Chef Dave’s Corner

Christine Wrote…

“Hi Chef Dave,

My name is Christine and I’m 4 months post-op. I’ve lost 82 pounds so far but in the past month I’ve been having problems with digesting chicken. Do you know of any different ways to cook chicken where it stays moist? I’ve tried putting the chicken in Pam olive oil spray and Mrs. Dash but that seems to dry out. I’ve tried grilled chicken and that’s even worse. I have yet to try baked chicken but that doesn’t seem like the best idea because most likely it will dry out in the oven unless I could use Shake N Bake but that doesn’t seem very healthy to me. Please email me back if you have any suggestions!

Thank you,

Christine”

The key to poultry is not choosing white or dark meat, but the cooking temperature. 95 percent of the time the reason your chicken is dried out and hard to eat is because of being overcooked. Chicken is cooked and moist when cooked to 165 F degrees for white and 180 F degrees for dark; anything more, even by two degrees, will make the chicken overcooked and dried out.

Cook Time:

165°F for white meat, cook until juices run clear

185°F for dark meat, cook until juices run clear

Chicken Do’s:

Pound Boneless skinless chicken breast or boneless skinless thighs thin and sauté over medium high heat for 3 minutes on each side.

Roast chicken in the oven uncovered at 350F. The cook time varies depending on the weight of the chicken, and your oven. A good estimation is 8 to 10 minutes per pound. (Use a cooking thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chicken in the thickest part of the muscle.)

Grill chicken over medium heat, being sure not to overcook.

Chicken Don’ts:

Boil

Poach

Simmer

These cooking methods will pull all the moisture from the chicken.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Joyce asked:

Hi Chef Dave,

I love reading your articles in WLS Magazine. I live alone and need recipes with the following qualifications for ease:

1. 5 ingredients or less

2. 30 minutes prep time or less

3. Any cooking method, especially crock pot is OK

4. Meets needs of WLS person

I am adapting some recipes that I used prior to WLS and some Weight Watcher recipes that meet the first 2 needs. Just wondered if you had any suggestions. Getting in enough protein is always the challenge since I can’t drink too many protein shakes made with fat free milk. I go in and out of lactose intolerance and I get hungry too fast after drinking one.

I am 16 months out from WLS, lost 100#, and have 50-70# to go after I have knee replacement surgery and can exercise again. Trying to decrease stress has been important for me this year and having easy recipes contributes to that need.

Looking forward to hearing from you if you have time. Thanks for all you do!

Blessings,

Joyce

What a great question.

I would highly recommend Sautéing as your cooking method of choice. Sautéing is to cook food over medium high heat with a minimum amount of fat. This quick and easy method will allow you to only use one pan to keep from having a lot of clean up and will cook your food in less than 10 minutes.

Your 5 ingredients:

1. Protein- is anything that has a mother or comes from a mother. This protein should be cubed small or sliced thin and be evenly proportioned so the protein will cook quick and evenly. If you choose to have a few vegetarian meals, use extra firm tofu, tempeh, and veggie soy crumbles.

2. Lots of vegetables! The produce sections of your local grocery stores now have fresh vegetables that are already cut up and ready for cooking. To make sure your vegetables cook evenly, make sure they are chopped or diced small, or sliced thin. Do NOT use frozen veggies because this will water down your sauté and keep your food from staying crisp. I like to buy the already prepared fresh salsa, sliced mushrooms, small baby carrots, fresh spinach, and fresh cut green beans.

3. Fresh fruit makes a perfect side dish to almost any meal, and can also be used in your sauté. Fresh pineapple and bananas work well.

4. Herbs and spices are needed to flavor your sauté. Always have on hand garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano, basil, Chinese five spice, curry powder, salt and pepper.

5. Oil is also needed to keep your food from sticking to the pan and to help the herbs and spices to spread all over your food. When sautéing, very little is needed and in most cases only 1 to 2 teaspoons are needed.

How do you sauté:

Place sauté pan over medium high heat and add oil.

While you oil is heating in the sauté pan, season your protein and veggies/fruit.

Once oil is heated, add seasoned meat to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes.

Next, add veggies/fruit and sauté an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Serve.

Note: You may need a little more cooking time pending on the thickness of your protein and the types of vegetables you use.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave Fouts

Cassidy H wrote:

“Hi Chef Dave,

My surgeon sent me your cookbook and I am trying a few of them now. Very good! Can you make a recommendation for an inexpensive Burgundy for the recipe? Can you substitute another wine?”

What a great question: I use Joseph Drouhin “Givry.” It has a great taste and costs about $16.00 a bottle. You can also use an inexpensive Port wine as well. The flavor will vary slightly.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Sarah Asked:
Do you know of any recipes that contain sweet pimento paste and beef?

We should start with what a pimento is:

Pimiento; pimento A large, red, heart-shaped sweet pepper that measures 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. The flesh of the pimiento (the Spanish word for “pepper”) is sweet, succulent and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper…

Next, you had a question regarding a recipe with Sweet Pimiento Paste and Beef.

You first need to make Sweet Pimiento Paste so here is a simple recipe below.

Sweet Pimiento Paste

• 2 pepper (red bell peppers can also be used)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup white bread, crusts removed
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees(F)

Place the peppers on a roasting tray, drizzle over the olive oil, place in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes or until the peppers have slightly blackened, turning them occasionally.

Place the peppers in a large plastic food bag, seal and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, soak the bread in a little cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture.

Remove the peppers from the bag, reserving any of the juices.

Peel the peppers, halve and remove the seeds.

Place the red pepper halves in a food processor with the bread, garlic, cayenne and the pepper juices and blend until smooth.

With the food processor still on, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve.

Can be refrigerated in a airtight container for up to 7 days.

You also asked about a good beef dish.

My recommendations is using an expensive cut of beef such as beef tenderloin, rib-eye, New York strip, or Porterhouse.

Next lightly season with salt. Pepper, and garlic and grill over medium flam until medium (145F degrees in the center).

Then place a thin layer of Sweet Pimiento Paste over the top and serve.

Cook Smarter

Chef Dave

Buckwheat flour are not grasses and are not related to wheat. In addition, buckwheat contains no gluten, and can be eaten by people with celiac disease or gluten allergies. Many bread-like baked goods have been developed and are available at most grocery and health food stores.

Wheat varieties are called “white” or “brown” if they have high gluten content, and “soft” if gluten content is low. Hard flour (bread flour) is high in gluten, and holds its shape well once baked. Soft flour is low in gluten and so results in a finer texture.

All-purpose or plain flour is blended wheat flour with an intermediate gluten level which is used for most household baking needs.

Bleached flour is treated with flour bleaching agents to whiten it (freshly milled flour is yellowish) and to give it more gluten-producing potential.

Cake flour is finely milled flour made from soft wheat. It has very low gluten content, making it suitable for soft-textured cakes and cookies.

Self-rising flour is wheat flour or whole meal flour that is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents.

Durum or semolina flour is made of durum wheat. It has the highest protein content, and it is an important component of nearly all noodles and pastas.

Quick Cooking Oats are oats that have been milled to cook faster.

The common denominator all these grains, seeds, and oats have in common is that they all expand when liquid (saliva) is introduced. So when a person who has had surgical weight loss eats these starchy foods they expand in the pouch and may cause discomfort and in some instances vomiting.

Before introducing starches back into your diet for the first time after weight loss surgery consult your physician/dietician.

Cook Smarter

Chef Dave