Eric's Blog

We are getting ready for the big game this weekend.  Even though I really don’t care who wins (but I did bet an entire dollar on New England this year with my barber), I certainly enjoy eating food in front of the television and watching football as much as the next guy.

Gone are the days of pounds of cheese fries, buffalo hot wings, loaded nachos and beer.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I never sample a bite of those types of foods (or even make my own versions), but I do my best to take comfort foods and make them healthier.

This year, it’s my version of Waldorf Chicken Salad.  Jana is nursing and the baby is still sensitive to spicy and heavily seasoned foods, so my version is both low on fat as well as additional flavorings/spices.  I’m attempting to go heavy on natural ingredients and let the individual tastes/flavors blend together.  I serve mine over a bed of lettuce or sometimes on a piece of whole wheat toast. 

This recipe is meant for a party sized platter.  Either package and save some for later, or just cut everything in half if you fear leftovers will go to waste.  We don’t have that problem in my house!  Also, I highly recommend making this early in the morning, or better yet the night before, and letting it rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

2 pounds poached boneless/skinless chicken breasts (poaching suggestion below)

15-18 oz of plain low fat Greek Yogurt (about 3 individual containers)

¾ cup non-fat mayonnaise

1 scoop Pure Unflavored protein powder  (optional, but I use every opportunity possible to add protein to yogurt/mayonnaise recipes)

Juice from one lemon

1 tsp (each) mustard powder, black pepper and dill weed

1 Tbsp  Kosher Salt

1 large apple, cored and diced (leave the skin on)

1 cup red seedless grapes (halved)

1 cup celery (chopped into small bites)

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup sliced almonds

Combine yogurt, mayo, lemon juice,  Pure powder, salt, pepper, mustard powder and dill in a large mixing bowl and wisk together.  Fold in the grapes, nuts and celery.  Add the COOLED chicken, mix together, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Poaching Chicken:  Lots of different schools of thought on this one (just do a Google search..thousands of links) but here is the way I do it.  Trim all fat/skin from the meat.  If you have extremely thick chicken, consider slicing in half.  For each pound of chicken, use 2 cups water, 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup milk or half and half.  Place the chicken and all liquids in a large stock pot.  Heat until the liquid comes to a full boil.  Allow to boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat to a low simmer for 20 minutes(probably medium/low setting).  Pull the chicken out of the pot and allow to cool.  That’s it!  If you want to check it, cut one breast in half and see if the meat is white all the way through.  If not, allow to simmer a few more minutes.

Well, we have a new addition to our home, ten day old Baby Morgan, and with her comes a new challenge of dietary concerns and nutrition.  I am quickly learning that what my wife eats rapidly translates into a happy baby or one that likes to spit up on my shirts!  So, with the help of the lactation nurses and some trial and error research, I’m attempting to cook somewhat basic foods with little spice/seasoning and few ingredients that upset little tummies. 

Lentils are frequently overlooked as a bariatric meal option due to the carbohydrates; however, I feel the protein to calorie ratio is quite good and they contain a high dose of fiber, iron and B vitamins. 

I went “old school” on this basic recipe, thinking back to three short years ago when I was a recent post-op and only able to tolerate bland/soft/basic foods myself.  I normally add in onions and some heartier seasoning, but that tends to create more baby fluid “incidents!”  I also doubled up on the veggies, as we prefer a heartier stew type consistency verses a soupy broth.   So far, for my wife/child the only risky ingredients for nursing have been tomatoes due to the acidity, but I drain them and cook them down quite a while to be safe.   As always, if you want an additional dose of protein the best option is to add a scoop of Pure unflavored protein to your portion. 

1 lb diced skinless chicken breast (optional if you prefer a vegetarian soup)

1 16oz (appx 2 cups) package of green lentils (wash and soak in water for 30-60 minutes prior to cooking)

2 zucchini, peeled and diced

3 large carrots diced

3 stalks celery diced

1 can (15-16oz) plum tomatoes (drained)

1 Tsp (each) oregano, black pepper, salt, dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups water

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot.  Add carrots, zucchini, celery and all dry ingredients, cooking on medium high heat until the vegetables soften.  For recent post ops I recommended to cook the veggies longer than someone several months out, as you’ll find it easier to swallow/digest.  Add in the diced chicken and cook until the meat is no longer pink.  Add the can of tomatoes to the pot, crushing them into smaller pieces with your mixing spoon.  Drain the lentils from their pre-soak and add to the pot along with the water.  Reduce the heat to a medium boil for 15 minutes, and then reduce to low for an additional 45-60 minutes.  For those that prefer a more liquid consistency, you can either use 5 cups of water initially, or cook about 20 minutes less.

I’m plagiarizing a recipe yet again, this time from my sister Emily, the food blogger and baker.  She’s been kind enough to modify some of my grandmother’s old recipes from our youth into sugar free versions.  This  year it was a family favorite:  Custard (the drinkable kind).   I personally can’t stand egg nog, so this has always been my holiday tradition.  The way I see it, I get one of my daily servings of dairy/calcium and carry on holiday cheer! 

All her other recipies can be found at:  ItAllStartedwithMacandCheese

Below is a re-post from her site….enjoy!

This beverage is a Christmas tradition in our family and it sort of resembles drinking melted vanilla ice cream. I’m not sure how many generations it spans, but each year my grandmother would make a batch and bring it over to our house. My mom took over the tradition, making a version in the microwave that was good but not quite the same. Last year I decided I would try my grandmothers recipe and it turned out great. Now I have taken over the tradition and am glad we can still have this favorite treat.

My brother has to follow a sugar free diet and so this year I made an experimental batch using splenda and he proclaimed it to be good. So…if you are looking to cut some calories substitute splenda…but it is still best with real sugar.

Custard

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Gallon Milk – I use either 2% or whole
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup extra (or Splenda)
• 2 T flour
• 2 T vanilla extract
• Extra milk – about 1/2 cup

Prep work before getting started:

• Separate eggs, putting yolks in a small bowl and the whites in either the bowl of a stand mixer or a larger mixing bowl where you can beat them.
• Add about a tablespoon of cold milk to the egg yolks and whisk. Set aside.
• In another small bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar and 2 T flour. Add in some cold milk (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup) and stir until sugar dissolves and there are no lumps.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar.

Directions:

• In a large pot (make sure it is a big one as this could boil over if you aren’t careful), heat milk until it boils. Whisk constantly because the milk will burn on the bottom of the pan. You could microwave the milk until boiling to avoid the risk of burning and then add it to the stovetop.
• Once milk comes to a boil, add some of the hot milk to your egg yolks to temper them to hopefully prevent the eggs from scrambling. Add tempered yolks to the milk and bring back to a boil, whisking constantly.
• After it returns to a boil, add in the sugar/flour mixture. Allow mixture to return to a boil again and keep stirring to prevent burning.
• Now remove the pot from the heat and take 2 cups of the hot milk and beat it into the eggs whites. This will make them runny. Add the egg whites to the pot and return it to heat – medium or so. Whisk to combine well and cook a few minutes more to make sure eggs are cooked. My grandmother said to just end after adding the egg whites, but I feel as if they should be cooked a little.
• Stir in vanilla extract and allow custard to cool in pot.
• Funnel into milk jug or a fancy pitcher if you like. If you think there are some lumps, just strain through a sieve when you are pouring it into the containers. I don’t think we have ever had a lump free batch, but you just get used to them and reminisce about your grandmothers lumpy custard.
• Refrigerate and enjoy once chilled, shaking carton before serving.

Here are the before and after pics in the pan – it is hard to photograph a drink! See how it doubles in size and nearly tops my pan…that is the importance of a large pot! It will deflate a little during the cooling process.

Jana and I are still in baby preparation mode and both, for the most part, eating a pre-natal diet (high protein, high fiber, no sugar, low carb).  With it starting to get a little colder in Florida, I decided to make soup this afternoon while watching the Army/Navy football game.   

The soup I chose is a better version of vegan/ vegetable soup.  What makes it better?  Spicy Sausage!!!  If you want an added kick of protein, mix your serving with a scoop of Pure unflavored protein powder.  As usual, any ingredients listed below are certainly replaceable with anything you might personally prefer.   

Not only is this soup packed with protein and nutritious veggies, but it can be individually portioned and frozen for those moments when my wife calls to tell me my unborn child is making her hungry and there is no food available.  Problem solved.  Six freezable bowls of quite healthy and homemade food ready via microwave in moments.

6 links turkey or chicken sausage, cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  Get the fancy seasoned stuff fresh from the butcher for an added degree of flavor. 

1 large yellow onion chopped

1 (each) medium zucchini and squash chopped

2 cups (each) carrots and celery diced

2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 can lima beans (drained)

32oz low sodium vegetable stock

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 teaspoon (each) parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper

In a large stock pot, brown the garlic and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink.  Add in the onion, celery and carrots cooking for appx 15 minutes until the veggies start to break down and soften.  Add all remaining ingredients, cover and bring the pot up to a full boil.  Reduce to medium heat (low boil) and allow the broth to reduce for appx 1 hour.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a sugar free version of pumpkin pie.  To be honest, I’m personally not a huge pumpkin fan but Jana sure is, so we combined two different recipes (I baked  a modified version of my cheesecake  and Hobo Pie crust, and Jana mixed up Susan Maria’s no bake sugar free Pumpkin Whip) for a holiday dessert we both like.

For the pie crust:

1/2 package of Murray’s sugar free oatmeal cookies (about 8 cookies total)

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pecans

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

3/4 stick of butter (melted)

Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor and crush until you reach an almost powder like consistency. Mix with the melted butter and spread in a 9 inch pie pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then allow crust to cool completely. 

For the Pumpkin Whip, why try to re-invent the wheel when Susan already did it for us!

Bariatric Eating’s Pumpkin Whip recipie

Pour the whip over the cooled pie shell and allow it to set up at least two hours or more in the refrigerator.  It actually is a little difficult to cut into a “pretty” slice, but it taste just fine!

Happy Turkey Day!

It’s surprising how popular a tiny little soybean has become.  My poker group actually complains when I don’t serve a steaming bowl full garnished with simple kosher salt.  About a year ago, I saw Edamame Salad at the deli counter of a specialty food store and bought a pound.  After Jana and I consumed the entire container in less than a day, I figured we could easily reproduce it much cheaper than the $8.99 per pound the deli charges. 

Eat this as a side with any type of grilled fish or crab cakes.  Or simply eat by itself as a snack…  I take a small container to work and its perfect when the afternoon munchies attack about 3pm. The recipe below has a bit of an Asian twist, but you could easily use any dressing or marinade of your choosing.  Excellent source of protein, fiber and other essential vitamins.

1 bag (16oz frozen) shelled edamame

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)

1 ½ cup shredded carrots

1 cup chopped red onion (even though it looks purple to me!)

1 small can (4oz) sweet corn (optional)

1 cup low fat Sesame Ginger dressing (I use Newman’s Own brand)

Kosher salt to taste

As we start to get ready for parenthood in a few months, the one piece of advice we get from absolutely everyone is something to the effect of “enjoy your sleep and leisure time now!”  I’m getting quite worried that my marathon Sunday afternoon cooking sessions will be replaced with poopy diapers, learning to work the breast pump (ha ha) and scrambling for a few bites of protein to keep me from passing out.  So, we are experimenting with dishes that can be easily frozen and re-heated later. 

Since Mexican food is held in high regard in our home and we always seem to agree on cheese, here is my version of a high protein and (relatively) low carb version of the traditional restaurant dish.  They can be a tad bit messy in preparation, but with Jana and I working together (a rarity!) it goes quite quickly.  Not only did we have a great dinner tonight, but now we also have homemade food ready to go when too tired to cook.

1 pound ground beef

1 onion chopped

1 can (4 oz) green chiles

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (juice drained)

1 can (15 oz) refried, pinto or black beans

1 block (8 oz) Monterey jack cheese, cut lengthwise into ½ oz portions

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1/3 container Susan Maria’s Cancun chili mix

1 can tomato sauce

1 package wheat/low-carb tortillas (about 12-15 total needed…I used La Tortilla Factory brand, made with whole wheat…50 calories, 10 carbs and 5g protein each)

Shredded cheese (to taste)

In a large skillet brown onions and ground beef.  Drain fat and return to pan.  Add chili mix, diced tomatoes, green chiles, cream cheese, cottage cheese and beans.  Stir all ingredients together in the skillet and cook 10-15 minutes, and then remove from heat.

Very lightly spray/grease three 8×8 baking pans (or you can use one 9×13 and one 8×8 pan).  Also, I use aluminum foil pans if freezing for later. 

In each tortilla, combine 2 pieces of the Monterey jack cheese, appx 4-5 Tbsp of the meat/bean mixture, roll tightly and place into the baking pan. 

You should get between 4-5 enchiladas per 8×8 pan depending on the size of the tortilla used. 

Spoon enough of the tomato sauce on top of each enchilada to cover entirely.  If cooking immediately, top with cheese and bake at 325F for 25 minutes. 

For the pans that we froze, we did not top with cheese, but will add it when we reheat the dish. You can also add more cheese and salsa to taste.

Cross another line item off the Bucket List.  I not only completed my first triathlon, but I came in first place!  Well, maybe I should give you a few more details as that statement can be a little misleading….

Background…

About 3 months ago, I started swimming laps in the pool at the gym, as well as trying out some spin (cycling) classes in an effort to exercise in the comfort of air conditioning (like Mother Nature intended).  After a while, that sort of morphed into a short jog on the treadmill too.  So, after realizing that a Triathlon didn’t necessarily mean 11-12 hours of physical torture, my friend Billy successfully talked me into entering.

I signed up for a local “Sprint Triathlon” which is basically a shortened event from the longer Olympic or Ironman lengths.  The Sprint events are typically held on Saturdays as a warm up for the Olympic races on Sundays.  This event was a .5k swim, 20k bike and 5k run.  In comparison, the Olympic distances are 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run and the Ironman is 3.8k swim, 180k bike and 42.2k run (or a FULL MARATHON  after a 2 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride to us mere mortals).

My event received entries from both Elite level athletes (those with $9,000 specially equipped bicycles and a private personal coach) as well as the rank and file weekend warriors like myself.  Although I shared the same course at the same time as the Elite competitors, I was judged and ranked in a separate timing pool.

Race day…

We started out bright and early (6am) standing in line with about 300 other crazed individuals wearing tight fitting shorts and holding their entry fees.  I slapped down my money and received a color coded swim cap labeling me as a “newbie.”  Then, I stood still while my bib number was written in marker on each arm and my age and the letter “T” promanately marked on the back of each calf muscle.  Not really sure why that was necessary, but didn’t ask questions.  Worst case scenario, at least I have identifiers if they find me passed out on the road. 

After staging our bicycles in the transition area and double- checking my gear, we made our way down to the swim area (a very large lake in a County park).  The sun started to rise and I was amazed to see people of all age groups and backgrounds.  There were entire families that treated this like a morning at the park, either as competitors or there as supporters.  What I expected to be a hard core athletic event was more like a very large company picnic.  The energy level was high, yet relaxed at the same time.

All the athletes then got knee deep in the water and we received our course instructions.  I was more nervous than anything else about the swim, having only practiced in the controlled environment of the gym pool.  The gun went off and several hundred bodies took off, splashing about like a tank full of minnows.  I quickly got my first taste of competition when swimming became more like wrestling with all the bodies moving in almost zero visibility lake water.  I decided to hold back and let the masses take off and moved off to the side of the pack.  I swam along at my normal gym pace for about 2-3 minutes then stopped to stick my head up and look around.  Somehow, I had managed to pass the first buoy with only 4-5 other swimmers in front of me and what looked to be the last moments of the Titanic behind me.  Wow, was I really doing this correctly?  It appeared the second buoy was still in front of me and I was headed in the same direction as everyone else.  A few minutes later I found myself back at the beach area with my feet able to touch the sandy bottom.  I stood up and splashed my way to the ground course, making a bee line for the transition area about ¼ of a mile away, running among the several hundred cheering families and spectators.

It turns out that getting somewhat dry, putting on your shoes/shocks and shirt while trying to maneuver a bicycle off a rack while simultaneously sucking down a GU energy gel and dodging hundreds of other people trying to do the exact same thing is a sport within a sport!  In fact, at the end of the event you get a timing score for all three of the individual events, as well as your transition times which all run consecutively to reach your final overall time.

Onto the bicycle.  There were only a few dozen people ahead of me at this point, obviously the ones that had mastered how to tie their shoes and hop on a bicycle faster than I did.  I actually passed a few people within the first mile and was feeling like Lance Armstrong until (later) finding out there was a separate event going on simultaneously consisting of just a bike ride and those folks didn’t have the same age and event info written on the back of their legs.  So THAT is why I was labeled! 

Earlier that morning, I wondered just what spending upwards of $9,000 on a bicycle might get you.  Well, the answer is speeding by me on my much more frugal model while yelling “passing on your left!”
 Yep, got passed quite a few times between miles 6 and 12 but at least I felt a little better after noticing that most of them had a much younger age written on the backs of their legs or were one of the Elite level folks.  Maybe this whole branding thing was more of a morale booster by the race staff? 

Off the road and back to the transition area.  I prop my bike on the rack, down a quick cup of water and head out on the run course.  Lots of water puddles and a sloppy mud/sand combo on the course (thanks to a large thunderstorm the night before). Good thing I was wearing my barefoot trail shoes. 

As the run worked its way through the woods I didn’t see many other competitors and started to wonder if all those years hiking and backpacking in the Boy Scouts had been a waste.  Did I really get lost on a simple jogging trail?  I came up on what I thought would be the first mile and was relieved to find a few volunteers holding water cups and shouting words of encouragement.  Wow, only 2 miles left to go. 

Somewhere between mile 2 and 3 I kicked it into high gear, only to find the modern day version of Forrest Gump and his little brother come up on my heels and pass me as soon as we hit a wide spot in the trail.  Whew, ages 24 and 22 on their legs, over 15 years my junior!

Finally, the finish line.  All the spectators and families that were previously at the lake front had moved the picnic and were yelling and holding large signs of encouragement.  There was a big formal finish with a large clock and an announcer.  What did he say?  I heard my name and 1 hour, 15 minutes as my time, but what was that afterwards?  First place in my age group (34 and over)?  No way!!  As soon as I regain consciousness and find Billy we’ll have to research that.

Well, it’s true.  In the amateur division of us 100 or so first timers I got 5^th place overall and 1^st place in my age group.  Forrest Gump and his little brother were there receiving trophies too, along with two high school kids that apparently only run/bike/swim in their free time and have no other hobbies as they finished faster than me by 8 and 10 minutes.   So I got beat by a bunch of athletic dudes over 15-20 years younger than me.  Who would have ever guessed three years and 150 pounds ago I’d even consider doing something this crazy.  Well, it’s not that crazy…I’m signed up again for next Saturday!

Not to be outdone by my spouse, I decided to make a chicken and tomato dinner to rival the dish she made for me last month.  We saw a similar meal on the Food Network, but it was loaded up with rice and other ingredients I try to avoid.  Since of course I voted for my version and she voted for her version, we are seeking some impartial opinions to determine the winner.  Note to my mother-in-law:  your vote is NOT considered impartial unless it is for mine!

While I made this recipe using all white meat skinless chicken breasts per my wife’s request, I truly feel it has much more flavor using boneless skinless chicken thighs (or I suppose you could easily use bone-in thighs too).  If you use the breasts, make sure to slice them in half or they won’t be moist enough as the desired consistency is dependent on the juices having a chance to be absorbed by the meat.

1 ½ pounds chicken

1 can (14 to 16 ounce) diced or crushed tomatoes drained

1 chopped shallot or small white onion

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Juice from 1 lemon

½ Tbsp dried rosemary

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup cream (or half and half)

1 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley

2 Tbsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in a deep sauté pan.  Season the chicken with salt/pepper to taste and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each).  Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.  DO NOT drain the oil.  Add the shallots or onions.  Cook on medium high heat for 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, lemon juice, chicken stock and cream.  Allow the liquids to reach a simmer (basically a very slow boil) then return the chicken to the pot along with the parsley, rosemary and thyme.  Cover the pan and continue cooking for 45-60 minutes.

Today’s creation was brought about by three things:

#1, it is just too darn hot to cook;

#2, I rode my bike so far this morning I could barely stand up in the kitchen to make lunch;

#3 my dad received a king’s bounty of farm fresh tomatoes from Kentucky and we just can’t eat them quickly enough before they spoil.

With all my outdoor exercise this summer, I crave something cool yet savory when I finally get back indoors and rested.  I saw several summer-inspired recipes in the nutritional section of my running magazines, and they prompted me to get creative with our current tomato supply.

The high protein/ low fat recipe below is a two-part recipe for a Greek yogurt sauce combined with items I already had in the house.  The beauty of this recipe is that it only takes a few minutes to assemble if the dressing is made in advance.  No need to make a special shopping trip for the main dish; just combine the proteins/fibers you have on hand and top it with your dressing.  A green salad with some chicken or fish would work just as well.

Dressing

1 6oz container plain/non-fat Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 teaspoon each Old Bay, yellow curry powder, dried basil, garlic salt and black pepper

Juice from half a lemon

1 scoop Pure unflavored protein powder

Whip all ingredients together in mixing bowl and refrigerate

Stuffed tomatoes

1 can crab meat, tuna fish, salmon or white meat chicken

1 can cooked lentils (drained and rinsed)

1 can garbanzo/chick peas

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp chopped cherry and banana peppers

Hollow out the tomatoes and layer in 2-3oz meat, 1 spoonful each of lentils and chick peas and 1 tablespoon dressing.  Garnish with chopped peppers.