Toasted Coconut Custard

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

2-4 packets of Stevia or Truvia (depending on how sweet you like it)

2/3 cup shredded coconut (you can add more or less depending how coconutty you like it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet spread coconut out in one layer. Toast in the oven until it starts to brown. Remove from oven.

2. Beat eggs in a bowl with vanilla and stevia. Add toasted coconut.

3. Use Pam/pan spray to coat a pyrex glass baking dish. (A pie dish or smaller will be appropriate in size. You also will need to be able to sit this glass dish inside a roasting pan so find one that is small enough to work but also has sides that are higher then 1". Its ok if your custard is thick/deep, it will just take longer to cook.)

4. Once glass dish is sprayed with Pam, pour the egg/coconut mixture in. Set glass baking dish into the roasting pan and set on the rack of the oven. Using a pitcher (or coffee pot) pour water into the baking dish until it comes at least 1/2 way up the sides of the glass baking dish. This helps the custard to cook evenly and not burn on the sides. Cook custard until a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the custard (all the way to the bottom) comes out without chunks of wet egg on it.

ENJOY!!

Simple Suppers - Smoked Salmon

Who says you actually have to cook for dinner? There is no reason why your meal needs to look like a 'stereotypical American meal'. If we remember that we are eating to no longer be hungry, not to be full - something as simple as smoked salmon with whole wheat/grain crackers can be put out and enjoyed on a spring or summer evening. No cooking, no clean up! Even the 5 year old loved it!!

Additional accoutrements or substitution ideas:
-whole grain mustard instead of cream cheese
-diced onions instead of/in addition to capers
-mango salsa
-mix Old Bay seasoning into cream cheese for some zing!
-pickled ginger
-lemon or lime wedges
-mix fresh dill and lemon juice into some plain, nonfat yogurt
-roasted asparagus (on the side)

Sweet & Salty Fix

Patients are always wanting a sweet & salty fix, and while we focus on trying not to give into cravings for different foods if they are connected to times of stress or emotions and instead work on controlling the behaviors behind these 'food attacks', you still might need something in your arsenal for other times when you are looking for something sweet & salty because you stomach is growling and that is what you would like to have.

I had never seen the 100% cacao bars in super markets before (the closest I had come was 99% bars from the Lindt store). These bars are not for eating straight (unless you are crazy like me), they are bitter and a little alkaline because they contain 0 sugar and 0 artificial sweeteners, but they will give you the taste of REAL chocolate/cacoa. When mixed with some other flavors like peanut and graham (or banana) you have quite a delectable item. The taste of the pure cacao will take some getting used to, but give it a chance, you will probably never want to go back to milk chocolate again!


*1 graham cracker (look for one that is low sugar - most name brand crackers have 8 grams of sugar and they have added sugar and honey to them)
*1-2 tablespoons natural peanut butter - I like Smucker's because I find it to be the most salty (bad dietitian) and I like the peanut butter to be slightly salty (100-200kcals, 1-2 grams sugar, 3-7 grams protein)
*2 squares from a 100% cacao bar (146 kcals, 0 grams sugar, 4 grams protein)

Enjoy!!!

**Your best bet to find them in the super market is to look in the baking section**

Breakfast Bruscetta

This came across my desk from the Fruit and Veggies - More Matters group. I have added a tweak or two to accommodate a bariatric patient.

Serves 4-6

1 ripe avocado
2 medium tomatoes
1 green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 hard boiled eggs, shells removed
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
whole wheat baguette, sliced or whole wheat crackers
cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Dice up the avocado, tomato, eggs, and green onion - mix in a bowl with fresh ground black pepper and olive oil. Toss in most of the basil - reserve about 1 teaspoon for garnish.
2. Toast baguette slices then spread ricotta over them (or just spread ricotta on crackers)
3. Top with the avocado mixture and sprinkle with more basil.

ENJOY!!!

Food Trend: Extend Nutrition's SF Protein Bars

New brand of protein bars that I came across - Extend Nutrition. Initially created for diabetics these bars have roughly 4.5 grams of fat, 150 calories, 0 grams of sugar (about 8 grams of sugar alcohol) and 10 grams of protein. Click the link below to be redirected to their site!

Extend Nutrition Protein Bars

Last Minute Lemon Noodles

Sometimes its hard when you get home late to throw something together for dinner, especially if you haven't been to the market in a while. I found myself in a similar situation the other night with many odds and ends left in the ice box and this is what came together for me. It took about 14 minutes (or the time needed to boil water and soften noodles. For bariatric patients, you probably won't be able to tolerate the Kami Japanese noodles so I would recommend the Shirataki noodles that can be found in the produce section of your local grocer as they do not expand.

Serves 2 people or 3-4 bariatric patients

1-8oz package Kame noodles (or 2 packs Shirataki noodles)
3/4 cup leftover butternut squash (or frozen butternut squash cubes or puree)
1 tomato diced
1 cup lettuce (or spinach) cut to desired size
1/2 cup cucumber chunks
juice and pulp from half a lemon
1/2 cup grated/shredded Parmesan cheese
fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mushroom-sage infused olive oil + 3 tablespoons regular extra virgin olive oil (you can use all plain EVOO if you don't have a stash of infused oils at home)

1. Boil water and cook noodles. NOTE: if using Shirataki noodles they are already cooked you are putting them in boiling water to heat and get rid of the smell this takes 1 minute only
2. Meanwhile put all vegetables in bowl (make sure you have microwaved the squash so that it is warm)
3. Strain noodles and put in bowl on top of vegetables. Top with oil, cheese, lemon, black pepper. Stir to combine.

ENJOY!!!

A Breakfast (or Anytime) Scramble - Ecuadorian Style

I came across this recipe (by Liz Spittler) in my latest Edition of Food & Nutrition Magazine. If you can't find canned hominy in your local grocery store, canned corn will work just fine. You might have to look for canned hominy in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store.

Hominy is actually corn kernels that have had their germ and hull removed with an alkali solution of lye or slaked lime. It comes in white or yellow - the yellow is slightly sweeter then the white version. Canned hominy is fully cooked and ready for use, if you find dried hominy pellets then you will have to soak them for several hours and then simmer them to soften (just like you would have to do dried beans). The most famous/well known use for hominy is as a ground item called grits.

1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup chopped scallions (including the green ends)
1/4 cup diced white or yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 eggs
1 cup hominy, drained and rinse
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Combine seasoning in a bowl and mash garlic in to form a paste (this will be easiest if you use a mortar and pestle).
2. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions, paste and scallions, cook until onions start to soften. Add hominy, stirring to coat and cook for about 1 minute. Add milk and let simmer until milk is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, scramble eggs in a bowl. Add eggs and pepper to skillet once milk is absorbed and stir occasionally until eggs are cooked through and fluffy, sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

ENJOY!!!