What's Cookin' in
Kaye's Kitchen:
New Monthly Feature:
"All in the Family"
An entire newsletter dedicated to healthy family living and eating well after WLS. Thanks for joining me and my family - Let's get cooking!
 by Kaye Bailey
(Red, white, & blue Jell-O desserts in disposable plastic wine glasses.)
My work in the weight loss surgery "afterlife" has taught me that we are all looking for ways to manage our weight with the surgery while at the same time taking care of the demands and needs of others as we go about living in our wonderful and uniquely complicated lives. In a "you can do it all" world sometimes doing this seems like just one more demand and I admit to throwing my special dietary needs out the window on occasion for the sake of taking care of others. After all, I can always take care of me later, right? Sound familiar?
This newsletter introduces a new monthly special edition of "Cooking with Kaye" that puts our WLS needs out there -- All in the Family. I will define family loosely knowing that just as my family is a bit unconventional by traditional standards, so might your family be non-traditional and beautifully unique.
There are many great recipes and food we can include in our family menus that support our weight loss surgery nutritional requirements without feeling like "diet" food or worse "health" food. I have watched many WLS parents use their recovery and maintenance as an opportunity to teach healthy life habits to their children. Having learned so much from these parents I hope to share some of that with you as we all look toward a healthier future for the next generation. I say it all the time: We are all in this together, and that means our loved ones as well as each other. With that in mind I hope you enjoy this new point of view from Cooking with Kaye. February's "All in the Family" feature gives nod to Valentine's Day and chocolate with recipes for Beet Brownies and Bean Brownies. Really? Really! Delivering to your inbox February 3, 2011 - Watch for it!
Cooking with Kaye in the regular format featuring recipes and hints for the WLS patient will be published weekly, as usual, and delivered to your inbox free of charge. Enjoy! You can always update your email preferences by clicking the "Update Profile" link at the bottom of this page.
Kaye
KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS
And remember, you can always find great LivingAfterWLS recipes online in our Kitchen!
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The Joy of Gelatin
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by Kaye Bailey
For this first "All in the Family" I selected gelatin as my subject food because it is beloved by many, easy to make, affordable to serve, and nutritionally supportive of not just a person recovering from obesity, but also for growing children. And I've never seen anyone eat Jell-O with a frowning face! A serving of Jell-O alone costs about .25 cents (store brands are even less). Adding fruit, vegetables or a dairy topping will increase the cost a bit, but for hardly more than a dollar a serving Jell-O is a great value for everyday snacking or desserts.
Gelatin has a long shelf life so I keep on hand a variety of Jell-O brand gelatin dessert mixes; sugar free and original with sugar. I also keep on hand Knox Gelatine, original unflavored. Gelatin side dishes, salads, and desserts can be prepared quickly at the beginning of the meal preparation and in most cases by serving time the gelatin has set and is ready to be served, making them doable on busy weeknights or last minute efforts to make a meal special. I have learned that individual servings made in plastic disposable cups set up quickly and provide perfect portion sizes while giving the feeling of something special just for me to whomever enjoys the treat.
"Gelatin is full of tricks," wrote Irma S. Rombauer in her successful cookbook Joy of Cooking over 75 years ago. She says, "It can turn liquids into solids to produce gala dessert and salad molds. It makes sophisticated meringues and mousses, gives a smoother texture to frozen desserts, cheesecakes, chiffon pies, jellies, and cold soups, and it thickens cold sauces and glazes."
Jell-O just for WLS me. When I make Jell-O for my daily planned snacks I use one package of sugar free Jell-O (4 serving size) and one envelope Knox Gelatine, original unflavored. Following package directions I dissolve the sugar free Jell-O in 1 cup of boiling water; set aside. In the bowl I will set and store the Jell-O I put 1 cup of cold fruit juice or cold leftover tea and sprinkle the Knox Gelatine on top to soften; about 1 minute. Then I stir in the dissolved hot Jell-O and stir until everything is dissolved and mixed well. At this time I may add fresh chopped fruit or whisk-in some low-fat yogurt: whatever is on hand and chilled. The Knox Gelatine compensates for extra moisture from added ingredients and guarantees the salad will set (technically, there is enough gelatin to "bloom" or set 4 cups of liquid). It also provides about 2g more protein per serving, and this is easily digested protein. On most days this sets within an hour and is ready to enjoy!
This method makes for a firmer gelatin treat than the method directed on the package. According to Rombauer in Joy of Cooking, "Finished gelatin should be quivery, not rigid, when jostled." My method takes it beyond quivery, but not so rubbery that it becomes unpleasant. For me the denser snack has a bit more staying power than a lighter more quivery Jell-O. Remember, not only do we want to make a smart food selection when we snack, we want the feeling of satiation and pleasure to stay with us until the next mealtime. A Jell-O snack is also an easy snack to enjoy while following liquid restrictions. No liquids 30 minutes before or after snack, no liquids with snack. Following that rule keeps your Jell-O from becoming a slider food as well.
More Recipes & Ideas:
LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood Kitchen
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| Easy Ways to Take it Up a Notch! | 
These are some of my favorite go-to recipes and techniques for happy gelatin dishes. These recipes are more like suggestions, not so much exact science. I hope they light your creative fire. Go with what you have on hand, what your family loves and what sounds good and make some wiggly-jiggly fun!
Creamy White Jell-O
for Layers or Topping
I use this as a layer between Jell-O colors such as the red, white, and blue desserts shown above. It also makes a terrific topping that I prefer to use in place of non-dairy frozen topping that has no nutritional value. Creamy White Jell-O provides extra protein, calcium, vitamin D and a smooth satiating flavor and texture. Ingredients: 1 envelope Knox Gelatine, unflavored 1/2 cup cold water 1 cup heavy whipping cream 4 Tablespoon sugar (do not substitute artificial sweetener, it will not set the gelatin correctly.) 2 cups (16 ounces) reduced fat sour cream In a saucepan, sprinkle unflavored Knox Gelatine over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add whipping cream and sugar; cook and stir over low heat until gelatin and sugar are completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Spoon over layer of chilled Jell-o dessert, chill before adding another layer. May also be used as topping. Spoon or pipe onto gelatin desserts as desired. Stored covered and refrigerated Creamy White Jell-O is a great topping for fruit desserts or other gelatin desserts. Citrus Sunshine Salad Beating part of the jell-o mixture creates a frothy look to this two-layer salad. This is a good way to get fiber and vitamin C from fresh citrus. Ingredients: 1 cup boiling water 1 package (.30 oz) sugar free lemon flavor Jell-O dessert mix 3/4 cup cold water 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit sections roughly chopped 1/2 cup fresh orange sections, roughly chopped Directions: Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Add cold water; measure 3/4 cup into small bowl. Refrigerate remaining gelatin until slightly thickened. Stir in fruit; pour into serving bowl. Refrigerate until set but not firm. Meanwhile, place small bowl of 3/4 cup gelatin in larger bowl filled with ice water. Stir until completely thickened. Beat with mixer on high speed until thickened and about doubled in volume, mixture should be light from incorporated air. Spoon over gelatin in bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Topping-less Gelatin Dessert The heavy whipping cream that is included in this dessert makes it so creamy you can serve it without topping. And it sets quickly for a spur-of-the-moment treat everyone will enjoy. Ingredients: 3/4 cup boiling water 1 package (.30 oz) sugar free flavored Jell-O dessert (your choice of flavor or color ice cubes 1/2 cup cold water 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Directions: Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved and cooled slightly. Pour into blender. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 1/4 cups total; add to blender. Blend 30 seconds or until smooth. Add heavy whipping cream and blend well. Pour into 4 dessert dishes. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until firm. Mimosa in the Morning! This salad is a refreshing morning snack with fruit and bubbly from club soda. The carbonation from the club soda dissipates during preparation making this a comfortable treat for the weight loss surgery patient. Use inexpensive single serving covered containers to make this treat and enjoy during a mid-morning break at work. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups boiling water 1 package (.60-ounce) sugar free flavored Jell-O dessert 2 cups cold club soda 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries Directions: Add boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir two minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in club soda. Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until thickened. Stir in fruit. Divide evenly among 8 individual containers, cover and chill until set. Keep chilled until ready to enjoy. Classic Carrot-Pineapple Salad This molded gelatin classic is reminiscent of church potluck dinners. When I was a child it was Mrs. Reid who was the unfailing provider of this salad. She added raisins to the gelatin mixture and topped it with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. She also decorated her Sunday dresses with frilly ruffles and perfumed herself with a generous splash of Jean Nate: she was a woman of excess. Mrs. Reid might be disappointed in me, but these days I keep it simple leaving the raisins, sour cream and shredded cheese for other recipes. It is easy to enjoy this as a side-salad using the 2B/1B rhythm. That is for every two bites (2B) of lean protein I eat, I enjoy one bite (1B) of this complex carbohydrate side dish. Eating a sweet accompaniment to protein tends to satiate the palate and sweet cravings that may occur after a meal are curbed. I hope you enjoy this classic! Ingredients: 1 cup boiling water 1 package (.30 ounces) sugar free orange flavor Jell-O dessert mix 1/2 cup cold water 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in syrup, undrained 1 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium) Directions: Pour boiling water on gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cold water, salt and pineapple. Refrigerate until slighly thickened. Stir in carrot. Pour into 6 individual serving containers or a 3 cup bowl or mold. Chill until set. Serve garnished with salad greens, if desired.
Sink or Float? The density of vegetables and fruit is predictable enough we know what will sink or float when stirred into partially jelled gelatin. Here's the short list: Fruits that float: Fresh fruits such as apples, bananas, orange and grapefruit sections, sliced peaches and pears, strawberries, and fruit packed in light syrup. Fruits that sink Seedless grapes and fruits in heavy syrup such as apricots, cherries, fruit cocktail, peaches, pears, and pineapple
The Magic of JELL-O: 100 New and Favorite Recipes Celebrating 100 Years of Fun with JELL-O
by Sterling
Paperback
List Price: $9.95
Our Price: $7.89
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Make it Fun!
JELL-O Trivia to Bring Giggles & Wiggles!
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This article is provided for information and entertainment. It is not sponsored content.
While it is accurate to refer to jelled flavored deserts as gelatin, in the United States we simply call gelatin recipes JELL-O. I don't fear that Kraft Foods, the owner of the JELL-O trademark, objects to this infringement on their product identity. JELL-O proudly dominated the quick mix dessert market during the last century and it has come to be known as America's Dessert. Here are some fun JELL-O facts to share with the family at mealtime. Learn more at their website: http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/
The first four JELL-O flavors were orange, lemon, strawberry, and raspberry. Lime was introduced in 1930.
There have been 36 flavors of JELL-O gelatin produced thus far. Consumers gave a "thumbs down" to Apple, Celery, Chocolate, Mixed Vegetable, Maple Syrup, Coffee and Cola- flavored JELL-O. And, you can only find Cranberry JELL-O during the months of November and December.
During the early quarter of the 20th century, immigrants entering Ellis Island in New York City were served JELL-O gelatin as a "Welcome to America".
JELL-O Brick Road! In 1930 JELL-O sponsored a "Wizard of Oz" radio program and a series of children's books by Frank L. Baum, author of the "Wizard of Oz" books. JELL-O recipes and copy were included at the back of the books.
Comedian Bill Cosby has been a spokesperson for Jell-O since 1974. He is credited with making the slogan, "There's always room for JELL-O" a cultural idiom. In 2001, Bill Cosby traveled to Utah (those folks love their Jell-O) and petitioned legislators at a joint convention of the Utah State Legislature to vote for a resolution that proclaimed Jell-O gelatin the Official Snack of Utah. They took his advice and proclaimed it so.
In 1990 JELL-O® JIGGLERS® (concentrated gelatin snacks) were introduced. Enjoy the recipe below!
The JELL-O® Museum opened its doors in LeRoy, NY (the birthplace of JELL-O®). The museum features JELL-O® artwork by famous artists such as Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell, and has memorabilia that is loved by JELL-O® brand fans everywhere!
Today, there are more than 158 products sold under the JELL-O® brand name. With about 300 million boxes of JELL-O® gelatin sold in the United States each year, it's no wonder that JELL-O® gelatin is "America's Most Famous Dessert."
Recipes: JELL-O JIGGLERS
There's no better way to eat JELL-O. JIGGLERS are available in tons of shapes and in every JELL-O flavor out there. It's everyone's favorite for a reason.
2-1/2 cups boiling water (Do not add cold water.)
2 packages (8-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any flavor
Kaye's Note: In place of the 2 packages (8-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Gelatin I use 1 package (4-serving size) sugar free JELL-O and 2 envelopes Knox Original Gelatin Unflavored. I then proceed with the recipe as directed.
1. Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 minutes until completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan.
2. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm.
3. Dip bottom of pan in warm water 15 seconds. Cut into 24 decorative shapes using 2-inch cookie cutters, being careful to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift JIGGLERS® from pan.
Reserve scraps for snacking. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Kaye's Note: I enjoy tossing the scraps with yogurt and topping with granola or nuts for a refreshing and energy-boosting morning snack.
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I wish you the best health and happiness LivingAfterWLS!
Cheers!
Kaye Bailey
LivingAfterWLS, LLC
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The 411 on Gelatin:
It's Surprisingly
Good for You! |
| Protein First? Put gelatin on your list! In fact, gelatin is a high-grade protein rich in essential amino acids. Gelatin (defined here as the ingredient before being made into a jellied salad or dessert) is 84-90% protein. The remaining composition includes mineral salts and water. (Refresher: Protein First Rule)
What is Gelatin?
According to the Gelatin Manufactures Institute of America, GMIA, "The raw material for gelatin manufacture is the naturally occurring protein collagen, which is commercially sourced from the meat industry." Put a bit more graphically, gelatin is taken from the skin, connective tissue, and bones of animals. While this may be unpleasant to mentally digest, this source of protein is what makes it easily digestible. Gelatin is not a chemical or chemically modified substance. It is likely one of your early meals following gastric surgery was gelatin. As an easily digestive protein with nearly every essential amino acid it is an outstanding nutrient to facilitate recovery and healing.
Does this have you feeling queasy about eating gelatin that comes from an old pile of bones? Not to worry - the US Food and Drug Administration has your back! As recently as 1997 the FDA reviewed and updated processing standards for the manufacture of gelatin. All producing members of the GMIA abide those standards.
Safe processing:
Commercial gelatin is manufactured in modern facilities that are highly regulated to operate under strict health and safety standards.
Food grade gelatin is typically produced in a powdered or granulated form. Slightly yellow to light tan in color, it is a rather tasteless and odorless substance. When kept in a sealed container in an environment of consistent temperature and humidity gelatin is stable.
Hair & Nail Health:
It has long been known that gelatin supports nail and hair growth and that's not just beauty shop gossip. Blame it on those amino acids again! Nails and hair are protein and the amino acids in gelatin provide the building blocks to make them stronger, grow more quickly and reflect your good health with bounce and shine. Adding gelatin to your diet during the first year following weight loss surgery may help to lessen the loss of hair reported by so many bariatric patients. Gelatin is on the approved foods list for all post-surgery dietary stages so give it a chance to love you back.
Food, Pharm, Photo: Gelatin has traditionally been used in three major areas: food, pharmaceutical, and photographic industries. In the pharmaceutical health industry, gelatin is used to make the shells of hard and soft capsules for medicines, dietary/health supplements, syrups, etc. It is highly digestible and serves as a natural protective coating for medications.
Vegetarian Gelatin:
Dedicated vegetarians and vegans will find plant source gelatin in their health food store. Agar is one form of veggie gelatin made from red algae. It is available as plain gelatin or in a variety of fruit flavors. Read the package for specific setting instructions as plant based gelatin behaves differently from animal based gelatin. Vegetarians should also check vitamins and medications to ensure they are prepared with vegetarian gelatin.
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Going to Fourth Printing
Temporarily Out of Stock
 A Collection ofNeighborhood RecipesJanuary 8, 2011: OOPS! We are Out of Stock temporarily! We projected our inventory would last until mid-March and have ordered the 4th Printing of the Neighborhood Cookbook accordingly. But robust orders in December-- perhaps a sign of the recovering enconomy or maybe a show of how much everyone loves this book -- have cleared our shelves of this customer favorite. On February 21, 2011, hot off the press, our new print run will be ready for shipment to you. Please add this item to your cart now. As usual you can expect your order of all in in-stock items to ship within 24 hours. Then enjoy the arrival of your cookbook in late February, sent at no additional shipping fee. And, if you know Kaye like I know her, you can be certain she'll send you a little something extra as her way of saying sorry for this little inconvenience because that's just the kind of Neighbor she is. (I'm lucky- she's my really-real real-life Neighbor!) Fourth printing. Over 10,000 copies in circulation! Enjoy! SKU# 1241715152 List Price: $20.00.
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| Creating Healthy Snacks - A Fun Time With Food |
| By Lynn Bakken
What is a healthy snack? Something eaten not at a regular meal time. Do we need snacks? Do kids need snacks? Snacks are fun, and at times can be lost in junk food and eaten in mindless inattention. What if snack time could be something totally fun AND nutritious? Check it out!
What if a healthy snack was a time for presence, full focus of the food being eaten. What if, since a snack is small and eaten faster than a "meal" you and your children could play a game of the senses. What does the food smell like? Is it savory, sweet, minty? What does it smell like? How about the colors, the brighter the foods the better, especially with fruits an vegs. Really spend some time here before you and your child bite into the food. Then take a very small bite and roll it around in the mouth. What is the texture and finally the taste. Oh, the outstanding taste, salty, sour, sweet, yummy, yucky, allow for all and any responses. Kids don't have to like every thing that you offer, but keep offering new options. Snacks are a great time to make these offerings since it s not a big deal if the child doesn't eat them. It's not like their entire food for the day depends on them eating this food. It's a snack for God's sake! Have fun at snack time.
So now that you have spent time with the senses and the food, next time try different foods with the eyes closed and no touching, feed each other a food, kids feed parent and parent to kids, the can guild trust and a new game. See if you each can get the snack into your mouth without touching it.
Snacks can be the funnest thing in the world. What about going to the store and seeing what new snack you can create that takes nothing other than your hands to eat. No needing for tableware,like any fruits, OK most fruits and vegs. Go beyond the fruits and vegs to other nutritious foods that can be a hands only snack. Get creative! Try some interesting sauces on snacks, try making humus with new ingredients, let your kids pick the new ingredients for the humus or salsa, that way then can learn what things taste good together and what things they don't like.
Remember what you ate as a snack as a kid and share those experiences with your kids. Talk about those that were great and great for you and those that were so yummy and not so good for the tummy. Discuss what makes one snack better than another. Perhaps it's the taste, texture, the nutrition or not. How about making a new snack that no one has ever had before. Create a new mix of granola rolls with new and exciting grains. Again anything can be a snack and it's a great time to play with food, do you allow your kids to play with their foods, snack time is play time.
Can you take these suggestions and begin to use them at your snack time at work? Take the time to truly experience the foods that you eat. Know them intimately then you can be more open to your kids playing with their snacks.
Snack: what is a snack but a time out with food. Make snacks fun and healthy. Time out of the rush and stress of the day to play and enjoy the foods we are eating and knowing that.
Ms. Bakken is passionate about nutrition in children and how it effects their physical bodies, emotional and energetic health. With many years as a pediatric nurse practitioner skilled in nutrition and health counseling, she is now bringing her expertise to the wide world of the web.
Article Source: Creating Healthy Snacks - A Fun Time With Food |
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