No-Sugar Added Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Spoiler Alert: Nutella is never going to be health food. This is not health food. It will always be a treat.

I felt like I should lead with that because there are always new folks coming to this blog and I want you to know that we do, in fact, know the difference between a healthy food and indulgences. We talk about that quite a bit.

But my personal philosophy (your mileage may vary) is that my food life should be about 85-90ish% above board choices, 10-15-ish% indulgences. This is how I do moderation. Again, your mileage may vary. 

So. Back to the good stuff. Nutella!

I had surgery in 2008. This was before Nutella was a common item on US grocery store shelves. It’s been around in Europe, apparently since Europe was invented or something. But here in the US it’s become a popular shelf staple only over the last five years or so.

My youngest daughter lives for Nutella. Like seriously…she will even do her chores if she thinks there’s Nutella involved. Unfortunately for her I don’t do food rewards, but who am I to get in the way of her motivation if she chooses to think Nutella will be her reward? (Did that make me sound like a bad parent?)

Now I’m all for moderation. And having a little of what you like and a lot of what you need. But Nutella has one big problem I can’t get around.

The sugar content. It would kill me.

So that’s why I was so happy when Buzzfeed produced a videoon how to make your own Nutella at home (btw…the Nutella people are probably preparing a lawsuit against me for the sheer number of times I’ve used the term Nutella in this post! Keeping that in mind…Nutella!).

Anyhoo…I basically followed their directions I just modified the recipe a little bit.

No-Sugar Added Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Ingredients:

• 1 c. chopped hazelnuts (look in the baking aisle at the grocery store)
• 4 oz. baking chocolate (unsweetened), chopped
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (or you can use canola, I just had olive)
• ½ c. milk (whatever kind you use)
• No calorie sweetener (use your preferred kind in amount equivalent to ¾ - 1 c. sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness. To get the correct amount, consult the conversion chart on your packaging.)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Dash of salt

Directions:

Place your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10 second increments until it’s all melted. (I did a double-boil but that’s because I have this weird Martha Stewart fetish.)

Heat a dry skillet over your stovetop (don’t spray it with nonstick, just leave it dry). Add the hazelnuts and toss them around a minute or two, until you can begin to smell the nuts. Remove from heat immediately.

Combine nuts, melted chocolate, oil, milk, vanilla, sweetener and salt in a food processor or blender (I used my Nutri-Ninja) until smooth. If it’s not smoothing out/blending, add milk by the tablespoon until it gets going.

Transfer to a clean container (I used a glass jar). This is NOT a recipe developed for canning. Refrigerate and use this within a month. I personally like it right off the spoon (and a spoonful is enough for me). I also tried it on a Pink Lady apple and that was divine as well.

To answer your inevitable question, no it doesn’t worry me having this around. Sweet stuff is not my trigger – salty food is! (Which is why you will never see a WLS-friendly Dorito recipe coming from me.) If sweet stuff is your trigger I would not be hurt if you decided to pass on this one. Seriously...it's ok!

Outtake Photos:

I like mine a bit nutty still, not completely smooth. The longer you blend, the smoother your final product should get. 

Because...melted chocolate. That is all!

Red, White and Blue Protein Popsicles (Featuring Premier Protein)

This post is sponsored by Premier Protein. 

It is my theory that the 4th of July is a blueberry's favorite holiday. Why? Because on that day the red/white/blue color combo is just everything -- and, really, what other food can you use to play that up?

I personally love blueberries, not only for their antioxidant qualities, but because they are a nice, mild berry. I like popping a few straight out of the fridge, adding to my cottage cheese and a multitude of other options.

That's why when the good folks at Premier Protein sent me the recipe for this Patriotic Protein Pop (see what I did there?) I couldn't wait to share it with you. It's so easy! Especially if you've invested in popsicle molds to make my Orange Creamsicle Protein Pops. Now you have not one, but TWO, three ingredient recipes to make in them!

Red, White and Blue Protein Popsicles

Ingredients:

• Sliced Strawberries
• Blueberries
• 1-2 Premier Protein® Vanilla Shake

Directions:

Line popsicle molds with sliced strawberries and blueberries.

Fill popsicle molds with Premier Protein® Vanilla Shake.

Freeze overnight.

Enjoy!

#PWMF Recipe Contest Dessert Winner: Sue's Pumpkin Cheesecake



 

Y’all thought I forgot about the rest of the “Play With My Food” recipe contest winners, didn’t you?

NOPE! We’ve got two more Foodies to feature.

First up, Sue! She submitted a yummy WLS-friendly dessert recipe that judge Denise thought was out of sight!

Sue’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Here is Sue's entry photo:

Ingredients:

• 1 -8oz pkg Greek Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 scoop vanilla or unflavored protein powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4c. + 2Tbs Truvia baking blend
• 1 small can packed pumpkin
• 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

In a bowl beat cream cheese until smooth and add in protein powder, vanilla and 1/2 of the Truvia. 

Mix well.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each one. 

Add pumpkin, remaining Truvia and spice.  Mix well.

Pour into a sprayed glass pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

Nik Notes:

 I have extensive cheesecake experience so you KNOW I have to put in my three cents!

• Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know of my quest for a cheesecake free of cracks! For some of you, cracks are no problem so long as it's yummy! And sometimes (especially if you're having guests) presentation is more important. If you’d like to lessen the likelihood of cracks, it’s a simple thing to do. Just put an oven-safe pot of HOT water into the oven when you put your cheesecake mixture in there. The cheesecake doesn’t need to sit IN the water, you can put the water on the same or another rack. The steam helps it cook gently.
• I also have always cooked cheesecakes at 325 for 35 minutes, turned the oven off, and left it open a crack to finish cooking as the oven cools down. Why? Because Alton Brown told me to!
• Lastly, if you have a springform pan those make cheesecake extraction a snap! Just make sure to line the bottom with parchment paper so you can easily get it off the pan.

Here’s what Denise said about Sue’s cheesecake!

"The texture was moist and smooth. Flavor was good. Kid liked it. Passed all tests. Lol. Not as dense as classic cheesecake, but I didn't expect it to be. Easy, protein enhanced, and yummy."

The very first picture in this post is a slice of the cheesecake Denise made according to Sue's recipe. Here's a picture of the entire cheesecake:

Foodie Review: Enlighten Fudge Bar

FCC Disclousre: The reviewer of this product was given free product for the purposes of this review, however was not monetarily compensated. The opinions expressed in this review are those solely of the individual reviewer and may not express the opinions of Bariatric Foodie.

 

Enlighten Ice Cream. The good for you ice cream. We'll just see about that won't we???

 

Admittedly this review is hella late (as is my custom at times). My apologies. But since there are a few more weeks of warm weather yet, I'm hoping this review will help you satisfy your end-of-summer ice cream cravings.

 

At first glance, I admit Enlightened has potential. Per their website, the bars come in FIVE different flavors: Fudge, Coffee, Orange Cream, Toasted Almond and Peanut Butter. Here are the stats on the fudge bar, which is what is being reviewed here. This is per the Enlightened website.

• 70 calories
• 2g fat
• 14 total grams carbohydrates
• 5g fiber (bringing the net carbs down to 9g)
• 3g sugar
• 6g erythritol (a sugar alcohol BUT one that tends to have very little impact on the human digestive system)
• 8g protein

So let me pause and say this. From the numbers alone this appears to be a pretty decent bar. Which is exactly what makes me suspicious! That's why I asked my Foodie-pal Cindy to review check these bars out for you. Her mission: to find out if an ice cream bar could be both good and good FOR you.

 

I asked Cindy to review the product based on the following criteria: packaging, aesthetics (smell, look of the product), taste, nutritional value and to give an overall verdict. Here's what she had to say. 

 

Q: What did you think of the packaging? Was it informative? What could you tell simply by looking at the package?

 



 

Cindy: The small "e" with a halo above it makes it look like an Angelic item…..blue sky and clouds. Very nice. There was lots of information to catch your eye on the front of box. Information WILL catch a Bari patient’s eye. Just from looking at the package I learned it has 8 grams of protein and only 70 calories. It has only 4 bars in one box. And it looked tasty.

 

Q: What did you think about the product's aesthetics? How did it look, smell?

 

Cindy: If anything I'd say the product had a frozen smell, not mediciny or foody, just icy. When I first bit into the bar it was a bit hard, so it does freeze well. Then after a few bites - as it thawed a  - the bar became softer softer.

 

Q: How did the Enlightened bar taste?

 

Cindy: I ate a few bars over the course of a week before answering this question to be sure of my opinion. These bars are yummy, thick, creamy and fulfilling. Not as creamy as a Dove bar but thick and creamy almost like that. Some fudge bars taste like ice milk, this has a creamy ice cream taste to it. I do have to say I have to bite the first couple bites as I mentioned earlier, but after a couple creamy licks, the flavoring of the fudge was also spot on.

 

Q: What did you think of the nutrition?

 

Cindy: This would be considered a high protein product, since there are 8 grams of protein and only 70 calories. This product does have 14 grams of carbohydrates though. The dietary fibers are 5 grams so subtract that from the carbs and you get 9 grams. It does say on the label that it has only 3 net carbs. Product contains Erythritol.

 

Q: What do you think of the overall value of this product? Is it something you'd buy?

 

The price on the bars is reasonable (Nik Note: At the time of this writing, the bars were on sale at my local grocery store for about $3.50/box of 4). I did very much enjoy this product. And glad to see they have a variety of flavors. My next couple to buy are: the Toasted Almond and the Ice Cream sandwich. I would like to see them have more than 4 items in one box.

 

Q: So what's your final verdict? Should Foodies purchase or pass?

 

Cindy: Purchase!

 

There are a few other notes I learned from reading their website's FAQs:

• ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU).
• It contains all-natural ingredients (yes, erythritol is a nutural ingredient)
• Besides erythritol, the bars use monkfruit as a sweetener
• The milk used in the bars is hormone-free

Enlightened was kind enough to give me another coupon to try out the bars and I'd love a review of one of the remaining flavors. Wanna be my reviewer?

 

Leave a comment about which flavor (besides fudge) you'd like to try (along with your email address) and you'll be entered to win! You have until Sunday at noon to put your name in the hat. I'll announce the winner Monday morning.

 

Good luck, everyone and thanks Cindy!

 



#PWYF Moment: Tammy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Roll Cake

(Before we get to the cake...have you entered this week's "Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving" drawing? There's Quest Bars up for grabs, people go enter!!!)

Anyhoo...I love when you guys show me what you're cooking. Doesn't even have to be from this blog. I just love to see what you're up to in the kitchen.

Incidentally this submission was inspired by one of my recipes - my Protein Pumpkin Roll cake. Tammy has made it with success and decided she wanted to try another flavor...so she went with a flavor that I personally love! (Not because I love it, mind you...that's just a bonus...)

Tammy admits her original cake came out a tad dry (hence the cracks). That was because she took out the pumpkin (obviously) leaving the cake without a good source of moisture. The recipe below compensates for that!





Tammy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Roll Cake

Ingredients:

Cake wet ingredients:

• 1/4 c. Splenda  (Tammy found the original recipe's full cup too sweet. You should play with it and determine what you think. Start out with 1/4 c. then taste the final batter. You can always add more sweetener at any stage!)
• 1/4 c. no sugar added applesauce 
• 1/4 c. Brown Sugar Twin 
• 3 tbsp Blue Bonnet Light (or I can't believe it's...yadda...yadda...) 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Cake dry Ingredients:

• 5 scoops chocolate whey protein powder 
• 2.5 tsp baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

• 2 - 8 oz. packages Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese) 1/2 c. Splenda
• 2 tbsp milk 
• 4 tbsp PB2

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and mix thoroughly.

Line a half cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. If using foil, spray it down with non-stick cooking spray. Pour your batter into the cookie sheet and spread it evenly over the entire cookie sheet. The batter will seem thin. This is ok!

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Watch the cake because protein baked goods cook faster than normal ones!

While cake is cooking, make icing and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Allow cake to cool completely (about 60 minutes) before turning it out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap (plastic wrap should have about 6 inches of overhang on either side).

Ice the cake with the filling and then CAREFULLY use the plastic wrap to roll the cake.

NOTE: If your cake cracks, as the above did, increase the amount of applesauce in future batches. It usually means the cake was not moist enough! The cake above was made WITHOUT the addition of the applesauce, hence the cracking.

Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, simply slice into pieces of desired size!

Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake (with Sugar-free Salted Caramel Pecantopping)

I know, ok? I know. I posted this recipe on Facebook like a week ago and folks have been patiently waiting for me to post the recipe.

As it usually happens, by the time I get around to figuring out a share-able recipe, very few people care anymore! But for accountability's sake, here we go.

This recipe was a bit tricky because it came about by accident. I was making a sugar-free pumpkin pie and I made the mistake of using the recipe on the can of pumpkin which yielded WAY too much pie filling for one pie shell. Not wanting to throw the rest of the filling away, I played with my food and came up with a very yummy (but small and thin) crustless cheesecake. Here it is:

But those who have made cheesecake before know the methodology is a bit different from a pumpkin pie and so I wasn't sure how this recipe went without me having first mixed up too much pie filling! That was my objective: to find out.

And I have!

I made a few noticeable changes to this recipe in its final format. Firstly, it's a full-size cheesecake. Secondly, as such I baked it in a springform pan. You can still use a baking pan if you want, just make sure to refrigerate it a few hours before cutting it and use a pie knife to lift the pieces if you go completely crustless. OR you can try one of these delicious nut crusts I keep hearing about. If you have a good recipe, post it in the comments so your fellow Foodies can share in the love!

Nik's Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. low-fat cream cheese (NOT fat-free), softened
• 6 oz. unflavored Greek yogurt (yes you still need this even if you use the cream cheese made with Greek yogurt)
• 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling!)
• 1/2 - 3/4 c. Splenda (or your favorite sweetener's equivalent of 3/4 c. sugar) NOTE: If everything tastes too sweet to you, go with the lower amount. If you are serving this to a lot of non-ops go with the higher amount!
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3 egg whites
• Optional: 2 servings (whatever that is on the canister) of either vanilla or unflavored protein

Directions:

Arrange your oven racks so there is a rack at the bottom and one in the middle. Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and put a large pot or full kettle of water on to boil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and Greek yogurt. Beat on medium with a hand mixer until they are thoroughly combined.

Add in pumpkin, sweetener, protein (if using), pie spice and vanilla and blend again until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, beat your egg whites until they form soft peaks (about 3-4 minutes on medium).

GENTLY, tip your egg whites into the cream cheese mixture and use a scraper or a long wooden spoon to gently fold the egg whites into the mixture (folding is gently turning the batter over on itself over and over again). NOTE: It may take a few minutes to get it all combined. Do not rush and do not use the hand mixer!

If you're using a baking pan, spray it down with non-stick cooking spray. If you're using a springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper (you can also just spray it down, but parchment paper makes it easier to remove the cake from the pan later). Scrape the batter out of the bowl and then spread it evenly.

In the bottom rack of your oven, set a large baking dish and then fill it with the boiling water. In the center oven rack, set your baking dish.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until the cheesecake seems mostly set (it will start to pull away from the sides of the baking dish and will appear firm). Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to stay in there while the oven cools down, usually about 20 - 25 minutes. This is what it looks like at the point when you turn off the oven. As you can see it retains the little swirls from me spreading it in the pan. If you are a perfectionist...well...make sure you spread the top flat! You'll notice some cracking. That happens. I am not a master baker so my cheesecakes almost always crack a little. Usually small cracks are a good indication it's time for the oven to go off.

When the oven is cooled remove the cheesecake to a cooling rack and cool thoroughly before covering and refrigerating. I get the best results when I refrigerate overnight, but I think 2-3 hours would do the trick.

If you used a springform pan, run a sharp knife around the perimenter of the cheesecake before releasing the springform.

UPDATE:

So here's what had happened. After I shut down the computer and was all set to lie down while the cheesecake cooled down I realized it wasn't as set as I thought so I turned the oven back to let it cook a few more minutes...then promptly fell asleep!

Thankfully my little nap only lasted 20 minutes (I had intended to only let the cake go about 7 more minutes) but it was just enough time to...produce really HUGE cracks!

So how did I get to the thing of beauty at the beginning of this post? Well my motto is, "If life gives you a cracked cheesecake, make a topping!" For this one the topping is super-simple, with only four ingredients!

Nik's Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Topping

Before I give you this recipe I need to stress this is holiday or party food. Unless you have big family dinners regularly or just have a gargantuan sized family, don't be making this all the time, k?

Ingredients:

• 2 c. chopped pecans
• 2 tbsp. butter (or whatever you use in place of butter)
• 1/2 c. Smucker's sugar-free caramel sauce
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions:

Set a pan over medium flame with no non-stick, no nothing and let it get HOT!

Add the pecans and toast them, stirring often, until you can just begin to smell them. Transfer to a bowl.

In that same pan, melt your butter. Add your caramel sauce. Almost instantly the caramel sauce is going to change from a lighter tan to a darker brown. That is good and right and normal.

Add the salt and stir until it begins to boil and bubble. Make sure the sauce, butter and salt are all mixed together before pouring into your bowl of pecans. Then stir the mixture thoroughly. Here's my batch.

Allow the mixture to cool for about 3 minutes (you want it cooler but not completely cooled) before setting it atop your cheesecake. From there I DARE anyone to notice the cracks!

Thanksgiving Prep: How Bariatric Post-Ops (Should) Do Pie

Pictured: Nik's Sweet Veggie Pie (recipe link below)

Yep. Let's talk about pie for a minute. Because Thanksgiving is coming. And there will be pie. Ohhhhh yes...there will be pie!

For some of you it might be pumpkin pie. For others, sweet potato. (Side note: I'm not sure if it's cultural or regional but my family resolutely refuses to eat pumpkin pie...hmmm...) And for some of you there will be pecan and other sorts of yummy concoctions which WILL leave you either (a) grateful for your picky pouches (or sleeves) (b) wishing for your old stomachs for just a day or (c) down right testy!

But did you know that you can do pie?

"Stop messing with me Nik...this is a touchy subject!"

I kid you not! You can do pie. And I'm going to show you how.

You can do...

Protein Pie

Like my "Amp'd Sweet Potato Pie" which is made with a sugar substitute and protein powder. Nobody could tell the difference frankly and it was GOOD! Or if you're feeling adventurous and want to go totally covert on your family you can give my Sweet Veggie Pie a shot! With or without protein you'll feel a deep sense of pride for pulling that pie off!

Protein Pudding/Frozen Pie

I usually tell people about the frozen in the summer but they work equally well at Thanksgiving, especially because you have to let it sit for a minute before slicing them! Or, like in the picture above, you can simply make a protein pudding pie. If you don't share my love of Fiber One Original cereal, choose a high fiber and/or high protein cereal that crushes well. Here's my top favorite cereals.

And here are the recipes to:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Frozen Pie
• Rocky Road Protein Frozen Pie
• Cookies 'n Cream Protein Frozen Pie
• Mocha Toffee Protein Pudding Pie

Pie in a Ramekin

This is good because you can either skip the crust or make a very small one for the top. I make my crusts out of a simple dough of low-carb baking mix, a little sweetener, salt and water. It comes out very nice!

Here are the recipes to:

• Ramekin peach pies
• Ramekin banana cream pie
• Ramekin pumpkin pie

Pie Reinventions

Like my Apple Brown Nik. This recipe combines apples, fall spices, crushed cereal and nuts. It's been a hit since the first time I brought it to Thanksgiving dinner (and it got pilfered before I even got any!). If you don't want to use the cereal I used, use the cereal of your choosing OR you can just go with a crushed nut topping.

Also a noteworthy mention is my Sweet 'n Salty Potato Casserole. To be fair, it's half pie reinvention, half side dish and all wonderful. BUT...for that recipe, you'll have to look to "The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Guide." It's on sale in hard copy form on Amazon and at Smashwords for Nook and iPad. Believe me, for that recipe alone the book is worth it!

I should also mention that many of the recipes listed above are included in the holiday book but there are so many more. Like a totally good, yet cookie-less, protein banana pudding recipe and several kosher recipes written by my friend Joy of Kosher Bariatric.

BF Top Five: All About Pumpkin!

It’s fall and you know what that means. Bring on the pumpkins!

First let’s talk about why a pumpkin is a great food to eat. Not only are they absolutely delicious in your favorite fall dishes (and, as Starbucks has shown us, even in our coffee!) but they also have:

• 3g of fiber per one cup serving!
• Seeds rich in phytosterols, which lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• Beta-Carotene, which has many health benefits and may be linked to a reduced risk of cancer

For even more benefits, check out this nifty Huffington Post article.

So without further adieu, here’s Bariatric Foodie’s Top Five Things to Do with Pumpkin.

Make Protein Pumpkin Custard Ramekins!

These things are nifty and can be right-sized for you! They do freeze well when wrapped properly. When ready to eat, simply thaw at room temperature and they can also be popped in the microwave for about 20 seconds to get the warmth back!

Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Protein Shake Starters

I love this concept! Mix pumpkin and spices, then freeze in an ice cube tray. Pop them out and put them in a freezer-safe bag and voila! Anytime you want a pumpkin flavored protein shake simply add some milk, one or two of your starter cubes and protein powder. No more having to figure out what to do with a leftover can of pumpkin if you just need a little!

See the method for making these.

Pumpkin Chili

Yes, chili! Adding pumpkin to chili gives it a velvety taste and a slight tang that’s oh-so-good! Next time you go to make chili, try a little pumpkin! You’ll thank me!

Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake Trifle

For your next family gathering bring this – but don’t tell anyone it’s healthy! I guarantee it’ll get inhaled. Layers of cheesecakey pudding (and use my Protein Pudding making method to give it even more of a boost!) with pumpkin and caramel. Yummy!

Get the recipe.

Roast 'em!

Canned pumpkin is readily available at stores but if you’d like to try your hand at roasting your own, here’s our easy and fool-proof method. As a mom I can attest to the fact that this comes in really handy if you have more than one kid going to the pumpkin patch!

Learn more. 

Mocha Toffee Protein Pie

Obligatory Fed Warning: When clicking on links related to products within this blog post, you will be redirected to sites where those products are available for sale. If you go on to make a purchase through the linked site, a portion of your purchase will be paid back to Bariatric Foodie.


This post name is something of a misnomer, because I'd more like to go over the anatomy of a protein pie. Because once you know how to make them, you can make them out of any darn thing you like! The flavor combinations are endless! Not to worry, though. I'm going to give you the recipe for THIS pie. But here's how you make a protein pie in general:

1. The Crust: You can make a crumb crust out of lots of things. In my former life I used crushed graham crackers. Now I use Fiber One Original cereal, mostly because it's slightly sweet, yields easily to added flavors and has TONS of fiber to offset the total carb load. But you can use any cereal you like. If you are comfortable doing so, you can even use graham crackers (with the awareness that you're also accepting a considerable amount of carbs and some sugar along with them). To make a crumb crust, you basically combine 2 cups of whatever crumb you're using (I pulsed my cereal in my Magic Bullet blender to make it into crumbs) with about 2 tbsp of butter OR low-cal baking spread (I usually use Blue Bonnet Light but I was out so I used butter this time). Squish them together with your hands until they look like wet sand. Then press the mixture into a pie crust and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.
2. The Filling: Basically all the pie filling is is a glorified version of my protein pudding. I combine 2-3 scoops of protein powder (no it does not matter how big the scoop is, just make sure your protein is at least 20g per scoop) with sugar free pudding mix and protein in a mixing bowl and make sure they are mixed well (I use a whisk). Just note that the more protein you add, the thicker your filling will be. Then add 1.5 c. milk (cow's milk works best with pudding mix). I personally mix it with a whisk or hand mixer but have heard tell of using a blender. Do what works for you! Just mix it until it's about to set.
3. The Topping: Once the pie crust is out of the oven and cooled and the filling is chilled, pour the filling into the crust and smooth it all. Now it's time for the fun part: toppings! I usually use either sugar or fat-free whipped cream and some other type of garnish (cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, etc.). I like pretty food. Once you've got it the way you want it, refrigerate until you're ready to serve!

Now as for this recipe:

Nik's Mocha Toffee Protein Pie

Ingredients:

• 2-3 scoops espresso flavored protein (Click Mocha or Fit Frappe Mocha or Espresso work well. In the absence of either go with chocolate protein + 1 tbsp GOOD instant decaf coffee). 
• 1.5 oz. box of sugar-free chocolate pudding mix
• 1.5 c. skim milk
• 3 tbsp. Torani sugar-free English Toffee syrup
• For the crust: 2 c. Fiber One Original cereal, crushed into crumbs; 2 tbsp butter, chopped, 1 tbsp no-calorie sweetener, 2 tbsp. of the sugar-free English Toffee Syrup.
• For topping: 1 tub fat-free whipped cream 

I basically followed the directions above. :)

Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Ice Cream

You all know Kelly M. as your Foodie Vitamin Correspondent for the Bariatric Foodie monthly e-mail newsletter (you ARE signed up, right?). But she, like any other post-op, loves healthy yumminess too! I recently sent her a Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough protein bar to play with. Here’s what she did with it.

When Nik sent me this new Quest bar, it was to make protein ice cream with it and document the process. But I realized that I left my icecream maker at my sister’s house. But that’s ok because you know what we say here at Bariatric Foodie — play with your food! That’s why I’m going to tell you both how I made my ice cream this time (just in case some of you don’t have an ice cream maker) and how to make it with the ice cream maker.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Ice Cream

(Makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. skim milk (use any kind of milk you like, just keep in mind that fat free milk makes ice cream that is less rich and creamy than ice cream usually is)
• 1.5 scoops vanilla protein powder (I used Syntrax Nectar vanilla bean torte protein powder because I think it tastes just like vanilla ice cream. Click the links on the words to see the product!)
• ½ tsp. no-calorie sweetener (I used Splenda, although it’s not pictured)
• ½ tsp. sugar-free vanilla pudding (if you don’t have any, your ice cream should turn out fine without it, but it helps make it a little bit thicker and creamier)
• One Quest chocolate chip cookie dough protein bar

Put all ingredients except the protein bar in a cup with a lid and shake well.  You can also mix them in a blender if you prefer. Personally, I think some brands of protein powder mix up better in a blender, but Syntrax Nectar does just fine when I shake it.

Now, if you have an ice cream maker, pour the liquid in and turn it on. Let it go for about 20 minutes, or whatever the instructions for your ice cream maker say.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the liquid into a glass and stick it in the fridge.

Then chop up the chocolate chip cookie dough protein bar into tiny little pieces.  Or chop it into bigger chunks if you like that better. It’s up to you. And yes, I snuck a little taste (or two… or three…) while I was chopping. Tastes just like chocolate chip cookie dough. I love raw cookie dough.

If you’re making your protein ice cream in an ice cream maker, after about 20 minutes, dump the chopped up protein bar in and let it mix for another five minutes or so.

If you’re making protein ice cream without an ice cream maker, unfortunately, you’ve got a bit more work to do. Every 10 minutes or so, stir up the partially frozen liquid.  After about 20 minutes, mine looked like this.

After about 50 minutes, I had vanilla slush.  I poured the slush into a bowl, added the chopped up protein bar, and stirred well.

I stuck the bowl in the freezer for another half hour and voila!  Chocolate chip cookie dough protein ice cream.  Yum!

Now, the nutritional stats for your chocolate chip cookie dough protein ice cream will vary depending on what kind of milk you use and what brand of vanilla protein powder you use, but I wanted to mention that my entire batch of ice cream had about 70 grams of protein.  I’ll probably get three or four servings out of this, so I’ll get 17 to 23 grams of protein in each delicious serving.

(Never tried the Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar? Click here to read Nik's review and then click here to order some AND support Bariatric Foodie at the same time!)

Nik's Flourless Coconut Macaroons

There's a lot to be learned from non-op cooking, Foodies. In the midst of my non-op holiday baking I came across a completely flourless coconut macaroon recipe. It took me a week or two after what I call "cookie-palooza" (prep for my big Christmas party when I make hundreds and hundreds of cookies) to want to even think about a cookie again but this afternoon I got a hankering.

You all might know I already have a coconut macaroon recipe that uses Carbquik. But I am excited and fascinated by flourless cookies so I wanted to give this a whirl. The results were pretty damn yummy!

Just as a reminder here are my personal rules about cookies:

• I do not make cookies unless I have others around to share them with
• I do not make large batches of cookies (this recipe yields about six of them, more if you make them smaller)
• I stay accountable with cookies (hence posting here and being brutally honest about what I ate)

Now you can choose to add protein to your cookies. I don't. I believe there's room in my meal plan for the occasional indulgence, so long as it's a responsible one. But you do what makes YOU most comfortable, k?

Nik's Flourless Coconut Macaroons

(Makes six-ish)

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 c. no-calorie sweetener (I use Splenda. If you don't make sure to use the amount that measures against 3/4 c. sugar)
• 1.5 c. unsweetened coconut (I get mine from the Amish but you can also order it online)
• 1 tsp coconut extract (or for this one I actually used a tablespoon of sugar-free toasted coconut syrup)
• 1/4 c. sugar-free chocolate chips (I get mine at Wal-Mart. Hershey makes them.)

Directions

(Sorry...it didn't occur to me that this should be a blog post until after I saw how well they turned out so no process pics!)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whip your egg white until it is good and frothy, about 3 minutes.

Add in a quarter cup of sweetener at a time, whipping them into the egg whites after each addition. The egg white mixture should get stiffer as you add more sweetener. Add extract and whip again.

Gently fold in your coconuts using a baking spatula. I always end up getting asked what gently folding is. Basically it is just as it sounds. You are ever-so-gently folding the mixture into itself so that you don't deflate the egg whites. GENTLY!

Once the coconut is completely incorporated into the egg white mixture, add chocolate chips and stir in.

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, drop heaping tablespoons-full of the mixture. It will not hold together. That's fine. Just drop it in a little heap and make sure the heap is all touching each other It'll work out. Trust me!

Bake about 10 minutes or until cookie is set and edges are browned. Remove from oven and cool on a rack before eating!

How many calories are these? I'm not telling! Most of you know why. Like I said, cookies will never be diet food, but we improve where we can, right?

Nik's OTHER Protein Banana Bread Recipe

Before we go into this have you guys entered this week's "Mother of ALL December" giveaway yet? I have a feeling a lot of you have vitamins you like already so you don't want to enter. To that I say, it never hurts to try something new!

Look for a video review in the next day or so for Building Blocks Vitamins, our lovely prize sponsor for this week. And enter the contest! You have a year to redeem your certificate and goodness knows a lot can happen in that time. It may come in handy when you least expect it!

Moving right along...

So I already have a perfectly lovely, no-flour protein banana bread recipe here on the blog. Lookit:

But yesterday I played with my food to come up with another recipe, this one using Atkins Baking Mix. I like both versions but this one is a heartier banana bread. Whereas I can eat a whole mini-loaf of the no-flour version, I am hard pressed to get through half of one of these suckers.

And since I am a complete push-over incapable of following my own no-stats rule, I will give the nutritional information after the recipe, k?

Here we go.

Nik's OTHER Banana Bread Recipe
(Makes 6 mini-loaves)
Ingredients:

• 3 seriously over-ripe bananas (I'm talking heavily spotted and even all brown on the outside!)
• 1/2 - 3/4 c. no-calorie sweetener, depending on your sweetness preference (if you don't use Splenda use the amount of your favorite sweetener that correlates to the above amount of sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. Atkins Baking Mix
• 3 scoops of your favorite vanilla protein powder (Here's mine)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile peel your bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl and mash them (I use a potato masher but if they are really ripe a wooden spoon would do). TIP: If you want to make these today and don't have over-ripe bananas, stick them in that 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, skin and all. Speeds up the process of nature!

Add sweetener, extract and pie spice and mix thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time and mixing the first thoroughly before adding the second. 

In a separate bowl mix together the baking mix, protein powder, baking powder and salt. 

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Mixture will be THICK.

Finally, add walnuts and mix them through.

Spray down either a regular loaf pan or a mini-loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray (or this, which is a baker's best kept secret to prevent sticking!). If using the mini-loaf pan, I used a half cup measure to empty equal parts of the batter into each loaf slot. Then I divided the extra batter between the slots. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top is done and edges are browned.

Another tip for successfully releasing quick-breads and cakes. Take them straight from the oven to a pan of really cold water. Just dip the bottom in the cold water for about 5-10 seconds. It helps seal the bottom and ensure that after you completely cool your baked good, it comes loose from the pan fairly easily.

Ok, so...stats...(full stats available here):

Per loaf:

Calories: 348

Fat: 17.41g (from the nuts mostly)

Carbs: 25g

Fiber: 6g (so 19g NET carbs)

Protein: 27g

I have a sneaking suspicion that the half I ate after I took the above picture is the only part I'll get. The divas each ate half of one last night and then this morning for breakfast! Sigh...story of my life. 

BF Top 5: Single-Serving WLS-friendly Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas

One of the biggest worries I've heard from post-ops about making WLS-friendly desserts for Thanksgiving is getting stuck with the leftovers if nobody else likes it. It's a valid concern. Although I'd theorize if we stop TELLING people the dessert is healthy (instead, simply put it on the table and walk away!) we'd find this is not so much a problem. But I digress. Bariatric Foodie is here to help with a few portion-controlled, small batch ideas for Thanksgiving treats.

In no particular order... (and click the dessert title to go to the recipe!)

Protein Pumpkin Custards

All the dreaminess of pumpkin pie without the crust and this recipe yields six servings if made in 2 oz. ramekins (less if you use larger ones). 

Portion-control Protein Cheesecakes

Ok so I realized shortly into this blogging thing I'm a bit cheesecake obsessed. So I made this recipe that yields just a few little ramekins of protein cheesecake so that I don't go overboard. It's all about self-care, right?

Peach Pie Ramekins

Do you see a theme emerging here? Ramekins. Embrace them! There's all sorts of ramekin recipes on this blog btw. Desserts as well as nummy savory recipes like my Lil' Baby Pot Pies.

No-flour oatmeal cookies

Since I first made this recipe I've started using just a pinch more salt than this recipe calls for. Balances out the sweetness.

No-flour Almond Butter Cookies

These cookies are sort of a two-fer. The exact same recipe works with peanut butter! I usually add a bit of cinnamon to give it a more complex flavor when I use peanut butter but the bottom line is this: no flour, small batch and yummy!

Bonus recipe (Cuz I love you!) Coconut Macaroons

Forgive the ghetto-fab picture. This recipe is from when I was a lil' baby blogger. But the cookies are good. And low carb. 

So there you have it...SIX small batch dessert ideas (for the price of five!) that you can make for YOU for Thanksgiving and know you are not only staying on plan but (depending on the choice) actually getting extra protein!