsa Scrambled Eggs

4 Egg Whites and 1 Yolk, beaten
2-3 Tbsp Salsa

Scramble eggs until almost done to your liking, and mix in salsa.  Easy!

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P3 Grilled Squash

Fall means grilling season in Florida is back!  Grilling squash so easy and absolutely delicious, and totally HCG Phase 3 friendly.

Slice zucchini and/or yellow squash the long way.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill until done.

Sprinkly shredded cheese on top if desired.

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P3 Apple Peanut Butter Sandwich

How cute is this?! I saw the idea on a friend's pinterest board and thought it would be fun to make P3 style.

Here is the apple corer I use. It's great to core an apple and bake it with butter and cinnamon, too.  That will be coming up in another post. :)




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P3 Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

This was an interesting experiment. The fudge needs to stay frozen to keep the right consistency, since it gets too soft as it warms up to room temp. Still, very tasty, quick to make, and hits that chocolate craving!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

2/3 cup Cocoa
4 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter, melted
1 cup Peanut Butter (no sugar added - I use Smuckers Natural)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Erythritol, like Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Zero or Z-Sweet, powdered (whiz it up in the blender)
15-20 drops Liquid Stevia, to taste

Mix cocoa and oil or butter until smooth, then add each ingredient in the order listed, mixing after each addition. When adding the powdered erythritol, add half and mix, then add the other half and mix. Pour into greased container and freeze until firm. Cut into squares and store in freezer.


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P3 Muffins (Banana Walnut)

There are endless combinations of fruits (and veggies!) you could use in these muffins, so here is the basic recipe. Feel free to sub fruits and veggies however you like and leave me a message in the comments if you come up with a great combination!

Note: Bananas have a high sugar content, so use caution if you are early in Phase 3 or sensitive to sugar. I know many HCGers who have no trouble eating bananas in Phase 3, but use caution if you haven't tried them.

Banana Walnut Muffins

Preheat oven to 350* and line or grease muffin tin. This recipe makes 12 regular size muffins or 24 mini muffins.

1/4 cup Flax Seeds, ground (or use a little less flax meal)
1 cup raw Almonds, ground (or use a little less almond meal/flour)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix the above ingredients until well blended. Then add:

1/4 Butter, melted (or oil if you prefer)
1 Egg
25 drops
2 Bananas, very ripe (mash first if you are mixing by hand)
1/2 cup Walnuts, crushed

Divide batter into prepared muffin tin and bake for about 25 minutes or until muffins are turning brown on top and spring back when you press on them. Let cool completely.

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P3 Muffins (Banana Apple Blueberry)

There are endless combinations of fruits (and veggies!) you could use in these muffins, so here is the basic recipe. Feel free to sub fruits and veggies however you like and leave me a message in the comments if you come up with a great combination!

Note: Bananas have a high sugar content, so use caution if you are early in Phase 3 or sensitive to sugar. I know many HCGers who have no trouble eating bananas in Phase 3, but use caution if you haven't tried them.

Banana Apple Blueberry Muffins

Preheat oven to 350* and line or grease muffin tin. This recipe makes 12 regular size muffins or 24 mini muffins.

1/4 cup Flax Seeds, ground (or use a little less flax meal)
1 cup raw Almonds, ground (or use a little less almond meal/flour)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix the above ingredients until well blended. Then add:

1/4 cup Butter, melted (or oil if you prefer)
1 Egg
25 drops Liquid Stevia
1-2 Bananas, very ripe (mash first if you are mixing by hand)
1 Apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup Blueberries (I recommend the small frozen kind, rinsed and patted dry)

Divide batter into prepared muffin tin and bake for about 25 minutes or until muffins are turning brown on top and spring back when you press on them. Let cool completely.

Other ideas:

Bananas and Strawberries
Bananas and Walnuts
Shredded Zucchini

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Allen's Pizza Sauce

My husband made up this recipe and it's awesome! He uses it on regular pizza dough and I just make my own P3 crust (usually the Coconut Flour Crust as it's my favorite) and we share the sauce and toppings. Yum!

Allen's Pizza Sauce

2 cups tomato sauce (1 14oz can is fine)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp basil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
10-15 drops Stevia, optional

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Apple Day

Apple Day to the rescue! I had a busy long weekend (Fri-Sun) with family in town, and ended up taking an unplanned interruption from Phase 2. We were busy running around and I hadn't prepared meals for myself, so I was caught in restaurants having to do the best I could, and went off protocol. I also saw the new Harry Potter movie and made a conscious choice to eat some popcorn. The weekend left me up a few lbs, which I expected. OK it was 5 lbs. I know! Cheating is bad! Anyway, so I scheduled an Apple Day for Monday.

Apple Day sounds like it will be awful. Nothing to eat but six apples all day? It's not so bad, as long as you like apples. I just ate mine plain, though I suppose you could bake one with cinnamon for some variety. At the end of the day I was hungry, but not starving, and I knew I'd make it to morning, especially since I was expecting a nice loss on the scale.

I've done Apple Days a few times before, to get through a stall, and it worked - I'd lose a pound or so and be back on the losing track. I learned today, though, that it's also very effective to help with an interruption. I think it's something about the lbs that you JUST put on coming back off quickly when you get back on track. At any rate, my scale surprised me with a 4.3 lb loss today. That's almost all the weight I gained from the weekend. Hooray for Apple Day! Now I'm back on track for the second half of this Phase 2.

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P2 Egg Salad

I keep hardboiled eggs in the fridge for times I have to go somewhere and didn't plan ahead for lunch, or if I just need something quick at home.

Egg Salad

4 Hardboiled Eggs (discard 3 yolks), finely chopped
1 Tbsp Milk, Mayo or Ranch, depending on your comfort with bending the rules
Squirt of Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix everything up as desired and serve over lettuce leaves. Quick and yummy!


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P2 Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

2 Cucumbers, peeled
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 tsp Salt
10 drops Liquid Stevia

Mix vinegar, salt and stevia together. Thinly slice cucumbers and marinate. The longer this sits, the better it gets.

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