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Live healthy!

Let’s face it, these days everyone has a busy schedule! Between work, school, and running a household, it’s a miracle if you can get the family all together for just a few meals a week. And that can make it very difficult to stay on a routine of healthy eating and exercise.

But one thing you can do to start eating healthy is to cook healthy. And the first step to cooking healthy is shopping healthy.

This issue of JourneyLite LiteNews will give you a few helpful shopping tips, teach you some techniques for healthy cooking and, of course, offer a great, healthy recipe from Chef Dave.

If you’ve had gastric banding or are just considering it, LiteNews will also keep you focused on your weight-loss goals by connecting you to the JourneyLite online community. LiteNews links you to message boards and blogs where you can ask questions and get advice from JourneyLite patients and nurses and find information about weight-loss surgery, exercise and nutrition.

Shop healthy!

Stick to your list. It's easy to get sidetracked at the grocery store by all the displays and specials, but it is vital to get in and get out with only the healthiest foods. With your refrigerator and pantry stocked with the following foods, your cooking is sure to be healthy, and, with a little creativity and some good recipes, it's sure to be tasty, too.

Meats
Lean meats should be your only choice: top round, tenderloin chuck steaks, lean t-bone, lean porterhouse, filet, sirloin, extra lean ground beef, and eye of round.

Poultry
Avoid eating poultry skin, as it is pure fat. Your best choices are: skinless chicken breast, turkey (white meat, no skin), ground chicken and turkey (white meat only, no skin), and duck (no skin).

Fish and Seafood
All fish and seafood provide high quality protein, so anything goes in this area (in moderation, of course), but be sure you chew thoroughly. And if you've been banded, "rubbery" foods like shrimp and calamari may have a tendency to get stuck or hung up if not chewed well.

Eggs
Eggs are a good source of protein, but remember that the yolk is high in fat and cholesterol. If you eat them on occasion, do not worry; however, if you eat them daily, eat just the whites, buy an egg substitute or consume DHA/free range eggs.

Legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils)
These little dietary gems supply protein, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and B-vitamins, and they're the only high-protein foods that supply fiber! Sources are: baked beans, split peas, navy beans, lentils, black beans, great northern beans, white beans, and chickpeas, just to name a few.

Fresh Vegetables
Vegetables are naturally low in calories and fat. They also provide an array of vitamins, minerals and fiber. For those of you who have been banded, be careful with ‘stringy' veggies like asparagus and artichokes, as their fibers might agitate your pouch.

Fruits
Fruits are a great, quick, nutritious snack or dessert. Stay away from dried fruit, as it is very high in sugar. Be aware of canned and frozen fruit because many brands are packed with added sugars. Read the labels!

For those of you who are banded, make sure to eat only the pulp from citrus fruits since they have a tough membrane that is not tolerated well by the band.

Dairy Products
Dairy products are loaded with calcium, protein, A, B, and D vitamins. There are many low-fat varieties in the market. Try them! If you do not like one brand, try another. Some suggestions include: skim or 1% milk, low-fat cheeses, reduced-fat sour cream, and low-fat cottage cheese.

Grains (whole)
Do not be fooled by the label "wheat bread." This is a mixture of white and whole wheat bread. Look for labels that read "100% whole grain" and stick with whole grain types like multi-grain, oat bran, cracked wheat, and oat. Sticky, doughy bread must be avoided.

Pasta and Rice
Remember they are high in carbohydrates and are too sticky to eat!

Cook healthy!  

Healthful cooking can be easy and enjoyable. It simply takes a little planning to provide the best for your loved ones. Here's a few healthy cooking techniques and some ways to modify your recipes for healthier meals:

• Avoid frying or sautéing in oil or other fats. Instead, use a no-stick spray coating or broth.

• Buy and use non-stick sauté pans.

• For meat, fish, and poultry, limit cooking methods to baking, roasting, oven broiling, steaming, poaching, and stewing.

• To replace some moisture and flavor loss, make up the difference with broth, skim milk, fruit juice and/or extra herbs, spices, and vegetables.

• Reduce oil called for in marinades to no more than one teaspoon per 1/2 cup marinade, or eliminate oil altogether.

• Substitute low-fat, low-calorie versions of ingredients. For example, substitute nonfat plain yogurt for sour cream. Or if you prefer, use less of the full fat ingredient.

• Cook with fresh ingredients that don't add extra fat. Use fresh lemon juice, hot peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes and ginger.

• Steam, grill, stir-fry or boil your fresh vegetables. Cook fibrous vegetables like asparagus and artichokes thoroughly, since they can agitate your gastric band.

• Chill soups and stews after cooking, then skim the fat from the surface after it solidifies.

• A little bit of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese goes a long way in a seasoning dish.

• Instead of adding margarine or butter to vegetables, add butter-flavored sprinkles or salt-free seasonings.

• Fat-free stock, tomato or other vegetable sauces without fat can be thickened with browned flour or cornstarch. "Cream" soups can be made richer by using 1/4 cup powdered skim milk for each cup of milk used, or evaporated skim milk as a base.

• You can reduce fat in ground beef by up to 50% by the drain and rinse method:

1. Brown ground beef in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir to break beef into crumbles about 1/2-inch. Cook until no longer pink.
2. Use a large slotted spoon to drain meat. Remove beef crumbles to large plate or other dish lined with three layers of white paper towels. Blot top of beef with a paper towel. Let sit one minute, blotting beef with additional paper towel.
3. Place beef in strainer or colander. Pour about 1 quart hot tap water over the beef. Stir beef while pouring water. Drain five minutes.
4. Finish preparation according to your favorite chili, taco, or spaghetti sauce recipe.
   

(If your recipe calls for browning ground beef with onion or garlic, use the same method. Other seasonings and herbs should be added after rinsing for best flavor.)