Tumblr has been a great blog site to get this blog started. It is simple to use and simple to read. However, I have found the need for more features, like being able to post foods in different categories. I have used WordPress for years for my personal blog and it is a very powerful platform. For the last couple of weeks I have been spending some time setting up a WordPress version of this blog to test it out. It may need a few more tweaks, but I am very pleased with it and I think it will offer the features to allow this blog to grow.
The new address is: LifeAfterObesity.WordPress.com. You can also click the image above.
Again, a big thanks to Tumblr for its simple and excellent platform for getting this started. Maybe I will still post a few things here from time to time.
Filed under Bariatric obesity healthy food
Need a little help dressing up that chicken salad?
I tried something new for lunch today that turned out even better than I thought it would. Even better, it was quick and easy.
Here’s what you need:
- 2 ounces canned white meat chicken
- 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon cranberry mustard (Beaver brand makes the one I use)
- 1 tablespoon onion, chopped
- 1/2 small or medium gala apple, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
Put the oil in a small skillet and heat to medium. Toss in onion and apple pieces and sauté until lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool.
Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften it. Add chicken and cranberry mustard to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Mix in sautéed onion and apples.
I enjoyed mine at room temperature which allowed my taste buds to savor all the flavors, but it would work chilled as well.
162 cals, 6 fats, 14 carbs, 15 protein
Filed under Food healthy chicken salad apple cranberry
Tilapia and Creamy Mustart Sauce
This is a recipe I modified from one I found on the Internet. It’s very simple„delicious, and healthy.
The food:
- 3–4 oz tilapia fillet
- lemon pepper seasoning
- lemon juice
- 100 grams baby red potatoes, cleaned and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- garlic
- Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Start with the potatoes as they will take the longest by far. 100 grams of potatoes is a serving, but you may wish to modify that to your own needs. Place the cubed potatoes in a small baking dish, toss in minced garlic, olive oil, and Italian seasoning, and mix thoroughly. Bake at 425 until tender (about 30 minutes).
While the spuds are baking make the mustard sauce. Simply mix the yogurt and mustard together in a small cup. Yes, it does sound weird mixing Dijon mustard with vanilla yogurt, but it works. The original recipe I modified had plain yogurt, but added honey or agave. The vanilla yogurt is already sweetened and adds a bit less calories.
Do the fish last as it takes only a few minutes, once it is thawed if starting with frozen fish. Heat a small pan to a medium temp, spray it with cooking spray, and add a drizzle of lemon juice. Pat both sides if the fillets with a paper towel to make sure they are dry, sprinkle them lightly with lemon pepper seasoning, and place in the pan. Cook for only a couple minutes on each side so that it just turns white. If the fish turns brown at all it is overlooked and will be very dry. It cooks so quickly that I usually wait until the potatoes are done and ut of the oven, sitting in their pan waiting to be plated.
Put the potatoes and fish on the plate and top with mustard sauce. Enjoy!
Filed under Fish healthy Bariatric tilapia potatoes
My dietary needs have changed in the last few weeks because I have met or exceeded all of my weight loss goals and now need to consume as many calories as I eat in order to have any energy, or just plain survive. This means that I will be posting recipes with higher calorie counts. Don’t worry, they want all be that way, I’ll just be posting even more variety - some smoothies and light foods along with meals for highly active folks who are maintaining instead if losing weight.
This entrée works well for anyone who is into the solid food stage and can eat potatoes (otherwise remove the potatoes). It is very simple.
- 3 oz boneless, skinless chicken bread grilled with a dash if Italian seasoning.
- 3/4 cup grilled veggie blend (roasted peppers and potatoes). I used Twin Star brand that I fund at Walmart.
- 1/2 cup fresh fruit. I love the prepared mixed fruit cups in the produce department at Fred Meyer.
Nutrient content of this meal will vary depending on the brands, different fruits, and cooking methods. I cooked the chicken on a George Forman grill and the veggies in a skillet with cooking spray so no calories or fats were added in cooking. For the fruit I had to guesstimate based on the average of the different fruits in the mix. It should definitely come in under 300 calories total.
Energy Bars
With my level of activity I often need to consume high calorie meals or snacks, but with my smaller, post RNY stomach I still need those meals to be low volume. Your local grocer sells protein and energy bars that solve the problem, but usually for a minimum of $1 each. Not horrible, but that can add up if your are going through one a day, or more. I did some searching and found some recipes for homemade Cliff bars. With a little modification I came up with some really easy to make energy bars that are better tasting and cheaper than what I’ve found at the stores. The nice part is that my recipe is modifiable to accommodate different tastes and needs easily.
The basic recipe:
Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried fruit, finely chopped (I use dates most of the time)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup nut butter (I use natural creamy peanut butter, often making my own)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Mix rice cereal, oats, nuts, and dried fruit in a large bowl. Melt nut butter and honey in a small sauce pan until very smooth then add in cinnamon and vanilla. Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until it all started sticking together, then get your hands in there and make sure all the dry ingredients are well integrated into the gooey mess. Wait until the mix has cooled a bit before adding the chocolate chips so they don’t just melt into it, unless you want it that way.
Line a bread pan with wax paper and put the glob in the pan. Press the glob as evenly and flat as possible. I use extra wax paper to put on top to make it a little easier. Let cool on the counter for a bit then put in the fridge for about an hour to get a good set. Pull the large bar out of the bread pan (easy because of the wax paper) and cut into eight evenly sized squares. I wrap mine in wax paper and keep them in the pantry, except where noted below.
Variations
Banana Nut
Add one puréed banana to the nut butter and honey mix before adding to dry ingredients and leave out the chocolate chips and dried fruit. I also find that walnuts work best for the nut choice. The dry/ wet ratio changes a bit with this so it’s pretty gooey, but still awesome. These I wrap in foil and keep in the fridge to keep them firm until eating.
Maple Nut
Replace vanilla extract with maple extract, leave out chocolate and dried fruit.
Coconut Pecan
Basically an Almond Joy but with pecans. Use pecans as the nuts, obviously. Substitute the dried fruit with sweetened coconut flakes (still 1/4 cup). This is my personal favorite.
Experimentation
The nuts can be just about any nut you want to try, even seeds. The chocolate can be substituted or even left out. Flax or chia seeds can be added (1-2 Tbsp won’t even change the rest of the recipe). Flavor options are virtually endless.
Filed under Healthy food energy bar fitness homemade
