Bruschetta Squares

~~posted by Jen

I can't help it, I love making it look like the rooster is eating the food! 

It's New Year's Eve and my original plans were to go over to my local BFF's house (where I spent Christmas Eve) for a small party with a few close friends and stay over to hang out on New Year's Day. Good ole' Mother Nature saw things differently, since NJ got bombarded with over 2 feet of snow on Sunday and Monday. The townships have been dragging their feet to get the roads cleared, so that means I'll be staying home with the boys.

Of course we'll need some snacks to nibble on while we watch the ball drop. We'll probably watch some movies (I'm thinking The Blind Side and maybe Avatar, since I never got to see those) until the Anderson Cooper New Year's Eve special comes on. Kathy Griffin cracks me up and I love to watch her embarrass the crap out of ole AC 360. He's so cute when his face turns red!

I made these "party bites" a few weeks ago for the RV (resident vegetarian) to take over to a party at his friend's house, and they were a hit with them so I'll definitely make them again for us. The ingredients are vegetables I always have on hand, and he loves crescent rolls, so I always have a can or three of those in the fridge. You could also use the Arnold Multi-grain Flatbreads for the crust, those work well, too.

This is not especially WLS-friendly, as it's not a high protein dish. You could certainly add some Any Whey Protein Powder into the vegetable mix if you like, or even add some meat to the vegetable mixture. Chunks of ham, salami, or even pepperoni would be tasty since this is kind of an "Italian" vegetable medley.

You could also use ground turkey, or Italian Sausage would be good also! That's where the "Play With Your Food!" part comes in. Start with this recipe as a jumping off point and make it your own unique dish. Snap a pic when you do and send it our way, so we can share your awesome idea with everyone else!

I used a good bit of cheese, but without adding protein powder or meat, these are one of those dishes I allow myself in moderation only AFTER I've met my goal of 100 grams of protein for the day. As always, we are not the managers of your plan or your pouch, we just try to offer ways to help you meet your nutritional needs and still have an occasional treat. (Sad that I think of a vegetable dish as a treat, but I digress.) Here's how it's done:

Jen's Bruschetta Party Squares
Ingredients:
4 small zucchini, diced
1 medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia), diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil), chopped into pieces
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter (or I Can't Believe It's Not Real Butter, your choice)
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Salt
1 cup marinara sauce (jarred or homemade, whichever you have on hand)
2 cups Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
1 can Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls or 4 Arnold Thin Multigrain Flatbreads.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you're using Crescent Rolls, leave them in the fridge until just before time to bake them. In a large non-stick skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil and butter together until butter is melted.

Chop the zucchini into bite sized pieces

Add the onions to the skillet and let them cook for about two minutes, then stir in the mushrooms, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and seasonings. Put the lid on the skillet and let vegetables cook for a few minutes, then remove the lid. Continue cooking for three or four more minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender.

I got the mushrooms already sliced, then chopped those into smaller pieces along with the onions

Stir in the marinara sauce and 1 cup of the Italian blend cheese and heat through until cheese is melted. If you're using the Any Whey protein powder, whisk it into the marinara sauce just before you add the sauce to the vegetables.

Remove skillet from heat and set aside so topping mixture will cool a bit while you get the crust ready. Using a potato masher, mash up the vegetable mixture so there are no big chunks left in it. This will make it more manageable as a party bite.

Mashing up the cooked veggies with a potato masher

If you're using the Arnold Multi-grain Flatbread thins, skip to the "Bake" step and change the time to 2 to 3 minutes, then go straight to topping!

If your using the crescent rolls, remove them from the fridge now. Open the can, do NOT separate the crescent rolls. Using a rolling pin, roll them out into one large rectangle on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crust is lightly golden brown, then remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

If you use the flatbreads, I'd recommend crisping them in the oven for 2 or 3 minutes before topping them.

Cut the crescent rolls (or multi-grain flatbreads) into squares with a pizza cutter. Spread some of the vegetable mixture on each square, then top with a sprinkle of the remaining cup of Italian Blend cheese. Once they are all topped, return the squares back to the oven for about 5 minutes or so, just until the cheese melts. These are great served hot or at room temperature.

I usually have 3 of these, especially if we have other snacks set out

BF Kid Zone: Easy Cheesy Noodles!

~~By Nikki

Served on our quasi-Asian inspired plates with chopsticks. The girls usually abandon the sticks after about 3 minutes though!

Parents: raise your hand if you've ever found yourself in this situation. You had the day from hell at work, you pick up the kids and they are cranky and hungry. They drive you NUTS on the way home and by the time you get to your house you would much rather take a nose-dive into a tub full of bubbles than see to their hungry bellies.

If you've not experienced this yet...I envy you. Happens to me at least once a week.

That's why I keep an arsenal of super-quick and kid-friendly meals at my disposal for just such occasions. The recipe I'm sharing today is not "me" friendly (meaning not-WLS friendly) but it is a good choice for your kids and gets you in and out of the kitchen in about 15 minutes.

So here's how it goes down.



RAMEN! Not as evil as you might think. The thing I find evil about these super cheap soup packets are these guys:

The spice packets. They've got about a cabillion milligrams of sodium that you don't want your kids consuming. Trust me, there isn't enough water in the world to make those packets healthier. So I throw them out. And what I'm left with is a very versatile little noodle.

Nik's Easy Cheesy Noodle Bowl (for kids!)
(makes 3 "ok appetite" kid portions, 2 "hearty appetite" portions)

Ingredients:

2 packets of Ramen (doesn't matter what flavor since we're not using the spice packet)
1/2 c. frozen chopped broccoli (the kind that looks like a brick and costs like $1)
1/2 c. shredded cheese (whatever kind you like, I had Mexican blend on hand so that's what I used)
4 slices of pre-cooked bacon
Any other small chopped veggies you think you can get away with (something red might be nice like a red pepper)
1/8 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp each of onion powder and garlic powder
A pinch of ground black pepper

Directions:

Get a pot of water boiling and to it add the salt. When it comes to a simmer, add the Ramen noodles and broccoli pieces. Boil for three minutes and then drain and return to the pot. If you are using other veggies that aren't frozen, add them into the mixture after you've drained the noodles.

While the noodles are boiling, microwave your pre-cooked bacon for 1 minute or until crispy. Then blot the excess oil off of them with a paper towel. Chop into bacon bits.

Add your bacon bits, other seasonings and cheese and stir well. If the noodles seem sticky, add a splash of milk to loosen them up. Serve in bowls while hot!

This is one of maybe four ways I can convince the divas to eat broccoli. They devour this! And it's a win-win. I get in and out of the kitchen (and closer to letting Calgon take me away) and they get a delicious dinner that I can feel good about giving them.

New Year's Makeover!

~~posted by Jen





In the spirit of the New Year and making improvements, Bariatric Foodie is getting a makeover! Nik and I have decided to continue our house-keeping efforts we started a few months ago. One of our goals for the blog in 2011 is to re-organize the way our recipes are tagged and make them easier to find what you're looking for. The problem is, we need to know HOW you search for things when you come to the blog so we know how best to organize it to suit the needs of our readers.

That's where your help comes in! I've posted a poll over there ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>>>>>>>>>>>
in the top right corner. If you would be so kind as to take a moment and vote, we would greatly appreciate it!
The poll is open for voting through January 15, 2011. Then we'll announce our plans for the new format and the housekeeping will begin!

We've been working hard to keep things more consistent and categorized so that it's easier to find things you need, but we still have a LONG way to go. That's why your input and ideas are so crucial to this under-taking. Your thoughts are important to us, this blog is YOUR resource, so please let us hear from you on how we can best change the search tools to meet your needs. We appreciate your friendship and support, thanks for reading!! Here's to a happy and healthy 2011 for all of us!

Jen's Oven-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

~~posted by Jen

In Sunday's BF Basics post, we covered oven-frying. By now you've all heard I have a resident vegetarian (or RV), so of course I had to DO something with all that eggplant. We ate a good bit of it in the form of the "Eggplant Bites", but I also made him a big casserole dish full of eggplant parmesan to take to work for lunches this week. (On a side note, those bites are damned tasty, I had to make myself quit eating them! Definitely give them a try for your next party!)

Eggplant Parm Bites

Now you may recall awhile back Nik shared her "Naked Grilled Eggplant Parmesan" with us. While I love her version in the summer, when I can grill the eggplant outside, in the winter months I need the comfort of breading. Is that so wrong? Probably, but that is another post. 

Nik's Naked Grilled Eggplant Parm

The first step in cooking eggplant is to slice it and salt it down in a colander. Salt both sides of each slice and place it in a colander to draw out the excess liquid. I usually do this right before I go to bed and let mine sit overnight in the sink (my sink has a small side where the disposal is, perfect for straining things) so all the excess water can drain out of it. Then the next morning it's ready to cook. I also recommend this for zucchini as well, if you're planning to make like a zucchini lasagna using this same methodology.

This is the rinsed eggplant after spending the night soaking in salt

Doing this removes the bitter liquid from the eggplant, and allows it to crisp up in the oven instead of being soggy. This also works for "de-sliming" okra. The salt draws out the excess liquid and/or bitterness (as is the case with the eggplant.) One important note: Make SURE you rinse all the salt off of the vegetables before you cook them. I usually don't add extra salt to my eggplant when I've used this method, it really doesn't need it.

Eggplant Parmesan is super easy to make. Step 1: Follow the oven-frying directions in the BF Basics: Oven-Frying post.  for the egg wash and breading. I used 2 large eggplants, about 30 slices total.

Jen's Oven-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients: 

1 batch of oven-fried eggplant (from link above)

3 jars marinara sauce, brand of your choice (I used Aldi's brand with portabello mushrooms in it) or you can use home-made

2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese

2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

2 tbsp Garlic Powder

Optional: 3 Scoops Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder

Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce, Italian Seasoning, and Garlic Powder. If you're adding the Protein Powder, whisk it into the sauce now. 

Spray a large lidded casserole dish with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil flavor) and spoon about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom as the base (make sure the bottom of the dish is covered). Spread the first layer of eggplant slices over the sauce. 

Bottom layer of Casserole

Spoon more sauce over the eggplant slices, then sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering in the same order until your casserole dish is full.

Sauce over the eggplant

Now, if you're feeding this to your family and most of it will be eaten right away, put the lid on the dish and bake the whole casserole at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes until it is heated through and cheese is melted. 

Since I put protein powder in mine, and it was made to be eaten in individual portions, I did not do this. 

Top layer covered in cheese

If you're making these just for YOU, put them in individual containers and don't bake them. You can refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze in individual portions. Heat them in the microwave just before you're ready to eat them. (Heads up: I'd omit the protein powder if you're planning to freeze them, you could always stir a scoop into some ricotta and mix that in just before heating.)

That's how I did this one. I put the whole big dish in the fridge, then each morning he portioned out what he wanted to take for lunch and heated it up at work in the microwave. The reasoning for this is twofold: (1) You don't want to constantly heat and re-heat the protein powder. Even though the Any Whey is MADE for cooking, no sense in cooking the same bits over and over. (2) The cheese tends to get rubbery if you heat and reheat it. Nothing worse than getting rubbery cheese stuck in your stoma.  

Early outs: If you're cleared for tomatoes, you can absolutely puree this up and eat it. Stir in some ricotta and it's eggplant lasagna! I add chicken or meat into my portion sometimes, especially if I leave out the protein powder. Mangia!

Nik's Mocha Forest Trifle

~by Nikki

This really was the MOST flattering shot I could get of my beloved trifle.

Ok, so usually our posts are a “how-to” of your favorite foods. Because we do a pretty good job (if I do say so myself) of testing recipes and making sure we are on top of our game.

This post is not like that at ALL.

This post is a how NOT to do a recipe. I’m hoping that in the process of laying out my errors, I’ll actually help you do it right.

Trifles! Simplest thing in the world, right? Jen showed us the way, right? Yeah. I have one of those brains that embraces the complex. Simple things? I always, always, ALWAYS mess them up.

Such is the case with my little protein trifle. I set out to make a trifle that was packed with as much protein as one could put in a little dessert…and I had a few fumbles.

First, let’s go over the basic recipe:

Nik’s Mocha Forest Trifle

Chocolate protein cake (you can get the basic recipe for this here. Just omit the banana and instead of putting in mini loaf pans, spread it out on a well-oiled sheet cake pan. It doesn’t matter if your cake is thinner than a normal cake)

32 ounce container of unflavored Greek yogurt (I used 0%)
4 scoops Any Whey protein unflavored protein powder (or you can use chocolate)
2 boxes sugar-free chocolate pudding
1 c. milk
1 tbsp good instant decaf coffee or decaf instant decaf espresso (I used the latter)
2 cans no-sugar added cherry pie filling
3 large tubs of fat-free or reduced fat whipped cream

Optional: 1 packet sugar-free cocoa for top garnish

Directions:

Cut your protein cake into cubes of about ¼ - ½ inch thickness and width. Make sure your whipped topping is thawed!

In a blender, mix protein powder and milk until a thick paste forms.

In a large bowl, combine protein paste and Greek yogurt until fully combined. Add pudding mix and instant coffee and beat on low with a hand mixer for about a minute then switch to medium speed and beat for two minutes. It isn’t unusual for this to be a bit lumpy.

Now here’s the fun part of the directions. Let’s get into what not to do here:

#1 – Do NOT make your bottom layer cake

I don’t know what I was thinking honestly. I think it was because I prepped it late at night. But I made the bottom layer cake. That was not pretty and it didn’t support the rest of the trifle well. So the layers never really came together well. It was a sight to see!

The fateful bottom layer of cake...

Instead, make your base layer your pudding/yogurt mixture. Then top with a layer of whipped topping, followed by a layer of cake and a layer of raspberries.



#2 – Do NOT use frozen raspberries

If you have some magical secret to how raspberries can not turn into a pile of mush after thawing, please share that secret with me. Until such time, our resident trifle guru, Jen, suggests no-sugar added pie filling that is red...like cherry. That's much cheaper and, frankly, works for me! (Is there such a thing as NSA strawberry pie filling? If so, that'd be GOOD! Better than sex, in fact...)



What every mom/cook wants to hear: "Mom, it looks like there's blood everywhere!"

#3 – Do NOT add too much coffee to your pudding/yogurt mixture

I did two tablespoons. What was I thinking??? I ended up thinning out the flavor with milk but then that threw off my texture a bit. So it took a good deal of tweaks and I ended up with a GINORMOUS bowl of protein pudding/yogurt mixture.

You should top your trifle with a layer of whipped cream and then you can dust it with cocoa or sprinkle some more raspberries in there. Whatever you like!

But in the end the taste is what ruled the day. I THINK it was well received (support group peeps, holla!). At any rate, folks ate about half of the thing (which is saying something since there weren’t that many people at the party.) Seriously, though. It did taste good and there was mega-protein in there! So much so that I'd say that it qualifies for an actual sensible meal.

I hope by sharing my pitfalls I’ve helped you to make a better trifle. If not…well, enjoy your family and rejoice not only in the miracle of Christmas and the coming New Year, but also in the new life you are living.

BF Basics: Oven "Frying"

~~posted by Jen

Eggplant Parm Bites

I am from Georgia, as most of you know by now. In the south, fried food is like your Momma's love, it wraps you up in goodness and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. OK not really. But we sure do love us some fried food! Better yet, fry it, dip it in something with mayonnaise or butter (or both), and we are happier than hogs in slop. (Gee, no wonder they say the south is the "Stroke Zone" because of all the Fried Fish Restaurants.)

I love fried food, but I am a lazy cook, as y'all should also know by now. I would not stand over a hot stove and fry things for love or money. (Well, the only exception to that statement being my protein latkes, but that's only because I love nothing in the world better than a fried potato.) 

So of course, I am all over the idea of oven-frying. I was a Shake 'N Bake-r long before I had RNY. Post-op, I had to find a better way to indulge my love of all things oven-fried. Although some of you may know how to do this already, and Nik pretty much went through some of the steps in her Onion Rings and Zucchini Fries recipes, I still wanted to break it down step by step for those of you who may not know how to oven-fry. This will serve you well in times of craving crunchy, salty, fried things.  

Depending on whether it's meat or vegetables, I typically oven-fry at 350 (veggies) or 400 degrees (meat-usually chicken or pork chops). If you're cooking chicken, follow Nik's instructions for the greek yogurt marinade in her Chicken Nuggets recipe. You won't regret it, even WLS friends who could not eat chicken can tolerate it once it's marinated in the greek yogurt. I keep telling y'all that stuff has magical powers!

Here's how to do it:

Oven-Frying Basics 

Note: If I am oven-frying chicken pieces on the bone or Green Tomatoes (Southern peeps Holla!) I dip them in a buttermilk wash with salt & garlic powder, then dredge in seasoned flour before the egg wash and breading steps. That's only for things you want a bit more "coating" on. For everything else this is my methodology. Nik uses Fiber One for most of her breading. I am kinda Meh on the whole Fiber One thing--sometimes I like it and sometimes not, it depends on the day. That's why I started using my homemade "shake n bake."

Eggplant slices

Step 1: Egg Wash: This egg wash (for eggplant slices) consists of 4 large eggs, about 1/4 cup of milk, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning, and 1 tbsp garlic powder. I change the seasonings depending on what I am oven-frying, adjust yours to taste. I don't usually season the vegetable slices or meat pieces beforehand, because every step of my breading process is seasoned. 

This is my homemade "shake n bake" ingredients

Step 2: Breading  Like I said before, in the past I used Shake N' Bake. Now I use a combination of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and whole wheat bread crumbs. Some stores carry whole wheat Panko, but I have not had any luck finding it in my area. Nik says the Giant stores in Maryland carry it, but the last time she went to buy some they didn't have any. I'm not going to freak out over a few bread crumbs, and really, neither should you. 

You CAN use a ziptop storage bag for the breading, but I prefer a big plastic rectangular bowl. I like being able to make sure the breading completely coats each piece with no blank spots. For 2 large eggplants (about 30 slices) I used this mixture:

1 cup Panko 

1 cup Italian Seasoned Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs

1 tbsp Garlic powder

1 tbsp Onion powder

2 tbsp Italian seasoning 

(For chicken pieces, I omit the Italian seasoning and add 1 tsp Seasoned Salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for some kick. For fish I do the same, just substitute Old Bay for the cayenne and add a pinch of dill.) Adjust the amounts based on how much breading you need. 

Eggplant slice being breaded

Step 3: Spraying It On! Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray and put it close to your breading station. Once each piece of veggies or meat is coated in the breadcrumb mixture, place it on the pan. It's okay if the pieces are close together, they don't need much room in between. Fill the pan, then spray each piece of food with the same cooking spray. (I usually use the Olive Oil or Butter Flavor, but use what you like.) This will help it brown evenly and make it a bit crunchier so it really tastes fried.

First few pieces on the pan

All sprayed and ready for the oven!

Step 4: Bring on the heat! Place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Boneless chicken breasts usually take about 20 minutes or so at 400 degrees, as do boneless pork chops. The eggplant shown here was baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then I flipped it over, sprayed the other side, and baked it for an additional 10 minutes. Cooking times will vary based on the type of food and the size. 

I made a big pan of Eggplant Parmesan (recipe to follow later this week) for the resident vegetarian. When I was making it, I set aside the smallest pieces to make the cutesy little "eggplant parm bites" shown at the top of the page for a snack. All I did was top them with a teaspoon of marinara sauce and a pinch of Italian blend cheese. Microwave for 15 seconds or so to melt the cheese. 

If you want to make your whole panful of eggplant into parm bites, just top each slice with a spoon of sauce, sprinkle on some cheese, and put them back in the oven for a couple minutes. Perfect party bite! There you have it. Crunchy, salty pseudo-fried goodness. YUM! 

Christmas Greetings!

~~by Nikki and Jen



Your faithful Divas would like to thank you for making this the best year EVER for Pouch Party™  and Bariatric Foodie™! We broke 1,000 fans on Facebook, tripled our presence on Twitter, partied with support groups, and held our first large regional event.

We blogged like crazy and posted more recipes, Top 5 Lists, survival guides, peeks, and product reviews than you can shake a stick at! We even managed a few recipes for our four-legged friends in Pouch Party Pets and some cool ideas from the Crafty Corner!

None of our success would be possible without supportive, motivating, and enthusiastic friends like you!

Thank you for reading the blog, commenting on posts both here and on Facebook and OH, sending us your recipes and "food porn", and most importantly for Playing with your Food!

We've got big plans for 2011, and we're not just talking about our "Total World Domination" tour! Stay tuned for more give-aways, more recipes, and more fun than ever before!

In the meantime, we wish you a very Merry Christmas (if you celebrate Christmas) and a Happy New Year!
Rest up, Pouchers, because 2011 is the "Year of the Pouch Party™ Animal!" You've been warned!

Happy Holidays and much love from Nik (The Pouch Diva) and Jen (The Party Diva)!

Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

~~posted by Jen

Nik's Southwestern Scramble

In my family we have a tradition of waking up early on Christmas morning, opening gifts, and then enjoying a nice breakfast together as a family. I know that is pretty common in most families. You want a delicious meal for your family that won't blow YOUR plan, but how to do that without lots of work and mess?

We've got your back! Nik and I love coming up with tasty weekend morning breakfast treats, so we already have quite a few you can refer to that are both easy to make and something that everyone will love for the perfect Christmas morning spread.

You can set up a "Parfait Bar" with the ingredients for my Daybreak Protein Parfait and let everyone help themselves. Put some pretty glasses at one end, then each ingredient in a separate bowl so people can make them however they like.

Put a platter of fresh fruit alongside the parfait bar, with a thermos of coffee and a carafe of something cold to drink. I like to mix the Diet V8 Fusion Juice with a little bit of Diet Sprite or Club Soda for a refreshing alternative to Fruit Juice. If you're early out and not cleared for carbonated drinks, you can serve it without the "fizzy mix-in." A big pitcher of Crystal Light Sunrise is a good replacement for Orange Juice.

Now let's talk about the main dish. Depending on what your family prefers, we have a few tasty choices. SOS is always a breakfast favorite, served on toast. It's also delicious on grits if your family likes grits.

Creamed Chipped Beef AKA "SOS"

Vegetarians in the crowd who don't eat eggs? Nik's Vegetarian Breakfast Tostada is a delicious alternative for the non-carnivores who also happen to not eat eggs. (I know there is an official term for that, but I can't think of it at this moment.)

If your family is into eggs and you have a big crowd to feed, I'd say one of my Frittatas or Nik's Southwestern Scramble would be just the ticket. You can double any of the recipes to feed more than 8 people. For a smaller crowd, Nik's Egg Rosettes are delicious and festive.

If you need to get food out quickly, then I wouldn't suggest making these as the main dish for a big crowd of mostly non-ops, because you can only make them in batches of 12 or so. For larger groups, they are perfect side "bites" and everyone always raves over them. Protein Latkes make a delicious accompaniment to any of these main dishes.



Bananas Foster French Toast



More into sweet things? How about Stuffed French Toast is a good one, as is the Bananas Foster French Toast. If you're making this for a large crowd, I wouldn't waste a whole loaf of P-28 bread feeding non-ops. (But then I am cheap like that.) Substitute your favorite multigrain bread and it works just as well.

If you need a "grab and go" type breakfast that everyone can eat on the way to Grandma's house, make up a big batch of "Egg Nik-Muffins" and you're good to go! We hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas morning together. Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

3 Holiday Themed Protein Drinks that put the "Merry" in Merry Christmas!

Newbies! Is this your first Christmas post-op? It’s hard…we know. We’ve been there!

Some of you are on liquid diets of some sort. Others just don’t have the appetite to indulge in all the foods you love. And for others still, you wonder if it’s worth the effort for the measly two bites you’ll be able to take.

First…let’s pause a moment to acknowledge that yes…this sucks…badly.

BUT…all is not lost! Bariatric Foodie has your back! Here are some ideas for some great Christmas-themed protein drinks to get you through the holiday in the merriest way!

Candy Cane Protein Drink

Ingredients

8 oz. milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
3 pumps sugar free Crème de Menthe or Peppermint syrup (in the absence of either use one drop...AND I REALLY DO MEAN ONE DROP...of peppermint extract)
No-calorie sweetener to taste

For cold drinks: 3-5 cubes of ice

Optional for either: fat-free whippage, 1 or 2 crushed sugar-free peppermint candies.

Directions:

Hot drink: Combine all ingredients in a blender and nuke for about 45 seconds to warm. Top with whippage and slurp!

Cold shake: Blend all ingredients using the Triple X method. Or not, your choice!

Gingerbread Protein Drink

Ingredients

8 oz. milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix (don’t ask me why this works…just go with it)
3 pumps sugar-free Gingerbread Syrup (in the absence of this use 1/8 tsp ginger + a "splick" of nutmeg + a drop or two of maple extract - and no maple extract does not have sugar in it)

For cold drinks: 3-5 cubes of ice

Optional for either: fat-free whippage, 1-2 pumps sugar-free Brown Sugar Cinnamon syrup

Hot drink: Combine all ingredients in a blender and nuke for about 45 seconds to warm. Top with whippage and slurp!

Cold shake: Blend all ingredients using the Triple X method. Or not, your choice!

Sugar Cookie

Ingredients

8 oz. milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp sugar-free French Vanilla pudding mix

Or

1 tbsp sugar-free Vanilla pudding mix + 2 pumps sugar-free French Vanilla syrup
2 drops butter extract (about 1/8 tsp - and no, butter extract does not have fat in it)
No calorie sweetener, to taste

For cold shake: 3-5 cubes of ice. Another variation for a cold shake is to use unflavored Greek yogurt as the base instead of milk (same amount). The taste of the yogurt mimics the Cream of Tartar often used in sugar cookies.

Optional for either: Fat-free whippage and a dash of cinnamon for garnish

Hot drink: Combine all ingredients in a blender and nuke for about 45 seconds to warm. Top with whippage and slurp!

Cold shake: Blend all ingredients using the Triple X method. Or not, your choice!

BF Crafty Corner: Last Minute Homemade Gift Ideas

~~posted by Jen

Well it's the night before the day before the night before Christmas, and all is frantic in my world. Even though my family is 1300 miles away, I have lots of local friends who are like family that I spend time over the holidays with. One of my best friends from work very graciously invited me to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with her family this year. She has 2 little boys, and a large, boisterous Cuban American family, so it will be a fun time.

Of course, my budget for gifts is pretty slim since I missed so much work this year, but I came up with a couple more ideas if you have some "last minute" gifts you need to come up with in a hurry on the cheap.

Idea #1. Another version of the "Romantic Dinner In A Basket" idea. It has a bottle of wine ($2.99 at Trader Joe's), wine glasses ($1 each at Home Goods), a bottle of flavored olive oil ($4 at Aldi), and the jar is a risotto mix ($1 at Stop n Shop) layered with sundried tomatoes and dried mushrooms. The whole deal? Less than $20 (including the basket, jar, and towel) and a very nice gift for 2.

Idea #2. A Snack Basket or Movie Basket (if you add a DVD). It has several packs of various flavors of nuts and trail mix (39 cents a pack at Aldi's), a box of cheese straws (I put them in a jar, but you could just stack the box in the back. $1.99 at Aldi's), a bag of microwave popcorn, and it makes a nice sized basket of snacks. Again for less than $20, you could add in a DVD and make it a gift for a whole family.





These packets of nuts and trail mix are 39 cents each at Aldi's





The completed basket, without DVD

If you're really pressed for time and don't have a few minutes to put these things together, a gift card to the movies or a favorite restaurant or store is always very much appreciated. If you don't even have time to stop and buy a gift card, hop on Amazon and get an e-gift card you can print out. By the time you get your shoes on to leave, it will be printed out and ready to give! Merry Christmas!







Pouch Party Pets: Maya's Favorite Peanut Butter Treats

~~posted by Jen

I know everyone is rushing around trying to get everything ready for Christmas. I have a few more last-minute homemade Christmas gifts to share with you tomorrow morning that don't require any cooking, but we can't forget our furbabies! Since these do take a little bit of time to bake, I wanted to make sure you had the lowdown in time for "Santa Paws."

Not to mention this is a great project to keep the kids occupied since they're home from school and you probably could use something to keep them busy!

Zeus and Mickey get very excited about Santa Paws, they even like to open presents. (Zeus likes to "help" wrap too, but that's more about him being nosey.) That's my "Poodle Patrol," they now live with Ken and Pop.

I have these pretty girls, or as our pal JaimeK calls them, "The Pit Patrol", at my house now. Maya is the gorgeous tawny colored one on the left. She's my snugglebug! Peanut butter is her ABSOLUTE favorite. Indeed her love of PB is rivalled probably only by Nik's!

I started making these treats for them awhile back, and they are Maya's absolute favorite. My "boys" Zeus and Mickey love them too, and even the picky Miss Finn (her name is short for "Finnicky" because she has such high standards) scarfs these down.

Super easy to make, put them in a cellophane bag with a raffia bow, and it's the perfect gift for the pets in your life, or even a friend or neighbor that has a beloved dog. If this is a gift for a human (to feed to their pet of course), make it even more special by tying an index card with the recipe (or even a link to our blog) printed on it and a cookie cutter to the bag or jar. Here's how to make them:


Maya's Favorite Peanut Butter Treats

This recipe makes about 75 small biscuits (36 large)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c water
1/2 c. canola oil
2 eggs
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread a good sized piece of wax paper on the counter, this is where you'll roll out the dough to cut it.


In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal and rolled oats. Little by little, add in the remaining ingredients until it’s mixed well.

Spray your hands lightly with cooking spray, this is a little known trick when working with sticky dough to help keep it more manageable so you don't end up with dough-covered hands!

Now knead the dough for just a minute or two with your hands, then place it on the waxed paper. Spray the dough lightly with cooking spray. Spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray and set it down near your work area. Spray a rolling pin lightly with cooking spray and roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.

Use cookie cutters to cut the treats out into desired shapes and sizes. I used gingerbread cutters this time, since most of these are being given away for gifts. Place the treats on your sprayed cookie sheet with a bit of space in between.

Bake small sized treats for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees (let the larger sized ones bake about 12-15 minutes), then turn off the oven. Let the cooked treats hang out in the oven for at least 20 minutes, so that they will harden.

Here's a tip: if you're making several different flavors, as I usually do for gifts, use a different shape for each flavor. This is great especially if you have several dogs and they each have different favorite flavors (not that there are any high maintenance dogs in my life, nosirreebob!) Like I also made a big batch of Zeus's Favorite Cheesy Treats, so I used bone-shaped cutters for those.

I'm planning to make some Cluck Cluck Chicken Treats (recipe coming soon!) that will be shaped like snowmen, and the Cheesy Bacon Treats (recipe is a variation on Zeus's, at the bottom of the page) will be snowflakes.

My boys Zeus and Mickey will love their presents from Santa Paws!! That is if I can keep Maya and Finn out of the kitchen long enough to get them all baked and packaged up. Somehow they know when the cookie cutters and pans come out that they can expect something yummy!

BF Product Review: Atkins Baking Mix

~~posted by Jen

We've all tried to find ways to make carbs we like that work with our new, healthier way of eating. There are some carbs I just cannot handle, even at over 2 years out. Pasta hates me, so I don't even bother. I can handle small amounts of rice, but to me it's really not worth it. "I haven't got time for the pain" as the song says.

That's one reason Nik and I feel so strongly about making conscious choices to get in good quality carbs. Mindful choices is the first step in continued success once the proverbial "honeymoon" is over. We aren't preaching to you, by any means, we just want to help you acclimate to your new nutritional needs and find a way to make staying on plan actually enjoyable!

When we find a product that meets our nutritional needs, and has the added bonus of being a great "carb conversion" we always want to share it with you. Just so you know, Bariatric Foodie is not paid to do product reviews by product manufacturers or anyone else.


I feel it's important to explain that here so that you guys know our reviews are based solely on our personal feelings about a product and its usefulness. We usually try several things with a product, especially "ingredient" type items, before making our final verdict.

Here's how it usually works. In most cases, we find something neat and order it to try for ourselves, then review it for y'all. The only time we are ever asked to review something is when one of our readers sends Nik or I some free things they didn't use and thought we could. In that case, we do review the products and write recipes for all of y'all to enjoy.


We have affiliate program memberships with both Amazon and Netrition, as we've mentioned in the past, so when you click on products we've linked to in our recipes, we do make a small percentage from those purchases. That money goes right back into buying food and products to test recipes and write reviews for the blog. So if you were wondering if those links help support Bariatric Foodie and keep it running, they do! Your support is very much appreciated!


{End of Public Service Announcement/Obligatory Disclaimer. Now back to our regularly scheduled product review!}


After we posted about it in a few recipes (Jen's Corn Pudding and Nik's Sweet Potato Pancakes, to name a few), our good friend and faithful BF reader Dee (Deedles on OH) decided to try it. She ordered some Atkins mix and made pancakes over the weekend for her husband we all know and love as "Beast." She said she liked the Atkins mix consistency and taste better than the CarbQuik she has been using.

I agree with Dee, that was my opinion on it as well. The Atkins mix works well in any recipe that calls for "Bisquick" baking mix, or anywhere you would normally use CarbQuik. I also have used it in place of flour in gravies and sauces, it worked perfectly for my Chipped Cream Beef ("SOS").


It has the same texture in biscuits and quick breads as regular Bisquick, but no aftertaste like CarbQuik has.  As an added bonus, it's considerably less expensive than CarbQuik. For those of us on a budget, that is a DEFINITE plus. Don't misunderstand, I will still use CarbQuik on occasion, but Atkins Baking Mix has become my official "go to."


Dee was thoughtful enough to take pictures of her pancakes from start to finish, so I am sharing her pics and comments with you here. She used the recipe that's printed on the package, with one substitution, as she noted. Thanks, Dee!


Here's what Dee had to say:


"I love this stuff!!! Jen, you were right, there isn't any of that CQ after taste...whatever it is. I used the pancake recipe right on the package, the only change I made was I used 1% milk instead of half and half. The turned out really fluffy, cooked more evenly and quicker. Like CQ, I never did get all the lumps out but you couldn't tell in the final results. Next time I might add some protein powder but maybe not...these were great!

Using Great-Grandmother's mixing bowl and spoon.

Recipe made 7 4-5in pancakes instead of the 10. Really thick!

Cooked beautifully!

Served with paper thin Prosciutto and 1 egg over easy...Yum!

I need to get some pretty plates if I keep this up! Thanks for the encouragement to try this stuff!  Dee"

Dee, you are hereby dubbed the "Official BF Food Porn Star" because you take some amazing food pics! Now if Nik and I can just drag you to the East Coast, we're good to go! 

Verdict: Divas (and Dee) Say Divine!