Nik's Taco Bowl



I should first say that I didn't have much faith in this experiment when I started out. I had been missing my old school taco salads in the taco bowl but...baking tortillas has never really worked that well for me.

Then I got inspired to play with my food by two women who I admire: one on television and one in the online forums I frequent.

First, Melissa D'Arabian baked up a tortilla as a part of one of her $10 Dinners. Then my friend Denise from OH shared a tip on baking tortillas that helped bring it closer to the consistency I wanted for this endeavor.

With that, I'm happy to present this with a caveat: if you are a newbie, this recipe is probably one to file away until you're a year out or so. I know, I know...bummer...but patience! You have the whole rest of your lives to eat this stuff. And your patience will be RICHLY rewarded!

Nik's Taco Bowl Salad

Ingredients

1 whole wheat/low-carb tortilla (I use La Tortilla Factory. This time I used the large size but if you have a smaller capacity you can certainly do the taco sized)
A few sprays of low-calorie butter spray
1 c. salad mix of your choice
1/2 - 1 c. prepared taco meat
2 tbsp unflavored Greek yogurt
2 tbsp your favorite salsa

Equipment needed:

4 oz. ramekin (or if you are using the smaller tortilla, a cupcake pan)
A baking pan (if you are using the ramekin)
Aluminum foil

Directions:



That would be the hand of the lovely La Petite Diva!

If you are using the ramekin (for the larger sized tortilla), place a large rectangle of aluminum foil in your pan.

Place the ramekin in the center of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

Lay your tortilla over the ramekin and press it into a bowl shape (this requires some "pleating")

Spray the outside of the tortilla with butter spray (thanks Denise for this tip!)

Fold the aluminum foil over the edges of the tortilla to cover them.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes with the foil around the edges of the tortilla. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes with the aluminum foil off.

Remove the shell from the oven, remove the ramekin from the shell and allow it to cool a few minutes before handling.

Fill with your salad, taco meat and fillings and enjoy!

This is a good one to serve the family as well. I did not as I made the divas their once monthly "I'll cook you whatever you want" dinner (which was fried chicken, mac 'n cheese and sauerkraut...what up with my kids and sauerkraut???) but they were intrigued enough to request their own taco bowls for dinner later in the week.

The stats on the La Tortilla Factory tortillas are great. The one I used had 80 calories, 18g of carbs, 12g of fiber and 8g of protein. So if you're gonna eat a tortilla, this is one to eat!

And the answer to the inevitable question I will get...I took a close-up pic of this thing so it looks a lot bigger than it actually is...but just the same, yes, at 3 years post-op I was able to eat the whole thing, was satisfied, and didn't need a thing else all night. My pouch is pretty forgiving when it comes to good, healthy food!

Update/Preview of the new recipe book!

I know I announced about a cabillion years ago that I was updating the protein shake recipe book.

Life is a trip.

Besides the fact that I'm flying solo here on the blog, I don't know if you all know I'm a single mom with the world's MOST dysfunctional family. So...I get in writing/editing/revising where I can fit it in.

Add to that the fact that I've been helping to edit my friend Pam's book (see below a picture of me...editing Pam's book) and that just adds to more insanity. And somehow I find time to take pictures of food I cook and post those pictures here. I am officially crazy.

True Nik fact: Nik's day job is as a professional writer and she is studying to become an editor!

So the update...I have the initial layout done! I'm doing this DIY so that I can pass the savings on to you (and not charge $75 a copy...kidding...sorta) so it's slow going but I am learning SO much!

I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek into the direction the book is going in. I'm working to make it full of tools that YOU can use to live out your existences as Bariatric Foodies in your own environments.

To that effect, here's a tool I developed for the book to help you discover your "protein shake personality." (hint: it's the same as the above thumbnail) Enjoy this sneak peek and stay tuned for the release of the book (God willing and the sun don't shine) in the early summer!

So try the test out for now. As I get closer to releasing the book, I'll give you more information on what your answers mean. Until then...stay tuned!

Ramekin Peach Pies



Break out your ramekins, kids, it’s time for more fun!

This week let’s try something sweet.

When trying to think of something sweet I experienced a phenomenon I call “information overload.” Quite simply, there were too many choices and I couldn’t decide which one to move forward with. If you’ve been keeping up with this blog for a minute, you know I already attacked ramekin cheesecakes. But there is a whole WORLD of food, savory and sweet, that we can experience in a ramekin.

Then one night I got a little help making my decision. From the Soap Opera Network.

You see, they run old episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 and I was watching it. I used to love that show as a teenager. No, that’s not quite right. I was OBSESSED with that show as a teenager. So anyway, I’m watching the show and it hits me. The Peach Pit. But of course!

Ramekin Peach Pie.

Let’s do this.

Nik’s Ramekin Peach Pies

Ingredients
(makes two 3 oz. ramekins)

Crust Ingredients

(I know I already gave you the ingredients for a low-carb crust, but here’s the deal. I just finished off the last of a LOT of crust from my freezer that was overage. I didn’t want anymore, so I got inspired to figure out how to just make 2 ramekin pie’s worth of crust. I figure it’s a win-win for those of us who don’t want a ton of crust, right?)

1/3 c. either Carbquikor Atkins Baking Mix
1 tbsp light baking stick (butter), chilled and diced
1 packet no-calorie sweetener (I used Splenda)
A “splick” of salt (don’t act like you don’t know what a splick is)
1 tbsp COLD water

Filling Ingredients (check out how simple this is)

3-4 no-sugar added diced peach cups, about half the juices of each cup drained (let's be real here...I drank it...I am not ashamed!)
4 packets (2 tbsp) of no-calorie sweetener
¼ tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. of one of the following: either Atkins Mix, Carbquik OR you can also use some unflavored protein powder (this is for thickening the juices of the peaches)
A dash of cinnamon

TIP: You can also use canned sliced peaches and you can even use the kind in syrup, BUT if you do, drain them into a colander first and rinse them of the syrup. Then you’ll have to add back in a bit more water and use about 2 additional packets of Splenda to replace the sweetness.

Directions:

Prepare the crust by first mixing in the salt and the Splenda, then cutting the butter in (there was so little mix, I just did it with a fork).

Add cold water, ½ teaspoon at a time, until a dough ball forms.

Stash your dough in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

In a bowl, mix together the peaches, lemon juice and sweetener. After that is mixed, add your thickening agent and stir again. It might look a little grainy, but trust me…this will work out.

Fill your ramekins with the peaches and set aside.

Roll out your lil’ dough ball and cut two rounds out of it. (I had to take a pic of this. The dough ball was so small I didn’t even bother with a rolling pin. Instead, I used these groovy Ikea kids cups which also doubled as a cutter).

Top your peaches with the crust and cut a venting hole in the middle of the crust. If you’d like you can brush some additional butter over the top (and I did…just for flavor and color effects).

Bake in a preheated 350 oven (I used my toaster oven) for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is nice and golden.

Allow to cool before serving.

It sorta looks like a cupcake, doesn't it?

Now, I served mine with a bit dollop of fat-free whipped cream. Since this is purely dessert and not particularly protein forward (although if you use the Atkins mix, along with protein powder for thickener, it has a lot more protein than a normal slice of peach pie), you want to go easy on the toppings.

This was light and sweet and actually made me long for summer. Still a few months away though. Until then…I always have Brandon and the gang to keep me company…

The Bariatric Foodie Survival Guide to P.F. Chang's

Disclaimer: Like all the Pouch Party™ Peeks, these opinions are my own. I am not compensated, by P.F. Chang’s or anyone else for the GLOWING (or glowering rather) review I am about to give. Also, you can download this guide as a PDF (to maybe take to the restaurant with you?) by clicking here.

If this trendy chain restaurant hasn’t reached your area yet, I would seriously consider phoning them and asking them why???

It’s one of my favorite post-op restaurant choices. Why? Well, first off, it’s called a “Chinese Bistro.” Now to the naked eye that doesn’t look significant at all, but a Chinese Bistro. A bistro is a French concept for a “small restaurant that traditionally serves bread and wine.” So for P.F. Changs, with their famous lettuce wraps, sleek plateware, dim environment (that makes you feel like you’re out to a romantic dinner even if you show up at noon) to call itself a bistro??? That, in and of itself, makes it awesome.

But the food…oh the food…that just takes it to another level. In this edition of “Pouch Party™ Peeks” we’re going to take a look at the food and see what’s worth checking out, what to leave alone and the many, many reasons you should check out P.F. Chang’s (if you haven’t already!).

The first thing I like about P.F. Chang’s is the servers. I’ve been there more times post-op than I can count (when I go out to eat, which is rarely, it is usually to P.F. Chang’s) and my servers have:

1. Always been polite and served me well although my meal rarely amounts to more than $10.
2. Never sweated me when I asked them NOT to serve me rice at all (and actually made sure it happened).
3. Never looked crossways when I sent a plate to be packed looking virtually untouched (although they did ask, just once, if everything was ok. When I assured them it was and that I had just gotten full, that’s where the inquiry ended).
4. Never pressured me to take water I did not want with my meal!

So that is always encouraging for us post-ops. Now, I don’t want you to think I’m just bragging on my local P.F. Chang’s. In addition to the four I have within 30 minutes driving distance, I’ve also visited them in New Jersey, New York, Chicago and Arizona. All with the same level of service.

Now let’s get to the menu. And by the way, you can find their full nutritional information by visiting their website.

Beverages

I highlight this first because when we first sit down to a table is our only opportunity to experience beverages. The turn around time on the food isn’t terribly long, so you sort of have to do the beverage thing, if you’re going to do the beverage thing, as soon as you get there.

This is where I think this restaurant shines. First off, they have more than just the normal “soda, wine, beer” triumvirate.

In fact, they have a selection of wonderful flavored decaf teas that come in a little, ancient looking ceramic pot with the cutest little 3 oz. teacups. Perfect for folks who need to sip slowly. I HIGHLY recommend the Sweet Ginger Peach Decaf. The smell is divine. The taste is much better. My server knows now to bring me lots of Splenda and that if he lets me savor the taste of the tea for a few extra moments before taking my order, he will be handsomely rewarded. You have to establish that kind of relationship with your server, you know…

Moving along, they also have very nice decaffeinated iced teas as well. So the point here is that you have choices that aren’t water or diet soda (both of which I find less than stellar choices frankly. Your mileage may vary.)

Starters/Small Plates



More and more restaurants are integrating heartier choices into their appetizer menu and calling them “small plates” menus. I think this is admirable so long as there are both healthy and indulgent choices. Personally, when I go to P.F. Chang’s I do one of two things food-wise. I either order a few things from the small plate menu (and share them usually) or I skip it and just order my entrée (without rice).

Here’s three solid choices on the small plate menu:

Lettuce Wraps

You CANNOT go to this restaurant and not try the lettuce wraps. I don’t care if you go for the chicken or the vegetarian, this savory appetizer is a MUST try! It comes with four Iceberg lettuce leaves and a delicious concoction of either chicken or tofu mixed with water chestnuts and some sauce I cannot figure out for the life of me or else I’d make it at home!

The amount needed to fill each lettuce cup (which, incidentally, is the amount I’d say it takes to make a person 4 months out or less completely full) is about 140 calories, 8g of protein. It’s a bit high on the sodium (650 mg) for the amount of food you are eating (especially if you put their special sauce on there…I’ll get to that in a minute) but so long as you aren’t eating there every day, I don’t see why you can’t indulge every now and again.

Seared Ahi Tuna

This is a slightly pan-seared sushi-grade tuna (which is code for: you can actually chew it successfully) and it is GOOD. It’s about 160 calories, 10g protein and comes with a sauce that adds about 50 calories to the deal if you want to try it.

Newbie Best Bet: The Wonton Soup

This soup has the most protein and the least sodium, just skip the wonton noodles. It only comes in bowl form, which I don’t like but if enough of us request a cup, who knows? It might happen! It’s 92 calories, 7g of protein for each 7 oz serving, but the bowl is 32 oz. So for now, here’s my advice. Get the soup, ask for a cup sized bowl. Ladle yourself out what you can eat and go to town!

BONUS: Sensible Splurge: Spring Rolls

With 156 calories, 17g of carbs and 2g of fiber, if you want a splurge, I’d highly recommend this one. Beware if you’re newer out. Spring rolls are filled with steamed veggies that might not be kind to your system.

Entrees

Like I said above, I have a tendency to either order a few of the starters or just my entrée and, again, I request it without rice. The nice thing about “Chang’s” is that they don’t give you mega-portions. Well…that comes with a caveat. To post-ops, especially newbies, most anything seems like a mega-portion. But in the “real world” the portions at this restaurant are quite healthy.

Here’s a three solid choices (and one splurge) from the entrees:

Cantonese Shrimp

I’ve only gotten this once and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. This dish is a shrimp dish that is served in a light garlic sauce. Their plate is 2 servings, each of which have 200 calories and 21g of protein!

Moo Goo Gai Pan

Chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and veggies. How can you go wrong? The only thing I find wrong with their chicken selections is that most of them have sneaky sugar sources in the sauces, but this is a fairly safe choice. A plate is 3 servings, each of which are 247 calories, 18g protein. I personally go for the Dali Chicken, myself, which is relatively low-cal but also THE spiciest dish on the menu. So…most of you…don’t get that…

Vegetarian Choices

This is where the menu gets a little dicey. The steamed Buddha’s feast, a concoction of veggies in a savory sauce, is lowest in calories (220 to be precise, with 14g of protein). but has an ASTRONOMICAL amount of sodium in it. There isn’t enough water in the world to soak up that much sodium. The coconut curry veggies are the highest in protein (22g) but also the highest in calories per serving (520). My advice for vegetarians: go for the lettuce wraps on the small plate menu. In this scenario, it’s hard to win.

BONUS: Sensible Splurge

I would actually label those Coconut Curry Vegetables as a sensible splurge. They are quite delicious: smooth, creamy curry sauce over veggies. It’s so decadent you won’t miss the rice at all.

Accoutrements



This, of course, is a fancy word for “add-ons.” Since they can call themselves a bistro, I can call their add-ons “accoutrements.” That’s just how it goes!

• Rice: I usually skip it but it’s noteworthy that they offer whole grain, brown rice and that you don’t have to special request it. They ask you which kind you want when you order.
• Sauce: If you tell the server it’s your first time there, they will show you the deal with the sauces. If not, it’s sort of like the seven seashells set up in the movie “Demolition Man.” You feel like you’re the only one that doesn’t get it. Main point here: moderation! Lots of sodium in that stuff but a little can enhance most any dish there.
• Dessert: Further-outs have pointed out to me in the past that I usually neglect to go over dessert options. This is true. I don’t routinely order dessert out but it is noteworthy that Chang’s has the most adorable little mini-dessert portions, served in shot glasses. They are a few selections from their larger dessert menu, just reduced in size! They range from 130-220 calories per dessert, so if you have one it’s not the end of the world. But I’m not going into any more detail about it.

So there you have it…your guide to exploring P.F. Chang’s. Next time you go to dinner, try it out! And tell them Nik sent you! (And watch they look at you quizzically as they think “who the hell is Nik???”)

Again, you can download this handy-dandy resource as a PDF by clicking here!

BF Family Style: Nik's "Winner, Winner" Pork Chop Dinner

The dark complexion is no accident. I actually like my food darn near burned, but that's my issue...



Oven fried porkchops. Nothing new, right? Shake 'n Bake has had this on lock a looooong time, right?

Believe it or not, there's still room to make this just a bit more WLS-friendly.

How?

1. That trick I taught you guys about marinating your chicken in Greek yogurt? That works on pork as well.
2. With a few simple ingredients you can make your own, whole wheat oven coating for meat thats darn tasty with better carbs and less sodium.
3. The side dish is great both with traditional brown rice or cauliflower rice. You pick which one you use!

So here's how you achieve this dinner:

Nik's "Winner, winner" Pork Chop Dinner

Ingredients for pork chops:

4 boneless pork chops, visible fat trimmed

1 cup unflavored 0% Greek yogurt
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs (I make my own…look for that tip in a future post!)
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
¾ c. liquid egg substitute (or 3 eggs, beaten)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste

Optional: dried parsely flakes.

Ingredients for “Fake Me Out” Spanish Rice

1 bag cauliflower florets, boiled, drained and finely mashed
(if you using rice, use a prepared brown rice boil-in-bag)
1 can tomatoes/chiles (whatever heat you can handle), half the juice discarded
½ c. milk
½ c. grated Mexican blend cheese

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

The morning of the day you plan to make this for dinner, seal the pork chops in a zip-top bag with the Greek yogurt and leave in the refrigerator all day.

When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a bowl. Set beside your bowl of egg to make a dredging station.

Shake excess yogurt off pork chops (no need to towel dry) and dip first in egg, then bread crumbs, then repeat until a good coating is formed.

Place coated chops on a cookie sheet and bake about 35 minutes or until clear juices bubble up from the coating.

To make the “rice,” simply combine cooked and mashed cauliflower with milk, cheese and tomatoes/chiles. Simmer over medium flame about 7 minutes or until cheese is no longer stringy and has melted into the milk. Turn heat off. “Sauce” will thicken upon standing.

Now, I have to out my children because they actually chose to make this an international meal: we went Americana for the chops, Mexican for the “rice” and…they requested sauerkraut of all things to go with it! Go figure.

At any rate, this was a real treat for me as I can’t tolerate fried foods even when I am feeling rebellious enough to eat them! But I can’t eat but so much of this either. As tender as the meat turns out, solid meat like that has a limit in my pouch, so usually I dice some up in a bowl (yes…like you’d do for a four year old), douse it with hot sauce and go to town!

This is how Nik rolls with the oven fried pork chop!



Enjoy!

2011 Bariatric Foodie Pledge: Meet the Week 4 Pledgers!

Whew! Sorry about yesterday guys. I was feeling achy and tired and I don't know what it was but my immune system came in and kicked butt! So I feel better now.

So without further adieu, I present the 52 people I have on record as Week 4 Pledgers. If you do not see your name on this list and think it should be, please e-mail me at pouchparty@yahoo.com (do not simply post on Facebook or Twitter as I won't be on there much today).

Good luck to all the pledgers this week!

Week 4 Pledgers:

Alicia N. pledged on Facebook

Angie B. pledged on Facebook
Angie L. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Annabell R. pledged on Facebook (Week 2 Winner: still in the running for the big prize!)
Audra S. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Candi pledged on Bariatric Foodie NOTE: Are you the same Candi who pledged on Facebook?
Candi N. pledged on Facebook
Cris M. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Deanna B. pledged on Facebook
Deb C. pledged on Facebook
Denise L. pledged on Facebook
Dorie Ann P. pledged on Facebook
Gypsy H. pledged on Facebook
Heather J. pledged on Facebook
Holli A. pledged on Facebook
Holly M. pledged on Facebook
Jan F. pledged on Facebook
Jan N. pledged on Facebook
Jennifer P. pledged on Facebook
Kathy B. pledged on Facebook (Week 1 Winner: Still in the running for the big prize!)
Kathy G. pledged on Facebook
Kelleigh L. pledged on Facebook
Kelly S. pledged on Facebook (Week 3 Winner: Still in the running for the big prize!)
Kristi D. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Kristi R. pledged on Facebook
Kyle H. pledged on Facebook
LaRue E. pledged on Facebook
Lisa C. pledged on Facebook
Lisa W. pledged on Facebook
Mary D. pledged on Facebook
Melissa P. pledged on Facebook
Melissa R. pledged on Facebook
Meryl U. pledged on Facebook
Mykaela R. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Nancy L. pledged on Facebook
Pam R. pledged on Facebook
Pat W. pledged on Facebook
Patricia V. pledged on Facebook
Rachel L. pledged on Twitter
Ramona S. pledged on Facebook
Relene F. pledged on Facebook
RhondaSue W. pledged on Facebook
Robin F. pledged on Facebook
Robin Y. pledged on Facebook
Sara C. pledged on Facebook
Shelly pledged on Bariatric Foodie
soccerrocker09 pledged on Twitter NOTE: I need your name!
Stacy S. pledged on Facebook
Susan T. pledged on Bariatric Foodie
Terri O. pledged on Facebook
Toby P. pledged on Facebook
Toni L. pledged on Facebook
Veridonna pledged on Twitter

Be sure to check-in this weekend AFTER I post the call for check-ins and good luck to everyone!

2011 Bariatric Foodie Pledge: Week 3 Winner/Week 4 Pledges!

Wow…this four weeks has gone by fast!

But what a great few weeks it has been. So many of you have used the Pouch Party™ Pledge as a catalyst to work on your goals. And not just passively. You guys really mean it! I’ve been keeping an eye on your Facebook posts and touching base with some of you about your goals. I think it’s great that you are taking your goals so seriously and hope you continue on after the end of the pledge this week!

So if you’ve been pledging up to now, you know what today is all about: pledging and prizes!

For Week 3 of the pledge, 54 people pledged by the deadline of Tuesday at noon. Of those, 39 people checked in by the deadline of Sunday at 8 p.m. (and of those, 37 were eligible for the weekly prize as 2 people who checked in were former winners). That is the pool of names I plugged into a random name generator to pick this week’s prize winner, who is:

Kelly Schaefer!!!!

Congratulations! You are the winner of a bag of Atkins Mix and a collection of Bariatric Foodie™ recipes to use it! Please e-mail me at pouchparty@yahoo.com to find out how to claim your prize!

For our last weekly prize I am giving away something that has been invaluable to me as a working mommy post-op: a Hamilton Beach Single Serve blender!!! This handy little blender is small enough to stow in an office cubicle (and I do) and the "base" serves double duty as a travel cup that fits in any car cup holder. I use this to make my shakes at work, which is where I consume my shakes during the week.

So that + a first edition copy of “Shake it Up: the Official Pouch Party™ Protein Shake Recipe Book” will await the week 4 winner (note: if you happened to already purchase a shake book during the holiday preview craze, I can send you a collection of recipe cards instead).

This cutie could be yours this week!

So let’s just review…one more time…how to pledge. For people who pledged early you MUST re-pledge during the pledge period to be eligible for the prize. This week especially I am not able to track early pledges, so please submit yours between now and noon tomorrow!!!

How to Pledge
On Facebook (two ways):

#1 - Post a message on your wall that says "This week, I'm taking the @Pouch Party Pledge to _______" and enter your pledge. NOTE: You may have to manually type in the "@Pouch Party." The important thing here is that Pouch Party gets tagged in your post so it shows up on OUR wall. If it doesn't show up on the Pouch Party wall, I don't know you pledged!

#2 - Post the same message on our wall or as a comment on our call for pledges

NOTE: A few folks had trouble because they cut/paste the statement above onto their wall, which didn't tag us. If you're unsure about option #1 PLEASE use option #2!!!

Twitter:

Tweet the Following: "#PouchPartyPledge Wk4: _____" and then fill in your pledge.

Here on the blog:

Leave a comment with your pledge on the blog. NOTE: Please make sure I have your name. It's hard to find you if you win if I don't have your name!

Please also note that tomorrow afternoon I'm going to post a list of all the pledgers eligible for this week's prize. If you do not pledge by Tuesday at noon, your name will not be on that list! You are still welcome to work on your goal that week, though!
 
So you have your directions...get to pledging!!!

BF Weekly Round-up (week of 2/14)

This is something new I'm trying out. I figured it'd be an easy way to summarize everything we've covered on Bariatric Foodie this week!

Monday: we went over the details of the Pouch Party Pledge and announced the winner!

Tuesday: For all the Reuben lovers in the house, I offer the recipe for my adorable Reubein ramekin!

Wednesday: We visited the BF Kid Zone to use up the leftover low-carb pie crust from last week to make low-carb/low-fat/high-fiber pocket sandwiches and I shared the Seven Habits of a Bariatric Foodie. Are you one?



Thursday: I took a day off! Whew!

Friday: I showed you how to make a WLS-friendly version of a breakfast treat featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" - Captain Nik's Protein French Toast!



Saturday: I called for Pouch Party Pledge Week 3 check-ins! Have you submitted yours yet? If not, you have until 8 p.m. today (Sunday)!

So there you have it...a week's worth of Bariatric Foodie. Stay tuned next week when we'll:

• Go into the FINAL week of the Pouch Party Pledge!
• Debunk the myth that you can't have your taco salad in a taco bowl!
• Swing by the "peach pit" for some more ramekin fun!

Stay tuned...and keep playing with your food!

BF Top 5: Kitchen Staples to Make BF Recipes NOW!

Often when I post a recipe, I get a message or two from people asking where to buy certain ingredients or lamenting about having to order something in order to make one of my recipes.

I just want to let you know I hear you! You might notice that these days I am giving more and more local suggestions to replace special orders in my recipes. I still use the special order items, however, because a lot of times the nutritionals on them are simply better than what I can find in my local store.

From my perspective, it’s my job to make the healthiest and tastiest variation of a dish possible so that you can have a starting point. From there, you all can play with your food and come up with a version that works best for you!

Keeping that in mind, I put together a short list of a few things you might order to be able to make Bariatric Foodie recipes, as-is, right away. Click on any of the links or images to go to where you can order. In the interest of full disclosure I’ll tell you that when you DO order you keep the good recipes and reviews coming as a portion of your orders benefit the blog.

In no particular order:

Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder

I use this stuff a lot. A LOT. Why? Well it isn’t 100% absolutely unflavored (it is whey after all) but the flavor is so mild it is covered by nearly anything. As an added bonus it is optimized for cooking. That means you can put it directly into cooking food (like soups, stews or you can bake with it) and won’t get nasty clumps. With the exception of baked goods, you should add the powder as a last step in your cooking (mostly to keep the unflavored benefit but also because, while it doesn’t really clump it can affect the texture of whatever you are making).

Atkins Baking Mix

This is a nifty product if I do say so myself. It comes with the perfect balance of low-carb flour (soy based), baking powder, salt, etc. So all you have to do is add a little fat and, if desired, a leavening agent and you are good to go with biscuits, pancakes and a lot more. One serving of the stuff has 20g of protein! It’s a carb you can feel good about eating!

Carbquik

Pssst...if you want to order...click the link on the word "Carbquik." It's cheaper!

Carbquik is like Atkins Baking Mix…but not. The emphasis for “CQ” is the low-carb part. So there isn’t much protein per serving but there IS a lot of fiber. The base for this is carbalose flour which is formulated to be high in fiber and also some other variations of carbs that your body simply cannot digest. CQ has a bit of a twangy taste (versus Atkins which has a bit of a twangy aroma), so that takes some working around. All my recipes make accommodations for that.



Decaffeinated Instant Espresso

For newbies especially, anytime I post a kind of “Click Frapp” I post a decaf version using this stuff. You could use decaf coffee, yes, but there is a distinct difference between coffee and the flavor of espresso. Espresso brings it “there” with the Frapp taste and takes your drink from an everyday shake to an experience!

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)



If you’re going “huh?” then click here. I use TVP in many recipes to either boost the protein count or bulk it up for the fam. Although clicking the link will take you to where you can buy this, it is carried in many stores in the health food section (check for the brand name “Bob’s Red Mill”). Go check and see if yours has it!

If you invest in these five ingredients...a world of Bariatric Foodie recipes will magically open up to you!

Captain Nik's French Toast!

~by Nikki

Anyone who ever saw the very first Baltimore episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” knows about the wonderful confection that is “Cap’n Crunch French Toast.”

It’s served at the Blue Moon Café and it is an experience (meaning, one I’m glad I got to have before my surgery!). I make a variation of this breakfast for my children on special occasions and I always look at them longingly as they eat it…wishing I had a slice for myself.

In times like this there is only really one thing to do: play with your food!

Captain Nik’s French Toast

The main ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 slice of whole wheat bread (I used P-28 protein bread. If you don’t like or have it, any good 100% whole wheat bread will do but make sure it's a brand with larger slices, like Arnold)
¼ c. Fiber One original cereal, crushed into crumbs
1 tbsp butterscotch pudding mix
1 tbsp peanut flour (or PB2)
½ + 1 whole tbsp no-calorie sweetener (I used Splenda)
1 tbsp reduced fat butter spread (I used Blue Bonnet Light)
A dash of cinnamon
¼ c. liquid egg substitute
2 tbsp sugar-free pancake syrup
Non-stick cooking spray

(Before going into the directions, I'd like to acknowledge that yes...just days ago I said I don't particularly like P-28 bread. Well the fact that I paid for it means that I do have to eat it! So I found a way to like it. I find I don't mind it if it is heavily toasted or cooked in a pan some way. As just a sandwich bread...no...can't do it. Moving on...)

Directions:

Slice your bread into whatever size is feasible to you (I can eat one of those slices shown above at 3 years out just to give you an idea).

On a plate or in a bowl, combine your cereal crumbs, pudding mix, peanut flour and sweetner (the full tablespoon portion) well. In another bowl combine the egg substitute with the half portion of sweetener. (Why is this necessary? My first few batches came out slightly salty for some reason which, by the way, was not entirely unpleasing once I added syrup. But to get the "Cap'n Crunch" effect, you need a bit more sweetness. The only way I seemed able to achieve that was by adding Splenda to BOTH the egg and the dredging mixture).



Set up a dredging station with a small bowl of liquid egg substitute and the crumb mixture. Dip both sides of bread in egg, then in the crumb mixture and then repeat.



Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and set over a medium flame until it gets hot (do a water drop test) and THEN add your tablespoon of butter spread (yes...do both).



Pan fry your bread about 3 minutes on each side or until each side is browned and crispy.

Transfer to a plate and top any way you like (you probably won’t be able to eat a whole slice if using P-28 bread. If you aren’t, you might think about only eating half or even a quarter so that you can get in an egg or some other protein heavy food).

Enjoy!

Seven Habits of a "Bariatric Foodie"

This is a total riff off of the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” and there is probably a WLS version of this somewhere. But here at Bariatric Foodie, I like to think we approach things just a wee bit differently than the general bariatric community.

Keeping that in mind, I compiled a list of seven habits that I think any bariatric foodie possesses. I invite you to agree, disagree and debate. You can even propose a few of your own! E-mail me if you think of something I’ve missed.

In no particular order. A bariatric foodie:

…is inherently suspicious of food packaging

Yeah...this is really good for me. After all...it's 100% WHOLE GRAIN!!!

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: food companies aren’t looking out for our best interests! That does not mean all food products are evil, just that sometimes a little decoding is in order. Because, as a bariatric foodie, you know that just because a product is “no sugar added” does not mean it is safe for your consumption. So you investigate!

…has a scrupulous proficiency in nutrition label reading

To go along with my first point, you don’t take food at face value. You go straight to the information that you need: the nutrition facts label. A bariatric foodie knows the in’s and out’s of a nutrition label and knows the pitfalls to look for. They also know to not only check the nutrition facts but also the ingredients list to know exactly what you are eating.

…thinks outside the box when it comes to their favorite foods

So you love tacos but have committed to a new lifestyle. Why not make a lower-fat, higher fiber taco casserole or taco soup? A true bariatric foodie does not bind a food with its original form. Everything about their favorite dishes is up for debate. Thus, a deli sandwich can become a dip, a favorite dessert a protein shake!

…isn’t afraid to try new things…and isn’t afraid to admit not liking them

You’ll find a lot of product reviews on this site. Some I liked, some I did not. For example, while my former partner fell in love with P-28 protein bread (because, even I’ll admit, the stats on it are amazing!) I did not. But a true bariatric foodie looks to new foods with a sense of adventure. But when you don’t like something you aren’t afraid to squarely cross it off your list.

…knows which dishes should just be left alone

Yeah...deep fried Snicker bar...I'm not touching that one! For the record, I don't think you should either!a

While I always say “there is no food that can’t be made WLS friendly” there are just some foods that…shouldn’t — that don’t hold any promise of benefit to us in our post-op life at all and any changes we make to them would vastly diminish our collective memories of said food. In these cases, I don’t recommend people cut these foods out of their lives. No way! A true bariatric foodie knows that there is even a place for treats in our post-op lives. But they are just that: treats. And they should be eaten in extreme moderation in their original forms.

…knows how to survive even the most challenging food situations

From holiday parties to a family trip to the buffet, a true bariatric foodie is armed with the information they need to make it through life’s toughest situations without derailing their whole process. And even when they do have a melt-down…and it happens to the best of us…they know how to brush off, get up and try again!

And finally…

…plays with their food!

Not only with recipes from this site, but of their own imagining. Not only that, a true bariatric foodie shares what they learn with others so that everyone can have more enjoyable food experiences.

Knowing all this…are you a bariatric foodie? If you’re not, by clicking on any of the links in this post, you’ve gotten well on your way to becoming one.

My main point here is that being a bariatric foodie is not just about being Nik. You are a bariatric foodie too. This blog is a community where bariatric foodies come together to share and experience great food and knowledge about that food.

So c’mon! Be a bariatric foodie…and play with your food!

BF Kid Zone: Warm Pocket Sandwiches

Someone call the Food CSI. That one on the left looks MURDERED!!!



Sometimes bad things happen to good food.

Even mine. Especially mine. Which is why this recipe underwent my self-imposed three test batches before I even thought about presenting it to you. And yet...something went wrong. As you can see, one of my pocket sandwiches is gorgeous - slightly browned on the outside, cheese bubbling up out of the vent slits, warm and tasty-looking.

The other? Is not. And rather than hide that fact from you guys, I figured I'd go into a bit more detail about what I think went wrong and how you can avoid it!

First the recipe:

Nik's Warm Pocket Sandwiches
(with a 1/2 batch of dough, as prescribed below, it makes 2 non-op sized sandwiches, about 3-4 "us" sized ones)

Ingredients:

1/2 batch of Nik's Carbquik pie crust (note: Atkins Baking Mix works just fine in place of Carbquikin this recipe if that's what you have)

For the pocket on the right I used: shredded low-sodium, low-fat deli ham + 1/2 c. shredded white American cheese

For the pocket on the left I used: about 7 turkey pepperoni, 1/4 c. low-sugar spaghetti sauce and 1/2 c. pizza blend cheese

Optional: A few sprays of low or no-cal butter spray

Directions:

Cut your dough into two pieces. On a floured surface, roll your dough out into a large rectangular shape. (Mistake #1: I let the dough sit out too long so it kept tearing and I kept re-working it into a ball. I'd stashed the other half of the dough ball back in the fridge. In hindsight, I should have put that one in the fridge for a few minutes as well. Then I proceeded to over flour the dough to prevent it from sticking)

Do you see the cracks around the edges??? That never bodes well with dough. Never.

In the middle of your dough, place whatever filling you are going to use. Recommended order: cheese, meat/veggies, sauce, more cheese). Make sure to leave a good amount of the perimeter of the dough untouched so you can fold it properly. (Mistake #2: I put the filling way too close to the edge of the dough and I got a bit heavy handed with the sauce).

I was still holding onto hope at this point...



Wet your fingertips and run them along the permeter of the dough. Fold the top and the bottom of the dough over and then roll it from right to left (as if you were rolling a burrito or wrap). Wet your fingertips again and pinch the sides of the dough closed and fold them over. (Since my dough was way too warm and too dry, I had cracks in it from the onset).

Bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown (again, I did this in the toaster ove). Allow to cool before serving.

Ok, so a few observations:

1. This is a recipe I've made a gajillion times but only when I have extra dough. While it is cool to say you know how to make your own "Hot Pocket," the availability of Lean Pockets in the store makes the "from scratch" method a bit less appealing. Your mileage may vary.
2. One appeal of making these yourself is that the stats are way better on them (no, I'm not giving you the stats...but nice try). If you use Carbquik there is TONS of fiber, with Atkins Baking Mix there's a good deal of protein. If you use a lower-calorie baking spread instead of butter in the dough, you cut down on the fat considerably.
3. Although my pepperoni pizza sandwich was not aesthetically pleasing, La Petite Diva (who got this for dinner) said it tasted amazing. I took a bite. I would have to agree ;)

But in general you want your sandwich to look like this one:

Peeps...please note this is the non-op sized one. For me, I'd make this about half the size



I wish I had a shot of the open sandwich that turned out well but La Grande Diva, in all her pre-pubescent splendor, fell asleep early yesterday evening while I was cooking and didn't awaken until this morning (after much threatening). When I get that shot, I'll add it. Until then, play with your food! And if you come up with something good, PLEASE...send it my way! I love to see what you're cooking.