Tag: Recipes

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Uncategorized · Vegetables · WLS

Avocado Fries

jachancellorLeave a comment

I have seen posts about these around for a while…so I found several recipes and decided to combine a couple of them.  I used one avocado – and peeled and sliced.

Combine:
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Whip together an egg, and some water (not much) to create an egg wash.  Dip the avocado slices in the wash to coat, then in the Panko mixture. Press down slightly.Place on a baking sheet – spray first – and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until crispy.I must confess, I didn’t like these at first.  Maybe because I wasn’t sure what to expect.  But after a bit, I really did enjoy them.  I will make them again, and adjust the amount of ground flax seed, and longer baking time as I like things crunchier.

Blessings.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Broccoli · Cauliflower Rice · Pork · Pork Stir-Fry · rice · Uncategorized · WLS

Pork Stir Fry

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Again, another stir fry, but this time with a Pork Loin that was a buy one -get one (bogo) love those sales!  Thinly sliced, and removed the majority of the fat from the loin. 

Marinated the pork in a soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, small amount of sugar (maybe a tablespoon), and Sesame oil for about 3 hours.

I steamed riced cauliflower, and fresh broccoli in a separate pan.Sautéed bamboo shoots, then added the veges.

Added the meat, and cooked through with the veges. Added the cooked eggs and served.

This is a go to recipe for week night meals for David and I especially with the cauliflower rice. Very healthy and super easy and yummy.

Blessings!

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Chicken · cruise · Health · Home Chef · onions · Uncategorized · WLS

French Onion Chicken

jachancellor3 Comments

One of the things that David ordered every night on the cruise was French Onion soup.  So I thought I would try to find recipes with the same type flavors to cook for him once we got home.  I found this recipe at Home Chef and decided to give it a try.  We didn’t make the salad, but I copied the recipe completely from their site for your information.  Our pictures are at the bottom.

Ingredients: (for 2)

  • 2 fl. oz. Sherry Wine
  • ¼ fl. oz. Sherry Vinegar
  • 1 Yellow Onion
  • 3 Thyme Sprigs
  • 4 oz. Grape Tomatoes
  • 12 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  •  1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  •  1½ oz. Swiss Cheese Slices
  • 4 oz. Baby Arugula

  • Nutrition (per serving)  (note this is for the complete meal)

  • Calories

    594

  • Carbohydrates

    27g

  • Fat

    32g

  • Protein

    43g

  • Sodium

    1393mg

Recipe Steps:

You Will Need: Olive Oil  Salt Pepper

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Both sherry wine and sherry vinegar are used in this meal. Make sure to use the correct one: Sherry wine helps caramelize onions, and sherry vinegar is added to vinaigrette.

    Peel and halve onion. Slice onion into thin strips. Stem thyme. Halve tomatoes. Pat chicken breasts dry, and season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper.

    Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and onion to hot pan and spread into a thin layer. Reduce heat to medium and cook undisturbed, 3-4 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir often until onions are a deep golden brown, 5 minutes. Add thyme and sherry wine (not vinegar). Cook until wine is evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Transfer onion to a plate and set aside. Wipe pan clean and reserve. While onion caramelizes, make vinaigrette.

    Mix panko and ½ tsp. salt on a plate. Add a chicken breast to panko and coat completely, pressing firmly to adhere. Shake gently to remove excess breading. Repeat with second chicken breast. Place a medium oven-safe non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and chicken breasts to hot pan. Sear on one side, 2-3 minutes.

    Flip chicken, and place pan in oven. Roast until chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees, 9-11 minutes per side. Carefully, divide onions between chicken breasts and cover each with cheese. Return to oven and roast until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes.

    Combine sherry vinegar and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add arugula and tomatoes to mixing bowl with vinaigrette and toss to coat completely. Plate dish as pictured on front of card. Bon appétit!

Ours:

Chicken breasts (they were huge, so we cut them up, patted dry, coated in panko) seared in some oil.Caramelized the onion (only used one large yellow onion – will use more next time).Followed the instructions for the chicken, the covered the chicken with the onion, the the cheese.Baked until the cheese was melted, and gooey.This was really good.  The flavor was spot on, although we both think it needs more salt and pepper —we both loved it.

Blessings!

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · bread · cheese · Recipes · Uncategorized · WLS

Cheesy Bread

jachancellorLeave a comment

We needed bread to go with the Lasagna that we made (of course). So we had purchased a French Baguette.  I cut it in half, and then sliced it in half. For the cheese mixture:  1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons butter (soften), garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parsley, Parmesan Cheese.  Mix together until well blended, and spread on bread.Top with Mozzarella, and broil until cheese is melted, and golden brown.Slice and serve.I confess…these were super yummy.  I had two slices.  I so miss bread. This was super easy to do, and came out flavorful.  I would add more garlic powder next time as I didn’t measure.

Blessings!

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Beef · pasta · Pork · Recipes · Spinach · Uncategorized · WLS

Lasagna

jachancellorLeave a comment

David found this recipe for Instant Pot Lasagna – but we don’t have the spring form that fits into our Instant Pot.  So, I decided to modify the recipe and make lasagna anyway.

Ingredients:
Meat Mixture
  • 1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef (85% to 93% lean) You can use all ground beef
  • 1/2 lb Ground Italian Sausage (you can use all sausage)
  • 1/2 tsp Coarse Salt (1/4 tsp table salt)
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
Cheese Mixture
  • 1 cup Ricotta Cheese (or Cottage Cheese)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Salt (if your pasta sauce is salty, decrease to 1/4 tsp)
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Remaining Layers
  • 1 24oz jar Pasta Sauce (about 3 cups) (marinara, or your favorite brand)
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Spinach Leaves (fresh, or frozen, thawed)
  • 5-6 No Boil Lasagna Noodles
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Cook the meat mixture (beef, sausage, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning). Cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked. Remove meat, drain, and set aside. Mix the Cheese Mixture:  In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use a fork to mix thoroughly. Set aside.I used a pasta sauce, and spread about 1/2 jar on the bottom of a 9×13 pan.  Then layered the no-bake noodles, then more sauce.  Then layer the meat mixture.Then the cheese mixture.I used fresh, baby spinach (almost the entire small package).Another sauce layer.Continue with the noodles, and repeat until meat and cheese are done. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Spray aluminium foil with non-stick spray and cover the pan, bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.img_3886Uncover, and bake until cheese is golden or about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from oven, and cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.  Enjoy!img_3888David liked this, and I was not able to eat a lot of it at all.  I mainly ate the everything but the noodles.  Ugh.

Blessings.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Fish-Seafood · Hello Fresh · Salmon · Uncategorized · WLS

Hello Fresh Creamy Lemon Salmon

jachancellor1 Comment
The third meal that we prepared was the Hello Fresh Creamy Lemon Salmon.  (Instructions copied from the Hello Fresh Site):
Prep

Wash and dry all produce. Core and seed tomato, then cut into ½-inch pieces. Zest lemon until you have 1 tsp zest, then cut into wedges. Trim, then thinly slice scallions, keeping greens and whites separate. Mince or grate garlic.

Make Crema

In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, half the lemon zest, and a few squeezes of lemon juice (to taste— start with about ¼ of the lemon and go up from there). Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon zest or juice, if desired.

Cook Couscous

Melt 1 TBSP butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup water, then bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly and let simmer until al dente, 7-9 minutes. Remove couscous from pot and set aside.

Stir Couscous

Heat another 1 TBSP butter and a large drizzle of oil in pot used for couscous over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted, add scallion whites and tomato. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in couscous. Season with salt and pepper, then remove pot from heat.

Cook Salmon

Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat (use a nonstick pan if you have one). Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Season all over with salt, pepper, and fry seasoning. Add to pan skin-side down. Cook until skin is crisp, 4-6 minutes. Flip and cook to desired doneness, 2-3 minutes more.

Plate and Serve

Fluff couscous with a fork, then stir in half the scallion greens. Divide between plates, along with salmon. (TIP: Arrange the fillets skin-side up to keep the skin crisp.) Drizzle salmon with a spoonful of crema. Sprinkle with remaining scallion greens. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges and crema on the side.  Photo of their dish and David’s:This time the tomatoes disappeared, and the seasoning was too much (what they had provided), but this was my favorite meal of the three that we tried.  My plate:

I had enough for lunch leftovers the next day.  I will try to make this again.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Chicken · Hello Fresh · Uncategorized · WLS

Hello Fresh Presto Pesto Panko Chicken

jachancellorLeave a comment
The second meal that we cooked was the Hello Fresh Presto Pesto Panko Chicken.  (Instructions copied from the Hello Fresh Site):
Preheat and Prep

Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to upper position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes into ½-inch cubes.

Roast Potatoes

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in oven until browned, 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Make Crust

In a small bowl, combine panko, mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast Chicken

Place chicken on another, lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush 1 TBSP pesto onto top of one piece. Repeat with other piece (you will have some pesto left over). Cover pesto-brushed sides with crust mixture, pressing to adhere. Roast in oven until chicken is no longer pink in center, about 20 minutes.

Toss Salad

Halve lemon. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, a squeeze or two of lemon, and a large drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Plate and Serve

Divide potatoes and chicken between plates. Serve with salad on the side.

Our comparison plate to their photo plate.  Not bad.  We ended using way too much of the coating of the panko mixture.  It doesn’t indicate how much to use, so of course, I used all of it.   David’s plate:My plate:

Due to the amount of breading the chicken wasn’t dry, but we didn’t care for this one as much.  I would be willing to try it again to my error in the recipe.  David isn’t a big fan of pesto, so there is that as well.

Blessings.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Beef · Budget · Hello Fresh · Uncategorized · WLS

Hello Fresh Meatloaf Balsamico

jachancellorLeave a comment

The first meal that we prepared was the Hello Fresh Meatloaf Balsamico.  (Instructions copied from the Hello Fresh Site):Preheat and Prep

Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix 1 TBSP vinegar (we sent more) and ketchup. Mince 1 clove garlic (use other as you like). Chop parsley. Halve and peel onion. Using the large holes of a grater, grate one onion half into a large bowl (use the other half as you like).

Shape Meatloaves

Add garlic, parsley, ¼ cup panko (we sent more), beef, and ½ tsp salt to bowl with onion. Crack in 1 egg (use the other as you like). Season with pepper, then mix with hands to combine. Shape into two 1-inch-tall loaves, then place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush with ketchup mixture.

Cook Meatloaves and Sweet Potatoes

Roast meatloaves in oven until cooked through, about 25 minutes total (we’ll check on them after 10 minutes). Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes, then cut into ½-inch cubes. Place in a medium pot with a pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Roast Green Beans

After meatloaves have baked 10 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven. Toss green beans on same sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. (TIP: Use tongs to avoid burns.) Return to oven and roast until meatloaves are cooked through and green beans are tender and lightly crisped, about 15 minutes more.

Mash Sweet Potatoes

Drain sweet potatoes and return to pot. Mash in pot with a potato masher or fork until mostly smooth. (TIP: If potatoes have cooled, quickly reheat over medium-low heat.) Add 1 TBSP butter and honey. Continue mashing to combine and melt butter. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Finish and Serve
Once meatloaves and green beans are done, sprinkle almonds over green beans and toss to combine. Divide meatloaves between plates and serve with sweet potato mash and green beans on the side.  The photo of their meal, and David’s plate in comparison:
My plate:
We will definitely do this meatloaf again.  David really enjoyed it, as did I.  He isn’t a fan of sweet potatoes but we both enjoyed these. Overall, really easy instructions, well laid out in timing and portions sizes.  So far, this one is a winner.
Blessings.
Bariatric Surgery - My Story · blessings · Budget · Hello Fresh · Uncategorized

Hello Fresh Meals

jachancellorLeave a comment

We were given a week of meals from a friend from Hello Fresh.  We chose the two person meal plan with three meals for the week.

I loved that the box was prepackaged per meal.  I didn’t have to sort or figure out what ingredient went with what protein.  It was also packaged with recycled foam instead of Styrofoam which made my heart happy.  Overall, I was extremely please with the packaging of the fresh ingredients.The sizing of the portions were perfect for David and I.  He eats more than a normal serving, and I can’t eat a whole serving.  Perfect.

I will post on each of the meals the rest of the week.

Blessings.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · grill · Lamb · Uncategorized · WLS

Lamb Chops

jachancellorLeave a comment

Every Spring I crave lamb.  Part of my up bringing I suppose.  I love it.  David is not a fan, and so I cooked these chops just for me.  He still had leftover pull pork to eat on, so don’t feel to bad for him.

I marinated the chops in some olive oil, minced garlic, and dried rosemary.  (One of these days I might be able to have and maintain a herb garden.)  I grilled them on our Cuisinart Grill Panni Press.  I need to use it more often as it cooks evenly, and I love the clean up.  The grill pans just pop off, and I can put them in the dishwasher or hand wash them.  I loved these chops.  I had them with some of asparagus.  My plate:

Blessings.