Riceless Sicilian Rice Balls and More Healthy Italian Food Favorites

Arancini (Sicilian rice balls) were a typical meal at my house before weight loss surgery. They are a mixture of meat, sauce, onions, peas and mozzarella sandwiched in a ball of rice, covered in egg and breadcrumbs and deep fried, they look like oranges hence the name arancini (the Italian word for orange is arancia.) I don't do deep-fried or rice (by choice) now. Here's a healthier version of this pre-op favorite with all the flavor but way less fat and simple white carbs...

Shelly's Deconstructed Cauliflower Riceless Sicilian "Rice Balls"

1 small head of Cauliflower
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1/2 Pound Ground Beef
1/4 cup Cooked Peas
1/2 cup Marinara Sauce (I use jarred Rao's, my fav)
dash of Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
sprinkle of Parmesan and Shredded Mozzarella

Break up the cauliflower into small florets. Pulse the florets in a food processor until reduced to the size of rice grains (about 2 cups worth after whizzing.) Place in a saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, the cauliflower will become slightly golden when it's done.

Saute onion till golden. Set aside. Brown ground beef, drain and discard any fat. Add cooked onions back to pan, peas, sauce and black pepper. Cook till warmed through. Spoon on top of cauliflower "rice" and top with cheese. Soooo good.

Cauliflower not your thing (what's wrong with you?!! just kidding) try this similar dish with zucchini.

Oh and the leftovers heat up great. My bento box lunch with the leftovers...

Pink Box (top left): Shelly's Deconstructed Cauliflower Riceless Sicilian "Rice Balls"
Green Box (top right): Shelly's No Sugar Added Peach and Cherry Crumb
Blue Box (bottom left): Sliced Cucumbers
Orange Box (bottom right): Salt, Pepper and (in the little blue container) Parmesan Cheese

More Bento Box Lunch Ideas, FAQ's and an Online Source

Check out My Healthy Italian Pinterest Page for more Favorite Healthy Italian Recipes.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.

Breakfast: This tastes just like Coconut Cream Pie. The added protein makes it super creamy.

Shelly's Coconut Cream Pie Protein Oatmeal

1 packet of Instant Oatmeal, Regular Plain
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Coconut Torani Syrup
2-4 Tablespoons Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 cup Water or Milk
Optional toppings: unsweetened toasted coconut, no sugar added homemade whipped cream, splash of milk.

Empty packet of instant oats into 4 cup (1 quart) measuring cup. It grows when you cook it so the bigger cup is necessary to avoid spill over. Add SF Syrup and Protein Powder (I used Celebrate Vitamins Vanilla Cake Batter ENS). Mix. Add up to 1/2 cup hot milk or hot water, stir while adding. Microwave for 1 minute. Top with milk if desired. I topped mine with toasted unsweetened coconut, no sugar added homemade whipped cream.

Lunch: Sat outside on the patio with my bento box lunch. I ate most of it then worked on the weeds and trimmed trees, my arms and butt are aching today and you will blink and they will be crazy again. I want a small square patio with a few pots of herbs, maybe a lemon and a fig tree and some roses. Preferably with a view of water. Sending that out to the universe. It will require a lottery win so power of positive thinking and all that jazz.

Lunch was tasty...

Pink Box (top left): Shelly's Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Green Box (top right): a hunk of a Power Crunch Protein Wafer Bar (yummy frozen)
Blue Box (bottom left): Melted Turkey and Cheese Cold Cut Roll-up
Orange Box (bottom right): Chive and Onion Crunchamame

Shelly's Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

1 Hothouse English Cucumber, sliced
4-6 Tomatoes, chopped
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Tapenade (jarred, or bulk olive bar section, or make your own)
2-3 Tablespoons Feta Cheese, crumbled (I like the tomato basil kind)
1 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper

Mix. I don't add dressing though you could. The feta, olives and tomato juice combine to sort of make its own dressing so why add extra calories, right?

More Bento Box lunches, FAQ's and an Online Source for them
My Bento Box Pinterest Page

Dinner: Leftover Cauliflower Fried Riceless "Rice" this was the beef version, instead of the grilled chicken I usually add, I added cooked ground beef crumbled. It's a dish that has a few steps that's for sure but really worth it, soooo yummy and leftovers are just as tasty reheated the next day.

More Eggface Cauliflower Recipes

Snacks: Lots of coffee and the other half of the Chive and Onion Crunchamame packet from lunch. I love these suckers, totally taste like Sour Cream and Chive Potato Chips but packed with protein.

More Days in my pouch

Drum roll....

Thanks to thinkThin for having me sample the new flavors. I enjoyed the taste test. Thank you all for entering The World According to Eggface and thinkThin Giveaway!

The random generator has selected:

Crystal
wyllo44240@xxxxx.com

Congratulations Crystal! You are the winner of the thinkThin Protein Bars and $25 Visa Card Prize Package. You have mail!

Not a winner this time... no worries another awesome Eggface Giveaway is already in the works be sure to follow along on the Blog, Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest for the latest eggciting announcements! June is a big month on this blog.

Get yourself some thinkThin Protein Bars

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.

Breakfast: I had a bunch of yard work to do so I took a couple of leftover Cinnamon Churro Ricotta Pancakes smeared them with almond butter, wrapped them in foil and mixed up a Chike High Protein Iced Coffee in my blenderbottle shaker. I took it all outside and somewhere in between pulling weeds and lifting old rotten logs into the trash I ate my protein packed breakfast. These pancakes are delicious cold, a perfect on-to-go breakfast. Make them on Sunday and you'll have breakfast for a few days.

More Eggface Pancakes
7 Protein Packed Breakfast On-The-Go Recipes

Lunch: Yesterday for lunch we used a Red Lobster Gift Card we had. I had the Choose Your Own Combo. I ordered Grilled Salmon and Shrimp Scampi with Roasted Veggies. It came with a Garden Salad (asked for no croutons and dressing on the side.) I ate some salad, my salmon and some veggies and was full. I brought home this...

and repurposed it into this...

It was delicious and you would never know it was leftovers. Shrimp and Veggie Quesadilla: Mission Carb Balance, whole wheat, fajita size tortilla, leftover cooked shrimp and veggies, a sprinkle of Gruyere cheese,. Sauteed till golden. I topped it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of dill. I split this with my Mum so my 1 meal became 3. That still amazes me. Pre-op I would have had the majority of an appetizer (usually the deep fried, breaded option), a basket (usually at 3) of those infamous cheese biscuits, all of my salad and entree, a couple of lemonades, and gone somewhere for dessert and coffee after dinner. A quote comes to mind: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." ~ Maya Angelou. Post weight loss surgery = Trying to do better.

More Repurposed Leftovers
Strategies for Eating Out Post Weight Loss Surgery

Dinner: Almost a reprise of our Cinco de Mayo feast. I love that Chicken Asada from Trader Joes. I topped it with a dollop of guacamole... literally it was the best avocado I've ever eaten. Perfection.

Snacks: Lots of Coffee and bite of one of those thinkThin Bars I reviewed the other day. I have all the open leftover pieces from the taste testing in a baggie, its like a grab bag mystery which I get. I think it was a piece of the Honey Drizzle Peanut one. Have you entered the giveaway? (ends tomorrow 5/23)

I had to stop all foods/drinks by 8 PM because I'm fasting for lab work. Getting a recheck to see how much iron is sticking, hematologist appointment next week. If you are a bariatric patient: Get your labs done! Labs and vitamins post weight loss surgery are not an option.

More Days in my pouch

Heads Up: Contests and Giveaways Galore!

There are a TON of contests and giveaways happening (most ending in a few days) that I wanted to make sure no one misses out on...

Here's 2 for the selfie snappers...

• Snap a pic of your self holding a sign that shares "Why you want to attend..." the Obesity Action Coalition Your Weight Matters National Convention for a chance to WIN FREE REGISTRATION! Here's the details on how to enter the WhYWM2014 Contest (Ends 5/29) and bonus ;) you get to hang out with me, I'll be at this event!

• Want to score a great prize pack of Chike Nutrition products (a tub of protein of your choice, a jar of their yummy powdered peanut butter Chike PB and a blenderball shaker) snap a picture of you showing your love of Chike (ends 5/30) How to enter.

and...

• You've got 2 more days to enter the current Eggface Giveaway for a chance to score a ton of protein bars and a $25 Visa Card from thinkThin. How to enter. 

• ObesityHelp is giving away a trip to their event. (ends 5/29) How to Enter.

• Like to cook Celebrate Vitamins has a recipe contest (ends 5/23) for a chance to win a tub of Celebrate meal replacement, a box of Kay's Naturals snacks and blenderball shaker. 

Good Luck! Hope someone I know wins. Whenever possible please tell them The World According to Eggface sent you over.

P.S. June is always BIG month here on the blog (my 8 year anniversary of weight loss surgery, this blog and my birthday) which means giveaway fun, so stay tuned for that.

Eggface Protein Ice Cream Recipes Pinterest Page

Check out my Protein Ice Cream Pinterest Page for oodles of protein packed recipes for a healthy ice cream option as part of a weight loss or post weight loss surgery diet:

and visit my other Pinterest Boards...

FYI: My Protein Ice Cream Machine of choice.

thinkThin New Protein Bars Review and Giveaway

When thinkThin offered me an opportunity to sample and review their new Lean Protein and Fiber bars I jumped at the chance. A protein bar or 2 are always in my carry-on bag on trips. I have been trapped at airports and hotels when the only choices have been fried grease and my secret protein stash has saved me from making an unhealthy choice. These new bars sounded delicious and free samples are always nice.

The facts... each bar has 150 calories, 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, low in sugar, gluten-free, 100% non-GMO. The come in 5 flavors: Chocolate Almond Brownie, Chunky Chocolate Peanut Butter, Honey Drizzle Peanut, Salted Caramel and Cinnamon Bun White Chocolate... yum!

Chocolate Almond Brownie - my absolute favorite of the bunch, rich chocolate brownie flavor with little nut bits. I'll be buying this one again and again for sure.
Cinnamon Bun White Chocolate - close second for my  favorite, sweet and cinnamony (is that a word!?) 
Chunky Chocolate Peanut - classic flavor combination, my Mum's favorite.
Salted Caramel - rich caramel flavor but not as salty as I would like.
Honey Drizzle Peanut - perfect name, it does taste like peanut butter with drizzle of honey, Mum and I both liked this one. 

As someone who lives in a warm climate (Southern California) I'd love to see thinkThin create some of these without chocolate coating and I'd love if they would develop a few fruity flavors, a Blueberry or Apple Pie version maybe.

Want to learn more... Like thinkThin on Facebook tell them The World According to Eggface sent you to check out the new bars.

Want a chance to try this bounty of bars... the thinkThin folks have graciously offered one my blog readers the same gift box I received. It's Giveaway Time!

The Prize: an assortment of thinkThin Bars, including one each of the new Lean Protein and Fiber Bars plus 3 thinkThin High Protein Bars (Creamy Peanut Butter, Chunky Peanut Butter, Brownie Crunch) and 3 thinkThin Crunch Mixed Nuts Bars (Chocolate Dipped, Chocolate Coconut, Caramel Chocolate Dipped) (11 bars total, pictured above) and a $25 Visa Gift Card, maybe you can use it to treat yourself to a new carry-on bag and take your thinkThin bars on your next great adventure.

*** THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Winner will be announced 5/24/14***

How to Enter: 1.) LIKE The World According to Eggface and thinkThin's Facebook Pages 2.) COME BACK HERE and LEAVE A COMMENT on this blog posting (include a name and some email address where I can contact you if you are the winner) Scroll down to # of comments below to leave yours. That's it, easy peasy.

***Want an extra chance to win?***

* Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway: Enter the @Eggface and @thinkproducts thinkThin Protein Bar Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/lybubyn

Contest Period Ends: Friday, May 23rd, midnight (Pacific), sometime Saturday, May 24th. 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 address provided. You'll have **48 hours to respond to my email** or another winner will be chosen. Remember winners MUST be a Facebook follower (aka have LIKED) both of the pages listed above. One COMMENT ENTRY per person. 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 contiguous United States (48 contiguous only, sorry it's a legal and $ thing.) The products, information and gift card have been provided by thinkThin, your prize will ship directly from them, winner please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prize.

Good Luck!

P.S. Here's a great tip to keep your bars from getting bashed around in your bag.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.

Breakfast: These were to die for! If you've eaten Mexican churros before these taste exactly like a those. Soooo good and bonus cooking them made the house smell ahhhhmazing.

Shelly's Cinnamon Churro Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (SF Vanilla, Caramel, or Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix

Mix all ingredients together. I use whole milk ricotta, if you use part skim, drain first. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Cook on low till golden, flip, pat flat, cook till done. Serve each pancake with a drizzle of warm Sugar Free Maple Syrup or SF Chocolate Sauce but seriously these are awesome with nothing on them. Makes 8 pancakes.

These can be frozen between slices of wax paper or kept in the fridge a day or 2 and reheated (nuke 25 seconds) for breakfast during the week. Surprising good cold too. Leftovers usually get some SF jam, almond or peanut butter smeared on them, wrapped in foil and they become a great breakfast-on-the-go.

More Eggface Pancakes
7 Protein Packed Breakfast On-The-Go Recipes

Lunch: It was 103°F. I took my bento box outside and sat in the shade. That lasted about 10 minutes and I came in. You know in August I complain but accept 100+ degree weather. I'm not feeling it in May. The Santa Ana winds have been really bad too (we lost a huge section of our fence... I've got it propped up till we can come up with some $ to repair it, always something right?) I'm sure you are seeing all the wildfires popping up in Southern California. News reports are saying some of the fires are sadly arson... lemme at them. I'd beat them in the head with my bento box ;) 

Pink Box (top left): Melted Turkey and Cheese Cold Cut Roll-ups

Green Box (top right): Mango Chunks

Blue Box (bottom left): Shelly's Homemade Protein Square
Orange Box (bottom right): Sliced Tomato

More Bento Box lunches, FAQ's and an Online Source for them 
My Bento Box Pinterest Page

Dinner: This is a super tasty, protein packed and cheap dinner (about $1.50 per serving) it's sort of a spin on a Cuban dish called Picadillo. We ate it as is with a dollop of Greek yogurt sometimes I add a sprinkle of shredded cheese. It would be great as a topping for a Build Your Own Salad Bar Night.

Shelly's Black Bean Picadillo

1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 (15 oz.) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 Pound Ground Beef (or Turkey)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
1/4 cup Green Olives with Pimentos, sliced
dash Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Saute onion and pepper till golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Saute beef till no pink is seen, drain any fats. Add seasonings, beans, olives, sauce (I use jarred Rao's my favorite, tastes just like my RIP Sicilian Grandmother's sauce) and veggies back to pan. Stir to combine and cook till heated through.

WLS on the Cheap

Snacks: Too much coffee, a bottle of water with one of those Lipton to-go Iced Tea Sticks I love these in the summer heat and worth the 20 cals a piece since I am not a plain water fan and it gets me to drink it and I taste tested bites of a few protein bars for a review and a giveaway I am starting this week, watch for it.

More Weight Loss Surgery Menus

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.

Breakfast: Any day that starts out with Chocolate has to be a good day.

Shelly's Triple Chocolate Protein Shake

1 cup Chocolate Soy Milk (any milk will do)
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (I used Celebrate Vitamins Chocolate Milk ENS)
1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
a few Ice Cubes

Blend on high. Top with No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of Unsweetened Cocoa.

More Eggface Protein Shakes and Smoothies

Lunch: Leftover Cabbage Casserole (this was dinner the night before) It's super simple but really tasty. People from the Midwest will know this as sort of the filling for Runzas (also called Bierocks.)

Shelly's Cabbage "Runza" Casserole

1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Small Cabbage
1/2 pound Ground Beef (or Turkey)
Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper
2 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese, grated

Cook ground beef (turkey) till no pink is seen and set aside. Cook cabbage till tender (I just boil in salted water), drain thoroughly, chop it up a bit. Saute onion in a little bit of olive oil till golden. Add cabbage and cooked beef. Salt and pepper to taste. Place in a Pyrex baking dish (or pie plate) and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350.

I served it with a dollop of my Green Onion Parmesan Greek Yogurt Dip. Sometimes I hit it with a dash or 2 of Cholula Hot Sauce.

Dinner: I made a batch of Savory Ricotta Pancakes. These are very much like potato pancakes in flavor and texture without the potato of course 'cause that's how I roll. You can serve them with a dollop of Greek yogurt (like Latkes) or I used them as the "bread" for a Breadless Sandwich: turkey, muenster cheese (1/2 slice of each) avocado (2 slices) and tomato (1 slice) sandwich. These are crazy good.

Shelly's Savory Ricotta Pancakes

1 Egg, beaten
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Chives
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1 Green Onion, diced fine
dash of Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Mix pancake ingredients together. Spray non-stick pan with Pam. Cook on low till bubbles appear, flip. Cook till done. Makes 8 pancakes (about the size of the container those BreathSavers Spearmint 3 Hour Mints that I love come in, 3"-ish across.) These pancakes can be made ahead and reheated. Surprisingly tasty cold too.

Note: I used whole milk ricotta if you use part skim. Drain through a sieve lined with a coffee filter for several hours or overnight in the fridge. Avoid ricotta that says "creamier formula" you want regular ricotta.

More Eggface Pancakes

Snacks: Too much coffee as usual and a No Sugar Added Peach and Cherry Crumb.

Shelly's No Sugar Added Peach and Cherry Crumb

2 Fresh Peaches, peeled and sliced
12 Frozen Cherries (no need to defrost)

Topping
1/3 cup Almond Meal (store bought or make your own with a coffee grinder and almonds)
1/3 cup Oatmeal (dry, rolled oats)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Torani Syrup (any flavor will do)
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
1 Tablespoon Cold Butter

Peel and slice peaches and place an equal amount in each of the 4-4 oz. ramekins. Add 3 cherries in each. Set aside. Mix topping ingredients together till clumps form. Sprinkle clumps of the topping equally over each ramekin of fruit. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden.

You can eat them warm but I prefer them chilled with a squirt of No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream and a teaspoon of Sugar Free Caramel Sauce (Smuckers) drizzled on top. On hot days they are great with a scoop of Protein Ice Cream. I have been known to eat a leftover one for breakfast with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Note: Ground blanched almonds are what you see in the stores as Almond Flour. Ground almonds with skins is called Almond Meal. They are interchangeable in most recipes.

More Days in my pouch

2 Things from the Obesity Action Coalition

1.) Want a chance to win a free registration to this year's Obesity Action Coalition "Your Weight Matters" National Convention? The OAC started a fun contest yesterday which runs through May 29th. All you have to do is snap a pic (or make a video) stating "Why you want to attend or why you are attending..." the convention. Here's the information on how to enter. Oh and if you've already registered (yay!) you can still win, they will reimburse your registration fee. So get those pics in! Here's some examples...

Registration for #YWM2014 is open. If you have been thinking about attending an event, this is one that is not to be missed. Do this for you... I promise you it will be a life changing, motivating and inspiring experience and you will walk away with knowledge and tools you can put to use in your healthy new life right away. Hope to see you!

2.) The OAC also has a new blog series starting where they will feature an OAC Board Member or member of the OAC staff each week in a 10-question interview format. Each board or staff member will answer 10 questions ranging from, "How did you get involved with the OAC?" to "If you could have chosen one career other than your current one, what would it have been?" I was the first featured yesterday so here's: 10 Questions with Yours Truly.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

A day in my pouch is a series of blog posts to show what a typical daily menu looks like in my post weight loss surgery world.

Breakfast: Fresh Farmer's Market Berries and a dollop of Ricotta cheese. I sweetened the ricotta with a little Sugar Free Torani Syrup (or a drizzle of honey or agave is nice too if you can do those.) I love Ricotta. Nice amount of protein and you can go sweet or savory with it. It was a big lifesaver for me in those early months post weight loss surgery.

I've had a gnarly headache for a few days. It's all allergy related I think. As I sat on the patio I could see particles flying through the air. I did breakdown and take a Benadryl yesterday it helped a bit but those things are like roofies to me and I was useless the rest of the day so I am trying to just suffer through it.

Some of my Favorite Protein Sources

Lunch: Italy meets Mexico. I made a Pizza Quesadilla: Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortilla, sliced tomato, pepperoni, mozzarella, sauteed till golden and gooey. I think I might do tomato sauce instead of fresh tomato next time I make this. It was delicious but messy to eat, tomato slices wanted to slip out.

Dinner: Our Cinco de Mayo Feast. The headache still hasn't gone completely so I was glad I had picked up that Chicken Asada from Trader Joe's I blogged about awhile back. It's fully cooked so just needs to be nuked for 3 minutes. While it was heating I sauteed a 1/2 of a yellow onion, added a can of cannelini beans I rinsed and drained, chopped up the Chicken Asada and tossed it all together. It says it serves 2 on the box but chopped up like I do it a family of 4 could make a ton of tacos with it and all be well fed. For $5.99 it's a protein packed cheap meal deal. If you have a TJ's in your neighborhood drop it in your cart next time.

Last night I had BBQ'd some fresh corn till it was slightly golden. When it was cool enough to handle I removed the kernels from the cob and put it in a container in the fridge. For our Cinco de Mayo feast, the corn got reheated for a minute sprinkled with Cotija cheese (Elote style) and a squeeze of lime. I also made a little fresh guacamole to go with. I think the whole meal took 20 minutes since most of it was a reheat job. I ate a dollop of each. It was delicioso!

More Healthy Mexican Food Recipes

Snacks: Lots of coffee (yes, that is my cup), for those that asked I was cleared for coffee at 1 month and haven't had any issues (not all programs allow coffee *sadists LOL* so be sure to always follow your plan)

and I made another one of those Fauxchata Horchata Protein Shakes I posted the other day. This time I made it a little more fancy and added No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream.

Oodles of Eggface Protein Shakes and Smoothies 
More Days in my pouch.