The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Making a Click Frapp

REMINDER: Today, Wednesday, February 12, is the "Shake it Up" Challenge. Try something new and healthy and you have a chance to win some Click Espresso Protein! If you're here  to report back about what you did (remember, you have to do it today to qualify!), you can leave a comment on this blog post and you'll be entered to win!

In the meantime, I thought I'd tell you guys my favorite way to use Click. Come aboard my train of thought! 

Starbucks. Frappucinos. I used to love ‘em.

Now? Not so much. Yes, you can ask for them to be made with sugar-free syrup but the base they use (which comes pre-packaged) has sugar in it and that’s…iffy.

Besides, why take all those calories without ANY protein. That’s why, some years ago (in the time before time when Nik was a newbie) I came up with what I like to call a Click Frapp.

Now I don’t know if I can take credit for the term “Click Frapp.” I can say I hadn’t experienced the term before I started using it and I just Googled it and now it’s not that uncommon, but that’s neither here nor there.

Rather than simply give you a list of the Click Frapp recipes I have on the blog (which I’m still going to do, I thought I’d give you an all-inclusive guide to making a Click Frapp.

How to Make a Click Frapp

Liquid Base

Use 8 oz. of any of the following:

• Cow’s milk
• Soy milk
• Almond milk
• Some other type of milk
• Water

Flavor Base

Use ½ serving (1 scoop) of either:

• Click Mocha
• Click Mocha Decaf
• Click Vanilla Latte
• (After March 2014) Click Caramel

Protein Boost

Use one serving (which should be 100-130 calories and at least 20g protein, very few carbs):

• Chocolate protein powder
• Vanilla Protein powder
• Strawberry Protein powder

Flavor Add-Ons

Use 2 tbsp. of sugar-free syrup. You can use whatever you have on hand but here are some of my favorites:

• Peppermint Paddy
• English Toffee
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon
• Hazelnut
• Raspberry
• Orange (yes, it even tastes good with a chocolate base!)

AND/OR any of the following (amounts and added calories listed):

• Unsweetened Cocoa powder (1 tbsp = 25 calories)
• Powdered Peanuts like PB2 or Chike PB (1 tbsp = 27.5 calories, 2.5g protein)
• Sugar-free pudding powder (generally 1 tbsp. = 35 calories), here’s some flavors I think work well
• Cheesecake
• Banana Cream
• Caramel
• Butterscotch

Directions:

Combine one item from each category in a blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes (yes, that’s a long time but trust me on this one). Add 3-5 cubes of ice and blend until they are crushed. If desired, you may add more sweetener before the first blend.

Now that you have the basics, here are some more specific Click Frapp recipes:

• The Original Click Frapp
• The Vanilla Click Frapp
• The Clickabutter Frapp
• The Cinnamon Caramel Click Frapp
• The Chai Latte Click Frapp

Why I love CLICK Espresso Protein!

CLICK-cocoa, anyone?

This week's Bariatric Foodie Pledge participants are working hard on their goals for the chance to win a special prize pack, courtesy of CLICK Espresso Protein.

So I thought this week was a good week to reflect on my  relationship with CLICK. It's not complicated: I LOVE the stuff! Here's why.

In the Beginning...

Cinnamon- Caramel CLICK Frapp!

Our relationship started in 2009. Back then Bariatric Foodie was two people (myself and my former partner-in-crime, Jen, whose name you'll still see on some BF recipes). I hadn't tried CLICK to that point because I'd just been cleared for caffeine consumption (this was before CLICK had a decaf option). To celebrate, Jen sent me a canister of the Mocha.

It was love at first sip!

The rich, smooth taste was just...wonderful. But me being the macro-nutrient freakazoid that I am, I wanted to play with it to see how I could get the most out of this delicious drink. And the CLICK Frapp was born!

Over the next year or so I was obsessed with CLICK Frapps! It was my goal to have a Frapp for every flavor Frappe drink, at that other place. Here's what I came up with:

• Mocha CLICK Frapp
• Vanilla Latte CLICK Frapp
• Strawberry CLICK Frapp
• CLICK-a-butter Frapp
• Chai Latte CLICK Frapp
• Cinnamon-Caramel CLICK Frapp

The Relationship Solidifies

I love using CLICK in my S'mores Protein Pudding Pie!

So after I exhausted myself with the Frapp idea, I moved onto solid stuff. Mainly, pudding. I was seeing folks pay a lot of money for special protein pudding mixes. I thought to myself, "There has to be a cheaper way!" So I played with my food and came up with my method for making protein pudding. 

It wasn't long until CLICK joined the party!

From there I got lots of ideas of where to use CLICK including:

• In my Protein Power Balls 
• To make Protein Pudding Pies
• To make Protein Frozen Pies

The Relationship Goes Public

So I get Food Network Magazine (as many of you do) and I kept seeing these neat little pull-out booklets. 50 Potato Salad Recipes. 50 Pizza recipes. So I thought to myself, "I wonder if I can come up with 50 Ways to CLICK?" And I did! 

I actually wrote up my ideas and contacted Beth and Greg Smith, owners of CLICK and asked if they would help me share these great recipe ideas. And boy did they! The "50 Ways to CLICK" booklet is now available for FREE download on the Click website! It includes all the ideas I shared plus even more!

Many thanks to CLICK!

True fact: CLICK has never, ever said no to a giveaway I've proposed. Not once. They've always been willing to provide samples to me to give away and whole canisters along with fun CLICK bling! They supported the very first Bariatric Foodie Pledge back in 2011 and they support this one too.

PLEASE show them some love for their loyalty to the Foodie Nation. If you haven't already:

• Like Click on Facebook
• Follow them on Twitter

Cinnamon-Caramel Click Frapp

~by Nik

Does this look goooooood to you? You could have this kind of yummy goodness, made with Jen and Nik's very own hands...by attending the "Shake it Up!" protein shake tasting. See the side panel for details!

…And the Click Frapp madness continues!

So let’s go over what we’ve already covered, shall we?

For your Frapp enjoyment we have…

• Nik’s original Mocha Click Frapp
• Jen’s original Mocha Click Frapp
• Nik’s Vanilla Click Frapp
• Nik’s Clickabutter Frapp

Well here’s yet another offering:

Nik’s Cinnamon Caramel Click Frapp


Ingredients

8 oz. milk (I use skim)
1 scoop Click Vanilla Latte
(NOTE: for those who can't or don't want to do caffeine, you can make this very same drink by using just the scoop of vanilla protein plus 1 tbsp of this)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used this)
5 pumps Davinci sugar-free French Vanilla syrup
2 pumps Davinci sugar-free Cinnamon syrup (it’s strong so you don’t need much)

Optional: 2 tbsp whippage and a drizzle of sugar free caramel sundae topping (I actually had cinnamon caramel topping so it carried the theme all the way!)

Directions:

Make according to the Triple X method. Or not. Your choice!

Like I said…I don’t usually drink Vanilla Latte Click except when I get a hankering for vanilla. This weekend that happened for me and I wanted something different. I recently organized my bottles of sugar-free syrup (I have about 30 bottles of varying flavors) and saw that my Davinci sugar-free cinnamon syrup is vastly under-utilized. Now that I have this recipe, I think it’ll be in more heavy rotation!

Onward and upward! Ok so...I don’t usually do this but I’m going to actually TELL you my next Frapp adventure: I also noticed that my Davinci sugar-free Chai Tea concentrate was not getting a lot of usage…so guess what’s next????

Want even more recipes featuring CLICK Espresso Protein? Check out the FREE e-book I wrote called "50 Ways to CLICK!" You can download it here.

And if you need general protein shake ideas you know you always have...

The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes!

This is more than a recipe book. It's a protein shake "how to" guide. What makes shakes too thick? Too thin? Foamy? Why do they sometimes smell funny and most importantly how can you make them so that YOU like them? All is revealed - along with dozens of crave-worthy recipes!

Head on over to Amazon to browse and snag your copy today!

The Strawberry Click Frapp



Ohhh procrastination! How do I love thee?

This shake was supposed to go up around Valentine's Day. I even had a really cute name for it ("Nik's Love Potion #10"). Alas, it was not meant to be. But the good news is this. I'm turning a corner on this bug I have and needed a protein boost so I made one of these babies today!

It's YUMMY! I hope you'll agree

The Strawberry Click Frapp

Ingredients

8 oz. milk (whatever kind you use)
1 scoop strawberry whey (I used this)
1 scoop Vanilla Latte Click
A handful of frozen strawberries

Optional (although I wished I had it here at the office): a "poof" of fat free whippage.

Directions

Blend using the Triple X method. Or not. Your choice!

We now have a good little collection of Click Frapps going on here. Check it out:

• The Original (mocha) Click Frapp
• The Vanilla Click Frapp
• The "Clickabutter" Frapp
• The Cinnamon-Caramel Click Frapp
• The Chai Latte Click Frapp

So take that Starbucks with your sneaky sugar in the Frappucino!!! HUH!

Oh dear...I think I lost myself there for a  moment. But you get the point. There is no reason you can't have a Frapp that satisfies both your sweet tooth AND your daily plan! Enjoy!

The Click Frapp

So now that you know the basics, we can explore the many and varied world of great protein shakes. What better way to start off than with a shake that most of us should not have? The Click Frapp. Ok, I'm not going to say you shouldn't have it...but Click has caffeine which is probably a big no-no for most new post-ops but here is the problem.

The stuff is addictive. Not in a "my hands shake if I don't get it" kind of way. More in a "I never want to consume anything else because this tastes so DAMN GOOD" kind of way. That's a problem. But we over at Bariatric Foodie are working on a solution so keep your hats on. We'll keep you posted.

At any rate Click does have a good deal of nutritional value. And the canister just looks damn sexy...you feel like you are a cool kid drinking some exclusive drink that the less cool kids can't have. (or is that just my high school issues?)

Some things you should know about the Click Frapp:

1. It does NOT taste exactly like a Starbucks Frappucino
2. It does taste delicious
3. It is caloric yes...this would be either a dessert shake or a meal replacement shake. Either way the stats aren't horrible...just a bit on the high side for a beverage or even a snack. I tend to do this for breakfast

Classic Click Frapp
8 oz. skim milk (I tend to use Hood Calorie Countdown Chocolate)
1 scoop Click (regular or decaf)
1 scoop of chocolate whey (pick a whey that has at least 25g of protein/100 cals per scoop)
2 tbsp Torani sugar-free chocolate syrup
6-8 ice cubes
2 tbsp either sugar-free or fat-free whipped cream (I use the fat free)

Directions: Combine everything but the ice and whippage and whiz in the blender. Add ice and whiz again. Pour into a pretty glass (or mason jar, or pickle jar...) and ENJOY!

Note that mixing different proteins together is a good way to stack up your numbers. It is not uncommon for me to make a morning protein shake that has every gram of protein I need for a whole day in it. Especially if there are a lot of unknown variables in my day (staff lunch, going out to dinner, etc.).

Here the stats that I get from the Click Frapp. Run your own to accommodate your personal ingredients. 280 calories, 6g fat, 23g carbs, 45g protein


Again...newbies...sorry but you're not going to be able to finish this. My suggestion? Aside from sharing the love...you could cut down to 1 scoop Click + 1/2 scoop whey + 4 oz. milk + a couple of ice cubes.

OR you could do like Starbucks does and save the mix. Get your handy-dandy shaker bottle. Once you've whizzed it the first time, pour half of it into your shaker bottle and refrigerate immediately. Use the other half to make your current Frapp.

When you are ready for another Frapp (preferrably not on the same day...we are trying to change our lifestyles!!!), give your shaker bottle a shake, dump it in the blender, add more ice and you have a second Frapp.

See? Simple.

Wait...the picture! I have to take a picture of this one. In the pickle jar :) For now...trust that it is good...

BF Review: Click Decaf

So now that three of you are all hooked up to get a canister of Click decaf let's get to my opinion of the stuff, shall we?

You all voted and the results were clear: you all wanted me to review to use my sample to make a Click Frapp! If you don't know what a Click Frapp is, start here. Then look at the bottom of the post and there will be thumbnails of other Click Frapps. I endeavor to have as many (or more) flavors than Starbucks has of Frappucinos.

Anyhoo, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.

About two-ish weeks ago I got an email from Beth at Click. I always get so excited to hear from her because that means something good is coming our way. Beth let me know that Click decaf will soon be shipping and that she wanted me to give it a try and let you all know what I think. She also invited me to give away three free canisters, which is what we did last week!

So a few days later I received the following:

You can't see it, but buried under there is this:

My sample!!! Ok, so maybe it isn't the prettiest packaging ever but I am just going to assume that the packaging for this stuff is so awesomely awesome that it is worth waiting for. Besides...they stocked me up on both regular Click Mocha and Click Vanilla Latte. Note for posterity: I like presents. A lot.

So a few things held up this review, one of them being that I like my Click Frapp with both Click and some chocolate whey and I was out of chocolate whey. And I was also very broke. So I had to wait until I got paid to get some more. But now that I have it...let's do this!

For the full experience of this review, see this wonderful video (wherein I manage to outtalk YouTube). Yes, it's long but it's also comic GOLD. Trust me. Best waste of 15 minutes you'll ever make! I've also recapped my experience in text below. Not nearly as exciting but...whatever.



So the packaging notwithstanding, everything about this sample struck me as regular Click. It looked like regular Click. It smelled like regular Click. But would it blend like regular Click?

What I love about Click in cold shakes is that there is something (and for the life of me from the ingredients list I cannot figure out what) that gives shakes this smooth, creamy consistency that I can achieve no other way. When paired with my Triple X Method for making extra-thick protein shakes, it's like having a damn Wendy's Frosty. Except it's low-sugar. And protein-rich. And you won't regret it five minutes after. Just sayin'.

So after loading up my handy dandy Magic Bullet Hi-Speed Blender, I gave it a whiz and...it thickened! Yay! I used the standard Click Frapp recipe (minus the cocoa powder...watch the video to find out why) and once it was all said and done had a wonderfully creamy shake, which I doled into two cups to share with La Petite Diva (I did this review at 10:40 p.m. and, forgive me, but didn't have all that big an appetite so I needed help!).

What I was looking for was mainly to see how much like regular Click the decaf version is. I like regular Click. It works for me. I didn't want the flavor to change just because it is decaf.

Now La Petite Diva was judging overall taste. She, like any kid, simply cares that it tastes good.

The verdict? A WIN on both counts! It miraculously tastes like the regular Click that I love! It has a nice espresso flavor, rich chocolate, not overbearing, not artificial tasting and not that watered down "decaffy" taste!

So...now I am in a conundrum. Cuz unlike many of you I haz ZERO problems with caffeine. It does not make me lose sleep, get headaches, etc. If I drink too much I do get jittery but I don't often drink too much caffeine so even that is minimal. So do I buy regular Click now...or Click decaf? Discuss amongst yourselves.

After a bit more research, it does appear that the stats on Click Decaf are the same as regular Click AND I scored a pic of the product (thank you Melting Mama!)

Anyhoo...here's what I was going to say when YouTube decided my time was up.

Now...if you missed the Click decaf giveaway or did not win...here's one more opportunity to win a canister!

I'm going to give away a canister of my own on Twitter (you know how I'm always asking you guys to order Amazon and Quest bars from this site? This is the kind of stuff I use those proceeds for!!!). Entering to win it is ridiculously simple:

1. Follow @BariatricFoodie on Twitter
2. Once my Twitter follows hit 200 (that's only 75 follows, people, we can do this!) I'll draw a Twitter follower from a random name generator to win a free canister of Click decaf. The faster we hit, 200, the faster one of you will win some Click, so be sure to tweet to your WLS (and health minded) friends to follow too!
3. BUT...if you want to earn extra chances at the prize, tweet a message mentioning @BariatricFoodie suggesting to your followers that they follow BF too! There will be NO limit in how many extra chances you can get this way. So you can send one tweet for one extra chance or 100 for 100 extra chances. Go crazy with it!

But you have from now until next Tuesday, June 5 to tweet your twittery hearts out. I'll draw on the Wednesday, June 6.

Now BF Facebook fans, do not scoff. I've been giving away things for every 200 Facebook likes for eons now. In fact we're getting close to the next one as we inch up to 1,600 likes. AND I've been letting you guys decide on what you win! So...I need love on my Twitter friends a little bit right now. Don't get mad. I love you all equally, k?

Vanilla Click Frapp

I apologize if it seems like I’m in Vanilla Click overload. It’s just that I won this canister from Melting Mama and I feel like when I get something for free it’s good to pay it forward with as much info as possible. Please know that the amount of experimentation I am doing on this Click is what I do for ALL my shake recipes. Generally I make all my recipes three times before I post here and it has to come out consistent all three times. I’ve sort of broken that rule here to share as I experience but all that is to say there are food recipes on the way!

So day one I did a basic Click/milk shake. Day two I did a non-milk shake (with coffee…see post below…). Today I decided to see about doing a vanilla Click Frapp. I love my mocha Click Frapp for many reasons, chief among them that it has 42.5g of protein and keeps me full a loooooooong time.

So here’s a tip about this Frapp. And this is just MY preference so your mileage may vary. I made it up and it was wonderful but I was very averse to using vanilla syrup in it. Somehow the vanilla on vanilla action doesn’t work for me. Vanilla to me needs variation. So that is reflected in the recipe below. But you could easily substitute any flavor syrup you like (including vanilla).

Nik’s Vanilla Click Frapp
8 oz. skim milk
1 scoop Vanilla Click
1 scoop vanilla whey
a few pumps of sugar-free syrup (I used 5 pumps of Kahlua)
5-8 ice cubes.

A word about methodology. I recently had an epiphany. I like the “triple thick” style shake – creamy and thick = love to me. To achieve this with any shake is actually quite simple. Aeration is the key. Now yes, I know what you are thinking. “But air creates those little bubbles and I HATE those!” Yes that is true. HOWEVER, that’s in the first few seconds in the blender. Leave your blender on two minutes longer and what was bubbles will become a thick shake on its on without any ice!

Long story short…the air tangos with the whey and milk and changes the consistency. Then when you add ice you get something like a Wendy’s frosty. So blend your liquids for about 2 minutes before then adding ice. I like to wipe down my countertops while this is going on. Some may like to just watch the blender or do something else. WHATEVER. If you like thick shakes, trust me…this works. To know if you’ve done it correctly, look for the “gurgle pop” when you stop the blender. Basically a large bubble will come to the surface and pop. That happens and you are good to go!

Back to the Frapp…I top with fat free whipped cream and eat it with a spoon.

What's Your Favorite Way to Click?

~~posted by Jen

In case you didn't see our Facebook post earlier this week, Amazon has a great deal on Click for just $20.88 per canister. if you buy it through Subscribe and Save it's only $17.75! Free shipping on orders over $25, so that's a pretty awesome deal. 


In addition to the Mocha Espresso flavor, they now have Vanilla Latte flavor also. My favorite flavor is Mocha, but I also really like the flavor of the Vanilla, too. We all make our Click differently, this is Nik's version of the Click Frapp and one of her Vanilla Click Frapp.


Since I first tried the Vanilla Click a few weeks back, I've posted the White Russian Protein Shake and Pumpkin Spice Latte. Aside from those two, I thought I'd share with you my all time favorite ways to "Click." 




Mocha Click Frapp (Cold)

2 scoops Mocha Click
12 oz 2% Milk
3 packets Splenda
3 tbsp SF Hazelnut Coffeemate Creamer (optional--but I am an addict LOL)

Pour the milk in your blender cup first, then add the Click and Splenda. Blend til well-mixed, pour into a mug and top with the Hazelnut creamer. Stir together and enjoy! You can serve it over ice, but I usually don't unless it's a really hot day.


Black Forest Mocha (Hot)

2 scoops Mocha Click
12 oz 2% Milk
3 packets Splenda
2 pumps Davinci SF Raspberry Syrup

Pour the milk in your blender cup first, then add the Click and Splenda. Whiz it til well mixed. Then microwave for 30 seconds, stir. If it's hot enough, pour it into your travel mug or coffee cup, then add the Raspberry syrup. Sometimes I add some SF Coffeemate, usually Hazelnut. If needed, I heat it for a couple more seconds in the microwave.


Vanilla Caramel Latte (Cold or Hot)

2 scoops Vanilla Click
12 oz 2% Milk
3 packets Splenda
2 pumps Davinci SF Caramel Syrup
SF Coffeemate (optional--Fr. Vanilla or Hazelnut or Vanilla Caramel)

Pour the milk in your blender cup first, then add the Click and Splenda and whiz until well mixed. If you want it cold, add the Caramel Syrup (and Coffeemate if you're using it) to your cup, then pour in the Click mixture and stir it up. Add some ice if you want it colder.  For the hot version, follow the instructions for the Black Forest Mocha. 


Try these ideas, and come up with your own. Hit us up if you come up with another cool way to Click!

Chai Latte Click Frapp

~by Nikki

Chai. Once an exotic drink found mainly in Indian restaurants, now it seems EVERYONE makes in varying forms to suit every tea making skill level.

I myself own several variations of “chai mix.” I have some General Foods International Coffee Chai (I rarely use it. Too many calories and it takes a LOT to make my whole mug taste like chai). I have the individual components that make up Pam’s Protein Chai Tea (I love Pam, but I don’t use that often either. I have a mental block to pre-making protein mixes. Don’t ask why. There is no explanation.)

About a year or so ago, Jen sent me a bottle of Davinci sugar-free Chai Tea Concentrate. Well…that changed everything! It’s so easy to use. To make yourself a regular chai, you’d just warm up some milk, steep in your favorite herbal tea (preferably just a plain, flavor neutral variety) add the concentrate, some sweetener and you’re ready to go! (It is missing that wonderful concoction of spices that float atop traditional Chai but, not being the biggest fan of “floaties,” I can deal with that).

But, as I said last week, I am on a Click Frapp craze. Here’s the deal: Starbucks makes many Frappucino flavors…none of which are completely sugar-free therefore none completely safe for the sugar-dumper. My philosophy about healthy eating is that if you are to be successful, every poor eating choice has to be matched with a food choice of equal or greater yumminess. So it is my mission to invent as many Frapp recipes as I can, until I feel a bit less resentful about the Starbucks situation.

So here’s today’s recipe:

Nik’s Chai Latte Click Frapp
(with accompanying decaf variation)

1 c. milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2-3 tbsp Davinci Chai Tea Concentrate (it is CONCENTRATE, so it is strong. I’d start with 2 and go from there)
1 scoop Click Vanilla Latte (for decaf drinkers, use 1 heaping tablespoon Cafe Bustelo decaffeinated instant espresso)
No-calorie sweetener to taste
5-6 cubes of ice

Optional: fat free whipped cream (aka “whippage”)

Directions:

Make according to the Triple X method. Or not. Your choice!

This is yummmmy…

If you want a hot chai protein drink, I highly encourage you to check out Pam’s chai tea mix. The above can be made into a hot drink as well by mixing the both protein powders with room temperature water until a smooth paste forms THEN adding hot milk to that and stirring vigorously. It takes some practice, but you should end up with a smooth, lump free drink (and yes, hot protein drinks are still protein drinks. Heating them doesn’t destroy the protein!).

The Clickabutter Frapp (...and a BF Review)

My friend Pam. You’ve heard me mention her a few times, right? Well, she sent me a box for Christmas, bless her heart. In it was something I’d been wanting to try forever: Body Fortress Chocolate-Peanut Butter protein powder!!!

So I have a review and a recipe. The whole thing is too damn long (meaning it really should be two blog posts) so I am putting a handy-dandy bold purple subtitle on each section so if you want to come back to the review and go straight for the recipe, you can do that (but do come back please!). Aren't I considerate???

The Review

Psst! Click the picture (or any of the links in this post)! It'll take you to where you can order!!!

Now, let me say this about my beloved Body Fortress. Yes, it contains whey protein concentrate (along with isolate). That means it has some lactose and fat in it that isolate alone does not. This does not, in my estimation, make it a lesser protein. The whey in it is no less easily absorbed than whey isolate alone. It’s just that if you had equal scoops of concentrate blend and isolate alone, the isolate would obviously have more whey protein in it than the concentrate would. Clear as mud, right?

But in the end, I defer to results in all things. Body Fortress has been 98% of my protein supplement consumption for the last three years. I lost 155 lbs. Went from a size 26 to a size 10. Here is my journey in pictures:



Enough said. Moving on…

Usually I have to doctor Body Fortress up. It doesn’t have a really bad whey smell but the taste alone doesn’t do much for me. This is a good thing, especially for all of you, because the fact that I had to doctor up Body Fortress is what got me to experimenting with protein shake recipes. And look where that got us!

So when the sample of the powder arrived, I decided to be scientific about trying it (or, as scientific as my decidedly un-scientific self is capable of being).

First, I tried it with some water. I generally don’t like water-based shakes. But I wanted to get an idea of the “flavor profile” of the powder (look at me, using fancy culinary terms!). I noticed three things:

1. The powder stands on its own in terms of sweetness - no Splenda needed! (this says a lot as I am a Splenda crackhead)
2. The shake thickened up upon blending, probably because of the addition of the peanut product (I wish I knew what it was...the label doesn't say...)
3. You can actually taste the peanut component. Like...for real. Not a fake peanut taste but real, genuine peanuts. Mmmmm...

So obviously I didn’t really like the water based shake so then I moved onto just milk and the powder. Not a bad experience either. Not my preference, which is why I was glad when it came time to fool around with it.

I’d been making what I call a “Clickabutter” Frapp for a while now. For some reason, peanut amps up the coffee-ness of coffee (in much the same way coffee amps up the chocolatey-ness of chocolate). It’s hard to describe, but peanut butter flavor in a coffee drink doesn’t exactly read as peanut butter (if done in the right proportions). Instead, it reads as a really strong coffee flavor.



So I decided to see how Body Fortress figured into that. Here’s what I came up with:

Nik’s “Clickabutter” Frapp

The finished Frapp in all it's...Frapp-ness!

Ingredients:

8 oz. milk

1 scoop Click mocha
1 scoop Body Fortress chocolate-peanut butter protein powder
6 cubes of ice

I made it according to the Triple X method, of course (your mileage may vary so use your good judgment) and poured it into a glass.

And I sipped. And I sipped again. And again. I like it. I like it a lot! The peanut butter did amp up the coffee flavor but my tongue still picked up the peanut butter flavor. As with all my shakes, it was thick and creamy. It could have used a dollop of whippage but we can rectify that in the future.

"But Nik...I like the Click Vanilla Latte! I still want a Clickabutter Frapp!"

You folks are lucky I love you! :) I am not the biggest fan of Click Vanilla Latte (I don't hate it...it's just that I am on Team Chocolate), but I do have a canister that I keep around when the occasional vanilla craving hits (and on those days the stuff really hits the spot). Here's my vanilla variation:

Nik's Vanilla Clickabutter Frapp

1 c. milk

1 scoop Click vanilla latte

1 scoop GOOD vanilla protein (sadly...unlike Pam...I would not put Body Fortress in this category)

2 tbsp PB2 (or Peanut Flour from Trader Joe's)

6 cubes of ice

(Preparation is the same as above)

A warning about my Click Frapps in general: there is a LOT of protein in them. If you make yours from exactly the same ingredients as mine, there is 41.5g of protein in the shake to be precise. Newbies, tread with caution. And no…your body doesn’t explode if you have too much protein at a sitting. For those of you who are gym rats, your body will USE the protein. For anyone else…remember that if you had RNY or DS you have a malabsorptive digestive system. A high protein shake simply increases the overall amount of protein you get from the shake.

Anyway…now I have to order some Body Fortress Chocolate Peanut Butter. Damn you Pam!!! I have a cabillionty seven containers of protein and I am sitting here on the cusp of ordering yet another. Sigh…

Verdict: Divas say Divine!

Meatless Friday (on a Tuesday)

(Looking for "Bariatric Foodie Pledge" grand prize info? Click here!)

Some of you may recall I do "Meatless Fridays" during Lent to honor my late (and very Catholic) grandfather.

I know many post-ops, by virtue of meat intolerance and some by choice choose to eat meatless diets, so this year I am going to TRY to get better at supporting you as you look to play with your food! Next week, look for the latest "BF Basics" series: Veggie Tales! I've asked a post-op friend of mine who has been vegetarian a good portion of her life (and has a few years of WLS lifestyle under her smaller-sized belt) to share what she knows about being a vegetarian after WLS. Look for that five part series starting on Monday!

In the meantime, I thought I'd start off by sharing what one of MY Meatless Fridays looks like. Please keep in mind that for me Meatless Friday does NOT = Vegetarian Friday. You'll see what I mean in a moment.

This week I hope to post a NEW Meatless Friday recipe (I have learned to stop over-committing so trying is the best you'll get from me at this point!) and every week during Lent.

Here's how my day went down (added bonus, I'm going to, FOR ONCE, share a few stats):

6:00 a.m. I ate some Greek yogurt with PB2. I did not snap a pic. My apologies! I call my first meal of the day my "petite breakfast." It really is just a little bit of food (in this instance about 1/2 c.) to get me going and out the door. This was ABOUT 100 calories and 16g protein. Then...



10:00 a.m. I had a Click Frapp! I LOVE these things. And I've learned to make them in nearly as many varieties as Starbucks makes Frappucinos! Aside from the above, classic, I love my Chai Latte Frapp, Clickabutter Frapp and Vanilla Frapp!  But there are many other Frapp recipes on BF. Search the term "Frapp" in the right menu bar to see which one appeals most to you! The above has 230 calories and a whopping 41.5g protein!!!

So that held me until...

2-ish...Yep...the shake is THAT filling! Anyhoo...tuna is a staple for me on Meatless Fridays. And I love me some TVP tuna...so I decided to do a new spin on it!

Check it out:



Nik's Tangy-Zesty TVP Tuna

4 oz. can of tuna, liquid reserved!!!
2 tbsp TVP (what's that?)
1/2 tbsp mayo (I use the fully loaded stuff, not low-fat)
2 tbsp 0% unflavored Greek yogurt
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
A few shakes each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper

Directions:

Set tuna, with water, and TVP in a bowl for about 2 minutes so the TVP can soak up the liquid. (HINT: the longer you let the TVP sit, the softer it gets).

In a separate bowl mix together mayo, yogurt, mustard and spices and mix well.

Add tuna to dressing mixture and serve!

MY TVP tuna came up to 221 calories, 27g of protein (including the bread).

I didn't have an afternoon snack last Friday. The TVP tuna sorta filled me up! I MEANT to finally try the famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) cauliflower crust pizza recipe. But I didn't get around to it!!! Long story short: life happens. But no worries! I have a Foodie on the case making the pizza this weekend and she's promised to report back so...soon and very soon!



As for MY dinner? It was around 6:30 p.m. and I ended up making a quick go-to dinner: Naked Eggplant Parm. Yummy and only takes minutes to throw together! It has about 250 calories and 15g of protein the way I make it.

On Friday nights I eat alone because, alas, my daughters have more of a nightlife than I do! They were at a weekly dance held by the local recreation center. After dinner, I made a pit stop to the gym (the ellptical + Jersey Shore = the easiest workout you've EVER done!) and then picked them up. I am a late night person so I usually have some sort of something before bed. This night I had a snack around 10 p.m. and it was this:

My Hot Cinnabon protein drink. I wanted a Salted Caramel Protein Cocoa but...I was out of chocolate protein powder (and still am...ack!). This drink has 230 calories and 35g protein.

So...for those of you counting...last Friday...Meatless Friday...I had a total of about 1031 calories with 134.5g protein. Now before you think me some sort of caloric wonder, please know that is not even close to my daily average caloric intake...but let's face it...fish and veggies have less calories than other stuff. And I am NOT one to look a gift horse (read: low cal day) in the mouth!

The day it all "Click'd"

Be patient...I want to go through this whole experience of trying Vanilla Click.

So...I get the package and am ridiculously excited (as evidenced by my post). My first impression of the canister was that I think they should have changed up the packaging a bit. I mean this is New! Vanilla Latte! CLICK! If Click were sold on a shelf near me (and thank GOD it isn't) and I passed this stuff, I'd think it was the old flavor. I wouldn't know it was the New! Vanilla Latte! CLICK!!!

S'anyway...

I seriously thought about foregoing lunch to try this but I decided against it. My lunch involved grilled chicken, technically a better source of protein than the casein protein in Click. One thing I love about my RNY is the ability to think rationally about my food choices. Actions? That's a whole 'nother jar of peanut butter. But I digress...

So I have this thing of Hood milk here at the office. I brought it in one day and forgot to take it home. Hood milk lasts forever and ever. I bought it a month ago and the stuff doesn't expire for another three weeks. Anyhoo...so I get out my trusty work blender (yes, I keep a blender at work. A mini-sized one) and my Hood milk. I like cold protein drinks so I poured in some milk and opened my jar of New! Vanilla Latte! Click! and...

It is soooo wierd. It's like white with little brown flecks in it. Kinda like when I make my decaf version of Click and you can see the flecks of coffee in it. Freaky. I guess the brown in the mocha hides that dynamic. Anyway, it smells like cake batter. I don't like that but I am willing to forgive it stuff tastes good.

So I whiz up 2 scoops with some milk and decide to taste it straight up (my inclination is to add about 3 packets of Splenda). Not bad...not bad at all. But I still want Splenda. So I add it + 6 ice cubes (my rule for making a good thick shake...add ice until 2 cubes break the surface of the liquid...). Whiz it again and taste...

You know what it tastes like to me...coffee flavored ice cream. I kid you not. I was so pleased! I LOVED coffee flavored ice cream as a kid. Mind you I loved it atop a warm brownie but I'm trying to live better these days.

So my verdict? Me likes. I have to play with it some before I decide if I like it better than mocha. It's got big shoes to fill. So my next mission is to make a protein heavy vanilla Click Frapp (my mocha one sports 42.5g of protein).
 
I'll keep you posted.

BF Top 5: Kitchen Staples to Make BF Recipes NOW!

Often when I post a recipe, I get a message or two from people asking where to buy certain ingredients or lamenting about having to order something in order to make one of my recipes.

I just want to let you know I hear you! You might notice that these days I am giving more and more local suggestions to replace special orders in my recipes. I still use the special order items, however, because a lot of times the nutritionals on them are simply better than what I can find in my local store.

From my perspective, it’s my job to make the healthiest and tastiest variation of a dish possible so that you can have a starting point. From there, you all can play with your food and come up with a version that works best for you!

Keeping that in mind, I put together a short list of a few things you might order to be able to make Bariatric Foodie recipes, as-is, right away. Click on any of the links or images to go to where you can order. In the interest of full disclosure I’ll tell you that when you DO order you keep the good recipes and reviews coming as a portion of your orders benefit the blog.

In no particular order:

Any Whey Unflavored Protein Powder

I use this stuff a lot. A LOT. Why? Well it isn’t 100% absolutely unflavored (it is whey after all) but the flavor is so mild it is covered by nearly anything. As an added bonus it is optimized for cooking. That means you can put it directly into cooking food (like soups, stews or you can bake with it) and won’t get nasty clumps. With the exception of baked goods, you should add the powder as a last step in your cooking (mostly to keep the unflavored benefit but also because, while it doesn’t really clump it can affect the texture of whatever you are making).

Atkins Baking Mix

This is a nifty product if I do say so myself. It comes with the perfect balance of low-carb flour (soy based), baking powder, salt, etc. So all you have to do is add a little fat and, if desired, a leavening agent and you are good to go with biscuits, pancakes and a lot more. One serving of the stuff has 20g of protein! It’s a carb you can feel good about eating!

Carbquik

Pssst...if you want to order...click the link on the word "Carbquik." It's cheaper!

Carbquik is like Atkins Baking Mix…but not. The emphasis for “CQ” is the low-carb part. So there isn’t much protein per serving but there IS a lot of fiber. The base for this is carbalose flour which is formulated to be high in fiber and also some other variations of carbs that your body simply cannot digest. CQ has a bit of a twangy taste (versus Atkins which has a bit of a twangy aroma), so that takes some working around. All my recipes make accommodations for that.



Decaffeinated Instant Espresso

For newbies especially, anytime I post a kind of “Click Frapp” I post a decaf version using this stuff. You could use decaf coffee, yes, but there is a distinct difference between coffee and the flavor of espresso. Espresso brings it “there” with the Frapp taste and takes your drink from an everyday shake to an experience!

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)



If you’re going “huh?” then click here. I use TVP in many recipes to either boost the protein count or bulk it up for the fam. Although clicking the link will take you to where you can buy this, it is carried in many stores in the health food section (check for the brand name “Bob’s Red Mill”). Go check and see if yours has it!

If you invest in these five ingredients...a world of Bariatric Foodie recipes will magically open up to you!