Friday, December 18, 2015
The Upside of a Weight-Loss Plateau
It’s December 31st, 2015. You hop on the scale and you weigh the exact same amount you did on January 1st, 2015. How would you feel?
Happy? Sad?
What if I told you that the average American gains 1 pound every year? And that by not gaining a pound in the year, you’re actually doing well above average!
Most people lose a little bit of weight, hit a plateau, then immediately give up when things aren’t going as quickly as they were before. Most people gain that weight back and then some. This whole phenomenon of quitting when things are going more slowly is a bit like hitting traffic on your way home from work, and abandoning your car on the side of the road because you’re not driving as fast as you wanted. Or getting a flat tire and slashing the other three.
There’s a mantra in Zen: “the obstacles are the path.”
Plateaus happen. We know they’re going to happen. In fact, when we plateau, it means that we’ve made progress! It’s the perfect time to look back and see how far you’ve come because no human endeavor is linear. Learning a language, a musical instrument, how do date, or how to write well all takes time, with improvements coming in waves of easy progress, then stagnation, followed by bursts of more progress.
Diane Fu is a weight lifting coach in San Francisco who tells her athletes, “When you hit that first plateau and you’re not improving as fast as you were before, congratulations! You’re no longer a beginner!”
The same is true with fat loss. Weight loss can be fast in the beginning because the more weight you have to lose, the faster it comes off. The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower things get. So it’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong; it’s a sign you’ve done things right! It’s a sign that you’re completely normal and have hit a point that everyone hits on their weight-loss journey. A plateau is a mark on the road, letting you know you’re heading in the right direction, and that you’ve made a lot of progress.
So now it’s up to you. When most people hit a plateau, all they can think about is that things aren’t going as quickly as they were before, so they quit. The weight comes back on and they’re further away from their goal than they ever were. But plateaus are just part of the journey—a slight bend in the road that is still going to take you where you want to be. Do you turn around to go back? Or do you keep walking?
When you focus on the journey instead of the destination, the plateaus come and go. If you keep tracking, keep making little improvements to your diet, keep walking every day and getting some exercise, then the weeks when things aren’t going as quickly as you want them to will give way to the weeks when everything seems to fall into place.
And, before you know it, it will be December 31, 2015. The average American gains 1 pound a year. The average dieter gains back more weight than he or she loses. So all it takes to be better than average is to keep moving forward.
Football Snacks!!
Playoffs, Bowl Games and Ultimately the Superbowl are going to have more than a few of us doing the "couch potato slump" in front of our TVs for the next several weeks.
No need to succumb to the hideous snacks and pizza that will no doubt make the rounds. Below I'm posting a few simple, delicious and LOW CARB snacks that you can have around to impress your friends AND maintain your healthy (well reasonably healthy) lifestyle. And all that walking around the kitchen while you make these counts as CARDIO!
Stuffed Jalapenos
Healthy Jalapeno Poppers - Not something most of us can wrap our heads around, but here is a version that lights up your tastebuds as well as your imagination:
Ingredients:
1 lb jalapenos halved and seeded
1 lb sausage browned (the cheap tube, need the grease)
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
6-8 oz grated Parmesan
Instructions:
Cook sausage into crumbles and drain off about 3/4 of the grease
Mix the sausage and cheeses together,
Once the cheese melts stuff the jalapeno halves
Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes
Cook's Notes:
Good quality, name brand sausage is too lean. Get the cheap stuff. Sorry, but turkey sausage is too lean too.
WEAR GLOVES when dealing with chillies. You can't just wash the capsacin off your hands. Everything you touch for days will burn - and I mean EVERYTHING!!!
Optional: Buy some of that thin cheap pre-packaged bacon and wrap each in a 1/2 slice - cook until bacon crisps - because BACON!
I HIGHLY recommend doubling, tripling or even QUADRUPLING this recipe.
Make it dinner! Wrap the stuffed jalapenos in prosciutto, wrap that in chicken breast cutlets and wrap THAT in bacon!! - Be still my heart!
Queso Covered Bacon "Chip" Nachos
Who doesn't a huge pile of tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa? Well it loves you too! It'll gladly hang around your body for YEARS after you've forgotten who won the game that day. BUT... If you eliminate those chips and their carbs and you've got a fighting chance! MAKE BACON CHIPS!!
I'll not tell you how to stack your nachos, but I'll gladly teach you the secret of making bacon chips - which are perfect for snacking ANY time.
Ingredients:
12 strips of thin presliced grocery store bacon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
On a baking sheet covered in foil (but don’t grease it or bacon won’t crisp!) lay six strips of bacon next to each other vertically.
Weave the remaining strip of bacon horizontally between the vertical strips, creating a “lattice” pattern.
Bake bacon lattice for 10 minutes.
During this time assemble all the magnificent topping you will use to smother these heavenly chips
Remove bacon from oven. Allow to cool
Use scissors to cut bacon lattice into six “chips” and return to oven for additional five to seven minutes, or until crispy.
Transfer "chips" to plates and top each with your most decadent nacho fixin's.
Cook's Notes:
Each chip will be 3 strips of bacon wide and 2 high, so you're going to want to make a gazillion of them for a real football party - Don't be shy!
These are also perfect for "Breakfast Nachos" - layered with scrambled eggs, qheso, some guacamole, etc...
Bacon Cheesecake Cups
Rich, smooth, savory, spicy, cheesy filling... WRAPPED IN BACON!!
Ingredients:
13 slices thick cut bacon
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 tbsp minced jalapeno
Instructions:
Place slices of bacon on a cookie sheet.
Place into a cold oven.
Turn the oven on to 350 degrees.
Cook bacon for about 20 minutes. or until it is cooked but not crisp.
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes.
Wrap one strip around the bottom inside edges of each of 12 standard muffin cups.
Crumble the remaining strip.
Place a drop or two of the bacon grease in the base of each muffin cup.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, eggs, onion and seasoning.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, taking care to stay inside the bacon ring.
Bake for 20 minutes.
The cheesecake will puff, but fall after the cups cool.
Garnish with crumbled bacon.
No need to succumb to the hideous snacks and pizza that will no doubt make the rounds. Below I'm posting a few simple, delicious and LOW CARB snacks that you can have around to impress your friends AND maintain your healthy (well reasonably healthy) lifestyle. And all that walking around the kitchen while you make these counts as CARDIO!
Stuffed JalapenosHealthy Jalapeno Poppers - Not something most of us can wrap our heads around, but here is a version that lights up your tastebuds as well as your imagination:
Ingredients:
1 lb jalapenos halved and seeded
1 lb sausage browned (the cheap tube, need the grease)
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
6-8 oz grated Parmesan
Instructions:
Cook sausage into crumbles and drain off about 3/4 of the grease
Mix the sausage and cheeses together,
Once the cheese melts stuff the jalapeno halves
Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes
Cook's Notes:
Good quality, name brand sausage is too lean. Get the cheap stuff. Sorry, but turkey sausage is too lean too.
WEAR GLOVES when dealing with chillies. You can't just wash the capsacin off your hands. Everything you touch for days will burn - and I mean EVERYTHING!!!
Optional: Buy some of that thin cheap pre-packaged bacon and wrap each in a 1/2 slice - cook until bacon crisps - because BACON!
I HIGHLY recommend doubling, tripling or even QUADRUPLING this recipe.
Make it dinner! Wrap the stuffed jalapenos in prosciutto, wrap that in chicken breast cutlets and wrap THAT in bacon!! - Be still my heart!
Queso Covered Bacon "Chip" Nachos
Who doesn't a huge pile of tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa? Well it loves you too! It'll gladly hang around your body for YEARS after you've forgotten who won the game that day. BUT... If you eliminate those chips and their carbs and you've got a fighting chance! MAKE BACON CHIPS!!
I'll not tell you how to stack your nachos, but I'll gladly teach you the secret of making bacon chips - which are perfect for snacking ANY time.
Ingredients:
12 strips of thin presliced grocery store bacon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
On a baking sheet covered in foil (but don’t grease it or bacon won’t crisp!) lay six strips of bacon next to each other vertically.
Weave the remaining strip of bacon horizontally between the vertical strips, creating a “lattice” pattern.
Bake bacon lattice for 10 minutes.
During this time assemble all the magnificent topping you will use to smother these heavenly chips
Remove bacon from oven. Allow to cool
Use scissors to cut bacon lattice into six “chips” and return to oven for additional five to seven minutes, or until crispy.
Transfer "chips" to plates and top each with your most decadent nacho fixin's.
Cook's Notes:
Each chip will be 3 strips of bacon wide and 2 high, so you're going to want to make a gazillion of them for a real football party - Don't be shy!
These are also perfect for "Breakfast Nachos" - layered with scrambled eggs, qheso, some guacamole, etc...
Bacon Cheesecake CupsRich, smooth, savory, spicy, cheesy filling... WRAPPED IN BACON!!
Ingredients:
13 slices thick cut bacon
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 tbsp minced jalapeno
Instructions:
Place slices of bacon on a cookie sheet.
Place into a cold oven.
Turn the oven on to 350 degrees.
Cook bacon for about 20 minutes. or until it is cooked but not crisp.
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes.
Wrap one strip around the bottom inside edges of each of 12 standard muffin cups.
Crumble the remaining strip.
Place a drop or two of the bacon grease in the base of each muffin cup.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, eggs, onion and seasoning.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, taking care to stay inside the bacon ring.
Bake for 20 minutes.
The cheesecake will puff, but fall after the cups cool.
Garnish with crumbled bacon.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
The idea here has always been "Flavor First!" If I can't make it taste as good (or better) than the original , then I shouldn't be making it. This creamy pumpkin cheesecake has flavor but with a light and fluffy texture that is irresistible! It doesn’t hurt that this fabulous dessert is also low in carbs either does it?
Ingredients
16 ounces softened cream cheese
1- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups heavy cream
pinch salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup Splenda Granular or equivalent sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar Free Ginger SnapsWhipped cream
Instructions
- In a stand mixer blend cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until whipped and fluffy about 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust sweetener to your liking if needed.
- Crush ginger snaps and put a small amount in the bottom of each serving glass
- Pipe into serving glasses and top with whipped cream and crumbled ginger snaps if desired.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve
Cook's Notes:
Every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas I hit up Trader Joe's for Pumpkin Pie Spice. Their's is not only delicious, it is 4 times the size of the little bottles in the grocery and half the price!
Sweet Potato Latkes
Sweet Potato Latkes makes 12
These aren't your bubbe's latkes. When I was a kid my neighbor's Jewish grandmother would fry up grated potatoes w/ onion, egg, salt & pepper. Served with apple sauce and sour cream. That's a latke. A traditional Hanukkah side dish. In plain English: potato pancakes.
Suddenly, this simple tasty dish has been elevated to gourmet status and latkes are the latest food craze. These are simple and delicious. I just made them with good ol' North Carolina sweet potatoes instead of the white carb laden pride of Idaho. Well, I got a LITTLE fancy with the cilantro and harissa, but you'll forgive me the indulgence when you taste them.
1 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
1 medium onion
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
5 tablespoons flour
about 1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable oil)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional and fancy)
Peel sweet potatoes, then grate them and onion, using grating disc of food processor or large holes of grater.
Transfer to a large bowl. Beat eggs with salt and pepper and add to potato mixture. Add flour and mix well. I used my hands.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, preferably well seasoned cast iron or non-stick.
Fill 1/4-cup measure with sweet potato mixture, pressing down to compact.
Turn out and mound into skillet. Quickly form 3 more mounds. Flatten each with back of spoon so each latke is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, pressing down with a spatula.
Cook 3 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip. 2 minutes on the second side.
Cook 4 pancakes at a time, adding more oil after each fry. Makes kind of a mess, but worth it.
Transfer to paper towels to blot.
I held mine in a warm oven, so they were all nice and hot at the same time.
Serve w/ Greek yogurt mixed with some harissa paste.
Cook's Notes:
No harissa in the house? Try a little Sriracha or several dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Bariatric Surgery WILL KILL YOU!!!
Yes, I said that out in the open, where everyone can see it. Why? Because it's TRUE!
I'm mad.. This is my rant:
I got a text this morning from a friend who's aunt is a non-compliant bariatric patient. One of the people that give this surgery a bad name. She entered the hospital with malfunctioning kidneys, for which they medicated her - which kicked off a heart attack.
So why was she having kidney issues? She drinks about 16 ounces of water a day....
After being several years post-surgery she complains that she can't drink when she has been eating 'real food' (her words) - and can only drink if she is eating sweets.
Yeah... right... I'm going to stop typing now and let you re-read those opening paragraphs. When you realize how stupid they are I'll continue...
Bariatric surgery saved my life. I'm 5 years out of surgery and maintaining a 200+ lb weight loss - and can attest to the success of many others. So WHY do I say bariatric surgery can kill you when there are so many successes? Because the successes FOLLOW THE RULES and the failures make up excuses.
If you can't dedicate yourself to making the lifestyle changes required for the surgery to be successful, please DON'T HAVE THE PROCEDURE!!!!
BARIATRIC SURGERY IS NOT MAGIC!!
I got fat because of my bad food choices and bad habits. Bariatric surgery is a ONE TIME DO-OVER that allowed me to correct all those bad habits and live a healthy lifestyle. If you refuse to make those changes you will not only get fat again, but because of the radical internal changes you could well DIE!!
The rules are pretty simple:
You can choose to follow the rules for a successful post-surgery voyage - or ignore them and play Russian-roulette.
end rant:
I'm mad.. This is my rant:
I got a text this morning from a friend who's aunt is a non-compliant bariatric patient. One of the people that give this surgery a bad name. She entered the hospital with malfunctioning kidneys, for which they medicated her - which kicked off a heart attack.
So why was she having kidney issues? She drinks about 16 ounces of water a day....
After being several years post-surgery she complains that she can't drink when she has been eating 'real food' (her words) - and can only drink if she is eating sweets.
Yeah... right... I'm going to stop typing now and let you re-read those opening paragraphs. When you realize how stupid they are I'll continue...
Bariatric surgery saved my life. I'm 5 years out of surgery and maintaining a 200+ lb weight loss - and can attest to the success of many others. So WHY do I say bariatric surgery can kill you when there are so many successes? Because the successes FOLLOW THE RULES and the failures make up excuses.
If you can't dedicate yourself to making the lifestyle changes required for the surgery to be successful, please DON'T HAVE THE PROCEDURE!!!!
BARIATRIC SURGERY IS NOT MAGIC!!
I got fat because of my bad food choices and bad habits. Bariatric surgery is a ONE TIME DO-OVER that allowed me to correct all those bad habits and live a healthy lifestyle. If you refuse to make those changes you will not only get fat again, but because of the radical internal changes you could well DIE!!
The rules are pretty simple:
- Take your vitamins and supplements everyday as directed
- Avoid simple carbohydrates (sugar) and limit the complex ones. Remember that "Nothing tastes as good as slim feels."
- Drink a MINIMUM of 64 oz of water a day - recommended amount is the number of ounces that is half your weight in pounds. 200 lbs = 100 oz of water
- EAT PROTEIN FIRST with every meal - supplement with shakes if you can't eat enough. Shakes count as protein AND water!
- 30-30-30 - Stop drinking 30 minutes prior to eating, chew each bite 30 times, wait 30 minutes after eating to resume drinking. DO NOT drink with your meals!
- Plan your meals - Avoid 'grazing' - don't nibble your way through the day
You can choose to follow the rules for a successful post-surgery voyage - or ignore them and play Russian-roulette.
end rant:
Monday, December 7, 2015
Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
Sweet, spicy, tart and creamy with a satisfying crunch. This is SO good and easy to make that you'll be hoarding cranberries in your freezer so you can serve this at your summer soirees!
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup Splenda Granular or equivalent (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
16 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened
DIRECTIONS
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (alternately, you can do this task by hand).
Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped.
Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.
When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish.
Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.
Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving.
Serve with crudites, crackers or tortilla chips.
Cook's Notes: Sprinkle the top liberally with Pomegranate seeds for a festive (and unexpected) pop of sweetness
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
5 Item Stir Together Pineapple Protein Dessert
I have an admission to make. I have an abiding HATE for the product called "Cool Whip" so when I ran across this recipe I was disappointed at the contents, but excited by the possibilities of modifications - and OH MY GOD! did I come up with some modifications! I just had the sample I served described as "Heaven" and I AGREE!! You can whip this up in less than 5 minutes for a quick mind bending "bariatric friendly" end to any meal.
OK. This is sweet. It has no added sugar, but is full of natural sugars. For bariatric patients that means it should be consumed in moderation AFTER you have a large dose of dense protein. PROTEIN FIRST! But with the flavor and added protein powder it is SO worth a few extra carbs!!
Basic Recipe:
1 can crushed pineapple in juice (NOT SYRUP!)
1 small pkg Instant Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding powder
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 scoops Vanilla flavored Whey Isolate Protein powder
Stir all ingredients together well and chill for an hour (or serve immediately)
OK.. Here come the modifications:
Cook's Notes:
OK. This is sweet. It has no added sugar, but is full of natural sugars. For bariatric patients that means it should be consumed in moderation AFTER you have a large dose of dense protein. PROTEIN FIRST! But with the flavor and added protein powder it is SO worth a few extra carbs!!
Basic Recipe:
1 can crushed pineapple in juice (NOT SYRUP!)
1 small pkg Instant Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding powder
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 scoops Vanilla flavored Whey Isolate Protein powder
Stir all ingredients together well and chill for an hour (or serve immediately)
OK.. Here come the modifications:
Cook's Notes:
- Substitute Pistachio SF pudding for the vanilla, serve in a parfait glass sprinkled with Pistachio nuts
- Substitute thawed frozen strawberries (and the juice) for the pineapple
- Make a batch of pineapple AND strawberry and layer them in a parfait glass (this is SO good!!!)
- Feeling patriotic for the 4th? Make another batch with thawed frozen blueberries and layer all 3 in a parfait glass for a red, white and blue dessert. Don't feel bad about adding a few drops of red and blue food coloring to kick up the visual effect.
- Put any of these in Popsicle molds or bathroom cups with sticks and freeze them for a real summer treat!
- Chop about any frozen or canned fruit in juice that strikes your fancy - peaches, mandarin oranges, exotics, etc... They almost all work!
Monday, June 15, 2015
Shrimp Salad with Greek Cucumber Sauce
It's 100 degrees outside and we are experiencing humidity levels that create what we here in the South call "the air that you can wear" so my oven is on hiatus until further notice. But that doesn't mean we aren't going to eat well.
Scouring the net for something I don't have to cook, I ran across this treat at Bariatric Eating. I've stolen.. uhhhh.. modified recipes from there before. The site has good information, great products and, of course, some delicious recipes
This is basically a dish of tzatziki with shrimp. No quantities are specified, so mix and taste as you go. It's good practice for learning how flavors add layers to your recipes.
Good Greek yogurt
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice
Diced cucumber
Diced radish
Fresh dill
Salad shrimp, the little ones that you buy cooked and cleaned - about 4 ounces per serving
Whisk together the yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a teaspoon of chopped dill.
Layer the yogurt in a glass or small dish with cucumber, radish, and shrimp like a parfait, or toss all ingredients and serve combined. Serve immediately or cover and chill.
Cook's Notes:
Scouring the net for something I don't have to cook, I ran across this treat at Bariatric Eating. I've stolen.. uhhhh.. modified recipes from there before. The site has good information, great products and, of course, some delicious recipes
This is basically a dish of tzatziki with shrimp. No quantities are specified, so mix and taste as you go. It's good practice for learning how flavors add layers to your recipes.
Good Greek yogurt
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice
Diced cucumber
Diced radish
Fresh dill
Salad shrimp, the little ones that you buy cooked and cleaned - about 4 ounces per serving
Whisk together the yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a teaspoon of chopped dill.
Layer the yogurt in a glass or small dish with cucumber, radish, and shrimp like a parfait, or toss all ingredients and serve combined. Serve immediately or cover and chill.
Cook's Notes:
- Good Greek Yogurt means "use what you have in the fridge"
- I always seem to have a bag of salad shrimp in my freezer. They make days like this one bearable. But if you want to drop some regular frozen shrimp into some boiling water you can chop them into bite sized morsels that work just as well.
- Got a vegetarian thing going? Skip the shrimp and add a chopped ripe summer tomato (or a drained can of diced tomatoes) instead!
Sunday, May 17, 2015
I guess I "cheated" but I don't care
The other day my attention was drawn to a post in an online "newspaper" where some blogger not only said that having weight loss surgery was taking the easy way out and cheating but also that, if you didn't agree with her, you were the kind of person who enables drug addicts!!
Part of me thought the whole thing was too stupid to respond to, but then I found out that not only was she holding herself up as example of how to lose weight the "right" way -- by eating only 500 calories a day and indulging in the sort of exercise program normally associated with exercise anorexia, but that lately (because somehow that didn't result in permanent weight loss – go figure), she's jumped on the whole juice fast craze and I just had to respond. (I admit it. It was the juice fasting pushed me over the edge.)
First of all, when did doing something the hard way become a morally superior option vs. being smart about it and using whatever tools are available to you? In all other aspects of our lives, using tools is seen as smart, not cheating. But in weight loss apparently the only true path has to involve suffering. Lots and lots of suffering.
Let's say you have two people who both love to garden. One of them uses gardening tools and even owns a tiller to help dig up the ground before planting. They use an electric hedge trimmer too. The other one does the whole garden using a teaspoon and a pair of scissors. Their results aren't as good as the first person, but, hey, at least they didn't "take the easy way out" by using power tools!
Yeah, when you put it that way, it sounds a bit crazy. But that’s definitely some people’s attitude toward losing weight. If it’s not as hard as digging a garden with a teaspoon, then somehow it’s suspect.
The whole "easy way” knock also assumes that we were never successful at long-term weight loss before because we didn't know what to do and/or weren't willing to do it. Then, instead of learning what we need to know and buckling down to do the work, we just waved our magic wand, uh.. I mean had bariatric surgery, and the weight fell off and we never had a problem ever again.
Yeah, right. If only.
Perhaps there are people who fit that picture. But most of us have been on many diets and have worked hard many times to lose weight only to not be able to lose all our excess weight and be able to keep it off. We've been to the classes on nutrition and goal setting. We've read the articles and books on how to lose weight. We’ve kept a food journal. We’ve role-played dealing with food saboteurs. We've gone to the gym and taken up jogging.
We know what to do and we've done it many times before. It just hasn't resulted in permanent weight loss. “But I know someone who knows someone who lost 100 pounds and kept it off for seven years!” Good for them! It’s great if you can lose weight without surgery because, hey, it's surgery. Why not avoid it if you can? But it’s not a moral failing if you can’t.
Let's say you have two people who are both addicted to heroin. They both get clean. One does it by going cold turkey and the other does it by going to a clinic where they get counseling and methadone. Is the first person somehow "better" than the second?
There are people who would say so, but I am not one of them.
Does that mean that any way you lose weigh is okay and there is no cheating or "easy way out" in weight loss?
To be honest, I do think there are "easy way out" and "cheating" methods. But the ironic thing is that I would put the original author's methods in that category way before weight loss surgery!
Most people would agree that, if you do something extreme like only eat 500 calories a day for a month or drink nothing but juice several days a week, you are trying to lose weight via some sort of trick (a.k.a. cheating) that doesn't require you to make permanent changes to your life (a.k.a. taking the easy way out).
But weight loss surgery doesn't fall into those categories.
Now, it used to be believed that weight loss surgery worked because it forced you to eat less and, if you got a kind with malabsorption, not all your calories are absorbed. So maybe that’s where the whole “easy way out” and “cheating” ideas came from.
See, you get surgery and then you can eat anything you want because you won’t absorb the calories and you can’t eat a lot even if you want to. So you have to lose weight whether you want to or not and it’s easy! Again, I say: Yeah, right. If only.
Yes, you don't eat a lot in the beginning, but that's because of medical necessity. As soon as you can eat more, you do. Plus, while you can’t eat as much at each meal as before, there is nothing to stop you from eating every hour or just drinking all your calories.
Then, with bypass, the malabsorption goes away over time so eventually you do absorb everything. (With duodenal switch, which is a lot less common, malabsorption is more permanent, but 100% of carbohydrates are always absorbed, so you still have to watch what you eat.)
As many have learned, weight loss surgery isn’t a magic fix and, if you don’t make permanent changes, the weight comes back just like it does when you juice fast or go on the HGC diet.
So why doesn't everyone who has weight loss surgery just eat around their surgery and gain all their weight back? Or better yet, why don’t they just do those things without having surgery?
It's because bariatric surgery fixes a part of our body that was broken - the homeostatic system that controls energy balance.
And this is where all these analogies fall down. Because weight loss surgery isn’t a “tool” like a hedge trimmer or methadone, as popular as that analogy is in the bariatric community.
It’s a repair job.
It’s a repair job in the same way that heart bypass surgery is a repair job. It’s a repair job that has various degrees of success – sometimes everything is repaired 100% and sometimes you’ve just improved the situation over what you had before. (And, in very rare cases, you fix one system, but break another.)
Then, once you are repaired, it’s up to you to make the necessary changes to keep everything from breaking again. Only now it’s a lot easier to do that because you aren’t working with broken machinery and doing things like exercise and eating less actually results in weight loss while eating as many calories as you burn doesn’t leave you ravenously hungry.
So I was broken and I chose surgery to fix me after exploring many other (reasonable) options without success.
If you think that’s cheating, I think that says more about you than it does about me.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Vanilla Wafers
If you visit the South you'll discover that the world's greatest treat is banana pudding. Properly made it is cold, smooth, sweet with hints of crispy vanilla wafers. It's also a huge carb and sugar fest that should be avoided like the plague by bariatric patients, It's been 5 years since I ate any - and I REALLY wanted some, making it imperative that I remove the sugar. Jell-0 gives me sugar-free pudding, but nature refuses to make sugar-free bananas so I'll let them slide.. That means I have to see what I can do with those crispy little flavor bombs called Vanilla Wafers.
They weren't pretty, but they were sweet and crispy and they hit the spot when I buried them in creamy vanilla pudding with slices of ripe banana
Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and Splenda on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl and add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
At this point if the dough feels warm, refrigerate it until chilled, about 15 minutes.
When the dough feels cool to the touch, scoop out teaspoon-size balls and drop them on the prepared baking sheets.
The dough should yield about 4 dozen balls.
Bake at 350 F until golden on the top shelf in your oven, 12 to 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Cook's Notes:
Be sure your almond flour is VERY fine. I run mine through the food processor to get the finest possible texture - particularly if I have almond MEAL in the pantry..
I returned mine to the oven after I turned it off to allow them to get very crispy as the oven cooled,
--dave---
The Bariatric Food Dude
They weren't pretty, but they were sweet and crispy and they hit the spot when I buried them in creamy vanilla pudding with slices of ripe banana
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated Splenda
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of fine salt
Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and Splenda on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl and add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
At this point if the dough feels warm, refrigerate it until chilled, about 15 minutes.
When the dough feels cool to the touch, scoop out teaspoon-size balls and drop them on the prepared baking sheets.
The dough should yield about 4 dozen balls.
Bake at 350 F until golden on the top shelf in your oven, 12 to 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Cook's Notes:
Be sure your almond flour is VERY fine. I run mine through the food processor to get the finest possible texture - particularly if I have almond MEAL in the pantry..
I returned mine to the oven after I turned it off to allow them to get very crispy as the oven cooled,
--dave---
The Bariatric Food Dude
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Hazelnut Mocha Protein Pavlova
Pavlova is a meringue cake that has a light and delicate crisp crust and a soft sweet center. This lovely dessert is typically served with softly whipped cream and fresh fruit. There is a long standing debate about whether New Zealand or Australia invented this dessert, which has yet to be resolved. What we do know is that the name, Pavlova, was chosen in honor of the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who toured both New Zealand and Australia in 1926.
A Pavlova is a meringue, and it is important when making any meringue that the egg whites reach maximum volume, so make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are clean and free of grease. Since we need just the whites of the eggs, the eggs will need to be separated. It is easier to do this while the eggs are still cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg yolks for another use.
Hazelnut Mocha Protein Pavlova
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 132
Total Fat 2.8g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 4mg
Sodium 150mg
Total Carbohydrates 4.7g
Dietary Fiber 1.3g5%
Sugars 2.6g
Protein 23.1g
For the meringue:
6 egg whites
1 1/3 cups Splenda Granular
8 tsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
For the filling:
2 cups Greek Yoghurt
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
4 scoops high quality chocolate protein shake mix
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/4 cup Splenda Granular (or to taste)
For the topping:
Fresh raspberries or strawberries
Sugar Free Chocolate syrup (optional)
On parchment paper draw four 9 inch diameter circles and place onto baking trays.
In a large metal or glass bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and 1/3 of the Splenda until thick and fluffy.
While whisking at full speed gradually add the rest of the Splenda. When all of the Splenda has been added the mixture should be very thick with a silky texture.
Gently fold in the cocoa powder and instant coffee.
Using a large piping bag, start at the centre of the circles and pipe outwards in a spiral motion until you get to the edge of the circle.
When all 4 circles are piped sprinkle hazelnuts gently over each one and SLOWLY cook the meringue in a very low oven (200 - 225 F) for about 2-2 ½ hours, until crisp.
For the filling, mix the remaining hazelnuts, chocolate protein shake mix, instant coffee, Splenda and Greek Yogurt together.
To serve, layer the meringue circles with the chocolate, coffee, nut and yogurt mixture then garnish with fresh berries. Optionally, drizzle the top and sides with sugar free chocolate syrup.
Cook's Notes: Don't try to whip egg whites in a plastic bowl. The plastic absorbs oils from previous uses and won't allow the whipped mixture to reach its full potential.
Try finely chopping your favorite protein bar into the filling for added texture/flavor.
For individual servings, try piping meringue into 3 or 4 inch circles.
A Pavlova is a meringue, and it is important when making any meringue that the egg whites reach maximum volume, so make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are clean and free of grease. Since we need just the whites of the eggs, the eggs will need to be separated. It is easier to do this while the eggs are still cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg yolks for another use.
Hazelnut Mocha Protein Pavlova
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 132
Total Fat 2.8g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 4mg
Sodium 150mg
Total Carbohydrates 4.7g
Dietary Fiber 1.3g5%
Sugars 2.6g
Protein 23.1g
For the meringue:
6 egg whites
1 1/3 cups Splenda Granular
8 tsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
For the filling:
2 cups Greek Yoghurt
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
4 scoops high quality chocolate protein shake mix
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/4 cup Splenda Granular (or to taste)
For the topping:
Fresh raspberries or strawberries
Sugar Free Chocolate syrup (optional)
On parchment paper draw four 9 inch diameter circles and place onto baking trays.
In a large metal or glass bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and 1/3 of the Splenda until thick and fluffy.
While whisking at full speed gradually add the rest of the Splenda. When all of the Splenda has been added the mixture should be very thick with a silky texture.
Gently fold in the cocoa powder and instant coffee.
Using a large piping bag, start at the centre of the circles and pipe outwards in a spiral motion until you get to the edge of the circle.
When all 4 circles are piped sprinkle hazelnuts gently over each one and SLOWLY cook the meringue in a very low oven (200 - 225 F) for about 2-2 ½ hours, until crisp.
For the filling, mix the remaining hazelnuts, chocolate protein shake mix, instant coffee, Splenda and Greek Yogurt together.
To serve, layer the meringue circles with the chocolate, coffee, nut and yogurt mixture then garnish with fresh berries. Optionally, drizzle the top and sides with sugar free chocolate syrup.
Cook's Notes: Don't try to whip egg whites in a plastic bowl. The plastic absorbs oils from previous uses and won't allow the whipped mixture to reach its full potential.
Try finely chopping your favorite protein bar into the filling for added texture/flavor.
For individual servings, try piping meringue into 3 or 4 inch circles.
Left Over Turkey Salad
None of us can wipe out the Thanksgiving Day turkey like we did in the past, so this recipe will help you handle those leftovers. In addition to being delicious, this turkey salad has the added virtues of being both quick and easy.
Turkey Salad
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 132
Total Fat 5.0g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Cholesterol 37mg
Sodium 68mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.5g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Sugars 4.8g
Protein 14.3g
2 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seed kernels
2 Tbsp raisins, dried cranberries and/or dried cherries
1 small apple, cored and diced
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp plain Greek Yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a salad bowl, combine the turkey, sunflower seeds, raisins, apples, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix well and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors.
Cook's Notes: You might want to add a pinch of Splenda Granular or your favorite sweetener, depending on the sweetness imparted by the apple
Turkey Salad
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 132
Total Fat 5.0g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Cholesterol 37mg
Sodium 68mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.5g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Sugars 4.8g
Protein 14.3g
2 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seed kernels
2 Tbsp raisins, dried cranberries and/or dried cherries
1 small apple, cored and diced
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp plain Greek Yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a salad bowl, combine the turkey, sunflower seeds, raisins, apples, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix well and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors.
Cook's Notes: You might want to add a pinch of Splenda Granular or your favorite sweetener, depending on the sweetness imparted by the apple
Chili Rellenos Casserole
I love Chili Rellenos, either with the meat or not. This is without. SO easy and SO good! Packed with Protein!
Chili Rellenos Casserole
4 whole Roasted, Peeled, And Seeded Green Chiles (or 1 - 4oz canned green chilies)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, Grated
3 whole Large Eggs or Egg beaters equivalent
1 cup whole Milk (Not skim see Cook's Notes)
Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
1/4 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
Dash Cayenne Pepper
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.
Set aside
Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a square baking dish.
Top chilies with half the grated cheese.
Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese.
Slowly pour egg mixture all over the top. Add more cheese if you like. (MORE is BETTER!!!)
Place square dish into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until completely set.
Cut into 6 squares and Enjoy!
Cook's Notes: Requires whole milk as a minimum. Ad a splash of cream or half'n'half for richness. Needs the fat or finished product gets watery as it sits.
Chili Rellenos Casserole
4 whole Roasted, Peeled, And Seeded Green Chiles (or 1 - 4oz canned green chilies)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, Grated
3 whole Large Eggs or Egg beaters equivalent
1 cup whole Milk (Not skim see Cook's Notes)
Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
1/4 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
Dash Cayenne Pepper
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.
Set aside
Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a square baking dish.
Top chilies with half the grated cheese.
Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese.
Slowly pour egg mixture all over the top. Add more cheese if you like. (MORE is BETTER!!!)
Place square dish into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until completely set.
Cut into 6 squares and Enjoy!
Cook's Notes: Requires whole milk as a minimum. Ad a splash of cream or half'n'half for richness. Needs the fat or finished product gets watery as it sits.
Pumpkin Custard
This desert is a refreshing departure from pumpkin pie, but it has the same good old-fashioned flavor without the crust. I like to make the custard. It's a cinch to prepare even on your busiest days and especially good after a hearty holiday meal, when just a touch for the sweet tooth is all you need.
Pumpkin Custard
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 101
Total Fat 6.3g
Saturated Fat 3.5g
Cholesterol 69mg
Sodium 234mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.3g
Dietary Fiber 1.8g
Sugars 2.5g
Protein 3.7g
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 eggs
1 cup half-and-half cream
2/3 cup Splenda Granular
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (sugar free if you have it)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat until smooth.
Pour into a greased 8 X 8 baking dish.
Place inside a 13 x 9 baking pan; pour hot water around to a depth of 1 in.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Serve warm or chilled; top with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
Store in the refrigerator.
Cooks Notes: Custard should be firm. If the custard is watery run back into the oven and check again at 10 minute intervals.
For a crunchy topping, Scatter top with pecans or slivered almonds for the last 30 minutes of baking time.
Pumpkin Custard
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 101
Total Fat 6.3g
Saturated Fat 3.5g
Cholesterol 69mg
Sodium 234mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.3g
Dietary Fiber 1.8g
Sugars 2.5g
Protein 3.7g
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 eggs
1 cup half-and-half cream
2/3 cup Splenda Granular
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (sugar free if you have it)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat until smooth.
Pour into a greased 8 X 8 baking dish.
Place inside a 13 x 9 baking pan; pour hot water around to a depth of 1 in.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Serve warm or chilled; top with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
Store in the refrigerator.
Cooks Notes: Custard should be firm. If the custard is watery run back into the oven and check again at 10 minute intervals.
For a crunchy topping, Scatter top with pecans or slivered almonds for the last 30 minutes of baking time.
How WLS, Eating Right and a Lifestyle change have worked for me
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so instead of typing a magnum opus about the benefits of Weight Loss Surgery and the lifestyle changes it helps you make, I'll just post the following:
Egg Drop Soup
Despite its simplicity, homemade egg drop soup is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
I find a bowl of egg drop soup to be one of the most soothing and comforting dishes ever invented. You really only need three base ingredients to make it, two in a pinch. And yet breathing in that steamy broth and savoring the first spoonful of silky egg curd, all my troubles immediately fade away.
If you hadn't already guessed, those key ingredients for egg drop soup are stock, eggs, and a bit of cornstarch to thicken things up.
But you can also add in other ingredients of your choosing. I love some fresh ginger, star anise, and a cinnamon stick infused in the broth. If I'm eating this soup for dinner, I'll also add some tofu, mushrooms if I have them, a handful of greens and maybe a couple slices of jalapeno.
This recipe calls for using a bit of cornstarch in both the broth and in the eggs themselves. This is a trick I picked up that will inhibit protein bonds and keep the eggs from going rubbery. Since starting to use this method, all my egg drop soups have been silky smooth and never over-cooked.
This soup is properly an appetizer. Despite its simplicity, I guarantee that your guests will be overjoyed to see this coming when you walk out of the kitchen. This recipe will make four small cups of soup, but can be easily scaled up if you have more guests at your table. I generally use 1 to 2 cups of broth and one egg per person.
Egg Drop Soup
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 for a light dinner
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84
Total Fat 3.9g
Saturated Fat 1.2g
Cholesterol 93mg
Sodium 798mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.5g
Sugars 0.9g
Protein 8.0g
4 cups (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
2 to 4 large eggs
Salt or Soy sauce
Flavoring Extras - Use one or all
1/2" fresh ginger, peeled and cut into rounds
1 stem lemongrass, bruised
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
2 star anise
6-8 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons miso
Soup Extras - Use one or all
1/2 block (7-8 oz) extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch baby bok choy, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 small jalapeno (sliced thin)
Pour the stock into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
Put the smaller flavoring extras you're using into a tea ball or spice bag.
Add all your flavoring extras to the saucepan with the stock.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Scoop out all the flavoring extras with a slotted spoon.
Taste and add salt or soy sauce as needed.
Add any soup extras to the stock and simmer for five minutes.
Save some scallions for sprinkling on top of the soup at the end.
Scoop out 1/4 cup or so of the stock and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl.
Whisk this back into the stock and let it simmer for a minute or two until the broth no longer tastes starchy.
Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch.
Make sure your soup is at a bare simmer.
Holding a fork over the bowl, pour the eggs slowly through the tines.
Whisk the broth gently with your other hand as you pour.
Let the soup stand for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs.
Serve immediately, topped with thinly sliced scallions.
Cooks Notes: This is not a soup that keeps well. It's best poured straight from the saucepan into the serving bowls and then eaten as soon as it's cool enough to swallow.
You can nix the cornstarch if that's not your style. It adds about 2 grams of carbs per serving.
I find a bowl of egg drop soup to be one of the most soothing and comforting dishes ever invented. You really only need three base ingredients to make it, two in a pinch. And yet breathing in that steamy broth and savoring the first spoonful of silky egg curd, all my troubles immediately fade away.
If you hadn't already guessed, those key ingredients for egg drop soup are stock, eggs, and a bit of cornstarch to thicken things up.
But you can also add in other ingredients of your choosing. I love some fresh ginger, star anise, and a cinnamon stick infused in the broth. If I'm eating this soup for dinner, I'll also add some tofu, mushrooms if I have them, a handful of greens and maybe a couple slices of jalapeno.
This recipe calls for using a bit of cornstarch in both the broth and in the eggs themselves. This is a trick I picked up that will inhibit protein bonds and keep the eggs from going rubbery. Since starting to use this method, all my egg drop soups have been silky smooth and never over-cooked.
This soup is properly an appetizer. Despite its simplicity, I guarantee that your guests will be overjoyed to see this coming when you walk out of the kitchen. This recipe will make four small cups of soup, but can be easily scaled up if you have more guests at your table. I generally use 1 to 2 cups of broth and one egg per person.
Egg Drop Soup
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 for a light dinner
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84
Total Fat 3.9g
Saturated Fat 1.2g
Cholesterol 93mg
Sodium 798mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.5g
Sugars 0.9g
Protein 8.0g
4 cups (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
2 to 4 large eggs
Salt or Soy sauce
Flavoring Extras - Use one or all
1/2" fresh ginger, peeled and cut into rounds
1 stem lemongrass, bruised
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
2 star anise
6-8 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons miso
Soup Extras - Use one or all
1/2 block (7-8 oz) extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch baby bok choy, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 small jalapeno (sliced thin)
Pour the stock into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
Put the smaller flavoring extras you're using into a tea ball or spice bag.
Add all your flavoring extras to the saucepan with the stock.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Scoop out all the flavoring extras with a slotted spoon.
Taste and add salt or soy sauce as needed.
Add any soup extras to the stock and simmer for five minutes.
Save some scallions for sprinkling on top of the soup at the end.
Scoop out 1/4 cup or so of the stock and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl.
Whisk this back into the stock and let it simmer for a minute or two until the broth no longer tastes starchy.
Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch.
Make sure your soup is at a bare simmer.
Holding a fork over the bowl, pour the eggs slowly through the tines.
Whisk the broth gently with your other hand as you pour.
Let the soup stand for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs.
Serve immediately, topped with thinly sliced scallions.
Cooks Notes: This is not a soup that keeps well. It's best poured straight from the saucepan into the serving bowls and then eaten as soon as it's cool enough to swallow.
You can nix the cornstarch if that's not your style. It adds about 2 grams of carbs per serving.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)