Bariatric Recipe Resources

So, I am constantly on the prowl for new recipes. CONSTANTLY. I hate monotony in what I eat. I'm a pretty good cook (and an even better baker), so I like trying my hand at all sorts of things. Unfortunately, it involves LOTS of research. So, to the internet! As always.

There are a few websites that I think are outstanding! Well, more than a few. But, y'know. Anyway... I'm not being paid or anything to promote these websites, just sharing results of my research :D

The Bariatric Food Dude - http://bariatricfooddude.blogspot.com/

Bariatric Foodie - http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com/

Gina's Skinny Taste - http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Dashing Dish - http://dashingdish.com/

Those are just a few - I get a lot of other recipes from all over the internet. Great keywords to use are "high protein low carb recipes," "bariatric recipes," or anything paleo, atkins, or diabetic. The latter two tend to be higher in protein and lower in carbs, but you should always check the nutritional info with the recipe if it's provided for you!

There's also good ways to pick which recipes are better for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap-band, or any other bariatric surgeries. In addition, if there's a recipe you are dying to try, try and look for substitutions! The internet is full of people who can recommend alternatives. Here's some examples of subs I've done:

• I generally will replace heavy cream or buttermilk with evaporated milk. This will work for a majority of recipes, but sometimes you would need to keep the exact ingredients so the dish comes together properly. 
• Other substitutions are if you have to use flour in your recipe, go for a non-grain, such as almond, coconut, or soy. The better "in-between" is whole wheat, if the others are out of your budget. (Trust me, budgetary concerns are at the forefront of my mind because of how much specialty foods and medicines I have to buy!) 
• Use reduced fat or fat free anything whenever possible. If you have special sodium needs, you will want to check the sodium content especially in those items. You might want to check with vegan equivalents in that case, and see if they are any better.
• Instead of using corn, vegetable, canola, olive oil, etc, try using just cooking spray or another "nut based" oil, like coconut oil or avocado oil.

I can't think of any more for now, but I will try and jot down some substitutions I have made to share with you guys! 

Above all else, keep track of what you're eating!! You can use websites like myfitnesspal.com (and I'm sure a slew of others), but I'm actually just keeping a little notebook in my purse. Since I have good (well, low) blood pressure and good cholesterol, I am mainly watching protein and hydration. I stay mindful of carbohydrates in what I eat every day, but what I eat tends to be very, very low in carbs anyway. On a typical week day, I will have a protein shake, a snack of string cheese, a few pieces of sliced turkey breast (most turkey or white meat you find in the deli will be very low fat; the most recent I picked up was 99% fat free), another snack of string cheese later if I'm really having a hard time making it to dinner, then a piece of meat for dinner (whatever is the meat we're having with that dinner), and maybe some fruit or greek yogurt for dessert. You can pinpoint how little carbs there are - but not necessarily the protein. But y'know what? My little Fit & Active low fat/part skim mozzarella string cheese from Aldi's is about $2/package, has 8 cheeses, and it has 9 grams of protein per stick. I think that's a great snack for your wallet and your protein intake.

I will keep you posted on tips and tricks for cooking, since it's a lot of what I think about day to day. Good luck in the kitchen!