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15 Protein Packed Portable Healthy Snacks (or Lunch)

Protein packed is the key to a satisfying snack. If they are portable even better. Here are 15 protein-packed snacks I love. Many of these are very portable and perfect for tossing in your carry-on, purse or lunchbox. A healthy snack in your arsenal can help you fight the urge to hit the vending machine, pick at the break room goodies, or make an impulse choice at the pastry case.

15 Protein Packed and Portable Snacks

Protein Bars - Read labels, figure which type is right for you, there are high-protein and low-carb bars, high fiber bars, meal replacement and energy bars and they vary greatly in nutritional values. They are a convenient favorite of mine when traveling. I always have some in my carry-on bag.


Protein Bar Cookies - I take Quest Protein Bars cut into 8 pieces and baked them into little cookies that are great to tote along in a snack size baggie during the day or take with to coffee with friends. The latest batch I made were these apple pie protein bar cookies with a cinnamon almond pressed in.

RNY VSG WLS Gastric Bypass Vertical Sleeve Low Carb Food Menus


RNY VSG WLS Gastric Bypass Vertical Sleeve Low Carb Food Menus

Mini Protein Muffins - Another great one to stave off the bakery case are my yummy mini protein muffins. If you have tried any of my 5 minute protein cakes these are the same batter just poured into a 12 cup mini muffin tin and baked instead. Something fun to do is to make two different flavors, slice them in half, smear some SF jam or nut butter on the bottom half of the muffin and top with a muffin top of the other flavor.

Gastric Bypass Vertical Sleeve Recipes Cooking VSG RNY WLS


Gastric Bypass Vertical Sleeve Recipes Cooking VSG RNY WLS

Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese Parfaits - A dollop of yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta layered with fruit like berries or apples that have been cooked down a bit (softened) and topped with protein granola or almonds. Place in a plastic cup with plastic wrap on top for a portable snack or breakfast. Don't forget a spoon.

Sugar Free Low Carb Weight Loss Surgery Bariatric RNY WLS VSG Recipes

Sugar Free Low Carb Weight Loss Surgery Bariatric RNY WLS VSG Recipes

Hard-Boiled Eggs - hard boil and peel a few on Sunday for snacks for the week. Toss an egg in a small container for an easy on-the-go snack or use them for lunch sliced on a salad or mashed with Greek yogurt, celery, seasonings and cucumber slice scoopers. If you have a little more time turn them into some my favorite deviled eggs.

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Fitness Low Carb Keto Healthy Recipes

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Fitness Low Carb Keto Healthy Recipes

Ants and Friends on a Log - celery sticks smeared with a tablespoon of any nut butter (almond, cashew, walnut) or cream cheese spread topped with a raisins for the traditional "Ants on a Log" or "Ants and Friends" with almonds, cranberries, cherries (look for low sugar or juice sweetened fruit.)

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Fitness Low Carb Healthy Recipes Menus Food

Cold-Cut Roll Ups - slices of deli meat (turkey, chicken, or roast beef work great) with a slice of cheese. Add a pickle spear, avocado slice, mild green chili, lettuce, cucumber spear. Eat roll-ups cold or warm and melty. Pictured is one of my favorite combos Turkey, Cheese, Avocado.

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Fitness Low Carb Healthy Recipes

Cucumber "Sandwiches" - with cold cuts, cheese, or topped with spreads or salads using cucumbers as the bread/cracker.

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Fitness Low Carb Healthy Recipes Menus Food

Protein Shakes - many companies make travel protein packets or scoop your favorite powder in baggie and put it inside a shaker bottle, buy ready to drinks versions (RTDs), or at home blend into a frappe-style creation like the ones pictured. Find oodles of recipes on the blog and my Protein Shake Pinterest page. Be careful they may bring all the boys to the yard ;)

Protein Powder Recipes Health Workout WLS RNY VSG Food Nutrition

Protein Powder Recipes Health Workout WLS RNY VSG Food Nutrition

Nuts, Roasted Chickpeas or Bean Snacks  - sometimes you just want a salty crunchy snack. Almonds and pistachios are higher in protein than other nuts. Homemade roasted chickpeas or garbanzos or store bought bean snacks all great chip alternatives. Portion them out in snack sized baggies.

Weight Loss Surgery Healthy Snacks Bariatric Diet Food Recipes

Beef or Turkey Jerky - look for the low-sodium ones. 1 oz. serving (the average size of most single-serve packs) = 9 grams of protein. Jerky is portable, required no refrigeration and takes a while to eat so it's a good snack in a movie or on a plane.

Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Snacks Recipes Travel Recipes Products Blog

Ricotta Pancakes - I eat these for snack or breakfast. Hot or surprisingly yummy cold, smeared with almond butter or SF jam. Find oodles of Eggface pancake recipes here. The pancakes pictured below are my Cinnamon Churro Ricotta Pancakes.

Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Healthy Breakfast Snacks Recipes

Edamame Pods - the fun to eat bean pods you get at Japanese sushi restaurants (1 cup = about 17 grams of protein), steam them in a little microwave steamer (these rock) sprinkle with a little seasoning or salt and scrape the pods with your teeth to pop out the little green yummy beans inside.

RNY WLS VSG Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Recipes Food Cooking Menus

Apple or Mango Dippers - sliced apple with dip or mango with dip. Greek yogurt dip or SF sweetened (sweetener of your choice) Ricotta Cheese with or without protein powder added.

RNY WLS VSG Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Recipes Food Cooking Menus

RNY WLS VSG Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Recipes Food Cooking Menus

Cheese Platter - we call these Tidbit Parties at my house. A few pieces of cheese, olives, cucumber slices, a few nuts, cool breeze, laughs and good conversation shared with loved ones = perfect night in my world. Make it portable, fill your bento box and take it to the beach or park.

RNY WLS VSG Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Recipes Food Cooking Menus

RNY WLS VSG Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Recipes Food Cooking Menus

Honored to be included in many post weight loss surgery bariatric patient guides and surgeon's office web sites as a recommended site for post weight loss surgery eating, recipes, menus, tips and ideas but each program has variations, as do individual patient's needs so refer to your plan and program guidelines and when in doubt print it out and bring with to your next appointment. Depending what stage of your weight loss journey some of these may be meals or snacks for you and obviously what is pictured is often for several people. Always consult your medical team for portion sizes.




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. Yesterday's healthy and delicious menu...

Breakfast: Had some appointments and I wanted to get a walk in. I like to exercise in the AM in the summer... so I'm sure it happens before it gets HOT. Too easy to let it slide when the temps warm up during the day. I was thankful I spent some time Sunday doing meal planning and some food prep for the week, I got up at the crack of dawn and took a couple of the Cinnamon Churro Ricotta Pancakes I had made, smeared with Almond Butter wrapped in foil and a Protein Shake in my Blender Bottle with me on my walk. Got back, showered and was out the door to my appointments feeling good about the day already. Note to self: must remember this feeling.


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


Lunch: I chopped up some grilled chicken (made this Sunday too) and turned it a healthy Mexican taco bento box lunch. It was gorgeous yesterday perfect weather for lunch outside.


I'm glad I enjoyed it because it's going to be hideous weather this week I hear... triple digits and muggy. I'm going to make Protein Ice Cream and eat it sitting in front of the fan in my bathing suit and call it a day ;) I'm planning ahead a bit. I just sauteed some ground beef and onions thinking I will make a batch of my Bites (Crustless Quiches) to have on hand and maybe I'll get some salad stuff at the Wednesday Farmer's Market tomorrow if I can get away for a little bit.


Pink Box (top left): Leftover Grilled Chicken
Green Box (top right): Spicy Yogurt Dip (Plain Greek Yogurt with a few dashes of Cholula Hot Sauce)
Blue Box (bottom left): Lettuce Leaf "Taco Shells"
Orange Box (bottom right): Chocolate Chipotle Almond Quest Bar Protein "Cookies"

Ooooh these Chocolate Chipotle Almond Quest Bar cookies are soooo good. So basically you just follow my Quest Bar Cookie directions but when you take them out of the oven and press them down at the first 3 minute mark, press 1 almond in the middle too. They go back in for the final 3 minutes. Remove and give the nut another little press to make sure it's stuck like glue. I used Blue Diamond Honey Chipotle Almonds on Chocolate Brownie Quest Bars.


More Bento Box lunches, FAQ's and an Online Source for them
My Bento Pinterest Page (Tons of Lunch Ideas)

Dinner: Cauliflower Pie is one of my favorite post weight loss surgery dinners. So easy and very family friendly. Eat as is or top with tomato sauce and cheese and broil till melty and bubbly. If you have a few peas or mushrooms or some random veggie (1/4 cup or so) bumping around in the fridge throw it in for a change up. I used up green onions this time.


More Eggface Healthy Italian Recipes

Snacks: Coffee including a Starbucks Grande Iced 3-pump Sugar Free Vanilla Soy Latte (my summer order) on the road and in the evening I cut up a Mango and made some of that yummy Spiced Chai Dip I make with Fit Frappe and my Mum and I gobbled it up while watching the Real Housewives scream about something. I needed something mindless and RH fits the bill.


More Days in my Pouch

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New Product Alert: Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey

I was given the opportunity to tell you all about a fun contest that Foster Farms is hosting. All you need to do is create a unique turkey sandwich concoction for your chance to win a luxury weekend getaway for two to the gorgeous Napa Valley or $4,000 cash. You’ll also be eligible to win weekly prizes, just for entering!

Now that's an awesome choice to get to make! And entering is easy. Snap a photo of your delicious creation before you or someone you love takes a big bite out of it and enter the pic in the Foster Farms "Don’t Call Me Basic" sandwich contest by posting the photo on Instagram. In the caption, include the list of ingredients and tag @FosterFarms and #DontCallMeBasic.

You’ll have a chance at that grand prize which includes a two-night stay for two at a Napa Valley luxury hotel, travel to/from and a gourmet picnic lunch ($4,000 value) or $4,000 cash! There are also random weekly drawings to win cool prizes like high-end panini presses and gourmet picnic basket sets too.

Entries can also be emailed to dontcallmebasic@fosterfarms.com. For all the 411 on the contest and the official Rules & Regulations, visit www.fosterfarms.com/dontcallmebasic.pdf


The new Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey is delicious, lower in sodium and has no nitrates or nitrites, no chemicals or preservatives, no hormones or steroids, and is 98% fat free. I used it to make a couple of breadless sandwich options, which you know is how I roll... get it roll, bread…. sorry, I couldn't resist. I know… stick to the recipes Michelle.

Here are a few summery sandwiches using protein-packed Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey, the low carb alternatives of lettuce and cucumber instead of bread and three fun cream cheese spreads.


Cranberry Spread - blend equal parts cranberry sauce and cream cheese.
Olive Feta Spread - blend a couple of Kalamata olives and a tablespoon or so of crumbled feta cheese into equal amount of cream cheese.
Green Chili Spread - equal parts chopped mild green chili and cream cheese.

Shelly's Turkey and Green Chili Cream Cheese Lettuce Wraps - smear each lettuce leaf with a little spread. Place a slice of Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey on top and roll-up. Voila.




 



Shelly's Cucumber "Sandwiches" - smear slices of cucumber with one of the cream cheese spreads, fold a piece of Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey and top with another spread smeared slice of cucumber. You can also make larger ones, just scrape the seeds from the middle of a section of cucumber and fill with turkey and spread.





Have a great sandwich idea? Download this dollar off coupon, go buy some Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey. It's available at Vons, Safeway, Raley’s, and select Albertson's and you can use it to make your original sandwich recipe. And don't forget to enter the Don't Call Me Basic sandwich contest!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey.



That's a wrap #YWM2015 The Your Weight Matters Convention

The week after the Your Weight Matters National Convention is always the same for me... happy, tired. nursing aching muscles including my face from smiling so much, a sore throat from talking and laughing with friends, a little melancholy (sort of like the day after Christmas) as I know it maybe a year before I see some of my new and old friends again but more than anything I am inspired, motivated and I feel armed with education and support to carry me through the coming year.

I also know I am not alone in taking on some more collective issues those of us affected by obesity face. I said this in my welcome speech: 



"There is power in our individual voices, in sharing our stories, we are not headless bodies, nameless statistics, we are people and soon to be new friends and there is even more power in coming together and raising those voices. This is one of the reasons I got involved with the OAC. I was denied weight loss surgery. I had a BMI of 54.5 I had a bunch of obesity related illnesses and while my insurance was paying for the treatment of all of those. When I was denied treatment for my obesity. I sat in my car and cried. I was sick (literally) and tired and frustrated and angry and I was alone or so I thought... after a few days of tears I started doing some research, I ended up on the Obesity Action Coalition website, I spent about 2 hours reading all the resources and I became a member before I logged off. I didn't want anyone to have to go through what I went through, crying in that parking lot. Knowing there was a group who was fighting for me for access for treatment, was educating society that obesity is more complex than pushing away from the table and jogging more, that the bias and stigma and discrimination that some of us have faced is NOT OK. It was EMPOWERING. I was excited at all the great things we can achieve together."
I am proud to be a member of the Obesity Action Coalition.

If you have been on the fence about going to an event... do it once, I promise you will be glad you did and I think you'll be hooked. Plan now for #YWM2016 August 25th-28th, 2016: Washington DC - Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. Sign up for e-alerts and you'll be sure to be in the loop when room block (only $129 a night), registration, and scholarship opportunities are announced.


But back to #YWM2015 A picture tells a thousand words...







I'll be posting more pictures, info from my lunch table talks and more about the education and vendors in the coming weeks. It was an amazing weekend. Pure awesome.

Hope to see you at #YWM2016

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Off to #YWM2015 The Your Weight Matters Convention

I'm heading to the Your Weight Matters National Convention #YWM2015 this week. #YWM2015 not only marks our 4th National Convention but it also is the 10th anniversary year of the Obesity Action Coalition. For the past 10 years the OAC has been the voice of those affected by obesity through advocacy, support and education. The journey of those 10 years ultimately led to the creation of the Your Weight Matters National Convention as a way to extend the OAC’s commitment to sharing evidence-based education on weight and health and providing an opportunity for this supportive community to come together.

I can finally take the #YWM2015 Save The Date postcard off the fridge.
I am super excited and proud to be part of the Convention Planning Committee. I can't wait for everyone to experience the wonderful speakers and education in the agenda this year and especially to experience the wonderful community, reconnect with friends and make new ones! I hope many of you will be in attendance. We have record breaking numbers so I know I will get to meet many of you!! Awesome.

If you are not headed to Texas this year, please consider attending the event next year (2016 location will be announced Friday night) it really is an event not to be missed. For me... it's a way to renew my commitment to my health. It energizes me and the inspiration and motivation carries me throughout the year. Well worth the price of admission ;) I'd say.

Catch a glimpse of the fun on social media... I will be tweeting, snapping pics, maybe even taking a few videos from inside the action (and behind the scenes) so if you want to follow along be sure to follow my social media accounts:

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest

The official hashtag is #YWM2015 if you'd like to follow along and follow the Obesity Action Coalition's tweets too.

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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. Yesterday's healthy and delicious menu...

Breakfast: I set up an assemble your own parfait station with Cottage Cheese, chopped Strawberries from the Farmer's Market, some of my homemade, no sugar added Raspberry and Blueberry Chia Jam, and a few of those Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almonds on top for some crunch.


Love these and if you have any extra make the parfaits up in plastic cups w/ some wrap on top or little containers and you'll have a quick grab and go breakfast during the week.


More Eggface Breakfast Recipes
7 Grab and Go Breakfasts

Lunch: Leftovers of my Baked Bean Casserole. I love this casserole. It's packed with protein and I was craving it so much the other day I even turned on the oven for the 1 hour it takes to bake it (in a heatwave) yep, it's that yummy. I used ground turkey in it but you can use ground sausage or beef or no meat. Though that little bit of bacon on the top makes the whole dish and it gets super crispy. Grab your piece before it gets put on the table because it might disappear.


This was part of the pretty table setting from the other night. I did a Texas themed dinner in honor of heading there next week for the Your Weight Matters National Convention. If you are a reader in San Antonio (or near enough) come on down next week. If you can't do the whole 3 day event consider stopping in on Saturday. The Obesity Action Coalition in coordination with the YMCA of Greater San Antonio is hosting a Healthy Living Expo within our convention, health screenings, free samples, educational materials... all FREE. Hope to see you there. You can also still register for the whole convention on-site.

So back to the table setting... that denim pocket that held our cutlery is actually a pocket off of one of my pre-weight loss surgery pairs of jeans. My Mum and I made a ton of fun things with pieces of my clothes. My coin purse actually made an appearance on national television :)

More Eggface Bean Recipes

Dinner: I had to write the first draft of a paper (I've been procrastinating, seems like I haven't changed much from my original college years), it's due Monday so I set myself up outside to get it done and was fueled by some of this delicious Caprese-ish Salad, sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella, sprinkle of salt & pepper and a drizzle of store bought pesto sauce.


More Eggface Cold Eats and Healthy Salads

Snacks: Too much coffee, a Banana Caramel Shake made with Celebrate Vitamins new Caramel Vanilla Swirl Protein 20 (FYI Celebrate will be sampling Protein 20 at the Your Weight Matters Convention) and I experimented with another Quest Bar Cookie creation (I'll post about it later today maybe) and of course I had to sample the goods.



Shelly's Banana Caramel Shake

8 oz. Milk (I used Almond Milk)
1 scoop Celebrate Vitamins Caramel Vanilla Swirl Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Caramel Torani Syrup
dash of Cinnamon
a hunk of frozen Banana
a few Ice Cubes

Whiz on high in a blender. Top with another dash of cinnamon.

More Eggface Favorite Protein Shakes and Smoothies
More Days in my Pouch