Vegan "Egg Salad" Canapé

Ingredients

1tsp turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fine chopped chives 
1 tablespoons Dijon or yellow mustard
1 container fresh extra firm tofu (drained on a terry kitchen towel for at least 2 hours... best wrapped up in towels overnight in the refrigerator)
1/2 cup Vegenaise (add more if you like it lighter and creamier)
1/2 cup celery diced fine
4 scallions chopped fine
1/2 cup red onion diced fine

Salt to taste

Mix the mayo, Mustard, spices and fine chopped veggies together. This is the "yolk" mixture.

Open the package of firm tofu and drain.

Rinse the block or blocks of tofu under water and place on a clean terry kitchen towel or paper towels. You can leave the wrapped tofu out on your kitchen counter or in the refrigerator.

Check the toweling and if it's full of water, turn it over to saturate the other side of the toweling.

The main concern in doing this step is to remove as much liquid out of the tofu as possible before starting the recipe creation. Excess liquid will make the egg salad mixture too watery.

HINT: It's even better to do this step the night before so that all the excess liquid will drain into the toweling overnight... put it in the refrigerator if you do this this step the night before.

If you don't take the time to drain the tofu completely, the salad will become watery.

Mocking Boiled Eggs
In the bowl, crumble the drained tofu with your fingers. It will look like boiled egg whites in a real egg salad.

Take your time to make sure that the mixture is crumpled evenly.

If you want it to really look authentic, make sure all the straight edges are crumbled.

Add the Vegenaise, onion, celery and scallions...

Stir until all becomes a beautiful yolk yellow color.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Faux Gras + Blue Cheese & Chives (a.k.a. Savory Seared Pears)

Faux Gras + Blue Cheese & Chives (a.k.a. Savory Seared Pears)

 I will tell you that this  really is delicious. It's a perfect appetizer served with crostini; it's also great on top of some lightly dressed arugula.


Faux Gras + Blue Cheese & Chives


2 ripe pears
champagne vinegar
applewood smoked salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon of butter
Humboldt Fog cheese (or any other light-tasting bleu cheese)
chives


Slice pears into thirds from top to bottom leaving two good slices with the skin on and a core slice for each pear. Using a sharp knife, score the pear in a diamond shape. (You want you knife to pierce the flesh, but not to pierce the pear skin.) 


Lightly sprinkle each scored pear half with champagne vinegar -- just a few drops will do. Next, add a pinch of smoked salt and a turn of black pepper to the cut-side of each pear. Heat a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated through, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, place pears in the pan cut-side-down, and allow them to cook for three to four minutes. (You want the pears to caramelize nicely.) Once you have achieved some good color on the cut-side, flip pears over and heat them through on the other side. Remove pears from pan. 


To serve, place pears on a plate and garnish each pear half with about 1/4 ounce of crumbled bleu cheese and chopped chives. Serve with crostini or soft french bread.

108 pounds lost

332 pounds!!!!!

5 Days Until My Gastric Sleeve

Wow where to start with this posting. So much is going on. 5 days until my surgery. I am on a liquid diet. We are on vacation. My son leaves for college in a month. What doe all this equal? STRESS!!!!! The old me when stressed reached out for one thing. No not BOOZE!!! Geez people!! Its FOOD!!!! In the past stress brought on massive amounts of food.
Having this surgery is really starting to worry me. I mean they are going to remove 75% of my freaking stomach right?  My rational mind tells me everything will be fine. But my irrational side is full of images not so fine.
This liquid protein diet is kicking my ass!!! No other way to put it. Funny thing is for the past 5 weeks I have been on a 5 protein drink/ 1 lean green meal a day. So no biggie to get rid of meal and add another protein shake right??? Hell no!!!! 6 70 to 90 calorie shakes a day. Just barely over 500 calories a day. less than 20 carbs. I am hungry all the time. My stomach hurts. I am sure if I was at work it wold not be as bad. A work I am so busy that there is no time to think about food. But on vacation.... Food is everywhere. Family is eating all sorts of great stuff. Sitting in restaurants watching them eat is the pits!!!

500 calories has stopped my workouts... My cardio was my eating replacement to combat stress.

But through it all I have stayed on plan. I am not going to give up the boat yet. 5 more days of this crap.

Ya I will survive!!!!

"Cincinnati" style Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Well I am less than 2 weeks from surgery. Today I got all of my pre admission testing done. Nutrition class is now complete.

Tonight I wanted to whip up a good and fast meal. I love lettuce wraps. Asian style, mexican style it does not matter. Tonight I made them "Cincinnati" style. The main spices are from a seasoning packet of Cincinnati style chili. Gold Star brand to be exact!!!

"Cincinnati" Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps

6 ounces skinless chicken breast. Chopped super fine
1/2 cup mushrooms. Chopped
3/4 cup shredded cole slaw mix
1.5 tablespoon Cincinnati chili spice mix
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
chicken broth
1teaspoon olive oil
5 or 6 lettuce leaves

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add fine chopped chicken breast. Brown until cooked. Add cabbage and mushrooms. Sautee a few minutes. Add chicken broth as needed to keep moist. Add spices and mix well. Add more chicken stock as needed. Cook 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomato paste. Work it into the mixture adding chicken stock as needed. Let cook 3 or 4 minutes.  I added a few dashes of Tabasco sauce just like I do when I used to eat at Goldstar... Serve with lettuce leaves.

For those not on my crazy diet serve with Low fat sour cream, low fat cheese

16 Days Until My Gastric Sleeve Surgery

16 days and counting until my surgery date. So how is the 5/1 diet going for me? This week its slow, slow, slow.  Lots of hunger today. Not so bad I would ever cheat but pretty strong. I am still doing cardio 6 days a week. Today I did 3 miles plus in 30 minutes on the cross trainer. I love my workouts. I love that my workouts take me to the very edge of exhaustion.

So how am I feeling about the surgery??? Getting very nervous!!! Not bad enough to cancel but its starting to hit home that its coming real fast!!! I am sure its normal to be so geeked out about it. Lots of people see the changes in my weight and I get asked at least 10 times a day why I would still think about doing it when I am doing so great. Well the answer is I could not do this diet I am on for a super long time. While the liquid protein taste great its still just liquid protein 5 times a day.

Starting Friday I loose my 1 lean and green meal and am on nothing but liquid until surgery. This is so the fat around my liver and stomach can shrink even further to make the surgery easier to perform. That plus its proven that even a 15lb loss can low risk of complications after the surgery.

So I hang in there 2 more weeks...

Bison Sirloin Steak and Mushrooms

Can you imagine being able to eat red meat again without any guilt? Imagine that this red meat is lower in fat than beef, turkey, chicken, fish, and even ostrich. Imagine that this red meat is higher in protein than beef. Imagine that this red meat tastes wonderful.

You have imagined Buffalo, more appropriately called Bison - the red meat of the new millennium. Bison is a delicious, healthy alternative to beef, pork, chicken, and fish. This healthy meat is a great-tasting lean red meat, that is perfect for all the low carb dieters.

Loving red meat is not a sin - not eating healthy red meat is. As the nutritional chart below shows, you can now satisfy that craving without guilt.

Bison Nutritional Information Comparison Chart * * Taken from Feb/Mar 2003 Edition of "The Bison Connection" Per serving of 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Species	Fat	Calories	Cholesterol	Iron	Vitamin B-12
	Grams	K CAL	MG	MG	MCG
Buffalo	2.42	143	82	3.42	2.86
Beef (choice)	10.15	219	86	2.99	2.65
Pork	9.66	212	86	1.1	0.75
Chicken (skinless)	7.41	190	89	1.21	0.33
Lamb	9.64	200	87	not listed	not listed
Veal	6.94	176	106	not listed	not listed
Venison	3.20	158	112	not listed	not listed
Ostrich	3.00	140	83	not listed	not listed
Sockeye Salmon	10.97	216	87	0.55	5.8

So tonight I had a awesome 5 ounce Bison Sirloin steak!!!  32 calories a ounce. 6 grams protein a ounce!!! I pan cooked it rare. Served sautéed mushrooms with it. Man it was so good!!!! 

Weekend Away From It All

After a trying week with my diet and my work my wife and I decided to take off alone. So after my cardio at Fast Track we took off. Oh I forgot to talk about the cardio. Today ROCKED!!! 10 minute first mile, 21 minute for 2 miles, and just 25 steps from 3 miles in 30 minutes!!! Oh the burn. Burn of almost 350 calories that is!!


I was really concerned about staying on plan. I got a great suite at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio. The hotel was on property so we just parked the car and walked. The weather was awesome. Being alone with my wife was amazing. Walking was amazing. No wheezing, no needing to sit down. Since I have lost 50 pound I have no shirts that fit. Shopping spree it is!!!! I bought shirts at Macy's and JC Penny!!! I cant remember when I could just go shopping!!! Did I spend a fortune no way. I bought 6 Izod and Van Hussen button up shirts for under 100 total.. One more size down and I can buy shirts almost anywhere!!!

At dinner we decided to go to Smith & Wollensky. Its a amazing steak house. 2 months  ago I would have got 24 oz ribeye, mashed tatters, veggies, appetizer, and all the bread and butter I could cram down. The great thing about eating in a swanky steak house is the awesome fresh seafood. I started with 6 raw oysters, and 6 clams. Yummy and under 120 calories!!! For my entree I got the Asparagus and Crab salad. So YUMMY!!! As you can see below it looked awesome. Instead of my usual cocktails or bottle of wine I selected a nice large bottle of Pelligrino and a few twist of lime. The waiter even brought a wine bucket to keep my "Bottle" cold.

Sunday brunch was just as amazing. My favorite Japanese/sushi place is Restaurant Hama. Hama is one of the oldest Sushi bars in the country in L.A. When Easton Town Center opened Hama Columbus became the second location in the U.S. Never have had a bad meal here!!! Since Sushi is my favorite food of all time, and since my diet is low carb, I cant have the rice. Oh but what I had was great!! I started with a Tofu and Wakame salad. Tofu, Wakame (black seaweed), thin sliced tomatoes, Japanese cucumber pickles, and a great light sesame dressing just drizzled on top. I thought it was great.

For my main course it had to be Sashimi!!!! Expertly cut and so fresh. Salmon, Octopus, Flounder (so delicate), Tuna, Yellowtail, Albecore tuna, and seared Yellowtail. All served with yummy crunchy Diakon radish.

  So see dieting and changing ones lifestyle does not have to mean the end of good food. It means making food choices that go along with whatever plan you are on. It means enjoying the company you are with. Funny even though this was all lower calorie the favors were immense. Taking your time eating and having great conversation means being filled up. My belly could not have been happier with these 2 meals.
I look at it this way. I have not ate fast food in a month. Used to do it almost everyday. I would rather save the money and go out to eat like this once in a blue moon any day!!!!

After lunch we walked back to get the car and we went to Polaris Mall. Its the largest mall in the state of Ohio. This place is huge. We walked and walked and walked some more. I even was able to get a great 30 minute chair accu pressure massage.

Tonight after walking the malls all day we decided to go to McCormick & Schmick's. The restaurant is about 1 mile from our hotel. We walked it. It feels so good to walk again. After a lite dinner of Grouper we walked to the theater to see "Green Lantern". After the movie we walked about 3/4 mile back to our hotel. To be honest I feel ready to go some more. All that walking today my ancles are not swollen at all...

Week 4 Update and Progress Photos

Well week 4 is over. I started doing cardio 6 days a week 2 weeks ago. 30 minutes a day. My first workout was 24 minutes for my first mile. Yesterday my first mile was 12.01. 2 miles in 23.01. 5700 steps in 30 minutes. I am loving the workouts. I can see my calf muscles again. I forgot how huge my calves were!!! Even my wife said wow!!! My biceps are back too!!! My workouts are now fast furious and fun!!!

On the diet front this week sucked. Tons of food cravings. Lots of hunger. 1 pound weight loss. But, I stayed on plan!!! Did not slip one time!!! Erin my most awesome dietitian says I am building muscle faster than I am loosing fat. This makes it look as if I am stalling.  She says trust how your clothes look not the scale... I am trusting but not real happy...

On a side note... I had to run about 100 yards yesterday to support my guys at work. I could not freaking believe that run. No asthma attack after. No sweating. No dizziness. Damn it felt good. Not a jog. It was a freaking run!!!

Rib fest labor day 2010

May 27 2011 My sons graduation 401 pounds

Week 2 379

Week 3

Week 3 side

Week 4 front

Week 4 side

Vegan Vegetable-Tofu Chili

I have really grown to respect tofu. I am finding I can do so much with this high protein low fat food.  Tonight I used it to make another favorite CHILI!!!

A quick note on my recipes. I am on a very strick VLCD diet. On this plan even my choice of veggies and the serving sizes are restricted. You will notice a very smal amount of tomato. Feel free to add more tomato sauce if you are are a more forgiving plan. If using more sauce you can simmer it a bit longer.
You will also notice I am using Shallot. This diet does not allow onions due to carb content. Feel free to use a big wonderful onion if not on my plan. Also my plan severely limits fats. Depending on you plan you may use more olive oil as well. So following my diet the chili pictured below is not as saucy as it could be.

 Vegan Vegetable-Tofu Chili

1 package extra firm tofu.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Veggie Sweet mini peppers. Halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic. Fine dice
1 shallot. Fine dice
1 cup chinese eggplant. Halved and sliced
1 cup zucchini. Halved and sliced
1 cup mushrooms. Sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon Hunt's salt free tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Drain tofu. Place tofu between many layers of paper towel. Place a bowl on top of wrapped tofu and let drain 20 minutes. Slice and dice the tofu. You and also tear the tofo into small uneven shapes. Heat oil in nonstick pan or skillet. Add shallot, garlic, baby sweet peppers. Saut'e 2 or 3 minutes. Add the zucchini. Saute 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and mushrooms. Saut'e a minute. Add water by the tablespoon as needed. Add tofu. Add the spices and water as needed. Cook a few minutes. Mix the tomato sauce and the tomato paste. Add to the chili. Simmer as long as you like. I like my zucchini to not be to soft. The longer you simmer the more water you will need to add. 

50 FREAKING POUNDS!!!!!

I never in my wildest dreams would have thought a year ago I would be posting this. I HAVE LOST 50 FREAKING POUNDS!!!!! I mean I have lost 1/2 of a runway model!!

So what are the side effects of my losing 50 pounds? Well I am off all of my Diabetes medicine. My highest sugar reading in the last 2 weeks was a 160. I have went from 5x shirts being almost to tight to wearing a 4x. I have gone from a size 60 pants being tight to being able to get into a 56 pant. All the edema I used to get in my ankles after working 10 hours is gone!! I am finding that self confidence I seemed to be loosing over the last few years. I am getting back my insane sense of humor that made my wife love me 30 years ago. I have found myself again!!! Even my boss commented on how its great to have Frank back again.

So what is making this work for me this time. Why did all my other diet attempts fail in the past?  Drive, determination, and great support!!!

 I started smoking when I was 9 years old after my parents got divorced. I smoked until I was 28. Two packs a day at the end. I knew that smoking was bad for me but hey so is being fat. I quit like 18 times in 8 years. Stress always got me smoking again. Then I had a miracle in my life happen. The birth of my son. 8 months after he was born I gave up my career to be a stay at home dad.  I refused to smoke around him and he was my inspiration to stop. Cold turkey. Never again... So fast forward to last year. I decided I needed to loose so I just cut back. I dropped a few pounds here and there. I went up and down and up and down for 8 months. Then during my inventory prep this year I met Jeremy. He came down to my store to help me with a issue. We were working and shooting the bull when it came out that he had gastric bypass. Let me tell you that conversation planted a seed in my brain. A week later was my sons graduation. We took lots of pictures. While looking at the pictures I kept thinking. Who is that huge guy in the pictures. Thats not me.. Where the hell did I go... That seed Jeremy planted started to grow!! That was 4 weeks ago. I realize this time I am doing it for me. Selfish? Hell yes! I gave up my career for 13 years for my kids... So now its about me!!! No compromise this time. My determination is me!!!!

Thats when I found Journey Lite and Dr Curry and his staff.  I love the doctor. I love my dietitian Erin.
They own a work out facility called Fast Track. Its a gym for surgical weight loss people. Talk about a support group!!! Everyone there is on the same life path I am on. Loosing weight. Everyone I meet there is inspiration beyond inspiration.

So a year ago I would have never dreamed I would have lost 50 pounds!!! I would have never dreamed I am going to a gym and doing 30 minutes of cardio every day!! Yes everyday, I have not missed a single day!!!!!

I was so afraid that dieting meant I could not create great food. That I would loose my culinary love of life. This could not be further from the truth. I now only cook healthy. I use organic veggies. Only healthy fats. Only the best fresh meats and seafood. I am eating more vegetarian dishes. 99% of my meals are from fresh not processed foods. I am finding that I am using more creativity in my food than ever in my life.  I am taking great pride in sharing these dishes. My pallet is adjusting to lower sodium.

Writing all this down is so hard to do. But if I can inspire one person or just plant one seed the way Jeremy did for me it is all worth it!!!!!! If I can do this then anyone can!!!!!

Chipotle Chicken

Even the best cooks mess up a creation. I have been craving italian for 3 weeks. So I thought I would do some sautéed chicken tenders with veggies and a homemade sauce. All was going awesome in the creation. I decided to add a dash of chipotle pepper powder. Ya the freaking lid fell off and well you can guess a lot went in. I refused to waste the food so I finished it up. It was freaking awesome!!! Hot hot hot!!!  It really hit the spot!!! This one is so easy.  This tasted fresh spicy and yummy to me.

A note on sodium. You will notice I used no salt tomato sauce from Hunts. As I am changing my lifestyle I am also trying to cut my sodium down as well. Adding sea salt towards the end of cooking is a good way to season your food but also cut back on sodium. At first lower sodium food taste different. But after a few weeks you do not notice anymore. I use only sea salt now as well. Sea salt is produced through evaporation of seawater, usually with little processing, which leaves behind some trace minerals and elements depending on its water source. These insignificant amounts of minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels. By weight, sea salt and table salt contain about the same amount of sodium chloride. Your body needs only a couple hundred milligrams (mg) a day to stay healthy, but most people get far too much — mostly from sodium in processed foods. So regardless of which type of salt you prefer, keep sodium consumption between 1,500 and 2,300 mg of sodium a day if you're a healthy adult. People with high blood pressure and anyone middle-aged or older should aim for the low end of that range. 
A article in the "New England Journal of Medicine" looked at the potential impact of reducing salt intake. The report found that if Americans cut their salt intake by 3 grams a day, new cases of heart disease, stroke and heart attack would significantly drop — as would the number of deaths. The authors estimate that these changes could save between $10 billion and $24 billion in health care costs annually. In light of this, many experts are calling on food manufacturers and restaurants to lower the amount of salt in the foods they sell.

Chipotle Chicken

6 ounces Chicken tenders. Cut in bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic. Fine chop
2 green onions. Fine slice
1 baby zucchini. Sliced
2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder. Or more like I did!!
4 basil leaves fine slice
3 tablespoons salt free Hunts tomato sauce
salt
pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Heat pan. Add oil. Saute chicken for a few minites. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2 minutes then add chipotle powder. Add zucchini and let cook about 5 min or until its a tender as you like. Salt and pepper to taste. Add Basil and tomato sauce. Let simmer 2 or 3 minutes.

Psych Evaluation, Dietitian,and first workout at Fast Track

Well today was my psych evaluation for my gastric sleeve surgery. Had to take a 300 question test. Then meet with Dr. Buhrman. He was great to talk to. He said my mind was ready for surgery and that I seemed very committed or was it that I needed committed???
After that I met for a few minutes with Erin my Dietitian. Got my weigh in over. Talked with her for a few minutes about my diet. I see her again in 2 weeks. She is making this so easy.  Everyone here makes it so easy. So welcoming. Everyone seems so genuine as well. With what I do for work my bullshit detector is always on. I can truly say that this place rocks!!!!
Then it was off to Fast Track. Fast Track is the gym owned by Journey Lite. Its in the same building as my doctor as well. Got my tour about the facilites first. Funny thing as I was heading out to the treadmill I met another great person working to change her life. She had surgery in March. We talked about her experience. We talked about my experience as well. So great to work out in a safe environment. All of us there are on the same path. I can't wait to make some real lasting friends going here... Its a gym and a support group all rolled into one!!!

So my workout today.... 15 minutes on the treadmill. Then 15 minutes on a recumbent cross trainer. Was it rough the first time? Hell yes!!!! But I just cranked some Mega Death on my headphones got in the groove and zoned out!!!!


I know my surgery is still a month away. My bmi 3 weeks ago was 60. Today my bmi was 55. I was 400 pounds on 6/4. Today 6/22 I was 374 pounds. So 26 pounds lost in 18 days!!!!!! I had a 60 inch waist when I started. I can get into 56 inch waist now. 5x shirts were tight. Now into 4x with room!!! 

Turkey "Taco" Lettuce wraps

I love Mexican food. Being on a diet means missing out on those great flavors. This recipe I made tonight really filled the bill!!! Regular Mexican is full of fat. Not with this recipe. All the flavor without all the fat. Ground 99% lean turkey breast instead of ground beef. As a filler and to get in all my vegetables the meat mixture is loaded with shredded cabbage and chopped mushroom. I even made my 18 year old son taste it. He said I would eat that. My 5/1 plan right now does not allow me extras. But to make a great family meal serve them low fat sour cream, low fat shredded cheese, and salsa.

The key is to purchase the ground turkey meat that is 99% fat free.

My problem is that I’m a sucker for the flour tortillas.  But I don’t need their calories.   A 6″ round flour tortilla has 94 calories. So in this recipe use lettuce to wrap your "tacos"!!!!

I’ve learned that when you make your own taco seasoning mix that it is far healthier.  Compared to the store-bought, pre-packaged taco seasoning, the homemade version has less sodium, no sugar, no preservatives and no msg.

Here’s the recipe which serves 1 person or 2 with sides:

2 tsp olive oil

1 garlic clove chopped fine

2 green onions fine sliced


3/4 cup fine shredded cabbage

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (I used shiitake)


6 ounces  99% lean ground turkey


1/4 tsp cumin


1/2 tsp chili powder


1/4 tsp paprika


1/4 tsp oregano


1/4 tsp  chipotle pepper  


2 tablespoons canned tomato sauce

8  lettuce leaves 

Heat oil in skillet. Add green onion and garlic. Add turkey and brown. Add the Cabbage and mushroom. Add water as needed cook 5 minutes. Add dry spices and tomato sauce. Cook about 10 minutes adding water as needed again. Serve with lettuce leaves.

It’s so good, I could eat it for dinner twice a week!  Let me know if you make it and what you think.

Whey Protein Can Lower High Blood Pressure

A article about Whey protein and its effects on bool pressure. This is from My Best Health Portal.com. I have left the links so everyone can go to this great blog

Whey Protein Can Lower High Blood Pressure

Features - Featured Articles

Whey protein has a normalizing effect on blood pressure levels.

A whey protein study published in the International Dairy Journal suggests that whey protein has a normalizing effect on blood pressure levels, reducing levels significantly in people at risk of hypertension.

It is believed this may be due to whey’s impact on nitric oxide production, as nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity and its suppression leads to increases in blood pressure. This not only benefits people who have are or at risk of having high blood pressure, it also helps in maintaining healthy blood vessels too.

Recently in another study, found that in healthy people who supplemented with the whey-derived peptide NOP-47 had a positive impact on their vascular function. Blood flow in their arms improved by 2.7 percent per minute following whey protein supplementation.

So by taking whey protein powder as your protein source for a meal replacement or an exercise recovery drink, you will also be supporting healthy blood pressure levels.

Other Benefits of Whey Protein

There are several other reasons for choosing whey protein over other protein powders, even beyond its influence on your blood pressure. For instance:

• Whey protein may help to promote your optimal intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for your overall wellness.
• Whey protein may help your pancreas-produced insulin work more effectively, which helps maintain your blood sugar level after a meal.
• Whey protein may promote healthy insulin secretion.
• Whey protein may help you preserve lean body tissue (particularly during exercise) as it delivers bioavailable amino acids and cysteine.
  

  When taking whey protein you will be supporting healthy blood pressure levels.
• Whey protein may support your immune system, as it contains immunoglobulins.

Whey proteins are complex in and of themselves and each can provide you with even more distinct benefits, such as:

• Alpha-Lactalbumin which supports your immune system and may improve morning alertness.
• Beta-Lactoglobulin which may help your body better react to foods.
• Bovine Serum Albumin which provides a source of essential amino acids.
• Glycomacropeptide which provides support against occasional digestive discomfort and stress.
• Immunoglobulins which promote your immune system and helps support your body's natural detoxification processes.
• Lactoferrin which helps regulate your intestinal iron absorption and promotes healthy cell growth.
• Lactoperoxidase which provides protective benefits for your system.
• Natural growth factors in Whey which aids your system in cell rejuvenation, muscle recovery after exercise, and energy function

Whey protein can also help optimize your production of glutathione, which by many, is considered to be your body’s most powerful antioxidant.

• Glutathione has the unique ability of maximizing the activity of all other antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, and the fresh veggies and fruits you eat.
• Glutathione also removes toxins from your cells and protects you from the damaging effects of radiation, chemicals, and environmental pollutants.

The optimal food source for maximizing your glutathione production is high-quality grass-fed whey protein.

Bottom Line on Whey Protein being Beneficial for Lowing Blood Pressure

As part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, it’s strongly believe that whey protein powder is a very healthful supplement to your diet, an excellent source of protein, and a powerful supporter of optimal health.

Sources:

• NUTRAingredients.com September 6, 2010
• International Dairy Journal November 2010, Volume 20, Pages 753-760

Fire Rosted Whole Red Snapper on Deconstructed Ratatouille

Today was a very rough diet day. Outside influences and stresses really put a strain on my willpower. So I decide to "take it to the house" for my dinner tonight!! This meal is old school baby!! Oh and it is totally diet friendly. I even got out my solid copper cookware to make this one. Think of this as classic french with a diet twist. I love ratatouille. Eggplant, tomato, zucchini, peppers, shallots, and garlic.   The real recipe uses lots of olive oil and lots of time to cook. I have deconstructed it. Same ingredients. But instead of 1/4th cup oil I used a few sprays from my olive oil pump. Red snapper is awesome cooked whole. This dish can be cooked in the oven but I do it on my wood pellet grill. The pellet grill uses real compressed wood pellets to make the heat.  It has a real wood flame. Since the pellets require forced air to burn it turns my gill into a Convection oven as well. The hint of wood smoke in the red snapper is so good!!!

Fire Rosted Whole Red Snapper on Deconstructed Ratatouille

1 eggplant sliced thine
1 baby yellow squash sliced thin
1 baby zucchini sliced thin
1 shallot fine diced
2 cloves garlic fine diced
1 roma tomato sliced thin
4 black olives sliced thin
salt
pepper
olive oil
whole red snapper

When you buy the Snapper have the fish monger clean and scale the fish. Wash the fish and pat dry. Salt and pepper inside and out. In a baking pan layer the veggies like in the picture. Top with the chopped garlic, shallot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a few good sprays of olive oil from a oil pump. Lay seasoned fish on top. Spray fish with a couple of pumps of olive oil as well. Cook in a regular oven at 400 for 15 to 25 minutes depending on the size of the fish. On a grill cook on indirect medium heat about 25 to 30 minutes.

Sparkling Ice

I have been seeing bottles of a new drink at my store and at Krogers called "Sparkling Ice" While at Krogers getting fish and veggies I picked up a bottle for my drive home. I got the Pink Grapefruit flavor. I have to say I was surprised by it.  The web page says "A refreshing blend of mountain spring water, fruit juice and just the right amount of carbonation. Enhanced with essential vitamins and antioxidants. Available in six delicious flavors. Enjoy Sparking ICE any time of day."




Sparkling ICE does have a bunch of things going for it.  Their mountain spring water is a huge plus, and so are the natural flavors.  There are no calories.  They throw in antioxidants and a handful of vitamins, so a 17-ounce bottle provides you with 20% of your recommended daily dose of vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, D3, and Biotin - and an awesome 200% of vitamin B12 - and even manage to make the stuff taste pretty good.

Visit to Fast Track for food

Today I needed to pick up a few protein shakes so I went to Fast Track to get them. While there I talked with a trainer and got info on joining their gym. The whole place is set up and geared toward people of weight. The machines are designed for me not some skinny mini. No anorexic freaks staring at me like I am satan. Just real people with real problems trying to change their lives.. I can dig this place. I can be me in this place. I found that included in the membership is a personel trainer, metabolic testing, and group classes. My wife has been asking me what I want for Fathers Day. Well a membership here is what I asked for. I find out monday all the cost. They have a location in Evondale and Northern Kentucky. 

This great place is part of Journey Lite. Journey Lite is where I am having my Gastric sleeve done on 7/21. My Dr. is Trace Curry.
This is his web page
http://www.thebanddoctor.com/default

Oh while I was there I got to try a great new protein Jello. 0 carbs 15 grams protein.

Spicy Eggplant And Tofu

One of the great things about the 5/1 diet plan is that the "lean and green" meal has tons of protein options. One of the meatless options is tofu. up to 15 ounces to be exact. So 5 ounces of beef or 15 ounces of tofu??? Duh Tofu it is!!! Tofu is like a flavorless sponge. It takes whatever sauce you put it in. Grill, bake it, Broil it, or press it. This dish calls for fried tofu. This gives the tofu a yummy crust and a great nutty flavor. Cant do that for this diet so I use a non stick cookie sheet and bake it. Cut up the tofu (extra firm) in 5 equal slices. Spay sheet with cooking spray. Season with onion powder, garlic powder. I bake it in my convention oven at 400 till the top is a nice nutty brown...

SPICY EGGPLANT AND TOFU

• 
  1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 10 to 15 oz baked tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 1/4th bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 green onions chopped fine
• 1.5 cups Asian eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick chunks
• water
• soy sauce

Heat nonstick wok. Add oils. Add eggplant and brown the eggplant tossing often. Add some water and the garlic and ginger. Cook about 5 minutes. Add the green onion and bell pepper. Cook a few minutes more. Add cubed tofu. Heat and toss for a few seconds then add the chili garlic sauce and the oyster sauce. Add water as needed and a splash of lower sodium soy.

Pipirrana de pulpo

Just because I have changed my lifestyle and decided its time to lose weight does not mean I have to give up awesome food. It does not mean I have to lose my culinary flair either!!

Tonights dinner "Pipirrana de pulpo" is a great summer salad dish from Spain. It is served in many tapas style bars. Yes I know all of you are saying "Octopus"?? Octopus is 139 calories for 3 cooked ounces!! Its packed with 25 grams of protein per serving as well. Octopus is eaten all over the world. The key to good octopus is the parboil before its eaten or used in other recipes. I like to use frozen over fresh for any octopus other than baby. Freezing helps to tenderize the flesh. I also buy them fully cleaned. I like to choose 1 to 2 pound ones as well. Simply rinse it off. Bring water to a low boil. Add 2 cloves garlic, salt, halved small onion, 2 bay leaves and just a small amount of vinegar. Now hold the octopus by the head and dip it 2 to 3 times before dropping it into the water. This causes the tentacles curl (better presentation). Cover and cook 40 min to 1 hour. Drain, chill then cut it to suit whatever dish.

The only change to make this dish healthy for my 5/1 diet is 1tsp olive oil instead of 1/4th cup

"Pipirrana de pulpo"

1 cooked octopus (cut into bite sizes pieces)
5 grape tomatoes (cut in half)
1 cup cucumber (diced)
1/2 green pepper (diced)
1 clove garlic (fine chop)
4 seeded green olives
1/2 small onion (diced I used Scallions)
1 tablespoon fine chopped parsley
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff)
salt
pepper
vinegar (just a slash)

Mix it all together in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least a hour but overnight is fine too.