Selby's Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa

Every once in a while someone sends me a food picture that is just..."screen-lick-worthy."

Such is the case with Selby's Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa. I mean look at it. I know from VAST experience from island food that it has a kick to it (so proceed with caution if you don't do well with even slightly spicy foods). And the sauce looks luscious, the shrimp plump and succulent, the quinoa perfectly cooked. Sigh. 

Basically I wanted to reach through the computer screen and have a bite.

I'm posting this earlier than I normally would on a Saturday (the Google tells me that weekend posting should be done in the evening!) but I wanted to give you guys a chance to get the ingredients to create your own little island escape dinner if you wanted. 

Enjoy. And thanks Selby!

Selby's Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa

• 1 c. quinoa 
• 1 c. chicken broth (Selby used Goya chicken bouillon pack reconstituted with 1 c. of water)
• 1 c. crushed pineapple juice from a can of crushed pineapple 
• 10 shrimp
• Jerk sauce mild or hot your choice 
• 1 scallion sliced
• Crushed pineapple, to taste

Selby's Instructions:

The recipe was really super easy the longest cook time was the quinoa . 

I rinsed 1 cup of quinoa really really good like 4 or five times. Rinsing removes the bitterness associated with quinoa . (Nik note: I don't rinse quinoa and never noticed any bitterness but if you have, go for it!)

I placed quinoa in microwave safe bowl and a added 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 cup  unsweetened pineapple juice from a can of crushed pineapples . 

Cover and microwave until liquid is absorbed. Mine took about 10 minutes (there was still a slight amount of liquid but it absorbed as it sat covered).  

Taste and adjust seasonings with garlic powder, onion powder, scallions, pepper, and some crushed pineapple .

The shrimp was super easy I peeled and deveined the shrimp and sautéed them in store bought jerk sauce. I sometimes add a little of the pineapple juice to the shrimp if the jerk is too spicy.  

Cook shrimp just until no longer pink . Plate with a serving of quinoa on the bottom and top with shrimp!

A few Nik Notes (in the spirit of playing with your food):

• I am totally making this!!!
• I'd probably add more veggies, colorful ones! I'd at least do some diced onions and tri-color diced peppers, chopped small and mix those directly into the quinoa before microwaving for a "confetti rice" sort of look.
• Again, a disclaimer: you can certainly buy mild jerk sauce but jerk, by nature, is always going to be at least a bit spicy. 

There...now go make this!

Foodie Fitness Corner: Bob Harper's Kettlebell Workout Review

Bob Harper's Contoured Kettlebell and Workout DVD

by Hillery Kelly

Despite non-op opinions to the contrary, luck doesn’t get you very far after weight loss surgery. It’s a combined effort: working our new tool, changing our mindset —  and, of course, physical activity.  We here at Foodie News want to make starting an activity routine  a little bit less daunting for you.

Because in reality, fear of the unknown can be a strong deterrent to trying something new. Most of the time you can do it, you just need to know what “it” is! So this month, we’re demystifying kettlebells.

Bob Harper, of NBC’s  television series The Biggest Loser, has endorsed a contour kettlebell and training DVD developed by GoFit. The contoured kettlebell is ergonomically designed to wrap around the wrist and forearm and provides a much more comfortable user experience. These kettlebells range in weight from 7lbs-45lbs with a price range of $30-$85, which includes a 30-minute workout DVD, designed and performed by Bob. 

For those wondering “What the heck are kettlebells?” here’s the lowdown.  Kettlebells are cast-iron weights that are a little bit smaller than a bowling ball have  a single-looped handle on top.  They first became popular in Eastern Europe  in the 1700’s but started appearing in American workouts in the 1960s.

The awesome thing about kettlebells is that they encourage functional, whole body conditioning.  Lifting and controlling a kettlebell forces the entire body, (especially the core) to contract as a group, building both strength and stability at the same time. 

Because kettelbells engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, they ‘re a great way to get a complete workout in minimal time.  That’s why,  about a year ago, I purchased Bob’s 15 lb. contoured kettlebell and DVD and instantly fell in love.

Bob’s kettlebell is less bulky than traditional ones and has a slimmer, sleeker design that makes for an easier, tighter grip. This was the perfect introduction to kettlebell training for me.  If you've only seen Bob's Biggest Loser style workouts, this is not the same. The DVD features just him and one other young lady and you feel like you’re right in the room with them, complete with Bob’s straightforward approach, which I love.

As with any strength workout, you can injure yourself with kettlebells if you have back or shoulder issues or a weak core. The key to preventing injuries is to start with a low weight, use good form (which Bob covers in the DVD) and progress slowly. In the DVD you’ll go over the basic kettlebell maneuvers such as swings and squats.

Since my initial purchase, I’ve graduated to using between 16 – 20 kg. (36-52 lb.) kettlebells. If you’re looking for a good, at-home, total body workout that fits easily in your schedule (30 minutes start to finish!), l HIGHLY recommend this DVD.  It’s great for beginners and gives you room to improve as you get stronger. All in all, this is a great workout that you can do!

From now on I’ll include an overall grade summary for the workouts I review. I hope it’s helpful in motivating you to try the workouts!

Grading

Price	Availability	Workout Level	Overall Impressions	Final Grade
B-	A	B	A	A-

Did Hillery's review convince you? Here's where you can buy!

About the Author:  Hillery is a year post-op (gastric bypass). She is a chemist and environmental engineer residing in the suburbs of the Nation’s capital….a country girl at heart turned city slicker! She fully admits to being addicted to makeup, skin care, hair creams, soaps, lotions, and potions of all price ranges…an equal opportunity product junkie with a special passion and love for lipstick.  Read about her makeup addition, product reviews, and anything worth dishing about in the world of beauty at www.platinumpjs.com.

If you've got a fitness question or concern, hit Hillery up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com

"Will I REALLY be able to maintain after weight-loss surgery?"

This has nothing to do with food but I see a lot of folks question the long-term success of bariatric surgery. I've never shied away from sharing my experience because I think it's important for longer-term post-ops to be honest about where they've been and what they've been through in order to paint a realistic picture of life after weight-loss surgery.

So here goes. My journey in pictures (or a bit of it at least!):

This is me before surgery. About 330-ish pounds. I didn't willingly pose for many pictures so they are hard to find! In this one I was in a laundromat. And yes, that is generally how I looked. 

The date stamp on this is actually wrong. This was taken in about March 2008 and while you can't see all of you can tell I'm still a plus-sized diva in this picture. It's interesting how WLS works because I went from this size at about 2 or 3 mos post op (forgive me for not remembering exactly, all this WAS five years ago!) to...

Whoa! What the HELL??? That chick is a lot smaller, isn't she? Funny thing is I thought I was still huge. (Snicker) By the way the smarmy character standing beside me is my brother, Manuel. 

Photo Credit: Melting Mama

Oh time...and pouch capacity. They both can sneak back up on you...as they did here with me. As you can see, I regained. In the pic directly above this one I was 172. In this pic I'm either at or over 200. (Although don't I pose nicely???)

And this is me today (literally...I took it this morning!)...five years post-op. 189 lbs. Smaller than my biggest, bigger than my smallest but still smaller than my biggest since surgery (did you get all that?).

Where will I be next year? I dunno. Only time will tell. BUT, I think it's noteworthy to say that part of the reason I know I can continue to be successful (and I'd argue I never ceased being successful so much as I just lost my way a little bit) is because I tell myself affirming stories about my process and progress. I say this over and over: The story you tell yourself is important!!!

"What the heck does that MEAN, Nik?"

I'm glad you asked. My friends over at ObesityHelp asked me to blog about this very subject so I have been. Check out my blog series which has so far touched on your overall story, those we tell ourselves as we make the decision to have WLS and as new post-ops. Then tune in for the remainder of the series and join the conversation!!! It is only through open and honest dialogue that we can paint a realistic picture of the struggles and realities of WLS. Obesity is a lifelong fight and our stories are our ammunition.

I hope this post has at least helped some of you get perspective. Maintenance isn't doom and gloom, even if you do have some regain. You are in control. You're driving the car. You're steering the boat. You have the power. So claim it!

BF Review: Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar

Free samples of this product were provided for the purposes of this review. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Chocolate. Chip. Cookie. Dough.

Really Quest? It's like you looked into the mind of the average weight loss surgery post-op and searched for the one thing we miss and cannot seem to find a reasonable substitute for and THAT is what you made your next flavor.

Well played, Quest. Well played...

So this is the newest offering and they were nice enough to send me some to try! So here, of course, is my review.

The 360

I didn't do a complete 360 photo (showing both sides of the packaging) because...well I didn't. BUT, here are the stats for this bar (from the Quest website):

So let's go over my protein rules. For me to consider something a good source of protein it must:

• Have one gram of protein for every 10 calories
• Be significantly higher in protein grams than net carbohydrate grams

So how does this stack up? Well for the first, it would need to have at least 19g protein to match up with the 190 calories. It has 21. So CHECK!

For the second it has 3 net grams of carbs (since we don't digest fiber or sugar alcohols, here erythritol, we don't have to count either in the net carb count), so yeah...21g protein vs. 3 net grams of carbs would be significant in my book. So CHECK!

Aesthetics

For those new to my reviews, aesthetics are the look, smell and texture of the actual product.

The Look/Texture: Now, opening the bar, it looks like most any other Quest bar. 

I recently had the pleasure of having an in-depth conversation with the folks at Quest about how they make their products and learned that all Quest bars are made with a base of nut butters (for those with allergies usually this is almond butter except in peanut flavored bars) which contributes to their...waxy...appearance and semi-tough texture. 

BUT no worries, Foodies! We know from former Quest experiences that we can get around that texture by microwaving the bar for about 12-15 seconds in the microwave (more on that later).

The smell: Ok, here's a mystery. I opened the package and I smelled chocolate, that wonderful "sugary" cookie dough smell and...coconuts. So I look at the packaging. There is no ingredient that indicates the use of coconuts in any way. But I smell them. So...that's interesting. Just to make sure I asked the Foodie Nation on Facebook and several others picked that up too. It's noteworthy that when I gave a bar to La Grande Diva to sample she also mentioned it. I dunno. Your guess is as good as mine!

Mouth-feel/Taste

This is where I go into the actual taste. When I say mouthfeel it literally does refer to what happens when the product goes into your mouth!

Mouth-feel: I took a bite before nuking my bar just to test it out. Quest must be playing with their formulation because this bar is WAY easier to bite unheated than past bars. It's still a bit chewy though, so on to the microwave we went and after 12 seconds, here's what I had:

Notice the ability to make indentations easily with the finger. It's soft and gooey! It's also noteworthy that there's a good bit of chocolate in this thing. It's like when you grab a cookie fresh out of the oven - you have melty bits of chocolate on your fingertips! 

Taste: Ohhhhhhhh, Quest. You had me at cookie dough but...(cover the kids eyes) HOT DAMN AND HOLY SHIT! (sorry, I'm not usually a big fan of expletives but they really are necessary here). These bars are GOOD! It really does taste like cookie dough. Again, you get the sugary, buttery taste, the chocolate, the gooeyness. It's all there for you!

It is noteworthy to mention I also picked up the TASTE of coconuts in this bar. Not strong. Very slight. Where is it coming from???? I'll give a dollar to the first person who can tell me! ;)

Value

A box of these bars will set you back what any Quest bar will ($24.99 for a box of 12, which shakes out to $2.08 a bar).  However, they are also sold in some retailers as individual bars if you'd like to pick up just one to try or a few instead of a whole box. I believe they are sold at GNC Living Well. I would be remiss not to tell you that if you order through this link OR the ad on the right menu bar of this blog, Bariatric Foodie gets a little kickback, which keeps the Foodie Nation rolling!

Final Verdict:

So Quest sent me two boxes of these bars. Those boxes are now gone (although to be fair they sent them MORE than 2 weeks ago). I loved them. My kids loved them. My friends with whom I shared them love them (I really should be on Quest's payroll for my conversion abilities). The bars have great stats (high in protein and fiber, excellent number of net carbs) and they just taste goooooooood! So I deem them worthy of consumption!

I know I usually do a giveaway with a review but since the Bariatric Foodie Pledge just ended I have some sorting out to do before I do another giveaway. HOWEVER, Quest would like to give you some bars so look out for a giveaway of these babies within the next two weeks! 

In the meantime don't forget to use the ad in the right menu bar if you want to order yourself some!

Nik's WLS-Friendly Shamrock Shake

So you may have heard of this holiday...St. Patrick's Day? I keep hearing about a guy who drove snakes out of Ireland but I'm pretty sure the holiday is about wearing green, drinking ale and being promiscuous (if the Baltimore bar scene can be trusted to tell the tale).

You guys have been thinking about St. Patty's Day for a while. Know how I can tell. Because beginning in JANUARY many of you have emailed me asking if I have a protein version of the "Shamrock Shake."

And yes I do! But before I give you the recipe I have to say that this is what I call a "dessert shake," meaning it's a bit higher in calories than a 100% upstanding protein shake might be but it's meant to replace an even WORSE choice you could make. It's still way less calories than an actual Shamrock Shake with no added sugar, very little fat and a LOT of protein. But don't drink this everyday, k? It's a WLS-friendly indulgence.

Nik's Shamrock Shake

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. milk (whatever kind you use but NOT water0
• 1 scoop GOOD vanilla protein (I like Fit Frappe Vanilla, Pure Protein or Nectar Vanilla Bean Torte best for this)
• 2 tbsp Davinci sugar-free Peppermint Paddy or Peppermint syrup (if you don't have this, you can use a LITTLE bit - like 1/8 tsp - of Peppermint extract. But I am SO serious...do NOT overdo it!)
• 5-8 drops of green food coloring (less if you use the Peppermint Paddy syrup as it's already green)
• 3-5 ice cubes
• Optional (but CRAZY good): whipped cream and 1 tbsp sugar-free chocolate chips (Hershey makes them. I get mine at Wal-Mart!) + a few more for garnish

Directions:

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT chocolate chips and whipped cream according to the Super Chill Method of Making Protein Frosties. 

Then add the chips and whiz about 3 seconds more just to distribute them. Top with whipped cream and SLURP!