Shelly's Deviled Eggface Crabby Footballs
Shelly's High Protein Avocado Dip
Shelly's Mini Chili Cups
....and many more.
Super Bowl Pinterest Party
Looking for a few healthier weight loss surgery friendly dishes for your Big Game Day spread. Check out the Super Bowl visual recipe round-up and the healthy party ideas I've pinned on Pinterest...
Shelly's Deviled Eggface Crabby Footballs
Shelly's High Protein Avocado Dip
Shelly's Mini Chili Cups
....and many more.
Shelly's Deviled Eggface Crabby Footballs
Shelly's High Protein Avocado Dip
Shelly's Mini Chili Cups
....and many more.
Eggface's Post Weight Loss Surgery Pantry Essentials
Having these essential ingredients on hand will allow you to create oodles of super yummy weight loss surgery friendly meals. I use some other products too but these below are the ones I seem to reach for the most and are always on my shopping list. Most have links to a favorite Eggface recipe using the item and be sure to click on the search tab to find many more recipes using my pantry essentials.
Meats & Fish
Chicken
Ground Turkey, Beef, Pork
Turkey Meatballs (I call these lazy meatballs but some days you need them)
Uncooked Large Shrimp, peeled & deveined
Fresh Fish (Salmon is a fav)
Frozen Fish (I love the Tilapia Filets at Costco, also the Basil Pesto Tilapia and Tortilla Crusted Tilapia)
Chicken Asada (from Trader Joes)
Crab (Real & Imitation)
Ventresca Tuna
Tuna Packets
Canned Chicken
Cold Cuts
Beans, Nuts & Grains
Mission Carb Balance Fajita Size Whole Wheat Tortillas
Canned Beans (Cannelini, Chickpeas, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Refried)
Lentils (precooked at Trader Joe's)
Red Quinoa
Multigrain Pancake Mix
Cream of Wheat (2 1/2 minute)
Oatmeal (Rolled Oats or Quick Irish or Plain Packets)
Spelt Flour
Almond Flour/Meal
Powdered Peanut Butter
Unsweetened Coconut
Nuts
Eggs, Cheese & Dairy
Eggs
Greek Yogurt (Plain Fage 2% & 0% or Plain Voskos are my favs and then I jazz them up)
Cottage Cheese (I also love those Knudsens Doubles)
Ricotta Cheese (I use Whole Milk)
Cheese (at any given moment I have 10+ types in the fridge, I'm a cheese-o-holic) but some standards are Parmesan, Provolone, Cheddar, Mozzarella Cheesesticks, Fresh Mozzarella
Milk (I'm a soy girl Silk Vanilla or Soy Dream Vanilla are my favs)
Fruits & Veggies
Onions (Yellow, Green, Red, Maui)
Garlic
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Cucumber
Baby Carrots
Baby Spinach
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Peppers
Tomatoes
Artichoke Hearts (canned in water)
Green Chilis (canned)
Canned Pumpkin
Apples
Bananas (1/2 them toss in freezer for smoothies or make smoothie baggies)
Strawberries (frozen when not in season)
Cherries
Frozen Fruit (Peaches, Blueberries, Mangoes)
Herbs & Spices Basics
Basil
Oregano
Italian Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Cinnamon
Zaatar
Other
Marinara Sauce
Pesto Sauce
Bruschetta Sauce
Salsa
SF Jams
Protein Bars
Popcorn (some Dr's do not allow, ask)
Peanut Butter
Almond Butter
Bird's Custard Powder
Chicken Broth (or Bone Broth)
Olive Oil/Pam
Vinegar (fruity one)
Protein Shakes & Smoothies and Protein Ice Cream Making Musts
Protein Powder (Currently in my pantry: Chike High Protein Iced Coffee Mocha and Regular, Celebrate ENS Vanilla Cake Batter, Big Train Fit Frappe, Matrix Chocolate Mint, Oh Yeah Vanilla Creme RTDs, a few more)
Sugar Free Torani Syrups
Sugar Free Pudding & Jello Mix
Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
My Trader Joe's List and My Costco List
Tips: most websites have a product locator that will let you search by zip code for a store closest to you carrying an item. If there isn't a store carrying something you want, ask the manager to start carrying it, most will order something at least once. For odd items, I usually place an online source link (disclaimer: some of those are affiliate links and the blog gets a small % of the sale) in the recipe. If all else fails, email me and we'll brainstorm a replacement product.
Meats & Fish
Chicken
Ground Turkey, Beef, Pork
Turkey Meatballs (I call these lazy meatballs but some days you need them)
Uncooked Large Shrimp, peeled & deveined
Fresh Fish (Salmon is a fav)
Frozen Fish (I love the Tilapia Filets at Costco, also the Basil Pesto Tilapia and Tortilla Crusted Tilapia)
Chicken Asada (from Trader Joes)
Crab (Real & Imitation)
Ventresca Tuna
Tuna Packets
Canned Chicken
Cold Cuts
Beans, Nuts & Grains
Mission Carb Balance Fajita Size Whole Wheat Tortillas
Canned Beans (Cannelini, Chickpeas, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Refried)
Lentils (precooked at Trader Joe's)
Red Quinoa
Multigrain Pancake Mix
Cream of Wheat (2 1/2 minute)
Oatmeal (Rolled Oats or Quick Irish or Plain Packets)
Spelt Flour
Almond Flour/Meal
Powdered Peanut Butter
Unsweetened Coconut
Nuts
Eggs, Cheese & Dairy
Eggs
Greek Yogurt (Plain Fage 2% & 0% or Plain Voskos are my favs and then I jazz them up)
Cottage Cheese (I also love those Knudsens Doubles)
Ricotta Cheese (I use Whole Milk)
Cheese (at any given moment I have 10+ types in the fridge, I'm a cheese-o-holic) but some standards are Parmesan, Provolone, Cheddar, Mozzarella Cheesesticks, Fresh Mozzarella
Milk (I'm a soy girl Silk Vanilla or Soy Dream Vanilla are my favs)
Fruits & Veggies
Onions (Yellow, Green, Red, Maui)
Garlic
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Cucumber
Baby Carrots
Baby Spinach
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Peppers
Tomatoes
Artichoke Hearts (canned in water)
Green Chilis (canned)
Canned Pumpkin
Apples
Bananas (1/2 them toss in freezer for smoothies or make smoothie baggies)
Strawberries (frozen when not in season)
Cherries
Frozen Fruit (Peaches, Blueberries, Mangoes)
Herbs & Spices Basics
Basil
Oregano
Italian Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Cinnamon
Zaatar
Other
Marinara Sauce
Pesto Sauce
Bruschetta Sauce
Salsa
SF Jams
Protein Bars
Popcorn (some Dr's do not allow, ask)
Peanut Butter
Almond Butter
Bird's Custard Powder
Chicken Broth (or Bone Broth)
Olive Oil/Pam
Vinegar (fruity one)
Protein Shakes & Smoothies and Protein Ice Cream Making Musts
Protein Powder (Currently in my pantry: Chike High Protein Iced Coffee Mocha and Regular, Celebrate ENS Vanilla Cake Batter, Big Train Fit Frappe, Matrix Chocolate Mint, Oh Yeah Vanilla Creme RTDs, a few more)
Sugar Free Torani Syrups
Sugar Free Pudding & Jello Mix
Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
My Trader Joe's List and My Costco List
Tips: most websites have a product locator that will let you search by zip code for a store closest to you carrying an item. If there isn't a store carrying something you want, ask the manager to start carrying it, most will order something at least once. For odd items, I usually place an online source link (disclaimer: some of those are affiliate links and the blog gets a small % of the sale) in the recipe. If all else fails, email me and we'll brainstorm a replacement product.
Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch
A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world. Yesterday's menu...
Breakfast: Sleepless night. I finally gave up staring at the ceiling, got up and baked another batch of Protein Oatmeal Squares. I was telling my neighbor about them so I set aside several and wrapped them up to take over to her to try. I wrapped a couple of squares and tossed them in my purse. I wanted to walk before the Farmer's Market and then I usually grab a latte. I knew I'd be hanging out there a bit and once I could eat again (it's a post weight loss surgery thing some of us don't eat and drink at the same time) I'd have a yummy treat for me better and healthier anything in the Starbuck's bakery case.
Lunch: I had a few appointments and errands and found myself out till mid afternoon. For lunch I stopped at Rubio's (California-based but with locations in Southwest US, Mexican quick serve restaurant famous for Fish Tacos - a San Diego thing) and ordered my favorite Balsamic and Roasted Veggie Salad but instead of the grilled Chicken it comes with I ask to swap it out for grilled Tilapia fish. I get the dressing on the side. It's pretty low cal as far as dressings go but if you want to cut it even lower use some salsa from the salsa bar instead or just a squeeze of lime. I do a little of all three.
Strategies for Eating Out Post Weight Loss Surgery
Dinner: I came up with this one pan dinner sometime while I was staring at the ceiling last night. Insomnia has it's benefits. This is delicious, a total comfort food dish. This will definitely be on permanent rotation.
Shelly's Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas
1 pound-ish package of Chicken Breast Tenders (8-10 pieces)
1/4 cup Spelt Flour
dash or 2 of Sea Salt
2 Green Onions, chopped fine
1 - 15 oz. can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 - 11 oz. package Birds Eye Lightly Sauced Creamed Spinach, cooked per package instructions
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Za'atar Spice (Make your own or look for it in Middle Eastern supermarket section, spice shops, Williams Sonoma, online)
a few twists of Black Pepper
Olive Oil for sauteing
Pound the chicken (I use a wooden mallet, cover chicken with plastic wrap, place on a meat cutting board and give it a few whacks) to make it a little more flat and cook evenly. Place the flour and a dash or 2 of salt in a gallon Ziploc bag. Place a piece of chicken at a time in and shake till coated. Discard leftover flour (I love using a Ziploc bag versus a plate, you use less flour and it's an easy clean-up.)
Saute chicken in a Tablespoon or so of olive oil till golden on both sides. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir a bit to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Cover and cook till piping hot and bubbly about 5 minutes. I served it with sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Snacks: Too much coffee as usual and for dessert a few chopped Strawberries, hunks of Pineapple and a dollop of storebought Pineapple Cottage Cheese.
More Days in my pouch.
Breakfast: Sleepless night. I finally gave up staring at the ceiling, got up and baked another batch of Protein Oatmeal Squares. I was telling my neighbor about them so I set aside several and wrapped them up to take over to her to try. I wrapped a couple of squares and tossed them in my purse. I wanted to walk before the Farmer's Market and then I usually grab a latte. I knew I'd be hanging out there a bit and once I could eat again (it's a post weight loss surgery thing some of us don't eat and drink at the same time) I'd have a yummy treat for me better and healthier anything in the Starbuck's bakery case.
Lunch: I had a few appointments and errands and found myself out till mid afternoon. For lunch I stopped at Rubio's (California-based but with locations in Southwest US, Mexican quick serve restaurant famous for Fish Tacos - a San Diego thing) and ordered my favorite Balsamic and Roasted Veggie Salad but instead of the grilled Chicken it comes with I ask to swap it out for grilled Tilapia fish. I get the dressing on the side. It's pretty low cal as far as dressings go but if you want to cut it even lower use some salsa from the salsa bar instead or just a squeeze of lime. I do a little of all three.
Strategies for Eating Out Post Weight Loss Surgery
Dinner: I came up with this one pan dinner sometime while I was staring at the ceiling last night. Insomnia has it's benefits. This is delicious, a total comfort food dish. This will definitely be on permanent rotation.
Shelly's Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas
1 pound-ish package of Chicken Breast Tenders (8-10 pieces)
1/4 cup Spelt Flour
dash or 2 of Sea Salt
2 Green Onions, chopped fine
1 - 15 oz. can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 - 11 oz. package Birds Eye Lightly Sauced Creamed Spinach, cooked per package instructions
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Za'atar Spice (Make your own or look for it in Middle Eastern supermarket section, spice shops, Williams Sonoma, online)
a few twists of Black Pepper
Olive Oil for sauteing
Pound the chicken (I use a wooden mallet, cover chicken with plastic wrap, place on a meat cutting board and give it a few whacks) to make it a little more flat and cook evenly. Place the flour and a dash or 2 of salt in a gallon Ziploc bag. Place a piece of chicken at a time in and shake till coated. Discard leftover flour (I love using a Ziploc bag versus a plate, you use less flour and it's an easy clean-up.)
Saute chicken in a Tablespoon or so of olive oil till golden on both sides. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir a bit to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Cover and cook till piping hot and bubbly about 5 minutes. I served it with sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Snacks: Too much coffee as usual and for dessert a few chopped Strawberries, hunks of Pineapple and a dollop of storebought Pineapple Cottage Cheese.
More Days in my pouch.
Quinoa Burgers Finally! Another Quinoa Recipe I Love
If you've followed my blog for awhile you know I'm not a big quinoa fan. I could never understand how people loved it so much. I tried it so many ways over the years in salads, stews, as a hot breakfast cereal type thing, as a filling in stuffed peppers. You name it, I tried it over and over and HATED it every time. A couple of years ago I developed a modified Bite (Crustless Quiche) with quinoa added which I really loved but that was the only quinoa dish I ever enjoyed eating (or was deemed blogworthy) until now.
I picked up a bag of Red Quinoa at Trader Joe's the other day despite the disapproving comment from my Mum who was with me, "Shell Quinoa!?" She knows. She has been the taste tester of many of my failed quinoa experiments over the years. This is usually how it goes... Hey Mum I'm going to try this magically awesome quinoa recipe. I cook it. We sit down to eat and we both look at each other with scrunched up faces. Quinoa Fail.
Guess what?! THIS is the magically awesome quinoa recipe I've been waiting for. I sort of modified my Lentil Burger recipe. They are soooo good. Mum and I both loved them and had smiles instead of scrunchy faces. Hope you love them as much as we do.
Shelly's Quinoa Burgers
2 cups Cooked Red Quinoa, cooled
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Green Onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1 Tablespoon Dried Chives
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
a few twists of Black Pepper
Salt to taste
Canola or Olive Oil to saute
Cook dry quinoa in broth (1 cup quinoa to 2 cup chicken or mushroom broth, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer till no liquid remains, fluff with fork) and allow to cool. Basically the directions on most packages on quinoa. I just use broth versus water for taste.
Mix all the ingredients together. Using a 1/4 cup measure make 8 "burger patties." Place in pan and flatten slightly. I saute 4 at a time in a 10" non stick pan with a Tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes on one side. Flip once and continue about 5 minutes on other side till golden brown and crispy. Leftovers keep in fridge for a few days. To reheat, nuke a minute then place under the broiler a few minutes to crisp back up.
Serve with Parmesan Yogurt Dip
3 oz. Greek Yogurt, plain
1 Tablespoon Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
Salt to taste
Mix till well blended.
This is a perfect Meatless Monday recipe or dinner for a vegetarian in your midst. It's hearty and filling enough that guys and non-ops with be satisfied. I don't do bread but you could certainly serve them like a traditional burger in a bun with the fixings (lettuce, tomato, cheese.)
I picked up a bag of Red Quinoa at Trader Joe's the other day despite the disapproving comment from my Mum who was with me, "Shell Quinoa!?" She knows. She has been the taste tester of many of my failed quinoa experiments over the years. This is usually how it goes... Hey Mum I'm going to try this magically awesome quinoa recipe. I cook it. We sit down to eat and we both look at each other with scrunched up faces. Quinoa Fail.
Guess what?! THIS is the magically awesome quinoa recipe I've been waiting for. I sort of modified my Lentil Burger recipe. They are soooo good. Mum and I both loved them and had smiles instead of scrunchy faces. Hope you love them as much as we do.
Shelly's Quinoa Burgers
2 cups Cooked Red Quinoa, cooled
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Green Onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1 Tablespoon Dried Chives
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
a few twists of Black Pepper
Salt to taste
Canola or Olive Oil to saute
Cook dry quinoa in broth (1 cup quinoa to 2 cup chicken or mushroom broth, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer till no liquid remains, fluff with fork) and allow to cool. Basically the directions on most packages on quinoa. I just use broth versus water for taste.
Mix all the ingredients together. Using a 1/4 cup measure make 8 "burger patties." Place in pan and flatten slightly. I saute 4 at a time in a 10" non stick pan with a Tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes on one side. Flip once and continue about 5 minutes on other side till golden brown and crispy. Leftovers keep in fridge for a few days. To reheat, nuke a minute then place under the broiler a few minutes to crisp back up.
Serve with Parmesan Yogurt Dip
3 oz. Greek Yogurt, plain
1 Tablespoon Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
Salt to taste
Mix till well blended.
This is a perfect Meatless Monday recipe or dinner for a vegetarian in your midst. It's hearty and filling enough that guys and non-ops with be satisfied. I don't do bread but you could certainly serve them like a traditional burger in a bun with the fixings (lettuce, tomato, cheese.)
Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch
A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world. Yesterday's menu...
Breakfast: I wanted to get a walk in before the Farmer's Market so I wrapped up a Homemade Protein Square - it's a cross between a chewy oatmeal cookie and a protein bar and took off. I love these suckers. Thank you again Kris for inspiring them.
7 of my favorite Grab & Go Breakfast Ideas
Got some great stuff at the market this week including a 3 packet of super sweet strawberries. I trimmed and chopped the strawberries as soon as I got home. 1 basket is frozen for smoothies and the other 2 baskets will be used this week to top Greek yogurt or SF Torani Sweetened Ricotta. A few went in this smoothie I had when I got home...
Shelly's Triple Strawberry Protein Shake
1 cup of Milk or Water (or combo)
1 packet Celebrate Vitamins ENS Multivitamin, Calcium, & Protein Shake (in Strawberry)
1/4 cup Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Strawberry Torani Syrup (any flavor will do)
a few cubes of ice (if using frozen berries omit)
Blend on high. Top with Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream and a berry.
More Protein Shakes and Smoothies
Lunch: Friday night I went to dinner at my favorite BBQ joint, it's a tiny place tucked in a strip mall but it makes the best BBQ in this neck of the woods. The portions are huge. I split a meal and I still always bring home leftovers. This time some BBQ Beef Brisket came home and was turned into another meal for 2...
Shelly's BBQ Beef Tortilla Pizza: Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla. Smear of Tablespoon of BBQ sauce, the leftover Brisket, a sprinkle of Cheese. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
More Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: I made one of my favorite post-op meals. Foil Packet Fish. Tons of protein, delicious and the best part if you eat it straight out of the foil it's the quickest after dinner cleanup ever. I used Tilapia (any white fish will do, Roughy, Cod), Sliced Zucchini, a liberal shake of Pikes Place Fish Market (the one that tosses the fish in Seattle) Northwest Seasoning, a teaspoon of oil, tightly wrapped in foil and BBQ'd 20 minutes in covered grill, no peeking (adjust time up slightly if using really thick piece of fish.) Open carefully. It gets hot in that little packet and steam burns are no fun.
More Foil Packet Dinners
Snacks: Too much coffee and one of my errands was to Target where I spotted these...
Rosemary and Black Pepper Almonds from Blue Diamond Almonds (their website doesn't even have them listed yet so if you are interesting in finding them near you maybe ask on their Facebook page, tell 'em Eggface sent you.) They are yummy. I had about 12. Would be delicious tossed on a salad or as part of one of my carpet picnics/tidbit parties.
More Days in my pouch.
Breakfast: I wanted to get a walk in before the Farmer's Market so I wrapped up a Homemade Protein Square - it's a cross between a chewy oatmeal cookie and a protein bar and took off. I love these suckers. Thank you again Kris for inspiring them.
7 of my favorite Grab & Go Breakfast Ideas
Got some great stuff at the market this week including a 3 packet of super sweet strawberries. I trimmed and chopped the strawberries as soon as I got home. 1 basket is frozen for smoothies and the other 2 baskets will be used this week to top Greek yogurt or SF Torani Sweetened Ricotta. A few went in this smoothie I had when I got home...
Shelly's Triple Strawberry Protein Shake
1 cup of Milk or Water (or combo)
1 packet Celebrate Vitamins ENS Multivitamin, Calcium, & Protein Shake (in Strawberry)
1/4 cup Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Strawberry Torani Syrup (any flavor will do)
a few cubes of ice (if using frozen berries omit)
Blend on high. Top with Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream and a berry.
More Protein Shakes and Smoothies
Lunch: Friday night I went to dinner at my favorite BBQ joint, it's a tiny place tucked in a strip mall but it makes the best BBQ in this neck of the woods. The portions are huge. I split a meal and I still always bring home leftovers. This time some BBQ Beef Brisket came home and was turned into another meal for 2...
Shelly's BBQ Beef Tortilla Pizza: Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla. Smear of Tablespoon of BBQ sauce, the leftover Brisket, a sprinkle of Cheese. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
More Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: I made one of my favorite post-op meals. Foil Packet Fish. Tons of protein, delicious and the best part if you eat it straight out of the foil it's the quickest after dinner cleanup ever. I used Tilapia (any white fish will do, Roughy, Cod), Sliced Zucchini, a liberal shake of Pikes Place Fish Market (the one that tosses the fish in Seattle) Northwest Seasoning, a teaspoon of oil, tightly wrapped in foil and BBQ'd 20 minutes in covered grill, no peeking (adjust time up slightly if using really thick piece of fish.) Open carefully. It gets hot in that little packet and steam burns are no fun.
More Foil Packet Dinners
Snacks: Too much coffee and one of my errands was to Target where I spotted these...
Rosemary and Black Pepper Almonds from Blue Diamond Almonds (their website doesn't even have them listed yet so if you are interesting in finding them near you maybe ask on their Facebook page, tell 'em Eggface sent you.) They are yummy. I had about 12. Would be delicious tossed on a salad or as part of one of my carpet picnics/tidbit parties.
More Days in my pouch.
No regrets. Just action.
Don't exercise? Turn on some music and dance right now. 3 songs. Do it.
Stopped taking vitamins? Not an option. Place an order.
Poor food choice? Give away the item and start planning your next healthy meal.
Don't carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under
your feet and use them as stepping stones to rise above them.
Friday Five
A round-up of tidbits, tips, ideas, news articles, random cool things from the weight loss, health, nutrition, fitness, obesity, weight loss surgery world.
1. Reminder: Pals at Sugar Free Torani are giving away a YEAR of Torani to 25 winners. Get in on this one! Each prize pack contains: Twelve (12) bottles of Sugar Torani Syrup (one each of Sugar Free Belgian Cookie, Sugar Free Salted Caramel, Sugar Free S’Mores, Sugar Free Coconut, Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Sugar Free Peppermint, Sugar Free Vanilla, Sugar Free Black Cherry, Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie, Sugar Free Mango, Sugar Free Watermelon, and Sugar Free Hazelnut. Enter Now! Contest ends January 21st! Fingers crossed one of my readers wins!
2. Also on January 21st... If you are planning on attending the Obesity Action Coalition "Your Weight Matters" National Convention the discounted room block opens that day. Score an unbelievably low rate on a room at the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World, our beautiful host hotel. Be an elevator ride from the all the wonderful education and exhibitors. I got a preview of the hotel last weekend and you are going to love it.
Beautiful rooms and grounds, lovely staff, tons of amenities including a full service HUGE Starbucks right in the lobby (aka where you will find me every morning when the doors open.) There are several restaurants including a sushi bar. A huge pool (with separate kids water fun area), spa (manis, pedis, scrubs, facials, massages), game room (I hereby challenge someone to an air hockey game), gift shop... oh and bonus: If you are planning on bringing family or friends and extending the trip to enjoy the Orlando, Florida attractions (Sea World, Disney, Epcot, Universal Studios) you can also score the OAC's great discounted rate.
I hope I get to meet several of you this September. I am serving as co-chair of the convention this year so as I am able to release info you will hear about it. P.S. We've got a Facebook event page going for those planning on attending.
3. Some articles I read this week that were worth checking out:
Four Signs We’re Turning a Corner on Weight Bias
Where Does Obesity Come From?
The Ironic Effects of Weight Stigma
How to Spot Weight Loss Scams
Restaurant Meals Higher in Calories Than Fast Food - Average restaurant meal = 1,128 cals
FDA Asks Docs to Limit Acetaminophen in Prescription Meds
Women are Four Times More Likely than Men to Seek Weight Loss Surgery
I tweet a lot of article links so be sure to follow my twitter account for articles throughout the week.
4. Heads up: I had the opportunity to taste test a new line of "good for you" ice cream treats from Enlightened. Most are around 70 cals, low fat (made with skim milk), only 3 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein, fiber, no artificial sweeteners.
Look for them on the shelves... you should easily find their Popsicle-style bars (fudge, orange cream, and coffee flavors.) They also have a few brand new flavors (peanut butter and toasted almond) and in development they have an ice cream sandwich in vanilla and mint. The toasted almond bar and coffee bars are my favorite, so far.
Use the product locator on their website to find the store that carry the bars nearest you or ask your local stores to start carrying them. They are on Facebook too. Say hi and tell them Eggface sent you.
5. I'm super excited about the fun February giveaways I'm planning. I can't spill the beans quite yet but I think you'll love them. Follow along on my Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest page for all the 411. Stay tuned!
1. Reminder: Pals at Sugar Free Torani are giving away a YEAR of Torani to 25 winners. Get in on this one! Each prize pack contains: Twelve (12) bottles of Sugar Torani Syrup (one each of Sugar Free Belgian Cookie, Sugar Free Salted Caramel, Sugar Free S’Mores, Sugar Free Coconut, Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Sugar Free Peppermint, Sugar Free Vanilla, Sugar Free Black Cherry, Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie, Sugar Free Mango, Sugar Free Watermelon, and Sugar Free Hazelnut. Enter Now! Contest ends January 21st! Fingers crossed one of my readers wins!
2. Also on January 21st... If you are planning on attending the Obesity Action Coalition "Your Weight Matters" National Convention the discounted room block opens that day. Score an unbelievably low rate on a room at the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World, our beautiful host hotel. Be an elevator ride from the all the wonderful education and exhibitors. I got a preview of the hotel last weekend and you are going to love it.
Beautiful rooms and grounds, lovely staff, tons of amenities including a full service HUGE Starbucks right in the lobby (aka where you will find me every morning when the doors open.) There are several restaurants including a sushi bar. A huge pool (with separate kids water fun area), spa (manis, pedis, scrubs, facials, massages), game room (I hereby challenge someone to an air hockey game), gift shop... oh and bonus: If you are planning on bringing family or friends and extending the trip to enjoy the Orlando, Florida attractions (Sea World, Disney, Epcot, Universal Studios) you can also score the OAC's great discounted rate.
I hope I get to meet several of you this September. I am serving as co-chair of the convention this year so as I am able to release info you will hear about it. P.S. We've got a Facebook event page going for those planning on attending.
3. Some articles I read this week that were worth checking out:
Four Signs We’re Turning a Corner on Weight Bias
Where Does Obesity Come From?
The Ironic Effects of Weight Stigma
How to Spot Weight Loss Scams
Restaurant Meals Higher in Calories Than Fast Food - Average restaurant meal = 1,128 cals
FDA Asks Docs to Limit Acetaminophen in Prescription Meds
Women are Four Times More Likely than Men to Seek Weight Loss Surgery
I tweet a lot of article links so be sure to follow my twitter account for articles throughout the week.
4. Heads up: I had the opportunity to taste test a new line of "good for you" ice cream treats from Enlightened. Most are around 70 cals, low fat (made with skim milk), only 3 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein, fiber, no artificial sweeteners.
Look for them on the shelves... you should easily find their Popsicle-style bars (fudge, orange cream, and coffee flavors.) They also have a few brand new flavors (peanut butter and toasted almond) and in development they have an ice cream sandwich in vanilla and mint. The toasted almond bar and coffee bars are my favorite, so far.
Use the product locator on their website to find the store that carry the bars nearest you or ask your local stores to start carrying them. They are on Facebook too. Say hi and tell them Eggface sent you.
5. I'm super excited about the fun February giveaways I'm planning. I can't spill the beans quite yet but I think you'll love them. Follow along on my Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest page for all the 411. Stay tuned!
Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch
I'm back from the Obesity Action Coalition Retreat and Planning Meeting. I'm really excited about the projects and issues we'll be taking on in the coming year. I was also jazzed to tour the hotel that will be serving as our host hotel for the Your Weight Matters National Convention in September. You are all invited! It's a gorgeous hotel, lovely staff, tons of really cool features that I think you will love and then the AWESOME convention itself! (no convention equals it) I can't wait. Wish we could go now.
Well on to the food. A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world. Yesterday's menu...
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal. I mixed up a packet of regular instant oats, stirred in a Tablespoon of Chike PB Powdered Peanut Butter topped it with a plop of Sugar Free Strawberry Jam and a splash of Soy Milk. It is totally a PB&J! I would have loved this as a kid growing up on Long Island on those freezing cold snowy mornings before heading off to school.
Lunch: I made a batch of a new flavor of Bites (Crustless Quiches) I know crazy with the 40 bazillion varieties I make that there can be still a new flavor combination. These were awesome.
Shelly's Chicken Pot Pie Bites
3/4-ish of a cup of Leftover Mixed Veggies
6-7 Mushrooms, chopped (white, crimini whatever you have)
1 (3 oz.) can Chunk Chicken, drained
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning (do not leave out)
a few twists of Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350. Saute mushrooms till golden. Mix all ingredients together (except egg and cheese.) Allow to cool. Add to eggs.
Spoon into lightly greased (Pam non-stick spray works great for this) mini muffin tin. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Let them cool a few moments they pull away and pop right out. Makes 24.
More Eggface Bites (aka Crustless Quiches)
Dinner: I made Chicken Marsala (one of my favorite dinners) Monday night and I ate the leftovers
with a simple Lettuce and Tomato Salad with a dash of oregano, salt, pepper, a shaving of Parmesan and a light vinaigrette.
Snacks: Too much coffee and I haven't made these in awhile and I had an urge for some crunch...
Roasted Chickpeas - 2 cans of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), rinsed and drained well. Toss with a Tablespoon (a little less even) of Olive Oil. Any will do, I used a basil flavored oil. Sprinkle with Kosher Salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree oven for 50 or so minutes, turning them every 15 minutes or so until crunchy and deep golden brown. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. If they soften, toss on a baking sheet and reheat till crisp again. They won't be around long. Soooo good.
Here's a couple of pics from the weekend...
More Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus - More Days in my Pouch
Well on to the food. A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world. Yesterday's menu...
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal. I mixed up a packet of regular instant oats, stirred in a Tablespoon of Chike PB Powdered Peanut Butter topped it with a plop of Sugar Free Strawberry Jam and a splash of Soy Milk. It is totally a PB&J! I would have loved this as a kid growing up on Long Island on those freezing cold snowy mornings before heading off to school.
Lunch: I made a batch of a new flavor of Bites (Crustless Quiches) I know crazy with the 40 bazillion varieties I make that there can be still a new flavor combination. These were awesome.
3/4-ish of a cup of Leftover Mixed Veggies
6-7 Mushrooms, chopped (white, crimini whatever you have)
1 (3 oz.) can Chunk Chicken, drained
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning (do not leave out)
a few twists of Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350. Saute mushrooms till golden. Mix all ingredients together (except egg and cheese.) Allow to cool. Add to eggs.
Spoon into lightly greased (Pam non-stick spray works great for this) mini muffin tin. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Let them cool a few moments they pull away and pop right out. Makes 24.
More Eggface Bites (aka Crustless Quiches)
Dinner: I made Chicken Marsala (one of my favorite dinners) Monday night and I ate the leftovers
with a simple Lettuce and Tomato Salad with a dash of oregano, salt, pepper, a shaving of Parmesan and a light vinaigrette.
Roasted Chickpeas - 2 cans of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), rinsed and drained well. Toss with a Tablespoon (a little less even) of Olive Oil. Any will do, I used a basil flavored oil. Sprinkle with Kosher Salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree oven for 50 or so minutes, turning them every 15 minutes or so until crunchy and deep golden brown. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. If they soften, toss on a baking sheet and reheat till crisp again. They won't be around long. Soooo good.
Here's a couple of pics from the weekend...
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| The 2014 Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) National Board Members and Staff. |
More Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus - More Days in my Pouch
Off to Orlando
I am off to Orlando, FL. Many of you know I proudly serve on the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) National Board and our annual retreat and planning meeting is this weekend. I'll be tweeting www.twitter.com/eggface my travel adventures. Orlando is the location of this year's Your Weight Matters Convention September 25-28th. I hope you will make plans to attend!
If you are not a member of the OAC yet I encourage you to join (best $20 ever.) The OAC is a non-profit organization that was created to give a voice to those affected by obesity. We engage in a variety of educational and supportive programs including the Your Weight Matters National Convention, Webinars, Publications and Walks to bring awareness and national attention to obesity. We also conduct advocacy efforts throughout the U.S. on both the national and state levels, educating the public about obesity and its effects (obesity affects 93 million Americans, the 2nd leading cause of preventable death), helping people gain access to treatments, and helping to eliminate bias and stigma associated with obesity.
If you are not a member of the OAC yet I encourage you to join (best $20 ever.) The OAC is a non-profit organization that was created to give a voice to those affected by obesity. We engage in a variety of educational and supportive programs including the Your Weight Matters National Convention, Webinars, Publications and Walks to bring awareness and national attention to obesity. We also conduct advocacy efforts throughout the U.S. on both the national and state levels, educating the public about obesity and its effects (obesity affects 93 million Americans, the 2nd leading cause of preventable death), helping people gain access to treatments, and helping to eliminate bias and stigma associated with obesity.
Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch
A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world. Yesterday's menu...
Breakfast: I had a few errands and appointments early in the AM so I hit Starbucks. Currently there are 2 food items I will eat... the Classic Oatmeal (I add cinnamon from the milk bar and some of the nuts and dried fruit, no sugar) and the Spinach Feta Egg White Whole Wheat Wrap (I ask for it double cooked, it gets super crispy, easier to eat, single cooked is too doughy and lays heavy, double cooked is the way to go, rarely can eat the whole thing but I put a major dent in it) that's what I had yesterday. Only thing about eating at Bux... I can't have a latte unless I'm there for a really long time (I can't drink for at least 45 minutes or so after eating, physically I can't, it makes me Mt. Vesuvius urpy, it's a post weight loss surgery thing.)
Lunch: I almost hate to say this. I know so many of you are in the deep freeze right now. I umm well... I ate a late lunch outside on the patio. If you say it really fast it's not that bad. You know you are all welcome to move closer and then I'd get to see some of you more. I had a ton of computer projects to finish. In between working I ate the contents of my bento box lunch (made little cucumber, meat & cheese sandwiches) and pet a neighborhood kitty that sunbathes in my yard during the day. We don't know it's name and think it lives a few doors down. We call it "Mr. Fezziwig" not sure really if it's a Mr. or Mrs. it's huge and very fuzzy (think small sheep) so parts are not visible but it's making me want to adopt a kitty of my own again.
Pink Box (top left): Turkey Cold Cut Roll-up, a few slices of Salami and Provolone Rounds
Green Box (top right): Cucumber Slices (my crackers)
Blue Box (bottom left): Shelly's Greek Yogurt Dip, a few Raspberries
Orange Box (bottom right): Shelly's Toasted Coconut Pudding
More Bento Box lunches, FAQ's and an Online Source for them
Dinner: Cucumber and Tomato Salad (Cucumber, Tomato, Artichoke Hearts, a sprinkle of Shredded Cheese, Oregano, Salt & Pepper) and I made a batch of my Egg Foo Young Bites. I think these might be my favorite of all the Bites I make. Mmm but those Patty Melt Bites are really really yummy too.
More Eggface Bites (aka Mini Crustless Quiches)
Snacks: Too much coffee and a sliced Honeycrisp Apple and Dip while I watched TV.
Shelly's Peanut Butter Cup Yogurt Dip
2 oz. Greek Yogurt, plain 2%
1 Tablespoon Powdered Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Chocolate, any will do)
Mix till well blended. A healthy Reese's Peanut Butter Cup... oh yeah!
More Days in my pouch.
Be sure to follow my Twitter and Facebook page
Breakfast: I had a few errands and appointments early in the AM so I hit Starbucks. Currently there are 2 food items I will eat... the Classic Oatmeal (I add cinnamon from the milk bar and some of the nuts and dried fruit, no sugar) and the Spinach Feta Egg White Whole Wheat Wrap (I ask for it double cooked, it gets super crispy, easier to eat, single cooked is too doughy and lays heavy, double cooked is the way to go, rarely can eat the whole thing but I put a major dent in it) that's what I had yesterday. Only thing about eating at Bux... I can't have a latte unless I'm there for a really long time (I can't drink for at least 45 minutes or so after eating, physically I can't, it makes me Mt. Vesuvius urpy, it's a post weight loss surgery thing.)
Lunch: I almost hate to say this. I know so many of you are in the deep freeze right now. I umm well... I ate a late lunch outside on the patio. If you say it really fast it's not that bad. You know you are all welcome to move closer and then I'd get to see some of you more. I had a ton of computer projects to finish. In between working I ate the contents of my bento box lunch (made little cucumber, meat & cheese sandwiches) and pet a neighborhood kitty that sunbathes in my yard during the day. We don't know it's name and think it lives a few doors down. We call it "Mr. Fezziwig" not sure really if it's a Mr. or Mrs. it's huge and very fuzzy (think small sheep) so parts are not visible but it's making me want to adopt a kitty of my own again.
Pink Box (top left): Turkey Cold Cut Roll-up, a few slices of Salami and Provolone Rounds
Green Box (top right): Cucumber Slices (my crackers)
Blue Box (bottom left): Shelly's Greek Yogurt Dip, a few Raspberries
Orange Box (bottom right): Shelly's Toasted Coconut Pudding
More Bento Box lunches, FAQ's and an Online Source for them
Dinner: Cucumber and Tomato Salad (Cucumber, Tomato, Artichoke Hearts, a sprinkle of Shredded Cheese, Oregano, Salt & Pepper) and I made a batch of my Egg Foo Young Bites. I think these might be my favorite of all the Bites I make. Mmm but those Patty Melt Bites are really really yummy too.
More Eggface Bites (aka Mini Crustless Quiches)
Snacks: Too much coffee and a sliced Honeycrisp Apple and Dip while I watched TV.
Shelly's Peanut Butter Cup Yogurt Dip
2 oz. Greek Yogurt, plain 2%
1 Tablespoon Powdered Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Chocolate, any will do)
Mix till well blended. A healthy Reese's Peanut Butter Cup... oh yeah!
More Days in my pouch.
Be sure to follow my Twitter and Facebook page
Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch
A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts (I try and post them every few days) to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.
Breakfast: Made my crepe batter when I got up and put it in the fridge ready for when I got back from the Farmer's Market, the raspberries I bought in this week's haul found their first use on top. The "cream filling" is just store bought pineapple cottage cheese (Ricotta with a little Sugar Free Torani Syrup to sweeten is great too) whizzed till smooth in the mini food processor.
I have plenty of leftover crepes for breakfasts this week. You can reheat them (nuke em 20 seconds) and they are perfect again.
I love to smear the leftover crepes with a teaspoon of peanut butter or almond butter and sugar free strawberry jam and roll them up like sushi. Wrap the PB&J sushi in a piece of foil and take off, a great grab and go breakfast with a protein shake.
Lunch: Bought some avocados at the market too. One of them became part of one of my favorite lunches post weight loss surgery. Turkey, Avocado and Cheese Melted Roll-up and Sliced Cucumbers with Green Onions and Greek Yogurt & Dill Dressing (3 oz. plain Greek Yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dried Dill, 1 Tablespoon Tarragon Vinegar, Salt & Pepper to taste)
Dinner: I ran a few errands. I have a business trip coming up and I needed to pick up a few things. I came home and made Chicken Marsala (with plenty of leftovers to make life easy tomorrow.)
Snacks: I'm in the mood for something sweet so I just made some Toasted Coconut Pudding. Will be eating a dollop momentarily. Hope everyone is having a nice beginning to 2014. Oh for those keeping track... I got 8 out of 12 raisins in the annual New Year raisin toss and not a drop of champagne this year was consumed. I'm blaming the misses on unusually large and misshapen raisins, a lack of quality control in the raisin factory.
Shelly's No Sugar Added Toasted Coconut Pudding
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut, toasted
1 small box of Sugar Free Vanilla Jello Pudding Mix
1 1/2 cups Cold Milk (not Soy, it won't set up)
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Coconut Torani Syrup
Optional: a Tablespoon or so extra toasted Coconut for the top ('cause it looks purty)
Toast coconut in the oven or toaster oven till golden (watch it carefully, I've burned many a batch of coconut, it happens quick) and set it aside to cool. I use a Blender Bottle Shaker to mix up the pudding powder, syrup and milk. Shake about 2 minutes or so till thick. Pour into a small bowl. Add cooled toasted coconut. Mix till well combined. Refrigerate till set about 15 minutes.
More Days in my pouch.
Breakfast: Made my crepe batter when I got up and put it in the fridge ready for when I got back from the Farmer's Market, the raspberries I bought in this week's haul found their first use on top. The "cream filling" is just store bought pineapple cottage cheese (Ricotta with a little Sugar Free Torani Syrup to sweeten is great too) whizzed till smooth in the mini food processor.
I have plenty of leftover crepes for breakfasts this week. You can reheat them (nuke em 20 seconds) and they are perfect again.
I love to smear the leftover crepes with a teaspoon of peanut butter or almond butter and sugar free strawberry jam and roll them up like sushi. Wrap the PB&J sushi in a piece of foil and take off, a great grab and go breakfast with a protein shake.
Lunch: Bought some avocados at the market too. One of them became part of one of my favorite lunches post weight loss surgery. Turkey, Avocado and Cheese Melted Roll-up and Sliced Cucumbers with Green Onions and Greek Yogurt & Dill Dressing (3 oz. plain Greek Yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dried Dill, 1 Tablespoon Tarragon Vinegar, Salt & Pepper to taste)
Dinner: I ran a few errands. I have a business trip coming up and I needed to pick up a few things. I came home and made Chicken Marsala (with plenty of leftovers to make life easy tomorrow.)
Snacks: I'm in the mood for something sweet so I just made some Toasted Coconut Pudding. Will be eating a dollop momentarily. Hope everyone is having a nice beginning to 2014. Oh for those keeping track... I got 8 out of 12 raisins in the annual New Year raisin toss and not a drop of champagne this year was consumed. I'm blaming the misses on unusually large and misshapen raisins, a lack of quality control in the raisin factory.
Shelly's No Sugar Added Toasted Coconut Pudding
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut, toasted
1 small box of Sugar Free Vanilla Jello Pudding Mix
1 1/2 cups Cold Milk (not Soy, it won't set up)
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Coconut Torani Syrup
Optional: a Tablespoon or so extra toasted Coconut for the top ('cause it looks purty)
Toast coconut in the oven or toaster oven till golden (watch it carefully, I've burned many a batch of coconut, it happens quick) and set it aside to cool. I use a Blender Bottle Shaker to mix up the pudding powder, syrup and milk. Shake about 2 minutes or so till thick. Pour into a small bowl. Add cooled toasted coconut. Mix till well combined. Refrigerate till set about 15 minutes.
More Days in my pouch.