This recipe was created by Dr. Joseph McPhee, author of a cookbook specifically designed for bariatric surgery patients.
In most of my discussions with my patients on how to transition from the soft puree diet to sampling food with more consistency, I recommend a good homemade chili. Cooked right, it just melts in your mouth.
Ground beef is a bit hard to take early in your recovery so the turkey makes a healthy substitute. My kids can't tell the difference. Make a big batch of this on a Sunday and put some away for meals throughout the week. It’s easy to heat up.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup yellow corn
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 can red or kidney beans (15.5 ounce)
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Main Protein Source:
Ground Turkey (3 ounces) = 23 grams
Kidney Beans (1 cup) = 16 grams
INSTRUCTIONS
Add some olive oil to a medium soup pot and over medium heat cook the onions, garlic, corn, and bell pepper for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, separately brown the turkey meat, drain, and set aside. In a food processor blend together the vegetables and return to the soup pot. Under low heat, add the beans, tomatoes, turkey meat, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Now the most important part: give it a taste. Add your salt and pepper, maybe some more chili powder for more of a kick, maybe a bit more fresh cilantro. If you’re well into your recovery, serve over a ripped piece of whole grain roll and allow the juices to soak in. If just finishing your soft puree stage enjoy straight up.
Makes 4-5 servings.