Mmm, mmm good!

SmartForme Bari-15 Soup Cream of Chicken Flavor

Smells like roast chicken.  I kid you not.  I opened the package of soup mix and got a whiff of roast chicken.  I laughed, because, I did not forsee that the mix would actually smell of chicken.

My first post-op full liquid?  Campbells' Cream of Chicken Soup.  My mother can attest to that, as I was recovering at her house, and she made it.  Campbells Cream of Chicken, sometimes with a bit of Genisoy Unsweetened soy protein powder.  She would dump it into 2 ounce cups, and I would get through it.  It wasn't bad.  It did not ruin the Cream of Chicken for me, I still like it.  DO I LIKE PUDDING?  NO.  :x

The SmartForme Bari-15 Soup mixes are instant powdered mix that you add to ho****er, stir and sip.  They are acceptable for the liquid stage of post-op life and anytime after that.  (I am drinking it now.)

For 80 calories and 15 grams of protein, that is a fantastic ratio.  Most items in the 15 gram of protein range are higher in calories.  This soup is something that you couldn't really over-do.

Like I said, the powder has a great aroma.  Could almost... (not quite) if you shut your eyes and have a little food porn fantasy, make you think you are going to dig in to a real chicken dinner.  (I just pictured Willy Wonka and the Meal Flavored Gum, but that's my fantasy, get your own.)

I dumped the mix into a big cup, and added ho****er from my spring water tap (THIS IS A MUST HAVE after WLS - I love having instant ho****er at my fingertips.) and stirred it vigorously with a fork.  I will have no lumps, thank you.  It got very smooth and looked lovely.  Now, I have to admit, I added more water than the package stated (6 ounces) because I never measure.

The resulting soup was still nice and creamy, as creamy as a instant mix can get with water, even more than you're supposed to add.  The spices are tiny and visible throughout.  I was able to mix all of it without a lump.  The package does state  - NO BOILING WATER - because this product contains protein powder and we know what happens to protein in boiling water.  Don't do it.  The water out of my tap is juuuust cool enough to do this.

It felt really good to sip on a WARM soup that I knew had protein this morning.  I felt like I was doing something good for myself, instead of what I might eat at this time of the day (100 calorie English Muffin + Butter = no protein.)

The taste is initally a pleasing, creamy chicken flavor, not too much different than a regular cream of chicken product, but no bits of meat and a slight indication of protein.  You can't tell that this is a protein product until after you are done, it has a very slight after-taste.  But, I wonder if adding a shake of salt would kill that entirely.  I felt like I wanted a bit more savory.  (When I review the next one, I might try that half-way through.)

But how awesome to have a HOT protein choice.  And, it doesn't have to always be CHOCOLATE.  I love my chocolate, but I also want options sometimes.  This product would have been super as a new post-op.  I would have made it with less water, or even warm unsweetened soy milk for additional protein, just a touch even, and sipped on it contentedly.  Beacuse, it's got no chunkage. 

• Product - SmartForme Bari-15 Soup Mix, Cream of Chicken Flavor
• From - SmartForme
• Price - $14.99 ($12 and change on sale until 2/27)  10% off through my link
• Pros - Taste genuinely good, 15 grams of protein in a soup, good for all stages of post-op life after clear liquids.
• Cons - Slight protein taste?  
• Rating - Pouchworthy, ^MM.