Everyone wants to have a soda every once in a while, and most of the time soda is a bad idea while on the HCG diet (it’s banned on phase 2). However, there are great alternatives to the store-bought soda, which can be much healthier for you, and it is approved on the HCG diet.

Most sodas you get from the store come sweetened with aspartame, which has adverse health effects, especially when dieting. Secondly, most sodas have high amounts of citric acid which can cause plateaus while on the HCG diet. And lastly, the high amount of sodium found in most diet sodas is bad to your health and can cause cravings or stalls.

As a great alternative, using the Soda Stream soda maker, you can create your own HCG diet sodas. It’s so simple: just add fresh squeezed orange juice, strawberries, lemons, apples, or whatever you would like, while controlling the amount of carbonation in your drink. This way you can create your own flavor, and be in complete control of the HCG diet soda, ensuring it to be tasty, refreshing, and most importantly healthy!

Here is another healthy and hearty recipe you can try while on Phase 2 of the HCG Diet.

Ingredients:

• Flank Steak Garlic

• Nutmeg Parsley

• Salt and pepper

• Spinach

• Homemade chicken broth (you can make your own recipe for this broth)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a meat mallet to tenderize and flatten the steak until it is about ½ an inch thick. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the meat. Place the garlic, parsley, and spinach in a food processor or blender and puree. Add in just enough chicken broth to produce a paste. Spread paste on one side of the Flank Steak. Add just a touch of nutmeg. Roll up the flank Steak and secure with a string or toothpicks. Bake in the oven until meat is cooked according to your personal preference.

Start to live healthy by starting your phase 3 challenge with a healthy soup made of broccoli, cottage cheese and milk. Try this recipe, it is so easy and you will surely love this.

Ingredients:

• 10 cups fresh broccoli
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 5 cups chicken broth (make your own broth)
• 4 cups nonfat milk
• 20 ounces cottage cheese
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Chop onion and celery. Use medium heat to heat 5 tablespoons chicken broth until onion and celery becomes tender. Pour in the remaining broccoli and remaining broth. Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Once broccoli becomes tender, blend ingredients together using immersion blender then pour milk and cottage cheese. Let it simmer for another 20 minutes to thicken soup to desired consistency.

Deprive yourself no more on  delicious foods you have been wanting to indulge since phase 2. Here’s a sweet treat you can snack on.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded raw coconut
• .5 tsp coconut extract
• .5 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs (egg white)
• ½ cup whipping cream (whipped)
• 7tsp splenda

Directions:

Mix cream, sweetener, shredded coconut and coconut extract. Mix well. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven.