Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle are an easy mini meal or appetizer for a bari healthy life after WLS (weight loss surgery). Food can be fun after your bariatric surgery and this mini meal puts the F-U-N in FUN-ctional! Marinated grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cubes, and fragrant fresh basil get paired with balsamic syrup and maybe a few turkey pepperoni for extra protein power.
People Love Food on a Stick!
And we are no exception. Mr. F. and I take every opportunity to enjoy fun ways to eat our food that don’t include a knife and fork. Because eating with a knife and fork ALL. THE. TIME. is just plain boring and mundane. And, we avoid the mundane like the plague. That’s why we look for ways to shake things up at meal time—we don’t want our diets to bore us or for us to get bored with our diets.
Enter: Salad on a Stick!
The other day, out of the cold, blue, Mr. F. looked at me and said, “I know! Let’s build a salad on a stick!” And God smiled…and so did I.
The very next thought in my head was, “I know! Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle! Then I ran (with scissors) to the kitchen to begin my concoction of Dr. Seuss’ salad-on-a-stick.
What Goes In a Caprese Salad?
Do you think it’s odd that we just “happen to have” the ingredients on hand for this simple, almost-no-recipe salad? We nearly always have fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella (bocconcini or ciliegine size), and bread dipping spices, which is odd, considering our low carb, bariatric lifestyle—which does NOT include conventional, high carb bread. These ingredients form a foundation of Italian staples we keep on hand. They are our super power, neutralizing all pizza and pasta cravings that might arise unexpectedly. So, like boy and girl scouts, we’re prepared.
Another optional supporting ingredient for caprese salad is to add some kind of cured meat. But in a post-apocalyptic bariatric world, especially during weight loss mode (WLM), do we really want to add in those hefty calories associated with cured, dry aged Italian salamis? I did not.
Luckily, I found turkey pepperoni works as a “lighter” version that satisfies the desire for cured meats and full fat pepperoni. The texture is quite different from true pepperoni, but the flavor is pretty tasty and it represents a nice calorie bang for the buck from the protein and fat angle! Winner, Turkey Pepperoni, you can come to my Caprese Skewers party! And it’s made by Boar’s Head, which is a brand I trust for deli meats and cheese.
NERD ALERT! The Wonders of Fresh Mozzarella!
As usual, you may exercise your right to jump directly to the recipe and quit learning anything new. We won’t judge or blame you.
Jump to Recipe
Let’s pause to talk about the wonder of fresh mozzarella for a second. According to Healthline, fresh mozzarella cheese is among the nine healthiest cheese we can eat. (Source) Did you know dairy can be a healthy part of a post-weight loss surgery, bariatric lifestyle? It’s especially true with fermented dairy that also happens to be lower fat. This is even more important during active weight loss mode (WLM), when calories are at a premium, and tummy real estate is limited. Protein reigns supreme. And fresh mozzarella is a rock star in the bariatric dairy world. Fresh mozzarella cheese averages between 5-6g of protein per ounce and will “cost you” only 70-85 calories depending on the brand.
Fresh mozz contains a probiotic strain Lactobacillus fermentum (source) associated in animal and human studies with improved gut health and strengthened immune systems. And we also see an association with greater weight loss after bariatric surgery in people who consume low fat fermented dairy. There is some association between probiotic consumption and improved weight loss for WLS patients, but I would want to see more studies as they emerge before I would stand firm on that health claim.
FRESH MOZZARELLA BALLS ARE LOW-LOW (LO LO) GOOD!
Fresh mozzarella balls are also lower calorie than most cheese. They’re lower in salt, and lower in fat, naturally low carb, and are high in calcium. So when eating cheese, be selective! Make healthier cheese choices and fall in love with fresh mozzarella balls! We think they’ll become one of your fridge staples, too.
Oh, by the way? Fresh mozz is available in many sizes, but BHL prefers two sizes of fresh mozzarella for either Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle, or caprese salad: bocconcini (mouth sized) & ciliegine (cherry sized). (Source)
Bocconcini size fresh mozzarella balls are among our favorite size. Each “mouth-sized” ball weighs about 1 ½-2 ounces and that’s a perfect size for a bariatric mini caprese skewers meal or a perfect size to split as a “first course” with an additional protein source.
We also like the ciliegine size balls. Ciliegine, Italian for cherry, are about the size of a cherry or grape tomato and are also perfect for Caprese Skewers! They weigh about 1/3 ounce per ball.
And so concludes today’s gripping deep dive into the virtues of fresh mozzarella cheese as a protein source for our BFDs (Bariatric Forever Diet or Bariatric Stage 4 Diet). Thank you for your attention and now we’ll go back to your regular programming.
Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Drizzle Gets Lightened Up!
We wanted to lighten the Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle recipe to re-make it into a lower fat, bariatric-friendly type of mini meal with less caloric density. And although healthy fat like monounsaturated extra virgin olive oil has its place in our post-weight loss surgery world, many caprese salads end up super calorically dense because of the abundant use of extra virgin olive oil.
The BHL secret to removing the unctuous EVOO is adding flavor with the Adams Reserve Cacio e Pepe Bread Dipper seasoning blend. We adore it on veggies and lean proteins from land to sea. It has a delicious Italian flavor profile and it’s so versatile. It’s a great time saving-flavor bomb addition to your diet arsenal. It also helps keep diet boredom at bay. You will see us use it for so many recipes in the coming months. (Helloooooo Bari Healthy Pizza, I’m talking to you…and too many others to name.)
Homemade Cacio e Pepe Bread Dipping Spice, YUM!
And if you’re purest, you can make your own bread spice knock off. Just grab the recipe in the photo above! And go to town. It will keep for weeks in the fridge. We drop a sachet in it that absorbs liquid (packet of desiccant) and keeps it fluffy. Let us know how you like it!)
Over the coming months, you WILL see many salads involving bariatric mini meals and salads on sticks. Take that to the bank. Please be sure to drop a comment below if you have an idea for a salad on a stick you’d like to see us make here on Bari Healthy Life!
Here’s Our Secret to Food-on-a-Stick!
We heart these little bamboo skewers! Bamboo skewers come in two different sizes from Simply Baked. We like the six inch length the best. You can find them in big party stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, and maybe even Party Barn? You may also be able to find them in the grocery store or at liquor or gourmet food stores. We’re pretty sure Sur La Table carries them. You can also order off Amazon. Here’s our affiliate link. It won’t cost you more to click through but gives us a little spiff that helps keep the lights on here at BHL.
Can Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle Be Eaten in Earlier Bariatric Diet Stages?
Sadly, Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle are firmly and forevermore part of my BFD (Bariatric Forever Diet or Bariatric Stage 4 Diet) and are not appropriate for earlier bariatric diet stages. The tough skin and seeds from grape and cherry tomatoes might present problems in Stage 3 (soft diet stage). And the acidity in both the tomatoes and from the balsamic reduction could irritate a pouch or sleeve that is not fully matured and healthy.
If you are in a Bariatric Stage 3 (Mechanical Soft) diet phase and your doctor and RD allow this, you could potentially substitute the skewers for a caprese stack. You would need to use a vine ripened or heirloom tomato and remove the skin. Remove the seeds by gently squeezing and scooping. Make sure to get all the seeds out! Then slice and stack with fresh mozzarella cheese slices and basil. Reduce the amount of balsamic reduction to a couple of drops, minimum!
You could also peel and skin the tomato, then blend everything together. If I was going to make this appropriate for a Stage 3A (Puree) phase, I’d also sub out low fat cottage cheese for the mozzarella and I’d make sure it was completely pureed, including the fresh mozzarella or low fat cottage cheese!
What Goes Well with Caprese Skewers?
Bari Healthy Life eats Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle, so many different ways:
- Mini Meal – Enjoy these portable food-on-a-stick offerings as its own self-contained mini meal.
- Appetizer – We love to have one or two skewers as part of an appetizer, before the big dinner! They’re a perfect dish to make and take to a party and best of all? You’ll know there will be at least one healthy dish you can enjoy at the party.
- Salad or Side Dish – Make a couple of Caprese Skewers part of your dinner as the salad or even a side dish. We adore serving these bright and fresh salad skewers with Mustard Crusted Salmon or other lean dense bari-friendly protein.
- Have a Skinny Soup & Salad Meal – Perfect for a bariatric lunch or dinner served with a hot cup of soup. We made a Five Minute Tuscan Tomato Veggie Soup the other day for lunch and enjoy a couple of Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle as part of the protein for the meal. So refreshing and yet, filling! We promise to have the recipe for you soon.
Make Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle a Bariatric Stage 1 or 2 (Bariatric Clear of Full Liquids):
Nope, sorry, no-can-do.
The End.
So Here’s Your Challenge, Bari Healthy Buds!
Challenge yourself! Go have fun with your food! Make a salad on a stick! Snap a pic (or it didn’t happen)! And make Bari Healthy Life’s Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle. When you do, PLEASE run back here and comment, purty please? Tell us how much you love them and how this fun-with-sticks has changed your bariatric life for the better!
Don’t forget to like and share on Instagram @imbacnow2020 and catch the links below! Tag your piccys #imbacnow2020 #barihealthylife!
Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Drizzle
Course: SaladCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes107
kcal2
minutes2
skewers2
hours10
minutesCaprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle are an easy mini meal or appetizer for a bari healthy life after WLS (weight loss surgery). Food can be fun after your bariatric surgery and this mini meal puts the F-U-N in FUN-ctional! Marinated grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cubes, and fragrant fresh basil get paired with balsamic syrup and maybe a few turkey pepperoni for extra protein power. (Recipe yields 4 mini skewers.)
Ingredients
2 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes (57 g)
2 ounces fresh whole milk mozzarella cheese, bocconcini or ciliegine size (57 g)
2 grams fresh basil leaves, about 12 small leaves (1/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon Cacio e Pepe Bread Dipper Spice (Adams Reserve)
1/8 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon balsamic reduction (Fini)
3/4 ounce turkey pepperoni (Boar’s Head) (21 g) (12 slices)
Directions
- The night before serving, wash grape tomatoes and place in a quart sized zip top bag. Sprinkle with Redmond or kosher salt and bread dipper spice. If you can’t find Adams Reserve, simply make it homemade. See recipe in the original post. Seal bag and refrigerate. Tomatoes can marinate from 2-12 hours for best flavor.
- Cut small slivers off of bocconcini size mozzarella and reserve. Cut the “now square” cheese into 2-4 cubes.
- Using bamboo skewers, alternate threading fresh mozzarella, basil, turkey pepperoni, with marinated grape or cherry tomatoes to form skewers. Use the ends you sliced off the cheese as well as the cubes!
- Drizzle with Fini Balsamic Reduction Sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- This is such an easy, no-brainer bariatric and weight watchers friendly recipe. You don’t have to marinate the tomatoes in the bread dipping spices, but taking the time to plan ahead, really allows those flavors to penetrate the tomatoes. You won’t even miss the extra virgin olive oil in the recipe.
- Enjoy Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle as a light stand-alone lunch or dinner, or pair them with a lean protein or light cup of a soup for a more hearty meal. If you eat them as a full meal, this recipe might only be enough for one person. If part of a meal, it will serve two.
- MAKE CAPRESE SKEWERS WITH BALSAMIC DRIZZLE FIT A MECHANICAL SOFT DIET (BARIATRIC STAGE 3 PHASE): replace grape or cherry tomatoes with a larger tomato on the vine variety. Skin and remove seeds, then slice into rounds. Layer the caprese rather than skewer it. Alternate as in Step 3 above. Reduce balsamic reduction to about 1/8 teaspoon, just a couple of drops to reduce the acid content. Don’t forget to check with your doctor or RD to see if this recipe is appropriate for your Bariatric Stage 3 Phase.
- NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (2 skewers = 1/2 recipe): 107 calories; 9 g protein; 7 g fat; 2 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g net carbohydrate; 1 g sugar.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories107
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
7g
11%
- Saturated Fat 3g 15%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 26mg 9%
- Sodium 382mg 16%
- Total Carbohydrate
2g
1%
- Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 9g 18%
- Vitamin A 6%
- Vitamin C 2%
- Calcium 10%
- Iron 1%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
PLEASE RATE, SHARE & COMMENT!
(Scroll all the way down to the bottom below the disclaimer to get to the COMMENT SECTION! We love hearing your feedback and learning how we can improve your experience at BHL! TIA!)
MUAH! (Recipe link in comments!)
