As you can tell we've stopped posting everyday. This is just because it's such a natural part of our lives now! Or we may just be lazy. But on any account, we are still doing it. We have about a week left, and I don't really want it to be over.
I am currently snacking on a roasted seaweed snack, and it's delicious! My weight loss fluctuates from 10-14 lbs and I am feeling mighty fine.
I don't find myself craving a giant steak or a greasy burger anymore.
I crave Pork. I crave butter. I crave bread.
However, the only night I made something that felt like we were cheating. It's called Koshary.
The recipe is about 1000 years old. It's a total carb-fest of spicy goodness. It's thought that the Coptic Christians in Egypt started making this during Lent circa 900-1100.
Make some rice, spaghetti noodles, elbow macaroni and lentils. Set them to the side. Get some olive oil hot and throw a bunch of minced garlic in so that your kitchen smells like what heaven will smell like. (Also, you should have two large red onions carmelized by now).
Then throw a handful of the noodles and lentils in the large saute pan. Let it sear, then turn down the temperature to low. Let it sit, don't touch it. Let the pasta get crispy. Throw this olive oily, garlicy crunchy goodness on top of the soft rice and pour a spicy tomato sauce all over it!!! Hawt Damn! The best thing ever. Crunchy, garlicky, soft, spicy, tomatoey- just wonderful goodness. Thank you Coptics for this dish. It's also still served as the fast food of Egypt apparently. Little different than McDonalds.
One more week, but I don't dread it. I just want some amazing butter and french bread.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Day 11- What is Healthy?
We are well into week 2 and it is becoming clear that this adventure will yield many phases. Week 1 was the "This is so new and fun and exciting!" phase. Week 2 is quickly becoming the "This is not new or fun or exciting anymore and now i'm just hungry" phase. I have found myself not giving a second thought to nutrition or health as of late and just concentrating on eating ANYTHING the falls within our restrictions.
Convenience has taken over and my diet for the past 4 or 5 days has consisted mainly on oatmeal and peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Gone is the motivation to cook and eat different vegetables or make sure that I am getting enough nutrients. I am beginning to realize that putting dramatic restrictions on what we eat doesn't necessarily automatically lead to a healthier diet. Being healthy is just as much about what you ARE eating as what you are NOT eating. Lately, I have only been caring about the NOT part.
Here are some new goals for the next couple weeks:
1. Make sure I eat at least 1 fruit and 1 vegetable a day.
2. Think about protein: beans, grains, and more beans.
3. Drink more water.
It is hard to stay motivated, but I can honestly say that I generally FEEL better. I can't really put it into words...I just feel lighter. Not weight wise necessarily, but more energetic and awake. I'm letting this push me through the next 2 weeks!
Convenience has taken over and my diet for the past 4 or 5 days has consisted mainly on oatmeal and peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Gone is the motivation to cook and eat different vegetables or make sure that I am getting enough nutrients. I am beginning to realize that putting dramatic restrictions on what we eat doesn't necessarily automatically lead to a healthier diet. Being healthy is just as much about what you ARE eating as what you are NOT eating. Lately, I have only been caring about the NOT part.
Here are some new goals for the next couple weeks:
1. Make sure I eat at least 1 fruit and 1 vegetable a day.
2. Think about protein: beans, grains, and more beans.
3. Drink more water.
It is hard to stay motivated, but I can honestly say that I generally FEEL better. I can't really put it into words...I just feel lighter. Not weight wise necessarily, but more energetic and awake. I'm letting this push me through the next 2 weeks!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Day 9- Dat Shine Wore Off
It's not as fun anymore. Not as exciting. But it's better. Much better.
I'm easily satisfied now by the food that I eat. I do want junk food every now and then, but my desire has decreased by about 50%. I no longer overeat (maybe I overate a little bit with Caroline's sweet potato fries and our homemade black bean/garbanzo bean/rice/corn burgers with organic ketchup). I feel better and better everyday.
I'm easily satisfied now by the food that I eat. I do want junk food every now and then, but my desire has decreased by about 50%. I no longer overeat (maybe I overate a little bit with Caroline's sweet potato fries and our homemade black bean/garbanzo bean/rice/corn burgers with organic ketchup). I feel better and better everyday.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Day 9: Confessional
Brett and I just had to huge burgers and a plate of fries.
We decided we just couldn't do it anymore. The agony of our love for meat and dairy was to much. I really want apologize to all those who believed we could do it. We have let everyone down. But most of all we have let ourselves down.
ok i'm just kidding! But not about the burgers and fries part. We had wonderful black bean burgers and sweet potato fries tonight. Definitely one of my favorite meals of the adventure so far.
I also seriously contemplated putting on my snow boots and hiking down Hillsboro to get some organic dark chocolate. Can't get my car out of the lot but, hey, girls gotta have some dessert. I settled for half a slice of bread with peanut butter and honey.
For any entrepreneurs out there, a dark chocolate delivery man/woman would be an excellent business idea.
We decided we just couldn't do it anymore. The agony of our love for meat and dairy was to much. I really want apologize to all those who believed we could do it. We have let everyone down. But most of all we have let ourselves down.
ok i'm just kidding! But not about the burgers and fries part. We had wonderful black bean burgers and sweet potato fries tonight. Definitely one of my favorite meals of the adventure so far.
I also seriously contemplated putting on my snow boots and hiking down Hillsboro to get some organic dark chocolate. Can't get my car out of the lot but, hey, girls gotta have some dessert. I settled for half a slice of bread with peanut butter and honey.
For any entrepreneurs out there, a dark chocolate delivery man/woman would be an excellent business idea.
Day 7 or/and 8: Why I eat.
Today is my day off and I have decided to fill it with lounging, budgeting, eagerly looking out the window in search of snow (come on Nashville, what is the deal?), and How I Met Your Mother Season 1. It is very relaxing, yes, but also mildly boring. This is a good thing! I need boring days. But today I have realized something- when i'm bored I eat. I'm not particularly hungry. Actually i'm not hungry at all. But literally all I want to do is EAT.
I recently had a pretty successful Trader Joe's shopping trip leaving me very optimistic for this weeks eats. However, I found today that most of my shopping yielded groceries that should have been labeled with big letters reading ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. I just don't want to cook! I want to SNACK. Specifically, I want to snack on cheesy, sweet things. The closest i've gotten to that today is when, in embarrassing desperation, I dipped my finger in the honey jar a couple of times.
So far, eating incredibly nasty, unhealthy foods is way more convenient. Especially on my lazy days.
I recently had a pretty successful Trader Joe's shopping trip leaving me very optimistic for this weeks eats. However, I found today that most of my shopping yielded groceries that should have been labeled with big letters reading ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. I just don't want to cook! I want to SNACK. Specifically, I want to snack on cheesy, sweet things. The closest i've gotten to that today is when, in embarrassing desperation, I dipped my finger in the honey jar a couple of times.
So far, eating incredibly nasty, unhealthy foods is way more convenient. Especially on my lazy days.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day 8- Tired.
I thought last week would be the worst, but on the 8th day, I was tired.
I was completely irritable. Anything would set me off. All I wanted was nasty, awful food. The burn in my stomach was comparable to an animal inside me, eating anything else I would put into it.
But, I got through the day. Caroline had some nice "Fiesta Boca Burgers" that had no preservatives- really all they had were beans and other vegetables. We wrapped them in a tortilla, I made a chipotle ketchup- and we were in business!
Short post today. People are calling to cancer their cancer treatments because it might snow. Hrm.
I was completely irritable. Anything would set me off. All I wanted was nasty, awful food. The burn in my stomach was comparable to an animal inside me, eating anything else I would put into it.
But, I got through the day. Caroline had some nice "Fiesta Boca Burgers" that had no preservatives- really all they had were beans and other vegetables. We wrapped them in a tortilla, I made a chipotle ketchup- and we were in business!
Short post today. People are calling to cancer their cancer treatments because it might snow. Hrm.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Day 7: I thought Natural Flavors were good?
We are one quarter of the way there! Whoo. Everyone cheer.
It has been difficult this past week. I'm certain that this past week will be the worst. I'm liking how I feel, i'm liking most of the food i'm eating, and i'm trying to think more permanent.
I also think i'm saving money now. I eat smaller portions, and actually eat leftovers. I've lost 8-10 pounds.
I also feel a bit like a tool explaining what i'm doing to other people. The fact that Caroline and I actually have the freedom to do this is something a large majority of the world can't choose to do. I'm thankful for having this opportunity.
I'm not thankful for natural flavors.
Homework: Check your fridge and pantry. Count how many things that you own that have "natural flavors" in them. This fact is troubling.
Here's a link that tries to explain the mystical "natural flavors" in your organic hummus.
http://www.vegsource.com/articles/natural.flavors.htm
It has been difficult this past week. I'm certain that this past week will be the worst. I'm liking how I feel, i'm liking most of the food i'm eating, and i'm trying to think more permanent.
I also think i'm saving money now. I eat smaller portions, and actually eat leftovers. I've lost 8-10 pounds.
I also feel a bit like a tool explaining what i'm doing to other people. The fact that Caroline and I actually have the freedom to do this is something a large majority of the world can't choose to do. I'm thankful for having this opportunity.
I'm not thankful for natural flavors.
Homework: Check your fridge and pantry. Count how many things that you own that have "natural flavors" in them. This fact is troubling.
Here's a link that tries to explain the mystical "natural flavors" in your organic hummus.
http://www.vegsource.com/articles/natural.flavors.htm
Day 6: INGREDIENTS:
CITRIC ACID
SILICON DIOXIDE
SORBIC ACID
SODIUM BICARBONATE
XANTHAN GUM
For the past 7 days, Brett and I have been spent an embarrassing amount of time hunched over the backs of boxes, cans, and cartons laboriously sifting through the words that follow "INGREDIENTS:" trying desperately to make sense of it all. When we began this adventure, we agreed that if we didn't recognize every last word in that daunting paragraph we were to immediately return the item to the shelf and push it from our minds. These days, it is getting hard to forgive and forget. Whether it is innocent curiosity or desperate hunger, I am not sure, but we are beginning to wonder (hope) that maybe just because we don't recognize some words doesn't mean those ingredients aren't "natural" or quite healthy. During another painful attempt to explain to a friend what it was that we were doing, he replied, "I mean thats cool and all but I figure it has to all originally come from the earth. So what if a couple scientists have to fuse some of it together in lab. Its all natural, right?" Honestly, I don't know. It is becoming clear that some research is required to cure our blatant ignorance when it comes to the stuff that is in our food.
I have listed above 5 common ingredients that keep popping up in the foods that I so desperately want to add to my diet. What follows is my attempt at some brief research regarding each one. Yes, I will be Wikipedia-ing. Please forgive me, Research God.
CITRIC ACID: Well I already feel dumb. Citric acid is a naturally occurring preservative found in most fruits and vegetables. If I were to put back a item that listed this ingredient, I would also have to return all my fresh fruits and veggies. It is used in powder form when adding a sour taste to foods. It is in almost all sodas, for instance. Maybe a good rule with ingredient would be to say YES if it naturally occurs in a fruit or veggie that is in the product and NO if added as an independent ingredient in foods that do not contain fruits and vegetables.
SILICON DIOXIDE: This one is a little more tricky. Silica is a necessary element required for healthy bone growth. Silica mainly occurs naturally in the form of silicon dioxide. This common ingredient is prevalent in everything from glass to non-purified drinking water. It is often found in powdered foods and used as an anti-caking agent. Also, most chips and snacks contain silicon dioxide in the spices used to enhance taste. Sounds like the same deal as citric acid. If used via fruits and veggies in food items, go for it. If used as an taste enhancer or in cement and electronics, eh. Probably not.
SORBIC ACID: This ingredient is another naturally occurring preservative that was fist isolated from a Rowanberry (not going to pretend to know what that is- different wikipedia adventure for a different time). Sorbic Acid is the number 1 preservative found in next to everything. It prevents the growth of mold, yeast, and fungi in our favorite foods. In my humble opinion, consuming something that would have gone "bad" days before but is hanging on by a fake freshness thread due to sorbic acid probably isn't natural. God made mold to idiot proof our food. Avoiding it for our convenience just seems...idiotic.
SODIUM BICARBONATE: aka BAKING SODA!!! Gosh learn something new everyday. You will find this in almost anything that requires dough to rise. Can't really get around that one. Plus its a salt. My favorite food.
XANTHAN GUM: As far as I could find, this is a compound that absolutely requires a lab, some chemicals, and a scientist. Generally Xanthan Gum is used as a food thickening agent. It is pretty unavoidable for vegans and people with gluten allergies as it is an almost perfect gluten and egg substitute. Xanthan Gum is also used in large quantities as to thicken drilling mud. Yummy. Since this ingredient cannot really hurt you, it isn't a huge problem. However, we are trying to be the Natural Couple, so I think for the next few weeks it gets the boot.
In summary (if you have managed to read through this obnoxiously long post), it is probably true that some of those scary words used in our food are found naturally and normally in fruits and vegetables. It is also true that the same ingredients, when taken out of their natural context and used independent of their mother fruits and veggies, can be very unnatural.
I am beginning to believe that all healthy food trails undeniably point to fruits and vegetables...nature gave it to us plain and simple. Can we take the hint?
SILICON DIOXIDE
SORBIC ACID
SODIUM BICARBONATE
XANTHAN GUM
For the past 7 days, Brett and I have been spent an embarrassing amount of time hunched over the backs of boxes, cans, and cartons laboriously sifting through the words that follow "INGREDIENTS:" trying desperately to make sense of it all. When we began this adventure, we agreed that if we didn't recognize every last word in that daunting paragraph we were to immediately return the item to the shelf and push it from our minds. These days, it is getting hard to forgive and forget. Whether it is innocent curiosity or desperate hunger, I am not sure, but we are beginning to wonder (hope) that maybe just because we don't recognize some words doesn't mean those ingredients aren't "natural" or quite healthy. During another painful attempt to explain to a friend what it was that we were doing, he replied, "I mean thats cool and all but I figure it has to all originally come from the earth. So what if a couple scientists have to fuse some of it together in lab. Its all natural, right?" Honestly, I don't know. It is becoming clear that some research is required to cure our blatant ignorance when it comes to the stuff that is in our food.
I have listed above 5 common ingredients that keep popping up in the foods that I so desperately want to add to my diet. What follows is my attempt at some brief research regarding each one. Yes, I will be Wikipedia-ing. Please forgive me, Research God.
CITRIC ACID: Well I already feel dumb. Citric acid is a naturally occurring preservative found in most fruits and vegetables. If I were to put back a item that listed this ingredient, I would also have to return all my fresh fruits and veggies. It is used in powder form when adding a sour taste to foods. It is in almost all sodas, for instance. Maybe a good rule with ingredient would be to say YES if it naturally occurs in a fruit or veggie that is in the product and NO if added as an independent ingredient in foods that do not contain fruits and vegetables.
SILICON DIOXIDE: This one is a little more tricky. Silica is a necessary element required for healthy bone growth. Silica mainly occurs naturally in the form of silicon dioxide. This common ingredient is prevalent in everything from glass to non-purified drinking water. It is often found in powdered foods and used as an anti-caking agent. Also, most chips and snacks contain silicon dioxide in the spices used to enhance taste. Sounds like the same deal as citric acid. If used via fruits and veggies in food items, go for it. If used as an taste enhancer or in cement and electronics, eh. Probably not.
SORBIC ACID: This ingredient is another naturally occurring preservative that was fist isolated from a Rowanberry (not going to pretend to know what that is- different wikipedia adventure for a different time). Sorbic Acid is the number 1 preservative found in next to everything. It prevents the growth of mold, yeast, and fungi in our favorite foods. In my humble opinion, consuming something that would have gone "bad" days before but is hanging on by a fake freshness thread due to sorbic acid probably isn't natural. God made mold to idiot proof our food. Avoiding it for our convenience just seems...idiotic.
SODIUM BICARBONATE: aka BAKING SODA!!! Gosh learn something new everyday. You will find this in almost anything that requires dough to rise. Can't really get around that one. Plus its a salt. My favorite food.
XANTHAN GUM: As far as I could find, this is a compound that absolutely requires a lab, some chemicals, and a scientist. Generally Xanthan Gum is used as a food thickening agent. It is pretty unavoidable for vegans and people with gluten allergies as it is an almost perfect gluten and egg substitute. Xanthan Gum is also used in large quantities as to thicken drilling mud. Yummy. Since this ingredient cannot really hurt you, it isn't a huge problem. However, we are trying to be the Natural Couple, so I think for the next few weeks it gets the boot.
In summary (if you have managed to read through this obnoxiously long post), it is probably true that some of those scary words used in our food are found naturally and normally in fruits and vegetables. It is also true that the same ingredients, when taken out of their natural context and used independent of their mother fruits and veggies, can be very unnatural.
I am beginning to believe that all healthy food trails undeniably point to fruits and vegetables...nature gave it to us plain and simple. Can we take the hint?
Day 6- That Superbowl Pig
I walked into the house and there it was. My deepest, darkest fantasy. My hidden desire. My shameful impulse.
The Pig.
It had been smoked with Jack Daniel's Hickory Woodchips for hours, and was now in the oven finishing off the last few hours of the cooking process. I drooled, gazing through the opaque glass of the oven, eyeing the smokey 15 lbs shoulder of the beast.
God's greatest animal in all its smoked glory was taunting me, post-mortem, on the most sacred of feast days. In a Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego moment I saw someone else standing in the heat of the oven. Except this time, it was el Diablo. It snarled past the smokey goodness at me, "Come on! It's the Superbowl. You deserve this. You've gone a week! Just this one bite. Everyone will understand."
I quickly brushed the words off and pretended to quote some scripture as I walked away from the oven.
I watched each person at the Superbowl party prepare their sandwiches in wonderfully different delicious ways- dripping with sauce, topped with creamy coleslaw, overflowing with chunks of juicy, succulent pork. The individuality of each sandwich had a strangely patriotic feel and I settled back into my seat with my carrots.
Before I knew it, the Superbowl was over. The pork was gobbled up mostly. My stomach was somewhat satiated, and I was walking out the door. "I did it. I withstood The Test." I left a Superbowl party feeling generally healthy for the first time in my life. I fell asleep with a rewarded feeling.
When I woke up this morning and got ready for work, I threw my jacket on running out the door and was hit with that familiar smokey smell from last night.
That'll do pig. That'll do.
The Pig.
It had been smoked with Jack Daniel's Hickory Woodchips for hours, and was now in the oven finishing off the last few hours of the cooking process. I drooled, gazing through the opaque glass of the oven, eyeing the smokey 15 lbs shoulder of the beast.
God's greatest animal in all its smoked glory was taunting me, post-mortem, on the most sacred of feast days. In a Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego moment I saw someone else standing in the heat of the oven. Except this time, it was el Diablo. It snarled past the smokey goodness at me, "Come on! It's the Superbowl. You deserve this. You've gone a week! Just this one bite. Everyone will understand."
I quickly brushed the words off and pretended to quote some scripture as I walked away from the oven.
I watched each person at the Superbowl party prepare their sandwiches in wonderfully different delicious ways- dripping with sauce, topped with creamy coleslaw, overflowing with chunks of juicy, succulent pork. The individuality of each sandwich had a strangely patriotic feel and I settled back into my seat with my carrots.
Before I knew it, the Superbowl was over. The pork was gobbled up mostly. My stomach was somewhat satiated, and I was walking out the door. "I did it. I withstood The Test." I left a Superbowl party feeling generally healthy for the first time in my life. I fell asleep with a rewarded feeling.
When I woke up this morning and got ready for work, I threw my jacket on running out the door and was hit with that familiar smokey smell from last night.
That'll do pig. That'll do.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Day 5- Adenocarcinoma of the Heart
I don't know if you know this, but I work with cancer patients over the phone. This can be a rewarding job, and also a job that can drive you crazy. The mixture of being on the phone all day and dealing with incredibly horrendous illnesses and symptoms can be a deathly cocktail of sensory overload. Add a shot of "Not Getting That Thing You Crave", and it can get deadly.
My stomach was burning with fire as I eagerly pushed the steamed broccoli into my stomach at 12:04 on Friday afternoon- on top of the steel grain oats I had for breakfast. When I was finished, I took a deep breath and for the first time felt a panic. "I'm not going to get anything I desperately want to eat for 20 more days." A cold sweat broke out as my stomach churned as I started shifting in my seat.
All I had been eating was fiber. Broccoli and Steel Cut Oats? "Are you crazy?" I thought of the impending "Perfect Storm" that was happening inside as I got back on the phones with a patient who was generally unthankful for talking to me and not his doctor. "I'm sorry, Dr. So-And-So is in the clinic right now, I can take a message and... blahblahblah.." Same thing everyday. I was feeling my heart beat faster and faster as the walls started to close around me. This mixture of food claustrophobia and Colon Blow scraping my insides made me feel like I was going off the reservation. Then I ran- TO THE BATHROOM.
I dashed down the halls, my phone headset flinging behind me like this sort of pseudo-celebratory wedding car string of cans dancing and hopping on the carpet (I may be taking creative license on the details).
What happened in that bathroom will remain a private and intimate detail of my life, but I want you to know it was frightening. All in all, I left that bathroom feeling a strange sort of relief and fear.
In the words of Wendell Berry, I walked away practicing "Resurrection".
My stomach was burning with fire as I eagerly pushed the steamed broccoli into my stomach at 12:04 on Friday afternoon- on top of the steel grain oats I had for breakfast. When I was finished, I took a deep breath and for the first time felt a panic. "I'm not going to get anything I desperately want to eat for 20 more days." A cold sweat broke out as my stomach churned as I started shifting in my seat.
All I had been eating was fiber. Broccoli and Steel Cut Oats? "Are you crazy?" I thought of the impending "Perfect Storm" that was happening inside as I got back on the phones with a patient who was generally unthankful for talking to me and not his doctor. "I'm sorry, Dr. So-And-So is in the clinic right now, I can take a message and... blahblahblah.." Same thing everyday. I was feeling my heart beat faster and faster as the walls started to close around me. This mixture of food claustrophobia and Colon Blow scraping my insides made me feel like I was going off the reservation. Then I ran- TO THE BATHROOM.
I dashed down the halls, my phone headset flinging behind me like this sort of pseudo-celebratory wedding car string of cans dancing and hopping on the carpet (I may be taking creative license on the details).
What happened in that bathroom will remain a private and intimate detail of my life, but I want you to know it was frightening. All in all, I left that bathroom feeling a strange sort of relief and fear.
In the words of Wendell Berry, I walked away practicing "Resurrection".
Day 5: The Burger Babe
We have officially gone 1 long work week without eating ANY meat, dairy, or processed foods! Some days have been better than others. I have found that days that I don't have to work are way easier than days when I have to spend 8 hours running around at Starbucks. My job keeps me moving and on my feet so when I clock out at night I am RAVENOUSLY hungry. Like, Hulk style.
Yesterday I worked from 3-11:30pm. For the entirety of my shift, I felt great! I had energy, I wasn't starving, I was in a peppy mood- I generally felt good. However, about an hour before we closed I started to think about what I was going to eat when I got home. I am so used to rewarding myself after a long, late weekend night shift with some McDonalds Dollar Menu or Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Lovers cookie dough. Last night was no different- my body was starting to moan, "Need...foood..." I mentally perused my cabinet and fridge that awaited me- 1 apple. Bag of baby carrots. 2 head of broccoli. 2 potatoes. 1 sweet potato. 1 can of black beans. 1 can of corn. 1 can of garbonzo beans. Now, don't get me wrong. This is GOOD food. Its just that most of this stuff has to be mixed with things or at least cooked to make it enjoyable. The last thing I want to do after a Saturday night shift is to come home and play chef.
I started to lose it. Transforming- ever so slowly- into the angry, hungry side of me that I now refer to as "The Burger Babe"
Do not be deceived by her girlish title. The Burger Babe may be super attractive (oh yeah) but she will rip your head off in one swift grab for the item she seeks. More than love, more than money, more than those amazing leather boots at Macy's, Burger Babe wants BURGER.
I started to sweat-my eyes were darting back and forth-my mouth started to twitch-my pupils turned red-my teeth began to point and sharpen.
I managed (with lots of deep breaths) to make it home without seriously injuring any pedestrians or rear-ending that super obnoxious suv in front of me that turned into the McDonold's drive thru.
I stumbled up the stairs- losing control of my thoughts and actions more and more every second. "Cheese....mustard...angus patty..." It was almost to0 late when I grabbed the tub of oatmeal on my counter. I was beginning to convulse as I poured it into a bowl. Oats were flying everywhere. I shoved in the microwave and rolled into a ball on the floor waiting for the excruciating minute to pass. I could barely hear the beep of the microwave over the deafening sound of a grill being fired up that filled my head. I grabbed the bowl, ran to the couch, turned on SNL, and ate.
My friends, I ate the biggest bowl of oatmeal you have ever seen. Somewhere between the first and last bite I started to calm down. The sweating stopped. The sounds of burger-making that had filled my head earlier where soothed. I was myself again.
Until next time, Burger Babe. I should probably start carrying around oatmeal to fight her sudden visits. To protect the public, of course.
Yesterday I worked from 3-11:30pm. For the entirety of my shift, I felt great! I had energy, I wasn't starving, I was in a peppy mood- I generally felt good. However, about an hour before we closed I started to think about what I was going to eat when I got home. I am so used to rewarding myself after a long, late weekend night shift with some McDonalds Dollar Menu or Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Lovers cookie dough. Last night was no different- my body was starting to moan, "Need...foood..." I mentally perused my cabinet and fridge that awaited me- 1 apple. Bag of baby carrots. 2 head of broccoli. 2 potatoes. 1 sweet potato. 1 can of black beans. 1 can of corn. 1 can of garbonzo beans. Now, don't get me wrong. This is GOOD food. Its just that most of this stuff has to be mixed with things or at least cooked to make it enjoyable. The last thing I want to do after a Saturday night shift is to come home and play chef.
I started to lose it. Transforming- ever so slowly- into the angry, hungry side of me that I now refer to as "The Burger Babe"
Do not be deceived by her girlish title. The Burger Babe may be super attractive (oh yeah) but she will rip your head off in one swift grab for the item she seeks. More than love, more than money, more than those amazing leather boots at Macy's, Burger Babe wants BURGER.
I started to sweat-my eyes were darting back and forth-my mouth started to twitch-my pupils turned red-my teeth began to point and sharpen.
I managed (with lots of deep breaths) to make it home without seriously injuring any pedestrians or rear-ending that super obnoxious suv in front of me that turned into the McDonold's drive thru.
I stumbled up the stairs- losing control of my thoughts and actions more and more every second. "Cheese....mustard...angus patty..." It was almost to0 late when I grabbed the tub of oatmeal on my counter. I was beginning to convulse as I poured it into a bowl. Oats were flying everywhere. I shoved in the microwave and rolled into a ball on the floor waiting for the excruciating minute to pass. I could barely hear the beep of the microwave over the deafening sound of a grill being fired up that filled my head. I grabbed the bowl, ran to the couch, turned on SNL, and ate.
My friends, I ate the biggest bowl of oatmeal you have ever seen. Somewhere between the first and last bite I started to calm down. The sweating stopped. The sounds of burger-making that had filled my head earlier where soothed. I was myself again.
Until next time, Burger Babe. I should probably start carrying around oatmeal to fight her sudden visits. To protect the public, of course.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Day 4- *Annoying Pouting Noise*
I just really want some cheese. I'll take it smothered over some tortilla chips, black beans, and salsa please. Or on some crackers with a little pepperoni on top. Or with some mayonnaise and pimento in between two slices of buttered, toasted bread. Or used as the bed on top of some soft deep-dish dough for some green olives and mushrooms...
Blerg.
On day 4 I did manage to make some pretty nice good kind sweet potato fries. And Brett made a great spicy black bean and corn risotto. So, yeah. That was good.
But I need to whine because my stomach is growling and my body feels weird...like its empty and full at the same time...my insides are cringing and swelling simultaneously...I have a constant mini headache and a never ending need to nap.
And did I mention that all I want to do is whine? And eat a truckload of cheese?
Blerg.
On day 4 I did manage to make some pretty nice good kind sweet potato fries. And Brett made a great spicy black bean and corn risotto. So, yeah. That was good.
But I need to whine because my stomach is growling and my body feels weird...like its empty and full at the same time...my insides are cringing and swelling simultaneously...I have a constant mini headache and a never ending need to nap.
And did I mention that all I want to do is whine? And eat a truckload of cheese?
Friday, February 4, 2011
Day 4- A Bit of Berry
I'm going to use my blog post today to post someone who didn't blog about a diet change for a month online, but rather, changed his life and millions others. He actually doesn't even have a computer. Without further ado,
Wendell Berry.
Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front
Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.
Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion -- put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?
Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go.
Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
Wendell Berry.
Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front
Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.
Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion -- put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?
Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go.
Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Day 3- Dear Brussels Sprouts:
Guess what.
I made you! Yep, I roasted you right up. Just drizzled you little dudes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic, popped you in the oven and BAM. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, salty like I like it- If I closed my eyes it was just like almost kind of half way not a whole lot like you were potato chips!
But seriously, you were good. And I was proud of myself. In fact, I was sure enough with my success that I took you with me when I met Brett for lunch. He loved you, too!!!! Success. Except for that when I opened the tupperware that housed you sweet things.
Brussels Sprouts--what happened?? Why did you have to smell so freakin' bad??? I mean, to be frank, you smell straight up nasty. Then when I walked by into my apartment, my whole place reeked of your odor. I lit candles. I cleaned. I went to work. I came home.
8 hours later.
It was like walking into a baby's diaper. WHAT THE HECK BRUSSELS SPROUTS??? Give it up. Why do you taste so good and yet smell so very bad??? For so very long??????
I'm not mad. I'm just VERY disappointed in your behavior.
Whatever. If you taste remotely like potato chips you know I will make you again tomorrow.
I made you! Yep, I roasted you right up. Just drizzled you little dudes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic, popped you in the oven and BAM. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, salty like I like it- If I closed my eyes it was just like almost kind of half way not a whole lot like you were potato chips!
But seriously, you were good. And I was proud of myself. In fact, I was sure enough with my success that I took you with me when I met Brett for lunch. He loved you, too!!!! Success. Except for that when I opened the tupperware that housed you sweet things.
Brussels Sprouts--what happened?? Why did you have to smell so freakin' bad??? I mean, to be frank, you smell straight up nasty. Then when I walked by into my apartment, my whole place reeked of your odor. I lit candles. I cleaned. I went to work. I came home.
8 hours later.
It was like walking into a baby's diaper. WHAT THE HECK BRUSSELS SPROUTS??? Give it up. Why do you taste so good and yet smell so very bad??? For so very long??????
I'm not mad. I'm just VERY disappointed in your behavior.
Whatever. If you taste remotely like potato chips you know I will make you again tomorrow.
Day 3- I Want Cooler Ranch Doritos
I don't know why, but its about 5 p.m. and I really want Cooler Ranch Doritos.
I spent some time looking at the ingredients and it's really strange that some of these ingredients are used in paint and glue. Now, before we jump to any conclusions- water is used in paint and glue as well... but still. Something to be said, I guess.
My breakfast was alot of oats again, except with some organic peanut butter and honey added. I couldn't finish the whole thing it was so filling.
My lunch was made great by the wonderful Caroline. Her crispy roasted brussell sprouts made a great addition to my organic peanut butter on whole wheat bread sandwich. I want those again.
My roommate ate Taco Bell in front of me today, it wasn't as hard as I thought to fight the desire. The spirit is willing... the flesh is weak.
Beer me strength.
I spent some time looking at the ingredients and it's really strange that some of these ingredients are used in paint and glue. Now, before we jump to any conclusions- water is used in paint and glue as well... but still. Something to be said, I guess.
My breakfast was alot of oats again, except with some organic peanut butter and honey added. I couldn't finish the whole thing it was so filling.
My lunch was made great by the wonderful Caroline. Her crispy roasted brussell sprouts made a great addition to my organic peanut butter on whole wheat bread sandwich. I want those again.
My roommate ate Taco Bell in front of me today, it wasn't as hard as I thought to fight the desire. The spirit is willing... the flesh is weak.
Beer me strength.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Day 2- Win
Today I sat in two very yummy restaurants across very happy people enjoying super fantastic food and was very content with my carrots and almonds! (And by very I mean kind of). Win. In general, today way a good day.
MAINLY BECAUSE OF OUR DINNER!
Brett made us a Chipotle black bean torta with sweet corn! After reading the ingredients of what seemed to be around 40 loaves of bread, I managed to find on that used soy based and all natural products- it was a type of flatbread! The whole shebang was topped with fresh cucumber and red peppers. Delicious win.
Also, I have found a way to trick my body into thinking I am eating desert- vanilla herbal tea. Win.
Also, I successfully baked a potato and steamed spinach. Those of you who know me know that this, too, is a win.
Day 2- Making It.
I still haven't had the chance to cook yet, mostly because I feel that I am "too busy". I think that means I am, in fact, "too lazy".
However, I did buy some organic, steel cut oats at Kroger this morning with some local honey from Dickson County. This made for a very good and hearty breakfast! Eating this way can be expensive. But if you go too cheap, your sodium content will shoot up! Which isn't much better than eating too much fat, I would think.
*Recipe Idea*
Thought of my own idea for a recipe for The Superbowl party. Here is my Vegan Seven Layer Dip (I'm going to get alot of flack for this one):
1. Sauteed Rice (Get some good rice. Get the olive oil hot (in a wok preferably) until wisps of smoke start to emanate off the pan. Put some diced garlic and onion in the pan, stir for about a minute. Add 2 cups rice and stir until dark yellow (3-5 minutes). Add 4 cups water until a light boil, then turn down heat to low and let sit for 24 minutes, covered. Don't you dare take off the cover and peek).
2. Spicy Chipotle Black Beans- (You can use canned if you want. Just make sure to drain all that nasty black gunk off of them. Add some dried chipotle peppers (in adobo is okay, haven't checked on preservatives on that one yet), kosher salt, crushed black pepper, cilantro, lime juice, diced tomato, onion and the secret ingredient... get ready... OREGANO. Put all of this in a saucepan with a bit of water on med-low and cook for as long as you'd like)
3. Pico De Gallo- (You know how to do this!)
4. Crispy Potato Slices- (Boil potatoes until fork tender. Refrigerate until cool. Slice thin and saute until dark brown and crispy)
5. Guacamole- (This is a secret, but i'm sure you have your own recipe)
6. Roasted Edamame- (How it sounds!)
7. Fresh Tomatillo Salsa- (Roast 1 lb of tomatillos to get the stickiness off, quarter. 1 large onion diced. 5 cloves garlic, 1 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno *keep those seeds in now!*, 1 juiced lime, kosher salt to taste). Put this in a blender. DO NOT BLEND IT. Pulse it to a light chop. Transfer to saucepan. Bring to light boil, turn down heat, simmer for 30 minutes.)
Bring it on Velveeta and cheap ground meat coagulatory mixture! I call this dip "Forget the RoethlisBURGER SuperBOWL dip".
For lunch i'm eating more steamed vegetables and a Larabar. I feel a bit more energetic even after a day.
However, I did buy some organic, steel cut oats at Kroger this morning with some local honey from Dickson County. This made for a very good and hearty breakfast! Eating this way can be expensive. But if you go too cheap, your sodium content will shoot up! Which isn't much better than eating too much fat, I would think.
*Recipe Idea*
Thought of my own idea for a recipe for The Superbowl party. Here is my Vegan Seven Layer Dip (I'm going to get alot of flack for this one):
1. Sauteed Rice (Get some good rice. Get the olive oil hot (in a wok preferably) until wisps of smoke start to emanate off the pan. Put some diced garlic and onion in the pan, stir for about a minute. Add 2 cups rice and stir until dark yellow (3-5 minutes). Add 4 cups water until a light boil, then turn down heat to low and let sit for 24 minutes, covered. Don't you dare take off the cover and peek).
2. Spicy Chipotle Black Beans- (You can use canned if you want. Just make sure to drain all that nasty black gunk off of them. Add some dried chipotle peppers (in adobo is okay, haven't checked on preservatives on that one yet), kosher salt, crushed black pepper, cilantro, lime juice, diced tomato, onion and the secret ingredient... get ready... OREGANO. Put all of this in a saucepan with a bit of water on med-low and cook for as long as you'd like)
3. Pico De Gallo- (You know how to do this!)
4. Crispy Potato Slices- (Boil potatoes until fork tender. Refrigerate until cool. Slice thin and saute until dark brown and crispy)
5. Guacamole- (This is a secret, but i'm sure you have your own recipe)
6. Roasted Edamame- (How it sounds!)
7. Fresh Tomatillo Salsa- (Roast 1 lb of tomatillos to get the stickiness off, quarter. 1 large onion diced. 5 cloves garlic, 1 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno *keep those seeds in now!*, 1 juiced lime, kosher salt to taste). Put this in a blender. DO NOT BLEND IT. Pulse it to a light chop. Transfer to saucepan. Bring to light boil, turn down heat, simmer for 30 minutes.)
Bring it on Velveeta and cheap ground meat coagulatory mixture! I call this dip "Forget the RoethlisBURGER SuperBOWL dip".
For lunch i'm eating more steamed vegetables and a Larabar. I feel a bit more energetic even after a day.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 1- Rabbit Food
"I can tell that this rabbit food stuff is already making you fussy."
-Starbucks co-worker, 6pm, Day 1.
Food timeline-
9am: oatmeal (plain), coffee (black)
12:30pm: Pink Lady apple, water
4:30pm: undercooked brown rice (working on that one...), raw carrots, raw cucumber, raw almonds, water.
8pm: Whole wheat pizza with tomatoes, roasted peppers (canned from a local farm's crop last year) and pesto, salad (topped with olive oil and balsamic vinegar), water. (My dear friend Shell homemade this pizza for girl's night and so graciously left the goat cheese- major rough point of the day- off of my slices)
11pm: raw almonds (at Jackson's, mind you, for my darling sister's first drink on her 21st birthday! Yes, I slid the cake by me without a second glance. This was not as rough a move as passing up the goat cheese.)
When I was checking out of the grocery store this morning, the extra-talkative attendant asked me what I was going to cook with all my produce. I told her my story and that I unfortunately don't cook- just kind planned to eat all this stuff raw. She told me that she was diabetic and the doctor gave her a huge list of stuff she can't eat. She promptly threw the list in the trash. "I figure i'm gonna die no matter what so why care about what goes in my body now?"
She brings up a good argument- what does it matter what we put in our bodies if it will all go to waste someday?
This reminds me that while I eat my "rabbit food" I needed to think. Hopefully by the end of this I will have a good answer for her.
-Starbucks co-worker, 6pm, Day 1.
Food timeline-
9am: oatmeal (plain), coffee (black)
12:30pm: Pink Lady apple, water
4:30pm: undercooked brown rice (working on that one...), raw carrots, raw cucumber, raw almonds, water.
8pm: Whole wheat pizza with tomatoes, roasted peppers (canned from a local farm's crop last year) and pesto, salad (topped with olive oil and balsamic vinegar), water. (My dear friend Shell homemade this pizza for girl's night and so graciously left the goat cheese- major rough point of the day- off of my slices)
11pm: raw almonds (at Jackson's, mind you, for my darling sister's first drink on her 21st birthday! Yes, I slid the cake by me without a second glance. This was not as rough a move as passing up the goat cheese.)
When I was checking out of the grocery store this morning, the extra-talkative attendant asked me what I was going to cook with all my produce. I told her my story and that I unfortunately don't cook- just kind planned to eat all this stuff raw. She told me that she was diabetic and the doctor gave her a huge list of stuff she can't eat. She promptly threw the list in the trash. "I figure i'm gonna die no matter what so why care about what goes in my body now?"
She brings up a good argument- what does it matter what we put in our bodies if it will all go to waste someday?
This reminds me that while I eat my "rabbit food" I needed to think. Hopefully by the end of this I will have a good answer for her.
Day 1- The False of Hunger of Filth
8:00 a.m. The Kroger Trip
Fresh fruit on February 1st in Nashville should not be called "fresh fruit".
Every fruit vaguely tasted the same- watery, rubbery, and with a hint of sugar.
For lunch I picked up tiny cucumbers and a steam bag of cauliflower, snap peas and broccoli.
For desert I chose a Pecan Pie Larabar. Snack bars made with real things! Who would have thoughts dates would make a good substitute for high fructose corn syrup? Well they do.
1:02 p.m.
Feeling a bit light headed. I have had about 70 ounces of water already. Lunch was quite unsatisying. I had steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. I also had raw mini seedless cucumbers. All of these can be found in your local Kroger section (If you're local Kroger is Green Hills).
It's quite pathetic how light headed i'm feeling only after a change in two of my meals a day. It shows how much bad fat I eat.
Speaking of bad fat, I met my friend at Chipotle this evening for dinner, but not before I checked the website in how they cooked everything. I was able to get rice, vegetables, black beans,guacamole ( made fresh daily with no preservatives, hint- it's a good thing to see the side of the guacamole pan starting to brown) and chips. It was all very good. (Beware, most restaurants cook their rice or beans with chicken stock, I've even known some who put milk in their guacamole. Chipotle, on the other hand, is very kind to vegans and very mindful of the conditions of the animals from which their get their meat.)
I'm going to bed feeling half satisfied. But anything is better than how I felt last night. All in all, it was a good day. Day 2 here I come!
Fresh fruit on February 1st in Nashville should not be called "fresh fruit".
Every fruit vaguely tasted the same- watery, rubbery, and with a hint of sugar.
For lunch I picked up tiny cucumbers and a steam bag of cauliflower, snap peas and broccoli.
For desert I chose a Pecan Pie Larabar. Snack bars made with real things! Who would have thoughts dates would make a good substitute for high fructose corn syrup? Well they do.
1:02 p.m.
Feeling a bit light headed. I have had about 70 ounces of water already. Lunch was quite unsatisying. I had steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. I also had raw mini seedless cucumbers. All of these can be found in your local Kroger section (If you're local Kroger is Green Hills).
It's quite pathetic how light headed i'm feeling only after a change in two of my meals a day. It shows how much bad fat I eat.
Speaking of bad fat, I met my friend at Chipotle this evening for dinner, but not before I checked the website in how they cooked everything. I was able to get rice, vegetables, black beans,guacamole ( made fresh daily with no preservatives, hint- it's a good thing to see the side of the guacamole pan starting to brown) and chips. It was all very good. (Beware, most restaurants cook their rice or beans with chicken stock, I've even known some who put milk in their guacamole. Chipotle, on the other hand, is very kind to vegans and very mindful of the conditions of the animals from which their get their meat.)
I'm going to bed feeling half satisfied. But anything is better than how I felt last night. All in all, it was a good day. Day 2 here I come!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Doing Some Research...
Tonight I am planning my first, big grocery trip to take place tomorrow morning. As he might have mentioned, Brett is the cook in this relationship, not I, so my game plan consists of one necessary play- SNACKS! I am most worried about never feeling quite full for the next 3 weeks, so constant snacking will surely help my hunger pains and reduce the desire for a big meal. My diet will consist of lots of raw fruits and veggies.
To aid me in my preparations and to help me stick to goal number 2 (eat locally when possible), I found this lovely little cheat sheet of a website to help me eat seasonally!
www.eattheseasons.com
Click on the specific veggie/fruit to get more information on its history, nutrition, buying instructions, and cooking tips!
Apparently brussels sprouts are totally in right now.
Lord, be with me.
-Caroline
The Night Before.
Caroline and I decided to go out big before we started this thing. What better place to go big than Cheesecake Factory? Not "big" as in the best quality food ever, but rather "big" as in the most fattening food ever. I don't know how people finish a whole plate there. In any case, Caroline got the burger and I got the Shrimp and Bacon Club with fries. With each bite I felt my arteries clog and taste buds tingle. It was good to eat at first... then I went home.
I feel terrible. I've already been to the bathroom, and i'm rolling over in my bed in disgust.
These meals are meant for only once in a while, and I realize I eat things like these frequently.
On NPR this morning, some government report encouraged Americans to "lower sodium intake, eat less calories from fat, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and get exercise." "Should our government have to 'urge' this?" I thought and felt troubled, yet excited that I was embarking on this feat as I pulled out of the McDonald's parking lot.
Bourdain, please forgive me for what I am about to do.
I don't know about you, but i'm ready to get my Quinoa on!
I feel terrible. I've already been to the bathroom, and i'm rolling over in my bed in disgust.
These meals are meant for only once in a while, and I realize I eat things like these frequently.
On NPR this morning, some government report encouraged Americans to "lower sodium intake, eat less calories from fat, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and get exercise." "Should our government have to 'urge' this?" I thought and felt troubled, yet excited that I was embarking on this feat as I pulled out of the McDonald's parking lot.
Bourdain, please forgive me for what I am about to do.
I don't know about you, but i'm ready to get my Quinoa on!
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