Hello all, is anyone else feeling a though they are hitting a brick wall when it comes to what foods to eat? I started my solids phase last wed and I need some recipe or food ideas that I can use! I work all week and some weekends so I need ideas of easy, healthy things to make to bring with me! Thank you!

I just ate normal foods. The same type of things that I have always cooked but less of them.

Chili , cottage cheese, salad, hot soup from the deli on days you leave work on your lunch break?

I just started soft foods a week ago, however I'm simply modifying recipes I already have. For instance, using lean ground turkey in place of fatty ground beef, skim milk in place of whole milk, and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter in place of margarine. I also use whole grain pastas or brown rice.

Of course, I also eat small portions, too.

Here's an example of a modified recipe I made this weekend (and I have tons of left overs).

Low fat Goulash

· 1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey

· 1 ½ cups whole wheat elbow macaroni

· 1 can stewed tomatoes

· 1 can tomato paste

· ½ ketchup

· 1 cup onion , diced

· 1 cup green pepper , diced

· 1 tablespoon garlic powder

· 1 tablespoon cumin

· 1 tablespoon pepper

Directions:

· Brown onions and peppers in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray in a large skillet. Add ground turkey and brown.

· While this is cooking, cook macaroni according to directions.

· Drain and rinse the turkey and mix in seasonings. Drain the macaroni. Place both in large skillet.

· Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Makes approximately 4-5 servings.

1 cup serving=

• 343 calories
  
• 3.9g of fat
  
• 41.8g of Protein
  
• 35.5g of carbs
  

I eat a lot of grilled chicken because it's good for protein. You can prepare that ahead of time. I don't so much as focus on what I CAN have, but rather on what I CAN'T. For instance, I just stay away from the obviously bad things like pasta, bread, sweets, and drinks with calories in it. Works like a charm for me! Once you know what the obviously bad things are, you can pick the good things! Good luck!

Shrimp and crab with cocktail sauce, boiled of course. Tuna, egg, chicken, ham salads made with ff or light mayo. Cooked veggies heated if you have access to microwave, they're not bad room temp and dipped in ff ranch. Salads (not made with iceburg there is no nutritional value in iceburg) just use ff or lf cheeses and dressings.

Hey,

I signed up on a Lap Band website at http://www.lapband.com/en/home/?Logout=true that has a little recipe area with recipes posted by bandsters. Some of the stuff on the site I can't wait to try and the one recipe I did try was AWESOME! Quinoa is now my favorite food thanks to that website, it can be prepared in so many ways. Good luck to you.

Thanks, Chrysta for the site. I looked it up and added it to my favorites!

Look at this website for great recipe ideas: theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

She has some great casserole and dessert ideas.

My favorites (because I had a lot of post op pain) were lima beans and slow-cooked chicken. Basically put chicken breasts in crock pot and let them cook for a day. They should be falling apart after that. Section off 4 ounces and I added some of the broth for moisture and flavor. I added a tiny bit of butter sometimes, but a very tiny amount. Was a good protein fix and pretty tasty too.

These all sound great!! Thanks for the ideas!

Mis73, what is the measurement for the ketchup??

Hello all, is anyone else feeling a though they are hitting a brick wall when it comes to what foods to eat? I started my solids phase last wed and I need some recipe or food ideas that I can use! I work all week and some weekends so I need ideas of easy, healthy things to make to bring with me! Thank you!

Here are my work staples:

Greek yogurt + Bran buds

Cottage cheese + mandarin oranges in their own juice

Protein shake (1 c. skim milk + protein powder) in one of those shaker bottles

Protein Bars (do your research for the best ones) I can use these as Meal Replacement in a pinch or I cut in half for a snack

SF pudding cups (sometimes I just need that creamy chocolate in the PM)

Do you have access to a fridge? I usually bring two servings of chicken/tuna and store it. I also make turkey meatloaf and slice it into 3 oz pieces, freeze it in individual portions and grab it in the AM if I haven't had a chance to put together a lunch. I'll do the same with chili I've made and then by lunch, it's almost defrosted.

Awesome ideas! Thank you!

Beef jerky for a snack in between meals really stops hunger pains and is full of protein. It comes in many flavors and is really tasty and satisfying. Walmart brand teriyaki is awesome and inexpensive. Try it.