I can eat...kinda!!

I've whined enough about the challenges of week 3 food issues.  The upside is that I just work harder to do what is right and finding foods I like (#1) and help me get in my 60g of protein a day (#2) (without drinking it out of a bottle or box). 

The rule for the rest of my life is protein, protein, protein first.  Veggies second.  Not much room for anything else after that. Drinking my protein has gotten boring but eating meats (shredded chicken, ground turkey, etc) has not been too easy yet. 

I have fallen in love with foods I otherwise may have never endulged in.  My fav fav fav snack is Edamame (soybeans).  Publix (best grocery store EVER) sells them preshelled in a bag for about $2.50.  When I am craving the crunchy, salty carb snack I warm up some Edemame in a little bowl and sprinkle some salt on top.  EXCELLENT source of protein.  There are about 12g of protein in 3.5 oz of edamame.  Yes, there are carbs but good carbs AND these are low fat and low cal.  Can easily be mixed into salads and other healthy dishes.  Right now I do have to eat these slowly and chew them up nicely.  So yummy nonetheless!!

Tofu!  I've never had desire to have tofu in my diet.  But, it didn't bother me when it was served to me in dishes such as asian soups, fried rices etc.  Then I realized the awesome nutritional value in tofu.  My prior understanding of tofu was that it was this plain white, rubbery, jiggly, tasteless something something!!  Something vegetarians ate but I didn't know why or what purpose it served.  Now I know!  Low cal, low fat, NO cholesterol and HUGE protein.  Good protein.  One more fabulous fact about tofu is it basically takes on the flavor of anything it has been cook with.  Can be sweet, spicy, savory, mild, or just spectacular!  I love it and it will certainly be a forever friend in my diet. 


I have already confessed my love for Greek Yogurt so won't go on and on about it but.......it is so much like tofu.  Can do so many different things with greek yogurt and excellent source of protein.  I don't have a favorite brand.  It all tastes the same to me and I buy it plain. Mix in honey or sugar free jelly to flavor it for something sweet. 



Feel the need to clarify at this point.  I do not ONLY eat protein.  Like any well balanced diet, I need my fruits and veggies and some carbs too.  Just healthy ones.  Right now I can eat mushy fruits and veggies.  Steamed squash even hurt going down.  Needs to be mush. I can do overcooked squash, green beans, minced cooked onion, cucumber (chewed well),  zucchini, cooked carrots and tiny bites of mashed potatoes.  No lettuce.....no salads. Applesauce and bananas go down really well.  Really yummy in protein shakes.  I will chew up the occasional saltine cracker (to mush) if I am just craving a good crunchy carb.  Small bites and chew to mush.  These will HURT if not chewed up. 

My biggest "cheat" is sherbet.  I have not found a lactose free or greek frozen yogurt I am dying to try......or buy for the outrageous price.  A 1/3 cup of sherbet occasionally does me fine and gets me that sweet satisfaction. Publix has the most AMAZING flavors.  I am currently endulging in a mixture of watermelon, honeydew melon and catelope.  YES!!  All beautifully harmonized in a brick of a container.  FABULOUS!!!!

I can eat the sugar free pudding now without pain but still upsets my tummy.  Most likley the dairy still.  Sugar free jello is great but quite boring at this point since I've been eating it since day 1 of post-op.