BF Top 5: Nik's Fave 2011 Recipes

It has been an interesting year, Foodies. The year began with two authors and ended with one, but as you can see, nothing can stop the Foodie Nation. We rock on, baby!

This is very uncharacteristic of me, but I'm going to skip the long intro and just get to my five favorite recipes posted on BF this year. Click the titles to get to the full recipe!

Breakfast: Nik's Cheesteak Scramble

I love eggs...from my head down to my...well you get the point. I have been fortunate in that I can still tolerate eggs post-op so I love to make these easy scrambles that incorporate the flavors of my former, not-so-healthy food choices. This cheesesteak scramble was a nod to my old sub-shop days.

Entree: Mexican Sausage & Peppers



I love sausage & peppers in general, but when I played around with this recipe I was even surprised at how good it came out. If you were newer out, consider dicing your sausage and peppers, instead of slicing them for smaller bites. For the hearty eaters in your household, put this on a whole wheat sub roll for a mighty-mighty sandwich!

Soup: Nik's Cheesy "Fauxtato" Bacon Soup



For the "meat and potato" lovers in the house...this soup will help with the craving for a loaded baked potato. For newbies, omit the bacon pieces and mix in a Laughing Cow Light wedge or a sprinkle of yoru favorite finely shredded cheese while it's still hot for a yummy, puree-stage approved treat! For added protein, you can mix in a scoop of unflavored protein while cooking.

Protein Shake: Nik's Tropical Sunrise Smoothie

Every once in a while this chocoholic likes to take a break from the creamy drinks and have something a little fruity. This shake took me to the islands! Be sure you're approved for fruits before trying this one and if you don't know if you dump on natural sugars, be sure to do a sip test (sip...wait a full minute for a reaction...then proceed) first.

Protein Carrot Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

These win on cuteness factor alone and decorating them was lots fun!

What recipes did you love this year? Let me know in the comments. And if you still haven't found your favorite BF recipe, be sure to check out my complete recipe index. I'm convinced there's something in there for everyone!

Thanks for making 2011 another great "year of the Foodie!"

Happy New Year!

Nik's Protein Peppermint Mocha



For those who've read this blog for a while, you know I have this secret fantasy to take Starbucks DOWN!!! (Well not down...but at least have a higher protein answer to every nominous offering they have). This is why I took on the art of the Frappucino (using Click as my medium) and it's what inspired my latest protein drink obsession.

This post, though, I'd like to take a different approach to how I present it to you. I know not everyone cares WHY I make the choices I make in a recipe - some of you just care whether it tastes good. But for protein drinks especially, I think it's important to know something about balance of flavors and why certain things work and some don't. I know you guys tinker with recipes...and I WANT you to...that's the whole point of this blog. Not for you all to make all my recipes to the letter (although if you dig them as-is, go for it!) but that I present an idea and you use what YOU know to make it your own.

So without further adieu...let's get to the drink...and the rationale behind it.

Nik's Protein Peppermint Mocha

Ingredients

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I am partial to this)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp good decaf coffee or, my preference, decaf instant espresso
2 tsp. of your favorite no-calorie sweetener
About 4 oz. cold milk
About 6 oz. boiling water
2 tbsp (about 3 pumps) of either sugar-free Peppermint syrup or, my preference, sugar-free Peppermint Paddy syrup

(Yes, yes...I know 'Bux uses some sort of mocha syrup for their drink but seeing as my particular Starbucks won't sell it to me [they usually don't at the height of a new drink flavor], I can only do what I do! Plus I like the Peppermint Paddy syrup a lot.)

Ok, so let's break this down. Yesterday I went over how to make a hot protein drink. I made my drink using this process. You can too. Or you can use whatever method you like best. So let's talk about the ingredients.

The thing I find so satisfying about the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha (versus the other versions floating around...some of which I did manage a sip or two of) is that they got something that nobody else seems to get...when you pair up the sweetness of peppermint against the bitter flavors of cocoa and coffee, magical things happen!

'Bux doesn't try to mask the bitters of the coffee and chocolate, but rather celebrates it. My first few tries of making this drink at home I didn't use unsweetened cocoa and was conservative with my coffee. Big mistake. It came out too sweet! When I added in the unsweetened cocoa, calmed down with the sweetener and added the proper amount of coffee, the bitter rang through loud and clear - and it was EXACTLY what I was looking for.

Keep in mind, Foodies, that most people's tongues like contrasting flavors: sweet and salty, sweet and bitter, sweet and spicy. These are all good combos that will excite your tongue! So don't be afraid to play those off of one another. It might get you some raised eyebrows when you talk about it with others...but who cares? As long as you have your food bliss, who needs to be understood?

BF Basics: How to Make a Hot Protein Drink



As it usually happens, this post came about because I thought I'd already done a tutorial post, went looking for it and found I did not. I mention how to make hot protein drinks in all of my hot protein drink posts, but there is no one post for how to mix one up, similar to the post about how to mix up triple thick protein shakes using the Triple X method.

So this post is half housekeeping. And for your trouble, tomorrow I am also sharing my latest hot protein drink obsession in hopes that it may become your obsession too. Cuz...you know...addiction is funner with friends, right?

First, let's disspell some myths.

True or False: Once protein powder is heated above 130 degrees it is no good for you.

(FALSE)

In this instance I defer to my favorite protein powder analogy: the egg. Protein powder and eggs act a lot alike. A raw egg is a very absorbable form of protein. That's why you always see body builders putting them in their drinks or just downing them like shooters (ew). So then you cook it and the structure of the protein changes, but it's still protein your body can use. Same deal with protein powder. So next time someone tells you that particular myth, tell them Nik told you to say the following: "Nuh uh!"

The first and most important thing you should know about making protein drinks is what NOT to do with them. Do not simply add boiling water to a scoop of protein powder. Wait...that bears saying a bit louder. DO NOT SIMPLY ADD BOILING WATER TO A SCOOP OF PROTEIN POWDER. Yes, you can have piping hot protein drinks...but that's not the way to get them.

Now this, like many other aspects of post-WLS life, is one of those things where there are as many methods to do it as there are post-ops. This is my way. It doesn't involve any special machinery and even though I live in the 1800's and use a tea kettle, the whole thing takes all of about three minutes max.

Here's how I do it:

Step One:

I put just enough water in my teapot for my protein drink, ensuring it will boil up quickly. Then I get out my favorite coffee mug and put in a scoop of protein powder and whatever dry flavor additives I'm using (Splenda, unsweetened cocoa, instant coffee, etc.). What's in my cup? Tune in tomorrow and find out! But the important thing to remember here is to stir those ingredients thoroughly!

Step Two:

I add just enough milk to form a thick paste that resembles pudding before it is totally set. Then I spend about a minute stirring it to remove ALL the lumps. This is important. If there are lumps in your paste, they will form rubbery floaties in your hot drink. You don't want that. So stir! When done, it looks something like this.



Edited to add: I had a few folks ask me why I do this as opposed to heating up all milk and mixing in protein. I find that making a paste gets the protein all smooth before adding your hot liquids. I do water because my cup is 12 oz. and that much milk tends to be too rich. BUT if you'd like to do all milk, I still think making the paste is a good first step. It allows you to work out all your lumps before you add hot liquid. Lumps + hot liquids = floaties. Ew!
Step Three:

By this time, my water is boiling. I couldn't photo this part (cuz the divas were asleep and unable to be my photographer) but basically it goes down like this. With one hand (for me, my left if that matters to anyone), I pour the hot water into the cup SLOWLY. With my other hand I continuously stir the mixture. Do this until your mug is full. If you've done everything right, it should look something like this.

...and isn't that lovely? And tomorrow you'll get to find out exactly WHAT it is (no, it's not cocoa, although I have a divine recipe for Salted Caramel Protein Cocoa if you'd like to try that). Now if it isn't hot enough for you, no problem! If you have a lump free drink, you can now microwave it and it will just fine...and as hot as you like it!

Ok, so let's talk troubleshooting:

"Nik, my hot drink is sludgy and thick!"

Use a bigger cup and add more water to your drink. Or use the same cup and less protein powder. Either way, that should yield a thinner drink.

"Nik, mine still had floaties! Blech!"

This could be for several reasons. You might have had a lump in your protein paste. Or you may have added the water too quickly. Or you may not have stirred enough at some stage. It sometimes takes a few tries to get it right.

"Nik, what's this frothy stuff at the top of my drink?"

Yes, there is that. Surprisingly, it isn't just from the protein. If you use Splenda, it froths up when you heat it as well. Give your drink a stir to get the sweetener incorprated. What's left you can either keep (it's a similar consistency as the froth on a latte) or skim it off. Your choice.

"Nik, I got it right! But now I'm addicted to hot protein drinks!"

Ok...and the problem is...?

Check in tomorrow to see what that fabulous drink I made is and how YOU can make it too!

Need a last minute gift...get crafty!



I am known within my family and circle of close friends as "the gift lady." Every Christmas Eve, I have a Christmas party and the running joke is that EVERYONE gets a gift...even if you brought someone I wasn't expecting.

How do I achieve this? Well, I try to always have extra gifts on hand, just because there are folks that give you a gift that you weren't expecting to and...well...tact and all that. But I rarely get caught off guard because I give absolutely EVERYONE a gift.

Last year, BF offered its first Christmas Gift in a Jar selection...a festive bean soup jar! This year I decided to go a bit more indulgent with the diva's teachers. I mean, after all, they do deal with my kids 6 hours a day for 118 days out of the year. I don't think there is a gift enough to thank them for what they do! Hopefully they'll use these jars for a few moments of sweet escape for themselves.

This makes a great and thoughtful last-minute gift for anybody who has a sweet tooth and here's the best part...it costs less than $5 to make each one! BUT (Disclaimer!) If sweets are your trigger: don't do this one! There are plenty of other gift in a jar ideas out there that can work for you! Check out the end of this post for a few of them.

Nik's Festive Candy Jars

Quart sized canning jars
A large roll of festive 1.5 in. wide ribbon
A large roll of thinner ribbon (in a complimentary color)
Sticky gift tags
A few pieces of cardboard (I just cut from a box I had on hand)
Tacky glue in a tube or a glue gun (your choice - I used some stuff from the dollar store called "Goop." The Goop never fails me!)

Big bags of 3 different kinds of Christmas candy

Directions:

Open your jars and layer your candy in whatever way you see fit. I put the loose M&M's at the bottom since they were going to end up there anyway! Put the top back on your jar.

Measure out your wide ribbon so you have a piece that fits around your jar with just about 1/4 inch overhang. Place glue directly on the ribbon then affix it to the jar. Depending on the type of glue you use, you might need to work quickly. With "the Goop" I have a good 2-3 minutes adjusting time. Allow to dry.

Affix gift tags to cardboard and then cut them out (oh yeah...might be a good idea to label the gift tag at this point too). Apply glue to the back of the cardboard and affix it to the front of the jar, directly on the ribbon.

Tie the thinner ribbon around the jar and affix the bow right in the middle of the gift tag.

This is a great project for the kiddos too. I got into jar gifts because I wanted the divas to be involved in their gift giving. The fam and I and God all know my kids don't have the money for swanky gifts...but they do have the ability to cut and glue!

And you can fill these with whatever tickles your fancy. There are a millon and two ideas out there. In fact, here are a few more from BF (no shipping required!)

• Romantic "Dinner in a Basket" Gift - (TIP: if you give this to a couple that has small kids...slip in a handmade babysitting certificate and you'll be their favorite person for...forever!)
• Healthy Snack Basket - Why should we keep our wonderful new lifestyles to ourselves????

Bottom line: Make what suits you best. But there's still time to give a great gift from the heart!

No-Flour Almond Butter Cookies



For those who ordered a Survival Kit or attended, the Holiday Food Tasting, this recipe is also on your dedicated page (along with another recipe that is just for you!) and (God willing) so will downloadable recipe cards for them by the end of today!

Many folks shy away from playing with cookie recipes because they are something of a science experiment. Cookies need to have the right balance of starch, fat, flavoring and levening agents to form into the perfectly simple deliciousness that we know as a cookie.

But really it isn't all that complicated. Take these almond cookies. They use no flour. They use no baking soda. In fact there are just a few ingredients, many of which you MAY already have in your pantry or fridge.

Again, this is a small batch recipe, yielding only about a dozen cookies. Because even though these cookies are BETTER for you than traditional ones...cookies just aren't ever going to be health food. Sorry!

Nik's No-Flour Almond Butter Cookies

1 c. almond butter

1 c. Splenda (if you don't use Splenda, use the amount of your preferred sweetener equivalent to one cup of sugar)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. butter extract

OPTIONAL: Raw almonds for decoration

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer, making sure egg is fully incorporated. Dough will be loose.



Use a large spoon to roll your dough into a ball. Transfer to a sprayed baking sheet then mash down your dough ball with a spoon to form a disc.

Bake about 8 minutes then remove from oven. Place an almond on top of each and press into the cookie while still soft (for a bit of extra flavor, try a lightly sweetened almond from a 100 calorie pack or a cocoa almond!).

Allow to cool on a rack before eating. Cookies will be crumbly...but YUMMY!

Mint Brownies (sorta...)

(Earlier today in Nik's kitchen. Two divas leaning in front of the oven door, peering in the window.)

Diva #1: What is it?
Diva #2: Smells like brownies...
Diva #1: Maybe it IS brownies.
Diva #2: With our mom it's never JUST brownies...

Yep...they are right. Because this is no-flour baking baby!!!

Ok, so I didn't invent the concept of black bean brownies. Heck, I wasn't even the first of you guys to make them. I've always regarded them with curiosity (much like the curiosity I have for this so-called "cauliflower crust pizza" which I'm still a bit scared to try).

I mean, I got the concept. Got how it worked. But for real...does it taste like a brownie? I decided to give it a try.

But here's the thing. I'm not all into the mess of melting down chocolate so I had to find a recipe structure that used cocoa powder. I did! Here's my modified recipe.

Minty Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. Splenda (or if you aren't into Splenda, use what you like to equal 3/4 c. sugar. I just know I like things a bit sweeter but if you aren't...um...me...you might even go with 3/4 c. Splenda)
1/2 stick low-calorie baking butter (I used Blue Bonnet Light = 50 calories per tablespoon)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. baking cocoa
a "pinch of salt"
1 egg + 2 egg whites

Optional: 3-4 pumps Davinci sugar-free Peppermint Paddy syrup

Topping:

A few candy canes (I believe they have sugar free ones, mine are fully loaded because I couldn't find sugar-free)

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

The base recipe I used called for mixing all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer. That did not work for me. I had to bust out the Magic Bullet and whiz the beans up a bit THEN I put it in my stand mixer and added the rest of the ingredients. My batter came out looking like this:



So...it looks like brownie batter. Smells like it too. And let me just say that before I added the cocoa it did not. It smelled like...black beans. But have some faith here...this can work!

Pour into greased 8x8 baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes (or until center is set and edges are pulling away from the sides). This is important, so listen closely...LET IT COOL!

So here's mine out of the oven:



It LOOKS like a brownie. But for real...does it taste like a brownie?

It does! BUT (hoooooold your horses there Foodies). It doesn't exactly FEEL like a brownie. It's not exactly cakey. It's sort of dense. But I kid you not they don't taste like black beans. They taste chocolatey and minty, like a mint brownie should taste. My mouth is very confused.

So was La Grande Diva's when she tasted it. With her, if something tastes good, she simply nods. For this she took a bite...paused...bit again...and then said, "I don't know how I feel about these..."

Truth be told, I am sort of there with her. They were yummy (even she agreed) but it was a departure from a traditional brownie and I haven't quite decided if it's in a good or a bad way.

What are YOUR thoughts? Have you ever made black bean brownies? How did you make them and how did they turn out? I'd love to hear from you!

BF (No Flour) Cookie-palooza!!!



Ok, first I have to give a big, PHAT (with a P) BF congratulations to Christine, the winner of the "Ho-ho-holiday Photo Contest!" She's won a super cool nutrition label digital scale. Check it out! I have one myself and when the divas and I FINALLY move (read: have a bigger kitchen) I am going to start playing with it more. Heck, you guys might even get a few recipe stats out of that thing!

So...cookies. I've explained my cookie rules before. But this Christmas, I wanted some. I'm nearly 4 years post-op and in many ways my eating life has reached its "new normal" (I've kicked a lot of things out of my life forever and now find I actually CRAVE the healthier stuff...crazy, right?).

I want Christmas cookies to be part of my new normal but not the way I used to have them. You know the deal. Big batches. LOTS of sugar and fat. And the dreaded white flour!!! No way! Not for me!

So this week I'm going to post a few recipes here of cookies that use absolutely no white flour, including one that includes no flour at all!

And for the folks who ordered the BF Holiday Survival Kit (or attended the live event), early next week I'm going to post two no-white flour cookie recipes (and Lord willing, one other yummy no-flour recipe) that I developed especially for the event (but sadly, did not have enough time to make). Look for the recipes AND downloadable recipe cards by Tuesday. If they aren't up by then, feel free to nag me shamelessly.

So on to the business of the day. I should first say that with Christmas cookies...I'm not so much into roll-out cookies that are sparkly. I like good, home-baked cookies! This recipe, and all the recipes, are made with WLS-friendly ingredients (but use your best judgment) but here's the best thing about them: I've tweaked the recipes so that each makes only about a dozen cookies! That means a smaller batch and less "residual temptation." Today's offering: oatmeal raisin!!!

Nik's No-flour Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Dry ingredients:

1 c. quick oats, halved
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Wet ingredients:

1/2 stick low calorie baking butter substitute (equivalent of 1/4 c. or 4 tbsp. I used Blue Bonnet Light)
1 egg
1 c. no-calorie sweetener (I used Splenda. If the kind you use doesn't measure 1:1 with sugar, use the amount your sweetener suggests for a cup of sugar)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Additions:

1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional - I didn't use this time)

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place half your oats in a blender or food processor and blend into a flour.

Place in a bowl and combine with your other half cup of oats. Add baking soda, salt and spice and blend. Set aside.

Cream together "butter" and sugar substitute. Add egg and mix until thoroughly combined (with Splenda this is going to look more mealy than creamy. Finally, add vanilla and mix well.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until dough forms. Add your raisins in (and nuts if you're using them).



Using a spoon (of whatever size you like, but remember, the smaller the spoon, the more cookies you'll yield) scoop out dough and form a ball. Line your balls up on a sprayed cookie sheet then mash down into a disc with a spoon (like many no-flour cookie recipes, these don't spread on their own).

Bake for about 8-10 minutes. And here they are!

Yes, my baking sheet is a hot mess. I bake a lot. Let's focus on the BIGGER picture here.

This recipe yielded exactly 12 cookies with a small spoon, 9 with a larger spoon. I think I like the larger spoon one better. Three for me, three for each diva! YUM!

Ho-ho-holiday Photo Contest

I am not above admitting when something I have done is a dismal failure.

I'm not sure if it's because it's Christmastime, or because I asked for a picture, or perhaps the prize wasn't that exciting. But the response to this contest was not good.

But alas...a contest is a contest. And I had three wonderful Foodies send in pictures, so I present them here to you! Ladies...look at it this way...you KNOW you have a 33.3% chance of winning!!!

Meet the Contestants



This is Christine. And if memory serves me correctly, her husband took this photo of her. Doesn't she look FABULOUS in front of her lil' Christmas tree?

On the left is Traci. On the right is Traci's mom. BOth are post-ops who are rocking a healthier lifestyle. Maybe they passed some tips onto Santa (who, by the way, I hear is on the next season of the Biggest Loser...and no I am not kidding). Perhaps that's why he's smiling so big. Or it could be that he's happy to be in the presence of not one, but two beautiful ladies!

And finally this is Ashley. What's so cool about this picture is that THIS is what Ashley looked like before...but this is how she looks NOW:

I know!!! I thought the SAME thing. What a difference! Although Ashley's pic was not in front of holiday deco, she and her hubby took the pictures to give out for Christmas, which is good enough for me!!!

Now, ladies...I want you to bookmark this blog post. And then I want you to set a reminder in your calendar for two years from now to come back to this link. Why? Because right about then your mind will start to play tricks on you about your process and you'll need some perspective. Photos are a great way to compare and contrast your journey, so I am SO glad you took me up on this opportunity to do so at Christmastime.

Ok, on to the business. Use the poll on the right menu bar to vote for who should win this ultra bitchin' digital food scale. Good luck ladies!



Who's the Winner? It could be YOU!!!



Happy Monday Foodies!

And thanks to EVERYONE who came out to the 2011 Bariatric Foodie Holiday Food Tasting and who ordered a Holiday Survival Kit.

IMPORTANT: All Kit orders have gone out. So far I’ve gotten a few back return to sender because of the addresses and I’m working to get in touch with those folks to get them their Kit. If YOU have not yet received your Kit, hit me up!!!

Now, you might remember that for the people who ordered the Holiday Survival Kit, you guys get your own special “door prize” — a Ninja Prep Blending System (producer of the infamous "90 second ice cream").



I entered the names of everyone who ordered a Kit (thank you PayPal for the convenient list) and plugged it into my handy-dandy list randomizer and the winner is…

TAMI WOOTEN!!!!

Tami, you have until this Friday, December 16th to email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to claim your prize. If I don’t hear from you by then, I draw again!!!

Again, thanks to EVERYONE who participated in BF's Holiday festivities! It's so much fun to interact with all of you and help you translate your holiday traditions into your new lifestyle! If I can be of ANY assistance this holiday season, feel free to call upon me!

Nik's "Ho-Ho-Holiday" Photo Contest (and a reminder)

One of the first ornaments I ever bought...for La Grande Diva's first Christmas...nearly 13 years ago!!! Yikes...I'm getting old...



Ok, I'm gonna do the reminder first. I know I haven't mentioned it lately, but next week is the drawing for the Holiday Survival Kit door prize, a Ninja Prep Blending System!!! Check back for that next week. If you ordered a Survival Kit (whether the online only or the full one) you are entered to win that prize!!!

Now...onto the business of the day. Another giveaway!  

I'm a big believer in documenting our journies in photos, which is what inspired this particular contest. I didn't take a lot of photos to compare while I was losing and I regret it! I let the scale and my addled brain tell my story and let me just say neither was a great narrator!

So to encourage you to document your progress, I propose the following:

1. You take a picture of yourself (preferrably in the outfit whose size you still can't believe you can fit OR the pants where you can now fit in one leg!). But I want you to take this picture either a) near your Christmas tree or b) near other holiday/winter themed deco (for those who don't celebrate Christmas). The point is...I wanna see you all looking GOOD in the wintertime!!!
2. Three ways to enter: either post the picture to the Bariatric Foodie wall on Facebook, post a Twit pic with the hashtag #BariatricFoodie OR email it to me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. However you submit your picture, I need your first name and last initial! (And I'll respond to confirm receipt. If you don't hear from me, bug me to make sure I got your entry!)
3. I'm going to post the photos here along with a blog poll for folks to vote for their favorite. Winner takes all, which will be...



This ultra-bitchin' food scale! It really is a neat thing. It:

• Computes calories, calories from fat, carbohydrates, protein, fat, saturated fat, fiber, sugars, cholesterol, and sodium
• Includes information for 1,999 foods; user can easily create and store up to 99 customizable food code entries
• Weighs in grams or ounces with accuracy of +/- 1 gram; weighs up to 72 ounces (2000 grams)
• Calculate your daily nutritional intake to help you achieve your health goals

For those who want to measure their food AND plan their meals with caloric accuracy, this gadget will really help.

So...go to it! Make it fun! Wear a big smile! You've got stuff to be happy about! After all, you are pretty awesome. And yes, you are absolutely allowed to campaign on behalf of yourselves to your friends, family or anyone else you think might vote for YOU to win!

But most of all, be proud of what you've accomplished (and pre-ops...I want you to participate too! You've got stuff to celebrate. After all, you took the first step to reclaiming your lives!)

Entries are due December 13. I'll post pictures/names on the 14th and voting will be open through the 16th!!!

Any questions? Post them in the comments and I'm happy to answer!

BF Kid Zone: Trail Mix Pancakes



Anyone who knows me and the divas in real life should know we are unapologetic food snobs. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that boxed pancake mix is forbidden in my house.

One might think this means I spend a lot of time making pancakes. Not so! My 12 year old has gotten so adept at mixing up her own that I don’t have to set foot in the kitchen on Saturday mornings, our appointed pancake day!

For this pancake, though, I did venture into the kitchen. The idea started with that Trail Mix protein shake for kids that I shared…last week? Anyway, back in May I was in Michigan visiting Pam and she gave me a muffin she made where she used oatmeal as the starch instead of flour.

That idea had been percolating in my head for a while now and I’d been wanting to play around with it. Thinking on the trail mix shake, I wondered if it could translate into a pancake? (Only in my mind does all this come together in a way that makes any sense.)

It did translate. And it was nummy!
This recipe makes approximately four pancakes. A tall stack for your favorite short stack.

Nik’s Trail Mix Pancakes

¾ c. quick oats
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp almond slices
1 tbsp almond butter
½ a very ripe banana
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ c. raisins
1 large egg

Step One:



Use your blender to grind up your oatmeal into oat flour (admittedly, one could just buy oat flour but this method is cheaper!).

Step Two:



Add to said blender the remainder of your ingredients (except the raisins) and blend until smooth. Like so:



Step Three:



Spray down your griddle (or a frying pan) with nonstick, let it heat up then add equal sized dollops (I use a quarter cup measure).

While they are cooking on the one side, add the raisins. I first had this allusion of making a smiley face or a heart. But that pan is hot! If you have any success with that, lemme know.

Step Four:

Flip when bubbles start appearing on the top of the cakes and cook another minute or two.

I admit it! I had a bite (or three). They were good! Crunchy though. Some kids might not like that. If yours is one of them, omit the almond slices. I served this with some sugar-free pancake syrup (oddly my child prefers the sugar-free to the regular).

And the larger point here is that I know a lot of you want to feed your families healthy food. You have seen the light and you want to share it! The important thing to remember is to meet your family, especially your kids, where they're at. My kids like pancakes, so I'm always striving to make their pancakes a little healthier.

Enjoy!

RIP "Bruh Bird"

So I've been telling you all week, "don't throw out the carcass...don't throw out the carcass!!!"

And you thought I forgot about it, didn't you?

I didn't! And the waiting was intentional. Because the week after Thanksgiving there is a time honored tradition that happens in American refrigerators that goes a little something like this:



Yeah...except that we now now the dangers of leaving food uncovered like that for long periods of time. But remember back in the good old days when we didn't know that these things could kill us? (Sighs) S'anyway if your bird looks like my bird it is looking  a little something like this now:

Skin and bones. And fat meat. My kids loathe fat meat. And this really is an instance where we should follow our kid's lead.

Step One: Throw out anything on the turkey you don't want to eat. The fat meat, the skin, etc. For some of you the skin might already be long gone!

Step Two: Once you are down to the bones and meat you need to get as much meat off the bones as possible. Some of it just isn't going to budge. That's ok! We'll handle that. But as much as you can get off, put it in a bowl and start creating with it! You can make turkey salad for sandwiches, turkey pot pies, turkey tertrizini (did I spell that right), turkey a la king, turkey a la Nik (oh dear...now I'm gettin f flashbacks of Forrest Gump...ack!)

Step Three: Haul out your biggest stock pot. This may require you nagging your hubby to go retrieve it from wherever you keep it because I am convinced only the the very wealthy have enough cupboard space to actually keep their big stock pot in the kitchen. Anyhoo...once you've got your stock pot, you want to follow the instructions in the BF Basics: Making Stock.

Stock is good for so many things. It is the base of soups, gravies, sauces and more. ONce you have a good batch of stock, you can freeze it (I like to use this to help ensure longevity) or can it if you know how (true fact: Nik is afraid to can. I keep worrying that I'll do it wrong and give us all a strange disease! I'm working it out in therapy).

But from your one turkey carcass you can get several good cans of stock to put up for the winter and then when it comes time to make some chili, or some soup with quinoa or WHATEVER you wanna make, you have delicious homemade stock to start out with. Plus...it sound pretty cool to say you made your own stock, doesn't it?

And that tender meat that came off the bone in the stock pot? Ohhhh...that is a treat because it's all soft and tender. TOTALLY appropriate for a pouch, sleeve or...whatever you happen to call your digestive apparatus.

Here is the world's simplest thing to do with it.

Nik's Quickie Turkey "Stuff"

1 c. shredded turkey
1 can (12 oz.) low-fat cream of chicken soup (Aldi has a good one for cheap!)
1 can of mixed veggies (or peas and carrots if you want to avoid the potatoes, drained)
1/2 c. water
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
Optional, a few tablespoons of bread crumbs for topping

Directions

Combine everything except breadcrumbs in a small pot and warm through. Serve in a little bowl or a ramekin.

Top with bread crumbs (or, if you are Nik...paremesan cheese!).

Nik's "Peanutella" Protein Shake

Ok, so I could post a picture with this recipe. But it wouldn't be of this shake. Why? Well I'm in the process of packing up my house (while simultaneously decorating for Christmas...how psycho is THAT???) and all my pretty glasses are packed away.

Besides, I tend to make this shake at work, thanks to these babies:

Smaller sized bottles of Davinci that I get at my local Wal-Mart (or Wally World to some of you) for less than $3. Sweet! When I do shakes at work I drink them in my purple cup. My purple cup does not lend itself to a beautiful photographic moment.

So just imagine what this shake looks like in your head and know that Bariatric Foodie does, in fact, have artistic integrity. Although this shake may LOOK like a million other chocolate shakes I've made...I will not pass off a fake photo!!! (/end melodrama)
Nik's "Peanutella" Protein Shake

8 oz. milk (whatever kind you use)
1 scoop chocolate peanut butter protein powder

- OR -

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder +
1 tbsp PB2

1 tsp good instant decaf coffee (no cheap stuff)
2-3 pumps (or one tbsp) sugar-free Hazelnut syrup

Directions:

Mix everything in a blender according to the Triple X Method. Or not. Your choice.

Add a poof of whippage (whipped cream). Or not. STILL your choice. Heck, you don't even have to drink it cold. I know some of you like it hot! (Especially you...the one sitting in the computer chair...YOU like it hot).

Have it your way!