Nik's Chicken Chorizo Skillet

This, along with many other nummy recipes, will be included in The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book, coming in April!

(But before we get to that, have you read about the opportunity you have to get YOUR favorite recipe into the forthcoming Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book? If not, go read about it!)

I go to Denny’s. Quite a bit. That may be a bad thing for a post-op to admit but what the heck. If nothing else, you know I keep it real!

S’anyway. I go to Denny’s. Quite a bit. This is mostly because I know what to order there. I know my options and I exercise them!

But every now and again they get something new. Such is the case on the day that I tasted the dish that became this knock-off.

They have these sizzling skillet deals. Now if you ever go to Denny’s let me give you some advice on the sizzling skillets, if you ever want to try them.

Firstly, don’t feel limited to the ones marked healthy. With a few simple modifications you can make nearly any skillet work for you. This dish is a knock-off of the Chicken Chorizo Skillet. The first time I got it I simple asked for them to omit the red skinned potatoes. That taught me how the dish is generally, which is wonderfully yummy…but full of oil!

So the next time, and every time thereafter, I’ve asked for my food to be cooked with non-stick cooking spray, not oil (I don’t say it explicitly but I hint at a food allergy), nix the red skinned potatoes, use half the usual amount of cheese and sub in scrambled egg whites instead of the potatoes. This usually yields two lighter, but still deliciously yummy meals.

But this weekend I didn’t want to go out and I didn’t want to spend money on breakfast! It occurred to me I have all the ingredients needed to make this, so why not?

Thus…

Nik’s Chicken Chorizo Skillet

(Family size OR good for several day’s lunches. This reheats pretty well!)

Ingredients:

• 3 links of chorizo sausage, casings removed, chopped into small pieces (NOTE: Chorizo comes in lower-fat chicken and turkey varieties if you don’t want to use pork)
• 4-6 oz. chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 small onion, cut into strips
• 2-3 different colored bell peppers, cut into strips
• 4 eggs, beaten (or egg whites, or liquid egg substitute)
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ tsp. chili powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 – 1 ½ c. Mexican blend shredded cheese

Optional: (Used here because my kids are potato fanatics) 3 red-skinned potatoes, diced and dry roasted.

You’ll need a large, oven-safe skillet for this.

Directions:

Set your oven to the broil setting.

Spray a large, oven-safe skillet with non-stick cooking spray, set it over a medium flame and allow it to get hot.

Add chorizo and cook, stirring about 2 minutes before adding chicken (the chorizo needs time to omit some oil). Stir chicken and sausage until both are cooked through.

Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and spices and sauté until softened. If you are using roasted potatoes, add those here as well.

Clear a well (hole) in the middle of your skillet, re-spray if needed, and pour in your eggs. Use a wooden spoon to scramble them completely before mixing into the meat/veggie mixture.

Top with cheese and place under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and brown as much as you like.

This was Sunday brunch. For the kids/significant other, I also fixed a batch of my killer homemade buttermilk biscuits (no I’m not putting that recipe on BF…my blog software might blow up!). I usually eat a tester sized biscuit and call it a day. Nummy!

Play with your food!

Taco Soup

(But first...have you entered week one of the "Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving" to win some Click Espresso protein? If not, go do it! I'll wait...)

…and a lesson about self-care.

Since I realize I don’t put date stamps on my blog posts, for future reference this is being posted on December 5, 2013, the day after my 37^th birthday.

I know many of you wonder what to do on your birthday. In a former life there was cake and ice cream and overly indulgent meals. But what do you do now that you’re trying to live differently.

Well, the answer isn’t the same for everyone. As a longer-term post-op I can say that I know some people who do cake and ice cream, just in smaller quantities or sugar-free. I know others who abstain.

I personally ditched the cake/ice cream paradigm right off the bat after surgery. Firstly, sweets just don’t captivate me the way they did before surgery but also I wanted to start a new tradition. For the first few years post-op I’d treat myself to a HARD workout (with a trainer even!) and I’d go out to sushi with my mother.

Then in 2012 things changed. Mama Foodie passed away in March 2012 and with her went my birthday tradition.

Last year I reacted to that by cancelling my birthday. I forbade folks from planning celebrations. Many folks were bummed about that because they wanted to make me feel special because they knew I was in pain. But in the end, I did what I needed to do emotionally and I’m proud to say I did not respond to my grief by overeating!

This year was my second birthday post-Mama. I didn’t cancel my birthday but I also didn’t make a big fuss out of it. Truth be told, I have no idea if I’ll ever feel the same about my birthday again.

So what did I do? I tried to reach outside myself a little. I volunteered to help wrap Christmas presents donated to homeless women and children. I went to work (true fact: Nik has a day job for an organization working to end poverty, injustice and human suffering). I came home and cooked dinner for my divas and we prepped the house for Christmas deco. And guess what? It was just what I needed!

The lesson here: some things in life can be overwhelming after WLS. And then some things in life can just plain be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need from people. Self-care is important to this process.

S’anyway, for dinner I made a simple and yummy taco soup. I thought I’d share the recipe! It was warm and comforting! I did indulge in a mini-corn muffin with some butter and Hot Pepper Jelly (the photo is actually of La Petite Diva’s corn muffing but mine looked similar).

Nik’s Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb. lean ground meat (whatever kind you use)
• 1 packet of taco seasoning (I used extra spicy!) OR
• 1 heaping teaspoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander and onion powder + a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
• 1 can tomatoes & chiles (whatever heat you like), drained of canning liquid
• 1 c. prepared salsa (whatever kind you like)
• 1 can black beans (I used spicy black beans), drained of canning liquid and rinsed
• 2 c. water or low-sodium broth (matching whatever kind of meat you used)

Garnishments (optional)

• Shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Unflavored Greek yogurt (to use as sour cream)
• Sliced Jalapeno Peppers

Directions:

Spray a pot generously with non-stick cooking spray and set it over medium heat and allow it to get HOT.

Add onion and green pepper and sautee until soft, about 3-ish minutes. Add garlic and sautee another minute or two.

Add ground meat and brown, mixing onions, peppers and garlic into the meat mixture. Drain meat meat mixture if necessary (although if you use lean ground meat, the excess liquid should pretty much evaporate in the process). Add taco seasoning or spices (not both) and stir well.

Add tomatoes & chiles, salsa and black beans and mix well.  Add broth or water until desired amount of liquid is achieved (NOTE: for you this may not require the whole two cups called for in the ingredients. You want soup but you don’t want to dilute your spices too much!).

Drop the heat down to medium-low, cover and let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit covered for a few moments before serving in bowls with desired toppings!

This was low-stress and allowed me and my girls to sit down to dinner together which is what I really wanted for my birthday. Over the course of the rest of my life, I'm sure I'll develop a new birthday tradition, but for this year, this suited me just fine!

What to eat on Cinqo de Mayo after Weight Loss Surgery

Aside from the holiday, today is my late "Pop-pop's" birthday. Manuel Fernandez was the first man I ever loved and I still miss him every day! In addition to being an awesome grandpa, he also laid the foundation to some of the recipes you guys enjoy from the blog. For instance, he taught me to make homemade pizza crust, which laid the groundwork to know how to make crusts for WLS-friendly pot pies, low-carb pocket apple pies, hot pockets and more!

But...for the rest of you it's Cinco de Mayo and you want Mexican. Am I right?

Here are a few faves from here on the blog! (Click the recipe title for the recipe)

Nachos a la Nik

Man, I haven't made these in forever! If I had pots, pans...a piece of tinfoil...spared from packing, I would totally make these. Loaded with protein, fiber and CRUNCH!

Enchiladas!

Bonus: In addition to being ooey and gooey, this one comes with a video of me demonstrating how to make them...and attempting Zumba. Gulp.

Mexican Egg Casserole

This is the perfect blend of Mexican and "breakfast-for-dinnner." And all the ingredients are at your local grocery store. I promise!

Mexican Chocolate Protein Shake

NEWBIES!  I've not forgotten you! This protein shake is soooooo yummy. And if you like chocolate shakes you already have everything it takes to make it. I PROMISE!

Taco Casserole

Who knew when I first stareted posting about this recipe a few years ago, who knew it would become such a...thing??? By far THE most clicked post on BF, the most referenced recipe I have ever published, taco casserole marries three yummy concepts: tacos, chili and refried beans. The result is NOMINOUS!!!

And if none of these ideas tickle your fancy (although...???), search Mexican on the right menu bar. There are many, many, MANY more ideas!

Gypsy's Cilantro Lime Chicken

Foodies...how do I love you? Let me count the ways...

Well, firstly, because you all are always on time! What do I mean by that? Well, if you haven't heard yet, the divas and I are moving! On May 5 to be exact. So you know what that means...not much recipe invention going on over this end until the big move.

But you guys always have me covered. I love when folks send me their recipes! It's always fun to peek into your kitchens.

This one comes to me from my fabulous friend (and Bariatric Foodie Pledge enthusiast) Gypsy!

Here's what she had to say:

This is what we are having for dinner tonight. So yummy and my oldest actually requested the Cilantro Lime Chicken ;). Full of protein and flavor!! Enjoy

~Gypsy

Gypsy's Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (2 lb. total)

 (i'm using chicken tenders) 

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Preparation

(BF Note: This recipe would also be great if you use the "BF Secret to Marinating Meat" for tender meat every time!)

1. 1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2 in.) and place in a shallow baking pan.
2. 2. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, cilantro, garlic, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over chicken and turn pieces to coat evenly. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. 3. Lay chicken on a grill over medium heat (you can hold your hand over the surface only 4 to 5 seconds) and cook, turning once, until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

 ...And get this...Gypsy gave us a two-fer! 

Cilantro Bean Salad

Throw some kidney beans & garbanzo beans in a bowl- drained and rinsed, with some lemon juice and olive oil, garlic salt & red onions & cilantro. Refrigerate & eat for a snack or lunch! Better the next day when all the flavors meld together.   

Thanks Gypsy for those great recipes! If YOU have a recipe to share with the Foodie Nation, hit me up! I'd love to feature you. 

WLS-friendly Quesadillas



How do you know the food blogging lifestyle has REALLY penetrated your household?


When you make a yummy lunch to share with your little diva and she insists you photograph it before you can eat any of it. Yep, this is my life folks.

So, down to business. Quesadillas. Usually not such a great idea. I hated when restaurants started publishing calories on their menus because it forced me to face how devilishly WRONG those things are. But as the old saying goes, “if loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right!”

Instead of trying to cut this crave-worthy treat out of my life completely, I decided to make a few changes to it. In the process, I managed to cut a LOT of calories and fat and still preserve the experience that I know and love.

Nik’s Crave-worthy Quesadillas (Basic recipe)

Ingredients

1 La Tortilla Factory whole wheat low-carb taco sized tortilla (I found mine at a local grocery chain called Safeway)
2 oz. canned chicken breast meat
¼ c. shredded taco cheese (I used taco instead of Mexican style because taco cheese has taco seasoning in it)
¼ of a small onion, in thin rings
A few thin strips of green pepper

Toppings: 2 heaping tablespoons unflavored Greek yogurt, 2 heaping tablespoons salsa of your choice

Directions

I used a griddle pan on a medium flame to do this. First, I sprayed it down with nonstick and grilled my onions and peppers until they were tender and removed from the pan.

Next I laid my tortilla out on the griddle and spread my cheese all over it (a quarter cup isn’t a lot of cheese but on this size tortilla it sort of works).

Then I topped one side with my canned chicken (you can also grill up chicken breast tenderloins. The canned is easier on my pouch.) and the onions and peppers.

After a few moments, fold one side over the other and press it gently just to get the cheese working as the “glue” of the quesadilla.

Flip and cook the other side until browned and crisp.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut into wedges. When I share with the little diva I make two of these which makes two wedges for each of us. You can cut the wedges smaller if you like.

I make these in a million variations and I’ll be sharing those over the summer. I served grapes with our little feast and then me and the kid watched her “I can watch it a million times” movie: The Sound of Music. Otherwise known to me as, the longest movie EVER once you’ve seen it ten times. But I like it. And I love her. So it was perfect.

Enjoy.

Nik's Fiesta Chicken and "Rice" Skillet



Cinqo de Mayo is almost here and I promised you some fun recipes. This is one. The other is a dessert (the divas finally finished off the last of the Easter treats...woot!) which I'll share probably tomorrow (but it's quick and easy enough that I reserve the right to post it on Thursday).

Tonight's offering can be a one skillet dinner if you happen to have some cauliflower rice hanging around (and by the way, yes you can freeze cauliflower rice). If not, one skillet, one pot but still very quick and easy!

Nik's Fiesta Chicken and "Rice" Skillet

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 bag cauliflower florets, cooked and mashed (or 2 c. cauliflower rice)
1 small onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
2 cans tomatoes and chiles (whatever heat intensity you like)
1 can black beans
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 tbsp tomato paste (if you don't have it you can skip this but it does add zip)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp each ground coriander and ground cumin

Directions

Spray down a skillet with nonstick and throw in your onions and peppers. Sautee until softened then add garlic and spices and mix well.

Add tomatoes and chiles, tomato paste and chicken cubes and allow to simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. (Maybe 5 minutes or so)

Add in your drained black beans (don't forget to rinse them when you drain them from the can to get that extra sodium off!) and cauliflower rice. Stir well. At this point you have a big ass skillet of food. I probably should have mentioned this earlier but...use a big skillet!

Finally, add in cheese soup and stir well. Allow mixture to simmer on low-medium heat for about ten minutes or until warmed through. Serve hot!



Now this is one of those dishes that will make your kids heads explode. Because they won't want to like it. It's got all the makings of something they'll absolutely hate...until they taste it and love it.

You may very well ruin them for junk food forever...you bad parent you!

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!

Mexican Spaghetti featuring "Skinny Spaghetti"



RECAP: Along with the Carb Confusion series, I'm highlighting recipes and reviews of so-called "better for you starchy carbs." So yesterday we tackled breakfast with the wonderful world of oatmeal.

Today let’s discuss pasta.

I should warn you and say that, in general, I am not a fan.

And there’s no need to suggest your favorite post-op noodles. I’ve tried them all – Dreamfields, Tofu Shirataki, spelt noodles, soy noodles and every other kind of noodle you can think of.

Except the noodle I am about to review. Skinni Spaghetti by Dixie Carb Counters. My friend Pam sent it to me and for months it sat in the back of the pantry, untouched (the divas aren’t that big on noodles either). But the other day I made a sauce that actually made me want a noodle. Usually in these situations, I default to my zucchini noodles but this recipe needed something thinner. So I looked to the noodles my good friend sent me.

First, the sauce recipe. This was a serendipitous moment for me. It happened purely by accident. I am a big fan of using both lean meat and Italian sausage in spaghetti sauce and I usually have Italian sausage in my freezer. When I went to make my sauce, I found I did not! But I did have some…chorizo. So the wheels in my brain got to turning. This was the result.

Nik’s Mexican Spaghetti Sauce



1 lb. lean ground turkey (you could do beef…I don’t because me and beef have beef with each other)
1 log (about 8 oz.) of Mexican-style chorizo sausage (I used the kind from Aldi)
1 cup of diced onions and green peppers (I used the frozen bagged kind)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if you like the heat..we do)
2 tbsp Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened

Directions:
In a pan sprayed with non-stick, sautee onions and peppers until softened. Add garlic and sautee for an additional 3 minutes or so.

Add ground turkey and chorizo to the pan and brown through. Drain mixture of excess fat and return to pan.

Add spaghetti sauce and stir until fully incorporated. Add spices and simmer about 10 minutes on low heat.

Add cream cheese to sauce and allow it to melt, stirring to fully incorporate it.

The reaction from the divas? “This tastes kind of like chili, but kind of like spaghetti sauce. It’s good. But my mouth is confused.”

That situation might be worrisome to some, but to me the bottom line was this: clean bowls. End of story.

Now back to the pasta. I only made a portion of the skinny spaghetti for myself and opted to give the girls whole wheat spaghetti.

The "skinni" stuff has pretty good stats. For 2 oz. of spaghetti (which is way more than I'd actually try to eat) is 143 calories, 3g fat, 14g carbs, 11g fiber and 26g protein (holy spaghetti, Batman!). That was not necessarily a proclamation of joy peeps. That fact alone raises a LOT of red flags from a flavor perspective.

So anyway, the package says very clearly to add the pasta to boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes and warns "do not overcook." Well, there's an ominous premonition if I've ever read one. But I carried on.



After cooking it for two minutes, it was still not what I'd call al dente, so I decided to let it go another two minutes. After THAT two minutes it still hadn't softened that much and so I accepted that this was the inevitable caveat of this food item and ladled it out into a bowl.

For the sake of this review, I tried a tiny noodle by itself. I can't exactly describe the texture, but it is not "of the noodle variety." It's more like a noodle shaped cracker. VERY starchy. When photographing it, it looks like your standard noodle, but sadly it is not. The noodles were also noticeably absent of that slickness that freshly cooked noodles have. In fact, they were downright dry right out of the pot! (despite the fact that I did add oil to the cooking water)

If you look closely...it sort of looks like fake food...or spaghetti that has been out a while. It only actually sat for a minute or two in this pic. Notice how the cheese is all melty? It's hot...but DRY!!!

I could tell I would not be able to eat much of this as my pouch grumbled at just that noodle. But I decided to pack half the two ounce portion (who was I kidding making that much?) with my lunch. But first I tossed it in a bit of olive oil to try to preserve any moisture that might be present.

At lunch I warmed this up with a wet paper towel over my bowl (more moisture preservation) and that helped a little...but not much. I did manage the whole portion (to see if it bothered my tummy...surprisingly it did not). In the end, the texture kind of bugged and while I could eat it...I probably will not...ever again...

So it all boils down to this...if I were inclined to eat pasta (which I am not), I'd probably go with a good whole wheat variety (or Pam's beloved Dreamfields) and eat a responsible portion of it. This stuff? Is probably going to continue to sit in my pantry and a thousand years from now archaelogists will find it and use it as an artifact from the low carb movement.

Verdict: Diva says DECLINE!

Skip the pasta, make the sauce, top with cheese and have at it!

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!

Nik's Queso Chicken

Ok, so I realize since I've been stepping my photography game up lately that this picture COULD have been better. But it was taken at work. Cut me some slack!!!



You ever go to make something you REALLY want, reasonably sure you have all the ingredients, then you go to finish it and you find that you really don't?

Nah...that doesn't happen to you guys. Because, unlike me, you have the good sense to check first!!!

I decided to make some Southwest Chicken for my lunches this week. I was soooo excited. I love that stuff! It's the simplest thing in the world to make (click the link for the original recipe). But when it came down to it, I was missing the one, pivotal ingredient...cream cheese! That's highly unusual by the way. I am NEVER out of cream cheese.

So anyway...I had to edit my plan. Here's what I came up with.

Nik's Queso Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were frozen but you can also use fresh)
1 jar of medium salsa (I imagine my beloved TJ's chipotle salsa would work well too)
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of Campbell's cheese soup

Directions:

(Best done in the morning) Place the chicken in your crockpot and cover with salsa. Turn your crockpot on low and go to work...or wherever you go during the day.

When you get home, drain your beans and throw them in there, along with the can of cheese soup. Stir and allow to cook another 30 minutes or so. (NOTE: After emptying out my fridge to make sure that I REALLY had NO cream cheese--because it really is a rare event--I forgot to add my black beans! So basically, I was a hot mess in that moment. But trust that they taste good in there).

My kids liked both the original and this version with crushed tortilla chips on top (I use TJ's spicy flaxseed soy nachos).



This is a nice lunch to take you away from the craziness of your busy day...but not too far...the world might end or something.

I would call this a serendipitous moment...but it wasn't nearly that coordinated! PWYF peeps!

Nik's Tasty Turkey Tostadas

Is it perverse to lick your screen? Oh...it is? MY BAD!

Tostadas are one of those go-to recipes for me when I need a quick meal. They are notoriously easy to make and you can make them out of nearly anything.

This tostada is a fall back favorite. I am a big turkey fan (if you can’t already tell) so any opportunity I have to do something new with it is exciting to me!

Nik’s Tasty Turkey Tostada

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat wrap (I use Fit & Active from Aldi, which is a cheaper alternative to the pricier Flatout wraps…but they have the same stats)

½ c. shredded Mexican blend cheese (yes, that’s a double portion, I’ll explain my reasoning in a minute)

6 slices of low-sodium, lean deli turkey breast, chopped (I like the Jenny-O smoked turkey breast)

1 tbsp + 1 tsp unflavored Greek yogurt

1 tbsp + 1 tsp your favorite salsa

Optional: ¼ c. finely diced onions/green pepper mix (raise your hand if you knew they sold this frozen in bags for CHEAP in the grocery store! I didn't until a few days ago!)

Directions:

Sautee onions/peppers until soft and onions are browned. Add in chopped turkey meat and sautee until browned and slightly crispy.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick (if making in the oven. You can also make this in the toaster oven). Lay out your wrap and top with half of your cheese. Top that with your turkey/veggie mixture and then another layer of cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and wrap is crispy. Cut into four squares and top each square with 1 tsp of Greek yogurt and salsa (note: 3 tsp = 1 tbsp).

Ok…so why do I think I can get away with all that cheese? Mainly because I don’t eat a whole one of these things! I usually either wrap half of it and eat two squares with a little salad (and that’s a three year old pouch mind you) or I share it with La Petite Diva. So in my two squares, I’m actually getting the proper serving of cheese (and the protein that goes along with it).

This is a yummy way to get your protein and fiber in (each wrap has 9g of fiber!) and feel like you’re eating something bad when it’s really something oh so good!

Nachos a la Nik

Now remember last week how Jen gave you her outlook on nachos? This is one of the many instances where we do the same dish, two ways. We’ve decided when that happens, we’ll both post so you can see various ways to approach a dish.

For the folks that want their nachos now, now, now!!! I would suggest Jen’s recipe. It’s quick, easy and tasty.

However, if you don't mind investing just a few more minutes into the process, here’s I do mine.

Nik’s Nacho Extravaganza

(Jen says I have a flair for melodrama…I can’t imagine where she gets that…)

Ingredients:

10 Trader Joes Soy Flax Seed tortilla chips
2 ounces Hillshire Farm Deli Select lunch meat (I used turkey cuz me and beef got beef) sliced into strips
1 ounce shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 tbsp diced onions
1 tbsp diced green peppers
2 tbsp unflavored Greek yogurt
2 tbsp whatever salsa you like (I use homemade)

Directions:

In a sprayed pan, brown up the deli meat, onions and peppers until the meat is slightly crispy. I used turkey here, but beef is fine as well.

Lay out the chips on a plate, transfer hot meat/veggie mixture to the top of nachos and immediately sprinkle with cheese.

Top with Greek yogurt and salsa. CRUNCH!

To be quite honest, this would be a dinner, even for the “Wonder Pouch.” It’s got a lot of protein (25g the way I make it) and a good deal of fiber (about 11g in the above recipe). If you are early out, first of all check to make sure you are even allowed to have nachos—healthy or otherwise—and then you might want to halve this recipe.

So there you have it: one dish, two ways. But you don’t have to do things the way we do them. Play with your food! And if you come up with something good, hit us up!

Taco Casserole

Thank you, Shannon, for this AWESOME pic!

Around my house, we tend to have a lot of variety in the dishes we eat. This is, of course, because I have a varied palate and am easily bored by food. Boredom=undereating=lack of energy=testy Nik. So I try to keep it fresh in the kitchen.

But there are a few dishes I’d call “stand by’s.” The divas, of course, have some they like, some they do not. Sometimes they are split on a dish. Like taco casserole, for instance. La petite diva loves it. Happily glops on a massive portion of Greek yogurt and salsa on top and inhales it.

The older one? Not so much. I’ve not ever been able to figure out why, though. Theoretically she should love it. She loves each component—taco meat, refried beans, gooey cheese. But all together? Nope. Won’t eat it. Not in the beginning. Not now.

Still, since the little one and I like it, I still make it. On those nights the older one opts for our standard “alternative dinner” of a salad with a few grilled chicken bites on top and some ranch dressing.

Today, taco casserole is one of the most popular recipes I’ve ever posted anywhere. People still message me to tell me how much they like it and their kids like it and their spouse likes it (you hear that oldest child???). So I have to give it a blog post of its own. A place of honor.

Nik’s Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground meat (whatever you use)
1 small zucchini, diced (I leave the skin on for extra fiber)
1 small yellow squash, diced (same deal)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic minced
1 envelope of taco seasoning mix
1 can black beans (I used the spicy kind), drained and rinsed
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can tomatoes and chiles (or canned diced tomatoes if you don't like the heat)
2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese (you can do reduced fat or regular but NOT fat free!)

Optional toppings:

Unflavored Greek yogurt
Salsa

Directions:

In a sprayed pan, sautee veggies with garlic until they are softened. Drain any excess liquid and transfer to a bowl.

Brown ground meat, drain and then transfer to the same bowl and mix with canned beans and tomatoes and chiles.

Mix in taco seasoning thoroughly and then transfer mixture to a 13x9 casserole dish.

Evenly spread out fat free refried beans on top (this may be easier if you heat them in a microwave safe bowl for a minute or so.

Top with cheese and then bake in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is oozy, melty and slightly browned.

If you care about it looking like a casserole, let it cool for about 20 minutes before serving. If not, dig in!

My brother loves this on multi-grain tortilla chips. The little diva eats it like I do, straight up with Greek yogurt and salsa. Except I put a sprig of cilantro on top to keep things fancy.

I heart Nachos! You will, too!

~~posted by Jen

Yes, I eat nachos as a WLS post-op. They were a pre-op favorite and not something I wanted to give up in my post-op lifestyle. So, I had to find a way to make them work in my plan. I don't eat them every day, but I do have them probably once a week.

The first step was finding some chips with not too hideous stats. Trader Joe's has their own brand of Soy Protein and Flax Tortilla Chips. The stats are pretty good for chips! A serving is 7 chips, 130 calories, 6 grams of protein, 9 grams net carbs (all whole grain).

If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, I found another brand called "Food Should Taste Good", and their stats are also pretty good. They don't have as much protein per serving as the TJ's ones, but they'll do in a pinch. Here's how I make them:

Jen's High Protein Nachos


Ingredients:
14 TJ's Soy Protein & Flax tortilla chips
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh salsa
pinch of salt


Directions:


Spread the chips in an even layer on a microwave safe plate. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, making sure to get cheese on each chip. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until the cheese is all melted. (Time varies depending on your microwave.)


In a small bowl, combine the greek yogurt, salsa, and salt. Stir together until completely combined.
Spread the topping mixture over your nachos and dig in! 




This exact serving is a perfect meal size for me at 2 years post-op and comes out to around 380 calories and 26 grams of protein per serving. My average meal is 350 to 400 calories and minimum 20 grams of protein, so it meets my requirements. Again, this is not something I eat every single day but it sure tastes good when I get a hankering for nachos.

 Optional toppings could include refried beans, leftover cooked chicken or ground beef, olives, lettuce, jalapenos, whatever you like. Now this is one of those instances, when I was talking to Nik, where she makes her own version, using some of the same ingredients but in a different way.

That happens often as we have different approaches to food. Since she is quite passionate about her version of nachos, we've decided to do this as a "One dish, two ways" set of posts. Look for her version next week!

Until then, play with your food! Come up with your own creative combinations, then share them with us! What are you waiting for? Say Ole' and now go...get your nachos on!

Mexican Lasagna

So ok, before we start one note of caution: when you're cooking chew gum. Seriously. Cuz I made this one this evening so I could photograph it and I was just a'tastin' the ingredients. Now it is done...and beautiful...and yummy (I had a small nibble) and I'M TOO DANG FULL TO HAVE A SLICE!!!

Moving on...


Nik's Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground meat (turkey, beef, chicken, whatever)
Optional but I used: 1 cup textured vegetable protein
1 small can of mild green chiles
1 small onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 packet of taco seasoning
2.5 cups 2% Mexican blend cheese
1 can fat-free refried beans
1/2 a jar Enchilada sauce
Either 4 small low-carb, whole-wheat tortillas OR 2 Flat-out wraps (I used the Fit and Active brand multi-grain wraps from Aldi's)
6 oz. chorizo sausage, either sliced or casings removed (I went for the latter)

Optional toppings:

Unflavored greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream
Salsa

Directions:

1. In a sprayed pan, sautee onions and green peppers until soft, add green chiles and warm through.
2. In a sprayed skillet brown ground meat and chorizo.
3. In a separate large bowl combine TVP with an equal amount of water. Add salt and pepper and stir to incorporate.
4. Combine meat mixture, veggie mixture and TVP in the large bowl with taco seasoning.
5. In a 13x9 casserole dish spread a layer of the meat mixture. Top with a enchilada sauce, refried beans, then cheese cover with one of your wraps (trim it if it is too big for your casserole dish). Repeat your layering so that you end up with the top layer being cheese which should come level with your casserole dish.
6. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.
7. Extract and remove from heat. Allow to cool about 10 - 15 minutes before cutting

Just finished lasagna out of the oven. Mmmmmm...

This stuff is YUMMY. Now for the carbophobes out there, you CAN substitute the wrap/tortilla action with something like zucchini but I wouldn't. Why? If you use flat-outs or the Aldi's brand you are getting not a lot of carbs (You use 2 for the whole lasagna and each has 17g of carbs, 9 of which come from fiber. And 100 calories. So really, you're not getting many calories OR carbs and in return you are getting good fiber, k? So breathe and eat yer damn carbs!

For those of you obsessed with stats, here are the stats using MY INGREDIENTS. Yours may vary.

And if your mouth is watering at this, check out some other Mexican inspired favorites of ours:

Fiesta Tuna boats
Chicken enchiladas
Taco casserole (scroll down for the recipe)

Next up: We travel down to the bayou to offend the sensibilities of good Cajuns with WLS friendly shrimp 'n grits!

How to Make WLS-friendly Chicken Enchiladas

So ok...this video is a bit choppy. We tried some new methods of shooting stuff to make it more condensed. So put all that aside. Let me show you something...THIS is what you get at the end of the experience...

So what's a few bad edits in exchange for THIS???

This blog is in real time people...and in real time it is 7:15, I am half naked in bed and my kids have to be at school in 30 minutes so...written recipe later! Enjoy!

The Love Boat...

I call these little babies "Fiesta tuna boats" cuz...well they are Mexican inspired (which always makes me want to throw a fiesta), they have tuna in them and the lettuce is like little boats sailing all that yummy flavor into my mouth! Ok, that was cheesy...but then again so are these! So here's the rundown:

Fiesta tuna boats
3 Iceberg lettuce leaves
1 can tuna in water, drained
1 tsp light mayo
1/2 tsp taco seasoning
about 2 tbsp Mexican blend shredded cheese
2 tbsp fat free sour cream (I use Daisy!)
2 tbsp salsa (I use generic hot flavored)
2 tbsp (or 1 oz.) chopped onion
1-2 strips (depending on your fat thresshold/willingness) pre-cooked bacon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine drained tuna, mayo, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix
2. Lay out your lettuce leaves and place equal portions of tuna on each leaf
3. Microwave pre-cooked bacon one minute until crumbly then sprinkle it on top of the tuna
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the bacon
5. Top each with sour cream and salsa
6. NOSH, NOSH, NOSH!!!

Depending on your distance from surgery this could be 1 serving or it could be 3. For me it was 1 serving because I have Hercules pouch. This is SOOOOOO yummy! All the flavor of a taco (sorta), the protein of tuna, cheese, bacon, and hardly any carbs!!! What's not to love?
I'm labeling this Mexican food ONLY because of the seasoning and salsa. Very loose interpretation, yes?

Happy Cinqo de Mayo!

Cinqo de Mayo is now my absolute favorite fake holiday. I have it on good authority from a few Mexican friends that Mexicans generally don't celebrate the holiday and that it's basically just a (damn good) excuse to drink.

I had INTENDED to celebrate the holiday with this beautiful dish to the left, however, a sick child inspired me to go with a big ol' pot of homemade turkey vegetable soup and some Carbquik drop dough biscuits (if you don't have Carbquik...get some...NOW! The stats on that stuff are crazy! You get a biscuit...A BISCUIT...for like 20 calories, 1g of carbs!) To quote the annoying stereotypically Southern lady in the new Popeye's commercials, "who ever heard of such nonsense?"

Anyway back to the matter at hand. The above. YES, it is WLS friend, even low cal and low(er) carb. It is an enchilada with a side of fat free refried beans, greek yogurt (hit with a dash of onion powder) and mild salsa.

Nikki's Enchiladas

6 La Tortilla Factory low-carb, whole wheat small tortillas
2 Purdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts, diced small
1/2 a green pepper diced
1/2 a white onion diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup of 2% Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/2 can enchilada sauce (I use a brand called Carlita)
Some non-stick cooking spray
Optional: red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Spray pan with cooking spray and cook chicken until done.
2. Add peppers and onions and cook through. Add red pepper flakes to the mixture if desired.
3. Warm tortillas in microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
4. Lay tortillas on a flat surface and spoon some of the chicken mixture down the middle. Sprinkle some cheese on top of that and then roll into a long tube.
5. Pour a bit of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish.
6. Place each enchilada in a sprayed casserole dish, seam side down and make sure to pack them snugly
7. Once all enchiladas are rolled, top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese
8. Bake in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melty and gooey

Today is my late grandfather's, Manuel Fernandez's, birthday. He would have been 77 years old. He died 5 years ago from liver cancer following a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. I love and honor you today Pop-Pop!