Eating after Weight Loss Surgery: Salted Caramel Protein Hot Chocolate

I really, really love hot chocolate. Especially now that I've lost so much weight, and I am literally freezing all the time. I am never found around my house without a sweatshirt on and a thick pair of socks. And their is a constant battle over the thermostat going on in our marriage. So what is more warming on a cold winter night than hot chocolate?

I have been experimenting with different ways that I can enjoy hot chocolate guilt free for a while now. And I have found several varieties I do like. I like the sugar free hot chocolate packets well enough, and I have had luck with just simply heating up some of my pre-packaged protein shakes and then adding some sugar free syrups to them. But this is my favorite way to make hot chocolate, although it takes a little bit more effort (but not by much). I adapted this recipe from the recipe found on Bariatric Foodie.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or skim milk)
8 oz. boiling water
Sugar-Free Sea Salt Caramel Syrup (I use Torani)
1 big Spoonful of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use unjury chocolate classic)
3-4 Packets Artificial Sweetener

Directions:

Combine protein powder, sweetener, and cocoa powder in a large mug. Add milk and stir until well combined. It should be thick but smooth.

Add boiling water, a little at a time, stirring as you go. Add the sea salt caramel syrup to taste. I just kind of pour in the amount I want. I'm not big on measuring. So taste test until it is to your liking. 

Enjoy.

This is just one of the many tasty ways I get my protein in!

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Eating After Weight Loss Surgery: Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Casserole

I have really been feeling like doing some cooking lately. I haven't done much cooking since I had surgery, I have cooked occasional meals for Adam, which I didn't eat. Or a few things here or there for myself, but it is rare. But I have a cookbook specifically for people who have had weight loss surgery, and I have made several pinterest boards full of recipes that would be good options for me, and I need to start trying them out. 

So today I made pepperoni pizza cauliflower casserole via this recipe.  I really love pizza, and I used to eat it like it was my job pre-surgery. But now I just have a few bites here and there, so I would love to find something to fill my pizza cravings!

This turned out surprisingly good! It was pretty simple to make, I even bought frozen cauliflower to make it easier. It was creamy and cheesy, and it even smelled like pizza when it was baking in the oven.

OK, so it's no deep dish sausage pizza smothered in ranch dressing or a slice from mellow mushroom. But it will do. I think next time I will take the suggestion of adding a little pizza sauce to make it even more authentic.

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Eating after Weight Loss Surgery: Tangy, Hawaiian Meatballs

First of all, I have to ask for forgiveness for the poor quality of this picture. I snapped this shot right in my crock pot with my iPHONE! Bad job by me. Just know these meatballs are far more appetizing than they look in this picture. Second of all, the original recipe credit goes to this lovely lady.

Since I had my weight loss surgery, family, and friends are consistently curious about what I eat now. So I thought I would occasionally share with everyone what I have been eating lately. Starting with these made in my crock pot ,tangy, Hawaiian meatballs.

I love this recipe because it is delicious, Pompeii (my stomach) tolerates it very well, and it makes good leftovers that I can take to work for lunches for weeks (since I only eat 4-5 of them at a time). But most importantly it is good protein!

I broke her recipe in half, so I would not be eating meatballs for a lifetime. Here is my smaller version:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb pkg of precooked, Frozen Meatballs (or make your own)
• Can of Pineapple Chunks, drained yet save the juice
• 1/2 cup of Brown Sugar
• 1.5 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1/3 cup White Vinegar
• 1 Tbl. Soy Sauce
• A Dash of Cayenne Pepper to Taste

Instructions:

1. Place meatballs in crock pot and top with drained pineapple chunks.
2. In a bowl, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3. Pour sauce over meatballs and pineapple.
4. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.
5. Serve warm

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

(via)

Sometimes I think I should try to cook more meals that don't involve my crock pot. But I love my crock pot, it is sooooo easy and it makes food taste sooo good and it makes my house smell soooooo lovely. So then I think whatever, I'll just keep cooking in my crock pot. 

Last week, I pinned this recipe and couldn't wait to try it. And it was the perfect thing to throw together while I was getting ready for our trip to Texas. It was soo delicious. I thought I would share the recipe with you guys. 

By the way, I brined the chicken first, I never put chicken in the crock pot without brining, because I feel like the chicken dries out so easily in the crock pot.

Ingredients

•  2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 can rotel tomatoes (with green chilies)
• 1 can undrained corn kernels
• 1 can drained and rinsed black beans
• 1 package Ranch dressing mix
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 8-oz package cream cheese

Directions

1. Throw all the ingredients in the crock pot and cook for 6-8 hours, stirring once or twice to mix in the cheese.
2. Shred the chicken and serve over rice (if desired). 

Homemade Beef & Broccoli Recipe

One of the many teeny tiny places we lived at when we were back in California was about a block from one of the best Chinese places I've ever eaten at. I swear it was just this little hole in the wall place but it was so good. I ate there so much they knew me by name. I always got lo mien noodles, rice, orange chicken, and beef & broccoli.  That beef and broccoli was awesome! I have never found a place that made it just like them. But this recipe is pretty darn close!

I got this recipe from Emilybites. Her blog has some really awesome low calorie and good recipes. Make sure you check it out.  I made this recipe to freeze and take to work this week for my lunches.  And it is made in the slow cooker, of course. My favorite way to cook, especially during the summer when it is hot, hot, hot!

Ingredients:
1 lb uncooked lean & trimmed boneless top round roast of beef, sliced thin and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup fat free beef broth
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 T sesame oil (found by the other Asian products)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T cornstarch
2 cups frozen broccoli florets/pieces, unthawed

Directions:
1. Combine the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic in your slow cooker and stir together to combine. Add the uncooked beef pieces and mix until the beef is covered by the liquid.
2. Turn crock pot temperature to low and cover. Cook for 4 hours or until the beef is cooked through.
3. Remove 4 tablespoons of the liquid from your slow cooker to a bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Once combined, add the cornstarch mixture back into the slow cooker and mix in thoroughly. Add the frozen broccoli and stir in. Re-cover the slow cooker and cook on low for another half hour.

P.S-If you don't know how to work with garlic cloves (like I didn't know how to work with garlic cloves, this step by step guide was so helpful)!

Slow Cooked Grilled Chicken Philly Sandwhiches

Adam and I just got back from a weekend of fun & frivolity in Nashville (one of my most visited cites, and very close to my heart)  with some of our best friends, Jana & Austin. It was a totally epic weekend, which I can't wait to share all about. But because we partied all weekend long, and partying doesn't involve a lot of sleeping, I'm dog tired. Heck, I usually use some part of my weekend for catching up on sleep lost from the work week. Not this time. But a little crankiness tonight from being sleepy was oh so worth it. But can I say partying at age 26 (almost 27!) is more exhausting than partying at 20?

 

So I will be sharing a lot more about Nashville in the coming week, but for now I just wanted to share this quick, easy,  & delicious recipe that I cooked for my friends Thursday night! Grilled Chicken Philly Sandwhiches made in the slow cooker. The recipe is from this lovely lady.

 

Grilled Chicken Philly Sandwhiches

Makes 4-5 Sandwhiches

 

Ingredients:

 

1. 2 tablespoons butter
2. 1 large sweet onion (sliced or cubed, I cubed mine)
3. 2 green bell peppers (Sliced or cubed)
4. 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
5. 2 tablespoons Steak or Chicken Rub
6. Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
7. Hoagie Rolls

 

Directions:

 

1. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray, and start the slow cooker on LOW heat
2. Place butter first, followed by vegetables
3. Cover Pre-Brined* Chicken with seasoning and salt & pepper to taste, add to slow cooker
4. Cook on low for 4-5 hours
5. Serve on hoagies with cheese melted on top

 

 

They were tasty and a big hit! I would definitely make these again sometime.

 

*This is optional. I always brine my chicken first if I'm putting it in the crock pot,  otherwise my chicken seems to dry out. Here are some good directions for brining. 

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Potatoes

I am so behind on posting my recipes. It's pretty surprising how a cross country move & working a 40 hour a week job will take away from you blogging time. But I've been keeping up with my cooking and resolution to try a new recipe every month. So back in July, I decided I wanted some comfort food and shepherd's pie just seemed to fit the bill. I found this recipe, and just thought using roasted potatoes instead of mashed potatoes would be good. It was a delicious recipe and even better left over.  I think this meal would be even more perfect for winter.

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Paula Deen's Crab Casserole

(via)

Wow, I can't believe we are halfway through 2012 already! This means I am halfway through my resolution to try one new recipe every month this year. So far, I think it has been a successful experiment.

 A couple of weeks ago, I happened to be in Alabama during my mother's birthday. And for her birthday, she requested I cook her dinner! I was so excited, and I decided to make an appetizer of strawberries stuffed with cream cheese and pecans (which were delicious, but I'm not going to blog about those) and Paula Deen's Crab Casserole.

It was so delicious (just don't judge by my blurry picture)! I didn't think that crab and olives would  go well together, but they definitely did! It was also nice to get the chance to cook for someone other than myself, since Adam is so picky about what he eats. I do think this was a hit all around.

Song of the Day: Cigarettes by The Wreckers

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

I love Chinese food, especially orange chicken. So I was so excited to try and make it on my own, and lucky me, this dish turned out delicious. I served it over brown rice. Yum.

I always like to brine my chicken before putting it in a slow cooker because chicken tends to dry out really easily in the crock pot. If you don't want to brine the chicken, just check the chicken frequently.  Do not cook the chicken thoroughly in the skillet. The skillet is only to make the chicken crispy, the crock pot is for cooking.

Give it a whirl, I promise that it is yummy!

Song of the Day:  Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Beer Battered Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwhiches

When I was on my little trip last week, I stopped at Sonic quite a few times. I love Sonic, but I never get to go except when I'm back home, because we have so few out here where we live in California.  This is a tragedy made even worse by the frequent airings of all those dang Sonic commercials on TV. 

On one of these Sonic trips, my niece, Cassie, introduced me to a little piece of heaven, BLT Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They were AMAZING! So I decided for April, I would try to make my own, and I found an even better recipe on pinterest, Beer Battered Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

They were so delicious, I could have eaten a million (but alas, I stuck to one). Here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

6 slices hickory-smoked bacon
4 slices rustic white bread
2 slices provolone cheese
2 slices Cheddar cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup pale ale beer
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Step One: In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain grease with paper towel

Step Two: Put together sandwhich with 2 slices of bread, 1 slice provolone cheese, 1 slice Cheddar cheese, and three slices of bacon.

Step Three: Heat griddle/skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl, thoroughly combine egg, beer, flour, and chili with fork. Dip sandwhich in batter, a few seconds for each side. Drain excess batter back into bowl.

Step Four: Melt butter on griddle. Place sandwich on griddle. Cook on each side until golden brown and cheese is melty.

Serves Two.

Song of the Day: Impossible by Figurine

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Coca Cola Cupcakes with Coca Cola Frosting

Sorry I've been missing in action lately, I've actually been recovering. Today is the one week anniversary of my going into a bronchitis induced coughing fit, fainting, and falling head first into our coffee table. Which lead to gashing my head open, lots of blood, and 30 internal and external stitches in my forehead (I spent a week looking like Frankenstein, and now that the stitches are out, it looks like someone slashed my forehead ). If you can't tell, I've been having loads of fun since my graduation! Naa, its been a rough week, but I'm still enjoying not having any homework or classes.

I decided to use the downtime to do a little baking. Yesterday, I made Coca Cola Cupcakes with Coca Cola Frosting. They were really good! But they didn't taste like Coca Cola, which I was expecting. But the coca cola gave them a really rich flavor. So I would definitely make these again.

I also wanted to note that I actually cleaned up after myself, after this little baking adventure. In the past, somehow despite my best intentions, Adam would always end up cleaning up our kitchen after I DESTROYED it (he is the best husband). Then one night we were watching the episode of Modern Family where Cam made a huge kitchen mess, and promised to clean up after himself, but he avoided it all day, and then Mitchell is left to do it. After that episode, I turned to Adam and said,"I'm your Cam, aren't I?" So this time, I made a point to clean up before Adam got home from work, and he was oh so proud.

Song of the Day: L.A. Song by Beth Hart

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

In my quest to fulfill my New Year's Resolution of cooking one new recipe every month in 2012, I decided to make Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo based on this recipe from KevinandAmanda.com for February. I love her recipes because even when they are kind of complicated, they way she writes the steps, and her beautiful pictures simplify everything!  Especially since I'm just a novice cook!

This one definitely is one of the most complicated recipes I've ever made. First of all, umm I'm not sure if I've ever even eaten gumbo, I have never cooked anything but minute rice, never cooked any shrimp, and dealing with two skillets and one pot all at the same time? COMPLICATED.

I cooked this for my mother and stepfather while they were here on a business trip, and I got to cook in a kitchen that wouldn't be mistaken for a closet like mine! Oh, the luxury. Surprisingly, I pulled it off with no mishaps along the way! And my mom and stepfather enjoyed it a lot, so I guess I can call this a success.

I have to say I'm pretty impressed with myself. Two recipes down, ten to go!

Song of the Day: To Be Surprised by Sandre Lerche

New Recipe Every Month in 2012: Sausage Balls

The other day I couldn't stop craving  Sausage Balls. I love Sausage Balls, and I hadn't had any Sausage Balls in years and years. I had never even heard of Sausage Balls until I moved to Alabama at age 11. Once we moved to Alabama, I joined the Youth Group at a local church, and after every Sunday Morning service, they would serve a huge pot luck breakfast. The most popular item was always the Sausage Balls, and we would all fight over those little heavenly things. So I thought for my first new recipe of 2012, I would whip up something that is kind of nostalgic for me.

They turned out perfectly and I swear nothing has ever smelled more heavenly than they did when they were cooking.  So here is the recipe. Depending on how big you make them, this can make about 30-40 balls (I keep giggling when I read that, I wish I was mature enough that they didn't sound dirty).

Ingredients:

1 lb Spicy Sausage (non-spicy if you don't enjoy a kick)
8 oz Cream Cheese (Softened)
4 oz Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 1/4 Cups Bisquick Mix

Directions:

1. Thoroughly Combine All Ingredients (I used the dough hook on my kitchen aid mixer)
2. Form 1-inch Balls and Place on Greased Cooking Sheet
3. Bake at 375 degree for 25-30 minutes or until Fully Browned

Song of the Day: Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People

The Creamiest Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe Ever

Adam's favorite cake of all time is chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. And in the years before Adam and I moved in together (also known as the pre-historic years) all I ever heard about was how his family made the best peanut butter frosting ever. So two years ago, when Adam's birthday rolled around, and I was throwing together a little surprise party for him, I knew I had to make him his favorite cake with his favorite frosting.

I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, and the frosting turned out pretty well. But to me it was a little sticky and missing a little something.  So I doctored it up just a little and came up with the perfect recipe for this frosting. And let me tell you it is AMAZING. It is the simplest, creamiest, and tastiest recipe ever. I swear to you! Try it now. You won't regret it.

I asked Adam if he liked mine or his mother's frosting best, in a totally teasing way, but he refused to answer.  Boo, Adam. It is totally mine by the way. And if my mother-in-law is reading this, I'm only kidding!

This recipe is enough to frost one two layer 9 inch cake or one 9x13 inch cake. But I usually double this recipe because I end up eating spoonfuls out of the mixer, and Adam loves to have leftovers in the fridge!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Creamy Non-Generic Peanut Butter (The Recipe is Only as Good as the Peanut Butter Brand! I suggest Jiff!)
• 2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp of Cream or Milk
• 1 Stick Butter (Not Margarine)

Directions:
      1. Cream the Peanut Butter & Butter Together in an Electric Mixer until Well-Combined.
      2. Then, Add the Sugar and Cream (or Milk) and Mix Away Till Smooth.
      3. You can add a little more milk if the consistency is not as smooth as you would like after mixing. 

     

Mock Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe




Adam and I love to eat at Red Lobster, and we eat there a little more than I'd like to admit. He lives for their chicken fingers, and I live for their lobster rolls and those addictive biscuits. I figured in this modern age of google, I could find a substitute recipe, which I did, and I will post it here, but I want to give credit to the original recipe which is found here. They turned out really, really delicious, and they taste just like Red Lobster biscuits.  The only thing I would possibly do differently is bake them in cupcake tins to keep them from spreading out so much.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Baking Ingredients:

 2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

 3/4 cup cold whole milk

 4 tablespoons cold butter

 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top Ingredients:

 2 tablespoons butter, melted

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 Pinch of salt

 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 2. Combine Bisquick with butter in a medium bowl using a large fork. Don't over mix, allowing chunks of pea sized butter to remain. Next, add cheddar cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix. 

 3. Drop 1/4 cup portions of dough onto cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.

 4. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light brown on the top.

 5. Once biscuits are out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave and stir in garlic powder and parsley flakes (optional).   Brush garlic butter mixture over the biscuits, using up all the butter. Makes approximately a dozen biscuits.

Song of the Day: A Table Away by Sunny Sweeney

The Weekend

Flowers at Fresh & Easy

Homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits

DIY Monogram Letters for Living Deco by Me

This weekend was the weekend of the Long Beach Grand Prix, so the town was crowded and we could hear the buzzing of the race cars all weekend long (sounded like a hive of bees).  Since Adam and I are allergic to crowds, we spent the whole weekend mostly hanging around the house, other than running a few errands. On Friday, I cooked us up a banquet, I'm not even kidding. I made chicken stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon, homemade mashed potatoes, and homemade mock red lobster cheddar bay biscuits (I'm going to post the recipe later on this week). Plus, we had two chocolate cupcakes for desert! Even for a cheat day, that was a whole lotta food. We felt like stuffed pigs, and couldn't even get up off the couch.

On Saturday, I went to Michael's to pick up some supplies that I needed to complete a project. Michael's is potentially dangerous for my mental health, since I spend a lot of time in that store talking out loud to myself like a nut job. Not even kidding. What is it about Arts & Crafts stores that unleashes my crazy? Once I got home, I set about painting our monogrammed letters that I bought and wanted to hang in our living room, while watching the movie Country Strong.  The movie was really good, but let's face it I only watched it to see what hair piece Tim Mcgraw was wearing this week. Although I was highly disappointed because it hadn't changed much since he did The Blind Side.  Love the man, amused by his hair piece (they should write that on his tombstone).

Oh and I napped a lot and played a lot of De Blob 2 on the Xbox. I'm not a gamer, but I love that game. Think animated coloring book.  All in all it was a fab weekend.

Song of the Day: Ours by Taylor Swift

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Friday is my day off and the kick start of the weekend, and I couldn't decide how I wanted to spend it. I thought I wanted to go shopping or get a pedicure. Then, I thought I wanted to stay home on my lazy butt. But then it occurred to me that I hadn't used my beloved kitchen aid mixer in quite a while. So I decided baking something sounded fun. I am practically obsessed with banana flavored foods and drinks, so I decided to bake banana cupcakes with chocolate chips and chocolate icing. I found the recipe from kevinandamanda.com. The only tweaks I made was I used a banana and a half, and made banana creme instant pudding from a mix. I also used whipped chocolate frosting. I cooked mine at 350 for 23 minutes per 12 cupcakes.

 They turned out so tasty, and I put them in these cheeky little monkey cupcake tins to amuse me.  And amuse me they did.

Song of the Day: Gone in The Morning by Newton Faulker