Healthy Snacks: Quest Protein Bar Cookies

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand ;) Want cookies but still want to stick to your health and weight goals... here's some cookies for you. 8 of them. I have 2 when I want a little something sweet because sometimes you just want an ooey, gooey, warm cookie straight from the oven...

1 Quest Bar cut into 8 pieces.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 325 for 3 minutes. Flatten slightly with a spatula (if you want to add a nut now is the time just press one on top) and bake for 3 more minutes.

Nom nom nom in 6 minutes you have crispy edged, warm, chewy, gooey cookies. Want the nutritional stats for each cookie: Divide Quest bar wrapper stats into 8. Way better portion control then eating the bars as is.

Now this is a fun recipe but you know if cookies were your pre weight loss surgery demon (a food trigger or something you didn't have control over) you might want to take a pass on this one. I eat a hunk of a protein bar when I want a little something sweet, so this works for me and it's a great way to breathe life back into a Quest Bar that has been hanging around the house too long. I often have a partial bar that once opened becomes sort of rock-like... this a great way to save it from the trash bin.

If you hang at a coffee shop with a pal and chit chat and the bakery case calls to you this is a great alternative to have in your pocketbook. After they cool drop a couple in a snack size baggie and you'll always have a little something sweet in your bag of tricks.

Here's an online source (all the flavors) for the bars if you can't find them in your 'hood. Any flavor will work so far my favorites have been Cookies & Cream, S'mores, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Vanilla Almond.

Stuffed Squash Spaceships

I love squash! Zucchini, Spaghetti, Butternut, Crookneck, all squash. In fact, zucchini with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top was one of the first veggies I ate post weight loss surgery. It was soothing and went down really well, still my go-to food when I'm not feeling well. Squash is probably the most versatile vegetable there are endless ways to prepare it from grilling, sauteing, roasting it. It's my pasta replacement, a mainstay in casseroles, a side dish, even a salad ingredient. You can always find a few in my Farmer's Market haul. This Saturday, I spotted these beauties called Sunbursts related to the Pattypan. The look sort of like spaceships (remember when I was abducted by aliens.) True story. OK... back to the recipe...

You can chop them up and use them in any recipe that calls for the more easily found crookneck summer squash but these four were so close in size (tea cup-ish) I just had to stuff them.

Shelly's Stuffed Starburst Squash

4 Starburst (Pattypan) Squash
1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped
2-3 Green Onions, diced
1/2 cup Cooked Sausage, crumbled
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
Salt and a few twists Black Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Remove the stem of the squash and using a teaspoon scoop out some of the inside flesh (don't discard it), scoop enough out to create a small cavity. Place the hollowed squash on a microwave safe dish and nuke for 2-3 minutes till just starting to get fork tender. Set aside.

Saute the onions and chopped squash middles till golden. Add cooked sausage (or cooked ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken or skip the meat for a vegetarian option, I might add more onion) and seasonings.

Remove from heat. Add ricotta and mix till well combined. Fill the hollowed squash with the filling and place in a Pyrex baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or a drizzle of olive oil.

Sprinkle tops of filled squash with Parmesan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. You can serve as is or as a variation warm some marinara sauce and spoon over the top.

If you can't find these Starbursts. You can use the same filling to stuff spaghetti squash I've done that before.

More Eggface Italian Healthy Eats

I had a great birthday weekend filled with yummy foods like this (and a few other delicious things I'll blog about this week) and despite really muggy weather and a bit of a headache (probably weather related) it was wonderful. Thank you for all the sweet messages on Facebook and email. My brother came out for a visit. Here's a photo we took with my Mum...

Birthday Treats Post Weight Loss Surgery

My first birthday post weight loss surgery in 2006, I was 8 days post-op so right in those first few weeks of WTH?! What the heck did I do to my body, anesthesia and pain medication induced blues. They are normal feelings and will subside, for me the more I was able to walk and breathe fresh air the better and better I felt but I must admit I cried like a baby when I was eating a couple of tablespoons of refried beans for my birthday dinner, then smelling the 4th of July neighborhood BBQ's the following weekend. I couldn't see the light at the end of the healing tunnel 8 days post-op but it was right around the corner. If some of this rings true for you... know this.... celebrations will be in your future again but hopefully in a healthier way.

Here are 10 Tips for Celebrating Holidays and Special Days Post Weight Loss Surgery that have helped me. Hope they help you too.

This weekend is my birthday (my brother is coming to visit, it's actually his birthday weekend too, we are 1 day and 12 years apart) and I was beginning to do some menu planning. I thought of all the different birthday treats I have made since having weight loss surgery. I wanted to draw attention to a few of my favorites in case someone (or someone you love) is celebrating soon too. There are even a couple early post-ops should be able to partake in. Remember: when in doubt, print it out and ask your medical posse for their thumbs up.

Shelly's Protein Ice Cream Cake

Shelly's 5 Minute Protein Cake

Shelly's Protein Ice Cream 

Shelly's It's My Party Birthday Cake Shake

1 single serve packet (or 2 scoops) Celebrate Vitamins Vanilla Cake Batter ENS
8 oz. Soy Milk (any milk will do)
a few cubes of Ice (or my High Protein Frozen Yogurt Cubes)

Blend on high. Top with Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream and a few multicolored nonpareils.

Shelly's Strawberry Cannoli

Shelly's Birthday Cake Protein Pudding Cups

2 cups Premier Protein Shake (Ready to Drink RTD, any flavor)
1 (1 oz.) small package Sugar Free Instant Pudding Mix (dry, any flavor)
Optional: 1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Syrup (any flavor)

Pour the shake (about 1 1/2 containers), pudding mix and optional syrup flavoring into a shaker bottle (or mason jar works too.) If you choose to add a flavoring put one less Tablespoon of the shake. I often change it up by adding SF Caramel or SF Hazelnut Syrup, etc. Shake for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour into individual dishes. Place in the fridge to set (about 5 minutes or so.) You can top with all sorts of things to make them festive: a squirt of Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream, Nuts, Berries, Crumbled Protein Bar, and of course Birthday Sprinkles (nonpareils)

I make a few versions here's a Grasshopper one (my fav I think)

More Eggface Desserts
More Healthy Party Recipes
Gift Ideas Post Weight Loss Surgery

I can't really complain about getting older... I actually feel healthier now than I did 20 years ago!

P.S. They're not gray hairs. They're wisdom highlights ;)

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Thank you to all who entered The World According to Eggface and Celebrate Vitamins Celebrate Your Health Summer Giveaway!

The random generator has selected:

Laurie B.
lrvictorio3@xxxxxxx.xxx

Congratulations! You are the winner of the super groovy Pink Beach Bag filled with an assortment of Celebrate's summery flavors!

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 begins soon. Follow along on the Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and now Instagram for the latest eggciting announcements! If you are on Instagram be sure to watch for my occasional Pop-up Giveaways. There just might be one very soon ;)