Review: Bariatric Fusion & Optimum Nutrition

any particular reason I am hitting these together? Not really, I just got samples of both from NashuaNutrition and have finished the last of the the Bariatric Fusion and since I only have 2 flavors from Optimum Nutrition to review so far, well here ya go…

All Bariatric Fusion Meal Replacement shakes are sweetened with stevia, Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey is sweetened with both sucralose and acesulfame K

Bariatric Fusion: Strawberry Shortcake
Surprisingly good, I'm not usually a fan of strawberry protein. This tastes a lot like Celebrate's Strawberry ENS with a little more flavor. This would probably even be ideal, but as I like to think of my shakes as ice cream/milkshakes, if only I hadn't been raised on Karl's strawberry ice cream in Fredericksburg. If you've ever had it you understand why its the ultimate standard
Bariatric Fusion: Orange Cream
A little disppointing due to my love of creamsicle. It's not bad, just kinda bland like the Syntrax Matrix Orange Cream. Maybe it could be pepped up with the Tropicana 50/50?
Bariatric Fusion: Mint Chocolate Ice Cream
I can honestly say I won't be sad to give up my Matrix Mint Cookie during pregnancy (Matrix uses sucralose and acesulfame K, the second has to be limited). This is very much like the Matrix only more mint less cookie. It's like blending the Matrix very well and adding a shot of creme de menthe syrup to it. Sooooooooo good!
Bariatric Fusion: Cinnamon Bun
I have mixed feelings on this one, it's very good, but I worry with extended use it might become sickeningly sweet. I do like it a lot and will probably buy a tub down the road when I get the mint chocolate chip ice cream. It's like a liquid Quest bar (by the same or similar name)




Optimum Nutrition - 100% Whey: Tropical Punch
At first sip, I did not like this, maybe because it was pink and I assumed it would taste like fruit punch? This is more like a strawberry colada, and very tasty, more flavorful than the Syntrax Nectar Carribean Cooler, but very similar.
Optimum Nutrition - 100% Whey: Rocky Road
A little bland, but that can easily be pumped up. My problem with chocolates are if one variation of chocolate in a line sucks, the whole line will not agree with me. having tried their rocky road, I am confident their caramel toffee fudge will be awesome (no sample available). This was very creamy and smooth. I enjoyed this drink a lot!

Brands I’ve Tried In Limited Flavors (Protein)

Disclaimer: If I did not like a flavor or a brand it is in no way the fault of the vendor I purchased it from. The only reason I am listing the websites the samples/containers were purchased from is in the event you want to try it for yourself.

Dymatize Elite is not very flavorful and you can’t add pudding mix to it, makes it taste funky. I was a fan of the butter cream toffee, but other brands make it too (toffee caramel fudge!). Dymatize does mix very well and makes a very smooth shake, so if you aren’t into heavy flavors, this one might be for you. Sweetened only with Acesulfame Potassium.

Dymatize Egg is kinda salty. It’s the only egg protein I’ve tried and I am totally turned off. My sweet shakes should not taste salty.

Got my samples from VitaLady.com in case you want to try for yourself

Nature’s Best Iso-Pure Zero Carb Powder (I have not tried the RTDs) has a light flavor like the Dymatize Elite and a saltiness like the Dymatize Egg protein. I’ve tried the Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana Cream, and Pineapple-Orange-Banana and all four hit my salty-buds. I’m giving up here, which is a shame. They sweeten ONLY with Splenda which is deemed safe for pregnancy. Oh well, the search goes on!

These samples came from VitaLady.com (chocolate and vanilla) and NashuaNutriton.com (banana cream) I bought the Pineapple-Orange-Banana outright cuz I couldn’t find a sample and wanted to try it really badly (SupplementWarehouse.com)

Ultimate Nutrition is a great company, getting samples from them was easy and quick. They sent me the ProStar chocolate, vanilla, and cookies n crème. The chocolate and vanilla were a little too sweet for me, but I fell in love with the cookies. No other cookie protein compares to this one. It’s not too sweet and doesn’t seem to have anything added unnecessarily.

Got the samples direct from UltimateNutrition.com, bought the containers from SupplementWarehouse.com I’ve bought, the 2, 5 , and 10 pounds containers because it is just that good. Working on my 10 pound one right now (purchased in January).

On the subject of Cookies and Cream: ANSI has the Flurry series, one in Oreo, one in M&M both are crazy sweet and sometimes can really hit the spot, but I cannot drink either on a regular basis due to the extreme sweetness. SupplementWarehouse.com had them on clearance and at $30 for 5 pound containers I decided to give them a whirl. Son and husband are finishing up the Oreo one for me.

More Cookies and Cream: Nutrex Underground: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Cookie Monster. These are very sweet and strong. You can get free samples of 4 different products at underground.nutrex.com and pay for shipping. Their Hemo-Rage pre workout powder and shots are awesome. Orange Cremation is the best tasting of the powders in my opinion.

NOW foods, I will get more into them when I review supplements, because I use them for a lot of vitamins and I love them, I even buy their kids vitamins for my 3 year old, but apparently they also make protein powder. Their Caramel Toffee Fudge Whey powder is sweetened with Stevia and tastes great. It’s a little light on the flavor, but the more I drink it the more I love it. I’ve not been able to get samples out of them yet, but they make cookies n cream, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry too. The Caramel Toffee Fudge and Cookies and Cream can be found in single serving packs (box of 14) at LuckyVitamin.com and I think Netrition.com has them too. Totally worth checking out. I think you can get the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry in as small as 1 lb containers (as big as 5 I believe)

One more before I end this, Celebrate Vitamins has a line of ENS protein powders. Simply put, it’s a protein powder with your multivitamin and calcium (500mg) integrated in each serving, you take two a day for your vitamin requirements, 1000mg calcium, and 50gm protein, not bad I say. It’s a little pricey over all, but hey, it might be worth it to you. CelebrateVitamins.com and NashuaNutrition both have samples (Celebrate I believe is free). Cake Batter: is EXTREMELY sweet, made me ill, I couldn’t handle it at all

Strawberry: kinda bland, luckily not overly sweet, the only strawberry protein I’ve liked at all so far

Chocolate: this one is awesome and worth the money you’d have to spend on it (remember you are getting protein, multivitamin, AND calcium in this)

I’ll touch more on Celebrate Vitamins when I review supplements

Soup

Asparagus Soup

1 can cream of asparagus soup

1 can cream of cheddar cheese soup

1 can skim milk

6 ounces sliced chicken, cooked

½ cup chopped asparagus

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped cauliflower

½ cup chopped broccoli

¼ edamame (green soy beans, de-shelled)

1 tb olive oil

Cook chicken with any spices you desire (I use garlic powder and red chili powder). Remove chicken, add oil and vegetables and stir fry all vegetables (you judge level of doneness). You can either add the chicken back in as well as the soups and milk or you can transfer to a pot. Cook until hot and serve.

I tried doing this in the crock pot and it ended up with a yucky look to it, so I highly recommend the method above for creating this recipe. If these vegetables are not to your liking, switch them out with others.

Creamy Shrimp Soup

1 can cream of shrimp

1 doz jumbo shrimp (raw, peeled, deveined)

8 oz cooked spinach, drained well

4 oz feta crumbles

2 oz shredded cheddar

Olive oil

Old bay

Consider additional meats:  crab, krab, chicken, turkey

Chop thawed shrimp into bite sized pieces and sautee in olive oil. Add can of soup, stir well. add other ingredients and cook until spinach is evenly coated.

Dessert

Chocolate Amaretto Fudge

¾ stick of unsalted butter

1 unsweetened chocolate baking square

2 TB Ground flax seeds

½ cup almond butter

2 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup granular Splenda

2/3 cup chocolate protein powder

Optional:

2 TB Amaretto SF syrup

½ cup slivered almonds

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Melt butter, almond butter, and chocolate square in the microwave for about a minute, stir. If not smooth, microwave a little longer. Once smooth, add the cream cheese and whisk/heat until smooth. You may add your SF syrup here if you like or wait until the end.

Put all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl, blend well.

Combine both mixtures and mix until well blended (no dry spots, no excess moisture).

Line a pan or tin with parchment paper or plastic wrap, then press the fudge  into the pan on top of the paper/wrap. You can use another piece on top to press it more firmly without getting your hands in it.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours. You can freeze if you are in a time crunch but it tends to turn out wetter that way.

Use only unsalted butter, used salted once, waaaay too salty.

Peanut butter can be used in place of almond butter if that is your preference.

I use the amaretto syrup for this, but you can experiment with any flavor you desire.

Whipped Brains

2 packets gelatin

2 cups cottage cheese

12 oz frozen berries, thawed

Water

¼ cup granular sweetener

¼ cup SF syrup

8 oz whipped topping

1 cup chopped nuts

Thaw berries, save the juice. Add syrup and enough water to berry juice to make 1 cup. Bring mixture to a boil and add granular sweetener and gelatin packets, stir well. Remove from heat, mix in cottage cheese at about a half a cup at a time. Your mixture will be lumpy. If you do not want lump use greek yogurt or puree your cottage cheese, but what’s the fun in pureed brains?

Let set in fridge for 40-60 minutes, then mix in whipped cream, berries, and nuts. Refrigerate or freeze, up to you. Makes great popsicles, see Teddi’s Yogurt Fruit Pop Recipe for another variation.

Teddi’s Yogurt Fruit Pops


1 cup Boiling Water
1 Small Box Sugar Free Jello (4 serving size)
6 oz Nonfat Greek Yogurt, Plain
1 oz Sugar Free Syrup
4 oz No Sugar Added Fruit Puree

Pour boiling water slowly over jello mix. Stir till dissolved. Set aside. Mix yogurt & syrup together until well combined. Add fruit puree to yogurt mixture, mix well. Add jello to yogurt mixture, mix well.
Place in fridge for ½ hour. Remove from fridge and pour into Popsicle molds. Place in freezer for 6 hours until set. Remove according to mold manufacture directions.

Make 8 – 2 oz Popsicles.

Apple Cinnamon Flourless Cake by Jenna

1 can of rinsed & drained chick peas

1 cup liquid egg whites

¾ cup applesauce (no added sugar)

1 box vanilla pudding mix (sugar free, instant)

0.7oz freeze dried apples (2 snack bags, Costco)

1 cup chopped walnuts

5 scoops Cinnamon protein powder (SDC About Time)

1-1/4 cups Splenda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Chinese 5 spice to taste

Blend chick peas, egg whites, and applesauce in a food processor until smooth.

Crush freeze dried apples into small pieces.

Combine all dry ingredients and add to the wet ones, stir until smooth, or you can blend, but if you do, leave out the apples and walnuts, stir them in by hand at the end.

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes

Optional frosting:

1 small container cool whip

4-8oz cup skim milk (use 4 for thicker frosting)

1 container pudding mix (cheesecake is great)

Combine all ingredients, mix well, refrigerate until set, spread on cake when serving.

Nuts for Chocolate Flourless Cake by Jenna

1 can of rinsed & drained chick peas (or black beans)

1 cup liquid egg whites

¾ cup applesauce (no added sugar)

1 box chocolate pudding mix (sugar free, instant)

¾ cup sliced almonds

¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup carob chips

3 scoops chocolate protein powder (nectar sweets chocolate truffle)

1-1/4 cups Splenda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

Blend chick peas, egg whites, and applesauce in a food processor until smooth.

Combine all dry ingredients and add to the wet ones, stir until smooth, or you can blend, but if you do, leave out the nuts and chips, stir them in by hand at the end.

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes

Optional frosting:

1 small container cool whip

4-8oz cup skim milk (use 4 for thicker frosting)

1 container pudding mix (cheesecake or chocolate are great)

Or try 4 tb chocolate PB2 instead of pudding mix

Combine all ingredients, mix well, refrigerate until set, spread on cake when serving.

LOW CARB SNICKERDOODLES

½ cup butter, softened (1 stick or 1/4 pound)

4 ½ ounces almond flour (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

½ cup granulated Splenda or Stevia (I used Stevia)

½ cup liquid sweetener (I used Skinny Syrups Caramel Pecan)

*can use 1 total cup granulated sweetener, I only used the liquid for the added flavor*

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Cinnamon Coating:

2 tablespoons granulated Splenda or Stevia

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put all of the ingredients except for the cinnamon coating in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well with a spoon until you have a creamy dough. Cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile mix the granular sweetener and cinnamon in a small dish.

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Roll walnut sized dough balls and press into cinnamon/sweetener blend, turn over and coat other side as well, place cookie on lined cookie sheet (parchment paper works best).

If you work quickly the dough should stay firm enough to work with. If it seems too soft or crumbly, just place back in the freezer briefly. IF making multiple batches, refrigerate or freeze dough not currently in use.

Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving. They are very fragile while they're warm.

Recommended storage in fridge or freezer, cookies are fragile.

Dips & Sauces

Thai Peanut Sauce

2 TB PB2

2 TB Red Curry Paste

2 TB Coconut Milk

1 tsp soy sauce

Mix all together, blend well.

Crab Dip

4 oz low fat cream cheese

2 TB Greek yogurt

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp dry cooking wine

¼ tsp old bay

¼ tsp kosher salt

6 oz can crab meat

Mix everything together except the crab. Once well blended gently fold in crab meat

Cranberry Pecan Dip

8 oz soft cream cheese

½ cup finely chopped pecans

½ cup finely chopped crasins

½ cup orange juice (or the juice from 2 squeezed oranges)

1 packet orange gelatin (mix only, do not prepare)

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add orange juice  and gelatin powder continue blending. Stir in pecans and cranberries. Serve cold.

The Cauliflower Chronicles

• Mockafoni & Cheese (original) 16 oz bag frozen cauliflower 4 oz cream cheese 2 TB heavy whipping cream or milk 4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 2 oz cheddar cheese shredded Optional: add 8 oz cooked meat for a higher protein meal Cook cauliflower until tender, drain well. Soften cream cheese in microwave for 30-40 seconds on HIGH. Whisk in the cream/milk, mix until smooth. Stir in 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese. Microwave on medium about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Stir well until creamy and smooth, microwaving a little longer if necessary. Add salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower, fold in gently. If using meat, add in here. Top with the remaining 2 ounces of shredded cheddar and bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.You can broil it for the last couple minutes to really brown it if you want. Consider using other cheeses for variety such as blending cheddar and jack (or even pepper jack). Some meats I use are textured soy protein, ground turkey, imitation crab meat, textured vegetable protein, or shredded chicken.
• 
  
• Mockafoni & Cheese (lower fat)

16 oz bag frozen cauliflower

2 ounces plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

2 ounces cottage cheese

2 TB heavy whipping cream or milk

4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 oz cheddar cheese shredded

Optional: add 8 oz cooked meat for a higher protein meal

Cook cauliflower until tender, drain well. Whisk together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt in a bowl until blended as smooth as possible. Add in the cream/milk, mix until absorbed. Stir in 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese. Microwave on medium about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Stir well until creamy and smooth, microwaving a little longer if necessary. Add salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower, fold in gently. If using meat, add in here.

Top with the remaining 2 ounces of shredded cheddar and bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.

Consider using other cheeses for variety such as blending cheddar and jack (or even pepper jack). Some meats I use are textured soy protein, ground turkey, imitation crab meat, textured vegetable protein, or shredded chicken.

CHEESY HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

2.5 lbs cooked, shredded cauliflower (3 steamable riced cauliflower bags)

4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

4 slices (shredded) Havarti cheese (any white cheese is fine)

¼ cup milk, heavy cream or half & half

¼ teaspoon salt/pepper or other seasonings

¼ cup butter (half stick)

Cut up butter into pats and randomly place in bottom of baking dish. Layer half of the cooked, riced cauliflower. Sprinkle salt/pepper or any other seasonings. Pour cream over this half then layer white cheese and pat down evenly.

Add remaining cauliflower and top with ½ of the shredded cheddar.

Bake at 350º for 15 minutes, pull out of the oven and mix up all ingredients. Add remaining cheese and bake for an additional 20 minutes. You can broil at the end to brown the cheese, if you like.

Seafood Recipes

Twice Baked Shrimp

 14oz package frozen, cooked, peeled, deveined small shrimp

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

12 oz package frozen edamame, shelled

Optional: ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup quinoa, cooked

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse frozen edamame in a colander to gently thaw, set aside. Rinse popcorn shrimp under faucet to remove most of the ice. To thaw the rest of the way, let shrimp so in water for about 5 minutes more. Rinse thoroughly.

In a zip close bag, pour ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. Toss shrimp and edamame in parmesan to coat. Place shrimp on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350, stirring every 5 minutes for 10-15 minutes. Don’t be alarmed if the cheese melts.

Cook quinoa in the meantime.

Spoon prepared quinoa into small oven friendly custard dishes (if you don’t have these a regular casserole dish is fine). Spread edamame and shrimp over the quinoa. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (grated and shredded if you are using it). Bake an additional 8-10 minutes

Krab Kroquette Kasserole

12-14oz imitation crab meat (krab)

¼ stick of margarine

¼ cup ground flax seeds

¼ cup milk

½ cup edamame

3 egg whites

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded cheese

Thaw edamame in a colander by running warm water over it. Mix all ingredients together except for the krab. Blend well. Arrange the chunk of krab in a baking pan and pour mixture over top of it. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until edges are golden.

CAROLYN'S POOR MAN'S LOBSTER 

4 ounce fresh or frozen haddock fillet
Water 
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
2 teaspoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda 
1 tablespoon butter, melted 
Garlic or garlic powder, to taste

Place the fish in a deep-sided skillet. Add just enough water to cover the fish. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Use this much vinegar, salt and Splenda per fillet. Boil 5-8 minutes or until the fish turns white and feels firm but isn't flaking. Remove the fish from the water with a slotted spoon. Place on a broiler pan and broil 2 minutes per side to dry out the fish. Combine the melted butter and garlic powder; serve the fish dipped in the garlic butter.

Baked Tilapia

2 (4-oz) tilapia filets
1 egg white
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds, divided

2 TB parmesan cheese, divided
2 Laughing Cow cheese Wheels, sliced
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Rinse fish and pat dry. Beat the egg white with the Old Bay Seasoning. Coat the filet in the seasoned egg. Sprinkle half a tablespoon of flax meal and parmesan on one side of the filet. Lay the filet, crumb side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Place the slices from one wheel of cheese on top of the filet and sprinkle the remaining half-tablespoon of flax meal and parmesan on top of the fish. Repeat with the other filet. Spray the tops of the fish with more cooking spray, but be careful not to blast the breading all over with the gust of air! Bake for 20 minutes.

Piña Colada Shrimp Curry (w/ Chicken)

½ can unsweetened lite coconut milk

12 jumbo peeled, deveined raw shrimp

2 chicken breasts

½ can pineapple chunks (save juice)

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Olive oil (consider coconut oil?)

Red Curry Paste

Chop raw chicken into chunk and marinate with shrimp in coconut milk, 1.2 cup pineapple juice and about 1-2 TB red curry paste.

Heat Oil in sauce pan, use a slotted spoon to remove chicken and shrimp from marinade and toss in coconut flakes. Sautee coated meat in the preheated pan. Cook until done.

If you want your food crispier, consider broiling for a few minutes, either way, remove from pan.

Add left over marinafe and 1 cup pineapple chunks to the skillet. Sautee for 5-10 minutes. Add xanthan gum for a thicker sauce.

Serve over quinoa or TVP for best results.

Pizza Recipes

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower

1 egg white

1 cup mozzarella cheese

½ tsp rosemary

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp parsley

Sauce of your choice

Toppings (make sure meats are cooked if using them)

Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450

Cook cauliflower and drain well. Send cauliflower through a ricer or a food processor with a grating disk. If you do not have either of these, grate the cauliflower by hand with a cheese grater.

Combine riced cauliflower with 1 cup mozzarella and 1 egg white. Mix well; add rosemary, oregano, and parsley. Press evenly to the bottom of a sprayed pizza pan. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes (15-20 if recipes is doubled) or longer if you would like your crust crispier.

Remove crust from oven. Add sauce toppings and cheese to your crust. Place under the broiler on high heat until your cheese melts.

Flat Bread Pizza

1 Flat Out Flat bread or 2 Sandwich thins

Sauce of your choice

Mozzarella cheese

Toppings (make sure all meats are cooked)

Spray a pizza pan lightly with cooking spray. Place your flat bread or sandwich thins on the pan. Spread your sauce and add your toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Longer if needed.

Single Serving Pizza Crusts

1 large egg

1 TB almond flour

1 TB parmesan cheese

1 tsp oil

Sauce of your choice

Mozzarella cheese

Toppings (make sure all meats are cooked)

In a small bowl, mix first three ingredients together with a fork. Add oil to a small skillet and heat up. Pour in the batter and fry like a pancake. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove the crust to a baking sheet. Add your sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake or broil to heat the toppings and melt the cheese.

Zucchini Crust Pizza

1 cup cooked, shredded zucchini, drained well

1 egg white

1 cup mozzarella cheese

½ tsp rosemary

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp parsley

Sauce of your choice

Toppings (make sure meats are cooked if using them)

Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450

Grate the raw zucchini by hand with a cheese grater. Cook zucchini and drain well

Combine shredded zucchini with 1 cup mozzarella and 1 egg white. Mix well; add rosemary, oregano, and parsley. Press evenly to the bottom of a sprayed pizza pan. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes (15-20 if recipes is doubled) or longer if you would like your crust crispier.

Remove crust from oven. Add sauce toppings and cheese to your crust. Place under the broiler on high heat until your cheese melts.

Ground or Canned Meat Recipes

Greek Turkey Burgers

1 pound ground turkey

2 egg whites

¼ cup crumbled feta

¼ cup spinach, thawed and drained

2 TB parmesan cheese

2 TB flax meal

Mix all ingredients together and form into patties. Bake, broil, or pain fry as is. If grilling, put in refrigerator for at least an hour first to let the patties firm up.

Turkey Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey

2 TB marinade or tomato sauce of your choice

2 egg whites

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup ground flax seeds

Mix ingredients together and form into balls. Place evenly in a baking pan. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove cover, flip or rotate ball around, bake for another 30 minutes uncovered.  Top with more sauce of your choice

Great with shredded/julienned zucchini or squash. Shirataki (tofu) noodles also make these into great spaghetti.

Easy Stew

1 can cream soup (like cheddar, asparagus, mushroom, or chicken)

I lb ground turkey

½ cup cheese

2 cups any vegetables

Brown turkey in a skillet with any spices you like. Throw all ingredients in the crock pot for 6 or so hours.

Cauliflower Pizza Mini Soufflé

5 egg whites

2 cups cauliflowers, cooked, riced

5 oz mozzarella cheese

10 oz spinach, cooked, drained well

½ grated parmesan cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

8 oz ground turkey, cooked (or other meat of your choice)

Mix all ingredients together and portion into mini cupcake tins. Bake at 375 until crispy on the edges or until set, whichever you prefer. About 20 minutes.

Have some warm sauce on the side to dip your mini pizzas into.

Taco Mini Quiche

¾ cup egg whites

5 oz taco blend cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1 bag Morningstar Chik’n strip starters, thawed and shredded (food processor is best)

1 10oz package spinach, cooked, drained

2 TB taco sauce

Cumin

Red chili powder

Any other seasonings you may require

Mix all ingredients together and portion into mini cupcake tins. Bake at 375 until crispy on the edges or until set, whichever you prefer. About 20 minutes.

Turkey, Spinach, Parmesan, Ranch Mini Quiche

1 cup cottage cheese

5 egg whites

5 oz Italian blend cheese

10 oz frozen spinach, cooked, drained

8 oz ground turkey, cooked

½ cup parmesan

½ packet of dry ranch seasoning or 2 tsp

Mix all ingredients together and portion into mini cupcake tins. Bake at 375 until crispy on the edges or until set, whichever you prefer. About 20 minutes.

Tuna Patties

1 5oz can tuna

1 TB mayonnaise

3 TB egg whites

2TB parmesan cheese

2 TB ground flaxseeds

1 dash garlic powder

1 dash old bay

1 dash salt

1 TB spicy brown mustard

**optional 1-2 TB shredded cheese or feta crumbles

Drain tuna. Blend all ingredients together in a medium size bowl and form into patties. Place on sprayed baking pan. Broil on high for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side. Can also be used in mini muffin tins.

Crab Patties

1 can crab meat

1 TB mayonnaise

3 TB egg whites

2TB parmesan cheese

2 TB ground flaxseeds

1 dash garlic powder

1 dash old bay

1 dash salt

1 TB spicy brown mustard

Drain crab. Blend all ingredients together in a medium size bowl and form into patties. Place on sprayed baking pan. Broil on high for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side. Can also be used in mini muffin tins.

Veggie Patties

2 eggs

½ cup cottage cheese

½ cup oats (considering trying TVP instead)

½ cup cooked veggies chopped fine

¼ cup or less shredded cheese

Garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, etc

 Blend the oats up in a blender and put them in a bowl and set aside. Blend the cottage cheese, eggs and spices in a blender add to the blended oats and then fold in your veggies and cheese. Cook like a pancake in a pre-warmed non stick pan.

To make a dessert version:

2 eggs

½ cup cottage cheese

½ cup oats

½ cup finely chopped fruit

¼ cup or less Greek yogurt

Tuna Casserole

2- 6oz cans tuna, drained

16oz frozen cauliflower

16oz bag frozen French cut green beans

2 TB butter

½ cup chicken stock

6oz cheddar, shredded

½ cup heavy whipping cream or milk

Salt, pepper, onion powder, old bay

Boil the cauliflower until tender but not mushy. Darin well and chop roughly. Put the cheese in a greased 2 ½ quart casserole dish. Heat the cream/milk and pour over the cheese; stir until cheese melts (microwave is needed) until well blended. Mix in the chicken stock and butter, mix in all remaining ingredients. Spread evenly thorough the dish and top with more old bay if desired. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until bubbly.

Quick Tuna Casserole

1 14.5oz can green beans, drained

6oz can tuna, drained

2 TB parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients in a small casserole dish. Microwave til hot.

Chicken Egg and Feta Salad

1 can chicken, drained

1 hard boiled egg

2 tb feta cheese

1 tb dried cranberries

1 tb sliced almonds

1 tb mayo

1 tsp spicy brown mustard

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! This recipe is very versatile, try in green pepper boats, in lettuce wraps, on a low carb tortilla, on corn thins, on soy chips, or on a cocopop (the last is a Wegmans special item, I love them)