Nik's Roasted Pear Butter

See the "HOW TO USE" section for details on what this is!

Ok, so I’m really, really, really REALLY behind on stuff lately. For those who have followed this blog more than a year, this is a familiar song and dance.

But I’m trying to get caught up because next week will be all about the release of The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book! I’m so excited about that (and nervous).

But first we have some unfinished business to attend to. I owe you TWO recipes that I demonstrated on social media. I’ll post one today, the other tomorrow. First up, let’s talk pears!

Have you ever had fruit in your refrigerator too long? It goes through some stuff! It deepens in color, softens in texture and, in some cases, begins to bruise to the touch. And there’s a point where you look at it, remembering that you really did buy it for a purpose (you really did!) but the fruit has gone past its ability to fulfill that purpose and it is all. Your. Fault.

Ok, so maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but my main point here is that over-ripe fruit can still have a place in your food plan! But first a few words:

• Over-ripe and rotten are NOT the same thing. You should be able to tell the difference just by looking at the fruit but if there is any doubt, cut a piece of fruit in half. If it is mostly still healthy inside with only a few soft/bruised spots, cut those out and keep it moving.
• However, note that over-ripe fruit is fruit whose sugars have developed and intensified. That means it’s naturally sweeter than the day it was picked and therefore when you prepare stuff with it, you’ll need to adjust additions accordingly.
• My ultimate rule for over-ripe fruit goes like a page from the Johnnie Cochran playbook: “If in doubt, throw it out!”

So anyway. One day I was in the grocery store and noticed in the produce section that they had the “last chance” bin out. That’s where the produce folks package up fruits/veggies that are older and sell them for deep, deep discounts. It is a well-known fact in my household that I have the physical inability to resist this cart. I can. Not. Do it!

On the cart this day was a pack of 6 pears. Very, very ripe pears. I bought them, endeavored to do something yummy with them, then put them in the fridge.

And then…four days later…they were very, very VERY ripe pears. When I have very, very, very ripe pears, I start thinking pear butter!

This probably isn’t true pear butter to pear butter officianados (I wonder what they are called) but it was easy and can be used a bunch of different ways.

Nik’s Roasted Pear Butter

Ingredients:

• 4-6 whole pears (Nearly any kind works, but the ones in the picture are Bosk. Also note they don’t have to be over-ripe. They can be freshly bought.)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Optional: ½ c. no-calorie sweetener (I used Splenda) or to taste, 1 tsp. cinnamon or 1 tsp. apple pie spice and I’ll say below how you can add protein, if you wish.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut pears in half. (If they are over-ripe, this will be a “juicy” process. You don’t have to peel or seed them at this point.)

Spray a cookie sheet down with nonstick cooking spray. Place pears, cut side down, on the cookie sheet. 

Roast your pears for 15-25 minutes (the more ripe they are, the less time they’ll take to roast). When they come out of the oven they should be easily pierced with a fork, the skin should have darkened considerably (mine already had dark skins because they were over-ripe, but look for an olive color).

Allow the pears to cool thoroughly before easily removing the skin with a spoon or paring knife. Flip them over and then use a teaspoon to easily remove the seeds.

Place your roasted pears in a bowl (or the bowl of a food processor if that’s what you’ll use to pulverize them) and add lemon juice, sweetener (if using) and spice. If you are using protein powder, you’d add that at this stage as well. I recommend using ¼ c. (or four tablespoons) of protein powder for every four pears you use, but play around with it. You can use vanilla, unflavored or any other kind you like!

If using a food processor, pulverize your pears until they reach your desired consistency (they can be chunky, they can be smooth…go with what you like best!). I don’t have a food processor so I used an immersion blender and did the same.

Chill until ready to use.

HOW TO USE

Well for me I like this straight out of the bowl but I did add some to some protein oatmeal and the kids have been noshing on it as well. I also put some aside and added some black chia seeds, stuck it in fridge (so that the seeds could fill up with water. Post-ops should NOT consume un-hydrated chia seeds as they take in fluid and expand in the gut in their un-hydrated form). What I ended up with is this:

It’s interesting. It tastes good, has a little bit of a crunch, it thickened the whole deal and it gave it an almost…dare I say…carbonated mouthfeel. So…if you’re interested give that a try. 

I also used it to make the dessert at the top of the post which I called "deconstructed pear crumble." It's basically 1/3 c. of the pear butter, about 1/4 c. of Bear Naked protein granola (I also used Fiber One another time but did not photo that) and a little poof of whipped cream. Yummy!

Nik's Protein Popsicles - Strawberry Banana



It’s summertime!!!

Well, maybe not. But it’s hot. It’s hot where I am and, more than likely, hot where you are too (if my weatherman is honest at all).

Raise your hand if you’ve already started buying sugar free popsicles in bulk from Costco for your deep freezer. Yeah, I thought so.

Those things are a delicious and low-cal way to satisfy your sweet tooth and you won’t hear anything negative about them from me. However, I do have another option to throw in the ring.

Do you have trouble getting your daily protein? Do you like frozen fruit bars, fudgesicles and the like? Well have I got something for you!

This is the first of many recipes that I’ll share over the summer for these. Like protein shakes, the possibilities are endless!

Nik’s Strawberry-Banana Protein Pops

Ingredients:

2 c. milk (I use skim)
1 box sugar-free banana cream pudding mix
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 c. frozen strawberries

Directions:

This is an easy three step process. While I use my bullet here (and you’ll see from the picture that it was too small to handle this job) I recommend using a traditional blender for this.

Step One: In your blender, combine milk, pudding mix and protein powder. Blend about a minute or until thoroughly mixed. Add in strawberries (if the mixture has thickened too much, add in about an ounce of water to help it along) and blend again until strawberries are distributed throughout. It’s ok if there’s small berry chunks in there (so long as you don’t mind it).

Step Two: Carefully pour your mixture into popsicle molds. I use molds that make four popsicles. The size of your molds determines how many pops this recipe yields, which is why I didn’t say how many above.
Step Three: Freeze for at least two hours. When you’re ready to have a pop, you may have to run your mold under the water tap (room temperature water) to release it from the mold.

Like I said, you really are limited only to your own imagination with these things. You can use any combination of pudding, protein flavor and fruit to make whatever flavor YOU like.

I will say this one is yummy. I chose to use banana pudding instead of actual bananas to limit the carbs. If you’re potassium deficient, feeding the kiddos or just dig real bananas, hey, I don’t micromanage your pouch! I’m just here to spread the love.

Want more protein pop ideas? Check out the Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes (available on Amazon). It's got dozens of flavor ideas that can be made into protein pops, shakes, frozen treats and more!

"Cadbury" Cream Egg Protein Dessert

Before we get to the above, let's talk about love, shall we?

Love is...being at critical mass of dessert in your fridge (when you're not a particularly big dessert person) and making yet another dessert because that dessert is needed. That is love my friends. I love you all.

If you love me back, I know you'll understand the fact that next week there will be NO dessert offerings on Bariatric Foodie. I think once the divas get back the situation in the fridge will work out but until then...yeah.

NEWBIES! Hi. I'm Nikki. If you've never been here before, this blog is all about post-op yumminess. That doesn't stop during Easter. Now I know what some of you probably thought when I said I'd have a newbie-friendly Easter offering. You thought I was going to suggest some sort of egg salad concoction, didn't you?

I can't blame you. When I was new out I didn't have much faith that there dessert would ever be a part of my life again. But then when I was a newbie, there was no Bariatric Foodie ;)

Nik's Cadbury Cream Egg Protein Dessert
(In honor of La Grande Diva's birthday month I made it in the style of her favorite Cadbury Egg, Orange Cream. This makes four 2 oz. portions or two 4 oz. portions)

Ingredients

1/2 c. unflavored Greek yogurt
1/2 c. lowfat cottage cheese
2 tbsp (2 pumps) Davinci sugar-free orange syrup (can be omitted if you don't have any)
3 packets True Orange (or a half a sugar-free orange drink stick also works)
3 sprays low or no-cal butter spray (Yes, this is strange, but have I EVER steered you wrong? Don't answer that!)
2 scoops Any Whey unflavored protein powder (or you can use whatever unflavored or vanilla protein you have on hand)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
No-calorie sweetener, to taste

Topping: 2 tbsp fat-free whipped topping, 1 tbsp sugar-free chocolate chips

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine everything and pulse until smooth. The cottage cheese curds should no longer be visible.

Now let's talk where to buy and substitutions:



• If you don't have the Davinci sugar-free Orange syrup...no worries! I use it mostly to achieve an orange-ish color (and as you can see that didn't work out so well for me). The same can be achieved (if you so desire) by using food coloring.
• True Orange. It's in the sugar aisle of your grocery store. You've walked past it a thousand times. I guarantee it. It's even near the Splenda.
• You can use butter extract, if you have it, instead of butter spray but do use one of the two. TIP: butter is what makes the cream fillings in Twinkies, cupcakes, etc. taste the way it does.
• If you want a traditional cream egg, omit the orange stuff. If you want a coconut cream egg, add coconut extract or syrup. Play around with it. It's your recipe!!! I personally would have added a shot of Butter Rum syrup if it were just for me to make it a little more grown-up.
• Sugar-free chocolate chips: I can't speak for yours, but my Wal-Mart sells them. Hershey's. I used mini-sugar free chocolate chips I bought on Netrition. For some reason my linking is wonky on Blogger today but if you use the handy search box on the right menu bar, search "Senseo sugar free chocolate chips." All will be revealed.

Nik's Salty Caramel Dessert

This is a true story of how one little sugar-free caramel pudding cup became a very big deal in my life.

I'll try to be brief.

Basically, I was in Wal-Mart and I saw some sugar-free caramel pudding cups. Having never seen them before, I was excited. Brought them home, tasted then and...ennnhhh. They were o.k. But they needed some jazzing up.

In thinking what to do with them, I recalled the deliciousness of salted caramel protein cocoa. Could I make something reminiscent of that? And off my mind went! Here's what I came up with.

Nik's Salty Caramel Dessert (aka "100 calories of hot damn!")

Ingredients

1 sugar-free caramel pudding cup (or 4 oz. prepared sugar free caramel pudding)
A dash of cinnamon
A "splick" of salt (in this case you can decide what a splick is. To me it's usually 1/8 tsp but keep in mind salt doesn't desolve in cold things so you will both taste and FEEL the salt...that was good for me but use your own best judgement)
2 tbsp fat-free whipped topping
1 tsp sugar-free caramel sauce (i.e. Smuckers), for drizzling

Optional: a few banana slices and another dash of cinnamon for garnish

Directions

Empty the contents of your pudding cup into your favorite dessert dish. Mix in salt and cinnamon.

Top with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

NOSH!

This makes for a very satisfying snack at the end of a long day. Altogether, mine comes to about 100 calories and it is worth every last "scrape the dessert bowl with your index finger" taste.

<< Yesterday's Post: Red Beans & Rice (a la Nik)

BF Beginners: Nik's Creamy/Cheesy Broccoli Soup

~by Nikki

What's that on the side there...we'll talk about that in a minute...

OK...hear me out here! Because I know what you're saying, "Broccoli??? For beginners????"

First and foremost, you should check with YOUR plan to see when you are cleared for cruciferous veggies. I should note that these are cooked to within an inch of their lives and then pureed, so I don't think many will have a problem with this recipe.

That said, for those of you new at this, especially those who had to do the pre-op liquid diet, followed by surgery, followed by clear liquids and now full liquids...I bet you'd give your right arm for anything that is not sweet right now, am I right?

Well have I got a recipe for YOU!

I made this soup especially for my newbie peeps but at the end I give some suggestions for "beefing it up" for my further out peeps AND, as a special added bonus, I give you a family/kid-friendly conversion idea. See how much I love you!!!

Nik’s Creamy/Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

1 bag (about 4 cups) broccoli florets
1 can fat-free chicken broth (I used Fit &Active from Aldi)
1 c. water
1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup (I used Fit &Active also)
1 can cheddar cheese soup (I used Campbells)
1 c. unflavored 0% Greek yogurt

Optional: Unflavored protein, such as BiPro USA or Quest,  salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the broccoli florets in the chicken broth and water until very, very, VERY tender (like you pick it up with a fork and it goes limp).

Add both kinds of soup and Greek yogurt then, with an immersion blender, blend until the whole thing is a thick liquid. If you don’t have an immersion blender…get one! (Kidding) You can also do this in batches in a regular blender.

Just before serving, if you are adding the protein powder, add a half a scoop per four ounces of soup.



Serving:

Now...while it's true that you can technically buy broccoli & cheese soup, the stats on this version are not bad when you figure them up (no I'm not going to do them for you). To me, the beauty in this version is its versatility. You can use this as a base so that you and your family could technically be eating the same thing for dinner (in various forms). Check it:

For newbies: the above picture is of a 4 oz. ramekinof the stuff. As you can see…as a three year post-op that is not all I eat! This was actually after I’d made some unplanned noshes at my children’s Girl Scouts meeting or else my homemade chicken nuggets would have been accompanied by about a cup of this stuff instead of 4 oz.

Further-outs: you can amp up the heartiness by adding some more cooked broccoli florets to your finished soup. I’ve also made this with browned, diced ham and with diced chicken breast, both of which are good. Or you cold also go with...

A good, kid and family friendly conversion: the finished soup makes a GREAT base for whole wheat penne pasta. Just cube up and sautee some chicken breast and cook down some onions and peppers. Cook your pasta to al dente and drain, then toss in the chicken and the soup. Add a bit of Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper and they’d swear you slaved all day in the kitchen!

BF Beginners: Strawberry Protein "Parfait"

~~posted by Jen

1 word: YUM!

I made a pretty cool discovery not too long ago. Y'all know I love to add Sugar Free Jello pudding mix to Greek Yogurt and protein shakes, right? (Side note for our newer readers: if you haven't had my Better Than Sex dessert, that one is a must taste!) 

S'anyway! A couple weeks ago, I decided to give it a try with Sugar Free gelatin and just see what happened. 

At first I thought it might make the texture go all wonky because of the gelatin, but to my surprise, it works great! 

I used Strawberry here, but you could use whatever flavor you like, the possibilities are endless. Peach is yummy too, I had that one the other day. I use lots of strawberry and peach because both fruits are lower on the glycemic index and don't impact your blood sugar as much as other fruits do, plus I just love their flavors!

This is a tasty meal for early-outs, and a nice protein dessert for those of us who are further out. Quick, easy and delicious, 3 of my favorite things! I called it a parfait because I like the word parfait. 

If you're further out, you could always layer this with a protein bar chopped into pieces, like in my Daybreak Parfait, or add in some low sugar granola or Kashi Go Lean for some crunch factor to make it a true "parfait."

For early post-ops, I would have this as is, except omit the fresh berries until you're cleared for fresh fruit. This recipe makes 1 serving, multiply the ingredients by however many servings you need.

Here's how it's done:

Jen's Strawberry Protein Parfait

Ingredients:

2 oz (1/4 cup) plain Greek Yogurt

1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder or Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder

1 teaspoon strawberry Sugar Free Instant gelatin 

Sugar free sweetener, to taste (I used 2 packets of Splenda)

3 fresh strawberries (optional, depending on your post-op stage)

2 tablespoons sugar free whipped topping

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the greek yogurt, protein powder, gelatin powder, sweetener and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the whipped topping. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

If you're using the fresh berries, slice the berries and cut them into very small bite-sized pieces, reserving 1 slice for the garnish. 

Stir the berry pieces into the yogurt mixture until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into a 4 ounce ramekin, top with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of whipped topping and the strawberry slice. Enjoy!

Jen's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

~~posted by Jen

This is a perfect weekend soup, since it takes a bit more time than some of our "weeknight" soup recipes. We promised that once a week you'd get a sneak peek at the Holiday Preview offerings, so here it is! I'll be making this soup for the food tasting at the Preview. 

If you haven't already purchased your ticket, it's not too late! We're saving a seat for you, so get your ticket today! Just click the link at the top right of this page to order through PayPal. We'd love to see you there, and you don't want to miss it! Can't make it to the preview? Stay tuned, we have a surprise in store to be announced later today!

Y'all know I'm a huge fan of roasting vegetables, so it's pretty common for me to have some leftover in the fridge just begging to become soup. One of my favorite Sunday meals that I love to make is a pork roast with roasted squash on the side. 

Cut up and ready to be roasted!

If I plan to have this soup on a week night, I'll roast double the amount of squash so that there's enough extra to put aside for soup later in the week. 

If you make that for a Sunday meal and have pork left over, you could always shred the pork real fine and add it to the soup also. Every bit of extra protein helps, right? So, here's how you do it:

Jen's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded (most supermarkets now carry it already cleaned and cut up--look around your produce section.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cups chicken stock (for vegetarians use vegetable or mushroom stock)
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 cup Heavy Cream

3 scoops Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder
3 tablespoons butter (yes, real butter)

Salt

Pepper

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

2 teaspoons ground Nutmeg (it's better if you grate it fresh)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, Thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.

When the squash is done, put it into a big bowl and mash it up into pieces with a potato masher. Once it is mashed, place the squash in a dutch oven and add the chicken stock. Stir it well, then let it come up to a simmer so that the chicken stock is completely heated through but not boiling. 
Once it is heated, turn the burner off. Using your Immersion Blender, puree the soup until all the big pieces are gone and it's a smooth texture like in the photo below.

This is the texture you want once it's done.

Turn the heat back on, then add the Herbs de Provence, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Now stir in the heavy cream and butter, then taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper. 

Adjust seasonings if needed, then heat thoroughly. DO NOT bring it to a hard boil once you've added the cream. If you boil it, the cream will "break" and ruin the texture. 

Whisk in your protein powder right at the end. This soup freezes well, so if you'll have leftovers to freeze, only add protein to the individual servings rather than the whole pot. We recommend 1/2 scoop per 4 oz serving when added to the individual portion. 

I like mine with a little Greek Yogurt stirred in, go figure!

We LOVE to give you two versions of the same recipe, (aka "1 Dish, 2 Ways") but in the case of this recipe, we're giving you 1 soup 3 ways! You saw Nik's version on Thursday, her Carrot Ginger Soup, and it's delicious! Last Fall our good friend Pam T posted her version, and what better time to share it with you than Soup Week? 

 Pam's Butternut Squash Soup is another scrumptious variation on this comforting soup. While both my version and Nik's are perfect for all stages from pureeds on up, Pam's is better for "further outs", although you could omit the optional items in hers to make it for all stages. She goes into all that in her recipe, so I'll leave the rest to her. 

Whatever version you choose, this soup is a home run. It's my "go to" soup course for Thanksgiving Dinner and always gets requests seconds AND for the recipe. Enjoy!


P.S. Don't forget the Soup Week Cook Along Contest has been extended through November 7, and this recipe qualifies for the contest, even though it's not "our" recipe. Pam gave us her blessing to share it, so you know what to do! Go Play With Your Food, make it your own, and send in a pic!

Nik's Split Pea and Ham Soup

Hey peeps! How's it cookin' so far for Soup Week? Did any of you try Jen's Practically Famous Chili yesterday? It's good isn't it? Later on this week I'll show you my interpretation of chili, but first we've got a whole bunch of other kinds of soup to talk about!

Before we talk about this split pea and ham soup, though, have any of you tried the Wii Just Dance or Just Dance 2 games? This past weekend was La Petite Diva's birthday and I got her the 2nd version of the game. OMG!!!! So fun! It was the most entertaining sweat I've had in forever. Alas...it made me realize something. While I am far more fit than I was...say...155 lbs. ago...I'm not 18 anymore. A long, hot bath was in order last night.

What does any of this have to do with Soup Week? Well, we had so much fun playing that it wasn't until 5 in the evening that I remembered that my soup was up for today--and I hadn't made it yet! Off to the kitchen I flew. I checked my cupboards and my fridge and had everything I needed to make this soup except...split peas! Ack! So we made a pitstop at the grocery store and picked some up.

Whew! That was a close one! The moral of this story? While interactive video games are a great way to have fun and be fit with your family, if you are a food blogger who has instituted a Soup Week and you've not yet made the soup, you might want to show some restraint.

Moving on...

Split pea and ham soup! This is one of those things that can be sooooo comforting on a cold day. And it is a soup--no lie--that is practically impossible to mess up. I kid you not. It's one of the first types of soup I learned to make post-op (pre-op I depended on a good friend to get my fix) and the recipe still works to this day. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

1 bag split peas, rinsed, drained and sorted (while food companies generally do a good job of getting debris out of their products, every now and again you can get a loose...something. So inspect it!)
1 onion, diced finely
1 lb. of ham, cut into small cubes
1 (15 oz.) container of either pork or vegetable broth (pork broth is hard to find--I make my own and freeze it--vegetable works just fine)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups of water
Optional: 3 scoops Any Whey Unflavored protein powder

So here's how it goes down. In a sprayed pan, you want to get your onions and garlic "sweating." Once they've got some good color to them, add that ham in. A word about the ham. It's completely up to you whether to use pork or something leaner like turkey ham. I'm a bit of a purist so I use pork but I cut it from a ham steak. Why? Because the fat is more easily visible and you can trim it, whereas if you use a ham bone, you can't extract the fat as easily. Excessive amounts of animal fat makes me queasy. Your mileage may vary.

Trust me when I say this smells AMAZING!!!

So once the ham is browned up a bit, add the broth to the pan to help scrape up the bits stuck to the pan. That's where all the flavor is! Once you've got the "good stuff", transfer the party over to your crock pot. Add your peas, stir and turn your crockpot on (I use the high setting. Whatever setting usually yields finished food in about 5-6 hours on your crockpot...use that).

Now...walk away. Walk your dog. Chat with friends. Play Wii Just Dance 2 (yes, this would be the appropriate time to do that. Unlike my strategy...). I suggest putting this in the crockpot on the low setting in the morning before work. It will be done when you get home.

So let's fast forward a bit. It's now 6 hours later (doesn't time fly when you're hanging out with me??). Go back to your crockpot and this is what you should see.

Isn't it lovely? Isn't it wonderful? (Nik, Stevie Wonder just called. He said stop using his lyrics for your blog. That is all)  I should note that I made a double batch so I would have some to freeze (so I used two bags of peas, 2 lbs. of cubed ham, and 4 cups of water, same amount of broth).

Now if you want to add the protein powder to your soup, this would be the time to do it. The particular brand I suggest is optimized for cooking (which means when it meets hot stuff it does NOT curdle) and whatever flavor it has is easily covered by practically anything. I add the powder to soups like this that are carb heavy just to balance it out. If you're gun shy about adding it, you can also add protein to just your individual portion to try it out. I'd recommend a half scoop per 4 oz. serving to start out.

Let's talk about serving while we're on the subject. Cooking this deal in your crockpot will seriously soften your pork. I like some firm pieces of pork in my soup so I dice up a little of the extra ham steak, cook it and throw it on top to mix in. If you need your soup softer, omit this step. If you are on pureeds, I'd suggest taking an immersion blender to the whole thing just to be safe.

Remember, if you're cooking with us, snap a pic of your soup, send it to us and you could win a super cool sample bag of protein goodies! Happy Soup Week!

Curried Lentils

~by Nikki

Ok, so the weather has dipped into the 70’s…the 60’s even for a few days. Which, technically, is a sign of climate change which probably means we’re all doomed.

But after a long, hot summer…forgive me environmentalists…I am glad for the cooler weather.

It has me thinking about things I haven’t thought about since…March at least. Baking. And sweaters. And soup.

Soup!

There are varying opinions about soup post-op. Yes, technically it is eating and drinking together. We know that. In the beginning, Jen and I both tended to eat the "guts" of the soup and save the broth for later. But this soup is hearty, not liquidy, so I don't consider the same rules applying here.

At any rate, this is one of my very favorite soup recipes. It’s so good, my youngest daughter asks for it by name. What’s great about this recipe is that you can easily make your own variation, it works at any surgery stage and it even works for vegetarians.

Nik’s Curried Lentil Soup

Now don’t freak…if you don’t like curry, you can skip it and season it any way you want. I LOVE curry and especially peanut curry. So this soup is right up my alley. The peanut part is very subtle but so necessary. It will have folks saying “what IS that?” But don’t tell. It’s our little secret!

Ingredients:

1 lb. bag of lentils
15 oz. vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of water
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp curry powder (whichever kind you like is fine. For this I tend to use standard grocery shelf curry)
1/4 c. peanut flour (or PB2…and if you are in a pinch…just use 2 tbsp plain peanut butter)
A “splick” of red pepper flakes, if you like a bit of heat
3 scoops unflavored whey protein (this one is formulated for cooking)

Instructions:
Place the lentils, veggie stock, garlic, onions, curry powder and water in a crock pot. Set it on low. Go to work and have a good day!

Come home and throw in your peanut flour and your red pepper flakes (do NOT add red pepper initially. When you cook them, they burst and become way hotter with way less flakes).

Switch your crock pot to high and let them go another forty-five minutes. Stir in the protein powder and make sure it is well mixed. It should not appear lumpy or be noticeable at all (at least not from my experience...the above has protein powder in it). Let it go another 10 minutes or so then serve ‘em up! I like a dollop of Greek yogurt on top as you can see.

I like to serve these, oddly enough, with parmesan chips. I don’t have a picture of them but they are super easy.

Parmesan Chips

Ingredients:

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and pre-heat your oven to 350.

Sprinkle parmesan in little disc-shaped piles on the cookie sheet.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them. Baked cheese can go from crispy to burned REALLY fast.

Allow them to fully cool. Until they are cooled, they are basically melted goo. And they don't necessarily adhere to a pretty shape, but they are darn tasty!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Fluff

~~posted by Jen

OK, we know it's not even Labor Day yet, but Summer is winding down and we've been thinking about Fall.  Of course, we had to poll our friends and see what Fall recipes you are most looking forward to!  Debby B, one of our FaceBook fans, responded to the Poucher Poll today and asked about Pumpkin in Greek Yogurt.

Luckily, I happen to have a recipe in what is left of the archives in my brain.  It's super easy, delicious, and has LOTS of protein.  You can even make a shortbread crust and pass it off as a pie to your non-op family and friends!  (Yes, I have done this and never even told them, don't judge me! LOL)  So, without further ado, here's my answer to Debby's request!


Jen's Pumpkin Caramel "Cheesecake"


Ingredients:
1 cup Greek Yogurt
3 tbsp Sugar Free Instant Pudding Mix--Cheesecake flavor
1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree (PLAIN canned pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie mix)
6 packets of Splenda (6 teaspoons, adjust the amount to your taste)
3 pumps DaVinci Sugar Free Caramel syrup (you can use the pumpkin pie flavor if you have it, but I prefer the caramel)
Dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

Directions:
Using a whisk, mix the protein powder and pudding mix into the Greek yogurt until thoroughly combined.  In a separate bowl, fluff the pumpkin puree with a fork, then stir in the pumpkin pie spice and Splenda until completely mixed.  Add the Davinci syrup to the pumpkin puree and combine it, then fold the greek yogurt mixture into the pumpkin puree with a rubber spatula until it is completely incorporated.

You can add cream cheese for a more rich texture, but if you're early out I would stick to just the yogurt until you get closer to your goal.  This yields 2 servings for me, or 2 slices of pie if you're putting it in a crust.  So if you want to make an 8 serving pie, quadruple this recipe and pour it into your pie crust.  Refrigerate it for awhile before serving so it is easier to serve.

The protein powder is optional, sometimes I add it and sometimes I don't.  When I make this for family holidays, I do add the cream cheese or neufchatel cheese, it makes it more like a cheesecake texture.  This is a cool taste of Fall, perfect for a warm Summer day.  Enjoy!

Crab Dip

~~posted by Jen

I have a deep and abiding love for dips of any kind. I'm not quite sure where that comes from, but it has certainly served me well during my WLS journey, especially early out. The best thing about dips and spreads is you can totally make them up as you go along and they rarely come out bad. This particular dip is a WLS friendly version of one that my good friend Charlott (yes, no "e", I know y'all keep wanting me to misspell stuff lol) used to make back in the day for Georgia Bulldogs Football games on Saturday afternoons.

We'd all gather at her house, have appetizers and drinks, throw something on the grill, and hang out. The guys would light us a big bonfire outside (she lived on a gigantic horse farm) and they'd watch the 'Dawgs kick butt while the girls sat out by the fire and talked for hours.

Once the game was over, the boys would either join us outside or start a poker game. Sometimes we'd all play Monopoly or some other obnoxious board game, then later back outside to roast marshmallows with the kids and make s'mores. That was big time fun on a South Georgia Saturday night when you lived out in the boonies like we did!

This is perfect for any post-op WLS stage from pureed on up. You could always add some unflavored protein powder to it, if you want to add even more protein. Just make sure you taste it, I've never added protein powder to it and don't know how that would change the taste.

 If you don't like crab meat (or imitation crab, which is what I used), you can substitute shrimp or even salmon. I personally prefer the crab or shrimp, but like we always say, play with your food!! If you do try something different and like it, tell us about it! Make sure to snap a pic and send it to us so we can add you to our Fan Food Porn album on Facebook.


Jen's Crab Dip


Ingredients:


8 oz cream cheese, softened (you can use reduced fat, I used regular)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
8 oz reduced sugar cocktail sauce (3/4 of a bottle, or make your own with sugar free ketchup and prepared horseradish)
16 oz Imitation Crab meat (if you can afford the real stuff, certainly do that, or use cooked shrimp.  This is a great way to use up leftover boiled shrimp & make it something different)
optional: sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning


Directions:


Combine cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cocktail sauce with a whisk until well blended.  Fold in the shredded crab meat (or shrimp) and mix until well combined.  Sprinkle with a little bit of Old Bay if you choose, but it's not necessary.  Now here's the part where you make the choice, you can serve it just as is, or puree it in a food processor 


I choose to whiz it up in my mini chopper, that way you can spread it on a Wasa cracker, Flatout, or 1/2 a bagel thin for a "sandwich" OR eat it with a spoon.  If you're early out, DEFINITELY puree it, and maybe make only half a recipe at the time so it keeps longer.  Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week.  It may separate a bit after the first couple of days, just stir it well before serving.  

One bite of this crab dip takes me back to those fun Georgia nights of my roaring twenties.  I hope you like it as much as I do!

Jen's Crab Dip with Cucumber spear dippers

Summer on a Spoon!

--posted by Jen



Most everyone knows, especially those who read the "What Are You Eating Today" thread on the RNY board on OH, that I have cottage cheese and pineapple for breakfast practically every day.  Even at two years out, my pouch doesn't handle heavy food too well early in the morning, especially in the heat of summer,
so I usually start off with a protein shake or Click.

Later in the morning I'll have my actual food breakfast.  This morning I woke up at 3 am and have been up ever since, so I had my Click Frapp pretty early.  When I went to make my breakfast just now there was only 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese left!!!!!  My first thought was "WAHHHHH, I don't wanna go to the store!"  Then I heard Nik's voice in my head (scary, but true) telling me to use what I have and make something!  So that's just what I did.


Now, y'all have to realize I am something of a purist when it comes to my cottage cheese, I like it mixed with fruit and that is usually IT.  But I had some Greek Yogurt, so I said Hmmmm, let's try it. I mixed my sad little tablespoon of pineapple cottage cheese with a single serve container of 0% Greek Yogurt, stirred in some chopped strawberries, blueberries, and peaches, and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!  Cool and refreshing, it tasted like Summer on a spoon.  So good in fact, this has now been added to my list of "go to" hot weather breakfasts.


The moral of the story:  don't be afraid to try new things, you just never know what you may come up with.  Sometimes there really are happy accidents!

Banana Cream Pie Ramekin

~~ by Jen

So we asked "how do our Pouchers wanna go bananas?" and you answered, mostly "Banana Cream Pie!"  I was secretly hoping for Banana Pudding, because my StepMom makes THE BEST banana pudding you ever put in your mouth, and I come from a long line of great Southern cooks.  So, since this is my recipe, I decided to combine what I love about Mom's banana pudding and create a pie filling for the banana cream pie. Her pudding substitutes sweetened condensed milk for part of the regular milk, but I could not find a sugar free version and Mom says she doesn't know of one.  Sooooo, I used cream cheese!  It gives it the same consistency as the sweetened condensed milk without all the sugar and carbs. Thanks for waiting so patiently for the recipe, I had to put it through Nik's "3 Trials Before Posting" method to make sure I worked all the kinks out of it for y'all.

While I was tinkering around in "the lab" I also came up with a new version of a WLS friendly crust for those who aren't too keen on the Fiber One version that we normally use.  (I like it ok, but I must not make it right or something, because I can always taste the Fiber One in mine.  Maybe I just want Nik to make me pie!! Yeah, that could be it!) The secret ingredient is......wait for it......Sugar Free Shortbread cookies!!!!!!!  I used the Voortman's brand (side note, these things are TOO damn good and not something I could keep around.  Even the non-ops in my house were scarfing them down!)  My original plan was to use SF Graham Crackers, but the grocery stores in my new 'hood don't have them for some reason.

The ins and outs of crust creation are covered in detail in a separate "BF Basics" post, because I came up with quite a few different versions that work.  The Shortbread one is perfect for any type of cream pie or I also made a strawberry pie with it (yes, there will be a recipe posted soon).  It's great with the bananas and would be good with lemon or any other fruit flavor, because it's a basic flavor, just like graham crackers.  If you don't feel so inclined to make a crust, and we all have those days, you could always order some SF graham cracker crusts online if your store doesn't sell them.

S'anyway, let's go bananas, shall we? Oh, before I forget, I made individual pies in ramekins for fool-proof portion control.  I love this set and use it quite often because it's perfect for my egg custard creations or meal-size mini quiches.  Even at two years out I still am not the best at "eye-balling" a dessert portion (mainly because the fat chick in my head starts screaming "MMMMMMM--PIE--NOMNOMNOMNOMNOM" and I lose concentration) so it's best if I make them individual size.


Jen's Banana Cream Dream Pie
Ingredients:
For The Crust:
1 cup SF Shortbread cookie crumbs (if you use Voortman's that is 8 of the shortbread swirl cookies)
1/4 cup melted butter (yes, I use REAL butter feel free to use whatever you like)
2 tbsp Splenda

Directions:
Combine all three ingredients until well mixed, then press evenly into the bottom of a pie plate or if you make individuals like I did, split the crust mixture evenly among 6 ramekins.  Press evenly to cover the entire bottom and sides of the pie plate or just the bottom of the ramekins.  I set mine in the freezer for a couple minutes, this gives the crust time to firm up so it doesn't fall apart when you slice the pie.

Ingredients for Pie Filling:
1 box Instant Sugar Free Banana Cream Pudding Mix
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani because it was on sale, any brand is fine)
4 oz cream cheese softened (you can use reduced fat, but I didn't)
1 1/2 c 2% milk
16 oz container of SF Whipped Topping
1 or 2 fresh bananas (optional)

Directions:  Set whipped topping aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine Pudding mix, protein powder, yogurt, cream cheese, and milk with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined.  Once it is mixed, set it aside for a couple of minutes so the pudding can set a bit.  Remove your crust from the freezer, and pour in the filling.  Now top with the container of SF Whipped topping.  If you choose, you can slice a fresh banana or two and put those on top of the filling before you add the whipped cream topping.  I opted NOT to do so, because I have an issue (yes, I have more than Reader's Digest, thanks for noticing) with bananas getting slimy & brown when they oxidize.  Not to mention bananas are hella carby and not everyone tolerates them too well post-op.  What I chose to do, as you can see in the pic, is top mine with a slice of banana, and some more of the shortbread crumbs. Cover the pie and refrigerate for 3 or 4 hours before serving. (You can get plastic lids for the ramekins, these are INVALUABLE when you're early out.) Your family will love it, and they won't even know it's good for them, I promise!!!!

Cuban Sandwich Spread

~~by Jen

You know how you have these "food memories" that get stuck in your head and you start obsessing about them?  Like a favorite casserole your Momma made when you were a child, or your Aunt's practically famous chicken salad?  I was having one of those moments last week, and it got me thinking.

Let me explain...My paternal grandparents spent many years living in Tampa, FL, and as a result, my Granny Sarah's favorite sandwich was the Cuban Sandwich.  I can still remember her making those once in awhile when we were kids.  It was a rare and tasty treat that we all looked forward to.

For the uninitiated, a Cuban sandwich consists of a hoagie roll layered with ham, swiss cheese, dill pickle slices, and mustard that gets pressed until the sandwich is flattened and the cheese gets all melty and nominous.   A good friend of mine also happens to be Cuban, and she makes finger sandwiches out of what she calls "Cuban Sandwich Spread" for every party and cookout we have. Everyone goes nuts for them.  So I was thinking to myself, "Self? How could I get the TASTE of a Cuban sandwich into a more WLS and pouch-friendly format?"

I played around with Liz's original recipe, and voila--the following spread was born!  I actually made finger sandwiches from this for a bridal shower at work last week and they went over really well.  The pic shows the spread on high fiber crackers, topped with squares of Swiss cheese and a dollop of mustard.  This is a neat way to serve it at a party or other gathering, particularly if there are fellow Pouchers in the crowd who can't handle much bread.  So go ahead, crank up the Ricky Martin, and get busy making your own taste of Havana.

Jen's Cuban Sandwich Spread

Ingredients:

1 can Lite Spam (yes, Spam! it grinds up more smoothly than regular deli ham.  If you are categorically opposed to Spam, by all means use deli ham instead.)

4 heaping tbsp Dill Pickle relish (or chop up whole dill pickles)

2-3 tsp of dill pickle juice (from the relish or pickle jar)

6 oz (3/4 of a block) of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup 0% Greek Yogurt

1-2 tbsp mayonnaise

3-4 tbsp yellow prepared mustard (or Dijon works, too)

Directions:

Cut the Spam into blocks and put it in the bowl of your food processor,
then pulse until it is well chopped.  

Now add in the other ingredients and process until it becomes a smooth spread.  You don't need to add ANY salt AT ALL.  

Taste it and adjust the mustard/Greek yogurt/mayo ratio to your taste.  Store it in a covered container in the fridge, or dive right in and get your Cuban on.  

You know you wanna!