Week 15 post Bypass Surgery

Week 2 post barnacle removal:

I am feeling much better this week. My 2 week post op appt with Dr. O went very well. I am healing slowly, but still healing. I have weaned myself off the pain meds. I really dislike not being able to think straight. 

15 weeks post Bariatric surgery:

I am doing pretty well on this front as well. 

High weight was 315 lbs

Current weight 243.8 lbs

Weight loss 71.2 lbs

I am starting to take a selfie everyday so I can see my changes. At least one a month it will be a full body shot. Most of the time, it will be like the photo above. 

In the next week I am allowed to start walking more, bending some and possibly drive again. So, I am charging my Fitbit and setting my steps for 1000. Seems low, but it's more than I have been allowed to do since the 28th. 

A couple weeks ago Sarge sent me a link to Spaghetti Squash stuffed with Chicken Parm. The recipe sounded good, but it was breaded fried chicken in sauce placed over spaghetti squash with full fat cheese. Yeah. This doesn't fit into the lifestyle we have changed to. So, I reworked the recipe so it no longer had all the carbs (56g), fat (28g),  and calories (740). 

Even Sarge said this was a keeper. 

Here is my interpretation:

Spaghetti Squash stuffed with Chicken Parm

 1 med/large spaghetti squash

Olive oil spray (I use a misto)

Black pepper

Salt

Oregano 

Preheat oven to 375

Poke squash around lengthwise with a knife (---------} 

Microwave for 5 minutes

Use poke line to cut squash in half and remove seeds/guts

Spray cleaned squash lightly with oil

Sprinkle with pepper, salt and oregano. 

Place cut side down on cookie sheet or roasting pan. 

Bake for 40 minutes

Filling:

1 cup pasta sauce

8 ounces of chopped cooked chicken

1/4 cup shredded 4 cheese Italian mix

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/8 cup parsley flakes

1 tbs Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

Mix all but sauce in a bowl. 

Turn squash over. 

Using a fork, scrape the meat of the squash. Spoon pasta sauce on top. Place Meat mixture on top 

Topping: 

1/4 cup shredded 4 cheese Italian mix

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Sprinkle with more parsley 

Bake for another 20 minutes

Serves 4

Each serving: 281 calories 26g protein 26g carbs 9g fat

I think next time I will add onion and bell pepper to the meat mixture. 

The amount I could eat. 

Soup Weather

A storm has rolled into West Michigan. It is very windy outside, snow flurries with sleet and hail. It is truly the end of autumn and the beginning of winter even if the calendar says we have another month. Winter to me means big pots of soup. My husband, Sarge, really didn't like soup when we first moved in together. Over the years, he has learned that I make hearty soups, not soups that need a sandwich to go with in order to make you full. It's all about the protein and fiber that is in the soup. 

He got used to it because I love soup! I could eat it for lunch or dinner most nights of the week. I don't always make him eat soup, today I made him a pasta dish as well so he had a choice. 

Yes, I almost always cook in cast iron. 

Here is the soup I made today:

Chicken and vegetable soup

1 lb cooked smoked chicken- shredded

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup fat free Italian dressing

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can pinto beans

1 tbl better than bullion chicken

4-6 cups water

In Dutch oven or large pot put dressing and bring to a boil. Add chopped veggies. Cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. 

Serves 8

218 calories, 21g protein, 6g fat per serving. 

I try to get 20g of protein at each main meal and this not only makes my tummy happy but it also gives me the protein I need. 

The dietitian told me to go up to 900 calories so my body doesn't go into starvation mode. I'm trying, it's not an overnight process.

Next up for me will be Italian wedding soup with fresh spinach and mini meatballs. Mmmm I'll post the recipe when I make it. 

Grand Rapids Food Weekend

We stayed at the JW Marriott

12th floor

the room




View during a snow storm



Loved the bathroom!




Outside



Waiting on Dinner












That was Friday night.
Saturday went spent the day at a military event getting all the new info we need for the coming year. After we were dismissed we napped for a bit then headed out for dinner. We were told that Z's was the place in the area for "Good food and relaxing"
Sarge had

He loved it!
I had

They were touted as "The best ribs in town" yeah- well, after one bit I could not eat them. I did not complain, just didn't eat. The owner did comp my meal. How they are called the best I have no idea!! The service was wonderful and the Pineapple juice with Southern comfort that I had was amazing!
We went back to Six-One-Six for my meal


I am not a Blue Cheese lover, it was good but not my favorite thing there.
I ordered the Six-One-Six Burger

For dessert we shared a

We will be returning to this restaurant.
The storm passed and we headed home on Sunday

Love Sunday

Pillsbury orange cinnamon rolls- Yep, from the tube.




Made looking out at this



a bit easier.

Turkey Day-Not Thanksgiving

It is a cheap meal, if you count all the additional meals you get from just one day of cooking.
Cost of turkey: $24
Time to roast it: 5 hours
Finished result:


How I cooked it:

Rinse turkey and remove neck and giblet bag.
Salt inside of bird.
Set in roasting pan with rack.
Lift skin and cut away fat from neck.
In bowl mix minced garlic, olive oil, minced onion, and sage. (to taste)
Lift skin again and pour mixture under the skin. Pat along skin on top to get the mixture all over the bird.
Sprinkle poultry seasoning over top of bird and drizzle with olive oil.

Place in preheated oven (350)

Set timer for 4 hours and walk away.
I do not tent my turkey or baste during this time.
At 4 hours, check bird. If juices from thigh run clear, check with a meat thermometer. 165 is needed. If it is not that warm, put the bird back in and check every 30 minutes until done.

Yep- no basting. Not hard work.

When done, pull bird out of oven and let it set for at least 20 minutes. Do not pick at it. Yes I know picking is yummy and you want to, really- leave it alone! This lets all the juices settle and you will have moist turkey.

Now carve for dinner.
I also cut everything off the bird at this time. I put stuff in freezer bags so we can eat later.
I save one breast just for turkey sandwiches -- Sarge's favorite part of the turkey!
The first night we eat off the other breast and I made Apple cranberry dressing on the side. I omitted the liver, used chicken stock. I also used sour dough and corn breads instead of wheat and white. It was yummy!

I made gravy from the neck bone (boiled in 4 cups of water and then thrown out) and added the dripping from the pan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, onion and garlic. Make a rue (I use flour and part of the water from the pan but you can use cornstarch if you wish) thicken and serve. I make enough to fill a 2qt pan, that way I can freeze it for later use. I use ice cube trays to freeze it and pop them out into a Ziploc bag.

Dinners pulled off the turkey were 7- including last nights, plus, I will boil the bones and make stock for later meals. Cost average then is: $24/8= $3 per meal for meat. Plus we get at least 4 days of turkey sandwiches for lunch.

Enjoy!!

Blessed Solstice!

The day that brings back the sun is a day that I will celebrate!
I miss the sun.

Living in the northern part of the US, I get SAD, so days with little sunlight make me feel a bit off.

Yesterday I made:

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

3 Cups all purpose flour
5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Cups granulated sugar
1 (15 oz) can Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 cup Fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flur 2 9x5 loaf pans
Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
Combine sugar, pumpkin, oil and OJ in large mixer bowl and beat until bleanded.
Add Pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stir until moistened. Fold in cranberries.
Spoon batter into loaf pans.
Bake for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks for ten minutes. Pop out of pans and allow to cool completely.

Well, I need to learn how to read the recipe and not assume I know what I am doing. I used a 29oz can of pumpkin instead of a 15oz can and did not realize this until I was pouring it into the loaf pans. Yeah, I had double the batter. As I didn't have double the pans, I improvised.

I made up two tin foil "pans" in my 13 x 9 inch pan. It worked great.

I was afraid the pumpkin would be over powering in the bread, but it tastes amazing!

And this is coming from me, I do not like pumpkin, normally.

Happy Solstice to all!

Baking with fire

Cinnamon Bread

Rising over night



Morning Puff



Fresh Baked



Ready to Eat.

Merino Pencil Roving

Single. Not sure how I want to ply it, or with what color.

This is my 200Th blog post. Thanks for reading.