Attention bariatric foodie!
National Cooking Day was established to celebrate the joy of sharing delicious food with our loved ones. A central part of every culture, a practice as ancient as cooking deserves to be celebrated, too—humans have been cooking for nearly two million years—especially when some scientists believe it was a key driver in our evolution.
Bariatric surgery doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying some of your favorite foods. In honor of National Cooking Day, September 25, we’ve pulled together some tasty and bariatric-friendly recipes that the bariatric foodie in you and your family can all enjoy. Read on!
When you’re working for the weekend…
Cooking during the week is tough, especially when you’re trying to eat healthy. Even prepping a few meals for the week ahead of time is not always feasible for everyone. However, National Cooking Day falls on a Tuesday this year, so we’ve pulled together some tasty-sounding, simple recipes that can actually be pulled off after work.
If you read our last post, you know how versatile and healthy the avocado is, which was honored in our last blog. This recipe will provide 4-6 servings of delicious, creamy chicken burger that you can pair with anything else you like.
If chicken’s “nacho” thing, then give this recipe a try. This simple, four-step process will yield a delicious casserole dish of nacho-liciousness that is fast, filling, and healthy.
Fall is the perfect time of year to bring out your chili pot. This recipe, which can serve 4-6 people depending on portion size, is easy to make after a long day at work and takes just a few ingredients. Plus, I love that it recommends subbing Greek yogurt in place of sour cream as an optional topping. If you haven’t tried it, now’s the time—it tastes the same, is nearly identical in consistency if you’re sensitive to food textures (it is maybe a little thicker), and it is loaded with protein with little to no fat or carbs.
When you’re the lone bariatric foodie
Not everyone has a lot of mouths to feed, or maybe the rest of the family are picky eaters. Whatever the case may be, sometimes we just need simple, healthy, one-person recipes. Here are a few that will fit the bill.
Meatloaf Muffins with Mashed-Potato Frosting
This creative bariatric foodie recipe offers the perfect single-serving meal that you can either make for yourself, saving the rest to enjoy all week long, or present to dinner guests or family to show off your clever kitchen wit (mashed potatoes as frosting…whaaaaat?!).
Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Wonton Cupcakes
Meet your weight-loss goals while enjoying these savory, single-serving treats. It takes only a handful of ingredients to make 12 servings, so you can save the rest for the week or share with family and friends.
When you’re suffering PTSD (Pre-Thanksgiving Stress Disorder)
The holidays are approaching fast, and while the bariatric foodie is stressing over cooking for the holidays (on top of shopping, decorating, and dealing with family) is normal, there’s no need to suffer anxiety over what you can and cannot eat. These recipes will allow you to stick to your goals without being known as the one who brought the “healthy” food (ugh).
Thanksgiving Superfood Stuffing
The Thanksgiving holiday is famous for leftovers, and while this recipe will make several servings, it won’t leave you with so much that you wind up having to throw half of it out (but be prepared to not have any left). You can make it in a casserole dish or divvy it up among several ramekins.
Sweet (and Salty) Potato Casserole
A Thanksgiving holiday staple shouldn’t be left out of the game just because you’re on a health mission—this recipe satisfies that carb-craving but packs protein, too. It’s short on ingredients and long on flavor, so don’t tell anyone it’s healthy (unless you want it all to yourself) and they’ll never suspect.
Don’t diss the dessert
What’s better than dessert? Dessert that helps you lose weight and maintain muscle tone. Even if you’re not on a bariatric diet plan, these healthy, protein-packed, and perfectly portioned treats will do your body good.
Salted Caramel Protein Mini-Cheesecakes
If the idea of attempting to make cheesecake, let alone “healthy” cheesecake, is daunting, don’t worry—the chef includes lots of practical tips, and you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Packed with protein and fiber, this recipe makes 4 miniature cheesecakes that you can share or horde for yourself.
No Sugar-Added Ramekin Blueberry Cobblers
A perfect dessert-for-two (or for one, twice) recipe, this cobbler takes only five minutes to prepare and uses only a few ingredients, most of which you’ll likely already have on hand, so it should be an easy go-to when you want to whip up something spur-of-the-moment. If you don’t like blueberries, you can use any other kind of berry you like or mix them up!
“Elvis’s Favorite” Banana Pudding
Because Elvis.
I’ve gotta be honest, choosing bariatric foodie recipes for this post was tough, because there are so many out there and they all sound so good. Even if weight-loss surgery isn’t in your future, you can benefit from these and many other bariatric-friendly recipes.
Learn more about Dr. Ayoola and Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas
