Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole

Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole is one of my favorite go to side dishes and you have got to try it! It's like mashed potatoes on steroids except like way better for you because it's made from cauliflower and not potatoes. It's a great side dish with grilled chicken or meat, or a main course with a salad, or as leftovers -- it's delicious rolled up in sliced turkey lunch meat. 

4ft loves it and asks for it all the time. Even the husband who hates all things cauliflower says it's not bad and will eat it if it's there. The Littles thumb their noses up at it but they don't like mashed potatoes at all either and that's what they think it is.

Protein-Packed Ranch Dip

I've got to be honest, I feel a little silly for posting this recipe because it seems like such a no brainer, but what if it's not? I mean, I've had my sleeve for nearly 8 months now, and this is the first time I've ever thought to do this. Mix ranch dip powder with plain Greek yogurt? Uh yeah, why not? Genius idea, right? Get all the go to protein power of Greek yogurt with the delicious taste of veggie dip with veggies? It's like a vegetable platter on steroids! And let me tell you, it's truly splendiferously delicious. 

This is my new go to dip and the whole family loves it. They don't even know how good for them it is. Insert evil genius laugh here. I love it when that happens.

So... if you knew about this the whole time and you're all like, "Derp, Lisa, ya noodle, I've been making this a hundred years!" why didn't you tell me? We need to talk about our serious lack of communication. And if a light bulb just went off over your head and you're all like, "Lisa, you total gorgeous genius, I never thought of that but how amazing it is you did!" you're totally welcome!

Slider Sandwiches

This is the perfect sandwich for me since my surgery. Well, since passing the food restriction phases anyway. And I'll tell you why: I feel normal eating it. As normal as it can get for me. Ha! Beat you all to it. Take that!

It's the perfect size. I can eat the whole thing. I don't have to take a couple bites and then pull it apart and eat the meat only. You wouldn't think that would be a big deal but you'd be surprised at how focused people get when you eat outside of the norm. Sometimes I get tired of the attention. And this way I don't eat too much bread and get the horrible dreaded "bread belly". Since I have to focus on protein, it's the perfect ratio of bread to meat. They're also fun and when you can't eat a lot, and love food (I looooooooooove food. I love cooking it, eating it, playing with it. I live for menus and thinking of new ways to use it. I can't get enough of food), it draws out the experience more and you don't pine away as much for the relationship you used to have. 

So I cut a single roll in half, spread a little guacamole or mayo and load that bad boy up with lunch meat. Then I sit down and eat a sandwich. I don't pick at a sandwich, I don't dissect a sandwich, I eat a sandwich and feel like everybody else who doesn't have to worry about how much protein they're getting or if the bread is going to make them sick or if everyone is watching and thinking, "What a freak!"(which probably happens whether I do evil experiments on food at the table or not -- I do have pink hair and stick out in a crowd).

Now it could be that that's just me and no one else has those thoughts while they're dissecting their food or loves everything there is to love about food like me. But maybe, I'm not the only one who feels like this, and maybe this sandwich might be good for you too. So, okay, Hawaiian Sweet Rolls might not be the healthiest bread choice on the planet, but really, let's face it, when you only get to take about 10 bites at best of something, shouldn't it be the best 10 bites you'll ever eat? And on top of that, I don't get the dreaded "bread belly" from these like I do with a lot of other breads and if that's something you suffer, maybe these rolls will work out for you too.

Almond Protein Shortcakes

Strawberry Shortcake has to be my most favoritest dessert on the planet. Galaxy even. I pretty much don't say no to any dessert really (life is about moderation after all so yeah, I still eat dessert on occasion, just instead of a portion the size of my head, I eat only a couple bites) but shortcake is my absolute favorite. Come on now, drool with me. Doesn't this look so splendiferous? I promise it tastes BETTER than it looks. No really, it does! And even better you can throw any fruit filling that you want if strawberries aren't your thing (if they aren't, I'm totally giving you a "you're so weird" look but pretend you don't see it). Peach, lemon curd, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cinnamon apple, cinnamon pears, only your imagination is the limit.

Growing up, my family ate Strawberry Shortcake with the berries smashed to a bloody pulp and mixed with equal (my Papa was a diabetic) poured onto the store bought shortcake cups, drowned in Half & Half, and topped with whipped cream. I'm pretty sure we drowned the cakes in Half & Half to make them less rubbery and really we put so much berry pulp and whipped cream on them you could have held the cake and we probably wouldn't have noticed. They looked disgusting as it was a melty smooshy hot mess but it was splendiferously wonderful and I was always heartbroken when my bowl was empty -- which was too soon because I horked it down so fast.

However, since my surgery, if I'm eating baked goods it's going to be goods I've baked. That way I can control the amounts of fat, protein, sugar, and healthiness of them. Because while I believe life is moderation and there is room for dessert, why not try and make it somewhat good for you too if you can do so without sacrificing on the flavor? Exactly. There's no reason not too.

I've pretty much given up all-purpose flour when I bake. Not because I'm allergic to gluten or have an intolerance or that I don't like it but because the healthy aspect of almond, coconut, and oat flours is so high and with higher grams of protein why wouldn't I switch? I like to mix them up for different textures, light versus dense, and of course I always add in at least one scoop of protein powder. When you can only have a handful of bites you need all the protein punch you can get.

And do they get the Picky Eaters' Seal of Approval. Yes they do! Two thumbs and a big toe up. Way up. Neither the husband nor 4ft (Grumpers and Bear want nothing to do with this dessert. Strawberries, bleh -- they really are sick and twisted kids) had any idea how healthy these were for them and both of them loved them. They're requested again and again... and that's just fine by me because if I could, I'd eat them all in one sitting. They're that good.

Cranberry Ricotta Bread

I love baking. 4ft loves baking. So when we bake together we usually do quick breads. There are a lot of things to measure, which 4ft loves, and mix, which I love. And quick breads are one of my favorite things to bake because they're so versatile. You can eat them at breakfast, have them for a snack, and they work for dessert too. It's a three-in-one-delicious food. How could it get any better than that? It can't and your brain will explode if you try to come up with something. So stop trying.

Quick breads are also very good for experimenting because as long as you have a couple of key ingredients -- flours of some sort and lifters -- they're very forgiving and the results are usually splendiferous. Which would be the case with this bread. It's seriously delicious and my new favorite and 4ft's too.

This bread was the brainchild of trying not to waste food. I had some ricotta cheese in the fridge that was going to go bad if it didn't get used and I didn't have enough for like a lasagna or something. So I tossed the 3/4 cup I had left into my basic quick bread recipe and then threw in some cranberries too -- because hey, they're delicious and why not. 4ft was a little apprehensive putting cheese into a bread meant to be sweet but I explained that cheesecake was made with cream cheese and that was pretty good so why not give it a shot. So he agreed. We did. And the rest is taste bud history. It's absolutely splendiferous.

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Chicken

I love garlic. Everything is better with garlic, kind of like bacon, but not. Okay, maybe ice cream isn't better with garlic... but still, our house would never be a candidate for a vampire invasion. Zombies would get us first because I'm pretty sure brains are better with garlic! And my family is probably pickled with garlic because I put it in just about every recipe I make (well not the Littles -- so we'd have to save them from the vampires but I bet the zombies wouldn't eat them.) 

The apricot preserves give a hint of sweet without overpowering the garlicky goodness and the siracha sauce gives it a little extra kick. And not a hard kick -- I've developed quite the pansy palette since my surgery and can't handle super spicy things at all and 4ft has always been a wuss when it comes to hot spices. So this recipe is really kid friendly, if 4ft's snorting noises as it horked it down are any indication, and easy on a sensitive stomach because I had no problem putting my portion away either sans the pork noises of course.

Asparagus Fries

I live near Stockton, and every year they have an asparagus festival (it's a big deal 'round these parts) and every year I go just for their deep-fried asparagus. If you've never had it, you're really missing out. It's seriously nom-a-licious
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Sorry, I was having a moment. Where was I? Oh yeah, asparagus. 

Since my surgery, I struggle sometimes with things that are heavy in oil or have too much breading (which is a good thing I guess -- helps me behave) so I thought why not try something along the lines of the zucchini fries since they were such a big hit, but with asparagus instead (as I was feeling nostalgic for deep-fried asparagus). 

Asparagus is another veggie that 4ft swears he hates and refuses to eat. I've recently come to the conclusion that if I bread it, call it "fries", and give him ketchup for dipping, he'll eat ANYTHING! He inhaled these, doing a little butt shake (not making this up), and making happy noises. He happily had seconds. It was amazing. And while they're not deep fried asparagus (because, really, what is?), they are really delicious and a lot better for you too.