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I thought I would share a super low calorie meal that I found online and tried it out today and I felt the need to share this with you all as it was simply delicious! I did change a few bits of the recipe as this is what worked for me (note, I added lemon juice, garlic and used raw shrimp - they have no caloric difference in the end result).

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 2½ cups

Ingredients

Optional*:
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 oz dry quinoa
  • 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth/stock
  • 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise + quartered
  • 2 summer squash, halved lengthwise + quartered
  • 6 cups spring mix (leafy greens)
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 cups tomatoes, diced
  • 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lemon freshly squeezed
  • ½ cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Using mesh food strainer, rinse quinoa with cold Water. In a saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until golden brown.
  2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and set aside - keep it covered.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add shrimp and garlic and cook until shrimp changes in color to pink. Remove shrimp and place aside.
  4. Place skillet back on the heat and add zucchini and squash, saute until slightly tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the squash mixture to the bowl of cooked quinoa.
  5. Add spring mix, cooked shrimp, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss until well combined.
  6. Plate 2½ cups of salad and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of crumbled feta.
  7. Note: This salad is delicious served warm OR chilled. Additionally, feel free to swap the shrimp for chicken.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving: 2½ cups

Calories: 334

Calories from fat: 50

Protein: 22g

Fat: 12g

Saturated Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 91mg

Sodium: 930mg

Carbohydrates: 36g

Fiber: 7g

Sugar 13g

Calcium: 7mg

Iron: 18mg

Edited by VSGmary

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Sounds good.

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Sounds really good!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
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    • Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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