Band Friendly Recipes

Crustless Quicke in a Cup

2011-02-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

Picture source

I tried this the other morning and it was fabulous!
Check out the recipe here.

BLTA Wraps

2010-08-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado Wraps
Sounds good, right?

Canning

2010-08-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

(Picture Source)

I have been a busy girl the last few months. Partly because it is canning season! I love to can. I know that sounds stupid and it is a lot of extra work. But the payoff is worthwhile. Not only do I know where my food comes from, but I know what is in it. I am able to control the amount of sugar and the amount of salt. Sure, I can buy practically the same thing on the self at the grocery store. But in my mind, there isn't even a need for comparison.

My favorite things to can are peaches and jams. I have a friend who cans a lot of meat, mainly chicken and roast beef. I swear they are some of the most tender meat I have ever tried. Interesting, right? I might have to try it.

Anyhow, here are some of my favorite canning sites.

http://www.homecanning.com/
http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/categories/canning/

Grilled Peaches

2010-07-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

A new summer favorite...
Grilled Peaches and Cool Whip
Half a peach is 30 calories and little scoop of Cool Whip is 15

Chili Cheese Dogs

2010-06-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

This was dinner last night...

Made with these...

Smart dogs are a great source of protein! For one dog, there is 45 calories, 0 fat, and 8 grams of protein. They are made with soy protein. As far as taste goes, not bad. The texture is like a hot dog. There is a little after taste, but when topped a little chili and cheese it was hard to tell. My husband really liked them.

A Classic Chicken and Pork hot dog runs about 150 calories and only 4 grams of protein.

Baked Custard

2010-06-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

Baked Custard

1 egg
1 cup of milk
2 Tbsp Splenda

Mix everything together until smooth. Pour mixture into your ramekins and dust with nutmeg or cinnamon. Place ramekins into a glass baking dish and then fill half way with water. Bake around 1 hour and 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Test with knife to make sure it runs clean.

Makes 2- 1/2 cup servings or 2 4oz ramekins at 94 calories and 6.5 grams of protein.

If served with a 1/4 cup of halved strawberries , it becomes 105 calories and 7 grams protein.

Quick and Easy

2010-06-18T05:37:00.000-07:00

I made this...

Using this...

The turkey sausage was 90 calories and 9 grams of protein for 2 oz.

The beans were 110 calories and 5 grams for 1/2 cup serving.

I ate 4 oz of sausage and 1/2 cup of beans for 290 calories and 23 grams of protein.

And it only took 5 mins to cook...

Cherries

2010-06-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

The cherries on my tree are starting to turn red!
I love cherry season, especially here in the Northwest.
Did you know...there are only 54 calories in a cup of cherries including the pits and stems?

Here's a tip...

2010-06-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

I substitute pasta for grilled or sauteed zucchini.

Last Night's Dinner

2010-06-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

Last night's dinner was Fabulous and it only took 5 minutes to cook. I microwaved a bag of seasoned Steamable Vegetables (40 calories for 1 cup). Then I pan fried with cooking spray some precooked ham steaks (70 calories, 11g protein for 1 slice). I whipped up some instant mashed potatoes for the rest of the family. And it was perfect. It was fast, easy, band-friendly, low calorie and it tasted really good. My kids ate so much! I think it was the mashed potatoes.... they don't get those very often.

Garlic Green Beans

2010-06-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

1 lb fresh green beans

1 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 clove garlic, minced

Wash and trim green beans. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add minced garlic. Cook garlic until brown and add green beans. Increase heat slightly. Add garlic salt. Saute, frequently turning green beans until tender.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2010-06-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked chicken

¼ cup chopped green onion

½ cup dried cranberries

3 oz slivered almonds (optional)

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ cup poppy seed dressing

Salt and pepper

Mix everything together and serve chilled.

The calories will vary depending on the dressing you use. I had a really hard time finding a low calorie poppy seed dressing.

Helping Make a Change

2010-05-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

No one chooses to be obese. But you have a C.H.O.I.C.E. to make a difference.

If you haven't already heard about the C.H.O.I.C.E campaign and petition, then I urge you to read more about it here.

The voices of 250,000 can influence the dialogue on the obesity epidemic and help shape policies that can make a real difference in the efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic. The CHOICE campaign has made a $250,000 donation to the cause, now we can help them reach their goal of 250,000 signatures.Sign their petition and help urge Congress to elevate the need to address the obesity epidemic.

Urging Congress to Make a Choice

This year, the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign will be working hard to make sure Congress gets our message that in order to effectively overcome the obesity epidemic, we need to focus on both prevention and treatment. We are urging Congress to keep the following in mind when creating obesity-related policies:

Focus on both prevention and treatment to address the obesity epidemic and accept all treatment options.
More than 70 million American adults are obese, of whom 15 million are severely obese (100 pounds or more overweight).^1,2
Obesity is a disease that requires medical treatment just like any other disease. Obesity can correlate to life-threatening diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and others.³
Obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death in this country.⁴
Those who are severely obese have often tried diet and exercise programs for years without success and the research proves it – for those 100 pounds or more overweight, diet and exercise alone fail 95% of the time after five years.⁵
Annual costs of overweight and obesity are estimated at $147 billion per year, representing 10% of all U.S. medical expenses.⁶
Medical research has shown that significant weight loss may improve – or even resolve – diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions.^7,8
Weight-loss surgery, like gastric banding, is safe and proven more effective than diet and exercise alone in people 100 pounds or more overweight and has the potential to be the key to improving the health of the severely obese and reducing obesity-related healthcare costs.^5,9

See all sources here.

In order to change the way obesity is viewed and addressed in this country, Congress also needs to encourage Americans and their physicians to talk about obesity and all treatment options that are proven to help all Americans reach their life's potential of good health.

Please read more and sign the petition.

Banded together we can help America's growing obesity epidemic.

Chicken Salad Tacos

2010-05-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Chicken Salad Tacos

1/3 cup mayonnaise or yogurt

2 tsp taco seasoning

1/3 cup fat free sour cream

2 cups cooked chicken

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

Combined everything together and mix well. Chill. Serve on warn tortillas or hard taco shells with lettuce, tomato, onions, olives or shredded cheese.

Chicken Salad (without tortilla) serves 4 at 116 calories and 16 grams protein

Taco Soup

2010-05-12T00:41:00.000-07:00

Taco Soup

1/2lb ground turkey

1 can diced tomatoes w/ green chiles

1 onion, chopped

1 can of pinto beans

1/2 pkg dry ranch style dressing mix

1 can black beans

1 small can cream corn

1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix

Brown beef with onion. Add seasoning mixes and water. Then tomatoes, corn and beans. Simmer for 20 minutes

Makes 6 generous servings at 295 calories, 9 grams fat, and 15 grams protein.

Holy Guacamole

2010-05-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Guacamole

1 avocado
1/2 lime
salt to taste

Mash and mix well.

Serves 4 at 73 calories and 1 gram of protein.

Broiled Eggplant Parmesan

2010-05-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

Looks good, huh? It tastes even better.
Original Recipe found in All You Magazine May Edition

Broiled Eggplant Parmesan

1 15oz can diced Italian tomatoes
2 medium eggplants
salt and pepper
6 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup Italian- seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat broiler to high; place a rack about 8 inches from heat source. Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Drain tomatoes and puree in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
Slice eggplant into 1/3 inch thick slices. Mist both sides of eggplant slices with cooking spray and sprinkle salt and pepper. Broil eggplant until golden brown, turning once, 10- 12 minutes total.
Remove baking sheet from oven. Spoon on some tomato puree, sprinkle with both cheeses, and top with bread crumbs. Place back into oven and broil until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are toasted, 1- 2 minutes. Serve immediately

266 calories, 11 g. fat and 18 g. protein

Note: This makes a ton. Two eggplants is a lot. I split the recipe except for the can of tomatoes. Plus, the skins of the egg plant were a little hard to eat. Next time, I think I might peel the skin off before cooking.

Prosciutto/Muenster Quesadilla

2010-05-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

This made a pretty tasty lunch today!
Sorry, no picture.

Prosciutto/Muenster Quesadilla
1/3 cup diced Prosciutto
1 slice Muenster Cheese
1 tortilla

240 calories & 13 grams protein

New Recipe Links

2010-02-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

Under my Favorite Links on my side bar, I listed a few other food websites that might be helpful to you. Not all of them are 100% band-friendly, but they are all WLS-friendly.

Check them out!

Lapband Eating for Life

Barbie's WLS Recipes

Eating Well and Living Thin

The World According to Eggface

Breakfast Idea

2010-01-26T12:06:00.000-08:00

1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
Tbsp. milk
6-7 chopped baby spinach leaves
.5 oz mozzarella cheese
cooking spray

Spray pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, add chopped spinach. Beat together egg, salt, pepper, and milk. Add to spinach. Add cheese with the eggs are almost cooked. Let the cheese melt.

1 serving 150 calories with 9 grams of protein.

Pinto Bean Dip

2010-01-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Pinto Bean Dip

1 can of whole pinto beans
1 can of fat-free re-fried beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 jalapeno pepper (optional, add more if you like)
1/2 cup of chopped Roma tomatoes

Take can of whole pinto beans and roughly mash. Mix all other ingredients together. Can be served hot or cold to your preference. I like it hot, so I baked it at 350 for about 25 mins. Then I served.

Serves about 12 at 80 calories and 5 grams of protein per serving.

Pico De Gallo

2010-01-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Pico de Gallo

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, fresh
salt to taste
fresh lime to taste

Mix, chill and serve. Used as a salsa with chips or on top of your favorite foods.

Serves roughly 8 at 22 calories per serving.

Cheese Ball

2009-12-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

Simple Cheese Ball

1 pkg. fat free cream cheese
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
dash of salt and pepper

Mix everything together and form a ball. Sprinkle a little extra cheese on the outside. You could also roll in finely chopped nuts.

Thanksgiving Plans

2009-11-24T08:51:00.001-08:00

Grr.... Thanksgiving took a last minute turn and landed in my lap this year. So I am starting to freak out because I have 2 days to plan dinner for 10...which isn't bad. It could be worse, right? Actually, I love hosting. Only because it keeps me busy. I find that if I am the one doing everything it gives me less time to eat.

I think I am leaning more towards a ham this year... Pineapple Glazed. I am also going to make a bone-in turkey breast in my crock pot. I found a simple recipe here, but I am going to add some more to it.
I need:
1 4lb-ish turkey breast
chicken stock/broth
a rub made out of poultry season, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper
onions, carrots, and celery
2 tablespoons butter

Here is the plan:

place chopped onions, carrots and celery in the bottom of the crock pot. add rubbed turkey breast. add chicken broth...probably about 2 cups. About half way, flip the turkey breast. Once the breast is done. Coat with butter and broil till brown. Crock pot cooking time is around 7-8 hours. I would cook on high for the first few hours and then switch to low for the rest. Strain out veggies and make a gravy with the remaining liquid.

All I have left is to plan out the side dishes....

Baked Bean Casserole

2009-11-18T01:08:00.000-08:00

Baked Bean Casserole

1lb turkey sausage (hot adds a lot of flavor!)
1 can lima beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can white beans, drained
1 lg. can of baked beans
1 sm. can of tomato sauce
1 lg onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2T mustard
red pepper flakes
dash of liquid smoke

Brown sausage. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake 350 for 1 hour or place everything in your crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Serves about 12 at 255 calories and grams of 16 protein per serving.

Garlic White Beans

2009-11-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

Garlic White Beans
1 can whole white beans
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp dried Italian Parsley
salt to taste

Heat oil, then add garlic. Drain and rinse beans then add along with green onions and parsley.

Serve warm or cold. Great as a salad topper.

Serves 3 at 176 calories and 9 grams of protein per serving.

Appetizers

2009-11-14T07:07:00.000-08:00

Holiday Appetizers Under 100 calories

Check it out Here at myrecipes.com

Progressive Soup

2009-11-12T04:18:00.000-08:00

This was really tasty for only 60 calories!

Band Friendly Holiday Ideas

2009-11-10T01:02:00.000-08:00

Have you started planning Thanksgiving dinner, yet? Here are some links to recipes that seem pretty band-friendly.

Appetizers
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Spiced Pecans
Easy Cheese Ball
Cranberry Cheese Spead

Turkey/Ham
Lemon & Garlic Turkey
Herb Roasted Turkey
Apricot Glazed Ham
Garlic Roasted Ham

Side Dishes
Green Bean Casserole
Green Beans with Golden Raisins
Green & Yellow Beans with Wild Mushrooms
Garlicy Green Beans
Mashed Cauliflower
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Spinach & Grapefruit Salad
Baby Carrots with Dill

Desserts
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Spiced Pears
Pumpkin Carmel Mousse Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pudding

A Useful Tool

2009-11-08T04:06:00.000-08:00

100 ways to cut 100 calories
Find out how by clicking here
By Prevention.com

Hot Chocolate

2009-11-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

Hot Chocolate

1 cup Fat-Free Milk
2 tsp Splenda
1 tsp Cocoa powder

Warm milk. Then add Splenda and Cocoa and stir.

1 serving with 87 calories and 8 grams of protein.

I Scream for Ice Cream

2009-11-04T00:53:00.000-08:00

I love ice cream too much to say goodbye to it forever. It hasn't been until recently that I've started eating it again for special occasions. I've have started to realize that I have learned some self-control. Typically, a quart of ice cream wouldn't last more than 2 days in my house, but now it becomes freezer burnt before we finish it.

The other day I got a knock on my door and it was the Schwan's man. He asked if I wanted one of his catalogs, and I declined. I told him that my family is on a strict diet and I doubt that there was much he could offer me. He just laughed and pulled out the catalog and showed me. They have LiveSmart products that are lower in calories, fat and sodium. And a lot of them are individually portioned. They have quite a selection of frozen treats for less than 100 calories. They also have a good selection of meat and fish individually portioned.

This ice cream pictured above is their No Sugar Added Fat Free Chocolate ice cream with 70 calories and 3 grams of protein for one 1/2 cup serving.

Hitting a Grand Slam

2009-11-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

I learning something from my little road trip... finding a band friendly breakfast is really hard. We stopped at a Denny's on a whim and I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.

Build your own Grand Slam:

You can pick any four items from their list for only $5.99.

I picked:
Egg Whites- 50 cal/11g protein
Turkey Bacon- 76 cal/8g protein
Fruit Cup- 70 cal/1g protein
LF Yogurt- 160 cal/6g protein

Total Breakfast- 356 cal/ 26g protein

Before the band I would of picked:
Pancakes- 340 cal/2g protein
Eggs- 250 cal/13g protein
Sausage- 182 cal/5g protein
Hashbrowns 210 cal/2g protein

Total Breakfast- 982 cal/ 22g protein

I've lost hope...

2009-10-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I try to hard.

I really miss brownies. So for the past few months, I have been trying out different brownie recipes here and there. And nothing is working for me. I would really like to find a band friendly-ish brownie. I substitute sugar for Splenda and applesauce for oil. I have even made them with zucchini. The brownies above are made with black beans. Nothing is working for me. So when I found these....

I got really excited... A semi friendly brownie with a cream filling! But sadly when I tried them, I was disappointed....once again. They tasted about the same as the black bean brownies...awful.

I.Heart.Trader.Joe's

2009-10-24T03:41:00.000-07:00

Tired of boring chicken? Well, dress it up!

Trader Joe's has some great options for dressing up plain chicken. I like their Cacciatore Sauce, Marsala Sauce and Punjab Spinach Sauce.

I love Trader Joe's! They have so many great products and really reasonable prices. They even have some recipes on their website. I have been meaning to try their Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe. It looks really good.

Crockpot Pork chops

2009-10-22T03:21:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Pork Chops

1lb tenderloin pork chops
fat-free Italian dressing

Place chops in the bottom of your slow cooker and cover with fat-free Italian dressing.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours and on low for 7-8.

Serves about 4 at 251 calories and 31 grams protein.

Crockpot Fajitas

2009-10-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Fajitas

2 lbs chicken breast or tenders
1 pkg fajita seasoning
2/3 cup of your favorite salsa
2-3 large sweet bell peppers, cut into strips

Cut chicken into large chunks, place into crockpot. Mix fajita mix with salsa and pour over chicken. Cook on high for about 4-5 hours or on low about 7-8. 30- 60 minutes before serving place bell peppers on top. Once cooked, shred chicken with fork and mix in peppers.

Makes about 6 servings at 150 calories and 18 grams of protein per serving.

This dish was tasty topped with fat-free sour cream and cheese. It would be great on a salad, paired with some fat-free re-fried beans and rice for those non bandit family members.

Zucchini and Tomatoes

2009-10-16T01:03:00.000-07:00

Zucchini and Tomatoes

1 small onion, sliced
1/2 small green pepper, chopped
1 garlic glove
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 dried basil
1/8t pepper
1/8t salt

First, spray pan with cooking spray and saute onion, garlic, and green pepper. Once onion and green pepper get soft, add tomatoes, zucchini and spices. Cover.
Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Then uncover and cook a few more minutes to cook of liquid.

Serves about 6 bandster portions with 47 calories and barely 1 gram of protein.

Last Night Dinner

2009-10-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

Oven Fried Chicken

1/3-1/2 cup of flour
1/4 t salt
pepper to taste
1/8 t Cajun seasoning
1/3 cup of buttermilk
1/2 cup of crushed cornflakes
2 chicken breast halves

First, combine flour and all seasonings in a bowl. Set aside.
Pour buttermilk in a bowl and set aside.
Place crushed cornflakes on a plate and set aside.
Second, cut chicken breast horizontally, making 4 thin slices. To make chicken more tender, try beating it with a meat mallet.
Next, dip chicken into flour mixture, then into buttermilk, and finally into crushed cornflakes.
Place in a oven proof dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 375 for 25-30.
Serves 4 with 170 calories and 16 grams of protein per serving.

Onion Rings

2009-10-12T01:51:00.000-07:00

Baked Onion Rings
Original Recipe found here

1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
2 large onions, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and separated into rings
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup bread crumbs

Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400. Mix the first four ingredients together, set aside. Pour 1/2 cup buttermilk in a bowl, set aside.
Pour 1 cup of bread crumbs in a bowl, set aside. Dip sliced onion rings into flour, then buttermilk, then bread crumbs and then set on baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes turning once.

Makes alot...about 8 bandsters portions. For about 1/4 of an onion, there are 95 calories and 3.4 grams of protein.

Tortilla Soup

2009-10-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

I took the left over chicken from the crockpot chicken recipe I just posted the other day and made a fabulous tortilla soup.

Tortilla Soup
Original Recipe found here

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green Chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Throw everything in your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, on high for 4 hours, or do it on your stove top until everything is tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, lime, and avocado.

Soup (no toppings) makes 8 1 cup portions with 262 calories and 18 grams protein.

I used 1 1/2 -2 lbs chicken and 1 cup less water to make it less soupy. I always strain mine before eating.

Tuna Cups

2009-10-08T01:25:00.000-07:00

Tuna Salad Cups
by Chicken of the Sea

80 calories
12 grams protein

Tuna Cups
by Chicken of the Sea

80 calories
18 grams protein

Crockpot Chicken

2009-10-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

I cooked a whole chicken in my crockpot for the first time ever. It turned out so good. I totally forgot to take a picture. It turned out so pretty. The recipe is simple and totally up to you and your family's taste.

First, I cleaned Melba...yup I named her. I took her insides out. Washed her off really good.
I stuffed her with a roughly chopped onion and 2 stalks of celery. Then I rubbed her down with my favorite spices. I actually used a rub from Grill Mates.

In the bottom of my slow cooker, I placed 3 aluminum foil balls. I really don't know why, but I was told it helps keep the bottom from burning... so I did it. Place the bird on the foil balls and then I poured a can of chicken broth in the bottom of the pot.

And that was it. 10 hours later on low, it was done and so tender!

Holy Cheese Cake

2009-10-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

I have been searching for a good cheesecake recipe. I tried a recipe found here and it turned out really good!

2 packages of fat-free cream cheese, room temp
2/3 cup of splenda
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

Cream cream cheese and splenda. Then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until you have soft peaks. Then fold cheese mixture with whipping cream. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours before serving.

Serves about 10 with 130 calories, 9.5 grams of fat, and 7.7 grams of protein per serving.

I got about 10 to 12 servings out of this. I ate it with fresh strawberries and blueberries.
You could add it to a pre-made crust. But the average calories per serving of pre-made crust is about 110.

This recipe does have quite a bit of fat. If you substitute heavy whipping cream for lite whipping cream, the calories jump from 130 to 80, 9.5 grams of fat to 2.3 grams, 7.7 grams of protein to 7.2. I am not sure how it effect the taste.

I difenately will be trying this recipe again. Next time, I will do the substitution.

String Cheese

2009-10-02T01:06:00.000-07:00

Cow Pals Light
by Kroger

60 calories
8 grams of protein
20% daily calcium

A Simple Hummus

2009-09-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

This is a simple hummus recipe that you can play around with by adding a variety of spices.

1 can garbanzo beans/chickepeas
1/8 - 1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin

Add all ingredients into a food processor and process well.

This is what motivates me

2009-09-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a year!
Actually it has been about 14 months for me, but I finally got my before and after pictures from my weight loss center. I love seeing people's before and after pictures... so I thought I would share mine. You can see more and read more here.

Special K Crackers

2009-09-28T02:55:00.000-07:00

Special K Crackers
90 calories for 17 crackers
2 grams of protein
Today, I paid 3.50 a box.

BBQ Chicken

2009-09-26T02:56:00.000-07:00

I love simple and easy dinners. This one has to be one of the easiest!

Pull out the crockpot. Pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom slow cooker. Slice half of a large onion and place inside. Place chicken legs, thighs or breasts on top of onions. Top with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4 hours.

How easy was that?
For a side, I served Broccoli with a Cheese Sauce.
It came from here:

Very tasty and only 45 calories a serving!
The calories for the chicken will vary depending on the BBQ sauce you use.
But the average plain chicken leg is about 156 calories and 26 grams protein.

Tortillas

2009-09-24T01:51:00.000-07:00

Hand Made Style Corn Tortillas
by La Tortilla Factory

90 calories
1 gram fat
5 grams protein

Curried Tuna Salad

2009-09-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Curried Tuna Salad
By Miss Rachel
ObesityHelp.com

1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsps plus 1/2 Tsp butter
1 large stalk of celery, finely diced
1 scallion, sliced
6-ounce can tuna, drained
2 Tbsps fat free sour cream
2 Tbsps lite mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 Tsp pepper
3/4 Tsp curry powder

Saute the almonds in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until almonds are golden. Removed from heat and set aside.

Dice the celery and slice the scallion, drain the tuna, and combine them in a mixing bowl. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper.

In a small skillet, melt the last 1/2 teaspoon of butter and saute the curry powder in it, over medium heat, for just a minute. This will bring out the full flavor of the curry. Scrape the curry butter into the salad and mix until the curry is well-distributed. Stir in the almonds. It's ready to serve.

Yield: 2 bandster size servings, each with 6 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, for a total of 4 grams usable carbs, and 22 grams protein.

Laughing Cow Cheese

2009-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Light Garlic and Herb Spreadable Cheese Wedges
by The Laughing Cow

35 calories
2.5 grams protein
6% daily calcium

Last Night's Dinner

2009-09-20T03:17:00.000-07:00

Baked Ricotta and a side salad
Recipe found here

Meatball Subs

2009-09-18T03:32:00.000-07:00

Without the subs, of course.

I pack lunches for my husband to take to work. Usually, they are leftovers from the night before. But sometimes when I forget to make extras, I do this...

I take 6 frozen meatballs (160 cal), 6 turkey pepperonis (40 cal), 1/4 cup or so of Marinara sauce(40cal), and a serving of Mozzarella cheese (80cal)...I through everything in a container and send him off. He microwaves it for a few minutes. And that is it.

The total calories depends on the bands you use. His lunch ended up being 320 calories an 28 grams of protein.

Turkey Pepperoni

2009-09-16T03:21:00.000-07:00

For 15 slices:
80 calories, 4.5 grams of Fat, 8 grams of protein.

Here is a 100 Calorie Snack

Turkey Pepperoni Chips
Take pepperonis and microwave for 25-30 seconds.
They come out nice and crispy.

I hate Yougurt...

2009-09-14T02:36:00.000-07:00

But I gave Geek Yogurt a try.
And....

I still hate it!

I am not the biggest fan of yogurt...period. I have heard a lot of people talk about Greek yogurt and how much they love it. So, I thought I would give it a try. Even though I am not a fan, it does have a lot of perks!

For one cup, it has: 120 calories, 0 fat, and 22 grams protein!

If you are like me and hate yogurt, there are still a lot of other ways to getting the benefits of yogurt.

When cooking and baking, a lot of things can be substituted with yogurt:
Buttermilk
Sour Cream
Heavy Cream
Mayo
Mayonnaise
Oil and Eggs in Baking

I haven't given up hope on you, Mr. Yogurt.

Grocery Store Find

2009-09-12T02:19:00.000-07:00

My latest grocery store find is The Laughing Cow- Mini Babybel Light cheese.
Of course, found in your cheese isle.
-100% Natural Cheese
-Good source of protein
-20% of your daily calcium
50 calories per serving, 3 grams total fat, 6 grams of protein
I paid 3.99 for a pack of six. Well, worth the cost. They taste great!

Here is a 100 Calorie Snack

1Mini Babybel Light cheese and 4-5 crackers
50 calories for the cheese
10ish calories for each cracker (depending on the band, of course!)

Last Night's Dinner

2009-09-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

Last Night's dinner was a Jennie-O Turkey Sausage and black beans with salsa.
It was fabulous!

I used:

I cut the casing off and pan fried them. They are 160 calories and 17 grams protein per link.

For the Black Beans with Salsa

2 cans of black beans, drained
1 cup or so of salsa

Placed beans and salsa in slow cooker and cooked on low for 3-4 hours. You make it with your stove top, too. Cook it until it becomes the consistency of pork and beans.

Make 6 1/2 cup servings of beans with 125 calories and 8 grams of protein.

All together dinner was 285 calories and 25 grams of protein.

Beans

2009-09-08T01:26:00.000-07:00

Some might think I am crazy, but I think it is practical!

I make a thick black bean puree and I freeze it into ice cube trays. When you heat it, the beans thicken and then you have "re-fried" beans. I just pop them into the microwave for a few minutes, but you could actually fry them and make re-fried beans. In Guatemala, the re-fried beans are very smooth. There are no chunks. They pressure cook the beans and then puree them and then slowly fry them in a pan until they thicken.

I started doing this for my kids a year and a half ago. To save a few bucks, I decided to make my own baby food for my girls. I started with squash and pears, eventually I got up to making beans. Well, I soon realized that the beans were going really fast, way faster than the other baby food. I later found out that my husband was eating them with his eggs for breakfast. He would scramble an egg or make an omelet and eat it with the black beans and crema.

So it stuck! And I've been doing it ever since. Even though it is consider a soft food, I eat them on a regular basis. Because I am really tight in the mornings, I eat them mainly for breakfast with scramble eggs. I also use them often for quesadillas with chicken and cheese. I put them on top of rice for the kids.

To make them:

I use about a pound of beans, a really large onion, and garlic salt. I cook them overnight in my slow cooker and in the morning I puree them so they are a little thicker than pancake batter. I pour them into ice cube trays and freeze them for several hours. When completely frozen, I set them out on the counter for a few minutes or run some warm water along the back side of the trays and pop them out. Then I place them into a freezer bag and back into the freezer.

They'll last about a month or so in the freezer.

Mushroom-Sausage Quiche

2009-09-06T01:06:00.000-07:00

Another muffin-tin meal!
I got the original recipe from eatingwell.com. I changed it up a bit to better fit my needs.

I used:
10oz turkey sausage, w/o casing
1 7oz can of mushroom pieces
1/4 cup of green onions, chopped
1/4 cup green peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 eggs (1 1/4 cup egg beaters)
1 cup of non fat milk

Brown sausage, mushrooms, green onions and green peppers together. Evenly divide between muffin tins. Top with cheese. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over meat mixture. Bake at 325 for about 25 mins.

Makes 12 servings at 80 calories and 7 grams of protein per serving.

Beans Beans

2009-09-04T00:52:00.000-07:00

A Simple Bowl of Beans

1 cup dry pinto beans, rinsed and picked through
1 cup of chopped ham
3-4 cups of water
garlic salt to taste

Put everything in a slow cooker and cook on high for 7-8 hours or on low overnight.
Salt to taste.
It is that simple!

Makes 4 servings with about 223 calories and 20 grams of protein.

Baked Ricotta

2009-09-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

Baked Ricotta

From Miss Rachel

8 oz Ricotta Cheese

½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Large Egg, beaten

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Salt & Pepper to taste

½ cup Marinara Sauce

½ cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, and seasonings together and place in an oven proof dish. Pour marinara over mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes for best results. Can be microwaved until hot and bubbly for quick preparation. Great reheated!

Sorry, I lost the picture. This dish is fabulous and so easy to make. I think it is my favorite so far from Miss Rachel.

When I made this I got 3 serves at 300 calories and 22g of protein per serving.

Liquid Phase Idea

2009-08-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Cucumber and Avocado Soup
From Miss Rachel

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil or dill
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients and blend in food processor until very smooth. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Yummy Appetizers

2009-08-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

My girls turned 2! To celebrate, we had a little party for them. I wanted to have band-friendly food that my husband and I could enjoy, but I also wanted tasty food for my guests.

I found this website and got tons of great ideas for appetizers. I ended up using only two of their recipes:

Caramelized Onion Tarts
Zucchini Cheese Squares

The food went fast. I also served a veggie tray, bread and cheese dip tray, Cheetos (it was a kids party) and Sundays for desert!

Carnation Instant Breakfast

2009-08-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

Head on over the the Carnation Instant Breakfast website. They have some really good recipes using their No-Sugar-Added Instant Breakfast. Check these out:

Orange Dreamsicle
Cranberry Fusion
Choco-Nana Shake
Choco-Berry Frosty
Frozen Mocha Latte

These are great for the Liquid Phase, too!

Salmon Cakes

2009-08-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

Salmon Veggie Cakes

Inspired By Miss Rachel

1/2 cup Zucchini, grated
1/2 cup Carrots, grated
1/2 cup Onions, grated
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
8oz Salmon
Salt and Pepper
2 large Eggs
2 Tbsp oil

Broil salmon about 4-6 mins on each side. Heat oil in a pan. Grate zucchini, carrots and onions. Mix vegetables, bread crumbs, seasonings, and eggs together. Add salmon and mash mixture with fork until mixed well. Take a heaping tablespoon of mixture and place in pan. Press down to form a patty. Cook about 4 minutes on each side.

Dipping Sauce:

3 Tbsp Light Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

Makes about 12 patties (about 6 bandster servings) at 93 calories and 6 grams of protein per patty.

1 Tbsp of dipping is 46 calories.

Cheesy Cauliflower

2009-08-22T04:37:00.000-07:00

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

From Miss Rachel

1 16oz bag of frozen cauliflower

3 tbsp Butter, divided use

1/8 cup Flour

½ tsp Dry Mustard

1 tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

¼ cup Bread Crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Steam cauliflower and place in casserole dish; set aside. In sauce pan melt butter, blend in flour & seasonings. Add milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese and allow to melt in mixture. When smooth, pour over steamed cauliflower and mix until combined. Melt remaining 1 tbsp butter; mix in bread crumbs. Add bread crumb mixture to top of cauliflower. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Easily blended for stage 2!

Delicious with additions such as browned ground chicken, turkey, or beef!

A great substitution for Mac and Cheese!

Cottage Cheese Pudding

2009-08-20T04:24:00.000-07:00

Basic Cottage Cheese Pudding
From Miss Rachel

1 24-oz container Cottage Cheese (fat free or low fat)
1 4-serving package pudding mix - any flavor (fat free and/or sugar free)
1/4 cup Splenda
2 tbsp reduced-sugar jam (any flavor)

Combine all ingredients and blend in food processor until very smooth.

Makes about 6 1/2 cup servings at 112 calories and 14 grams of protein.

This would be really good with cheese cake pudding and strawberry jam or chocolate pudding and raspberry jam. Or even with fresh fruit!

Recipe Calorie Calculator

2009-08-18T02:32:00.000-07:00

Counting calories is hard enough! But counting calories in a recipe is an even bigger pain.

I love the Recipe Calorie Calculator over at SparkPeople.com. It does all the work for you. Not only does it give you the calories but it gives you the works like the fat, the carbs, and the protein values. It is so easy to use. You just type what ingredients, the amounts you are using and then the amount of servings. That's it.

You'll have to check it out, if you haven't already. It has been one of my favorite Bandster tools!

Egg Salad For One

2009-08-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Another great recipe sent in by MissRachel
from ObesityHelp.com.

Egg Salad for One

1 large hard-boiled Egg, chopped

2 tsp Light Mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

4 Green Olives, chopped

1 Scallion, chopped

Black Pepper to taste

Puree all ingredients in a mini-food processor.

Makes 1 serving at 147 calories and 6 gram protein.

Need more protein? Try adding 1/4 diced ham for 44 calories and 6.5 grams protein.

Cilantro-Lime Fish

2009-08-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

This recipe was sent in by MissRachel from ObesityHelp.com.

Cilantro Lime Fish

8 oz Fish Filets (I used Tilapia but any white fish would work)

1/2 medium Onion, chopped

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

¼ tsp Onion Salt

1 tsp fresh Ginger, minced (I used 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

Spray a baking dish with non-fat, non-stick cooking spray. Place fish in dish. Combine rest of ingredients in a small bowl. Spread evenly over fish fillets. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

This recipes was so good. I ate the fish with sauteed green peppers and onions. I made fish tacos for my husband who can still eat tortillas.

In addition to the fish, I made a Cilantro Lime Cream, which is just cilantro, lime and fat free sour cream.

This recipe is such a basic recipe that could be used for so many things. You could eat with a salad, as a quesadilla or fish tacos. It tasted really good with the cilantro lime cream. You could also eat it with a mango salsa or even make a Cilantro Lime Cold Slaw, which is cabbage, lime, cilantro, salt and pepper, and fat-free mayo. You could always use Shrimp instead of fish. And if you don't have ginger laying around, you use a clove of garlic or cumin, even kick up the heat with red pepper flakes or jalapenos.

Orange Dreamsicle Delight

2009-08-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

This recipe is one of my new favorites. I found it on SparkRecipes.com. It tastes really good for being sugar free.

Orange Dreamsicle Delight

1 .3oz box of Orange Flavor Sugar Free Jello
1 1oz box of Fat Free Sugar Free Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 container of Cool Whip Free

Prepare Jello according to the package directions by adding the hot and the cold water. After that is all mixed up, whisk in the instant pudding powder (just the powder). Then fold in the Cool Whip. Refrigerate for a few hours until set.

After I was done, I divided it up into 4oz Glad Ware containers and froze them. I love these containers. They are a perfect half-cup container. They really help me with my portion distortion.

You could eat them frozen or thawed.

It gave me 8 half-cup servings with about 36 calories per serving.

Original recipe found here.

Muffin Tin Meal- Tuna Loaf

2009-08-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Orginal Recipe Found HERE

Tuna Loaf

1/4 cup egg beater (or 1 egg)
1/2 cup milk
1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs, Panko Japanese Style
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 can of tuna packed in water
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Beat egg well. Then add other ingredients and mix well. Spray in muffin tins with cooking spray. Pour mixture in tins. Bake 350 degrees for 20 mins.

Makes 6 muffins. There is 60 calories and 6 grams of protein per muffin.

Chicken Fried Rice

2009-08-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

I bet you are wondering how this could be possible.
Rice? That's a big Bandster no no.
Believe it or not, it is band-friendly!

First, you have to start with this...

Cauliflower... Grated...
Cauliflower is easy to grate since it is so firm.
I used my old school hand grater,
but you could also use your food processor if it will grate.
1/2 a head of grated cauliflower gave me enough "rice" for 2-3 bandster servings.

To make the Chicken Fried Rice:
1/2lb chicken (or shrimp)
1/2 head of grated cauliflower
4 chopped green onions
2-3 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 minced cloves of garlic
2 eggs
1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots (optional)
salt to taste

First, Cook chicken. This is great way to use left overs. I marinaded my chicken with a store bought Terriyaki marinaded then I pan "fried" in the juices. It was a little tougher than I would have preferred. Next time, I will pull out my little crockpot to cook the chicken.

For the rice:
Put a couple tablespoons oil in the bottom of your pan and heat. Once heated, add garlic and then grated cauliflower. Add green onions, soy sauce, and other veggies. Stir well. Move mixture to one side of pan. With the empty side, crack open eggs and scramble. Once cooked, mix with "rice". Add chicken and serve.

Makes 3 bandster portions with 270 calories and 25 grams of protein per serving.

The Taste: The texture of the cauliflower is so similar to rice. It is a little bit more moist than rice. I have found that when you eat it with a sauce you can barely tell the difference. Maybe it is just me because I haven't had rice in so long. My husband really enjoys it. I think it is a really great substitution for rice.

Muffin Tin Meal-Chile Relleno Pie

2009-08-07T03:17:00.000-07:00

I love Muffin Tin Meals!

I like to prepare meals in muffin tins. A muffin tin makes a good sized Bandster portion.
I make them, eat some and freeze them for later in the week.
They are great for those only cooking for one, lunches or if you are too busy (or lazy) to cook!

Chile Relleno Pie

For the Beef Mixture:

Brown 1 lb of extra lean ground beef. Ground turkey would do.
Add 1 cup chopped onion, 2 4oz cans of diced green chiles, salt, pepper and 1 tsp chili powder. Cook until onions are tender.
Spray muffin tins well with cooking spray!
Divide mixture into muffin tins.
Top with with 1/2 cup of cheese. I used Pepper Jack cheese for the flavor, but any will do.

Egg Mixture:
3/4 cup of non-fat milk
1/8 cup of flour
2 beaten eggs
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 shakes of hot pepper sauce
Mix well until smooth.
Add to muffin tins. Fill just barely over beef mixture.

Bake at 365 for 15 mins or until eggs are done!

While the tin is still hot, run a knife around the edges to loosen up. Don't take them out until they have cooled. Freeze individually or in twos.

Makes 12. For 1, there is 133 calories and 10g protein.
Normally, I would eat two.
Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

2009-08-05T03:31:00.000-07:00

Chicken Salad
1 chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped grapes
4-5 Tbsp Miracle Whip Fat-Free

Cook chicken. I cooked on high in crockpot for four hours with two squirts of fat-free Italian dressing. Once cooked, shred chicken breast and mix with other ingredients. Refrigerate.

Makes 4 Bandster servings with 90 calories and 13.5g of protien per serving.

Yoplait Whips

2009-08-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

Very Tasty! They are even better frozen.
140 calories and 5 grams protein.
I am waiting for them to come out with a lighter version.
Until then, one every now and then won't hurt!

A Special Treat...

2009-08-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

BBQ Blues

2009-08-02T01:11:00.000-07:00

I have the hardest time deciding what to take to BBQ's and picnics. No one knows my husband and I are banded. I want to bring stuff that everyone is going to enjoy... not just us. So here are a few of my favorite Summer dishes...

A simple bowl of berries!
It seems like these are always the first to go.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Recipe found here!
There is so much flavor packed into this dish.
It could also be used as a salsa for tortilla chips.

Zucchini and Tomato Salad

Who needs potato chips when you have this dish.
It has a wonderful crunch!
Recipe found here!

Spinach-Strawberry Salad
This one is my all time favorite.
If you are looking to try something new, I recommend this one!
Recipe found here!

Flantastic Flan!

2009-08-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

Jello Flan....
only 80 calories per serving!

Tuna Recipes

2009-07-30T01:27:00.000-07:00

There are so many benefits to eating tuna. It is an excellent source of lean protein, vitamins, and minerals. One 6 oz can of tuna is about one third of our recommended daily amount of protein. It is naturally low in fat and calories. For 1-6oz can of StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water, there is 100 calories, 2g of fat and 22g of protein.

Here are some great links to tuna recipes:

Middle Eastern Tuna Salad
Fruity Tuna-Salad Pita Sandwiches
Crackers and Tuna
Tuscan-Style Tuna Salad
Tuna Melt
Tasty Tuna Burgers
Tuna Fish Salad
Zippy Tuna Salad
Zesty Lemon Tuna Cakes
Tuna-Garbanzo Salad

TIP: Use a low fat mayonnaise or a non-fat Miracle Whip. You'll save lots of calories and fat.

McCormick's White Chicken Chili

2009-07-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy and so quick to make. Oh and, it is soooo good!

McCormick's

White Chicken Chili

1 pkg. McCormick's White Chicken Chili Seasoning Mix
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 cup water
1 can white beans, undrained

Heat oil and cook chicken 3-5 min until no longer pink. I used my slow cooker to cook the chicken with 1/2 cup of salsa and then I shred it. I find it more tender this way. But either way is fine!
Stir in seasoning mix,water and beans. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 10 mins, stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 Bandster portions with 170 calories and 18g of protein per serving without toppings.

Top your chili with, cheese, salsa, avocado, cilantro, or fat-free sour cream.
Remember, extra topping=extra calories.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

2009-07-26T04:42:00.000-07:00

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

1lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 can of whole beans, (red, white, pinto, black..your choice)
1 taco seasoning packet (low sodium, if you can find it)
water

green peppers

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Depending on the how many you are serving, cut bell pepper. I quartered mine and made 4 servings. 2 bell peppers = 8 servings. Place cut peppers in a pan and bake till tender... you could grill them, too!
Meanwhile, brown your meat, drain well. Then add beans and taco seasoning. Add water according to the measurement on the taco seasoning packet. Simmer.
Top green peppers with taco mix.

Makes about 8 Bandster servings at 150 calories and 15g protein per serving size without extra topping.
Top with salsa (2 Tsp=10 cal), reduce-fat cheddar cheese (1 serving= 80 cal), fat-free sour cream (2Tbs=20cal).

Zucchini Fritters

2009-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Fritters

1 medium zucchini, grated
2 eggs (1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
3 Tbs flour
salt and pepper
2 Tbs oil

Heat oil in pan, a good coat of Pam cooking spray works, too. Mix all ingredients together and season to taste. Pour 2-3 spoonfuls in pan and cook like a pancake. It only takes a minute or two to cook on each side.

Makes about 6 Bandster portions at 80 calories, and 3g of protein per serving.
It doesn't have a lot of protein. Don't forget to always eat your protein first.
These would taste really good with turkey sausage or refried black beans.

Italian Vegetable Soup

2009-07-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

This soup was so good and it had so much flavor! It was gone before I could take a picture. I found the recipe in an old cookbook I've had since forever, Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook.

Italian Vegetable Soup
1 lb bulk Italian turkey sausage
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil or 2 Tbs dry
2 medium summer squash
(I used one zucchini and one yellow)
1 can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can beef broth

Directions
First, Cook sausage and onion. Drain.
Then, Stir in remaining ingredients, breaking up tomatoes. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 mins until squash is tender.
Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8 servings at 265 calories and 17g of protein per serving.

With soups, I don't typically eat them with the broth. I pick out the meat and the veggies.

Spinach-Bacon Quiche

2009-07-20T05:18:00.000-07:00

Spinach-Bacon Quiche

2/3rds of a Pie crust
6 eggs (1 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1/2 reduce fat cheddar cheese
4-5 cups fresh spinach, chopped or 1 package frozen (thawed and drained)
4 strips of cooked bacon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions
First, On a floured surface roll out your pie crust with a rolling pin. Cut to the size you need. You don't have to do this step, but it makes it easier to eat for those who might have problem with crust and plus it's less calories. If you want to reduce even more calories, omit the crust all together.
Second, Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put your crust in the baking dish. Place crust in the oven to cook for 2-3 minutes while you start browning bacon and chopping spinach. Take the crust out and add spinach and cheese. Beat with hand mixer eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add mixture to dish. The mixture should barely cover spinach. If it doesn't, add an extra whisked egg.
Top with crumbled bacon. Turkey bacon is a great substitute.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until eggs are cooked in center of quiche.
Makes 8 servings at 122 calories per serving.

Make it a Muffin Tin Meal!- you could omit the crust and bake in muffin tins!

My Husband's Favorite Breakfast

2009-07-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

Scrambled Eggs with Refried Black Beans
My husband is from Guatemala, where black beans is a staple in their daily diet. They eat refried black beans with bread for breakfast, and rice and black beans for lunch and dinner. He loves them with everything, it's like ketchup to him. Here is how I make the Band-friendly version, it's not quite like his mother's (heaven forbid), but they are still very tasty.

Refried Black Beans

1 can black beans
1/2-1 Tbs canola oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2-1 cup water
salt to taste

Drain a little bit of liquid from canned black beans. Then blend in food processor to the constistancy you like. I like them chuncky, the hubby likes them smooth. Heat oil, saute garlic and onion. Add pureed beans. Stir over medium heat and let them. Stir in water until beans are creamy. Add salt to taste.
Make 3 bandster servings with 165 calories

With our beans we had:
Scrambled Eggs with Mixed Peppers

1/4 cup of Southwestern Egg Beaters
1/4 cup of Mixed Peppers (green, red, yellow)

1 Bandster serving with 45 calories.

Total Breakfast: 210 calories
You know what is missing from this picture... Cilantro and Fat-Free sour cream(1Tsp=15cals).

Dinner Last Night

2009-07-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

This was dinner last night...

Creamy Vegetables

1 can of low fat Cream of Mushroom Soup
1lb bag of frozen vegetables (I used a broccoli, cauliflower, carrot blend)
1/2 cup of reduce-fat cheddar cheese
Salt, pepper, dried basil to taste

Mix together and bake till vegetables are tender.
Makes 6 Bandster portions at 90 calories per serving.

For protein we had:
Lloyd's Seasoned Pulled Pork with Original BBQ Sauce

I found this the other day on sale and I thought I would try it. I am always looking for a quick dinner. Man, it was quick! It only takes 5 minutes to cook. We all have 5 minutes, right? It was pretty tasty, too. It has 70 calories per 2 oz serving and it makes 9 2oz servings. You can find it in your meat department.

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-07-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pot Pie
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup fat-free milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken breast
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup peas
1 medium potato, chopped
1/2 green beans
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning
1 store bought Pie Crust
First, cook your chicken. I cooked mine in a slow cooker for 6 hours on high. You could pan "fry", use left over chicken, or chicken from a can.
Next, to make the gravy, melt butter in sauce pan and flour. Stir. Add milk. Continue stirring. Mixture will start to thicken. Add chicken broth and seasonings. Add vegetables and chicken. Let cook on medium heat while you prepare pie crust.
Here's a Tip: As bandsters, we are always looking for ways to reduce calories. So with store bought pie crusts, I roll them out on a floured surface to make thinner. Then I cut it to the size I need. With this pot pie, I only used 2/3rds of the original pie crust. Hey, it saved me about 200 calories off my total dish.

Anyhow, fill an oven safe dish with the chicken and vegetables. Then top with your pie crust. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. Makes a ton! Somewhere between 8-10 bandster portions with about 200 calories per serving.

With such a low cal dish,
I hope you saved room for dessert...

How cute is this?
I hope you saved that extra pie crust!!

You are going to need:
1/3 of a pie crust
2 medium apples
little bit of Splenda and Cinnamon

Bake in the tiniest oven safe dish you have for about an hour.
Serves two at 188 calories per serving.

Tomato Gratin

2009-07-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe is perfect for entertaining. It is tasty and healthy.
Original recipe found here.

Tomato Gratin
4 slices whole-grain bread, torn into quarters
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

First, Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Second, Place bread in a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add garlic, oil and cheese; pulse to combine. Spread the seasoned breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, layer tomato slices in the prepared baking dish, sprinkling each layer with basil, pepper and salt. Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes; sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs, and bake for 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

I divided the recipe in half and got about 4 Bandster sized portions. About 96 calories per serving.

If you wanted to cut some of the calories, omit the cheese.

Cheesy Ragu

2009-07-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a product I love!
Only 70 calories for 1/4 cup!

Chicken Alfredo

This recipe is so simple. It's 1lb chicken breast. I cooked the chicken with a squirt or two of fat-free Italian dressing in a slow cooker first. Then I chopped it up and add 1 cup of reduce fat Cheesy Ragu Light Parmesan Alfredo.
Makes 6 bandster portions. 135 calories per serving with 19g protein.

Chicken Stuffed with Ham and Cheese

Butterfly chicken breast half and beat flat with meat mallet. Season with favorite herbs. I used salt, pepper and dried basil. Add 1/4 cup or reduce-fat or fat-free cheese and a slice or two of chopped deli ham or turkey and roll. Secure with tooth picks. Bake until chicken is cooked (180 degrees). If you wanted to add a few more calories, you could lightly cover the chicken in bread crumbs and pan fry in a little oil. Baked chicken dries out quickly...try not to over cook. Add 1/4 cup of Cheesy Ragu Light Parmesan Alfredo to top.
Makes 2 bandster portions. 200 calories per serving with 23g protein.

Tips and Tricks- Chicken

2009-07-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Chicken can be really hard for some Bandsters to eat. Here are a few tips and tricks for tender chicken.

1. Don't over cook... cook boneless chicken until to 180 degrees and bone-in chicken to 170.
2. Chicken cooked with the bone-in tends to be more tender
3. Avoid freezing it. A lot of the juices are lost in defrosting.
4. Marinades help chicken stay moist while cooking.
5. Baste
6. Rubs help seal in juices
7. Don't use salt until after the chicken is cooked. Salt extract juices.
8. Use the old crock pot. If fresh, cook on low for 5-6 hours with 1/2 cup water or broth. If frozen, cook 8-10 hours with 1/2 cup water or broth.

I tend to use my crock pot the most. If I know I will be using chicken for dinner, I through it in the Crock Pot in the morning and it is done by dinner time. The only thing is when using boneless chicken breast, by the time it's done, it becomes more like shredded chicken instead of actual breast. Which is nice, because it is very easy to eat.

When buying a Crock Pot or slow cooker, bigger isn't always better. If you are only cooking a pound at a time, then get the smallest one you can find. I have a big one I use for 3-4 lbs and a smaller one for 1-2 lbs. When I use my big Crock Pot for my 1 lb of meat, it dries out a lot faster.

I hope this helps!

A Quick Snack and A Quick Jam

2009-07-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

I don't really have a name for it but...
It kind of tastes like Cheesecake.
1Before the band, I would eat this on an English muffin or bagel.

1 reduce-fat gram cracker 60 cal
1/2 oz fat-free cream cheese 15 cal
your favorite jam

I make my jam. I do it every year. This year I am starting to experiment more with using Splenda and natural fruit juice instead of regular sugar. Freezer jam is something everyone can do. It is so simple and you don't need any special equipment.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
You will need:

Box of Ball No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin
4 cups mashed Strawberries (5-6 cups whole)
1 1/2 cup Splenda
Plastic Containers

Directions:

First, Clean and hull strawberries. Mash them. I use my blender. You don't want to puree them, you want them to have liquid, but still be chunky.
Second, Mix Splenda and Pectin in separate bowl. Mix well.
Third, Add mashed strawberries and stir for 3-5 mins.
Fourth, Ladle mixture into clean jars or plastic containers. Let sit for an hour or so.

Store in Freezer up to a year or Refrigerate for 3 weeks.

If you don't like the after taste of Splenda, you could do a half sugar-half Splenda mixture. Or 1 cup Slenda and 1/2 cup of sugar. Remember, sugar=calories.

Baked Fish

2009-07-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't experimented a lot with fish. I was raised on fried, beer-battered catfish and fish sticks. So when it comes to real fish, I am totally clueless. When I came across these...

I got excited. I found them in the frozen food section of my local grocery store. They are individual, 4oz servings, which is awesome if you are just cooking for one. The great thing is that they were only 1 dollar each... so if I totally messed them up, then I wasn't out much.

So here is how it went down:
I sprayed tin foil with a light coat of Pam.
Seasoned the fish with my favorite seasonings
(salt, Italian seasoning, minced garlic)
Add fresh veggies and a tiny bit of butter.

Wrap it up and bake.
I used the recommended temperature and time from the bag.

All in all, it turned out pretty good. Well worth my dollar!

The Tilapia (top picture) was only 140 calories total with broccoli and 29g protein.
The Alaska Pollock (bottom picture) was only 200 calories total and 26g protein.

Tuna Melt

2009-07-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

Tuna Melt

1 can tuna in water
1 green onion
1 Tbs fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
2 Roma tomatoes

Slice tomatoes horizontally and spoon out the insides. Drain tuna and mix everything together. Fill tomatoes with mixture. Top with favorite cheese. I used mozzarella.
Bake 400 for about 10mins.

Makes 2 Bandster portions at 126 calories each serving.

Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Pasta

2009-07-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Pasta

Doesn't this look good! I have made this twice this week. It is so good and easy. At first, my husband was a little iffy about the sauteed zucchini instead of pasta (Thanks to Cook Yourself Thin for the idea!). But after one bite, he was convinced.

A while back, I read over the original recipe and thought it was the craziest thing. I think it was from a Fix-it and Forget-It slow cooker recipe book. Anyhow, the other day, I found myself out of chicken breasts and staring at a Costco-sized bag of chicken nuggets in my freezer wondering what I could do with them. Then, out of the blue, this recipe came back to me.

It went something like this:

Chicken Nuggets

Yes, those are Mickey Mouse nuggets! I do have kids, you know.
Line the bottom of your slow cooker with chicken nuggets. Just one layer. I used 15 in total.
Then add spaghetti sauce. I used 1 1/2 cups.

Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours until everything is cooked and tender.
About 15 mins before you want to serve add 1/2 cup of cheese. I used Mozzarella.
Cover and continue cooking.

Zucchini "as" Pasta

1 medium zucchini= 2 servings
Thinly slice zucchini...paper thin. I used the slicer on my old school, hand held grater.
Season to taste.
Saute in 1 Tbs Extra light olive oil for a minute or two
Serve as your pasta.

Serves 5 Bandster sized portions. My calorie estimations per serving:
265 for Chicken
80 for Zucchini

Wow, that is only 345 calories! Not bad!

Oh, I am sure you could bake it if you didn't have a slow cooker.

Zucchini Pizza Boats

2009-06-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Pizza Boats

I miss pizza! I crave it like every Friday night. Now that my gastric band is fairly tight, I have had a hard time finding a replacement. I found a similar recipe on allrecipes.com . I changed it up a bit to better meet my taste buds. The great thing about this is...you can still make your family pizza and not feel so left out.

Here is how it is done:

Cut the stem off of the zucchini and cut horizontally.
Spoon out some of the inners (the inside)
Season to taste. I used salt and Italian seasoning
Add your favorite toppings. Don't get to excited. You still have to count those calories. Reach for the healthy stuff. I used reduce-fat Jimmy Dean sausage and mixed peppers.
(ok, I have to admit..I should of used turkey sausage)
Add a little pizza sauce and cheese.
Then bake at 375 for about 12 minutes.

It really is good! You will have to try it.

Zucchini Tomato Salad

2009-06-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Tomato Salad

Original Recipe Found Here

I took this salad to a birthday party over the weekend. It was really a big hit.
Your going to need:

1 zucchini
1 tomato
1 head of broccoli
Basil (fresh or dried)
2 Tbs. fat-free Italian Dressing
2 Tbs. shredded reduced-calorie cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop and mix all ingredients together. Toss with dressing.

Makes 5 servings at 82 calories per serving

Another Muffin Tin Meal

2009-06-26T07:18:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Meat Loaf

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 nonfat milk
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 small onion, grated
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
punch of salt

Mix all ingredients together and divide in muffin tins. Preheat oven 350 and cook 30-35 mins. Freezes well. I freeze mine in individual size portions.

Makes 12 serves at 130 calories per serving using ground beef and 95 calories per serving using ground turkey.

Last Night's Dinner

2009-06-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

BBQ Pork Tenderloin on Lavish Bread with Baked Zucchini

I had company over the night before last and I made the most tender pork loin ever. I used 3-4lbs of meat, water and one envelope of onion soup mix... That's It!! I put it in my slow cooker for 8 hours. With the left overs, I added Kraft Reduce Calorie BBQ Sauce. I made this beauty last night for dinner. It's meat, cheese and lavish bread, which is a really, really thin bread. I find it easier to eat than tortillas. What is great about lavish bread, when toasted, it becomes crispy like a cracker or tortilla chip. My "sandwich" was 235 calories.
I ate it with zucchini found here!