Favorite Foods Post Op

[chefkelly 38]

What are some of your favorite foods and what types of foods can you handle? How have your taste become different? I am a personal chef and am curious about the kind of food I will enjoy after surgery. Right now I do enjoy eating healthy food, I am mainly a volume eater. One of my favorite meals in pork roast with a spicy rub then greek yogurt as a cooling agent. How do you handle spices?

[thinnerdays 0]

My experience post surgery (4 weeks) is that it will be many months, maybe a year before you'll be enjoying anything like that. And if you do, it will be 2 tbsps...long term, I'm still waiting for some feedback from this forum about what to expect. Right now I tolerate fish (tilapia, whiting, tuna, crab, shrimp). My favorite food is Wendy's chili w/fat free cheese. I haven't found anything else that I love and I am very unhappy about that. I am praying for some suggestions and hoping that my tastes and tolerance (lots of nausea) will improve. All that being said, I am thankful I had the surgery and remain hopeful that I will regain my desire for and encounter great foods again!

[pookybear 284]

I handle spicy foods wonderfully. One of my go-to foods is anything Mexican. I only got sick from spices once when I was in the soft food stage. I wasn't ready for it and I was violently ill for about 12 hours after. I waited a few months (probably about 4 months or so post op) and tried again, now it's fine.

Edited March 4, 2014 by pookybear

[chefkelly 38]

Awesome! I figured since pork loin is lean Protein eventually it will be okay (and soft if you take it out at the right temp). Im also glad to hear seafood works so well!

[terry1118 1,274]

I'm nine months out. I've always been able to eat seafood like tilapia, salmon, clams, scallops, and shrimp. I also love spicy foods so I enjoy home made spicy turkey chili, hummus w/jalapeños, pepper jack and horseradish cheddar cheeses, and buffalo chicken meatballs w/blue cheese. I like to add jalapeños to quite a few foods. I can eat a little beef if it's tender and I chew carefully. I still can't eat poultry unless it's ground and for some reason I can't eat tuna. I haven't tried pork. Drier meats can sometimes be tolerated if you moisten them with broths, gravies, or sauces.

Honestly though, everyone is different. You may not tolerate what I can and visa-versa. If something bothers you today it may not bother you a week or a month from now. And something you've been eating all along may suddenly make you sick (not often, but be prepared for the possibility). Each individual learns by trial and error what the can eat. Be prepared also for the possibility also that nothing may taste or smell right for 4-6 weeks following surgery. If that happens to you it will gradually diminish over time.

[chefkelly 38]

Thanks for the feedback! It is to be a challenge to cook without tasting for some time! But am so looking forward to this journey.

[traely1202 2]

Tomorrow will be one week since my surgery!! I am looking forward to starting the "full liquid diet" with milk. They say if I can tolerate that then I can add pudding and yogurt in limited quantities. I'm still in quite a bit of pain, but still have a drain that comes out Friday. I have noticed when ppl eat around me certain smells make me sick. My son had Arby's fries the other day and the smell of them nauseated me (I used to love them) and someone ate a chocolate donut and the smell from that even got me. I to am nervous when I do start to eat how it will be. Next Wednesday I start with the puréed food, kinda nervous. Not even sure what would taste good puréed.

[chefkelly 38]

Tomorrow will be one week since my surgery!! I am looking forward to starting the "full liquid diet" with milk. They say if I can tolerate that then I can add pudding and yogurt in limited quantities. I'm still in quite a bit of pain, but still have a drain that comes out Friday. I have noticed when ppl eat around me certain smells make me sick. My son had Arby's fries the other day and the smell of them nauseated me (I used to love them) and someone ate a chocolate donut and the smell from that even got me. I to am nervous when I do start to eat how it will be. Next Wednesday I start with the puréed food, kinda nervous. Not even sure what would taste good puréed.

As a personal chef my specialty is healthy foods (thanks to a lifetime of dieting and studying nutrition trying to lose weight and get for). And I love purées! Here are some good ones (I am leaving them quite plain as I feel that may be better on your stomach!)

1.) cauliflower has to be my fav. Boil it in low sodium veg stock till it is really mushy then drain (keep your stock) and put in blender (or use hand mixer) add some stock if needed- you'll be surprised how much Water is in the cauliflower! Cauliflower is epic for healthy eating! You can use it to make cream Soups and I've used it to make crust for quiche as well as baked cauliflower tots!

2.) Beans have a good deal of protein- for black Beans add cilantro for a south of the border taste, with chickpeas you could add some lemon juice (not sure w the acid?) or herbs

3.) peas and mint

4.) ricotta cheese with herbs or roasted red peppers ( to roast fresh just turn your oven up as high as it will go and cook until the skin blisters then keep it covered in a dish until it cooks then peel and purée- not sure how pepper will be their taste is very strong) or ricotta with fruit of course

5.) carrots and pears puréed together- eaten cold

6.) spinach with herbs and a bit of yogurt may taste like creamed spinach

I'm wondering if you could do chicken livers? They're great puréed and high in Iron.

Just some ideas!

[Meintraining 104]

Chefkelly I am so jealous of your gift to know how to cook and throw ingredients together. I'm struggling on the soft foods stage because I'm not creative at all with cooking. I literally have lived on Protein Shakes, cheese sticks and Jello for 5 weeks. I don't even eat eggs or chicken because I don't like the flavor alone without bread or cheeses etc.

[chefkelly 38]

Chefkelly I am so jealous of your gift to know how to cook and throw ingredients together. I'm struggling on the soft foods stage because I'm not creative at all with cooking. I literally have lived on Protein shakes, cheese sticks and Jello for 5 weeks. I don't even eat eggs or chicken because I don't like the flavor alone without bread or cheeses etc.

It is all trial and error! Don't be afraid to try new things! Some of the best chefs in the world come up from being dishwashers, no formal training required! One good way to think of new things is to read recipes and look at traditional flavor pairing in different cultures. There is a book called "The Flavor Bible" that talks about flavors that go well together.

Try your eggs with chives or other herbs. Also cook eggs on a med temperature, with a little bit of fat free yogurt or skim milk for creaminess if you are scrambling them- eggs overcook very easily, cooking at a med. temp ensures they have a nice consistency.

Also, frozen fruits and veggies are quick to cook and puree and actually retain a lot of nutrients as they are usually flash frozen after being picked. I ike boiling carrots with either apples or pears (or both!) in low sodium veg stock, to get a sweet and savory flavor. A lot of combos can come out of going to the store and looking at juices offered and mimicking those. Professional recipe developers put together those flavor combos. Pureeing is quick too- very easy.

For chicken- again add herbs! They're such a low cal and highly nutritious way to flavor food! chicken is traditionally flavored with tarragon- try that.

For the herbs at the puree stage I would cook them in a small saute pan (or a sauce pan if you don't have a smaller saute pan- the goal is as little surface area as possible so you don't burn anything while cooking) with a little (tsp or so) of Water until they are soft. Add a tsp of Water at a time so that they dont lose flavor as things tend to do when you boil them. If you keep letting the water evaporate while cooking- the flavor stays in what you are cooking and you dont have to use oil or butter to do a traditional saute.

If you make batches- freeze them in ice cube trays to keep them for longer so you aren't wasting!

Hope this helps!

[chefkelly 38]

Chefkelly I am so jealous of your gift to know how to cook and throw ingredients together. I'm struggling on the soft foods stage because I'm not creative at all with cooking. I literally have lived on Protein shakes, cheese sticks and Jello for 5 weeks. I don't even eat eggs or chicken because I don't like the flavor alone without bread or cheeses etc.

Also, think about your favorite foods and think what is the healthiest way possible to eat this. For example if you like chicken salad- make it with breast meat, sub mayo for yogurt (non-fat greek) and add tons of herbs. I grew up eating very processed and unhealthy food and thought health food all had to be fat free and have no taste. This is SO UNTRUE! Subbing out unhealthy ingredients and trying to use the freshest stuff you can find. I think another tip would be think about what the food you are eating does to your body-- appreciate those natural and real food flavors because they are nourishing you! Check out my instagram @kelleyksu1 - I upload a lot of foods I do on there for ideas!

[terry1118 1,274]

It is all trial and error! Don't be afraid to try new things! Some of the best chefs in the world come up from being dishwashers, no formal training required! One good way to think of new things is to read recipes and look at traditional flavor pairing in different cultures. There is a book called "The Flavor Bible" that talks about flavors that go well together.

Try your eggs with chives or other herbs. Also cook eggs on a med temperature, with a little bit of fat free yogurt or skim milk for creaminess if you are scrambling them- eggs overcook very easily, cooking at a med. temp ensures they have a nice consistency.

Also, frozen fruits and veggies are quick to cook and puree and actually retain a lot of nutrients as they are usually flash frozen after being picked. I ike boiling carrots with either apples or pears (or both!) in low sodium veg stock, to get a sweet and savory flavor. A lot of combos can come out of going to the store and looking at juices offered and mimicking those. Professional recipe developers put together those flavor combos. Pureeing is quick too- very easy.

For chicken- again add herbs! They're such a low cal and highly nutritious way to flavor food! chicken is traditionally flavored with tarragon- try that.

For the herbs at the puree stage I would cook them in a small saute pan (or a sauce pan if you don't have a smaller saute pan- the goal is as little surface area as possible so you don't burn anything while cooking) with a little (tsp or so) of Water until they are soft. Add a tsp of Water at a time so that they dont lose flavor as things tend to do when you boil them. If you keep letting the water evaporate while cooking- the flavor stays in what you are cooking and you dont have to use oil or butter to do a traditional saute.

If you make batches- freeze them in ice cube trays to keep them for longer so you aren't wasting!

Hope this helps!

Awesome to have such great advice and suggestions at this stage. Where were you 9 months ago when I was starting out? :-)

Any new and interesting suggestions for cooking tilapia (my favorite food after chili and Greek yogurt)? Specifically a seasoning idea for foil-wrapped fish on the grill (to avoid fishy smell in the house)?

[chefkelly 38]

It is all trial and error! Don't be afraid to try new things! Some of the best chefs in the world come up from being dishwashers, no formal training required! One good way to think of new things is to read recipes and look at traditional flavor pairing in different cultures. There is a book called "The Flavor Bible" that talks about flavors that go well together.

Try your eggs with chives or other herbs. Also cook eggs on a med temperature, with a little bit of fat free yogurt or skim milk for creaminess if you are scrambling them- eggs overcook very easily, cooking at a med. temp ensures they have a nice consistency.

Also, frozen fruits and veggies are quick to cook and puree and actually retain a lot of nutrients as they are usually flash frozen after being picked. I ike boiling carrots with either apples or pears (or both!) in low sodium veg stock, to get a sweet and savory flavor. A lot of combos can come out of going to the store and looking at juices offered and mimicking those. Professional recipe developers put together those flavor combos. Pureeing is quick too- very easy.

For chicken- again add herbs! They're such a low cal and highly nutritious way to flavor food! chicken is traditionally flavored with tarragon- try that.

For the herbs at the puree stage I would cook them in a small saute pan (or a sauce pan if you don't have a smaller saute pan- the goal is as little surface area as possible so you don't burn anything while cooking) with a little (tsp or so) of Water until they are soft. Add a tsp of Water at a time so that they dont lose flavor as things tend to do when you boil them. If you keep letting the water evaporate while cooking- the flavor stays in what you are cooking and you dont have to use oil or butter to do a traditional saute.

If you make batches- freeze them in ice cube trays to keep them for longer so you aren't wasting!

Hope this helps!

Awesome to have such great advice and suggestions at this stage. Where were you 9 months ago when I was starting out? :-)

Any new and interesting suggestions for cooking tilapia (my favorite food after chili and Greek yogurt)? Specifically a seasoning idea for foil-wrapped fish on the grill (to avoid fishy smell in the house)?

For any type of fish the most important thing is quality-- I know it isn't always affordable but fresh fish actually shouldn't smell fishy. When you pick out fresh fish look for a nice color- not too slimy- and make sure and smell it, if it smells fishy it will taste fishy. When you buy fresh fish- store in an airtight bag and pack it in ice. To do this i usually just put it at the bottom of a tupperware container with enough ziplock bags of ice over it to cover it- this keeps it fresh- fish is very sensitive.

But frozen fish can be really good too- sometimes better than fresh (as with the vegetables- flash frozen while fresh can retain more flavor and nutrients than something that sits in refrigeration). A lot of chefs use flash frozen seafood for crudos and tartars- it can be that good. To thaw it either thaw in the refrigerator or put it in airtight wrapping and place in a bowl of cold water and change water every 15 min until thawed--- this helps keep the flavor and freshness and safety of the fish.

As for recipes my go to with a white fish is usually lemon juice and herbs- maybe a few spices like cumin or paprika. Or slices of lemon in the foil to keep the moisture. You can do really nice fruit and veg salsa with them too. Like a nice mango-red pepper, capers-tomatoes-garlic or cucumber-mint. Just work on those knife skills and the possibilities for toppings are endless! For me, fish is all about keeping it simple and fresh- the taste and texture are so delicate you want to highlight and compliment that!

[terry1118 1,274]

Thank you so much! Money is not an issue. My nut actually told us to become a 'gourmet' and savor foods because we eat so little compared to before. My children are grown and I'm willing to spend money on special foods for me and my husband (a body builder who eats 'clean'). I'll take your suggestions! Thank you, again! :-)

[chefkelly 38]

Thank you so much! Money is not an issue. My nut actually told us to become a 'gourmet' and savor foods because we eat so little compared to before. My children are grown and I'm willing to spend money on special foods for me and my husband (a body builder who eats 'clean'). I'll take your suggestions! Thank you, again! :-)

No problem! Happy to help! Let me know if you have any other questions! I love talking about this stuff! Another suggestion- because I just got mine a few weeks ago and am obsessed with it- is to buy a julienne peeler-- you can make Pasta out of veggies! I had always done spaghetti squash but with this I have a lot more options. My favorite is zucchini pasta- here is some I made the other night!