Daily Menus for Maintenance

[ms.sss 15,614]

25 minutes ago, Cheeseburgh said:

My son loves using his sous vide, I love to cook but I’ve never had interest in getting one. I bought an instant pot last year and I forget to use it. I was considering an air fryer however I know I would forget to use that too.

We are hosting 16 for Thanksgiving this year! I should look up instant pot ideas for a group.

Ok, of you like Oxtail (we love it) here is my oft requested Instant Pot Korean-inspired Braised Oxtail recipe. Now that I think of it, I haven't made it in a while (and my mouth is watering as I type, lol) so I guess Oxtail is going on the grocery list for this weekend:

INGREDIENTS

- [ ] 3 to 4 pounds oxtail (ask butcher to cut it for you if not already cut up)
- [ ] 1 sweet onion cut into large chunks
- [ ] 3-4 medium carrots cut into large chunks
- [ ] 2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms briefly soaked and quartered (omit if unavailable)
- [ ] Kosher salt (or Magic Mushroom powder if available)

Braising liquid
- [ ] 1/2 cup soy sauce (OR Bragg's liquid Soy Aminios)
- [ ] 1/4 cup rice wine or Mirin or dry white wine
- [ ] 1/4 cup water
- [ ] 1/2 medium Korean/Asian pear or 1 bosc pear or apple, grated
- [ ] 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- [ ] 1/2 inch ginger grated (about 1/2 teaspoon)
- [ ] 3 tablespoons honey or sugar (OR Liquid sweetener)
- [ ] 3 tablespoons maesil cheong or 1 more tablespoon honey or sugar (OR Liquid sweetener)
- [ ] pepper to taste

Other additions and garnishes
- [ ] 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- [ ] 2 scallions roughly chopped (and some finely sliced for optional garnish)
- [ ] sesame seeds - optional

INSTRUCTIONS

- [ ] Trim off excess fat. Rinse the oxtail pieces and let them sit in cold Water for 10 to 20 minutes to draw out excess blood. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels.
- [ ] Place oxtails in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon Magic Mushroom Powder or kosher salt, toss to coat
- [ ] Broil in oven 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned
- [ ] Transfer oxtails & brown bits to Instant Pot & cover with braising liquid
- [ ] Add carrots, onion & optional mushrooms
- [ ] Press "Meat" Function, set to 60 minutes
- [ ] When done leave alone for at least 15 minutes then open lid carefully.
- [ ] Stir in scallion & sesame oil.
- [ ] Remove meat & veggies & place in a bowl.
- [ ] Strain cooking liquid and separate the fat (using a fat separator OR by chilling the liquid & removing the congealed fat layer)
- [ ] Pour sauce back over meat & veggies (reheat if necessary).
- [ ] Garnish with additional optional scallions & sesame seeds

[sillykitty 10,775]

5 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Oh wow! I can't wait to see how that turns out!

It's just me and Mr. F. this year, so we're doing turkey tenderloin cutlets in garlic thyme and rosemary butter with roasted smashed cauli and roasted brussels sprouts and cranberry chutney. I'm not even trying to roast one this year.

Do you think a sous vide over an instant pot?

Have you tried kabocha squash? I roasted and mashed it with only salt. I was shocked at how good it was.

[ms.sss 15,614]

9 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Have you tried kabocha squash? I roasted and mashed it with only salt. I was shocked at how good it was.

Omg. I just googled it and the pics of them roasted are crazy.

Kabocha squash going on the grocery list now too....

[sillykitty 10,775]

5 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Do you think a sous vide over an instant pot?

I have both ... already confessed to being an appliance hoarder 🤣

I thought I would use an instant pot a lot more than I currently do. I actually use the sous vide more often now. Instant Pot is used nearly exclusively to make hard boiled eggs these days.

Couple of reasons:

• It's a little hard to figure out how long to cook items for. It's a set it and forget it kinda thing. But how do I know if the pot roast needs 45 minutes or one hour? You can't just open it up and check if it's done, you know?
• Since I eat less now, a pot of stew or chili last much longer then I am willing to eat it for. What I might have finished in 3 days pre WLS, now takes 6+. And I don't have the freezer space to store.
• Since a majority of my cooking is meal prep for the bf, I try to keep it balanced and interesting. Most traditional instant pot meals are more one one pot cooking, which cn get kind of repetitive, IMO.

[GreenTealael 25,360]

3 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I have both ... already confessed to being an appliance hoarder 🤣

I thought I would use an instant pot a lot more than I currently do. I actually use the sous vide more often now. Instant Pot is used nearly exclusively to make hard boiled eggs these days.

Couple of reasons:

• It's a little hard to figure out how long to cook items for. It's a set it and forget it kinda thing. But how do I know if the pot roast needs 45 minutes or one hour? You can't just open it up and check if it's done, you know?
• Since I eat less now, a pot of stew or chili last much longer then I am willing to eat it for. What I might have finished in 3 days pre WLS, now takes 6+. And I don't have the freezer space to store.
• Since a majority of my cooking is meal prep for the bf, I try to keep it balanced and interesting. Most traditional instant pot meals are more one one pot cooking, which cn get kind of repetitive, IMO.

Aha! Not one mention of that bloody Airfryer... Thats it, I'm not getting one 😂😝

[sillykitty 10,775]

3 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Aha! Not one mention of that bloody Airfryer... Thats it, I'm not getting one 😂😝

We weren't talking airfryers! 🤣

I use my airfryer more than my instant pot or sous vide combined!

[FluffyChix 17,415]

6 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

We weren't talking airfryers! 🤣

I use my airfryer more than my instant pot or sous vide combined!

me2 hehe

I actually made lc pizza that was pretty dang tasty. nuked an lc tortilla til crisp, then topped it and into the air fryer it went until melty. So so so so obscenely good.

[GreenTealael 25,360]

9 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

We weren't talking airfryers! 🤣

I use my airfryer more than my instant pot or sous vide combined!

Oh ok

*slinks away into obscurity*

[ms.sss 15,614]

47 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Since I eat less now, a pot of stew or chili last much longer then I am willing to eat it for. What I might have finished in 3 days pre WLS, now takes 6+. And I don't have the freezer space to store.

Good point. Most instant pot meals (hard boiled eggs and puffs aside) are geared for larger quantities. I cook for very hearty eaters daily and for group meals with others weekly...so it works for me.

@GreenTealael: I also have an air fryer, which i also use more than my Instant Pot and sous vide combined.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

• Since I eat less now, a pot of stew or chili last much longer then I am willing to eat it for. What I might have finished in 3 days pre WLS, now takes 6+. And I don't have the freezer space to store.
• Since a majority of my cooking is meal prep for the bf, I try to keep it balanced and interesting. Most traditional instant pot meals are more one one pot cooking, which cn get kind of repetitive, IMO.

Great points! I still have chili in Deep Space 9 from last year. LOL.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

Have you tried kabocha squash? I roasted and mashed it with only salt. I was shocked at how good it was.

Oh yes! We love it! Also Red Kuri? Have never mashed it, only roasted it with butter s/p. Will have to try it mashed!!

[FluffyChix 17,415]

Also this is ridiculously easy and delicious. For post WLS, I'd cut back on the butter and oil though. But that's just me. If I cook it with that much now, I'd be curled on the bathroom floor asking waiting for death.

Brown Butter Pumpkin

[FluffyChix 17,415]

OK, this was super duper hard to write this out and it's even more difficult to post it. Yesterday was supposed to be an IF DD for both Mr. F. and me. And at least he fasted until our "Linner" at 4pm yesterday. (Late Lunch/Early Dinner). There is absolutely NO reason for this day to have happened. I wasn't sad, lonely, etc...I have been draggin trail lately, getting up super early to work and working late and working hard. But that's not really a viable excuse.

I dodged (maybe) a bullet with this one. But I'm probably just dehydrated and the pounds will show up tomorrow. I literally ate all day yesterday. Maybe in 2-3hour intervals! I was having a starvin' marvin' day and my will power was AWOL>clearly. LOL. I'm not beating myself up. Just tellin' it like it is. And trying to have a good plan for moving through today. So far today I'm doing good with the usual Protein latte brekky, + 1/4c of the tuna salad mid morning and then the low carb fried rice and Soup for lunch.

When I have days like this, there is no doubt in my mind how I contributed to my part in making the Obesity Ball.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Maintenance/F/57/5'4"/20mo PO RNY/131.4lbs

B1- protein lattes (4oz PP)

B2-chaffle with romaine and tuna salad

L-tuna salad lettuce cups

AS1-tuna salad lettuce cups + 2oz leftover grilled shrimp + 1oz leftover grilled salmon + 1hb egg (this is where I sensed it all falling apart) STARVING

AS2-4 deep fried breaded mushrooms + 1 deep fried breaded onion ring + ranch sauce + 1 glass cab

D-1/3 caesar no croutons + steamed broccoli + about 2oz grilled shrimp + about 1.5oz grilled ribeye + horseradish sauce + 1 glass cab

BS1-1oz almonds + 1 square Lindt 90 + 1 glass whiskey

BS2-AN ENTIRE low carb pizza (carb sense tortilla, 1/8c lc marinara, 1 1/2oz part skim mozz, 16g jd turkey crumbles, 1 slice bacon, 6 bh pepperoni, 6 bh uncured salami, 1/2 tbsp parmesan cheese)+ 2 glasses cab

*From AS1 to BS2 it was 3-midnight (9 hours). Oh the humanity.

Daily Totals: 2305calories; 95g protein; 66g fat; 126g carbs; 19g fiber; 107g net carbs (what a **** show!)

 

[sillykitty 10,775]

3 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Oh ok

*slinks away into obscurity*

*slinks away into obscurity to go buy an airfryer*

FTFY 🤣

[ms.sss 15,614]

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

When I have days like this, there is no doubt in my mind how I contributed to my part in making the Obesity Ball.

Days like this are gonna happen (with that said, I think your food choices were still erring on the healthier side of things so that's a Win).

Also...your former membership to the Obesity Ball was due to having multiple consecutive days of above average cals. One day out of so so many isn't going to blow you up ❤️. What's good about you is that you recognize these days for what they are, and have the wherewithal* to correct your course.

*I've always wanted to use this word!