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Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta with Turkey Sausage

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest PastaLast night I made myself some Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta with Turkey Sausage. Nothing fancy, but it was my first time having the Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta.

My dinner was nothing fancy at all, but being Italian I enjoy my pasta. A lot of Gastric Bypass post op patients have trouble with it, but this is a Whole Grain Pasta and it is a bit different. This pasta is made with durum whole wheat flour and has three times the amount of fiber as regular pasta. This pasta vs. regular pasta maybe a lot easier to handle.

I had never had it before the surgery because if I was gonna eat pasta I was eating the real stuff. But now being I am changing things up I figured instead of increasing the chances of dumping or other issues I would go this route. I have had other forms of pasta already (such as Pasta Roni, Lo Mein & Rice Noodles) without any issues, but one never knows right?

So I cooked up some Turkey Sausage (gotta have protein ya know) and I also cooked the box of Pasta. I cooked the pasta extra so it was nice and tender. This pasta take a bit longer to get tender than your regular pasta I noticed. Then I just added my pasta to the cooked sausage along with a jar of sauce and was good to go.

I did not tell my kids the pasta was different because I wanted to see if they noticed. My son loved it and my daughter figured out something was off, but she ate it with no complaints. Hubby liked it too – SCORE !!

That is my plate with my portion in the photo above. DO NOTE – that is a salad sized plate and my pasta portion was about a 1/2 cup. I sprinkled some Parmesan Cheese on top of my pasta (more protein). I also made Crab Cakes and had 1/2 of one on the side.

So what did I think of the Pasta? I thought it was very good. It tasted a little different, but it is doable again. I had no issues at all – so I was happy, oh and full !!

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Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche Recipe

Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion

Crustless Spinach, Feta and OnionHere is a simple recipe that is a great source of protein. This Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche Recipe is easy to make and tastes delicious.

Last week I was looking for some recipes I could try out and this was one of the ones I found. It has a nice amount of protein and it looked like it would be soft to chew. I am also a BIG fan of Feta Cheese so I was very excited to cook it up. I thought it was very tasty so it was worth the share. So if you are looking for something different give this a try.

Here is what you will need to make it:

  • 1 Medium Onion – Diced
  • 6 ounces Fresh Baby Spinach (I used regular Spinach and chopped it up and removed stems)
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2 Large Egg Whites
  • 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (I did not add this to mine, but next time I will)
  • 1 1/3 Cups of Skim Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Feta Cheese

Preheat your oven to 400

Grease a 10 inch or so Pie/Quiche Pan – I used a Cake Pan

Next gather all your ingredients. I also chopped up my spinach since I did not buy the Baby Spinach – I also cut off the stems.

In a frying pan cook your diced Onions in a bit of Olive Oil (or Cooking Spray) until they are soft. Then add in your Fresh Spinach and cook until just wilted – this will happen fast. When that is done take it off the heat and set aside to cool for a few.

In a Large Mixing Bowl. whisk together Eggs, Flour, Baking Powder and Salt. If adding in a pinch of Cayenne Pepper you can do that now as well. Next whisk in the Milk and then you can stir in your Onion Spinach mixture.

Then just pour that into your Pie Pan, or in my case Cake Pan – lol. Then take your Feta Cheese and crumble it all over the top.

Bake your Quiche in the oven for about 25 minutes or until set and the outer edge is golden brown.

Let is set for about 5 minutes and then cut it and eat !!

Enjoy !!!

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Tomato Bean Soup Recipe

Tomato Bean Soup

Tomato Bean SoupMy sister made me this delicious Tomato Bean Soup last week which was worth the share. It is a great source of protein from all the beans and it was extremely tasty !!

First let me start off by saying that I have such a great sister who happens to love to cook when she has the time. Last week when I was complaining about eating the pureed foods she decided to make me this soup. While it was not pureed when I ate it – it could have been if I wanted it to be. I decided to eat it as is because all the ingredients in it were cooked to where they were extremely soft.

Here is what she used to make this Soup:

  • 1 Large Onion – Chopped
  • 1 Large Carrot – Chopped
  • 1 Celery Rib – Chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves – Minced
  • 4 Cups of Chicken Broth (you can also use vegetable broth)
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 Cans Kidney Beans or Cannellini Beans (my sister used one of each)
  • 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

NOTE: You can add in an additional can of beans to this – which is what we will do next time we make it. Hey the more protein per serving the better right? If you are at the point where you can tolerate Pasta – you can also add some in to the soup as well – 3/4 Cup uncooked pasta would be enough. I also think it would be tasty with some cooked ground turkey too – so many options !!!

In a large pot saute up your Onion, Carrot and Celery in the Olive Oil until tender. Add in Garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Next add in the Broth, Sugar, Italian Seasoning and Red Pepper Flakes. (if adding Pasta add it in now as well). Then add in the Crushed Tomatoes and canned Beans. Bring to a boil and then let simmer uncovered until the beans and vegetables get to your desired likeness. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

My sister cooked the soup till all the veggies got very soft and the Cannellini Beans broke down a bit and made the soup thicker.

I do not know the exact nutritional info for this – that will all depend on how many cans of beans you use etc.. BUT I do know that it is no less than 10+ grams protein per serving (about 1 Cup).

P.S. – YES that is a Baby Spoon in the bowl – I use the Nuby Baby Spoons when I eat – it helps me from putting too much in my mouth at a time.

Enjoy !!!

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Frozen Protein Shake Pops – an easy way to get more protein in

Frozen Protein Shake

Frozen Protein ShakeAfter Gastric Bypass Surgery it is so important to get in all your protein. Sometimes this can be very hard and most people get sick of drinking the protein shakes all the time, myself included. So it is time to get creative.

I am lucky that at this time I do not mind drinking my protein shakes. The only problem I have is that is takes me forever to finish just 8 ounces. I make sure the first thing I have every day is my protein shake before I have anything else. So my days starts off with 26 grams of protein – not too bad. My doctor requires me to get in 60 grams or more daily.

It does not sound like a lot, but it can be. I had noticed that I have been getting in under that daily and needed to increase it. At night I like to have a sweet dessert – sugar free of course, but sweet. Since I had been eating Sugar Free Ice Pops and Fudge Pops often I thought why not freeze my protein shakes into one and have that instead. So I gave it a try.

My first attempt was in my Zoku Quick Pop Maker – it was a fail. I think because of the no sugar in the protein shake – it did freeze, but it got stuck in the cavity. I was sad by that because the Zuko can freeze them within 3 minutes so no waiting. Oh well – I will save that for some healthy fruit pops this summer.

Lucky for me I also had another Ice Pop Mold in my cabinet to try out. So I mixed up 8 ounces of Chocolate Protein Shake and it turns out that each mold will hold 4 ounces. So I filled up two of them and stuck into the freezer hopeful it would work.

Later that night I took it out of the freezer and tried to pull out my Pop – URGH it was stuck. So I just ran some hot water over the bottom and it slipped right out. Wooo Hoooo !!!

Guess what? It was YUMMY. Best part is that it took me about 15 minutes to eat and one pop is 13 grams of protein.

So if you need help getting in the protein I say FREEZE it for a change of pace. You can even have fun with it and combine flavors in the pop molds – do 1/2 vanilla 1/2 chocolate – maybe make a Neapolitan using Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry – you get the idea.

These will definitely be great this summer when it is hot.

There are so many different Ice Pop Molds on the market – mine happen to be the kind with a straw attached called a sipper – so if mine melts I can sip it right out – love that !! If you want to make them right away and you do not have a ice pop mold in the house – do it the old fashioned way – freeze some in a plastic cup and when it is semi frozen stick in a Popsicle stick (or a plastic spoon) and then finish freezing..