Eight Bites

Family Traditions

2011-12-26T15:26:00.002+01:00

The holidays are generally a time of traditions. Many of them are simple and represent a continuation of the past. Others are painful and diminishing. Each life is a history lesson written against the background of traditions. So many of our life’s important traditions revolve around the time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I spent the Christmas weekend with a family that reminded me of some of the traditions that have been my life.

I grew up in a large family. I was the oldest boy of six boys and four sisters. My father was a school principal and my mother kept the house and the kids fed, and safe as possible and secure. Thanksgiving and Christmas were good times in the family. At Thanksgiving we all would pile in the station wagon and drive to San Francisco. There we would visit my father’s sister and her daughter Joyce. Joyce was one of my best friends. We would spend an hour or two there and then head down the San Francisco peninsula to my grandmother’s house. Early images were from a house near Candlestick park. Several stories tall, it was an old row house with a dark and scary basement and a small backyard. I remember the stairs, and the kitchen. Many of my memories were about the food. My grandfather would sit at the table and drink a cup of coffee made in a percolator pot on the stove. He would always spill some into his saucer and would finish by drinking the spilled coffee out of the saucer. At Thanksgiving, the smell of the turkey roasting was overwhelming. My grandmother would be bustling around in the kitchen and the kitchen table would be laden with food. There was always a Jell-o salad mold with celery, nuts and apples in it. Pies: pumpkin and mincemeat. One aunt always brought some pasta like a lasagna. The cousins would all arrive, increasing in number until by 1963 there were 27 first cousins. My aunts and uncles would greet each other with hugs and kisses and the kids would run off to play. In the late 1950’s my grandfather bought a new house in Burlingame and with all the room and yard and the canyon behind it, Thanksgiving was a time of exploration. The weather was usually nice. It was time for eating and laughing and watching the uncles play poker and the aunts sit and gossip. The cousins fended for themselves.

Christmas on the other hand was quite different. Christmas was celebrated in our house. Decorations went up both inside and out. There was a wire strung from the living room to the dining room near the ceiling. My mother hung old family ornaments from the wire from one end of the room to the other. Plywood Christmas figures were attached to the roof. In the early 1950’s my father would carve linoleum blocks into our Christmas card and print them on a hand press. I remember the smell of the ink. We always bought a Christmas tree smelling of pine and Christmas and decorated it with hand-made ornaments; construction paper chains glued together, strings of popcorn, glass balls and little angels, and lots of lights. Some of the lights were long skinny ones that when they warmed up bubbled sort of like a Lava-lamp which came much later. The biggest tree we could put in that place of honor in the front room was about 6 feet tall. But the final tree topper almost always touched the ceiling.

Our tradition on Christmas Eve was to go out to dinner at the Riverview Restaurant sitting on a wharf overlooking the San Joaquin River Delta. While we ate, boats would pass with lights strung on the masts and we would eat seafood. Sometimes if it was Friday I would get to eat Cioppino (a seafood stew like bouillabaisse), in a large wooden bowl, sopping up the soup with great sourdough French bread. It was only served on Fridays. After dinner we would drive around Antioch looking at the Christmas light displays. And eventually we would end up at the home of one of my Father’s teachers. She was Greek, lived with her parents and her mother made the most amazing cookies I have ever tasted. Food memories.

We would head home and to bed so Santa could come and leave the presents under the tree. I sometimes tried to stay awake to catch him, but that only resulted in me falling asleep in the clothes hamper or some other strange place. Expectations were always modest regarding presents but there were always enough to make us happy and rarely did we feel that we didn’t get what we wanted. Sometimes my Dad would make pancakes, or fried corn meal mush with syrup. It was always a nice morning. Then we would be off to San Francisco again. Dressed in our Christmas clothes we would again visit my father’s sister and Joyce. Then head for my grandmother’s house for another visit with the cousins and a big feast. It was Thanksgiving all over again only this time we all got presents from my grandparents.

These traditions sort of ended for me when I graduated from high school and went into the Coast Guard in 1963. Dinners at my grandmother’s house still went on for ten more years but the cousins were growing older and starting to have other interests. Age was taking its toll. My Grandfather was killed in an auto accident in 1967. And it really ended in 1976 when my grandmother past away.

However since I had experienced traditions I was ready to create some of my own. Married in 1966, our first Christmas tree was a juniper branch cut from a neighbor’s tree, decorated with aluminum foil ornaments. From that point forward, we always had a real tree at Christmas. That first Christmas eve we went out in a snowstorm to a Greek restaurant for dinner. I had my first glass of Ouzo. And as the storm intensified we found a cab to take us back to the apartment. It was a good Christmas with not much in the way of presents but a great deal of family.

Traditions. In 1972 our first son was born in December and that was year we started another tradition. On the tree went an ornament engraved with Galen’s name and the date 1972. Each year we would get a new ornament to add to the tree. When our second son Garth was born in 1974 on New Year’s Eve, we added another. We brought our children up with Christmas being a magical time and not just about presents. We would go out and see the Christmas lights like I used to as a child. From the late 1970’s through the early 1990’s I played Santa Claus for friends and others. I have written about that experience before. But it was one of my most significant traditions.

As the years went by, the actual physical events at the holidays changed a little. We ate Thanksgiving at our house. On Christmas Eve we exchanged ornaments with each other and added these to our collections and hung them on the tree. On Christmas morning, I would make beignets and coffee, and we would let the kids open their presents. After the exchange of gifts, we would get dressed and drive to my mother’s house for Christmas gift giving and a meal not unlike what my grandmother used to create. My mother always gave us cookies. Hundreds of cookies. Sometimes the entire family would be there; sometimes not. As the years went by the sometimes not was a more frequent scenario.

So those are some of my holiday traditions and what they meant to me. In the last few years I have lost some of these family events that were such a large part of my life. My wife of 39 years was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at Christmas in 2004, and died shortly thereafter. Christmas after that was quite a bit different. The kids still came over for their gifts bringing their families with them. Beignets were still fried and covered with powdered sugar. Ornaments were still exchanged on Christmas Eve. But it seemed that the traditions I had grown up with were disappearing as the kids developed their own. Maybe that is how it should be.

It is sad that so many people grow up with few, if any holiday traditions. Christmas is NOT just another day. It is a day that should be joyful, not ignored. It is a day of giving and being with family and not just one where the TV is on. It is not just any other day. The tree is lit all day, and there is candy on the coffee table. The Christmas dinner is being prepared by those who do it out of love not out of duty. It is family, and colored lights, and the smell of roasting turkey, and cinnamon. It is warmth and security and yes, traditions.

This Christmas I remembered that there were traditions in my life. And I still appreciated them. Merry Christmas everyone.

Here are a couple of recipes to enliven the Christmas season.

Prosciutto Rolls

Ingredients
2 tbs Olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 Tbs Lemon juice
6 oz Goat cheese (room temperature)
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic
12 slices prosciutto (thicker) cut in half
½ C fig preserves
Rucola (Arugola)

Directions

Mix oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice and set aside. Mix goat cheese and minced garlic in a small bowl and set aside.

On a ½ slice of prosciutto, spread a layer of goat cheese, then a thin layer of fig preserves, then a couple of leaves of rucola. Drizzle with a bit of the lemon vinaigrette and season to taste with pepper. Roll the prosciutto around the filling and place on a serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Artichoke Crostini

Ingredients
8 1/2"-thick slices good French or Italian artisan bread
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup mascarpone
1 6 1/2oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 tbsp. finely chopped chives
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved thin with a peeler
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire in a grill or using a stove-top grill set to medium-high. Grill bread slices until both sides are golden brown with slightly charred crusts, 4–5 minutes. While hot, rub bread with garlic. Drizzle the bread with oil.

Slather 1 tbsp. of the mascarpone on top of each toasted slice. Top mascarpone with artichoke hearts, chives, parmesan, and pepper. Drizzle with more oil, if you like.

Check for seasoning on the artichoke hearts. Add a bit of vinegar or possibly some salt. They are often a bit bland in the jars.

BellaRosa

This is a thick luscious dessert that has never failed to get raves from guests. Use various liquors to achieve different flavors. The amount of cheese dictates the size of the dessert. Keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients
Mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese) 8-16 ounces
Cream cheese 8-16 ounces
Cream 1 pint
Sugar ½ cup
Lemon zest ½ tsp
Liquor: Use about 2 oz (Grand Marnier, brandy, coffee liquor, Amaretto, Limoncello, chocolate liquor)
Chocolate: bittersweet 70%, 2-4 oz chopped medium
Almond biscotti: 2 cups crushed

Directions
Place cream cheese and mascarpone in a bowl and mix with either a stand mixer or a hand mixer for 4-5 minutes until it is very smooth. Add 2 oz of the liquor of choice (I normally use Grand Marnier and chocolate liquors). Try to use complementing flavors and try not to use too much. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and the lemon zest and continue to mix. In another bowl beat the cream with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract until it reaches a medium stiff peak. Add half of the cream to the cheese mixture and mix thoroughly. Continue to whip cream to stiff peaks. Take the cheese mixture off the mixer and fold in the remaining cream gently.

Prepare the serving dish: Using a 13x9 inch casserole dish, place the crushed biscotti in the bottom of the dish (reserve about ¼ cup for the top). Sprinkle a bit of Grand Marnier or another liquor over the biscotti if you wish. Pour the cheese mixture onto the biscotti and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate and the reserved crushed biscotti. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Serve in 3-4” squares.

Three years out

2011-08-08T18:56:00.001+02:00

I have now gone past three years since my weight loss surgery and I decided to evaluate my status and see how I am doing. Also I needed to think about where I am headed. At 65 years old a lot of physical factors are impinging on you, A lifetime lived for better or worse, leaves you with scars, residual aches and pains and a lot of memories. So I will assess where I am in August 2011 and see where I have been in light of my weight loss, my physical health and where I want to be.

In 2008 on the 4th of June, I checked into California Pacific Hospital in San Francicso, California to have my vertical sleeve gastrectomy performed by Dr. Jossart. I had lost about 8 pound in the month between my initial meeting with him in May and my weight was 292 pounds. I had a BMI of about 45. At about 2PM that afternoon I went into surgery and then next time I knew what time it was, it was 530PM and I was back in my room. On June 5th, a bit after noon, my son picked me up and I returned to my home in Santa Rosa, California. For those first few weeks I took it easy with a liquid protein diet, riding the stationary bike and walking. I followed the “book” I had been given by Dr. Jossart to the letter. I knew I was losing weight because my clothes were starting to get very loose. Elastic pants worked the best.

I lost weight virtually continuously for the next year. On June 4th 2009 I weighed 170 pounds and had dropped 12 inches in my waist and gone from a jacket size of 54 to a 44. I was having no significant problems and could eat almost anything I wished. Tomato sauces and red wine did cause me some pain so I restricted my intake of those items. Ground beef (fast food hamburgers) also created significant pain so they also were avoided. Since I was in Italy and cooking with the AmoreSapore cooking program I could control what and how I ate to some degree. As time went past, I continued to slowly lose a few more pounds and ultimately reached 161 pounds. Dr. Jossart had given me a target weight of 154 when I first visited him and I had laughed at the thought of that. But there I was in 2010 at 96% of that goal. That by itself was actually hard to comprehend. I had not been that weight since I was 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. I was 64 years old with heart disease and I had gone back to the weight I was in high school. I thought that all was well in my life.

I bought new clothes, smaller clothes. I studiously avoided anything that had the insidious label on it of Extra large! I promised myself I would NEVER go back to that excess weight again. And for another year I maintained that weight at 165. I was cooking as part of the AmoreSapore team and a lot of people wanted to know how I could be a cook and still stay thin. I said it was always a matter of taste. Eight Bites were all I needed to satisfy me, from both a nutritional and an emotional level. I tasted things as I prepared them, and I was satisfied with the bits and morsels allowing me to eat a wide variety of foods, satisfy my nutritional demand and still create meals of substance for the guests.

I returned to California at the end of September 2010 and began trying to establish a cooking career. Over time while I cooked fairly frequently, it was not enough work to meet my financial obligations and I began seriously looking for a job back in the environmental industry where I had an almost 40 year career. In those stressful times I noticed that while I didn’t seem to be eating more, my weight began creeping upwards. First to 170, then to 175. My waist increased to 35 inches and my jackets went from 42R to 44R. When I went to the doctor and weighed on their scales, I was heavier than on my scale at home. I began evalating my diet, lifestyle, stressors, etc to see if I could get a clue as to the weight gain. I have written previously about some of the issues and increased calories. My doctor felt that I was reestablishing my satisfactory weight, but that didn’t help me button my jackets that were now 1” too tight.

So here I am in the summer of 2011. I am at 190 pounds, my waist has not increased and my jackets remain where they were at 44R. I feel OK and I am now working full time for a couple of environmental laboratories in the Los Angeles area. Work has been going well and while I am staying in residential hotels, I am able to control my food consumption and stay away from the fast food gauntlet on every thoroughfare in the Los Angeles area.

In the last few months I have had to have a stent put in an blocked artery in my heart and have learned to live with the realities that I have heart disease from a lifetime of excess weightr and my weight loss, while helping, has not diminished the heart disease. I will be held responsible for that and my life will undoubtedly be shortened by that issue. But I will continue to walk the path that I am on. I can only do what I can do right now to make myself healthier. One of those things is to exercise more and try to drop 4-5 pounds. That will not make me healthier but will make me a bit happier with myself.

The take away lesson here is that if you do this weight loss process do it because it will make you healthier. It will likely make you happier with who you are and how you look. But it will not make you a different person than you were pre-surgery. Pre-existing illnesses, health effects and other issues will still be there. I guess I have done what I could. Now I have to maintain it for as long as I can. Stay tuned. One thing for sure is that I will never go back to the weight I was before the surgery.

Braised meats

2011-05-24T00:10:00.017+02:00

In the post-surgical world after WLS, the textural quality of foods is very important to our ability of eat dishes like meats as well as digest them efficiently. I have found that braising meats often makes them more easily eaten and when using braising you can greatly increase the taste profiles and flavors of the dish. Normally, braised meats are served over some carbohydrate such as rice, mashed or roasted potatoes, polenta, or other types of pasta. In our world of restricted eating, carbohydrates are a significant component of the following dishes. You just have to adjust the quantity you eat. I have included three chicken dishes and one using fish. These are generally dishes which make a lot of food, so be prepared either to have some friends over or put some of the food away in the freezer for another meal or two. Mangia!

Chicken in green chili mole

Moles are typical chile sauces made in Mexico and central America and provide a complex flavor to the dishes where they are used. There are hundreds of recipes for moles, and they often include many different types of chiles, bitter chocolate and lots of different spices. They are often very complex but well worth trying. Mexican and Central American markets will often have the primary ingredients. This mole is pretty simple and provides a nice spicy counterpoint to the chicken.

1 whole chicken (3–4-lb), cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup chopped cilantro stems

2 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. whole black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

Green chili mole

8 oz. tomatillos, peeled and chopped

2 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 8″ flour tortillas, toasted

3 tbsp. canola oil

Directions: To cook the chicken, place the chicken pieces, cilantro, salt, peppercorns, garlic, onion, bay leaf, and 12 cups water in a 6-qt. saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from saucepan and strain liquid through a fine strainer; reserve about 4 cups of the braising liquid. Save remaining liquid and freeze for another use as a spicy addition to rice or a simple chicken soup. Set chicken and liquid aside.

Heat tomatillos and jalapeños in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until darkened and thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender with cilantro, salt, garlic, tortillas, and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid; puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; then add the tomatillo sauce and fry, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a paste, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining cooking liquid and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until reduced and thickened, about 30 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve with rice cooked with chopped tomato, chopped onions, and tablespoon of salsa and heated flour or corn tortillas.

Chicken Stewed in Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is used in chicken stews from Southeast Asia to Africa, from which this fragrant dish hails. It makes a very delicious braising liquid, imparting an exotic flavor to the meat. This is a highly spiced dish requiring some spices that may not be common on your pantry shelves. If the turmeric has been in the cabinet for so long you forgot it was there, it would probably be best to toss it and get a new bottle. The same holds true for lots of ground spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin. Whole spices can last for a long time, if you toast them gently then grind them for each use. Ground spices are probably good for about a year, and then become relatively tasteless. Depending upon the number of chilies used this dish can be from moderately spicy to very hot. Thai chiles can be found at oriental groceries or small red chiles can substitute. Use your palate’s judgment as well as some restraint, when you cook this for the first time. This dish will serve 6-8 people.

1⁄4 cup canola oil

1 1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green or red Thai chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
4 plum tomatoes, cored and minced
1 medium red onion, minced
4 skinless bone-in chicken legs and thighs, separated
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice (don’t use bottled lime juice here)
2 14-oz. cans coconut milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups cooked rice, for serving
Finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions: Heat the oil in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add the turmeric, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized, 20–25 minutes. Add chicken to pot along with lime juice and coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, put rice into 4 serving bowls and spoon chicken and sauce over rice. Garnish with cilantro and season with more black pepper.

Chicken “Osso Bucco”

This is a nice variation on the classic Italian veal shank dish. Serve it with a classic gremolata (finely minced mixture of parsley, lemon peel, and garlic).

8 chicken drumsticks or thighs
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for pasta
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups tomato sauce
4 cups chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig of fresh thyme and a bay leaf
1 1⁄2–2 cups penne pasta
1 tomato, diced
Chopped fresh parsley

Directions: Lightly coat drumsticks with flour. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add drumsticks and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add carrots, onions, celery, peppers and garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Add tomato sauce, chicken stock, zest, and juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the thyme and the bay leaf. Continue cooking, uncovered, over medium-high heat until sauce thickens, 20–30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°. Return the chicken to pan and bake, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 20–30 minutes.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil. To serve, spoon chicken and sauce over pasta and garnish with tomatoes and parsley or the gremolata.

Braised Cod with Kale and potatoes

Cod is a meaty, hearty fish that stands up to the dense and earthy flavor of kale. You can also substitute halibut for the cod. Serve this dish with French bread and a fresh green salad.

1 lb. leeks
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lb. new potatoes, washed and halved
1 lb. thick cod or halibut fillets cut into large pieces
3 packed cups washed, stemmed, and roughly chopped kale leaves
1 cup dry white wine or stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Trim off and discard green tops of leeks. Roughly chop the white part, place in a colander, and wash thoroughly in running water to remove all sand. Drain and dry on paper towels. Heat 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add leeks and garlic and cook slowly until leeks are tender, about 20 minutes.

Dry potatoes well and add to the pan. Raise heat to medium-high and sauté until lightly browned, about 3–5 minutes. Add kale and stock or white wine. Cover, lower heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender and kale has cooked down, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, sear the fish in a lightly oiled nonstick pan over medium-high heat until golden, about 1 minute per side. Add fish to kale mixture and continue to simmer until fish is opaque, about another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Crackers and cheese

2011-03-23T00:40:00.000+01:00

There is a commonly held belief in our weight-conscious society that eating slowly will help you lose weight. This belief has been around for a long time and has attained the level of “truth.” But is it “truth”? The hard science behind this “truth” is generally lacking. As a scientist, I believe in the scientific method. This method moves from a question, to testing, to an answer, and then to another question. Science moves forward on the development of a sound hypothesis or question. The next phase is the design of rigorous experiments and the testing of that hypothesis to determine if it can be disproved. It is inherently difficult to disprove an idea so it is imperative that we attempt to do so. If we cannot rigorously disprove a hypothesis, it becomes a theory and therefore simply another question. A lot of the weight loss documentation in the field seems to be based upon proving a hypothesis or justifying the specific question or idea that is posed. It often appears that many of these research efforts are designed ultimately to sell some diet plan, diet pill or quick fix program to those of us out there struggling with weight issues.

Back to the issue of eating quickly or slowly. Dieters are counseled to eat slowly and chew their food many times, and put their fork down between bites. This enforced slowing of the consumptive process is theoretically intended to trick the body into sending messages to the brain that you are full and then this tells you to stop eating, before you eat too much. Fast eating may overwhelm the body’s intrinsic hormonal and psychological systems and allow you to eat more, because the message to the brain that you are full is delayed. I have also said that eating your Eight Bites slowly can be incorporated into a active social process which includes eating with friends and family who have not had bariatric surgery, may not be heavy, and may not be on a diet. So what do we do? Eat fast or eat slowly?

After WLS, your body processes eating inputs differently than before. Eating fast or slow was relevant to the information inputs from the stomach to the brain. After WLS when you are physically restricted from eating too much, a different set of conditions occurs. You are now responsible for how much food is put into your body (stomach or what is left of it). The hormonal and neural inputs have been altered and no longer function at the same level. After WLS, you have to learn to feel that you are full, or preferably one bite less than full and stop eating. Overeating after WLS has a variety of effects. It can be painful from over-distending the stomach or pouch; and it can in the early period immediately after surgery cause the surgical site to rupture causing a serious infection (peritonitis) that is often life-threatening. So after WLS you have to learn to know your body better than you did before. After WLS you have to feel and know when to stop eating.

This knowledge is a combination of stomach capacity and your own ability to look at what you are eating and say that is enough. Enough? That is probably the most difficult thing we have to understand after we have undergone the surgical procedures to lose the weight. How do we know what enough is? If you have lived your life never limiting your capacity to eat, this is a difficult thing to understand. First you have to know how much food you can physically put into that newly altered physical environment called your digestive storage system (previously known as your stomach). Your doctor’s instructions are very clear on how that early period post-surgery should be handled. You are likely drinking high protein liquids, which do not put excessive pressure on your surgical site and also provide you with the nutrition your body needs. It is actually pretty easy in those first weeks and months as you rapidly see yourself losing weight, and losing inches. It is easy to succeed when you are succeeding easily. When you switch to a more normal diet is when things get more difficult. Over time as the weight falls off you start to get back into a more “normal” mode of eating. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks all become part of your normal life. In a year or more post-surgery you will reach a point where you will not lose any more weight. If you are near your ultimate goal you may be satisfied. If you are not, it may be time to critically evaluate the factors in your nutritional world.

This is the time you need to look clearly at what you are eating, when you are eating, and how you are eating in this new environment. This is a time for total honesty with yourself. You went into this weight loss regimen for a reason. What was it? Was it for your health and the desire to increase the potential for a longer healthier life? An honest appraisal of your motives is critical at this point. It may make the difference between your successful weight loss and the potential to put weight back on.

In the last few months I have put approximately 12 pounds back on and I contacted my doctor. His response was because I had been having my heart issues in January and February, I had cut back on my exercise and also probably was retaining fluid as well. So I increased my exercise after the angioplasty. But I also started to examine what and when and how I was eating. After you have WLS you tend to think that calories don’t really count anymore because you can only eat a small amount of food. It can be a very slippery slope if you stop considering what caloric values foods have. And can be even more slippery, if you neglect the exercise so fundamental to the maintenance of the weight loss.

You need to examine what you are eating in light of both the volume and caloric values. I realize that you are eating much smaller amounts than you used to but it is time to examine the true nutritional value of the food you are eating. The first thing is to make a list of what you ate today. Include the estimated amounts in your list. I created spreadsheet that had one worksheet that was a list of foods, their caloric values per unit, and the total grams of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. A second sheet held a calculation sheet. To start I input the foods I ate the day I created the spread sheet, and I found out my day’s intake was 1600 calories instead of the 800-900 calories I thought I was eating. Wow! In my case I found I was snacking on too many crackers and cheese. Ten crackers were about 100 calories, an ounce of cheese is about 100-120 calories, and a tablespoon of butter is 100 calories. So snacking on crackers and cheese at intervals during the day can add 400-600 calories to your diet. That can take you from 900 calories per day to 1500 calories per day, and gradually put on a few of those unwelcome pounds again. If anyone wants a copy of my spreadsheet just email me at kfk125@yahoo.com and I will send it to you.

Now back to the original question that started this entry, should you eat fast or slow? A recent research study published by a group of Dutch scientists suggested that eating slowly doesn't make you eat less than if you eat more quickly. The researchers compared what happens to meal size and appetite by having a group of volunteers eat a leisurely two-hour lunch, and at another time, eat the same lunch in just 30 minutes. They found that the volunteers did indeed feel fuller after the leisurely meal, and were still satiated several hours later. But despite feeling full, when presented with an offering of traditional snacks several hours after lunch, the group who ate the slow meal snacked on as many calories as they did following their 30-minute meal. What this means is that regardless of whether they ate quickly or slowly, it did not translate into an unwillingness to snack on post lunch snacks. So in terms of dieting, snacking is a potentially big problem. As I have personally seen, eating typical post WLS meals is not a difficult proposition. However eating snacks between those meals can almost double the total caloric input for a day.

Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/health/nutrition/08eat.html

What does this mean for those who have gone through the process of some version of weight loss surgery? The physical restrictions placed upon our eating habits at first keeps you satisfied as the pounds come off. Calories are irrelevant and unimportant. But when you get to the flattened out spot on your weight loss chart, the physical restrictions begin to play a less significant role. It then is up to you. You need to decide what you want to eat, and how often you want to eat. There are three directions you can go here: 1) You can remain at the weight you achieved by balancing the calories you consume with the calories you expend on a daily basis; 2) you can continue to lose weight by increasing your caloric output through exercise; and 3) you can gain weight back by consuming more calories that you expend. Thermodynamics rules this decision making. Snacking defeats the objective to maintain your weight unless you increase the calories expended (exercise). Your doctor can give the mechanism to lose weight, but it will be up to you to maintain that weight. The discipline necessary to effectively make it through this journey can be difficult. Sometimes you just have to sit down and give yourself a good talking to and realize that if your weight is to be what you have sought, it will be up to you. In my case I have given up eating so many crackers and cheese.

Fried Potatoes and Eggs with Cinnamon Toast

2011-03-06T02:06:00.001+01:00

A friend was going to be here on Sunday and I wanted to do their favorite breakfast. Potatoes and eggs, with cinnamon toast. I cut up several good sized Yukon gold potatoes into about 1 inch cubes and put them in some cold water to get rid of a little of the starchiness. The potatoes are not peeled as the skins when sautéed are quite good. Three or four potatoes are about the right amount for two breakfast servings. I always keep in mind how much carbohydrates I could eat as well as my guest. If you do make more than can be eaten that morning, put the remaining potatoes in a bowl and reheat the next day. They are not as crispy but still make for a nice addition for breakfast.

To make the potatoes, I drain the potatoes well and chopped a medium onion into a coarse dice. Into a non-stick saute pan I put about ¼ cup of canola oil and brought it to a temperature of about 330 degrees. At that temperature the potatoes will cook relatively quickly and will not absorb too much oil. I then add the chopped onions and the potatoes and start to quickly saute the vegetables. As they begin to brown, I pour in about ½ cup of water and immediately put a lid on the pan. The water quickly steams the potatoes and when it is evaporated you will hear the potatoes starting to sizzle in the remaining oil. The onions should not burn when using this combination oil and water technique. The vegetables will cook nicely together. When the potatoes are golden and crisp, put them in the oven at 350 degrees to hold until you make the eggs.

Eggs are the salvation of the WLS diner. They are so versatile and nutritious that they should be an integral and important part of your high protein diet. They provide a very high quality protein source and can be served in hundreds of ways. In Larousse Gastronomique, an early compendium of French cooking methods and dishes, there are many pages of egg preparations ranging from the simple to the extraordinarily complicated.

My guest liked their eggs sunny side up and I like mine over easy. To cook a beautifully fried egg sunny-side up, you need to start with a non-stick saute pan set over medium-low heat. You really don’t want to overcook the eggs and want the whites set but the yolks still slightly runny.

Put a pat of good butter in the warm pan to provide rich flavor and break two eggs into a bowl. When the butter has melted and has stopped foaming, slide the eggs from the bowl into the pan and start to cook them gently. The whites will start to cook first and then you can add a pinch of pepper. When the whites are fully cooked but still a bit soft, give the pan a little shake to free the eggs from the pan and slide them out on to a warm plate. Over easy is a bit trickier but you start using the same technique. After you shake the pan to release the eggs you can gently flip the eggs in the pan so they cook for 20-30 seconds on the other side.

Plate the potatoes on a warm plate and place the eggs next to them to serve.

Now to the cinnamon toast. I like using a baguette sliced in half horizontally and opened up flat. Spread the bread with butter and sprinkle on a mixture of sugar (1/2 cup), cinnamon (1 teaspoon) and a small pinch of nutmeg. Place on a baking sheet and then into the oven with the potatoes. Allow the toast to get a light brown and the sugar topping is a bit melted.

Thinking in Eight Bite increments

This breakfast provides a good level of protein in the eggs, complementing flavors in the potatoes and onions, and then a little sweetness and crunch with the cinnamon toast. However you still have to think about the volume you should eat. My estimate of the breakfast portion size is the two eggs, about ½ cup of the potatoes, and a 3” piece of the cinnamon toast. This will give you the nutrition you are looking for as well as a sense of eating a nicely flavored breakfast. Don’t be afraid to indulge your tastes every once in awhile with things like cinnamon toast. There is just no need to eat to excess. Thomas Keller at the famous restaurant The French Laundry in Yountville, California says that he serves small portions because we really only remember the taste of that first bite or two. So tastes and those small bites are important.

Tomorrow I will make a couple of nice espressos, plate the eggs and potatoes, portion out the cinnamon toast and call my buddy to breakfast. It will be a nice way for me to start their day. And it will be the start of a good day for me as well. So invite your friends to visit and make a simple breakfast to start their day.

A new resolve

2011-02-10T01:03:00.003+01:00

The other day I wrote about how I have taken responsibility to make myself healthier through the WLS weight loss and other life modifications that I have made. I talked about the heart catheterization I was going to have last Monday and what that meant to me both physically and mentally. I went into that procedure two days ago with a positive attitude and little apprehension. Some cardiac emergencies came in while I waited and my schedule got pushed backwards an hour and a half. But finally it was my turn. A few needle sticks and I was asleep, sort of. When I awoke an hour later it was over and they slid me over on to my bed again and said they were taking me over to the hospital so I could stay overnight, That meant they had put in a stent. The nurses and the doctor were all quite positive about the procedure so I was too. No pain or discomfort and I got a private room, because there were no more rooms available.

I was starving since I had not eaten in almost 24 hours, so they brought me a turkey sandwich (actually very good). I got a phone call from a friend checking to see how I was doing and then a second call asking if I was going home that night and needed a ride. The nurses kept a check on me all night so there was actually little sleep, but I was not in any discomfort, and felt pretty well. The doctor had told me that if everything was okay he would discharge me in the morning so I just dozed off until he came in. He told me about my stent and how it had gone well. Then he told me about the other problems that they had found. Apparently the blood vessels downstream from my bypasses done in 2006 showed signs of heart disease. They were in locations that apparently could not be stented or bypassed. This meant that the only recourse I had was medical therapy. So we discussed the long term issues and options and while they were not determined to be of immediate concern I would have to deal with at some point in the future.

Needless to say that was not the news I wanted to hear. I was a bit down the rest of the day and when I got home to the empty house, it was awfully quiet. But then I started to consider all of the things that have happened in my life and I realized that while I had done everything I could do to change the health status of my life there were still things created many years before that were hanging over my head like Damocles’ sword. Thirty to forty years of poor diets, lack of exercise, diabetes, and the weight gain were superimposed on top of that my family genetics. It was an equation that did not balance well. And frankly I should have realized that a long time ago. But I thought that all I had to do to become healthy is lose the weight and get rid of the diabetes.

So as I sit here this morning thinking about the message I received from my doctor and drinking a cup of coffee I realized that I had gotten up this morning just so that I could start all over again, again. I try to think that way every day. Each day is a new beginning. The problematical stuff with my heart will likely become an issue in a few years. But also will be managed medically. There are apparently no surgical options available at this time. I stress the "at this time" as this may change with our changing technology. I am not expecting medical technology to make my life perfect, but I do expect that technology may very well change how they treat this problem. But until they do, I am pushing forward doing what I have to do.

These back side health problems almost always started many years earlier and to me that meant that your healthy life’s choices need to be made better and earlier than we think now. I guess any special insight I may have is based upon accepting who I was and why I was where I was; and doing what was necessary to change as many risk factors as I could. After that, I then have to deal effectively with those factors that are either genetic (and to some degree out of our control, though not totally) and/or self-driven. There is a lot to be said about looking critically at yourself and your life and evaluating these things.

Accepting some responsibility for changing the front side is very important. I have only watched the Biggest Loser a few times and didn’t particularly like the way the heavy people were treated by the trainers and to a more significant degree by the public. We applauded their successes and seemed to almost gloat in their failures, almost like we expected them to. And as a heavy person, we sometimes start to look at ourselves as a failure. That perception causes us to spiral downwards. Weight does not affect your intelligence and yet many people perceive heavy people as not that smart. “If you were smart, you can change.” To me the biggest perceptual problem with people who are getting heavier is their general unwillingness to critically look at their life simply from the point of health maintenance. It can be said as an excuse, “Since everyone is heavier, what is so wrong with me?”

Now as I look down the path I am on I realize that issues created many years ago under conditions where I was not particularly responsible for my health are going to cause me problems in the future. The weight loss was a positive step; and the elimination of diabetes was also a positive step. But they were probably insufficient to make up for all those years prior. In reality, what other choice did I have? If I had not done what I did to improve my health, I probably would not be writing this or anything, ever again. I probably would not have made it to this point. But I have, and now I know I have some more work to do to ensure that I live as long as possible.

So in ending this entry, I would ask you that if you are considering weight loss surgery or have had it and are moving along, do not be surprised if more health problems are encountered. The WLS is not a total health “fix”. It is really just a reduction or elimination of one risk factor for heart disease. The additional elimination of diabetes also reduces the risks. But other risks are not going to go away. A family history and genetics is an important element and will never go away. Be sure you stay active and exercise as much as you can. Eat as well as you can, given the limitations the Eight Bites life will allow you. And do not fear the future, for it is the only one you will ever have. Your future will last as long as you do. You can do some things to influence it though. You have taken or may be preparing to take your health into your own hands. Handle it with courage, care, and gentleness, but look back at where you were and then do the things you need to do to reduce as many health risks as possible. You also must look forward to dealing with more health issues in the future. Just don’t let them freeze you in place or make you hesitant to act now to reduce your risks.

People do respond to a rational discourse in this increasingly irrational world and I guess that is what I am trying to do. If I manage to get people to think differently about their own health, that is an admirable goal. Maybe I can get some to realize that detection and action, when there is a problem, may simply not early enough. You almost always have to think a long ways back and then a long ways forward, don’t you?

A test of character

2011-02-06T19:39:00.003+01:00

As we confront ourselves each day in the mirror we begin the daily testing of the character that we are, and what we hope to be. It is not a simple matter of doing something. It is the matter of doing the right thing. The reasons we give ourselves tests our honesty and personal integrity; and above all else we have to be honest with ourselves. Every day we pick the path we will walk that day. Sometimes it is the same path we were on yesterday and the day before; sometimes it is a new path with unknown pitfalls, hazards and potential rewards. Do the satisfactions from walking the same path you have been on still make your life a good one? Or is truly time for a change?

When I decided to have my weight loss surgery in 2006, I had been involved with the process for 24 years with my first wife, and truly understood the limits that would be placed upon me after my surgery. There were many elements that had to be considered. The most important was my overall health and its attendant risk factors. At 300 pounds on a 5’9” frame I was entirely too heavy. I was on daily insulin support (four injections daily), and I was hypertensive and could not effectively bring my blood pressure down. I had a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. My father died of a heart attack, significantly influenced by his diabetes. My mother died from a sudden heart attack at the age of 83, when she developed congestive heart failure. Many of my siblings were overweight, and were experiencing many of the same medical issues faced by our parents.

So the primary reason I had the weight loss surgery was to gain some semblance of control over my health, my life and to some degree in my own longevity. It retrospect it was a good decision. I have lost the weight I needed. I have eliminated the diabetes that scared me so with its long term prognoses of neuropathy, blindness, circulation problems, and cardiac risks. But my blood pressure was still higher than I wanted it to be. I was still taking medications for control, and while they were at lower dosages, they were apparently still needed. In 2006 I had a heart attack and double bypass surgery and in general, my heart was in pretty good shape. There is always a bit of paranoia about the artificially altered circulation in your heart after bypass surgery. You want the bypasses to last forever and most of the time they do. But the paranoia still is there.

Last summer I started having some tightness in my chest when I carried heavy loads to and from the houses where we catered meals in Italy. The tightness went away quickly but it did cause me some concern. It was not constant and didn’t always occur when I worked; but it did occur often enough to raise the hair on the back of my neck and start that paranoia again. After leaving Italy, and returning to California (and being eligible for Medicare) I decided to have a stress test to see if the bypasses were still okay and functioning. So on my 65th birthday I went in for that test. They injected, probed, prodded, and I walked faster and faster. Then I felt that twinge of pain and tightness again. But it was apparently not the bypasses, it was something new.

Tomorrow I will go into the hospital for a cardiac catheterization with three possible outcomes. First they may find nothing of significance and I will go home with new medications. Or they will find some minor blockages and put in a balloon stent to open up the artery. Or they might find that I need another bypass. The doctor felt that the need for a bypass was a 1% probability, while the stent was about 99%. At first I was angry after all the work I had done to lose the weight, but that quickly went away as I realized that a lifetime lived heavy was the likely cause of this issue. I reconciled my actions taken to improve my health with the retained potential for problems into the future. So this has been the test of my character for today. As I looked in the mirror this morning I saw a changed man, who has taken charge of his life and yet still suffered the consequences of what he was before.

How does this fit into Eight Bites today? The combined effects of our past health issues, what we do about them, and where we go has to be considered in our decisions. Weight is the most easily changed of the risk factors that we have had. Doing something about that brought me a great deal of personal satisfaction and eliminated my diabetes. Two factors have been reduced to relative insignificance. But the heart is another factor. The weight loss has helped but it has not solved the long term problems. Now I must deal with those issues and move on. The path beckons. It is still into an unknown future, it still may be difficult and include new problems, but I have done something to change it. Do not expect the weight loss surgery to solve everything in your life. Take responsibility for changing the things you can, deal with the things you can’t change intelligently and calmly, and continue to live. Eight Bites at a time. Live on!

My 65th Birthday

2011-02-04T18:38:00.001+01:00

This picture is me when I was 5 years old, in Antioch, California. Last Tuesday was my 65th birthday and I decided to have a party. So Friday night, I had a group of old friends over for a buffet of lots of different foods, some good laughs, some quiet conversations and a peaceful beginning to my 65th year. This has been a year of substantial changes and I look forward to the new year with confidence and anticipation.
As to Eight Bites and my thinking and status, this is where I am. I have retained my weight loss at about 140 pounds and weight 160-165 right now. I have been able to stay at this weight for a year and a half now and feel that it is unlikely that I will allow myself to put weight back on. At times I do want something more than I should eat, but I have found that with the gastrectomy, I feel uncomfortable when I eat a couple of bites too much. It is an auto-regulating mechanism. It hurts if I overeat and since I am not a big fan of pain, I have learned to stop eating before I reach that point. Calories are automatically restricted and I don’t have to do anything austere or drastic to prevent my weight from going up. It is why I feel so confident that I will not regain that weight so dearly lost. Besides what would I do with all the clothes I have purchased that fit me so nicely now?

Party food or how to have a good time at a party and not over eat. The menu for the party was pretty extensive but was focused on small individual bites of things. The Eight Bites component of the food for the birthday party was:
• Crostini with turkey spread, crisp bacon, and chipotle cranberry sauce
• Deviled eggs
• Barbecued chicken crepe stack
• Stuffed peppers with sausage
• Crostini with mushroom pate
• Crostini with black beans, chipotle orange sauce
• Cheese plate with Gouda, Havarti and provolone
• Brie with spiced walnuts
• Salami and smoked Gouda
• Vegetable plate with grape tomatoes, celery and bocconcini
• Rigatoni with vegetable sauce
• Squash ravioli with a white herb sauce
• Tortellini gorgonzola
• Flourless chocolate cake with ganache
• Lemon tart
• Chocolate truffles

The following description of four of these dishes shows how you can have a number of different tastes, and enjoy the party without eating too much. As the cook, I tasted everything to be sure that the food items were what I wanted them to be, but these four items are what I had as my dinner. The balance of the dinner was designed for guests who had not had weight loss surgery. The dishes included pastas and desserts.

Crostini with turkey spread, crisp bacon, and chipotle cranberry sauce
For all the crostini, I sliced French bread baguettes into ½ slices, brushed them with olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and toasted them in the oven at 350 degrees until they were barely crisp.

I used a ½ pound of a good quality of smoked turkey breast from the deli, put it in the food processor with a couple of tablespoons of sweet, hot mustard, a tablespoon of the chipotle sauce, and a couple of tablespoons of softened butter and processed it into a smooth puree. I cooked the thick sliced bacon in the oven with a small amount of brown sugar on each slice and a few drops of the chipotle cranberry sauce then cut each slice into 1” long pieces. To make the crostini, put a little of the chipotle sauce on the bread, spread a layer of the turkey spread and top with a piece of crisp bacon and a few drops of the chipotle sauce. These antipasti provide a fair amount of protein from the turkey and bacon, and a single piece can be a nice addition to your Eight Bites plate. Nutritionally, a 1 ounce serving of the smoked turkey breast is approximately 8 grams of protein.

Deviled eggs
Just make your favorite deviled egg recipe. One or two halves provide a nice amount of protein and pleasant change from the bread crostini. One egg consists of 6 grams of protein content and at least 9 amino acids. Proteins constitute nearly 13% of the weight of an egg. Eating an egg as part of the Eight Bites meal will give you almost 10 percent of the protein required for post-bariatric surgery patients and is also a very high quality protein source.

Barbecued chicken crepe stack
These antipasti are easily made using simple crepes and chopped barbequed chicken and some cheddar cheese. Make crepes from your favorite recipe and add couple of teaspoons of dried chives to the batter before cooking. To create the stack, place a crepe on a baking sheet, top with ¼ cup of chopped chicken mixed with barbecue sauce, then top with cou[ple of tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese. Put another crepe on top of the first, and repeat until you have about 7 or eight crepes in the stack. Finish with a layer of chicken and cheese. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and serve hot in wedges. A serving wedge should have about an ounce of chicken and 7 grams of protein.

Stuffed peppers with sausage
This dish is simply made using mild sweet peppers, available fresh in most grocery stores. Slit the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, rinse and allow to drain and ry. Make the stuffing from 12 ounces of sausage (use your favorite type of hot, or sage, or Italian), a medium chopped onion and a cup of grated Parmigiano=Reggiano cheese. Cook the sausage with the onions until the meat is no longer pink. Put the meat in a food processor and add the cheese. Process using pulses to obtain a coarse mix. Stuff the mixture into the pepper halves and place on a baking sheet. Heat under the broiler until the top is bubbly and golden. Serve warm or hot. The amount of sausage in each pepper is approximately ½ ounce and provides about 6-8 grams of protein per serving.

From the perspective of Eight Bites, having a single piece of the smoked turkey crostini, two deviled egg halves, a wedge of barbecue chicken crepe stack and two stuffed peppers was enough to give me approximately 35 grams of protein or about 50% of the protein required for the day and I didn’t have to eat a lot. And happily, I also have the opportunity to taste a lot of different dishes.

Think Eight Bites, think interesting flavors, think positively about your weight loss and think positively about your new life. Enjoy the day. So, Happy Birthday to me. May there be many more in my healthy new life. There is no good alternative to another birthday.

Focusing today

2011-01-19T22:30:00.002+01:00

I have been reading some of my blog entries and I feel that it is time to take a big step back and think through what was my original intent and have I been true to that intent. Have I provided you some answers or have I just caused you to have more questions. Frankly, I hope I have done both.

The time after WLS is a complex period in your life. Your body is changing rapidly. Often faster than you think and almost always faster than you can have the waistband of your pants taken in. You have to get new clothes, but what size? It can be an ongoing mystery as your body changes. But it also can be a lot of fun especially if you have been heavy for quite awhile. Seeing a different you in the mirror virtually every day can be life-changing. However, at the same time your body is changing on the outside it is also changing on the inside. You go through those first few healing weeks, thinking will I ever enjoy food again, as you sip those protein drinks that sometimes are not so yummy? I remember how incredibly good that scrambled egg tasted at week three as I transitioned on to soft foods and away from liquids.

It is really important during those first few weeks that you really begin to think seriously about your eating habits. Why did you have the surgery? What were you expecting to happen after the weight loss? Did you think it would be easy and effortless? Actually in all honesty these questions should have been seriously thought out before you had the surgery. Once you have committed to it, it changes everything, hopefully. And I meant hopefully. Too many people I have talked to in the last year are absolutely convinced that all people who have WLS will regain a lot of the weight lost. Insurance companies deny coverage because of the apparently high percentage of people regaining the weight. It really does come down to you and your personal reasons for having the surgery and losing the weight. Are the reasons you used to justify the surgery sufficient to carry you through to the successful weight loss and much more importantly, to the continued maintenance of that lost weight?

My intentions in the upcoming blog entries is to develop a more specific focus on the individual, and how much they eat. I will be looking at any recipes I provide and show you how to make them just for you. To provide you that defined amount of food that will help you maintain the weight loss. My suggestions for portion size and cooking techniques will be directed toward just the individual who has had WLS. I want to clearly show that you can maintain the weight loss by eating carefully managed portions, knowing when to stop, and knowing when you are eating to excess. You can regain weight if you expand the “pouch” the surgeon created to accommodate more food. More food means more calories. More calories goes to the laws of thermodynamics where calories in must equal calories out. You have a restricted input after surgery, but you can still sabotage the results by eating cheesecake and washing it down with a chocolate milkshake, or pureeing strawberry pancakes so they can go down easier, or just gradually eating a bit more than your stomach was redesigned to hold and allowing the stomach musculature to expand and accommodate more food. Again this goes to the reasons you had surgery in the first place. Were you over-eating because of stress or dealing with life’s issues? Did you eat too much simply because you enjoyed the tastes and flavors, and felt you needed to clean your plate? Did you just not balance the thermodynamics by getting sufficient exercise to balance off the calorie taken in? Did you eat a whole pumpkin pie with whipped cream just because it tasted so good?

My objective in these following blogs is to redirect you eating away from what you could eat to what you should be eating. I will describe dishes in light of the adequate levels of proteins you need and put the ancillary food items such as carbohydrates to the side. I am going to give you information on maintaining the portion controls you need to maintain your weight loss. I am not your keeper, but as a WLS patient I have seen the good and the bad that can result if you don’t take full control of your eating and your thinking about food. I am going to try to give you the tools you can use every day to meet not only your physiological and caloric demands but your demands for tasty, interesting, and exciting foods.

Portion control will be the emphasis that I will be working with. Portions are easily over-ridden if you wish, but I want my objective to be to give you sufficient good tasting food that provide you what your body needs and not to provide excess. This will force you to look at how you are eating, how much you are eating and maybe why you are eating more than you need in your after-surgery life.

So starting today I will focus on giving you the information I think you might need to make your new life satisfying.

New Year’s Eve 2010

2011-01-04T23:25:00.001+01:00

This New Years is quite a bit different from last year. Last year I was in Italy and I helped cook for a group of 6 diners, at a very nice house near us. This year I am back in California and starting a personal chef and cooking class business on the north coast above San Francisco.

This New Year's Eve I catered the biggest dinner I have ever done by myself. I cooked for 30 diners at a friend’s beautiful home. It was a fancy party with good music, pretty clothes, and good food. The dinner was served buffet style which made it pretty simple to do. On the other hand, the person who was supposed to assist me backed out at the last minute. So the strategy to prepare and serve the dinner changed. I decided to do a lot of the prep work and some of the precooking at home. Of course that makes it important that the food still taste and look fresh when it is served.

Since this is Eight Bites I want to focus on portions and the food. I also want to show that you can entertain and serve good food to your friends and guests without feeling the least bit deprived of being part of the celebration. New Year’s Eve is a serious party evening. It’s when people want to get out, end the year on a festive note and let their hair down a bit. So this is about making good food, and having fun. It is however not about excess.

The special dinner started with four antipasti dishes.
Crepes with smoked salmon, citrus marmalade and cream cheese
I made a simple crepe batter out of flour, milk, cream, a bit of baking powder, a small amount of sugar, eggs, and melted butter. I then added a good amount of chopped chives to the mixture and let it rest for an hour. It was pretty thick so I thinned it a bit with some more cream. I baked them in a non-stick skillet until there were brown and then flipped them over. When they were done I stacked them separated by paper towels. I made about 35 crepes and put them in the refrigerator overnight.

To make the filling, I took cream cheese and mixed it with a small amount of seasoning salt and lots of black pepper. I then crumbled in the smoked salmon, a couple of tablespoons of chopped chives, a couple of teaspoons of lemon zest, and some chopped parsley and mixed it well. I added about two tablespoons of my lemon mostarda to the cheese. The cheese mixture was allowed to sit for an hour and the flavors combine. At room temperature the cheese was also easier to spread. I spread the cheese mixture on the crepes and then drizzled a small amount of the lemon mostarda on the top. I rolled up the crepes and placed them in a pan to hold in the refrigerator until I finished the prep at the party. All of this prep work was done at home and all I had to do at the party was to cut the crepes into serving size pieces and then plate them on a pretty platter.

Crostini with wild mushroom pate
These wild mushroom crostini were made with a mixture of wild mushrooms and cultivated mushrooms purchased at the local Farmer’s Market. I used dried Shitake and porcini mushrooms, a couple of chanterelles and morels, and commercially grown Portobello mushrooms to make the mushroom pate. The dried mushrooms were soaked to reconstitute them and then were added to the sliced fresh mushrooms. All of the mushrooms were sautéed in a mixture of butter and olive oil. The liquid from the the dried mushrooms was added to enhance the flavor and then the liquid reduced. I added about a ¼ cup of Marsala as well to add more flavor and then added a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley and they were reduced again to evaporate most of the liquid. The mushrooms were placed in a food processor with a cube of butter and mixed to achieve a relatively fine puree, placed in a container and allowed to cool and solidify in the refrigerator. I made this pate two days before the party.

A beer bread was used as the base of the crostini. I have given the recipe for this bread before and have shown how you can vary the flavor of it by the addition of different ingredients. This time since I was putting a mushroom pate on the bread I decided to make the bread with dried Porcini mushrooms. I had brought back from Italy a lot of packages of the dried porcini which has an intense mushroom aroma, particularly in its dried form. I reconstituted the mushrooms in a little water and then chopped them coarsely. They went into the bread mixture along with some seasoning salt, garlic powder and pepper. The resulting loaf was a very aromatic bread that I was able to make a couple of days before the party. After it cooled, I put it in a plastic bag and into the refrigerator. The night of the party I sliced the bread into ½ inch thick slices and painted one side with olive oil. I then grilled the bread in a stove top grill pan, topped it with a small amount of a fig jam I had made and then spread on the mushroom pate. I cut each slice into two pieces and plated them on a nice plate and out it went to the buffet.

Cucumbers with herbed, garlic goat cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes
This antipasti was quite simple and yet a very tasty “finger food”, it is also colorful and is an attractive addition to the buffet. I sliced four large peeled cucumbers into ½ in slices and held them cold in a bowl in the refrigerator. The fresh goat cheese was mixed with three or four cloves of minced garlic, some seasoning salt and pepper. Oven-dried tomatoes were made by slicing cherry tomatoes in half, mixing them with olive oil and dried oregano and a tablespoon of sugar and allowing them to marinate for about an hour. Then I placed them on a baking sheet and turned them all so they were cut side up. Into a 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes and then I turned the oven off and allowed them to dry for another hour or so. They were soft yet they had a concentrated tomato flavor. The serving was done by topping a slice of cucumber with a scant teaspoon of the goat cheese and then this was topped with a tomato half.

Grilled eggplant and zucchini dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Grilling vegetables was a technique I learned in Italy and there we grilled lots of different vegetables, depending upon their seasonal abundance. Eggplant and zucchini are available all year around here in California so I decided to use them in a simple grilled dish as a starter. The eggplant were sliced into ½ inch thick slices and sprinkled with salt and allowed to drain in the sink for a hour or more. This causes the eggplant to release a lot of the bitterness they possess. I sliced the zucchini into ¼ inch slices lengthwise. After rinsing of the eggplant and zucchini, I sprinkled good olive oil over them and added a bit of pepper and dried oregano. I would add salt later after I tasted the final cooked vegetable. In my stove top grill pan I grilled the vegetables just until al dente, giving them good grill marks and then placed them on a baking dish to cool. When I served them I arranged them on an attractive platter and drizzled some olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar over them. They were served at room temperature.

The first course was a terrific dish I had for the first time in a restaurant in Tiburon, California in 1987. I was building a laboratory and I came in for the first time wearing jeans and a t-shirt with paint on it. Jose the chef took one look at my tired face and said “Let me fix you something.” I was served a simple dish of fettuccini tossed in a basil pesto with fried halibut pieces on it. It was absolutely outstanding. I have served that dish many times, substituting different fish and shellfish for the halibut and it has always been well-received by diners. So for this New Year’s Eve party I decided to up the ante a bit and use fresh scallops as the seafood.

Fettuccini with basil pesto and grilled scallops
The fettuccini was a dried commercial pasta made in Italy. It cooks up nicely and stays al dente. I made the pesto some time ago and froze it. Basil in December is not terrific and it is better to have good basil and the pesto made and frozen than to make an inferior sauce today. I do not add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the pesto until I am ready to serve it. I cook the pasta and then toss it with the pesto, adding a little more olive oil and possibly a bit of the water the pasta was cooked in. I kept the pasta warm and prepared the fresh scallops. Lightly dredging the scallops in a mixture of flour, cornstarch and seasoning salt, I fried them in about ¾ inch of vegetable oil heated to approximately 360-370 degrees. The scallops were dropped carefully into the oil and fried for about 2 minutes, turning once. They remained soft and succulent, with a crispy exterior crust. I then drained them and placed them on top of the pasta, and took the large platter out to the buffet.

The main dish was Roasted Salmon with a spicy rub. I had the salmon cut and portioned by the fish monger into 5 ounce pieces. This provided a nice serving size that was perfect for the meal. I put the cut fillets on a foil-covered baking sheet skin side down and brushed them with a mixture of clarified butter and lemon juice. The skin sticks to the foil and when you take them out to serve them, the skin stays behind. I then sprinkled on the sweet and spicy rub. This is a mixture of brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. I mixed the components together completely and then just sprinkled it on to the fish. I squeezed lemon juice over each piece and then drizzled a little more butter and lemon on top. The fish went into the 350 degree oven and took about 15-20 minutes to cook. I don’t like overcooked salmon so this came out while it was still moist and tender and still a bit pink. The fillets were placed in a chafing dish to keep them warm and put out on the buffet. I served a side dish of a sauce made from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, honey and orange juice. It was quite spicy and I told the guests that it had bite so use it sparingly. Many of them used it and loved its addition to the fish.

With the fish I made a rice pilaf using chicken broth and sautéing the rice with onions before adding the liquid. It’s a simple dish that while adding nice flavor, does not detract from the fish. The vegetable side dish was sautéed chard with anchovies, garlic and olive oil. I cooked the chopped vegetables in boiling water with four cloves of garlic until tender, then drained them. At the party I sautéed them in a large pan with 10 small oil-packed anchovy fillets that I cooked in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil before adding the chard. All I had to do was get the vegetables hot and I served them in a chafing dish. This vegetable dish was a big hit and we actually ran out before everyone got some. I will have to rethink the amount I cook from now on.

Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake with ganache icing. I have made this cake a number of times. It is made from chopped toasted walnuts, chopped chocolate, some sugar and vanilla, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites. It is like a soufflé that is allowed to fall. I iced it with a chocolate ganache made from bittersweet dark chocolate melted in hot cream and allowed to cool. I served it with whipped cream and a sauce I created from cranberries and mangos.

Dinner ended with espressos and chocolate truffles. Using the same ganache as for the icing, I added a bit of brandy to one batch of chocolate and left the other plain. When they were cool, I rolled walnut sized balls of each type and then rolled the brandied chocolate in crushed walnuts and the plain one in a classic unsweetened cocoa powder. They were a big hit and all of them, disappeared, including at least two into one guest’s purse. A bit of post-New Year’s partying? She didn’t know I was watching.

How does this tie into Eight Bites? The best that I can do with that question is to look at what I ate during the evening. I had such fun cooking the dishes, (and giving mini-classes on salmon preparation and fettucciniwith scallops) and wanted them all to come out great. So I tasted each one to be sure it was what I wanted it to be. I think that is what a good chef does. I had a rolled up salmon crepe, a small crostini with mushrooms, a cucumber slice with goat cheese, two scallops, two bites of salmon and a few bites of the cake. Sorry, I had already eaten a truffle before I got there. I tasted everything. And that was enough. Over the three hours I cooked I actually ate a reasonable amount of food. I was happy with the cooking, happy with the dishes and I didn’t get overwhelmed by my inability to eat more.

So there is New Year’s Eve 2010. It gave me an opportunity to show people what and how I could cook. And I did it all staying with the basic premise of my Eight Bites thinking. It is important that celebrations do not become times for over-eating, because they can become that easily. The discipline you show at these times of excess is what really determines if your weight loss will be successful or not. But it is also very important to celebrate as well. Have fun at these celebrations and do not deprive yourself of that enjoyment. Just keep in mind why you did have that weight loss surgery and what you have accomplished. So Happy New Year’s everyone and may there be many more celebrations and opportunities for you in this year. Eat tasty dishes and celebrate what you have accomplished. Mangia!

Inspiration and Improvisation

2010-12-17T00:03:00.001+01:00

The ability to improvise and construct a dish or meal from limited ingredients comes in handy in real life. I do it all the time. It's a skill you must have and must continue to foster. There is currently a show on the Food Network called Chopped. They give four competing chefs a basket of unlikely ingredients and challenge them to compose a tasty dish with them. There are three rounds making antipasti, a main dish and a dessert. After each round, prepared in a very limited time frame, one of the chefs is Chopped and leaves the show. Chefs do not normally cook this way. They Plan. They get ingredients they need, lay out the basic materials and all the while they are thinking about the basic dish. THEN they see if inspiration hits them. Sometimes it’s pretty inane and silly, and sometimes the creative use of the different ingredients can be inspirational. In fact it is even more important that they be inspirational, since much of our culinary lives revolve around fishing around in the freezer for things to feed a hungry family or just ourselves. We can use all the inspiration we can get.

In today’s blog I want to apply some possibly inspirational elements to dishes to change how they taste, and how they appear. I will use a fig jam to create a sauce for simple grilled pork; an interesting way to cook sea bass, a great smoked salmon and crepe antipasti, fettuccini with pesto and scallops, a frittata and more. Take a nice deep cleansing breath and follow your inspiration.

Roasted Pork with Fig Sauce
This is great served with mashed potatoes and some sautéed green beans on the side.
Ingredients
2 pound pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fine grain salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of fig jam or preserves
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/3 cup of chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Season the pork well with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot add the oil and brown the pork roast on all sides (about 2 minutes per side). Remove from heat and place in a roasting pan on a wire rack. Roast in the oven to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Remove and let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium sauté pan until melted. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the fig jam to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until heated well. Add the vinegar, stock and sugar to the same pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Slice the pork and place on a platter. Spoon fig sauce around pork and pour sauce over and around the pork. Serve.

Roasted Sea Bass Filets with Wild mushrooms.
Use any thick white meat fishes for this dish. Striped bass, rockfish, or halibut make a good substitute if sea bass is not available.

Ingredients
Fish Sauce
8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, and chopped
1 rib celery, trimmed and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup chardonnay or other white wine
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 oz. chanterelles, porcini or mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered. (Unless you are an experienced mushroom hunter, buy the mushrooms from the Farmer’s Market or grocery store).

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.Heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed medium roasting pan on top of stove over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and sprigs of parsley and cook, stirring often, until just softened, 3–5 minutes. Add wine and tomato paste and cook, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until alcohol evaporates, about 2 minutes. Whisk flour and 2 cups water together in a bowl until smooth, then stir into pan and bring to a boil. Transfer pan to oven and roast until liquid has reduced by about half, 25–30 minutes.

Strain liquid through a large sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon (you should have about 1 cup liquid). Discard solids. Put the liquid into jar of blender. With motor running, gradually add 2 tbsp. of the olive oil through hole in top of blender lid, puréeing until sauce is emulsified. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm over lowest heat.

Lightly chop or slice the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat in two tablespoons of good olive oil and a tablespoon of butter until done. Set aside and keep warm.
Marinate fish for 15 minutes in a bit of olive oil, dried oregano and black pepper. Grill fish until just opaque. Plate with the tomato wine sauce and a spoonful of mushrooms on top. Garnish with some chopped parsley. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Crepes with smoked salmon, citrus marmalade and cream cheese
Crepes are always a great go-to dish. They are easy to make and are really good with a wide variety of savory or sweet fillings. I make my crepes with only a bit of sugar to provide a hint of sweetness that doesn’t overpower the fillings. I have filled these with a spiced cream cheese with chives, smoked salmon and a dollop of lemon mostarda. The crepes can be made ahead and stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator or freezer. Be sure to put a sheet of paper towel between the crepes to keep them from sticking together. The beauty of crepes is that they can be served hot or cold, sauced or not.

Ingredients
Spiced Cream cheese
8 ounces of cream cheese softened at room temperature.
3 Tablespoons of chopped fresh chives.
1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
½ teaspoon of seasoning salt or sea salt.

Mix cream cheese and seasonings together (use a bit of milk to thin if necessary).
Set aside in the refrigerator until you assemble the crepes.

Purchase 4-8 ounces of good quality smoked salmon or lox.

Make the crepes
1-2 cups of all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoon of sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 cups half and half or cream
3 tablespoons melted butter

Mix the flour, eggs, cream or half and half, salt, and sugar together to make a thick creamy batter. This is not pancake batter and should be the consistency of thick cream and should readily pour out of a measuring cup. Add the melted butter and whisk together. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes to a half hour before cooking.

Cook the crepes in a good heavy non-stick pan. Add some melted butter to the pan and then a ¼ cup of batter. Rotate the pan to evenly spread the batter over the bottom and pour of the excess. Bake the crepe for about a minute until it is golden and then flip over to cook the other side for 30-45 seconds. Place the crepe on a plate and top with a paper towel. Continue to make crepes until the batter is gone.

Assemble the crepes.
Spread a tablespoon of the seasoned cream cheese on the crepe, drizzle with a little lemon mostarda, and then lay in a slice or two of the smoked salmon. Roll the crepe up and slice in into bite sized pieces and place them on a serving platter. Sprinkle the platter with a light sprinkle of chopped chives and chopped parsley.

Lemon mostarda
I make this condiment specifically for use with fish in antipasti. It pairs well with salmon, smoked trout, baccalà and can also be used as an added element to grilled, roasted or other fish preparations.

Ingredients
Two cups of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
Rind from 5 lemons, peeled with a vegetable peeler and sliced into fine julienne
Juice from the five lemons
Two tablespoons of yellow or black mustard seeds, toasted and crushed
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste)

Directions
Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes
Add grated lemon peel and juice and return to a boil.
Allow to cook at a simmer for 20 minutes or until it reaches 225 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Toast mustard seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop
Grind in a mortar or spice mill to a coarse texture
Add to fruit mixture
Taste and add 3-4 tablespoons (or more) vinegar (This is my preferred option)
Simmer for 30 minutes
Ladle into washed canning jars (1/4 pint)
Seal and process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath
Remove from the water bath to a rack and allow to cool.

Crostini with apple mostarda and sausage cheese mixture
I have used a beer bread for this crostini. The recipe for beer bread can be found in the Sept 15th 2009 blog entry “Beer Bread and Fish Stew”. Add garlic powder, onion powder, grated Parmesan cheese and a good pinch of dried pepper flakes to the bread mix before you add the beer and mix it. Slices of sourdough bread or other crispy breads can be grilled and used as well.
Ingredients
Make a loaf of beer bread and allow to cool overnight.
½ pound of Italian sausage
½ cup parmesan or Pecorino cheese
1 cup of grated jack cheese

Directions
Make the sausage mixture:
Saute ½ pound of Italian sausage and break into small crumbles
In a bowl, mix the cooked sausage with ½ cup Parmigiano cheese and 1 Cup of grated jack cheese or equivalent. Mix thoroughly and cheese will melt into the sausage. Set aside.

Slice beer bread into 1/2 inch or thinner slices and then crosswise in half. Brush with a mixture of olive oil and crushed garlic. Place on baking sheet in 325 degree F oven and allow to crisp slightly. Or if you have a stovetop grill pan, grill the slices.

Spread a slice of the crostini with apple mostarda.
Top with the sausage/cheese mixture.
Place a small amount of apple mostarda on top.
Place on a baking sheet and heat in 350o F oven until sausage and cheese are hot.
Serve immediately.

Apple mostarda
This can be made with just apples, the mustard seeds and the sugar syrup, but I prefer to add some vinegar to make the preserves sweet and sour.

Ingredients
Three cups of water
2 cups of sugar
Four Granny Smith apples, grated
Three tablespoons of yellow mustard seeds
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (optional)

Directions
Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes.
Add grated apples and return to a boil.
Toast mustard seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop.
Grind in a mortar or spice mill to a coarse texture.
Add to apples and sugar.
Taste and add 3-4 tablespoons vinegar (This is my preferred option).
Simmer for 30 minutes to thicken.
Set aside overnight to steep.
Reheat, and bottle in sterilized jars, seal and process for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Remove from the water bath to a rack.
Allow to cool.

Artichoke, salami and cheese frittata
Frittatas are great for the Eight Bites diet. They can be made using leftovers from the fridge, are easy to make and provide high nutritional value in the form of protein. Use a good non-stick pan to cook the frittata so it comes out of the oven and out of the pan easily. This one uses “off the shelf ingredients to make a quick dinner. It can easily feed two to four and is great served the next day.

Ingredients
1 Cup of sliced marinated artichoke hearts
½ cup diced salami
¾ C mixed grated cheese (Parmesan, provolone, and Asiago)
3-4 beaten eggs with ½ cup milk
1 Tbs butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put 1 Tbs butter in an ovenproof, non-stick skillet over medium heat.
After the butter melts, add the artichokes and salami.
Add the egg mixture and cook for about a minute until it starts to set.
Lift the edges of the eggs to allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath.
Sprinkle the cheese on the top of the eggs.
Remove from the stove and place the skillet in the oven.
Allow to cook for 10-12 minutes or until the top is firm.
Serve it warm or allow it to cool to room temperature.
Can be warmed in the oven the next day for brunch.

Farmer's Market

2010-12-15T15:48:00.001+01:00

One of the most difficult things about living alone is cooking for one. Packaging of food in the markets is based upon purchasing larger volumes. Buy two and get one free; buy the family pack, or buy the large loaf of bread. It seems like nothing is packaged with the person who has had weight loss surgery in mind. So you have to buy two and get one free, or buy the big family pack of meat and split it up. These deals do save you money, but you must then figure out what to do with the extra food until you can get around to eating it. Recently the supermarket was having a big sale on high quality steaks, (New York cuts) very tender but you had to buy six of them. So I bought a pack and brought them home. Each steak was about 12-14 ounces so I sectioned each one into three or four pieces, wrapped each pieces in plastic wrap, and then put them in a freezer bag. I could take one out of the freezer and allow it to defrost for dinner and I had a tender 3-4 ounce serving. I grilled them quickly to rare in a grill. Dinner was served. Out of that package of steaks, I got 18 meals of high quality protein for approximately $10.

Yesterday I wanted some country style pork ribs, and a family package of four ribs was on sale for $7. So I bought a package. Last night I placed them in a roasting pan, seasoned them with salt and pepper and baked them at 350 degrees for about an hour. I then coated the meat with Hoisin sauce and let them finish. I had about a ½ of one rib for dinner and then put the others in a package for later. I will make a pork burrito with some of the meat for breakfast this morning. The rest will be in reserve for another time soon.

So why is this entry called Farmer’s Market? Here in Santa Rosa, California, there is a large organic foods Farmer’s Market at the Veteran’s Building on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Wednesday market has fewer vendors but is still a pleasant place to go. The Saturday market is a lot bigger with quite a few more vendors and therefore more possibilities. The folks in the booths are helpful, friendly and while the produce is not cheap it is of good quality and provides seasonally available fruits and vegetables. Right now peppers, citrus, potatoes and apples are dominating the stands. But you will still also find wonderful greens to braise, or unusual carrots.

Going to the market is really an experience in possibilities. I always make at least two circuits around the market. I don’t but anything on the first pass, just looking to see what is available. Then more slowly, I work my way around the market again. This time looking for those interesting possibilities. I may buy some mushrooms for dinner, or some citrus to make marmalade. Thinking ahead a few days, I might buy some interesting greens to cook and chop, then saute with garlic and olive oil and use to top a garlic-infused crostini, warm from the grill. Put a sprinkle of good Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on the top and serve with a glass of nice white wine. While it is not specifically designed to be a part of the Eight Bites diet, it is very tasty and a way of getting more vegetables into your diet. So go ahead and make some and enjoy it as an antipasti before you eat the protein portion of your meal.

Last Saturday at the market I was shopping with a friend, and found some great oranges, Granny Smith apples and some sweet peppers. I had to hold off on the wild mushrooms, but did order some wonderful butter from an artisan dairy in Petaluma. I also looked at some Muscovy duck breasts. Just thinking about a possible dinner party with grilled duck breast, peppers agrodolce, and apple Tarte Tatin.

At one stand, they were selling smoked olive oil. I spent a few minutes talking with the couple who owned the process and we talked about how we use olive oil and how these flavored ones might provide a different taste. They asked me to develop a recipe or two for them using their oils and I said I would. Before I walked away, they gave me a package containing small bottles of each of their three oils for me to experiment with. I will use the oranges to make some orange marmalade including some with vinegar and red pepper flakes to make it a bit more interesting. I also have some fig jam frozen and will use the Granny Smith apples and some raisins to make some jars of chutney.

So if you have a Farmer’s Market in your town, by all means go and see what is available. The vegetables and fruits are generally fresher and they are often organically raised. So wander around, talk to the vendors. They love to talk about their products and often about using them in your own kitchen. While the market might not provide the meat products we require as part of Eight Bites, they do provide a wonderful gathering of folks with a common outlook. That is the preparation of interesting food with good nutritional characteristics, seasonally and sustainable raised. Support them with your purchases or at least with your presence. Drink an espresso from the stand, buy some bread (even though you can’t eat much of it), and shake their hands. Enjoy the morning adventure and remember that having had bariatric surgery has given you a new life and good health. So celebrate it. Find some interesting foods and use them, even if it requires you to cook just for yourself, and you still have to purchase meats in those big packages.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T08:43:00.001+01:00

This year I have traveled to San Diego to be with my cousin for Thanksgiving. My kids are having their own celebrations in Albuquerque and Denver. So instead of moping around an empty house or going out to dinner at Denny’s, I decided to take a road trip. I tried to volunteer at the local Senior Center but they were having a catered lunch and didn’t need any assistance.

Thanksgiving is such a food related holiday that most of us look at it as a gluttonous feast day, where we have to unsnap our trouser buttons so we don’t explode. Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stringbean casserole, pies of all kinds and then there is the gravy. That strangely seductive elixir of turkey drippings, giblets and a thickening agent to tie it all together. Its tradition you know.

But now that I have had WLS, how do I approach both the cooking of Thanksgiving dinner and the consumption of same. What decisions are relevant regarding the foods generally headlining the feast? How do I accommodate my minimal consumptive capacity with the psychological siren song of all that traditional food? And to add another element into the culinary equation, my cousin is both gluten-intolerant and lactose-intolerant. Now we really have to think about the menu. Volume is one thing, intolerance is quite another.

Our plan is to have a roast turkey (sorry you have to have turkey), stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted seasonal vegetables (broccolini, Brussels sprouts and carrots), and a dessert or two. I will make a new antipasto (Medjool dates stuffed with a sausage and cheese mixture and heated in the oven). That is a huge amount of food for two people, so now I am looking at making the dishes so that there are some leftovers (got to have turkey sandwiches) but that we aren’t eating the leftovers for the next week.

So here is the plan including the reduced quantities of ingredients. We purchased a 12 pound turkey which is nicely sized for this application and provides the desired amount of leftovers for turkey sandwiches and turkey tetrazzini. The cornbread stuffing will be made with a gluten-free cornbread mix I will bake and then use half to make the stuffing and the rest kept for another meal. Sweet potatoes (two medium) will be baked and turned into a puree with butter and a bit of cream. The mashed potatoes (4 medium) will be boiled with garlic, mashed and seasoned with salt and pepper, butter and a bit of the cream. The gravy will be a reduction of the pan juices with most of the fat removed. You don’t need to use thickening agents if you use a reduction.

The Brussels sprouts (10 quartered) and carrots (3 sliced on the diagonal) will be roasted in the oven and tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. The broccolini (4-5 small stalks) braised quickly in a saute pan with some garlic and olive oil. The date antipasti are made by sauteing Italian sausage with chopped onions, adding about a half cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, then cooling mixture and crumbling by hand into smaller particles. The dates are placed in a glass baking dish and a mound of the sausage mixture placed in each one. Into the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees and they are served immediately.

All of the tastes of Thanksgiving were retained without the excesses normally seen during the preparation of this meal. There are no gluten filled dishes like rolls or and no significant use of lactose with the exception of the whipped cream which generally has little lactose. For the bariatric surgery patient as well as the gluten and lactose intolerant this meal can easily accommodated.

For the WLS diner, take a single stuffed date, two-three ounces of turkey, a spoonful of stuffing, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, a taste of each of the vegetables. Eat slowly and enjoy the traditional flavors. That way you save room for a taste of dessert. This year it will be a flourless chocolate walnut cake with chocolate ganache icing and a pumpkin souffle with whipped cream. It is Thanksgiving after all and on that day we are allowed to eat a little excessively. But the fact that our reduced stomachs provide a restrictive element to our desires, does not mean you cannot enjoy all the tastes and dishes of the holiday table. So eat responsibly and enjoy yourself.

Veal

2010-11-08T17:30:00.000+01:00

The most important part of this blog is about the relationship we have with our food, how we deal with the dietary restrictions placed upon us by WLS and how we can still enjoy good and exciting foods as we live our new lower weight life. I have discussed regaining weight after WLS previously and frankly it is more of a problem with the consumptive discipline we need in our lives, not the food choices we have available. So today I want to get back to talking about food again. Exciting, good tasting food that provides adequate sustenance and well as some emotional support. So I am going to give you several recipes for veal. These are high protein dishes with great taste and eye appeal. They can be easily portioned-controlled simply by the creation of the size of the piece of meat. A four ounce serving is just about perfect. They are readily stored and can be rewarmed and eaten as leftovers. I know the arguments regarding how veal is raised and created. That issue is not within the purview of this blog. The meat is available and if you have a problem with how it is raised that is perfectly fine. Don’t use it.

Veal francese

Ingredients:
1/2 pound veal scallops from the leg
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 Egg well beaten
Flour for dredging
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup Dry white wine

Directions:
Place veal pieces between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet until they're thin. Season with salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg in a wide, shallow bowl. Place the flour on a wide plate.

Dip the pounded veal in the egg. Remove, letting the excess egg drip off. Place each scallop in the flour, and coat lightly. Remove the scallops from the flour, and hold them in a single layer. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to a saute pan large enough to hold the 6 scallops in a single layer. Melt the butter over medium-high heat.

When it foams, add the veal. Saute, turning once, until the scallops are golden on the outside. Remove the scallops and hold in a single layer. Spill the butter out of the saute pan, and return the pan to high heat. Add the white wine and reduce it to 1/2 cup. Turn heat to very low. Swirl in the butter until the sauce is thickened. Add the reserved veal to the pan, turning them until they are coated with the sauce. Divide scaloppini among 2 plates, pour remaining sauce over them. Serve immediately.

Veal scaloppini

Ingredients:
1 lb veal, scaloppini (1/4 in thick)
1/2 cup flour
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees F.
Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
Dredge veal in flour.
Mix eggs, Parmigiano, salt, pepper.
Dip floured scaloppini into egg batter and place in hot pan.
Cook scaloppini in batches being careful not to crowd the pan.
Cook until nicely browned (1 1/2-2 minutes per side).
Remove to a platter and keep warm in oven.
Repeat, adding more oil and butter to pan as needed until all are cooked.
When done return all to the pan and sprinkle with lemon juice and serve on a warm platter.

Veal with wild mushroom cream sauce

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup shallots, minced
8 ounces wild mushrooms (such as chanterelles, shiitake, oyster, or a combination)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large garlic clove minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup veal demi-glace
1 cup heavy cream

For the veal:
8 veal cutlets, scaloppini style
Flour for dredging
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh chervil, minced

Directions:
Make the sauce:
In a saute pan set over moderately high flame, heat the oil and butter until hot. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the demi-glace and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce until lightly thickened. Cover with a round of buttered wax paper and keep hot.

Make the veal
Dredge the veal scallops in flour, shaking off excess, and season with salt and pepper.
In large skillet set over moderate flame, heat olive oil and butter until hot. Add scallops and saute for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the meat back into the sauce for just a minute and season with fresh lemon juice and chervil.

Small steps

2010-11-08T16:52:00.000+01:00

Sometimes it just takes that first small step. Then another, and another. Soon you will find you have progressed quite a distance.

I have been thinking and reading a lot about the obesity dilemma facing the US and considering what is appropriate and necessary to push it backwards. I have talked about thinking big, acting big and eating big and I am sure that is part of the problem, so is the general lack of exercise, particularly with the kids. But also I think we have simply started accepting the fact that we are overweight and not really getting too upset about it. So what if we get Type II diabetes, we have a number of new drugs that work effectively in reducing blood sugar. So our blood pressure is elevated, we have new drugs for that as well. Cholesterol? New drugs. We think in terms of short term health solutions instead of long term health modification. Diet and the associated weight seem to be pushed into the background.

A recent study showed how if we were overweight, our friends and family would be as well. It’s not genetics necessarily; it seems to be primarily perception. What we see we emulate. If our friends are overweight, and we want to be close to them, we gain weight. If we are overweight, our friends and family will think of it as acceptable and move in that direction as well.

A study, titled Obesity is Socially Contagious was published in the July 26, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, and suggests that obesity is "socially contagious," as it can spread among individuals in close social circles. The author’s likely explanation is that a person's idea of what is an appropriate body size is affected by the size of his or her friends. This new study finds that when the scale reads "obese" for one individual, the odds that their friends will become obese increase by more than 50 percent. Conversely, the researchers found that thinness is also contagious.

"Social effects, I think, are much stronger than people before realized," said co-author James Fowler, a social-networks expert at the University of California-San Diego. "There's been an intensive effort to find genes that are responsible for obesity and physical processes that are responsible for obesity, and what our paper suggests is that you really should spend time looking at the social side of life as well."

It has been demonstrated in research that peers influence each other's health behaviors. The data for this study was part of the Framingham Heart Study, an ongoing cardiovascular study. The health data was collected between 1971 and 2003 from more than 12,000 adults who participated in the Framingham study. Participants provided contact information for close friends, many of whom were also study participants, resulting in a total of over 38,000 social and family ties.

The most interesting results noted were when the researchers found that if a participant's friend became obese over the course of the study, the chances that the participant also became obese increased by 57 percent. Among mutual friends (both individuals indicate the other is a "friend"), the chances nearly tripled. So it is with friends. Among siblings, if one becomes obese the likelihood of their sister or brother becoming obese increases by 40 percent. Among spouses there is a 37 percent increased risk.

Gender also affected the degree of "obesity contagion." In same-sex friendships, individuals had a 71 percent increased risk of obesity if a friend became obese. If a guy's brother is obese, he's 44 percent more likely to also become obese. Among sisters, the risk was 67 percent.

This phenomenon was apparently was not based upon the potential that fat people hung out with fat people. A direct and causal relationship was determined. If a person had a close friend who was obese they tended to be affected by that person’s obesity. An interesting piece of the puzzle is that if you considered yourself a friend of someone, you were influenced by their weight. Conversely if that person did not consider you a friend, they were not affected by your weight. That is interesting.

So what does all this mean regarding weight gain, weight loss and the relationship to WLS? I feel that the closeness we feel for another can influence how we perceive them physically as well as socially. It can influence whether we discuss weight with them or just accept what and who we are. I feel that it goes to the question of talking to each other honestly about weight issues. Not being judgmental, not being critical, and certainly not making the issue a point of humor. We do not degrade our friends. We want to do what we can to help them look critically at what they are and the implications on their health. I am trying to create a forum where we can talk honestly about these issues. Sometimes it seems almost insurmountable, and sometimes you move a bit forward. Sometimes it just takes that first small step. Then another, and another. Soon you will find you have progressed quite a distance.

Peer to Peer

2010-10-21T21:03:00.001+02:00

This is just an idea but please think about it for a moment. If bariatric surgeons could and would connect patients in the post-surgical phase with patients who are investigating the potential for having weight loss surgery, it could prove to be an effective and inexpensive way to provide real-world information to the pre-surgical patient which may be more useful than what can be obtained alone. Pairing people who have gone through weight loss surgery (WLS) with someone thinking about it, can often give them both the support they vitally need to help them. Could weekly support sessions, one on one discussion, email communications, or even an occasional phone call be of assistance?

Success or failure in the post-surgical WLS world is almost totally dependent upon the commitment and will of the patient. The surgeon, given a good surgical outcome can essentially promise weight loss, but they cannot promise that the patient will not have some side-effects or will not regain some weight. They can explain some of the potential side-effects of the surgery on our digestive process, yet they do not discuss the potential change in lifestyles or eating strategies that may be required. There is little if any pre-surgical discussion of the discipline that is required to effectively live with the results of the weight loss surgery.

Group sessions are almost always recommended for patients both before and after weight loss surgery. This peer support does provide value to many patients, but not to all. Sitting in a group of fellow patients sometimes does not support the real and often painful discussions of the effects from the weight loss. This may be where peer to peer personal contact may be useful. Part of the reason I have been writing this blog is to get people who either are contemplating WLS or have had it, to have a place to read about real world experiences with the process, the physiological ups and downs and the potential to live a terrific new life after the weight loss. I don’t feel like some “poster child” for bariatric surgery but I have had a lot of experience with the digestive aspects of this process, with my first wife for 24 years and now for myself for two and a half years.

I have spent a lot of time discussing the process of weight loss surgery, occasionally with someone who has had it, more often with either someone who could use it, or just interested folks. It seems like there are a lot of misconceptions about the various surgeries and they tend to be lumped into the general categories of Lapband or gastric bypass. The same issues are continually brought up. These include: basic misunderstanding about the surgical processes, weight gain after the surgery; complications with the surgery, effects of having to change lifestyles, ability to eat whatever you want, restrictions, insurance support, costs, health issues and the long term implications of both weight loss as well as the psychological and emotional changes the patient goes through. These are all important issues that I believe can be best discussed in a peer to peer setting and not just in a group setting. Real life effects and real life issues are important to those contemplating the surgery.

This proposed effort is not to generate a research proposal but to stimulate thinking on the part of those reading this blog and hopefully physicians dealing with bariatric surgery to assess the level of information transfer to patients and then potentially between new patients and patients who have undergone this surgery. This could include providing the names of peers who have undergone the surgery and are willing to spend the time to discuss it with those contemplating it. Recommending adequate peer support, as well as providing the option of attending group sessions might be appropriate.

In the very personal world of post-surgical weight loss, sometimes we feel a bit adrift as to what we can, should, or need to do. How do we reconcile the demands of our jobs, including dinners with clients and maintaining the discipline we need? How do we enjoy eating with our family and friends when we constantly receive comments about how little we eat or do we want anything more? How can we enjoy eating if we can only eat eight bites? How do we see ourselves in this new world? How many times can you take in the waistband of your favorite pants?

Patients who are contemplating surgery might be better motivated themselves if given the opportunity to both discuss and receive help from another person who has faced the challenges already and has been able to effectively cope.

It appears that study is needed to evaluate which parts of a peer intervention environment are most successful. These could include: face to face discussions between pre- and post-surgical patients; phone calls offering a supportive voice and also a mechanism for answering questions, group meetings and or even one-on-one counseling with professional counselors.

In many medical issues, the time spent with the patient can be directly related to a successful outcome since this time reminds the patient to do something or to be more engaged. It is my contention that this added time provided by peer to peer discussions may be better suited to the understanding of the bariatric process, help allay fears and provide a long term view of where the patient is going. The patient needs to feel empowered and confident, knowing that they are in charge of the ultimate outcome and that it requires personal discipline and will, but also someone to talk to. It's not so much knowing what to eat but how to change behavior and how will this influence your life and lifestyle. That involves problem-solving and goal-setting skills and the evidence shows that the patient may relate better to a peer who might have more similarities than a teacher in the front of the room.

If you want to use this blog to ask questions and maybe get some answers, please feel free.

Coming back to California

2010-10-10T20:07:00.003+02:00

On September 29th, 2010 I returned to my home in Santa Rosa after spending over two years in Italy. I flew from Florence to Frankurt and then to San Francisco. I dragged my four huge suitcases through Customs and I was then met by an old and dear friend who got me to Santa Rosa and my house. The reasons I left Italy are varied and complicated but suffice it to say I wasn't happy there and I am glad to be home.

In these first days back home I have noted a lot of differences between being in Italy and being in California. The most immediate and obvious difference is not the climate (Mediterranean), or the local vegetative patterns (so like Umbria) or the language (though that is significantly easier for me to understand). It is the size of things. The cars are bigger. The buildings are bigger. The distances are greater. The houses are bigger (and made of wood, mostly). However the most impressive and concerning observation was that people were bigger.

Weight is an issue in the US and so many people are overweight. I have been observing the scene now for a few days and there are a number of factors that I have noticed that may have led to this issue. The ads for food are certainly complicating the situation. We are advised to go to an "all you can eat" restaurant. We order the biggest plates to ensure we get our money's worth. Restaurants want to ensure that their patrons feel they are getting full value by having free pie on Wednesday, all you can eat shrimp on Friday and that best of all possible worlds, an all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch. You may never have to eat again. Our dissatisfaction increases if we don't eat until we are stuffed.

We want to order bigger thicker milk shakes, larger orders of fries, and foot long burgers. If a two patty hamburger with bacon and cheese is good, wouldn't a three patty hamburger with bacon and cheese be better? It's a bigger slice of pie at the end of the meal or that newest chocolate dessert. The mantra is "Super-size me" and that is exactly what is happening. People are becoming super-sized.

The laws of thermodynamics are immutable. Calories in have to equal calories out, or you gain weight. Slowly or quickly, it is basic physics. As I watch people walk past or eating at a restaurant or buying groceries at the local market I am very concerned about what we are doing to ourselves. I am not judgemental regarding weight. I have been there at 300 pounds for most of my life. I have suffered the consequences of that weight, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and the inability to move around as quickly as I once did. I had a "friend" ask me once how did I fit into my Porsche.

So today I am reflecting. It is reflections based upon what I have done in my own life to increase the possibility of living longer and healthier. In a recent study, people were asked to determine what the calorie count was for a hamburger and fries. The general consensus was 650 calories. Then a side of broccoli was added to the plate with the burger and fries and the people were asked again what was the calorie count. This time it went down to just above 600 calories. The perception seemed to be that if you have steamed veggies on your plate it must somehow be better for you, and also lower in calories. It is like giving up wine with dinner because you think drinking wine is why you have gained weight. Then you eat three platefuls of food. But have no wine. It might be better to drink the wine and eat less food.

Its time to take some control of your eating habits and determine for yourself what you want your life and health to be.

A busy few months

2010-10-08T17:49:00.004+02:00

The last few months have been very busy and I have had little chance to update the blog. This season has been a particularly busy one for Amore Sapore. The daily grind started early at about 5AM, when we got up to start prepping for the meal that evening. I would make up the set ups for the antipasti and check the menu for the day's shopping needs. I might also make a loaf of beer bread or some oatmeal cookies. At 8:30 I would head for the store to get all the things we would need for that evening. Usually this was the fresh things, like fruit, salad materials, meats, gelato or anything else we needed.

The morning was spent getting the preliminary cooking done. If it was a class that evening, we did a relatively minimal prep since the students were going to be doing most of the actual work. We did ensure that all of the materials and foods were there and ready to pack into the car. I had several carry bags that had cooking implements and a set of pans that I always took. The kitchens in some of these houses were often deficient in some pans and I found it easier just to take everything we would need. Bags were packed and checked and then we took a short nap. It was going to be a long day.

At about 5PM we packed the car and left for the dinner location. We had two spots this summer where we had to make a drive of over an hour. One to Perugia and another to near Montepulcino in Tuscany. The rest of the cooking venues were within 15 to 20 minutes drive.

It was a very busy summer and we cooked a wide variety of menu items. The following is an annotated list of dishes from the Amore Sapore menus in August and September:

Bruschetta with artichokes and Pecorino romano
Bruschetta with mushrooms
Ricotta with peperone and flatbread
Salami plate
Chicken Piccata
Insalata Caprese, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil
Panna cotta
Local Pecorino cheese with honey, marmalatta and chutney
Figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and prosciutto
Bruschetta with artichoke pate
Veal scaloppini with Marsala sauce
Grilled porterhouse steaks
Poached pears and sweetened mascarpone
Crostini with caramelized pears and Gorgonzola
Figs with prosciutto
Stuffed peppers with sausage and cheese
Potato and cheese ravioli with tomato sauce
Roasted sausages and grilled grapes
Flourless chocolate walnut cake with chocolate ganache
Crostini with salmon
Spinach and garlic saute
Tiramisu
Pumpkin ravioli with walnut sauce
Chicken breast with saffron and ginger
Pumpkin gratin
Pears in Chianti with mascarpone
Salmon crostini, cream cheese and lemon marmalatta
Gnocchi with fresh basil pesto
Veal scaloppini with mushrooms
Fettuccine with walnut sauce
Crostini with cannellini beans, onions and marmalatta
Cucumbers and goat cheese and roasted tomatoes
Spinach and cheese ravioli
Roast Quail stuffed with sausage and wrapped in pancetta
Chard sauteed with olive oil and anchovies
Bruschetta with goat cheese and tomatoes
Slow roasted tomatoes with marinated mozzarella
Bruschetta with ricotta and peppers
Marinated cucumbers
Roast Salmon
Wild Rice pilaf
Zucotta
Prosciutto rolls with goat cheese, lemon and rucola
Eggplant Bolognese
Bruschetta with broccoli rabe
Farro and lentil soup
Pear cake with a caramelized pear and ricotta gelato
Bruschetta with spiced sausage
Bruschetta with ricotta, honey and peperoncino
Cucumbers with goat cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes
Gnudi (inside out ravioli)
Braised rabbit with peppers, onions and olives
Frittata with mushrooms, peppers and artichokes

Its been a yummy summer and my weight has stayed constant at 165 pounds. Eating and living Eight Bites at a time can be fun and satisfying and you can still enjoy the wide variety of dishes and items we prepared without gaining weight. Eat well and enjoy your life.

Food is not just about consumption

2010-07-04T15:23:00.003+02:00

Eating in the post-weight loss surgery world can be a bit of a dilemma. As we look back at the pre-surgical life we led, we often see consumption being of paramount importance both to our psychological well being and our personal feelings of worth. When we entered into the new life created by our surgically-reduced ability to consume food, the importance of consumption changed. So what has changed? Certainly the ability to eat all the food you “wanted” has been eliminated. But what else has changed? How important to us personally was our ability to consume food? Did it have to be good food? Tasty food? Filling food? Comfort food? Food that was healthy? Or just a lot of food?

Why we got to the place where we had to have weight-reduction surgery is individual to each of us. I got there after thirty years of being heavy, having insulin dependent diabetes, high blood pressure and looking at my wedding picture from March 2008 and comparing it to my wedding picture from July 1966.

I was not healthy, and I felt that my life was being significantly shortened by my obesity. I had tried diets and done a bit of yo-yoing up and down but my job and career did not lend itself to an active physical regimen. The basic laws of thermo-dynamics were conspiring to make me heavier. So I had the surgery. Those first few weeks frankly were pretty easy though the high protein drinks I had were not that appealing. I didn’t feel the urge to eat anything and I started to drop weight quickly. Pants got looser and looser. Shirts got larger. Towels would fit around me easily.

In the fourth week I began to eat semi-solid foods. A scrambled egg was delicious on that first semi-solid Saturday. After a few weeks of yogurt I was ready to chew something. I wanted to taste things but I felt no overwhelming need to over-eat. The flavor and texture of that first scrambled egg with a bit of salt and pepper is stuck indelibly in my mind. It was delicious. So for the next couple of weeks I stuck to a semi-soft diet and started to add new (and old) flavors, textures and foods into my diet. It was not about how much I could consume. My surgery limited that for me. It was about what I ate and how it tasted. What were the things about the dish or food that gave it the character I wanted?

I was responsible for eating substantive amounts of proteins as part of my weight-loss regimen, and making sometimes bland protein-rich dishes required me to look at aggressive spicing and condiments to accentuate the flavor. I started considering what small things I could add to a dish that would change its flavor, complexity, and composition. A braised pork dish was accentuated by raisins, and some apple cider vinegar. A poached chicken dish was enhanced by the use of chipotle bouillon cubes in the poaching liquid. I added capers and some anchovy fillets to my pureed tuna fish for a tasty sandwich. I didn’t even need to use mayonnaise and used a bit of olive oil instead.

The physical restriction placed on me by the surgery meant that I would never be able to over-consume again. I guess you could live on cheesecake and wash it down with chocolate milkshakes, but that is a bit counter-intuitive. I was really limited to Eight Bites. So I went for small enhancements to the dish rather than large volumes. These small enhancements led to exciting new dishes that in many cases I have turned into antipasti as part of my new career as a chef. I found that I didn’t have to create large amounts of food, just small bites with extraordinary flavors and surprise taste elements.

One example is a pureed cannellini bean spread on a piece of bruschetta or a crostini. This is a standard topping for Italian crostini antipasti and is relatively bland. The basic puree is made by draining and rinsing a can of cannellini beans and put those in a sauce pan with about a half can of chicken stock and three garlic cloves. Add some salt and pepper and let the beans cook at medium low heat for about 20 minutes until the stock is virtually gone. Pour the beans into a food processor and puree. Put in a bowl and into the refrigerator to cool. Saute a medium chopped onion in a small saute pan in a bit of olive oil or butter, add some salt and pepper. Saute until translucent and then add some sugar (teaspoon or so) and a tablespoon of vinegar. Finish caramelizing the onions and set aside in a bowl. Taste it to see if the flavor profile is sufficiently sweet and sour and adjust as necessary. To make the crostini you could spread the bean puree on the crisp bread and top with the caramelized onions. Cut them into serving size pieces and place on a pretty plate. Or change it a bit and give it a surprise taste element. Spread the bread with a thin layer of fig jam or an apple chutney, then top with the bean puree and onions. When your friends bite into this little antipasto they get the crunch of the crisp bread, the smooth textural quality of the beans, and the sweet and sour contribution of the onions. Then they will get a hint of a sweet undertone and you will get questioned as to what you put on this.

It is truly about taste and not just about consumption. Enjoy your weight loss, and enjoy all those extraordinary tastes you can now have as well as create.

Just a note

2010-06-27T07:20:00.004+02:00

I was asking my doctor about a piece of information I had received about a delayed weight gain, a number of years after weight loss surgery. I was wondering if this delayed response was a particular issue that I had to watch for and be concerned about. His response was enlightening and yet totally obvious. He stated that in lectures to new patients in group support meetings that he has seen weight regain with all procedures over all periods of time. His strongest point during the lecture is always: A good operation done correctly gets all the weight off, the patient then has to keep it off.

So it is the patient's responsibility to keep the weight off. How novel. I have discussed previously the problems with regaining weight dearly lost and why. But this statement really puts that issue into perspective. If you have this surgery because you are overweight, you are responsible to yourself and to those who care about you to ensure that you do not regain the weight. It takes a personal responsibility to keep the weight off. The path you took to get to the weight loss was one traveled with some trepidation, some excitement, and some hope. It was not a SIMPLE solution to your weight problem. It required a substantial commitment, in terms of money, desire, and the willingness to change your life.

As a cook I hear from customers all the time that all it takes to lose weight is a starvation diet and exercise. Its easy isn't it? No it is not. A great chef at a restaurant owned by a slender person is told that all he has to do is exercise and diet. All will be well. Yet he still is heavy, still at risk, and to some degree still looked upon as lacking some will to change.

Choosing bariatric surgery is not the choice of a weak-willed person. It is a choice made to better yourself using a tool that is available and safe. But it is not easy. It changes you. It allows you new freedoms and a new healthy body. It does not make you smarter, more reliable or a better driver. It does make you less heavy. It enhances your life in ways you have no idea about until they happens. It changes not only your waist size but your attitude. But like the doctor said, the surgery can get the weight off, but the patient has to keep it off. You have to decide if you want to go back to the way you were before the surgery. I have thought long and hard about that question and there is NO chance of me returning to that life. I am healthier, stronger, happier and in a better place and will never go back to that persona again. It means that I have taken personal responsibility for maintaining my diet and my exercise. I still eat Eight Bites, not because I have to but because I choose to. I can eat more but choose not to. Choices......

So it is very personal when you decide to have this life-changing surgery. But it is also your decision to ensure that you maintain it. I wish all of you the very best, and a longer and healthier life.

A week in the life of a cook

2010-06-25T07:40:00.002+02:00

This week in the middle of June has been a busy one for us. In June we have 24 dinners to cook and in some cases we have had to split the teams and serve two dinners in one evening. One group of 13 people that we cooked for every evening from Sunday to Friday presented a series of challenges. There were older adults, middle aged adults, teenagers and pre-teenagers. Some didn’t want sauce with their pasta, others didn’t like cheese. Some ate salad, others liked their meat medium while others wanted it rare. The first two days were dominated by vegetarian main dishes like gnocchi and polenta and the last four days were primarily meat meals. We made bread salad, Insalata Caprese and a large number of antipasti. It was a good effort for the cooking team, rewarded by kudos every night. I was happy with the results.

Cooking like this requires a complicated dance to be performed by the cooks. They need to work, often in smallish places with crowds of people sitting in close proximity. They need to perform a variety of tasks from going the refrigerator, back to the counter top, then to the stove. Focusing all of the time on trying not to run into each other, or get in each other’s way. It is a semi-choreographed dance that can end up in a well-presented meal or with the cooks glaring at each other. If care isn’t taken, cooks can get burned, cut and Band-Aids are an essential part of the work sack. To work effectively in these conditions, it is really important that you do not feel that your individual task or cooking responsibility is the most important one. That sometimes is difficult to remember. You must accommodate each person’s needs and requirements. And the phasing of the preparations is really important.

Cooking meat for a crowd, particularly where you have individual preferences for the level of doneness of the meat, is sometimes difficult. Roast pork is easier to cook than individual steaks. But these are challenges that have to be met. Tonight for example I will be preparing Bistecca Fiorintina (essentially grilled Porterhouse steaks) cooked rare. But there will be requests to make them medium rare or medium. Ah, the joys of cooking for 13 people all wanting their food at the same moment.

So here are the primary dishes done this week in June 2010. I hope you enjoy them. Mangia!

Polenta with mozzarella
Cook 1 ½ cups of quick cooking polenta in 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and add 1 tsp of salt. Cook stirring frequently over medium heat until the polenta is cooked. Take the pan off the stove and add 125 grams (1/4 pound) of butter and a cup of grated Parmigiano. Stir until the butter has melted and the cheese has disappeared. Stir in 8-10 boconcini (small mozzarella balls. Serve hot with a favorite sauce.

Baked Polenta with mushrooms and sauce
Cook 1 ½ cups of quick cooking polenta in 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and add 1 tsp of salt. Cook stirring frequently over medium heat until the polenta is cooked. Take the pan off the stove and add 125 grams (1/4 pound) of butter and a cup of grated Parmigiano. Stir until the butter has melted and the cheese has disappeared. Pour half of the polenta into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula. Add some fresh mushrooms to your favorite tomato sauce and pour over the polenta. Smooth the sauce, sprinkle on some Parmigiano and top with the rest of the polenta. Smooth the top. Sprinkle about a cup of grated Parmigiano on the top of the polenta. Bake in a medium to hot oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the polenta from the oven and allow to set for 5 minutes. Cut into 4” x 4” squares and serve on warm plates. Pass additional Parmigiano.

Roast Pork with milk (Arista con latte)
This dish is based I believe on an old Roman recipe and is often made on top of the stove. It can however be made in the oven.

1 – 2 tablespoons fat (butter, bacon grease, vegetable oil)
4 – 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 – 4 pound pork roast (allow about 6 ounces uncooked bone-in, fat-on meat to yield a three-ounce cooked serving)
2 cups of chopped leeks (washed and cleaned)
Seasoned salt (or salt and pepper)
2 cups whole milk
Sprig of fresh rosemary, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 300F. Remove some of the thick layers of fat from the roast. Pat it dry and rub with a seasoned salt mixture or just salt and pepper.

On medium high, heat the fat in a Dutch oven and sauté the leeks and the chopped garlic until softened. Do not allow to burn. Remove the vegetables to a dish. Leave the flavored oil in the pan.. Brown the meat on all sides until slightly crispy. Add the vegetables, milk and rosemary. Cover and place in the oven. Cook until meat reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, about 1¼-1½ hours, turning over halfway through. For a very tender roast, cook 2-3 hours in the oven or for 6-8 hours in a slow cooker

Lift meat out, transfer to cutting board, cover and let rest for 10 minutes under a tent of foil. Transfer half of the hot braising liquid including the vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining liquid. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce. For a thicker sauce, mix ¼ cup of the hot liquid mixture with 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Stir slowly into remaining milk mixture and cook, stirring often, until thick.

Veal scaloppini with Marsala and mushrooms
This dish requires some quick cooking so be sure all of the ingredients are in place before starting (Mis en plas).

Veal or tender beef, sliced thin (1/2”) and pounded with a flat surfaced meat tenderizer.
Flour for dredging
Seasoned salt
Vegetable oil for sauteing
2 ounces of dried mushrooms or 8 ounces of fresh (or a combination of both)
½ Cup of Marsala (or more)
2 tablespoons of Butter
Directions
The “veal” used in Italy is often cut from a top round and can be quite tough and even after pounding is not as fork tender as I like. So with my catered dinners, I used a thick Porterhouse steak that I bone out and slice thinly. I then flatten the meat and it is ready to cook. If good veal is available, that is fine.

Heat the oil in a saute pan to 360 degrees F. Dredge the meat slices in seasoned flour and shake off excess. They should not be doughy. Saute the meat quickly (1-2 minutes per side), dip in the sauce, and place on a warm baking pan in a slow oven (250 degrees F). Continue to saute all the slices.

To make the Marsala mushroom sauce, rehydrate the dried mushrooms in hot water for about a half hour. If using fresh mushrooms, slice and saute in butter until golden and the moisture in the pan is reduced. Add 1-2 table spoons of flour to pan and using a spoon thoroughly mix into the mushroom mixture. Check for seasoning. Do not add too much salt. Add about a cup or more of beef stock or the same amount of water with a bouillon cube in it to start the creation of the sauce. Check the seasonings again. Cook to thicken. Add ½ cup of Marsala and a ½ cup of chopped parsley. Add a tablespoon of butter to the sauce just before serving. Put the slices of cooked veal scaloppini in the sauce for a couple of minutes to warm in the oven and then serve with a bit of the sauce and some mushrooms.

Vitello tonnato
This a fairly complicated dish that takes two days of preparation and served thinly sliced cold. It can be used as an antipasto or as a main dinner or lunch course. It is particularly good during the heat of the summer.

For the vitello:
2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) boned veal, cut from the rump (check for gristle)
A bottle of dry white wine
6 salted anchovies (the canned variety, sold by delicatessens)
A rib of celery, thinly sliced crosswise
A few leaves of sage
2 bay leaves
3 cloves (some people omit these)
Salt

For the tonnato:
3/4 pound (320 g) tuna packed in oil (three cans drained)
The juice of a lemon
3 hard boiled egg yolks
A tablespoon of drained, pickled capers
1/2 cup (approx.) olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Cooking stock from veal to finish sauce

To serve:
A handful of perfect capers (look for the smaller ones)
Some thin lemon slices with seeds removed
Sprigs of parsley or some chopped parsley for garnishing

Directions:
Put the meat in a bowl with the bay leaves, cloves, sage and celery, and pour the wine over it. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning the meat occasionally. The next day place the meat in a Dutch oven. Strain the wine and pour it over the meat, then add enough water to cover. Lightly salt the pot and bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the meat for an hour.

In the meantime, wash, scale and bone the anchovies. When the hour is up add them to the pot and continue at a high simmer for another half hour; the liquid should be reduced by half. When the meat is fork-tender remove it from the pot and strain the broth into a bowl. Retain the anchovies in the strainer. Allow the veal to cool, and then wrap the veal and place in the refrigerator.

In a food processor, add the anchovy fillets from the strainer, the drained tuna, and the egg yolks. Add in the capers, the vinegar, the lemon juice and the olive oil and process until smooth. Dilute the sauce to a thick but pourable consistency with some of the warm, reserved broth. The sauce should be a pale color, almost white. Sauce can be refrigerated.

Eating Meats

2010-05-22T07:28:00.003+02:00

The following dishes are different meat preparations that I have cooked for guests. All of them are suitable for a WLS diet and provide excellent levels of protein. They are relatively easy to prepare with most taking only minutes to cook. In all of the recipes I have added some personal touches that provide distinct flavors and tastes.

Sausages and grapes
Grilled sausage and sautéed grapes are a simple dish here in Umbria and is very popular in the area. The addition of the grapes adds a unique touch to this dish. In general I have found that the sausage preparation here includes a bit too much salt. The seasoning mix they use predominantly here is salt, pepper and garlic. Virtually every meat market has its own sausages stuffed into natural casings and ready to cook. You buy them by the link and often ten or more at a time.

The simplest preparation is to grill the sausages over a hot barbecue. They use a rack here that you put the sausages on and then lock together. All of the sausages are then cooked at one time over the coals. Using that technique, you get a great tasting sausage infused with the smoke of the barbecue, but more often than not, they can be overdone and dry. Ground meats are a bit of a digestive problem for me personally and the dryness of the sausages can make them difficult to eat. I have grilled these sausages a in a grill pan on top of the stove many more times than I have cooked over the coals. I have more control over the doneness when I use the grill pan.

The grapes are removed from the stems, washed and placed in a saute pan with a bit of olive oil. You can use either seedless or seeded grapes for this dish, but I prefer the large reddish globe type grapes with seeds. They have a nice rich flavor that is enhanced by the cooking. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute them over a medium to hot flame until they start to swell and some will pop open. Take them off the fire and keep them warm. Put the cooked sausages on a heated platter and spoon the grapes over the top.

I have modified this dish by including sautéed yellow and red bell pepper strips, and onion strips to the sausages. I add a bit of water to the pan with the peppers and onions and allow the sausage to steam for a few minutes. I then add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, some dried oregano, a bit of black pepper, an ounce of wine vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar. Continue to cook the mixture on top of the stove or put in a baking dish in a medium oven until the dish is warmed through. Makes a great sweet and sour sausage dish that also results in a moist sausage than is easier for me to eat.

Pork shoulder steak with mixed salt
This is a popular grilled pork dish using a shoulder cut pork chop. In Italy the pork is quite good and the shoulder cut is a very popular cut. They also use a center cut pork chop as well. The meat is salted with a salt mixture composed of a mixture of fine and coarse grained salt, paprika, black pepper, crushed and chopped fresh garlic and dried juniper berries. The fresh garlic dries in the salt and infuses the mixture with a great garlicky aroma. Do not over salt the meat. The meat is allowed to sit with the salt on both sides for 15 minutes and is then either grilled in a basket over coals or in the kitchen in a grill pan. Most people like a medium doneness and overcooking the meat tends to dry it out. Serve on a warm platter.

Chicken with lemon, Marsala and capers
Purchase chicken breasts or breast slices and pound each piece in a plastic bag or under plastic wrap with a flat meat mallet until about ½ inch thick. Lightly dust with a seasoned flour mixture, shake off the excess flour and fry quickly in hot oil (not olive oil) at 360-370 degrees F. I normally use sunflower oil. Cook until just barely browned and remove and keep warm in a slow oven (250 degrees F).

Make the lemon Marsala sauce by adding some water in the frying pan after cooking the meat. Cook down to deglaze, add ½ cup Marsala and the juice of 3 lemons. Add a bit of sugar if it too tart. Cook down to thicken. Add a tablespoon of pickled capers. Add a tablespoon of butter to the sauce just before serving and a ½ cup of chopped parsley. Put cooked chicken breast in the sauce for a couple of minutes to warm in the oven and then serve. The key to this dish is to not overcook the chicken. It takes about two minutes in the frying pan to get a nice color to the meat and then it is placed in a warm oven to complete the cooking. Serve with the sauce lightly on top of the meat. Please don’t drown the meat in the sauce.

Grilled chicken with peperone marmalatta and onions
Bone about 1 ½ chicken thighs per person to be served. Place the thighs in a bowl with a bit of olive oil, oregano, basil and ground black pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator up to overnight. Grill in a medium to hot pan and place the pieces in an oven proof dish when done. Saute an onion or two (depends upon how many you want to serve) until golden and caramelized. Add on top of the chicken. Place some sweet and sour pepper marmalatta over the onions. Cover the pan and keep in a low oven until ready to serve. Keep the chicken in a medium oven until done. Do not overcook, though it is difficult to over cook chicken thighs. Check for doneness and serve with the peppers and onions.

Sweet and spicy pepper marmalatta
1 yellow bell pepper, remove the stem, seeds and interior ribs and slice lengthwise into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, remove the stem, seeds and interior ribs and slice lengthwise into thin slices
2 large onions, peeled, cut into half and sliced into thin slices (should be approximately 2 cup)
3 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
Place vegetables in a deep saute pan and add ¼ cup olive oil
Add ½ teaspoon salt
Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (this can vary with your tolerance for the heat)
On medium heat, saute peppers and onions for approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently
Add 2 cups of water and return to a simmer
Add ¾ cup of vinegar (wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, not Balsamic)
Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the vegetables and continue to simmer.
Taste the mixture to determine the balance between the vinegar and the sugar
Add either as appropriate
Continue to cook the vegetables down until they are quite thick
Taste and adjust seasonings (it should be a balanced sweet and sour and not overpowered by either)
Place in ½ pint washed jars, seal and process in a water bath for 5-6 minutes
Remove and cool. Keeps for months
Or allow cool and place in a storage container in the refrigerator.

Osso Bucco
Osso bucco is a braised dish that can use beef or veal shanks or lamb shanks as the primary ingredient. It is cooked in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. There are many versions of this dish and all have certain similarities. Cutting the meat across the bone provides a great deal of bone marrow which melts into the dish and adds a great deal of flavor and texture to the dish. My version follows.

2-3 pounds of veal or beef shanks (sliced across the bone)
1 bottle of red table wine (Chianti, Sangiovese, Merlot)
1 large red or yellow bell peppers cut into 1” squares
2 onions roughly chopped
3-4 good tomatoes chopped into 1/8th
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
Olive oil
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 quart of broth (beef, chicken, bouillon)
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper
In a large oven-proof dish put some olive oil, the chopped peppers, garlic, onions, oregano and tomatoes as a bed for the meat. Dust the shank slices in seasoned flour and brown in hot oil in a saute pan. Put the meat on top of the vegetables and then spoon some of the vegetable mixture over the top of the meat. Pour in the can of tomato sauce and then the broth. The liquid should just barely come up the side of the meat. Add 1 cup of good red wine and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Place in a medium oven 350 degrees F. Cook for at least two hours before you begin checking for doneness. It will probably take about three hours to cook. Be sure to cover it well after checking. The meat should remain cohesive but will be tender and can be cut with a fork.

Serve the shank slices with some of the pan juices and vegetables that have been reduced slightly to thicken. Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a mostarda or more traditionally with gremolata. Gremolata is made with parsley, a couple cloves of garlic and the peeled yellow skin of a lemon. Chop them well together until they are finely minced and serve in a bowl on the side. The gremolata is used as a spicy condiment on top of the meat.

Grilled marinated leg of lamb
For this dish I get a boned leg of lamb from the butcher or bone my own. A single boned leg will feed about four or five people. The meat will be of varying thicknesses and you should pound the thicker areas to thin them a bit. These thicker areas also allow for a variety of doneness for the meat with the thicker portions being a bit rarer. I put the boned leg of lamb into a plastic bag or pan. On top of the lamb pour about ½ cup of good quality olive oil, a tablespoon of dried oregano and three to four chopped cloves of garlic. I do not salt the meat until I cook it. Put the meat in the refrigerator overnight and turn it a couple of times.

Before cooking bring the meat up to room temperature. Grill the meat in a grill pan over fairly high heat to get a nice sear on the outside. I use a heavy steel weight I had made by a local metal worker to hold the meat down in the pan and this allows a uniform grilling. You can use an aluminum foil covered brick. Cook the meat on one side for about 5 minutes then turn and put the weight back on for another 4.5 minutes. Put the meat in a 350 degrees F oven for about 20 minutes to complete the cooking. Check for doneness. Allow the meat to rest under an aluminum foil tent on a cutting board to 10 minutes. Slice into thin slices across the grain and serve on a warmed platter.

I will often serve the meat with a chutney or mostarda accompaniment. Here are a couple of starting recipes. This is a great area to explore culinarily speaking.

Apple mostarda
Mostarda can be made with just the mustard seeds and the sugar syrup, but I prefer to add some vinegar to make the preserves sweet and sour.

Two cups of water
1 cup of sugar
Four or five Granny Smith apples or the same amount of grated firm pears
Three tablespoons of yellow mustard seeds
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (optional)

Directions
Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes
Add grated apples and return to a boil.
Toast mustard seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop
Grind in a mortar or spice mill to a coarse texture
Add to apples and sugar
Taste and add 3-4 tablespoons vinegar (This is my preferred option)
Simmer for 30 minutes to thicken
Pack in sterilized jars, seal and process for 5 minutes in boiling water
Remove from the water bath to a rack
Allow to cool.

Dried Apricot and Onion Chutney
One pound of dried apricots, chopped into medium dice
Rind of ½ a lemon and the lemon juice
2 cups of water
1 cup sugar
Vinegar
Salt
1 onion, chopped

Directions
Boil water and sugar together to dissolve
Add the lemon rind and juice
When boiling, add apricots and return to a boil
Simmer mixture for 30 minutes
Add 3-4 Tablespoons of vinegar
Add a pinch of salt
Add the chopped onion and continue cooking for another 30 minutes
Mixture will thicken as the apricots hydrate
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
Puree the mixture with an immersion blender to a coarse consistency
Return to boil
Taste and correct seasonings (add vinegar, sugar)
Fill ½ pint bottles and lid
Process in boiling water for 5-6 minutes
Can be made with fresh apricots.
Use 3-4 cups fresh with the stones removed.
Simmer for 30 minutes to cook the apricots. They will start to fall apart.

Vegetarian dishes

2010-05-19T16:40:00.002+02:00

In this entry I want to discuss how eating as a vegetarian can be accomplished even after WLS. It is important to remember that the protein component of the vegetarian diet is different than eating the high quality protein of meats, fish, eggs and cheese. It is probable that you cannot be a true vegetarian or on a vegan diet after WLS because of the lower proportion of protein inherent in those foods. However is is sometimes nice to move away from the strictly protein diet and have some other flavors, textures and taste. That is what this blog is about: Eating interesting and exciting food after weight loss surgery.

The following recipes are from dinners we created this month (May 2010) and served to our guests. They are interesting items. Some are relatively low in protein and are not really intended to be a major element of the WLS diet while others are high in protein and could be incorporated as a common element into a WLS diet easily,

Pumpkin ravioli with walnut sauce
Make the pumpkin filling before making the pasta and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. I have previously given the recipe for pasta dough so you should refer to that or use your own recipe. Make the dough and set aside to rest. After resting you can roll out the dough into sheets and make the ravioli using a folding technique or with the ravioli attachment on your pasta machine.

The pumpkin filling: The pumpkin is cut and peeled, then cut into 1” chunks. Use about 1-2 pounds of uncooked pumpkin to start. It is cooked in butter and some water in a large saute pan until it is tender. It is necessary to cook out as much water as possible otherwise the filling is too moist. If there is still a lot of moisture in the pumpkin put in a sieve and allow to drain, even over night. Put it in a food processor and process until smooth. It should be very thick and rich. Add a good amount (1/2 tsp) of grated nutmeg, 4 or 5 ounces of crushed amaretto cookies, and a bit of salt and pepper. Peel and boil a potato, mash it, and add it to the pumpkin puree then process to smooth. Add 4 ounces of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and set mixture aside to cool until ready to make the ravioli. This filling should be savory with a sweetish undertone and definitely not too sweet. Taste it and be sure it has a good solid pumpkin flavor. It should not taste like pumpkin pie. Salt and pepper are important additions. Taste!

The walnut sauce: Toast 1 cup of walnuts in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 6-8 minutes. Be careful to not burn the nuts. Cool them and chop them coarsely. Set aside. The walnut sauce uses a basic bechamel base. The bechamel is made with 2-3 tablespoons of butter, melted in a 2 quart saucepan. Add the walnuts and allow to cook in the melted butter for 2 minutes. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Then stir in 2-3 tablespoons of flour and stir to mix the flour and butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the floury flavor. Add 2 cups of warm milk and stir. Bring to a boil and the sauce will thicken. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick. Taste the sauce and see if it needs a bit more salt or pepper. I also add a teaspoon or so of sugar. The added sweetness really brings out the flavor of the toasted nuts. The sauce should be of a medium thickness. It will be used to lightly sauce the cooked ravioli.

Polenta with fresh tomato/vegetable sauce
This dish can also use a meat sauce to increase the protein levels and also to add a interesting element to a family dinner.

To make polenta: To 1 ½ cups of polenta (corn meal) add 6 cups of broth (chicken, vegetable) and bring to a boil in a 4 quart saucepan on medium to high heat. Stir often to keep from sticking. I use a whisk in the beginning to eliminate lumps then switch to a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta for about 20 minutes until it is very thick and creamy. Add 1/4 pound of butter and a cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and stir until well mixed. It can be served hot like mashed potatoes or poured into a loaf pan and allowed to cool (my favorite technique). From there it can be sliced easily and placed on a baking sheet in a medium oven (350 degrees F) for 20 minutes to warm. Serve a slice with your favorite sauce. These can include tomato vegetable sauce (next recipe), a meat sauce, or a basil pesto. Sprinkle on extra Parmigiano and add a bit of grilled meat for a great dinner.

Basic Tomato and Vegetable Sauce
This sauce is at its best when our local tomatoes are at their peak during the summer. It can be used for pasta or polenta, or whenever a rich tomato sauce is called for. This recipes makes a good quantity of sauce sofreeze any leftovers in serving sized containers.

¼ cup olive oil
2 stalks celery
1 white or yellow onion
6 unpeeled carrots
Handful flat-leafed Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
A few leaves of fresh basil
2 pounds fresh cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 quart tomato puree (called passata di pomodori—look for the Pomi brand in the U.S.)
2 cups water (or more)
1 cup dry white wine (or more)
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, to be added at the end.

Directions
Pour enough olive oil into a heavy frying pan (11 inches diameter, 2 inches tall) to cover its bottom, and place it over medium heat.
After washing the vegetables, chop the celery and onion coarsely, mince the parsley and garlic together, and grate the carrots on the largest holes of the grater. Add to hot oil, stir, and cover pot.
When the vegetables have softened, add the pepper flakes, basil and the washed cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with the salt and cover.
In 20 minutes, add the tomato puree and stir. Continue to cook, covered, for 15 minutes more, stirring regularly with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to assure that the sauce is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the cover and add water as needed, continuing to cook uncovered on low heat for another thirty minutes, stirring regularly. The sauce will reduce and thicken as it cooks.
When the sauce is thick, remove it from the burner and set aside, covered, to keep it warm. Add to the pasta or polenta, then top with grated cheese and serve.

Lasagna with vegetables and cheeses
The cheese added to this dish enhances the protein level and may actually serve as an adequate meal. Try to cook the pasta until it is quite soft and not too al dente. It will be easier to digest in that new smaller stomach for those WLS patients.

Using dry lasagna noodles or fresh lasagna cook the pasta until nearly done and set aside laid flat on towels to dry slightly. The filling of the lasagna includes your choice of vegetables including grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, lightly sauteed onion slices, basil leaves, grilled asparagus, slices of tomatoes, mushrooms, or even cooked filed greens like chard, spinach, chicory or mustard greens. All of the vegetables should be cooked until they are almost done before constructing the lasagna.

To construct the lasagna: Slice or grate 1 ½ pounds of good mozzarella cheese grated, have a cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in a bowl, and the vegetable mix you are going to use. Two sauces can be used and are often used together. A bechamel or white sauce and a red sauce dominated by vegetables and tomatoes. The bechamel should have grated Parmigiano cheese mixed into it as well as a teaspoon of garlic powder. Add a ¼ teaspoon of grated nutmeg. It should be thick but not over thick. Add a bit of milk if it is too thick to spread or pour easily. Use your favorite pasta sauce made from tomatoes or even commercially pre-made in a jar. Heat the sauce before using.

Place a bit of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and add a layer of pasta sheets. Put vegetables on top of the pasta, some grated Mozzarella, and some Parmigiano, then add a bit of the red sauce to the center. Put a border of Bechamel around the edge and place another layer of pasta. Repeat. When you get to the last layer of past, put the tomato sauce in the middle, the bechamel around the edge, top with the mozzarella and Parmigiano. Baker in a moderate oven for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees F until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes and cut into squares and serve.

Insalata Caprese
This dish is actually a salad or can be used as an antipasti. It is simple to put together and is quite good. Use the best quality of mozzarella cheese and fresh vine-ripened tomatoes you can find. If you wish cut some fresh basil from your herb garden or use fresh basil purchased at the market. Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella into ½ inch thick slices. Lay a slice of cheese down on a nice platter, and then overlap a slice of tomato. Add a leaf of basil and continue the overlapping around the platter. Sprinkle the cheese and tomatoes with a really good quality olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Keep cool until serving. This dish provides a beautiful presentation of red, white and bright green but is also quite high in protein and makes a great lunch.

Frittata with artichokes, mushrooms, peppers and pecorino
This dish has one of the highest levels of protein in this recipe group because of the eggs and cheese used to make the frittata. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F
In a 10 inch non-stick saute pan over medium to high heat, put in about 3-4 tablespoons of good olive oil. Add 1 cup of chopped marinated artichoke hearts, a cup of sliced mushrooms, and a cup of sliced yellow or red bell peppers. Stir to keep from burning and allow to saute until softened. Mix 4 eggs with a cup of milk and a ½ cup cream. Add to the pan, stir gently and allow the eggs to begin to cook on the bottom. Sprinkle the top of the frittata with a good quantity of grated pecorino or Monterey jack cheese. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes until it is golden and puffy. Remove and slide the frittata onto a plate, slice into segments and serve.

There you have a number of non-meat recipes that can be easily incorporated into an interesting post-WLS diet and they will provide maximum flavor and tastes at relatively low cost and effort.

Back to recipes and eating

2010-05-17T17:06:00.002+02:00

It is time to get back to the basic reason I began writing this blog and that is creating and eating exciting food after weight loss surgery. The month of May has been a busy one with lots of dinner catering here in Italy. We have cooked a number of different meals for groups of visitors. We have had to cook meals dominated by meats, and other meals that were predominantly vegetarian in nature. Cooking for vegetarians and lactose or gluten intolerant visitors provides a challenge to creating interesting meals acceptable to all the guests but meet the nutritional and dietary requirements often for only one person.

So here are some recipes from our May 2010 menus. I will comment on each one in light of their suitability as part of EightBites thinking, but they are all quite nice and while some may not be suitable for EightBites, they can be useful and important to creating exciting dishes for your families and friends. So enjoy the dishes and eat together at the table. These are primarily antipasti, but subsequent blogs will include pasta and meats.

Crostini with smoked salmon (or other smoked fish), crema with chives and lemon mostarda
This crostini uses toasted slices of homemade beer bread as the crostini base. The recipe for my beer bread follows. I like making the beer bread for the smoked fish crostini using toasted dill seeds and crushed dill weed. I also add some onion powder and some grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to the bread for flavor. Bread in the EightBites diets can be a bit of a problem since it fills the stomach but does not add much nutritionally. But sometimes you just have to have some bread. When I make this crostini I eat one of the pieces (just to test it to be sure it’s good). Quality control you know.

There are a wide variety of options available for this crostini. If you purchase smoked salmon it can be chopped into dice and added directly to the cream cheese and chives, and then spread on crostini. Or the cream cheese can be made, and spread on the crostini and then topped with a small piece of salmon.

Cheese (crema) topping:
Whip 8 oz of mascarpone cheese and 8 oz cream cheese (or 16 oz of cream cheese)
Add 1/4 cup chopped chives and 1 Tbs of lemon juice
Taste and add salt and pepper to taste
Spread on crostini and top with a small dollop of lemon mostarda.

This dish will work well with other types of smoked fish such as swordfish. Or if you have a stovetop smoker, smoke your own.

Lemon mostarda
Two cups of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
Rind from 5 lemons, peeled with a vegetable peeler and sliced into fine julienne
Juice from the five lemons
Slice another lemon into eighths and slice crosswise into very thin lemon wedges, remove seeds
Two tablespoons of yellow or black mustard seeds toasted
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste)

Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes
Add grated lemon peel and juice and return to a boil.
Add small slices of lemon, and allow to cook at a simmer for 20 minutes
Toast mustard seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop
Grind in a mortar or spice mill to a coarse texture
Add to fruit mixture
Taste and add 3-4 tablespoons (or more) vinegar (This is my preferred option)
Simmer for 30 minutes
Chop coarsely in a food processor
Ladle into washed canning jars (1/4 pint)
Seal and process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath
Remove from the water bath to a rack
Allow to cool.

Beer Bread
This recipe makes one loaf of bread. It takes about 5 minutes to mix up and bakes in under an hour. Turn the oven on to 375 degrees F and grease a 1 pound loaf pan with olive oil or butter. Use self-rising flour if you have it available, but a good substitute can be made easily using flour and baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder to 1 cup of flour).

The basic bread recipe is simple:

3 cups of self-rising flour or three cups all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder
¼ to ½ cup of sugar (depending how sweet you want it to be)
A pinch of salt
1 12 oz beer (the type of beer will alter the flavor, dark-richer, light-less beery)
Now is the fun part. Before adding the beer, this flour mixture can be flavored by the addition of a wide variety of items before baking. Mix in one or more different ingredients into the dry flour mixture to vary the taste. Mix in the dry or additional ingredients well before adding the beer.

I have used:
Garlic powder 1/2 tsp
Onion powder 1/2 tsp
Sautéed onions ¾ cup
Chopped salami ¾ cup
Chopped sun dried tomatoes ¾ cup
Grated pecorino cheese ½ cup
Parmesano/Reggiano cheese ½ cup
Dried chili peppers 1/8 tsp
Grated Asiago cheese ½ cup
Dill weed 1 Tbs
Mix the dry ingredients together; pour the beer into the center of the flour mix.
Stir to make thick, sticky dough.
If it appears too thick and not moist enough, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Place in a greased 1 pound loaf pan
Bake in a pre-heated 375o oven for 55 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.
Five minutes before the time is up pour a bit of melted butter over the top and return to the oven.
Make up your own flavor or try them all. Just not too many different things in one loaf.

Crostini with cream cheese and peperone agrodolce
This crostini again uses toasted beer bread and either seasoned or unseasoned cream cheese. I toast the crostini in a grill pan until ther are crisp but still soft in the middle. Then I spread the bread with the cream cheese and top with a spoonful of the peperone agrodolce. Cut into three pieces and serve.

Sweet and spicy pepper marmalatta (Peperone agrodolce)

1 yellow bell pepper, remove the stem, seeds and interior ribs and slice lengthwise into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, remove the stem, seeds and interior ribs and slice lengthwise into thin slices
2 large onions, peeled, cut into half and sliced into thin slices (should be approximately 2 cups)
3 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and sliced thinly

Place vegetables in a deep sauté pan and add ¼ cup olive oil
Add ½ teaspoon salt
Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (this can vary with your tolerance for the heat)
On medium heat, sauté peppers and onions for approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently
Add 2 cups of water and return to a simmer
Add ¾ cup of vinegar (wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, not Balsamic)
Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the vegetables and continue to simmer.
Taste the mixture to determine the balance between the vinegar and the sugar
Add either as appropriate
Continue to cook the vegetables down until they are quite thick
Taste and adjust seasonings (it should be a balanced sweet and sour and not overpowered by either)
Place in ½ pint washed jars, seal and process in a water bath for 5-6 minutes
Remove and cool. Keeps for months
Or allow to cool and place in a storage container in the refrigerator
Can keep for several weeks

Crostini with sautéed mushrooms or mushroom pate
Sauté 3 cups of sliced mushroom in 2 Tbs olive oil and an ounce of butter.
Cook over medium-low heat until they start to caramelize and shrink in volume.
Add 2 cloves finely chopped garlic and another tablespoon of butter.
Add ½ cup Marsala wine and allow it to cook down until there is almost no liquid left.

At this point they can be placed in a food processor and pureed with three tablespoons of cold butter into a pate. This should be placed in a sealed container and in the refrigerator.

The sautéed mushrooms can also be served directly on toasted crostini. You might consider using a small spread of fig marmalatta on the bread before putting the mushrooms on. It adds a nice surprise flavor. Can be served at room temperature or warm.

Fig marmalatta
1 dozen large ripe Mission or green figs
I onion, chopped (more if desired)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Sugar (to taste)
Red pepper flakes(to taste)
Apple cider or wine vinegar (to taste)

Directions to make the fig puree:
Place a dozen large figs cut into quarters in a large saucepan.
Add a chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic.
Add water to cover and cook over medium heat for approximately 1 hour until figs are very soft.
The mixture should be reduced by about ½.
Place the fruits in a food processor or using a stick blender, puree till smooth.
Put back over low heat and continue to cook to thicken the puree.
Stir at frequent intervals.
Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper.

I found a couple of tablespoons of vinegar made a great difference in sharpening the flavors.
Add 2 tablespoons of sugar if you want it sweeter and to balance the vinegar
Pack in ½ pint clean jars and refrigerate or water process to can for longer term storage.
Keeps about three weeks fresh or they can be stored for longer periods if canned

Bruschetta with sautéed broccoli rabe, garlic and anchovies
This is an excellent and unusual antipasti and can be made with green field vegetables other than broccoli rabe. I have also used chard, mustard greens and a vegetable they call cavolo nero here in Italy. I use the rustic Italian salt-less bread toasted in a grill pan as the base for this. Rub the bruschetta with a raw clove of garlic, brush with good olive poil and add a sprinkle of salt, before adding the sautéed vegetables. It is not strictly for EightBites consumption but it’s so good it is worth the lack of protein.

The greens are cleaned under running cold water and if the stems are tough, they are trimmed off. I like to cook the stems, roughly chopped in the boiling water before I cook the leafy portion of the greens which are also coarsely chopped.

In boiling salted water, cook the greens plus 4 or 5 peeled cloves of garlic until they are done and soft. Drain the greens and refresh under cold water, then allow to drain well. Squeeze the greens to remove excess water and place the greens in a bowl in the refrigerator. Pour a bit of olive oil over them before putting them away covered with plastic wrap.

To prepare the bruschetta topping, first grill slices of French or Italian bread to a nice toasty color, rub with a clove of raw garlic, brush with olive oil and sprinkle on a bit of salt. Chop the greens into a fine dice. Add three more chopped cloves of garlic to the greens. Using a 10” sauté pan, put 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and heat over moderate heat. Add the greens and the garlic and stir the mixture while it sautés. Add 4 anchovy fillets (in oil) and allow the anchovies to cook into the greens and disappear. Continue to cook the greens until they start to dry slightly. Remove from the heat. Place a small pile of greens on the bruschetta, spread it to cover and top with grated pecorino or Parmigiano cheese. Put on a baking sheet and into a 350 degree oven for ten minutes (or less) to bring the bruschetta to temperature. Cut the bruschetta into two or three pieces and place on a serving platter. The greens can be kept under refrigeration for several days. Just heat on the bruschetta and serve.

Cucumbers with goat cheese and slow-roasted tomatoes
This dish uses the wonderful fresh goat cheese available here locally. It is high in protein but does tend to fill the stomach with the cucumber slices. One or two of these are a nice addition to your dinner.

Peel and slice cucumbers into ½ inch slices
Mix 4 ounces of goat cheese with a bit of milk to soften if necessary
Add 1 or 2 crushed chopped clove of garlic and a tablespoon of chopped chives
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Roll a small ball of the goat cheese and place on top of the cucumber slice
Top with a half of a slow-roasted cherry tomato

An alternative is to just top the cucumber with the spiced goat cheese and serve.
Slow oven-roasted tomatoes
Cut 25 to 30 cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl. Add ¼ cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of dried oregano, a teaspoon of sugar and a bit of salt and pepper. Allow the tomatoes to marinate for an hour. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and turn them all over so the cut sides are up. Place in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes then turn the oven off, open the oven door slightly and allow the tomatoes to remain in the oven overnight. The next morning they should be shrunken and dried but still moist and tasty. Store in a plastic container in the refrigerator for a week or more. ‘

Stuffed peppers with sausage and cheeses
This is a nice addition to the antipasti selections. It is high in protein, has a nice spicy flavor and is served hot directly out of the oven. I eat two or three of these whenever I make them for guests. They can be made with sweet peppers with you controlling the spiciness of the filling or using Jalapeno peppers if you want a lot more heat. Jalapenos can be quite variable in their heat intensity

1-2 dozen sweet peppers approximately 3” long and about 1 ½” wide
1 pound of fresh Italian sausage (you can use spicy hot or mild)
1 medium onion
4 ounces of cream cheese
1 Cup grated Parmigiano/Reggiano cheese (or pecorino or a combination of the two)
Brown the sausage, and the chopped onion in a sauté pan and crumble into very small pieces when done completely and allow to cool.
Mix cheeses together with a hand mixer or in a food processor with the steel blade.
Add sausage and mix thoroughly.
Set aside to cool or put in a container in the refrigerator.
Slice the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs.
Rinse the peppers and allow them to drain on a rack.
When dry, place cut side up on a baking sheet.

Turn oven to 400oF and preheat

Fill the peppers with the sausage/cheese mixture mounding the mixture slightly.
Place the baking sheet with the peppers in the oven to brown and melt the cheese (3-4 minutes).
Remove from oven, remove from baking sheet and place on a serving platter.
Serve immediately

An assessment

2010-05-07T09:23:00.005+02:00

Next month will be the second anniversary of my bariatric surgery and I think it is time to assess where I have come from, where I am right now, and where I am going in the future. I had a heart attack and double bypass surgery in 2006 and while I recovered nicely, my weight, the major factor in the heart problem still existed. I went back to work in environmental consulting and tried to reconcile what I did, what I wanted to do and how all of the physical factors coalesced into a cohesive whole. I realized that after all those years working with my first wife’s issues and her weight that I really needed some help in getting the weight off. When I saw the 60 Minutes program on weight loss surgery in the spring of 2008 and its obvious associated effects on diabetes I knew that I really needed to do this. My insulin-dependent diabetes required four insulin shots per day to keep my blood sugar under control. The associated physical and medical effects from the diabetes were also weighing heavily on me. I really knew that my life would be shortened substantially unless I could get control of the diabetes.

I was remarried and was trying to deal with a new wife, a new life and soon a new culture living in Italy. Elizabeth’s support was important in the consideration to have the weight loss surgery. So in May 2008 I discussed the options with my surgeon and began the relatively rapid pre-operative run up to the surgery scheduled for June 4, 2008 at California Pacific Hospital in San Francisco, California. Dr. Jossart did asked me to see if I could lose a bit of weight before the surgery since I weighed in at 300 pounds (137 kg) at that first appointment in May. That small loss would help make the surgery a bit easier. I began to get all of the pro-operative testing and assessments done including an endoscopy, colonoscopy, heart assessment, blood work, and most importantly the pre-assessment psychological evaluation. By June 1 all of the information had been provided Dr. Jossart and I was ready both physically and psychologically to have the surgery.

My son drove me to the hospital on the morning of June 4, 2008 and I checked in at 10AM. At the time of my surgery I had lost about 8 pounds and I weighed 292 pounds. They dressed me in an over sized surgical gown and Garth and I sat talking for an hour or so. At noon they came in to pre-op me and I walked over to the preoperative area where I was given some medications to ready me for surgery. At 1PM I walked into the surgical suite and met the anesthesiologist, the surgical nurse and Dr. Jossart. All was ready, as was I. I climbed up on the operating table and laid back. The anesthesiologist set up an IV and the next thing I was aware of was being back in my room at 430PM. The nurse gave me a cup of ice chips to wet my mouth and I fell back to sleep. I had no significant pain or discomfort. The surgery had taken one hour and twenty minutes and had gone well (at least according to the surgical report Dr., Jossart gave me). The morning of the 5th, I was offered a small liquid breakfast of a protein drink, some juice and some Jell-O. I ate a little bit but was not particularly hungry. Dr. Jossart came in that morning to check on me and told me that after lunch (?) I could go home. Garth had stayed overnight in the city and was with me later in the morning. They served me another light liquid lunch which I ate some of and then they discharged me. Garth went and got his car, put the top down, and drove me back to Santa Rosa in the afternoon of June 5, 2008. Things were ready to change in my life. Elizabeth had returned to Italy in April to resume her seasonal responsibilities and I was alone in the house on Powderhorn.

Those first days seemed go by quite slowly. I was drinking high protein drinks and walking around a bit. I was keeping as active as possible. I had no pain or discomfort. My small abdominal incisions were healing nicely and I felt quite well. I was not hungry. At the time of my surgery I wore a size 54 jacket, had a 46 inch waist and wore a 3XXL shirt (19 to 20 inch collar). I stayed on the liquid diet for about three weeks, then I started eating soft solid foods. At six weeks I was eating solid foods and was losing weight quickly. It was the middle of July and I was preparing to move to Italy in early August.

I took my last long acting insulin shot the evening before my surgery on the 3rd of June and my last short term shot in July 2008. I have not given myself an insulin injection since that time. My blood sugar level in the morning is now at 70 which is a terrific level (100 or less is normal). My blood pressure was down. I had stopped snoring and I had no sleep apnea.

At the end of my first year post-surgery I weighed 168 pounds (71 kg). I felt good and when I had my annual blood work and vitamin analyses, things seemed to be going in the right direction. I was down in physical size to a 42 jacket, a 32 inch waist and a size 16 shirt (large in Italy sizes). I was getting up earlier in the mornings and had a good amount of energy. I was exercising regularly and felt wonderful. I had begun cooking with the AmoreSapore team in August 2008 when I got to Italy and was rapidly learning the recipes we used in our dinner catering and service. I was learning a “new” trade and felt great about it. Working was the best thing I could do for myself.

So that is where I have come from. And here at the start of my third year after surgery is where I am right now. I have maintained my weight with no difficulty at 165 pounds (70 kg), and I feel that the weight I have is being redistributed a little better on my body. For the first time in my life I have been able to wear a double-breasted sport coat. I had never had a double breasted sport coat body before. I weigh 30 pounds less than I weighed in high school. I feel and look pretty good.

I have been able to eat anything I want to without restrictions other than I can only Eight Bites per meal. That has been OK. I love to taste the tastes now, not necessarily to consume the volume. The only food that is a still a bit problematical is red wine. The tannins cause me some stomach pain so I avoid them and stick to small amounts of white wine when I want to have a bit with dinner. I have become well-known in local dining circles for my antipasti which to me are the perfect food, since they are small, tasty bites that are pretty to the eye and bring excitement to the dining experience. I often make my meal of several antipasti and will often order a plate of antipasti if we go out to eat. The transition from heavy to lighter has been an easy one. Both in terms of the eating side as well as the living side. I feel that I have a new lease on life and expect to live a long and healthy life.

So where do I go from here? For one thing I will never go back to being heavy again. The surgery I had was a one-way ticket, and there is no turning back. Why should I? I was unhappy heavy and am happier weighing less. Why go through all this just to return to being heavy again? Having maintained my weight loss for one year I know that it can be done. Dr. Jossart has asked me to counsel pre-surgical patients about what to expect in their new lives. And I have been able through this blog to provide clear information and advice to several patients who are considering the surgery. These include those folks referred to me by my surgeon, as well as former classmates and friends. The one significant issue I see with this process is the lack of sufficient pre- operative psychological counseling and evaluations. I have seen where the desire to lose weight can override a person’s problems with eating issues or disorders but those problems don't just go away. When they feel better having lost weight (100 pounds or more often) the “treat” themselves to more and higher calorie foods and can begin an inexorable weight regain. I have discussed this area before and the reader may wish to reread that blog entry.

This blog is being written to assist those who are heavy or who have had weight loss surgery to come to grips with the issues involved in good life choices. Weight loss surgery is not for everyone. But it can change your life.

So now I will get back to why I started this blog last year, food and how to enjoy it. New recipes and food ideas are in the works. Stay tuned. The best is yet to come.

So Happy Re-birthday Kurt. And to all of you reading this blog, thanks and stay with me. Life is just getting better by the day. Mangia!

Gaining the art of conversation

2010-03-26T13:41:00.003+01:00

One of the most important things about Eight Bites is that with the limited food intake you have a lot of free time at the dinner table. This free time should not be spent alone if possible. As we lose weight we tend to isolate ourselves a bit as we transition from that overweight person into someone completely different. It is a bit of a lonely process because you are going through it by yourself. It is very important that we try not to isolate ourselves at meals since this can be both emotionally and physically draining. Having a loved one to talk to or friends over for dinner helps in the process of weight loss transition and makes you feel better about yourself.

You need to have people around you who understand the physical processes you are going through and support your efforts. Sometimes friends can be a bit of problem if they don't understand the physical process or the why you did this in the first palce. They may try to get you to eat a bit more. I think its because they can, and they don't want to feel that they are an issue. Be careful with that second group of "dietary helpers" since they can really sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Last Thursday we attended a large dinner for artisan food producers in the upper Tiber River Valley here in Italy. There were about 120 people in attendance and only a few spoke English. Still being in the beginning phases of learning Italian I found the prospects of the dinner a little intimidating and potentially isolating. I have had a number of experiences at meals in the recent past where virtually everyone spoke Italian and I found those evenings a bit painful. While I am starting to understand what is being said, or at least the gist of it, the textural quality of the conversation is lost on me. The emotional tenor of the conversation must be defined by the expressions used and the inflections of the speakers. I had the opportunity to sit next to a gentlemen from Wisconsin who was now a goat farmer and artisan cheese maker. And a good one at that. He had lived in Italy for 20 years, and being from the US he was able to translate for me at least as much as I needed to get the points in the many speeches and conversations swirling around me. Without his assistance I would have sat there rather quietly for a three hour dinner. The ability to converse is a significant asset in the socialization process.

It was a multicourse meal as Italian banquets are want to be. The antipasti included a variety of cured meats, lardo (actually spiced pork fat and pretty good), and some local bread. Fagiolini beans with stewed Chianina beef were next. All of the foods prepared were generated by the artisan food growers and producers. We had braised lamb, more Chianina beef osso bucco, braised spinach, mashed potatoes, and for dessert, goat cheese from my new friend. Colomba (an Easter bread) and vinsanto were then served. It was a pretty good meal and because it stretched out over three hours, I was able to eat a little bit of everything. It takes about two hours to clear the stomach after a meal so a three hour meal of small bites provided me with plenty of nutrition and a varied set of new tastes. I did miss conversing though and I spent a great deal of the time quietly listening to the conversations at our table.

We have had a friend of Elizabeth's here for the last month. Winder was in her 70's but was a lively dinner conversationalist (an aging Hippie) and our evening meals were often filled with arguments, discussion of current events and general banter. While we did not always agree, we did hold interesting conversations and the table was never silent for long. I was able to eat my small amounts and still feel like I was an integral part of the dining experience. The give and take in the conversation was what was important. Sometimes attempts at conversation can be restricted by simply stating rhetorical statements or questions. These types of interactions generally do not foster conversation but more often silence. A statement made that does not require an answer or a question that only has one answer does not elicit conversation. It is the true give and take that makes for meaningful conversations at the dinner table.

I guess what I am trying to get at is that it is important to not eat alone; to interact during the dining experience, and to be willing to listen to different views and attitudes without prejudice. I assume this is called active listening and it is good for the mind as the weight loss surgery and the resultant weight loss is good for the body. Just remember, no fighting at the dinner table, it disrupts your digestion and makes you eat (and often drink) more than you should. Discuss, argue, debate, but don't get angry.

More than Eight Bites

2010-02-27T03:29:00.009+01:00

The focus of this blog has been the recipes and dishes that I have used to help me (and hopefully others) deal with the dietary restrictions placed on us by the weight loss surgery we have had. I have discussed the reasons I had the surgery (vertical gastrectomy, June 2008), issues involving the foods that I have eaten, the various formal and informal gatherings, and the culinary experiences that I have had on this interesting journey through my weight loss. Eight Bites has been my personal mantra for the last two years as it was with my wife’s surgery done in 1981. I have literally lived the majority of my life Eight Bites at a time. I have found that the restrictions placed upon me by Eight Bites have not influenced my appreciation for the actual act of eating good tasting food; in fact I believe it has been enhanced. I have found that I can evaluate a restaurant menu and choose between an interesting antipasti plate with a variety of bites, or a single dish from the secondo menu and have Eight Bites of the same thing. It allows me an infinite flexibility.

The other day at a wonderful restaurant in Berkeley, California called Oliveto’s; I was eating lunch with one of the followers to this blog. Scott is a young guy, not overweight, but he does enjoy the basic pleasures of eating good food, experiencing new tastes and interesting textures. He and his wife had stayed with us in Italy last year and we struck up a friendship. When I went on my recent trip to California, we met for lunch near where he works. Oliveto’s is a great Italian restaurant, owned by another friend of mine. As we sat perusing the menus, we talked about the cooking class in Denver I had just taught, how he and his wife were buying a house, how things were in Italy, etc. In general we were just carrying on a conversation between friends. However it had been awhile since that hotel “sort of” breakfast I had at 7AM and I was getting hungry. The antipasti looked good but I was in the mood for a bit more substance. So I ordered a grilled fillet of black sea bass on a cannelini bean puree, topped with a salsa verde (green sauce). I grill fish all the time so I knew what it should taste like. The cannelini bean puree I also make frequently as a topping for crostini. But the salsa verde was a new element to me. The combination of the fish, the bean puree, and the spicy salsa was extremely good and it was actually more than Eight Bites. Who was counting? The salsa tasted like a puree of shallots, parsley, vinegar, garlic and olive oil, which I will try to duplicate here when I serve fish again. It would probably be good on other types of meats as well.

So where am I going here? The restriction of Eight Bites has been placed upon me by my surgery, but changing the way you eat regarding controlling portions has a more universal application. So todays entry is about portion control. Whether its Eight Bites, twelve bites or fourteen bites, what is important is examining the way we eat and looking at the concept of portion control as a means to change our weight, and our lives. As a society we tend to eat too much and that is likely the cause of the epidemic of increasing obesity. We super-size everything, we want a “Grande” meal; we want the large portion, the large soda, and the mega- burrito. We want a lot on our plates so we feel satiated and satisfied that we have gotten our money’s worth from the meal. But what has all this super sizing done, besides increasing your waist size, your BMI, and your overall health risk factors? It has also taught us the lesson that “more is better” and we sometimes still hear our Mother’s admonition that we must clean our plates because of all those starving people in Africa and Asia. What was she thinking? We can’t send the extra food on our plate to help feed them. So we developed the habit of eating more, and cleaning our plates, and then as we aged and our activity level decreased, the laws of thermodynamics began their insidious journey to our bellies, thighs, and butts. Saddlebags are not just on horses. Calories in and calories out. If the calories in are more than the calories out you will gain weight. It’s a physical law. Where that weight goes on your body has a lot to do with genetics, but it will increase. Since as we age our general physical activity level tends to decrease, as a result we have to learn to reduce our portion sizes as well. So here we are back to portion control.

The physical restrictions place upon me by my reduced stomach, limits me to Eight Bites (or so). But even if you haven’t had a weight loss surgical intervention you can still reduce your portion size. Think about an option where you limit your meals to 14 bites (or 12 bites). For example, if you eat two fried eggs for breakfast (which I do most mornings) and cut each one into three or four bites, you have seven or Eight Bites. For many months after my surgery, this was my breakfast. It was high in protein, and was a restricted volume I was able to put into my newly altered stomach. Now I add a slice of toast (four to five bites) and you have a breakfast of between twelve and fourteen bites. The next most important question is do you need that sausage patty, or the hash browns, or the three strips of bacon? If you eat your eggs and toast slowly, maybe sipping a cappuccino (use artificial sweetener if possible) and read the newspaper or scan your email, you will feel full. Probably not the first time you try it (you will likely feel hungry) but within a few days, that many bites for breakfast will seem plenty. By the way, put some Tabasco sauce on the eggs if you like (I do). Your calorie intake for that breakfast will be less than 400 calories and it will get your day off to a good start.

Now what about lunch? If you are required you to eat out at lunch with clients or colleagues, the mid-day meal can be problematical. If you have eaten a good protein-laden meal for breakfast it is less likely that you will be starving at lunch. If you just had a croissant or a pastry and a coffee for breakfast, it is highly likely that you will be hungry since these foods digest quickly, lead to increased blood sugar levels and will leave you with an empty feeling that you want to fill at lunch. This can sabotage your fourteen bites quickly.

Look at the menu and assess the possibilities. Is there something on the antipasti or starters list that intrigue you, maybe something you have never tried before? Experimentation with new flavors and tastes makes your meals interesting and allows you to savor each bite individually. It also allows you to reduce the need to eat a big plate of anything in order to “stay up” with your dining companions. My guess is that they will sit there and watch you eat those interesting bites and not really consider how little you are eating. Frankly it gets them off your back to some degree. And you will not feel obligated to eat more. Lunch out can be fun and still meet the portion needs you are striving for. A well-controlled lunch may be 600 to 800 calories. So in two meals you are at about 900 to 1000 calories. Careful food selection which might include a small vegetable dish or a side salad along with your protein will provide a balanced lunch. My guess is that how much you eat will be less than what you have been consuming in the past. Walk back to the office, or back to the car and you have had a satisfying lunch, good conversation (hopefully) and a solid nutritional middle of the day meal. If you have plenty of protein at lunch you should not have a serious “crash” of blood sugar in the late afternoon when you might really want a piece of cake or some cookies. I would suggest keeping a stash of good quality cookies in your desk drawer, and if you feel the need, eat one or two with a coffee or a glass of water. Stay away from the icing-filled cookies and maybe eat a small shortbread cookie or a ginger cookie. It will satisfy your hunger, satisfy any craving for sweets, and not kill your calorie count. Eating a portion-controlled diet should not be about deprivation and enforced eating restrictions. It should be about smaller servings of exciting textures, flavors and tastes. You are not in prison and you always have the ability to select and consume the foods you want.

To finish the day, dinner at home is relatively easy to deal with. Plan the meal so you have three to four ounces of meat of fish, a small amount of starches such as rice or potatoes (try to minimize the amount of carbohydrates you consume), and a bit of vegetables or salad. If you are eating with the family, sit at the table and enjoy the dynamics while you slowly eat your dinner. Do not let familial problems alter your perceptions of your meal. Don’t let emotions get in the way of the eating, because if you are upset or angry, you will eat more than you anticipate. If you are eating alone or with your significant other, serve your plate(s) in the kitchen and take them to the table. If you don’t put food in serving bowls and platters on the table you will be less likely to eat more. Controlling the portions to 12 to 14 bites per meal will automatically reduce the caloric intake and by taking a walk after dinner (hold hands with your significant other please, it aids in the digestive process) you will alter the thermodynamic equation in your favor.

So by limiting yourself to 12 to 14 legitimate bites per meal you will reduce the total number of calories consumed. Just remember not to just eat a big slice of cheesecake and then wash it down with a chocolate milkshake. That dietary plan will certainly alter the thermodynamic balance in the wrong direction. When you get your plate, look at the food and see how it can be divided into bites. Two eggs easily divide into six bites, a tuna sandwich for lunch can be Eight Bites or less, while a four ounce steak can be cut into seven or eight bites.

To meet my Eight Bites limit, I eat a couple of eggs for breakfast and maybe a small slice of toast, a sandwich made on small slices of bread with a high protein filling (like tuna or egg salad, or a BLT) for lunch, and then 3 ounce of fish or meat for dinner along with a small amount of vegetables. Usually I don’t eat much rice or potatoes. To me these are really empty calories, and of little value to my nutrition. I try to zip up the flavors by adding Tabasco Sauce to the eggs, giardineri mix (a pickled vegetable condiment) to the tuna or egg salad, and some interesting chutney or a spicy mostarda to the meat for dinner. Meals become more interesting by adding condiments, and can be changed daily so you don’t get bored. Remember that recipes are recipes, and virtually every one, including the ones I have provided in this blog do not focus on just eating Eight Bites.

What you have to add to the culinary equation is your own portion control.

So Eight Bites are not for everyone, but effective portion control can help win the battle with the effects of thermodynamics. It is more what and how much you eat and not just about consuming as much as can possibly fit in your stomach. When I saw the surgical report for my stomach surgery and the doctor’s comment that my stomach was enormous, it made me realize that I had been super-sizing my intake for years and also effectively super-sizing myself. We can do more (and less) for ourselves.

Gary, this one is for you, in appreciation for all the advice and counsel you have provided. May we continue to be friends and may your fourteen bites keep you happy and satisfied. kfk

Cooking class in Denver

2010-02-22T22:27:00.004+01:00

On February 13, I had the chance to teach a cooking class in Denver, Colorado. It started with my trip to California and the desire to get together with a former graduate student of mine who lives near Denver. A high school classmate asked me if I would stay at their home for the weekend and I agreed. Another classmate from high school is a follower on this blog so I wrote to him and asked if the three Antioch guys might want to get together in Denver for a mini-reunion. I decided that I would offer to teach a cooking class similar to the ones we do in Italy. So Jim invited two other couples, plus Gary and his wife to get together on Saturday night at Jim’s house outside of Denver. These two guys had lived about 30 miles apart in Colorado and had not met in 47 years, since high school.

Jim and Sharon met me at the airport Friday afternoon and we drove back to their house reminiscing about old school friends. I fixed a simple dinner of tortellini Gorgonzola, some toasted French bread, and some salad. Tortellini Gorgonzola is a simple dish with tortellini (use meat filled ones if possible, but all types work fine), and a sauce made of 8 ounces of cream, 4-6 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese, two tablespoons of butter and lots of ground black pepper. The tortellini are cooked and then added to the sauce and stirred until coated. It is wonderful hot and can be eaten as leftovers the next day. Later in the evening I made some beer bread for crostini the next day, did the slow oven-roasted tomatoes, and the Italian cream cheese dessert which had to harden in the refrigerator overnight.

On Saturday, I checked the shopping list I had asked Jim and Sharon to do and things looked in readiness. I dressed and went out to lunch with Lisa (my graduate student) to a good Thai restaurant and had a nice piece of curried fish. Then it was back to the house to set up the class materials. My pasta machine had been delayed in Frankfurt, but arrived in San Francisco before I left for Denver. So we clamped it to a counter and I began the antipasti setups and the vegetables for the sauce. At 3PM people started arriving and we were ready to go. There was Sharon and Jim (my hosts), Gary and Paulette, Stephanie, Gary, Louise and Jay. They were ready to participate.

The menu was:
Crostini with salmon and crema
Crostini with porcini saute
Crostini with cannelini bean puree and caramelized onions
Bruschetta with olive oil, garlic and salt
Bruschetta with caramelized pears and Gorgonzola
Cucumber slices topped with spiced goat cheese and slow roasted cherry tomatoes
Tagliatelle with vegetable and tomato sauce
Grilled sausages and grapes
Salad with radicchio, orange slices and fennel in orange vinaigrette
Italian cheese dessert

Instruction started with the longest cooking dish, the tomato sauce. Once it was on the stove we made the pasta dough and set it aside to rest while we did the antipasti. Since almost all of the antipasti were bread (crostini and bruschetta) based I did the sliced bead in the oven, brushing the slices with olive oil and some crushed garlic. I grilled the bruschetta alone then rubbed garlic into the bread, liberally applied a good olive oil and sprinkled on some salt. The pieces were cut into three sections and plated. The materials for the crostini were mixed by class members and the assembly took place at the kitchen table. Everyone had fun, but they were starting to stare hungrily at the dishes spread out on the table. I felt that I had to divert their attention for a bit, so I started rolling and cutting the pasta.

I felt the pasta was a bit moist and added a substantial amount of flour to the surface to keep it from sticking. I had a couple of people roll out the sheets and then showed them how to use the cutter head to make the tagliatelle. The pasta was floured and stacked and I started the water on the stove. Then I told them all to start on the antipasti. It was fun to watch them eat the interesting pieces they had made so simply. Hopefully that is the good takeaway lesson they can use in the future. Wine was poured and consumed. I tasted everything to be sure it was OK and then got back to the pasta. I was pretty much done eating dinner and my Eight Bites had been enough.

The sauce had cooked down and the pasta water was boiling so I asked everyone to sit down and dropped the pasta in to cook. It took only a few minutes, though I cooked it a bit longer than they do in Italy. I understand al dente pasta, but I find it too underdone for American tastes. So I cooked the pasta about a minute or so longer. It came out perfectly. I plated the pasta and the sauce in a big heated bowl and added a couple of handfuls of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, The sauce was lightly used as a condiment and did not drown the pasta. I served the pasta and started the sausages.

I placed the grapes in a large saute pan with a bit of olive oil and started to glaze them. Then I set them aside and started grilling the sausages. The pasta course was done with a bit for leftovers. I plated the sausages on a hot platter and poured the grapes over them. Then I dressed the salad and sent both out to the dining room. I actually then took a few minutes to sit down and talk and also listen to the conversation. Eating should be a communal activity and the conversation was lively, and often political.

As the dinner was winding down, I slowed the pace a bit and held off on the dessert as everyone settled in for a few minutes. I sliced the cheese dessert into 3” squares since it was so rich and served it on chilled plates. Wine was poured continuously and the dessert got good reviews. Everyone helped clear the table and the dishes piled up in the sink. Most went into the dishwasher and the pans were washed by hand. I opened a bottle of vin santo and had a small glass with Jim. Gary doesn’t drink any longer but then the three of us chatted for another 30 minutes. Everyone left to avoid the impending snowstorm (10” by morning). The evening was over and I was on a bit of an adrenaline high. It seems to get like that after cooking a meal for someone. Slowing down and cleaning up was necessary and accomplished.

The following recipes were handed out at the class:

Crostini with salmon and cream cheese with lemon mostarda
Mix 4-8 ounces of cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of chopped chives and a bit of slat and pepper. Set aside. Grill thin slices of French or Italian bread over the grill to brown and crisp. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Dice smoked salmon into 1/4” dice and sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons on top of the cream cheese. Add a small dollop of lemon mostarda to the top and a very thin 1/8 portion of a thin lemon slice.

Lemon Mostarda
Two cups of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
Rind from 5 lemons, peeled with a vegetable peeler and sliced into fine julienne
Juice from the five lemons
Slice another lemon into eighths and slice crosswise into very thin lemon wedges, remove seeds
Two tablespoons of yellow or black mustard seeds
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste)

Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes
Add grated lemon peel and juice and return to a boil.
Add small sliced of lemon, and allow to cook at a simmer for 20 minutes
Toast mustard seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop
Grind in a mortar or spice mill to a coarse texture
Add to fruit mixture
Taste and add 3-4 tablespoons (or more) vinegar (This is my preferred option)
Simmer for 30 minutes
Ladle into washed canning jars (1/4 pint)
Seal and process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath
Remove from the water bath to a rack
Allow to cool.

Caramelized pear and Gorgonzola crostini
Peel and chop 2 firm pears into ½” dice. Saute over medium heat with a couple of teaspoons of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice until golden and caramelized. Mix about 3-4 oz of Gorgonzola with a bit of milk or cream to thin it to spreading consistency. Grill thin slices of French or Italian bread over the grill to brown and crisp. Spread Gorgonzola on the bread and top with some caramelized pear. Put on a baking sheet in a slow oven (300 degrees for 5-10 minutes to heat before serving.

Cannelini bean and caramelized onions crostini
Open and drain a can of great northern or cannelini beans and rinse thoroughlty. Place beans in a saucepan with about a ½ can of chicken stock or water and add 3 peeled garlic cloves. Cook the beans for 10-15 minutes until most of the water has evaporated. Puree the mixture with a stick blender or in a food processor. Peel and slice 2 medium onions thinly and saute in a frying pan with 3-4 table spoons of butter, add a table spoon of sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (or what you have). The onions should saute until golden and soft. Grill thin slices of French or Italian bread over the grill to brown and crisp. We used a bit of fig jam on the bread before putting the beans on. Spread with the bean puree and top with some onions. Sprinkle with a bit of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Bruschetta with garlic, olive oil and salt
Slice French or Italian bread into ½” slices and grill either over coals, on a grill, or in the oven until toasted and golden. Remove bread slices to a rack and rub each slice well with a raw clove of garlic. In a bowl put ½ cup of good quality olive oil and with a brush, brush oil generously onto each slice. Sprinkle with a nice coarse salt and put into a warm oven to keep warm

Mushroom crostini
Saute 8 oz of sliced button mushrooms (or whatever you have available) in 4 Tablespoons of butter or a mixture of butter and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add ½ cup of chopped parsley and ½ cup of Marsala wine. Cook over medium until nearly dry. Spread mushroom mixture on crostini. The mushrooms can be pureed with a bit of cold butter to make a nice mushroom pate.

Cucumber antipasti with goat cheese and slow roasted tomatoes
Peel and slice two good cucumbers into 1” slices. Mix fresh goat cheese with a bit of salt and pepper and top each slice with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Top cheese with a half slow roasted tomato.

Slow roasted tomatoes
Wash and then slice a basket of cherry tomatoes into halves. Place in a bowl and add ½ cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon or dried basil and oregano, some salt and pepper and a spoonful of sugar if the tomatoes are not that ripe. Turn the tomatoes out onto a large cookie sheet and turn each one over so the cut side is up. Place in a 300 degree oven for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow the tomatoes to dry (overnight is fine). Place in a plastic container and keep in the refrigerator until needed.

Tagliatelle with tomato and vegetable sauce
Make fresh pasta, or purchase fresh or dry pasta (tagliatelle or fettuccini)

Basic Tomato and Vegetable Sauce
Serves 12
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours
It is preferable to use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes. But local conditions may dictate what you use.
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
2 stalks celery
1 white or yellow onion
6 unpeeled carrots
Handful flat-leafed Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (peperoncini), optional
A few leaves of fresh basil
2 pounds fresh cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 quart tomato puree (called passata di pomodori—look for the Pomi brand in the U.S.)
2 cups water (or more)
1 cup dry white wine (or more)
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, to be added at the end.

Directions
Pour enough olive oil into a heavy frying pan (11 inches diameter, 2 inches tall) to cover its bottom, and place it over medium heat.

After washing the vegetables, chop the celery and onion coarsely, mince the parsley and garlic together, and grate the carrots on the largest holes of the grater. Add to hot oil, stir, and cover pot.

After the vegetables have softened, add the pepper flakes, basil and the de-stemmed, washed cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with the salt and cover.

After 20 minutes, add the tomato puree and stir. Continue to cook, covered, for 15 minutes more, stirring regularly with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to assure that the sauce is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Remove cover and add wine and water as needed, continuing to cook uncovered on low heat for another thirty minutes, stirring regularly.

When the sauce is thick and creamy, remove it from the fire and set aside, covered, to keep it warm. Add to the pasta or polenta, then top with grated cheese and serve.

Italian sausages and grilled grapes
Purchase the number of sausages you will need and either grill them over coals or in a grill pan on the stove. Remove the grapes from the stems and in a saute pan, saute them with a bit of good olive oil until they start to get slightly colored and may start to pop. Place the grilled sausage in a serving dish and pour grapes over all.

Salad with sliced oranges, fennel, radicchio, and lettuce
Make a salad with torn lettuce and radicchio. Peel and slice three oranges thinly and set aside. Slice the fennel very thinly through the root so the slices stay together. Add the sliced oranges just before serving. Make vinaigrette from the juice of one orange, olive oil, salt and pepper and if you wish a small amount of mild vinegar. Pour over salad and toss.

Italian cheesecake
This is a creamy cheesy dessert that requires no cooking. Adjust the amount of cheese to serve the number of people you need.

Place 8 to 16 oz of mascarpone and 8 to 16 ounces of cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Begin to mix. Add 1/2 to ¾ cup of sugar, a teaspoon of grated lemon peel, two ounces of your favorite liquor (Grand Marnier, brandy, chocolate liquor, coffee liquor). Mix everything thoroughly. In a second bowl put ½ to 1 pint of whipping cream, a ½ cup of sugar (or less) and a teaspoon of vanilla. Mix to stiff peaks. Add ½ of the cream to the cheese mixture, and continue beating. Remove the mixer, and fold in the remaining cream. In a large baking dish, place 1-2 cups of crushed biscotti in the bottom, pour over the cream mixture and sprinkle top with chopped bittersweet chocolate. Place in the refrigerator at least overnight covered with plastic wrap. Serve cold.

Some questions and some answers (at least my answers)

2010-02-22T06:43:00.002+01:00

Did you have a gastric bypass?
No. There are currently several surgical options. I had what is called a vertical gastrectomy or a VG. That surgery is done using a laparoscope through a small incision in the abdomen and physically removes between 85% and 90% of your stomach. The surgery results in a mechanical restriction and has little effect on the physiology of the digestive processes. Its effect is to restrict the total amount of food you can eat at one time. The surgery took about 1.5 hours and I then stayed in the hospital overnight. I went home the next day.

What are the differences between the surgeries?
I discussed the surgeries in an earlier blog entry (September 2009, Bariatric Surgery) and will summarize them here. There are two surgical techniques that I call physiological surgeries (the Roux Y and the duodenal shunt). These techniques physically bypass the stomach and insert the esophagus directly into the intestinal tract. These would be defined as Gastric Bypasses, since they bypass and/or also remove the stomach. The third surgery is the Gastric Band. This is an inelastic band that is placed around a portion of the stomach to restrict food intake. It is generally considered reversible and often people have it so they can have it reversed at some point in the future. The other surgeries are not generally reversible.

Was there any pain or post-surgical problems?
In my surgery, I went to the hospital at 10AM, and walked into the surgical suite at 1:30PM. The surgery took about 1.5 hours and I woke up in my room about 4PM. I had no major discomfort or pain that evening and after a liquid breakfast and lunch the next day I left the hospital about 1PM. Over the next few days I had a little bit of an infection in one of the laparoscopic incision sites, but it was treated with some topical antibiotics and a band aid and resolved itself quickly. In general I had no significant post surgical problems. I stayed on a liquid protein diet for three weeks and followed the “manual” carefully. I did not push the process and began to lose weight immediately.

What was the time frame to eating normal food?
I began eating a soft diet at about 3 weeks and at about six weeks I could eat almost anything I wished. For those first months I kept the portions very small and generally soft. I had a few incidences of pain, but they went away quickly. Normal eating began about 3-4 months after surgery, with a somewhat careful selection of foods.

How much weight did you lose and how fast did you lose it?
I lost about 35 pounds in the first month, and 20 more in the second month. Surgery was on June 4, 2008 and by September 2008 I was down 70 pounds. I was down 80 in October and 91 in November. I had lost 100 pounds by Christmas. The rate of loss slowed after the first of the year and by June 2009 I had lost a total of 135 pounds and the weight loss had stopped. Since that time, I have been at a stable weight of 165 pounds with no variability. I believe that I have reached my ultimate goal weight.

How do you feel?
I feel great. I had the surgery to see if it would resolve my outstanding health issue including diabetes (four insulin shots per day), high blood pressure (160/90), and significant sleep apnea. I have a reasonable exercise regimen using a stationary bike and a significant amount walking. When I saw my surgeon for the first time, my biggest health concern was the long term health implications from the diabetes. He gave me about a 93% chance of getting off insulin. I have not had to use insulin since July 2008, one month after surgery. My blood sugar in the morning is between 75 and 90 which is great. Blood pressure is significantly lower and I no longer snore or have sleep apnea (much to my wife’s approval).

What about exercise?
I exercise probably less than I should but try to get in some stationary bike time at least three times per week. I ride for about a half hour each time. I walk a lot and when visiting the hill towns in Italy often have to walk for extended periods in fairly steep locales.

What about all that extra skin?
Depending upon the type of weight loss and how you carried the weight and where, there is a signiciant potential to have extra skin sort of drooping down from the abdomen and often the neck. I was pretty lucky and my mother had very elastic skin so mine is not too bad. It is often necessary to have some plastic surgery, particularly if you have a lot of excess skin. That is something each person who has the surgery must consider.

You seem to have to drink a lot of water?
The post surgical period is one of rapid weight loss and it is necessary to drink a lot of water to help the body flush away the various metabolites that require excretion. The surgeons recommend 60-70 ounces of water per day and generally not to be taken with meals. It is not that difficult to be sure that you drink a sufficient amount of fluid.

Did it change your life?
Absolutely! I had been heavy for almost 50 years, ever since high school. I was unhealthy and in 2006 had a minor heart attack and double by-pass heart surgery. With the surgery I lost over 165 pounds. I can do a lot more physically than I used to do, and have no significant physical problems. So yes, the surgery changed my life for the better. I will be around longer for my grandchildren and for my new wife.

Did it change your lifestyle?
It didn’t change who I was inside my head, but it did change how I looked and the things I was able to do. Physically I went from a size 54 jacket to a 42, a 46 inch waist to a 32 inch waist, and from a 3X shirt (size 19-20) to a 16. I am able to wear clothes that I have never been able to wear before. I could exercise for a half hour when before I pooped out at 5-10 minutes. I have a pretty well-developed social life with my new wife and my friends seem to appreciate the fact that I am healthier and can do more.

How can you work as a chef and have this surgery?
For the past year I have been working rather steadily as a cook for my wife’s catering business. I serve as a ook to groups from 4 to 40 people. I make antipasti, pasta, sauces of all kinds, grilled meats, and a variety of desserts. I have found that I can eat one or two bites of things I make and appreciate the flavors, textures, and tastes. I have also found I don’t need to eat a lot of anything to feel satisfied. I love to make nutritious as well as beautiful foods for my guests and to see their appreciation and enjoyment of the meal. I don’t feel the need to eat excessively while I am doing so.

What can you eat (and can’t eat)?
Early on after the surgery I carefully assessed any new foods I ingested. I ate only one new food at a time as I learned what worked for me. I found that ground beef was problematical early, as well as tomato sauces and red wine. So I restricted those items. Highly seasoned and spicy foods did not seem to create problems. Pasta still causes me some problem, especially here in Italy where it is not cooked to the softness I need. Al dente here is simply not cooked enough and pasta tends to just sit in my stomach for long periods of time. I cook my pasta a bit longer and have fewer problems. In general when I go out to restaurants, I look at the appetizer menu first to see if I can see if there are interesting things there. I am restricted to 8-10 bites per meal so a full dinner is out of the question. I either share my meal with my wife or I will order an antipasti (which often I can’t finish). I love a bite of dessert and often get to share one either with the table or my wife.

What overall effects has it had on you?
As I stated before, it has totally changed my life. I am healthier, and working on getting stronger. I no longer inject myself with insulin. I look a lot better and enjoy wearing nice-looking clothes. I have been extending my skills in the kitchen. So I have a new life, and hopefully an extended one. I enjoy what I do, who I am and how I look now.

What about your family and friends, what are their perceptions?
The role of family and friends are critical in dealing with the issues of the post surgical time and your subsequent weight loss. They can sabotage you by trying to get you to eat more than you should. They can affect your self-esteem by saying “You are too thin”, “You need to gain some weight” or “You don’t look healthy.” Or conversely, if they are supportive of your weight loss they can be inordinately helpful. You need to be sure how you feel about the comments from family and what they say about them as well as you. Friends who have known you at your larger size will have some issues with your weight loss. But if they are true friends they will understand why you did what you did. This is an ongoing process of discovery and change. Try to minimize contact with those who are not supportive and increase the contact that is supportive.

Conclusion and processes
This is a life-changing process. If you did it for the right reasons, the results will be wonderful and healthy. If you did it for the wrong reasons, the end result can be problematical, like regaining the weight so dearly lost. It is important for each person contemplating this radical process, to fully understand the whys of their weight as well as the reasons for changing it. Myself, I will never allow myself to go back to being heavy again. I hope these answers have helped. Please remember they are based upon my experiences and the people I have met who are either contemplating the surgery or examining the after effects.

Current Recipe Index by entry

2010-02-21T04:55:00.005+01:00

The little bites- Antipasti and Tapas
Basic tomato topping for bruschetta or crostini:
Basic cream cheese topping

Braised Pork and a Smoked Salmon antipasto
Braised Pork with onions and raisins
Smoked salmon and crema with chives

Beer Bread and Fish Stew
Beer Bread
Kurt’s Fish Stew

It’s just chicken
Chicken and Sausages with peppers
Grilled Chicken in orange mustard marinade

If it swims, it's probably good for you
Fish poached in sugo
Salmon Patties
Slow cooked tuna
Grilled fish kebabs

Shrimp, Scallops, and Squid
Bacon-Wrapped Ginger Soy Scallops
Spicy Shrimp with Mangos and Snow Peas
Scarred Squid
Marinated shrimp

Antipasti, Parties and some new clothes
Sautéed mushrooms and Marsala
Stuffed peppers
Fresh mozzarella slices with olive oil and salt

Today its Eggs
Baked eggs with Spinach
Baked eggs with wine and Asiago cheese and chicken and apple sausage
Artichoke and mushroom frittata
Asparagus and steamed eggs (alone or wrapped)
Cheddar Cheese Egg Casserole
Tortilla Espanola with Aioli

Condiments that add excitement
Apple or Pear mostarda
Lemon or citrus mostarda
Pear and Ginger mostarda
Dried Apricot and Onion Conserve
Fig marmalata
Pepper marmalatta

It's some more fish
Tuna Salad undone
Blackened spicy fish
Grilled fish with Spring Herb Hollandaise Sauce

Friends for dinner
Salmon crostini
Oven-dried tomatoes and marinated mozzarella
Stuffed, deep-fried squash blossoms
Pumpkin filled ravioli
Veal scaloppini

I know! More fish.
Baked Fish fillets

Foodies, chefs and cookbook authors
Baccala and potato bruschetta
Tomatoes with mozzarella
Crostini with peperoni agrodolce and Strachinno.
Sweet peppers stuffed with a sausage and cheese mixture
BBQ salmon
Braised chard with tomatoes
Zucotta

Comfort Foods -1
Neapolitan Meat Loaf
Meatloaf with Roasted Tomato Relish and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Albondigas (Meatballs in Garlic-Tomato Sauce)
Lamb Meatballs in Almond Sauce
Chicken Sausages

What about Pasta?
Fillings:
Potatoes with two cheeses (mozzarella and pecorino),
Ricotta with spinach,
Ricotta with lemon and anisette, and
Pumpkin with potatoes, spices, amaretto cookies, Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheeses.
Smoked salmon, mashed potatoes, chopped spinach, parsley, and lemon peel
Smoked trout in place of the salmon and without the spinach.
Chopped spinach and mushrooms

Some different takes on fish
Spanish Salt Cod Fritters with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Sea bass with pesto, zucchini and carrots cooked en papillote
Moroccan Grilled Salmon
Grouper Poached in Olive Oil With Grape Leaves

Working as a cook in Italy
Turkey scaloppini with artichokes lemons and olives
Umbrian chicken liver pate
Tagliatelle with pesto and grilled fish
Black cabbage with oven dried tomatoes and pancetta
Sweet and sour cipollini

Italian antipasti
Crostini with funghi pate
Crostini with Umbrian chicken liver (fegatini) pate
Crostini with cannellini bean puree and caramelized onions and garlic
Crostini with fresh ricotta, dried peperoncini, salt and honey (heated)
Crostini with chopped spiced tuna and tomato
Crostini with sausage and stracchino, Parmigiano-Reggiano and spicy chutney

Primo piatti - First plate sauces
Basic pesto sauce
Sugo do pomodori e verdure
Sugo di Cinghiale (Sauce of Wild Boar, Herbs, Olives, Juniper Berries and Wine)
Sugo all'amatriciana
Sugo alla Puttanesca
Bechamel sauce and variations
Gorgonzola and cream sauce

Christmas in Umbria
Crostini (bruschetta) with braised cavolo nero and anchovies
Spicy shrimp
Baccalà pate

Felice Capodanno, New Year's Eve 2009
Frittura of fennel
Tagliatelle with Classic Meat Sauce
Grilled Marinated Leg of Lamb
Zucotta

Comfort Food with an asterisk
Crispy chicken and dipping sauces
Barbequed Brisket (oven)
Paprika-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Pork Chili
Corn Bread

Leftovers: Making something good from stuff in the fridge
Barbecued chicken salad
Basic hash
Surfer stew

Robert Burns Night

2010-01-31T08:37:00.004+01:00

I share my birthday (January 25th) with the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns and on that evening, at many locations around the world, his legacy is celebrated with great pomp and pagentry (sort of). The food of choice is haggis, tatties and neeps, a wee bit of single malt scotch and much revelry and laughter. It is customary for the haggis to be brought around the table to the music of bagpipes. A bit of Robert Burns poetry is then recited and the haggis is cut open revealing the steamy contents.

Our assembled party was held at a local restaurant called Calagrana. The invitation specified that there would be no dancing and that formal attire was expected. Elizabeth had bought me a "smoking" or a tuxedo in Bologna during our pasta class there in December for just this occasion. It had been over 45 years since I had worn a tuxedo (Senior prom 1963). So on the 25th, we got ready to go and I put on my new pants and jacket. After my weight loss, I must admit I felt and looked pretty good. Elizabeth dressed up in a pretty green long dress and flashy top with rhinestone buttons and matching earings. And after a few pictures, off we went.

The restaurant was rented for the evening and twenty local folks were on hand. At least three men were in full dress kilts and looked quite dashing. After a few glasses of wine we settled down at the table for a bowl of risotto wit ro0asted quail on the top. Risotto in Italy is normally cooked al dente and is often a bit too chewy for me. My stomach just doesn't handle under-done pasta and risotto very well. I prefer mine a bit softer (morbide) and have asked restaurants to cook mine a bit more. The risotto was good tasting just a bit too under-done for me.

Then came the processional for the haggis. It was brought out of the kitchen by the short stocky Italian chef, and proudly marched around the room to the music of bagpipes from a CD. The haggis was placed on a table and a few words were spoken by Al, our host (and a strapping Scot). The haggis was stabbed open and the steam escaped. Tatties and neeps (mashed potatoes and mashed turnips respectively) were plated with the haggis. A bit more Scotch was poured, wine flowed and later a decorated cake.

Then the poetry recitals started. I was first with "Red red rose", one of Robbie's most famous poems. Other followed with Burns poetry, some by Dylan Thomas and a song (Flow gently sweet Afton) sung by my wife with two gentlemen accompanying her performing as the stream. All in all it was a fun night and as we left, we were still celebrating and the rain started.

The stabbing of the Haggis
by A. Lawrence Vaincourt

The neighbor folk invited me to down to the city hall
Where in honor of the Scottish bard they planned to have a ball
For it would stir my torpid soul, he told me with a grin
When, to the skirling of the pipes, they brought the haggis in
I confess I knew but little of the poet, Robbie Burns
Or even what a haggis was, but felt 'twas time I learned
So although I have no Scottish blood I felt it was alright
And in my best new outfit I went to the hall that night
Now the thing that most surprised me as I walked into the hall
Was the fact that many men there had no trousers on at all
My friend, he then assured me it was indeed the plan
That those with Scottish forbears wear the tartan of their clan
Now I couldn't claim a tartan and for this I was quite pleased
For I knew at least my trousers hid the hair upon my knees
So I sat down at a table, with my back toward a wall
And t'was then I saw the piper just beyond me in the hall
With the pipes slung o'er his shoulder and his drone pipes all a'tilt
He'd an honor guard behind him and they all were wearing kilt
The piper spanked the bagpipes, they began to squeal and wail
Much as a little pig might if you trod upon his tail
The chanter and the drone pipes then joined in a mournful dirge
And to leave the piper's presence, I confess, I felt the urge
Into the hall the entourage then marched with pomp and state
The piper and the escorts and the haggis, on a plate
The piper and the honor guard wore kilt and fancy dress
While on the plate the haggis lay, a sodden, lumpy mess
They marched to the head table where, with some grace and flair
T'was presented to a fellow who I saw was standing there
Who then addressed the haggis and I'll not repeat the words
For he spoke a foreign language that I'd hitherto not heard
The words he used were not in French, now that much I could tell
And I'm certain they weren't English for that language I know well
He spoke to it with reverence, as one might address a king
While on the plate the haggis lay and answered not a thing
He then removed a dagger from the waistband of his kilt
And in the poor wee haggis, he plunged it to the hilt
Then as the crowd applauded, why he looked about and said
"You realize I did that to make sure the damn thing's dead."
A diner turned to me and asked, "Is there any Scotch in you?"
I replied, "I've had a double, but I think I'll make it two."
As I sat and sipped my whiskey, humming Scotland the Brave
I could sense my Gallic forbears were turning in the grave
And as the scotch soaked in and I began to get a glow
I felt sorry for the haggis who'd been dealt a mortal blow
So I'll make a small confession even though it causes pain
Though the party was quite pleasant I would not go back again
For it is my firm opinion that it takes no courage, great
To stab a little haggis lying, helpless, on a plate

© 1989 A. Lawrence Vaincourt

Leftovers: Making something good from stuff in the fridge

2010-01-31T06:25:00.004+01:00

Leftovers can be a "good, close, personal friend" after weight loss surgery. In fact you will probably have lots of them in the refrigerator as you learn how to cook, eat and store foods in smaller quantities over time. Leftovers should always be made with your routine nutritional needs in mind including nutritious vegetables (if you can eat them), a reduced carbohydrate level and plenty of protein. It is important to look at leftovers as a major culinary element of your post -WLS diet. Plan your initial meals as "leftover generators" and see where you will utilized the various things you cook in a second or even third offering. I have one bias against leftovers and that is I don't like them the very next night after eating the initial dish. For me it's all about repeating the meal again the next night and I don't want to taste the same thing over again so soon. So serve it as leftovers for lunch or dinner two days from today. Just not tonight ... again!

Leftovers require that you think creatively. Not only will you stretch your food dollar but you can add substantial variety to your diet. Some basic tenets include using the leftover materials with: new condiments, vegetables and any meats available. Make barbequed chicken salad, beef or lamb hash, or use a portion of carbohydrates to add a different taste or texture to the dish.

Things to have in your pantry include: canned chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, A-1 steak sauce, onions, olive oil, catsup, mustard, mayonnaise, bottled barbeque sauce, small cans of tomatoes, eggs, cans of good tuna fish, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cracker crumbs (or dry bread crumbs), a can of water chestnuts, and at least one head of garlic. Think about the dishes you have enjoyed at home when your Mom made leftovers and it seemed like a giant smorgasbord. All kinds of bits and bowls of things were brought out to clean out the refrigerator. You were able to eat what you wanted of what you liked. After that meal any leftover leftovers are going to be thrown out.

So to start: inventory your culinary resources (look in the refrigerator), know what you have in the pantry, assess the proteins, and sit and think for a few minutes. What is still edible? As far as I know, there is no known blue food. What goes together, and more importantly, what doesn't? Some foods just don't work together. Do you want or have to heat it or can it be eaten cold and its corollary - Is it better hot or cold? Who am I feeding? The kids (how picky are they?), hubby or significant other (probably even picky-er?), friends (you hopefully know their tastes?), or a major dinner party for twelve (probably not a great idea at first glance)?

You have a half of a roasted chicken. So why not make a barbequed chicken salad? This can be served on a roll or toasted bread as a sandwich, or on top of a salad with chopped up lettuce and some sliced tomatoes. Or just pull out some crackers, put a cup or so of the chicken salad on a plate and make some crackers and chicken. Its high in protein and you can effectively portion control it by simply assessing the "cracker " sandwiches you make.

Barbecued chicken salad

Ingredients
1-2 cups of roasted chicken, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 Cup good quality barbeque sauce (southern style, Asian style, hot and spicy makes little difference)
1/2 Cup mayonnaise
1/2 Onion, chopped into small dice
1/2 Cup celery, chopped into small dice
Lemon juice ( squeeze or two to sharpen flavor)
Chopped parsley (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Options: cooked and chopped crisp bacon

Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and allow to chill for a half hour before serving.

This same recipe, without the barbeque sauce, a cup of mayonaise, and some chopped apples, a handful of raisens and chopped walnuts makes a terrific basic chicken salad. This will make quite a bit of salad, so plan either on feeding some friends at a nice lunch or eating it yourself again tomorrow. I like the addition of the apple and bacon even with the barbeque sauce.

Next is what do you do with some cooked roast beef or lamb (or pork). Hash is one of my favorite dishes, particularly for breakfast. Classic hash is made with diced potatoes, onions, meat and seasonings. It can be spicy, or bland, in small bits or in larger mouthfuls. It is an infinitely variable dish. So let’s start with a basic hash and look at options later.

Basic hash
This is my version of this dish and it probably not remind you of that canned versions that was so popular back in the fifties and sixties. I actually loved using the canned corned beef or roast beef hash, cooked in a saute pan with eggs poached on top, but this is about making it yourself from leftovers. The leftovers you will use are a couple of cups of roast beef, or roast lamb chopped into small bite sized pieces, 2 to 3 potatoes chopped into ½” dice and an onion in ½” dice. The potatoes can be raw or cooked. If raw the cooking will be modified to include getting them done before adding the meat. I will assume we are going to start with raw potatoes. In a large saute pan, put about ¼ cup of corn or sunflower oil and heat on medium . Add the raw potatoes and stir to ensure each piece is coated with oil. Add the onions and saute for 4-6 minutes on a medium high heat to start to crisp the potatoes, then reduce the heat and add about ½ Cup of water. Cover the potatoes and continue to cook until they are tender. Stir to keep the potatoes from sticking. Add the cooked meat and stir in, and then cover and return to the heat. The remaining water will steam the meat and heat it through. In about 4-5 minutes the dish will be virtually done. So it is time to season it. Obviously salt and pepper are necessary but you can add some garlic and/or onion powder (don’t use garlic or onion salt), or some paprika. Add a bit of cayenne pepper or chili powder to bring up the heat a bit. Allow the hash to crisp a little in the saute pan and it is done.

If you want to make a great breakfast, make several wells in the hash, and break an egg into each well. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until the eggs are done to your liking. This dish provides a lot of protein to the WLS diet as well as some great flavors to wake up o. Its really good on a Sunday morning, with a nice cup of coffee. An English muffin is a good accompaniment, but the WLS patient may not be able to eat that many carbohydrates with the potatoes in the dish. Optional additions to the dish are a half cup or more of chopped green, red or yellow bell peppers added to the saute with the onions. Additional seasonings can include some Tabasco sauce, catsup, A-1 sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Use you imagination and use up that roast beef (or lamb or pork). It is an effective way to extend the meat and add a pleasant breakfast or lunch dish.

Surfer stew
This dish got its name back in the early 1960’s with the surfing community in Southern California. Most of those guys were so dedicated to the surfing lifestyle; they didn’t have real jobs and often lived hand to mouth in bachelor apartments in large groups to afford the rents. All they needed was a place to crash and someplace to store their boards. After a day at the beach they wanted some food. It didn’t have to taste all that great but it had to be filling. So the refrigerator was opened and the covered dishes investigated. What was there to eat? The food was identified. The food wasn’t blue and fuzzy was it? If it was, it got tossed out. Smelled OK? Time to eat!

So in practice, to make Surfer stew, you took what you found in the refrigerator and added a can of tuna to it and stuck it in a pan on the stove to heat. Some cooked beans, some chopped onions, maybe some leftover macaroni and cheese? The tuna upped the level of protein, was relatively inexpensive and could be stored easily in a bachelor apartment. It doesn’t sound all that great in hindsight, but it kept the guys fed and ready to go to the beach the next day. I don’t recommend it as a lifestyle but when assessing the refrigerator contents for possible leftovers, think about that can of tuna. It’s a quick fix and can add substantial amounts of protein to the WLS diet. Tuna casserole or tuna in a white sauce over toast or rice can be an easy addition to the diet.

When you look into the refrigerator, think about what you have in there and how it might be combined with fresh or raw ingredients in order to use it up. Do you have some mushrooms languishing in there in the vegetable compartment? Some leftover spinach or rice? These items can be used effectively when added to meats available to create new dishes. Don’t think of leftovers as eating the same flavors again. Change the dishes, add new ingredients and you will find that instead of just throwing things away and wasting food you are able to create a new and healthy dish. One that satisfies the needs of the WLS patients and the Eight Bites practitioners.

Comfort Food with an asterisk

2010-01-18T13:06:00.006+01:00

Comfort foods are intensely personal. One person's comfort food could be meaningless to someone else. The belief that such foods have to be surrendered can be a real impediment to weight-loss plans, keeping them at bay until that mythical day when life is calmer and less comfort is needed. But many experts say that you don't have to give up these old friends to lose weight. It just takes planning, organization and some eating discipline.

Since comfort foods vary with the individual, they constitute eating memories. We eat them because they remind us of who we are and where we came from, not because they taste all that great or are that nutritious. They are the smells and textures and tastes we experienced growing up. They represent a backdoor into our lives and memories. Through that old screen door onto the porch from the backyard is where Mom put the pies to cool, where she would often prepare vegetables in the summer. Windows onto the porch from the kitchen were the source of smells that would bring us all in at the end of the summer’s day. I think we eat these foods because of what they represent in our lives.

After weight loss surgery, you no longer have to think too seriously about calories. You do have to think about them, just not as seriously as you did before when trying to diet. . Your input is physically limited and if you eat high protein foods like you should, the calories should never be excessive. So the consumption of your favorite comfort foods provided that they are high in nutrients is possible and even enjoyable. All I can do is encourage people to not avoid foods they love but plan your meals carefully and maintain portion control.

Including comfort foods in a diet plan can alleviate guilt, which many people feel after apparent indulgences. In dieting, guilt is often the driving force in a diet-based weight loss program. And this may also be part of the problem with trying to lose weight especially if you are excessively overweight. I can almost guarantee that you have gone through multiple efforts in your attempts to lose weight, and while there may have been temporary losses, there are almost always gains.

The situation changes when you have Weight Loss Surgery (WLS). This is a process that requires you to be disciplined in your approach to eating and while the physical consumption may be limited, the enjoyment of comfort food dishes in moderation (and frankly we have to eat in moderation post-WLS) is not only possible but would be important in maintaining your weight loss initially and then maintaining your goal weight over time. It is what you had the surgery for wasn’t it?

Diet experts agree that comfort foods can or should be part of a weight-loss plan. However for those with serious weight or health issues, some experts do not recommend these foods be eaten even in moderation. Others say the danger lies in overeating (and the WLS patient is likely well-aware of the problems of over-eating). In the long term success of our weight loss, it may be important to set aside one day a week where you allow yourself one of your favorite comfort foods. As you move along on your post-WLS pathway this occasional treat can keep your attitude positive and your nutrition acceptable. You should never feel like you have to give up any food forever after WLS. Just remember that you are limited in volume capacity but are not limited in the enjoyment of the tastes from our past. Make these dishes a “new” part of your WLS future.

I would like to give a mention to an organization that is taking comfort food to its most useful and logical extension, http://www.comfortfoodco.org/. It is a small venture that is designed to help care-givers who are assisting terminally ill people or those with long term illnesses to eat well and support themselves in ways that can provide increased nutrition and solace in their relationship with the person being cared for. I have seen that eating provides both nutritional support as well as emotional support. It is one thing that we all do daily. If you are able and wish to help others, volunteer at a food kitchen for the homeless, make a casserole of vegetables and chicken for an elderly neighbor, support organizations such as the above mentioned Comfort Food Co. or just make a simple dinner and invite friends in to share it with you. This gives everyone something to take away besides a feeling of fullness.

The recipes below represent some relatively slow-cooked foods which provide high nutritional value to the WLS patient as well as remind us of times past. The flavors are spicy, adding some complexity to our diets

Crispy chicken and dipping sauces

This recipe is done in the oven, making it considerably less greasy than basic fried chicken. The various dipping sauces gives you a variey of flavor enhancements. It can be used to feed a large group easily (Super Bowl Sunday) and provides the WLS patient with an exciting change menu item. The nut crust makes it quite crispy and you quickly forget that it wasn’t fried.

Ingredients:

Olive-oil nonstick cooking spray
1 3/4 cup(s) walnuts
1 cup(s) plain dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) (add more as needed) ground red pepper, (cayenne)
2 large eggs, beaten
8 medium (about 3 1/2 pounds) chicken-breast halves, skin removed
8 medium (about 1 3/4 pounds) chicken drumsticks, skin removed

Blue cheese sauce: In medium bowl, stir together 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup), 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Honey Mustard sauce: In medium bowl, stir together 2/3 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup honey, and 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
Apricot-balsamic sauce: In medium bowl, stir together one 12-ounce jar apricot preserves (1 cup), 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray two 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pans with olive-oil cooking spray.

Using a food processor with knife blade attached, blend walnuts with 1/4 cup bread crumbs until walnuts are finely ground. Place nut mixture, salt, ground red pepper, and remaining bread crumbs in medium bowl and mix well.

In a shallow bowl beat the eggs with a fork. Cut each chicken-breast half crosswise into 2 pieces. One at a time, dip chicken-breast pieces and drumsticks in beaten egg, then into walnut mixture to coat; place in jelly-roll pans. Spray chicken pieces with olive-oil cooking spray. Bake chicken, on 2 oven racks, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through cooking, until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

While chicken is cooking, prepare sauces (below). Cover and refrigerate sauces if not serving right away. Serve chicken hot with dipping sauces. Or, cool chicken slightly; cover and refrigerate to serve cold later with sauces.

Barbequed Brisket (oven)

This recipe is a delicious version of southern pulled pork and would certainly fall into thwe category of comfort food. This Yankee recipe lets you choose beef brisket, chuck roast, or pork to be served in a delicious barbecue sauce. It is very worthwhile to plan ahead to cook the brisket the day before. It improves substantially with at least a day of rest in the refrigerator. The meat can be eaten simply on a plate or can be put into a soft roll and served as a sandwich.

Ingredients:

4 pounds beef brisket or chuck roast (pork shoulder may also be used)
3-1/2 ounce bottle liquid smoke
2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 Tablespoon dark molasses
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce (ketchup type)
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 Tablespoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the meat on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up. Pour the liquid smoke around it. Seal the pan with foil and place in the oven. Roast the brisket for 4 hours or until tender, turning once. Uncover for the last 30 minutes to brown.

Remove from the oven and allow the meat cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Save the pan juices separately in another container. Refrigerate both the meat and the pan juices overnight. Prior to serving, remove the meat from the refrigerator and uncover. Trim away any remaining visible fat, and then pull the meat into small shreds.

Remove the hardened fat from the pan juices. In a large pot melt 3 tablespoons of the hardened fat over medium heat, add the onions, and saute until tender. Add vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, cayenne, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, lemon, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of the pan juices. Simmer and stir well for 20 minutes over low heat.

Add the pulled meat to the sauce and simmer very slowly, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Add more juice if necessary to keep meat moist.

Paprika-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

4 pounds baby back pork ribs or spare ribs, cut into one or two rib segments
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Divide ribs between two large, heavy, sealable plastic bags.

In a bowl, stir together remaining ingredients and pepper, to taste, and pour over ribs. Seal bags, pressing out excess air. Marinate ribs, chilled, turning bags occasionally, overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. This is a low and slow cooking process. Take the time you need.

Transfer ribs and marinade to a roasting pan large enough to hold ribs in layer and roast ribs, covered, turning occasionally, for 4 hours.

Ribs may be made 2 days ahead, cooled, uncovered, and chilled, covered. Reheat ribs in a preheated 375 degrees F oven until hot, about 12 minutes.

Pork Chili

Pork is simmered with tomatoes, herbs, onions, and garlic until tender. Black beans are added as a final touch to the chili. Chili fanatics may debate the use of beans in their red, but this is quite tasty. This dish is also good with a green chili sauce as well. Just substitute a large can of green chili sauce for the canned tomatoes. Serve it with some nice warm cornbread.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2-1/2 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup chili powder
1-1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1-1/2 Tablespoons dried oregano
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, partially covered, until tender, about 20 minutes.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat has lost its pink color, It will take about 15 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring the chili to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pork is tender, about 1-1/2 hours.

Drain the black beans, rinse and drain well again. Stir the beans into the chili and simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Serve with some warm cornbread (though tortillas work well).

Corn Bread

This recipe is one basic recipe from the thousands that are out there. Use your favorite recipe or give this one a try.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the egg, sour cream, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. To make it a bit less sweet, reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or more. Add some chopped green chilies or some grated cheddar cheese for some added flavor.

Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Felice Capodanno, New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-02T11:37:00.059+01:00

It's New Year's Eve and it will be my second New Year’s celebration here in Italy. Last year I had just returned from California. We went to a local jazz club, and had a nice meal. Then at midnight we all left the restaurant to go out and see the fireworks being shot off the top of La Rocca (the medieval tower) next door. Music was playing in the Umbertide piazza and there were a lot of people gathered. It was an unusual mix for me. Old folks carrying grandchildren, eyes bright from the fireworks. There were lots of young kids, teenagers carousing with their friends, and there were couples of all ages. The band played rock music and there was dancing and drinking, and an atmosphere of fun. We walked through the throngs, meeting people we didn’t expect to be there, and then returned to the restaurant for dessert and vin santo.

This year will be a bit different. We will be cooking a birthday party for a small group at La Pietra: three women friends who have known each other since college sorority days, one accompanied by her husband and son. It is her husband’s birthday today and the celebration will be for him. It will also be their last night at La Pietra as they will leave for Florence on Jan. 1 and fly home Jan. 2. So tonight's dinner is special. Prosecco will be poured to celebrate, and there will be good wines with dinner. There will be sparklers and candles and we want to create a festive mood. I will be in my black chef’s jacket and wearing a black bow tie. Elizabeth with be wearing the Amore Sapore green apron over black pants and a sparkly blouse, and wearing her rock-star "diamond" earrings. Paola will be dressed up as well. It is a special occasion!

The antipasti will be a salami and cheese platter, olives, sliced fresh pears, grilled prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and a frittura of vegetables (fennel, carrots, sage leaves and artichokes). We will be using dry, local salami which is quite chewy. The sliced cheeses will be a medium aged pecorino (sheep’s milk) and Cacciota (cow’s milk) and they will be served with the sliced fresh pears. Elizabeth will grill asparagus spears, wrap them in slices of prosciutto, and brown them in butter. The ham will crisp up and then the rolls will be served hot with a few drops of syrupy, aged balsamic vinegar.

Frittura is a deep fried technique similar to Japanese tempura (OK, it's exactly like tempura). A light batter is made from flour and water (very cold frizzante or fizzy water), and the vegetables are sliced thinly and dipped into the batter before frying. We use local water which has a light carbonation for the batter. One of the problems we have had in the past was that the vegetables got a bit oily, and I realized that we were not cooking them at a high enough temperature. Now I use a thermal sensor and wait until the sunflower oil reaches 370 degrees F. We do not use olive oil to fry this dish. When the dipped vegetables are placed into the oil, the vegetables immediately begin frying and begin to puff up, soon turning a golden color. Before the next batch of vegetables is placed in the oil we return it to 370 degrees again. Temperature maintenance is key here. The fried vegetables are allowed to drain well on paper towels and then are salted lightly and served hot.

Fennel is my personal favorite for this technique. While I don’t particularly like the anise flavor of raw fennel, when fried it is sweet with a hint of the anise flavor and is really good. Fried artichokes are also terrific, though you have to trim them well, removing the choke and then cutting them into thin slices.

The tagliatelle will be the primo piatti (first course) and Elizabeth has made the meat sauce that will accompany the pasta. We will use fresh pasta instead of dried, but the dish could easily be made with the dry form and be perfectly fine. The following recipe is a standard meat sauce recipe that Amore Sapore has used a number of times and it is quite good.

Classic Meat Sauce for Pasta

1/4 cup good olive oil
2 stalks celery
1 yellow onion
4 large carrots
½ pound of ground beef
½ pound of ground pork
A handful of flat-leafed Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. peperoncini (hot pepper flakes), optional
2 lbs fresh and flavorful cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Handful fresh basil leaves, if available
1 quart of tomato purée (passata di pomodori--look for the Pomi brand outside Italy)
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese (to be added at the end)

Use a large heavy, deep frying pan about 12” wide and pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom.

Chop the celery and onion coarsely; mince the parsley and garlic together; grate the carrot, unpeeled, on the largest holes of a grater. Add these to the oil. Brown the vegetables and then add the meat. Brown the meat with the aromatic vegetables until it is no longer pink and has been finely divided. (To reduce the amount of fat, you can fry the ground meats separately, drain, and add to the sauce later.)

Wash the tomatoes and de-stem, leaving them whole. Add the tomatoes to the pot and sprinkle a tablespoon of coarse salt over all. Cover and place over medium heat. The steam from the tomatoes will help to cook the vegetables below. After the vegetables have cooked down a bit, add the wine, optional peperoncini and basil, stir and cover again.

After another 15 minutes, add the tomato puree, rinse out the puree bottles, adding the rinse water it to the mix, and stir. Continue to cook, covered, for another half hour, stirring regularly to assure that the sauce is not adhering to the bottom of the pot.

When the sauce is thick and ceases to be watery, remove it from the heat and set aside, covered. Reheat just before you are ready to add to the pasta. Toss it with whatever pasta you are serving or layer it with ravioli. Sprinkle liberally with Parmigiano-Reggiano or good pecorino Romano cheese. Serve hot in heated pasta bowls.

Grilled Marinated Leg of Lamb

The grilled lamb is actually pretty simple. I purchased two small legs of lamb and boned them out, flattening the pieces a bit. I put them in a bowl with olive oil, dried oregano and rosemary to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. I had a heavy steel disc made by a local blacksmith that has a handle on it, like a pot lid. It weighs about 10 to 15 pounds. When the lamb is grilling I place the weight on top and it presses the lamb down and cooks it more uniformly. I have to switch back and forth between the two grill pans but it works very well, giving me a selection of meat slices from medium to medium rare.

I had roasted the bones and then put them in a stockpot to cook in water with a chopped onion to make a lamb stock. This took most of Wednesday, but it was a great base for the Marsala reduction I used to sauce the meat. I removed the bones and onions and let the stock cool so I could remove the fat. I then cooked the stock down by about 90%. It was rich and brown and when I added a glass of Marsala it was really nice.

New Year's Eve Dinner

Elizabeth decorated the table with candles, bay leaves, oranges, lemons and other fruits, "della Robbia style", she said. The antipasti and pasta, which Paola supervised, were a hit, then we were on to the meat course.

I used the concentrated meat base to make the final sauce, deglazing the grill pans and then adding a bit of butter to smooth it out. It was delicious poured hot over the lamb.

(By the way, I used the lamb from the bones in the stock to make a hash for breakfast on New Year’s Day. Just added some cubed sautéed potatoes, onions and some of my peperone agrodolce. Elizabeth liked hers with some Greek yogurt, mine I had straight.)

Elizabeth roasted some winter vegetables (fennel, garlic, potatoes, carrots and red onions) in a bit of olive oil and seasoning. They were a great accompaniment to the lamb. The garlic cloves were just squished out of their skins and were sweet and rich.

Zucotta

The last dish was the dolce or sweet. In this case it was a Zuccota. The Zuccota is a domed cake soaked in brandy and filled with gelato and it is said to resemble the Duomo in Florence. The process to make the dessert is time-consuming and shouldn’t be rushed. It takes about 2 days to make it since it needs to chill and then freeze before serving.

OK, here is the process: starting two days before serving, purchase or make a 12” pan di spagna or sponge cake (or make it yourself). Slice the top of the cake off horizontally as this will be used as the bottom of the completed cake. Put it in a zip lock bag to keep it fresh. Now slice the rest of the cake into ½” wide slices vertically down through the cake from side to side. These slices will form the dome. Butter a bowl of the size you need, and then line it with plastic wrap. This is for easy removal of the cake after it has set up. Starting with the longest slices, take a strip of cake and lay it into the center of the bowl, it will not likely reach from side to side so you will have to piece the slices. Make a nice pattern as you do this since the upper and outer surface will be presented in the finished dessert and should look attractive. Add each additional slice next to the one before and fill the bottom of the bowl with the cake slices. Push the slices into the mold gently. Do not overlap the slices; just place then side by side in a nice pattern. You may need to cut some pieces to fit the final triangular shaped holes. Hopefully you will have cake slices rising above the rim of the bowl, and these can be trimmed to the edge of the bowl. Take a couple of shots of brandy or rum, and brush the liquor onto the inside of the cake slices to moisten them. There is a fine line between using enough brandy to moisten and too much making the cake soggy. Be judicious. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, heat about ½ cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan until it bubbles at the edge. In a bowl, chop about 4 ounces of dark semi-sweet chocolate and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 10 minutes then stir gently. This is the ganache you will use to paint onto the inner surface of the cake. Allow the ganache to cool until it starts to thicken, and then with a tablespoon, place spoonfuls of the ganache into the mold. Using the back of the spoon, paint the chocolate up the sides of the cake until the inner surface is covered in chocolate. Place in the refrigerator to cool and harden.

Purchase a couple of quarts of good quality ice cream or in my case, gelato. Store in the freezer until the day of service. When ready to finish the cake, allow the ice cream to soften a bit before using it. Bring the cake out of the refrigerator and spoon the softened gelato or ice cream into the mold. Put the cake top back on to the mold to close it and sprinkle some rum or brandy on the bottom. Seal it with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer until ready to serve.

To serve the cake, remove the bowl from the freezer, remove the plastic covering from the bottom, and invert the cake onto a pretty serving plate. Place a warm towel around the bowl (to melt the butter inside the mold) and gently shake and pull the inside plastic wrap to release the cake. It should unmold easily. Remove the plastic wrap over the cake and sift cocoa over the cake. Then sift a bit of powdered sugar over the cocoa and it’s done.

I garnished mine with some truffles made from the leftover ganache and the leftover cake. Present the cake uncut to the diners for the “oohs and aahs” and then remove it to the kitchen to cut and serve it. Slice it into the appropriate number of servings required and deliver it to your guests. I made this one with cherry and plain, good quality brandy, filling it with cherry gelato as one layer and then a layer of chocolate gelato to complete the base. We put a sparkler in the top of the cake and the birthday boy (man actually, his 50th) was quite happy with the party as we sang “Tanti auguri”.

So there you have a celebratory New Year’s dinner in Italy.

As I cooked and assembled things I ate a nibble of this and that, a bit of cheese from the platter, a piece of fennel frittura, a small slice of lamb, and a couple of bites of the cake. I was able to taste all of the dishes, ensuring their quality as well as meeting my requirements for my own Eight Bites.

I ended the evening snuggled into a nice warm bed looking out the open windows facing both east and west. Fireworks filled the Val di Niccone at midnight and the rockets lit the sky even though it was raining. The rain did not seem to dampen the party mood. As I watched the twinkling colors and booming exposions, I reflected on the year and realized that it was a pretty good year after all. I was doing what I love to do. So all in all, life was good.

So Happy New Year everyone, or as they say here Buon Anno. The New Year gives us each a new start and we should do what we can to make the most of each day. I will keep writing about my experiences and providing you all with culinary ideas and recipes.

Christmas in Umbria

2009-12-22T14:34:00.007+01:00

This is the first year that I am spending Christmas in my adopted country, Italy. Last year, 2008, I was in Santa Rosa, California working on my extended visa with the Italian consulate in San Francisco, and had Christmas with my sons, their wives and my two grand children.

A lot has changed in my life this year. Elizabeth and I are nearing our second anniversary in March. I am working with her catering group as a cook, and doing some instruction in the cooking classes. I continue, slowly, learning Italian each week and that is getting a bit better. My scientific life has been put on hold though I do read a lot and follow the current scientific thinking and trends.

On a personal level, my weight has remained at 165 pounds since flattening out in June 2009. I have found that I can eat and enjoy lots of different kinds of food without discomfort. That includes an occasional glass of wine, or spirits. In a recent discussion on line I found that after weight loss surgery, alcohol reacts more quickly on the system and some say that one drink may be the equivalent of four, so if you are going to imbibe, do it carefully and be aware of the effects it may have on you. This is not to say don’t drink, but early in the post-surgical healing, the alcohol may irritate the surgical site, so slowly, slowly. A little at a time.

So this Christmas I will write about the experience of being and eating in Italy during the holidays.

Natale con i tuoi; Pasqua con chi vuoi. Christmas with your family; Easter with whomever you like.

The Christmas holidays in Italy are an extended time, running from Christmas Eve until the 6th of January. It is a time for family gatherings, traditional foods, and celebrations. These are predominantly religious holidays, but over the years the religious nature has been diluted somewhat by the secular.

Christmas Eve, La Vigilia di Natale, is a major family event. Entire small towns become quiet as the people leave and return to family homes elsewhere. The big cities are quiet and it is safe to cross the street. It is a time of gathering. It is multi-generational, and much of the cooking is done by the older women, using classic recipes, and historic methods. Children are running amuck as children do at Christmas everywhere. The kitchen is warm with the smells of bread and cookies baking, and meats are roasting or simmering. Pasta is being rolled out, sauces being prepared and sweets are either purchased from the bakery or baked at home. The Christmas Eve meal is traditionally dominated by fish and seafoods, throughout much of Italy. There are certainly regional and even city level difference in the choices of fish for the meal, but if it swims and extracts oxygen from an aqueous medium, it is a potential food source. Sardines, anchovies, squid, shrimp, octopus, fish of all types, baccalà (salt cod) and especially the freshwater eel (Anguilla) are all present in the various Christmas Eve dishes. It is traditional that seven or more fish dishes be served on Christmas Eve and eel is considered one of the most important. Its snake-like body represents a continuity between the past and the future, and is eaten grilled as spiedini (skewered) interspersed with sage leaves as served in Bologna, or in a braise, or just grilled over an open fire in the fireplace. Its consumption is often the centerpiece of the dinner.

This Christmas Eve, we will be hosting a party for between 12 and 15 friends here at Casa Ruspante. The house has been decorated with our new presepe (crèche) I bought for Elizabeth at the local Christmas market in Umbertide. It is composed of clay figures, painted in great colors and was hand made in Peru. It makes a nice addition to the Christmas sideboard. Hand-painted ornaments are placed around, with a gold garland of tinsel. A ceramic Christmas tree adds some green to the display and an added festive touch. Candles are set up, to be lit before dinner. Gifts for friends are all wrapped and placed on the sideboard to hand out on Christmas Eve. They are small gifts, more tokens of affection than anything else. They are often things like kitchen towels and implements, various marmalattas I have put up, and in at least one case, cash. Our stockings (le calzi) are hung from the mantle.

Our dinner menu will be dominated by fish and seafood. Antipasti will be crostini (bruschetta) with braised cavolo nero (black cabbage, a winter vegetable) and anchovies, a spicy shrimp (gamberetti) dish, a baccalà pate to be spread on crostini or cucumbers, and a plate of sliced pecorino and Cacciota cheeses with chutney recently made here. The primo piatti (first course) will be freshly made tagliatelle with smoked salmon and fresh peas in a light bechamel sauce. The secondo (second course) will be grilled or lightly fried fish with a lemon mostarda (that I made two weeks ago) and garnished with lemon slices. I will make some pickled onions to go along with the fish. A friend is bringing artichokes alla romana. We will be preparing a baked pumpkin topped with gruyere cheese as a vegetable course. It is dish my wife is quite fond of. She learned to cook it in Provence, brought the seeds from France, and the pumpkin was grown by a good friend. Dessert will be a persimmon cake with a brandy hard sauce and possibly a mince pie. That makes five fish or seafood dishes. Not quite the expected seven, but frankly it will be as much as I can handle for that many people. Wine will be poured and consumed and the mood I am sure will be festive.

Crostini (bruschetta) with braised cavolo nero and anchovies

Cavolo nero is a “chard-like” leafy vegetable that has a hard bitter stem and less bitter leaves. It requires a lengthy cooking in boiling salted water. I trim the ends of the stems off, and then strip the leaves from the stems. I chop up the stems and put them in a pot of boiling water and cook them for at least 20-30 minutes. I then add the leaves that have been chopped and cook the vegetables until they are well done. They will not be mushy as these are tough vegetables. Drain them well and allow to cool. Then squeeze out as much moisture as you can. When ready to serve, chop the vegetables into a fine dice. Saute 5-8 anchovy fillets in a bit of olive oil in a saute pan until they dissolve. Add some minced garlic, allow to color slightly (do not let them burn) and then add the cavolo nero and saute. Add a bit more olive oil if it appears tobe drying out. However the mixture should be quite dry to serve.

I make my bruschetta in a grill pan on the stove during the winter. Grill the bread slices until slightly crisp and well marked with the grill marks. Remove them to a rack, and rub each slice with a garlic clove. Brush on a good measure of high quality olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoned salt or just plain salt. Cut the bruschetta into 3-4 pieces each and place a small mound of the cavolo nero on top. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve warm.

Spicy shrimp

The spicy shrimp is based upon a sweet and sour sauce and uses the locally available small gamberetti (shrimp) sold frozen in packages. They are already cooked and only need to be defrosted under running cold water in a colander and then reheated in the sauce. The sweet and sour sauce is simply made using pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, green peppers, and onions. In a sauce pan put the juice from a can of pineapple or use pineapple juice directly. Add about 2 tablespoons of sugar, ½ cup of ketchup, and ½ cup of apple cider vinegar to taste. Dice a green pepper and an onion and add to the sauce. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes to thicken it. Taste this one. The flavor is very personal and if you need to add more sugar or vinegar, or pineapple or ketchup do so. To make it a bit hotter, add a couple of good splashes of Tabasco sauce or an oriental hot sauce. Again taste to make it yours. When you have the taste you want add the shrimp. Allow the mixture to warm and serve in a warm bowl. Provide small dishes for individual servings.

Baccalà pate

This is a dish I am trying for the first time and I hope it comes off well. It will combine baccalà (salt cod) which has been soaked for two days to remove the preserving salts and then poached, with fresh butter, some capers, a couple of anchovy fillets, chopped parsley, and some lemon juice. No additional salt is needed (hopefully) but generous grinds of black pepper are called for. The fish (about ½ to 1 pounds) is poached in a court bouillon with onions and black pepper until the fish is cooked and flakes easily. Allow the fish to cool on a plate and then flake it checking for bones. Put the fish in a food processor with a steel blade. Add 100 grams (a cube) of butter, a good tablespoon of drained pickled capers, two anchovy fillets, 1 /2 cup of parsley and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Process until smooth. Then taste and add pepper as needed. This pate will be served either on cucumber rounds (if good cucumbers are available right now) or on toasted crostini made with my quick bread (see the recipe for beer bread in an earlier post) seasoned with fennel seeds.

So this Christmas Eve we will eat fish and celebrate la vigilia di natale with friends and neighbors.

On Christmas Day (Natale) we have been invited to a dear friends for an early dinner and what we will be consuming is not known. What is known is that a goodly amount of wine will be offered and poured and a warm Yule log will be burning in the fireplace.

The 26th of December is call Santo Stefano and we will be attending a chorale in the main piazza in Umbertide.

New Years Eve (capo d’ anno) this year will be one of catering a festive dinner for five which includes a birthday cake for one of the celebrants. We will grill some marinated lamb; have some tagliatelle with a tomato and meat sauce, mixed roasted winter vegetables, and a salad with mixed greens and an acacia honey vinaigrette. I will make a Zuccota or domed cake as a birthday cake, sprinkled with rum, and filled with chocolate ganache, cherry gelato and chocolate gelato. It is quite spectacular and is always a hit.

Primo piatti - First plate sauces

2009-12-15T16:58:00.009+01:00

Primo piatti means the "first plate" in Italian. After you have eaten a bit of the antipasti and had a bit of wine in the living room, you move to the dining room table and sit down. The first plate is about to arrive. More often than not, the first plate is a pasta dish and is almost always of modest size and minimally sauced. You must eat the pasta when it is hot an immediately after being served. In our catering service we don't call the diners to the table until we are ready to serve the pasta.

Pasta in its thousands of various forms, is institutionalized in the Italian diet. They use either fresh (more likely northern Italians) or dried (generally southern Italians). Regardless of how it is served or what its basic form, the Italian does not over sauce their pasta.

The Italians do not drown their pasta in sauce but almost use it as a condiment, to enhance the flavor of the pasta rather than overwhelm it. In my post "What about pasta?" I discuss how pasta is made and served. In this post I will be giving you some interesting sauces to use as well as serving information. The picture was taken by Kathy Simon in 2009. Thanks, Kathy.

Pasta is not a great addition to the bariatric menu but it can be quite satisfying in small doses. These recipes are designed to feed a group, so don’t feel that you have to eat all of the pasta yourself. Remember that Eight Bites can be used up by a few bites of pasta or by a piece of meat. Take the bites of pasta occasionally (sharing a plate of pasta with a friend can be terrific) and enjoy the great flavors.

Basil Pesto Sauce

This is a classic sauce that is often served with gnocchi (potato dumpling pasta). It is very rich and creamy and a little goes a long ways. You can make up a large batch and freeze a portion. If you do freeze it, do not add the cheese before freezing. Line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap, and fill each pocket with the pesto. Freeze and then remove from the ice tray and store the cubes in a freezer bag. When you want to use the pesto, remove a few cubes (as much as you need) and defrost and then add in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano. Pesto can also be used as a topping for crostini. You might wish to add some of finely chopped walnuts to the pesto when served as crostini.

3 cups fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Place basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a blender. I like to add the olive oil in a stream during the processing, because I think it makes a better emulsion. Process until smooth. Pour out into a bowl. If the sauce is to be used immediately, mix in the grated cheese. Heat gently in a small pan when ready to use. Pesto can also be made in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle, but make it easy on yourself and use the blender. Other herbs can be used instead of basil. You might like to try sorrel, rucola, or fresh young grape leaves (stay away from pesticide-sprayed vineyards).

Sugo do pomodori e verdure

The next recipe is for what could be considered a classic tomato-vegetable sauce that is a sauce common in Sardinia. The aroma (vegetable mix) is often sold in a single package in the grocery so you just have to chop up the vegetables and start cooking.

1/4 cup good olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped into medium dice
1 yellow onion (often a red onion is added to the pre made aromi package)
4 large carrots, grated and are normally just washed and not peeled
A handful of flat-leafed Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. peperoncino (hot pepper flakes), optional
2 lbs fresh cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1-2 liters passata di pomodori (or a quart of tomato purée)
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese (to be added at the end)

Use a 11-12” large heavy stainless steel frying pan with 3-4” high sides.
Pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom and bring it to a medium temperature.
Chop the celery and onion coarsely; mince the parsley and garlic together; grate the carrot, unpeeled, on the largest holes of a grater.
Add these to the heated oil.
Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem, leaving whole.
Place the tomatoes on top of the other vegetables and sprinkle in a tablespoon of salt.
Cover the pan and place over medium heat
When the vegetables have cooked down a bit, add the wine and stir for another 15 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, and rinse out the containers with water and add the water to the mix, and stir.
Continue to cook, covered over medium heat, for another half hour.
Stir regularly to ensure that the sauce is not sticking to the bottom. .
When the sauce is thick and no longer watery, remove from the heat and set aside, covered. Reheat just before you are ready to add to the pasta.

Sugo di Cinghiale (Sauce of Wild Boar, Herbs, Olives, Juniper Berries and Wine)

This sauce is often served in the fall and winter during the hunting season for wild boar. These big creatures are heavily hunted in Umbria and Tuscany and provide a large amount of meat. The population of these boar seems to be increasing each year and they have become significant agricultural pests. The hunts are large scale hunting club affairs with men dressed in camouflage clothing, with dogs. Some of these hunts can sound like a war zone. Some of the boar meat is kept by the hunters, and the rest is often sold to commercial meat packers for sausage or salame. If wild boar meat is not available in your area, try using a good shoulder roast of pork. Try to find a well-marbled piece to get the added flavor of the fat into the sauce.

1 pound wild boar shoulder, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup good olive oil
Flat-leafed Italian parsley (chopped)
1-2 onions (coarsely chopped)
2 carrots (washed and grated)
2 celery stalks washed and coarsely chopped
1 small branch of rosemary, 5-6 inches long
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup black olives, with or without pits (remember to let people know which kind you added)
3 fresh bay leaves
6-7 juniper berries
4-5 capers preserved in vinegar
1 liter passata di pomodori (or one large can of tomato puree)
1 cup dry white wine

Saute the vegetables, stirring until the onions are golden. Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the tomatoes and wine. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and wine and cover and cook over low to medium heat for 1/2 hour, stirring regularly. Add more wine if necessary to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. This is classically served with hot polenta (easy to make up at home), but can also be served with penne, pappardelle (wide egg noodles), or rigatoni. Larger pasta holds onto the thick sauce a bit better, but do remember to minimally sauce the pasta. You don’t want the pasta to be swimming in the sauce.

Sugo all'amatriciana

This is a fairly simple tomato based recipe from the area of Amatrice (in the region of Abruzzi, near Rome). In its original form it was made with guanciale and pecorino cheese, no tomatoes. As tomatoes were introduced into Italy the dish was altered to include the new vegetables.

As the recipe spread, variants were introduced depending on local availability of certain ingredients, and are still commonly used. While some have become accepted, other variations are considered corruptive and are frowned upon by locals and especially opposed by people from Amatrice, who are understandably protective of the traditional standard recipe. For example, the addition of garlic sautéed in olive oil ("soffritto") before adding guanciale is widely accepted, whereas the use of onion in its place is strongly discouraged. The substitution of local pecorino cheese with the more easily available pecorino Romano is widely accepted, while replacing guanciale with the more common (and less expensive) pancetta is not considered acceptable. However in many parts of the world, guanciale (smoked pork cheeks) are not commonly available and a perfectly suitable replacement would be well-smoked, thickly sliced bacon. The addition of black pepper or peperoncino is considered a matter of personal taste.

Peel, seed, and slice 2 pounds of tomatoes
Cut 1/2 pound of guanciale (or bacon) into thick cubes and fry them with a bit of oil and pinch of dried chili flakes.
Cook on a high flame for a few minutes till the meat becomes lightly browned.
Add a ½ cup of little wine and cook down until no liquid is left.
Remove guanciale cubes, set them aside and keep them warm.
Cook the slices of tomato in the hot pan with a bit of salt, for a few minutes
Then add the browned guanciale back into the pan
Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce
Grate 1 cup of pecorino cheese

To serve: boil the pasta " al dente" and put it in a heated bowl; put on it half of the grated pecorino, add all the tomato sauce, stir it again, then top with the remaining pecorino cheese and serve immediately.

Sugo alla Puttanesca

The etiology of the name for this sauce is a bit murky but it does have a colorful past. According to one story, sugo alla Puttanesca was invented in the 1950s by the owner of a famous Ischian restaurant. When near closing one evening the owner found a group of hungry friends sitting at one of the tables. He was low on ingredients and told them he didn't have enough to make them a meal. They complained that it was late and they were hungry. "Facci una puttanata qualsiasi" or “make any kind of garbage,” they insisted. (In this usage, puttanata is a noun meaning garbage or something worthless even though it derives from the Italian word for whore, puttana.) The owner only had tomatoes, olives and capers; basic ingredients for the sugo. And those are still the primary ingredients for the sauce.

Made of ingredients found in most Italian larders, this dish is also known as sugo alla buona donna - or 'good woman's sauce’. It was also said that it was a quick, cheap meal that prostitutes could prepare between customers. So the story goes. But the sauce is terrific.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 small fresh red chili, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed and drained
8 pitted black olives, quartered
14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and anchovies and cook for another minute, stirring to break up the anchovies. Add the chili, capers, olives, and tomatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook your pasta of choice then drain the pasta and stir into the heated sauce.
Top with chopped parsley and the reserved tablespoon of olive oil, and toss together gently to combine.

Bechamel sauce and variations

The last sauce is for a white sauce or bechamel sauce that can be flavored with a variety of ingredients to enhance the particular pasta dish being served. It is particularly good with lighter ravioli, tortellini, or other filled pastas. We serve pumpkin ravioli with a version of this sauce that incorporated walnuts and a bit of Marsala wine.

The basic bechamel sauce is very simple but needs to be watched to ensure that it doesn’t scorch or thicken too much.

Put three tablespoons of butter in a frying pan over medium heat to melt.
When butter is melted but NOT brown, add three tablespoons of flour
With a whisk, stir the flour into the butter until it has combined and no raw flour is visible.
Cook for about two to three minutes over low heat to cook out the flour taste
Heat 1-2 cups of milk in a sauce pan and add one cup to the butter mixture and whisk in.
It will thicken quickly, add salt and ground white pepper to taste.
If the sauce is too thick add a bit more warm milk.

Don’t worry about it being too thin, It will get thicker.

To make a cheese sauce, add ½ to ¾ cup of grated cheese (combine Parmigiano-Reggiano and a meltable cheese) and stir until melted.

To make a walnut sauce, add 2 tablespoons of Marsala (optional) and ½ cup finely chopped walnuts. Add a 1/8 tsp of ground nutmeg. Stir and combine to thicken.

Another version of a cheese sauce is a simple mixture of melted butter (4 Tablespoons), 4 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese, cream, grated nutmeg and a good grind of black pepper. Add 1 cup of cream to the melted butter, add the cheese and the pepper and nutmeg. Stir until thickened and cheese has melted and serve over meat filled or cheese filled tortelloni or tortellini for one of the best “Mac and cheese” dishes of all time.

So there are some sauce recipes. Great flavors, seasonings and textures. Enjoy a bit of pasta occasionally with a group of friends. Your life will be better for it. Mangia.

Being big and being Santa

2009-12-11T23:52:00.004+01:00

This is a bit of an unusual post. I was writing an email to a friend about my experiences as Santa Claus during the holidays and as I considered what I wanted to say, I kept seeing myself as the big guy being the Santa in the stories. The problem was that I was the big guy in the stories. This was a time in my life when I didn't think about my weight as a handicap or as a detriment to my health. I was simply able to put on my Santa suit with no additional pillows or padding. The kids when they snuggled up to me just felt me under that suit and it made them feel closer to the real Santa. And it made me feel like the real Santa.

So here are a few of my stories on being Santa.

From 1979 to 1990 I was given the amazing responsibility of being Santa Claus during December. In the beginning, I had my Father’s old suit made of flannel with some actual wolf fur for trim. The beard and the wig were cheesy and the “boots” were just covers for black shoes. But I put it on and I became Santa. It was an amazing transforming experience each time I put on that and subsequent suits over the years. It was not a costume. To the children and many others, Santa was real, not a character like the Easter Bunny, or a Halloween character. You were transformed and you had to behave and act the way Santa would act.

Every year I would plan to visit the children of my co-workers in San Diego. We all had kids in the appropriate age range (4-8 years old) so I would show up at their houses, with a bag of presents provided by Mom and Dad. I would come in Ho Ho Ho-ing and then sit for a while with the kids so pictures could be taken. I then almost always sat down on the floor with the kids to look at their presents and spend a few minutes of bonding. I rarely was there more than 20 minutes. Kids kind of get into emotional overload with Santa, so I would come in, do the visit and get out. The years went on and the kids got bigger and they began to not believe any longer. That was a sad time but it was inevitable.

While those times were precious to me there were others that were magical.

After doing a Christmas party for a friend’s child, I went to find my wife who had been shopping at Toys R Us in San Diego. The one thing you never do is wear part of the costume. Either you are in it and Santa or you are out of it and not Santa. No in between. So I decided to walk into Toys R Us in full costume. It was amazing. I was looking for Sandi and was wandering up and down the aisles. Kids were pulling parents toward me and parents were pulling kids toward me. I would kneel down and give then each a hug and a candy cane and then walk on. I finally found Sandi and we finished shopping. She was having fun watching all the kids. As we went to check out, the checker in our line was frowning at me and said that I was disappointing a lot of children there. But I looked over into the next checkout aisle and there was this beautiful little girl about 5 years old sitting in the cart. She was staring at me and she held out her arms to me. I walked over and hugged her and gave her a candy cane and then turned to the checker. “That’s what this is all about”. I paid and left, I don’t remember the checker, but I remember that little girl.

Another time I was driving home from a visit and cruising along in my bright orange Volvo sedan. I noticed a car going off the off ramp behind me, then swerving back on the freeway and accelerating toward me. It was a black limo and as it pulled up next to me I noticed that the window on the passenger side was down and there was a little boy leaning out the window, with a very excited look on his face. As the cars closed together, I leaned out the window and gave the little one a candy cane (at 60 MPH) and wished him a Merry Christmas. They sped off and went off the next off ramp. I would be willing to bet that the little boy remembers that Christmas.

Being Santa was the highest and best use of my time during that holiday time. But these last stories affected me the most of all.

I was visiting a convalescent home that was managed by a dear friend of mine. I had spent a lot of time in the communal hall with the patients gathered singing songs and getting presents. Most were elderly and many were in wheelchairs. But they were an enthusiastic group. After a half hour or so I asked if I could wander the halls and visit the patients in their rooms, if they had not been able to come out. Marilyn said sure so I wandered off. I would pop into a room, and if the patient was awake, wish them a merry Christmas and then quickly disappear. But as I approached one room the nurse said that there was no reason to go in there, the lady was out of it and was probably asleep. But I persisted. I walked into the room and the woman, very frail and old, was lying there quietly and apparently asleep. I stood next to the bed, and took her hand and held it. She opened her eyes, and looked at me, dressed in that silly red suit and that white beard and wig, and for a second there was recognition. Just for a second, there was a light in her eyes. And then they closed again. I needed a drink after that visit.

The final story was about a Christmas Party given by my wife’s sorority for children with Cystic Fibrosis. It was held at a clubhouse and the party had been going on for an hour by the time I made my entrance. I had two huge bags of presents for the kids and came in to loud and welcoming screams and yells from the kids. Children with CF do not grow very well generally and are often quite small. But there was one little girl standing over in a corner that caught my attention. She was dressed nicely but did not look like she was having a good time. She was probably 5 or 6 years old. When she saw me come in, she took off running toward me and I knew I needed to catch her. She threw herself at me from several feet away and I caught her as she hit my chest. She stuck to me like Velcro. So I dropped the bags of packages and hugged her to me for a minute. She would not let go of me and I sat there with her on one knee and the other kids, one after the other, on the other knee for the whole time I was there. She never spoke or said anything to me. She didn’t have to. I just knew. She died later that next year.

So being Santa was not only a wondrous experience leaving me with so many stories and memories, but it was a significant responsibility as well. It was my gift to myself each holiday season. I accepted the responsibility as well as the love. It was a precious time. I have also come to realize that while my weight influenced how I acted as Santa it also affected my health. What I have done in my weight loss is to stop being Santa and start being healthy. Losses and gains are a part of the process.

Italian Antipasti

2009-12-06T14:52:00.002+01:00

Cooking in Italy and particularly cooking in rural areas is almost always based upon regionally and seasonally available fresh ingredients. The various regions within Italy all have significantly different cuisines and you can tell you are in Umbria for example by the dishes presented. There are differences between Milan, Florence, Naples, Rome, Sicily, the Marche and the Veneto as well as in all of the other specific areas that Italy is divided into. Some areas favor olive oil, others butter or a local favorite in some areas, lardo. Carbohydrates in some areas are dominated by pasta and in others by risottos or polenta. However the common theme in each region is a culinary emphasis, particularly in restaurants and in catering, on what is that region's cuisine.

I would like to share some of the recipes and dishes I have learned to prepare and show how they can fit into a post-bariatric surgery lifestyle. I will start as any Italian meal of substance will start, with the antipasti. Generally antipasti are provided prior to when the actual dinner is served, along with a glass of prosecco (sparkling wine) or a glass of red or white wine from the region. The small bites are eaten along with sips of the wine and can provide a basis for conversation in and of themselves or just accentuate the conversation going on. Dining is both a gustatory experience as well as a social one and that is how it should be. Eating alone or in silence is not very much fun. So I try to make the antipasti beautiful and tasty, sometimes to provoke conversation and sometimes just for their intrinsic value. Following posts will deal with pasta dishes, meats and vegetables and desserts.

Antipasti in the post-bariatric period are often the only dishes selected by diners at restaurants. Frankly I look at the antipasti menu as my entire meal. They are small bites, often deliciously flavored and can encompass significant amounts of protein. They can be filling and satisfying. I love making antipasti for my catering clients. They can be beautiful, tasty and a welcome addition to the pre-dinner cocktails and wine.

I will focus on several crostini as your starter choices. The basis for most of these is my quick beer bread (the recipe was presented in an earlier post). Recently I have been adding ground toasted fennel seeds to the dough for a great new taste especially with mild flavored toppings. Add some garlic and onion powder, and some grated pecorino or Parmesano-Reggiano cheese to liven it up. After baking and cooling (24 hours), slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, sprinkle or brush a bit of olive oil on them and grill or fry them in a non-stick frying pan to crisp. They then can be used for the preparation of the crostini. I use the whole slice to make the antipasti and then cut it into serving pieces for serving. I then use some beautiful flat serving platters to show them off.

Crostini with funghi pate

To make funghi pate is quite easy. It doesn't have much protein however so it should not be the only antipasti you eat. But it is quite tasty and is a valuable asset to your antipasti arsenal.

Purchase 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (these can be white button, porcini, chanterelles or other mushrooms). Unless you are a very experienced mushroom hunter, do not use ones you find in the garden or forest. These can cause serious and often fatal medical conditions. Use the ones from the commercial growers to be safe.

Saute the mushrooms in 3-4 ounces of butter and a bit of olive oil. Add some salt and pepper. Some chopped onion works well here as well. As the mushrooms cook down they will release a lot of water, so continue to saute until the mushrooms appear almost dry. Add a pinch of dried oregano or marjoram. Ass the mushrooms cook down add about 1/4 cup of marsala ort brandy. Watch out for the flames here. Keep the fire low and add the alcohol to the pan off the flame.

When mushrooms are done, pour into the food processor; add 1/4 pound of cold butter, and 1/2 cup of chopped parsley. Pulse to reduce the mixture to a medium puree. Place the mixture in a storage container and then into the refrigerator. To serve simply spread the mixture on the warm crostini and sprinkle with some finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve 2 pieces at least to each person.

Crostini with Umbrian chicken liver (fegatini) pate

A lot of folks don't like chicken livers (or livers of any sort). But they can make a very nice antipasti with lots of protein and a nice flavor. Try this one at least once to see how you like it.

Purchase about 8-12 ounces of fresh chicken livers (here in our local market they are normally combined with chicken hearts). In the food processor, place 3/4 cup of giardineri mix (pickled vegetable mixture of carrots, cauliflower peppers and onions) and puree until coarsely chopped. Chop an onion into coarse dice and saute with the chicken livers in a mixture of olive oil and butter until the livers are just a bit pink on the inside. Try not to overcook the livers. I think this makes then grainy and may be why some people don't like them. Put the cooked chicken livers and onions into the food processor and add a 1/4 pound of cold butter cut into chunks. Add 1/2 cup of chopped parsley. Puree until smooth but where some of the small bits of the colorful vegetables can still be seen. Place in a container, seal and place in the refrigerator to solidify. To serve, simply spread on the crostini and top with some finely chopped parsley or chives.

Crostini with cannellini bean puree and caramelized onions and garlic

Again this crostini is quite a good-looking antipasti, but it has little protein so serve it with others that are a bit higher in protein.

Purchase a large can of great Northern white beans or fagiolini beans. Drain them and rinse them in cold water under the tap to remove the liquids they are canned in. Place the beans in a saucepan, and add a can of fresh water and a couple of cloves of garlic (peeled). Bring to a boil and simmer until most of the water has evaporated. Add some salt and pepper to taste. This mixture can be made as spicy as you want it with the addition of Tabasco sauce, red peperoncini flakes, or a Creole seasoning mix. Place in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add a bit of chopped parsley for a fresh added flavor and some color. Put in a container and place in the refrigerator to solidify.

In a second pan, saute 1 or 2 finely sliced white or yellow onions in 1/4 cup of an olive oil and butter mixture and a cup of water. Bring to high heat and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the water has disappeared and the onions start to caramelize. Taste them to see if you need to add a bit of sugar. Continue to cook until the onions are a golden brown, Watch them as they can burn easily near the end of the cooking. When they are golden, take them off the heat and place them in a container to cool and store in the refrigerator. To serve the crostini, spread some of the bean puree on the bread, and top with some of the onions. A small dollop of spicy chutney can be added here for some extra flavor.

Crostini with fresh ricotta, dried peperoncini, salt and honey (heated)

This is an unusual crostini that I make with thinly sliced baguettes that I brush with olive oil on on side and place in the oven at 350 degrees F for 7-8 minutes to toast.

Purchase about a pound of ricotta cheese (here in Italy we have wonderful fresh ricotta) and place it in a bowl. With an electric mixer whip the cheese to a smooth consistency. Add some dried peperoncino flakes to the level you like, and some salt to taste. The mixture should be spicy but not incendiary. Add some honey to temper the heat. But don't make it a dessert; just add a bit of sweetness. Spread the cheese mixture on the crostini and place them back in the oven until they6 start to get a nice golden color on top. Take out of the oven and serve hot (carefully as these are little napalm packages) or warm.

Crostini with chopped spiced tuna and tomato

This crostini is sort of like a tuna and tomato open faced sandwich and several can make a terrific lunch. This has a good amount of protein and is quite a suitable dish for the bariatric patient.

Open and drain a 4-6 ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil. Puree in the food processor with a tablespoon of pickled capers and a bit of fresh olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. Chop two medium tomatoes in a coarse dice, a 1/2 cup of fresh basil, some oregano (died or fresh) and 1/2 cup of parsley. Blend the tomato mixture gently so you don't break it up. Gently add the tuna mixture. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. This doesn't keep well so use it within a day or two of making it. The Tomato/tuna mixture can be spread on the same baguette crostini as above or on the toasted quick bread (the fennel flavored one works great with the tuna). This mixture can get a bit soggy so serve it immediately. Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley for color.

Crostini with sausage and stracchino, Parmigiano-Reggiano and spicy chutney

I have used this sausage mixture in stuffed peppers as well as on crostini and it is terrific either way. It is high in protein and smooth enough to be easily digestible. I make the crostini up on the grill pan with a bit of olive oil brushed on the bread prior to grilling. Toast them well, and then remove to a rack. As they cool on a rack I spread a small amount of a nice chutney on the bread. The chutney soaks into the bread a bit and flavors the whole piece. Commercial chutney is quite good, but it is easy to make your own and you can season the chutney as spicy as you wish. Try making something like green tomato chutney, or fig with onions, or apple plum chutney. Making chutney can be a lot of fun and will provide you with a custom-made condiment that is quite different from the commercial brands. Check the internet for thousands of recipes.

Purchase about 3/4 to 1 pound of Italian sausage, either in bulk or in links. If in links, remove the casings and saute in a medium skillet until no longer pink. Place the sausage in the food processor with 8-12 ounces of a soft cream cheese (or strachinno cheese in Italy), and a 1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pulse to break up the sausage but do not puree too finely. You want to keep some of the small chunks of sausage intact. This mixture can be made spicier by adding Tabasco sauce or dried pepper flakes. Season to your tastes. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so. To serve, spread it on the chutney topped crostini, and add a small dollop of chutney to the top. Sprinkle a little parsley on the top. Works either cold, or you can heat the sausage mixture and serve it warm.

St. Andrew's Day and my first haggis

2009-12-01T20:18:00.045+01:00

Last night Elizabeth and I went to a St. Andrew's Day party at a local villa here in Umbria, Italy. St. Andrew's Day is an annual event here in the Niccone Valley and there was a party for about thirty Scots, Brits, Aussies, Germans, and a couple of us Americans. We had a very nice time, eating haggis and drinking good Scotch whiskey, wine, and dancing Scottish reels!

What can I say about haggis? I have never eaten haggis, so I was as mystified about it as you might be. It was more like a meat and grain casserole than a cohesive slice of meat. Apparently, though I didn't see it, it was about 18" long and wrapped in a synthetic "stomach". They don't use real sheep's stomachs much anymore. I found that out when I asked a Scotswoman. They do not actually serve the stomach muscle itself; it is just the “packaging” for the grain and meat cooked inside. The stomach acts like the casing of a salami. The haggis was cooked and then was removed from the casing in the kitchen and served from a platter. I took a big spoonful. It was in for a penny, in for a dime!

It was served with pureed cabbage and pureed potatoes alongside. A wee bit of good Scotch was poured into a glass, or in some cases over the haggis and you started to eat. I know its history, and I was a bit skeptical. But I found it had a great flavor and was quite interesting and good. The texture was a bit strange, sort of like a fine-grained corned beef hash, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and had a small second helping. Not because I didn't want more, but because I was reaching my eight bites. A more typical Italian dinner followed where we were served roast pork, roast chicken and grilled sausages, oven fried potatoes, and a salad. Dessert was a light fruit cup with fresh fruits. A little of bite of this and a little bite of that. I did fine and survived another party as a bariatric eater.

After dinner and a few more of those wee bits of fine scotch, we moved on to the dance floor to dance Scottish folk dances. The dances were taught to us by a tall, good-looking guy in a kilt. Al and Betty were our hosts for the evening. Al is quite a handsome guy and his wife Betty is absolutely adorable. Both are retired British military officers who live locally. Elizabeth's feet were a bit sore from her surgery and she didn’t want to dance so I danced with some of the other women there. Dancing is also a new experience in my post-surgery and lost-weight world. It has been a very long time since I danced folk dances which tend to be a bit vigorous. At 300 pounds I could never have done it. But at 165 pounds now, it was fun. It was a good evening. Learned three new dances, danced with some nice partners, and had a great time with the somewhat inebriated couples out on the small dance floor. There was a lot of banging into one another out there. A lot of laughter as well.

To close this post, you can and should go to holiday parties or any other type of party, but think about what and how to eat. Then eat what you should and can, join in the dance and have fun. I have finally discovered that being a bariatric patient gives you a new life and a new outlook. Dance on!

Thanksgiving in Umbria

2009-11-26T16:23:00.005+01:00

This is my first Thanksgiving since moving to Italy a year ago in August of 2008. In November last year I had to go back to California and get my long term visa to stay in Italy with my new wife. So last Thanksgiving I made dinner in my old house for my youngest son, his wife and two children. We had all the basic trappings of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. In the time in California, I was able to visit some friends and family and to finally get my visa (stamped into my passport with a misspelled middle name). I returned to Italy the day after Christmas and so this year I will be having Thanksgiving dinner here.

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American event. In Italy it is just another day of working, shopping, working in winter gardens, pressing olives for oil, and tending to the myriad number of mundane things that are required to live here. But there is no celebration, no turkey, no stuffing, and certainly no pumpkin pies. The evening meal is the same as normal. This year, a group of Americans and a Brit will be coming together at one of the rental country houses my wife manages and will be having a communal dinner combining Italian and American characteristics. There will be eight people in our group and the food tasks have been divided up among us all. I will be making four different antipasti including: sausage and cheese crostini, mushroom pate crostini, melon and prosciutto, and sliced pecorino cheese and salame. I included a bit of apricot mostarda to put on the cheese slices. My wife and Anne made about 80 pumpkin ravioli Tuesday and they are ready to quickly cook and finish. OK, Paul (Ann's husband) made a few ravioli, but mostly he wandered through the kitchen smelling things on the stove and in the oven and asking questions. I like him.

We will probably serve possibly three ravioli per person so we won't take them all. I will likely only eat one ravioli since pasta is difficult for me to digest after my surgery. I will make a light bechamel sauce with walnuts for the ravioli. Then David will roast some marinated lamb and make some braised mustard greens with garlic from Kathy's recipe, and we will have some dessert which this year will be grape pie with Greek yogurt from Mara. I am sure there will be plenty of wine poured and stories told around the inviting fire set in the big fireplace. This will be a good Thanksgiving held in the spirit that it should be. One of a gathering of friends and family, good foods lovingly prepared, good wine generously poured, and good fellowship gratefully shared.

I will eat only what I can accommodate. A few bites of antipasti, a single ravioli, some grilled lamb, possibly a bite or two of mustard greens and a small slice or a few bites of pie. A lengthened dinner allows me the consumption of a few more "bites" that I will gratefully savor. We will try the new olive oil pressed Thanksgiving morning. I will get all of the tastes of the seasonal dishes that I love and still not overeat.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Post script to Thanksgiving: The grape pie was quite something, made with Concord grapes picked from the pergola outside our guest house in September this year and served with a thick Greek yogurt. The freshly pressed olive oil had a peppery flavor, and when drizzled on the lamb and vegetables was excellent. It was a satisfying dinner and an entertaining evening. kfk

Eating during the holidaze

2009-11-26T06:43:00.004+01:00

The winter holidays are some of the most difficult times of the year for those of us who have had bariatric surgery. It is a time of family, friends, gifts, parties and FOOD. To cope with this period of potential excess, it is important to remember why you had the surgery and what you hope to gain (or lose actually) from the process. If this time comes early in your surgical healing period, it is important to be very careful about what and how much you eat. The limits placed on you for those first six months means that your intake is very restricted. Don't let pressure from friends or family push you to eat excessively.

There is a lot of temptation regarding foods during the holidays. Candy, cookies, cakes and other sweets can sabotage your weight loss quickly. They are physically filling and full of carbohydrates, thus limiting the amount of important foods you need to eat. Be extremely careful, but do enjoy that piece of chocolate or a butter cookie, or a few bites of your aunt's apple spice cake. You will notice I said a piece of chocolate, a butter cookie and a few bites of the spice cake. Eating that whole pound of See's chocolate can be a real problem. You can enjoy the wonderful tastes of the holidays without stuffing yourself. Love those eight bites. Especially early in the healing process it is important to be sure you do not over-extend the surgical site.

Parties are the biggest problem you can encounter during the holidays. Most of the people attending will not know the effort you have spent in losing the weight, but may comment on how little you eat. To deflect questions, take a little plate, put a couple of nibbly little things on it and carry it around with you. (A side note: with a wine glass in one hand and a plate in the other, no one will be able to shake hands with you and pass on that ugly flu we are experiencing). People will stop asking you to eat something as long as you have something in your hand. My father used to avoid the issue of drinking too much during the holidays by carrying around a glass with ginger-ale in it. It looked like a high ball and since he already had a "drink", no one asked him if he wanted another. Just keep slowly refilling that glass with ginger-ale or that small plate will small bites. It is the safest way to get through the party intact.

Thanksgiving has come to mean eating to excess with loving friends and family and you need to carefully consider what you are about on that day. Today I will be having Thanksgiving dinner wih nine friends at one of the rental properties my wife manages in the hills of Umbria. We are all bringing things to share for dinner. I will be making antipasti (more about that in a minute), there will be pumpkin ravioli with bechamel and walnut sauce, grilled marinated lamb (hard to get good turkeys here), a variety of vegetable dishes and the usual plethora of desserts. The olive oil from our trees is being pressed this morning so thoughts are not strictly on food, though I guess here in Italy, olive oil is a major food group.

Thanksgiving antipasti will include sausage and cheese crostini with chutney, sliced pecorino cheese, and some winter melon and prosciutto. I will make them in small bites, and will plate them on holiday platters.

The sausage and cheese crostini will be made with sautéed local sausage (seasoned with fresh garlic, salt and pepper only) mixed with a generous amounts of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Cacciota (a cow's milk cheese that is soft and mild). I will puree it in the food processor until smooth. The crostini will be made from fresh local artisan bread that I will grill to toast, rub with garlic, sprinkle with a bit of the fresh olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. I 'll assemble the crostini just before serving so it is warm. A bit of pear or plum chutney will top the sausage mixture on the crostini. Wine will be passed and the air will be filled with stories of past Thanksgivings, stories of friends, and plans for the future. Especially for that olive oil, just pressed this morning.

Enjoy the holidays, but remember the limits we have placed upon ourselves. Eat those delicious bites on that small plate and toast your friends well. Mangia!