• 4 cups cubed ripe melon
• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine melon, apple juice and lime juice in a blender; puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch glass or metal pan.
2. Place the pan on a level surface in your freezer. Freeze, stirring and scraping with a fork every 30 minutes, moving the frozen edges in toward the slushy center and crushing any lumps, until the granita is firm but not frozen solid, 3 – 4 hours.
3. Remove from freezer; use a metal spatula or large spoon to break up the frozen ice into small slivers. Pack into an airtight plastic container and freeze for at least 1 hour more.
4. Remove from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Use a wide spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape the granita into shallow bowls. Sprinkle blueberries and raspberries over each portion and garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 66 Calories, 0 g Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 17 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Added Sugars, 1 g Protein, 2 g Fiber, 17 mg Sodium.

Recipe from www.eatingwell.com.

Once you’re allowed to consume red meat in your diet, if you are able to tolerate it, there are even several cuts of red meat that are considered lean. Cuts that include the words “round”, such as top round or bottom round, or “loin”, such as sirloin, tenderloin and top loin are lean choices. Also, look for ground beef that is listed as 95% (or more) lean ground beef.

Any meat can be made leaner by trimming off visible, solid fat before cooking. Healthy cooking methods include roasting, broiling, grilling, stir-frying, braising, steaming and stewing.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15- or 19-oz can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, summer squash, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, tomatoes and vinegar; increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.

Recipe makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 195 Calories, 6 g Fat (2 g Saturated Fat, 4 g Monounsaturated Fat), 5 mg Cholesterol, 25 g Carbohydrates, 11 g Protein, 8 g Fiber, 600 mg Sodium.

Recipe from www.eatingwell.com.

Our new office will be located at 10007 Kennerly Road, St. Louis, MO 63128. This is located directly across the street from St. Anthony’s Hospital’s main entrance. We will not be operating at St. Anthony’s Hospital.

We will be calling patients to reschedule appointments soon. Our phone and fax number will remain the same, so you will be able to reach us still at 314-776-7112. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this move!

Each insurance company has different guidelines that you must meet for them to cover your surgery. Some general guidelines to determine whether you might be a bariatric surgery candidate are that you:

• Have a body mass index between 35 and 60. New guidelines from the U.S. FDA now make it possible to perform LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, plus one obesity-related co-morbid condition.
• Have been overweight or obese for at least five years
• Have been unsuccessful with multiple attempts at weight loss through diet and exercise
• Understand that lifelong diligence and discipline are required to maintain weight loss and health benefits
• Are physically capable of enduring abdominal surgery
• Are willing to change their lifestyle and health habits
• Have realistic expectations for treatment outcome
• Exhibit emotional stability
• Understand and follow nutritional requirements to avoid malnutrition after surgery

If you’re interested in bariatric surgery, contact our office at 314-776-7112 to find out more information on if you would be an appropriate candidate for surgery.