What's on the menu today, RNYers?

Good morning, everyone!  Today's post topic: what are some good (and easy) WLS-friendly dishes to bring to a party?  I have a dinner party on Fri and I am bringing a cheese plate, but I also am going to a baby shower/engagement party on Sat and I offered to bring something.  There will be 15 people and there will be tea sandwiches, beef meatballs, fresh veggies, and potato salad.  So it should be something that "fits" the menu.  A crustless quiche?  Some sort of seven-layer dip?  Guacamole?  (I always eat too much - it's a total slider food for me).  I don't have time to whip up a turkey chili - so if you all have ideas, I will hit the grocery store after the gym tonight.  Thanks in advance!

Time Since Surgery: On Friday it will be 5 months!

B: 1.25 scoops Syntrax matrix mint cookie (my 5 lb bag arrived!!!) with 12 oz of unsweetened almond milk

L: Grilled chicken mixed with light mayo on cheese crisps (pseudo-crackers b/c they are crunchy and delicious but have no carbs)

S: A pice of olive oil asiago cheese before the gym

D: Gotta get through this chicken...may eat it with some light Mexican cheese and taco sauce

E: On my own at the gym - will aim to do 3 miles on the treadmill and strength train for 15 minutes.  My trainer kicked my butt last night!

W: I will do it

V: On it as of now :)

Totals will be 750 calories, 79 g protein, 21 g carbs

What's on your menu today?  Em

 

Good morning, Emily! It is a totally yucky day here, but my colleague and I met to walk this morning so I have a jump start on steps and water, which I love. Mostly it's misty and cold - 90 on Monday and now this today - totally wreaking havoc on my system!

Mostly I think a cheese plate is a good idea....anytime! But I also like your idea of a crustless quiche. A babyshower screams quiche to me. Or perhaps some sort of broccoli salad with a vinegar-based dressing would be good? It would go with the potato salad but be a healthier option (I don't actually have a recipe to share though).  

I finally got to do water aerobics last night and as I knew I would, I loved it! There were about 10 of us, a 40 something woman, old ladies, 1 old man, and me - but it was great. I love being in the water and I can definitely feel it in my abs today. The instructor mentioned that if I thought I was going to come regularly I might want to get some water shoes so that I could get better grip on the floor of the pool and that obviously made sense. She told me she had just gotten a pair at Target for like $14 and I happened to be headed there after the class, so I grabbed a pair. 

Time since surgery: 8 weeks

B: 2oz cottage cheese, 1 Morningstar Farms maple "sausage" pattie

S: 12oz Nectar Lemon Tea protein shake

L: 1oz turkey pepperoni (this is something new, so we'll see how it goes, I'm going to bake it in the oven to get them crispy), 1 string cheese, 2oz steamed carrots

S: pre-workout snack of 1oz deli turkey

D: 1/4c egg beaters, 1oz turkey sausage crumbles, 1 slice of ultra thin colby jack cheese, 1oz unsweetened applesauce

S: 12oz Nectar Lemon Tea protein shake

TOTALS: Calories 604, Protein 95, Carbs 21, Fat 16

I've cut out that third protein shake and I almost didn't know what to do with those extra calories! I'm not going to eat them all, but I did add the pre-workout snack (my NUT is so so on snacks, but I think a planned snack for the purpose of making it through a work out would be ok with her).

Em, are these cheese crisps something you make or buy? Putting something like chicken salad on a "cracker" is super appealing to me!

Hey Anny!  Thanks for the ideas :)  A broccoli slaw might be perfect!  I am going to google recipes.  How was the "sausage" pattie?  I like veggie burgers but sometimes I get freaked out by things like "not dogs" which are tofu hot dogs but have a fake hot dog flavor?  Curious what you thought of it!

Awesome that you loved water aerobics!  Isn't a nice gym the best???  Ugh, Target. I spent $200 there on Sunday.  I am out of control with the shopping.  I am chalking up this year to buying new clothes like every month, paying for training, and then starting to save for plastic surgery lol.

I also tried some turkey pepperonis but raw, and didn't like them.  I wonder if they will be good crispy?

The cheese crisps could easily be made - you just put a piece of parchment on a tray and bake some grated cheese.  I happened to buy these at Wegmans (don't you guys have Wegman's in PA?  I LOVE it but the only one here is way out in the burbs so I go like once a year) and they are A-MAZING.  Crispy and crunchy and no carbs!  http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResul ts?topsearch=true&Ne=5&Ntt=parmesan+crisps&Ntk=All&langId=-1 &storeId=10052&Ntx=mode+MatchAllPartial&N=0&catalogId=10002& fromHeader=true&Nty=1

The weather in DC is also gray and ick.  I am working from home today :)

Oh, we do have Wegman's but none super close to where I am. It is always fun to go though, so maybe I'll talk my sister into taking a little voyage with me.

DC was basically a food desert when I lived there and it came to grocery stores. For two years I lived in the former-Howard Johnson's turned GW dorm across the street from Watergate, so we had the Safeway, but other than that there was nothing and the Safeway left MUCH to be desired. GW students everywhere almost died of jealously when the Trader Joe's finally opened nearby a few years ago. 

And YES! The nice gym is sooo good. I actually want to go. And I realized an extra thing I love about it last night - they have 5 locker rooms = Family, Boys, Girls, Men's, and Women's. No one under 18 is allowed to use the Men's and Women's so it lovely and quiet in them, well I haven't been int he Men's of course but I'm assuming.

I'll let y'all know about the baked and crispy pepperoni. I saw it as a suggestion here on OH, so I'm hoping they're good. I've been craving crunchy and this seemed like a good option.

OMG yeah you had NO options.  I live two blocks from the Safeway in Adams Morgan, which is NOT nice.  Giant opened at the Columbia Heights metro but it is a SH*TSHOW!  There is a super secret Harris Teeter tucked back in a neighborhood about 4 blocks from me so that is where I go now.  And, a SECOND Trader Joe's just opened at 14th and U about two months ago.  Life-changing.  

That's awesome you love your gym.  I also love mine and love going.  It's like an oasis for me.  I wonder what it would have been like had I become a gym rat before I ballooned up to 350 lbs!!!  I just looked at my day of surgery pic last night and I was in shock.  I never saw myself that big!!!  

Go to Wegman's.  Spend the day lol.  It's so amazing.

The crisped up turkey pepperoni is...ok. I think maybe doing something like one poster suggested the other day - some sauce, mozzerella, and a few of pepperoni would be good - but this is a little much. I should have maybe even melted just some cheese on them. Oh well...I'm glad I've tried them!

Oh, and I like the "sausage" patties from Morningstar Farms. 80 calories, 10g protein, and 5 carbs seems to be pretty decent numbers to me!

Slaw dressing is super easy....  Light mayo, Splenda and vinegar. I just pour whisk and taste and add so I can't give quantities.  

Hi Emily and all the regulars.  Sorry I have been MIA for a bit. I have been really sick, some nasty sinus infection/cold and I it kills to swallow anything, my nose is running 24/7 and my right eye runs. I am not a happy girl.  I have been off work for a few days as I am sure my office mates don't want to hear me blowing my nose and hacking every two seconds. I can't smell anything or taste anything.  I have not been eating and my energy is so low its ridiculous.  I have been forcing myself to drink some protein shakes and take my vitamins but I am so tired that it feels like a huge burden just to drink a shake and take the vitamins.

I have lost four pounds, so now I am below my surgeon's goal. Oddly I feel like I didn't really work for these last four pounds, they came off cuz I am so sick and not eating anything.  I guess its a win, but I worry that when I feel better and get an appetite back will I actually gain weight.  Have I just lost a bunch of water weight?  Time will tell I guess.  So I don't really have a menu to post but wanted to come on here say Hi.

Em I think a seven layer dip would be perfect for the party to bring, you can bring some tortilla chips for the other guests to dip and bring some of your cheese crisps for yourself to dip so you can have some as well. I also love fruit trays at party's and veggie and dips.  My go to party food I always bring (and my family requests it) is devilled eggs, they are perfect for us WLS people and most people love them.

You are doing amazing with all your gym visits and personal training sessions.  I am wicked impressed.  Makes me re-think my decision to get a gym membership after seeing you, Anny and Pam all getting so much benefits from your gyms.

6 months & two weeks post op

Water: so so, drinking tea but not a lot, trying to get more in

Vitamins: AM done, PM on alarms

Exercise: zero, too tired and sick to move

Menu:

B: one cup of almond milk with 1.5 scoops of Syntrax Matrix Mint Chocolate Chip cookie

L: will have a cup of green tea or two

D: one cup of almond milk with 1.5 scoops of Syntrax Matrix Mint Chocolate Chip cookie

S: probably not going to have one

Stats: 490 calories  20 carbs  72 protein 

Have a great day everyone!!  Am trying to get back to this post daily, I have missed you all so much!! 

Daisy

I've missed you too!  Pam is sick as well :(  I am sorry that so many people are feeling so crappy :(  Might be the time of year/weather change.  Be happy you are below your surgeon's goal weight - that is awesome!!!  You may gain 4 lbs back when you are eating again, but maybe not.  Right now, definitely focus on fluids I am sure, and at least you are getting your protein in.  Stay in bed and rest too, if you can :)

You can always get a gym membership when you're feeling better :)

I was just wondering where everyone has been! I'm sorry everyone is so sick!