Phase 4 - Cleared for Vegetables.

[trekker954 421]

I'm seven weeks post op, doing VERY well with my Protein phase, although so boring. Met with my NUT today and she cleared me for vegetables. Nothing starchy and to start with cooked (soft). Of course I got the lecture protein first and maybe save two bites for vegetables.

So what goes down easy. I hated wasting the time cooked and trying to eat protein that just didn't sit well and went straight into the trash. Does cauliflower go down easy if mashed? I don't care what, I'm going to put some chopped onions in my tuna and egg salad. lol

I can't imagine lettuce would be good and you can't really chew that to liquid consistency.

Any advice? I'm so excited.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Cauliflower should be fine to try. I ate a lot of green Beans early out. Now I eat a lot of Brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, etc. I also eat a lot of tomatoes, especially now that they are fresh.

[Christinamo7 4,041]

I haven't had problems with anything - I eat Beans, broccoli, carrots, asparagus - kale, spinach

[Daisee68 2,493]

I have never been great at veggies but I have honestly tried since surgery. And made myself try some new things. I am only cooking for me and as you said, it is very small portions. Most everything I do is only a few pieces with some spray olive oil and spices and then roasted under the broiler in the toaster oven. It hasn't worked on everything but some of the things I do like prepared this way were roasted butternut squash (you can buy it already chopped and frozen and just put a few pieces in); roasted sliced carrots, roasted onions, roasted artichoke hearts. Other than that, I love tomatoes with onions and cucumbers and goat cheese (when you are ready for raw - which frankly never gave me much issue either). In fact I ate a LOT Of cucumbers (and still do). Something about them being cold and crunchy. Oh and I love avocado (though yes I realize it is technically a fruit).

By the way, you are right that lettuce doesn't have much value. It shouldn't hurt you necessarily but I wouldn't make it your primary source of veg since it doesn't really give that much nutritional value.

Good luck and enjoy!

[trekker954 421]

Great ideas @@Daisee68

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[OzRoo 1,492]

Well cooked cauliflower and broccoli, zucchinis are easy to eat, bok choy. Later on I tried well cooked brussell sprouts, and they were fine.

I usually add a nice cheese sauce to the veggies, bit of salt, and they taste good

[Moogle 116]

I do a lot of sauteed peppers and onions. Season them up to match whatever the flavor profile of my Protein is.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,443]

@@trekker954, you have a lot of options now. Cauli cooks up very soft and non-fibrous. You should be fine with most vegs.

You won't go wrong if you trim the more fibrous vegs.* Example, the broccoli stalk is fine, but use a peeler to take off the outer/dark layer (at the cut, bottom side, you can see when you're at the paler green). Avoid very thick asparagus spears; the bottom portion, often a long length, can be woody. With thinner spears, just snap off the bottom where it snaps naturally when you break it. Use the peeler to take a little off the lower portion of what remains. If, however, the spears are very thin, maybe just scrape a little from the lower end. Apply the same judgment to others that are fibrous.

* Some may never be problematic, but why risk spooking yourself so early in your sleeve career?

[trekker954 421]

Thanks all! Just sauteed up some onions and Tomato to try again a 2 ounce beef slider. No go on the beef, as hard as I tried, I'd be surprised if I got an ounce down. ugh, my diet is so boring and what if I didn't supplement with those premier Proteins, I'd never get my requirement in.

I did enjoy shopping this morning, and did buy a little but an array of vegetables. And tonight I'm going out for fish!!!

[OzRoo 1,492]

@@trekker954

I forgot to add, that I too ate lot of cooked spinach earlier on.

With Proteins, once I was cleared for Soft/Mushy stage, I cooked minced chicken with ginger and sauce, minced turkey, minced veal and minced lamb.

I only dumped after minced beef, so I stayed away from it.

And I ate poached salmon also, with nice sauce.

If you are not doing this already, perhaps try cooking minced Proteins with sauce to keep them moist, and see how you go.

Good Luck!

[cbonet 336]

Acorn squash. Cut in half horizontally. Seed. Out in small casserole dish open side up. Put butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, a little sugar free maple Syrup in the cavity. Cook in microwave for about 5-8 minutes or until soft. When soft pull it off the skin and mush it all together. You can mix it in a magic bullet too depending how smooth you want it .

[dimz 3]

Hello when can we start eating cheese

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[OzRoo 1,492]

@@dimz

It depends how far post op you are. What does your NUT or Dietician say?

For me, I could eat cream and cottage cheese on the Soft/Mushy phase.

Yellow/hard cheese I started eating when on Solids, and the cheese was mainly melted cheese then. I would have it with refried Beans, or with my minced chicken/turkey dishes.

Now, close to 8 months post op I can eat hard cheese with no problems.