What's For Dinner? Leftover Conundrum

Every now and again the Man has to work the closing shift at his store - today is one of those days. Cooking for one - particularly one WLS post-op - can be a challenge from a serving size perspective, so these nights are a perfect setting for the use of left overs.

Cooking at all, as a WLS post-op, is a constant challenge in volume. Most recipes are sized for 4 or 6 standard portion sizes. Even when I cooked pre-op, we would often have left overs, or honestly the two of us would have seconds of a truly good item. Now, cooking for a WLS-sized portion and a normal sized portion presents problems of recipe math that isn't always practical (half an egg?, etc).

When I made the meatloaf with onion gravy a few days ago, I knew that it would be eight WLS-friendly portions - so if the Man ate two, we'd have five left over. He loves meat loaf sandwiches, so that wasn't a  major concern, and I packaged the left overs for near-future consumption. Other recipes, like the braised meatballs with red wine gravy, made a HUGE batch, and I have two packages in the freezer (stored in my trusty Food Saver bags), each bag will be enough for dinner with a small left over serving between them.

It does take some planning to make sure that food doesn't go to waste - today's lunch relied on the last bit of fajita-spiced chicken and chunky corn and avocado salsa from the other night. Fresh left overs, depending on the item, only reliably last 2-4 days, so it's either the freezer or eat them promptly.

So today was full-on left over day!

My Meals

Breakfast

• 1 scrambled egg
• Dannon Light & Fit peach yogurt (flavor change!)

Lunch

• Salad composed of: 
• 2 oz left over fajita-spiced chicken
• 1 serving chunky corn and avocado salsa
• 1.5 cups romaine and napa cabbage mix
• 4 radishes
• 1.5 tbsp HT Traders brand Chipotle Ranch dressing
• 1/8 cup 2% Mexican blend cheese

Dinner

• 1 serving left over meat loaf with onion gravy
• 3/4 cup green beans - steamed
• 1 medium carrot - steamed
• 1 tsp butter

Water -  50 oz 

Daily Totals: 862 calories, 47g fat, 55g carbohydrates, 23g sugars, 57g protein

3g short on the protein goal - I may nibble a piece of string cheese before bed (50 calories, 5g protein) to make up the difference.

What's For Dinner? Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce

Today's breakfast was too skimpy - just the yogurt, so I'm struggling to hit the low end limit of my protein goal - 60g. Even with a planned snack before bed (some almonds and a frozen greek yogurt bar), I'll still fall about 9g short. I'll definitely have to watch breakfast more carefully when not having a protein shake.

Today's dinner is courtesy of Epicurious - I've been wanting to make this for a long time, but wasn't sure how the Man would react to the spice mix - he's not very adventurous with middle eastern flavor profiles, but this turned out to be milder than I expected - I loved it, and he said "Eh, OK" - but that was more commentary on his ambivalence to pork that's not barbecue or bacon. The recipe calls for quite large meat servings - 2 tenderloins divided between 4 portions. I used half a tenderloin - about 8 ounces raw, about 6.75 after cooking.

My Meals:

Breakfast

• Dannon Light & Fit raspberry yogurt

Lunch

• Whole grain tortilla wrap (Ole brand) filled with: 
• 1/4 cup fat free refried beans
• 1 serving chunky corn and avocado salsa from last night
• a sprinkling of 2% mexican blend shredded cheese

Snack

• Sargento reduced fat string cheese 

Dinner

• 2.5 oz serving Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce 
• 1/4 cup rice
• 3/4 cup steamed green beans
• 1 tsp butter

Planned Snack

• 12 almonds
• Yasso frozen greek yogurt bar - raspberry

Water - 64 oz

Daily Totals: 824 calories, 30g fat, 99g carbs, 35g sugars, 51g protein

Recipe: Chunky Corn and Avocado Salsa

Fresh avocado combined with summer's best corn and tomatoes form the basis of this tasty salsa.

• 2 ears corn on the cob - cooked, preferably grilled
• 1/4 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro 
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper - seeded and finely minced (optional)
• 1 medium ripe avocado

Cut corn from cobs, working to get as much of the kernel as possible. Combine in medium bowl with onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, and chile pepper if desired. Cover and chill at least 1 hour to let flavors combine.

Just before serving, slice avocado in half and pit. Using your knife cut the avocado into cubes while still in the skin.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh of each half. Combine with the rest of the salsa.

Serve as a side to chicken, as a topping for tacos or burritos, or with your favorite chips.

Nutritional Analysis: 8 servings, approximately 1/3 cup each. 88 calories, 4.5g total fat, 0.6g saturated fat, 9mg cholesterol, 14mg sodium, 8.9g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 1g sugars, 4.5g protein

What's For Dinner? Fajita-Spiced Chicken w/Chunky Corn and Avocado Salsa

I love avocado, and the fats in them are very heart healthy. I had some left-over corn on the cob that needed to get used, so I thought of the salsa that is featured in tonight's dinner. There's a full recipe post on the salsa.

Today was my first day experimenting with forgoing the protein shake for breakfast - I did fine as far as energy/being hungry, though I find myself 5-10g short on protein for the day. Not sure I'll be hungry enough for a yogurt bar later, but we'll see how things go.

My meals:

Breakfast

• Dannon Light & Fit raspberry yogurt (yes, I'm stuck on this flavor!)
• 8 almonds

Lunch

•  1 serving meat loaf left over from last night
• 1/3 cup quinoa with 1 tsp parmesan cheese

Dinner

• 2.85oz chicken breast, marinated in Badia Fajita marinade - grilled
• 1 serving Chunky Corn and Avocado Salsa
• 1/3 cup rice
• .5 tsp butter
• salad of 1 cup romaine, 2 radishes, 1 tbsp Ken's buttermilk ranch dressing

Water: 60 oz

Daily Totals: 866 calories, 41g fat, 70g carbohydrate, 24g sugars, 55g protein

What's For Dinner? Meat Loaf with Onion Gravy

Yesterday was colonoscopy day - procedure wasn't until late in the afternoon, so I had very little to eat even after it was all over. Things look clear, though a couple parts biopsied and more information to come in a week to ten days.

Today was my first day of normal eating again - and boy, did that feel good!

I didn't take pictures to do up a full recipe post, but dinner was made this way:

Meat Loaf: 

•  1.25lb meat loaf mix (ground beef, pork, and veal)
• 1 medium onion - chopped fine
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 3 slices french bread (bakery loaf - not sandwich size) - turned into crumbs
• 1.5 tbps worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• .5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Mix all ingredients together - spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Form into rectangular loaf. Bake at 350F for approximately 50 minutes, or until instant read thermometer reaches 160F in the middle of the loaf. Makes 8 servings (non WLS eaters will probably eat a double serving).

Gravy

• 1 medium onion - sliced
• 1.5 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth

Melt 1 tbsp butter in large skillet, add onions and saute over medium-low to medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown - approximately 30 minutes. Add remaining .5 tbsp butter, let melt. Add flour, stir constantly for approximately 3 minutes, forming a light roux around the onions.
Add broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until thickened and reduced to gravy consistency. Makes 8 WLS-sized servings.

My meals:

Breakfast

• Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Truffle protein shake made w/2% Lactaid milk - .8 serving

Lunch

• 1.8 oz left over top sirloin steak
• 1/3 cup green beans - steamed
• Salad: 1.5 cups romaine, 1 roma tomato, 1 tbsp Ken's Buttermilk Ranch dressing

Snack

• Dannon Light & Fit raspberry yogurt

Dinner

• 1 serving meatloaf with onion gravy
• 1/2 cup broccoli - steamed 
• 1/4 cup carrots - steamed

Daily Totals:  655 calories, 33g fat, 42g carbohydrate, 18g sugars, 62g protein






 I have sufficient calories available that I may have a Yasso frozen greek yogurt bar (70 calories, 6g protein) before bed, but we'll see.

7 Months Post-Op: Stats and Pics

A couple days late posting, but since today is colonoscopy prep day, there won't be a "What's For Dinner?" post given I'm on clear liquids all day.

This month has been a challenge. With the ongoing Ass Incision Saga, I haven't been able to exercise, as the incision has still been draining, and exercise irritates it and makes that condition worse. On the plus side, being annoyed about not being able to exercise is a positive sign - I know I need it in my life and want to get back to it. Hopefully, the colonoscopy will reveal to some extent why I'm still having drainage, and we can get a solid plan to Get. This. Fixed.

Despite the exercise setback and a week of road-trip travel, I did lose 7 pounds this month, and a half inch here or there in my measurements. Here's the details:

	Current	Loss	Total Loss
Chest	45.5	-.5	-12.5
Waist	43	0	-11
Hips	51	0	-10.25
Thigh	22	0	-6.25
Calf	17	-.5	-5.3
Bicep	16	-.5	-4.25

And can't forget the weight totals:

Beginning weight	338
Weight at surgery	304
Current weight	213
Total loss	125

What's for Dinner? Braised Meatballs with Red Wine Gravy

Today's dinner produced lots of leftovers - even with the Man eating a normal sized portion. In cases like these, I either divided the recipe, or plan for the leftovers and use my Food Saver in order to freeze them.

Some WLS patients choose to avoid certain starches: potatoes, rice, pasta. I haven't specifically ruled out any foods (except obviously sugar-laden ones - candy, ice cream, and other sweets). For early post-ops these starches like pasta, even whole wheat or whole grain versions, have a tendency to be very "heavy" on the stomach, or rather ball up and not pass through very quickly. Only in the last two months have I really been able to eat any of these items, and when I do, I make sure to choose a lower glycemic index version such as whole grain pastas.

In making the meatballs from the linked recipe, I modified the procedure slightly - I baked the meatballs in a mini cupcake pan - this helps the balls sit a little above the bottom of the pan so they've not sitting in the rendered fat. Additionally, I did not flour and brown them in a skillet afterward - a step I found unnecessary (and simply adding calories). My method resulted in 28 meatballs. I had two for a serving, so I calculated calories on the recipe based on 1/14th of the total (based on the values at my usual site).

The meatballs and particularly the gravy was divine - looking forward to having the leftovers in the coming weeks. 

Without further ado, today's meals are:

Breakfast

• Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Truffle protein shake - made w/2% Lactaid milk - 1/2 serving

Lunch

• Tuna sandwich - 1.5oz tuna, 2tsp mayonnaise,   2 small slices french bread
• Sargento light string cheese stick

 Snack

• Dannon Light & Fit raspberry yogurt

Dinner

• 1 serving (see above) Braised Meatballs in Red Wine Gravy 
• 1/4 cup whole wheat farfalle pasta
• 1/3 cup steamed broccoli
• 1 tsp butter

 Daily Totals: 855 calories, 32g fat, 74g carbs, 20g sugars, 60g protein