Apricot Smoked Ribs

Prep Time: 10 minutes                  Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes                    Add to MyFitnessPal

Traditionally, slow smoked barbecue is high in fat and slathered in sugary, ridiculously high carbohydrate sauces that just don't fit a bariatric lifestyle - at least not more than a bite or two every many months. Fortunately, there's no reason whatsoever that traditional recipes can't be approximated, surpassed even, in ways that are completely compatible with a bariatric life, not to mention with the lifestyle's of most everyone else in your life. Enjoy!

My camera is in the shop - sorry for the low photo quality

Cinnamon Vanilla Waffles

Prep Time: 5 Minutes                   Cook Time: 2-3 Minutes/Waffle               Add to MyFitnessPal

Since I started Smye's Baridelicious Foods, I've received well over 100 requests for a good waffle recipe, along with more than my fair share of, shall we say, indignant, inquiries as to why I hadn't posted one yet. To put it bluntly, waffles have been hard. It's fairly easy to make a low carb, high protein waffle that tastes good, but the resulting texture is usually awful. It's also quite straightforward to make a low carb, high protein waffle with great texture, but they tend to lack flavor. It's also not too hard to make one with amazing flavor, great texture and a whole lot of junk ingredients - which sort of defeats the whole purpose of this blog, no?

But finally, after well over two dozen attempts, I bring you Cinnamon Vanilla Waffles that taste great, have incredible texture, and have nothing in the way of artificiality about them.

Delicious, fluffy perfection

Oh, and they're pretty easy to make too. One batch makes six waffles that freeze & toast up wonderfully - though good luck eating a whole one in a single sitting.

Sour Apple Kale Smoothie

Prep Time: 3 Minutes                         Cook Time: 0 Minutes                       Add to MyFitnessPal

I'm not shy about the fact that I simply cannot stand the taste, the texture, or the overall savor of raw kale. Don't get me wrong, I know it's good for me, and I absolutely LOVE it wilted in a stir fry, pickled next to a sandwich, or mixed into soups and stocks. But raw? BLECH!

I've tried dressing it up in acidic salad dressings to soften the texture, I've massaged it, I've blended it, I've juiced it, I've even tried deeping meaningful conversation with it to improve our relationship. All to no avail.


Hey, that's actually pretty darned good!

Until now. Completely by accident, while attempting to make a magnesium nutrient slurry for the garden I discovered this incredible sour apple kale smoothie. Give it a try, I think you'll be as surprised as I was how delicious raw kale can actually be when a little home chemistry is applied.

Experiments in Charcuterie - Part 3: Duck Tasting & Goat Prosciutto Day 1

The duck is ready! And goodness is it amazing!

Surprisingly delicious (okay, not a surprise)

I overdid it on the white pepper a bit, but overall it's excellent stuff. I particularly like it wrapped around melon, on cucumbers, and in the omelets I'm eating as I write this. All in all, VERY worth my time, I'll absolutely be doing it again.

Given my success with the duck prosciutto, I've decided to continue my experimentation but didn't really want to invest a lot into the various ingredients required for working with larger cuts of meat. Thankfully A neighbor was kind enough to gift me with a few 'extras' after seeing my earlier charcuterie posts. What did he gift me, you ask?

5 Months, 135 Pounds Down

You've read my "What Does 100 lb Look Like?" page. You celebrated with me. Maybe you're pre-op and marveled a bit thinking "no way I can do that" (yes, yes you can!). Maybe you're post-op and you thought "wow, lookin' good, you're making great progress" (thank you!)

Or maybe you said to yourself "Really? I thought it would look like more!" If you're in that last camp, you read my mind. The next 35 pounds, however, was at least as significant, if not far moreso, than the first 100. What's after the jump will really blow your mind!

Experiments in Charcuterie - Part 2: Duck Prosciutto Recipe

A lot has happened on the charcuterie front since my last post. I'm about to begin the process of making my first violino di capra (whole leg goat prosciutto held like a violin when thinly sliced). But today I owe you an explanation of where I'm at in the process of the duck prosciutto and a how to so you can make your own. Don't worry, it's easier (and faster!) than you think.



The final product (I hope)

Spaghetti

Prep Time: 20 Minutes                         Cook Time: 3 Minutes                Add to MyFitnessPal

We've all tried for that perfect low-carb spaghetti - maybe it was pre-op, maybe post. We've been told time and again to try Zoodles, "just cut some zucchini like noodles and you'll be fine." First we boiled them and ended up with mush. Then we microwaved them and found our 'pasta' overly soft or else weirdly crunchy with a puddle of water at the bottom. It works, sure, but it's just not quite right, it might even get nauseating after a few bites when all we want is a little pasta. Today, that changes.


Zoodles that actually taste like noodles? YES!

Never again will you be stuck with 'pasta' that just doesn't hit the spot, with this little trick, your 'pasta' can and will actually taste like, and feel like, real al dente noodles.

Experiments in Charcuterie - Part 1: Dreaming

My birthday is coming up. No I won't tell you exactly when, but we'll say it's soon.

My birthday is coming up, and money is a little tight right now. No, I won't tell you how tight, but suffice it to say it'll be a bit before we're back at Costco.

My birthday is coming up, and I want for my birthday dinner is prosciutto. And yes, it is delicious stuff. Too bad it's awfully pricey.

My birthday is coming up, and I just so happen to have excess duck breast in the freezer. And a 50 lb bag of food-grade sea salt I got for $15 at the feed store.



Photo courtesy of OneVanillaBean

And yes, my chef neighbor and I are going to try to make our own duck prosciutto. Never had duck prosciutto? You're seriously missing out. High protein, low carb, and as delicately delightful as any foie you've ever put in your mouth (almost).

So here it goes, based on the weight and thickness of the breasts, we're guestimating about 2 weeks from now to finished product. I'll post updates as we go. Tonight we're just defrosting in the freezer. I can't wait!

Easy Kimchi

Prep time: 1 hour                                Fermentation time: 3-7 days                     Add to MyFitnessPal

Ever wonder what goes into that sour, sweet, hot, salty, umami bomb known as kimchi? You look into the jar at the grocery store and see red, orange, yellow cabbage, carrots, maybe a bok choi or two and think, how do they make that stuff? And why is it so disgusting/amazing? And if you can buy it in the store, why on earth would you bother making it? And why does it get eaten so much in the hottest part of the summer.

Hot, yet strangely cooling. It looks a little funky, but there' no better condiment on the planet

I know, I know, fermented foods are kind of polarizing. You either love them, hate them, or are too scared to try them. But get this, not only are they tasty, but the National Institutes of Health recently published several studies in which they concluded that Kimchi has the benefits of being "anticancer, antiobesity, antoconstipation, colorectal health promoting, probiotic, cholesterol reducing, fibrolytic, antioxidative, antiaging, brain health promoting, immune system promoting, and skin health promoting." In short, forget everything you've heard about goji and acai berries, kimchi is the ultimate superfood! Not only does it have the lactofermentation benefits, but the each of the main ingredients carries its own suite of incredible nutrient. Too bad a lot of the storebought stuff has been pasturized and cut the benefits, according to the folks over at Livestrong, in half.

As for eating Kimchi in the summertime - it turns out that spicy fermented foods stimulate a cooling homeostatic response in the body, leaving you feeling (and actually) significantly cooler after you've eaten it.

Oh, and it tastes pretty darned good too :). I'll be posting a kimchi soup recipe here in the next few weeks, and it's indispensable on Bibimbop. Can you tell I love the stuff?

Curly Fries

Prep Time: 7 minutes                        Cook Time: 10 minutes                   Add to MyFitnessPal

Curly fries - those time-honored savory treats from childhood - are a classic July food. They're also packed with starch, breading, and fried in 10-day-old oil. But dang they taste SO good! And it turns out, they're a piece of cake to make and they can actually be good for you.

They go great with Smye's Catsup

Using this particular spice mixture, these taste nearly identical to those served at a particular fast food restaurant that famously serves roast beef sandwiches - but feel free to play with the spices and make to suit your own tastes.