Tasty Eats & Train Wrecks

I made these yummy Greek Chicken Skewers with a Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce last night. They were so good. Oodles of protein. Would be great for a party appetizer. The whole meal would make a great weight loss surgery friendly end of summer dinner. I served the skewers with two delicious summer dishes... my Corn Casserole (it's sort of like creamed corn but without cream) and my Roasted Veggie Caprese Salad.

We ate this delicious spread while watching *hangs head in shame* the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion show. The Real Housewives shows are like a train wreck, you just can't look away. These women seriously need to all spend some time scrubbing sea birds in the Gulf or something. Poor New Jersey between the Housewives and Snookie and the crew on the Jersey Shore that's not the group I would want representing my state (I feel bad most of them are Italian) On behalf of my old neighboring state (I grew up on Long Island) I have visited New Jersey many times, it is a beautiful state, filled with wonderful, lovely, intelligent people and let us not forget it brought us Bruce and Bon Jovi and most Italians would refer to both the housewives and the fist pumpers as "testa di cucuzza" a bunch of pumpkin heads.

Shelly's Greek Chicken Skewers

7 Chicken Breast Tenders, cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
juice of 1/2 a Lemon
several dashes of Greek Seasoning
Kalamata Olives, pitted
Cherry Tomatoes
Bamboo skewers or cute food pics

Cut the chicken tenders into 2" cubes. Thread onto metal skewers leaving a little room between each piece of chicken. Mix olive oil and lemon juice together. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle each side of the skewers with Greek Seasoning. Place skewers in the fridge and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. BBQ for 10-12 minutes or so till chicken is done.

Unthread the chicken from metal skewers and thread (using same hole) onto food pics with a Kalamata olive and a cherry tomato. Serve with Shelly's Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

Shelly's Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce

1 Cucumber, grated & drained
3 oz. Fage Greek Yogurt (I use 2%, plain)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Greek Seasoning
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Kosher Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper

Grate cucumber and allow to drain for a 1/2 hour in a mesh sieve. Discard juice. Add to remaining ingredients and mix till combined.



Shelly's Corn Casserole

1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 cups Corn Kernels
1 (4 oz.) can Green Chilies, diced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind)

I used fresh corn I BBQ'd on the grill (how I do it) and then removed from the husk but frozen, defrosted (even canned) would be fine.

Saute onions till golden. Add chilies and corn. Add seasonings. Make a well in the center and add butter and pancake mix and cook for 1 minute. Add milk slowly stirring constantly. Cook till thickened and bubbly about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan. Mix to combine. Pour into a Pyrex casserole dish. Top with crunchy onions. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes till golden.

The Roasted Veggie Caprese Salad (recipe posted here)

Weekend Wrap Up

From 107°F Thursday to a beautiful 76°F today. I am a happy girl once again.

Saturday was a haze of work and errands. I hit the Farmer's Market in the AM as usual. Nectarines, Pluots, Peaches, Kyoho Grapes, Squash, Cucumbers, Cauliflower (I have casserole plans), Onions, Peppers, and an Eggplant. I have some yummy things planned for the week.

Today started out with a tropical version of my Breakfast Parfait.

Shelly's Mango Breakfast Parfait

1 cup Mango chopped (fresh or frozen, defrosted)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Coconut)
a dollop of Banana Yogurt Sauce
Optional toppings: Toasted Unsweetened Coconut
Sugar Free Land O Lakes Whipped Topping

Shelly's Banana Yogurt Sauce

1/2 Banana
3 oz. Fage Greek Yogurt
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Vanilla)

Mix mango and syrup and spoon equally into 2 parfait glasses. Whiz banana, yogurt and syrup in a mini food processor till smooth. Pour banana sauce over fruit and top with a squirt of whipped topping and toasted coconut if desired.

I make several of these at a time and plastic wrap them for a quick breakfast during the week. They also make a great protein packed dessert. Refreshing and perfect in the summer after a BBQ.

Spent a nice afternoon hanging out with the crew from Bariatric TV. If you haven't found those guys on the interweb before be sure to check them out. Funny and informative. Here's the episode when they made my Cafe Mocha Protein Fudge.

Got home and roasted eggplant to make more of that Healthier Baba Ganoush from the other day. It is soooo good. By the way 1 small-medium eggplant roasted will yield the 1 cup for the recipe needed. I smeared it on slices of ham and chicken and rolled them up as part of a little tidbit party during the Emmy's. Go Glee!

I started a Weight Loss Surgery Flickr Photo Group. I thought it would be a nice place to add our Before & Current pictures. I figured for pre-ops it would be great inspiration and nice to see what the future holds and for post-ops as motivation to continue to fight everyday. Please join in.

Flickr is a fun site. They have a group for everything and anything you are into. Check it out. Type anything in the search box, your interests, your town name, a place you want to visit, and I bet there's a flickr group. I love to look through the pictures. Total time sucker though so proceed with caution. I got sucked into this group the other day for almost an hour: What's in my Bag? My submission...

What's in my bag
The Bag: My favorite Black Coach Bag (my 4 year surgiversary gift)
The Crap:
Sunglasses (I never leave home without them, well sometimes I do but I turn around)
Altoid Smalls (my addiction, in hot-hurts-so-good-cinnamon flavor)
Aura Cacia Chill Pill Aromatherapy (love this stuff, a few sniffs and a zen-like peacefulness comes over my body and all is right with the world. Wow I should send that in to their marketing team)
Bliss Body Butter (I got hooked on Bliss stuff after the Progresso Soup Event)
OPI Avojuicie Lotion (best lotion ever)
OPI Nail Polish (I'm getting my toes done this week and I always use my own color because 9 times out of 10 I chip them within the hour)
Hello Kitty Band aids (Yes they are mine, no I have no children)
Sephora Lip Gloss (I heart this lip gloss doesn't make your lips all goopy)
Philosophy Falling in Love (my daytime perfume)
Ralph Lauren Romance (my nighttime perfume, a free sample from Sephora If you have a Sephora just ask them to make you up a sample of your favorite perfume to try before you buy, they are great for traveling. Shhh I do it every time I'm in)
Blistex (I am never more than an arms length away from from a tube of this)
Snack-size Ziploc baggie with a few pieces of SF Candy and Almonds - sometimes I make up a mixture like this.
2 Peach Green Tea Bequenched Tubes (add them to water bottles)
Assorted favorite pens (best pen in the world Pilot Easy Touch Medium)
My idea book (cause if I don't write stuff down when I think of it I might as well kiss the idea goodbye)
My phone (I hate cell phones and mine is usually dead at the bottom of my purse)
My keys
My favorite green wallet
Starbuck's Gold Card and a coupon for a free drink (they screwed up my SF order the other day thankfully I caught it in 2 sips)
My coin purse (made from my former Size 28 jeans. Every time I look at it it reminds me to make healthy choices)
My business card holder filled with blog address cards

Wow that is a lot of crap. The two different lotions makes me giggle... when I was 17 I moved to California. It was total culture shock. I was this tough talking, chubby Italian chick from New York. I didn't fit in at all with the tan, skinny California girls. I remember the first day at my new high school I was asked at least 8 times if I wanted some lotion. Everyone in California carries lotion, it's dry, after living here for many years I get this now. It's a gesture of friendship to offer another girl some lotion when you are applying some yourself. I did not get it then. No one in New York offers you lotion. It just doesn't happen. I thought WTH is with these California chicks and their flippin' lotion?! I kept looking at my arms thinking do I look particularly dry today? These people are whacked.

Now I'm one of them.

The Blogover Giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight. Be sure to add your name to the hat for a chance to win a huge Sugar Free Torani Gift Pack.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

Another 105°F day. Today is supposed to be the last of it and I hear Saturday's high is forecast to be 80°F so ahhhh a light at the end of the tunnel.

Breakfast: Started my day with a yummy protein shake. One of my favorites Chocolate Covered Cherry. I sipped it on the patio then picked a bunch of tomatoes and soaked the plants down. They still holding up and producing a ton despite the gnarly heat. It's been a really really good year. Glad I gave the plants an early drink because it was already 101°F by 11:30 AM.

Shelly's Chocolate Covered Cherry Protein Shake

1 cup Vanilla Soy Milk (or Regular Milk)
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Vanilla)
1/4 cup Frozen or Fresh Cherries
3 or 4 cubes of Ice

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with a squirt No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream and drizzle of SF Chocolate Sauce, optional.

Lunch: I ran some errands and when I got home I took some of those fresh picked tomatoes and made this yummy salad for lunch...

Shelly's Cannelini Tuna Caprese Salad

1 can Tuna Fillets, packed in Olive Oil, drained (I use Roland Ventresca Tuna Fillets)
1 can (15 oz) Cannelini Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups Homegrown, Just Picked Tomatoes
1/2 cup Fresh Mozzarella, chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
dash of Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
A few twists of Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon of any Fruity Vinegar (Champagne, Orange, Lemon)

Mix all ingredients together till well combined.

Late in the afternoon the clouds rolled in and we had some drama... thunder, lightning strikes... fires. Apparently a few bolts hit nearby. It got pretty smoky in the neighborhood but the firefighters got it out pretty quickly and the few sprinkles I'm sure helped douse the flames too. You'd think the bit of rain would have helped but it just made things more sultry. What I did to heat up the house didn't help either...

Those of you that read the blog on a regular basis know I work on-call for a caterer. I spent most of my 20's in school. I have a few degrees from those years, Political Science and Child & Family Studies both of which are not in the greatest demand. I planned to go to law school (Child Advocacy) but $$ and desire ran out. So to pay the bills and because cooking is my true love... I work with a pal who does corporate (some occasion & special events) catering. Yesterday she and I were talking and she wanted me to develop a No Sugar Added Cookie to include in a "Lighter Option" lunch box. I have a few cookies I've done in the past but none that I would consider worthy of being "sold" until now. So yeah despite the triple digit temps I started baking experiments and came up with a delicious chewy oatmeal cookie I feel is worthy.

I was in the health food store the other day and I picked up a bag of Xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar substitute (a sugar alcohol, found in a lot of SF products gum, candy, etc) I wanted to mess with it. This gave me the opportunity. Now word of warning sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect (Xylitol is actually has the least effect of all sugar alcohols) but just so you know if you were to eat a tray of cookies you'd spend some quality time getting to know your bathroom. I enjoyed 2 with no ill effects. Xylitol is safe for humans but can be fatal for dogs. So keep stuff made from it like packs of SF gum out of your fur babies reach. I'm sure I'll get the Q about subbing Splenda... I haven't tried it. This is what I had on hand.

So here's my no sugar added, no oil or butter, no white flour chewy oatmeal cookie... all those NO's should equal no taste but these really rock! Super yummy.


Shelly's Chewy Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup Spelt Flour
1/4 cup Almond Meal (aka Almond Flour) (Trader Joe's, health food stores, online or make your own)
1/4 cup Protein Powder (Vanilla or Cookies & Cream)
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Xylitol (granulated sugar substitute)
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese, small curd
1 Egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1/4 cup Chopped Nuts (I used Pecans. Raisins or dried Cranberries could sub or SF chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 non stick baking sheets with Pam cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together till well combined.

Drop the heaping teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake cookies 13 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 25. Here's how to find out the nutritional value of this or any recipe.

Dinner: Once the smoke and clouds cleared I filled my super cool bento box with yummy stuff including a couple of my cookie experiments and ate outside. I had to escape my hot house.

Pink Box (top left): Shelly's Chewy Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
Green Box (top right): Shelly's Healthier Baba Ganoush
Blue Box (bottom left): Yellow Bell Pepper strips, Baby Carrots, sliced Cucumbers for dipping
Orange Box (bottom right): Ham and Cheese Roll-ups

Shelly's Healthier Baba Ganoush

3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I use Plain 2%)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 cup Roasted Eggplant (roasted & chilled)
1/4 teaspoon Greek Seasoning (oregano, black pepper, garlic, sage blend)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Whiz all ingredients in a mini food processor till desired consistency.

This is to die for, put your face in the bowl and lick it clean good. Here are some more civilized ways to eat it... spread on cucumber slices, with dippers like bell peppers, carrots, spread in celery, stuffed in cherry tomatoes, spread on cold cuts and rolled up but don't be surprised if you just find yourself eating it off the spoon.

Snacks: Oodles of Iced Coffee and Iced Tea Lattes and the last of my Kyoho Grapes.

Affogato Protein Ice Cream

105 °F today. It was so HOT fire hydrants were begging dogs to pee on them ;)

I went out to get the mail and I thought I was going to pass out. Literally the heat takes your breath away. I always worry about the elderly on fixed incomes not wanting to use AC or fans because of the added $$ on the electric bill. If you have older people in your life consider picking them up and taking them to your house or a movie for some free AC.

My Mum and I escaped for a few hours to see "Eat Pray Love." We both really enjoyed it. I hadn't read the book. I'm glad. They never do all the details in books justice and this way I just enjoyed the movie for what it was and yum yum yum a couple of hours with James Franco & Javier Bardem. Now that is the kind of HEAT I like. I also stayed cool with a batch of Protein Ice Cream. I served two scoops affogato-style with espresso poured over. Affogato means "drowned" in Italian. Mmmm soooo good. Definitely something Elizabeth in "Eat Pray Love" would have ordered in a cafe in Rome.

Shelly's Affogato

2 scoops of my Very Very Vanilla Protein Ice Cream
1 or 2 shots of Espresso

Make a pot of espresso. Pour 1 or 2 shots espresso over ice cream and serve right away.



Shelly's Very Very Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

1 cup Vanilla Soy Milk (or Regular Milk)
2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder (.55 -.65 size scoop)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder, dry
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
scrapings of one Vanilla Bean

Mix together milk, protein, pudding mix, syrup and bean scrapings. I used this gadget to mix it up. It makes it airy and lump free. If you don't have one just blend it on super high (you want it fluffy) Pour into ice cream maker. Follow your machine's instructions for freezing. You can eat it right away it is soft serve-ish (use it at this stage for Protein Ice Cream Cake making)

If you want scoops put it in the freezer to set for an hour. After that hour it will be hard (like rock hard - this is do to the lack of fat content) just nuke it 25 seconds to bring it back to scoops.

More Eggface Protein Ice Cream flavors
Protein Ice Cream 101 Tips

It's forecast to be even hotter manana. Eeeek.

Egg Foo Young

I've made egg foo young before and I love that recipe but it's always hard to not have it fall apart and end up looking messy. Not really a company's coming meal. I also make a crab rangoon meets egg foo young Bite (aka crustless quiche) I call Foo Rangoon Bites but those are better for party appetizers.

This variation kind of combines the two. It's baked in the oven in full size muffin pan. They came out great. Super yummy and little prettier for company. A more frou-frou foo. Say that 5 times fast.

I served them as is but they would be great with a salad of sliced cucumbers dressed with a little rice vinegar and a drop or two of sesame oil.

Shelly's Chicken Egg Foo Young Muffins

1 1/2 cups *Chicken, approx. (I used 5 Chicken Breast Tenders, cut in 1/2" bite size pieces)
8 oz. Bean Sprouts
2 Mushrooms, sliced thin
4 Green Onions, diced
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
4 Eggs, beaten
a few twists of Black Pepper
Olive oil for sauteing

Foo Young Gravy
1 Green Onion, diced
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Saute chicken till lightly golden. Add mushrooms, onions, bean sprouts, soy sauce, vinegar and pepper and cook with lid on till bean sprouts give a little about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Add to beaten eggs. Mix till combined.

Spoon into a non-stick 6 cup muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

For Foo Young Gravy:

Mix a 1/4 of the broth into cornstarch to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low, stirring constantly, till bubbling and thickened.

This is a great way to repurpose leftovers. *I used chicken but it would be great with pork, shrimp, crab, or beef or all veggies. Next time I have leftover crab or shrimp from a Red Lobster lunch I'm bringing it home and making these. They heat up great the next day too.

Other Eggface Asian Food Fixes:

Shelly's California Roll Salad
Shelly's Ginger Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Shelly's Asian Lettuce Cups
Shelly's Chinese New Year Meatball Soup
Shelly's Chicken Chop Suey
Shelly's Chinese Shrimp Packet
Shelly's Cashew Chicken
Shelly's Naked Asian Chicken Salad
Shelly's Shrimp & Peas Stir Fry
Shelly's Foo Rangoon Bites
Shelly's Chicken Egg Foo Young
Shelly's Almond Cookie Protein Ice Cream

Hot Days, Cold Eats: Mexican Layered Salad

We're in the middle of another heat wave in my neck o' the woods. Ugggh. It actually gave me a migraine. I seriously contemplated a move to Alaska. I like salmon. The whole three men for every one woman thing is intriguing too ;) Speaking of... did you know you can burn 10 calories for every 10 minutes of kissing. Sex three times a week burns between 7,500-15,000 calories per year. This is the kind of math I like.

OK back to the other kind of heat... I was miserable for most of the day but when the sun went down I made this salad, ate it outside on the patio, listened to a fierce female music marathon and all was right with the world. Nothing like a cold salad on a hot day.

Shelly's Mexican Layered Salad

(from top down) Avocado, sliced
Green Onions, diced
Lime Cumin Yogurt Crema "Dressing"
Tomato, chopped
Lettuce, shredded
Black Olives, chopped
Chicken, grilled, chilled & chopped
Cotija Cheese, grated
Refried Beans

Shelly's Lime Cumin Yogurt Crema "Dressing"

3 1/2 oz  Plain Greek Yogurt (1/2 a small container)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
dash of Kosher Salt

Mix till well blended. Also great as a dip for meats or veggies.

Tip: Toss a few extra chicken breasts on the grill on the weekend to make making this salad a breeze midweek.

Other Eggface Cool Eats:

Shelly's Italian Bean Salad
Shelly's Pimento Chicken Salad
Shelly's Antipasto Skewers
Shelly's Bacon & Egg Salad
Shelly's Chutney Chicken Salad
Shelly's Mexican Crab Cocktail
Shelly's Tropical Chicken Salad
Shelly's Tuna Caprese Salad
Shelly's BLT Chicken Salad
Shelly's Italian Chicken Salad
Shelly's "Award Winning" Jazzy New Orleans Muffaletta Salad
Shelly's Mexican Chicken Salad
Shelly's Artichoke Pesto Tuna Salad
Shelly's Tidbit Parties

Facelift

Not me, the blog.

The World According to Eggface has gotten a face lift. There's a few more changes yet to come but I'm eggcited to share this first step.

In honor of the new look...

It's GIVEAWAY time!

The Prize: A variety pack of Sugar Free Torani Syrups. Includes one bottle of each Sugar Free Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, Chocolate, Raspberry and Irish Cream. I heart these syrups. They are a must have for post weight loss surgery life. I use them in everything from Protein Shakes & Smoothies, Protein Ice Cream, Cakes, Puddings, Donuts, Yogurt, Coffee & Tea... the possibilities are endless.

How to enter: Just leave a comment (include your name and an email addy) on this blog posting by Tuesday, August 31st, midnight (Pacific time) and sometime September 1st. I'll draw a name using a random number generator and announce the winner here on the blog! I will also email the winner at the addy posted. You'll have one week (7 days) to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

One COMMENT ENTRY per person. Remember blog comments are moderated so there may be a slight delay (up to a few hours) in seeing your comment/entry post. Giveaway is open to anyone in the United States (48 contiguous, Alaska & Hawaii)

***Want extra chances to win?*** Do anything listed below and leave me a comment letting me know what you did! For up to four more entries per person!!

* Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway: Hey everyone enter the @Eggface Blogover Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/a78ors

* Post about the giveaway on Facebook, MySpace or some other social networking/support forum you frequent

If you are a blogger:

* Blog about this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)

* Grab my new super snazzy code and place it in your blog

<a href="http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/favabean/Lolatini/buttoncleangrad.png" /></a>

Can't wait to see if you win the giveaway to try Sugar Free Torani Syrups? I understand. I'm a little obsessed with them myself ;)

Here's the 411 on them and an online source.

Good Luck & Thanks for reading!

Weekend Eats: Protein Ice Cream Cake and Potluck Standard Revamp

I had a nice weekend. Hope you did too. My eating was a little off. I just didn't feel like much so I made a lot of protein shakes, protein ice cream and ate a lot of fresh fruit. Peaches and Kyoho grapes from Saturday's Farmer's Market run and Henry's had seedless watermelon for 77 cents each. It was a pretty hot weekend, the heat makes me not want to eat much. Hey I could be on to something... I could set up a weight loss camp on the equator or develop a heated sweat suit that simulates triple digit weather. I smell an infomercial. Call in the next 10 minutes...

I always make sure I get my protein in even on "grouchy pouch" days or triple digit weather. I like having hair too much ;) Yesterday I made a huge double batch of Lemon Meringue Pie Protein Ice Cream and turned half of it into an Ice Cream Cake. I think it came out pretty cute. It tasted great. I also made a healthier version of a potluck classic, Hot Chicken Salad. It was soooo good.

Shelly's Lemon Meringue Protein Ice Cream Cake

You need:
Stainless Food Ring
Protein Ice Cream
Sugar Free Cookies or Crumbled Protein Bar
Sugar Free Torani Syrup (any flavor will do)
Optional toppings

Amounts will vary based on how big a cake you make.

Crush Sugar Free Cookies and add enough SF Syrup to make it clump. I needed about 8 cookies and 1 Tablespoon of Syrup. Place food ring on a plate. Fill base with cookie mixture and press to cover bottom (about 1/2 to 1 inch high.) My protein fudge would work great for the base too.

Fill with Protein Ice Cream you get right out of the machine (soft serve stage) Cover with plastic wrap and freeze till hard.

Unmold. I used a warm (nuked 20 seconds) damp dish towel to warm sides and the ring just lifts off.

Decorate if desired. I used Grated Fresh Lemon Zest and SF Whipped Cream. Other options: Sugar Free Hot Fudge Sauce, Nuts, Fresh or Frozen Fruit, Crushed SF Candy.

My cake makes 4 big wedges. Great for a post-op birthday celebration.

The Protein Ice Cream flavor I used...

Shelly's Lemon Meringue Pie Protein Ice Cream

1 cup Vanilla Soy Milk (or Regular Milk)
2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Jello Instant Lemon Pudding Powder, dry
a few drops of Lemon Extract (careful a little goes a long way)
4-6 Sugar Free Lemon Cookies, broken in pieces (skip if making cake)
Optional: a little fresh Lemon Zest

Mix together milk, protein, pudding mix, extract and optional zest. I used this gadget to mix it up. It makes it airy and lump free. If you don't have one just blend it on super high (you want it fluffy) Pour into ice cream maker. Follow your machine's instructions for freezing. 1 minute before done add the crumbled cookies (the faux pie crust) I skip this if I'm making a protein cake and use the cookies for the cake base instead. You can eat it right away it is soft serve-ish (use it at this stage for Protein Ice Cream Cake making)

If you want scoops put it in the freezer to set for an hour. After that hour it will be hard (like rock hard - this is do to the lack of fat content) just nuke it 25 seconds to bring it back to scoops.

More Eggface Protein Ice Cream flavors

Protein Ice Cream 101 Tips

Here's that super yummy, high protein Hot Chicken Salad Casserole I made last night for dinner. The original potluck classic is usually topped with crushed potato chips and loaded with mayo and cheese. My version slims it down but maintains the yum factor. 'Cause that's how I casserole...

Shelly's Healthier Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

2 cups Cooked Chicken, cubed (leftover rotisserie is great)
3 Green Onions, diced
2 stalks Celery, sliced
1 (6 oz.) can sliced Water Chestnuts, drained
3 1/2 oz. Fage Greek Yogurt (half a small container)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Shredded Italian Blend Cheese (one of those 6 cheese blends with Mozzarella, Fontina, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper

Topping:
1/4 cup Durkee Onions (the Green Bean casserole kind)
1 Tablespoon Parmesan

Blend yogurt, mayo, cheese and seasonings together till well combined. Pour over other ingredients and mix till well combined.

Pour into a Pyrex casserole dish. Crush topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes till golden. Would be great served with a steamed veggie, sauteed spinach, or a green salad. I ate it as is.

Here's to a great week of healthy choices! Be conscious of everything you do to this body ❤ It is the only one we have and it is only on loan.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My yesterday in post weight loss surgery eating. Not too shabby...

Breakfast: Made this delicious Protein Smoothie. It was a great start to the day. If you love marzipan this tastes just like it.

Shelly's Cherry Almond Protein Smoothie

8 oz. Soy Milk (you can use ANY milk or milk/water combo. I'm a soy girl)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Almond Torani Syrup
1/4 cup Fresh or Frozen Cherries
3-4 Ice Cubes

Add liquid, ice, then fruit, then protein powder and blend on high. Top with an optional squirt of Sugar Free Land of Lakes Whipped Cream.

Other Eggface Favorite Protein Shakes and Smoothies

After breakfast I hit the mall. Our local mall has a Facebook page and since this week was the first day of school in my neighborhood they asked people to share their most embarrassing first day of school stories for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to any mall store. LOL I figure I share pretty much everything on the Internet why not... Guess what? I won! Here it is... my most embarrassing first day of school story...

In Kindergarten we had a bathroom in the back of the classroom with a hanging door sign you flipped when in use. A red STOP sign meant it was occupied and green GO sign when vacant. I wiggled in my seat FOREVER waiting for that sign to turn GREEN. It never changed. I eventually went :( Oooops. The last person in forgot to flip it back upon exiting. Luckily the nurse's office had extra pants :) Lesson learned: Knock.

Who knew my little "accident" would one day pay off! I also had a coupon for a free pair of Victoria's Secret panties. Still a huge WOW moment every time I walk in that store. From Lane Bryant's largest size (26/28) undies to Victoria Secret's almost smallest size (small) still blows me away. So I walked out of the mall with a $50 gift card and a pair of underwear more than when I walked in. When does that ever happen?! Figured I'd use my winnings to take my Mum for some lunch and to see "Eat Pray Love" sometime next week.

Lunch: I came home and picked a beautiful homegrown tomato and with a slice of roast beef from the deli they turned into this super yummy Tortilla Pizza for lunch.

Shelly's Roast Beef & Beefsteak Tomato Tortilla Pizza - Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla topped with 1 Tablespoon of Tomato Sauce, fresh sliced Tomato, Roast Beef, Provolone Cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan and Italian seasoning.

Dinner: I made a batch of Bites (aka Crustless Quiches) which are my favorite go-to post-op meal. Great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, party snacks.

I served it with a simple Cucumber & Fresh Mozzarella Salad - Cucumber, Mozzarella Balls, 1 Tablespoon of Orange Muscat Vinegar (any fruity vinegar will do), a dash or Oregano, Kosher Salt and a few twists of Black Pepper.

Shelly's Mexican Bites

5 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Corn Kernels (fresh cooked, frozen defrosted, or canned all will work)
1/2 cup Ham, cubed
3 Green Onions, diced
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a mini food processor whiz cottage cheese and all the spices together till smooth.

Combine with all remaining ingredients. Spoon into lightly greased (Pam non-stick spray works great for this) mini muffin tins.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Let them cool a few moments they pull away and pop right out. Makes 24.

Other Eggface Bites

Snacks: Oodles of Coffee, a Iced Tea Latte, a handful of nuts, and a Plum.

Gearing up for another hot weekend and I'm hearing the heatwave goes on through next week. I'm planning some cool food menus and things to cook that won't heat up the house too much. So winning the gift card so we can escape to the free air conditioning of the movie theater couldn't have at a better time.

Mangia! Stuffed Zucchini Gondolas

These are soooo good and a perfect use for the summer onslaught of zucchini. The first time I ever planted zucchini I thought I'll plant 6 plants because I love zucchini and I want to be sure to have plenty all summer long. OMG?! I had enough zucchini to feed a small country. I was giving them to everyone and anyone that smiled at me. I even participated in "Sneak Some Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch Day." Oh umm yeah... errr... sorry that was me. I haven't been planting them the last couple of years. I get my supply from the Farmer's Market or random people I smile at ;)

I had this for lunch on its own but it would be great for dinner with a little green salad on the side, it would be super on a brunch buffet (still tastes awesome at room temperature or cold and looks festive), leftovers are delicious with eggs for breakfast.

Shelly's Stuffed Zucchini Gondolas

3 medium Zucchini (8" or so), makes 6 halves
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup Ham, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
dash Kosher Salt
12 small Fresh Mozzarella Balls
24 or so Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 425. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise place in a Pyrex dish that has been oiled lightly (or sprayed with Pam.) Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh from the centers of the zucchini. Forming 6 zucchini "boats."

Chop the zucchini flesh and set aside. Saute onions till golden. Add flesh from zucchini middles and ham. Saute till moisture is gone about 4 minutes. Add seasonings. Mix.

Spoon mixture into hollowed out zucchini. Place mozzarella balls and tomatoes (fresh picked from my crazy big plants) on top.

Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes then uncovered for 15.

You can vary the dish by using cooked chicken, beef, turkey, sausage. It's a great way to use leftover meat. I love the flavor combination of ham, cheese, tomatoes, and onions. Yum!

Other Eggface Zucchini Yumminess:

Shelly's Zucchini Pancakes
Shelly's Zucchini Roll-ups (aka Pasta-less Manicotti)
Shelly's Sun-Dried Tomato & Artichoke Chicken
Shelly's Stuffed Zucchini (Zucchini Ripieni)
Shelly's Zucchini Bites
Shelly's Zucchini Weenies
Shelly's Beef & Zucchini Casserole
Shelly's Sweet Zucchini Pancakes
Shelly's Pesto Chicken & Veggies
Shelly's Squash Artichoke Pesto Bake
Shelly's Mexican Beef & Bean Bake