Mixology- The art of enjoying a diet
There are four parts to this post to you today.
- Snacks
- Drinks
- Shakes
- Seasoning Mixes in general
Snacks!
I chose Snacks as the first priority because of popcorn. Air-popped popcorn is a delight to the "grazer" bariatric patient who can't stop six times a day to eat tiny little meals. Popcorn is socially acceptable to make at work in the company microwave, though after you learn some mixology, you may have several new friends sharing your popcorn flavors.
I personally make my popcorn at home with my air-popper. The trick is in the flavors. You don't have to have butter flavor or plain. Indeed, you can have an absolute blast and miss few "sweets" flavors like cinnamon bun, fudge, butterscotch, pina colada, and many fruit flavors with little more than a trip to the grocery store, though a rummage at SpiceBarn.com in the popcorn flavors section is well worth the price.
The flavors come from the spice aisle (for cardamom and cinnamon, as well as taco flavor, Old Bay for "crab cake" flavor, and even an apple pie mix of spices. Many of my savory favorites come from the spice aisle. I found a recipe for making my own "ranch style" dressing that is very good. My roommate goes to the Hispanic foods section for a spice mix by Badia called "Complete Seasoning." That is his go-to popcorn spice.
From the Koolaid-type flavors I can get many fruity flavors, but you must use the powders only for this. I mix my Koolaid with Splenda in a recycled salsa jar and keep it handy to sprinkle over freshly made popcorn.
Butterscotch, Fudge, Cheesecake, and many others can be purchased in the Sugar-Free Jello section. You're going to need a lot of Jello of all kinds, so stock up. Yes, even lemon and lime. SF Lime Jello coats green grapes for a "Leprechaun Kiss" like a sweet-sour candy that delights the senses and makes you feel less deprived when all others are sucking down the sweets you can't have.
The fun does not stop there. My next favorite snack is mini-peppers cut in half length-wise and stuffed with low-fat mozzarella string cheese pieces. Nuke them for a minute or two in the microwave, and you have a tasty, colorful finger food that fills you up. It's more work than popcorn and (believe it or not) more calories/carbs, but no one lives by popcorn alone.
My last go-to snack is by far the most common, but also the one most fraught with caloric danger- raw veggies and dip. If you like hummus, go for it. I am not fond of it, not even when I make my own. However, I do make my own low calorie salad dressings and those are yummy. I'll happily share recipes if you let me know you want them. The net is so chock full of recipes, you may not need me there.
Drinks
The first time you forget yourself after surgery and take a swig of even sugar-free (SF) carbonated beverages will teach you very, very quickly and painfully why carbonated beverages are not your friend ever again. The carbonation builds up and HURTS until you manage a few pained burps. Don't do it. Same goes for beer, though alcohol of any kind is a challenge to any bariatric post-op patient.
I use and highly recommend Torani SF syrups from Torani. Com. These syrups can flavor hot or cold beverages, and can be mixed up. DaVinci syrups also work but are more difficult to find.
This is in addition to the previously mentioned Mio, Crystal Lights, and other water flavors.
Shakes
Now that your brain has been awakened to the endless possibilities of spices, Mio liquids, Jello as a flavoring, we can graduate to the bariatric best friend - protein shakes.
You will be drinking these for a very long time, both pre-surgery and post-op. While some doctors recommend certain brands, mine only wanted me to drink shakes with at least 20g of protein. I buy mine on Amazon, but the Vitamin Shoppe nearby sells nice flavor samples.
I prefer the unflavored variety, and changing up my choices according to my mood. Some mornings I feel like Cinnabon and sometimes I want Maple Nut. I even created my own flavor recipe, Mayan Morning. Yes, I will provide recipes. Lots of recipes. Shakes are a regular post subject for me. Shakes deserve their own recipe book, IMHO. They are my sweets substitute when I am desperate for the forbidden, and they travel very well.
Shakes are dessert, dinner, and cocktail all in one. I keep a stack of recipe cards near the blender of my favorite flavors and new blends I want to try. Those are my reminders of the variety available. It is very easy to get bored, so variety is necessary. My doctor, Dr. Issac Motamarry, prefers a whey protein isolate. I use Isopure Whey Protein Isolate Unflavored in the 3-lb container. It lasts 3-6 months.
Some folks find getting 60-80g of protein down daily to be a bit of a chore. I don't. MyFitnessTracker has already told me I'd be short or over, if I've planned ahead. But when I find myself short at the end of the day, I can either make a shake for dessert, or "temper" my hot tea with some. Tempering is a technique where you mix a scoop of the protein powder with a bit of water until it forms a yogurt-like consistency, then slowly (VERY slowly!!) add hot water and your tea bag, stirring constantly. This will prevent the protein from "breaking" into a nasty, gritty mess that is inedible and unpalatable. It takes a bit of practice to learn to add the hot to the cold slowly.
Seasoning Blends
In general, seasoning blends are an awesome way to keep flavor variety without spending a fortune. I have friends to share spices with, and they share with me. That way we can share the cost of the spices and try the spice mix together.
In some cases, I know I will use the whole bottle of spice, such as Cinnamon or chili powder. I seem to go through certain ones. Others, like mace, I use maybe once a year for my holiday mix.
If you're on Pinterest, look me up. Pinterest.com/dragonswriter is the address, and if you look at the board, Diet, you will see many sub-sections with recipes and ideas. This is where you'll see most of the seasoning blends, and I have an entire subsection devoted to shakes. Also, check out the board, Food and Recipes. I have a subsection for the Spice Rack, and that's where the seasoning blends end up. I don't buy Lipton Onion Soup Mix anymore, because it's too easy to make my own. Cheaper too!
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