BF Review: Fit Frappe Spiced Chai

See Kafi, I found some natural light!!!

So...a day late...but in "Nik" time this is actually right on schedule!

You might remember that we are doing the "Mother of ALL Decembers" giveaway event and that this first week of December our friends at Big Train are giving THREE Foodies a canister of the brand spanking new Fit Frappe Spiced Chai flavor. And if you didn't know that? Well, now you do! To enter use the widget at the bottom of this post.

This is the first of TWO reviews I'll do on this flavor. I decided to try it both hot and cold so I could give you a good, 360-degree opinion on this product. So let's get started, shall we?

Serving Size: For an 8 oz. drink it'd be half this packet for a 16 oz. drink you'd use the whole packet. That's the order I'll put the rest of the stats in, k?

Nutritional yadda, yadda:

Calories: 70/130
Fat: 1.5/3.5g
Sodium: 180/360mg
Carbs: 12/24g
Sugars: 1/2g
Sugar Alcohols: 7/15g*
Protein: 10/21g

*On the sugar alcohols. It may seem like a lot but they actually use the most gastrointestinally friendly sugar alcohol, erythritol. I am highly sensitive to sugar alcohols and none of the Fit Frappe flavors have bugged me so far. I've also sent samples to Foodies of various surgery age and none reported any problems. But use your own best judgment!

Look/Smell of Raw Product:

Basic powder. It is a lovely tan color. As soon as you open the package you can smell the spices. That is encouraging!

Mix-ability:

I feel like this is a good time for a refresher tutorial on mixing a hot protein drink. I have memorialized this method here on the blog (click here to read and/or print) but it's nice to have illustrations sometimes, yes?

Step One:

Put the requisite amount of powder in your cup. I did the 8 oz. serving size just to see how much of a pain in the butt it'd be. I am not a big fan of having to split up sample sizes. This wasn't too bad though. The powder comes in at just under 2 oz. Well I know that 1 oz. = 2 tbsp. so that's what I doled out.

Step Two:

I mixed the powder with room temperature water. Then I stirred and stirred and stirred. Make sure you take your spoon all the way down and SCRAPE the bottom of your cup to get any wayward dry powder mixed in. It should be all smooth and sort of pudding-like in appearance.

Step Three:

I add 1/3 of the boiling water that I am going to use to my cup and stir until the mixture is smooth and slightly thinner.

Step Four:

I add another 1/3 and stir again. While this may sound like a lot of time going by, literally I've only been at this about a minute and a half by this step.

Step Five:

I add the final 1/3 of the boiling water and stir it to a nice, smooth finish!

Step Six:

Enjoy!

Wait...but DID I enjoy it? Let's move on with the review!

Taste:

The Chai of my memories (which comes from a little "hole in the wall" Indian joint run by the Patel family of South Baltimore) is creamy, spicy (not in the sense of being "hot" but rather full of spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, etc.) and just sweet enough to be called sweet but not overly so.

I'm here to tell you that Big Train got it dead on! I mean dead. ON. I added nothing but water yet it was nice and smooth. I could taste the spices and the sweetness was present but not overpowering. Mmmmm.

After-appearance/Mouthfeel:

The only thing missing from this (and this is something Big Train can't do) is that when I had Chai at the Indian buffet it had this assortment of spice bits floating toward the top with a very thin layer of foam (like latte foam). This did not have that but in the WLS world no foam or bits is a good thing to be sure!

It mixed very smoothly and there were no lumps. It wasn't too thick or thin. Perfection!

Cost: On the Big Train website, this retails for $19.95 for a 19.1 oz. can. I can't tell from the info on the website how many servings that is but it looks to be a good sized canister.

Verdict:

I love it! I am a "Chai when I'm in the mood" kinda gal so if I bought this it'd probably last me a while, making it a worthwhile investment. Heck I might even make a day of it and cook up some Chicken Tikka Masala, some Indian-style Creamed Spinach, some WLS-friendly Samosas or some Curried Chickpeas and Cauliflower Rice. This Chai would fit in with the most authentic of Indian dishes. (Except that we can't eat/drink at the same time so don't do that!)

Now you've read the hot preparation review. Tomorrow is the cold prep review. In the meantime put your name in the hat to win some! Use this widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BF Top 5: Ways to Sneak More Protein Into Your Meals

Early out we can't eat much (and some of us not even further out). Getting protein is hard. The stuff is filling!

So how DO you sneak protein into foods you are already eating without adding a bunch of volume? Here are some tips for newbies and veterans alike!

Tip #1: Go Greek

Yes, yes, I know some of you HATE Greek yogurt because of its tart flavor. But in dishes and desserts that call for sour cream (like any of my cheesecake recipes) it works great! It also tops Mexican dishes well and I've found I can sub up to half the mayo (lowfat or regular, your choice) in a recipe with Greek yogurt without it tasting too different (and non-ops never notice). So go Greek! Lots more protein in that yogurt than in mayo or sour cream!

Tip #2: If you do the starch thing...chew the right thing!

Not all starches are created equally. Some give you a lot of processed carbs, but there are some options that manage to give you lots of protein. There are super-high protein breads like P-28 (read my thoughts on the stuff here before trying that). But there's also things like Flat-Out Wraps that are about 100 calories and 9g of protein (with 8g net carbs)! Quinoa is also a good choice for a protein/carb combo. While quinoa is primarily and predominantly a source of carbs it has a good deal of protein in it for a starch and it is a complete protein (meaning it contains all the amino acids). Click here to learn how to cook it.

Not everyone does the starch thing but if you do, make sure to choose starches that give back!

Tip #3: Sometimes you have to find your own whey...

Or soy...or casein...protein powder is NOT just for protein shakes! Unflavored protein is worth its weight in GOLD. I put it in everything from desserts to side dishes to soups. The kind I use gives you an extra 17g of protein per scoop without adding any significant volume to your food (and it is instantized for cooking which means it won't curdle on you)! The protein does tend to make things more filling, though, so decide for yourself how much to use in a meal serving.

Tip #4: Amp up your indulgences

Early out I had this rule. Dessert HAD to be protein dessert or it was no dessert at all. That's just how I had to roll. You may not have this rule for yourself but still there's room to make your indulgences protein forward. On this very blog, there are recipes for everything from cheesecakes, to popsicles, cupcakes...oh my!

Point is that you can learn to make your indulgences work to get you to your protein goals!

Tip #5: Get the most bang for your protein buck

Choose foods with high protein numbers for low volumes. These include Greek yogurt (typically 10g protein per 4 oz.), cottage cheese (14g/4 oz.), tuna (10g/2 oz.). There are even specialty snacks that give you a high protein return, like Ostrim Jerky (60 cals, 10g protein and it's literally the size of a small pencil!).

The point here is that when you need protein but have great restriction you HAVE to pay attention to the protein per ounce. Choose foods that rate highly and you're that much closer to meeting your goals!

So there you have it. Five solid suggestions for sneaking more protein into your eating day. What tips do you have? Share them in the comments!

Dee Dee's Cheesy Squash & TVP Casserole

I just love it when you guys play with your food and let me know about it. It's so exciting to see what you're cooking up.

My pal Dee Dee sent this to me to show her first attempt at working with TVP ("What the heck is TVP?"). It looks yummy, vegetarian-friendly (correct me if I'm wrong) and easy to make! 

Thank you, Dee Dee, for this scrumptious recipe!

Dee Dee's Cheesy Squash and TVP Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 zucchini squash, sliced thin
• 2 yellow squash, sliced thin
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin (you might want to go with a white onion since the veggies will sweeten up a bit from cooking)
• 1 c. Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
• 1 c. + 1/2 c. whatever cheese you like (she used an assortment from her fridge that included cheddar, mozzarella, Italian blend and Parmesan)
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• Garlic salt & black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (using one cup of your cheese) and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. This allows some of the water to come out of the veggies, rehydrating the TVP and allowing it to soak up the flavor of the veggies. 

Spray a casserole dish down with non-stick cooking spray (Dee Dee used an 8x8 dish) and transfer mixture into it. Bake for one hour. 

Turn off the oven, cover with another generous sprinkle of cheese and and allow it to remain in the oven as it cools. 

Nik's "Nutty Apple" Protein Baked Oatmeal (or Bars)

There is a phenomenon that us kitchen experimenters know well. It is called the "happy accident." What you see above is a picture of a happy accident.

See...here's the thing. This recipe started as "apples and peanut butter." Cuz I love peanut butter (this is well documented) and I have an abundance of apples. But I realized something in the making of this batch. I like crunch in my baked oatmeal! BUT...I don't like chopped peanuts in stuff. Don't ask me why, I'm weird that way!

So this became a Nutty Apple creation with the inclusion of walnuts, which made more sense in my mind. But then I cooked them just a tad too long. So they firmed up and at first I thought they were too hard, but I stuck them in the fridge anyway, figuring I'd crumble them or something. Well the next day I took them out and the condensation in the fridge had done it's magic and I had...protein oat bars!

But let's start at the beginning. By the way, there are a few protein baked oatmeal posts here on the blog (click around and discover!) but you'll find a LOT more in the Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book, along with mini-frittatas, omelets, protein muffins and a whole bunch of other breakfasty goodness! Check it out!

Nik's Nutty Apple Protein Baked Oatmeal (or Bars)

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 c. quick oats (Folks have asked about steel cut and regular oats. I do not recommend. Protein cooks FAST. Unless the oats can keep up the texture isn't going to be that great. But I welcome you to prove me wrong!)
• 3 scoops of either vanilla or unflavored protein powder (I used this unflavored kid)
• A generous pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

• 1.5 c. milk (or, I recently started subbing in a full-container of Premier Protein vanilla for extra protein - woop!) 
• 1/4 c. sugar-free pancake syrup
• 2 eggs, beaten or 1/2 c. Egg Beaters
• 1/4 c. PB2 powdered peanut
• 1/4 c. natural peanut butter (I used Naturally More) NOTE: If you don't have access to a good, healthy peanut butter but DO have PB2, use about 3/4 c. of it. If you have peanut butter but no PB2, use 1/2 c. of the peanut butter.

Chunky Stuff

• 1 small apple (I used a honeycrisp) cut into small cubes
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Mix together all wet ingredients in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.

Add chunky stuff and mix that in well then pour into a casserole dish (mine was 8 x 8) that has been sprayed in non-stick.

For baked oatmeal (soft, but can be cut into squares, just a tad wetter than a cake): Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is done and edges are set. For oat bars: cook 30 minutes until edges are brown. 

Cool before attempting to slice!

These taste just...lovely. YUM! Now I'm on the fence about which I like better: my Fall Harvest flavor or this one. Hmmm...good thing both are so easy to make so I don't have to decide!

And for more breakfasty goodness than you can shake a shaker bottle at, check out The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book. In it you'll find:

- Many more recipes for baked protein oatmeal
- 11 things you never knew you could do with cottage cheese
- A protein-enhanced soft egg scramble perfect for new post-ops
- A make-your-own low-carb/high-protein baking mix
- Un-Breakfast recipes - just in case eggs/bacon isn't your thing

These recipes were developed with you in mind. The portions are small, the recipes freeze beautifully and they are so delicious your family will want to try them too!

So if you're stuck on what to eat for breakfast after weight-loss surgery, give The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book a try!

Available on Kindle and Hard-Copy on Amazon. 

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!