BF Top 5 - Equip Your Kitchen for Healthy Eating!

See Tip #3 for how to ensure you correctly portion foods that can be easy to over-measure!

But first…pre-ops! (Or really anyone who feels like they need to get their lives/homes in focus to be successful at WLS) I have a resource for you! It’s called The Bariatric Foodie Pre-Op Prep Kit (On the page where that link goes, choose "Downloads"). Click that link to check it out. It’s one of my $2 downloads and it has LOTS of information about how to prepare your life for WLS success. (NOTE: It’s a pdf file so you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader or some other pdf reading software on your computer or device in order to open this.)

Now…on to the business of the day.

Temptation. Do you ever struggle with it? Me too! It’s crazy because half the time I know I’m not hungry. But then again, the human body is built so that we are able to eat for a million and two reasons other than hunger. My philosophy? Always have a strategy!

Here are some proven (for me) strategies for eating the appropriate amount of good food.

#1 – Use the supermarket rule

This diagram shows how much more likely you are to buy things based on its shelf position at the grocery store. Click this link to learn more about this and other grocery store dynamics that affect how you buy food!

There are Foodies out there who have lamented to me that their non-op hubby/wife/kids/roommate just HAS to have their Little Debbies/Doritos/Tasty Kakes, etc. and that, because of this dire need to keep junk in the house, they, the innocent bystander post-op, have fallen victim to the evil food.

(This is over-dramatized but believe me the sentiment rings true to the messages I’ve gotten.)

So let’s re-write this narrative.

You ever notice how food is organized in a grocery store? The stuff they want you to buy is right at eye level – easy to see and if you see it you’ll buy it. Food companies pay big money to be at eye level for that very reason. Conversely, the companies who did not pay the premium get relegated to really high or really low shelves.

You can make that same strategy work for you! Your family can keep all their junky food BUT make them agree to put it either in a lower cabinet or way high in an upper cabinet. In my home EVERYTHING we shouldn’t eat often is on the very top shelf of my upper cupboards. I have very high cupboards so getting said food requires a step-stool, which requires the effort of getting and climbing the step-stool, which I only do when I really and genuinely want to cook said foods, which is not often!

#2 – Prep, prep, prep

I’d say by about the second or third month post-op you have a well established “safe foods list” (foods you can consistently eat without threat of gut death). So now it’s time to use that knowledge to help your process. Take a few hours every weekend (or whenever you have a day off) to prep foods that you like and can eat. You can even cook meals ahead for yourself and pre-portion them. Stack them up in the fridge and then it’s a matter of grabbing and going (and maybe nuking if it’s a hot meal). In The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book I give some good suggestions like making your own “fruit-on-the-bottom” yogurt cups (there are yogurts with good stats out there but if you’d like to know for sure what’s in your food, try making yourself!). I also sometimes make Protein Shake Starters.

The point here is that we fall prey to convenience foods why…because they are convenient! Make the healthy food as convenient as the junk and you’re more likely to make the right choice.

#3 – Take a Measured Approach

Studies show humans are notoriously bad at eyeballing portion sizes. Especially with dry goods and anything we measure in a cup. So instead of leaving it up to your eyeballs, be prepared!

Here’s what I do. I have containers in which I keep things like oatmeal, Splenda, quinoa, etc. Inside those containers I put the appropriate cup or spoon measure equivalent to a serving. So with Splenda, I have a teaspoon measure in there. For oatmeal I put a quarter cup (an official full serving is a half cup but I rarely eat that big an oatmeal portion anymore and my kids are old enough to add fractions!).

#4 – Portion = Control

I know this especially well. Even too much of healthy foods can be too much. Take almonds. I can eat a bunch of them! Yes, they are healthy fat BUT eating too many puts too many calories and too much fat in my day.

For some of us, it's just cheaper to buy things like almonds or other healthy snacks in bulk. But after they come into your home they should not stay that way for long! Invest in some snack-sized zip-top bags (I get mine from the dollar store) and pre-portion things. It helps you to stay on track in a few ways. Firstly, you don't have to guess a portion. Also, there's something about an individually packaged portion that makes you want to stop at just one. The mental game of going for a second one is usually a good deterrent.

#5 - Best laid plans...

Remember, you can have the most well equipped kitchen in the world and you may still fall prey to trigger foods. What's a trigger food? It's one you can't control and so you go bonkers whenever it's around. You try to fight it. (You really do!) But it's like the food sings to you until you eat it!

A healthy kitchen also starts at the grocery store. Be honest with yourself. Can you control yourself around the foods you're buying? (A good way to tell is to recall how many times in the past you've not controlled yourself.) If not, set yourself up to only have to make ONE hard decision: passing the trigger food. Conversely, if you buy it...you have to make the decision every minute of every day it's in your house not to go bonkers. I dunno about you, but I'm all for working smarter, not harder!

BF Top 5: Foodie Apps!

Pledge People: Remember tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 11) is the “Shake it Up!” Challenge. Be sure to try something new and healthy tomorrow and report back for a chance to win some Click Espresso Protein.

I’ve been meaning to post this blog post for a while. But…you all know the story. Life. It happens. No matter how much I tell it not to!

So we all have smartphones these days. The best thing about smartphones is that there are a bazillion apps that can help you do…anything. Just anything.

I thought I’d take a moment to highlight a few of my favorite apps (just in case you need some inspiration for something new to try).

Nike+ Running App

Now don’t be intimidated by the name, Foodies! This app works whether you walk or run but here’s what’s cool about this app:

1. It tells you how far you’ve gone. Even the best guestimators like to have accurate info and this app will give it to you.
2. It tells you your walking/running pace. So you can see over time how you are improving.
3. It allows your friends on Facebook to “cheer you on.” If you enable Facebook from the app it will post when you are out walking/running. If your friends like that post your phone will erupt into applause. I’m here to tell you sometimes that’s just the thing you need to energize yourself!

Available for iOS and Android phones

Cost: FREE!

My Fitness Pal

This is a food tracking app! It really does equip you with the tools to make good eating decisions. Here’s the lowdown. It:

1. Has a large database of foods to choose from so the food you’re eating is probably in there. But even better…
2. You can scan the barcode of many food packages (with your phone camera) and if it’s in the database you can log a portion of that food right from the barcode.
3. You can set up personal caloric goals to meet your needs.

Available for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phones

Cost: FREE!

Sworkit

I learned about this app at FitBloggin’ last year. I love it. Here’s what it does: 

1. Gives you a workout anytime, anywhere.
2. You can choose how much time you have and what part of your body you’d like to work and it will give you an appropriate routine right there on your phone!
3. Each move comes with short videos demonstrating the move so it’s virtually impossible to get lost.

Available for iOS, Android and Kindle

Cost: Regular - FREE!, Pro - $0.99

Grocery Hero

This app is so handy. Picture it: Tuesday night. Work was a BEAST. You get home and you don’t feel like going back out. You look in the fridge and find you have what seems like a random assortment of food and you’re just too tired to be creative. Grocery Hero will:

1. Allow you to put in what you have and it’ll give you recipe suggestions.
2. Give you ideas for remixing leftovers.
3. Calculate nutritional information based on the recipes you picked (and can read barcodes on food to give you fairly accurate information).

Available for Android 

Cost: FREE!

Fresh Box

I just downloaded this one myself but I’m actually excited to play with it. Does managing the contents of your fridge sometimes stress you out? It does for me! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into my veggie bin to find everything has turned to mush because I never got to it. Fresh box allows you to snap a pic of the inside of your fridge and categorize items, adding expiration dates to anything you want to keep an eye on. Like I said, I haven’t used this one too much but if it can save me from those icky bags of dead zucchini, I’ll love it forever!

Available for iOS

Cost: $1

BF Top 5: Best Food Photographs on Bariatric Foodie

Who's cooking for Thanksgiving? Not me!

Instead I'm at home trying to organize BF’s extensive food picture collection (God help me!) and in doing so I've come across some really bad photos (this is a learning process for me!) but also some really good ones!

So I thought I’d share my top seven (yes, seven) favorite photos on Bariatric Foodie!

In no particular order:

Curried Chicken

I love this photo for a few different reasons. Firstly, because I took it with my then brand spanking new Nikon D-5100 camera. I’ve been putting that thing to good use lately but in the beginning I was a little lost (and yes I did read the user’s manual!). I’d bought the camera so I could take better food pictures and I was about to lose hope until…this.

The other thing I love about this picture is that everyone assumes this is rice beneath the curried chicken (I’ve gotten more than a few snide emails to that effect) when in fact it’s my cauliflower rice! At any rate this recipe is quick, warm, pretty and yummy. 

Here’s the recipe!

Protein Pumpkin Bread

You’ll notice this wood table in a lot of my pictures. It’s ancient and soiled with years worth of water color, finger painting and other spills from when it was a play table for my kids. Now it sits in front of a window in my kitchen, making it the perfect spot to snap a picture because even on cloudy days the light is really good.

Here's the recipe!

Mocha Toffee Twist Hot Protein Drink

Yeah this photo…man…this photo. What more is there to say? I mean (not to toot my own horn) when you look at this photo you can’t help but think, “If this protein drink tastes half as good as it looks, things might just be ok!”

Which was the point!

The recipe was one of last year’s Holiday Survival Kit flavors, but now that that’s over I can share the recipe!

Nik’s Mocha Toffee Twist Protein Drink

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. cold milk
• 6-8 oz. boiling water (depending on the size of your cup!)
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp. good instant decaf coffee (I use instant decaf espresso)
• 2 tbsp. Torani sugar-free English Toffee syrup
• No-calorie sweetener, to taste

Directions:

In a mug, mix together protein and milk and stir until a smooth, lump-free paste forms (make sure to stir thoroughly…the entire success or failure of your drink depends on this!). After you’ve got all the lumps out, add the cocoa, coffee and syrup and stir again. The coffee obviously will not dissolve and you’ll be able to see it.

SLOWLY add the boiling water, stirring with one hand, pouring with the other. The coffee should dissolve in the boiling water and what you should be left with is a smooth drink. There might be a little bit of froth action at the top. Skim it off if you don’t like it.

From here if it isn’t hot enough for you, it’s safe to microwave it until it reaches your desired temperature. Top with whipped cream if so desired.

BONUS PIC: I was so inspired by this drink I made it into a Mocha Toffee Protein Pie! (Which also made a great picture!)

Taco Casserole

This has the distinction of being the ONLY photo on this list I did not take! Instead a Foodie sent me her picture and it is soooo good! I consider this the flagship recipe of this blog. It is the most accessed, most downloaded, most “played with” recipe. It combines the elements of many Mexican-style dishes into one dish that’s soft and easy to eat (and share!). If you haven’t tried this one yet, you must! 

Here's the recipe! 

Sugar-free Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Pecan Topping

Yes, I just posted this the other day. But it’s one of the best pictures on this blog! It’s not hard to see why either. Look at it. You just want to…eat it. Right? If you do, here’s the recipe!

Eggs Rosettes

This was a cute idea I came up with a few years ago mainly as a brunch offering. But many of you have told me you make them "just because!" It's basically an egg concoction baked up in a "crust" made of thin sliced deli meat. Here I served it with two slices of bacon and some homemade fruit salad. Doesn't it look delightful! Here's how to make Eggs Rosettes.

I hope this little foray into my photography efforts here on the blog has given you respite from all things Turkey Day. Now if you're cooking, get back to it! If you're like me, a guest at a dinner, well...do something...productive...maybe.

Happy Thanksgiving, Foodies!

Five Products Every Bariatric Patient Should Know About

One of the things I love about this blog, and our communities on Facebook and Twitter is that it’s constantly growing! As folks get their surgeries they are discovering Bariatric Foodie and joining in on the fun.

That’s great, but it occurs to me that sometimes I reference products I love like everyone knows what they are. So new Foodies, this one’s for you! Here are five products every Foodie should know about, with links to check them out!

PB2

What is it?

PB2 is a product made by Bell Plantation. It’s actually a by-product of peanut oil. When peanuts are pressed for oil, they leave behind a powder that, when added to foods, gives the flavor of peanuts with a fraction of the calories and nearly all the protein! Two tablespoons of peanut butter is roughly 200 calories, 17g fat, 7g protein. Two tablespoons of PB2 is 45 calories, 1.5g fat, 5g protein.

How do you use it?

I personally like to put it in yogurt, in my oatmeal, in protein shakes. But the possibilities really are endless! Here’s a link tocheck out PB2!

And here's my all-time favorite recipe using PB2.

Textured Vegetable Protein

What is it?

Textured Vegetable Protein (or TVP) is a soy-based product that is often used in foods in place of meat. If you’ve ever eaten imitation bacon bits (voluntarily or otherwise) you’ve eaten TVP. While there are debates about the benefits and drawbacks of soy, TVP packs a powerful protein punch in a small quantity. A quarter cup of TVP is 80 calories with 12g protein!

How do you use it?

I personally use it in a variety of ways. I add it to my oatmeal, I use it to make the “tuna burgers” my youngest daughter loves so much.  It can usually be found in your local grocery store in the health food or organic aisle. The most common shelf brand of TVP is called Bob’s Red Mill.

Here’s my tutorial on how to use TVP.

Sugar-free Syrups

What are they?

Sugar-free flavored syrups are most commonly used in coffee shops to flavor coffee. But us Foodies know there are many other uses! The two most popular brands are Torani and Davinci. Syrups come in a plethora of flavors with new ones coming out all the time.

The one drawback some Foodies have with these syrups is that they are made using either Splenda or sucralose (which is the main ingredient in Splenda). Some Foodies either don’t tolerate Splenda or sucralose well or don’t desire to use them. I’m currently checking out some syrups with natural sweeteners, so stay tuned for more information.

How do you use it?

The better question is how don’t you use it? You can use these syrups in protein shakes,yogurt, oatmeal, desserts and much, much more!

Here’s a link to my top 10 favorite syrups!

Quest Bars

What are they?

I have a well documented love for Quest bars! To me they are what every protein bar should be. They usually have between 190-200 calories and 20g of protein, most with fewer than 5 net grams of carbs. You can't beat that with a stick! I always give newer folks the advice to eat only half (or a quarter) of one to start and to microwave it about 12 seconds in the microwave. 

How do you use it?

I'm pretty straight up with my bars. I eat them as-is, although on the Quest Facebook Page they often share that other customers like to bake them and include them in different kinds of recipes.

Here are my reviews to date of Quest Bars flavors:

• Double Chocolate Chunk
• White Chocolate Raspberry
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• Banana Nut Muffin
• Peanut Butter Supreme and Mixed Berry (Note it's a review of two different bars, same for the below links!)
• Apple Pie and Peanut Butter & Jelly 
• Vanilla Almond Crunch and Chocolate Brownie

Carbquik

What is it?

Although in recent times I had switched to now discontinued Atkins Baking Mix (which was low-carb and high-protein), Carbquik is definitely worth knowing about. 

It's a baking mix, which means  you can easily make baked goods with it (along with things like pancakes and waffles) because it already includes some baking powder. It also has a boatload of fiber, which is why it's low carb. (Educational Moment: Any starch claiming to be low-carb can only be low-carb by adding fiber, which the human body cannot digest, thus taking away from the carbs we absorb.) 

How do you use it?

I've used it a few things and interestingly enough the net carbs per serving always comes to 3g. Freaky. Anyway, here's a link to where you can get some and here's a few ideas on how to use it:

• Pancakes
• Single (us) serving pot pies

BF Top 5: Questions Weight Loss Surgery Pre-Ops Ask Me

Obligatory "Fed" Disclaimer: When clicking links in this blog post related to products, you will be redirected to sites where those products are available for purchase. If you purchase products through those links, a portion of the sale price is paid back to Bariatric Foodie. 

We're coming to an end to our "Pre-Op Love Fest." I hope that all my Foodies prepping for surgery have found this helpful.

TOMORROW please look out for a post with suggestions of recipes you can use to help ease your transition into the "bariatric afterlife."

For now I thought I'd do an FAQ. I get lots of questions from folks preparing for surgery. Sometimes I'm apt to answer them, sometimes I'm a bit wary (because our experiences can vary so much) but today I will be 100% straight up!

Nik, what kind of vitamins do YOU use?

Well it depends on the week. If I am having a good budget week, I am partial to Building Blocks Vitamins. When I was a wee lil' post-op one of their reps took the time to talk me through my complete vitamin confusion and I appreciated that. They also are very involved with the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery and are up on their latest recommendations. I'm sort of a vitamin idiot (notice I do NOT write the vitamin column for Foodie News!) so it's nice to know they are on top of things.

If you'd like to order a sample pack of Building Blocks Vitamins, you can call 877.419.1568.

Hey, Nik, can you recommend a good protein powder?

That's a bit of a tricky question. Protein powders are like snowflakes. They are all different and we all respond differently to them. But I did do this post a few years back on my top five favorite protein powders. I took a look at the list and my opinion has not changed. The only addition I'd make is that back then I'd never tried Chike and I love it (especially the Protein Iced Coffee, read my review!). I've also since discovered Big Train's Fit Frappe.

How many calories a day do you eat?

This also depends. Like any post-op I have my times when I am a gym zealot and times when life gets the best of me. My general rule is the more I move, the more calories I can (theoretically) eat. This doesn't always pan out, though, because exercise is a powerful appetite suppressant for me. In short, when I exercise I don't get as hungry (you'd think the opposite was true but I think it has something to do with dopamine. My appetite/feelings are intrinsically linked and when I exercise I feel good emotionally. When I feel good emotionally I don't tend to get head hunger).

So having said that on any given day depending on my work schedule, workout schedule and just how I feel I can eat as low as 1,000 calories a day (doesn't happen often but does happen) to upwards of 2,000. But according to Live Strong, my average falls in the 1,400-ish calories a day range.

What kind of exercise do you do? Is exercise really that important?

So here's the deal. You can lose weight with WLS without ever setting foot in a gym and without ever doing a workout. I've seen people lose a greater percentage of excess weight than me who have never exercised.

BUT.

I signed up for a total life change. And I want those life changes to be sustainable. So I want to do things that will keep me healthy for the rest of my life. Physical activity, for me, is an essential part of that equation!

So far as my workout routine, I do Body Pump two days a week, spin class two days a week, I run a few times a week (and I always run at least 3 miles but sometimes that's absolutely it!) and I do things like Zumba on my Xbox with Kinect.

Nik, did you reach goal? Have you maintained?

This is a question where stuff gets real to me. There was a time when I thought sharing my personal struggles made me lose "street cred" with you guys. But you know what? We're all post-ops working together to change our lives.

So in that thread I will say that I have had some regain. Not total but some. And at this stage I'm trying to decide if I like where I am now, where I was (and annoying as it was EVERYONE told me at my low weight that I looked gaunt) or somewhere completely different. Today I am more interested in my health and fitness. But a healthy weight is a part of that. I've openly admitted many times that I am a food addict (and I do NOT say that facetiously...I do actually attend Over-eaters Anonymous and am in the treatment of an addiction counselor).

All that is to say it isn't any easier for me than for you. That's part of the reason I love this blog. It keeps me accountable. You guys see what I eat. If I make it here, I have to eat it! (This is the offset of being a struggling single mama.) But also you guys encourage me every day.

So pre-ops, I hope I don't scare you with my portion sizes (my plates tend to be bigger than most folks but the calories on them do not. I get a kick out of eating a lot of food for not that many calories...yes, I am crazy thanks for noticing). But what you will get with me is my truth. I promise to always present my post-op experience authentically in hopes that it helps you in some small way. :)

BF Top 5: Mini-sizing BF's most popular recipes!

Believe it or not, I do listen to you guys. And what I hear you saying is that some of you want smaller batch recipes that yield only a few servings, maybe even a single serving.

Today is your lucky day! Here are five of BF's most popular recipes - mini-sized! Click the title of each for the original recipe.

Taco Casserole
(Make this after your family's next taco dinner with a portion of leftover meat OR make a small batch from scratch with the modifications I suggest! Makes a 4 oz. ramekin)

Mini-sized Ingredients:

• 2 oz. taco seasoned ground meat (leftovers) OR you can use 1 oz. TVP w/ a splick of salt, 1/8 tsp each of: ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder and chili powder mixed in. 
• If you happen to have some random chopped & cooked veggies laying around, feel free to mix 2 tbsp into the meat mixture. 
• 1 oz. refried beans (TIP: Put the rest in a random ice cube tray, freeze then store them in a freezer safe bag for the next time you want one of these bad boys! Ice cube trays make perfect 1 oz. portions!)
• 1 oz. shredded cheese

Directions: 

Layer the meat, then the beans, then the cheese in a 4 oz. ramekin. 

Stick in the broiler for about 2 minutes or in the toaster oven until cheese is melted. 

Serve hot with a dollop of Greek yogurt and salsa!

Click Frapp

(Think of the original version as the Venti and this one as the Grande)

Mini-size ingredients:

• 1/3 c. milk
• 1/2 scoop of Click Espresso protein, flavor of your choice (they have decaf if you need that option!)
• 1/2 scoop protein powder (compliment flavors, so vanilla with vanilla latte, etc.)
• 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 packet no-cal sweetener (if desired)
• 3 ice cubes

Directions:

Combine milk, proteins, sweetener and cocoa powder in a blender and blend two minutes. Add ice and blend again until smooth.

Four Cheese Mashed Cauliflower

(Makes one 4 oz. ramekin)

Mini-sized ingredients:

• 4-5 frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 oz. + 1/2 oz. of a shredded four-cheese blend
• 1 heaping tbsp unflavored Greek yogurt
• Your favorite seasonings (I like salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a dash of smoked paprika)

Directions:

If you can handle microwaved stuff, microwave your florets in a microwave-safe bowl with a little bit of water for about 3 minutes on high. If you can't do nuked stuff, boil in a small pot.

Drain then mash the cauliflower (if you make it tender enough you can use a fork). 

Add Greek yogurt, 1 oz. cheese and seasonings and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 4 oz. ramekin.

Sprinkle remaining cheese across the top and either stick it under the broiler for 2 minutes or in the toaster oven until the cheese is bubbly and brown!

Eggchilada

(I'd call the mini-sized version an "egg-taquito")

Mini-sized Ingredients:

• 1-2 slices of deli meat of your choice, chopped
• Again, if you happen to have any chopped veggies, a tbsp or so of them
• 3 tbsp liquid egg substitute
• 2 tbsp. shredded cheese, divided
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp salsa

Directions:

Spray a pan with nonstick and sautee meat and veggies until warm. Remove from pan and set aside.

Spread egg in a circle in sprayed, hot pan and allow it to spread to desired size (remember, this has to be big enough to roll things into the middle). Allow it to set before flipping. Cook other side.

Remove from heat, fill with meat,veggies and one tbsp of cheese and roll into a smaller enchilada shape. Top with other tbsp of cheese, Greek yogurt and salsa!

Protein Pancakes

Makes 1 regular sized, or a few teeny weeny, pancakes

Mini-sized Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. Atkins Baking Mix
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp liquid egg substitute
• 1 packet no-cal sweetener

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. If mixture is not wet enough, add milk one teaspoon at a time until a thick pudding consistency is reached.

Spray down a griddle or frying pan with non-stick and allow it to get HOT.

Dole out your mix (should make either one regular sized pancake or a few teeny-weeny ones) and allow them to cook on one side (bubbles will appear on the surface when bottom is cooked), then flip and cook the other side. Transfer to a plate and enjoy!

BF Top 5: Portion Control!

Whether you are a weight-loss surgery patient or someone simply looking to eat a healthier diet, portion control is always a concern.

One great tool I've found is...ramekins! Instant portion control. They come in all sorts of sizes to meet various needs.

Keeping that in mind, here are a few of my favorite ramekin recipes (click the title for the recipe!):

Nik's Reuben Ramekin

Since the publishing of this recipe, a Foodie suggested adding some caraway seeds to this and I tried it. Oh. My. YUM!

Nik's portion-Controlled Cheesecakes

Because I heart cheesecake. But I do not heart overconsumption of cheesecake, otherwise known as "gut death." That's all I have to say about that.

Nik's Lil' Baby Pot Pies

Aren't they so cute! I love pot pies but when you're new out my family-style pot pie recipe can be a bit overwhelming. These guys are a bit more approachable.

Nik's Ramekin Peach Pies

Take a trip to the Peach Pit! (Beverly Hills 90210, anyone?). YUM!

Nik's French Onion Soup Ramekin

Yeah...I think I need to actually make this. Pronto! By the way for the fam, with the addition of a roast beef sandwich on REALLY crusty bread, this doubles as a French dip ramekin! (Just sayin')

Those are my five faves. Do you use ramekins? If so, I'd love to hear what you put in yours!

BF Top 5: Ways to Fit Activity In!

Over the past few months I've talked with a lot of Foodies about fitting activity into their lives.

Now I know this is a food blog, but food and activity go together - especially in a healthy lifestyle. Calories are units of energy that fuel your body for the activity that you do. And the kind of fuel you use matters!

For many people I've spoken with, finding time among work schedules, kids schedules and other priorities is challenging. Believe me, I can relate. So here are five tips (other than the proverbial "park at the far end of the parking lot.") you can do to get some activity in even on the tightest schedule.

While you're watching Grey's Anatomy...or (insert whatever show you like), you can easily get some activity in. I try never to watch television sitting down. Interestingly enough, this began during a season of The Biggest Loser when I challenged myself to do sets of squats, forward or backward lunges, crunches and planks throughout the show. At first I'd barely do two sets before just laying there and watching the show but by the end I was able to figure out a routine that took me all the way through. You can move a tv to where your treadmill, elliptical or other machine is and watch tv there. Distraction helps, people!

While your Healthy Choice meal is microwaving (Because enough of you tell me you eat those. I'm personally not a fan but that's a whole other blog post.) Stand in front of the microwave and do 10 squats, 10 one-legged squats per leg, one set of backward lunges (if you have room) or the tree pose (if you don't have room). Repeat this routine until your food is done.

While in the line at the supermarket. Stand on one leg for as long as you can and try to remain upright and steady. Alternate legs. No I'm not kidding! Creating imbalance helps build core strength which is essential to fitness. So if you've only got that time in line, stand on one leg - and read Life & Style magazine. See, now you're multi-tasking. Go, you!

On your afternoon break. No lie, I did this my entire first year post-op. Do a stair challenge. I'd go to the basement of my building and time myself on how fast I could get to the roof (Six floor building, adjust your goal as appropriate!). My starting time was about 5 minutes. Now I can do it in less than two!

During the commercial break. Ok, so you want to sit and watch tv (with the fam, to yourself, whatever). Do commercial challenges. Because these are shorter spurts your focus is to go a bit more high impact. Do regular or modified jumping jacks (if you have problems with your joints) or run in place for the length of the commercial break. When it's over, stop. Do this every commercial break and get the family involved too!

Just remember, the Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a day (not so winded you can't breathe but not so casual that you can say long sentences). But notice nothing says you have to do it all at the same time. So stop stressing yourselves out! Ten minutes here, five minutes there and lookit, 30 minutes!

Be well, Foodies!

BF Top 5: Healthy Back-to-School Eating!

Monday is back to school for the divas (and the crowd goes wild!).

This year I have a few tools in my arsenal to make sure their lunchboxes are fitting for Foodie Nation heiresses ;)

Here's my top five suggestions to make YOUR lunch box a little bit healthier (for you AND the kids!) Where applicable, links are provided in the title to where you can order.

#5: A Bento-style Lunch Box (link is different from box shown, but you can click on the picture if you're interested in that one)

These things are neat! They allow you to have several different things in one lunch, complete with dipping sauces and it's instant portion control!

#4: Lunch Skins!

Aren't these reusable sandwich and snack bags CUTE??? I bought each of the divas a set of these. I have been on a movement the last year or so to make our lunches a bit more eco-friendly. Healthy earth, healthy you, I always say. (Btw they come in all sorts of designs geared toward boys and girls!)

#3: Lunch Box "Love Notes"

Now if you have older kids (like my 13 year-old) you may get exiled for life into the "silent zone" for packing these, but when my girls were little I used them. My youngest especially battled several bad bouts of separation anxiety in school and these little notes were just the ticket to making her feel better. Mental health is also important in the lunch box!

#2: Plenty of drink sticks or MiO

I used to buy juice boxes until I found out two things. First, that in my kids school there aren't that many opportunities for them to get water during the day (I can't be but so crazed about that. Teachers have a lot to accomplish in a day and I am THANKFUL!). Second is that my kids actually PREFER to drink water, even if flavored water. Well...that was the end of the juice boxes! Now I either pack drink sticks (and you can get naturally sweetened ones if you don't want your little ones consuming artificial sweeteners) or MiO + a bottle of water. That way it's their choice: plain water or flavored!

#1 - Great snacks

My divas lunch boxes always contain the following: A main dish (sometimes it is a sandwich with whole-grain bread, sometimes a cold salad like tuna, sometimes it's a green salad and here's how I keep those fresh for them) + one piece of whole fruit + some sort of indulgence. I also tend to pack them snacks. They have early lunch times and their teachers have embraced that full bellies tend not to be as restless. So I pack good snacks! The girls favorites: veggies with ranch for dipping, a protein bar (I kid you not. They love Quest bars!), an apple or even yogurt. I use these to make sure their yogurt lasts throughout the day.

Like I said, any of these things would serve your kids or YOU well in your healthy lunch endeavors.

Have a suggestion to add? Please leave a comment!

BF Top 5: Items Newbies Should Check Out!

Hi Foodies,

Life has been a bit hectic lately. I’ve been setting up the new “Foodie headquarters”, trying DESPERATELY to not own the house I owned before I moved to this house and trying to get two children ready to go off to two different summer locations.

BUT…you all are always in my mind. Today, I’d like to address a question I get fairly often. Pre-ops email me all the time to ask in what they should invest for after surgery. Usually this question involves “which protein powder should I buy?” which is  tough question to answer for many reasons. BUT there are some kitchen tools and whatnot that you can invest in before surgery that will serve you well for a long time to come.

In no particular order (and click the title of each for info on where to buy):

#5: A Food Saver Machine

I was not a believer at first but I’ve had mine a year and I actually do use it quite a bit. I make smoothie kits and when I make a really big casserole, I slice individual portions and vacuum seal them for future lunches or days when I just plain don’t feel like cooking.

If you don’t have one already, I’d suggest the most basic one. I got the one with all the bells and whistles and last year when I went to do the shake kits for the holidays, it couldn’t keep up as well as its more affordable counterpart! So more expensive is not always better.

#4: A food scale

Yeah…eyeballing portions wasn’t my forte in the beginning. Nowadays I’ve been working with food so much and for so long that I can guesstimate weight, volume, calories and protein with razor-like precision!

But until you get there, this is a nifty little tool. It allows you to program in the stats on the serving size foods you commonly use and it will adjust those stats based on how much of the food you put on the scale.

This one is also good if you find you’ve fallen off track. Many times we don’t think we’re eating that much…but we are. (Present company included!)

#3: A good digital camera

Ok, so you don’t need a fancy one but I have seen a practice among savvy post-ops who (don’t let the scale act as the sole narrator of their WLS success story) that I think is brilliant. I wish I did it along the way.

I’ve seen folks who pick out a basic outfit (jeans, black tank, whatever) and stand in the same spot, every single (month/week/whatever) and take a picture. It may seem simple but it does something phenomenal. It gives you perspective! Sometimes we can’t see the changes we’re undergoing in the mirror. But those pictures are evidence. And since they are consistent (same spot, same type of outfit) you can’t go “well it’s because those jeans make me look smaller…but I’m really still big!” Nope. You are getting smaller and there’s the proof.

#2: A good water bottle 

It doesn’t have to be a Britta but a filtering water bottle, in my estimation, is worth its weight in gold. I can drink water from a tap and it will taste good in this thing because it filters out impurities. And the earth will thank you too.  HOWEVER, a simple water bottle will do. And while you’re at it, get a good shaker bottle too so that your protein shakes don’t turn “50 Shades of Grey.”

#1: A vitamin carrying case

Because (Nik) there is no excuse (Nik) for not taking your vitamins (Nik)!

A good pill organizer can go anywhere with you so you can pop your dose of vitamins wherever you are. And if you get the water bottle you have good tasting water to go along with.

So there you have it. Five simple investments you can make to get your WLS journey off to a successful start. And each of these things will continue to serve you down the line.

What items have you bought that have been useful along the way? Share in the comments!

One Ingredient Fixes to Jazz Up Your Chocolate Protein!

So I recently published my “protein shake check-up” so you can make sure your protein shake is still on the right side of your plan.

As I read through that, I began to think of all the wonderful ways we have of dressing up our shakes that add little or no calories to the equation. It’s interesting to me, how one small element can be the difference between a shake you hate and a shake you love.

Over the next few days I’m going to offer up one ingredient fixes to amp up your favorite protein shake flavors. But I don’t want to be alone in my suggestions. Please offer yours up! If you have a low or no-calorie shake ingredient that takes your shake from nowhere to everywhere, please let your fellow foodies know in the comments section!

Nik’s “One Ingredient Fixes” for Dressing Up Your Chocolate Protein
(in no particular order)

A Dash of Cinnamon

Calories: None!
Cost: Between $1 - ???, depending on your personal tastes

Yep…a dash of cinnamon. What? You mean, you’ve never had chocolate with cinnamon? Man, are you missing out! Cinnamon gives a spicy (as in made with spices, not spicy as in hot…unless you add too much) offset to the sweetness of chocolate. It also plays up the bitterness nicely and what you come out with is a rich, earthy flavor that makes you think, “man…I think this is how God/the Creator/___________ (fill in the blank) intended chocolate to taste!” Many folks call the combination of chocolate and cinnamon “Mexican Chocolate.” I just call it yummy!

A Tablespoon of Instant Decaf

Calories: None!
Cost: Between $2.50 - ???, depending on your personal tastes

What you use largely determines your result. I personally use instant decaf espresso. I use a full tablespoon because if you only use a teaspoon it blends into the chocolate. Granted, it makes a chocolate shake taste better and more refined, but I actually like the espresso taste to come through. If you don’t want to make the expenditure (although I PROMISE it is worth it) a good instant decaf, like Starbucks Via, works just great. As a new post-op the coffee was that “it” factor in my shake that made me able to tolerate them.

U-Bet Zero Cal Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup

Calories: None!
Cost: Varies by region

I’m usually skeptical of zero cal sweet things. It just seems natural that something sweet should have lots of calories. I admit, I don’t like this syrup for just plain old chocolate milk (for that I turn to Hood Calorie Countdown chocolate) but it does up the chocolate ante in your favorite shake in a way that nothing else can (no, not even Davinci or Torani sugar-free chocolate syrups). For a triple chocolate shake, this is my go to stuff. Here's where you can get it.

A Drop of Extract

Calories: None!
Cost: Varies by region

Extracts are good if you don’t want to invest in a bunch of bottles of sugar free syrup. I keep a few on hand at my house and, yes, I do keep an actual dropper in my kitchen drawer to use them. A little goes a LONG way. Your threshold may be one drop or two but putting a teaspoon in…not advisable. Some ideas to get you started: coconut extract (chocolate and coconut go sooooo smoothly together), rum extract (don’t ask me why I live this but I do), peppermint extract (which can be used to make my “Grown Up Thin Mint” shake). The possibilities are truly endless. Extracts tend to be low or no sugar but, as always, make sure to read your labels!

Splurge: A Tablespoon of sugar-free pudding

Calories: About 40-ish
Cost: Less than $1

I use pudding mix in a lot of my shake recipes. They lend flavor AND provide a thickness that is often hard to achieve in a protein shake. And the possibilities are ENDLESS. Add sugar-free Butterscotch to get a Butterfinger shake. You can add a tablespoon of cheesecake for a chocolate cheesecake shake (and add no-cal instant decaf to upgrade that to a MOCHA cheesecake shake). You can add banana cream to do a choco-nana shake (I recommend this in lieu of using actual bananas, which can be something of a carb nightmare to your shake). And the list goes on and on!

BONUS: A Tablespoon (or two) of Powdered Peanuts

Calories: 26-ish calories for one tablespoon, 53-ish for two
Cost: About $3.50-ish

I am still surprised how many people have not heard of powdered peanuts! It’s a good deal if you like peanut butter flavored stuff (as we all know I do). Basically powdered peanut is a byproduct of making peanut oil. Once the oil is pressed out most of the fat is removed and you are left with a flour like substance that you can add to drinks and food to create the taste of peanut butter for a fraction of the calories and fat. And here’s the sweetest part of this deal: the powder retains most of the peanut’s protein! PB2 is a popular brand of powdered peanut but there are others. I would say always, always, ALWAYS use this instead of peanut butter in your shakes. One tablespoon of peanut butter is about 100 calories. One tablespoon of this stuff is about 26.

Tomorrow we'll tackle one ingredient fixes for your vanilla shake. This is a subject near and dear to my heart as I am firmly on "Team Chocolate!" but I have an unusually large collection of vanilla proteins. I've found many ways to love my vanilla-based shakes, though, and usually it only took that ONE ingredient to get me there!

Until tomorrow!

BF Top 5: No Stove/Oven Required Recipes

Are you guys in the midst of this heat wave too? OH MY GOSH!!! It's so hot. Today it's supppsed to hit 100 in Baltimore.

In times like these I do NOT go near my stove or oven.

Yesterday on Facebook and Twitter, I asked for your favorite "no oven required" recipes. Here are a few tried and true recipes that have seen me through heat waves post-op.

Chili Dog Ramekins

I actually had this for dinner last night! I topped with diced onions and I never missed the bun! To avoid fire, I nuked my dog and then cut it into pieces. On a cooler day, I might have used my grill pan.

>>Get the Recipe!
Thai Shrimp Salad

Not only do you not have to go anywhere near your oven, this salad is cold and comforting to heat irritated pouch. Newbies: you can skip the raw veggies and just dress the shrimp and this is still awesome.

>>Get the Recipe!

Curried Chicken Salad

This is a favorite of mine. It takes a simple can of chicken from ordinary to extraordinary!

>>Get the Recipe!

Thai Waldorf Salad

Ok, so I like Thai inspired food. A lot. So shoot me! Another good choice on a hot day.

>>Get the Recipe!

Queso Chicken

This one requires a crockpot but still, that's less heat than your stove!

>>Get the Recipe!

Seriously peeps...stay AWAY from the oven right now! There's way too much yummy "no oven, no stove" eating to be had right now to bother with it. Enjoy!

BF Top 5: How Nik does Mexican...

Next Thursday is a special day in three very special ways.

#1 - It is Cinqo de Mayo...let the margaritas pour!
#2 - I'm going to bare all to the blogosphere along with some of your favorite WLS bloggers
#3 - For way more personal reasons...it is my late grandfather's, Manuel Fernandez, birthday. He did eight years ago of cancer that formed as a result of meds he was taking for Alzheimer's. He was the center of my world and I honor him on that day!!!

So...for all these reasons, I feel like we should celebrate! To start us off, I thought I'd give you guys an idea of how Nik does Mexican. Because there are quite a few quasi-Mexican dishes on this blog. So...in no particular order...

Taco Casserole

One of my worst photos...one of my BEST recipes!

Taco Casserole is still the recipe I get the most feedback on of any of the recipes I've ever posted. It has everything you love about Mexican food in it and has the added bonus of being newby friendly! WOOT.

Chicken Enchiladas



This one is the divas favorite. In fact, I was discussing our Cinqo de Mayo menu and they both requested my homemade enchiladas (although the little diva said she could also go for some "plain old tacos" as she put it). My version is low in fat, high in protein with great fiber to boot! I have graduated to eating a whole one (one day I lost my mind and thought I could eat two...yeah...the pouch corrected that thinking quick, fast and in a hurry!), but this recipe is cool because you can cut off a piece that's just right for YOU.

Protein Mojito

One of my favorite mocktails, this drink gives you the great flavor of a mojito without the embarrassing memories, hang-over or, for some of us, the walk of shame (just sayin'...)

Mexican Lasagna



This is a nifty Rachel Ray knock-off (although I'm quite sure she didn't invent it). It's sort of like Taco Casserole for the more mature pouch. This is not to say newbies can't partake, but there's a lot of fiber in this thing. Proceed at your own risk!

...And a new recipe...

I've been posting on Facebook and Twitter about my latest protein shake obsession: Mexican Chocolate Protein shake. This isn't an original idea (by a long shot). I'd seen Mexican chocolate things on Food Network and other places. Everyone seems to have their own version. Here's how I make mine:

Nik's Mexican Chocolate Protein Shake

8 oz. milk (I use Hood Calorie Countdown chocolate)
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp good instant decaf coffee

A few (to taste) generous shakes of cinnamon

No-calorie sweetener to taste

Mix it up via the Triple X method. Or not. Your choice. I top with a dollop of fat free whippage and an additional sprinkle of cinnamon. NOM!

So those are my top five...there are many honorable mentions...like my Mexican Egg Casserole for instance or my taco bowls...but since this is a Top 5 I had to excercise some decisiveness and...you know...not give you ALL the links I wanted to give ;)

(I also feel compelled to note that even though my grandfather's name is Manuel Fernandez, I am not of Mexican descent - he is of Portugese descent - so my OBSESSION with Mexican food and all the resulting recipes are nothin' but love for a great style of cooking with yummy food!)

Look for a few new Mexican recipes this week!