Back by popular demand: GH's amazing diet that lets you eat all you want and still lose weight. This year, we asked some of the country's most famous chefs to jazz up our versatile Basic Soup recipe with their own variations. On the following pages are their five-star creations, which add up to about 400 calories per dinner. (Note: If you eat 300 calories for breakfast and 400 calories for lunch, you could lose as many as five pounds the first seven days; within a month, you could be 10 pounds lighter!)
Here's how to get started: Click ahead to see each day's breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Plus, check out the about our soup diet.
Emeril Lagasse
Location: New Orleans
Why he's famous: Owner of three New Orleans restaurants and Emeril's New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas; host of the Food Network cooking show Emeril Live
Soup secret: Low-fat sausages deliver flavor and texture similar to the real Creole deal while cutting the calories in half.
Breakfast
- Top 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt with 1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened berries, 3 tablespoons honey-crunch wheat germ and 1 teaspoon honey.
Lunch
- California Tuna SaladToss 3 ounces drained water-packed tuna, 3/4 cup peeled orange sections, and 1/4 small avocado, sliced, with a mixture of 2 teaspoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; serve over lettuce
- 3 sesame breadsticks
Dinner
Emeril Lagasse's Creole Super Soup
- To 3 cups Basic Soup, add 3 ounces skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 2 ounces sliced fully cooked fat-free/low-fat smoked sausage or kielbasa (60 to 70 calories per 2 ounces); 1 cup diced frozen okra; 1/3 cup cooked white rice; and 1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence spice blend. Heat to boiling, then reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir 1/4 teaspoon gumbo file (an optional seasoning) into soup. Serve immediately. Note: Don't boil the soup once gumbo file has been added, or it may become bitter.
Michael Chiarello
Location: Napa Valley, California
Why he's famous: Host of the public television cooking show Michael Chiarello's Napa; author of Flavored Oils: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Oils
Soup secret: A little fat goes a long way: The sprinkle of Parmesan and drizzle of olive oil add a richness that turns this into a satisfying meal.
Breakfast
- 1 cup cooked oatmeal, topped with 2 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries or raisins
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Lunch
- Asian Salad Toss 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage and 15 halved grape tomatoes with a mixture of 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil.
- 1/2 3-ounce bagel with 1 ounce cheese (any type)
- 1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice
Dinner
Michael Chiarello's Napa-Style Minestrone Super Soup
- To 2 cups Basic Soup, add 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned white kidney beans (cannellini) and 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano. Heat to boiling. Stir in 1 ounce ditalini or tubetti pasta, cooked as label directs. Top with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Lidia Bastianich
Location: New York City
Why she's famous: Owner and founder of the restaurant Felidia (also, Lidia's Pittsburgh and Lidia's Kansas City); host of Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, on PBS
Soup secret: Saffron for flavor and mussels for protein make this low-calorie soup tasty and healthy.
Breakfast
- 1/2 3-ounce bagel, toasted, with 1 tablespoon cream cheese or jam
- 1 tangerine or 1/2 grapefruit
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Lunch
- 2 slices (one-fourth) of a 12-inch cheese pizza with mushrooms and peppers (thin crust), 2 to 3 cups salad greens with onions and tomatoes, drizzled with 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Dinner
Lidia Bastianich's Mussel Super Soup
- To 3 cups Basic Soup, add a pinch of saffron and 1 pound scrubbed and debearded mussels. Heat to boiling, then simmer, covered, 3 minutes, until mussels open.
- 3 sesame breadsticks
- 1 medium banana or 30 grapes
Plus: See Lidia's additional low-cal soup recipe below. You can swap this for the dinner option above.
Lidia Bastianich's Lentil and Rice Super Soup
- To 3 cups Basic Soup, stir in 1/2 cup cooked or drained, canned lentils and 1/2 cup cooked white rice. Heat through. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and coarsely ground black pepper to taste. Serve with 1 tangerine.
Ming Tsai
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Why he's famous: Host of the Food Network show East Meets West with Ming Tsai; author of Blue Ginger
Soup secret: Traditional Asian seasonings such as rice vinegar and ginger boost the flavor without hiking the calories.
Breakfast
- Smoothie Blend 1 cup frozen unsweetened fruit (any type), 1/2 cup fat-free milk, 1/2 cup calcium-fortified orange juice, and 1/3 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats.
Lunch
- Salmon Salad Toss 3 ounces canned salmon, 3/4 cup drained and rinsed canned cannellini beans, 1/2 cup sliced celery, and 2 sliced green onions with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Serve over lettuce.
Dinner
Ming Tsai's Hot-and-Sour Super Soup
- In 1 teaspoon hot oil, sauté 2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger and 2 green onions (white part only), thinly sliced, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and heat to simmering. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil, and 4 ounces firm bean curd (tofu), cut into 1/2-inch dice. Add 3 cups Basic Soup and simmer. Garnish with green part of green onions, thinly sliced.
- 1 tangerine
Dean Fearing
Location:Dallas
Why he's famous: Executive chef of The Mansion on Turtle Creek; host of the Food Network's Entertaining at Home with Dean Fearing
Soup secret: A few slices of avocado give this soup a creamy finish without adding a ton of extra calories.
Breakfast
- 1 cup raisin bran cereal
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Lunch
- 1 frozen pocket sandwich (such as Amy's Spinach Feta in a Pocket Sandwich or Lean Pockets Chicken Fajita, about 260 calories), heated
- 8 baby carrots or 20 grape tomatoes
- 1 pear or apple
Dinner
Dean Fearing's Southwestern Super Soup
- To 3 cups Basic Soup, add 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, 3 ounces smoked or roasted skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, and 1/2 cup drained canned hominy. Heat through. Meanwhile, cut 1 corn tortilla into 1/4-inch-wide strips and heat on High in microwave oven on microwave-safe dish until crispy (about 1 1/2 minutes). Garnish soup with tortilla strips, 3 tablespoons chopped ripe avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro to taste.
Madhur Jaffrey
Location: New York City
Why she's famous: Author of Step-by-Step Cooking; consultant for the restaurant Dawat
Soup secret: The spices of Eastern cuisine force you to slow down and savor the food — and to drink lots of water! Together, that means feeling full on fewer calories.
Breakfast
- On 1 slice whole-wheat bread, spread 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter. Top with 1/2 banana, sliced. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey.
Lunch
- Heat 3 ounces shredded skinless roasted or smoked chicken breast with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Stuff into a whole-wheat mini pita.
- 1 tangerine or 1/2 grapefruit
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Dinner
Madhur Jaffrey's Far Eastern Super Soup
- To 2 cups Basic Soup, add 4 ounces firm bean curd (tofu), cut into 3/4-inch dice; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil; and 1/2 teaspoon chili paste with garlic (optional). Heat to boiling and serve.
- 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt, topped with 1/4 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice
Don Pintabona
Location: New York City
Why he's famous: Executive chef of the New York City restaurant Tribeca Grill
Soup secret: True to their name, butter beans impart a rich, creamy flavor, even though they are low in fat (and high in fiber!).
Breakfast
- Tex-Mex Eggs Blend together 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons canned diced green chilies, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. In small nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add 1 corn tortilla, halved and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips; stir 1 minute until softened. Add egg mixture and stir until eggs are set.
- 1/2 cup orange sections
Lunch
- 1 frozen veggie burger (heated), served on a split whole-wheat mini pita with lettuce, tomato slices, onion, pickles, mustard, and 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 20 grapes
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Dinner
Don Pintabona's Italian Super Soup
- In small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, cook 2 ounces crumbled turkey sausage 5 minutes or until it loses its pink color. Add 3 cups Basic Soup, 1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini, 1/4 cup drained and rinsed canned butter beans, and 1/4 teaspoon dried basil; heat to boiling, then simmer until zucchini is tender (about 2 minutes). Pour into bowls. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and serve.
- 2 sesame breadsticks
- 1/2 grapefruit
Plus: Check out Don's additional soup recipe below. You can swap this for the dinner option above.
Don Pintabona's Oriental Super Soup
- In small saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps (discard stems) and cook 3 minutes until wilted. Stir in 1 teaspoon sambal olek or hot pepper sauce. Add 3 cups Basic Soup and 5 or 6 ounces small shrimp, shelled and deveined. Heat to boiling. Stir in 1/2 cup snow peas, cut diagonally in half, and simmer just until shrimp turn opaque. Serve with 3 sesame breadsticks or 25 grapes.
Q: If I don't like some of the breakfast or lunch foods, can I substitute something else?
A: Yes, as long as what you choose has about the same number of calories. To keep the diet nutritious, try to substitute similar foods — one vegetable for another vegetable, or one type of bread for another. Also, check labels to be sure your swaps don't leave you short on calcium, and definitely take a 500-mg calcium supplement daily while you are on this diet.
Q: Do I have to eat all the different breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that are on the seven-day plan, or can I just repeat a few favorite meals over and over?
A: Eating only a few of the meals won't stall your weight loss, but varying your food choices is important because it guarantees that you'll get the wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals that your body needs. To make sure you're not missing out on any nutrients, take a multivitamin every day.
Q: This diet really works! But is it safe to stay on it for more than one week?
A: Yes, you can repeat the seven-day meal plan for several weeks, but you don't have to. We've kept calorie counts steady (breakfast meals are about 300; lunch and dinner meals are about 400 each), so you can mix and match to your stomach's content while still peeling off pounds.
Q: My husband wants to try the Soup Diet. Any guidelines for adapting the diet to a male metabolism?
A: The only difference between your husband's version of the diet and yours is that he needs about 300 extra calories per day. He can add three of these 100-calorie snacks to make up for his daily deficit: 1 medium banana, 20 peanuts, 3 ounces deli turkey breast, 6 reduced-fat Triscuits, 4 sesame breadsticks, or 30 grapes.
