Foods for the two-day diet: pomegranate molasses recipe for oatmeal

The whole idea of 5:2 dieting, or intermittent fasting, has been popularized by “The FastDiet,” a best-selling book written by BBC medical journalist Micheal J. Mosley after he tried it himself.

Intermittent fasting has been said to be helpful for weight loss, digestion and, according to the Reader's Digest book "The 2-Day Diabetes Diet," even issues of diabetes.

As more people embrace intermittent fasting, a variety of uber-low-calorie cookbooks are answering the question of what to eat. “The FastDiet Cookbook” (Atria, $25.99) by “The FastDiet” co-author Mimi Spencer aims to offer gourmet experiences in small doses. The cookbook includes a thorough explanation of  the fasting plan, where carbs also are restricted on fast days.

The recipes can be enjoyed by even those who aren’t on fast day.  Larger portions and adding fillers such as servings of rice or toast can make meals fit for the family table.

We tested the cookbook's fruity oatmeal recipe, shown left, but were put off by the thin porridge that resulted. It would seem to be the same if you cooked old-fashioned oats in water and then drank the milk. An outgrowth of testing this recipe was learning to make pomegranate molasses, a very thick syrup made from pomegranate juice. 

To verify the web recipes, we searched shops and supermarkets that tend to carry gourmet ingredients and found a bottle of the fruity syrup at a Wegmans store for about $5. The ingredients: pomegranate juice, sugar and citric acid.  That supported recipes that suggested simmering the juice with a little sugar to make a pomegranate reduction. Lemon juice serves as the acidic ingredient -- a juicy stand in for the citric acid -- in most recipes. Do not make this juice with the pricy POM wonderful pomegranate juice. Trader Joe's in Westfield had 32-ounce bottles of 100 percent pomegranate juice from concentrate for $4.49. We wanted as little sugar as possible, so here's our take for a taste test quantity:

Pomegranate molasses: In a heavy saucepan, blend 1-1/2 cups pomegranate juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to heat to low or medium-low so juice continues to simmer. Watch carefully until the liquid is reduced through evaporation to a syrupy consistency, about 30 minutes. Note that the bottled pomegranate molasses we found was even thicker than natural molasses, thus the name. You don't have to boil it down that thickness to get the flavor. Note that higher heat will hasten the process, but don't leave the room if you turn up the heat. Also note that the syrup will thicken slightly as it cools. Boil slightly longer for a thicker syrup.

Two-day diet recipe: Oatmeal with jewel fruits

1-1/4 cups skim milk

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

2-ounces mixed of berries, cherries and pomegranate arils

Heat the milk, oats, cinnamon and salt in a small saucepan. Stir well until the oatmeal is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can do this in a microwave, stirring halfway through the 5-minute cooking time.) Leave to stand for a minute before adding the syrup and fruit.

CORRECTION: The previously given nutrition information listed an incorrect value for carbs in this dish. It has 53 grams of carbohydrate. 

Nutrition information (entire dish): 284 calories, 2g fat (0g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 288mg sodium, 53g carbs, 4g fiber, 17g sugars, 12g protein

– From “The Fast Diet Cookbook” by Mimi Spencer (Atria Books, $25.99)

And here's our favorite oatmeal recipe, which comes in at 259 calories. It is delicious with the pomegranate syrup. Drinking a cup of non-fat milk would add protein to this high-carb breakfast.

At Home recipe: Apple-raisin oatmeal with pomegranate syrup

(1-2 servings)

1/2 apple, cut into cubes

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon raisins

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses    

Warm a small saucepan over medium heat. Add apples to brown slightly, caramelizing their flesh. Stir in nutmeg or cinnamon until fragrant, less than a minute. Stir in oats and immediately add water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in raisins and let sit for 10 mimutes. Stir in pomegranate molasses and serve immediately.   

Heat the milk, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir well till the oatmeal is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes (you can do this in a microwave, stirring halfway through the 5-minute cooking time). Leave to stand for a minute before adding the molasses and fruit.