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Hi all....I know, sounds kind of funny since food is what sort of got us here in the first place!

But,as we all know, finding something to eat that doesn't taste like paplum (what is that anyway?) is not easy. Let's face it, food is a source of enjoyment. It shouldn't hold as high a place in our lives as it once did. But, geez....we still have taste buds....we have to satisy them!!! And, since we do have to live this way FOREVER, I think we owe it to ourselves to make sure that the foods that we eat are satisfying, healthy and luscious. We deserve it......!!!

As my energy has rebounded and I am still off from work, I've been puttering in the kitchen (one of my fav things) and coming up with ideas for foods for the mushie stage. Below are one of the recipes I've come up with and that I can highly recommend. Sorry that the portions/measurements aren't good.....I'm an "eyeballer" cook. If anyone else has any food ideas that they've tried, add them to this thread! I'll add more as I go along. I'm trying to perfect a few other recipe ideas before I share them!

Crab "Fritters" with Pesto Aioli

(this recipe made 8 mid size fritters---you can freeze ones you don't eat or put them in the fridge)

For the Fritter.....

2 cans Bumble Bee Premium Crabmeat....remove any shells, run through blender/magic bullet

Mix in:

1 egg

1/4 cup light mayo

few tbls of lemon juice

shot of hot sauce

shot of worchestire sauce

10 low fat Ritz crackers--pulverized/crushed well

Good quality Romano Cheese--not alot, not a tiny bit

Seasonings:

Garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, celery seed, dry mustard

Also....a little flour for dusting to "dry it up" a little

Mix well....it will be goopy. Put the mixture in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to firm up.

Cover bottom of skillet with Olive Oil. Heat. With melon baller or ice cream scooper, scoop out the mixture. Pan fry until golden. Drain on paper towels (although there really is not alot of grease)

Pesto Aioli

make a little or alot

Add equal parts light mayo and jarred prepared basil pesto....place in fridge to enhance flavors

Since I am in the mushie eating stage.....I smashed my crab fritter with a fork really well....I added a little bit of lemon juice to help it along. Then, I drizzled the ailoi over it...working it into the mixture until it was pretty pureed.

My husband loved these too. I think they are going to become a regular menu item at my house. I'll bet the same recipe would be great with canned Salmon!!!

Let me know if anyone tries these! And, if so.....please share your opinion!

Let me know if you have any questions!!!!! Yummy!!!!

That sounds like a good recipe. When were you banded?

I'm not a gourmet cook, like Judi. (Though, I'd love to have dinner at her house! Yum!) I thought I would share this little thing that has been working for me in hopes of helping others.

I'm only a few days away from my two week band-iversary and mushie phase, but I've been hungry all the time, SICK to death of sweats and Soups, and have head hunger for every greasy, cheesy, meaty sinful food on earth! The one thing that saved me is I went to the store yesterday and got a can of Rosarita vegetarian refried Beans. I smoosh them really good, add a little Water and cheddar cheese and pop 'em into the microwave. I then dab on a bit of fat free sour cream and they are the best beans I've had in my life! I'm not hungry or craving anymore!

That's it. That's all I wanted to share. They have worked like magic for me

After some experimenting and taste testing, I found a new way to get in my Protein via a fabulous Chai Latte.....one that rivals those at Starbuck's, Border's and Fortune's (my favorite!). It's decadent!

-6 Decaffienated Chai Tea Bags steeped in boiling Water for about 15 minutes

-Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg to tea and place in a container you can keep in the fridge

For COLD Latte

(I use my Magic Bullet but you can use a blender)

-1/4 cup tea

-1/4 cup fat free milk

-1 Splenda

-1 scoop vanilla whey Protein Powder

Blend together

then add 2-3 ice cubes......whirl it a bit more

Top with a dab of Fat Free Cool Whip and sprinkle with nutmeg & cinnamon

For HOT Latte

(I used Magic Bullet to froth it and mix in the whey powder but if you have one of those little mixers to make latte...that would be great)

-Heat same amounts as above of tea, milk, splenda together.....stir continuously

-Blend in vanilla whey powder using blender, bullet, latte mixers (whatever you have)

-Top with dab of Fat Free Cool Whip and sprinkle with nutmeg & cinnamon

You can definitely experiment using chocolate whey protein powder.....

Enjoy!

Here's a good Autumn Recipe....works for the mushie stage but good enough to serve for company too! My family loved this recipe the other night. I ate 2 ravioli....mushed them up very well and enjoyed the heck out of them!!! I'm thinking this would be a great dish for Thanksgiving.....

-Good quality frozen butternut squash ravioli--1 lb bag (I used Rosetta...not sure if they sell that everywhere).....exceed cooking time by about 3-5 minutes to make sure they are very soft. Drain well, reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid

-Heat together 1/2 cup Fat free/Low Sodium chicken broth, 2 pats of butter, 3 sage leaves (discard before serving), 1 tsp. minced garlic, pinch of black pepper, sea salt & sage powder

-In big bowl---place ravioli, add reserved cooking liquid and sage butter sauce, sprinkle lightly with a very good quality romano cheese....fold all ingredients together gently....

Yum!!!!!

Judi, I'm getting excited about food again now that I've advanced to solids. Yesterday I actually ate a salad. Who knew I could get so excited about a salad. It was crisp and delicious, unlike anything I've had in over a month.

The butternut squash ravioli sounds yummy but I've never seen it in the grocery store. Is it in the frozen food section? Do you buy it at a regular grocery or a specialty market?

if you live near a Trader Joe, it has many gourmet frozen items that can be made to fit our needs without forfitting flavor...;.much better customize these foods than to use prepared dinners that have too much salt and often taste like cardboard. I have found myself reading cookbooks more than ever!! Ironic, don't ya think?? We now eat so little, that even the rich recipes are within our reach--and customized with lower fat/sugar ingredients we can get great flavor and not miss a thing!! Thanks for the recipes--I have enjoyed the read---and the great tastes when preparing them myself (crab cakes/latte).

Hi again.....I've been in the kitchen.....again!

Greek Salmon-Spinach Cakes--I made 8 nice sized "cakes" with this

MIX the following together......FORM INTO PATTIES.....Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes on 350-75

-1 small piece of salmon poached in skillet....water, lemon juice, a little salt-flake it really well after it's done...I put it through my Magic bullet to get it very fine (I used a 4oz frozen piece..."Treasures from the Sea brand...come in a bag...individually wrapped, bought at Sam's)

-1/2 small box of chopped spinach....cooked in microwave & drained really well

-Crumbled Feta cheese (I eyeballed it....probably 1/4 cup)

-8 Ritz crackers--ran these through the Magic Bullet to get them very fine

-Salt, pepper, a little olive oil, 1 egg white (I used the liquid kind you get in a container), minced garlic (from a jar...in fridge section) to taste, oregano (dried), mint leaves (dried)

I served these with hummus to spread on the top and a little extra feta cheese to sprinkle over. YUM!!!!!

Tilapia Parmesan--this is for one but you can easily double, triple, quadriple

(I used this for 2 meals for myself)

IN A SHALLOW GLASS DISH sprayed with PAM:

-1 6 oz. piece Tilapia....topped with 1/4 chopped tomato, 3 basil leaf--juliened, salt, pepper, a little minced garlic, sprinkle with black pepper and a good quality parmesan cheese. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Bake for about 10-12 minutes on 350. WOW!

Pesto chicken salad

This made enough for probably 4 meals for me.

MIX ALL TOGETHER AND REFRIGERATE A LITTLE TO BLEND FLAVORS BEFORE EATING

-1 small cooked chicken breast (I used a left over piece)--put it through the magic bullet until it is SUPER FINE

-1/2 small jar of prepared basil pesto

-1 slice fresh mozzarella--diced into very small pieces

-3 Tbls. of light mayo

-Black pepper, lemon juice

WONDERFUL!!!!

Bon Apetit!!!!