Nik's Queso Chicken

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



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

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

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

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

Nik's Queso Chicken

Ingredients

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

Directions:

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

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

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



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

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

Riley's Mozzarella Sticks

PWYF??? Play with your food! Learn that acronym...then we can speak in secret languages and giggle as others look confused!

Moving on...seriously. This acronym is going to become increasingly important on Bariatric Foodie in the coming months...so I want you to know what I mean while I describe a "PWYF Moment." An e-mail I got from a reader, Melissa, perfectly describes this phenomenon.

Her son, Riley, (who is absolutely ADORABLE btw) decided to engage in a little PWYF action...

It all started with the mozzarella stick recipe...

Here is young Riley, extracting the string cheeses from their packaging...

Melissa assured me that he was CLOSELY monitored as he cut the cheese sticks.



As you can see, he has his dipping station all set up...

...And into the oven they go!

...And here is Riley's magnum opus...yummy mozzarella sticks. Don't worry Riley...mine have burst WAY too many times to count. But based on what we've seen here today...you are in for culinary greatness.

(Now quit doing my job so well or people will think they don't need me!!!)



Nik's "Lil Baby" Pot Pies

~by Nikki

The pies go marching one by one...hurrah...hurrah...



Raise your hand if you, like me, used to love it when your mom was too busy to cook dinner and handed you off one of those little pot pies that you cook in the oven? The only problem for me with that little pie…and I mean the ONLY problem…was that those lil’ things took forever to cook!

But how I loved them! On a particularly long day my mom would throw one in the oven and when it was done she’d serve it to me with a glass of red (yes red…not cherry…not “tropical punch” but red…) Kool-Aid and trudge off after some headache medicine.

I have fond memories of these little pies, partly because they are the perfect package of comfort food and partly because I knew once my mom fell asleep I could stay up late and watch whatever I wanted.

So anyway, here we are post-WLS. And while pot pies are not THE most egregious thing I could eat, I feel like there’s room for improvement here. Besides…anything with a crust almost ensures I can’t eat a whole portion of it. So here’s what I came up with.

Nik’s “Lil’ Baby” Pot Pies

Ingredients:

Crust (makes more than you need but freezes well):

1 c. Carbquik
¼ tsp salt
1 stick of reduced calorie baking spread or butter (I used Blue Bonnet Light), chilled and cubed
Ice cold water (get 1 cup but you won’t use it all)

Optional (but it made it oh so much better for me): a dash of garlic powder and ¼ c. shredded cheddar cheese

Note: Some folks have asked me if it's ok to sub Atkins Baking Mix for Carbquik. Absolutely! The Atkins Mix works just fine with the exact same measurements. The Carbquik is just my personal preference in this recipe!

Filling:

1 large chicken breast filet, cooked and shredded (or you can use a can of chicken breast meat)
1 can of mixed vegetables, drained and rinsed
1 can of light cream of chicken soup (I used Fit & Active)
¼ - ½ c. skim milk

Optional: a few scoops of Any Whey unflavored protein powder(how much depends on how many pot pies you make...see below)

Equipment: If you're looking to use all your filling, you'll need either, eight 2 oz. ramekins, six 4 ounce ramekins. Or you might also invest in larger ones(8 oz.) for the fam (in which case, depending on the size of your family, you might double both the crust and filling recipe!

Directions:

Making the Crust

I know what you're thinking. "Nik, you want us to make frickin' pie crust???" Just breathe...this is so ridiculously simple that you won't believe it. First off, you'd do this the night before you want to make the pot pies. And there's only four easy steps.

Step One: Combine the Carbquik, salt and any other seasonings.

Your flour should look something like this when you cut your butter in.



Step Two: Cut in the butter. It is IMPORTANT that the butter be cold. I usually freeze my stick of butter  and cut it into cubes. I use a biscuit cutter but you can also use a food processor. Mix the flour mixture and butter until it is the consistency of small peas (although mine look more like dandruff...just sayin..)



Step Three: Add cold water (again, the cold is important), tablespoon by tablespoon until you are able to get the mixture into a dough ball. For me, this took about 4 tablespoons of water, but it really does depend on a lot of factors INCLUDING the humidity where you are.

Step Four: Wrap your little dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to put it all together.

Making the Filling

This is the about the easiest pot pie filling you'll ever find. Four ingredients people! (milk not shown below)



To make the filling you’d combine your chicken, veggies and soup in a sauce pan.

Finished filling...yummmmmmmmy...



Then add as much milk as you need to just slightly thin it out. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add protein powder after removing from heat and make sure it is thoroughly mixed in.



Cut your dough ball in half (it takes half the dough ball to make the crusts for four pies). Using a rolling pin, roll your dough out to the desired thickness. Use the appropriate size biscuit cutter to form a round disc (my ramekins required a medium biscuit cutter).

Fill your ramekin to the top with the chicken mixture. If you want to add additional protein, you'd add 1/2 a scoop of unflavored protein powder directly into the ramekin with the chicken mixture and stir well.

Using your finger, put a layer of water around the rim of the ramekin and then top with the disc of dough. There should be a slight overhang. Pinch down the sides and then cut a small slit in the top for ventilation.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. If you use the cheese keep an especially good eye on the crust as the cheese will brown quickly.

The ramekins you see are actually 2 oz. ramekinsI got at the dollar store. I used these to show newbies that YES you too can have pot pie! For further-outs, you might want to use a four ounce ramekin, which is how I eat these with a little side salad.

Enjoy!

BF Family Style: Easy Cheesy Chicken & Brocolli Penne

Pssst...pledgers? Have you submitted your week 2 pledge yet? If not, go do it now! I'll wait...



Remember the other day when I posted Creamy Brocolli &Cheese soup and how I told you that it also makes a great pasta sauce for the family?

Well, I made this the other night for the divas and they absolutely LOVED it. Pasta and I are not friends, so I just put some chicken (a la Aldi "Grilled Chicken Bites") in mine. For some post-ops, whole wheat pasta sits fine and fits into their approved post-op plan. if so, go for it!

For the girls I used 100% whole wheat penne pasta. Since they rarely eat pasta, I don't get many arguments on feeding them the whole wheat variety!

Here's how you make it:

Nik's Easy Cheesy Chicken & Brocolli Penne
(Serves four)

2-3 cups Nik's Creamy Chicken & Brocolli Soup
2 additional cups of brocolli florets (can still be frozen)
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
Parmesan cheese

Optional: Onions and Peppers

Directions

Boil the pasta and brocolli in salted water until al dente then drain into a collander.

Cook chicken breasts, along with onions and peppers, in a heavily sprayed pan (I don't use oil to cook my chicken but you do it how YOU do it).

Return pasta to a pot and add the cooked chicken breasts, onions and peppers and add sauce. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer.

Toss together to get a good mix of everything on every plate and top with grated Parmesan cheese!

This dinner takes minutes to come together and will get you a standing ovation at the dinner table. I promise!

Super Bowl Eats Post-WLS



It's Super Bowl Sunday...and I know you...all of you. You've gone and made your family and friends wonderfully yummy treats to eat during the big game but...have you made anything that is yummy that YOU can feel good about eating?

Or did you resign yourself to "going with the flow" or "just having a few bites" (which, I dunno about you, but for me that never works out. Even when my pouch capacity was tiny, I usually spent the whole time miserable and grumpy that I couldn't eat more)? Worse, have you decided to go with a protein shake??? (Not that protein shakes are bad, but c'mon! It's Super Bowl Sunday!)

I'm here to help with some quick and easy food YOU can eat for the big game and still stay on track. Many require things you already have in your kitchen. At the very least, a quick run to the store might be in order.

So how about some...

Nachos:

Thought you couldn't have them, didn't you? Well check out this recipe for great, protein packed nachos!



Buffalo Chicken:

• How about some Buffalo chicken salad
• And if you think your healthy "stash" might get raided...try making a Buffalo Wing cheese ball for the whole crowd!

Deviled Eggs:



Except I don't like to be devilish. So try my Angelic Eggs instead (and...to put another twist on them....use tuna instead of chicken!)

Dip:

Jane's Spicy Creamy Jalapeno Dip



I know you love to dip! Check out this yummy crab dip. If you like it hot, check out Jane's spicy jalapeno dip, or Jen's Cuban sandwich spread!

Meatballs:



Who needs sliders when you can have Magic Meatballs? And don't worry if you don't have any TVP. The recipe works just fine without it!

Sweet Treats



There's still time to make a Reese's Cup protein frozen pie for when your sweet tooth starts aching. Or perhaps a pumpkin cheesecake protein trifle might fit the bill?

So, go and make yourself something good! You deserve it. And I'm willing to bet that your protein treats will steal the show at your football party!