Bariatric-Friendly Recipes: Cookbook On The Go - Mexico Bariatric Center (2024)

Do you need holiday recipes? Here are delicious quick recipes that are easy to prepare.

Appetizers

• Stuffed Mushrooms with Laughing Cow Cheese

Side Dish

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Maple Mustard Dressing

Main Course

• Thin Sliced Grilled Steaks
• Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken
• Apple Stuffed Pork Loin Roast
• Cajun Chicken Cauliflower Rice

Dessert

• Apple-Cranberry Crumble Dessert
• Skillet Berry Crumble
• A Low-Carber’s Holiday Eggnog
• Strawberries With Sugar-Free Chocolate Drizzle
• High-Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Appetizers – Bariatric-Friendly Recipes

Stuffed Mushrooms with Laughing Cow Cheese

Do you like Creamy Mushroom? Try this guilt-free, bite-size appetizer that everyone will enjoy!

Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American, Oven Baked
6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 12 mushroom caps, stems removed, washed cooking spray
• 3 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped can also use chopped fresh spinach
• butter spray
• 4 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese, Light Swiss

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put a large skillet on medium-high heat. After wiping the mushrooms off with a wet paper towel; spray the tops with butter spray for added flavor.
3. Add mushroom caps, bottoms down, into the skillet and let sear for about 2 minutes.
4. Remove mushroom caps to a pie plate. Spray still heated pan with cooking spray and add garlic and parsley.
5. Remove wrapping from Laughing Cow Cheese wedges and add to bowl. Once parsley and garlic have been sautéed add to cheese mixture in the bowl and incorporate well with the back of a
6. fork.
7. Add mixture to mushroom caps and put in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
8. RECIPE NOTES
9. This recipe makes 6 servings, One serving is two mushroom caps. Each serving provides an estimated 8 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, and 2 grams fat.

Side Dish – Bariatric-Friendly Recipes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Maple Mustard Dressing

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Oven-Baked
6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large or 2 small apples, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Cut bacon into 1/2″ pieces and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts, mix with 1 tbsp olive oil and add in a single layer on top of the bacon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until they begin to brown, 15-20 minutes flipping them halfway through the cooking time.
4. Meanwhile, core and cut apple into 1/4″ pieces.
5. Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven and toss in apple. Return to oven; roast until Brussels sprouts are browned and tender and apple have softened, 10-15 minutes.
6. While the brussels sprouts are roasting whisk together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the apple cider vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Place the roasted brussels sprouts, apple, and bacon into a serving bowl Pour the dressing over them and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Are you confused about what to make for your holiday dinner? Try these healthy bariatric-friendly recipes!

Main Courses – Bariatric-Friendly Recipes

Thin Sliced Grilled Steaks

Do you like Steak? This recipe is simple for patients who are past 1-month post-op! Try thin slices for the slimmer portion size.

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Oven Baked
4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 4 (4 oz) thinly sliced sirloin tip steak
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan on the stovetop to high heat.
2. Sear the steak, one or two at a time to allow close attention, for 3 minutes per side.
3. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, and serve with vegetables or other toppings as desired. Examples include sautéed mushrooms or cilantro steak topping. *Link for those recipes can
4. be found in the text above.

RECIPE NOTES

This recipe makes 4 steaks. Each steak provides an estimated 25 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, and 4 grams fat.

Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken

Do you prefer Chicken Pesto? This one-pan dish would be a great colorful addition to your holiday dinner!

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Crock Pot
6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small onions sliced
• 180 g sweet potato chopped
• 180 g butternut squash chopped
• 3 chicken breasts large
• 3 tsp reduced-fat pesto
• 1 chicken stock melt/stockpot
• 150 ml of boiling water
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the chopped onions in the base of the slow cooker.
2. Put half of the sweet potato and butternut squash in with the onion.
3. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables.
4. Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto over each chicken breast, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the oregano.
5. Put the rest of the sweet potato and butternut squash, and the cherry tomatoes, around the chicken breasts.
6. Measure the boiling water (150 ml or ½ cup) in a jug and add the chicken stock melt. Stir to melt it and then carefully pour the stock under the chicken in the vegetables.
7. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
8. Check the chicken is cooked through.
9. Using a large slotted spoon, lift the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and place them in a serving dish. Put the cooked vegetables around the chicken and serve.

Apple Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Oven-Baked
12 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups thick-cut white bread cubes, crusts removed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 1 (3 pounds) pork loin roast, butterflied

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, apples, and sage. Saute until softened. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the bread, egg, butter, and salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth gradually until everything is moistened. Let the stuffing mixture cool completely before putting it in the pork loin. Spoon the stuffing down the pork, horizontally, in a line. Roll the pork over the stuffing, jelly-roll style, ending with the seam down and fat side up. Lightly score the fat, in a diamond pattern, with a sharp knife. Tightly tie the pork roast up with butcher’s twine, season it with more salt and pepper, and transfer to a roasting pan. Roast the pork in a preheated oven for about 90 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with apples and fresh herbs.

Cajun Chicken Cauliflower Rice

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun, Stove-top
2-3 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (10oz) bags of frozen cauliflower rice
• 1 (13oz) package of chicken (or any lean protein of your choice)
• 1 large bell pepper. Any color is fine.
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• Salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium to large pan, sauté the diced onion and bell pepper with a little olive oil for 3-5 minutes or until they begin to soften.
2. Add the sliced chicken slices to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the chicken starts to brown.
3. Toss in the frozen cauliflower rice and Cajun seasoning; stir well and cook until the cauliflower rice is heated all the way through.

Dessert – Bariatric-Friendly Recipes

A Low-Carber’s Holiday Eggnog

Have a sweet tooth? Try this Egg Nog, it has half the calories and half the fat of standard Egg Nog recipes!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Holiday
2 Serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg
• 4 packets natural no-calorie sweetener
• 1 tsp sugar-free vanilla syrup found in the coffee aisle or online
• 1 1/4 cup cold unsweet almond milk
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg more if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place in a small blender (or whatever blender you have) the egg, sweetener, and sugar-free vanilla syrup. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds until thoroughly blended.
2. Add cold almond milk and blend for another 30-60 seconds.
3. Pour into serving glasses and sprinkle a good amount of nutmeg on top. Enjoy!

RECIPE NOTES

This recipe makes 2 servings. Each serving provides an estimated 33 calories, 2.8 grams protein, 4.2 grams carbohydrate, and 2.2 grams fat.

Skillet Berry Crumble

INGREDIENTS

Berry Base

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (or ghee)
• 2 cups mixed berries (we used strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
• 5-10 drops liquid stevia (optional)

Crumble

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 5-10 drops liquid stevia (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. To make the berry base, heat a medium-size skillet greased with butter or ghee over medium-high heat. Add the berries and cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add sweetener if necessary.
3. Place almonds and pecans into a food processor. Add the butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, sea salt, and stevia (if using). Pulse for a few seconds until the mixture is chopped as roughly or as finely as you like.
4. Sprinkle the nut mixture on top of the berries and boil for about 7-10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp on top.
5. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whole milk yogurt on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Low-Sugar Apple-Cranberry Sauce

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Stove-Top
6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12oz) bag of fresh cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 3 cups peeled and chopped Gala apples (about 3 small)
• 5 tbsp raw sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put all ingredients into a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, about 20 minutes if your cranberries are frozen or less if they’re raw. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Guilt-Free Dipped Strawberry Halves

Strawberries With Sugar-Free Chocolate Drizzle

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with this modified bariatric recipe – the best part is that it’s sugar-free!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup inulin sweetener or powdered erythritol
• 1 teaspoon vanilla creme stevia drops

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine water, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt in a medium pot.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat.
3. Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes. The mixture should thicken up a bit. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla stevia.
4. Slice ½ pound of strawberries in halves
5. Drizzle sugar-free chocolate sauce on top
6. Enjoy!

High-Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Craving something sweet but don’t want to feel guilty? Try this high protein, low sugar protein shake! Each shake provides 28 grams of protein and only 275 calories, perfect for bariatric patients!
Chocolate peanut butter banana protein shake.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ banana
• 1 ½ tbs PB fit
• ½ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup water
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 ½ cup ice

INSTRUCTIONS

Add ingredients together into a blender. Blend until desired consistency. Enjoy!

Helpful Resources

• 11 Rewarding Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 10 Best Recipe Websites for Bariatric Patients
• Complete Guide to Fast Food After Weight Loss Surgery
• 15 Ways to Get Your Family to Eat Healthy