Potassium is one of the nutrients gastric bypass patients tend to be deficient. In fact many weight loss surgery patients supplement their diet with potassium.

There are many foods rich in potassium which are well tolerated by most weight loss surgery patients. Foods such as apricots, butternut squash, grapefruit, salmon, halibut and chicken are all potassium powerhouses. By incorporating these foods in our meals after gastric bypass we benefit from flavor, variety and healthful nutrients and perhaps stave-off some of the food boredom we all complain about. In addition, we know WLS patients are at risk of potassium deficiency so why not get some the old fashioned way delicious home cooked food.

This time of year a hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash is just the recipe to perk-up the palate and supply great nutrients to the body. This stew from start to table takes less than an hour, and the leftovers are great.

Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash
Prep: 25 minutes; Cook: 35 minutes

This recipe works for gastric bypass patients because it is vitamin and nutrient rich. It contains lean chicken protein that is cooked moist and soft. In addition the tomato and squash add fiber and nutrients such as Vitamins A and C, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Folate and Niacin.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons flour
1 onion cut into inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, slivered
1 large butternut squash (2 pounds) peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups canned no-salt added chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
cup apple juice
2 tablespoons no-salt added tomato paste
teaspoon each dried sage and salt
teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat 1 teaspoons of the oil over moderate heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add half of the chicken to the pan and saut for 3 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken and 1 teaspoons oil.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saut for 7 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the squash, stirring to coat. Add the copped tomatoes, broth, apple juice, tomato paste, sage, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 7 minutes.

3. Return the chicken to the pan, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender.

Serves 4 (normal. WLS should carefully measure appropriate portion prior to eating).

Per Serving (normal): Calories 388; Fiber 7g; Protein 38g; Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 1g; Cholesterol 82mg; Sodium 662 mg

Kaye Bailey

An award winning journalist and former newspaper editor Kaye Bailey brings expertise in writing and personal experience with gastric bypass surgery to EzineArticles.com. Ms. Bailey developed a passion for writing at an early age. As a teenager she found writing her feelings about obesity helped her cope in a world that is often cruel to overweight children and adults alike.

Ms. Bailey says she found out she was fat in kindergarten when another child told her she was fat. ?I didn?t even know what fat was but I could tell it was bad and I didn?t want to be fat. Until that day I had been unaware I was different. But there I was, a five-year-old girl sitting cross-legged on the floor learning a new word that would define me.?

At age 33 she underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. For the first time in her life after multiple failed diet attempts she lost weight. She said the decision to have surgery took courage, nerve, and a little bit of plain old faith. But she learned surgery was the easy part. Dealing with newfound emotions, struggling with food choices and fighting to keep from regaining weight were unexpected bumps in the road following massive weight loss with surgery.

Having spent most of her life overweight Ms. Bailey is strongly empathetic toward the obese, particularly overweight children. This compassion compelled her to found the website LivingAfterWLS.com, a fast-growing resource of information, understanding and support for the weight loss surgery community. While weight loss surgery is publicly perceived as an easy fix to obesity Ms. Bailey maintains the struggles after surgery challenge the vigor of even the most dedicated individual. As WLS becomes more readily available patients are finding there is a lack of long-term aftercare and support from bariatric centers.

The LivingAfterWLS.com site is complimented with daily blog. The blog, livingafterwls.blogspot.com offers readers the chance to comment or leave feedback about fresh content added daily. This site contains success stories and recipes as well as general information and WLS inspired topics. Complementing the site is a monthly newsletter titled ?You Have Arrived? available exclusively to people who subscribe through the website or the blog. The path forward includes community forums, nutrition and fitness tracking tools.

Ms. Bailey makes her home on a ranch in the Rocky Mountains with her husband of eight years who has been her consort in life after WLS.