I spent a weekend at a retreat for bariatric patients...oh, what fun! I learned so much being with professionals in the field and  hearing attendees share their success tips.

One of the fun things we did was to actually cook with Chef Dave in the kitchen as he prepared meals. If you aren't familiar with Chef Dave, you can check out his website on one of the links to the left. Chef Dave is not only a handsome professional chef, he is also a bariatric patient, has a fun and delightful personality and is a fabulous cook. His recipes are "simply delicious"!

I just received one of his cookbooks in the mail and I want to share some of his tips for cooking protein that I have found helpful.

So let's get cooking...

Chef Dave says it''s all about how you cook that determines how your body digest it. Your protein should be moist and tender and here's how to do it:

You can sauté your protein, never more than 1/2 inch thick, (pounding will help) in a tiny bit of fat, in a pre heated griddle.

Second you can use a rotisserie: larger cuts such as pork, beef tenderloin, whole chicken, turkey and lamb. Cook it yourself or purchase already prepared.

Next, Roasting and grilling.  Or for fish, shellfish and seafood try: poaching and steaming.

One of the suggestions he gave us was not to boil chicken, it dries it out and makes it chewy. I have started to sauté my chicken instead or using leftover baked chicken for salads. This was a very useful tip.

A HUGE "THANK YOU" to Chef Dave for sharing his time and tips with us at the retreat, and sharing his expertiese and recipes with us in his cookbooks. Thanks Dave.

More recipes and tips to come...so stay tuned....