I have fallen in love with yogurt all over again after tasting Siggi's. And along with thick creamy good taste of Siggi's Icelandic style skyr-strained, non-fat, all natural, grade A yogurt is the fact that it's low in sugar and fat and high in protein and flavor. No sugar added. No aspartane, no sucralose, no gelatin, no artificial colorings, no preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. 

Siggi's has 14 grams of protein per serving. I found Siggi's yogurt at Whole Foods. The coconut flavor is my favorite so far. Check it out! 

I love fall. One of the best things besides cool crisp weather, are the taste of cool crisp apples—right next to the smell of that warm baked goodness. Today I found a new variety that really fits the bill. This SweeTango lives up to it's name. Released in 2009, it is a cross between a Zestar and one of my top favorites, Honeycrisp, giving it that great balance between sweet and tart. Really juicy and great for baking. Great for snacking, but I can't wait for morning when I make homemade applesauce—yum!

Hurry they won't be here long! 

I just discovered Kashi Pita Crisps. They are crunchy and delicious. Great with chicken salad for lunch or with cheese for an afternoon pick-me-up!

Serving Size: 11 Crisps

120 Calories

3 grams fat

22 grams carbs

5 grams fiber

2 grams sugar

3 grams protein 

Yes, you can. You have many more miles to go!

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.