Food Budget in Overdraft?
What you need to know now!
December 11, 2012
In This Issue
Recipe: Chocolate Chip Fudgie Cups
Recipe: Pesto Meatballs with Sauce
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet & WLS
How to Cheat on Your Diet
Recipe: Pork Chops with Onions & Apples
LivingAfterWLS
Quick Notes

Coffee Protein Smoothie

"There's a difference between enjoying your favorite foods occasionally and eating everything you adore, he says. The key to maintaining control, he says, is deciding what you want and how much you'll have, and then to "eat it with full consciousness ... lick your lips, and then move on with your life."
~ David NW. Grotto, RD, LD


"Eat only what you love. If it's bad [for your diet], it had better be good. So instead of grabbing a trio of donut holes each morning with your coffee -- and distractedly downing a doughy 300 calories -- splurge on something worth savoring, like a small, perfect wedge of creamy cheesecake.
~ Carolyn O'Neil, RD

"Keep in mind that after weight loss surgery we eat to nourish our bodies: food is fuel. That must always be our first concern when putting the fork to our mouth. But we live in a social world where dining plays a key role in many workplace and family activities. Give yourself space to respect your body and the surgical pouch that is providing treatment for your debilitating morbid obesity. At the same time enjoy the company of your dining companions knowing you will leave the buffet feeling nourished and healthy without suffering eaters remorse."
~Kaye Bailey

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Chocolate Chip
Fudgie Cups



Find this recipe at:
Diabetic Gourmet
Yield: makes 2 dozen

Chocolate Chip Dough:
1/3 cup stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Equal® Spoonful*
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fudge Nut Filling:
1 cup Equal® Spoonful**
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
* May substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener
** May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions:
For Chocolate Chip Dough, beat 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Mix in 1/3 cup Equal®* and brown sugar until combined. Combine 1 cup flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into circle about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze while preparing Fudge Nut Filling.

For Fudge Nut Filling, combine 1 cup Equal®**, 3/4 cup flour, cocoa, nuts, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat applesauce, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour mixture until well blended. Remove Chocolate Chip Dough from freezer. Spread approximately 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough in each of 24 mini-muffin pans. Fill each with Fudge Nut Filling to top of cup. Bake in preheated 350° F oven 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in muffin pans about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutrition: 1 cookie. 138 Calories, 2 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 14 grams carbohydrate.

LivingAfterWLS Sensible Desserts

 

 

 

$10.95
An ideal stocking stuffer for anyone managing
their weight.
 

 

 

Pesto Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Sauce


Shared with permission from JENNIE-O Turkey Store

Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 (20-ounce) package JENNIE-O STORES® Lean Ground Turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated onion
1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons basil pesto
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed dried chilies
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove
salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a wire rack and place on a baking tray.

To make the meatballs, combine turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, cheese, basil pesto, garlic, and salt and pepper, if desired in a mixing bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place meatballs on prepared rack. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until brown and cooked thoroughly. Always cook until well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer.

To make the red pepper sauce, put red pepper, balsamic vinegar, chilies, sugar, clove, and salt and pepper, if desired in a blender or processor. Blend or process until smooth. Pour into saucepan. Stir until warm. Serve meatballs with appetizer forks or toothpicks and enjoy dipped in sauce.

Always cook ground turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F.

 

Greetings!


Thank you for joining me for this Weekly Digest. With the holidays in full-swing many of us are surrounded with temptation that is sure to upset our weight management efforts. Sometimes I feel like all the temptation is nothing more than a punishment; a steady reminder of the things I can no longer enjoy, or at the very least, things should not include in my diet. It has been 13 holiday seasons since my gastric bypass surgery and I have not marked a single one without splurging on some tempting treat that I know is not part of my healthy weight loss surgery diet. Some years I have indulged more than others. And many splurges have made me ill with too much sugar, dairy or dietary fat for my little system. As each year passes I like to think I get a little wiser in my carefully selected food splurges.

Account Overdraft:  Many years ago I had a college roommate, who like all of us, was on a tight budget. One night we came home to find her enjoying a prime cut beef steak with side dishes and dessert: this was a grand departure from her usual meal of ramen noodles and tuna fish. "What was the occasion?" we asked. She explained she was out of money and when she bought her groceries she knew she would overdraft her checking account. With that she declared, "If I'm going to overdraft my account it is going to be on something really, really good that I can totally enjoy."

While I don't agree with my former roommate's fiscal management I do get her point. If we transfer the philosophy from our bank account to our dietary account it makes sense that an "overdraft" should be on something extraordinarily good, not the mediocre or mundane.

In this Digest we present some of the best expert tips for managing our dietary bank account and making room for splurges during this time of holiday excess. I hope some of the hints are useful to you as you manage your account this holiday season. Thank you for joining me and remember, we are all in this together!
Cheers!

Kaye Bailey  

 

 

Holiday Weight Gain: 
Are you worried about holiday weight gain? Be sure to check-out the November 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin that is loaded with tips and techniques to avoid holiday bulge. 

Recent Cooking with Kaye Newsletters:
November 8, 2012 - Classic Thanksgiving Recipes we Love
November 12, 2012 - New Thanksgiving Classics to Love


Hot off the press!

Cooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals 

Cooking with Kaye: Methods to MealsPublished November 20, 2012, this collection of 134 Protein First recipes has been many years in the making and I am thrilled with the result. Order your copy today at the guaranteed lowest introductory price and it will ship promptly so we can prepare healthy delicious meals together. I know this will become a family favorite resource for great meals everyone can enjoy.  Learn more.

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buffetThe All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and Weight Loss Surgery

During the holiday feasting season we are likely to face down many buffet-style meals and potluck parties. Prior to surgery many of us found all-you-can-eat events to be nothing short of heaven on earth. But after surgery the buffet is a very scary place to be. From our archives I share this article with strategies for navigating the all-you-can-eat world around us.


By Kaye Bailey

From cruise ships to gambling meccas to hometowns across America the all-you-can-eat buffet is ubiquitous for plentiful choice and good value in dining. A recent survey revealed that most people who dine at buffets enjoy them for the variety and value, and most admit they eat more food than they feel they paid for. The atmosphere of the all-you-can-eat buffet encourages copious consumption with a never ending supply of clean plates and a busy waitstaff on hand to remove the tell-tell evidence of mounding dirty dishes on the table.

Listen to conversations in line at the buffet and you will hear many dieters of sound mind admit they are taking the meal off from their otherwise strict dietary compliance. Not long ago I heard one AWOL dieter confess, "Tonight I'm pulling out all the stops and giving myself permission to eat as much of anything I want. No rules. No limits." Perhaps that worked out fine for her, but for me and my gastric bypass stomach pouch, taking the night off from all the rules is not an option. No matter the day, the meal, or the occasion my stomach pouch has only the capacity to hold about one cup of food at a time. Anything more brings great discomfort and disruption to my life.

For myself, and gastric surgery weight loss patients everywhere, the all-you-can-eat buffet can be a living purgatory where watching others take culinary delight in choice and abundance is pure torture. We would never be so heartless to take a diabetic child to a candy store with instructions to look at the candy but do not eat any. Yet here we are as adults, fighting a morbid illness with surgical intervention, sitting in our own kind of candy store with rules and restrictions. Some may suggest that we simply avoid having meals at buffet-style restaurants. But in this country many social events and gatherings are conducted at just such places. Chances are good we will saddle-up to a buffet now and again.

Here are some smart ideas for navigating the all-you-can-eat buffet to emerge nourished and comfortable:

Protein First. Take this rule of weight loss surgery to the buffet with you. Select good quality protein including seafood, hand-carved meats, omelettes, and main dishes. Avoid all protein that has been battered and fried. Remember, battered and fried food is likely to cause dumping syndrome for patients of malabsorptive procedures. Quality protein dishes are the best value for your dollar at the buffet.
 
Skip the Starch. Rice, pasta, breads, and other grain dishes take up precious pouch real estate and they are not a good value for your dollar. At most buffets these side dishes tend to be bland and common; eating them is a waste of space and money. There will always be rice and pasta and breads to eat so when dining at the buffet leave them for other less savvy diners.
 
Pace Yourself. Remember, you are in charge of your fork. Others at your table may be eating at a sprinters pace, but you are in a long race. Take your time, put your fork down between bites of food, chew your food completely, and enjoy your dining companions. Slow and steady wins the race.
 
Experiment. The buffet is a good opportunity to explore new food choices as you become more comfortable with your weight loss surgery stomach. Try a new kind of fish or taste a different fruit or vegetable. Take time to explore the flavors and texture of food. Our tastes change dramatically with surgery and eating at a buffet is a terrific opportunity to explore a variety of different things for very little cost.

Keep in mind that after weight loss surgery we eat to nourish our bodies: food is fuel. That must always be our first concern when putting the fork to our mouth. But we live in a social world where dining plays a key role in many workplace and family activities. Give yourself space to respect your body and the surgical pouch that is providing treatment for your debilitating morbid obesity. At the same time enjoy the company of your dining companions knowing you will leave the buffet feeling nourished and healthy without suffering eaters remorse.

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved.

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Offer Expires: December 31, 2012
How to Cheat on Your Diet
and Still Lose Weight

Diet 'cheat days' can actually boost your
chances of weight loss success
Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate is a favorite splurge.


By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Shared with permission from


Many of us think that starting a weight loss diet means forsaking the fattening foods we love. No sweets, no cream sauces, no chips, no wine, no fun!  But this kind of weight loss plan can actually lead to more cravings, fixating on forbidden foods -- and goals abandoned long before their time. The truth, experts say, is that you can have your weight loss and eat cake, too -- as long as you "cheat" on your diet the sensible way.

Taking away a person's favorite foods can be the death knell to a diet, says David NW. Grotto, RD, LD, author of 101 Foods That Can Save Your Life. "I think splurging on a diet is mandatory, not an option," he says.

Grotto calls it "structured cheating."

There's a difference between enjoying your favorite foods occasionally and eating everything you adore, he says. The key to maintaining control, he says, is deciding what you want and how much you'll have, and then to "eat it with full consciousness ... lick your lips, and then move on with your life."

Carolyn O'Neil, RD, agrees. "I think sensible splurging is really the key to being able to achieve a healthy lifestyle," says O'Neil, co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!

Anyone can follow a restrictive diet for a short time, says O'Neil. But sooner or later, most people will break down and overindulge on the foods they've been denying themselves. "So why not come up with a sensible diet, so your chances of success are much greater in the long run?" she asks.

When you know what you're getting into, you have more control, O'Neil says. So if you love cheesecake, memorize the calorie count of your favorite type, and then you can manage your diet splurge with portion control. O'Neil sums up her diet philosophy this way: "The more you know, the more you can eat!"

12 Healthy Ways to Cheat on Your Diet
Beyond sensible splurging, WebMD asked nutrition experts for more tips to how you can cheat on your diet and still lose weight. Here's what they said:

1. Accept your "splurge foods." Your desire for them isn't going anywhere. And as we all know, when you tell people they can't do something -- like enjoy a slice of pie -- they're going to want to do it even more, cautions Grotto.

2. Eat more filling foods. Load up your diet with foods that go the distance -- those with lean protein and fiber. "Add eggs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, lean meats, seafood, and low fat dairy because these foods fill you up and help tame your appetite" says American Dietetic Association spokesperson Marisa Moore, RD.  For further cravings control, plan for healthy snacks so that you don't go for long periods without eating.

3. Go for flavor hits. Whatever you love, buy it in its most intense and tasty form, says O'Neil. This way, you can have less of it, yet still get the flavor you crave. For example, are you crazy about salty snacks? Splurge on gourmet sea salt or chunky kosher salt, and sprinkle it over a ripe, red tomato. "You'll have a more brilliant, bright flavor," says O'Neil, "but a better salty hit and crunch -- so you'll use less."

4. Enjoy with all your senses. When you indulge in your diet splurge, serve it on a pretty plate with a colorful garnish so you can appreciate its eye appeal. "Eat your meals and snacks slowly by taking small bites so you can enjoy the taste and have a satisfying and mindful meal experience," advises Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindful Eating. Being more aware of what is on your plate and eating it slowly can help you get more satisfaction from your food.

5. Have a plan. "If you happen to be a dessert lover and eat out, ask to see the dessert menu first," says O'Neil. This way, you can budget your calories for what matters most to you. Knowing where you're really headed -- toward that pecan torte, perhaps? -- will make it easier to skip the creamy clam chowder or deep-fried cheese sticks.

6. Eat only what you love. "If it's bad [for your diet], it had better be good," says O'Neil. So instead of grabbing a trio of donut holes each morning with your coffee -- and distractedly downing a doughy 300 calories -- splurge on something worth savoring, like a small, perfect wedge of creamy cheesecake.

7. Make it yourself. Can't enjoy your morning coffee without a muffin? Mix up your own batch, slipping in goodies like oats, nuts, and whole-grain flour. Love piping hot pizza? Try making it yourself, using intensely flavored toppings like goat cheese, smoked salmon, and fresh herbs. You won't even miss the pepperoni. WebMD's "Recipe Doctor," Elaine Magee, knows where to slash calories without anyone noticing: "Cheesecake is a perfect example of an easy dish to lighten, because you can use a dusting of graham cracker or cookie crumbs instead of a crust made with 6 tablespoons of melted butter; [and use] reduced-fat ingredients like light cream cheese and egg substitute and a little less sugar," she says. "Then you can heighten the flavor with lemon or lime zest for a dessert that is much lighter so you can enjoy a larger portion."

8. Get away from it all. How many times have you eaten lunch at your desk or in front of the TV, and then realized you didn't taste a bite? "Our society doesn't embrace eating and enjoying our food; we try and be productive at all times," says Grotto. That's why it's so important to savor your splurge without distractions. And if you do so away from the kitchen, it's harder to sneak in seconds.

9. Eat what you love, in small portions. You can have it all, just not all in one day. No food is off-limits as long as you keep your portions reasonable. "Every day I satisfy my sweet tooth with a couple of bites of dark chocolate that I keep in the freezer so it melts slowly and satisfies my craving without consuming too many calories," says Magee.

10. Compromise. O'Neil lives in the South, where sweet iced tea is a popular drink. Instead of doing without when she goes out, she orders unsweetened iced tea with a dash of sweet tea on top. So if you think it's not a picnic without your creamy chicken salad, enjoy it -- but cut the calories by replacing half the mayonnaise with yogurt. "Compromises are an empowering thing," says O'Neil.

11. Make small changes. Passionate about a nightly dessert? Enjoy every mouthful -- but top it off with a walk around the block afterward. Addicted to a pizza slice and a cola for your daily lunch? Relish every bite -- but enjoy them four days a week instead of five. Grotto and O'Neil agree that small steps can add up to big results, so find the changes that work best for you. "We almost have it built into us, hard-wired, the resistance to simple things," says Grotto. "That's why I think so many people fail on diets."

12. Don't let a little slip become a backslide.  It is almost impossible to be an "A" student when it comes to dieting. "Everyone slips up, and that is fine as long as you don't let one slip turn into a backslide," says Wansink. Whenever you slip up, take note of it, try to learn from it so you can anticipate it in the future, and get right back into your diet plan to avoid the temptation to throw in the towel.



cookieFeatured Recipe:
Pork Chops with Onions and Apples    

Reprinted with permission from Cooki
ng with Kaye: Methods to Meals.
Page 133.


Join the "Cooking with Kaye" image board on Pinterest. Click image at right to learn how or Link Here 


Freeway Chef, autumnal aromas and flavors,

superior skillet meal

Pork chops with apples always signal the arrival of autumn for me. I love the complementary flavors of pork a  nd apple as they meld together in a perfect meal of sweet and savory goodness.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6-ounce) pork loin chops, 1-inch thick
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium onions, sliced into rings
2 medium tart apples, cored, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon butter

Directions: In a small bowl combine black pepper, salt, and garlic powder; rub seasoning on both sides of each pork chop. In a large high-sided skillet heat canola oil over medium high heat. Add seasoned pork chops and cook 4 to 6 minutes per side. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl toss apples and onions with lemon juice, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Once pork chops are browned on both sides and nearly cooked, remove to plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Melt butter in skillet and scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Add seasoned apples and onions and cook 4 to 5 minutes to soften. Return pork chops to skillet nestling them among apples and onions. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with one chop and ½ cup apples and onions per serving.

Nutrition: Serves 4. Each serving provides 371 calories, 38 grams protein, 16 grams fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Try This: If apple mixture seems dry, which may happen depending on moisture content in apples, add ¼ to ½-cup water or apple juice. The pan sauce is truly the "icing on the cake" in this recipe: Enjoy it! ~ For extra cinnamon flavor and aroma add a 4-inch cinnamon stick with the apples; remove and discard before serving.

Page 133, Cooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals



 

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Sincerely,
Kaye Bailey
LivingAfterWLS, LLC

The health content in the LivingAfterWLS website is intended to inform, not prescribe, and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice and care of a qualified health-care professional.

 

LivingAfterWLS, LLC
Kaye Bailey, Founder
Evanston, Wyoming 82931