Friday Five

A weekly round-up of tidbits, tips, ideas, news articles, random cool things...

1. Excited about the upcoming Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) "Your Weight Matters" Inaugural Convention! I hope I will get to meet some blog readers there. For more information check out this video invite that tells you all about the event. The agenda is AWESOME and it's so close to Halloween we'll be celebrating that with a party at the event. Keep up with the latest chatter on the Facebook page that has been set up. Sunday some of us will be walking in the Dallas Walk from Obesity. I'm walking. I might even mosey or ramble or saunter. If you can't walk with us please consider donating a $ buck or 2 and I'll walk, mosey, ramble, saunter for us both :)

Thank you to my ✩✩ rock star friends ✩✩ who donated already: Laura J., Dana K., Peggy E., Rebecca C., Donna T., Coleen G., Linda P., Mandi R., Rae T., Andrea H., Catheryn E. and Lynnda S.

2. Looking for a yummy lunch or cool protein packed snack idea for HOT DAYS. Here's one of my new favs. Bacon lovers will want to give this one a try. Great use for leftover bacon.

Shelly's Bacon Tomato Yogurt Dip

3 oz. Greek Yogurt (I use plain, 2 %)
2 slices of Cooked Bacon, crumbled (any regular, turkey, you could even use bacon bits)
1 Large Tomato, chopped
Kosher Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper

Mix till well combined. Serve with Cucumber "Crackers" or another veggie dipper of choice.

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

Percentage of obese residents by state - 12 states had a more than 30% obesity prevalence ranking: AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, OK, SC, TX, and WV.
Many First-Graders Shun Overweight, Obese Kids
Time to abandon the notion of personal choice in dietary counseling for obesity?
Can Thinking You Are Fat Make You Fat?
Bariatric patients at Houston Northwest Medical Center celebrate weight loss success
Obesity surgery is NOT just about surgery - AMEN!

and finally a shout out to Nike for their latest advertising campaign. Meet Nathan:


"In a society where obese individuals face pervasive stigmatization, it is important to debunk weight-based stereotypes that so often lead to prejudice," said Rebecca Puhl, PhD, Director of Research and Weight Stigma Initiatives at the Yale Rudd Center. "Nike does this successfully by communicating the message that we all have the potential for greatness, no matter what body size we have. More messages like this are badly needed in our culture, and hopefully others will follow the example of Nike to address weight stigmatization head on."

4. Celebrate Vitamins asked this question this week on their Facebook page: What is one one of the biggest celebrations you have had since weight loss surgery? Add your answer and read others.

Mine... toss up between walking the Brooklyn Bridge or finally seeing the end of the Pier.

5. The summer of Eggciting giveaways continues this Sunday. Be sure to stop by the blog when another AWESOME Eggface Giveaway begins! What will it be?! Hint: It's beautiful.

Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My yesterday in post weight loss surgery eating...

Breakfast: Remember my Greek Breakfast Bowl from the other day. I made an Italian version. I sauteed a couple of mushrooms till golden. Beat a couple of eggs with some a dash of oregano. Poured the mixture over the mushrooms. Scramble till done. I spooned the egg mixture in bowls and topped it with a few halved cherry tomatoes, chopped basil and Parmesan cheese. Lots of protein and a good start to the day.

Lunch: It was another hot day in my 'hood. We've had 100+ temps for well over a week now and I'll tell you it's really getting to me. In this heat I could literally not eat at all but I know that is not wise so I made myself a Chocolate Banana Fit Frappe.

A packet of Big Train's Chocolate Fit Frappe, 1/2 a frozen Banana, milk, ice, whiz on high. Yum. Icy cold and packed with protein.

Tip: When you have bananas that need using. Peel them, cut them into chunks, and toss them in the freezer in a Tupperware or Ziploc bag. They are great in protein shakes and smoothies. Makes them extra creamy and frosty.

Dinner: I made my infamous Crockpot Carnitas. You can eat them in tortillas (or when I was pre WLS I ate it on those Hawaiian Rolls) but I make it lower in carb and calories by eating them in little lettuce cups. Butter/Boston Lettuce leaf, clump of carnitas, a little avocado, a little cilantro, spoon of salsa, squeeze of lime, sprinkle of cheese. So good. So good that I forgot to picture them assembled before we ate them but here's what they look like made into little lettuce "tacos." I make them almost every Cinco de Mayo.

Snacks: I received a Klout Perk in the mail. Basically Klout is a website that measures social influence so the more chit chat, retweets, etc. on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and the more Klout +K's you receive they determine a score and send you freebies. I don't get the way they score really but I've gotten a few cool freebies so I'm on there. So far I've received a few gift cards, new foods to try, free Moo cards, some pretty cool stuff. Well and a few lame ones... ummm men's underwear (yeah I have no man) and they seem to be obsessed with sending me wrinkle creams, I get at least one a month. I fear they are trying to tell me something, "Eggy, use these wrinkle creams and you will find someone to fill those underwear." ;)

Anyway... back to the Planter's Nut-rition Peanut Butter perk.

I stuck my teaspoon in each flavor (Cinnamon Raisin Granola Nut, Berry Nut, Banana Granola Nut) as a taste test... I liked them all except for the Banana one which was a little fake banana tasting. The Cinnamon Raisin Granola Nut was my favorite I kept that one and the others I sent to my neighbor for them to try, they have kids. Post weight loss surgery I can barely put a dent in a jar of peanut butter before it expires so I figured I'd taste them and pass on the Klout love.

I also had a bowl of cherry tomatoes with just salt, pepper and oregano on them (Nothing like cherry tomatoes in the summer. I'm addicted) and a cheese stick while I watched a little TV *hangs head in shame* it was a Real Housewives episode.

I'm not drinking as much coffee in this heat wave. I have been doing well with the water and I found these at Costco that are great (drank 3 yesterday.)

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Drum roll...

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Post Weight Loss Surgery Menus: A day in my pouch

My yesterday in post weight loss surgery eating. Menu and recipes...

This has been the worst week. We're in a heatwave from hell. 100+ degree days. It was soooo HOT I saw two fire hydrants fighting over a dog. Ba dum bum ching ;) Seriously, it's been awful. I went to the Farmer's Market but I was in and out of there. I did run into my pal Sandy who found this in her travels a few months back. How AWESOME is this?!

Thank you Sandy. I love it. It was christened this AM with some Italian Roast.

I grabbed just the basics at the market (zucchini, a big sweet onion, strawberries, Reed avocados, tomatoes, and figs) ran the couple of errands I absolutely needed to do and retreated back to my house.

Breakfast: I came home and made a Greek Breakfast Bowl.

Shelly's Greek Breakfast Bowl: I beat a couple of eggs with a sprinkle of Greek seasoning (blend of oregano, black pepper, garlic, sage found in the spice aisle.) Cooked them with a few chopped cherry tomatoes till done. Spooned the egg mixture in bowls and top with chopped Kalamata olives and Feta cheese. Protein packed and yummy.

Lunch: I've been trying not to put on the oven unless it's super early or really late to not heat up the house. So we've been doing a lot of cold eats. Yesterday, I made Individual Crab Louis Salads. I love these little individual salads. Everything is layered in a plastic cup, covered with wrap, grab a plastic fork and you can take off, lunch in hand. You can make them the night before and it makes life easier on busy days.

A typical Crab Louie salad consists of Crab Meat (I used canned), hard boiled Eggs, Tomato, Asparagus, Cucumber, Romaine Lettuce with a Louie dressing (mine is healthified.) I added olives (thanks Michelle H for those delicious anchovy stuffed olives, another gift from a pal) instead of asparagus (any olive will do.)

Shelly's Louis-ish Dressing

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (I use plain 2%)
1/2 teaspoon Paprika (I used Hungarian Sweet)
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper

Mix till well combined. Great as a salad dressing or dip for veggies, meat or fish.

Dinner: We had an afternoon thunderstorm. 20 minutes of rain and few booms and a flash or two. When the lawn furniture had sufficiently dried I packed up my bento with more cold eats and sat outside. I love the world after it rains.

Pink Box (top left): Sliced Tomatoes with Shelly's Yogurt Feta Dressing (just plain yogurt, with a little feta cheese, oregano, salt & pepper)
Green Box (top right): Shelly's PBJ & Banana Trail Mix
Blue Box (bottom left): Roast Beef and Swiss Cold Cut Roll-up w/ mustard
Orange Box (bottom right): Grapes

Shelly's PBJ & Banana Trail Mix

A couple of Tablespoons of Peanuts
1/4 cup Freeze Dried Banana Strawberry Bits (I use Gerber Graduates Mini Fruits found in the baby food aisle 25 cals for a 1/4 cup)

Mix. Eat.

More Bento Meal Ideas

Snacks: Went outside to watch the Perseid meteor shower which is usually a disappointment and a pain-in-the-neck literally. This year it was GREAT. I saw 20+ the first few minutes I was out there. Plus I ate this delicious dessert under the stars.

I used some of the Farmer's Market figs to make a yummy protein-packed dessert. I have a tree and it's given me 4 so far this year. I should have more by the end of the week, lots are almost ripe but not quite there yet. I couldn't pass up a basket for $2. I roasted a few. Roasted figs are delicious on Greek Yogurt (or Ricotta Cheese) for breakfast or like I had them for dessert. The roasted figs stay for several days in the fridge.

Shelly's Roasted Figs

6 Mission Figs, halved
1 teaspoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup
Dash or two of Cinnamon
Ricotta or Greek Yogurt

Half the figs. Place them on a foil wrapped cookie sheet. In a small bowl, I place 1 Tablespoon of Sugar Free Torani Syrup (SF Vanilla, SF Vanilla Bean, SF Caramel, SF Cinnamon Vanilla would all be yummy), 1 teaspoon of Butter, and a dash or two of Cinnamon. Nuke for 25 seconds. Spoon over each fig half. The mixture is plenty for 12 halves. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

More days in my pouch.