For those of you who have requested recipes and ideas on pureed foods, or soft foods, check out the basic information section and post op food phases.  You will see a food list.  

The definition of the puree food phase is: food without chunks.  

One of my favorites is the Butternut Squash Puree from Williamsonomia.  It is available during the holidays.  I posted the soup recipe on the blog.  You can find it by doing a search over on the left, for butternut squash soup.    

There are also other selections of soups available in the soup section of your grocery store. Look for creamed soups or choose soups that can be blended smooth, your tummy is still healing.   

Remember to check the serving size...portion in relation to the fat and sugar counts.  Adding chicken, beef and vegetable stocks  will dilute these counts.  

Remember the key to this phase is to keep everything the consistency of baby-food.  Your new "baby" pouch needs help with digestion.  

The Magic Bullet and blender will be your friend! 

I try to add items to these sections when I discover new ideas and items...

Try pureeing items such as mashed potatoes, cauliflower, pears, applesauce and yogurts.  Try pureeing soft veggies and adding them into soups.  One of my favorites is the Jan's Save the Day Soup recipe.  I added it to mashed potatoes for a different flavor.  

The key is not to have it too "runny".  You want to consistency to be firmer as you progress during your food phases.  Liquids leave your tummy more rapidly, as you progress, you want food to stay in your pouch longer, but still be easy to digest.  Pureed items should be "baby food" consistency.  

Thanks you to all of you who respond under the comment section and are following the blog.   It is a real encouragement and I appreciate your input and support.  

Happy Holidays...

Julia 

Apples make a great snack, and I recently found a great summer variety—Jazz.

Jazz apples are from New Zealand and are a cross between Braeburn and Gala. You will recognize these beauties by their red color which reveal a slight yellow background. They have a sweet and crunchy appeal which stand up to baking as well as a peanut butter dipping. 

Soon after returning to a regular diet, one of my favorite breakfast recipes was cinnamon apples warmed in the microwave. 

So, jazz it up with apples. 

—recipe for Cinnamon Apples:

slice apples

add cinnamon

artificial sweetener to taste

small amount of water

heat in microwave until tender

Great addition to cottage cheese, canadian bacon, breakfast ham, or turkey sausage.

It's the season for fresh, sweet, baby butter beans and this week I purchased a few extra for the freezer. Here in the south, we call them butter beans but they are also called limas.

Like most beans, butter beans and limas are rich in soluble fiber—which helps your body to eliminate cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. They are a good source of potassium, iron, copper, and manganese. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply your diet with high quality protein. 

You can savor the taste of summer by freezing butter beans. It's easy—here's how:

Shell the beans from the pods.  

Fill a large stockpot 2/3 full of water and bring the water to a boil. Place the beans into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander.

Fill a large bowl with 1/2 ice and add water. Then pour the drained beans into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Use the tongs to swirl the beans in the ice water until all the beans are cool.

Fill each freezer bag with a side serving amount of beans and freeze.

Allow the beans to thaw before cooking.

Need a new breakfast item that is not only ready-to-eat and outrageously delicious, but also packed with good nutrition? Try VitaMuffin, VitaTops.

Made with whole grain flour and organic goodness, they come in eight flavors and have only 100 calories each. You'll want to wake up early just to have one. They make a great dessert treat, too. These definitely go on my list of favorite things.

Most flavors are around: 1-1.5 grams fat; 20-27 grams carb; 4-10 grams fiber; 9 sugar grams, and 3-5 grams protein. 

Made by Vitalicious, these low calorie, wholesomely good muffin tops are joined by brownies, muffins, cakes, mixes, breakfast sandwiches, sampler boxes, and gifts. They are available in the freezer section of your grocery or you can order them online. I recently ordered the sampler box!

My serving suggestion for bariatrics: add a little protein turkey roll up or a boiled egg and your all set to go!

So top off your day with Vitalicious Vita Tops!

www.vitalicious.com 

I thought that double yoke eggs were a rare find, but recently I purchased a few cartons of jumbo eggs that had all double yokes. I did a little nutritional investigating to find out how double yoke eggs compare to their single yolk nest-mates. 

Eggs usually have around 80 calories. They contain about 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein. My recent purchase of jumbo eggs contain a little more. Coming in around 90 calories, 5 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein. 

Those jumbo double yolk eggs turned out to be double the pleasure with 151 calories, 11 grams of fat and 13 grams of protein.

It appears that double yolk eggs are great for adding in that extra protein for the price of one. Plus a few calories and fat grams, that is. But still within a bariatric friendly portion. 

Volume wise, these double yolksters (uncooked) measured just under 1/3 cup.