Reduced Sugar Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Warning!!! This is not a low calorie snack.

Ingredients for the cookies include:
2 cups all purpose flour (I used wheat pastry flour and they came out fantastic)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I grated 1/2 of a nutmeg)
1/ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of butter (you could use applesauce to lighten the recipe)
1 1/4 cups of Whey Low Granular (sugar substitute)
2 large eggs, let them sit at room temperature before adding
1 cup of pumpkin, not pie filling
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:
4 ounces of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons of butter, softened
1/2 vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of Whey Low Powdered Sugar

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper for the best results.

2) Combine all dry ingredients on a piece of parchment for ease in adding later.  Cream all wet ingredients together, adding eggs one at a time.  Slowly add dry ingredients until well combined.  Drop by heaping teaspoons on to lined baking sheets.

3) Bake for 11 to 13 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets and them remove to a wire rack until completely cool.

4) Cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a small bowl on medium with a mixer until fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

5) When cookies are completely cooled, spread a heaping teaspoon of icing onto the flat side of one cookie and close with the flat side of a second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.  Since these have cream cheese in them, store in an air tight container in the refridgerator.

To all you weight loss patients, I was able to have one without dumping.  Keep in mind that they maybe low in sugar, but they are still rocking in carbs......LOL

Facing Facts After WLS - Matters of the Heart!

The facts are that 80 - 85% of all gastric bypass or weight loss surgery patients divorce within 2 years of their procedure.  That is a sobering statistic. 

Why is the divorce rate so high?  Does the rise in our self esteem threaten our partners?

A common belief among professionals is that obese patients tend to "settle" for relationships in which a "normal" individual would not.  I am not sure I believe in a fairy tale version of "normal".  I truly believe that everyone exists with a certain amount of dysfunction in their lives.  I believe it is those differences that make us special and unique.  I don't wish to be like my neighbor.  Now, do I believe I tolerated more when I was heavy to avoid being alone?  More than likely. 

As a weight loss patient who has lost half of her body weight, I can tell you that my self esteem has grown expeditiously.  I also know that my husband is 145 soaking wet and has a hollow leg!  He has never, nor will he ever understand what it is like to struggle with his weight. And as I have struggled to recover, there is very little sympathy.

Some couples may experience issues with jealousy and trust.  Suddenly, their spouse has gone from a size 24 to size 4 and the other sex is paying attention to them.  Your spouse may not know how to deal with their emotions and insecurities.  Also, as the individual that is going through the transformation yourself, you may quite enjoy the attention.   Promiscuity may even become an issue within the marriage.

I also believe that some weight loss patients believe that the sex has died in their marriage due to the obesity and when they lose the weight, it will return.  However, it maybe that your spouse just doesn't want sex and this symptom may have nothing to have to do with your weight and everything to do with your spouse.

Professional are quick to make the psychological testing part of the pre-surgical criteria; however, a huge part of the puzzle is realizing what we have been using food for.  Those realizations do not come until after the surgery and you're standing in front of the pantry door for no apparent reason other than an emotional one.
Weight loss surgery is not a magic bullet.  It will not save your marriage.  Please seek professional help as issues arise whether they be personal or with your relationship with your significant other. 

Celebrations!!!

I wanted to celebrate my first surgiversary with with you.  I am 132 lbs. down and have met my goal weight, but more importantly is the major changes that have happened in my life.

I have finally put 2 + 2 together and realized that I have an eating disorder.  emm hmm :)


I have finally seeing myself as a beautiful, worthwhile, human being who is entitled to her feelings and emotions.

I am on a spiritual journey to heal myself.

It is ok to be me.

I had my first bout with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 23, I am now 41, I have lived with the disease for 18 years.  I have had times in my life where I was bedridden.  I have had times when no one could tell that there was anything wrong with me, but through it all I have learned not to take the little things for granted.  There are good days and there are bad days, but most of all more good than bad.  I celebrate that!  Walking upright, I celebrate that!  Getting the weight off to make my body hurt less, I celebrate that! My sick sense of humor....I celebrate that!

I challenge you today to celebrate what is unique in yourself and proclaim it to the world. Put it on your Facebook page or write it in your journal, but whatever you do, PROCLAIM IT!