Baked Scallops with Olive Oil, Garlic and Breadcrumbs

Keys to Success: Calories, Portion Control, Exercise
The bottom line is in order to lose weight you have to consume fewer calories than your body needs to maintain itself at your current weight. This is the way it works, and don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise.

Another important component to successful weight control is portion size. By decreasing portion size you will automatically cut down on the calories you're eating. Just because a food is good for you and is low in calories doesn't mean that you can eat huge amounts of it and expect to lose weight. Take moderate sized portions; eat slowly and enjoy your food. Look at your plate when you're serving yourself; if it's mounded up high and spilling over the rim then put half of it back. You don't need to eat that much. Leave off the appetizers and content yourself with eating the main course. Forgo the seconds. Don't worry you won't be hungry. You'll be surprised at how satisfied you'll feel with less food. Just remember when you're eating that this isn't your last meal. You'll get more good food tomorrow, so you don't have to overeat today. Practice eating slowly until you feel pleasantly full, and then push your plate away. You'll feel so much better eating this way.

Exercise is a major part of this new improved lifestyle, and it should be a part of your daily life. You don't need to go to a gym to be fit, and you can break up your exercise into two or even three short sessions a day. Be sure to fit exercise into your day just as you would eating or working. Don't wait until night time to see if you have any spare time to exercise. Gardening, washing the car, raking the leaves burn calories, and there are other ways you can increase your physical activity. Park your car away from stores so you have to walk further, and always walk up and down stairs instead of taking the elevator. Make physical fitness a family priority, but make it fun. Why not have a dance contest instead of watching a movie? It's a good idea to limit the amount of time you and your children watch TV and sit in front of the computer. The goal is to sit less and move more.

The following recipe is from my upcoming book Eating Your Way to Healthy Living: If I Can Do It So Can You.

Baked Scallops with Wine, Olive Oil, Garlic and Bread Crumbs

This beautiful scallop dish is quick and easy to make. Scallops bake in olive oil, garlic, white wine, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese until they are a golden brown color. Whole wheat pasta is good with the scallops, and be sure to pour all the cooking juices over the scallops and pasta before serving. Get whole wheat panko bread crumbs if you can, but if not use regular bread crumbs.

• 1 pound large scallops
• 4 cloves garlic crushed in a garlic press
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Pepper to taste
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Follow these directions

1. Drain scallops, and place them in a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Add the olive oil, crushed garlic, white wine, lemon juice, pepper, pinch salt and parsley to the scallops in the pan.
   
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the scallops, and then lightly sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the bread crumbs.
4. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Turn the oven up to 425 degrees and bake for another 5 minutes until the scallops are golden brown on top and the sauce is bubbling.

Serves 4.