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to Newsletter I would add into the blender some soy protein powder when I would blend up my veggies. I also used various spices instead of salt. I enjoy spice and there are a lot of different ones that are beneficial to your health. I also would make my own applesauce. I prefer mine unsweetened, but to sweeten foods I use stevia which can be found in most health food stores. If I had to crush any of my medications I would mix them in with my applesauce, adding some protein powder. When I got bored with applesauce, I would make pear sauce. And don’t be afraid to work berries into your fruit sauce. Berries are great anti oxidants Just as babies progress to grains, so do vegetarian post-ops. I started with cooking brown rice, which I find to be rich in nutrients and more flavorful. I would cook it to a very mushy state blending in spices. I would cook quinoa, which is a South American grain. It is more than 16% protein. I often use it in place of pastas, mashed potatoes and white rice. About 9 months post-op I started eating wild rice which I cooked to a mushy consistency and had no problems. There is much in the news of late about beans and legumes. Vegetarians have relied on and enjoyed this great food category. Now it seems the rest of the world is catching up. For the first 6 months I avoided this category. When I did return I used watered down bean purees. Now I am back to beans and legumes as a staple of my diet. Some advice I learned from a vegan chef for those who have problems with beans is to cook them very slowly and make sure they are completely soft before adding any acidic food such as lemon juice, tomatoes, or wine. Tofu is a special food and truly a favorite of mine. A trick I use in cooking tofu is to slice it, then freeze it for at least 48 hours. Doing this, I can take any recipe that calls for chicken, fish or any other meat and use the sliced tofu. Tofu can be grilled or used in stir fries. Some tofu has a strange texture, but if you try different marinades and seasonings, that will help with that problem. Tofu can also be blended. I recently saw a recipe that called for a custard filling using tofu instead of eggs. I believe that egg beaters is basically egg whites, but if you are trying to avoid eggs, consider blended tofu as a substitute. The Mori-Nu company makes a tofu product that is shelf stable. They also have a web site www.morinu.com with recipes and ideas. Personally I can substitute tofu in any recipe that calls for meat. I also substitute organic vegetable broths and juices for many of the sauces I make. Soy milk is a great product as well. For those of us who are diabetic, check the label for the sugar content. You can find soy milk sugar free, but it takes a bit of getting used to in order to drink it by itself. I recommend a bit of stevia and maybe just a splash of fruit juice to improve the flavor. Yogurt is a good source of calcium. Many of my strict vegetarian friends will still incorporate yogurt into their diet as their only dairy product. I believe the Storybrook Farms brand is either gelatin free or there is very little gelatin in it. You can also make your own yogurt very easily using soy milk or almond milk. I also feel in time small quantities of nuts are a good treat for any vegetarian. They can be a good source of protein. I have always enjoyed various nut butters such as almond butter and hazelnut butter. I did not eat them for the first few months post-op but did return to them. But be warned, nuts are very high in calories so just a tablespoon or so for each serving should be plenty. The world of post-op eating is far from boring. There are many foods to enjoy. This is also true of the world of the vegetarian post-op patient. There is no reason a vegetarian diet has to be boring. With a little research and imagination, the vegetarian post-op diet can be most enjoyable and healthy. I would recommend finding both a post-op support group and vegetarian friends to share ideas with. And whether vegetarian or not, I strongly recommend getting out and getting exercise. This is so vital to post-ops. And if we are interested in living a more holistic life as vegetarians, we should get out and enjoy the fresh air and get our exercise! Gerry Dear Barbara: Please have anyone contact me that might have questions. Warmest Wishes, Hi Barbara, I know our protein intake has to remain high and I started out eating chicken, fish and whey drinks. I was really afraid to not take in enough protein daily. I am slowly returning to a vegetarian eating plan. I feel better, am less constipated, I have less gas, less bloating and that feeling of having a lead balloon in my stomach after eating meat/chicken/fish is gone. I have been talking with the dietitian often. I really depend on Isopure to keep my protein intake up. Like Sally wrote in your last newsletter, I also feel alone being vegetarian and would be happy to email Sally so we could support each other. Thank you for all you contribute to the world of the bypass patient, Barbara. Your words of wisdom and experience are invaluable to me. Cheri Smith |