Alejandro is a self-confessed mama’s boy. Being the only child in the family, he was spoiled by her mom and at 38 years old, he was still living with his parents and unmarried. This meant her mom would still cook his meals – breakfast, packed lunch and a big dinner.

Alejandro’s dad would often fight with his mom that she was spoiling Alejandro too much but that did not stop his mom at all. In fact, his mom would even cook more for Alejandro. Unlike his parents who are naturally active by participating in a lot of community events, Alejandro had a sedentary lifestyle plus he had an inability to control his portions. He gradually grew in size and his weight became unmanageable.

When his weight started to affect his health, Alejandro’s dad finally won the argument and gave an ultimatum that Alejandro had to seek professional help to lose weight or else, they were done supporting him. It was a jarring wakeup call but at the same time it was tough love.

This was what made Alejandro seek bariatric surgery. His mom was very supportive of his journey and helped him especially during the first difficult stages post-surgery. I also had multiple conversations with Alejandro’s mom to guide her on what type of recipes Alejandro can eat and what portion sizes are recommended. I was amazed at how dedicated she was to ensure that her son becomes successful in his weight loss journey.

The recipe I am sharing is a recipe Alejandro’s mom shared with me. It uses an egg, such a simple ingredient, but spiced up with fresh ingredients. It’s a clear sign of how a mom’s love can create such amazing recipes!

Tomatillo Huevos Rancheros

You’ll Need:
1 green onion minced
1 cup prepared tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
1/8 tsp cumin
4 large eggs
2 oz 2% shredded cheese
1/2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 small tomato, diced
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Cooking Method:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onion and cook 1 to 2 minutes then add tomatillo salsa and a pinch of cumin. Simmer covered until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low and crack eggs over top. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and cover until the eggs are cooked through.
Scoop egg with salsa mixture on a plate and top with lettuce, tomato, cilantro and cheese.

Nutrition:
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Each serving will provide an estimated 10 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate and 8 grams fat.
*Serving sizes on the recipes are not necessarily “bariatric sized” portions but are “traditional” portion sizes.