Have you perused the cookbook selection on Amazon lately? I can hardly keep up. Mediterranean Diet. Paleo Diet. Ketogenic Diet. Vegan Diet. Raw Food Diet. Am I missing any? Probably. But you know the diet I hardly ever – correction, NEVER – come across online? The diet intended to help impressionable readers / impulsive cart adders gain weight. Yes. Gain weight.

No, the diet isn’t for me. You’re too kind…and perhaps in need of corrective lenses. 

It’s for my five-and-a-half-year-old daughter who has cystic fibrosis and needs to eat a high fat, high sodium, high calorie diet to help her stay healthy. And much as I love a good old-fashioned McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Doughnuts run, I’m trying to branch out in my ability to cook high-cal meals that are easy to prepare, have (mostly) real ingredients, and taste like home. 

Here are a few of my current favorite recipes. If you and your family are looking for something new for add into the routine, you might want to give one or two of them a whirl. Trust me. I am no cooking aficionado, so these pass muster as both flavorful and easy to make.

 

Cinnamon French toast:

Mix together 3 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1T sugar, and 1/2t vanilla.  Butter up a skillet or griddle.  Dip four slices of banana into mixture and cook until lightly browned. Top with butter and cinnamon.

 

Home-made pancakes:

In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, 1T baking powder, 2t baking soda, 1t salt, 2 cups buttermilk, 10T butter, and 2 eggs. Butter down a skillet or griddle and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

 

Easy avocado toast:

Top 2 slices of toasted whole-grain bread with 1 sliced avocado. Mash avocado lightly with a fork. Drizzle with 1T olive oil and sprinkle with salt. For an extra kick, drizzle 1t lemon juice and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

 

Cinnamon banana toast:

Toast your favorite type of sliced bread. Top with one mashed banana and a healthy dose of cinnamon. For an extra kick, sprinkle red pepper flakes on top.

 

Crock Pot potato soup:

Put the following in a Crock Pot: 32oz frozen hash browns, 32oz chicken broth, 10oz cream of chicken soup, 8oz cream cheese, 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Stir all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. 

Cook on high for 3 hours. Garnish with 1/2t rosemary, cheddar cheese, and cooked bacon if desired.

 

Taco pie:

Brown 1lb ground turkey. Add 1 package taco seasoning and water. Add 1 can black beans, ½ jar salsa, 1 small can green chilies. Sprinkle Mexican cheese on bottom of frozen pie shell. Place meat/salsa/bean combo over cheese. Top with more cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Serve with sour cream, lettuce, tomato, and salsa.

 

Savory sweet potato slices:

Put 4 sweet potatoes in a large pot and boil for 7 minutes. Drain water. When cool, slice potatoes lengthwise. Mix together 1t salt, 1t ground cumin, 1t paprika, ½t ground cinnamon, ½t chili powder, 2T apple cider vinegar, and 1/4c olive oil. Brush mixture on sweet potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

 

Rosemary cashews:

Spread 1lb roasted unsalted cashews on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine 2t rosemary, 1/2t cayenne pepper, 2t light brown sugar, 1T salt, and 1T melted butter. Toss warm cashews with the mixture and serve.

 

 

Help Others Live STRONGER and LONGER- 

   

   

 

 

Laura Spiegel is the mother of two wonderful kiddos, one who has CF. She lives in Indianapolis and enjoys a good book, a great meal, and nightly dancing in her kitchen. Laura is also a member of the CFLF Board of Directors. She can be contacted at lauraspiegel7@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

***Views expressed in the CFLF Blog are those of the bloggers themselves and not necessarily of the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation*** 

***Please speak with your physician before making any changes to your CF management***

 

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