Holiday Breakfast: Snow People Ricotta Pancakes

After all the gifts are opened Christmas morning how about making snow people. What? There's no snow where you live? Well, that's no problem. Here's a Christmas (or all winter long) protein-packed, low carb, bariatric surgery post-op friendly breakfast idea that will become a fun holiday memory for the whole family.

Snowpeople Ricotta Pancakes

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

Snowpeople Parts:
A few Raisins or dried Cranberries or Blueberries for eyes and buttons
A couple of pieces of cooked Bacon slices for a scarves
Sugar-Free Maple Syrup and/or No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream "snow"

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 the mixture into pan and pat flat. You'll want some bigger circles and some smaller for your snowman or snowwoman's head. Cook on low till golden, flip, pat flat, cook till done. Gather your snowpeople parts and let everyone build their own. Makes enough for about 7-8 snowpeople.

Do you want to build a snowman? I'd love to see your snow people. If you snap a picture and post it on Instagram or Twitter tag me or add #Eggface

More Eggface Christmas Ideas
10 Tips for Surviving the Holidays Post Weight Loss Surgery

Sugar Free Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies are a traditional part of holiday celebrations. Some people just don't feel like it's the holidays without a little icing and a few sprinkles. If you are looking to have a little something sweet with a little less impact to your health, weight, or fitness goals give these sugar-free, lower fat, no white flour cookies a try.

I use Swerve as the sugar replacement, it's made mostly of Erythritol, found in a lot of sugar-free gums and mints, you can find it in most health food stores or I added an online link below, it comes in Granular, Confectioners and Brown and measures the same as regular sugar. It doesn't seem to cause gastric issues some sugar replacements cause but you don't test it by eating the whole batch of cookies in one sitting. I cut out some of the ingredients that I try and limit on my plan in this recipe. So they should be a great holiday treat for those of you that are on a keto, low carb or diabetic diet but of course, as always run them by your health professionals for their thumbs up... better yet bring them a batch.

Are they your Grandma's Christmas cookies? No, but those probably have oodles of sugar, butter and white flour in them. These really are a great alternative for traditional sugar cookies and I think Grandma might even fight you for the last one.

Shelly's Sugar-Free Almond Christmas Cookies 

1 cup Almond Flour (not meal)
2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 cup Butter, softened
1/4 cup Swerve, Granular
1 Large Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Glaze

3 Tablespoons Swerve, Confectioners
1 Tablespoon Milk, any
1/8 teaspoon Lemon Extract (you can sub any flavor Almond, Vanilla)
Holiday Nonpareils  (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream softened butter with the Swerve until combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Roll the dough into 1 to 1-1/2 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Press the balls down with the palm of your hand to about 1/2 inch thick.

They puff a bit but don't spread. Bake about 18-20 minutes, until just barely beginning to firm up and are lightly golden on the bottom. Remove and let cool on the pan. They will firm as they cool. Makes 16-20 cookies.

Make the glaze: mix the Confectioner's Swerve, milk, and extract together till well combined. Dip the top of the cookies into the glaze and sprinkle with nonpareils.

The glaze sets pretty quick... so dip and sprinkle each cookie, don't dip all then go to sprinkle because your sprinkles will roll off... or alternatively if you are not a fan of glaze you can melt Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips to dip or drizzle over cookies.



Here's our Christmas tree this year. I love my mixed up ornament tree. There is a story behind every ornament and as we decorate we remember the people, times or places they represent. Wishing everyone Happy Holidays filled with wonderful memories.

Tips for Surviving the Holidays Post Bariatric Surgery

Holiday Giggle: Christmas Cookie Rules

It's a The World According to Eggface tradition to post this once a year...

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test cookie and thus calorie free.

2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.

3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calorie free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free also.

4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.

5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.

6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!

7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package.

8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.

9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING.

10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It is a rule!

Oh if only! 🎅   A

A few tough weeks ahead, stress, changes in routine, pressure... Remember YOU ARE TOUGHER... it's OK to Say NO. 

My Holiday Tips

Headed to Nashville

I'm headed to Nashville. I'm attending ObesityWeek. ObesityWeek for those that may not know is the combined annual meetings of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and The Obesity Society (TOS) so the bariatric surgeons and their related staff (bariatric nurses, dietitians, psychologists, etc.) and the scientists and researchers in obesity.

A few years ago it was held in San Diego, which is the closest major city to my town and I worked in a booth for the Obesity Action Coalition (didn't attend sessions or meetings) and then last year it was in the Washington DC/Virginia area and just before I became OAC Board Chair so they sent me to learn and meet the folks we interact with on common projects. I attended some super interesting scientific sessions most of which were over my head a bit but I asked a lot of questions and gained a better understanding of the science of obesity... honestly it was empowering to hear from world-renowned scientist from all over the globe all saying it is not just "eat less and move more" which is sadly what much of society and the media portray it as. Personal responsibility for healthy behaviors is just one aspect and so much more is at play (brain signals, gut hormones, environment, and on-and-on.) Now how to get that message out to the general public... so that those affected aren't faced with the stigma and bias that obesity is all their fault... I'd love to hear your ideas!

I feel more comfortable going this year since it's my second one. I'll be tweeting, of course, www.twitter.com/eggface from some of the sessions and meetings and Tuesday I'm on a panel sharing my personal story and ways people treating obesity can make the experience better for people affected who choose to seek treatment. I hope what I share makes them more aware of the impact they can have (both good and bad.)

In my downtime, I'm looking forward to checking out the EXPO HALL which is huge and full of products and services... Celebrate Vitamins, Premier Protein, Livliga, and others (take a look at the list) I can't wait to share the new and yummy goodies I taste. If you spot something you want me to be sure to visit and report back on let me know.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter for my Music City adventure and the #OW2018 hashtag. I've never been to Nashville if you can believe that... so it will be fun. Well technically, I drove through it when we moved cross country from New York to California but couldn't stop because I had a guinea pig in the car. It was too hot... this time... no guinea pig and it might snow. So fair warning my twitter feed might have a lot of whining about the cold... Southern Californians whine at anything under 60°F. 

While I love and am thankful for the experiences and travel I've been able to do on behalf of the Obesity Action Coalition I do have to say I'm looking forward to nothing on the agenda travel wise till January... just some holiday cooking, sharing recipes and products. Till then be sure to check out some of these past posts to get you ready for Thanksgiving and the holidays post-bariatric surgery.

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving Appetizers, Side Dishes, and Desserts
My Thanksgiving and Fall Pinterest Recipe Page
What to do with all those Thanksgiving Leftovers