'off-label' prep?
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PippaJo_
Posts: 233 Member
Hey there - I finally ordered and started, I'm now on day 2.
It's not bad at all - I used to do intermittent fasting, so I know that I can get past any hunger pangs and I'll survive just fine. :-)
However, I'm discovering that I'll need to make some of the meal prep for these things as simple as possible, especially for work, where I'll be eating 4 out of 5 meals (and I'm often rushed in the mornings, so that 5th meal ought to be pretty easy, too.)
So yesterday, I started with a vanilla shake (easy, and tasty), a bar (couldn't be easier), oatmeal (easy, and not as bad as it's made out to be - but then I like my oatmeal a bit 'gluey' to start with), chicken & wild rice soup, and mango soft serve.
I did soak the soup for a couple of hours before heating it up, but it still 'boiled over'. What a pain.
And, I just tried the cappuccino this morning, and making it with cold water then heating doesn't seem all that great - it was nearly impossible to get the lumps out.
So my question is - what are the 'tips and tricks' you've found to make packet prep easier/better than the instructions on the label? Not necessarily 'recipes', just easier prep. For instance - can I make the cappuccino by just adding hot water to start with? Or does it do something funky? What should I do to make soup prep easier - the idea of nuke-stir-nuke-stir-sit-sit-sit sounds like a pain in the rump to me...I don't like the idea of having to 'babysit' it at the microwave at work.....I really don't need people asking what I'm doing. (I'm trying to keep all this under wraps - I don't need nosy, negative nellys questioning me.)
Also - I work in a library, so I need to keep the noise level down. I'm not sure I can even use a blender bottle at work---those things seem terribly noisy to me, and a personal blender, especially if I wanted to try to use ice (!) just sounds like I'd have half my co-workers come down on my head. :-(
Does anyone use the shakes with just a regular water bottle, shaken vigorously? How does that turn out? What other meals work well as 'shakes', with just water added, instead of prepped like the directions say?
It's not bad at all - I used to do intermittent fasting, so I know that I can get past any hunger pangs and I'll survive just fine. :-)
However, I'm discovering that I'll need to make some of the meal prep for these things as simple as possible, especially for work, where I'll be eating 4 out of 5 meals (and I'm often rushed in the mornings, so that 5th meal ought to be pretty easy, too.)
So yesterday, I started with a vanilla shake (easy, and tasty), a bar (couldn't be easier), oatmeal (easy, and not as bad as it's made out to be - but then I like my oatmeal a bit 'gluey' to start with), chicken & wild rice soup, and mango soft serve.
I did soak the soup for a couple of hours before heating it up, but it still 'boiled over'. What a pain.
And, I just tried the cappuccino this morning, and making it with cold water then heating doesn't seem all that great - it was nearly impossible to get the lumps out.
So my question is - what are the 'tips and tricks' you've found to make packet prep easier/better than the instructions on the label? Not necessarily 'recipes', just easier prep. For instance - can I make the cappuccino by just adding hot water to start with? Or does it do something funky? What should I do to make soup prep easier - the idea of nuke-stir-nuke-stir-sit-sit-sit sounds like a pain in the rump to me...I don't like the idea of having to 'babysit' it at the microwave at work.....I really don't need people asking what I'm doing. (I'm trying to keep all this under wraps - I don't need nosy, negative nellys questioning me.)
Also - I work in a library, so I need to keep the noise level down. I'm not sure I can even use a blender bottle at work---those things seem terribly noisy to me, and a personal blender, especially if I wanted to try to use ice (!) just sounds like I'd have half my co-workers come down on my head. :-(
Does anyone use the shakes with just a regular water bottle, shaken vigorously? How does that turn out? What other meals work well as 'shakes', with just water added, instead of prepped like the directions say?
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I purchased 2 thermos - one for soups and one for shakes and can make my meals in the morning before I go to work. I had never had the soups but tried the chicken noodle and it was pretty good the way I did it. I started with a cube of Wyler's Chicken Bouillon and about 1 1/4 cup of water and let the cube soak for a bit. I then added the soup mix and just a pinch (literally) of Sage,
Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder. I microwaved this about 2 1/2 minutes, stirred once halfway through (just make sure it is good and hot). I put it in the food thermos and had the soup with the snack crackers for lunch. It iwas really good (creamy and spicy, but I like spicy). Doing it this way lets the soup sit a while before you eat it. I do the shake in my Magic Bullet blender and pour in the drink thermos. Carry a straw in case it it too icy to pour out later.
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Something else, if you have the eggs, fry them like you would a regular egg. I added a bit of minced onions and pepper and they were pretty good. I've heard they're no good in the microwave and never tried to make them that way.0
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The thermos idea works very well for soups. Just add hot water in the morning with the soup packet. This allows the soup to "soak" making it taste/texture better. just a quick reheat and your set. Since I let everything soak at least a little while, I'm able to skip the heat,stir,heat process. I just throw soups in for 3 minutes.0
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I "cook" most stuff per the label. My mac and cheese did boil over once and made a mess. And yes, someone asked me what the heck I was eating. I told him it was easy mac and now (not so) secretly hate him for asking.
Use deeper/bigger bowls to avoid spill over.
When I used to eat the veggie sloppy joe, I would add the water at home. I don't have a thermos but I'd let it soak all morning and then nuke it. Didn't notice spill over with that meal.
I sometimes make my puddings at home. Other times, I put cold water from the water fountain in a paper cup and mix it at my desk.
I've also ordered iced coffee and added shakes to it after taking a few sips. It's a little lumpy but it doesn't bother me.0 -
Welcome to Medifast! I am glad that someone can eat that oatmeal because I have tried and just can't do it and I really miss eating oatmeal. I have really gone away from eating their soups, but whatever else has said does hold true where you have to let it soak and then it is much better. I usually eat their bars, parmesan cheese puffs, chili nacho cheese puffs and their mixed berry cereal. I also like a lot of their other drinks, like hot cocoa, chai latte, cranberry mango fruit drink and their brownies are awesome too.
Since we have a couple people that are new to this program, here is a website with great recipes that you can follow for your lean and green meals. This website was given to me by the center that I signed up with so you can use all of these. My favorite is the meat lasagna.
http://www.sandyskitchenadventures.com/p/medifast-recipes-only.html
Here is a website also that gives you recipes that actually use your medifast meal packets so there are some good ones here as well.
http://www.desktopcookbook.com/cookbookshare/12880/20001.htm
Feel free to add me as a friend if you like and we have some great people in this group that are a huge support. Good luck to you.0 -
Thanks! I'll check out those websites.
As for 'friending' - I'm still debating whether I want to do that or not. While I love chatting on the boards, I use the site mostly for tracking.....and it just feels weird to have anyone 'looking over my shoulder' when I do that. (Also, friending strangers just to bump up your 'friend' numbers on a site also feels weird.....not that y'all are doing that, just that some people do. It feels kind of like 'collecting', and I'm not a collector, ha ha!)
I guess it just feels strange to 'add' friends before properly 'making' them, through chatting and the like. But I may consider it for the future!0 -
Hi Pippa - I had a few nasty boil-overs in the microwave with the soups before I discovered the approach I take now. I put in just over half of the water hot (I get the water from our K-cup machine with out one of the cups in it) and let it sit for at least half an hour. That thickens it. Then I come back and microwave to "cook" it, and at that point add more water to get the right consistency. I do put a paper plate underneath the mug too - just in case it spills over, but mostly that gets me around the spillover issue. I haven't had putting hot water into things mess up the process at all - no issues with lumps or things not mixing.
As for the soft-serve, I am finding that I enjoy them as additional shake flavors just as much as soft-serve. Had a mango-lime shake today (added one package of True Lime) and it was lovely and refreshing.
And the oatmeal - with a little extra help - is growing on me. I'm glad I stuck with it.0 -
Oh good - I think I will try adding straight hot water to a few things - it kind of doesn't make sense not to.
What's the True Lime? That sounds like a nice fix for the mango (I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's passable).
I've been using the coffee soft serve made as a shake, with some ice and a cup of brewed coffee for the liquid - now *that* is rather excellent.
I'm glad that I like my regular oatmeal 'lumpy and gluey' - I really do - it means that the MF oatmeal is not that different. It's less sweet, and a little uglier, ha ha, but it's perfectly edible. It makes a great 'work meal', because no one looks at you funny if you're snacking on oatmeal, you know?0 -
For the soups I have a thermos container that I add hot water to and a bullion cube with the soup mix at 6 a.m. It is perfect for lunch @ 10:30 - I'm a teacher, so it is really my second meal with no reheating. I think I got my thermos contaier at Target.
Welcome to MF; it is a great program!0 -
For the cappucinno, I first add just a little bit of hot water then stir to make it like a paste. Then I fill my cup with hot water while stirring. This seems to help with the clumps I used to get when just filling my cup up with hot water. Pre-soaking eggs, soups and chills is a must to get rid of the gritty texture. Sandy's kitchen (see above) recipes for oatmeal cookies and for the tomato soup "bread" (add 2 tablespoons of egg whites/beaters plus 1/4 tsp of baking powder) makes for a portable lunch. I'll sometimes do the same thing with the pancakes packets. Along with a Laughing Cow light cheese or some PB2, it can be a satisfying lunch.0
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What's the True Lime? That sounds like a nice fix for the mango (I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's passable).
I buy the boxes of True Lemon and True Lime in the baking aisle at the grocery store. It is a crystallized form of the juice, each packet equals one wedge of fresh lemon or lime and they taste just like fresh lemon and lime. I use them to season chicken and fish, to make lemonade and limeade (or lemonlimeade) and to add the taste to just about anything. What I love about them is they are so convenient, they don't spoil, and are often cheaper than the whole limes and lemons. Here is the link to their website if you have questions: http://www.truelemon.com/0
