With limited space for food after surgery, it’s not uncommon for veggies and fruits to sort of go by the wayside. Sure, maybe there’s some lettuce or cucumber thrown in here and there, but they don’t go very far in terms of nutrients or variety. So why not mix things up a bit to get more greens!? Switch out potatoes for parsnips, pasta for zucchini, or cakes with hot, cinnamony apples! Keep reading for more tips and ideas on how to enjoy this year’s harvest!
Apples and Pears
- Sauté with butter, onions, thyme, salt, pepper, with a little apple juice at the end. Serve over pork tenderloin or chops.
- Make a hearty chicken salad with apples/pears, celery, chickpeas, red onion, crème Fraiche or Greek yoghurt, salt, pepper, and curry powder.
- Enjoy baked topped vanilla quark or Greek yoghurt. Check out the recipe on our BariBuddy app.
Beetroot
- Grate and add to your favourite leafy salad
- Slice beets (golden work really well) and apples into matchstick-size pieces. You can also shred them with a food processor or cheese grater. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, loads of fresh mint, feta cheese, and salt.
- Ever made a potato gratin? Try it with beets instead!
Carrots and Parsnips
- Replace mashed potatoes with a delicious carrot and parsnip mash. You can even use this as a topping for Shepherd’s Pie!
- Slice ’em up and roast along with onions, mushrooms, radishes, salt, pepper, your favourite fall herbs (just humble rosemary is delicious!) and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Switch out toast/crumpets/muffins at brunch for colourful latkes! Delicious with poached eggs!
Winter Squash
- Peel, seed, and cube Butternut Squash. Roast in the oven. When done (and still warm!) toss with arugula, goat cheese, sliced red onions, and chopped walnuts. Dress with an apple cider vinaigrette.
- Use spaghetti squash to replace spaghetti noodles.
- Try a spin on Chili con Carne this fall and with a pumpkin and black bean version.
Cabbages
- Kale: Replace your lettuce salad with kale salad for a big nutrient boost. To soften it up, massage chopped kale with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.
- Cabbage: Sautee shredded cabbage with onions, olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you cook it long enough, the onions and cabbage start to caramelize giving this simple dish a rich, sweet flavour.
- Kohlrabi: Peel and slice into 1cm thick rounds. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until deliciously golden brown!
This list could go on and on! Even though we focus a lot on protein, fruits and veggies are an important part of your diet after WLS since they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Unfortunately, it is not enough to eat nutritiously; you also need to take supplements of vitamins and minerals like Baricol to prevent deficiencies.
Need to refill your vitamins? Order here!
