by Kaye Bailey 

At right is a dinner I prepared for our family last week modeled after the new USDA Food Plate. Clockwise from the top you see oven roasted broccoli with yellow peppers, orange slices, our featured recipe Scallops (and shrimp) with Chipotle-Orange Sauce and Yellow Pepper Rice. Not only are the colors vibrant, in fruits and vegetables they indicate foods rich in vitamins and nutrients. My WLS plate was sparse with each element being served in half-portion size. Yet I still left food on the plate --a few bites of grain and a floret or two of broccoli-- happily satisfied but not stuffed.

Scientifically speaking from the point of view of taste this plate provides all five sensations of taste that humans can detect:
sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness, and umami (popularly referred to as savoriness). When a meal provides all five sensations of taste it is believed post-meal taste cravings are eliminated. Think about a snack or meal that is overly sweet or salty. After eating it a craving will soon follow for one of the other basic tastes: sweet is followed by salty. As you look at recipes or menu selections try to find how many of the five tastes will be met in that meal. The more tastes we satisfy the less desire we will have later for just a little something extra.

This plate comes from one of my favorite books: Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook. I have made this meal from page 200 many times using lean chicken or pork in place of the scallops. The chipotle-orange sauce is a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness and savoriness that can be heated up with more chipotle or cooled down with less. The meal comes together quickly and is lovely to serve your close family members or those who are lucky enough to be guests at your table. I hope you enjoy!

Fresh is Best 

When a recipe calls for a small amount of citrus juice it is often more affordable to buy one or two oranges and squeeze it yourself rather than fresh 100% juice off the shelf or frozen concentrate. Use a microplane tool to zest the rind of the orange and add to the sauce for an extra kick of sweet orange flavor.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, divided
cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops (thawed, patted dry if using frozen)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with paprika and 1/8 teaspoon salt; add to pan, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add juice and chile to pan, scraping pan to loose browned bits. Bring liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 1 minute). Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/ teaspoon salt to pan; stir with a whisk. Serve sauce over scallops; garnish with green onions.

Serves 4 USDA Portions of 4 ounces scallops, 1 tablespoon sauce, 1 tablespoon green onions).  Per serving: 218 calories, 29g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 7g fat, 488mg sodium.

(Note: In the meal I prepared and shown in the photos I double the recipe and included 1 pound of medium shrimp to feed a larger number of people. The shrimp also were great in this preparation. This really is a versatile recipe!)

Serve with Yellow Pepper Rice or one of the other rice dishes and Oven Roasted Vegetables.

I grew up like most Americans putting a scoop of quick rice or mashed potatoes on my plate and dousing it with butter or gravy or both. It was only after weight loss surgery that I learned grains could be an ingredient in salads of all things. Nutritionally this makes sense. When the salad is made of vegetables and flavored with healthy olive oil and fruit juice our bodies are better able to absorb the variety of nutrients in the dish. In addition the variety of texture and flavor in a simple grain enhanced salad brings us to satiation with a smaller serving. Here are three of my favorite recipes where grains play a starring role in salads. Follow them exactly or take-up the technique to create your own healthy and delicious masterpiece.

Black Bean Salad with Quinoa

One of the best ways for weight loss surgery patients to enjoy whole grains is including them as an ingredient of a salad

Including whole grains as a salad ingredient is a terrific way for weight loss surgery patients to enjoy them without exceeding an appropriate portion. This salad includes Quinoa -- a nutty tasting whole grain that is less filling than pasta or other grains -- citrus juice, fresh tomatoes and peppers and canned black beans. It is beautiful on the plate and satiates all manner of cravings. Serve 1/3 cup per weight loss surgery portion with a lean grilled meat and orange slices or tomato slices for a complete balanced meal. 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Quinoa, dry
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro , finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped scallions , minced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped red bell peppers
2 teaspoons Chile Peppers, finely minced
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 medium limes, sliced

Directions
Rinse the quinoa well in a sieve under cool running water. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, cover, and simmer on low heat, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cilantro, and scallions. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chiles. Add the cooled quinoa, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; serve chilled. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges.

Per 1/3 cup serving: 95 Calories; 16g carbohydrate; 5g protein, 1.4 g fat.

Almond Rice

This quick recipe features cooked rice with slivered almonds and almond liqueur and topped with fresh green onions. A 1/4-cup WLS size serving is 75 calories, 12g carbohydrate, 2g proteinl and 2g fat. This dish is particularly delicious when served with protein flavored with a sweet and savory preparation that includes a sauce to be lightly spooned over the rice. Remember to measure your portion. A typical serving size is 1/2 cup.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon amaretto liquer or 1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cup cooked white rice or cooked brown rice
1/4 cup freshly chopped green onion

Directions:
1 Heat oil in skillet, add almonds, and saute just until golden. Add liqueuer and rice to skillet. Stir until heated. Add onions; stir to mix well. Serve warm.

Chickpea and Couscous Salad

Chickpeas are legumes with a wrinkled texture and slightly larger than a sweet green pea. They are available canned year round and are found in humus and Indian and Mediteranean cooking. Chickpeas are a good source of vegetable protein. Adding them to this rice salad improves the nutritional content, the texture and the taste making one great side dish.

Ingredients:
4 ounces couscous
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped parsley , minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoonssalt
1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions
Boil 1 1/2 cup of water and stir in couscous.  Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. In a separate skillet, heat oil, add onion and garlic. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently until golden brown. Mix chickpeas and 1 tablespoon of water, cooking it until water evaporates. Mix everything together stirring in couscous, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm.

For weight loss surgery eating measure a 1/2 cup serving and enjoy one bite of salad to one bite of lean protein taking time to chew and enjoy each bite slowly. Follow this pattern and stop one bite short of feeling full. A 1/2 cup serving provides 175 calories, 32g carbohydrate, 5g fat, 6g protein.

LivingAfterWLS Salad Recipes

From WebMD

By Daniel J. DeNoon

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

June 2, 2011 -- A colorful four-part plate, with a side dish of dairy, has replaced the 19-year-old food pyramid as the icon of the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

The new icon, called "My Plate," is split into four sections -- red for fruits, green for vegetables, orange for grains, and purple for protein -- with a separate blue section for dairy on the side.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled the icon at a news conference today. He said the food pyramid was "simply too complex to serve as a quick and easy guide for American families."

At the news conference, first lady Michelle Obama praised My Plate as "a wonderful, kid-friendly tool" that's practical for busy families.

"What's more simple than a plate?" she asked. "I'm confident that families will find this useful. They can start using this today."

The Obamas are already doing so. "Trust me: We are implementing this in our household," Obama said.

The icon represents more than the currently recommended diet. It's part of a drastic change. The old plan was to provide information. The new plan is to actively change American eating behavior, using all the tools of modern persuasion.

"The centerpiece of the program is this next-generation food icon," Robert C. Post, PhD, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) center for nutrition policy and promotion, tells WebMD. "The icon is the visual cue to get to online resources, to online media, and to unified nutrition messages from public- and private-sector efforts."

Expect a barrage of messages and reminders from the food industry, nutrition gurus, chefs, schools, nonprofit agencies, and every government agency with anything at all to say about nutrition or health. Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, and blogs will trumpet the healthy diet program.

Eating is only half the picture. Michelle Obama's Let's Move program will take the lead in motivating Americans to get more exercise.

(Get a printable image of the new food icon with options for your meals. LINK)

 

 

USDA Grains Icon

With the introduction of the USDA's new food plate we are seeing a different focus on grains. Historically we have labeled them whole grains or processed grains. The new guidelines have kept the term whole grains but now call processed grains refined grains.

 

In the old Food Pyramid (which is now retired) grains held the bottom tier of the pyramid suggesting an intake of 6-11 servings from that group a day. The new recommendations for grain intake vary depending upon age, sex, and level of physical activity. Approximate servings of grain for women are 5-6 ounce equivalents and men 6-8 ounce equivalents. In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent from the Grains Group.

 

Whole Grains: amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur (cracked wheat) millet, oatmeal, popcorn, whole wheat cereal flakes, muesli, rolled oats, quinoa, sorghum, whole grain barley and cornmeal, whole rye, whole wheat bread, pasta, crackers, tortillas, and wild rice.

Refined grains: cornbread, corn tortillas, couscous, crackers, flour tortillas, grits, noodles, pasta, pitas, pretzels, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, white bread, rolls and buns, and white rice. Most of these products are made from refined grains. Check the ingredient list for the words "whole grain" or "whole wheat" to decide if they are made from a whole grain. Some foods are made from a mixture of whole and refined grains.

 

The advice is to make at least half of all the grains we eat whole grains.  We should eat sparingly refined grains which are milled, a process that removes the bran and the germ. Milling produces ingredients like white flour, degermed cornmeal and white rice which have a finer texture making them a better ingredient for noodles, pasta, breads, and sweets. Unfortunately the milling removes the dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins taking the nutritional value out of an originally healthy food.

 

Learn more about Grains at ChooseMyPlate 

 

Now in the Fourth Printing! 

A Collection of
Neighborhood Recipes

After a brief interruption we now have the popular LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood Cookbook back in stock!

 

Fourth printing. Over 10,000 copies in circulation! Enjoy!

SKU# 1241715152

List Price: $20.00

 

Sale Price: $18.00

 

Yellow Pepper Rice

Prepare 1 (3.5 ounce) bag boil-in-bag white rice according to package directions. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add 2 cups thinly sliced yellow bell pepper; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add cooked rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve 1/4 cup per WLS serving.

 

Couscous Pilaf

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup uncooked couscous and 1 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth; bring to a boil. Remove form heat; let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork; stir in 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley.  Serve 1/4 cup per WLS serving.

 

Rice Pilaf with

Green Onions

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped green onions and 1 minced garlic clove; suate' 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons pinot grigio or other crisp, fruity white wine; cook until liquid evaporates. Add 1 cup water, 1/2 cup basmati rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is done.