What's for Dinner?

Those "3 little words" that strike fear into the heart of every one of us every afternoon - and it's even worse when you are a bariatric patient and really WANT to pursue healthy eating for not only yourself, but also your family.  This is going to show you the kinds of healthy and SIMPLE dinners that you and your family can all enjoy.

I have some specialty tools in my kitchen that aid me on my particular culinary journey, but I'm going to assume - probably correctly - that you have only knives, pans and a small but adequate spice rack.

Just to be clear, carbohydrates (hereinafter referred to as carbs) are NOT evil - they simply need to be a very limited part of the post-bariatric eating plan.   The dinner ideas we present here are low carb, high in protein, simple to make and TASTY.

Jalapeno Shrimp Veggie Bake




It's the peak of summer when I write this and all around me, farm stands have the locally grown vegetables stacked and primped for their perennial "closeups". The local shrimpers are at the peak of their season and "freshness" is a feature that I cannot ignore. AND.... This miracle of flavor and freshness will be on the table in under an hour.

INGREDIENTS

16 medium shrimp (peeled, thawed)
2- 3 chopped garlic cloves
One large tomato (sliced 1/3 inch thick)
2 summer yellow squash (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
One jalapeño, sliced and deseeded. Or keep the seeds and veins for extra spice.
1/4 cup onion (sliced or chopped)
1/3 cup Parmesan crumbles
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes or seasoning
1 tablespoon softened or melted butter (see below for other options)
1/3 cup cream
Two eggs
Cilantro and additional chili flakes for toppings and garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

First make sure your shrimp is peeled and thawed completely.  You can rinse them in cold running water if needed to get them ready.

Preheat oven to 350 F
Slice all your veggies - I recommend a slicer or mandolin if you have one handy.  If not, a sharp knife is your best friend.

Layer them evenly into a greased or oiled 9 X 13 casserole dish

Place Shrimp on top or mixed within the veggie layers.

In small bowl, mix your eggs, garlic, almond flour, butter, cream, and seasoning.
Pour this evenly over your shrimp and veggie dish. 

Add your Parmesan on top (evenly).

Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Depending on your oven, it could be less. Just want to make sure that your shrimp is cooked and your veggies are nice and tender. so be sure to check at 30 minutes just in case.

The top should be lightly brown and crunchy from the parmesan and the eggs should be cooked through.
Remove from oven and top with cilantro
Feel free to season with additional salt-and-pepper and chili flakes as well.

Cook's Notes:

You can use non dairy butter or olive oil if desired but the taste and consistency might be different. Check at around 35 minutes to see if the veggies cook faster.

I chose 16 shrimp as a good starting point.  Of course, you can completely cover the pan if you have a house full of seafood loving carnivores

Zucchini works well in place of yellow squash 

Coconut cream works as a substitute for cream

Notes on consistency- the egg/butter/cream mixture acts as a base almost like a frittata. You will want to make sure that's cooked through as well. If you find the consistency too runny, use less cream or one less egg.

To use coconut flour in place of almond flour. It is in a ratio of 1/4 of the almond flour. So, in this recipe you will use 2 tablespoons coconut flour instead of 1/2 cup almond flour. Add a little extra liquid - coconut flour is DRY

Beef Stroganoff Soup

This is "brown food"..  Brown food doesn't make for pretty pictures - but for sure - brown food tastes good!!

Ingredients:

2 large sirloin steaks (1.75 lb) 
1 lb. brown or white mushrooms 
¼ cup ghee (or butter)
2 cloves garlic, minced 
5 cups Beef bone broth 
2 tsp paprika 
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
juice from 1 lemon 
1 ½ cup sour cream 
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley 
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp black pepper 

Instructions: 

• Place steaks in the freezer in a single layer for 30 min. 
• Meanwhile, clean and slice mushrooms. 
• When the steaks are ready, use a sharp knife and slice them across the grain, as thinly as you can. 
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Grease a large pan with half the ghee.
• Place over Medium High burner. 
• Once sizzling hot, add the beef slices in a single layer.  - DO NOT OVERLOAD - DO NOT CROWD PAN
• Quickly fry until browned from all sides. 
• Remove from pan & set aside for later. 
• Repeat until all meat is cooked.
• Grease the pan with remaining ghee. 
• Saute remaining ingredients except broth & sour cream. 
• Cook for 2-3 min. 
• Add broth. 
• Cook 2 additional minutes. 
• Add the browned beef slices and sour cream. 
• Stir and serve

German Cucumber Salad

German Cucumber Salad is a refreshing summer salad made with simple ingredients that are a staple in most kitchens! This recipe is easy to make, budget-friendly, and perfect for a potluck, family dinner, or summer cookout.

No specialty tools required if you have a REALLY steady hand with a sharp knife, but for consistently thin slices I recommend a mandolin or "Spiralizer"



Ingredients

2 English cucumbers or 4 medium cucumbers
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp (equivalent) sweetener
1 tbsp fresh or frozen dill
1 1/2 tsp salt 

pepper to taste




Instructions

• Peel the cucumbers if desired and thinly slice them,  I recommend a a mandoline slicer or "Spiralizer". The thinner the better! 
• Put them in a large salad bowl.
• Sprinkle liberally with the salt - this will make them release a lot of their water and keep the salad from being "soupy".  
• Allow it to sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Rinse cucumbers, drain well and return to large bowl.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, sweetener, and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour dressing over cucumber slices and toss until combined. Cover and let chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Serve with a slotted spoon.

Cooks Notes:

You might consider a tiny pinch of cayenne or a small sprinkle of hot sauce

Protein Root Beer Float

Nothing says "cool" like an ice cream float on a lazy hot summer afternoon.  But you and I know better than to pour a bubbly soda over several dollops of sweet creamy vanilla ice cream..   (sigh...)

You know I never leave you with a picture like that in your mind without giving you a bariatric friendly, delicious, and hopefully GOOD for you, substitution!

So..  Break out your blender - we're making a root beer float!

The good folks at Dr. Pepper/7up make a VERY nice collection of Sugar Free flavored drink packets (think Crystal Light) for their entire "Crush" productline, Grape, Orange and Pineapple.  They also offer a VERY refreshing Squirt - and - our hero for today, A&W Root Beer.  They are available online and in MANY Markets.  I first discovered them in WalGreens, then the Dollar Tree and finally I ordered  cases from Amazon!  Watch the pricing - some sellers on Amazon want to PRONG you

All of them are quite tasty in a bottle of water (I prefer a 20 oz instead of the recommended 16.9 oz) for those times when you are just "watered out" and can't face another bottle or glass.

Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 packet A&W Root Beer drink mix
2 cups ice cubes
1/3 cup non-fat powdered milk
1 cup water 
Splash heavy whipping cream (optional)

Instructions:

• Place all the ingredients into the blender or food processor bowl
• Blend at highest speed until ice is completely incorporated
• Pour into tall glass and grab a straw or two (only if straws are allowed!)

Cook's Notes:

• You can substitute the powdered milk and water for 8 oz of your favorite milk or milk substitute.  Almond milk is delicious.
• Substitute Orange Crush mix and you get a "Dreamsicle"
• Feel free to experiment!

---dave---