Fresh Start Bariatric Cookbook: Healthy Recipes to Enjoy Favorite Foods After Weight-Loss Surgery

BUY IT NOW! It’s a pre-op and post-op MUST HAVE! Trust me.
I’m writing a long review because I love this cookbook so much, I’m compelled to tell you why so you will know how vital it’s been. My husband has said many times, “If this is how you have to eat for the rest of your life, I’m totally on board!”This is one of my kitchen bibles. The other kitchen bible is Ms. Kent’s Gastric Sleeve cookbook. Get it, sit down and read it, then start cookin’ fresh, healthy, and amazingly delicious things for you and your family.I’m sitting here trying to think of where to begin telling you how much I love this book and what it’s meant to me post-op. First, you should know I love to cook. Secondly, you need to understand how very difficult it is to find excellent delectable food after your surgery that’s available in the grocery store or in a restaurant. You just can’t eat grilled chicken or a rotisserie chicken all the time. Protein is #1 and when you’re beginning an entirely new way of eating, you need something that will offer variety, flavor, and satisfaction all while making your life so much easier.The format of this cookbook is so bariatric-friendly. Ms. Kent begins with an overview of the procedures and gently describes what to expect with food in post-op life. She gives suggestions about how to navigate the first few days and weeks after surgery and provides meal plans for liquid, puree, soft, and general diets based on the recipes contained in the book, setting you up for success. She lays it all out there so you don’t have to, you just have to follow it.Every single recipe has a guide underneath the ingredients telling you how much you should eat in whichever stage you are post-op and it helps you get a picture about how much you’ll be able to eat as you ramp up. The amazing part, for me, is that her suggested portions were EXACTLY what I was able to eat, and sometimes I couldn’t even eat as much as what was suggested and that’s completely okay. I did make sure that I didn’t go over the recommendations because I don’t want to stretch my sleeve by overeating.Every single recipe has a nutritional breakdown at the bottom of the instructions so you know exactly what you’re getting per serving. Her recipe layout is super easy to read. At the top of each page is the recipe’s name, under that is an explanation regarding the recipe and how it can be a delicious substitute for things that we enjoyed before our surgery that really weren’t good for us. She delivers this information without doling out any unsolicited advice nor inciting guilt. She is very gifted in that way. Sometimes, underneath the recipes, she has very valuable information about the ingredients and how they provide certain nutrients that we might not be able to ingest easily otherwise. For example, did you know that bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C? When you use them in these recipes, you’re getting a solid amount of vitamin C along with the protein that we must put first. I don’t have to think about eating an orange with all its fibers and skin when I can get that vitamin in my meal while I also get my protein.What you’ll find with these recipes is that they are low-carb, low-sugar, low-fat, low-sodium, high protein, and supreme MAXIMUM flavor. Ms. Kent employs seasonings and spices that probably hung out, lonely, on your spice rack prior to surgery. For instance, I really just used dill in my tuna salad before surgery, but now, just 3.5 months out, I’ve had to buy more already! In my pre-op life, I knew that using herbs and seasonings could elevate a recipe instead of using salt but I just didn’t do it because I had such unhealthy cooking habits. Those things just sat in my pantry to use in recipes that also contained butter, cream, and pasta or white potatoes. Now I’m using them in recipes that are helping me stay healthy while dropping pounds.I credit these Ms. Kent’s cookbook’s recipes, and my tool of course, to my successful weight loss and I will continue to do so. I have recommended her books to almost everyone I know because I almost always get asked “but what do you eat?” Well, this is what I eat. I’ve even gifted her books to friends of mine that aren’t surgery patients at all because the recipes are THAT good! Almost every recipe has been a winner for us. There have been a few misses too, but only because my boys are pretty picky. Most of the time, I’ll like them, but they won’t, which means I’m probably not going to make that recipe just for myself since I’d have too many leftovers. I don’t want to fill up my freezers with things I’m probably not going to reach for when her recipes are so great fresh and for lunch the next. They also make great leftovers during the week, making them all used up and nothing wasted.My surgery was in September, and by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled around, I’d tried enough recipes to know that I wanted to make some of them for my family during the holiday gatherings. Every single thing I made was a hit with everyone who ate it and most people came back for more. The Creamy Pumpkin Mousse (p 156) was so good and turned out more like a pudding, but I froze some of what was left in small containers and they’ve made great ice-cream-ish treats.Here are a few recipes that have been MAJOR wins in our home:High-Protein Blueberry Muffins (p 59): Dense and hearty, these are great portioned out and frozen for snacking on whenever you need a little something. Just a tiny pat of butter softens them up and they’re so yummy.Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potato Wedges (p 66): OMG! I didn’t really ever care for sweet potatoes, but when white potatoes aren’t recommended after surgery, these make a fantastic healthy version. The coating for the wedges really bring all the flavor to the party and the rosemary makes them amazing. These get gobbled up every time I make them.Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese (p 90): This is pretty darn delicious, is easy to make, and is great leftover. This was one of my soft food go-to recipes. I portioned it out into 1/2 cup servings and had it for lunch or a snack during those two weeks.Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup (p 112): We all loved this. My little boy does not like soup and said: “it’s amazing!” Needs a little salt to taste, but not a lot. I doubled the chopped green chilies.Two recipes I have made more than once already are Baked Chimichangas with Chicken and Fresh Salsa (p 122) and One Pan Chicken and Broccoli (p 123) because the are A-MAY-ZING! For the chimichangas, my husband came home from work and said the house smelled like a Mexican restaurant. My son (who hates cheese) said; “I can see the cheese, but I don’t care because it’s amazing!” The fresh salsa is so yummy. The chicken and broccoli recipe is so hearty and delicious. Both recipes make great leftovers during the week.Beef and Broccoli (p 141): This is a MAJOR win. It tastes better than what you’d find in a Chinese restaurant and you know it’s way more healthy because of no MSG.I have so many more recipes tagged to try and I can’t wait because I know they’ll be amazing.In conclusion, buy the book. If you don’t like to cook, maybe it’s time you start. You’ll have a lot more success with these recipes than you might when you’re just getting by with frozen dinners and bunless grilled chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-a. All the best to you, C

Easy delicious recipes, informative, a must have!
This is a fantastic introductory cookbook for bariatric patients. I have not had my surgery yet but I wanted to start trying new recipes. The recipes in this book are simple, but not too simple, and offer a variety of options (Indian, Mexican, vegetarian, seafood, etc). The ingredients list for most are things you already have in the pantry. I have made the Tikka Masala, Crustless Quiche, slow cooker pork, sweet potato and black been soup, and a few of the smoothies and every one has been inexpensive and delicious. I loved how the author tagged each recipe as it relates to your stage in the process (purées, liquids, general diet). The additional tips and information are helpful. I would highly recommend this cookbook!

Great details in this book
I bought this book before my bariatric surgery. I opted for the bypass and was nervous I would not be able to enjoy food anymore. This is a must have book for anyone considering WLS or have had WLS. The post-op shakes are delicious and the recipes for other stages are things the whole family can enjoy. I really enjoyed the beginning where she goes over things to replace such as sour cream for plain greek yogurt. My doctor gave me a great list but it was not as extensive as this book was. She broke down the sugar and carbs as well so I can reference those when needed. I wish there was a bigger section for going out to eat, but glad she gave helpful hints for that as well.

A lot of helpful information. Even though it’s US measurements it’s still easy to follow

Excellent advice and recipes. Extremely well written. For those consider bariatric surgery, Sarah Kent provides a great insight into life after. Worth buying the book for the recipes alone.