Our diets change dramatically after weight loss surgery! For many of us, we turn to an entirely new way of eating. At the same time, we give up tons of old favorites, such as French fries, ice cream, pizza, nachos, chips, brownies…and so on.

Most of the time, that’s okay. We feel good, and we’re satisfied eating the new healthy foods. But what happens when the old cravings strike? Or how can you keep some of the old favorites in your new rotation of healthy meals? Recipe swaps!

You can healthify recipes by changing some ingredients, and I know there are tons of creative ways to do this. So, what are your favorite recipe (or food) swaps that let you eat something delicious and satisfying, but keep you from WAY overeating?

One of mine is frozen bananas for ice cream. I am shocked that this one works so well, but it does! Just…freeze a banana. It becomes sweet and creamy. You can even top it with fruit, nuts, or sugar-free chocolate syrup just like you would a regular scoop of ice cream.

Another of my favorites is spaghetti squash. It’s so neat that you can cook squash and have it come out like spaghetti! You can use ground turkey or soy crumbles and grated zucchini to make healthy meatballs, too. Of course, there are other Pasta substitutes, like shirataki noodles and zucchini noodles (zoodles), you can try.

Oh, and I love baked zucchini instead of French fries. They don’t have quite the same crunch factor, but they do the trick for me to have as a healthy side.

What are your favorite swaps? How do you trick your taste buds into thinking they’re getting what they’re demanding, while you stay within your calorie and nutrient goals?

My two favorite (and ok probably the only swaps I've done consistently) are spaghetti squash instead of Pasta and blended cauliflower in place of potatoes. Since surgery almost 2.5 years ago I have had both pasta and potatoes maybe a combined total of 5 times, if that. I really don't even recognize a taste difference when I swap out these ingredients now, and while the texture difference is probably the biggest difference, this isn't really something I notice either. I think for the most part is memory in that when you don't have pasta or potatoes for years, you aren't really affected by the small taste changes of a swap in the same way as someone who routinely eats the carb-laden "good stuff".

One of my favorite is cauliflower rice. I bought it at Trader Joe's at first then made my own in a Ninja. Just pulse.

After I brown it I add an egg and some soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos to make fried rice.

Hmmm I'd say drinks are mine. I haven't done sodas or caffeine also since surgery.

For me it is all about hearty Soups or stoups as I like to call them. (Stoup = a cross between a Soup and a stew).

Prior to surgery I lived for beef or chicken dumpling soup. I loved all pastas and dumplings. It's just the way I was raised.

I changed my beef dumpling soup to a rich beef barley stoup. I use all the same vegetables but I add a half cup of barley to the pot. Barley is an awesome whole grain that actually has some Protein in it. It makes this stoup gloriously filling and my pouch absolutely loves it!

I have made many soup recipes removing the Pasta or dumpling and swapping for some type of veggie or whole grain.

Now, one of my favorite childhood foods that I love is called potato dumplings. It is another thick soup but obviously all carbs. It is made with bacon, onion and potatoes. I have yet to figure out if I could swap this one out somehow and I know that if I made this I would be in big trouble so I don't. This food item could be blamed for why I got into trouble in the first place. LOL!

Probably my use of cauliflower as a stand-in for rice, flour, potatoes, just about anything starchy. It takes some massaging to get it right, but it's allowed me to create favorites from Paella to Bagels and from Sushi to Chocolate Cake that are bari-friendly and still appealing to non-bariatric folks.

I was craving pumpkin pie over the holidays so I take a cup of Fage 0% and 1/2 cup pure pumpkin purée, 3 small packets of Splenda, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice - this makes three 1/2 cup servings. Voila and I have my dessert for the night. I really look forward to this little treat.