Introducing Smye's Fitness - Homemade Kettlebells

 Prep: 15 minutes                                Build Time: 1 hour                         Cure: 24 hours

I know this blog is typically a space reserved for the breaking of digital bread and the celebration of good food. Don't worry, this will still be the case 90% of the time. But at the end of the day, this blog is really about maintaining a healthy lifestyle after (or even before) bariatric surgery. To that end, I wanted to share with you a few of the things I learn along the way in terms of physical conditioning beyond diet.

Before I begin, let me be clear that I do not believe one needs any formal equipment to develop and maintain a high level of fitness - I'm all about natural movements and the joy of using your own body in work & play. However, I also recognize the desire among many of us for something a little more formal. I am not a physiologist, nor am I a fitness expert in the true sense of the word - nor will I pretend to be. I will not be offering workout tips or WODs here, just a tip or two each month that have made my life easier and more affordable.

25 Pound Kettlebell - $4.00 and 1 hour

Now the fun part. We've all seen kettlebells in the gym, maybe we've even used them a time or two. They're typically big hunks of iron with handles - tools that allow us to tap into that primal 'URGH!' of weight-training and are actually pretty fun in the process. The trouble is that they're expensive - $1.50/lb for the poorly made ones and well over $4.00/lb for anything high quality. Until now.

Greens, Eggs, & Hash

Prep Time:  10 minutes                       Cook Time:  25 minutes                        Add to MyFitnessPal

One of my all-time favorite breakfasts pre-op was a quick hash with fried eggs. Turns out, it's also a perfect high protein way to start your day post-op as well. Not to mention the fact that you can either reheat it later for eating on over 3 or 4 days, but you can also serve this to family and friends without fear that it will taste like 'diet food' to them.

A big heaping mess of yum!

This recipe is also incredible with turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, or sweet potato in place of the cauliflower!

Chili Lime Chicken Burgers

Prep Time - 15 minutes                       Cook Time - 10 minutes                        Add to MyFitnessPal

Normally I'm a staunch advocate of beef, bison, or goat-based burgers. I can't stand those dry hockey-puck turkey patties you can buy at the big box stores. They taste like the sport they're most reminiscent of.

These, on the otherhand, are juicy, fully of flavor, and tender as can be. There's nothing lost from the omission of red meat. In fact, only chicken could highlight the interplay of the chili and the lime so well as this. Oh, and you can make a bunch ahead of time, freeze them and then cook them up later without loss of flavor or texture.

Just enough kick to really bring out the flavor without being overpowering for your guests

Catsup

Prep Time: 5 minutes                               Cook Time: 0 minutes                       Add to MyFitnessPal

It can be hard to find a good catsup that fits with a bariatric lifestyle. The ones on the shelves of your local grocer are either full of high in sugar, loaded with high fructose corn syrup, have a sodium count through the roof, taste terrible, or cost a boatload. And maybe paying a boatload is worth it to you - in that case, more power to you (feel free to let me know, I'll gladly make you catsup myself for half of whatever they're charging at your grocer for catsup with the same ingredients.)



There's no reason to ever live without condiments again.

That said, it turns out you don't need my help or the help of Catsups-R-Us. This bari-friendly catsup is easy and fast to make. Oh, and it tastes pretty good too!

Grilled Chicken Strips

Prep Time: 5 minutes                         Cook Time: 30 minutes                Add to MyFitnessPal

We all know the delicious grilled chicken strips you find on a restaurant salad or buy frozen at the grocery store are pumped full of saline, spices, starches, MSG, and a dozen difficult-to-pronounce ingredients, not to mention wicked expensive.

And we've all tried to make our own without success - they're dry, flavorless, or undercooked almost every time we try to make them. What's the secret? How can we get juicy, succulent, and incredibly delicious chicken strips for our salads without having to buy it premade?

Chicken strips make the perfect salad topping

Paella

Prep Time: 25 minutes                 Cook Time: 1 hour                       Add to MyFitnessPal

Originating in Valencia on the east coast of Spain, Paella is the quintessential seafood smorgasbord - representing the history of when the Romans and Arabic peoples came together, each bringing their traditional use of spices, herbs, and seafood.

New and improved paella through the magic of a Dutch oven

Paella is a dish of deep, earthy flavors with aromas that grab you by the sinuses and don't let go until you've finally had your first bite. Highlighting the unique flavor of each ingredient in a harmonious blend, Paella is one dish that's worth every last second spent making it.



Chipotle Philly Cheesesteak

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes                   Cook Time: 3 minutes                          Add to MyFitnessPal

Another food I thought I'd have to say goodbye to when I had WLS, the Philly cheesesteak was a sandwich I first tried in second grade while on vacation with a friend's family. It was greasy, rich, and, from that day forward, reminded me of walking down the boardwalk with my buddy on a warm spring day. Satisfaction in food form.

Many years later my first roommate, a recent émigré from Juarez, introduced me to homemade chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. I introduced him to the Philly Cheesesteak. A new sandwich was born. And what do you know, given only a few small modifications, it fits a bariatric lifestyle perfectly!



Not half bad, despite being only half a sandwich

A Funny Story

Now that I'm finally out of my full-tilt shame spiral, I'd like to take a break from posting recipes to share a funny story with you. Talk about an Bari-Big Mistake.

Bari-Sushi

Prep time - 10-15 minutes for your first try, 4-5 thereafter            Add to MyFitnessPal

 

Oh Sushi, how I love thee, let me count the ways. From our first date, to our 7th wedding anniversary this June, sushi has been a centerpiece to the culinary aspects of my relationship with my partner. Neither of us cares for any cooked fish with fins, but give it to us raw and we'll just about beg. I'm fortunate enough that post-op, I've had no problem with the nori (seaweed) in sushi, but note that some folks really struggle with it. If this is you, try soy wrappers that you can find at most asian grocers instead. If you're really stuck, ask your favorite sushi bar if they know where you can get some or will sell you one of theirs to try.

 



Two fantastic meals' worth

Grilled Cheese

Prep Time: 2 minutes                       Cook Time: 10 minutes                 Add to MyFitnessPal

The age-old comfort food from a snowy day in childhood - the grilled cheese - is back and ready for BariDelicious eating. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised with these results.

It's even dippable

CauliBread

Prep Time:  15 minutes                 Cook Time: 15 minutes                    Add to MyFitnessPal

Several of you have already met BariBread. BariBread was nice. It seemed to like you and you had similar interests. The two of you could hang out on weekends - at least, that is, if you didn't have anything else going on. But given the chance to hang out with CarboBread again, you'd have jumped at the chance. It wasn't that BariBread wasn't meeting your needs, but maybe BariBread lost some of its luster after the first 200 slices. Maybe you're looking for something with a little more body, something you can really heat up instead - or maybe you even want to keep BariBread on the side for when you're in the mood, but just need a little variety in your life.

Friends, meet CauliBread - the perfect companion for BariBread to add body & heat things up.


Wait, you can make grilled cheese with it?

The First 100

Typically this is a blog dedicated to food, with maybe a small amount of commentary about my own history with the food in question. But every once in a while I'll post an update about my own weight loss, a story from a reader, or something else just a little more personal.

Check in first thing Friday morning for the latest update in my weight loss story and a change to the "What do you look like 100 pounds later?" page.

Pho

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes                Cook Time: 5-15 minutes               Add to MyFitnessPal

I grew up eating southeastern asian cuisine. Despite mom's affinity for McD's, I learned to eat with chopsticks long before I could handle a fork and spoon. And of all the foods I ate, none tastes like home quite like a steaming bowl of pho. But those stinking rice noodles have WAY too many carbs for my diet, and the broth seemed impossible to make (or so I thought.) I spent three years trying to perfect pho but could never make it like Ngdom used to when I was a little. Not, anyway, until now.

Poor photography, VERY good eating

Simple Salmon

Prep Time - 2 minutes                     Cook Time - 7-10 minutes                 Add to MyFitnessPal

It's that time of year - the fish are spawning, migrating, and biting. And whether you fish or not, that means Salmon! This is the first of several salmon-based recipes I'll be posting in the near future.

Typically I don't care for anything with fins unless it's raw, but this... oh this is the good stuff! And it's probably the easiest recipe I'll ever post. Whether or not you consider yourself a true gourmand or haven't been in the kitchen since you were in the womb, try this one. You won't regret it.

The skin tastes like bacon - just different

Turkey Cesar Avocado Classic

Prep Time: 3 minutes                                                                                    Add to MyFitnessPal

When I made the decision to have bariatric surgery, I said 'goodbye' to sandwiches - those staples of the American lunchbox, the seemingly perfect vehicle for all manner of delightfully protein-based fillings. I mourned, I said 'farewell' and then I found BariBread.

I had the bread, but it can be even harder to figure out exactly what to put on it to yield a bariatric-friendly sandwich. Among my favorite sandwiches from childhood is the Turkey Cesar Avocado Classic, but could I make it bari-friendly?

Hint: The answer is yes

Egg Bake

Prep Time - 15 minutes              Cook Time - 45 minutes                    Add to MyFitnessPal

I love to cook. I have a stressful job, I run a small farm, and sometimes the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen preparing wholesome, delicious food for myself and my family is just the sort of soothing I need. Many of my recipes are pretty involved and take quite a bit of time - this is not one of those recipes.


Reheats in the microwave? I'm in

Your Turn

Typically I post the fruits of my labors here, sharing with you what I've learned through countless attempts, trial and error, and the careful balancing of ingredients. Now I need you to share with me. I have two favors to ask of you all.

Tracking Just Got Easier

Good news! All of my recipes can now be found on MyFitnessPal.

That's right - no more spending 20 minutes searching for and finding ingredients in the database to try and piece together the right recipe and track your nutrition.

Just log on to MyFitnessPall and then click the link at the top right-hand corner of any of my recipe posts to add each meal to your daily food journal.

Black & Bleu Pastrami Sandwich

Prep time - 8 minutes     Cook time - 2 minutes                                 Add to MyFitnessPal
 

I've never been a huge fan of pastrami. On it's own it reminds me too much of an over-cured hotdog, even when I make my own from my goats. But put it on this particular sandwich - WATCH OUT. For the recipe below, I used the columbus brand pastrami from costco as I doubt most others here do their own charcuterie. Also, please note that this sandwich is quite large (from a post-op perspective), I rarely can even quite finish a half, but it's just as good the next day.
 

I can only ever eat half at a time, but it's excellent!

Goat Cheese Pizza Crust

Prep Time: 15 minutes                   Cook Time: 35 minutes                   Add to MyFitnessPal

 

This crust is also excellent and has a heartier, easier to hold texture than the 1:1:1 crust. The flavor is ever so slightly tangy with the goat cheese and the higher dose of cauliflower is excellent - though I admit I still prefer the flavor of the other crust. The major advantage of this crust is after the initial bake, you can freeze the crust with 'raw' toppings easily and then pull it out and stick in the oven at 400F until a desired done-ness is achieved - homemade frozen pizza! 

 

Smoked Goat Pizza - A Great Use of Leftovers

 

1-1-1 Pizza Crust

Prep Time: 15 minutes                   Cook Time:   20 minutes              Add to MyFitnessPal

I struggled with a similar recipe for a long time but for the life of me couldn't get a 'small' version of this pizza to work. Every time I tried to make this pizza, I ended up with either a pie far to large for me to eat before it went bad or else something more akin to goo than pizza crust. And yet, it was so simple 1-1-1 (similar to, but much more successful than a certain former politicians SIMS-derived 999 tax plan). The texture isn't perfect (I'll be posting the ideal texture version in a few minutes), but the flavor is excellent! This is probably my favorite crust, especially with some red pepper flakes mixed in for just a smidgeon of heat.

Oh pizza, it's good to have you back