April 1 - Go Green for Peace

If you are participating, right-click on this image and choose "Save As" to save it, then upload to your Facebook profile!

So this is short notice BUT I think it's a good thing.

Bariatric Foodie is committed to upholding a safe environment for ALL post-ops to share their experiences. This includes BF's Facebook and Twitter communities as well as here on the blog. That means I try to be as helpful as I can without judgment to you and I expect the same of anyone who participates in any of BF's forums.

Because honestly, we need one another. We gotta stand together!

Which is why I thought of this "Go Green for Peace" thing. It's a way to show our solidarity toward and support for one another.

So if you'd like to participate (you certainly don't have to!) here's how you can join in. If you use Facebook, tomorrow, April 1st, change your profile picture to the above image. Now...you could pair that with a status update (I'm going to write, "I support my WLS community. That's why I'm going Green!") or you could just do the picture (understandable especially if many of your friends aren't WLS folks).

It's a small way of showing that we support one another through the ups and downs, in the spirit of peace and non-judgment.

So...like I said, take part if you wanna. If you don't that's fine! But I want to give the opportunity for us to show each other that we're all in this together!

#GoGreenforPeace

Edited to add: (I got this question a few times) NO this is not an April Fools joke. I will be changing my picture. I think because I primarily think of April 1 as my oldest daughter's birthday I sometimes forget what it means to the rest of the world! But it's not a joke or a prank! I'm doing this! If you'd like to you are invited. :)

Nik's Stuffed Zucchini

Quinoa & Tilapia Stuffed Zucchini

So I think I should stop calling Meatless Friday, Meatless Friday. It’s sort of misleading. More than once I’ve been told if I eat fish it’s not a true Meatless Friday and, thinking about it, that’s kind of right. I think it’s much more a function of my Catholic grandpa’s conception of “meatless” that I ever came to think of fish as part of Meatless Friday.

All that is to say I’m going to try going forward to only use the term “meatless” for true vegetarian meals and mark my Lent meals as such. Cool? Groovy!

That being said, about 10 p.m. last night I remembered today was a “Lenten Friday” and, as such, I was abstaining from chicken, beef, pork, etc. I eat fish, seafood, veggies, whole grains and dairy on those days.

Now I could have gone out to lunch today. Lord knows there are TONS of meatless (and Lent) options. BUT. I am trying to stick to my budget better so I decided to whip something up. (Yes, at 10 p.m. last night!)

My mind immediately went to this dish I had at a Greek restaurant called Ikaros in North East Baltimore. Baltimore is known for having very rich, cultural neighborhood traditions. This part of Baltimore is informally known as “Greek Town” and there are some great restaurants with excellent food!

The original dish I had was called named (wait for it…) Stuffed Zucchini Squash! (There was a name in Greek which I could probably attempt since Greek is similar to Russian and, fun fact, Nik can READ – not always understand – perfect Russian and the alphabets are similar BUT…I respect my Greek brothers and sisters way too much to try. K? Moving on.) It had ground beef, Greek spices and rice and the zucchini was HUGE. It was a few meals for even me!

In this instance I decided to replicate the spirit of the dish so much as imitate it. Mine isn’t Greek. It doesn’t subscribe to any particular tradition, although if I were pinned down I would probably (and inaccurately) say it’s more French provincial. But enough of my imagination. Let’s get to the dish!

Nik’s Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini (mine was about 7 inches)
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped green pepper
• 2 tbsp. diced onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• Salt, pepper, your favorite spices (I used Herbs de Provence, but you can also use Greek seasoning or any other seasoning you like)
• 2 tbsp. quinoa (I used red quinoa – tastes the same to me)
• 2/3 c. water
• 4 oz. tilapia filet (or other white fish filet of your choice)

Sauce ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. soy flour
• ¾ c. milk (I used skim)
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. goat cheese (or other sharp cheese of your liking)
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut off stem and base of zucchini, then cut in half length-wise. Use a knife to score a ¼ inch channel down the middle of the zucchini then scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Set on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Put a dry skillet over medium heat and let it get hot. Add oil.

Add all vegetables and saute for two minutes or until softened. Add garlic and spices, stir and cook an additional minute.

Add quinoa and stir through the vegetable mixture before adding water. Top with fish and cover the skillet.

Cook about 12-15 minutes or until fish is done and white rings have popped out of the quinoa, signaling it is done. You want to cook your quinoa extra tender since it’s going to go in the oven.

Making sure your fish, veggies and quinoa are all mixed together, spoon the filling into the channel of the zucchini, then bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until zucchini has softened.

Meanwhile, in that same skillet that you made the filling, melt the butter. Add the flour and mix until a dough-like paste forms.

Add the milk and garlic and whisk it into the butter/flour mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil. It will froth and begin to thicken.

Add the lemon juice and goat cheese and any spices and stir until it bubbles, then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer until the zucchini is done.

VERDICT: I loved it! Somehow the dish tasted like there was bacon in it but there was not! It was savory and fragrant and...not a bowl of tuna! (Which is what I was going for. I wanted a lunch that felt like lunch.) I love the stuffed zucchini concept so I'm going to play around with it some more.

If you've made one, share how you stuffed yours!

Nik's Chicken Chorizo Skillet

This, along with many other nummy recipes, will be included in The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book, coming in April!

(But before we get to that, have you read about the opportunity you have to get YOUR favorite recipe into the forthcoming Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book? If not, go read about it!)

I go to Denny’s. Quite a bit. That may be a bad thing for a post-op to admit but what the heck. If nothing else, you know I keep it real!

S’anyway. I go to Denny’s. Quite a bit. This is mostly because I know what to order there. I know my options and I exercise them!

But every now and again they get something new. Such is the case on the day that I tasted the dish that became this knock-off.

They have these sizzling skillet deals. Now if you ever go to Denny’s let me give you some advice on the sizzling skillets, if you ever want to try them.

Firstly, don’t feel limited to the ones marked healthy. With a few simple modifications you can make nearly any skillet work for you. This dish is a knock-off of the Chicken Chorizo Skillet. The first time I got it I simple asked for them to omit the red skinned potatoes. That taught me how the dish is generally, which is wonderfully yummy…but full of oil!

So the next time, and every time thereafter, I’ve asked for my food to be cooked with non-stick cooking spray, not oil (I don’t say it explicitly but I hint at a food allergy), nix the red skinned potatoes, use half the usual amount of cheese and sub in scrambled egg whites instead of the potatoes. This usually yields two lighter, but still deliciously yummy meals.

But this weekend I didn’t want to go out and I didn’t want to spend money on breakfast! It occurred to me I have all the ingredients needed to make this, so why not?

Thus…

Nik’s Chicken Chorizo Skillet

(Family size OR good for several day’s lunches. This reheats pretty well!)

Ingredients:

• 3 links of chorizo sausage, casings removed, chopped into small pieces (NOTE: Chorizo comes in lower-fat chicken and turkey varieties if you don’t want to use pork)
• 4-6 oz. chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 small onion, cut into strips
• 2-3 different colored bell peppers, cut into strips
• 4 eggs, beaten (or egg whites, or liquid egg substitute)
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ tsp. chili powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 – 1 ½ c. Mexican blend shredded cheese

Optional: (Used here because my kids are potato fanatics) 3 red-skinned potatoes, diced and dry roasted.

You’ll need a large, oven-safe skillet for this.

Directions:

Set your oven to the broil setting.

Spray a large, oven-safe skillet with non-stick cooking spray, set it over a medium flame and allow it to get hot.

Add chorizo and cook, stirring about 2 minutes before adding chicken (the chorizo needs time to omit some oil). Stir chicken and sausage until both are cooked through.

Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and spices and sauté until softened. If you are using roasted potatoes, add those here as well.

Clear a well (hole) in the middle of your skillet, re-spray if needed, and pour in your eggs. Use a wooden spoon to scramble them completely before mixing into the meat/veggie mixture.

Top with cheese and place under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and brown as much as you like.

This was Sunday brunch. For the kids/significant other, I also fixed a batch of my killer homemade buttermilk biscuits (no I’m not putting that recipe on BF…my blog software might blow up!). I usually eat a tester sized biscuit and call it a day. Nummy!

Play with your food!

Wanna submit a recipe to be published in Bariatric Foodie's Next Book?

One of the many yummy and SIMPLE recipe ideas included in The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book.

I can make you a super-STAH!

Well…not really. But I could include YOUR recipe in the next BF offering, The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book. The book is in the final stages of drafting (meaning the recipes are almost all written and being tested out) and I figured it’d be fun to include some of YOUR recipes!

So here’s how this is going to work.

The book covers four main kinds of breakfast recipes:

• Egg recipes (scrambles, mini-quiches, etc.)
• Smart Carbs (traditional breakfast starches made with better ingredients and added protein)
• Yogurt/Cottage Cheese recipes
• Un-breakfast (Stuff that may or may not include breakfast food but either way doesn’t feel breakfasty)

If you have a recipe that fits into one of those categories, submit it for consideration! You can submit your recipe by sending it via email to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com (please put the word "recipe" in the subject line somewhere). You are not required to submit a picture of your recipe, however, if you happen to have one, I always love to see them!

A panel of esteemed judges will pick onerecipe for each category to be included as a Foodie Submission recipe.

The deadline for recipe submission is Sunday, April 6.

I know you have questions! I thought of a few you might ask.

Who are the esteemed judges?

I’m not telling you yet. Mostly because I just asked them and haven't gotten all my "yes's" back yet! 

How are these judges going to judge the recipes?

The recipes will be judged on the following factors:

• Overall nutrition of the recipe. You don't have to submit nutrition information for your recipe (I won't publish it anyway) BUT it should be a recipe appropriate for WLS-folks (high protein, reasonable carbs, yadda, yadda...)
• Understand-ability of the recipe directions. You don't have to be Hemingway but I should be able to follow your recipe!
• Ease of use (The goal here is simple recipes that anyone can make)
• Creativity (Simple recipes do NOT mean boring recipes)
• Originality (IMPORTANT: Don’t copy a recipe from some other blogger’s blog and send it to me! That’s recipe thieving and we don’t like that around here. It’s ok if your recipe is similar to other recipes out there but it should be one of your own imagining, not a cut/paste of someone else’s recipe)

Remember, you can submit a recipe for consideration to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com (put "recipe" somewhere in the subject line).

What’s in it for me?

Well, besides, super-STAHdom…people whose recipes are selected will receive:

1. A free copy of The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book
2. A $25 Amazon gift certificate

Hey, Nik, what's in that yummy looking pic?

Glad you asked! It's a knock-off of Denny's Chicken Chorizo Skillet. The recipe will be in The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book but I'm also going to post it here, tomorrow!

Fine print(y) stuff (and I respect you far too much to actually make it small print):

By submitting a recipe you are agreeing to comply with the BariatricFoodie Contest & Promotions rules. The winning recipe will be named for the winner (i.e. “Mary’s Slammin’ Egg Dish…) and will become the property of Bariatric Foodie. By submitting your recipe you agree that, if selected, Bariatric Foodie may publish the recipe as a part of The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book with the understanding that there you will be entitled to no compensation or royalties earned from the publication of your recipe. 

BF Review (and Recipe): Quest Cookies & Cream Protein Bar and Shannon's Quest Canoli

While we were all embroiled in The Bariatric Foodie Pledge, Quest went and released a new bar – Cookies and Cream! I did a quick and dirty review of it on social media, but I also asked my pal Shannon (of TacoCasserole picture fame) to give the bars a try. And I gave her a challenge. The Quest blog challenges Quest lovers to come up with creative ways to use the bars, so that’s the challenge I put to Shannon. So she played with her food to make a Quest cannoli! The recipe follows the review.

Enjoy and thanks to Shannon for the review!

Shannon’s Quest Bar Review

*The products used for this review were given by Quest Nutrition, however, neither the reviewer nor Bariatric Foodie was paid to perform this product review.

Product: Quest Cookies & Cream protein Bar

Stats: 180 calories, 7g fat, 22g carbs, 17g fiber, 1g sugar, 2g erythritol, 21g protein.

Cost: Varies, on Quest website it is $2.39 for a single bar, $24.99 (or $2.08/bar) for a box of 12.

*If you purchase Quest Bars using the ad on the right menu bar, Bariatric Foodie receives a small commission. 

Packaging:

The wrapper itself was very pleasing to me, the picture was crisp and I think the large cookie photographed on the package really makes it known what flavor you are getting.  Another thing about the packaging I like is that I can quickly see the amount of sugar and protein in the product. Just from a general standpoint, this makes things so much easier for me when I am looking to purchase a product, having that info right on the front, and somewhat highlighted makes my life easier.

Nutrition:

This product provides 21g of protein in one serving, and is 180 calories. I like that it packs such a punch because, if I am going to eat a protein bar as my meal (I very rarely do), I want to be able to get as much out of it as possible. Quest bars are regularly reviewed on Bariatric foodie, and I believe this bar is about on par with the others in their product line. As an aside, erythritol, the type of sugar alcohol used in this bar has very little effect on our bodies, unlike some others.

Aesthetics:

Upon opening the packaging I smelled the protein bar, and as with most of them I got a very, almost overly sweet smell, not really distinguished as to cookies and cream but definitely sweet.

The bar I had left over after playing with my food and making a cannoli had some very large chunks of cookie in it, which I very much enjoyed while eating the protein bar in the traditional way. It broke up the texture of the bar nicely. The bar itself was quite soft and easy to eat.

It did remind me a bit of cookies and cream, though not exactly and I don’t think my taste buds will ever be fully confused when it comes to a protein bar, the protein flavor is always there.  More than a cookies and cream flavor it reminded me of cookie dough. Never having tried their actual cookie dough flavor, I will say I think this would be an awesome addition chunked up into some protein ice cream. I also thoroughly enjoyed this as a cannoli, it really had a crunch and flavor that paired well with the cannoli filling.

I have generally been very impressed with Quest bars, and this one did not disappoint. As an emergency meal, or a snack, or even cooked into a yummy dessert they are, in my opinion, a decent choice.  In my area Quest bars are not so readily available, and the ones I have purchased locally have usually been very hard, nothing like this one. Because of this I limit myself to purchasing online only, and don’t often get the opportunity to do so, as my budget doesn’t always allow for it. That being said, if I were able to purchase Quest bars in the future this would be one on my list to buy.

Shannon’s Quest Cannoli

Ingredients:

• 1 Quest Cookies & Cream protein bar
• 4 oz. ricotta cheese (part-skim or regular, your choice)
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.5 tbsp. no-calorie sweetener
• Macadamia or pistachio nuts, whipped cream, and Strawberry as garnish if desired

For this recipe you will also need: A cannoli-form or a ¼-inch metal dowel, a large, sturdy glass (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) and some parchment paper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F
2. Unwrap Quest bar and place between two pieces of sprayed wax paper. Put in microwave for about 8 seconds, test pliability with finger and put back in if you cannot easily smoosh the bar, this will make it easier to roll flat with a rolling pin.
3. Using your sprayed glass as a rolling pin, roll the bar down into a slight circular shape in between the wax paper and allow to cool slightly before peeling off one layer of wax paper.
4. Using a cannoli form, roll quest bar on the form and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
5. Place in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until golden.
6. In a small bowl place ricotta, cocoa powder, and Splenda mix thoroughly until combined.  Transfer to a piping bag or small sandwich bag to fill the cannoli.  Refrigerate until ready to use
7. Remove cannoli from oven allow to cool well.
8. Remove cannoli form and fill with ricotta mixture.
9. Once filled, you can garnish as you like with nuts, or fruit and whipped cream or light cool whip.

Nik's Vegetarian "Meat" Sauce

Sorry about the stove...if I'd know you were coming over... ;)

So I thought it’d be nice, after all the flurry of the Pledge, to post about…food. Remember when we used to talk about food? Me too! Let’s start doing that again!

This is a quick one but, as always, there’s a story.

My youngest child has decided to become vegetarian. This is not the first time she’s done this. She’s never much cared for meat, especially meat that looks like meat. It bothers her deeply to think that she’s consuming an animal.

While I’m not vegetarian I respect the fact that she (at 12 years old) came to that decision for herself. But life is not easy for a vegetarian kid living in a meat consuming household. Very often it was hard to find that wonderful place in the middle of the Venn diagram that is my oldest child, a self-proclaimed “meatitarian” and my youngest.

But recently – EUREKA! – I found a ray of hope. Quite to my surprise my oldest likes Boca Burgers. That brings us to last night, when I wanted to make ONE dinner that feels like dinner. The eldest had been wanting spaghetti. While I could have made a veggie spaghetti (and grumbled while the oldest picked out most of the veggies and fed them to our beloved Basset Hound when she thought I wasn’t looking), I decided to try to build upon her like of Boca meat by using Boca crumbles instead of meat.

(NOTE: This isn’t a review for Boca products, but you can look them up for yourself here.)

Here’s the recipe. After I’ll tell you how it was received.

Nik’s Vegetarian Spaghetti & “Meat” Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic minced (or one heaping tsp of jarred minced garlic)
• 12 oz. Boca crumbles (they come in a 12 oz. bag)
• 1 jar low-sugar spaghetti sauce (I usually get the most basic kind and doctor it up myself, as you’ll see below)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning (or, if you don’t have that but have dried basil, the same amount)
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (less or none if you don’t like spicy stuff)

Optional (and had it just been me and The Younger, I would have used), a variety of colorful diced veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, eggplant, really anything!

Directions:

Spray a pan with nonstick cooking spray, set it over medium heat and allow it to get hot.

Add onions and peppers (and any other veggies you’re using) and saute about 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften.

Add the Boca crumbles and stir into the veggie mixture. Allow it to cook about 3-4 minutes.

Add spaghetti sauce and seasonings and stir. Bring it to a boil, then drop the heat down to medium-low, allowing it to simmer about 10-15 minutes more. The sauce should be a deeper shade of red when finished.

NOTE: This can be made with whatever ground meat substitute you like. I am trying to watch my younger daughter’s soy intake to make sure she doesn’t just eat soy as a meat replacement. I know that’s a concern for some of you as well.

NOW…I served this to them atop whole-wheat thin spaghetti. I always eat just the sauce, chili-style, with tons of grated Parmesan on top.

The Elder? She loved it! Interestingly, I didn’t tell her it was vegetarian. The fact that her sister was eating it should have clued her in but…14 year-olds are sometimes self-absorbed, so what can we do? I’m just glad I have a good fall-back dinner everyone can eat!

The Winner of the 2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize!



Hi Foodies. This is NOT Nik, but Julia, otherwise know these past four weeks as "The List Minion."

I know you were expecting Nik but she gave me the honor of choosing the 2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize Winner (by random drawing, of course).

Before I announce the winner (and, be honest, I know you've already looked!) I wanted to say a few words about the Pledge. I’m what Nik calls a “Pledge Alumn.” Last year I was runner up for the grand prize, which went to Joy M. (who is AWESOME, by the way).

Joy and I bonded over our competition and a friendship that will last a lifetime was born of the result. That’s one of the many good things I took away from last year’s Pledge. I hope it did the same for you. This contest isn’t easy (it’s not easy to participate in nor is it easy to run, I now know!) but achieving your goals feels good, doesn’t it?

So congratulations to everyone who participated, but especially to the person I got to pick, using the Random.org random generator.

The winner of the 2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize is:
 



 

See, Ronnie? The Random Name generator really did pick YOU!!!

 

Ronnie S-H (Favorite Movie: A Patch of Blue)!!!

 

And just as a reminder, Ronnie has won:

• A container of Chike protein, in the flavor of her choice
• A container of Click Espresso protein, in the flavor of her choice
• A supply of Building Blocks bariatric vitamins
• A tub of BiPro Unflavored Whey Protein
• A box of Quest Bars, in the flavor of her choice
• A box of Detour Lower Sugar Bars, in the flavor of her choice
• A copy of The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book, upon release this April
• A $50 gift certificate to Amazon, courtesy of Bariatric Foodie
• A LIFETIME extra chance code, giving her an extra chance at every Bariatric Foodie drawing from now until....FOREVER!!!

Congratulations, Ronnie! Nik says you need to email her as soon as possible at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to claim your prize!

I want to thank Nik for letting me help out. While being the List Minion meant some late nights (Leg #1 validations were particularly brutal) and that I now see spreadsheets every time I go to sleep and...wait, what was my point again?

Oh yes, I remember now. Seeing everyone's dedication to their pledges, their honesty with their check-ins, all provided such inspiration to me. I hope the pledge made you think and I hope it inspired you. I hope you won the same stuff that I did. I know from experience this is a challenging experience, so whether you participated all four weeks, just a few, or even just one, know I'm very proud of you and Nik is over the moon proud of you.

Until next year, Foodies, this is the "List Minion." Over and out!



The 25 Finalists for the 2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge



Whew! That was a job. But the finalists actually made easy (although not quick) work of it because you ROCKED the concept of the S.M.A.R.T. goal!

I'm so proud of you guys!

Below you'll find the list of the 25 finalists. A few notes:

• All of the finalists came from the first 25 people to submit their entry. There were no time OR entry disqualifications.
• Because there was more than one entry per person,  putting people in order by when they submitted was a bit of a time consuming process. As such, I only put the first 30 people in order by when they submitted (to be able to have 25 people and a few spares in case of an elimination). The List Minion and I did double and quadruple check that list of 30 though. So all that is to say that if you absolutely MUST know where you came in, you can email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com, however, it may take me a while to get you an answer! (Mostly because the List Minion and I are both suffering from PTLD, or, "Post Traumatic List Disorder")

Congratulations to the 25 Finalists!

Deanna B., Red Dawn
Ed M., Babette's Feast
Elaina T., Disney!
Holly K., Dirty Dancing
Jenni B., Rent
Jo G., Elf
Jodi B., 27 Dresses
Kelly W., The Land Before Time
Lauren B., Twilight
Melody F., Lord of the Rings
Pam M., An Affair to Remember
Pamela H., A Space Odyssey
Rhonda C., Princess Bride
Ronnie S-H, A Patch of Blue
Sandra F., Princess Bride
Sara K., Singing in the Rain
Shannon A., The Wizard of Oz
Shawn K., Sweet Home Alabama
Stacy D., Dazed and Confused
Sue B., Blindside
Suzanne T., Phantom
Tammy H., Star Wars
Tonya H., Fast & Furious
Tracy M., The Green Mile
Tricia M., Dirty Dancing

What To Do Now

Nothing! Well maybe not nothing. Do whatever you'd normally do.

But, finalists, you've done all you can do to get to the prize. The rest is up to fate! Tomorrow your names will be plugged into www.random.org/lists and a winner will be drawn. I'll post the winner tomorrow at 6 PM EST along with information on how to claim the prize if you are the winner.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! And thank you all for taking part in the 2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge!

Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize Competition - Report Back for Leg #2!

Welcome to report back for Leg #2!

Again, I’ll try to keep instructions brief. Three important things:

1. For your S.M.A.R.T. goal I am going from the judging criteria I posted yesterday for eliminations. I hope I don’t have to eliminate anyone so I hope you read them!
2. For the other tasks, they will be considered valid so long as it is apparent you did the task and gave a complete answer. If it’s apparent you did NOT do the task you will be eliminated.
3. It is really, really, REALLY important that you NOT pay attention to the number in the middle of the widget this time. It has NOTHING to do with the number of people who have submitted entries. Also remember that in Leg #1, 12 semi-finalists came from #51 and above (and two of you posted on Facebook that you thought you were out of the running). Bottom line: No matter what, TURN IN YOUR REPORT BACK! If you're in it to win it, follow through!

Not to sound like a broken record but all entries will be validated and the first 25 valid entries will move on to the final leg of the competition, the grand prize drawing! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to tell if your entry went through completely

There are four questions, each has 1 entry assigned to it. If you answered all four questions, on the right hand side of the widget you should see "4/4 entries earned." If you do, you're all set. If you see any less than 4, go back and submit what you are missing! NOTE: For the purposes of the competition, your "time of entry" will be the time you submitted your last question on the widget (and it's time stamped), so please try to answer all the questions at the same time and then submit it all!

What happens now?

The list minion and I will validate the responses as stated above. The list of the 25 finalists will come out no later than 9 p.m. EST tonight (although it may be earlier – I will post as soon as it’s finalized!).

The grand prize drawing will be a random drawing of the 25 finalists. So for now you’ve done all you can do! The grand prize winner will be announced at 6 p.m. EST. Sunday, March 9!

Good luck everyone!

Test Widget & Judging Guidelines for Grand Prize Leg #2

If you are one of the 50 semi-finalists for the Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize and you are looking for your Leg #2 tasks:

Click here to see the Leg #2 Task List

This post is to clarify a few things about Leg #2.

The first thing on the task list is to make a S.M.A.R.T. goal (click that link to read about what that is). I've been asked several questions about this task.

Does it have to be weight loss related?

No! Just like during pledge weeks, you may choose any goal you see fit, however, it is something you need to be able to complete before you report back on Saturday, March 8, 3 PM EST! Remember, only the first 25 valid report backs will move on to the grand prize drawing!

Do I have to have achieved my goal to report back/be eligible?

No. Just like in the pledge weeks, if you didn't achieve your goal, you simply need to be honest about it in the report back. That will not affect your standing.

How will Nik be determining if our S.M.A.R.T. goal is valid?

I thought I'd give the basic judging "rubric" for this task (i.e. what I'll be looking for). If your goal is a S.M.A.R.T. goal, I should be able to tell, simply by reading your goal:

• The specific thing you want to accomplish and I should know what that means (not-specific = I don't want to be lonely anymore, specific = I will start more conversations with people)
• In some measurable way, how you propose to reach your goal (not measurable = I will start more conversations with people, measurable = I will start 3 conversations with people) NOTE: Measurable doesn't always have to be a number. If you are abstaining from something, saying something like "I will drink no alchoholic beverages today..." is acceptable measurement. Bottom line: the measurement is the line in the sand that says either yes, you did achieve your goal or no, you did not. 
• The achievable/realistic part is totally subjective to you. I will NOT be judging you on that as only you know what's achievable and realistic for you.
• If your goal is time-sensitive I should be able to tell by when you want to accomplish your goal (not time-sensitive = I will start 3 conversations with people, time sensitive = I will start 3 conversations with people by the end of this week)

So building upon each part of the S.M.A.R.T. goal, the final goal in the example above, which would be a valid S.M.A.R.T. goal for this competition would be, "I will start 3 conversations with people by the end of this week."

That's how I will be judging your goals. A valid goal entry will meet those criteria. Remember report backs open Saturday, March 8 at 3 PM EST. The first 25 valid report backs will move on to the final leg of the competition: the grand prize drawing!

Lastly, a Foodie emailed me last night asking that I put back up the test widget so she could test from the device she plans to use on Saturday. So here you go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize Competition - Leg #2



Congratulations to those who made it to Leg #2!

Since we're getting closer to the grand prize, the tasks for this leg are a bit more involved - and subjective to YOU, the contestant. Again, read the instructions below carefully. Anything that is underlined is an important instruction you MUST follow. Anything in bold red underline is an important date or time.

Report back for Leg #2 will open Saturday, March 8 at 3 PM EST. The first 25 people with valid report backs will move on to the final Leg, the grand prize drawing!

Leg #2 Tasks

Make a S.M.A.R.T. goal. It should be something you should be able to do in the course of one day (so no goals like "go to the gym X times this week..."). Read this post I did about S.M.A.R.T. goals and make it count! (NOTE: You are welcome to use whatever resources you have at your disposal to make a S.M.A.R.T. goal but because I am administering this contest, I cannot be one of those resources! Please don't send me your goals to look over. I have to remain objective!) Choose your goal wisely because next you're going to need to...

Do a one-day challenge! Challenge yourself to complete the one-day S.M.A.R.T. goal you made (and complete it before report-backs begin). When you report back you'll be asked the same questions you were asked at check-ins during the regular pledge weeks.

Read a Bariatric Foodie Resource. You can find a plethora of them on the "Foodie Resources" page. If you've already read some of them, read one you haven't read before. If you've read all of them, read one you haven't read in a while! At report back you'll be asked questions about your reading! (NOTE: You will be able to answer the question no matter what resource you read.)

(*NOTE:  Unlike Leg #1, there isn't a universally "perfect" way to perform these tasks. What I and the "List Minion" will be looking for is effort [and the order that your entries came back]. I'll be blunt: I can guarantee if you use the resources available to you [and you have more than you probably think you do] and give your very best effort to these tasks, your entry should be valid! But remember, it also has to be one of the first 25 in order to move to the drawing!)

Again report backs will open on Saturday, March 8 at 3 PM EST. For Leg #2 report backs will also be via Rafflecopter. The first 25 people to submit valid report backs will go on to Leg #3 – The Grand Prize drawing!

Good luck, everyone.

Bariatric Foodie Pledge - The 50 Semi-Finalists from Leg #1



Thank you everyone for participating in Leg #1 of the grand prize competition with such fervor!

I won't beat around the bush. Below you'll find a list of the 50 semi-finalists. The list has been placed in alphabetical order for ease of reading, along with the favorite movie each semi-finalist used during the Pledge.

All entries were validated (and double-checked) to ensure the contestant completed all tasks, according to the instructions in the Leg #1 task post.

There were 12 eliminations from the first 50 people whose entries were received. Those eliminations were for the following reasons and are final:

1. You weren't on the most recent Grand Prize Pledger List (2 eliminations)
2. You didn't like/thank all the sponsors (6 eliminations)
3. I could not validate your entries with the information you gave me (2 eliminations) 
4. You didn't include the entire thank you statement, as directed in the Leg #1 task list (2 eliminations)

After removing eliminated contestants, I moved down the list in chronological order, until I had 50 valid report-backs. I stopped at entry #63 so if your entry was later than #63, you were eliminated because there were 50 valid entries before yours.

If you believe you were one of the first 50 and you are not on the below list you are welcome to email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to find out exactly why!

Now...without further adieu...

The Semi-Finalists

The 50 semi-finalists for the Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize (who will go on to compete in Leg #2 are):

Alena R., Some Like it Hot
Alison G., Sound of Music
Becca H., The Big Chill
Blanche J., Twilight
Cheryl H., Imitation of Life
Cheryl H., Toy Story
Cindy D., Ghost
Deanna B., Red Dawn
Denise L., Hangover
Ed M., Babette's Feast
Elaina T., Disney!
Holly K., Dirty Dancing
Jenni B., Rent
Jo G., Elf
Jodi B., 27 Dresses
Kathleen R., The Color Purple
Kathy P., Sneakers
KayDawn M., Seven Alone
Kelly W., The Land Before Time
Karen B., Dirty Dancing
Larina M., no favorite movie
Lauren B., Twilight
LaVesca L-M, Ghost
Lori F., White Christmas
Marcy F., Pride and Prejudice
Maryann F., Twilight
Maureen H., none
Melissa T., Frozen
Melody F., Lord of the Rings
Monica G., Fools Rush In
Nicola D., Out of Africa
Pam M., An Affair to Remember
Pamela H., A Space Odyssey
Patty B., Sound of Music
Rhonda C, Princess Bride
Ronnie S-H, A Patch of Blue
Samantha L., Harry Potter
Sandra F., Princess Bride
Sara K., Singing in the Rain
Shannon A., Wizard of Oz
Shawn K., Sweet Home Alabama
Stacy D., Dazed and Confused
Stephanie Y., Gone with the Wind
Sue C., Blindside
Suzanne T., Phantom
Tammy H., Star Wars
Tonya H., Fast and Furious
Tracy M., Green Mile
Tricia M., Dirty Dancing
Vanessa V., Frozen

What to do now

For those of you who were eliminated, thank you again SO much for participating. You'll be receiving an email from me later this evening with a special gift for being a grand prize pledger!

For those of you who are moving on, Leg #2 tasks will be posted at NOON EST today. You'll have until 3 p.m. EST Saturday, March 8 to complete the tasks. That's when Leg #2 report-backs will open. The first 25 people to report back from Leg #2 will go on to Leg #3, the grand prize drawing.

Good luck, semi-finalists! And congratulations!

Bariatric Foodie Grand Prize - Report Back for Leg #1

It’s time to report back from Leg #1 of the Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize competition. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I can say with relative assurance that you are not in the running for the Bariatric Foodie Pledge grand prize!)

Here’s How You Report Back

Use the widget below to submit your report back. REMEMBER: All entries will be validated. Here's three easy ways to make sure your entry is valid. Failure to submit a valid entry could result in elimination from the competition and all eliminations are FINAL!

• Give ALL the information you're asked for. Read what I'm asking carefully and provide everything you are asked for. 
• To make sure your entry went through, look at the RIGHT HAND side of the widget. You should see "1/1 entries earned." If you see that, your entry went through. 
• Do not pay attention to the number in the middle of the widget! All entries must be validated. If any of the first 50 respondents entries are invalid, they'll be eliminated and I continue down the list until I have 50 good entries. That could be you! So no matter what that number says, submit your report-back!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"How will I know if I made it to Leg #2?"

We'll (my gracious Pledge List Master/Minion volunteer and I!) be working most of this evening on verifying entries. The list of people who will move on to Leg #2 will be posted no later than 9 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, March 6. 

When does Leg #2 start? 

The tasks for Leg #2 will be posted at NOON EST, Thursday, March 6. You'll have until 3 PM EST on Saturday, March 8 to complete the tasks. That's when report-back for Leg #2 opens. The first 25 people to report back for Leg #2 will move on to Leg #3, the grand prize drawing!

Good luck, everyone!

The Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize Competition - Leg #1



Not sure if you're in the running for the Grand Prize? Click here to see the contestant list!

 



Welcome to Leg #1 of the Bariatric Foodie Grand Prize Competition.

As a recap, there will be three legs to this competition. After each leg, some of you will be eliminated from the competition. All eliminations are final! Please pay attention to anything in underline, as those are important instructions you must follow. Anything in bold red underline is a deadline.  

Below, you’ll find a list of tasks you must complete. You have until Wednesday, March 5 at 9 PM EST to complete these tasks. That's when "report back" opens. I will post a blog post containing information on how to report back at that time (Wednesday, March 5, 9 PM EST). You may NOT report back before that time.

The first 50 people to report back will move on to Leg #2. Everyone else will be eliminated from the competition.

The Tasks

#1 –  Like the Prize Sponsors. You must either Like all the Pledge prize sponsors on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Here’s the list of all the prize sponsors. You must locate their official Facebook and Twitter pages yourself.

• Chike Nutrition
• Click Espresso Protein
• Building Blocks Vitamins
• BiPro USA Whey Protein
• Quest Nutrition
• Detour Protein Bars

#2 – Thank the Prize Sponsors. Once you've liked or followed the sponsors, post a status message on each prize sponsor’s Facebook Page that says, “I’m in the running for the Bariatric Foodie Pledge grand prize. Thanks for your prize sponsorship!” OR Compose a tweet that says the same making sure to mention both @BariatricFoodie and the prize sponsor’s Twitter handle (with the @symbol so they can see your tweet). Please compose a separate Tweet for each prize sponsor and please use the language above. You can add to it but a valid entry will include the entire statement above.

#3 – Share Bariatric Foodie with others! Choose a recipe you like from Bariatric Foodie to share with your friends network via Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to tag @Bariatric Foodie when you share so I can validate your entry. If you cannot tag Bariatric Foodie, don't panic, you'll be able to provide alternate information to validate your entry during report-back. Tagging is simply the fastest way to validate.

Report back will open at 9 PM EST Wednesday, March 5. While there will be reminders to report back (with appropriate links) on social media, you MUST report-back through the blog (not Facebook, not Twitter). Failure to report back through the blog will result in elimination. All eliminations are final.

The ONLY thing I can tell you about report-backs at this point will be that they will be done via Rafflecopter (the same widget used for the "Drink Up!" water challenge). If you want to determine if your device works with Rafflecopter, you may use the below widget to test the device you plan to use to report back. Rafflecopter almost always works on desktops, but if you plan to report back from a mobile device, you may want to just test it. Remember, this is ONLY a test widget. Using this widget will not enter you into any prize drawings. It is exclusively for testing the device you plan to use to report back.

After report back, all entries will be verified and the list of people who made it to Leg #2 will be announced Thursday, March 6 by 9 a.m.!

Good luck, grand prize contestants!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How the Bariatric Foodie Pledge Grand Prize Competition Will Work



While we wait for the winners of week 4 and the FINAL grand prize list, I thought I'd go over the finer points of the grand prize competition. I went over most of this on social media already so this may be a repeat for some of you.

How to Tell If You're Eligible to Compete for the Grand Prize

When I announce the winners of Week 4, I'll also release the FINAL grand prize list. On it should be:

1. Those who appeared on the pledge AND check-in lists for all four weeks.
2. Those who won their way back on during last week's "Drink Up!" Challenge.

If you are not on the list and feel you should be you have until tomorrow, Monday, March 3 at NOON EST to let me know about it (via email at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com). Otherwise, we move on!

Please read the below instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in elimination from the competition and all eliminations during grand prize week are FINAL.

Here's How Grand Prize Week Will Work

The grand prize competition will be in three "legs" (think legs of a race). For legs 1 and 2 grand prize contestants will be given three (3) tasks to complete for each leg. These are things that anybody, with any physical capability, will be able to complete. You'll have a period of time to complete those tasks and a time when you can start report back to say that you completed the tasks (see the schedule below). There will be a special blog post for you to report back on. That is the only place where you may report back and you may NOT report back before you see that blog post, so please look at the schedule below and plan accordingly. After legs one and two, some of you will be eliminated (see information below).

Here is the schedule and elimination information for legs 1 and 2:

• Leg One
• Tasks will be posted NOON EST, Monday, March 3rd
• Report back for Leg #1 will open: (NOTE NEW TIME!) 9 p.m EST Wednesday, March 5
• The first 50 people with valid report backs*** will move on to leg #2 (a list will be published by 9 a.m. EST listing the 50 semi-finalists who will move on to leg #2).
• Leg Two
• Tasks will be posted NOON EST, Thursday, March 6
• Report back for Leg #2 will open at (NOTE NEW TIME) 3 PM EST, Saturday, March 8
• The first 25 people with valid report backs will move on to leg #3 (a list will be published of the 25 finalists who will move on to leg #3)

Leg #3 will be a random drawing. The drawing will take place on Sunday, March 9 at 3:00 PM EST and the grand prize winner will be announced by 8 p.m. EST.

***All report backs will be verified to ensure the contestant completed the assigned tasks. If any of a contestant's tasks is incomplete, that contestant will be eliminated.


"Wait...what was the Grand Prize, again?"

As a reminder, the grand prize is "Winner Takes All," meaning the winner of the grand prize will receive ALL the prizes of former weeks PLUS a few bonus items. Here is the complete grand prize.

• A container of Chike protein, in the flavor of the winner’s choice
• A container of Click Espresso Protein, in the flavor of the winner’s choice
• A stash of bariatric vitamins, courtesy of Building Blocks Vitamins
• A container of BiPro Whey protein, in the flavor of the winner’s choice
• A box of Quest Bars, in the flavor of the winner’s choice
• A box of Detour Lower Sugar bars, in the flavor of the winner’s choice
• Just Added! A $50 Amazon gift card, courtesy of Bariatric Foodie
•  Just Added! A free copy of the next Bariatric Foodie published book (subject/title TBA – but will be released in April)
• Just Added! A lifetime “extra chance” code to all Bariatric Foodie giveaways from now  until FOREVER!

The grand prize has a retail value of just over $300! If you have any questions, please post them as a comment on this blog or you can email me (bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com) or post on Facebook or Twitter. You may ask as many questions as you want whenever you want but heed the deadlines. Not to sound like a broken record but all eliminations are final!

Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Week 4 Winners!



Ok! Let's DO this.

Firstly, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Detour Lower Sugar Protein Bars for sponsoring our week 4 prize! They've been super good to us in the past (this is the company that formerly made Recharge Bars and gave 150+ of you free bars, if you recall!) so if you get a chance, check out their products.

We have TWO orders of business on this post. I'm going to go backwards and first give you the link to the FINAL grand prize list. I double and triple checked it but unfortunately the last time I checked I was still human SO...if you are not on this list and feel you should be, you MUST email me by noon tomorrow. After that, the grand prize list is closed and I cannot alter it!

NOTE: For this list I did include email addresses just so everyone is clear on who I am talking about.

Click here to view the Grand Prize Contestant List

 

 

With that out of the way, here are the winners for Week 4! If you see your name below, please email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to claim your prize!

 

Congratulations to:

• Jenna L. (Fave Movie: The Breakfast Club)
• Deanna H. (Fave Movie: Grease)
• Pamela H. (A Space Odyssey)

I just want to take a moment to THANK everyone who took part in the Pledge. These four weeks are challenging. Not only with your goals but keeping up with your status on the list, taking challenges and remembering to be accountable. I hope ALL of you are proud of yourselves for having done this. I am so proud of you!

 

Please be sure to follow along next week as the grand prize contestants duke it out for the BIG prize!

 

Then stick around for even better things to come. It's going to be the best spring yet at Bariatric Foodie and I want YOU to be a part of it!

Bariatric Foodie Pledge - Submit Your Week 4 Check-Ins!

WEEK FOUR CHECK INS ARE NOW CLOSED. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO CHECKED IN!

After all the pledging, all the goals, the highs, the lows, the tech problems, here we are at the end of the FINAL week of the Bariatric Foodie Pledge!

I hope you all are very proud of yourselves. More than 500 of you participated in this event to make, and be accountable to, healthy goals!

This week you'll remember we are pledging for Detour Lower Sugar Protein Bars! Three lucky Pledgers will win a box (in the flavor of their choice) BUT first you have to check in your pledge.

IMPORTANT: Since this is week 4 and the Grand Prize is at stake, I'm asking EVERYBODY to post "Done" in the blog comments after submitting your check-in, even if you've never had any submission problems. That is your ONLY insurance against tech problems. Grand prize week MUST start Monday so there will be NO GRAND PRIZE LIST CORRECTIONS this week.

 

Here's How You Check-In Your Pledge

 

If you can see the form below  use it to submit your week 4 check-in. Remember to hit the "Submit" button at the bottom of the form.

 

If you cannot see the form below  you may submit your check in directly to the check-in list. Be sure to fill in all the information. You don't need to press save after you enter your information, you can simply exit the form.

 

If, AND ONLY IF, the above two options don't work  you may leave your check-in as a comment on this blog post by including your first name/last initial, email address (you can send that to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com if you don't feel comfortable posting it), your week 4 goal, whether you achieved it or not, how you'll keep your goal going and your favorite movie (for identification purposes).

 

How to Tell if Your Check-In Went Through

 

Since this is week 4 I'm simply asking folks to come back to THIS blog post and post "done" in the blog comments. If you do that you will be added to the check-in list no matter what . Please do it. There have been several folks I've NOT been able to credit for pledges and/or check-ins because their information didn't go through on the form and they didn't post done. It's the ONLY way I have of knowing you truly did attempt to check-in.

 

You may also click here to view the check-in list. If you are using a mobile device the easiest way to find yourself is to go to the headings and click "What is your first name/last initial?" It should show you a list of all the names of people who have submitted and you can scroll through and look for yourself.