Just downloaded this Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook by Berardi since I'm starting to bulk up now but want to get as much Lean Body weight as I can. Anyhow the book has some great recipes and excellent ideas on how to cook, store, carry and prepare in advance. Some are quick. Some take longer. Unlike the previous book I been following called the ABS DIET which did get my fat % down to almost half in 6 months, this new book is packed with recipes for higher calories intake. Everything here is reversed, the percentages are higher in FAT and PROTEIN, than CARBS. Everyone bulking up usually loads on the CArbs right? Not by this Berardi nutritionist. The protein intake on most meals exceeds 60 grams. If I were eating 6 meals a day at those rates, I'd be way over my protein goals, and there seems to be contradictions over whether a diet in too much protein is heathly or not or will turn to fat. Anyhow I keep it safe and stick to 160 grams per day if I can. So I'm going to half the amount of protein (Lean Meats) that's in each recipe. That will save some moolah too. I mean how many can afford to shell out on half a pound of SALMON in one meal, with 6 meals per day? One example of these meals is the recipe for Seared beef with Zuchini and Tomatoes. 516 calories in this one. Most recipes though are a whopping 700 and 800 calorie monstrosities. I'm going to follow these recipes, and stock up my fridge and see how I do this next month and how much lean mass I can put on. These are the stats: I'll copy paste this recipe below. I'm sure someone else is interested as me in all this nutrition stuff and low GI carbs and all that. This book hits on them nicely and tells you what to eat and when. 56% protein/ 9% carbs / 34% FAT Prelude Zucchini and tomatoes are both sweet vegetables that when cooked together really sing, particularly in the presence of ground beef seared in a pan. This is a quick way to make use of a pound of lean ground beef and the vegetables laying around in your fridge’s crisper. Ingredients 1 lb 96% lean ground beef 1 large zucchini, sliced 1 large tomato, chopped 1/2 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil 1 tbsp olive oil Salt & pepper, to taste Prep Time – 20 minutes Difficulty Level – Easy Servings – 2 Instructions Add a little of the olive oil cooking spray to a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, and then brown the ground beef for about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, garlic, and onions and stir-fry for another 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are browned. Add tomato and cook until chunks begin to dissolve, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the basil, olive oil, and spices and serve. Nutritional Information, Per Serving Calories (k/cal) 531 Protein (g) 73 Carbohydrates (g) 12 fiber (g) 4 sugars (g) 6 Fat (g) 20 SFA (g) 6 MUFA (g) 10 PUFA (g) 2 Omega-3 (g) 0.2 Omega-6 (g) 1.2 This book is more amazing by the minute. I read through the whole thing in two days. Of most interest are the special meals to spike the insulin levels and get more protein into your muscles after a workout. So any recipes in here with CARBS that have have a high GI rating, are to be taken right after the workout and it tells you that at the top of the recipe. The rest of the day consits of recipes that are high in calories yet have Low Carbs, FATS with equal proportions of healthy saturated fats if you can believe it, and poly and mono with Omegas 3 and 6, plus a heck of a lot of protein. I kind of figured out though that this book is really intended for the likes of Ah-nuld or the ROCK, someone with a need for 4000 or more calories per day and a higher protein intake. My goals put me at around 3200 calories for gaining and 160 grams of protein, so I think I just half the protein intake on most these recipes and that should lower the fat intake too. May just work, but at least I'll be getting my calories in as before I was strugling to get over 2000 calories a day. There's a fabulous section on making your own protein bars. These are a cinch to make. I never would have thought it. Tasty too with bars intended for between meals and specialty bars high in carbs with a high GI, for that post work out insulin spike and rush of the protein to get it into the muscle. This High and Low GI index on carbs seems to make all the difference. Not to mention Omegas 3 and 6 which they infuse play with that in all of the recipes. Here's an interesting in between meals recipe for a protein bar for those interested in more: Note how this guy Berardi plays with the carbs and fats throughout the day. Mixed Nut Bar (Anytime) Protein 32% - Carbs 8% - Fats 58% Prelude It is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to find a pre-packaged protein bar on the market that has good fats with few carbohydrates. Most of the ‘low-carb’ bars out there are filled with glycerin or other empty carbs, together with bad fats. If you’re fedup with what is available, then just make your own. This recipe combines the good fats and nutrients in various nuts, together with whey protein for an easy-tomake bar that’s low in carbs. Ingredients 3/4 cup pecan meal 3/4 cup almond meal 1/4 cup walnut pieces 2 whole omega-3 eggs plus 2 whites, beaten 6 scoops vanilla whey 1/4 tsp salt Splenda, to taste (optional) Prep Time – 15 minutes Difficulty Level – Easy Servings – 6 Instructions To make the pecan and almond meal, process the nuts in a blender. Mix everything together in a large bowl, and continue stirring until all of the ingredients have mixed together thoroughly. Spread the dough into an 8x8-inch baking dish coated with olive oil cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes at 350-degrees F. Nutritional Information, Per Serving Calories (k/cal) 379 Protein (g) 32 Carbohydrates (g) 9 fiber (g) 4 sugars (g) 2 Fat (g) 26 SFA (g) 3 MUFA (g) 14 PUFA (g) 8 Omega-3 (g) 0.4 Omega-6 (g) 7.4 The next recipe is an example of how he shoots up the carbs that have higher GI indexes for a postworkout insulin rush. It uses Basmati rice which has a very high GI index much the same as white rice. Kind of like a conductor allowing the whey protein to get into the muscle. All fascinating stuff to me. Rice Pudding (PW) Protein 34% - Carbs 60 % - Fats 4% Prelude Here’s a tasty little treat that is also well suited for that second jolt of fast-acting carbs and protein after your post exercise shake. Or you can split it up for a couple of desserts for later. Long grain Indian rice – basmati – is used in this recipe. The quality/fragrance/taste of basmati is far superior to most others. Sure the GI is higher than brown rice, but in this case the taste just doesn’t compare. That’s why we recommend eating it for one of the post workout meals. Ingredients 1 cup dry basmati rice, rinsed and drained 2 cups skim milk 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (try to find a brand that doesn’t taste like powdered chicken feet, and depending on the brand, you might add some Splenda to get the desired sweetness). 2 tablespoons sugar-free instant Jell-O vanilla pudding Salt, dash Prep Time – 20 minutes, plus refrigeration Difficulty Level – Easy Servings – 3 Instructions Bring the basmati rice to a boil in the milk, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the protein powder (and Splenda if necessary), and a dash of salt, stir, cover and put in fridge until it cools. Add Jell-O mix to cooled mixture, stir, and you're all set. Nutritional Information, Per Serving Calories (k/cal) 267 Protein (g) 23 Carbohydrates (g) 39 fiber (g) 1 Sugars (g) 9 Fat (g) 1.3 SFA (g) 0.8 MUFA (g) 0.4 PUFA (g) 0.1 Omega-3 (g) 0 omega-6 (g) 0