(Nearly) Instant Peanut Butter Mousse

I get it..  I really do.  I have my share of days where all I want to do is stand in front of the sink, wearing sweats, and lick a peanut butter coated tablespoon while I stare vacantly into the back yard..


BUT..  WHAT IF???  What if you could invest 3 minutes and feel more like wealthy heiress partaking of a lovely fresh mousse made specifically for you by loving hands?  Might that give you a better outlook on your mundane day?  SURE it would.

SO simple, with JUST that spoonful of sweet that gets you past the "give me the whole bag of cookies!" phase.



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons granular Splenda
2 tablespoons heavy cream



Instructions:

Put tour tablespoon of peanut butter a little custard dish.
Add the heavy cream and Splenda
Mix with a spoon until thick and fluffy. At first it will look like the ingredients will never blend together but they will, and you'll end up with a fluffy mousse-like pudding with a light peanut butter flavor. It will transform right before your eyes like magic!

Makes 1 serving

Cook's Notes:
1 Yellow packet equals 2 teaspoons in sweetness - use your favorite sweetener
This amount of sweetener if for UNSWEETENED PB. Please adjust to your own tastes.
You can multiply the quantities and use a wire whisk to make enough to feed the entire dinner party!
This also works with almond butter!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 204
Total Fat 19.1g	29%
Saturated Fat 8.4g	42%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 41mg	14%
Sodium 14mg	1%
Potassium 23mg	1%
Total Carb 3.8g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 5.6g

Hash 'n' Eggs

There is nothing quite so tempting on a breakfast plate as crispy corned beef hash with a couple over-easy eggs crowning the pile.  Recently I could no longer stand the compulsion for some...  so, in my Bariatric Food Dude way, I went looking for a bariatric friendly substitute.

This dish is made from leftovers - if you are anything like me, your refrigerator is full of bits and pieces of meals you brought home from restaurants and parties - or had for dinner in the last week.  So..  before it all becomes a fuzzy blue green science experiment, you can make something crispy and tasty!  

During each pass at this recipe I've used different meats, always in combination.  After all, variety IS the spice of life!  Some or all of the following, all finely cubed: chicken breast, sausage, a bit of beef stick, some crispy bacon, cubed roast beef, leftover steak - AND a bit of good corned beef from the local deli...

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup meat (finely cubed) 
1/4 cup bell pepper - cubed (I used red for color)
1/4 cup onions - cubed
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

• Add a little oil to a non-stick skillet over Med-High heat
• Add the meats and vegetables.  
• Toss or stir as needed to get all edges nicely browned and crispy
• Stir in the shredded cheese.
• Form it into a disk and allow the cheese to crisp on the bottom
• Flip it over and crisp the other side
• Remove to a plate and top with some runny eggs.

Cook's Notes:

About any leftover foods work.  Cauliflower, green beans, a little jalapeno, left over hot dogs, whatever..  Just cut it all into small cubes.

Spice it any way you want.  I like a little granulated garlic, Tony Chacheries and onion powder in mine.

Any way you like your runny eggs is fine.  I've used over-easy, sunny side up, soft boiled and poached

Crepe Cake

Everyone knows the French corner the market on desserts and pastries. They even have a classy name for everything that makes them sound even better. This is my bariatric take on a "Mille Crêpe", the delicious "thousand layer cake" the french are famous for.  It's a giant stack of crepes - each separated by some sort of filling.  This is my "proof of concept" version that I whipped up yesterday and served to my WLS support group last night.  It was a HIT.  

My version is flourless crepes spread with a rich, dense mousse.   I used "Pumpkin Pie Spice" mix because I happen to think it's an incredible blend.  This method lends itself easily to all sorts of variations as we'll mention below.

Ingredients:

Crepes:

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

8 eggs

1/4 cup Splenda Granular

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mixture 

Filling:

1 1.4 oz package Sugar Free Jell-0 vanilla instant pudding mix

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mixture

Instructions:

Crepes:

Heat control is the trick here.  I ruined a BUNCH of crepes finding the right temperature to cook them.  They have nothing in them to bind them together - no flour, no gluten - so you have to be slow and delicate with them.

Make sure cream cheese is at room temperatire.  If not, unwrap and microwave on high for 30 seconds

Add eggs, cream cheese and spices to a blender.

Whiz until WELL BLENDED
Adjust spices to your taste

Heat a 9 inch non stick skillet over med-low heat.

Lightly spray with cooking spray

Add approximately 3 oz batter to the pan and swirl to produce a round product.

Allow to cook until bubbles form on top and the liquid nature begins to dry

CAREFULLY slip a rubber spatula under the edges to loosen the crepe then flip

Return to heat for about 30 seconds

Remove to a plate to cool while you repeat the process

Note:  Liquid will accumulate under the cooling crepe on the plate.  Wipe it dry when you transfer the cooled crepe to a stack, before you remove the next one from the pan.

Filling:

Add Jell-0 pudding mix, spices and heavy cream to a large bowl

Whisk (or use your mixer) on high for approximately 2 minutes until thick and fluffy
Adjust spices to your taste

Assembly:

• Place a crepe on a plate and slather with filling
• Add another - slather - then another
• Repeat until you have used all the crepes and filling.  

May be served immediately or well chilled in refrigerator

Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days

Cooks Notes:

Tearing a crepe is OK..  Just put all the pieces together somewhere in the middle of the stack and only you will ever know..

It's best if your crepes are approximately the same size, so you can stack them straight.

Double the recipe for a taller, more impressive cake.

Options:

This recipe lends itself to a LOT of experimentation.

• Add cocoa to half the batter and alternate vanilla and chocolate crepes in the stack
• Make all the crepes dark chocolate and fill with alternate layers of Chocolate Fudge pudding mousse and SF cherry preserves to make a Black Forest Torte!
• Use banana puddling and sliced bananas!
• Add a few drops lemon juice to the (unspiced) batter and some cheesecake pudding!

Tell me your ideas in the comments!

Ricotta Enchilada

As much as I would like, I can't claim the recipe below as my own. The original author was Suzi Shaw and sent to me by Susan Maria Leach, from Before & After (Find them on Facebook) and Bariatric Eating. Susan Maria produces some of the finest protein and bariatric supplements on the market today - and certainly the best tasting.. and she just HAPPENS to be an outstanding cook! 

I'm a long time admirer but get no compensation for my endorsement.

Here is the original posting with pictures. 

HIGHLY recommended and pouch-friendly!

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds ground beef (or pork)
• 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder or chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup beef stock
• One can refried black beans
• One 15 ounce container ricotta
• 1 large egg
• One 4 ounce can diced green chilies, well drained on a paper towel
• 6 ounces shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeño, cut into paper thin slices
• Homemade or canned enchilada sauce. 

Instructions

• Brown the beef in a medium skillet over medium high heat until well browned. 
• Combine the ancho powder, cornstarch and beef stock in a small bowl to dissolve. 
• Add to skillet and stir until gravy is thickened and glossy. 
• Spoon six equal portions of the beef around edges of the baking dish. 
• Stir the refried beans until creamy, add a dollop of beans next to each portion of beef, leaving center of dish open.
• Spoon ricotta into a medium bowl and stir in the egg, green chiles, half of the cheese, and cilantro. 
• Spoon the ricotta mixture into the center of the dish. 
• Pour the enchilada sauce over the top, scatter remaining cheese and the jalapeño slices, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until dish is bubbling around edges and cheese is golden. 
• Cool for a few minutes until spooning onto plates. 
• Garnish with additional cilantro, if desired.

Cook's Notes:

It would be very simple to swap the refried for cannellini beans, and the enchilada sauce for a good bolognese  - change the cheese to mozzarella, swap the spices and VOILA!  ITALIAN!!  

---dave---

Crockpot Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar free BBQ sauce
1/2 to 3/4 jar of sugar free apricot jam
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)

Instructions:

Arrange all ingredients in crock pot
Cook, covered, on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours

Cook's Notes:
If you like a good smoky flavor, add 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
You can substitute orange marmalade to make "Orange Chicken", but I'm going to recommend against Grape or Strawberry Chicken!

Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions

If you haven’t tried roasting onions yet, definitely give this recipe a try. A few slices roasted on a pan will be delicious on their own, but I’ve added a little extra goodness to turn this into something a little heartier. How does one make onions hearty? By adding cheese, of course! Roasted onions topped with a cheesy, creamy sauce – WHERE DO WE SIGN UP?!? 

The simple elegance of this dish is reason enough to make it, but the taste is out of this world.



INGREDIENTS

3 sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Spread onion rings out in a 9x13-inch baking dish, keeping rings and layers intact, then drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Place baking dish in oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until softened.
Remove onions from oven and raise temperature to 450º F.
Combine heavy cream, wine, butter, garlic powder and cayenne in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until butter is melted and bubbles form on the outside edge of cream.
Remove mixture from heat, then pour over the pre-roasted onions, sprinkling parmesan cheese over all the onions.
Top the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until onions are caramelized and cheese is golden brown.

Remove dish from oven and serve hot. Enjoy!

Chicken Shawarma

"OK Dave, why are you giving me another recipe for something I've never heard of and can't even be sure I'm pronouncing correctly?"

Because the world is FULL of healthy and delicious food that doesn't come from your Grandma's cookbook. 

Today I ask you to join me in a quick trip to the streets of Turkey for a classic street food recipe - and if you can't pronounce "shawarma" (sha-WAR-ma), you can call it "Grilled Spiced Chicken with Garlic Sauce"

And "Quick" is appropriate because you can assemble this in 15 minutes if you do a little prep the night ahead.

This dish is usually cooked on a rotating spit, but the grill, gtill pan or even a skillet works. It is perfect served over quinoa (traditionally couscous) with yogurt, grilled red onions and cucumbers as I am doing tonight, or try it with quinoa (rice) and slivered almond pilaf, or on a pita. It is light, low carb and delicious, the 3 things every bariatric patient strives for.  ENJOY!!

INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN:1 pound (2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 medium lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
GARLIC YOGURT SAUCE:
1 (7-ounce) container 2% Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Chopped parsley (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

Pound each breast between plastic sheets, to an even thickness, about ½-inch thick. 

Place pounded chicken breasts back into bag and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil and lemon juice. 

Whisk until combined. 

Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, red pepper, salt and black pepper and whisk again. 

Pour the marinade into a ziptop bag with the chicken, massaging it to evenly coat. 

Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. 

In a small bowl (or right in the container), combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt. 

 Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Over medium-high heat, grill or pan sear the chicken for 3 minutes or until it no longer sticks to the grill/pan. 

Turn the chicken and grill an additional 3-4 minutes. 

 Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes then slice it thinly, across the grain. 

 Top each breast with 2 tablespoons sauce and a sprinkle of parsley. 

 Serve.

Cook's Notes:

• Other sides that would work are tomatoes, tahini, olives, feta, or hummus. 
• Harissa would work great to add some spice!
• Excellent when made with chicken thighs

Orange Hot Chocolate

It's wintertime and we all need something to sip while we cuddle up with our "special someone" during this time. In the winter it's almost mandatory to have oranges in the house, so let's take advantage of them for a toe-curling treat


Ingredients

Freshly grated peel from 1 medium-sized orange
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
20 drops (or to taste) liquid stevia (or equivalent sweetener of choice)
1 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream



Directions

Place the orange peel in a tea filter or mesh ball. Close tightly.
Place all ingredients, including the tea filter or mesh ball, in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until steaming hot. 
Don’t let boil.
Remove the tea filter.

Pour the drink into two heatproof mugs or glasses and serve. You can garnish each serving with whipped cream, grated dark chocolate and/or freshly grated orange peel

Cook's Notes:

• Do NOT remove the orange peel and then try to grate it.  It's MUCH easier to hold the whole orange against your grater/zester
• Careful to get only the colored part of the orange peel, the white part is bitter.
• 
  

Know Your Enemy!

An ingredient label might contain no mention of ‘sugar’, but that is actually no guarantee at all. There are lots of substances that taste, act, and affect us in the same way that refined sugar does – just without the name. There are some you will have heard of, like high fructose corn syrup, but that is far from the only example. A prime example from recent years is the misleading labeling of Vitaminwater, which has been persistently promoted as a health food but is in fact quite the opposite.

Here is a list of 56 names for sugar, many of which you might not even recognize. Be sure to look out for them when you next read an ingredient label!

56 NAMES FOR SUGAR
Barley malt	Dehydrated cane juice	Golden sugar	Molasses
Barbados sugar	Demerara sugar	Golden syrup	Muscovado
Beet sugar	Dextran	Grape sugar	Panocha
Brown sugar	Dextrose	High fructose corn syrup	Powdered sugar
Buttered syrup	Diastatic malt	Honey	Raw sugar
Cane juice	Diatase	Icing sugar	Refiner’s syrup
Cane sugar	Ethyl maltol	Invert sugar	Rice syrup
Caramel	Free flowing brown sugars	Lactose	Sorbitol
Corn syrup	Fructose	Malt	Sorghum syrup
Corn syrup solids	Fruit juice	Maltodextrin	Sucrose
Confectioner’s sugar	Fruit juice concentrate	Maltose	Sugar (granulated)
Carob syrup	Galactose	Malt syrup	Treacle
Castor sugar	Glucose	Mannitol	Turbinado sugar
Date sugar	Glucose solids	Maple syrup	Yellow sugar

Some of these you will recognize as sugar, but what about ethyl maltol and maltose? Manufacturers are sneaking these types of sugar into everyday products without the consumer knowing what they are eating or drinking. Even the most health-conscious of us consumes processed foods, even if just on the odd occasion. However if we don’t know what these sugars are called, and what they can do to our bodies, how can we make informed decisions? Is the answer to simply avoid processed foods altogether, or are we simply misunderstanding sugar and the effect it has on us?

The consensus is that it is not the type of sugar you are consuming, but simply the quantities of sugar that are found in processed foods. By using lots of different types and names of sugar, food manufacturers are able to list their sugar contents as lower than if they were to use purely cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup. If they were bundled together these sugars would often be on the top of the ingredients list, but by using several different types they are often hidden further down. We need to become more aware of sugar in our foods, and inspect labels carefully to identify which sugars – and how much of each sugar – are in what we are eating.

WAFFLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I own a waffle iron - doesn't everyone?!?. Mine, probably like your's, has been sitting on the bottom shelf in the back of a cabinet for about 7 years. When I dug it out recently it was lonely, dejected, unloved and covered in dust... If you've got one, dig it out, dust it off and try this recipe. These are crispy cheesy savory waffles made with one of my favorite tasteless ingredients - cauliflower!

 I assure you that with the possible variations and the delicious crispiness of the savory waffles you're going to find here, you will never have a dusty waffle maker again!

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cauliflower 
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese/shredded
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp chives

Optional:
fresh parsley
sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions:

Heat waffle maker until fully hot and ready. 

Pulse shredded mozzarella in blender - THEN measure 

Pulse cauliflower in blender to texture of coarse crumbs

Mix all ingredients to form batter.(it will be thick)

Add 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. 

Set the timer for 4-6 minutes, peeking after four. 

If the waffle maker sticks, let it cook slightly longer. 

Remove once cooked. 

Allow to cool on a plate. 

Refrigerate remaining.

Makes 6 waffles.

Cook's Notes:

• Don’t like cauliflower? Use well drained, shredded zucchini instead.  But I HIGHLY recommend you give the cauliflower a chance!
• Be sure to wring the vegetables in a kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
• Stop checking every 30 seconds while it’s cooking. It KNOWS how to make waffles! If you mess with it while it’s trying to do it’s job, you’re going to have a mess. Set the timer and walk away. Go on. Go away. I see you hovering over there…
• Always make sure to allow your iron to fully heat before you add batter. Cold waffle irons take time to heat, so if you add the ‘dough’ while it’s still heating, you’ll end up with either an overcooked hockey puck, or the blob from outer space.  I claim no responsibility for either.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
• The waffles may stick ever so slightly, but that’s only because they're not yet done hugging the waffle iron. Just gently coax with any nylon cooking instrument.  Be careful to not use a metal fork and scratch your non-stick surface or hurt yourself.  A little 'Pam' helps as well.

Options:

• Make pancakes! - microwave and drain (and wring) the cauliflower first then cook 4" circles in a medium low skillet for 6 to 7 minutes, flipping every 2
• Serve loaded with meat and/or sliced veggies
• MAKE A SANDWICH!!!  
•  Add some Italian spices and use these as a basis for a pizza! (Remember bagel bites? How about waffle bites!)
• Try using cheddar and green onions - or crumbled feta!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte - Mousse

While some watch for changing tree leaves and cooler evenings as signs of autumn, others know fall by three words: pumpkin spice latte.  But why limit yourself to just the period from Halloween to Thanksgiving when you can enjoy the "pumpkinness" year round - and cold - and for dessert!!

I said this was a dessert - and it WILL be sugar free and low carb..  BUT, to paraphrase old maps "Thar be CALORIES here", so enjoy, but in moderation.  And a little IS enough.  It's RICH!!!


2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant decaf coffee

1 Tablespoon hot water
1 1.4 oz pkg Jell-0 Sugar Free Vanilla pudding and pie filling mix

2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree

In a large bowl mix the hot water and decaf instant coffee until dissolved.

Add remaining ingredients and whip vigorously with a fine whip or hand mixer for approximately 2 minutes until mixture thickens.

Refrigerate until serving

Cook's Notes:

• I recommend a modest dusting of pumpkin pie spice just before service.
• Great with a dollop of whipped cream and a sugar free ginger snap.
• Makes a perfect parfait
• It also makes an incredible filling for a "Gâteau Mille Crêpes" if you make my low carb pancake/crepes for a spectacular "crepe cake"

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds and Roasted Tomatoes

I'm a snob.  I don't eat fresh tomatoes in the winter.  Those pinkish perfectly round orbs sitting in my grocer's produce section are closer to the texture of felt than they are tomatoes - and have ALMOST as much flavor.  BUT...  By concentrating the flavor of some hot house cherry or plum tomatoes from Mexico I can get through the winter - particularly for this quinoa salad

I like the texture of the slivered almonds - and they lose their blandness when you toast them and get a nice nutty crunch.

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked quinoa
1/2 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
baby arugula
feta cheese (optional)

Dressing:

3 tbsp good olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 packet Splenda
salt & pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Let the cooked quinoa cool before adding ingredients.
Then mix everything together (except arugula and feta).

Plate over arugula and toss w/ the dressing.
Sprinkle feta on top.

Cook's Notes:

Salt and pepper your tomatoes and roast at 275 F  for 3 to 4 hours until shriveled but still have some life in them.  I make sheet trays full at a time and store the extras in a jar of olive oil in my refrigerator.  A great accompaniment for farro, quinoa and salads of all sort.  And the leftover oil makes and incredible salad dressing!

Quinoa Paella

My first introduction to paella (pronounced pie-A-uh) was on a Spanish beach over 30 years ago.  The local people I was working with coerced me into joining them to share their national dish.  Through the course of the evening and the consumption of many beers, I watched them construct what I can only describe as a culinary masterpiece.  Once we finally got to dip into the huge "community skillet" as I thought of it, I was transcendent with the incredible flavor.  

It's the saffron that makes this dish.  It's and expensive spice, but you are using a TINY quantity - and once you taste it, you'll be glad you have some in the cupboard!

Classic paella is a rice dish - and you know I'm not going to get all carbed out, even for paella, so here is a version that substitutes quinoa - and does so QUITE admirably.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb firm white fish fillets (such as pollock or haddock), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
4 oz dried chorizo, chopped (Spanish - not Mexican)
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed, drained
Pinch of saffron threads

salt to taste
2 3/4 cups  chicken stock
2/3 cup  frozen peas

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, squid, octopus (any combination)
1 lb pot-ready mussels (rinsed and bearded)

For Serving:
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Lemon wedges

Instructions:
Get a HUGE skillet or large shallow casserole dish with a lid

Heat 1 Tbs oil over medium-high heat. 

Add fish  chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked through. 

Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbs oil to the pan and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the chorizo and bell pepper, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until starting to crisp.

Add the quinoa and saffron, season and stir to coat. 

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. 

Cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes until almost all the liquid is absorbed.

 Stir in the frozen peas.

Return the fish to the pan with the mussels and seafood mix. 

DO NOT STIR

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for a further 15 minutes or until mussels have opened.   This allows the juices from the mussels and seafood to mix with the quinoa.

Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon.

Cook's Notes:

• Besides the incredible combination of seafood, one of the best parts of the paella is the crunchy grain (rice or quinoa) on the bottom of the pan - that is why you DO NOT STIR during the last 15 minutes.
• There are those who also like tomato in their paella, so you are invited to experiment.  A can of diced tomatoes - or some from your garden will be perfect.  I've even scattered a carton of cherry tomatoes over the top, so they burst and mingle their flavor.
• Spanish Chorizo is like a firm sausage, whereas Mexican chorizo is loose,  Search for the Spanish for this dish.  It's worth the effort.
• If you are short on seafood - or don't care for it, try boneless chicken thighs!

Sausage Spinach Bake

Porky, cheesy goodness, laced with fresh firm tomatoes over healthy iron rich spinach.  Tasty AND nutritious!!  This is a "sorta quiche" that requires no crust and practically prepares itself.

If you are looking for an easy but striking dish for dinner or a brunch, this one is HIGHly recommended

Serves 6

1 pound pork sausage
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/3 cup roasted red peppers or pimientos, diced (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin 
6 tablespoons parmesan cheese 

Brown the sausage in a large skillet; drain the grease if desired. 
Place in a greased 11x7" baking dish along with the spinach and peppers.

In a small bowl, whisk the cream and eggs. 
Add the salt and a dash of pepper. 
Pour over the sausage and vegetables; mix to coat everything with the egg mixture.
 Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a single layer over the top; sprinkle the cheese over the tomatoes. 

Bake at 350 F for 35 - 40 minutes or until set in the center and nicely browned on top. 

Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• I used 4 average sized Roma tomatoes, slicing them about 1/4 inch thick. 
• Cut both ends off each tomato because I wanted consistent looking slices.   
• Be sure to use a VERY sharp knife so you SLICE the tomatoes rather than SQUISH them.
• You CAN use the stuff in the green can for your Parmesan, but the shredded is SO much better.
• If you don't have an 11 X 7 baking dish, you can use an ovenproof 10 " skillet, which holds almost exactly the same amount - just slice it into wedges instead of squares.
• Options: add more and different cheeses, sauteed mushrooms, chopped artichoke hearts...  

I Love Food - Confessions of a Fat Man

I wrote this piece in early 2010 - about a year before my surgery.  It shows where my head was and where I assume a lot of you pre-ops are today.  I hope the insight into my mind helps you deal with the questions and concerns you are having now.

----------------------------------------------

I have a love affair with food. When I say "food," I mean food. I mean the French bread I tear off in hunks and stuff in my mouth as I run out the door. I mean the brownies a friend bakes for me and which I parcel out in slivers for weeks. I mean the soup, freighted with its nuggets of onion and squash and potatoes, which I spend all afternoon making and whose aroma rises, steaming, toward my face at dinnertime. And when I say "food," I mean too that stuff that foams like endless verbal meringue across the pages of cookbooks and novels and menus. I mean the liberally sprinkled adjectives: "freshly ground," "extra spicy," "braised to perfection." The lingering step-by-steps: "saute until golden," "whisk until light and fluffy," "season to taste." I mean the groaning, page-long tables of Thomas Wolfe, the banquets spread before Odysseus and that wine-blue sea, Levin and Oblonsky's dining, William Carlos William's plums, the catalogs of the young Gargantua's meals, Proust's Madeleine, the Ghost of Christmas Present's puddings and chestnuts and stuffing and cakes, and the fact that Babette spends all her fortune on one supernal meal.  I mean "FOOD."

I love food - and giving it up, or limiting it in any way, is VERY difficult. So I'm having some trepidation as I say goodbye to all my nutritionally unsound friends and move towards my date with a bariatric surgeon.

Shocked?!? You shouldn't be.. I've been the "fat man" for over 30 years - and I'm tired of the sweating, the sore back and knees, the limited wardrobe choices, the diabetes, the high blood pressure... But mostly, I'm tired of the staring... The "Oh God please don't let him sit beside me" looks I get as I push down an airplane aisle. The "why doesn't he order a salad" look when I open a menu.. The "I bet you five bucks he gets dessert" whispers as I finish a restaurant meal. I don't eat dessert - at least not often. A really good creme brulee or cheesecake may tempt me on rare occasion. I don't sneak cookies or candy bars. I actually eat reasonably. I'm just fat - too fat - and now, dangerously fat, so I have to do something about it.

My dieting story is like nearly everyone else. Lose 20 pounds - gain 25, lose 30 - gain 40. I have no choice but to try another tack - something drastic..

Bariatric surgery isn't a "get out of fat free card" - far from it. What it does is give me one, and only one, "do-over" so I can make the right choices and learn to eat the right foods to stay healthy and slim.

The road from here to there isn't an easy one. In the next few months I'll be preparing for the surgery, both mentally and physically. After the surgery my meals will amount to the total size of a single small dinner roll, but I'll rarely eat bread - and never another grain of sugar, so goodbye to pumpernickel rye and southern sweet tea. The nutrition I'll no longer be able to eat will come from vitamins and supplements. I'll eat almost exclusively protein for the next 2 years or more - maybe I'll eat that way forever..

I'll always be aware of the closest restroom, as a shortened digestive tract is almost certainly a recipe for disaster if I eat the wrong, or too much, food.

The skin on my body won't shrink as the fat dissolves under it. It will hang loosely about me. I'll be spending hours in a gym, but no amount of exercise will make that skin retract. I eventually face additional surgeries to remove the excess skin from my face, arms, stomach and thighs. No, bariatric surgery isn't exactly a "get out of fat free card".

So.. why am I doing it? It's because I'm a very selfish man. Food, as much as I love it, loves me too much. It's killing me. The fat is surrounding my heart and invading my veins. It interrupts my sleep and makes it difficult to breathe. I want to play with my eventual grandchildren, not just sit in a chair and watch, but actually run with them. I want to walk again on the beach at sunrise, not sit in the car in a parking lot just to listen to the surf. I want to walk onto an airplane and sit comfortably in a middle seat - and no one notice me. I want to grow old with and take care of the woman I love.

I'm twice the man I used to be, and I look forward to being half the man I am now. I just don't want to be the fat man any longer. There are plenty of candidates in America today who can take over that position so I won't be missed.

Pork and Cabbage Casserole

As the cold weather encroaches I begin to crave those central European comfort foods that my ancestors loved. Making stuffed cabbage is difficult and time consuming, but this is just as tasty and WAY simpler! It's more of a pork and cabbage lasagne.

Pork and Cabbage Casserole

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 306
Total Fat 15.8g
Saturated Fat 5.1g
Cholesterol 90mg
Sodium 151mg
Total Carbohydrates 6.3g
Dietary Fiber 2.3g
Sugars 3.3g
Protein 33.7g


1 small head cabbage, about 1 lb
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onions, chopped
1 1/2 lbs lean pork, in 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 slices bacon, cut in half

Cook the whole cabbage in a large pot of boiling water for 10
minutes.

Peel off 12 of the outer leaves, set aside, and chop
the remaining cabbage.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the onions until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the pork and cook until lightly browned.

Add the chopped cabbage, stock, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Line a greased 9X13 baking dish with half the cabbage leaves, removing the ribs if
necessary to make them lie flat.

Add the pork mixture and top with the remaining cabbage leaves.

Arrange the bacon slices on top and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 45 minutes. 

Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing

Cook's Notes:

• You can use the traditional method of boiling the whole cabbage to tenderize the leaves as I have indicated in this recipe, or you can employ the more modern method of freezing the cabbage to accomplish the same thing.

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

So much for the myth that a quiche is a light, dainty snack for the "ladies who lunch" crowd. This quiche rolls up its sleeves and gets dirty. This quiche is a MEAL. 

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 307
Total Fat 24.4g
Saturated Fat 11.2g
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 149mg
Sodium 484mg
Total Carbohydrates 5.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 17.1g


8 oz bulk pork sausage
4 scallions (spring onions), green and white parts, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 oz fresh spinach or frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the sausage, scallions, and garlic in a skillet, stirring to break up the sausage, until the sausage is browned and the scallions are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the spinach.
Sprinkle the Monterrey Jack cheese into a 9 inch pie pan and add the sausage mixture.
Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper and pour over the sausage mixture.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes: 

• Like all my quiche recipes, I made this one without a crust, but if you want to pour this into a standard 9 inch pie shell it makes a beautiful presentation. 
• I am not averse to dropping a handful of crumbled bacon into any quiche recipe (or most any OTHER recipe!) 
• Of course you can substitute turkey sausage - or even that hideous veggy-sausage stuff if you must...