Good Stuff - Crab Imperial

This was last night's dinner. Soooo good. I served it with a sliced cucumber salad. These are super soft and would be perfect early on. Just dice the onions a little more finely and you should be good to go. In the beginning foods like this, my Ricotta Bake and Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole made me feel "normal" again. If you love Greek spanakopita it's like a cross between that and a lasagna filling. Yum

Lots of good stuff yesterday... It was much cooler. It was 110°F on Tuesday but we were under 100°F yesterday so heck yeah that's good stuff, I prefer 80's but anything under triple digits I'll take. I seriously was beginning to feel ill from the heat. I was good about water too but 110°F was just too much to take. How I did this with 150+ extra pounds on me is beyond comprehension, no wonder I was on 8 medications. The cooler weather let me get a bunch of things accomplished I had put off... gardening, cleaning, etc. I was knocking stuff of the to-do list at a record pace.

We had this delicious dinner and then watched Glee. Speaking of Glee, I received my Season 1 DVD set yesterday. Remember my Mum and I were extras in the balcony audience of Regionals (in the Season Finale) so if you have a copy... check out my Mum and I... best view at the 17.19 minute mark. Squeeee.

Then we got the news my nephew passed the bar exam on his first attempt so we officially have an attorney in the family. Always nice to have. So if I ever wig out and need an attorney I'll have a family discount ;) Towanda.

Shelly's Crab Imperial

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onions, diced
1 cup Cooked Spinach, squeezed
1 (6 oz.) can of Crab Meat
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
Topping
1/4 cup Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind)
1 Tablespoon Parmesan

Cook spinach and squeeze all excess water from it. Set aside. Saute onions till golden. Set aside to cool. Mix all ingredients together (except topping ingredients) till well combined.

Spoon into 6 ramekins that have been sprayed with Pam non-stick cooking spray.

In a snack sized Ziploc baggie crush crunchy onions and Parmesan together. Sprinkle crumbs evenly onto the tops of the crab mixture.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Hotter than %$#&

The heat is back in Southern California. Last week I was a happy little clam welcoming fall making pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie like creations but like a Jersey Shore girl in a bar fight, summer grabbed us by our hair and screamed "I'm not done with you yet." Yesterday's high: 108°F. No, that's not a typo.

The day started out great. I got up early and made a triple berry version of my baked pancake. Yum! The perfect Sunday morning breakfast. I ate breakfast outside on the patio then did a little gardening. It was actually quite nice in the morning.

Shelly's Baked Triple Berry Baked Pancake (Clafoutis -ish)

1 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Cherries (fresh or frozen)
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (SF Vanilla or Almond would be great too)

Batter
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
1/4 cup Strawberry Protein Powder (20% off discount code info)
1/4 cup Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Vanilla)

Saute berries and 2 T of SF syrup for a few minutes till slightly softened (or you can nuke them) Arrange berries (solids only) in a Pyrex baking dish or deep pie plate (any size around 8x8x2 would work) that has been sprayed with Pam non-stick spray. Whiz the batter ingredients in a blender till smooth.

Pour batter over top of the berries.

Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden brown.

Serve a wedge with a squirt of Sugar Free Land o Lakes Whipped Cream and/or a drizzle of warmed SF Maple Syrup. A piece topped with a dollop of sweetened Greek Yogurt is great too. I served it with a drizzle of warm SF Raspberry Maple Syrup.

Shelly's Raspberry Maple Syrup

1/4 cup Sugar Free Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Raspberry Torani Syrup

Stir to combine. Nuke for 30 seconds.

For lunch I filled my super cool bento and sat outside again, well I tried to... a few bites and I went inside for refuge from the heat. I jumped on the computer to check the temperature and it was already 100°F.

Pink Box (top left): Provolone & Manchego Cheese and a few homegrown, just picked, warm from the sun tomatoes
Green Box (top right): Baby Carrots
Blue Box (bottom left): Ham & Chicken Cold Cut Roll-ups
Orange Box (bottom right): Shelly's Roasted Onion Dip

Shelly's Roasted Onion Dip

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup Roasted Onions
1 Tablespoon Mayo
Kosher Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper
pinch of Thyme

Whiz in a mini food processor till smooth.

Makes a great high protein dip for meats, fish, cold cuts, veggie dippers or mix it in chicken salad.

I tried to continue my day normally... laundry and other chores but it got to a point where you just couldn't and ultimately all I could do was collapse on the couch in a melted heap. I even tossed my dinner plan out the window and ended up making a Mango Lassi Protein Smoothie. I couldn't bare to turn on the oven or stand in front of the stove and I wanted minimal clean-up, washing the blender was about all I could handle.

It stayed hot forever too which is unusual for us. It was still 90 degrees at 10 PM when The Amazing Race finished. The new season started last night. Are you watching? Amazing Race is my favorite show. So my three are back Glee, Grey's Anatomy and The Amazing Race... good because I was sick of watching those Real Housewives and the above mentioned Jersey Shore and they seem to be the only thing on when I turned on the the TV.

It's supposed to be even hotter today. Note to self: research real estate in Greenland.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

Breakfast: I toasted the first official day of fall with a protein shake on the patio. I'm so glad I found a protein I love. I wish I would have found it the those first few months it would have made my life so much easier. I can't tell you how many I choked down before I found one I loved. It's scary how bad some are... like wouldn't give it to my worst enemy bad.

Shelly's Fluffernutter Protein Shake

8 oz. Vanilla Soy Milk (or Milk/Water Combo)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup (or SF Toasted Marshmallow Syrup if you can find it)
1 Tablespoon Peanut Flour (aka Powdered Peanut Butter)
a couple of Ice Cubes
Optional topping: Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream and dust with more Peanut Flour, optional.

Other Eggface Favorite Protein Shakes & Smoothie Recipes
More Protein Shakes on my Pinterest Page

Lunch: Yesterday's lunch was the yummy leftovers from the night before dinner. I made yet another stuffed pepper. This one had a ricotta and sausage filling. Soooo good.

Shelly's Sausage and Ricotta Stuffed Peppers

3 Bell Peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise
2 Italian Sausages, casings removed
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onion, diced
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated divided use
Olive Oil for sauteing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the peppers in a lightly oiled Pyrex casserole dish, season with salt and bake for 20 minutes. Remove peppers, drain any water that has expelled from the peppers and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Saute sausage till no pink is seen. Drain and set aside to cool. Saute onions till golden and set aside to cool. Mix ricotta, egg, seasonings, cooled onions and sausage and 2 T of the Parmesan together till well combined. Use an ice cream scoop to spoon mixture into partially cooked pepper halves. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes (until peppers are fork tender.)

Depending on the size of your peppers you may have a little extra filling. If you do sprinkle cheese on it and bake it alongside the peppers. Leftovers are great nuked for breakfast with an egg or eaten on it's own.

Other Eggface Stuffed Peppers:
Shelly's Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Shelly's Philly Cheeseteak Stuffed Peppers
Shelly's Mini Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Shelly's Cottage Stuffed Peppers
Shelly's Burrito Peppers
Shelly's Un-Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Dinner: Cleaned out and organized the freezer contents and found a package of those yummy scallops from Trader Joe's and made a version of my Scallop Casserole. Except I changed the topping to those Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind) and a sprinkle of Parmesan instead of Soy Crisps top and added a few more mushrooms. I liked it even better.

Shelly's Scallop Casserole

1 Cauliflower, broken into florets
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onions, diced
4 Mushrooms, sliced
1 (16 oz.) package Trader Joe's Saucy Scallops with Mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen Peas
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1/4 cup Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind)
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
Olive Oil for sauteing

Boil cauliflower till fork tender. Drain. Set aside. Saute onions and mushrooms till golden. Add scallops mixture, peas, seasonings and cook on low for 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and mix to combine. Pour into Pyrex casserole dish. Top with crunchy onions and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes till golden.

Snacks: Oodles of Coffee and 2 Black Forest Mini Protein Muffins. I took my Chocolate Mini Protein Muffins recipe and made a German Black Forest Cake spin.

Shelly's Black Forest Protein Mini Muffins

1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Black Cherry Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa (Hershey's is what I used, baking aisle)
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
Pinch salt
12 Cherries (I used frozen, defrosted, drained of excess liquid)

Mix egg, milk, syrup and oil (applesauce or cottage cheese can sub for oil but 1 T divided between 12 muffins is really not a lot) and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, cocoa, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour into a non stick mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Drop a single cherry into each muffin.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean. Makes 12.

Not a whole lot has been going on in my world this past week. You all know my Mum fell and I'm happy to report she's graduated to a walker so mobile once again. Yay! It's going to be a few weeks till she's 100% her leg is every shade of purple and blue you can imagine but she seems to be getting a little better each day. Thanks for the continued prayers.

It's been a difficult week. With Mum not able to get up without assistance I had to turn down a couple of catering gigs, couldn't do the Farmer's Market last week and my walking schedule was thrown out the window but now Mum is able to move a bit more life should get back on track again. I was worried I might have gained weight but actually lost a few pounds... a little stress, a few extra household chores, I guess. I did order myself the Zumba DVD set last week. I'll report back and let you know how it is. I have a weight loss surgery pal (Hi Lesley) who is now a Zumba instructor and she inspired me. I was going to go take a class but I need to see if I can do it without looking like I'm going into some sort of fit first. I love to dance but I do my own thing. I have zero coordination for routines. Soooo this should be interesting... I let you know how it goes or send pics from traction ;)

TGIF! Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend. I think this one will be much better than the last one was. If Mum is up to it I'm going to pack up a picnic and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend. You know the saying is very true...

Weathering the ☁ storms of our life ☂ helps us value the sunny days ☼ more. Here's to us all having sunnier days.

More Days in my Pouch

Glee Day!

Yay! Tonight's the season premiere of Glee. I love the show. It reminds me of my youth. I was a total theater geek. I actually even majored in Theater in college at first but I thought better of it and changed majors. What would I do with a Theater degree?! I ended up with a double major in Political Science and Child & Family Studies. Oh yeah THOSE will bring in the money *insert sarcastic tone*

Back to Glee. I love that they break into song randomly and if you know me in the real world you know I often do too. Seriously I do, in supermarkets, street corners, I do a mean parking lot rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." In case you are wondering I had a psych evaluation before surgery and they did clear me ;) I think it's just residual from the road not taken.

I made theme food for tonight. My mini muffin tins got a work out. For dinner I made a batch of Bites, my go-to weight loss surgery friendly party snacks. I love them. They heat up great too. So tomorrow will be an easy lunch with a homegrown tomato salad.

Shelly's Ham It Up Bites

1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onions, diced
1/4 lb (about 4 slices) Ham, chopped
1/4 cup Colby Jack Cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons Parmesan, grated
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon ground Marjoram (don't omit or sub trust me)
a few twists of Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onions till golden. Add ham and saute a minute or so more. Set aside to cool.

Mix all ingredients together. 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" (aka crustless quiches)

Of course no party is complete without something sweet. For dessert I took a some chocolate batter and some vanilla batter and made a protein mini muffin mash-up. On Glee they often take two songs and blend them together to form a "mash-up"

Shelly's Chocolate & Vanilla Protein Mini Muffin Mash-up

For the Chocolate Batter:
1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa (Hershey's is what I used, baking aisle)
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
Pinch salt

For the Vanilla Batter:
1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
Pinch salt

Mix each batch separately. Mix egg, milk, syrup and oil and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, cocoa/coconut, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour a little of each batter into a non stick mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until knife comes out clean.

Yum! Can't wait for 8 PM.

Fall Desserts: Pumpkin Praline Ricotta Bake

I am loving all things pumpkin lately. I made a knock-off of Starbuck's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, Pumpkin Ricotta Pancakes the other morning and last night a batch of these... a sort of crustless pie dealio. They were soooo good. The best of both words, creamy pumpkin pie and crunchy pecan pie all in one weight loss surgery friendly, no sugar added bite. Perfect protein packed dessert, snack or heck even breakfast. If you are early on I would think this would even be great in the soft food phase if you just left off the praline topping.

Shelly's Pumpkin Praline Ricotta Bake

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Torani Syrup
1 Egg, beaten

Topping
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1 Tablespoon Xylitol Sweetener
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix together ricotta, pumpkin, spice, SF syrup and egg till well combined. Spoon into 4 ramekins.

Mix together topping ingredients sprinkle evenly on top.

Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour, knife inserted should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly then place in the fridge at least 4 hours to chill before eating. Serve with a squirt of SF Land o Lakes Whipped Cream if desired.

Summer officially ends in a couple of days and I am so ready for the fall, though in Southern California we usually have a few more weeks till the real fall-ish weather begins. I am hoping we have seen the last of the triple digit temps. Bring on the soups and casseroles, pumpkins, apples, changing leaves, cozy sweaters, crisp air walks, spicy scented candles, cocoa, craft projects, Halloween costumes!

Do you dress up? I have to say dressing up is much more fun post weight loss surgery now that their are more costume choices. I used to hate to go to Halloween parties pre-op. All the scantily clad sexy French maids and kittens in clinging black body suits. Bite me. I was always a witch. Gotta love hiding behind a cape. So whatcha gonna be this year? 42 days away.

Speaking of errr fall (not the good kind.) Thank you so much for the well wishes for my Mum. She is getting a bit better everyday. It was quite a tumble. The bruises are really coming out now and there isn't an area that doesn't have a little color :( I told her no worries teal and plum are in this year. She's a pretty good patient but definitely not liking the limited mobility. Me... I'd be on the couch with a DVD marathon, some snacks, a few magazines, ringing a bell for my coffee. Of course I'd throw in a "Why me?" or a moan each hour ;) for effect.

Happy Mexican Independence Day!

I had both my RNY Gastric Bypass and post weight loss reconstructive plastic surgery in Mexico. I celebrate that beautiful country and it's people on their Independence Day and I personally thank them for being apart of my weight loss surgery journey. ҉ ¡Viva Mexico! ҉

What an awesome year it has been for tomatoes. From my 10 plants I've had tons of tomatoes all summer long. Last night I picked several large ones that became this super comforting soup like something you would be served at la casa de la Abuela, your Grandmother's house. You can adjust the heat level by adding or subtracting the amount of jalapeno. I found 1/2 deseeded was just right.


Shelly's Mexican Chicken Soup

6 Large Tomatoes, charred, seeded
1/2 White Onion, charred
1/2 Jalapeno, charred, seeded
1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 cup Cooked Chicken (I used chopped Rotisserie)
1 cup Chicken Broth
Optional toppings: Avocado, Shelly's Spicy Yogurt Dipping Sauce, Shredded Cheese (I used Cotija)

Over a BBQ grill or gas stove char tomatoes, onions, a jalapeno till blistered and charred. Place in blender (or food processor) with garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and olive oil. Blend till smooth.

Pour into sauce pan. Add broth and chicken and simmer with the lid partially on for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top with optional toppings.

More Eggface Mexican Favorites:

Shelly's Mexican Mini Meatloaf
Shelly's Flan
Shelly's Mexican Bites
Shelly's BBQ'd Elote Corn
Shelly's Mexican Beef & Bean Bake
Shelly's Mexican Chicken & Bean Bake
Shelly's Crock Pot Carnitas
Shelly's Tortilla-less Enchilada Casserole
Shelly's Burrito Peppers
Shelly's Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Shelly's Chicken Taco Bake
Shelly's Chili Cheese Soup
Shelly's Crock Pot Carne Asada & Soup
Shelly's Mexican Chocolate Pudding
Shelly's National Kahlua Day Protein Shake
Shelly's Mexican Chocolate Protein Ice Cream

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

I haven't wanted to venture from the house the past couple of days. My Mum took a fall and has needed some help getting around so I've been pantry diving, going through the refrigerator, freezer and pantry to make meals without going to the store. You know it's kind of fun, like that old Food Network show "Doorknock Dinners" where Gordon Elliot and a chef would show up at your door and use your pantry and fridge items to make a gourmet meal for your family. It's saving a little $$$ too, always a good thing. Here's what I came up with yesterday....

Breakfast: Mmmm Pumpkin Ricotta Pancakes. I'm on a pumpkin kick. I think I'm just ready for Fall to come. Changing leaves, crisp nights, apples, pumpkins, plus I look way cuter in sweaters ;)

Shelly's Pumpkin Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 Tablespoons canned Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1 Tablespoon SF Torani Syrup
1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tablespoons Almond Meal

Whiz all ingredients in mini food processor. I use whole milk ricotta, if you use part skim, drain first. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Cook on low till golden, flip, pat flat, cook till done. Nuke Shelly's Super Special Syrup for 25 seconds so it drizzles well. Serve each pancake with a drizzle of warm syrup. Makes 4 small pancakes or 8 silver dollar size.

These can be frozen between slices of wax paper or kept in the fridge a day or 2 and reheated (nuke 25 seconds) for breakfast during the week. Surprising good cold (lazy mornings).

Shelly's Super Special Syrup

2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Maple Syrup mixed with 1 teaspoon Sugar Free Torani syrup. Any flavor Torani (or any other brand) syrup will work. I used SF Pumpkin and added a little dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice too. The variety pack would be a fun way to experiment.

Lunch: a Leftover Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Pepper. I love leftovers. I know some post weight loss surgery people that have issues with leftovers. Trick is to keep things moist. I use a little gadget like this to reheat most everything, anything else I make sure I've made a yogurt based dipping sauce to help keep things stay heading in the right direction.

Dinner: This was delicious and super simple to prepare. A great use for leftover meatballs, I used cheater frozen ones... heck you could even get some take out from an Italian restaurant. I roast veggies on the weekend after the Farmer's Market and keep them in containers in the fridge or freezer for dishes throughout the week.

Shelly's Eggplant & Meatball Casserole

2 Medium Eggplant, diced and roasted
8 Meatballs, cooked and chopped
1 cup Marinara Sauce
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated, divided use

Dice eggplant and roast. I used nuked frozen meatballs but you could use leftover homemade just chop them up after cooking them. Toss eggplant, meatballs and sauce together till well combined. Pour into a Pyrex casserole dish.

In a separate bowl mix ricotta, egg, seasonings, and 3 Tablespoons of the Parmesan together. Spread over meatball & eggplant mixture. Top with remaining Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Snacks: Oodles of Coffee, a couple of my Pumpkin Protein Mini Muffins and a Café Biscotti Protein Shake

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

It's been quite a couple of days around here. Sunday evening my Mum fell outside on the back patio. Nothing broken thank God but she's bruised up (knee, face, arm) pretty bad, all blue and purple. So the past couple of days have been ice pack and Advil filled. She has a sense of humor about it all and said if she had to fall it should have been closer to Halloween so she could open the door and scare the candy seeking whippersnappers with her "costume."

I haven't really been able to get to the store so I've been making some interesting dishes with items I had on hand. An onion, a few bell peppers, a couple of slices of cold cuts and this was last night's dinner. Soooo good.

Shelly's Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

3 Green Bell Peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise
1 Maui Onion, diced
6 Mushrooms, chopped
6 slices of Roast Beef Cold Cut, chopped
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese, divided use
Olive Oil for sauteing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the peppers in a lightly oiled Pyrex casserole dish, season with salt and bake for 25 minutes or fork tender. Remove peppers, drain any water that has expelled from the peppers and set aside. Saute onions and mushrooms till golden. Add roast beef, Worcestershire, salt & pepper. Mix till combined. Combine cheeses (Hold 2 T of shredded back to top) together in a mini food processor till smooth and off heat add them to veggie & meat mixture.

Use an ice cream scoop to spoon mixture into partially cooked pepper halves. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Depending on the size of your peppers you may have a little extra filling. If you do sprinkle cheese on it and bake it along side the peppers. Leftovers are great nuked for breakfast with an egg.

My Pumpkin Muffin Morning

Starbucks makes me sad. I mean really, how difficult is it to make a few Sugar Free holiday beverages and treats? Two years ago they had Sugar Free Gingerbread Lattes but they never returned. Right now people are enjoying Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins. Of course there is no Sugar Free version even though there is a SF Pumpkin Syrup. I just bought myself a bottle at World Market, that plus a little insomnia and voila...

A No Sugar Added, Low Carb, Protein Packed, Weight Loss Surgery Friendly version of a Starbuck's Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffin.

Shelly's Pumpkin Protein Mini Muffins

1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Pumpkin Torani Syrup (or SF Vanilla with more Pumpkin Pie Spice)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
Pinch salt

2 Tablespoons Shelly's Glazed Pepitas
1 batch of Shelly's Cheese Filling

Mix egg, milk, syrup, pumpkin and oil and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, coconut, spice, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour into a non stick 12 cup mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Sprinkle with glazed pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or till toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 12 moist, delicious, mini muffins.

Allow muffins to cool slightly. Using a drinking straw poke a little hole in the center of each mini muffin and pipe Shelly's Cheese Filling inside.

Shelly's Glazed Pepitas

1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (any flavor - I used SF Vanilla)
1/4 cup Pepitas (raw shelled pumpkin seeds)

Saute seeds and syrup in a pan stirring constantly for a few minutes till you hear popping. Remove from heat and cool. Top Pumpkin Muffins batter before baking.

Shelly's Cheese Filling

1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 teaspoon Sugar Free Jello Cheesecake Pudding Mix, dry
2 teaspoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup

Mix till well combined. Spoon into a piping bag or a Ziploc that has the corner snipped off. Seal baggie with tape. Pipe into mini muffins. If you don't want to pipe it you can always slice them in half and smear it in the middle. This filling is also great on sliced apples.

Dear Bux,
See it's really not that hard.
Signed,

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

It was a super yummy post weight loss surgery eating day yesterday despite a kitchen disaster.

Breakfast: I made a delicious Mango Lassi and then ran off to do errands.

Shelly's Mango Lassi Protein Smoothie

8 oz. Milk or 4 oz. Milk/4 oz. Water
2 oz. Greek Yogurt
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Vanilla)
1/2 cup Frozen Mango Chunks

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream, optional. This protein smoothie is great with or without added protein powder.

If you haven't found a protein powder you enjoy another nice way to boost up the protein is a smoothie made with Greek Yogurt and Milk or Cottage Cheese and Milk. When whizzed you'd never know they were inside... just delicious, creamy, protein-packed goodness.

Other Eggface Favorite Protein Shakes and Smoothies

Lunch: When I got home I started working in the kitchen on a test recipe and accidentally touched the hot from the oven pan. The next five minutes consisted of lots of 4 letter words @#%*, &%^$, *&!^, #%@&, OUCH! One finger is pretty bad all red and blistered, 2 others are minor. So I sat outside icing my wounds with my super cool bento lunch. This yummy lunch and a little fresh air made me feel a little better...

Pink Box (top left): Shelly's Roasted Veggie Caprese Salad
Green Box (top right): Cheddar Cheese
Blue Box (bottom left): Shelly's Chocolate Mini Protein Muffins
Orange Box (bottom right): Grapes

Dinner: I spent the rest of the day 2 finger typing a computer project for work and then later I dared to go back in the kitchen to make dinner... my version of the classic Chicken Tetrazzini. The traditional dish is full of high fat cream and served over noodles but I promise you, you will never miss them. It's soooo good.

Shelly's Chicken Tetrazzini

1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Green Onions, diced
6 Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Peas, frozen, defrosted
7-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders pounded flat
1/4 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
1/4 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind)
1 Tablespoon Parmesan
Olive Oil for sauteing

Saute onions and mushrooms till golden. Remove from pan & set aside.

Pound chicken breast pieces flat between plastic wrap. Mix pancake mix, salt & pepper in a flat dish (a pie plate works well) dredge pounded chicken to coat. Saute till golden on one side then flip.

Add onion mixture & peas back to pan. Add any remaining pancake mix from the dredging. Add broth. Simmer till sauce thickens about 5 minutes. Pour into Pyrex casserole dish.

Top with Parmesan and crunchy onions. Bake 25 minutes at 350. I served it with sliced cucumber and a few tomatoes from the garden.

Snacks: Oodles of Coffee, a few more Grapes, a slice of Turkey (cold cuts sample from the deli department)

Heads up: Sugar Free Torani Syrup Sale

If you use Sugar Free Torani Syrups there is a GREAT sale going on through September 30, 2010 on Amazon. Save 15% (plus free shipping on orders of $25 or more) when you enter code TORA4542 at checkout. Offer includes that cool variety pack of flavors (the prize in the recent Eggface Blogover Giveaway) and 3 packs of some of my favorites Sugar Free Vanilla, SF Caramel, SF Raspberry, SF Hazelnut, SF Irish Creme, and SF Chocolate. I just ordered another 3 pack of SF Caramel. Fall is coming. I'll be making lots of Mmmm weight loss surgery friendly apple and caramel things.

Here's the 411 on the offer

In the mood for CHOCOLATE

Yesterday I was in the mood for something chocolaty and sweet so I took my microwave cake batter and made mini muffins out of them in the oven. Heavenly. Takes just a few minutes longer but the little crispy edge is to die for. Perfect for you know that particular time of the month when only chocolate will satisfy you. Make these.

Perfect little grab and go breakfast (toss a couple in a snack sized Ziploc) maybe pair it with my Chocolate Covered Cherry Protein Shake. I love to take a couple out with me when I'm going to coffee with pals. Since Starbucks has NOTHING for us in their bakery case when everyone is indulging I can breakout my healthier delicious treat (but better bring extras to share, non-ops love them too)

Shelly's Chocolate Protein Mini Muffins

1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa (Hershey's is what I used, baking aisle)
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
Pinch salt

Mix egg, milk, syrup and oil (applesauce or cottage cheese can sub for oil but 1 T divided between 12 muffins is really not a lot) and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, cocoa, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined.

Pour into a non stick mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Makes 12 moist, delicious, mini muffins.

Other Eggface cake batter flavors that can be used.