Mini-Caramel Cream Cakes

Ok, so I'm not into recipe plagiarism so in the interest of FULL disclosure I'll say this is a total Hungry Girl knock-off. Not that there was anything wrong with HG's version but...it wasn't exactly WLS-friendly. I mean...who could eat that whole thing??? Well maybe some can. But for a good many of us it is a stretch.

Plus adapting this was SO easy, I hesitate to even call it a recipe. But here goes.

Mini-Caramel Cream Cakes

Ingredients

8 mini-caramel rice cakes (the kind I used had a serving size of 15 for 60 calories, 4g carbs so for what I used was just over 30 calories!)

2 tbsp whipped cream (I used Fit & Active fat-free whipped topping)

A few shakes of cinnamon

Optional: a little bit of kosher salt (I'll explain in a moment)

Step One:

Mix whipped topping with cinnamon in a cup. How much you mix depends on how much you like cinnamon. Don't like cinnamon? You can omit it and instead add some unsweetened cocoa powder or even PB2 and I bet this would still be AWESOME!

Line up 4 of your 8 cakes on a plate. Top each with 1/2 tbsp of the whippage.

NOW...if you're into bariatric piety you can simply top them at this point BUT if you, like me, have a slight naughty streak...add just a few crystals of kosher salt before topping with the other mini-caramel cake. TRUST ME on this one...it is soooo worth it.

Now, pop them in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes or so (or until they are firm but not a block of ice) and you come out with a bite size, crunchy, hella-satisfying dessert that is WELL below 100 calories.

Thank you Hungry Girl for the inspiration!

Meatless Friday (on a Tuesday)

(Looking for "Bariatric Foodie Pledge" grand prize info? Click here!)

Some of you may recall I do "Meatless Fridays" during Lent to honor my late (and very Catholic) grandfather.

I know many post-ops, by virtue of meat intolerance and some by choice choose to eat meatless diets, so this year I am going to TRY to get better at supporting you as you look to play with your food! Next week, look for the latest "BF Basics" series: Veggie Tales! I've asked a post-op friend of mine who has been vegetarian a good portion of her life (and has a few years of WLS lifestyle under her smaller-sized belt) to share what she knows about being a vegetarian after WLS. Look for that five part series starting on Monday!

In the meantime, I thought I'd start off by sharing what one of MY Meatless Fridays looks like. Please keep in mind that for me Meatless Friday does NOT = Vegetarian Friday. You'll see what I mean in a moment.

This week I hope to post a NEW Meatless Friday recipe (I have learned to stop over-committing so trying is the best you'll get from me at this point!) and every week during Lent.

Here's how my day went down (added bonus, I'm going to, FOR ONCE, share a few stats):

6:00 a.m. I ate some Greek yogurt with PB2. I did not snap a pic. My apologies! I call my first meal of the day my "petite breakfast." It really is just a little bit of food (in this instance about 1/2 c.) to get me going and out the door. This was ABOUT 100 calories and 16g protein. Then...



10:00 a.m. I had a Click Frapp! I LOVE these things. And I've learned to make them in nearly as many varieties as Starbucks makes Frappucinos! Aside from the above, classic, I love my Chai Latte Frapp, Clickabutter Frapp and Vanilla Frapp!  But there are many other Frapp recipes on BF. Search the term "Frapp" in the right menu bar to see which one appeals most to you! The above has 230 calories and a whopping 41.5g protein!!!

So that held me until...

2-ish...Yep...the shake is THAT filling! Anyhoo...tuna is a staple for me on Meatless Fridays. And I love me some TVP tuna...so I decided to do a new spin on it!

Check it out:



Nik's Tangy-Zesty TVP Tuna

4 oz. can of tuna, liquid reserved!!!
2 tbsp TVP (what's that?)
1/2 tbsp mayo (I use the fully loaded stuff, not low-fat)
2 tbsp 0% unflavored Greek yogurt
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
A few shakes each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper

Directions:

Set tuna, with water, and TVP in a bowl for about 2 minutes so the TVP can soak up the liquid. (HINT: the longer you let the TVP sit, the softer it gets).

In a separate bowl mix together mayo, yogurt, mustard and spices and mix well.

Add tuna to dressing mixture and serve!

MY TVP tuna came up to 221 calories, 27g of protein (including the bread).

I didn't have an afternoon snack last Friday. The TVP tuna sorta filled me up! I MEANT to finally try the famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) cauliflower crust pizza recipe. But I didn't get around to it!!! Long story short: life happens. But no worries! I have a Foodie on the case making the pizza this weekend and she's promised to report back so...soon and very soon!



As for MY dinner? It was around 6:30 p.m. and I ended up making a quick go-to dinner: Naked Eggplant Parm. Yummy and only takes minutes to throw together! It has about 250 calories and 15g of protein the way I make it.

On Friday nights I eat alone because, alas, my daughters have more of a nightlife than I do! They were at a weekly dance held by the local recreation center. After dinner, I made a pit stop to the gym (the ellptical + Jersey Shore = the easiest workout you've EVER done!) and then picked them up. I am a late night person so I usually have some sort of something before bed. This night I had a snack around 10 p.m. and it was this:

My Hot Cinnabon protein drink. I wanted a Salted Caramel Protein Cocoa but...I was out of chocolate protein powder (and still am...ack!). This drink has 230 calories and 35g protein.

So...for those of you counting...last Friday...Meatless Friday...I had a total of about 1031 calories with 134.5g protein. Now before you think me some sort of caloric wonder, please know that is not even close to my daily average caloric intake...but let's face it...fish and veggies have less calories than other stuff. And I am NOT one to look a gift horse (read: low cal day) in the mouth!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - GRAND PRIZE COMPETITION

The Grand Prize Pledge List for the 2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge is now CLOSED! Thank you everyone who participated and good luck to the Grand Prize Pledgers!

It is GRAND PRIZE WEEK! You may recall the Grand Prize is sponsored by Quest Protein Bars and the prize is two boxes of Quest Protein Bars!!!!

So this post is going to be long-ish (aw hell...let's be real...it's long!). Here's what we have to cover. I'm going to try my best to make this post as "scrollable" as possible because not all pieces of information apply to everyone. Here's what this post will cover:

1. Who won the 4th week credit and is now on the Grand Prize pledge list?
2. Who ELSE is on the Grand Prize Pledge list?
3. What should I do if I am NOT on the Grand Prize Pledge list and I think I should be?
4. What do I have to do to WIN the Grand Prize???

Who won the 4th week credit and is now on the Grand Prize pledge list?

I'll repeat this throughout the post, but for determining who qualifies for the Grand Prize Pledge list, I went by the final, published Pledger list for each week. If I'm missing you on the published list for any of the weeks, that means you didn't get credit for that week. Thankfully, many of you spoke up if you did not see your name and I was able to correct the lists before they closed!

Having said all that, there were 15 pledgers who had credit for three weeks but were missing one. From those, I used a random name generator to draw a name. Congrats to:

Sheila Winderlich!!! (Facebook Pledger)

You won a place on the Grand Prize Pledge list! Congrats!

Who ELSE is on the Grand Prize pledge list?

Again, for the purposes of the Grand Prize plege list, I used the final, published lists for each week. Here are the names of the 65 pledgers who qualify for the Grand Prize drawing. If your name IS on this list, immediately go to "What do I have to do to win the Grand Prize?" If your name is NOT on this list and you feel it should be, please go directly to "What should I do if I am NOT on the Grand Prize pledge list and I think I should be?"

Grand Prize Pledge List

Alanna Hendry
Aletha Moody
Alethea White
Alisha Andziulewicz Martioski Griffin
AmyC
Angie
Angie Lingo
Anna Harper
Ashley Hall
Babs
Barb Hook
Brandy Walters
Brenda Makar
Brittany M.
butterflylvr
Cara G. Chapel
Carissa Anderson
Charmaine Isaac Jackson
Cheri Bradford Rousseau
Cheryl K.
colleen
Cyndi Nugent
Dale Dorsz
Darlene Smith Meadows
Debra Jackson Rogers
Denise Ward
dme62
Fran D'Orazio
Goldie Evans
Heather P
Heather Rider
Hillery K
Jamie Metcalf
Jane Ivey
Jennifer Donaldson Stanton
Kat Cooper
Kathryn F
Kelley Snow Pitts
Kelly Schaefer
Kris Hamilton
Kristen S
Kyle McMacken Hammond
Laura Landry Ryan
Lori E
Lori S
Mandi Viani Roccia
Melanie Kling
Melissa Ringold
Melissa Y.
Michelle Meneely
Nell R.
Nikki Light
Poet Kelly
Robyn Butler Cyganik
Samantha A Golden
Sara Collins
sarahmcdermott
Sean Lloyd
Sharon M
Shawn Harrell Kelly
Sheila Winderlich
Shelagh
Simone
Stephanie Raymond
Susan Thompson Bariatric
Traci McGowan
Wendy Dettmer

What should I do if I am NOT on the Grand Prize Pledge list and I think I should be?

Again, the pledgers on the Grand Prize list were on each of the finalized and published Pledge list. If you pledged one of the weeks but I missed you and you didn't petition yourself onto the list before it closed, I'm afraid there's not much I can do. But there are two other reasons (from my view) your name could be missing:

• You pledged using more than one name
• You pledged in different places different weeks (which means most likely you ended up pledging under more than one name)

Either way, if you feel like your name should be on this list, please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com! I can tell you which weeks I am missing and what you need to do.

IMPORTANT: This list will stay open longer than the weekly pledging lists. The Grand Prize drawing is Sunday evening. You have until THURSDAY (March 1) at 12 p.m. EST to petition yourself onto the list, then afterward Sunday until noon to complete the last step for entering the drawing (see below).

What exactly do I have to do to WIN the Grand Prize???

Good question! The Grand Prize drawing will be held this Sunday, March 4. Pledging all four weeks was the first part of qualifying you for the drawing. To complete your qualification, you simply need to email me your response to one of the following:

1. What did you hope to get out of participating in the Bariatric Foodie Pledge? Did you accomplish that?
2. What was the biggest challenge you faced during the Bariatric Foodie Pledge? How did you overcome it?
3. What advice would you give to others who are trying to develop healthy goals and lifestyles?

Remember, you only have to answer ONE of those questions (although if you feel moved to answer more than one, feel free!). You have until 12 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, March 4 to submit your entry question! The drawing will take place that evening.

"But what are you going to do with our answers, Nik?"

I will assemble your answers and post them in the "The 2012 BF Pledge Yearbook" for other Pledgers to see. Why? Because I feel like you did a great thing for yourself and your experience could be of real value to others who are just coming along and need guidance on making and keeping goals! In that respect, I hope you'll give some thought to your answers and share some of the really helpful stuff you've learned!

And...to sweeten the pot, here are a few things you can do for extra chances at the prize:

• Share a BF post on Facebook and you get one extra chance
• Share a BF post on Twitter (be sure to tag @Bariatric Foodie so I can see it) and you get TWO extra chances!
• Do you have the Bariatric Foodie button on your blog? (Hint: the code is in the right menu bar) If you already do OR if you add it, email me your blog link for one extra chance.
• Send friends to like the Bariatric Foodie Facebook Page or like Bariatric Foodie on Twitter then get them to post or tweet that you sent them! For every five likes or follows you get one extra chance!

Whew! That was a lot to cover! Thanks for hanging in there! And thanks EVERYONE for participating in the 2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge!

THANK YOU!!!

This afternoon marked the end of the last "regular" pledge week in the 2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge. Before I give any more information on the Grand Prize week next week, let's announce the week 4 winners! These three pledgers won a $35 gift certificate to Carb Smart online stores plus free shipping on their order!!!

Congrats to:

• Sandy Barrow O'Connell (who pledged on Facebook)
• Stephanie Raymond (who pledged on Facebook)
• Alethea Moody (who pledged on Facebook)

Please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to claim your prize!

Next week, the pledgers who pledged and checked in all four weeks of the pledge  (plus one pledger who pledged three weeks who will win the fourth week as a prize this week) will participate in the grand prize competition. Just a few brief notes on that:

1. The Grand Prize Pledger list will go up tomorrow sometime after 12 p.m. EST (I do have a day job so exactly when this is depends on my actual work day!)
2. This is not JUST a random drawing. You will have to DO something to get your name in the hat for this competition.
3. Because it is the grand prize, I have to adhere strictly to the rules! I'll try to keep them brief and uncomplicated, but if you are in the competition please DO read the rules thoroughly and follow them!

On a more personal note, I just want to express my deep thanks for you participation. I'll have more accurate information about this year's pledge soon, but I can say that more than 150 people total took part in this opportunity to make and keep goals to themselves.

Of course, by this evening there will have been 12 winners. I hope each winner enjoys their prize and the pride in accomplishing something good for yourself.

Lastly, I want to remind you that each of the weekly prizes is something YOU can use to help you on your journey. Special thanks once more to:

• DaVinci Gourmet, maker of dozens of delicious sugar-free syrup flavors that I use to play with my protein shakes, protein hot drinks, desserts and more!
• Building Blocks Vitamins, the vitamins I use each and every day to keep my body running strong. At four years post-op, taking my vitamins every day is just as important now as it ever was. And it is for you too!
• Click Espresso Protein. From Click Frapps to an afternoon snack, I drink Click several times a week to get my coffee fix with getting the protein I need.
• And finally, to Carb Smart...a whole store devoted to low-carb living! Please be sure to explore their site and see what products fit into YOUR healthy lifestyle.

Again, look out for the Grand Prize Pledge List tomorrow after 12 p.m. (EST) and follow the rules!!!

And know that just because the Bariatric Foodie Pledge is over does NOT mean your commitment to yourselves is over. Continue making goals and achieving them. And when you do, I'd love to hear about it!!! Hit me up and tell me your success story anytime.

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - SUBMIT YOUR WEEK 4 CHECK-INS

Pledging for Week 4 is now CLOSED! Good luck to all this week's pledgers and thank you for participating in the Bariatric Foodie Pledge!

Well...we've come to the end of the road. For some of you, at least. This is the last week of regular pledging!!! So let's go over a brief timeline of grand prize week (more details on the grand prize competition on Sunday afternoon).

• Today - Noon (EST) Sunday: Week 4 check-ins. If you check in during this time you will be eligible to win the week 4 prize. This week three lucky winners will get $35 to spend at Carb Smart online stores + free shipping!
• By Monday at Noon(ish): I will post MY version of the Grand Prize Pledger List with instructions on (a) what to do if you feel like you should be on it but aren't and (b) what you need to do to qualify for the grand prize if you ARE on the list.

That make sense? Good! So remember, the Grand Prize Pledger list will not go up until at least Monday at noon (EST). TRUST ME...you will have time to do what you need to do, k?

Now...let's get back to Week 4 check-ins! Please remember that you MUST check-in by NOON (EST) tomorrow, Sunday, February 26, to qualify for this week's prize.

Checking in is easy. You simply need to restate your goal and then answer the following questions:

• Did you achieve your goal?
• What challenged or inspired you?
• How will you keep this goal going?

So for my week 4 pledge I might say: "This week I took the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. I succeeded! I was challenged because I have a hard time winding down in the evening. I will keep this goal up by going to bed when my girls do!"

Check-in by the deadline (again, Sunday, February 26, NOON EST) and you will be entered for the prize drawing!

HERE'S HOW YOU CHECK-IN:

For Facebook Pledges: Please post your check-in directly on the Bariatric Foodie Wall. After you’ve done that, please hit the “reshare” link to share it with your friends. (Or if Facebook doesn't give you that option, simply copy your check-in and post it as your own status update.)

For Blog Pledges: Please post your check-in as a comment to this blog post. I have removed the moderation from the comments through Monday, when the next round of pledges are due. Therefore, you should be able to see your check-in right away.

For Twitter Pledges: You can break this up into several tweets, but please tag @Bariatric Foodie on each one so I can see that you answered.

I look forward to reading your check-ins! Good luck everyone!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Meet Your Week 4 Pledgers

The Week 4 List is Now CLOSED! Good luck to all the Week 4 Pledgers!!!

So seriously...watch the video. On it I tell about a special prize for one of this week's pledgers!



By now we all know the drill, right? Check the list. If you pledged on the blog, Facebook or Twitter prior to toda, Monday February 20th at 12 p.m. EST, your name SHOULD be below. If you did that and I missed you, please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. Remember, all pledgers who pledged all four weeks are eligible for the grand prize drawing (info about which is ALSO on the video!) so you really want to make sure I have you down this week if you've been on every other list!

Again, a big PHAT thanks to Carb Smart for sponsoring this week's prize for THREE Foodies: a $35 gift certificate to the Carb Smart online store + free shipping on your order! Please show them some love on their Facebook Page for sponsoring our prize!

Here's the week 4 list:
Alanna Hendry,  Facebook
Alethea Moody, Facebook
Alethea White,  Facebook
Alice Morris,  Facebook
Alisha Martioski Griffin,  Facebook
Amy C.,  Bariatric Foodie
Angie L.,  Bariatric Foodie
Angie,  Bariatric Foodie
Anna Harper,  Facebook
Anonymous (Comment#15),  Bariatric Foodie ***If this is you, please email me your name!!!
April Starinsky,  Bariatric Foodie
Ashley Hall,  Facebook
Babs,  Bariatric Foodie
Barb Hook,  Bariatric Foodie
Becky Caldwell,  Bariatric Foodie
Brandy Walters,  Bariatric Foodie
Brenda Makar,  Facebook
Britney L.,  Bariatric Foodie
Brittany M.,  Bariatric Foodie
Cara G. Chapel,  Facebook
Carissa A.,  Bariatric Foodie
Cheri Bradford Rousseau,  Facebook
Chermaine Isaac Jackson Facebook
Cheryl K.,  Bariatric Foodie
colleen,  Bariatric Foodie
Cyndi Nugent Gonzales,  Facebook
Dale Dorsz,  Facebook
Darlene Smith Meadows,  Facebook
Debra Jackson Rogers,  Facebook
Dena W.,  Bariatric Foodie
Denise Ward,  Bariatric Foodie
Diana C.,  Bariatric Foodie
dme62 Twitter
Fran D'Orozio Facebook
Goldie Evans,  Facebook
Gypsy Heilman,  Bariatric Foodie
Heather P.,  Bariatric Foodie
hedrider,  Bariatric Foodie
Hillery K.,  Bariatric Foodie
Jamie Metcalf,  Bariatric Foodie
Jane Ivey,  Facebook
Jennifer Donaldson Stanton,  Facebook
Jennifer P.,  Bariatric Foodie
Jo Drew Brown,  Facebook
Joanie F.,  Bariatric Foodie
Julie Kusz,  Facebook
Karen Tallent Pimental,  Facebook
Kat C.,  Bariatric Foodie
Kathryn F.,  Bariatric Foodie
Kathy B.,  Bariatric Foodie
Kelley Snow Pitts,  Facebook
Kelly Schaefer,  Facebook
Kris H.,  Bariatric Foodie
Kristen S.,  Bariatric Foodie
Kyle McMacken Hammond,  Facebook
Laura Desper,  Facebook
Laura Landry Ryan,  Facebook
Lori E.,  Bariatric Foodie
Lori S.,  Bariatric Foodie
M. Pierce,  Bariatric Foodie
Mandi Viani Roccia,  Facebook
Mandy Ratliff,  Bariatric Foodie
Mary Lou R.,  Bariatric Foodie
Meg Machinski Spinks,  Facebook
Melanie K.,  Bariatric Foodie
Melissa R.,  Bariatric Foodie
Melissa Y.,  Bariatric Foodie
Michelle Meneely,  Facebook
Natalie O.,  Bariatric Foodie
Nell R.,  Bariatric Foodie
Nikki Light,  Facebook
Patricia H.,  Bariatric Foodie
Poet Kelly,  Bariatric Foodie
Robin Butler Cyganik Facebook
Samantha A. Golden,  Facebook
Sandy Barrow O'Connell,  Facebook
Sara Collins,  Facebook
Sarah McDermott,  Bariatric Foodie
Saralyn Anziana Wright,  Facebook
Sean Lloyd,  Bariatric Foodie
Sharon M.,  Bariatric Foodie
Shawn Harrell Kelley,  Facebook
Shelagh,  Bariatric Foodie
Simone,  Bariatric Foodie
Stephanie Raymond,  Facebook
Susan Thompson,  Bariatric Foodie
Tiffani Anthony, Bariatric Foodie
Traci McGowan,  Facebook
Wendy Dettmer,  Bariatric Foodie

Again, thanks to Carb Smart for the week 4 prize! Please, please, please take a moment to show them some love on their Facebook page and check out their site via the link on the right menu!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - SUBMIT YOUR WEEK 4 PLEDGES!

WEEK 4 PLEDGING IS NOW CLOSED! GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE PLEDGERS!

Howdy, Foodies! Betcha wanna know what THREE Foodies won themselves two cannisters each of Click Espresso Protein, don't ya??? Or how about who won my special Valentine's gift: A $25 Amazon gift certificate! Well the wait is over! 

Congrats to:

• Jennifer P., who pledged on Bariatric Foodie
• JC C., who pledged on Bariatric Foodie
• Lori E., who pledged on Bariatric Foodie
• Shawn Harrell Kelley, who pledged on Facebook

The prize is first come, first served! The first person to email me get to pick between the Amazon certificate and the Click. The second gets to pick from the three prizes the first didn't choose and so on until everything is gone! Winners, please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to claim your prizes. I'll let you know what order you responded in and your choices!

Can you believe this week is the last week of pledging? I hope you've found The Bariatric Foodie Pledge helpful in working on your personal goals. Next week is the grand prizie competition, open to folks who pledged all four weeks. I'll post a bit later in the week with more details on that. For now, here's the details about this week's pledging!

The Week Four prize

This week's prize is sponsored by Carb Smart, an online store that keeps you stocked up on all sorts of low-carb goodies to satisfy your appetite AND keep you on track! They carry great snacks like "Just the Cheese" crispy snacks (think Cheez-Its without the carbs!) and Carbquik which can be found in many BF recipes, like this one! Check out the ad on the right menu to browse their wide array of products because...

This week THREE pledgers will win:

• A $35 gift certificate to Carb Smart's online store AND
• Free shipping on your order!

How to Pledge

In case you don't remember how to pledge (or if you are joining us for the first time this week - welcome!) there are three ways to submit your pledge. Whichever way you choose, your pledge MUST be in by 12 p.m. (EST) tomorrow (Monday, February 20)!!! No exceptions! Please only choose ONE of these options to pledge:

• Leave your pledge as a comment on this blog post. NOTE: Please leave at least your first name and last initial in the blog comment with your pledge so you can identify yourself on the pledge list AND so I can identify you if you win the contest! (Also if you used a different name last week you might want to let me know what that was if you want to get credit for the grand prize drawing).
• You may also pledge on Twitter by tweeting the following. “This week I’m taking the @BariatricFoodie Pledge to [insert goal]. http://bit.ly/Apolxn"
• You may pledge on Facebook by following these steps:
• Go to the Bariatric Foodie Wall and post “This week, I am taking the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to [insert your goal]. To learn how YOU can win prizes for setting goals, visit http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/.” Make sure you get all of that statement on there.
• After you’ve posted that to the BF wall, hit the RESHARE link to share it to your wall. If you don't see a reshare link on your post, you can simply share your pledge as your status. PLEASE remember to include the link to the blog!!!
• NOTE: Do NOT post your pledge as a response to the Facebook blog post announcement as I can't keep track of those. Post it as it's own post on the Bariatric Foodie Wall, then reshare it. Thanks!

Again, you must pledge by tomorrow (Monday, February 20) at 12 p.m. (EST) to be eligible for this week’s prize drawing! Tuesday evening I’ll post a list of everyone who has pledged using the above instructions.
After You Pledge

When the list comes out, check to make sure I have you down. If not, you have until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21 to petition yourself onto the list before it closes for the week.
Again, THANK YOU to Carb Smart for sponsoring this week's pledge. Check out their page by clicking the ad in the right menu bar. Since the prize is in the form of a gift certificate, it might be good to browse the site to see what you might like to order!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - SUBMIT YOUR WEEK 3 CHECK-INS!

Week 3 check-ins are now CLOSED! You may begin pledging for week 4 by clicking here! Good luck!

Can you believe next week is the last week of regular pledging? After that I have the super-fun task of assembling the list of pledgers who pledged all four weeks and are eligible for the grand prize drawing. Send coffee. LOTS of coffee!

Anyway...you may now start check-ing in your week THREE pledges for the drawing to win two cannisters of yummy Click Espresso Protein!!! Remember, you MUST check in to qualify for the prize and you have until 12 p.m. (EST) tomorrow, Sunday February 19 to check in!!!
Check-ins are pretty simple. Just remember these two things to make your check-in a success:

1. Check in the same place you pledged (Not sure where you pledged? Check here!)
2. Use the same name you used to pledge

HERE’S HOW YOU CHECK-IN
You need to restate your pledge and then answer these three questions:

• Did you achieve your goal?
• What challenged or inspired you?
• How will you keep this goal going?

For my goal, for instance, I might say, “This week I took the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to take all my vitamin doses. I met my goal but I was challenged by the fact that I ran out of my chewables and hate swallow pills. I plan to keep this goal going by getting more chewable vitamins asap!"

Please note even if you didn’t achieve your goal, you are eligible for the prize drawing but you MUST check-in!!!

For Facebook Pledges: Please post your check-in directly on the Bariatric Foodie Wall. After you’ve done that, please hit the “reshare” link to share it with your friends. (Or if Facebook doesn't give you that option, simply copy your check-in and post it as your own status update.)
For Blog Pledges: Please post your check-in as a comment to this blog post. I have removed the moderation from the comments through Monday, when the next round of pledges are due. Therefore, you should be able to see your check-in right away.
For Twitter Pledges: You can break this up into several tweets, but please tag @Bariatric Foodie on each one so I can see that you answered.

You have until 12:00 EST tomorrow, Sunday February 19, to submit your check-in. Please note that this is also when I will start accepting Week Two pledges and there will be a blog post saying more about that.

I’ll announce the winner of the prize drawing Sunday evening. Again, thanks to Click Espresso Protein for sponsoring this week's prize! And be sure to check out BF's wide array of yummy "Click concoctions" so you have a good aresenal of ideas on how to use your prize!

Good luck everyone and thanks for participating!!!

Curried Chickpeas



So my daughter comes to me one day and says, "Mom, I want to be a vegetarian."

At 10 years old it has always been a challenge getting the child to eat meat. As it stood, she only ate meat that, by appearance, made no reference to its animal roots. So...chicken nuggets, yes. Chicken legs, no. And beef was absolutely out of the question.

I already have a pretty good arsenal of vegetarian recipes...just cuz. So over the next week or two I gave her a taste (literally) of life as a vegetarian. This was one of her first dinners that week. I intentionally started out with something she'd already eaten and liked.

Nik's Curried Chickpeas

Ingredients

1 lb. chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
Optional: sliced raw carrots (did not use this time but I usually do)
10 oz. vegetable stock
10 oz. light coconut milk
4 c. water
1/2 tbsp each of cumin and coriander
2-3 heaping tablespoons curry powder (whatever kind you like to use)
Optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (don't use if you don't like spicy food)

Directions:

Open your bag of beans and inspect it for fragments of other stuff. It happens when they are bagged.

Place your onion, garlic and carrots (if you are using) in the bottom of your crockpot and put your beans on top of them.

Then add your spices and all your liquid.

Let your slow cooker go on low for about 5 or 6  hours or until chickpeas are tender.

I would imagine if I were a vegetarian, I'd label this vegetarian comfort food. I dunno. The diva liked it BUT... she decided a week later, in the face of Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, that she wants to be 98% vegetarian.

Ba-dum-bum.

Kelly's Sugar-free Blueberry and Apple Compotes



I ask and ask and ask for your recipes. And I get SO excited when you guys send them! I actually have a few reader submissions laying in waiting now. I'll post one a week. Yay!

This one is from Kelly S. who was inspired to play with her food and came up with recipes for TWO delicious compotes that she uses to top things like Greek yogurt and oatmeal!

If you have any questions for Kelly about her recipe, leave them in the comments below. If YOU have a recipe you'd like to share with the Foodie Nation, hit me up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. (Recipes with pictures, please!)

Kelly's Sugar-free Blueberry Compote


Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs of fresh blueberries (rinsed and picked of stems, Kelly says, "lots of times I forget to do this!")
• 1/3-1/2 cup of sugarfree blueberry or grape jam (Smuckers make this, I find it at Walmart, but whichever flavor you can find)
• 1/2 lemon (Kelly uses both the zest and the juice)
• 1-2 tbsp no-calorie sweetener (Kelly uses Splenda), to taste

Kelly's Directions:
Firstly, taste your blueberries. Are they sweet enough? If not, you might consider adding a wee bit of sweetener to them while cooking.

In a shallow saucepan over medium-low heat, dump in the sugarfree jam (start with the smaller amount first).



Add the zest of the half lemon as well as all the juice from it. I use a juicer that I put the lemon half in and squeeze like crazy (working on my muscles, too!). So, I get quite a bit of juice. You may need to use both halves if you don't have this fancy tool. Please note that I have also used (horrors), the fake lemon juice. In fact, when I made this last month, I didn't have anything BUT the fake lime juice and I used it, tasted just the same.

Stir this and let it simmer and bubble away just until the berries start bursting and giving forth their juices. Turn off the heat and let cool; store in a container (I use glass so that it doesn't stain). If you like your compote thicker, use more jam and/or pull the berries as soon as they start bubbling.

Kelly's Sugar-free Apple Compote



Ingredients

• 3 c. of diced apples
• 2 tbsp no-calorie sweetener (Kelly used Splenda)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla (or more to taste)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. cold water

Kelly's Directions:

In a medium, nonstick pan, combine all the ingredients (except the apples) and stir until all the ingredients are dissolved. [Note: I usually dump everything in at the same time, including apples, stir and then proceed; works fine.]



Bring to medium-high heat, stirring often, for 7-10 minutes or until apples are soft (or to your desired doneness).

Then reduce heat to low, stirring frequently, until the mixture becomes thick and gooey. Transfer to a container, let cool, refrigerate and use as topping to anything your heat desires (cottage cheese, greek yogurt, oatmeal, etc.).

And here are Kelly's finished masterpieces:

I could TRULY swim in that...it'd probably be good or my skin too, ya think??? But lookit, it gets even BETTER:

In the immortal words of Randy Jackson from American Idol..."you know what's wrong with that [recipe]? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!"

Thanks, Kelly, for taking the time to share your recipes and for playing with your food!



Happy Pam Day?

Yeah, yeah, yeah today is Valentine's Day. This is true.

But more significant to ME is that it is my good friend Pam's birthday.

Don't know Pam? You should! She runs a blog called Journey to a Healthier Me wherein she gives good information and advice on nutrition, vitamins and life after WLS.

And if that wasn't enough, you guys should know that Pam has been the catalyst behind some of BF's most popular recipes!

So to honor her today, here are my top 3 favorite Pam-inspired BF posts (click the title to go to the full post):

Chai Latte Protein Shake

Inspired by Pam's now famous homemade protein chai latte mix recipe, this cold version is a treat when I get in the mood for something exotic!

Queso Chicken



A funny thing happened when I was gong to make Pam's Southwest chicken (she credits someone named Christine for inventing it but I have always called it hers). I didn't have any cream cheese! So I subbed in queso instead and...a star is born!!!

Protein Banana Bon-Bons

This one was NOT Pam's idea, but mine. In the spirit of fun, she gave advice on the matter and, of course, fell prey to bon-bon madenss herself!

Happy Birthday, Pam! And thank you for all you do for the WLS community!!!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Meet Your Week Three Pledgers

I feel like now we're in the groove of things! Thank you so much for making this week's pledge list so easy to assemble.

NOW CHECK FOR YOUR NAME!!! Remember, to be on this pledge list you have to have submitted your pledge by 12 p.m. (EST) either on the Bariatric Foodie Facebook Wall, via Twitter, or on this or this blog post. IMPORTANT: You have until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14 to make sure you are on this list (if you pledged in the first place). Then the list is CLOSED for the week!

IF YOU ARE NOT ON THIS LIST AND FEEL YOU SHOULD BE, please email bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com so I can give you instructions on what to do.

Also remember that this week we are pledging for TWO CANNISTERS of Click Espresso Protein each for three lucky winners. Remember alsothat this week Click is also offering a 10% discount and FREE SHIPPING on Click orders using the coupon code "Pouch Party."

And for those of you who follow BF on Facebook and Twitter, I announced yesterday this is a special pledge week. In honor of Valentine's Day, I am throwing an EXTRA prize into the ring! As a special gift to my Foodies, I am offering up a $25 gift certificate to Amazon!

Here are the Week Three Pledgers!

Alanna Hendry, Facebook
Alethea Moody, Facebook
Alethea White, Facebook
Alice Morris, Facebook
Alisha Martioski Griffin, Facebook
Amy Blakemore, Facebook
Amy Brandborg, Facebook
Amy Carlo, Bariatric Foodie
Angie L., Bariatric Foodie
Angie, Bariatric Foodie
Anna Harper, Facebook
Annie G-C, Bariatric Foodie
Anonymous (#2 on comment list), Bariatric Foodie I need your name!!!
April Starinsky, Bariatric Foodie
Ashley Hall, Facebook
Audra S., Bariatric Foodie
Babs, Bariatric Foodie
Barb Hook, Bariatric Foodie
Barefoot Lawyer, Bariatric Foodie
Beth Rieb, Facebook
Brandy Walters, Bariatric Foodie
Brenda Makar, Facebook
Britney L., Bariatric Foodie
Brittany M., Bariatric Foodie
buttrflylvr, Bariatric Foodie I need your name!!!
Cara C. Chapel, Facebook
Carole Dorsey, Facebook
Cathy Adkins, Facebook
Cheri Bradford Rousseau, Facebook
Chermaine Isaac Jackson, Facebook
Cheryl K., Bariatric Foodie
Christine Shento, Facebook
Coach Carissa, Bariatric Foodie
Colleen A., Bariatric Foodie
Cyndi Nugent Gonzales, Facebook
Dale Dorsz, Facebook
Darlene Smith Meadows, Facebook
Debra Jackson Rogers, Facebook
Debu-chan, Bariatric Foodie
DeeDee C., Bariatric Foodie
Denise Ward, Bariatric Foodie
Diana C., Bariatric Foodie
dme62, Twitter
Fran D'Orazio, Facebook
Goldie Evans, Facebook
Heather G-T, Bariatric Foodie
Heather P., Bariatric Foodie
Heather R., Bariatric Foodie
Heidi Lee Harvey Livengood, Facebook
Hillery K., Bariatric Foodie
Jamie Metcalf, Bariatric Foodie
Jane Ivey, Facebook
JC C, Bariatric Foodie
Jeanette, Bariatric Foodie
Jennifer Donaldson Stanton, Facebook
Jennifer P., Bariatric Foodie
Jennifer Pruitt, Bariatric Foodie
Jo Drew Brown, Facebook
Joanie F., Bariatric Foodie
Joy Shanafelt Kettering, Facebook
Joyce M., Bariatric Foodie
Julie Kusz, Facebook
Kat C., Bariatric Foodie
Kathryn F., Bariatric Foodie
Kathy B., Bariatric Foodie
Katy Hepner, Facebook
Kellee Matlock, Facebook
Kelley Snow Pitts, Facebook
Kelly Douglas, Bariatric Foodie
Kelly King Douglas, Facebook
Kelly Schaefer, Facebook
Kris Hamilton, Bariatric Foodie
Kristen S., Bariatric Foodie
Kyle McMacken Hammond, Facebook
Kymberly LaGrassa, Facebook
Laura Landry Ryan, Facebook
Linda Johnson, Facebook
Lisa Eandean, Bariatric Foodie
Lisa Maria S., Bariatric Foodie
Lori E., Bariatric Foodie
Lori S., Bariatric Foodie
M. Pierce, Bariatric Foodie
Mandi Viani Roccia, Facebook
Mandy Ratliff, Facebook
Mary D., Bariatric Foodie
Mary Lou R., Bariatric Foodie
Meg Machinski Spinks, Facebook
Melanie K., Bariatric Foodie
Melissa Chamberlain, Facebook
Melissa R., Bariatric Foodie
Melissa Y., Bariatric Foodie
Meryl, Bariatric Foodie
Michelle Meneely, Facebook
Nell R., Bariatric Foodie
Nikki Light, Facebook
Patricia H., Bariatric Foodie
Penelope Swainston, Facebook
Robin Butler Cyganik, Facebook
Samantha A. Golden, Facebook
Sara Collins, Facebook
Sara P., Bariatric Foodie
Sarah McDermott, Bariatric Foodie
Sean Lloyd, Bariatric Foodie
Shannon Anderson Cunningham, Facebook
Shannon J., Bariatric Foodie
Sharon M., Bariatric Foodie
Shawn Harrell Kelly, Facebook
Sheila Winderlich, Bariatric Foodie
Shelagh M., Bariatric Foodie
Simone, Bariatric Foodie
Stephanie Hessecolasuonno, Facebook
Stephanie Raymond, Facebook
Susan Thompson, Bariatric Foodie
Teri Rawlins, Facebook
Theresa P., Bariatric Foodie
Tiffani Anthony, Bariatric Foodie
Traci McGowan, Facebook
Wendy Dettmer, Bariatric Foodie

Again, thanks to Click for sponsoring this week's prize and once more, if you feel like your name should be on this list, email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. Otherwise, have a GREAT pledge week everyone!!!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - WEEK THREE CORRECTION

Week 3 pleding is CLOSED. A comment has been added to this post to note the last eligible pledge for the drawing. Thanks!

We interrupt this correction post to announce...THE WEEK TWO WINNERS!

Congrats to our THREE winners who each won $50 certificates for Building Blocks Vitamins!

• dme62 (who pledged on Twitter)
• Candi Noftz (who pledged on Facebook)
• Michelle Meneely (who pledged on Facebook)

Please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com (no address required, just your email addy) to claim your prize!

I mistakenly listed the due date for pledges as February 12th. Week three pledges are due at 12 p.m. EST MONDAY, February 13th!!!

(This, by the way, is what happens when I try to blog before my morning coffee...)
You may either pledge in response to this post or to the official week three pledge post!

And you'll want to get in on this week's pledge because...I am giving away a special Valentine's Day present for one of this week's pledgers! Details on that tomorrow!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - SUBMIT YOUR WEEK 3 PLEDGES!

Week 3 pleding is CLOSED. I've placed a note in the comments below to note the last eligible pledge for the prize drawing. Thanks!

Happy Sunday! Later on today I'll be drawing the names of the three Foodies who will win $50 from Building Blocks Vitamins, so please check back this evening for that!

Now...on to week three!
The Week Three prize
This week's prize is sponsored by Click Espresso Protein. Many of you may have heard of Click but it's NOTHING like experiencing the real thing! This delicious protein drink comes in both mocha and vanilla, can be made hot or cold and trust me...it will revolutionize how you think protein should taste! For new-newbies, if you win this one, you might want to hang onto your prize until you are cleared for caffeine consumption, but either way here's what THREE LUCKY FOODIES will win:

• A canister of Click Mocha
• A canister of Click Vanilla Latte

FOR EVERYONE: If you just love to get your Click on in general, they've provided a 10% discount and FREE SHIPPING for all orders placed through the link in the right menu! 
How to Pledge
In case you don't remember how to pledge (or if you are joining us for the first time this week - welcome!) there are three ways to submit your pledge. Whichever way you choose, your pledge MUST be in by 12 p.m. (EST) tomorrow (Monday, February 13)!!! No exceptions!

1. Leave your pledge as a comment on this blog post. NOTE: Please leave at least your first name and last initial in the blog comment with your pledge so you can identify yourself on the pledge list AND so I can identify you if you win the contest! (Also if you used a different name last week you might want to let me know what that was if you want to get credit for the grand prize drawing).
2. You may also pledge on Twitter by tweeting the following. “This week I’m taking the @BariatricFoodie Pledge to [insert goal]. http://bit.ly/Apolxn"
3. You may pledge on Facebook by following these steps:

• Go to the Bariatric Foodie Wall and post “This week, I am taking the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to [insert your goal]. To learn how YOU can win prizes for setting goals, visit http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/.” Make sure you get all of that statement on there.
• After you’ve posted that to the BF wall, hit the RESHARE link to share it to your wall. If you don't see a reshare link on your post, you can simply share your pledge as your status. PLEASE remember to include the link to the blog!!!
• NOTE: Do NOT post your pledge as a response to the Facebook blog post announcement as I can't keep track of those. Post it as it's own post on the Bariatric Foodie Wall, then reshare it. Thanks!

Again, you must pledge by tomorrow (Monday, February 13) at 12 p.m. (EST) to be eligible for this week’s prize drawing! Tuesday evening I’ll post a list of everyone who has pledged using the above instructions.

After You Pledge
When the list comes out, check to make sure I have you down. If not, you have until noon on Tuesday to petition yourself onto the list before it closes for the week. (Note: I did end up missing a few people last week for various reasons. It is NOT a conspiracy or anything personal. I am one human running this contest and unfortunately sometimes I miss stuff so please stay on top of me if you feel like I've missed you!)

Again, THANK YOU to Click Espresso Protein for sponsoring this week's pledge. Check out their page by clicking the ad in the right menu bar. Since the prize is in the form of a gift certificate, it might be good to browse the site to see what you might like to order. And please, please, please show some love by liking the Click Facebook Page!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - WEEK TWO CHECK-IN

Week Two Check-ins are now CLOSED! Please click here to pledge for Week Three!

PLEDGERS!

Week TWO! Did you make the same pledge as week one? Different? Either way, it's time to check-in!

Remember you MUST check in to be eligible for this week's prize drawing where three pledgers will win $50 gift certificates for Building Blocks vitamins!!! (FOR EVERYONE: If you'd like to get a free sample of Building Blocks, click the ad on the right menu!) Remember, you MUST check in to qualify for the prize and you have until 12 p.m. (EST) tomorrow to check in!!!

Check-ins are pretty simple. Just remember these two things to make your check-in a success:

1. Check in the same place you pledged (Not sure where you pledged? Check here!)
2. Use the same name you used to pledge

HERE’S HOW YOU CHECK-IN

You need to restate your pledge and then answer these three questions:

• Did you achieve your goal?
• What challenged or inspired you?
• How will you keep this goal going?

For my goal, for instance, I might say, “This week I took the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to run three times this week. I did not meet my goal because I threw out my back, which was a challenge. To keep this goal going I'm going to visit a chiropractor and get some decent running shoes to prevent injury!"

Please note even if you didn’t achieve your goal, you are eligible for the prize drawing but you MUST check-in!!!

For Facebook Pledges: Please post your check-in directly on the Bariatric Foodie Wall. After you’ve done that, please hit the “reshare” link to share it with your friends. (Or if Facebook doesn't give you that option, simply copy your check-in and post it as your own status update.)

For Blog Pledges: Please post your check-in as a comment to this blog post. I have removed the moderation from the comments through Monday, when the next round of pledges are due. Therefore, you should be able to see your check-in right away.

For Twitter Pledges: You can break this up into several tweets, but please tag @Bariatric Foodie on each one so I can see that you answered.

You have until 12:00 EST tomorrow, Sunday February 12, to submit your check-in. Please note that this is also when I will start accepting Week Two pledges and there will be a blog post saying more about that.

I’ll announce the winner of the prize drawing Sunday evening. Again, thanks to Building Blocks Vitamins for sponsoring this week's prize for our THREE winners: $50 gift certificates to purchase vitamins!

Good luck everyone and thanks for participating!!!

Protein Pancakes

I have a low-carb pancake recipe on the blog already but I actually switched to using this recipe. Why? Well low-carb is good. But high protein is better!!!

This one does require a special purpose - Atkins Baking Mix. In addition to getting it online it is also available in some Vitamin Shoppe stores. While I don't usually insist on certain ingredients, without this one particular kind of flour, this recipe does not yield protein pancakes. Of course, there many other ways to achieve protein pancakes. You can use cottage cheese, ricotta and a bunch of other stuff as the base of your pancakes instead of flour.

There...having gone over all that, here's my recipe!

Nik's Protein Pancakes
"single serving"

1/3 c. Atkins Baking Mix
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp butter or light butter stick (I use Blue Bonnet Light - half the calories of butter!), melted
1/2 c. milk (whatever kind you use)
1 tbsp no-calorie sweetener
A pinch of salt

"Family Style"

1 c. Atkins baking Mix
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp butter or light butter stick (again, I use Blue Bonnet Light)
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp no-calorie sweetner
A pinch of salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Spray a griddle pan with non-stick and allow it to heat up over a medium flame.

Drop dollops of pancake mix on your pan and cook until bubbles appear on the top of the pancake (about 2-3 minutes). Flip then cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

The single serving version makes a regular short stack of pancakes (that would be three regular sized, not super-sized, pancakes). I have frozen these, using my Food Saver and that seemed to work well. I tried doing them just in a freezer bag and...not so much. They do keep in the fridge for a few days if you want to make a batch for breakfasts over a few days. To reheat just nuke them about 30 seconds.

A word on protein pancakes. About pancakes in general. The general rule about pancakes is this: the more starch and fat they have, the fluffier they will be. So in that respect, protein pancakes are a bit more hearty (not in a lead weight sort of way but definitely not airy). This can take some getting used to. I always liked hearty pancakes (and in fact, pre-op always ate whole wheat ones for that very reason). But if you are a fluffy pancake lover, just know that you may have to give these a few tries to get used to them!

As for me? These have shown up on our breakfast plates (topped with sugar-free syrup and served with sides of turkey bacon) for the last three years. Yummy!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Meet Your Week Two Pledgers

THIS POST IS NOT A CALL FOR PLEDGES. WEEK TWO PLEDGES ARE CLOSED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRIZE DRAWING. THANK YOU.

Congrats again to week one's winners: Jane Ivey, Wendy Dettmer and Goldie Evans!

If you haven't already, please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with your full name and address so I can get you your prize right away!

Below is the list for week two. Please check it to make sure you're on it if you pledged. Remember to get on this list you had to do one of the following by 12 p.m. (EST) on Monday, February 6:

• Pledge in response to this blog post (if you did and don't see your name on the list, please email me the number beside your pledge comment so I can double-check it)
• Pledge on Facebook (if you did and your name is not on the list, please send me your Facebook user name - EXACTLY as it appears on Facebook - and I can find you fairly easily)
• Pledge on Twitter (I have two Twitter peeps this week, so I don't think there will be any problems there!)

If you did one of those three things and your name is not on this list, please email me the information I have noted above at bariatricfoodie@blogspot.com. You have until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, February 7 to petition yourself onto this week's list before it is closed. No exceptions!!!

The list is organized the same as last week. (Name you gave, where you pledged). Please take note of anything in red. It probably means I need information from you, which you can either leave in the comments or send to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com!

Alanna Hendry, Facebook
Aletha Moody, Facebook
Alethea White, Facebook
Alice Morris, Facebook
Alisha Martioski Griffin, Facebook
Amy Carlo, Bariatric Foodie
Angela Gardner Schotten, Facebook
Angie L., Bariatric Foodie
Angie, Bariatric Foodie
Anna Harper, Facebook
Annie G-C, Bariatric Foodie
April Starinsky, Bariatric Foodie
Ashley Hall, Facebook
Audra S., Bariatric Foodie
Babs Bariatric Foodie
Barb Hook, Bariatric Foodie
Beth Rieb, Facebook
Brandy Walters, Bariatric Foodie
Brenda Makar, Facebook
Brenda Sutton, Facebook
Brittany M., Bariatric Foodie ***Are you the same as Brittany from last week? If so lemme know so I can give you credit for pledging both weeks!
Candace, Bariatric Foodie ***Did you pledge last week under a different name? If so, I need to know what it is!
Candi Noftz, Facebook
Cara G. Chapel, Facebook
Carissa Anderson, Facebook
Charlene Reeves, Facebook
Charlie C., Bariatric Foodie
Chermain Isaac Jackson, Facebook
Cheryl K., Bariatric Foodie
Chri Bradford Rousseau, Facebook
Christine Taylor, Bariatric Foodie
Colleen (#27), Bariatric Foodie
Courtney Clark Lamberson, Facebook
Craig C Carvajal, Facebook
Crystal Davis, Facebook
Cyndi Nugent Gonzales, Facebook
Cynthia-pumpkin Williams, Facebook
Dale Dorsz, Facebook
Darlene Smith Meadows, Facebook
Debra Jackson Roberts, Facebook
Debu-chan, Bariatric Foodie
DeeDee C, Bariatric Foodie
Denise Battista, Facebook
Denise Ward, Bariatric Foodie
dme_62 Twitter
Dori M., Bariatric Foodie
Elena Sophia Michel, Facebook
Fran D'Orazio, Facebook
Frances S., Bariatric Foodie
Goldie Evans, Facebook ***Congrats on winning the week one prize! Keep pledging for the grand prize!
Gypsy Heilman, Bariatric Foodie
Heather P., Bariatric Foodie
Heather R., Bariatric Foodie
Hillery K., Bariatric Foodie
Jamie Metcalf, Bariatric Foodie
Jane Ivey, Facebook ***Congrats on winning the week one prize! Keep pledging for the grand prize!
Jeannette, Bariatric Foodie
Jenn R., Bariatric Foodie ***Are you the same as Jenny R.?
Jennfer Donaldson Stanton, Facebook
Jennifer Pruitt, Bariatric Foodie ***Are you ANY of the Jennifers from last week? If so, find out which one and lemme know so I can give you credit for pledging both weeks!
Jenny R., Bariatric Foodie
JoAnn Simons, Facebook
Jo Drew Brown, Facebook
Joyce M., Bariatric Foodie
Kat C., Bariatric Foodie
Kathryn F., Bariatric Foodie
Katy Heppner, Facebook
Kelley Snow Pitts, Facebook
Kellie Braber, Bariatric Foodie
Kelly Schaefer, Facebook
Kris Hamilton, Bariatric Foodie
Kristen S., Bariatric Foodie
Kristen Selby., Facebook
Kyle McMacken Hammond, Facebook
Laura Landry Ryan, Facebook
Linda Proctor, Bariatric Foodie
Lisa Gift, Facebook
Lisa Lamberson Willis, Facebook
Lisa Maria S., Bariatric Foodie
Liz M., Bariatric Foodie
Lori (comment #14), Bariatric Foodie ***Are you the same as Lori E. from last week? If so lemme know so I can give you credit for pledging both weeks!
Lori S., Bariatric Foodie
Loser_Mama Twitter
Mandi Viani Roccia, Facebook
Mary Kay L., Bariatric Foodie
Mary Lou R., Bariatric Foodie
Melanie K., Bariatric Foodie
Melinda Babin, Bariatric Foodie
Melissa Chamberlain, Facebook
Melissa Ringold, Bariatric Foodie
Melissa Y., Bariatric Foodie
Michelle Meneely, Facebook
Monique Sutherland Massi, Facebook
Natalie O., Bariatric Foodie
Natasha A., Bariatric Foodie
Nell R., Bariatric Foodie
Nikki Light, Facebook
Patricia H., Bariatric Foodie ***Are you the same as Patricia from last week? If so lemme know so I can give you credit for pledging both weeks!
Pattiepoo32, Bariatric Foodie
Paula K Denney, Facebook
Penny P., Bariatric Foodie
Poet_Kelly, Bariatric Foodie
Rain Diva, Bariatric Foodie ***Did you pledge last week under a different name? If so, I need to know what it is!
Rhonda K., Bariatric Foodie
Robyn Butler Cyganik, Facebook
Samantha A Golden, Facebook
Sandy Barrow-O'Connell, Facebook
Sara Collins, Facebook
Sara P., Bariatric Foodie
Sarah McDermott, Bariatric Foodie
Sean Lloyd, Bariatric Foodie ***Are you the same as Sean who from last week? If so, lemme know so I can give you credit for both weeks!
Shannon (#28), Bariatric Foodie
Sharon Hamm Reeves, Facebook
Sharon M., Bariatric Foodie
Shawn Harrell Kelly, Facebook
Sheila Winderlich, Bariatric Foodie
Shelagh, Bariatric Foodie
Sheri P., Bariatric Foodie
Simone, Bariatric Foodie
Stephanie Raymond, Facebook
Susan Thompson, Bariatric Foodie
Tammy L Sullivan, Facebook
Teri Rawlins, Bariatric Foodie
Theresa P., Bariatric Foodie
Toni Lee, Facebook
Traci McGowan, Facebook
Wanda Phillips Roberts, Facebook
Wendy Dettmer, Bariatric Foodie

I point out the weekly prize winners because, while they are ineligible for a second weekly prize, they are still in the running for the grand prize, sponsored by Quest protein bars!!! Remember that in order to qualify for the grand prize competition, you MUST pledge and check-in all four weeks, so you want to make sure you make each week's list.

Again, you have until 11:59 p.m. (EST) to petition yourself onto the list if you feel you should be there. PLEASE send the requested information or else there's not much chance of me being able to find your pledge. Thanks!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge: Week TWO!

***Week Two Pledging CLOSED at 12 p.m. (EST) February 6! If you missed the deadline, please work on your goal and then pledge with us next week!***

First...the winners of the WEEK ONE PRIZE: Three bottles of Davinci sugar-free syrup!!!

• Jane Ivey, who pledged on Facebook
• wendy dettmer, who pledged on Bariatric Foodie
• Goldie Evans, who pledged on Facebook

CONGRATS!!! You all need to email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with your full names and addresses so I can get you your prize!!! And remember to keep pledging! You are still in the running for the grand prize (sponsored by Quest Protein Bars) IF you pledge all four weeks!!!

We now return to our regularly scheduled Pledge...

WEEK TWO! So now that you've all been through the first week (and have done fabulously might I add), getting your pledges in for week two should be a piece of cake, right?

The Week Two prize

This week's prize is sponsored by Building Blocks Vitamins. These are the vitamins I use! Every day I pop the requisite amount of Mixed berry multis, Citrus calcium/vitamin d and black raspberry iron/c along with a daily dose of spearmint b12 spray! This week Building Blocks will award three winners:

• A $50 Building Blocks gift certificate
• Free B12 sublingual spray
• An extra sample pack of your daily vitamins
• A Building Blocks pill container

FOR EVERYONE: Click the ad in the right menu bar to receive a free sample of Building Blocks vitamins!

How to Pledge

For many of you, your week two pledge might be the same as week one. Some of you, I saw, realized through your first week's pledge other thngs you want to work on. Either way is fine! Remember, this is a tool for you to use however you feel is best. So pledge the same, pledge differently...just make sure to pledge!

In case you don't remember how to pledge (or if you are joining us for the first time this week - welcome!) there are three ways to submit your pledge. Whichever way you choose, your pledge MUST be in by noon tomorrow!!! No exceptions!

1. Leave your pledge as a comment on this blog post. NOTE: Please leave at least your first name and last initial in the blog comment with your pledge so you can identify yourself on the pledge list AND so I can identify you if you win the contest! (Also if you used a different name last week you might want to let me know what that was if you want to get credit for the grand prize drawing).
2. You may also pledge on Twitter by tweeting the following. “This week I’m taking the @BariatricFoodie Pledge to [insert goal]. http://bit.ly/Apolxn"
3. You may pledge on Facebook by following these steps:

• Go to the Bariatric Foodie Wall and post “This week, I am taking the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to [insert your goal]. To learn how YOU can win prizes for setting goals, visit http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/.” Make sure you get all of that statement on there.
• After you’ve posted that to the BF wall, hit the RESHARE link to share it to your wall. If you don't see a reshare link on your post, you can simply share your pledge as your status. PLEASE remember to include the link to the blog!!! 
• NOTE: Do NOT post your pledge as a response to the Facebook blog post announcement as I can't keep track of those. Post it as it's own post on the Bariatric Foodie Wall, then reshare it. Thanks!

Again, you must pledge by tomorrow at noon (EST) to be eligible for this week’s prize drawing! Tomorrow evening I’ll post a list of everyone who has pledged using the above instructions.

After You Pledge

When the list comes out, check to make sure I have you down. If not, you have until noon on Tuesday to petition yourself onto the list before it closes for the week. (Note: I did end up missing a few people last week for various reasons. It is NOT a conspiracy or anything personal. I am one human running this contest and unfortunately sometimes I miss stuff so please stay on top of me if you feel like I've missed you!)

Again, THANK YOU to Building Blocks Vitamins for sponsoring this week's pledge. Check out their page by clicking the ad in the right menu bar. Since the prize is in the form of a gift certificate, it might be good to browse the site to see what you might like to order. And please, please, please show some love by liking the Building Blocks Facebook Page!

2012 Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Week One Check-in!

***WEEK ONE OF THE BARIATRIC FOODIE PLEDGE IS CLOSED! ALL PLEDGES SUBMITTED BEFORE 12 EST WILL BE ENTERED IN THE WEEK ONE DRAWING***



PLEDGERS!

How’s your week been? Good? Great? PHENOMENAL???

I want to hear about it…because it’s time to CHECK-IN!!! Remember, you MUST check-in to be eligible for the weekly prize drawing.

Check-ins are pretty simple. Just remember these two things to make your check-in a success:

1. Check in the same place you pledged (Not sure where you pledged? Check here!)
2. Use the same name you used to pledge

HERE’S HOW YOU CHECK-IN

You need to restate your pledge and then answer these three questions:

• Did you achieve your goal?
• What challenged or inspired you?
• How will you keep this goal going?

For my goal, for instance, I might say, “This week I took the Bariatric Foodie Pledge to drink 64 oz. of water a day and I did. It was challenging because I am an eater, not a drinker! But I’m going to keep this goal going by setting reminders to myself to drink.”

Please note even if you didn’t achieve your goal, you are eligible for the prize drawing but you MUST check-in!!!

For Facebook Pledges: Please post your check-in directly on the Bariatric Foodie Wall. After you’ve done that, please hit the “reshare” link to share it with your friends. (Or if Facebook doesn't give you that option, simply copy your check-in and post it as your own status update.)

For Blog Pledges: I have removed the moderation from the comments through Monday, when the next round of pledges is due. Therefore, you should be able to see your check-in right away.

For Twitter Pledges: You can break this up into several tweets, but please tag @Bariatric Foodie on each one so I can see that you answered.

You have until 12:00 EST tomorrow, Sunday February 5, to submit your check-in. Please note that this is also when I will start accepting Week Two pledges and there will be a blog post saying more about that.

I’ll announce the winner of the prize drawing Sunday evening. Again, thanks to Davinci Gourmet for sponsoring this week's prize for our THREE winners: three bottles to each winner of sugar-free Davinci syrup!

Good luck everyone and thanks for participating!!!