Nik's Turkey & TVP chili

~~posted by Nikki

Soup Week is coming to a close. We've enjoyed sharing these recipes with you and hope you've enjoyed them too! Please remember that if you are cooking along with us, that you have until  November 7th to email us either a picture of the soup you made from the blog this week OR a picture and recipe of a soup creation of your own. All who do will be entered in a drawing to win a protein prize basket!

We end this great week the way we started it--with chili! Did you check out Jen's drool-worthy chili? If not, go check it out...I'll wait...

You back? Ok! So my chili is a bit different for a few reasons. It seems my love affair with beef came to an end on surgery day--I'm still sad about that break up to tell you the truth.

I also add TVP to my chili to amp up the protein a little bit. I am blessed that both my children love TVP in stuff (I mix into their tuna...makes two overstuffed sandwiches out of one can of tuna! One day I ran out and made them regular tuna and they actually protested!), so I can get away with this. If you think your family might protest and you still want to try it, here's a tip: don't tell them there's TVP in there. I bet you they won't guess.

Now I guess you'd call mine the weeknight version of chili. Like most of my dishes, it goes from raw to ready in about 30-ish minutes. That's with a caveat. To me, it tastes better each day after it's made. But technically it is ready in a half hour. And...if I do say so myself...it is good!

And don't get freaked out about the unusual "secret" ingredient. I'll go into more detail below. Just trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?

Nik's Turkey/TVP Chili

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 c. textured vegetable protein, dry
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can light red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 packet chili seasoning (or any blend you like to use. In a pinch I use a combination of garlic, cayenne pepper and chili powder)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups water

Directions:

Spray a pot with non-stick cooking spray. Cook onions and garlic until tender.

Add turkey and cook until thoroughly browned. Add beans, tomatoes, water and TVP, chili spice and cocoa and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes.

Simple, right? Well like I said...you don't get the full impact of the flavors until about the next day.

So about the cocoa. I know, I know...it's strange. But it is unsweetened and what it does is adds a touch of bitterness that gives your chili a very earthy quality. You eat this chili and you start channeling Mexican ancestors you never had who are admonishing you because (I think) chili isn't even a Mexican dish! It's THAT good!

And if you need another reason to give it a shot, consider this. The idea to add this to my chili came by way of La Petite Diva, who read about a prize winning chili recipe that used it and said "hey mom, we should try that." I love my kids and their adventurous taste buds!

Anyway, that does it for soup week! I hope you've been eating as well as we are. Like we always say, this blog is as real as it gets. If you follow the "What are You Eating Today?" thread on the RNY board on Obesity Help, you'll notice that both Jen and I will be posting about eating soup for AT LEAST another week!

Enjoy!

Important Holiday Preview Announcement!

Don't worry...it's not one of those "Armageddon/'Goodbye, cruel world!" types of things. But it is pretty important so we thought we should make an announcement.

We’re really excited about our upcoming Pouch Party™ 2010 Holiday Preview. And you’ve told us that you are pretty jazzed about it too.

We are expecting a good crowd, but many of you who have said you are coming have not yet purchased your tickets.

For those who have planned dinner parties yourself, you know how crucial it is to have a good head count. We have lots of yummy holiday recipes planned and we want to make sure we have enough food for everyone who wants to come!

But, we’ve heard some people say they are planning to pay at the door. And that is fine, we welcome anyone who would like to attend. However, a head count is still necessary for our planning.

Here is our humble plea: if you can buy your ticket soon, please do. That way we know you are coming. If you cannot buy your ticket until the day of the event, we understand but we still need to know you are coming! Please RSVP to: pouchparty@yahoo.com.

We’ll tally up the final head count within the next week and will make food to accommodate the number of people who respond. We hope you’re able to join us, because we look forward to sharing our holiday recipes and inspiration with you!

If you can't make it to the holiday preview, we understand! Which is why, at the suggestion of one of our faithful readers (Thanks, Katie!) we are bringing the preview to you! We've had lots of our out-of-state friends saying they wished they lived closer.

A few of the recipes will be shared here after the preview, but not all of them. If you'd like to experience the full effect of the Holiday Preview in your own home, you can now order our "Portable Preview" that will be shipped right after the Party.

For $15 (half the admission price to the Preview) you can order the "Basic Portable Preview" which includes  recipe cards of every recipe we present at the Preview, a Shake It Up! Sample Cup of two protein shake recipes, and the same goody bag we give out at the Party. You'll also be entered in a prize drawing, just like we're doing at the Preview.

Want the Preview AND a little something extra? We also have the "Deluxe Portable Preview" available for $30 (same as full admission price to the Preview) which includes everything from the Basic Portable Preview AND a copy of our Pouch Party Shake It Up! Protein Shake Recipe Book, 1st Edition.

You can also order extra copies of the Protein Shake Book for $15 each. These make a great gift for WLS friends, or pick up one for yourself as an early holiday gift!

We are taking orders now, just click the link over on the right hand side of this page, then select which item you want to order. It will take you straight to PayPal so you can place your order. You'll receive a confirmation email within 3 days of placing your order. All items will be shipped on or after November 15 (the Monday after the Holiday Preview).

Jen's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

~~posted by Jen

This is a perfect weekend soup, since it takes a bit more time than some of our "weeknight" soup recipes. We promised that once a week you'd get a sneak peek at the Holiday Preview offerings, so here it is! I'll be making this soup for the food tasting at the Preview. 

If you haven't already purchased your ticket, it's not too late! We're saving a seat for you, so get your ticket today! Just click the link at the top right of this page to order through PayPal. We'd love to see you there, and you don't want to miss it! Can't make it to the preview? Stay tuned, we have a surprise in store to be announced later today!

Y'all know I'm a huge fan of roasting vegetables, so it's pretty common for me to have some leftover in the fridge just begging to become soup. One of my favorite Sunday meals that I love to make is a pork roast with roasted squash on the side. 

Cut up and ready to be roasted!

If I plan to have this soup on a week night, I'll roast double the amount of squash so that there's enough extra to put aside for soup later in the week. 

If you make that for a Sunday meal and have pork left over, you could always shred the pork real fine and add it to the soup also. Every bit of extra protein helps, right? So, here's how you do it:

Jen's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded (most supermarkets now carry it already cleaned and cut up--look around your produce section.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cups chicken stock (for vegetarians use vegetable or mushroom stock)
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 cup Heavy Cream

3 scoops Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder
3 tablespoons butter (yes, real butter)

Salt

Pepper

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

2 teaspoons ground Nutmeg (it's better if you grate it fresh)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, Thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.

When the squash is done, put it into a big bowl and mash it up into pieces with a potato masher. Once it is mashed, place the squash in a dutch oven and add the chicken stock. Stir it well, then let it come up to a simmer so that the chicken stock is completely heated through but not boiling. 
Once it is heated, turn the burner off. Using your Immersion Blender, puree the soup until all the big pieces are gone and it's a smooth texture like in the photo below.

This is the texture you want once it's done.

Turn the heat back on, then add the Herbs de Provence, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Now stir in the heavy cream and butter, then taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper. 

Adjust seasonings if needed, then heat thoroughly. DO NOT bring it to a hard boil once you've added the cream. If you boil it, the cream will "break" and ruin the texture. 

Whisk in your protein powder right at the end. This soup freezes well, so if you'll have leftovers to freeze, only add protein to the individual servings rather than the whole pot. We recommend 1/2 scoop per 4 oz serving when added to the individual portion. 

I like mine with a little Greek Yogurt stirred in, go figure!

We LOVE to give you two versions of the same recipe, (aka "1 Dish, 2 Ways") but in the case of this recipe, we're giving you 1 soup 3 ways! You saw Nik's version on Thursday, her Carrot Ginger Soup, and it's delicious! Last Fall our good friend Pam T posted her version, and what better time to share it with you than Soup Week? 

 Pam's Butternut Squash Soup is another scrumptious variation on this comforting soup. While both my version and Nik's are perfect for all stages from pureeds on up, Pam's is better for "further outs", although you could omit the optional items in hers to make it for all stages. She goes into all that in her recipe, so I'll leave the rest to her. 

Whatever version you choose, this soup is a home run. It's my "go to" soup course for Thanksgiving Dinner and always gets requests seconds AND for the recipe. Enjoy!


P.S. Don't forget the Soup Week Cook Along Contest has been extended through November 7, and this recipe qualifies for the contest, even though it's not "our" recipe. Pam gave us her blessing to share it, so you know what to do! Go Play With Your Food, make it your own, and send in a pic!

BF Survival Guide: How to Handle Halloween After Weight Loss Surgery

If there’s one thing America does well, it’s totally obliterating the meaning of a holiday with food. We start the year with Valentine’s Day…which is supposed to be about love. How do we celebrate? With chocolate.

Then there’s Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And how do we Americans observe it? With candy eggs and jelly beans.

Memorial Day and the 4th of July are all about the barbecue as is Labor Day usually. So here we are…at the cusp of yet another round of food holidays…starting with Halloween.

So how do you cope? Welllll…there are several schools of thought out there. One is that you should take the focus OFF of the food. That’d be really easy…if everyone’s focus wasn’t ON the food.

In our humble opinion, we post-op weight loss surgery folk need a more practical approach to Halloween. And that’s where we come in. Here’s our official guide to surviving Halloween.

Tip #1 – Buy candy you don’t particularly like to give out to trick-or-treaters

I am a chocolate girl. If I was faced with a bowl of chocolate candy (and I didn’t dump which, thank GOD, I do!), I might be tempted to eat…and eat and eat. But I am not so much for taffy. I can’t stand the stuff. So if I were inclined to eat Halloween candy, what do you think I’d buy? I’d be a Laffy Taffy buying fool y’all!

Most kids like most candy. If they don’t they’ll give it to their moms and dads and if THEY don’t like it they’ll take it to work. In all these exchanges someone somewhere will likely eat the damn candy. But that’s not really your problem. If there is a particular kind of candy you don’t care for, buy THAT candy to give away at Halloween.

Tip #2 – Paaaartay!

This one seems overly obvious coming from us. But consider having a Halloween party for your kids (or for your friends) instead of trick-or-treating. You can make cute goodie bags for guests and to serve, you can make lots of yummy—and healthy—treats. Jen’s seafood salad and cuban sandwich spread, along with my curried chicken salad all make awesome finger sandwiches, or just put a bowlful in the middle of a platter with some whole grain crackers.

For finger-fare, Jen's crab dip or 3 cheese tomato spread make great party fare with veggie crudités. My cheese ball is pretty awesome if I do say so myself (scroll down in that link to get to it). Put out some hummus and pita triangles, some salsa and whole wheat tortilla chips.

Not to mention my Magic Meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser. Make them a bit smaller and simmer them in the crockpot in some marinara. Set out hot dog or hoagie rolls, Arnold makes the new sandwich thin "Stuffers" for just this reason, and you have scrumptious make-your-own meatball subs!

Want a sweet ending? You could whip up some Pumpkin Protein Cheesecake or Chocolate Peanut butter pie, and all your goblins will be happy. And look to the end of this post for Jen’s Witch's Brew, the perfect warm Halloween party punch!

Tip #3 – Share and share alike…

If your kids are like mine, they come home with a TON of candy. I take the “Mommy Dearest” approach. Remember in the movie how Christina got all those birthday presents but she was only allowed to keep one and had to give the rest away? Yeah, that approach. I pick a large enough container, let the kids rifle through their candy and fill it with what they really, really want. The rest goes into the office with me and it goes pretty darn fast. This keeps the candy out of my face and it teaches the divas to moderate (I hope).

Tip #4 – Eat some chocolate

Yes, I did say that thankyouverymuch. But not the chocolate that comes from your kids’ candy buckets. Instead, indulge in a really good bar of dark chocolate (we each have our threshold. I like up to 70% cocoa). How to know if it's GOOD chocolate? If the bar costs less than $2.50, you might want to reconsider ;)

Usually dark chocolate has good stats and lower sugar than its milk chocolate counterpart. Get fancy with it! Buy a bar infused with hazelnut or espresso or mint. The bars I like have decent stats. I allow myself four squares at a time and they are HEAVEN. Plus dark chocolate has flavanoids, which are good for you AND cause the same chemical reaction in the brain as falling in love. So why deprive yourself?

Tip #5 – Consider a costume

Huh? Yes, consider a costume. Last year I was determined to be Beyonce from the “Single Ladies” video.

I spent weeks looking for the elements I needed. I scored a black leotard at Wal-Mart (and the juniors size is what I had to get to get a proper fit!) and a fierce belt, heels, make-up and, of course, a diva wig! Sadly…I got the flu last Halloween so that costume still remains in my drawer, unworn. BUT I spent so much time gathering my costume stuff and planning it that I didn’t think about the candy that much. And this year I am going to be Cleopatra. (Our Facebook fans have seen me in my costume. If you haven’t, become our fan and check it out!) I intend to flaunt it as I take the divas trick-or-treating. Honestly, having something to do or focus on makes it a whole lot easier to not indulge.

We hope you enjoy your Halloween. For the record, it’s one instance where we, personally, are glad for the American propensity to apply food to a holiday. I mean, really? Celebrating the Druids dressing up like spirits that they were afraid would haunt them on the night before All Saint’s Day? Booooooring!

And as promised, here's Jen's punch recipe!

Jen's Witch's Brew:

Ingredients:

8 cups Sugar Free (or No Sugar Added) Cranberry-Raspberry Juice

5 cups Sugar Free (or No Sugar Added) White Grape Juice 

16 Whole Cloves

2 small unpeeled oranges, sliced

2 unpeeled lemons, sliced

Cinnamon Sticks

Directions:

Place juices, cloves, orange slices, and lemon slices in a Dutch Oven. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. 

Strain juice mixture through sieve  into 4 or 5 quart Slow Cooker; discard cloves and fruit slices. 

Set slow cooker on "low" or "warm" setting to keep the punch warm. Serve in cups garnished with a cinnamon stick. Makes about 24 four ounce servings.

Nik's Comforting Cabbage and Sausage Stew

Cabbage has an interesting reputation amongst vegetables. It looks sort of like a head of lettuce when it's raw (and, yes, I have bought a head thinking it is lettuce before. Don't pretend you haven't either!), it's got lots of water in it and it is extremely affordable.

All this leads some to believe that this is a simple food (in other countries it might be called "peasant food") and can't be made into a refined dish.

Those people, of course, would be wrong!

This stew had humble roots. My oldest daughter loves cabbage and I decided to make her some. In the African-American culture, it's pretty common to season vegetables with animal meat, especially animal fat. Growing up we had collards flavored with pig tails and sauerkraut with short ribs. There were ham hocks and fat back and the whole nine (and while these things make me queasy now, I have very fond memories of them).

Well...I don't want to live that way anymore. So I was trying to find a way to season the cabbage without using really fatty meat. One day I happened to have a log of turkey smoked sausage in the fridge and I decided to use it. It worked well. My daughter loved this soup.

Then, in her words, I started to mess it all up. How? By adding more nutritious things to it. (To this day she just likes the cabbage and the sausage and some red pepper flakes for heat). I liked the soup as it was, but it wasn't colorful, it didn't have a lot of texture variety. Frankly, my mouth was bored. Thus, this version was born. My daughter, of course, takes her bowl (which, for the record, I serve to her with a hunk of steaming hot corn bread thankyouverymuch) and tries to act like she doesn't like it, but in the end the bowl is empty so...what does that say?

Anyway, this is a quick (from raw to table in about 40 minutes) and easy cold weather staple and I hope you enjoy it!

Nik's Comforting Cabbage and Sausage Stew

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, cut into whatever sized pieces you think you can handle
1 package turkey smoked sausage, sliced into rounds and then halves
1 large onion, diced
1 can of whole tomatoes, drained (you can do a big one or a little one, depending on how much you like tomatoes)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can of cannelini beans (note: my grocery store was out of them so I used Great Northern Beans--worked just fine!)
4 cups baby spinach (not frozen. Use fresh!)
Salt and pepper to taste, any other fresh or dried herbs that you like (when making a batch just for myself I like to put a tsp of Italian spice in there)
1 small can low-sodium chicken broth
2-3 cups water (depending on the size of your cabbage head)

Optional: red pepper flakes

Directions:

In a sprayed pan, combine onions and garlic and sautee until softened. Add sausage and continue cooking until it's crispy on the outside.

Add your chicken broth to the pan to get the bits off the pan (that's where the flavor is!) and then transfer mixture to a pot.

Add cabbage, tomatoes add more water (water should not quite cover the cabbage--remember cabbage releases a LOT of water as it cooks) and set on a medium flame. Use a wooden spoon to break up the whole tomatoes a bit. You want bigger chunks of tomatoes, but you don't want them whole (unless, of course, you do).

Cook until cabbage is tender. That usually takes about 30 minutes on my stove. If you like a little kick to your food, add the red pepper flakes (use your discretion on the amount. I usually use a 1/4 tsp) and let that simmer.

Once cabbage is done, add the beans and the spinach and simmer another 10 minutes or so.

If you add the proper amount of water, this has a good amount of liquid, but not too much. But even if you do end up with a lot of liquid, the broth itself is heavenly.

As I've said earlier in the week, I like to make big batches of soup and freeze them. This one almost always gets pulled out of the freezer when I have a cold. All the ingredients are easy on my pouch, it's comforting and it's real, honest-to-goodness food! In a soup, what more can you ask for?

Salted Caramel Protein Hot Chocolate

~by Nikki

I totally stole this picture. Mine did not do this wonderful drink justice!

First off, I give credit where credit is due. I would not have had ANY conception of this wonderful drink had it not been for my good friend Jupiter6 from OH. She is a stats goddess and anything I know about computing stats, making swaps, etc. I owe to her because I learn by watching and I watched the best!

To my understanding, she got her recipe from Starbuck's. They have a salted caramel hot cocoa that is...not even remotely weight loss surgery friendly. So she tinkered with it and got it to where the stats weren't too bad. I like her as-is version very much, but some days I'm low on my protein and, especially when it's cold outside, this is a YUMMY way to make up the difference.

Here is Jupiter's original version for those that just want a great hot drink.

For those that need the protein boost, here's what I did to it:

Salted Caramel Protein Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1/2 c. Hood Calorie Countdown Skim Milk (this can be hard to find. Regular skim is fine)
8 oz. boiling water
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I like this kind for this recipe)
4 pumps Davinci sugar free caramel syrup (or if you want to really stick it to the man, buy a bottle of Starbucks sugar-free caramel. Your choice!)
4-6 packets of no-calorie sweetener
About 1/4 tsp of salt (Shari suggests a specific kind. I use regular table salt cuz I'm poor and it works! Usually I end up with a bit more than 1/4 tsp to get the desired effect. If you're unsure about this whole thing, start with 1/8 tsp and work your way up)

Optional: fat-free whipped cream

Directions:

In 12 oz. mug, combine your protein powder, sweetener and cocoa powder. Add milk and stir until a thick, smoothe paste forms.

Add boiling water SLOWLY, stirring while you add and then stir some more! This takes some practice but if you do it right, you get a smooth drink with no lumps.

Add your caramel syrup and salt and stir. Now give it a taste. It should be sweet with a small, but noticeable, punch of saltiness. If you can't taste the salt at all (because salt, in small doses, amps up sweetness so it takes a good bit to get the salt to register), add a bit more until you get to that sweet/salty flavor.

Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

This is my winter bedtime treat! While the kids are having their dessert (yes, I allow them to have sugar desserts sometimes), I have this. No dumping, no guilt--just YUM!

Nik's Carrot-Ginger Soup...

...is actually a misnomer. It's actually carrot ginger butternut squash soup, but that's not quite as snappy, so I changed the name. So shoot me!

I posted this soup a while back and I've made it a few times since then, made some tweaks...not many, but a few.

The question I get asked about this soup is HOW to serve it. Keeping in mind we share this world with non-ops, I give the following advice. This is a GREAT soup for when you are serving a nice meal and having people over. For several reasons:

1. Because it sounds fancy
2. Because it is a slightly sweet soup, so it sets you up for a hearty, savory meal
3. Because it's pretty, especially if you garnish it well

I am using the original picture I posted because, try though I might, yesterday this dumb cold I've had all week was kicking my butt and I was tired! I was going to make another batch because I like to freeze soups for easy meals during the winter, but I just did not have it in me. Sorry guys! But I'll give garnish suggestions after the recipe.

This particular soup is also good for newbies as I’ve snuck protein in there a few different ways and the veggies are soft boiled, then pureed. If you are the type of person who would like my Thai Waldorf Chicken Salad, you would like this soup.

So let’s get started, shall we?

Nik's Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled, roasted, and cubed
1 package of shredded carrots (or you could shred them yourself. About two cups)
1 (15 oz.) can low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp Splenda (or to taste)
Optional: 2 scoops Any Whey Unflavored protein (seriously...I put that (BLEEP) in everything!)

Directions

In a sprayed pan, sautee the carrots and squash until the veggies are tender.

This is optional, but since originally posting, I've found this soup to be very tasty if you roast the veggies. Jen gives good instructions on how to do that here. If you don't want to, proceed immediately to the next step.

Bring chicken broth to a boil, reduce heat, and add garlic and ginger.


Once that simmers to a boil add your squash and carrots. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or so.

Add yogurt and Splenda and, using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until thoroughly pureed. If you don't have an immersion blender, do it in batches in a traditional blender.

This soup, as you can see, comes out a very pretty orange. What I like to do is top it with a little bit of Creme Fraiche with a light dusting of cinnamon and a mint sprig. That's when I'm being fancy. If you aren't into that, another dollop of Greek yogurt with the mint sprig works fine too.

Now...if you'll excuse me, I must go buy another box of Kleen-Ex. Enjoy the soup!

BF Top 5: Soup Serving Solutions

~~posted by Jen

Well we're halfway through our first ever Soup Week! We've shared some delicious recipes, and lots of you are participating in our Cook Along Contest. Last week we gave you the Top 5 Soup-Making Essentials, so we thought this week we'll cover the 

Top 5 Soup Serving Solutions. 

In no particular order, here they are:

1. Small Soup Serving Bowls

We all know that we eat with our eyes first, so by serving your portion of soup in a smaller bowl, it tricks you into thinking the portion is larger than it really is. 

I know it sounds nutty, but it works for me! I serve all my meals on appetizer/salad plates and in small bowls. It makes for easier portion control, AND helps me avoid mindless eating. 

If you grew up in the "Clean Your Plate Club" like I did, you know what I mean about feeling guilty about leaving food on your plate. This takes that issue completely away!

2. Soup Mug with Lid
This is perfect for early outs. I have one that I still use, it's great for soup or practically any other hot food. I eat part of it, put the lid on, stick it in the fridge, then reheat it when I get ready for more.

I use this mainly for portions I pull from the freezer. My freezer containers are more than pouch-size serving, so they usually make 2 meals for me. This mug is great for just that purpose!

It's also great to take to work, I have 2 days of lunches in 1 single cup.

3. A Chili Tureen for Game Day

Show your team spirit while serving up your favorite tailgaters. Perfect for serving up some chili  before the big game, no matter what team you support. 

I chose the Colts, because everyone knows Peyton Manning is at the top of my future husbands list. You could of course choose another team if you liked. 

This looks cool in the middle of your buffet table, nothing better than a functional centerpiece! (Great gift idea for the fans in your life, too.)

4. A Fancy Tureen for Holiday Meals

You all know how I feel about kitchen items, my sickness has been revealed to you many times. I actually have the big pumpkin tureen AND a set of eight individual pumpkin serving bowls. (I can feel Nik rolling her eyes as she reads this). 

With that said, if you normally host Thanksgiving, this is an absolutely stunning centerpiece AND it keeps the soup course warm. 

Need some holiday ideas and inspiration? It's not too late to get your tickets to our Holiday Preview!!  You can order your tickets right from this page, click on the top right hand side of this page!

5. Complete Soup/Chili Serving Set

This is actually a very smart idea, the tureen, serving bowls, and spoons all in one matching set. Perfect for every day use, but still nice enough for company. I have a blue set similar to this one (don't act so surprised!) and it gets lots of use during cooler weather.

The tureen doubles as a great server for hot dips at a party or gathering. This is also a stylish way to bring your soup or chili to a potluck or office party. 

Two other excellent ideas for transporting soup to other locations: Pyrex Portables or this awesome Slow Cooker that comes with a carrying case. If you already have a Crock Pot you love, you can get just the tote.  

That about covers it, top 5 Soup Serving Solutions! Now you can get your soup on AND take it with you!

Cowboy Soup

~~posted by Jen

This soup is kind of a cross between chili and vegetable beef soup. A good friend of mine makes her taco soup like this, except without the mixed vegetables, and she adds hot sauce to it. She serves it over corn chips, but that is not the best choice for us in our post-op eating plans. 

I am not a fan of anything too spicy anyway, so I played around with her general recipe idea, and this is what I came up with. I named it "Cowboy Soup" because of the beans and the ranch mix. Dumb joke, I know, but I thought it was funny. 


This soup is very hearty and filling, and it freezes well. Again, guys usually really like this one for some reason (I'd say it was because of the beans but.....nevermind). 


Funny story, I had assembled the vegetable ingredients together in a bowl in the fridge Monday evening so it would be ready to toss in the Crock Pot last night. Well, my resident vegetarian loaded himself up a big bowl and took it to work yesterday morning. (Mind you it was NOT cooked).


He got home from work last night, came straight up to my room, and said: "Hey Jen, That bean and vegetable stuff you made me was really good, can you make more?" I had to think for a minute, then I realized he had dipped into the soup base. It was pretty funny. 


The two carnivores both loved the finished version with meat in it, and I always enjoy this soup, too. I like to put a handful of shredded cheese on mine and a dollop of Greek Yogurt, sometimes a few diced green onions. 


So here's how it goes:


Ingredients:


2 pounds ground beef or turkey {Note: I usually use beef, but I have used leftover meatloaf crumbled into pieces and it works well, too.}
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes with diced green chiles (I used Ro-Tel)
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dip/salad dressing mix
1 cup Beef Broth or Stock
1 tablespoon Goya Sofrito

Directions:

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. 


Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, tomatoes with green chiles, mixed vegetables, taco seasoning,  ranch dressing mix, beef broth, and Sofrito, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove.


Optional: garnish with Greek Yogurt, cheese, green onions, and jalapenos

Pouch Party BIG Announcement!!!!

We promised that if we got 1,000 Facebook fans, we were going to go BANANAS, crazy, loco…(you get the point).

Well, we put out the challenge and you met it! It’s going to be a week of surprises for you, faithful Pouchers, and here is the first one.

You might recall us saying that we’re taking our show on the road (like, for real on the road…) in 2011. We plan to hit four regions across the U.S. and we’ve decided three of the four regions. They are:

• Massachusetts
• Florida/Georgia
• Seattle/Portland

We’re still working out the exact locations, but those are places we definitely plan to hit next year! But we need your help deciding the 4th. Look to your right (we say that a lot, don’t we?). Notice there’s a new poll! Vote for where YOU would like to us to hold a Pouch Party™ event!

And just to give you an idea of how this will all go, here’s how we see regional events working:

Step One: Identifying a place where lots of people from different areas can gather

Step Two: Finding locals to help us plan. If you live in one of the areas we plan to visit, or one of the areas in the poll, and are interested in helping, hit us up! There are perks!

Step Three: Promote the heck out of it and sell tickets!

Step Four: Once we get enough tickets sold, that’s it! We’re coming!

The poll will be open for the next three weeks. We plan to announce our 4th location as a Christmas present to all our faithful readers, so be sure to vote, especially if one of these locations is accessible to you!

So go ahead...vote your heart out, share this message with your Facebook pals, Tweet it, do whatever you have to do. But above all...fight for your right to paaaaartay!!!!

Chicken Quinoa Vegetable Soup

~~posted by Jen

Quinoa and chicken and veggies, oh my!

Beef Barley soup was one of my "go to" recipes in my pre-op life when we were having people over on a Fall or Winter weekend. It was delicious and always a crowd pleaser, but I needed to change it a bit to fit my new post-op eating plan.

I traded in the higher carb barley for protein-packed quinoa, same texture but better for me, since it is a complete protein. I used chicken since I had some in the freezer left over from last week's Roast Chicken Dinner. You could also use a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.

This is one of my "cheater" weeknight soups. You can have this from stove to table in less than a half hour. I took a little help from my pals at Trader Joe's with their frozen Quinoa with Roasted Vegetable Melange. I added some extra frozen mixed vegetables, just because I like lots of veggies in my soup.

Worried about breaking the no drinking with meals rule of the pouch when eating soup? If it's a broth-based soup like this one, I usually drink the broth first, then eat the rest of the soup ingredients. That way I am done drinking before I eat any solids, which is the whole point of that rule, so we don't stretch our stomas.

So here's how it's done:

Jen's Chicken Quinoa Vegetable Soup


Ingredients:

3 cups shredded or cubed roast chicken (or rotisserie chicken)

2 bags Trader Joe's Quinoa with vegetable melange 

OR 2 cups cooked Quinoa

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables

4 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp Garlic powder

1 tbsp Onion powder

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, including the juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 or 4 scoops Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder (optional)

Directions: 

Cook the quinoa in your microwave or rice cooker according to package directions. While it cooks, pour the chicken stock and can of diced tomatoes (juice too) into your dutch oven and bring it to a boil on top of the stove. Add the mixed vegetables, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Stir well to combine.

Once the quinoa is done, add it to the stock mixture on the stove and stir to combine. Let it simmer just until the vegetables are tender. Taste for seasonings, add salt, pepper, and any other spices it needs. If you're adding the protein powder, add it at the very end of cooking and whisk it in thoroughly.

If you're early out and on pureeds, you could puree this in your blender or with your immersion blender. This recipe is 143 grams of protein for the WHOLE POT of soup, so this is one you would most definitely want to consider adding the Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder to at the end, or at least to your own personal serving. 1/2 scoop per 4 oz of soup is the usual amount we add. 

Why We Don't Provide Stats

~~posted by Jen


Nik and I get lots of requests for nutritional statistics (Stats) on our recipes. There are a few very good reasons why we don't post stats for our recipes. Since we've been getting quite a few requests recently, we thought a thorough explanation here that we could refer back to was in order. We aren't trying to "punish you" by not doing the stats for you, we're trying to help you learn how to do it, so you can embrace this healthier lifestyle for good.


The first reason is: You may use different ingredients than we use. Different brands (even something as simple as Greek Yogurt) have different nutritional values. So if we use Fage and you use Chobani, then the stats we give you would be useless. Not only different brands, but perhaps even different actual foods. (Hence our common phrase: "Your mileage may vary.")


We each have those "certain things" we cannot tolerate post-op. Burgers, in any way or shape or form, Nik cannot handle. Just as ham hates me, always has, and it seems, always will. Chicken takes awhile for most post-ops to be able to tolerate. Again, the stats vary widely from one meat to another.


 Not to mention, Nik and I frequently use different ingredients for the very same dish. That's how our concept of giving you "One Dish, Two Ways" was born. We have very different approaches to food, as well as different surgeons, so since our plans differ, our stats also differ.


The second reason is: Your portion size may vary greatly from ours. We're both over 2 years post-op and our pouches have matured, so the amount we eat at a meal will be different from what someone at 3 months out can eat. Again, the stats would vary.


The third and most important reason is: Our goal with both Pouch Party™ and Bariatric Foodie™ is to help you on your journey by encouraging you to create your own recipes and prepare delicious foods that embrace better choices. You can still enjoy food as a WLS post-op, you just have to be more creative and make thoughtful choices.

 A very important part of learning about better food choices is knowing exactly what is IN the choice you are making. You need to understand the nutrition labels so you know what you're putting into your body.

That means when you add several ingredients into a recipe, it is important for you to know how to adjust your statistics accordingly so that your food journal and tracking is accurate. Make our recipes YOUR OWN. Change things up, customize them to fit your plan or likes/dislikes. That's why we always say "Play With Your Food!"

HOW TO CALCULATE RECIPE STATS: 

I use the recipe calculator on Spark People. It walks you through it step by step, you can even save the recipe in your "recipe box" on their site, and they have mobile apps for Iphone, Blackberry, and Droid Phones. It also has a food journal section, if you haven't already started tracking your food elsewhere.

You can also go to whatever food tracking program you use ( I use Fitday, Nik uses Livestrong), enter all the ingredients for the recipe into a blank page in your food journal, then divide the totals by the number of servings. That will give you your stats per serving.

Our wish, for ourselves and for all of our friends living post-op weight loss surgery lives, is that we can successfully maintain a healthy weight and establish a normal relationship with food. Seeing that 5 of the contestants on this season of  "The Biggest Loser" gave us some pause. We don't want to be that person who fails their tool and ends up on national tv. (Not that we would, but just saying.)

Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely! Nik and I are more committed than ever to helping you down the path to a healthier lifestyle and continued success with achieving and maintaining a healthy "normal" weight. We appreciate your continued support of our endeavors, and we pink puffy heart you all!

Nik's Split Pea and Ham Soup

Hey peeps! How's it cookin' so far for Soup Week? Did any of you try Jen's Practically Famous Chili yesterday? It's good isn't it? Later on this week I'll show you my interpretation of chili, but first we've got a whole bunch of other kinds of soup to talk about!

Before we talk about this split pea and ham soup, though, have any of you tried the Wii Just Dance or Just Dance 2 games? This past weekend was La Petite Diva's birthday and I got her the 2nd version of the game. OMG!!!! So fun! It was the most entertaining sweat I've had in forever. Alas...it made me realize something. While I am far more fit than I was...say...155 lbs. ago...I'm not 18 anymore. A long, hot bath was in order last night.

What does any of this have to do with Soup Week? Well, we had so much fun playing that it wasn't until 5 in the evening that I remembered that my soup was up for today--and I hadn't made it yet! Off to the kitchen I flew. I checked my cupboards and my fridge and had everything I needed to make this soup except...split peas! Ack! So we made a pitstop at the grocery store and picked some up.

Whew! That was a close one! The moral of this story? While interactive video games are a great way to have fun and be fit with your family, if you are a food blogger who has instituted a Soup Week and you've not yet made the soup, you might want to show some restraint.

Moving on...

Split pea and ham soup! This is one of those things that can be sooooo comforting on a cold day. And it is a soup--no lie--that is practically impossible to mess up. I kid you not. It's one of the first types of soup I learned to make post-op (pre-op I depended on a good friend to get my fix) and the recipe still works to this day. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

1 bag split peas, rinsed, drained and sorted (while food companies generally do a good job of getting debris out of their products, every now and again you can get a loose...something. So inspect it!)
1 onion, diced finely
1 lb. of ham, cut into small cubes
1 (15 oz.) container of either pork or vegetable broth (pork broth is hard to find--I make my own and freeze it--vegetable works just fine)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups of water
Optional: 3 scoops Any Whey Unflavored protein powder

So here's how it goes down. In a sprayed pan, you want to get your onions and garlic "sweating." Once they've got some good color to them, add that ham in. A word about the ham. It's completely up to you whether to use pork or something leaner like turkey ham. I'm a bit of a purist so I use pork but I cut it from a ham steak. Why? Because the fat is more easily visible and you can trim it, whereas if you use a ham bone, you can't extract the fat as easily. Excessive amounts of animal fat makes me queasy. Your mileage may vary.

Trust me when I say this smells AMAZING!!!

So once the ham is browned up a bit, add the broth to the pan to help scrape up the bits stuck to the pan. That's where all the flavor is! Once you've got the "good stuff", transfer the party over to your crock pot. Add your peas, stir and turn your crockpot on (I use the high setting. Whatever setting usually yields finished food in about 5-6 hours on your crockpot...use that).

Now...walk away. Walk your dog. Chat with friends. Play Wii Just Dance 2 (yes, this would be the appropriate time to do that. Unlike my strategy...). I suggest putting this in the crockpot on the low setting in the morning before work. It will be done when you get home.

So let's fast forward a bit. It's now 6 hours later (doesn't time fly when you're hanging out with me??). Go back to your crockpot and this is what you should see.

Isn't it lovely? Isn't it wonderful? (Nik, Stevie Wonder just called. He said stop using his lyrics for your blog. That is all)  I should note that I made a double batch so I would have some to freeze (so I used two bags of peas, 2 lbs. of cubed ham, and 4 cups of water, same amount of broth).

Now if you want to add the protein powder to your soup, this would be the time to do it. The particular brand I suggest is optimized for cooking (which means when it meets hot stuff it does NOT curdle) and whatever flavor it has is easily covered by practically anything. I add the powder to soups like this that are carb heavy just to balance it out. If you're gun shy about adding it, you can also add protein to just your individual portion to try it out. I'd recommend a half scoop per 4 oz. serving to start out.

Let's talk about serving while we're on the subject. Cooking this deal in your crockpot will seriously soften your pork. I like some firm pieces of pork in my soup so I dice up a little of the extra ham steak, cook it and throw it on top to mix in. If you need your soup softer, omit this step. If you are on pureeds, I'd suggest taking an immersion blender to the whole thing just to be safe.

Remember, if you're cooking with us, snap a pic of your soup, send it to us and you could win a super cool sample bag of protein goodies! Happy Soup Week!