My Weight Loss Progress:
This includes about 16 lbs. lost on my preop diet. I've lost the rest since surgery.

Friday, September 24, 2010

New info (to me) about B12

I wrote a post a while ago about my vitamin regimen that I realized was wrong. I still learn something every day about life as a sleever, even now, almost a year out! I was talking to my nutritionist about supplementation the other day. I don't take B12, except what's in my multivitamin, because a.) I can't tolerate the sugar alcohols used to sweeten the sublingual tablets and b.) I know I eat at least the RDA (according to mayoclinic.com,"a day's supply of vitamin B12 can be obtained by eating 1 chicken breast plus 1 hard-boiled egg plus 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt") every day. HOWEVER, she informed me that supplementation is still necessary for sleevers because the creation of "intrinsic factor," required to process B12, is one of the few stomach functions that we sleevers lose most of. I always thought that our bodies absorbed everything we eat, but apparently B12 is an exception! Like I say...learn something new every day! So I guess I'm gonna have to either figure out a way to tolerate the sublingual tablets (I wonder if I would be more tolerant of sugar alcohols now than I was early on...although, to be fair, they've always done a number on my stomach!) or get monthly shots :( Bummer dude.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Newest Incarnation of Lasagna

Recipe of my own invention - this is seriously the best lasagna I've ever had. I don't have the health info for this, sorry - but it has no starchy white carbs in it!

~ 1/3 lb. lean organic Italian sausage
~ 1/4 lb. lean grass-fed ground beef
16 oz. marinara sauce (if you get the jarred kind, be sure it is very low in added sugar)
6 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/2 bunch raw spinach leaves, cleaned, chopped, and dry
8 oz. part skim ricotta (use organic dairy!)
8 oz. part skim cottage cheese
~ 1/2 cup egg whites (choose free-range!)
2 cups + 1 cup part skim mozzarella, grated
1 cup + 1 cup parmesan, shredded
Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

1. Brown sausage and ground beef together in a large frying pan. Add marinara sauce, season to taste, and simmer on low for as long as possible.
2. Parboil noodles for 5 minutes in heavily salted water. Drain, rinse, and lay out on waxed paper so they don't stick to themselves.
3. Mix ricotta and cottage cheese with egg whites. Add 2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup parmesan, stir well. Fold in spinach gently.
4. (this is probably a good time to preheat the oven to 350). In a 9x13 pan, layer a sauce/noodles/cheese, repeat. End with a layer of sauce and cover with the remaining mozzarella and parm. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for about another 15 minutes to brown the cheese.  Enjoy!