Frequently Asked Questions

What Can I Have For Breakfast On the Zone Diet?

An Easy Zone Breakfast
From the Zone Diet

One of the Zone's most satisfying warm breakfasts calls for mozzarella cheese melted onto sliced pears and spiced with anise seeds. If you have an apple but no pear on hand, feel free to make the substitution, since the Zone Counts for the two fruits is the same — 10 Counts per piece.

Pear and Cheese Melt

Ingredients
1/4 to 1/3 cup purified water
1/4 teaspoon whole anise seeds
1 tablespoon raisins or currants or 2 dates, minced
1 small pear
3 ounces low-fat mozzarella
9 lightly toasted almonds, or 3 macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions
1. Add water, anise seeds, and raisins (or currants or dates) to an 8- or 9-inch skillet with a lid. If cooking for two, use two small skillets or one 10- to 12-inch skillet.

2. Wash pears; peel if waxed. Halve pear and scoop out inner core with a teaspoon or melon baller. Slice and add to skillet. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until almost tender. While fruit cooks, grate cheese.

3. Remove lid from skillet; sprinkle nuts, then cheese over fruit. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Or simply sprinkle over fruit, cover, remove from heat, and let stand 3 to 4 minutes until cheese melts.

4. Remove from heat. Use a spatula to slide pear and cheese onto a dinner plate. Serve immediately.

posted by Tanya @ 5:04 AM