I love mac n cheese, but pasta isn't so bariatric friendly. My sister found this recipe that's made with cauliflower instead of pasta. She doesn't much care for cauliflower, but she says it is the best mac and cheese ever. 

Ingredients:
-8 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)
-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 tsp Kosher salt
-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
-2 Tbsp butter
-2 Tbsp flour
-1.5 cups fat-free milk
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/4 tsp table salt
-1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (reduced fat optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets in oil (and garlic if using) on a baking sheet (I prefer to mix in a sealed bag first). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce to 350.

2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook 5 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and all but 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Place cauliflower in an 8X8-in glass baking dish. Pour cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

This holiday season why not stuff the pumpkin and the turkey instead of ourselves!

These stuffed pumpkins are something to warm up to. Here is the original recipe but below I'll give you suggestions for making it more bariatric friendly. 

Stuffed Pumpkins

        4 ounce(s) Sweet Italian Sausage

         1/2 cup(s) Chopped Onion

         1  (1 1/2-pound ) Pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

         1/2 cup(s) Chopped Granny Smith Apples

         1/4 cup(s) White Wine

         1 cup(s) Israeli Couscous, cooked

         1/4 cup(s) Dried Cranberries

         1 tablespoon(s) Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

         1 teaspoon(s) Fresh Thyme

         1 teaspoon(s) Fresh Oregano, chopped

         1/2 teaspoon(s) Salt

         1/4 teaspoon(s) Fresh Ground Pepper

         4 small (1-pound) Pumpkins, hollowed out

Directions

Make the stuffing: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Decase and crumble the sausage meat and place it in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the sausage until it is almost done -- about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan, increase heat to medium, and add the onion and 2 cups of the chopped pumpkin. Sauté until the pumpkin begins to soften -- 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped apple and sausage and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the wine, cook for 2 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside. Combine the couscous, dried cranberries, olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add meat mixture to the bowl and toss to combine.

Bake the pumpkins: Evenly fill the hollowed-out pumpkins with the stuffing mixture and place the pumpkins in a shallow baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Bariatric suggestion: I recommend using more protein and substituting regular sausage with turkey or soy sausage. You could even spice it up by adding a little fennel, sage, or thyme!  

Recipe from Country Living; to read more: Baked Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe - Stuffed Pumpkins With Meat - Country Living

It is officially fall, and around here that means, “soup’s on”! One of my recent new endeavors has been trying a new food item, this month it is butternut squash. I just haven’t ever tried to cook it myself, but I love summer squash and decided to give it a whirl. So first I tried roasting it. It turned out so well, today I decided to make soup. I found this recipe from Williams Sonoma and adjusted it just a little. I also added a little of my own (leftover) butternut squash to the mix and I was thrilled with it.

I also threw in a few fingerling potatoes instead of the parsnips because I couldn’t find parsnips at the grocery. I think adding the extra squash make it a little thicker, but that was a good thing, it allowed me to enjoy it with my meal.

My daugther in law, Amanda, and I are the only ones in the family who like butternut squash, but that didn’t stop me from making a huge pot. I know it’s requires some chopping, cutting, peeling and roasting, and even a trip to William Sonoma. However, I reasoned that I would go the extra mile for dinner guest, so why wouldn’t I spend a little more time making something just for myself. So I had this little talk with myself while I was chopping and peeling and I decided I was worth the effort….and I really enjoyed the soup.

My dinner menu included baked chicken stuffed with riccota cheese and spinach, greenbeans and the butternut squash soup.

What’s holding you back from spending the extra time to make something you would enjoy, if only just for yourself? You deserve it. Here’s to taking care of ourselves…you have many more miles to go.

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Vegetables

1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 lb. turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 jar (2 lb) Williams Sonoma butternut squash puree*
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup half and half

Preheat an oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, stir together the parsnips, turnips, carrots and 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a baking dish and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Add the butternut squash puree and broth, and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream, then ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Fried turkey?

You've got to be kidding me, right?

Really?

What is the point?

 Why fry your turkey when you can brine instead?

I never have been able to understand why its necessary to fry a perfectly good turkey. 

Although, I have tasted several fried turkeys...there's nothing better in my opinion than a beautifully brown roasted turkey. 

The last few years I have tried something new...brine.

After all the turkey is a  bariatric friendly dish, why make it complicated.

I remember the first Thanksgiving after bariatric surgery, we were invited over for a Thanksgiving meal with family. I really had my reservations about steering away from desserts, manoeuvring around the gravys and sauces, stirring clear of starchy veggies and sweet tea, but there was one thing I wasn't worried about, the turkey. It was the safe part of the meal. I would be able to fill up on turkey if I had to. 

And then came the surprise, the announcement that the turkey was fried!

Fried? You fried the turkey? You have got to be kidding me? The turkey? Really? No kidding? The only safe part of the meal just became hazardous.

After that, I made the decision to cook Thanksgiving at home.  After all, I may not enjoy cooking every week-night meal, but one of the joys in life is cooking a holiday meal.  

The past few years I have tried brining, which I had never done before.  It was a big hit.

My favorite the turkey brine at Williams-sonoma. Its easy, give it a try! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups turkey brine
• 1 quart water
• 4 quarts buttermilk
• 1 fresh turkey, 16 to 18 pounds, neck, heart and gizzard removed (reserved, if desired)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the turkey brine and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until the brine dissolves, 5 to 10 minutes. Let the brine mixture cool to room temperature. In a large pot, stir together the brine mixture and buttermilk.
2. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and place in a large brining bag. Carefully pour the buttermilk brine mixture into the bag. Seal the bag, pressing out the air, and place in a large stockpot or other container large enough to hold the turkey. Refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off and discard the excess fat. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the skin evenly with the butter. Truss the turkey as desired using kitchen twine. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
4. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.
5. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices. If the breast begins to cook too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. After about 2 hours of total roasting time, begin testing for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and thigh, away from the bone. The breast should register 165°F and the thigh, 175°F. Total roasting time should be 3 to 4 hours.
6. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Serves 12 to 14.

Instead of buttermilk, you can also use apple juice or apple cider! 

I found this recipe in Taste of Home Italian Favorites Magazine, and tweaked it to reduce the fat. This recipe would be good for the puree stage post-op–minus the sausage and chips. 

White Bean Bisque

1/4 cup Italian turkey sausage links

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 15oz can white kidney or cannellini beans rinsed and drained

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

1/8 salt

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

Cook sausage and onion in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove and keep warm.

In the same saucepan, saute garlic for 1 minute until tender, stir in beans, broth, milk, parsley, salt, thyme, and a dash of cayenne, (if desired). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 12-15 minutes or until heated through. Cool slightly.

Transfer to a blender, cover and process on high until almost blended. Pour into bowls; sprinkle with sausage mixture and Parmesan crisp. 

 Parmesan Chips

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

cayenne pepper 

Spoon the cheese into six mounds 3 in apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread into 1 1/2-in circles. Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne. Bake at 400 for 5-6 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool.