Pumpkin Chai Protein Shake

So you might remember that I made some pumpkin protein shake starters the other day. I'm just now getting around to using them! It's not that I didn't want to use them. I've just been testing one of the shake flavors that will be included in the 2012 Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Kit (those of you who ordered last year will remember you got two yummy shake kits that came with everything you need to make a Signature Bariatric Foodie - except the liquid of course! But if you weren't around, here's the info about last year's Survival Kit to familiarize yourself. Info about the 2012 Kit will be available soon and they'll go on sale in late-October).

Anyhoo...for the last few days I've been testing that recipe and, frankly, I hit a wall with it. It's almost there but I needed something different today to...I dunno, reset my palate maybe? Anyway, this shake got the job done!

Nik's Pumpkin Chai Protein Shake

1 c. milk (whatever kind you use)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 pumpkin pie protein shake starter cubes
1 tbsp Davinci sugar-free Chai Concentrate (if you don't have that, you can also use 2 tsp of sugar-free chai tea mix - I believe General Foods makes it)
Sweetener, to taste

Optional: Whippage and an additional dusting of cinnamon, as shown above

Directions:

Combine milk, protein powder, shake starters and concentrate in a blender. Mix according to the Triple X Method. Or not. Your choice! NOTE: I'd use a few extra ice cubes in addition to the shake starters personally (2-4 of them).

This was a neat little drink. Very Starbucks-esque, if I do say so myself.

Now...back to those Survival Kits...

The 2012 Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Kits are coming!

Yes, yes I know. It's only the end of September. But in the coming weeks you'll hear me talking more and more about the Holiday Survival Kits so I thought I'd shoot out a few notes about what I know already.

If you're asking "What the heck is the BF Holiday Survival Kit?" click here to read about last year's. It gives good background although some things will be different this year.

Here are a few important things you need to know:

• This year I am producing 200 Bariatric Foodie Protein Shake Sample Kits, that are part of the Survival Kit. Once they are gone, they're gone! So if you want the sample kits, order early!
• Speaking of ordering, I'm going to set up pre-ordering this week, but please note the kits will not ship until early November!!!
• For those that ordered Survival Kits in years past, there WILL be new recipes included with the ones I've published before and the recipes will be as an e-book that you can use on your tablet or print for easy reference.
• For those that just didn't want to click the link above, the Holiday Survival Kit comes with:
• A Bariatric Foodie Holiday Recipe e-book that includes all BF's signature holiday recipes on recipe cards, a complete shopping list, holiday survival tips, healthy cooking advice and more!
• Two Shake Sample Kits - this year's flavors to be announced
• ...other stuff to be determined but in the past kind sponsors have contributed goodies and discounts for you to enjoy. I hope this to be the case this year as well!

That's all I know for now, I swear! But I am working hard to know more! And of course when I know more, I'll tell more. But until then... go play with your food!

A Big Phat Foodie THANK YOU!

This is one of those rare non-recipe posts. Just me musing. Indulge me. We’ll get back to food in a minute.

As I think about all I learned at FitBloggin’ one thing becomes apparently clear to me. This space, this tiny community that is Bariatric Foodie, is unique and awesome.

What makes me say that?

Well, I am a big fan of community. That’s one reason I am particularly proud of Bariatric Foodie. When I first started the blog I was all about getting MY recipes out there. But a funny thing happened. You guys started sharing with me how you changed my recipes. And I thought the changes were brilliant (for the most part). Eventually it all gelled into the “play with your food” concept.

Now, I can say with confidence I feel we (you and me) interact a lot. I post recipes and you post tweaks to them. You send me recipes and pictures of what’s going on in your kitchen and I post them. I ask questions and you give me answers. And you guys ask each other questions and help each other along the way. And we not only talk here but on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and via email too!

In short, I am not (nor have I ever proclaimed myself) THE Bariatric Foodie. We are all Bariatric Foodies. Trying to figure out this thing called post-op life together. I like that about us.

So this post is just to say thank you for being you. Thank you for being a Bariatric Foodie. I’ve had such fun so far in the last three years of writing this blog and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.

And if you’ll also indulge me a small appeal. I’d like to challenge you all. If you like what’s going on here, share it! Tell your support group members, you friends (even non-ops!) and others about Bariatric Foodie. Get others playing with their food.

Because the tools for better health are the greatest gifts you can give someone.

Ok, ok…enough with the mushy stuff. Tomorrow: check out what I've been doing with those protein shake starters!!!

Pumpkin Protein Shake Starters

I'm really busy most days. Are you?

If so you know that making some of the more decadent dessert shakes can be a hassle. Take pumpkin shakes for example. You have to crack open a can of pumpkin, dole out what you need for your shake, find something to store the rest of the pumpkin. All this makes those types of shakes not feasible for when you're on the go.

I have a solution.

Protein shake starters!

"What the HELL is a protein shake starter, Nik?"

I'm glad you asked.  I make protein shake starters so that I can quickly and easily assemble my shakes with all the flavors I love but without all the mess and time investment.

I just made up a batch of pumpkin protein shake starters and here's how I did it:

Step One: Assemble the ingredients

So here we have a can of pumpkin, some pumpkin pie spice, some vanilla extract (or you can use some sugar-free vanilla syrup), a bowl, a wooden spoon and an ice cube tray.

Step Two: Mix it Up!

Combine the ingredients in your bowl and mix well! You want the flavors to be well distributed. Here I used the whole can of pumpkin, 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1/4 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice. You can adjust to your liking though! I did not add sweetener. I'll add that directly to my shake if I want it.

Step Three: The ice cube tray

This is your secret weapon in this whole deal. The one thing that always irked me about pumpkin shakes was feeling like I had to figure out what to do with the rest of that can of pumpkin. Well, once you mix up your starter, fill an empty ice cube tray with it, using a tablespoon measure. On a standard ice cube tray this should get you perfect, one ounce servings of your pumpkin mixture. Remember to tap down your ice cube tray on the counter to make sure it settles in there nice.

Step Four: Freeze!

Then all you have to do is pop it in the freezer and freeze until solid. When they're done, you pop them out of the ice cube tray and into some freezer bags (I recommend getting smaller bags and only putting a few in each bag).

Then when you're ready to make your shake, combine your shake starter (two cubes) with milk (or water, if that's your thing), protein powder and any other flavor additives you like (additional sugar-free syrups, etc.) and away you go!

These starters take about 10 minutes to make but they save you time and money. Now that you have your canned pumpkin all prepped to become a shake, and now that you have it all frozen (so it lasts longer) you waste less pumpkin and you can mix up your pumpkin pie shake in no time!

And it's automatic portion control. Remember, generally one ice cube slot = one ounce.

I make protein shake starters out of all sorts of stuff. Look for more combinations to come!

FitBloggin' 2012 - Day One Report

Need I say more??? Yes? Well ok, then!

As I said yesterday, I am attending the FitBloggin' 2012 Conference here in Baltimore with my pals Melting Mama and Eggface. Today, the festivities kicked off with a tour of the McCormick Spice facilities in Hunt Valley, MD and the above is the lunch they served us. Actually, I misspeak. That was PART of the lunch. I didn't take everything they offered but everything they offered was healthful and yummy.

Why?

Well because they are promoting an effort for healthful eating they are calling Generation Fresh (Twitter handle: @Spices4Health, hashtag #GenFresh on Twitter). You see, they believe food can be healthy and flavorful without added sodium, fat and sugar. God bless 'em!

Here's the menu of food they offered us:

During our tour we also go to see several food demonstrations and we got to see how flavor research is done. I took pictures of it all and you can see all the great pics on the Bariatric Foodie Facebook Page!

Once we were done at McCormick, I came back to the hotel and got my swag bag. OMG! I could not believe the stuff I scored! I'm...um...kinda poor so I get excited at swag bags. Lookit!

And that isn't even ALL the swag, just what I could fit in the picture. Notice to the right...SHOES! All my single moms will probably relate to the fact that I don't get new shoes often. I just learn to make them last so I can buy the kids pair after pair that they grow out of, mess up or otherwise render un-wearable. So to get some new workout shoes was a blessing. THANK YOU REEBOK!

But after the swag bag something REALLY exciting happened. I ran into a few people you guys might recognize:

In the green is the absolutely fabulous Michelle Vicari, aka "Eggface" and in the black is the notoriously fierce  Beth Sheldon-Badore aka "Melting Mama." It was so comical when we saw each other. I started screaming and barreled toward them with arms spread open. It's a wonder they didn't run in the other direction! 

That was a moment for me. I think I've said before but I will say again that Eggface inspired me to cook and to start this blog. Meeting her is definitely a highlight! And Beth? Even though we'd met several times before it's always great to see her again! 

Tomorrow I'll be live blogging my session at the conference (this is how I got free registration!) called "the business of blogging." Never has there been a session I needed to be in more, frankly!

Look for an update tomorrow with all I learned and some of the great people I am meeting.

Until then, FoodieS!

Bariatric Foodie will be at FitBloggin 2012!

So…I’ve been a little…sparse…lately.

Life gets that way for me sometimes! I am working on a few new recipes but this week my focus is on a conference I’m attending called FitBloggin’. Here’s a description from their website.

The FitBloggin’ Conference is for anyone who blogs about fitness, wellness, good food and a healthy lifestyle–regardless of where they are in their journey. Our attendees are a melting pot of fit-minded people. Some of us are on a mission to lose weight. Others are training for triathlons. We have gym rats and folks learning to run. We welcome vegetarians, vegans, and convenience food junkies alike. We may all be in different stage of fitness, but we all share one passion: To live a happy, healthy balanced life. 

More than just another blogging conference, FitBloggin’ is all about the desire to use technology, blogging and social media to motivate, inspire and foster a culture of health and wellness. We strive to bring together bloggers from all walks of life to create a tightly connected group of men and women who care deeply about and are committed to spreading this passion for fitness.

I first heard of this conference a few years ago when my pal Beth (aka Melting Mama) attended it. I thought it looked interesting but far too expensive for me to try to attend – even though it’s held in my own city!

This year, though, they gave away free registrations in exchange for live blogging one session, which I happily agreed to do! So I get to learn more about fitness, healthy eating and the business end of blogging (of which I am an idiot as evidenced by the fact that you all STILL don’t have your protein shake book…but it’s coming!).

And great news! Both Beth and my pal Shelly (aka Michelle aka Eggface) are attending as well. So the WLS blogosphere will be REPRESENTIN’!!!!

To answer the obvious question, yes we are discussing a good time for a meet up but I don’t have any firm details yet. Stay tuned! And if you’re in the Baltimore area consider coming to meet us when we get our collective selves together.

Until then, I look forward to getting lots of great info for you, Foodies! Tomorrow I start the conference with a tour of the McCormick spice factory to learn how to enhance healthy eating through spices.

I’ll report back each day!

Foodie-sentials: What vitamins should RNY patients take?

Check out last month's article: What vitamins should VSG patients take?)

Last month I told you about the vitamins that are recommended for vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) patients. Today, I’m going to tell you about the vitamins that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients (RNY) are advised to take.

Gastric bypass patients need to take more vitamins than lap band patients or vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients because in addition to only being able to eat a limited amount of food, part of their small intestines have been bypassed. People absorb most vitamins and minerals in our small intestines and with part of them bypassed, they end up absorbing fewer nutrients from the food they eat and the supplements they take.

The vitamins you need may vary based on your individual needs and the results of your blood tests, but here’s what the American Societyfor Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommendations say you should start with:

• An adult multivitamin, containing 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of at least 2/3 of all nutrients, including 18 mg iron and minerals like zinc and selenium, twice daily
• 1500 mg to 2000 mg calcium citrate (not calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate), divided into three or four doses of about 500 mg each, taken at least two hours apart
• An additional 18 mg to 27 mg iron for menstruating women
• 350 mcg to 500 mcg sublingual B12 daily OR 1000 mcg B12 injections once a month
• B-50 complex is optional
• Other vitamin and mineral supplements may be needed, based on the results of your blood tests; for instance, most RNY patients seem to need additional vitamin D3 in order to maintain a healthy vitamin D level

Notice that the ASMBS recommends an adult multivitamin. While some surgeons and dieticians recommend children’s chewable vitamins to patients, these are usually missing some key nutrients that gastric bypass patients need. Read the label of any multivitamin you are considering carefully and make sure it has 100% of the RDA of most ingredients and that it has minerals like copper, zinc, and selenium. Special bariatric formulas are available, but you can use a non-bariatric multi, too, as long as it meets the ASMBS guidelines.

Choose a calcium supplement that contains calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, or a combination of different types of calcium. RNY patients don’t have enough stomach acid to break down calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate for absorption. That means supplements like Viactiv, Tums, Caltrate, and Citracal gummies aren’t good choices.

It’s important to note that both men and women need iron after RNY, including postmenopausal women. Some types of iron, like ferrous sulfate, often cause constipation and an upset stomach, but other forms, like carbonyl iron, are usually gentler on the stomach and are less likely to cause constipation. Calcium interferes with the absorption of iron, so take your iron supplement at least two hours before or after your calcium supplements and any dairy products.

Bariatric surgeons often recommend using chewable or liquid vitamins for the first few weeks or months after surgery. You can switch to vitamins that you swallow as soon as you are able to tolerate swallowing pills, according to the ASMBS. If you like chewable vitamins better, though, you can stick with those as long as you like.

If you have questions about the vitamins you need, talk to your bariatric surgeon or a registered dietician with bariatric experience (make sure you see a registered dietician, because they have college degrees in nutrition and have to pass a licensing exam, while nutritionists don’t have to have a college degree or pass any kind of exam). You’re welcome to contact me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com, as well, and I’ll try to answer any questions, although I cannot give medical advice.

Next month we’ll talk about the recommended vitamins for patients that have a duodenal switch (DS). In the meantime, don’t forget to take your vitamins!

About Kelly

This month we asked all Foodie contributors to share a guilty pleasure.

We suspect many of you share Kelly's guilty pleasure. Starbucks! She says "While Skinny vanilla lattes are not nutritionally bad for me, they are kind of a waste of money but I can't resist when I'm near a Starbucks." Raise your hand if you can relate!

If you have a question for Kelly, hit her up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com!

Holistic Wellness: What is it and why does it matter?

In the weight loss surgery world we often say, “they operated on our stomachs, not our heads.”

That’s true but I think I’d revise that a bit to say, “they operated on our stomachs, not our lives.” Because in the five years since having Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, I’ve learned that losing weight does not automatically make you healthier. We can see that in the studies that tell us that post-ops have high rates of transfer addictions, especially to alcohol.

No, a healthy lifestyle starts with a healthy self. And a healthy self is about more than just your stomach!

Shortly after my surgery, I enrolled in a 12-week group therapy class where I learned about making a Comprehensive Wellness Plan. This plan doesn’t just focus on my body but all areas of my life. The psychologist who led the sessions taught me that bariatric surgery is not just about the physical part of losing weight. If I didn’t get my head on straight and focus on my complete health, I’d never be a success — in weight loss surgery or life.

Five years later I’m still working my plan. I’ve had success in some areas, set-backs in others. I’ll work this plan for life. But having it helps me to make healthier life decisions. And isn't that what this is all about?

Here are the dimensions of health I’m focusing on, in case any of you would like to make a plan for yourself. You can choose to work on any area of your health that is important to you. But do it! You’ll thank yourself later.

1. Physical Health: Bariatric surgery gives you the opportunity to get a jumpstart on your physical health. But losing weight is only one part of the battle because the scale doesn’t tell you the whole story. Staying healthy with proper exercise and a solid vitamin regimen is also important.
2. Emotional Health: Keeping an emotional journal has helped me get in touch with my feelings and more fully understand what’s going on in my own head. Bariatric surgery is definitely about the physical health, but I believe that the surgery itself is only about 10% of the equation. The rest is all about the emotional journey: getting your head screwed on straight, establishing a healthy relationship with food and finding a way to love yourself enough to do make the healthy (and often harder) choices for your body.
3. Spiritual Health: Whether you are religious or not, you have a spirit and it needs to be healthy too! I personally spend time in prayer and practice meditation for overall spiritual health.
4. Financial Health: Especially now during this economic recession, many of us are facing difficult financial situations. Taking control of my financial health helped me find peace of mind and self-confidence and has helped me weather this stressful time. Does money ever drive you to make
5. Intellectual Health: I’m always learning new things. Right after my surgery I was very focused on learning as much as I could about my new body and how it worked from an anatomy and biology standpoint. I also knew that I wanted to go back to college and finish my degree. I achieved one of my the biggest goals on my plan when I graduated from college! But the learning hasn’t stopped for me. I always seek to learn and grow.
6. Vocational Health: If you’re not happy with your job, then find a new job. My vocational goals fed directly into my educational goals. I wanted a new career, so I had to finish my degree. For me, these two were closely related, but that might not be the case for you. In any case, everyone has a passion. An important first step in vocational health is discovering your passion.
7. Relationship Health: Too often we, as morbidly obese people, put ourselves last on the priority list. And when you finally decide to put yourself first with bariatric surgery, relationships can suffer. My goal was to be the best family member and friend I could be without sacrificing my overall health. Working extr
8. Character Health: This goal is not as easy to define as the others. The strength of my character has to do with who I am at the core of my being. Integrity, humor, tolerance, reliability, loyalty, courage, and wisdom are some of the character traits I’ve worked on over the years. Shame and guilt are two emotions that can be associated with ill character health. They both occur when you do something you don’t believe in. They are warning signs!

The diagram above is one I found on the Internet for a rehab facility and wellness program in Washington D.C. Although my wellness goals do not match the ones shown in this picture, it still gives you a general idea of how the individual parts of a Holistic Wellness Plan work together to promote overall good health.

If you make a Holistic Wellness Plan for yourself, I encourage you to share it with others. This process is not exclusive to bariatric patients. A plan for a healthy lifestyle can benefit anyone in any stage of life.

I hope that by sharing my plan, you can start on the path to your own holistic wellness.

This month we asked all Foodie contributors to share their guilty pleasures. Pam's is a never-ending love of collecting fonts (or "typefaces" as she tells us REAL graphic designers call them). While the rest of humanity gets by with the free fonts that are pre-installed in our programs, Pam actually pays MONEY for new fonts. (Yeah...we don't get it either...) But, as she points out, she's not sure if this can be considered a guilty pleasure because she is not ashamed!

And when she's not busy with that, Pam is also a graphic designer, support group leader and author of several blogs and the upcoming book entitled "Journey to a Healthier Me." She's a good one to know. Learn more about her!

Have a question for Pam? Send it to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com!

Foodie Fitness Corner: Nik's Review of the Body Pump Workout

(Check out last month's article: Hillery's Guide to Spin Class!) 

Nik's Guide to Body Pump

Body Pump. What the heck is it? And how exactly (outside the realm of our pre-pubescent perverted thoughts) does one pump one’s body?

Well I’m here to break it all down for you. Because as intimidating as this class may look, it’s not that bad. Well…not after the first few times you go anyway.

Here’s my Foodie Fitness Review of Body Pump.

What is it?

Body Pump™ is a workout developed by a company called LesMills (which I learned is “less” Mills and not the French “lez” Mills) and is a total body strength workout. See their website for more details than ever thought possible. This article is just MY experience!

The class can be taught by one or more instructors, who have been licensed by Les Mills. They may or may not be personal trainers or fitness experts, although many are.

Here are some other interesting tidbits, based on my experience:

• Body Pump routines are called releases and each has a soundtrack. Les Mills puts out a new release every few months with fairly current music.
• The duration time of the class is 60 minutes, during which time my instructor tells me we go through 1,000 repetitions of weight lifting. (For the record, Les Mills says it’s 800…I prefer to go with the higher number…just sayin…)
• The workout targets all major muscle groups. Each segment of the workout is set to a song and each movement set to the beat of the song, which has been specially mixed for Body Pump workouts.
• The class is appropriate for beginners and experienced weight lifters.

What do I need to bring with me to a class?

I’ve been doing Body Pump for two years now. Here’s what I usually bring:

• A BIG bottle of water 
• A hand towel
• Myself in comfy and flexible workout clothes with a sturdy athletic bra (wardrobe malfunctions while planking are NOT fun. Just sayin…)

Is there anything I should do to prepare for the class?

The most important thing you can do is SHOW UP. Besides that, these suggestions may help your first time out:

• EAT A SNACK before going. No excuses! Eat something a little on the carby side with a little bit of protein (not cookies!). Yogurt with fruit works well. Also, I go to Body Pump at 5:45 a.m. So even if it’s morning, eat the snack!
• If you’re prone to soreness after workouts, try taking a Tylenol (or whatever pain reliever your surgeon says you are allowed to have) prior to this class. Don’t be intimidated, I suggest this for any workout where you feel you might be sore. 

What can I expect when I get there?

When you get to class you’ll likely see people of various fitness levels, ages, shapes and sizes there.

Your instructor will likely tell you how to set up for class but here are the basics:

• Grab a barbell and some weights. They usually come in three sizes: 5 kg, 2.5 kg and 1 kg. Your instructor will tell you when to increase, decrease weight so just grab one of each.
• You are also going to get a weight lifting board and risers (see picture below). Some gyms have mats you can place over the board to make it a bit more comfortable. You can also use the mats for floor exercises.
•  I personally usually grab a set of hand weights as well. Your instructor will lead you through some free-weight movements with the plate weights and I personally hand weights easier to deal with. Your choice 

Your risers and platform. These should be familiar to people who have ever taken step aerobics!

Class begins with a warm-up track that takes you through all the basic movements you’ll do in the hour-long workout. Then the instructor will do routines set to individual songs that target specific muscle groups.

While you are doing the movements, pay attention to the way the weights feel. You should be challenged but should be able to complete the movements in time with the instructor. If you cannot, take a break to decrease your weights. You don’t want an injury! Also, pay attention to your form. Good form ensures the muscles you want to get worked, get worked.

So why should I consider doing this?

This is Nik's actual shoulder/arm, by the way. Not quite where I want it to be but still not bad, eh?

Strength training is an important part of being fit in general. Building lean muscle helps you burn fat more efficiently, improves your posture, endurance and produces a great body shape!

Of course, Body Pump isn’t the only way to do strength training but it is good for beginners who want to learn some basic weight lifting moves and form. Plus, you feel pretty damn good after doing those 1,000 reps!

So if you see the class, check it out. If you do it, let me know how it goes!

This month all the Foodie contributors are sharing their guilty pleasures! 

Nik's guilty pleasure? (Besides contorted poses in pictures) Bad, bad, bad reality television.

In fact, you didn't hear it from us but if one wanted to get blackmail material on Nik, one might show up to her house during the air time of "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo." Just sayin. 

If you have a question for Nik, hit her up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com.

Nik's Protein Power Balls

(Insert snicker...go ahead...your inner 12 year-old is DYING to do it!) Yes, yes, on with it then...

The name is good for SEO the best name I could come up with to describe these things. As always, there's a story behind them.

So...I wanted to make peanut butter balls. Because I've seen them a few times. Paula Deen and whatnot. But I know that they are not particularly healthy in their original form. So one day I'm in the kitchen...tinkering...and I came up with what became this recipe.

Funny thing about these little suckers. They are deceptively FILLING. They are about the size of a jack ball (did you used to play jacks as a kid?). I ate two at about 7 p.m. that night and did not eat again until 2 the next afternoon. I kid you not. I documented it. 

So...wondering if this was unique to me, I asked a few other Foodies to try out the recipe. One of them being my friend Leslie (who inspired "Kitten's Love Potion #9 Protein Frosting"). She is a runner. And she, too, has a fairly...hearty pouch. She tried them. While she didn't wait quite so long to eat as I did, she reported just one was DEEPLY satisfying.

And now I am passing this recipe onto you, dear Foodies. And because I am feeling decidedly less bitchy more informational than usual I will even give you MY stats for this, although I encourage you, as always, to run your own stats using the ingredients YOU use. You'd be surprised at the variance.

Good balls are usually full of good stuff. This is what's in my balls!

Nik's Protein Power Balls

1 c. Fiber One Original cereal, crushed into crumbs
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp peanut butter (more about this in a moment)
3-4 tbsp milk

Optional: Splenda or other no-calorie sweetener, to taste

Directions:

Combine Fiber One crumbs, protein powder, sweetener (if you're using it - in my first few batches I did. In this one I did not) and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well. Then add your peanut butter. 

Now about the peanut butter. I use Naturally More peanut butter. It's sold at Wal-Mart (right there alongside the other peanut butter options). Here are the stats on it. As you can see it has a few less calories than regular peanut butter BUT it also has: a better source of fat (they took out the peanut oil and replaced with flax seed oil), more fiber (from the whole flax seeds included) and more protein (they add egg whites in there some kinda way...I don't ask questions). 

SO...this is a prime example of why I don't usually give stats for my recipes. Say you use a different high fiber cereal OR a different kind of peanut butter (or even PB2)...your stats WILL be different. Do yourself a favor and read this over so you know how to run stats on the variation YOU make!

Back to business...

Next you want to add your milk, one tablespoon at a time until your mixture looks something like this:

So let's talk about what your mixture should NOT be: soggy. You want it to be moistened but not wet. It should sorta resemble sand and have large clumps. K? Because when you get it right, this is what you should be able to do with it:

I did this by taking a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into my hand and rolling it around until I achieved a round shape. If you cannot do this with your mixture, even after four tablespoons of milk, add water by the teaspoon full. It will happen eventually!

And that's it! I store mine in an airtight container in the fridge and have learned, with practice, to only eat one at a time! Like I said, these suckers will fill you UP! For those of us a few years out, this is a good thing. Newbies: take heed.

This is a recipe you can play around with, of course. You can try it with PB2. You can try it with chocolate protein. You can try it using sugar-free syrups instead of milk to moisten it. The possibilities are endless!

My batch USUALLY makes 8-10 balls (if you want to get 10, use a heaping half tablespoon). This time I got a little generous with my heaps so I only got 7.  For fellow "Live Strong" members: Here are MY stats for these. For those who aren't members of Live Strong here are my basic stats:

Each ball (assumes 10):

Calories: 65
Carbs: 7.5g
Fiber: 3.6g
Protein: 4.9g

Again, your stats may vary so be sure to run your own!

Reader Submission: Chrissi's Spicy Bean Dip

All the pretty colors...

(Before we get to this recipe...have you taken a look at the finalist recipes for the Fit Frappe recipe contest? Yes, ok. Well...have you voted yet so that YOU have a chance to win some Fit Frappe? Ah...you didn't, did you? Go do it now! We'll wait.)

 Alrighty then! So anyone that knows me knows that Chrissi had me at the word "spicy." I love spicy everything and anything! I love spicy so much I ate spicy through TWO pregnancies and now have some spicy-loving divas (as evidenced by the fact that I got away with putting not one but TWO habanero peppers WITH SEEDS in my last batch of my famous hot dog chili!).

Our crazy, insatiable appetite for spicyness aside, here's the recipe Chrissi sent in:

Chrissi's Spicy Bean Dip

1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can black eyed peas
1 can green chili's
1 can diced tomatoes- (Chrissi usually buys whatever is on sale but tends to look for the ones that have onion and green peppers with it.)
1 red onion- diced
1 green bell pepper-diced
8 oz of Italian dressing.  (Chrissi prefers Ken's Steakhouse Lite Italian)
Pickled Jalapenos- optional.  I've used fresh before but find the pickled ones add a little more kick.

Directions:

Drain and rinse the beans and corn and add to a large mixing bowl.  Drain the tomatoes and add the the bowl.  Open the chili's and add to the bowl and mix together.  Then dice the onion and green bell pepper and add to the bowl with the beans.  Stir in chopped the jalapenos and add 8 oz of Italian dressing.  Stir and let sit over night in the fridge.  

Chrissi serves these with toasted pita chips that she makes herself.  She also serves this on a salad, with eggs and in wraps.

Thanks for this great recipe, Chrissi! If YOU have a great, WLS-friendly recipe to share, hit me up! I love to see what's going on in your kitchen.  

Which protein recipe is the best? YOU be the judge!

Ok, forget that "other" election. This is the REALLY important one! Your fellow Foodies have put forth recipes to win a full canister of Fit Frappe. Five finalists were chosen. Now it's time for YOU to decide who wins!

And just because I love you...for voting...five of you will win one of these: 

A sampler pack of Fit Frappe that comes with all five flavors: Espresso, Mocha, Vanilla, Vanilla Latte and Chocolate! Trust me…you wanna try this stuff. It’s good!

Remember: you have to vote to win! 

Voting is Simple. Here's what you do:

1. Decide which recipe you like best.
2. Vote for that recipe by leaving a comment below. You can only vote once, so choose wisely!
3. Be sure to include an email address where I can contact you if you win!

Want extra chances to win? Get TWO extra chances each (for a total of FOUR extra chances) by doing the following:

•  Go like Big Train’s Facebook Page
•  Follow @Big Train on Twitter 

(NOTE: If you’ve already done any of the above, IT STILL COUNTS! Let me know in your comment so I can give you credit!)

Now…onto the recipes.

TEAM ESPRESSO: Penney's "Wake Your A$$ Up!" Shake

1 c. cold coffee
2 tbsp. Coffee Mate sugar-free Caramel Macchiato Creamer (or to taste
1 serving of Fit Frappe Espresso (the 8 oz. size serving OR  1/2 the sample pack)
1 tbsp Torani sugar-free caramel syrup

(Penney's) Directions:

"Shake it up, baby! And because I am a loon and have to work til midnight, I poured this over COFFEE ICE CUBES! Wheeee"

TEAM MOCHA: Bridget's Ode to Joyous Almond Shake

Fit Frappe mocha (8 oz. serving)
1 pump (1 tbsp) sugar-free coconut syrup
1/2 pump (1/2 tbsp) sugar-free almond syrup (or sub 2 drips of extract)
8oz milk of your choice (coconut or almond are nice)

Ice

Directions:

Blend with your method of choice (I use the Super Chill Method). If you are adventurous (and have time) sprinkle with some fresh toasted almonds or unsweetened coconut...or sugar-free whippage (whipped cream)!

TEAM VANILLA: Alyson's Orange Creamsicle Shake

1 serving Fit Frappe Vanilla (8 oz. serving)
8 oz. preferred liquid (milk, water, etc.)
1/2 sugar-free orange drink stick
Ice

Directions: Combine in the blender for a tasty treat!



TEAM VANILLA LATTE: Dana's "Big Train Vanilla Latteccino Chai"

1 heaping tbsp. Big Train Spiced Chai

1 serving (8 oz. size) Vanilla Latte Fit Frappe

3 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 packets Truvia

7-8 ice cubes

To prepare, Dana recommends BF’s very own “Super Chill Method for making a Protein Frosty” but here’s Dana's recap:

Turn on the blender and whiz it up, and trickle another 2-3 ounces of unsweetened vanilla almond milk into the blender (either through the top if it's safe to do so, or by stopping the blender and adding it. 

After 6-8 seconds of whizzing around, stop the blender and shake the container as needed to keep it whizzing around. Once all the big pieces of ice have been whizzed into your drink, you're ready to conquer your Big Train “Latteccino Chai.” It's so thick and rich that you HAVE to drink it slowly - or risk getting a brain freeze!!”

TEAM CHOCOLATE: Wendy's Vegetarian-Friendly Chocolate Microwave Cake

1 scoop chocolate protein powder 
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet stevia
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3-4 pumps of sugar free davinci syrup (I use vanilla)

You want a thick consistency - like that of playdough. press it down into the bottom of a microwave safe container. Microwave for 60-90 seconds.

There you have it, Foodies! Vote for your favorite to win! You have until noon on Saturday, September 8 to cast your vote and by doing so, enter to win a FREE sample pack of Fit Frappe!

Thanks to all the people who submitted recipes and, as always, thanks for reading Bariatric Foodie!