Review: Healthy Choice - Greek-Style Chicken - Day 2 Dinner (Repeat)

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 2 Dinner] 

Healthy Choice | Power Bowls | Greek-Style Chicken

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	170	Calories	300 max
	6g	Total Fat	10g max
	590mg	Sodium	700mg max
	10g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	20g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

I kind of arbitrarily set the concept for good for this diet as having at least 20g protein, low fat, and low carbs. So yea, I'd call this good.

Would I eat it again:

Yea. Infact as I'm writing some of these a bit in the future, I did, and have eaten it again.

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good	Good	Good	Good
Shrug	Shrug	Shrug	Shrug
Eww	Eww	Eww	Eww
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: All Natural* Chicken Breast

Fairly small crumbles of Chicken instead of larger chunks as seens on the cover art. Good texture though. Ultimately getting a lower rating because I would have liked to have more and larger chunks of chicken.

Starch: Riced Cauliflower

Ok, yes, Riced Cauliflower is not a starch. But bare with me, I had to establish categories and this stuff is meant to occupy the slot normally occupied by a starch in most people's minds. Its got a good crunch without being too much of a crunch. The texture makes the eating experience better.

Vegetable: Tomatos, Zucchini, Greens Blend, Red Onions, and Artichokes

The Zucchini and Artichokes have a good texture, although there were only 2 pieces of artichoke in the entire serving. The Skins are on the tomatoes and aren't too chewy. The dark leafy greens don't have much flavor, but a single pieces of spinach I found did have a little. The onions and leafy greens are practically mush texture wise, but I guess that's to be expected with a freezer meal.

Sauce: Oregano Feta Vinaigrette

The Oregano Feta vinaigrette really ties everything together, pleasant textures, mild flavors, with this sauce was pretty enjoyable.

One Offs:

• The top part of the bowl came off with the plastic covering. Its a plant-based fiber bowl, so I can forgive that.

Review: Smart Ones - Ham & Cheese Scramble - Day 2 Lunch

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 2 Lunch] 

Smart Ones | Ham & Cheese Scramble

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	200	Calories	300 max
	7g	Total Fat	10g max
	660mg	Sodium	700mg max
	13g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	18g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

A bit high on the Sodium, which may cause some water retention is everything is high that day. Less disappointing than it's Ham-less cousin. Still slightly unfulfilling at 3 oz under weight of its competition.

Would I eat it again:

I was expecting this to be just as bad as its ham-less cousin, and just wanted it out of the rotation early. However if you desperately need breakfast, then this will have to suffice. If I didn't pre-buy so many meals to get through reviews for, I might have gotten it again.

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good	Good	Good	Good
Shrug(+)	Shrug	Shrug	Shrug
Eww	Eww	Eww	Eww
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: Scrambled Eggs & Ham

Pre-cooked scrambled egg crumbles. Texturally accurate, and they still have that “leftover day old scrambled eggs” vibe. If there was an "off" flavor, it was hidden by the inclusion of the Ham. Which I would have to call "salad chunks". Small quarter centimeter diced chunks that you used to find on buffet salad bars in the 90s. Honestly if I could figure out what kind of ham Pizza Hut used in the 90s for this, I would make my own. The presence of the ham changes everything about this dish. But that might just be flavor hiding and nostalgia. Upgraded to Shrug(+)

Starch: Potatoes

These potatoes actually seemed to have potato flavor and some consistency.' Upgraded to Shrug.

Vegetable: None

No Vegetables for you.

Sauce: Cheeses

Like its cousin from Day 1, some unholy concoction of cheese sauce, only the salt and smoke flavor from the Ham seems to improve it. Upgraded to Shrug

One Offs:

• While better taste overall, Other than the Ham, I don't think anything else really changed here.
• Writing this much later in the future, there are much more filling options out there, and the 6.49 ounces is only 2/3 of what those offer.

Review: Healthy Choice - Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo - Day 1 Dinner

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 1 Dinner] 

Healthy Choice | Simply Steamers | Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	190	Calories	300 max
	5g	Total Fat	10g max
	60mg	Sodium	700mg max
	8g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	28g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

Lots o' protein huzzah! Light on Carbs.

Would I eat it again:

Yea I got this again later and ate it again, and only half because I forgot to write a review for it.

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good	Good	Good	Good
Shrug	Shrug	Shrug	Shrug
Eww	Eww(+)	Eww(-)	Eww(-)
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: Grilled Chicken Breast

Good chicken texture, a mild chicken flavor, some sort of processed chicken flavor in there. Hard to pick up on much past the Alfredo though, which makes everything better.

Starch: None

No Starch for you.

Vegetable: Broccoli

Broccoli pieces of various sized, including a couple big pieces. Good textures and not too mushy. Some subtle broccoli flavor, but its really there to soak up the Alfredo sauce.

Sauce: Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Its a good, creamy, all-be-it thin Alfredo sauce. It sticks to the chicken and broccoli well, and the broccoli sort of soaks it up, The more of it you eat I think the better it tastes. Maybe an slight off flavor when you start, but goes away when your tongue gets used to the Alfredo. Might just be a flavor chemical from the chicken or alfredo I didn't stir enough.

One Offs:

• I will say the second time I ate this, there was an off flavor to the chicken or the alfredo.
• But that could also have been due to having a funky protein shake earlier that day.

Review: Smart Ones - Cheesy Scramble with Hash Browns - Day 1 Lunch

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 1 Lunch] 

Smart Ones | Cheesy Scramble with Hash Browns

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	190	Calories	300 max
	7g	Total Fat	10g max
	530mg	Sodium	700mg max
	16g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	15g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

Officially on my liver shrink diet. Protein is at the minimum. Disappointing and unfulfilling.

Would I eat it again:

By choice? No. As one of only TWO breakfast meals on an approved list of meals for Liver Shrink I am disheartened. Breakfast may have to wait until Phase 4, many weeks after surgery.

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good	Good	Good	Good
Shrug	Shrug	Shrug	Shrug
Eww	Eww(+)	Eww(-)	Eww(-)
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: Scrambled Eggs

Pre-cooked scrambled egg crumbles. Texturally accurate, but they also have that “they used the leftover day old scrambled eggs to make this” vibe. Flavor was equally slightly off, which seems to me to be the reason to add the cheese sauce. To cover up the many many shortcomings.

Starch: Potatoes

What makes a piece of potato into a hash-brown? Cooking method? Spices and Flavor? Just appearing next to a breakfast item? There are pieces of potato in this frozen meal. And unless the mere presence of eggs is enough to qualify them as hash-browns, these potatoes had little flavor in addition to having little to no spice on them. Texturally they were inconsistent. Tongue scalding mush one bite, barely cooked stiff French fry the next.

Vegetable: Bell Peppers and Onions?

According to the package this includes red and green bell peppers and onion. There were not many of them, cooked to a tongue/gum-able tasteless mush.

Sauce: Cheeses

When you open the package you can see bits of shredded cheese within. When cooked the first time it’s a nice little mound of various shredded cheeses. I probably should have tried them in this half cooked, unmixed state because once they were mixed in with everything all you could taste was a weak cheese-like flavor. None of the flavors of the individual cheeses came through enough to verify if they were indeed a Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Mozzarella blend. Checked the ingredient lists for all three of these to be literally the last ingredients. With Cheese Sauce and Cheese Flavor being much higher in the list. Solves that mystery.

One Offs:

• The sum is less than the total of its parts. The cheese sauce was there to hold mixed bits together for the spoon, while attempting to hide everything textually and flavor(ly?) wrong.
• But Tangent, what does something have to do to get a ‘Nope’ rating?!
• Make me sick or I dislike it enough to go cook something else instead.
• Which, while unfulfilling and disappointing, it did not.

Disclaimers:
1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Day: 0 - Liver Shrink Diet - Running Start

Getting a running start on the Liver Shrink Diet that I will be on for the next 3 weeks.

I am using the Baritastic App (https://www.baritastic.com/) and have configured my 'Meals' to be: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner, Dessert.

Breakfast, Snacks, and Dessert are for my Protein Shakes, Lunch and Dinner are for my Frozen Meals.

Side Thought: I really wish I could rename the 'Meals' in the app. As it is you can only rename ones you've added yourself. At least I could reorganize them and put them in the order I need. I think I get why they don't let you remove the meals or rename them, but still I'm a habitual customizer of software.

Meals:

• Breakfast: Dymatize - Cinnamon Cereal
• (https://dymatize.com/products/iso100-cinnamon-cereal)
• Lunch: Healthy Choice - Balsamic Garlic Steak
• (https://www.healthychoice.com/plated-meals/balsamic-garlic-steak)
• Snacks: Isopure Clear Low Carb Protein: Tropical Punch
• (https://www.theisopurecompany.com/en-us/Products/Powder/ISOPURE%C2%AE-CLEAR-LOW-CARB-PROTEIN/p/C101310)
• Dinner: Healthy Choice - Cafe Steamers - Chicken Fajita
• (https://www.healthychoice.com/cafe-steamers/chicken-fajita)
• Dessert: Homemade attempt at a Milk Tea Protein Shake.
• First attempt, I'd say ... 15% of the way to the flavor goal? Not worth sharing a recipe yet.

Thoughts:

Honestly, I was surprised when I saw how much I was allowed to have on Liver Shrink. I know people who had this procedure 6 years ago, who had to maintain a Clear Liquid Diet for more than a month as part of their pre-op. So I was fully waiting for the long haul of 2 protein shakes, a gallon of water,  and a can of pureed tuna or less. Not expecting 3 shakes and 2 freezer meals.

I have deeper thoughts, but I'll save those for a rainy day when I don't have anything else to share.

Transparency:

Yea, I ate more than this on Day 0. Being the last night of eating what I want my wife and I had a bunch of what I can only describe as a smorgasbord of flavors and textures that I won't have for a while. I know some people have food funerals, and over the last few weeks of dieting we've been able to go out to restaurants, and order what we wanted. Salads, Pastas, Sauces, etc. 

After the surgery its 6 weeks to get to Phase 4, which is Regular Texture Foods, give it another month or two before I've tested foods for their affect on my stomach and intestines, at that point I hope I'm in exercise and high protein diet world of shedding the excess weight I have. I reckon it will be a couple of months after that before I experiment with foods that aren't high in protein or strictly 'healthy' for me in order to see if they still taste the same or if I miss them.

I hope to review and record the food and protein options for pre-op / post-op /.and beyond on this blog. But I'm nothing if not consistent with my inconsistency. We'll see how long this lasts.

Review: Healthy Choice - Chicken Fajita - Day 0 Dinner

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 0 Dinner] 

Healthy Choice | Cafe Steamers | Chicken Fajita

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	200	Calories	300 max
	4.5g	Total Fat	10g max
	490mg	Sodium	700mg max
	23g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	15g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

Officially on my liver shrink diet. Protein is at the minimum. And the dish would have done better to have a little bit more chicken in it.

Would I eat it again:

Probably. I say that on day 0, before the increased hunger of multiple days on Liver Shrink will probably bring. If I'm not feeling particularly hungry then its good flavor. If I'm hungry, I'm probably going to reach for something that has more Protein. Which I can do because I organized my freezer meals vertically by # of grams of Protein. Don't judge me, have you even seen the back of your freezer lately?

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good	Good	Good	Good
Shrug	Shrug	Shrug(-)	Shrug
Eww	Eww	Eww	Eww
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: Grilled Chicken Breast

There is a flavor that is added in most frozen pre-cooked "grilled" chicken. I can't quite put a name to it yet. Have you ever eaten a 'chicken' anything from taco bell? Because its very much in that direction. Not a sauce, but probably a liquid smoke or brine additive, but like actually injected into just the meat. Mind you its not a bad flavor, but I wouldn't ever call it a natural flavor. Texturally some of the pieces look like tofu. More smooth than it probably should. But when you bite down, its a suitable chicken texture within. I know I'm not doing any favors by describing it that way. But it's not a bad taste or texture.

Starch: Rice

Its Rice. while also being only 23g Total Carbs. Medium grain. Not too mushy. Stood up to the tongue and gums test longer than I thought it would. After living in Japan I hate the flavor of long-grain rices. They just taste like cardboard to me. I did not detect any off flavors in this medium grain. Maybe on the softer side of al dente, if there was an equivalent word for it for rice. Decent Texture, little to not flavor, but its a Starch which really hits the spot when you want it and not bad for frozen meal rice.

Vegetable: Bell Peppers & Red Onions

Small pieces much smaller than the box art, And maybe diced Red Onions instead of petals. Mush though. All of the peppers and onions on the box cover art are full and crispy ... Not so much within. I couldn't actually squeeze the pepper into non-existence with my tongue and gums, I did have to employ teeth. (Are you disturbed by the lengths I go to check texture, I think 'I' might be.) However, even in the very soft nearly mush state, the peppers and the onions retain their individual flavors for a little while before the sauce permeates them.

Sauce: Smoky Ancho Chili Sauce

This meal is defined by the sauce. It's labeled Fajita, which is Tex-Mex I think. Think more Taco Bell secret sauce than Authentic Taqueria, but its good. Just spicy enough to gently warm your mouth. The sauce just makes everything taste a little bit better in this one. If they offered this in a bottle, I'd probably keep it in my fridge.

One Offs:

• Let's be real, the sauce isn't going to win any contests with authentic, restaurant, or home cooked sauces. But in the world of frozen food that you are eating on a Liver shrink Diet, its not bad and is even enjoyable.
• I longingly look at the box art and wish it came with crispy fresh bell peppers, which you can add yourself on the diet I'm on. But there's not enough sauce to accomplish that, and both the flavors and textures would be far too varied.

Review: Healthy Choice - Balsamic Garlic Steak - Day 0 Lunch

Disclaimers:

1. Links are not attached to any kickbacks or whatever. Just there to be helpful.
2. Liver Shrink Diets are only to be attempted under Medical Supervision. 
3. These posts are intended for informational and tracking purposes only.

Liver Shrink Frozen Food Review: [Day 0 Lunch] 

Healthy Choice | Balsamic Garlic Steak

	Nutrition Facts		Liver Shrink Diet
	230	Calories	300 max
	6g	Total Fat	10g max
	450mg	Sodium	700mg max
	29g	Carbohydrate	30g max
	15g	Protein	15g min

Liver Shrink Perspective:

It's not officially on my Liver Shrink list. But its values are within my Liver Shrink limits. That being said Protein/Carbs are a bit MIN/MAXed with this one. A better choice would have had more protein and less carbs. 

Would I eat it again:

Eh. Probably not. It wasn't 'bad', but Protein keeps you fuller longer. And while starches can be very rewarding flavor wise, these potatoes were just missing something. And does anyone enjoy tooth squeaking green beans of increased chew texture?

Protein	Starch	Vegetable	Sauce
Great	Great	Great	Great
Good(-)	Good	Good(-)	Good
Shrug	Shrug	Shrug	Shrug
Eww	Eww	Eww	Eww
Nope	Nope	Nope	Nope

Protein: Steak

As a steak aficionado, they're not going to win any awards. But, in the light of low calorie frozen food, pleasantly surprising. There is a meat flavor here that is reminiscent of good beef jerky. I don't want it to sound off-putting, but the texture with that jerky flavor makes it feel like a properly rehydrated beef jerky steak while chewing. Already mixed in with the Green Beans and Balsamic Garlic Sauce. I kind of like the jerk flavor and texture on this one. Plays well with the sauce.

Starch: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Some potato skin included. The flavor is weak. You do taste some garlic, but they taste very plain otherwise. Not bad plain, but "obviously someone didn't use butter or much milk in this recipe" plain. Texturally reminds me of Mashed Potatoes you can get at some restaurants. Not the good restaurants, or the bad restaurants, but like the middling restaurants. Red Lobster, Cheddars, Applebees, etc. If these had just a HINT of butter or milk flavor, even if it was fake, they probably would have reached Good level. Decent Texture but overshadowed by the 'missing something'.

Vegetable: Green Beans

They're squeaky against your teeth. Common for many frozen vegetables.Not too soft. Good texture and crunch to them.It feels odd to say I'm not sure if green beans are supposed to have this much chew-texture. Usually green beans are mush or petrified in other frozen meals. Already mixed in with the Steak and Balsamic Garlic Sauce. I liked them.

Sauce: Balsamic Garlic Sauce

I love me some Balsamic Vinaigrette, but this is only lightly Balsamic. Slightly sweet, very slight vinegar taste buried in there. Already mixed in with the Steak and Green Beans. You need this sauce to make the Steak and Green Beans work. It wouldn't score well on its own, but its the reason Steak and Green Beans got into "Good"

One Offs:

• I had one (1) green bean stem, not just a green bean, but a stem. which was in my potatoes. Its mass production, so you make some allowances for food in the wrong area or the occasional stem.
• I remembered after I ate that I have "I can't believe its not butter." which a single spritz on the potatoes would greatly help them.