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. Here's what I ate yesterday...

Breakfast: I made a batch of Ricotta Pancakes... my standard recipe but I added 2 Tablespoons of Chike Nutrition Powdered Peanut Butter. Mmmm a little warmed SF Strawberry Jam (or frozen, defrosted strawberries or sliced fresh on top) and I had a protein packed PB&J for breakfast. Delicious.

Shelly's Peanut Butter & Jelly Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons Powdered Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (Sugar Free Vanilla, SF Peanut Butter, SF Chocolate, SF Raspberry all would be delicious)
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. Spoon a dollop of mixture in pan and pat flat. Cook on low till golden, flip, pat flat, cook till done. Serve each pancake with a drizzle of warm SF jam, maple syrup, fruit or delicious just plain. 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 or almond butter smeared on them, wrapped in foil and they become a great breakfast-on-the-go with a protein shake.

More Eggface Pancakes

Lunch: I did a ton of yard work yesterday. We've had such bad drought here in Southern California and major watering restrictions so there were some plant casualties. I'm slowly removing the dead stuff. Yesterday I tackled an old rose bush and uggh I have the scratched arms to prove it. I brought lunch outside. I made up a plate of cold cuts, cheese, pickles, almonds (have you tried those Blue Diamond Honey Chipotle Almonds yet, OMG) and ate a little on a break. My Mum shared my spread.

More Weight Loss Surgery Friendly Lunch Ideas

Dinner: Last cup of leftover turkey went in this casserole (sort of macaroni & cheese without the pasta since I don't do pasta post weight loss surgery.) Another great use of leftovers it would be great using cubed holiday ham. Non-holidays I'd add sauteed ground beef (turkey or sausage) or leave it meatless for a Meatless Monday.

Shelly's Mac-less Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

1 small head of Cauliflower, parboiled
8-10 Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup-ish Leftover Peas
1 - 1-1/2 cups of Leftover Cooked Turkey, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Oregano

Cheese Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Spelt Flour
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 cup Milk
1/4-1/3 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Low fat Cottage Cheese, whizzed (I used Daisy 2%)
Dash or 2 of Hot Sauce (I used Cholula)
Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper

Optional topping:
2 Tablespoons Parmesan
1/4 cup Durkee Onions (the green bean casserole kind)

Parboil cauliflower till knife inserts easily but still firm. Drain it well. Break-up into florets and set aside.

Make cheese sauce: Whiz cottage cheese in a mini food processor till smooth. Set aside. In a small nonstick saucepan, cook butter and spelt flour (lower carbs and I prefer the taste but any wheat flour can sub) together for 1 minute. Add milk slowly. Stirring constantly and cook till bubbling and thickened. Add cheddar cheese and stir till melted. Turn off heat and mix in cottage cheese. Add a few dashes of hot sauce, salt & pepper to taste.

Saute mushrooms till golden. Add turkey, peas, oregano. Add cauliflower and pour cheese sauce over it all. Mix to combine. Pour into a Pyrex casserole. Top with Parmesan and onions, this is optional but the best part of traditional Mac & Cheese is the crunchy topping to me so I add it. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Snacks: Too much coffee, a few apple samples at the Farmer's Market. I bought a few Honeycrisp Apples to make one of my favorite breakfasts this coming week. I also hit Costco and had a couple of samples while I was there... a hunk of Pure Protein bar and a sample of Madras Lentils. I love free samples for a WLS weight loss surgery peep it's a cheap date ;)

More Days in my pouch

It was a tasty day but I'll be glad not to see any turkey for a week or so or more. Prepare for some fish, beef, anything other than turkey recipes.

Thanksgiving Turkey Day Leftovers Repurposed

Americans throw out 204 million lbs of leftover turkey on Thanksgiving. It's a shame. We really all need to learn to cook smaller (it's hard, I know I'm Sicilian we don't know the meaning of cooking small) and post weight loss surgery we're eating even less so that means even more leftovers. In an effort to save a few of those 204 million pounds of leftovers here are a few of my favorite ways to repurpose those Turkey Day leftovers.

Repurposing: Transforming leftovers into something equally as yummy. The goal is for them to taste and look so completely different you don't realize you are having leftovers.

Shelly's Sante Fe Turkey Bites (aka crustless quiches)

5 Eggs, beaten
1 (7 oz. can) Mild Green Chilis, diced
1 cup Leftover Cooked Turkey, cubed small
1/3 cup Cheese, shredded or diced
1/4 cup any Leftover Veggies (I used corn)
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
dash of Salt

Preheat oven to 350. Wash and deseed chilies. Dice. I prefer to buy whole chilies and dice them myself (less seeds.) Mix all ingredients together.

Spoon into lightly greased (Pam works great) mini muffin tins. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Makes 24.

Leftovers used: turkey, any veggie, cheese from cheese tray. These are really adaptable so a little more or less of one ingredient is usually fine within a 1/4 of a cup or so.

Make these Thanksgiving night and you'll have a grab and go breakfast to power your Black Friday shopping. I don't go. I did it one year for work. I worked at a school and Target had a killer playground ball sale. A woman ran over my foot with a shopping cart and then I spent an hour trying to squeeze 300 balls into my 2-seater car at 4 AM. I had balls up to my ears literally. I'll be cozy & warm in my bed. If you are heading out in that madness be safe.

More Eggface Egg Bites

Shelly's Turkey Squash Casserole 

2 lb. Butternut Squash, cubed and roasted
1 Large Sweet Onion, diced
6-8 Mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2-2 cups of Leftover Cooked Turkey, chopped
1 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/4-1/3 cup of Leftover Turkey Gravy
Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Parmesan
2 Tablespoons Chopped Pecans

To Roast Squash: Preheat oven to 425. Place cubed squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher Salt. Toss to coat. Bake for 45 minutes turning 2 or 3 times during cooking. You are looking for soft and lightly golden.

I cheated and bought already cubed & peeled squash from Costco (I've seen it at Trader Joe's and most regular supermarkets) because I value my fingers and butternut squash is a pain in the you-know-what to chop up.

Saute onion and mushroom till golden. Add all remaining ingredients (except Parmesan and Pecans). Mix to combine. Pour into a Pyrex Casserole (I love the holidays I get to use some of my vintage Pyrex, I collect it) Top with Parmesan and Pecans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Leftovers used: turkey, gravy

Leftovers are good 3-4 days tops in the fridge. Toss turkey and veggies in the freezer for soup making in the cold months ahead. Remember when in doubt, toss it out. Here are some more Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips.

More Eggface Casseroles

Shelly's Thanksgiving Cranberry Raspberry Protein Shake

8 oz. Vanilla Soy Milk (any milk will do)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Raspberry Torani Syrup
2 Tablespoons Cranberry Sauce
a few Ice Cubes

Whiz in blender till smooth. Top with No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream. I use storebought cranberry sauce (lowest sugar I can find) but there are oodles of SF recipes online. If you are super sensitive to sugar, this is not for you but I'm fine with a dollop.

Leftovers used: Cranberry Sauce (also good mixed in oatmeal)

More Eggface Protein Shakes and Smoothies

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am thankful rearranging my guts via weight loss surgery brought so many amazing friends (real-world & cyber) into my life. Thank you!

My Thanksgiving and Fall Pinterest Page
My 10 Tips for Surviving the Holidays Post Weight Loss Surgery

Drum roll...

Thank you to all who entered The World According to Eggface Cooking Healthy Giveaway.

The random generator has selected:

Sarah S.
Serra.cherub@xxxxx.xxx

Congratulations! You are the winner of a few of my very favorite gadgets and pantry staples. You have mail!

Want to learn more about any of the contents of the giveaway above. Click here for more info and sources.

Not a winner this time... no worries another Eggface Giveaway is happening NOW! Check out the latest Eggface Giveaway. Follow along on the Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and now Instagram for the latest eggciting announcements!

Eggface and Celebrate Vitamins Healthy Holidays Giveaway

The holidays are upon us and too often in the hustle and bustle of juggling all those extra work commitments and family events, basically taking care of everyone else, we neglect to take care of ourselves. Celebrate Vitamins has a great bunch of products that can help keep us on track and avoid derailing our health goals. Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals these are healthy and delicious on-the-go alternatives to grabbing something off the dollar menu.

The greatest gift is the gift of good health, one to be treasured! It's Giveaway Time!

The Prize: Convenient single serve travel packets of some of the great protein packed products Celebrate Vitamins offers...

5 packets of Tomato Soup Meal Replacement (27 g of protein in each serving)
5 packets of Chicken Soup Meal Replacement (27 g of protein in each serving)
1 packet each of Vanilla Bean, Deep Chocolate, Bananaberry and Cinnamon Roll Meal Replacement (27 g of protein in each serving)
1 packet each of Chocolate Milk, Vanilla Cake Batter, Strawberry and Orange Cream ENS 4 in 1 (a high potency multivitamin, 500 mg of calcium citrate, 4 g of fiber, and 25 g of whey isolate protein in each serving.)
1 each Caramel Chocolate Crunch and Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch ENS 2 in 1 Protein & Calcium Bar (15 g of protein and 500 mg of calcium citrate)

and a few groovy on-the-go gadgets...

28 oz. Blender Bottle Shaker
Sistema Microwave Soup Bowl To Go
Sistema Cutlery Set to Go

How to Enter: 1.) LIKE The World According to Eggface AND Celebrate Vitamins Facebook Page 2.) COME BACK HERE and LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST (Be sure to include your name and some email address where I can contact you if you are the winner) Scroll down to # of comments below to enter. That's it, easy peasy.

For fun: Tell me something you have planned for the holidays.

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

* Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway: Hey everyone enter the @Eggface @CelebrateV Healthy Holidays Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/nycwaae

Contest Period Ends: Sunday, November 30th, midnight (Pacific), sometime Monday, December 1st. 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 one week (7 days) to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen. Remember winners MUST be a Facebook follower (aka have LIKED) of the The World According to Eggface AND Celebrate Vitamins. One comment entry per person. Blog comments are moderated so there may be a slight delay (up to a few hours, especially at night if I'm sleeping Zzzz) in seeing your comment/entry post. Giveaway is open to anyone in the contiguous United States, 48 contiguous only (sorry it's a legal - international laws govern giveaways and money $ thing)

Good Luck! 

Eggface Thanksgiving and Fall Recipes Pinterest Page

Check out my Thanksgiving and Fall Pinterest Page for oodles of protein-packed, low carb, weight loss surgery friendly recipes and fun ideas to make your Thanksgiving Turkey Day menu healthy and delicious!

and visit my other Pinterest Boards...

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. Saw this the other day and I have to share it. This is so me! I literally fight the urge to dance in supermarket aisles all the time. It doesn't help that music playing in stores and elevators now are my jams (sign of getting old?) So I am all for this becoming a thing... it will legitimize my weirdness ;)


2. The World According to Eggface is on Instagram now. Well I always had an account but it just sat there. I actually added a few pictures and am determined to use it more often so if you are an Instagram user feel free to follow me.

Other places I hang out...
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

3. Some articles I read this week that were worth checking out:

State of Obesity 2014 Annual Report
21 maps and charts that explain the obesity epidemic
65% of Americans Need Help With Weight Loss
After Losing 160 Pounds, Man Strips Down To Show Excess Skin
Is the CDC fueling anti-fat bias in the workplace? and an UPDATE.
Short term safety of Gastric Bypass - Misconceptions Dispelled

I tweet a lot of article links so if you follow my twitter account you'll get lots of articles throughout the week.

Select #YWM2014 sessions are now available on the Obesity Action Coalition You Tube Channel and be sure to make plans to attend #YWM2015 The Your Weight Matters National Convention August 13th-16th, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas. Sign up for email alerts to be the first to hear when registration opens and all the event 411. I am the Convention Chair this year so I would like to personally invite you (or should I say y'all, it is Texas) to come!

4. I just read this statistic... the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day. I was probably pretty close to "average" pre- weight loss surgery from the chips, dips, cheese and crackers while we waited for feast to begin, to the smorgasbord of carby, cream and butter laden comfort food side dishes at dinner, the liquid calories of several glasses of apple cider... and then the pies.

Post weight loss surgery my Thanksgiving menu is way healthier but truly just as tasty. I'm still planning this year's menu but generally it's a slice or 2 of Turkey (I like white meat) and I make a couple of veggie sides like my Green Bean Casserole Stuffed Mushrooms, Roasted Brussel Sprouts or Butternut Squash, or Sicilian Rice-less Rice Stuffing (Cabbaliata) I have a scoop of each and then later one of my desserts: Crustless Sweet Potato Pie or Pumpkin Protein Souffle or something yummy like that.

Hey and if we play a few games of touch football or find a Turkey Trot walking or running event we may even lose weight on Turkey Day! I like being below "average" ;)

5. If you haven't thrown your name into the hat for my latest giveaway there is still time. It ends Sunday. Here's the link to enter. Also you'll want to check back on the blog Sunday evening to find out what's inside these 2 boxes?! as another Eggface giveaway will begin. Any guesses?

Eggface Cooking Healthy Giveaway

I love to cook. It's my creative outlet. I was scared that having weight loss surgery would put an end to my days in the kitchen but happily it did not. I actually get to be even more creative by analyzing a favorite recipe and seeing where I can make changes to make a healthier version of a pre-op favorite. I never feel like I am missing out. I love the foods I eat! I think if you have read the blog for any length of time you know that cooking and having fun in the kitchen does not end with surgery. In fact, it gets even better. To celebrate that...

It's Giveaway Time!

The Prize: A few of my favorite gadgets and pantry staples to get you cooking...

12 Cup Mini Muffin Tin
8 Count Mini Loaf Pan
Mini Measuring Cup
3 piece Mini Spatula Set
My favorite Greek Seasoning
Almond Meal
Multigrain Pancake Mix
A tub of Big Train Fit Frappe Spiced Chai Protein Powder
1 Mini Sampler Set of Sugar Free Torani Syrups (4 - 150 ml mini bottles in SF Caramel, SF Raspberry, SF Vanilla, and SF Hazelnut)

How to Enter: 1.) LIKE The World According to Eggface Facebook Page 2.) COME BACK HERE and LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST (Be sure to include your name and some email address where I can contact you if you are the winner) Scroll down to # of comments below to enter. That's it, easy peasy.

For fun: Tell me your favorite thing about Fall.

***Want extra chances to win?***

* Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway: Hey everyone enter the @Eggface Cooking Healthy Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/kjulkdv

* Follow me on Pinterest and pin at least one of your favorite Eggface recipes or an Eggface recipe you'd like to try to one of your Pinterest boards. Put #Eggface in the description. If you are new to the blog, Welcome! There's 8 years of archived recipes (see drop down screen, lower left side of screen) hope you find something that becomes a family favorite.

Contest Period Ends: Sunday, November 23rd, midnight (Pacific), sometime Monday, November 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 one week (7 days) to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen. Remember winners MUST be a Facebook follower (aka have LIKED) of the The World According to Eggface. One comment entry per person. Blog comments are moderated so there may be a slight delay (up to a few hours, especially at night if I'm sleeping Zzzz) in seeing your comment/entry post. Giveaway is open to anyone in the contiguous United States, 48 contiguous only (sorry it's a legal - international laws govern giveaways and money $ thing)

Good Luck! and P.S. Click on the photos for links to the recipes pictured above. P.P.S. I'm really excited about the next few weeks lots of fun giveaways and blog posts coming up!

Healthy Movie Night Snacks: Zucchini Spears and Protein Balls

Great evening spent watching one of my favorite mini series ever "North & South," the British movie not to be confused with the US civil war movie with Patrick Swayze and Kirstie Alley with the same name. This is Elizabeth Gaskell's "North & South" 4-part British miniseries, sort of Pride & Prejudice set in the Industrial Revolution. If you love period movies put this on your must watch list. I read on twitter that it was the 10th anniversary of the film and I watch it at least once a year so it seemed like the perfect day to pop it in. Ummm and the star Richard Armitage is great eye candy to spend the evening with.

Of course I needed some healthy protein packed movie snacks. Well they were actually lunch for me. I'm a cheap date ;) I made one savory and one sweet one because the movie is a drama (savory) and romance (sweet.)

These Baked Zucchini Spears are way healthier than the deep fried, batter dipped, county fair zucchini and they are delicious...

Shelly's Baked Zucchini Spears

4 small Zucchini
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (I used McCormick Perfect Pinch Sicilian Seasoning)
Kosher Salt and a few twists of Black Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. In a Gallon Ziploc bag combine Parmesan (grate it yourself, not the can kind) and seasonings. Cut the zucchini spears. Trim top and bottom then half each zucchini and half again, making 4 spears from each zucchini.

Place in another Gallon Ziploc and add oil. Zip the bag up and shake it around to make sure the oil coats each of the spears. Remove a piece or 2 at a time and toss in bag of cheesy seasoning mix. Place zucchini spears onto the rack.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes then broil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Parmesan Yogurt Dip

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.

Leftover zucchini spears heat up great or you could chop them up and make a batch of my Egg Bites or a frittata. These also make a great side dish or appetizer for a BBQ night or Patio Picnic with some cheese, cold cuts, etc.

More Eggface Zucchini Recipes

For my sweet movie treat I made a batch of Protein Power Balls. Lots of variations on this one on the blog, usually based on what I have on hand protein-wise (see Cook's Note below.)

Shelly's Protein Power Balls

1/4 cup Big Train Spiced Chai Protein Powder
1/4 cup Vanilla Protein Powder
1/4 cup Almond Meal
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup "Stuff" (any combo of Chopped Nuts, Dried Fruit, SF Chocolate Chips, Chopped-up Protein Bar, Cereal, whatever you like)
Optional Coatings: A couple of Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut (toasted or untoasted to roll) Crushed Nuts, Protein Powder, Powdered Peanut Butter or Unsweetened Cocoa

Mix all ingredients till thoroughly combined. Roll into walnut size balls. Ricotta water content can vary (I use whole not part skim) so if needed add little more of one of the dry ingredients (you want moldable play dough consistency.)

Roll in unsweetened coconut (or other topping choice.) Place in fridge to firm before serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated. You can also freeze them and defrost in the fridge as needed. Makes 16.

Cook's Note: Any protein powder will work in this, though if you don't like it as a shake you probably won't like it in a ball. A favorite is Chike High Protein Iced Coffee and Chocolate (gluten & lactose free protein powder). At the holidays Celebrate Vitamins Chocolate Mint Protein rolled in crush SF Peppermints are sooo good. This time I did a Big Train Spiced Chai Latte and Vanilla combo. If you like things sweeter add a packet of sweetener to taste. For my "stuff" I added a combo of Toasted Almonds, SF Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries.

More High Protein, Weight Loss Surgery Friendly Snacks on my Pinterest Page.

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. Here's what I ate yesterday...

Breakfast: I made my Deconstructed Sicilian Rice Balls for dinner last night and I had a little extra ground beef so I set it aside and used it in the morning to make a Cowboy Egg Bowl (scrambled egg, leftover crumbled ground beef (or turkey or sausage), shredded cheese and a few splashes of hot sauce (I love Cholula.)

More Eggface Breakfasts on Pinterest

Lunch: I spent most of the morning at my Mum's audiologist. For those of you that are new to my blog or haven't met my Mum at an event, she has profound hearing loss. She had a really extensive hearing test done (needs a new hearing aid) so most of my morning was spent in a waiting room reading magazines so I know way more about Kim & Kanye and Ashton & Mila than anyone should know. Uggh. Oh and quick soapbox: hearing aids are crazy $$$ expensive and Medicare does not cover them and that is wrong. OK off soap box. After, we stopped for lunch at Rubio's and I had my standard order: Balsamic and Roasted Veggies Salad with Grilled Fish. I ax the dressing and use a little chipotle salsa and a squirt of lime. I eat the fish, most of the yummy roasted veggies veggies and a little of the greens and call it a day. It really is shareable. I love to cook so I tend not to eat out much but this is one of my two favorite healthier fast food-ish type places. I also love Panera's Power Bowls on their secret menu.

Strategies for Eating Out Post Weight Loss Surgery

Dinner: I get those 2 lb. boxes of peeled, cubed Butternut Squash cubes from Costco, toss them with a little drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of Kosher Salt and roast them at 425 for 40-45 minutes until soft and caramelized. Sometimes I turn that into one of my favorite Fall casseroles but tonight I made these. They are delicious and would be a great Meatless Monday dinner or dinner to make when vegetarian pals come to dinner, add a little salad on the side. I had it topped with a dollop of guacamole and yogurt dip.

Shelly's Roasted Butternut Squash & Black Bean Patties

2 cups Roasted Butternut Squash
1 - 15oz. can Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
2 Eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon Dried Chives
a few twists of Black Pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. You want to leave some chunkiness to the squash and beans mixture I use a fork so some is more smashed and some is more whole. Using a 1/4 cup measure make 10 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. You will see the edge get golden and start to smell them (Mmmm) and you will know it's time for the flip. Flip once and continue about 5 minutes on other side till golden brown and crispy. Leftovers keep in fridge for a few days. Reheat in microwave and re-crisp in pan.

Shelly's Cumin Lime Greek Yogurt Dip

3 oz. Plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
squirt of Lime juice
a little grated Lime zest

Mix together. Great for veggies or dipping grilled chicken or fish.

Snacks: Lots of coffee and this dessert that is often on my Thanksgiving Day menu. It's so good and trust me, non-ops will never know it's not the full sugar version. Don't skip the granola crumble topping it makes it and if you haven't made your own no sugar added whipped cream yet you have to do it. You need a whipper like this and some chargers but then you can add SF Flavorings to make SF Peppermint Whipped Cream or SF Coconut Whipped Cream on NSA Hot Cocoa, SF Chocolate Whipped Cream or SF Raspberry Whipped Cream on top of berries. So good.

Shelly's Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Protein Granola Crumble

1 (15 oz.) can Sweet Potato Puree (canned pumpkin can be subbed)
1 cup Fat Free Evaporated Milk
2 Eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup (Torani, Davinci)

Mix together till well combined. Pour into a Pam sprayed 11 x 7 1/2" Pyrex dish. Bake for 15 minutes at 425. Turn oven down to 350 and Bake 40-45 minutes more or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Chill it for an hour or so.

This is great to make the night before. Cut into squares (I made 24) top with optional No Sugar Added Whipped Cream and Spiced Chai Protein Granola Crumble.

Shelly's Spiced Chai Protein Granola Crumble

1/4 cup Oatmeal, dry
1/4 cup Big Train Fit Frappe Spiced Chai Protein Powder
1/4 cup chopped Nuts (I used Pecans & Almonds)
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup (Torani, Davinci)

Squeeze together with your hands till clumps form. You need to use your hands for this one. Place on a Pam sprayed, foil lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool. Crumble some on top of pie. I used about half on top of the Pie and saved the other half in an airtight container.

The Protein Granola Crumble is great on Yogurt Parfaits, Cottage Cheese or sweetened (SF Syrup, Agave, Honey whatever you use) Ricotta Cheese for breakfast.

You can really use any protein powder in this recipe. I have made Espresso Protein Granola with Chike and Click. Chocolate Protein Granola is delicious. I love this Chai version though. I think it's my favorite... those Chai spices taste so Fall to me.

My Thanksgiving and Fall Pinterest Page
My 10 Tips for Surviving the Holidays Post Weight Loss Surgery
More Days in my pouch

Join Me: Food Bucket Challenge

I read this article this morning and I got angry. Arnold Abbott, a 90-year-old activist and two church pastors with him were arrested at a park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday and then again on Wednesday for feeding the homeless.

Apparently the city is "cracking down" on food sharing, the city's commissioners passed a measure last month that requires feeding sites to be more than 500 ft away from each other and 500 ft from residential properties and only one group is allowed to share food with the homeless per city block. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, there has been a 47% increase in the number of cities that have passed or introduced legislation to restrict food sharing.

There is something wrong with this world. I don't care what religion you are (or aren't) when there is a person who is hungry as a fellow human being we must help if we can. The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members.

So I read the article and got angry and then I thought OK use that anger and do something. I was headed out to run some errands and I thought I'd pick up some food for my local food bank and donate it in Mr. Abbott's name but I am also hoping you will join me so together we can make a bigger impact! 

The Food Bucket Challenge (sort of a play on the ice bucket challenge)

1. Fill a new bucket (or box, bag, whatever) with non-perishable food, no set amount, whatever you can do.
2. Take a photo of your donation. 
3. Put it up on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest and tag it #EggfaceFoodBucket so I can see it. Put a link to this blog post to get your pals to join in. I'm hoping each person can get at least 1 friend or family member to do it too. Not on those social media sites or don't get the whole tagging thing you can email me the picture or message me the photo on The World According to Eggface Facebook page.
4. Donate your items to whoever in your local community is taking food donations or if you personally know of a person or family in need give it to them. 

You will have the good feeling that comes from helping another and we will send a collective message that we stand with people like Mr. Abbott.

Little bonus: I'll add all the Food Bucket Challenge photo participants names to a hat and draw one photo on November 30th and send that random person a special thank you care package (contents yet to be determined but it will be fun I promise.)

I hope you will join me!

Find a Food Bank in your area.
Find out more about Arnold Abbott's non profit charity "Love Thy Neighbor"
The article I read this AM that made my blood pressure rise.

Some other fun projects we can do together:
Donate Your Pounds
Make Blessing Bags

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. Here's what I ate yesterday...

Breakfast: One of the cool things about being a blogger for so long is that you get offered opportunities to try out new gadgets or products from time to time. Last week this box of awesome arrived at my house and finally yesterday I started experimenting with it...

It's the new Nutri Ninja Blender System with Auto-iQ Technology it includes a 62-ounce food processor bowl, 72-ounce pitcher, and 18-ounce, 24-ounce and 32-ounce Nutri Ninja Cups. It's crazy cool. The new technology literally knows what container you are using and will show you what the best settings are. It stops and starts again so no scraping down or jiggling your food around with a tamper thingee. It's 1500 watts so it makes short work of things a traditional blender would never be able to handle. I'm going to have fun playing around with this.

For breakfast I used the 24 oz. container to make one of the smoothest protein smoothies I have ever made. Delicious, sort of Horchata-ish if you are familiar with that Mexican drink.

Shelly's Cinnamon Almond Protein Packed Shake

8 oz. Almond Milk
1/4 cup Lowfat Cottage Cheese
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I used this)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (or Honey)
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
a few cubes of Ice

Blend. If you aren't a lover of cottage cheese still give this a try you do not taste it it just gives the shake a great thickness and extra protein boost. Top with a dash of cinnamon.

More Eggface Favorite Protein Shakes and Smoothies

I am thrilled with the different sizes of Ninja cups. They even come with travel lids to you can take your smoothie with you. Though I probably won't do that waaaaay cheaper to replace those blender bottles than that cool Ninja cup and I have accidentally left them on park benches before.

If you are a weight loss surgery pre or post op looking for a blender for your new healthy life I'd add this to your list for Santa for sure and if you are a family member looking to support a loved ones efforts at getting healthier buying them one of these would be a super way to do that.

More Gift Ideas for the Weight Loss Surgery Post Op

I also made a batch of my Homemade Protein Bars to send over to my neighbors but I might have snaked one hot from the oven. Mmmmm. They brought me over some extra veggies from their garden so I dropped off some bars as a thank you.

Lunch: I wanted to try the traditional blender container the Nutri Ninja came with. I had all the ingredients in my pantry to make a quick Black Bean Soup. You can use any bean really and the Ninja did a great job. Look at how beautiful and smooth the soup turned out.

Shelly's Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup

2 cans Black Beans, rinsed and drained

a big clump of Cilantro (not a fan of Cilantro, use Spinach and get some greens in)
2 Green Onions
1 cup Mild Salsa or Picante Sauce
1 cup Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Garlic, chopped
a few dashes of Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend. Pour into a medium pot and heat till warmed through. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a few days. This is a great one to make on a Sunday for lunch midweek. You can whatever you like to change it up too (cooked chicken, cubed ham, cooked crab, leftover veggies.) I topped it with crumbled Cotija Cheese and a dollop of Greek Yogurt.

More Eggface Soups

Dinner: I kept the unintentional Mexican theme going with dinner. Chopped up an avocado, a few tomatoes, added some cilantro and fresh mozzarella to make a sort of Mexican Caprese Salad and I made some Melted Turkey & Cheese Cold Cut Roll Ups to go with.

Shelly's Mexican Caprese Salad

1 Avocado, diced
4 small Tomatoes, chopped
a few Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro Leaves
1/4 cup of fresh Mozzarella, cubed
dash of Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
Salt to taste

I didn't add any dressing. It really makes it's own with the avocado and tomato juices why add extra calories or take from the taste of the veggies.

More Eggface Healthy Mexican Recipes

Snacks: A Faux Fried Egg. A Dollop of Ricotta Cheese sweetened with a little Sugar Free Torani Syrup, a half of a Peach, dash of Cinnamon. I love this and think it might win for cutest snack ever ;)

More Days in my Pouch

Check out Ninja Kitchen on Facebook (tell them you saw the new Auto-iQ system on The World According to Eggface) Disclosure: this post contains a product that was provided free to me but as always any reviews or information shared with my readers contains my honest and unaffected opinion.

It is a pretty snazzy machine.