Courtney the RDN

Breaded Ranch Chicken is yummy and a great option for the whole family to eat. Just be aware, if you are using the breadcrumbs for this recipe, that is your carbohydrate for the meal. Instead of pasta, rice, or potatoes, fill half your plate with a non-starchy vegetable.  Also, take a look at the picture here, this plate looks very full. It might seem like there is no way you could eat all this food after bariatric surgery. But, this is actually a tiny plate. The smaller the plate, the more full it will look. Your brain is then tricked into thinking you are getting more than enough food. Serves: 4 normal portions, 8 bariatric portions Time: 45 minutes Ingredients:  1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 3/4 cup panko 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix 8 chicken breast tenders Directions:  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Place butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, cheese, and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butt...

This meal takes about 30 minutes to cook, is gluten free, low carb, and my favorite part- made in one dish! It makes me sad to hear people are cooking one bariatric meal for themselves and something completely different for the rest of their family. TOO MUCH WORK. This recipe works for everyone. Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients:  2 teaspoon Extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 8 oz white mushrooms sliced (I used cremini mushrooms, use whatever you have and like) 2 cloves garlic minced 1 and 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, breast tenders 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 4 oz reduce fat cream cheese 1/4 cup broth (chicken, vegetable, whatever you have on hand) 1/4-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese 1 cup steamed broccoli or 1 cup steamed peas ( I used peas, but any green veggie makes this dish pop. You could even stir in fresh spinach leaves at the end of cooking for another green option).  Optional- parsley to sprinkl...

Falafel is a Mediterranean dish that is vegan and gluten free. This dish from Cookie and Kate blog was super easy to make and friendly on the budget.  You can toss them on top of a Greek Salad for a vegan source of protein.  They were great in the refrigerator a couple days later as a quick snack or an easy breakfast. I reheated them for about 30 seconds per falafel ball in the microwave then dipped them in plain unflavored Greek yogurt.  Ingredients:  1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup dried (uncooked/raw) chickpeas, rinsed, picked over and soaked over night.  1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/2 cup fresh parsley 4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions:  1. Preheat over to 375. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a large, rimmed baking sheet and turn until pan is evenly coated.  2. In a food processor, combine the soaked and rained chickpeas, o...

Overnight oats are a great way to get breakfast in every morning. You don't actually need a fancy mason jar to make them either. I love their versatility- you can mix in multiple fruits to change up the flavor. I usually make three at a time, they stay good in the refrigerator for about three days.  Time: 5 minutes, plus overnight soaking Serves: 1 Ingredients: 1/2 cup milk ( you can use cow milk, almondmilk, oatmilk, or even a premier protein shake, there is no rule here).  3/4 Tbsp chia seeds 2 Tbsp nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter- again no rules, use what you like) 1 Tbsp maple syrup (honey works too, brown sugar, monk fruit, or stevia if you are really cutting back on sugar) 1/2 cup rolled oats (quick cooking oats might get too mushy, steel cut is fine, they are just a tad crunchier) Directions:   1. Find a bowl with a lid. Mix all ingredients together in bowl and stir well.  2. Cover with lid and let sit in refrigerator for at least 6...

Some days you just need a break from meat. Its great for the environment, easy on the wallet, and can be an awesome source of fiber to keep your colon cleaned out. Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce I was skeptical at first but I absolutely loved this dish and will be making it again. Total Time: 50 minutes Serves: 2-4 Ingredients:   Cauliflower: 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into bite sized florets 2-3 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground pepper Lentils: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onion (yellow or white) 2 large garlic cloves 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 3/4 cup brown lentils- rinsed and picked over 2 cups vegetables broth or water Chipotle sauce: 1/3 cup vegan mayo OR regular mayo OR sour cream OR and unflavored Greek yogurt (cooking is fun because there are so many different ways to make the same thing :-) 2 tablespoon lime juice ( I used lemons because thats what I had) 2-3 tablespoo...

Check out this super easy recipe that uses an Instant Pot, so its fast and clean up is easy.  Servings: 6 Prep: 20 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Ingredients:  4 carrots- peeled and cut into matchstick-thin strips 1 medium red bell pepper cut into short thin strips (any color works) 5 oz of sliced shiitake mushrooms (I used regular mushrooms, that was what was on hand) 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts ( I used 4 chicken thighs, again that is all I had) 2 TBSP Thai Red Curry Paste (green would also work) 2 TBSP sugar 1/2 teaspoon  kosher salt 4 cups chicken or vegetables broth 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 2 tbsp lime juice ( I used 2 limes) 1 tbsp grated lime zest ( I grated the 2 limes I used) chopped cilantro Directions: 1. Place the carrots, red pepper, mushrooms, chicken, curry paste, sugar, salt, and broth into your Instant Pot.  2. Lock the lid and close the pressure release valve. Pressure Cook on High pressure setting the timer to 4 minutes (timer w...