Happy Halloween Bento

Yesterday's Halloween-themed super cool bento box lunch...


Pink Box (top left): Shelly's Deviled Egg Spider on Shredded Lettuce
Green Box (top right): Shelly's Sugar Free Dirt Cup
Blue Box (bottom left): Provolone Cheese Ghosts
Orange Box (bottom right): Shelly's Creepy Fingers with BBQ Sauce Blood

Shelly's Creepy Fingers

Little Smokies Weenies
Red Pepper Fingernails (sliced almonds work too)
BBQ Sauce Blood

I'm making a few of these Halloween tidbits and (tradition) watching my favorite zombie movie tomorrow. It's going to be a little on the chilly side here in SoCal so I'm thinking a casserole or big pot of soup might be nice. Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween.

Beware of all those Halloween candies...

Don't trade what you want most, for what you want at the moment.

More Bento Box Lunch Ideas and Recipes
More Halloween & Day of the Dead Ideas and Recipes

I want my Mummy

I'm into Halloween now. Those Deviled Egg Spiders I made yesterday, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was on TV last night and this dinner got me in the spirit.

Weight loss surgery friendly and soooo easy your whippersnappers could make it for you.

Shelly's Mummy Tortilla Pizza - Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla topped with Marinara Sauce, Mozzarella String Cheese, and Black Olive.

Here's how to make Tortilla Pizzas.

Along Came a Spider

Here's a super easy to prepare weight loss surgery friendly, high protein (over 6 grams of protein per egg) party snack for Halloween.

This will be showing back up on my Halloween buffet on Sunday night. I'm staying home this year... well that's the plan right now at least. Making and enjoying some yummy treats, watching my favorite Zombie movie, and passing out goodies to the whippersnappers.


Shelly's Deviled Egg Spiders

You need:
Hard cooked Eggs
Jumbo Black Olives
Ingredients for Egg Salad

To assemble the Deviled Egg Spiders: slice a black olive in half lengthwise that will become the body. Then cut the other half crosswise into thin slices to form the 8 creepy legs.

How I hard cook eggs: Place eggs in pot. Fill pot with cold water till 1" over eggs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes. Pour off hot water and cover eggs with very cold water. This is an extremely important step which prevents the greenish ring you sometimes see on yolks. When eggs are cool enough to handle. Crack & peel away shell. Chill.



Shelly's Simple Egg Salad

4 yolks
1 Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon of Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Sweet Pickle Relish
dash Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Hard cook the eggs. Slice in half. Pop yolks out into a bowl and chill. Set aside whites. When chilled (15 minutes or so) mix yolks, mayo, yogurt, relish and seasonings together till well blended. Spoon mixture back into whites.

More Eggciting Egg Recipes
More Eggface Halloween and Day of the Dead Recipes and Ideas

Day 1591 Post Weight Loss Surgery

It's been 1591 days from the day I made my BEST DECISION EVER.

4 years, 4 months, 8 days,
137,462,400 seconds,
2,291,040 minutes,
38,184 hours, or
227 weeks

since I had Gastric Bypass Surgery.

1591 days well -minus those first 7 weeks (for me) of hardcore adjustment have been absolute awesomesauce! Every time I think back to this or read these

I KNOW I made the right decision!

My wish for all those new on this journey... that you will soon feel the same way I do about having weight loss surgery... that it was the best gift I ever gave myself.

But... I know too that just cause I got the monkey off my back doesn't mean the circus has left town. The FIGHT is FOREVER!

xo to all the fellow fighters!

Heads up: Free Vitamin Samples

Just a heads up for those that are new on their journey. The three major bariatric vitamin companies will send you free samples of their products so you can try before you buy. Click on the links below the logos to request.

All vitamins are not created equal and these companies specialize in vitamins specially designed for our post weight loss surgery needs.

Building Blocks
Celebrate Vitamins
Bariatric Advantage
I heart free :)

A day in my pouch & weekend wrap-up

It was a busy weekend. A mix of fun and work. Saturday I hit the Farmer's Market. It was the first time my Mum went since her fall. It was slow going but she did it. Yay! I got a great haul... peppers, onions, zucchini, garlic, oodles of different apples Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Empire... I'm on an apple and Greek yogurt dip kick.

Later that night I was back in Old Town for the SoCal Hoedown. A group of WLS tweeters and facebookers got together for dinner, dancing and mechanical bull madness. I did it! I rode the bull! Have to share this... when I walked up to the booth to pay for my ride I saw the sign in big bold print: Weight Limit: 235 pounds No Exceptions! and below it a weight scale. I remember how weight limits held me back from having experiences like this with friends in the past. A flash of the bumper boat incident came to mind. No more. I paid my $5 and grabbed the bull by the horns so to speak. Fun night. We're going to do it again in January so if you are in the Southern California area I hope you can join us. I'll announce it in the What's Eggciting tab for sure.

Sunday...

Breakfast: I had to work in the early AM yesterday so before I headed out the door I whipped up this yummy protein shake.


Shelly's Apple Pie Protein Shake

8 oz. Soy Milk (or 4 oz milk/4 oz. water)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon No Sugar Added Apple Butter
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (SF Caramel, SF Brown Sugar Cinnamon, or SF Vanilla would all work)
dash Apple Pie Spice
2-3 Ice Cubes

Blend in blender. Place liquids in blender first. Optional: Top with a squirt of Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream, a drizzle of Sugar Free Caramel Topping, and a dash of apple pie spice.

It's soooo good. Apple Pie. Totally.

More Eggface Protein Shakes

Lunch: I was wiped when I got home. The work wasn't terribly difficult, prepped a bunch of food for a party but I think the fun from the night before was catching up. Luckily I had some leftovers in the fridge that made for a easy and yummy lunch. I had made a variation of my Asian Lettuce Cup filling but added some zucchini and just ate it as is in a bowl. Not the prettiest but it's yummy and that's what counts.

Shelly's Asian Lettuce Cup Filling (variation)

3/4 lb. Ground Turkey or Chicken (about 1/2 a package)
1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 Green Onions, diced
1 small Zucchini, diced
6 White Mushrooms, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) Shiitake Mushrooms, drained
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Ginger, grated
1 Tablespoon Sherry
Cashews, chopped

Saute all ingredients together. Use a wooden spoon to break up meat. Cook meat till no pink is seen. Eat as is in a bowl or divide mixture among lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Fold and eat taco style.

Dinner: I got a second wind. Steamed the kitchen floors, did laundry and roasted those peppers and onions from the Farmer's Market. It made a nice sized bowl that I will keep in the fridge and have on hand to add to recipes throughout the week. I took a few scoops of roasted veggies, some sausage patties, scrambled eggs and salsa and we had breakfast for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite things to do. I rarely have a lot of time in the morning, I need quick & easy most AM's. I can spend a little more time at dinner.

Snack: Oodles of coffee and during Amazing Race I had this too die for pudding.

Shelly's Almond Joy Pudding

1/2 cup prepared Chocolate Pudding (make it with slightly less milk than called for)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Coconut Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Coconut
squirt of Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream
1 Tablespoon Toasted Almonds

Mix syrup and coconut into pudding. Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds. You can add protein powder too just add it to the milk (so it dissolves) then make the pudding with it.

Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend.

Progresso Souper You Photos

Some of you may remember the Progresso Souper You contest I won back in May. For those new to The World According to Eggface last January I entered an Internet contest sponsored by Progresso Soup on a whim and was informed April-ish that I was one of the 10 finalists. Of those 10 the 3 top vote-getters would receive and all expense paid trip to NYC for 2 - airfare, hotel, transportation, a make-over at the world famous Louis Licari Salon (the one they use in the Today Show makeovers) and a $1000 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping spree.

With A LOT of help from YOU all voting I was voted one of the top 3 winners and went on the makeover trip in May (I took my Mum.) It was such an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am so grateful for everyone that voted for me! If you missed the blog entry on all the trip details here's the link. I just received a copy of the pictures (they are using some of them for promotional purposes next year when they run the contest again) and I wanted to share a few of them with you!

Me (BEFORE) getting out of the limo in the AM. This group of tourists came up to me after I got out of the limo and the Progresso camera & video crew stopped shooting to ask me who we were. I told them we were a new all-girl band and that they would be buying our CD in a few months. Seriously, I did. LOL.

The three winners (BEFORE) note the coffee cup in my hand (of course)

Let the primping begin... (My Mum is in the mirror looking on)







The 3 of us (AFTER)...


and my favorite of my Mum and I...

Thank you again for giving me this wonderful gift.

Lotsa Love for Leftovers

Sunday night I didn't feel like cooking. Well let me correct that... I felt like cooking I just didn't feel like cleaning up pots and pans afterward and since every bottle I rub never produces an Aladdin Genie granting me wishes I could use for a magical fairy maid I cashed in one of the restaurant gift certificate I had floating around in my purse (birthday gift.)

I picked up curbside takeaway at Outback Steakhouse for my Mum and I. The original order was 2 Filet Mignon's with a Madeira wild mushroom sauce, I asked for mine with sauce on the side, that way I could add the amount I wanted. Mum's order was as it came with Garlic Mashed & Veggies on the side and mine was Double Veggies. Mum ate hers (non-op belly) and I, of course, had leftovers. I know my capacity pretty well now so I removed the items from my portion right away.

What became of my leftovers? They were repurposed...

The veggies became these super yummy Eggface Bites (crustless quiches) that will be breakfast or lunch for days.

Shelly's Veggie Leftover Bites

1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Green Onions, diced
1 cup (approximately) Cooked Veggies, minced
1/2 cup Colby Jack Cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons Feta Cheese, crumbled
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Marjoram (don't omit or sub trust me)
a few twists of Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onions till golden. Set aside to cool. Whiz leftover veggies in a mini food processor till minced.

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.

and the steak...

became 2 Philly Cheesesteak Tortilla Pizzas our delicious dinner last night.

Shelly's Leftover Steak Philly Cheesesteak Tortilla Pizza - Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla topped with Provolone Cheese, leftover Steak, Roasted Peppers and Onions, a sprinkle of Colby-Jack Cheese and Italian Seasonings.

Here's how to make Tortilla Pizzas.

So next time you are at a restaurant ask for a box, bring home those leftovers and turn them into something yummy.

Other Eggface Eating Out Post Weight Loss Surgery Tips

Zumba

My pal Leslie is a weight loss surgery post-op and a certified Zumba instructor. She will tweet from time to time about her Zumba-ing and her enthusiasm for it inspired me. Latin music beats, dancing, throw in some tequila and a cabana boy and we've got a party. Seriously, my only issue... it looked like a lot of steps to learn and I didn't want my first time to be in front of a room full of people. So I bought a Zumba DVD set. I figured I'd mess at home first and if I master this I MIGHT go take a class.

My review... All I can say is holy crap this @#*& makes you sweat. I just did another session and WOW I'm drenched. I haven't done all the DVDs yet it comes with 4 including a basics workout, 20-minute express workout, and sculpt-and-tone workout. You also get these cool weighted toning sticks filled with something that makes them sound like maracas. Bonus: if kept by your bed at night they can double as a weapon you can hurl at intruders.

I did realize I was soooo right to buy the DVD set versus go to a class as I am completely uncoordinated, on occasion the steps got away from me. I had a feeling if you videotaped me and played it back I probably looked like I was having some sort of seizure at times but you know... I was laughing and moving and SWEATING so bottom-line that is what matters. I think after a few rounds I will get the basic and intermediate sort of moves down but some of the hop, step, kick your foot out moves, yeah I almost ended up on my ass on those. In public, with someone next to me I fear for their safety. I might put someone's eye out. I need lots of practice.

So verdict: I had fun! I enjoyed it and that's the key to exercise, if you don't enjoy it, it probably won't happen consistently. It did feel more like dancing than exercising. It'll be perfect on a rainy day when I can't go walking or to change things up a bit from time to time, using a different muscle group helped to break stalls for me. Best part: on average, a 150 lb. person can expect to burn 536 calories during an hour of Zumba. Olé

My PSA on Exercise

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My delicious post weight loss surgery eating day...

Breakfast: I've been on an apple and Greek yogurt kick for the past few days. I did a few days of my Toffee Apple Dip and today I had a sliced honeycrisp apple with Shelly's Apple Spice Yogurt Dip

Shelly's Apple Spice Yogurt Dip

3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I used 2% Plain Fage)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Caramel Torani Syrup (SF Cinnamon Brown Sugar would work too)
1 Tablespoon No Sugar Added Apple Butter
dash of Apple Pie Spice
Optional: 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Protein Powder

Whiz in a mini food processor till well combined. Great with apple slices, banana chunks, strawberries, celery, baby carrots, chunks of protein cake, mixed fruit skewers, after a BBQ with grilled fruit skewers or just with a spoon.

I ate breakfast on the patio with visitors...

The other day it was birds, today butterflies. I swear no drugs are involved. Now if tomorrow's entry I claim some unicorn pranced by while I was sipping my protein shake... send the men in white coats.

Lunch: Spent most of the morning on a computer project for work. My pal is a caterer and I'm revamping some of her price charts and other thrilling things like that. I took a break and made this delicious Tortilla Pizza.

Shelly's Ham, Tomato, Cheese Tortilla Pizza - Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla topped Provolone Cheese, Sliced Ham Cold Cut, Fresh Tomato (still getting a few out of the garden), Mozzarella Cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan and Italian Seasonings. Click here for the 411 on how to make them.

Dinner: Made one of those Mexican Layered Salads. I love these because basically anything goes. They make a great weight loss surgery friendly, high protein potluck or tailgating dish. Here's how I make them and the recipe for my Lime Cumin Yogurt Dressing. This time the layers were (in order from base to top) Refried Beans, Shredded Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Salsa, Black Olives, Lettuce, Tomato, Lime Cumin Yogurt Dressing (also makes a great dip for meat, veggies), Green Onion, Guacamole. I made some guacamole for the top because my avocados were too ripe to slice.

Snacks: Oodles of coffee and some Roasted Chickpeas during Grey's Anatomy.

Blog Action Day

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action. This year's topic is water.

As part of our healthy new post weight loss surgery lifestyle we need to drink a lot of water or take it from me bad things can happen. I began to think about all those water bottles we as a community alone must create. A quick Google search gave me the sad stats... 38 billion plastic bottles ended up in landfills last year. Thanks to its slow decay rate the plastic bottle I just tossed in the recycle bin will be around long after I am gone. I'm not even going to get into the 47 million gallons of foreign oil each year used to produce those bottles and what that means to us as a country. Want to learn more... here's a great 8 minute video.

My commitment to help...

I'm going to limit the number of plastic bottles I use by filling reusable bottles whenever possible. It's really not that much harder to do. I will choose plastic or stainless steel over throw-aways whenever possible. For those of us that have trouble tracking our fluid consumption through the day there's even a bottle that will do it for you.

Will you join me?

Protein Shake Recipes: Pumpkin Yumminess

I had a message from Bob Marley this morning. As I was making this yummy protein shake for breakfast. I glanced out my kitchen window onto the patio and see three little birds which immediately causes me to start singing...

Three Little Birds

Singin' "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right"

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you-ooo-ooo"

I've been in a bit of a funk and questioning my place in the world so I'm taking this as a sign. "Don't worry 'bout a thing, 'Cause every little thing gonna be all right." Message received. Thanks Bob.

So I quit worrying, went outside, sat in the sunshine and enjoyed this delicious taste of fall. It's like a liquid pumpkin pie. Seriously. Sooooo good.

Shelly's Pumpkin Banana Protein Shake

8 oz. Soy Milk (or 4 oz milk/4 oz. water)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
3 T. Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
1/2 Banana, frozen (or fresh)
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (SF Vanilla, Caramel, Pumpkin Pie would all work)
dash Pumpkin Pie Spice
2-3 Ice Cubes

Blend in blender. Place liquids in blender first. Optional: Top with a squirt of SF Land o Lakes Whipped Cream, a dash of pumpkin pie spice.

I love to use frozen banana in this. I peel them, cut them in half, and toss them in a Ziploc baggie for adding to protein shakes & smoothies. Makes the shake colder and creamier. It's also a good way to save bananas when they are getting too ripe.

Other Eggface Pumpkin Yumminess:

Shelly's Pumpkin Protein Mini Muffins
Shelly's Pumpkin Ricotta Pancakes
Shelly's Pumpkin Protein Souffle
Shelly's Pumpkin Spice Protein Ice Cream
Shelly's Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
Shelly's Great Pumpkin Hot Cocoa
Shelly's Pumpkin Praline Ricotta Bake

Caution: Dip Ahead

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. It was Rod Run weekend here in my neighborhood. It's a vintage car show and weekend of activities that takes over the town and as a result it is one of the very few times we don't have a Farmer's Market. The plan was to hit the neighboring town Sunday AM they have a small market but I woke up with a headache and thought maybe an early morning walk, breathing the crisp fresh air and getting the heart pumping might clear the cobwebs.

It was a gorgeous day. I saw at least 10 hot air balloons. I need to bring my camera, my cell phone camera is useless. I got some friendly "Good Morning" greetings from passing joggers that made me smile. Somewhere along the route I realized my headache was gone. On the way home I stopped for coffee and chatted with the 20-something year old clerk. She asked the perfunctory "How's your day going?" I said, "Great, just finishing up a walk." She crumbled up her nose and said something I would have said not too long ago, "Ewww, I hate to exercise!" and plonked change in my hand.

Now I'm not one of those post weight loss surgery people that spend hours at the gym now or have become personal trainers but I do enjoy a walk and try and get one in every day. It's nice "me time." I bring the iPod and before I know it I've walked a few miles and rocked out to an 80's music marathon. Most days I look forward to it but some days I have to drag my ass out there. Bottom-line... I never want to go back to this girl on the pier. So every day I move the body.

I got home and I whipped up this super yummy protein packed snack...

Shelly's Toffee Apple Dip

1 square of Sugar Free English Toffee (Walgreens or online)
3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I used 2% Plain Fage)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free English Toffee Torani Syrup (SF Caramel would work too)

Whiz toffee square in a mini food processor till pulverized, add yogurt & syrup. Whiz till well combined.

Shelly's Chocolate Protein Toffee Apple Dip

1 square of SF English Toffee (Walgreens)
3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I used 2% Plain Fage)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free English Toffee Torani Syrup (SF Caramel would work too)
2 Tablespoons Chocolate Protein Powder

Whiz toffee square in a mini food processor till pulverized, add protein, yogurt & syrup. Whiz till well combined.

Great with apple slices, banana chunks, strawberries, celery, baby carrots, chunks of protein cake, mixed fruit skewers, after a BBQ with grilled fruit skewers or just with a spoon.

I think I'll be making this one again for Halloween. I already have the movie for a creepy movie night and this dip will be the perfect snack.

I did end up hitting the nearby Farmer's Market, stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies and have a ton of yummy plans for the week. Hope everyone has a nice one.

It's World Egg Day!

Here are some Eggface Egg-ceptional ways to celebrate

Shelly's Deviled Eggface Footballs
Shelly's Chicken Egg Foo Young Muffins
Shelly's Confetti Egg Salad

Shelly's Bacon & Egg Salad
Shelly's Pesto Deviled Eggs
Shelly's Muffinless McMuffin

Shelly's Conshohocken Scramble
Shelly's Apple Raisin Protein Souffle
Shelly's Heart Shaped Baked Egg Cups

Shelly's Mini Shrimp & Crab Cakes
Scrambled Eggs With Pesto and Ricotta
Eggface "Bites" (Crustless Quiches)

Shelly's Chorizo Crustless Quiche
Shelly's Zucchini Pesto Pie
Shelly's Faux Fried Egg