Drum roll...

Thank you for the wonderful response to The World According to Eggface & Celebrate Vitamins Thankful for Good Health Giveaway.

The random generator has selected:

Judy
greyhounds@xxx.xxx

Congratulations!!! You are the winner of the AWESOME basket of Celebrate Vitamins products! Check your email and follow instructions for claiming your prize.

If you weren't the lucky winner this time and still want to try Celebrate Vitamins. Click here to request a FREE Sample or place an order. Tell 'em Eggface sent you.

Thank you for playing everyone. I have some very cool giveaways planned in the month of December! Keep checking back.

Weekend Wrap Up

So this weekend... not the best. Started out OK I hit the Farmer's Market. Got some good stuff... onions, peppers, eggplant, apples, yum but it quickly spiraled into a pile of dog doo. I won't bore you will all the craptastic details but a few of the cruddy things included locking my keys in my trunk, losing $30 and a hideous migraine. Not a weekend I want to repeat anytime soon. I've been fighting a cold/head-achy thing since Thursday, so I've been in a bit of a Benadryl haze. I probably should have just stayed in bed.

Under stress I don't eat. I guess that's better than the opposite but that meant my very stressful yesterday's intake included 1 Starbuck's Feta Spinach Egg White Wrap, 10 Almonds (always have these in my purse), 8 Sugar Free Cinnamon Altoid Minis, 3 sips of water and 1 cup of coffee. No doubt this lack of liquids and not much nutritional value led to the migraine that ended my day from hell.

Trying to do better today so I started my day with this delicious protein shake...

Shelly's Lemon Meringue Protein Smoothie

8 oz. Milk (any kind, I'm a Vanilla Soy Milk girl)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Jello Lemon Pudding Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
a few Ice Cubes
Optional topping: SF Land o Lakes Whipped Cream

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with Sugar Free Land o Lakes Whipped Cream, optional.

I also sampled a chunk of a Quest Protein Bar. I requested a free sample seems like forever ago and they came in the mail yesterday.

I tried the Vanilla Almond Crunch. It tasted more Vanilla then Almond to me and there wasn't anything "crunchy" about it. They are nougat like in texture so my jaw was tired after about 1/4 of a bar. Doubt I could eat more than 1/2 at a sitting. Maybe the idea is you burn calories with all the chewing. It has no sugar alcohols (they are sucralose sweetened) for those who have issues with those. 20 grams of protein per bar. Lots of fiber. Verdict: They are tasty. I'd buy them.

Now... I'm not a huge fan of protein bars most are glorified candy bars (read those labels carefully) but I usually (not yesterday) keep one in my purse for emergencies. My favorite is ISS Vanilla Peanut Butter Creme Wafers. They are kind of like a Little Debbie Nutty Bar but they melt/crush easily. These Quests and their nougat-like texture would hold up better tossing around in my purse.

In my quest (no pun intended) to do better eating wise today I've got an experimental chicken salad planned for dinner and a quiet evening at home watching "The Amazing Race."

Hope your weekend was much better than mine. Oh reminder... today is the last day to enter the Thankful for Good Health Giveaway! for that groovy basket of Celebrate Vitamin goodies. Winner announced manana. Here's to a GREAT week!

Thanksgiving 2010

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Cooked and ate a tasty meal, chatted with family and friends, watched "Eat Pray Love" again. Yum Javier Bardem & James Franco.

This was dinner last night... Turkey Cutlets in Marsala Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Green Bean Casserole, Baked Eggplant "Stuffing" It was delicious. I didn't quite finish it all but every weight loss surgery friendly bite I had was yummy.

Just two of us this year so I didn't get a big bird. I only like the light meat and I hate waste. So I end up making a million different casseroles and soups with the leftovers till I never want to see turkey again. This year I decided to do Turkey Cutlets. We have a nice amount of leftovers for today, a little break from cooking, but we're not overrun with turkey for a week. Perfect.

Shelly's Turkey Cutlets Marsala

1 package of Extra Lean Turkey Breast Cutlets
3 tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1/2 teaspoons Poultry Seasoning
dash of Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1/4 cup Marsala Wine
1 jar Storebought Turkey Gravy (I used Heinz Homestyle Roasted Turkey)
1 Tablespoons Parsley

Mix pancake mix and seasoning together. Dredge turkey in mixture. Be sure both sides are dusted. Saute in olive oil or Pam till golden, flipping once. Pour Marsala on top. Cook for 1 minute and pour gravy over. Add parsley. Place into Pyrex casserole dish. Bake in oven 30 minutes at 350.

I also made a variation of my Roasted Eggplant Stuffing.

Shelly's Baked Eggplant "Stuffing"

1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Eggplant, cubed
4 Crimini Mushrooms, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 cup Almond Meal (it's just finely ground Almonds)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, divided use

Saute onion, eggplant, and mushrooms till golden and eggplant is soft. Add garlic and seasonings saute for a minute more. Remove from heat at let cool a bit. Add almond meal, 2 Tablespoons of the Parmesan and egg. Stir till well combined. Pour into a Pyrex dish and top with remaining 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

This morning I started my day with this. Leftovers aren't just for dinner ;)

Shelly's Cranberry Raspberry Protein Shake

8 oz. Vanilla Soy Milk (or Milk/Water Combo)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Raspberry Torani Syrup
1-2 Tablespoons Leftover Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
a couple of Ice Cubes
Optional topping: SF Land o Lakes Whipped Cream

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with Sugar Free Land o Lakes Whipped Cream, optional.

I sipped it while I did a little cyber shopping. That's the closest I get to Black Friday. I bought a couple of things for my Mum for Christmas and I'm debating getting a fire dish for the patio. I love sitting outside under the stars and I thought this might be nice on chilly nights. Anyone get any great deals this morning?

Oh and if you made some poor choices yesterday... you can't rewind time, so get over it, if it's still around give it away and start planning your next healthy meal.

A day in my pouch

My yummy post weight loss surgery eating day...

Breakfast: Cheesy Bacon Scrambled Eggs. I tossed in a tablespoon of Real Bacon Bits and a sprinkle of shredded cheese as I scrambled.

Lunch: It was flipping cold by Southern California standards yesterday, 58°F high, so I needed something to warm me up. I grabbed a couple of things from the pantry and Speedy Sausage & Lentil Soup was born...

Shelly's Speedy Sausage & Lentil Soup

1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 oz. Pork Sausage (or a couple of links removed from casings would do)
1 (10 oz.) package Madras Lentils
1 cup (or so) Chicken Broth
dash Kosher Salt
Greek Yogurt

Saute onion till golden. Add sausage and cook till no pink is seen. Add lentils package. Thin with chicken broth till desired thickness and season with salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes on low. Serve with a dollop of Greek Yogurt.

Dinner: Another quickie. I made an adaptation of my Scallop Casserole. I added a few more sauteed sliced mushrooms and instead of the soy crisp topping, no Sea Salt or Garlic Soy Crisps on hand, I only had Apple Cinnamon and ewww that wouldn't work so I used a sprinkle of those crispy green bean casserole onions with the Parmesan.

Snacks: Oodles of coffee and tea (it was chilly) and during Glee and the Dancing with the Stars finale I made this... I only watched the first & last episode of DWTS, but I'm so jazzed Baby won, somewhere "Johnny" is smiling

Mmmm Burrata Cheese with Apple Compote. If you haven't tried this cheese yet. Seek it out. It's sooooo good. Save up some fat grams but it's well worth every one. It can be served savory with a bruschetta like topping of chopped fresh basil and fresh tomato but I think I prefer it paired with sweet things. In the summer I grill peaches on the BBQ, it's great with fresh figs, this apple compote was perfect. So fall.

Shelly's Apple Compote

3 Apples (I used a honey crisp and a pink lady), chopped
1/4 cup Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Caramel)
dash of Apple Pie Spice
2 Tablespoons Nuts, chopped (I used walnuts and pecans)
2 Tablespoons Raisins

Cook all ingredients, stirring occasionally till apples are softened but still whole. I serve some of the compote with fresh Burrata Cheese. The remainder of the apples makes a great topping for yogurt, ricotta, filling for crepes, topping for protein ice cream or cake, mixed in oatmeal, or eaten on their own.

Today I need to run out for a few Thanksgiving meal items. I'm trying something new this year. Soooo we will either eat really well or... it'll be protein shakes all around. If you see dinner on the blog Friday you'll know it worked out ;) we shall see. At least I'm sure dessert will be yummy. Deciding between Pumpkin Praline Ricotta Bake or some Pumpkin Protein Mini Muffins.

Is anyone doing the Black Friday up at the butt crack of dawn thing? I did it one year for work (worked at a school + killer playground ball sale at Target = me trying to squeeze 300 balls into my 2-seater car at 4 AM) I vowed never again. I'll be cozy & warm in my bed. If you are heading out in that madness be safe, hope you score some great deals.

I'll probably post manana but I know some of you are leaving to be with family & friends so I'll take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you guys in my life.

Thank you

Thank you to Backstage Pass Radio and the weight loss surgery community voters for these two awards. What a lovely compliment.

and my Crab Imperial thanks you too...

Weight Loss Surgery Holiday Survival

It's the holiday season... simple carb snack mixes, starchy sides and sugary sweets are EVERYWHERE we turn. A lot of us will say, "Oh well it's the holiday" and indulge but for many of us the holi"day" becomes more like a holi"month" and "I'll just have a bite" becomes a cycle that once started is hard to break.

Here's a few holiday tips that have helped me survive after having the guts rearranged.

* Eat protein dense meals. I want to snack less when I've eaten a protein dense breakfast, lunch & dinner.

* Plan your meals including any holiday snacks. If it's not on the day's plan. It shouldn't go in your mouth. Don't trade what you want most, for what you want at the moment.

* Have some weight loss surgery friendly goodies available. Remember though even healthier goodies can be over indulged in so stick to your plan and proper portions.

* If possible bring a weight loss surgery friendly dish to a party, that way you are assured of something yummy you can eat. Here's a bunch of ideas:

Shelly's Stuffed Zucchini Gondolas
Shelly's Zucchini Roll-ups (aka Pasta-less Manicotti)

Shelly's Antipasto Skewers
Greek Hummus Rounds

Shelly's Bacon-wrapped Pesto Shrimp
Shelly's Bites (aka crustless quiches)

Shelly's Tropical Shrimp Cocktail
Shelly's Favorite Cheeses

Shelly's Crab Imperial
Shelly's Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Shelly's Pine Cone Cheese Ball
Shelly's Espresso Protein Truffles

Shelly's Chocolate Mint Protein Fudge
Shelly's Strawberry Cannoli

* Get moving. Take a neighborhood night walk to look at holiday lights. If your weather is not cooperating turn on some music and dance, do some rockin' around the Christmas tree.

* Don't skip the basics. Drink your water and take your vitamins. I always have a Ziploc baggie of my vitamins in my purse, that way if I find myself running around town longer than imagined I won't miss taking them. I couldn't imagine handling the holiday rush without my Cherry B12's.

* Don't be afraid of telling someone "no thank you" when offered non-weight loss surgery friendly items. "Oh Aunt Suzie thank you those look soooo good but I'm saving room for some of that *insert food you can eat*" (Ideas: delicious turkey, cheese, veggie...)

* Take the emphasis off eating and onto reconnecting with those you love. Maybe a touch football game in the snow or women versus men Pictionary game. We hit the beach here in Southern California. You'd be surprised how busy it is... families bring friends & loved ones from out of state for photos, kids trying out new remote control thingamabobs. We walk on the beach, bring healthy snacks and listen to Christmas music. It's a blast.

* Have fun! If you dread the holidays you probably need to rethink them. They shouldn't put you into debt, make you feel awful or anxious, or be something you are forced to do out of obligation. You are free to do whatever you like. As we lose weight we often find our voice. It's OK to say no to activities and extras that might stress you out. The world won't come to an end if you don't go to that holiday party or event.

If you are new post-op, here's a couple especially for you...

* Party foods unless you are in control of cooking them can have lots of hidden things in them... sauces high in sugars, fatty cooking methods, and could be a ticket to dump city. Best bet: bring something.

* If the holiday get-together is not a potluck (or what is you guys in the mid west call it... a "pitch-in." Love that) then consider eating before the party or be sure to eat something you have eaten before. You don't want to try something new at a party, have it not agree with you and end up feeling sick instead of enjoying your friends and family.

* Eating (in the first few weeks especially) is not something to be done on the fly. Picture this scenario...

You pop a shrimp in your mouth and start to chew chew chew as directed by your bariatric team but Auntie Suzie comes over and starts oohing and ahhing about your weight loss, how good you look, sooooo.... gulp.... down goes a big hunk of shrimp... you start to thank her and talk but soon realize that hunk of shrimp is sitting like a rubber ball in your pouch and not moving... she still jabbering away and you try and smile but you are in pain, sweating, nauseous... you excuse yourself and make your way to the bathroom and you spend the next few hours praying to the porcelain Gods and swearing you will never eat another shrimp (it wasn't the shrimp's fault.) This is a hard lesson to learn. Trust me.

We're entering some hard months... lots of triggers, foods, family, events, stress, it's TOUGH stuff. Remember: YOU ARE TOUGHER! Hope these tips help you have a great post weight loss surgery celebration! We have so much to celebrate!

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My yesterday in post weight loss surgery eating...

Breakfast: What a delicious way to start the day. I sampled Celebrate Vitamin's Vanilla Cake Batter ENS. Wow, it really does taste and smell like Vanilla Cake Batter. Soooo good.

Each serving gives you a high potency multivitamin, 500 mg of calcium citrate, 4 g of fiber, and 25 grams of whey isolate protein but I bumped the protein grams up even more by mixing it with soy milk & ice in the blender (directions on packet call for water) If I was a new post-op I would grab some of these for sure. There are very few protein drinks besides my beloved SEI Max/Ultimate and CLICK I can endorse as yummy. This is yummy! I'll be ordering more.

If you haven't entered the Thankful for Good Health Giveaway be sure to because 3 packets Vanilla Cake Batter flavor ENS (pictured above) and 3 packets of the Chocolate Milk flavor are in the basket!

Lunch: Filled my super cool bento box and worked outside on the patio. I'm working on a huge, boring stack of data entry stuff... eh it's paying the bills. I've been having lunch outside every day this week, trying to suck up all this awesome sunshine we've been having while I can because I hear this Friday through Monday we're getting rain in Southern California and I'll be trapped inside :(

Pink Box (top left): Provolone Cheese Hearts cause they taste better cut into hearts ;)
Green Box (top right): Holiday Grapes
Blue Box (bottom left): Shrimp and in the little blue cup Cocktail Sauce
Orange Box (bottom right): Cutie Clementine

Dinner: I went to Costco and bought one of their rotisserie chickens because I wasn't in the mood to cook (well wasn't in the mood to clean up, I should say) I ate some that night dipped in my Pimento Yogurt Dip and last night I took what was leftover and made a batch of my Healthier Hot Chicken Salad Casserole. One of my favorite post-op meals.

Snacks: Oodles of Coffee. Lately I've been doing Kona K-cups with a splash of SF Vanilla Torani Syrup and Soy Milk and one of my favorite snacks sliced Honey Crisp Apple (getting harder to find I think the season is over) and this delicious yogurt dip.

Shelly's Strawberry Almond Yogurt Dip

3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I used 2% Fage, plain)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Almond Torani Syrup
2 Tablespoons (or more) Strawberry or Vanilla Protein Powder
1 teaspoon SF Strawberry Topping or Jam
Sprinkle of Sliced Almonds

Mix yogurt, syrup and protein together till well combined. Spoon strawberry topping and sprinkle nuts on top. Great for dipping slice apple or eating on its own for breakfast.

It was an especially yummy day in my world. Hope yours was yummy too.

Thankful for Good Health Giveaway!

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for. One of the things I am so thankful for is having weight loss surgery. I no longer need to take the 8 prescription medications I was on for GERD, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and the aches & pains of carrying around 150+ extra pounds.

Weight loss surgery resolved all my comorbidities but there are some lifelong rules I have to follow... one of which is taking vitamins faithfully. Seriously so many post-operative issues and complications can be avoided if we just make sure to take our vitamins every day.

Not all vitamins are created equal.

Celebrate Bariatric Supplements are developed specifically with bariatric surgery patients altered guts in mind, they understand our unique post-op nutritional needs.

So in honor of being Thankful for Good Health... It's GIVEAWAY time!

The Prize: This totally AWESOME gift basket of Celebrate Vitamin goodies to help you maintain post weight loss surgery good health.

Lemon Creamy Bites (500mg of calcium citrate and 400 IU of vitamin D in a little square bite that tastes like a lemon pettifore, seriously. Soooo good)
Calcium Plus 500 (Cherry Tart)
Multivitamin (Pineapple Strawberry)
Multivitamin (Mandarin Orange)
30mg Iron (Grape)
B-12 (Cherry)
6 single servings of ENS - Multivitamin & Calcium Drink Mix (Wild Cherry)
6 single servings of ENS - Multivitamin & Calcium Drink Mix (Citrus Splash)

Plus single servings of perhaps some of the coolest things for new post-ops...
3 single servings of ENS + Protein (Vanilla Cake Batter)
3 single servings of ENS + Protein (Chocolate Milk)
Your Multivitamin, Calcium, Fiber and Protein all in one drink.

How to enter: Just leave a comment (include your name and an email addy) on this blog posting by Sunday, November 28th, midnight (Pacific time) and sometime on Monday, November 29th. 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 @CelebrateV Thankful for Good Health Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/3yfwlbq

* Post about the giveaway on Facebook 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!)

* Place my super snazzy badge on your site.

<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 some of these great Celebrate Vitamins products? I understand. Here's a link to place an order. Please tell them Eggface sent you.



Good Luck, Good Health and Happy Thanksgiving!

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My yummy post weight loss surgery eating yesterday...

Breakfast: This is one of my current favorite breakfasts. Oodles of protein, vitamins and nutrients. It makes me feel good after I've eaten it.

Shelly's Tooty Fruity Protein Salad

6 Grapes, halved
6 Cherries, halved
1/2 a Honeycrisp Apple, diced
3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 2% Plain)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Raspberry Torani Syrup (part of this great variety pack)
2 Tablespoons (or more) Strawberry Protein Powder

Mix yogurt, syrup and protein powder together till well combined. Chop fruit and mix with yogurt.

Make a great breakfast or dessert. It actually holds up without the apple browning for quite sometime too due to the lactic acid in the yogurt I believe.

Lunch: Sunny patio + wifi + a yummy lunch packed in my super cool bento box = one happy Eggface. I had a stack of work to do but sitting outside in the sunshine made it much more bearable.


Pink Box (top left): Sliced Cucumber
Green Box (top right): Hummus
Blue Box (bottom left): Green Grapes (in green silicone cup) and Naked Chicken Nuggets
Orange Box (bottom right): Hunks of my ultimate favorite Manchego Cheese

More Bento Box Lunch Recipes & Ideas

Dinner: My Chicken Marsala. I served it with peas on the side. Any veggie would be great or I often do a cucumber & tomato salad with it.

Shelly's Chicken Marsala

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
4-5 sliced Mushrooms (I use some Button, some Crimini)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Marjoram
3 Tablespoons Spelt Flour (or Multigrain Pancake Mix)
4 (4-ounce) boneless Chicken Breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness (into about 8 pieces)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Marsala Wine
1 Green Onion, diced

Saute onion and mushroom till golden. Remove from pan set aside. Combine the salt, pepper, marjoram and pancake mix on a plate. Coat the chicken in the mixture. Heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm. Add the broth, lemon juice and Marsala (booze cooks out for the most part... don't omit) to the skillet and cook, stirring to incorporate any bits on the surface of the pan. Add onion and mushroom back to pan. Add green onion. Bring to a boil and continue to boil 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Serve the sauce spooned over the chicken.

Snacks: Much too much coffee and when I went to Starbucks last night I brought an Peanut Butter Creme Protein Wafer Bar that I ate 3/4 of and since Starbucks doesn't make any holiday drinks that are sugar free (shame on you Bux) so I created my own and order this when I want a change...

Hot, Grande (or whatever size you want) 1/2 Sugar-Free Cinnamon Dolce, 1/2 Sugar-Free Caramel Soy (or whatever milk you like) Latte, No Whip

Try it it's yum.

Heads up: SF Torani Friday Sale

Amazon's Friday Sale features Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup 3 packs.

$14.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25 or if you choose auto delivery it's $11.90 & free shipping. A great deal, today only. Here's the link.
I use Sugar Free Vanilla A LOT in my coffee and tea, protein ice cream, protein shakes & smoothies, muffins, donuts, breakfasts, desserts... oodles of things.

Weight Loss Surgery Friendly Party

Just because we had weight loss surgery doesn't mean we can't party like rock stars! So here are some of my favorite super festive, super yummy, weight loss surgery friendly holiday appetizers.

Shelly's Cucumber Bruschetta Appetizer

1 Cucumber, sliced on the bias
1/2 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
3 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Balls (Pearls or 1/2 Small ones)
1 Tablespoon Basil Pesto Sauce
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
a few twists of Black Pepper
a pinch of Oregano
Kosher Salt to Taste

Slice cucumbers on the bias. Cut tomatoes in half and mozzarella balls too if not using pearl size. Toss tomatoes and mozzarella with pesto, vinegar, and seasonings. Allow to marinate about 5 minutes. Place a tomato & mozzarella ball or two on each cucumber slice. Serve cold.


Shelly's Roasted Veggie Bites

1 1/2 cup Roasted Veggies, minced
1/3 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled (I used Tomato Basil Feta)
5 Eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Chop cooled roasted veggies. A mini food processor works great or have at them with some kitchen shears.

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. Make great party snacks, grab & go breakfast, lunch or dinner with a scoop of salad.

How to roast veggies: I used red, yellow, green peppers and red onions. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle of Kosher salt & a few twists of black pepper. Bake at 425 for 50-60 or so, stirring occassionally, till softened and caramelized. Great used in salads, casseroles, meatloaf, soup, quick meals and on tortilla pizzas.

Other Eggface Bites (aka crustless quiches)

Shelly's Ricotta Bake Cups

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Tablespoon Parmesan, grated
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasonings (Oregano, Basil, Garlic Blend)
a few twists of Black Pepper
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Large Pepperoni Slices (from deli department, not prepackaged)

Mix all ingredients together (except mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices) till well blended.

Place a pepperoni slice in each hole of a mini muffin tin. Spoon a tablespoon of ricotta mixture into each pepperoni "cup" sprinkle top with a pinch of mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and remove from tin. Reheat in toaster oven or broiler.

You can make these next ones even more festive by alternating roasted red pepper hummus with plain or roasted garlic...

Shelly's Greek Hummus Rounds

Hothouse (aka English Cucumber)
Hummus (any flavor)
Kalamata Olives, sliced
Feta Cheese (I used Tomato Basil Feta)

Slice cucumber into rounds. Spoon a little hummus on each. Top with a slice of olive and hunk of feta cheese.

Shelly's Antipasto Skewers

You need:
Bamboo skewers
Storebought Pesto Sauce
A variety of Antipasto Items

Bocconcini (small Fresh Mozzarella Balls)
Olives (Green Sicilian & Black Kalamata)
Pepperoni Slices
Basil Leaves
Cubes of Cold Cuts
Cubes of Cheese
Giant Greek Beans
Artichoke Hearts (water packed)
Fresh Veggies (Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Peppers, all work great)
Marinated Veggies (Gardinara, Mushrooms)

Thread items onto bamboo skewers. Repeat until you’ve run out of skewers or ingredients. Drizzle skewers with pesto sauce nuke it for a few seconds to thin it out and sprinkle with Kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper.

In the next few weeks most of us will have holiday parties, get-togethers, visiting family and friends... these would be great on your holiday party buffets or taken to pot-lucks and you'll be sure there is something that you can have too. Warning... better keep some back for you because your non-op friends and family may gobble them up before you get to the table.

Eggface vs. the Bull

Thought I'd share the photographic evidence of my battle with the bull last week.

A group of WLS tweeters and facebookers got together in Old Town Temecula, California for dinner, dancing and mechanical bull madness. We called our get-together the SoCal Hoedown.

It was definitely a wow moment. When I walked up to the booth to pay for my ride the sign said, in big bold print, Weight Limit 235 pounds. No Exceptions! and below it, looming was a weight scale. Since I was pushing 300 pounds before weight loss surgery (gastric bypass) just over 4 years ago that would have meant me. Weight limits were always holding me back from having experiences with friends. When I read the sign it reminded me of an emotionally painful bumper boat incident several years ago.

Now -158 pounds lighter give or take a pound or two, nothing is holding me back. I paid my $5 and grabbed the bull by the horns. It was such a 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. You don't have to ride the bull... lots of other things to do... chatting with new friends, pool tables, dancing,... I'll announce the date & time in the What's Eggciting tab above.

A few of the friends...

National Peanut Butter Lover's Month

November is National Peanut Butter Lover's Month. Here are some of my favorite weight loss surgery friendly ways to celebrate.

Regular Peanut Butter is high in fat and should be consumed in moderation. Powdered Peanut Butter is a nice alternative... all the peanut taste & protein but waaaay lower in fat (brands: PB2 Chike PBFit, etc. watch added sugars)

Shelly's Peanut Butter 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
2 Tablespoons Powdered Peanut Butter (aka Peanut Flour)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
Pinch salt
Optional: SF Strawberry or Grape Jelly

Mix egg, milk, syrup and oil and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, peanut flour, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour 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.

Slice open and serve with a smear of SF Jelly. Soooo good.

These make a great on-the-go breakfast or I take a couple in a snack sized Ziploc baggie and bring them whenever I go for coffee... while my friends are getting something full of calories, fat, sugar and carbs from the bakery case I get to enjoy too.


Shelly's Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana (aka "Chocolate Monkey") Protein Shake

8 oz. Vanilla Soy Milk (or Milk/Water Combo)
1 scoop of Chocolate Protein Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1/2 a Banana
1-2 Tablespoons Powdered Peanut Butter (aka Peanut Flour)
a couple of Ice Cubes
Optional topping: No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream, optional.

More Eggface Peanut Butter recipes:

Shelly's Peanut Butter Cup Protein Smoothie
Shelly's Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Fudge
Shelly's PB&J Protein Shake
Shelly's 5 Minute Peanut Butter & Jelly Cake
Shelly's Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Ice Cream
Shelly's Peanut Butter Cup Protein Ice Cream
Shelly's Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Protein Ice Cream
Shelly's Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites (or Pie)
Shelly's Strawberry Peanut Butter Sushi
Shelly's Dessert Pizza
Shelly's PB&J Oatmeal
Shelly's Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
Shelly's Peanut Butter Caramel Yogurt Dip