Sonoma Diet Menus
Sonoma Diet Menus: The Basics
The Sonoma Diet takes its name from Sonoma County, California, the heart of California's verdant wine producing region. The diet itself is a variation of the Mediterranean Diet, with an emphasis on fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, olive oil, and wine. Beyond that, Sonoma Diet menus share the philosophy of Mediterranean fare: that meals are meant to be enjoyed, and that food is cause for celebration.
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Sonoma Diet Menus: Resources
While you can create your own Sonoma Diet menus, two books will make understanding and adhering to the diet much easier. “The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Healthy in Just 10 Days!” (2005, Meredith Books, ISBN 0696228319, $24.95) and “The Sonoma Diet Cookbook” (2006, Meredith Books, ISBN 0696231859, $24.95), both by Connie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D., outline the ten Sonoma Diet “power foods,” guidelines for portion sizes, and food combinations that deliver a nutritional punch. If you want to follow the Sonoma Diet but don't want to buy the books, the online version of the Sonoma Diet (www.sonomadiet.com) provides you with 14 online tools, support, and daily motivation.
Like many diets, the Sonoma Diet has three phases, which the plan calls “Waves.” Wave 1 is a ten-day detoxifying and cleansing phase designed to rid your body of refined sugars, white flour, and processed foods. Wave 2 is the ongoing weight loss phase, which you adhere to until you reach your goal weigh. Wave 3 is the maintenance phase of the Sonoma Diet, during which time Wave 2 remains your guideline to eating but you are allowed occasional treats. Unlike other diets, Sonoma Diet menus are very flexible: as long as you meet the guidelines of portion sizes and the allowed food list, you can design your own menus.
At the heart of the Sonoma Diet is the philosophy that American portions are much too large. To counteract the “supersizing” effect of the typical American meal, you'll be eating from a two-cup bowl or seven-inch plate at breakfast, and from a nine-inch plate for lunch and dinner. The Sonoma Diet's guidelines instruct you about the proportions and kinds of foods you'll eat.
In tandem with portion size are the foods that the Sonoma Diet touts as being low in calories but nutrient rich. As the core of Sonoma Diet menus, several of these ten foods have been demonstrated to have health benefits, such as helping to lower cholesterol, increase heart health, and prevent free radical damage because of their antioxidant properties. These ten foods are found in the Mediterranean diet, which has been proven to increase health and longevity.
Sonoma Diet Menus: The Ten Power Foods
The Sonoma Diet stresses ten “power foods”:
- Almonds
- Bell peppers
- Blueberries and strawberries
- Broccoli and tomatoes
- Grapes
- Olive oil
- Spinach
- Whole grains
Sample Sonoma Diet Menus
Here are some sample Sonoma Diet menus for each Wave of the diet:
- Note that you are to use a two-cup bowl or seven-inch plate for breakfast and a nine-inch plate for lunch and dinner. This applies to all Waves of the diet.
- TWave 1 breakfast plate: 75 percent protein and 25 whole grains. Wave 1 breakfast plate: 50 percent whole grains and 50 percent dairy. Menu: two scrambled eggs with whole grain toast or whole grain cereal and milk.
- Wave 1 lunch plate: 60 percent fresh vegetables and 40 percent protein. Menu: Shrimp salad with feta cheese and almonds or grilled chicken on a bed of steamed broccoli and spinach.
- Wave 1 dinner plate: 50 percent vegetables, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent whole grains. Menu: Wild rice with roasted lean beef and a shredded carrot salad or stir fried (in olive oil) vegetables with chicken and brown rice.
- Wave 2 breakfasts are the same as Wave 1. Wave 2 lunches and dinners consist of 25 percent whole grains, 25 percent vegetables, 25 percent fruit, and 25 percent protein or dairy. You may also have a glass of wine with dinner.
- Wave 2 lunch plate: grapes and 1/2 whole wheat pita stuffed with chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers or tomatoes and mozzarella on a bed of field greens, sprinkled with chopped almonds, and drizzled with vinaigrette, plus fresh berries.
- Wave 2 dinner plate: lasagna made from lean meat, fresh tomatoes, and whole wheat lasagna noodles, spinach salad with mandarin orange slices, and a glass of wine or pork chops with broccoli and sage, diced apple with celery, and multi grain dinner roll with a glass of wine.
- Wave 3 represents achieving your goal weight and permanently changing your lifestyle. Feel free to eat all fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, and lean meats. Indulge with a small piece of dark chocolate three times a week. Keep to your portion sizes and stay away from refined and processed foods, and you shouldn’t have a problem maintaining your weight.
- Throughout the process, enjoy and savor your meals. Celebrate food, family and friends.