Everyday Systems

Posted: **Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:07 pm**

Y'all should have seen the massive rash I sported through the summer of 2010, just from TOUCHING my tomato plants. I finally manage to buy a house, I plant my own garden, and WHAMMO, I develop an allergy to all the best vegetables. This SUXXXXXXXXX.

Posted: **Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:41 pm**

Oh my, I feel sorry for you! ): Doesn't make your great accomplishments any smaller though!
Didn't know you could just develop some new allergies..

Posted: **Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:45 pm**

I hope everyone had a nice weekend!

I'm noticing that if I don't record my food right away, I forget what I've eaten. I also have realized that I like to treat Friday night as the start of the weekend. I think I'm going to allow that, unless I start seeing a problem.

Friday
Healthy food all day. Five oatmeal raisin cookies after dinner.

Saturday
Breakfast -- bread, latte, a cheese and veggie omelet, half a nectarine
Lunch -- home made white pizza, with garden veggies on it
Dinner -- more of the pizza, a few cookies

Sunday
Breakfast -- latte, cheese and garden veggie omelet, bread, half a nectarine
Lunch -- goyoza dumplings, tortilla chips with cheese and avocado
Dinner -- (had to take a friend to the airport, and never really had dinner) home made biscuits (not cookies), a pear, orange juice

Did a lot of work in the garden. Went to a native plant sale. Had a really bad headache, which I attribute to seasonal allergies.

Posted: **Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:53 am**

Monday

Breakfast -- latte and bread
Lunch -- cucumber nori rolls, a lot of grapes
Dinner -- lentil soup, a few tortilla chips, a peach

Posted: **Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:29 pm**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, bowl of cereal
Lunch -- lentil soup, a beautiful garden salad
Dinner -- more salad, home made mac-and-cheese, one cookie, three squares of dark chocolate.

Sick with a sinus thing. Bleh.

Posted: **Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:05 am**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, plain yogurt with wheat germ and a little honey
Lunch -- a spinach and blue cheese pastry-thing, sauerkraut, grapes
Dinner -- pasta and braised Brussels sprouts, a piece of cheese

Posted: **Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:33 am**

Thursday

Breakfast -- Latte, two ciabatta rolls
Elevenses -- coffee
Lunch -- leftover pasta and brussel sprouts, two bananas
Dinner -- rice and lentils, also some broccoli raab from teh garden that neither of us liked

I ate lunch really late, and experienced a pretty decent-sized earthquake while I was eating. This one was particularly rumble-y.

OH!!!! And another one tonight! Possibly the longest earthquake I'd ever experienced FREAKY ! ! ! ! ! !

Posted: **Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:15 pm**

YIKES!!! I've never experienced an earthquake....they must be scary!

janie

Posted: **Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:41 pm**

Usually they're kind of fun. These, for some reason, were frightening.

Posted: **Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:54 pm**

I really found them pretty frightening too. It's really unsettling. Interesting that they might not always be as much.

Posted: **Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:47 am**

Friday

Breakfast -- latte, bread and butter
Elevenses -- an apple
Lunch -- leftover rice and lentils, a banana
Dinner -- rice and beet greens, latte

I forgot to mention that I allow myself some "wiggle room" on Friday evenings. I tend to have such moderate weekends that I'm just not worried about giving myself permission to loosen up the rules on Friday evenings.

So, I had some licorice candies after dinner.

Posted: **Sun Oct 23, 2011 4:57 am**

Saturday

I was supposed to go to a party today, but my partner was feeling too week to attend. Damned spinal cord injury. Some days are so much harder than others.

I did a lot of work in the garden, which still looks like a neglected weed patch. Of course, it's so much better than when we got this place, but it's still a big mess. We found a patch of mushrooms that we'd never seen before.

We ate the season's first persimmons, from our back yard tree.

There are lots of photos at my blog, if anyone is curious.
http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/2011/10/ra ... atter.html

Breakfast - latte, bread an butter, broiled persimmon, and a tiny tiny plum
Lunch -- fried egg, rice, pinto beans and polenta, latte
Snack -- licorice candies
Dinner -- beet greens and baked sweet potato "fries" with home-made mayonnaise, a mandarin orange, half a beer

Posted: **Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:06 pm**

I love the photos of your garden. I'd show you pictures of mine, but there's nothing but next summer's garlic and bare ground. Our seasons are so different!

Hope you have a good day....janie

Posted: **Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:55 pm**

The secret of garden photography? Close-ups! That way nobody can see the mess in the background!

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:24 am**

Sunday

Breakfast -- latte, spinach and cheese omelet, a pear
Snack -- four cheapo Oreo type cookies at my handspinning guild
Lunch -- a hummus wrap from Trader Joes, which although it didn't list it, must have contained something I was violently allergic to.
Snack -- latte
Dinner -- ???

I collected mulch at a community heap to mulch my vegetable garden. As I was driving, a saw a woman crossing the street, eating a quart of ice cream. That seemed to depressing to me. At least sit down and enjoy your ice cream, I thought.

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:41 am**

Wow what lovely photos...and the rat skull is so tiny compared to the mushroom.

Did you find out what species of mushrooms they were..here in the north east I know there was a women that ate ones from her yard and she I hate to say got very sick and passed away, they were poisonous...as a Gardner I'm sure you know about the dangers of mushrooms, the wrong kind that is..but if they are no poisonous what a find

.

p.s. thanks for the cyber hugs.

p.s.s. sorry to hear your partner was not feeling well enough to go to the event..

deb

Posted: **Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:33 am**

Monday

Breakfast -- Latte
Elevenses -- coffee and a ciabatta roll
Lunch -- leftover soup and a ciabatta roll
Dinner -- a lovely mixed salad with some broiled tofu on top, a banana

The were handing out rugelach at work today, and my intern brought me one. It was studded with chocolate chips, I thanked her, told her it had too much sugar, and gave it back to her. She laughed and said that she's a human garbage disposal and will eat anything. She's also probably a size zero, and has as much energy as any human I've ever worked with.

The mushrooms were probably "meadow mushrooms." I only eat really really unmistakable wild-foraged mushrooms. You can't be too careful. Around here, we have some of the world's most poisonous mushrooms, which tragically are look-alikes for some delicious mushrooms from other countries. Every year, someone who thought they knew what they were collecting gets horribly sick and dies. Sadly, this usually happens to an entire family.

Posted: **Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:11 am**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- latte, cranberry walnut bread, a banana
Elevenses -- Coffee
Lunch -- leftover tofu salad, a banana, and half a pomegranate from a friend's tree
Dinner -- polenta, green beans, bread and cheese, and a lovely beet salad, juice

Posted: **Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:44 pm**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, cranberry walnut bread
Coffee
Lunch -- leftovers from dinner, beet salad, polenta, green beans
Dinner -- home made mac and cheese, green salad

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:30 am**

BIRTHQUAKE!!!

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ ... 71256.html

Breakfast -- latte, home baked walnut raisin bread, mandarin orange
Lunch -- latte, leftovers from dinner, and a cheese sandwich
Dinner -- spaetzel, cabbage salad, broccolini, a beer. Four chocolate candies, later.

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:32 am**

Is it your birthday? Happy, happy!!

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:10 pm**

Happy Birthday!!!! I'm glad that earthquake wasn't bigger - that wouldn't make for a happy day!

janie

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:33 pm**

Thanks, y'all! It was a lovely birthday. We're going to Big Sur this weekend!

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:39 pm**

Happy Birthday!! Hope you have a great weekend

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:44 am**

Halloween! I didn't eat any candy today, although there were plenty of opportunities to do so.

Had a lovely weekend in Big Sur. traveling with a huge food allergy is challenging! But nevertheless, I ate nice meals, and stayed on-course. No junk at all. and few chocolate treats.

Here's a painting I did to decorate our house. The trick-or-treaters just loved it.

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:58 am**

Love the pic! How neat for your trick or treaters!

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2011 1:43 pm**

Happy belated birthday. I love your Halloween painting!!!

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:15 pm**

GREAT painting! And a great job of avoiding the Halloween candy!!! Well done!

janie

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:46 pm**

Wow thats a brilliant painting! Very spooky....

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:51 pm**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- latte
Lunch -- leftover salad, four figs, half a pomegranate
Dinner -- homemade mac-and-cheese, green beans, a handful of peanuts
Knitting Night -- a homemade ginger and lime soda

There were donuts at work today, as well as mountains of leftover Halloween candy. The carpenters worked half a day, and had beers at noon.

I did not participate in any of this. I also didn't eat anything at the cafe where we knit.

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:55 pm**

Homemade ginger and lime soda.......sounds like heaven!

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:08 pm**

Knitting? You're a knitter too? I knew I liked you....

janie

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:59 pm**

I'm headed to the Interweave Labs knitting event later this week!

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:35 pm**

Okay...now I'm jealous!

janie

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:34 pm**

Just stopping by, looks like you are doing great! Keep it up!

smiles and ((warm hugs)) from sunny Mexico.

Posted: **Thu Nov 03, 2011 8:02 am**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, bread and butter
Elevenses -- a toasted bagel, a pumpkin chocolate cookie
Lunch -- leftovers from dinner last night, coffee
Dinner -- a bean and corn burrito, a square of chocolate

Not brilliant eating, but not horrible either

Went into San Francisco for the Day of the Dead celebration. It was beautiful and moving, and also a lot of fun. I'm exhausted, and still have to scrub off my skull makeup.

Posted: **Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:51 pm**

Just checking in. I've been too busy to record food.

I was at the Interweave Labs knitting conference this week. Totally amazing experience. I learned to much from such fantastic teachers.

Meals were pretty much like this:

Get up at the crack-of-dawn, latte, simple breakfast of eggs and fruit and homebaked bread.
Eat lunch at the Trader Joes near the hotel. Vegetarian sushi, fruit, nuts, a few cookies.
Nine hours of classes.
Eat some cookies and nuts on the drive home.
Nice dinner.
Straight to bed.
Repeat.

Posted: **Tue Nov 08, 2011 1:13 pm**

Monday

Breakfast -- latte, a persimmon from our tree
Elevenses -- a brioche roll
Lunch -- leftover rice and veggies
Dinner -- homemade white pizza, with onions and pears, green salad, four crackers and a little cheese

Posted: **Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:01 am**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- latte, a persimmon from my tree
Elevenses -- a brioche roll
Lunch -- leftover (home made) white pizza
Dinner -- artichoke hearts over past

Posted: **Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:27 pm**

I looked up the conference you went too & had to stop drooling so I wouldn't ruin my keyboard. It sounds like a wonderful event...so glad you enjoyed it!

janie

Posted: **Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:11 pm**

Friday

Breakfast -- latte
Elevenses -- a banana
Lunch -- tortelini with pesto, peas, half a (gigantic) apple
Dinner -- French onion soup, some cookies, a banana

We discovered that there are ten years of The French Chef with Julia Child available to watch for free on amazon. We've been watching the very first season. It's fascinating to see the genesis of the modern cooking show.

Honestly, she's a marvel! She did the early shows LIVE, all alone with no interruptions, it must have been terrifying.

Also, you could make a pretty good drinking game out of watching this show. You'd have to drink either when she sticks a huge slab of butter in the pan, or when she finishes a task and says "There" or begins a task and says "Now."

Posted: **Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:23 pm**

Interweave knitting conference? Color me jealous!

If you're on Rav, I'm KCCC there too.

Posted: **Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:13 am**

Saturday

Breakfast -- latte, half a mango, bread, and two poached eggs
Meeting of the California Rare Fruit Growers -- various tastes of fruit, including apples from 150 year old trees, and some jelly made of rose petals, also some delicious chocolate cake
Dinner -- French onion soup, asparagus, salad with persimmons, pomegranates and walnuts
Later -- some buttered popcorn, a few cookies

Posted: **Sun Nov 13, 2011 3:36 am**

Who Me? wrote: We discovered that there are ten years of The French Chef with Julia Child available to watch for free on amazon. We've been watching the very first season. It's fascinating to see the genesis of the modern cooking show.

Honestly, she's a marvel! She did the early shows LIVE, all alone with no interruptions, it must have been terrifying.

Also, you could make a pretty good drinking game out of watching this show. You'd have to drink either when she sticks a huge slab of butter in the pan, or when she finishes a task and says "There" or begins a task and says "Now."

I looked for her on amazon, but only found videos for sale. How did you get free ones? I love Julia Child. I have such fond memories of watching her as a little girl with my mother.

Posted: **Sun Nov 13, 2011 3:56 am**

We've got amazon prime, whatever that is, and it has a video streaming service.

http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/2011/11/julia.html

Posted: **Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:19 am**

Strange Eating on Sunday

Breakfast -- latte, home baked bread, a single egg omelet, half a persimmon.
Lunch -- avocado on bread, some freshly harvested chestnuts.
Dinner -- a beautiful garden salad, bread with cheese melted on it, and a persimmon tart with home made frangiapane cream.

Posted: **Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:29 am**

Who Me? wrote:We've got amazon prime, whatever that is, and it has a video streaming service.

OK thanks, I watched one on youtube last night, the potato show, she said "I'm going to try to flip them, which is a very daring thing to do."so funny when she flipped the potatoes and half of it fell out on the stove. Love it!

Posted: **Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:59 am**

I haven't seen that one, but I'll bet she kept her wits about her, and soldiered on. Can you *imagine* doing that show, live? What an accomplishment!

Posted: **Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:13 am**

Who Me? wrote:I haven't seen that one, but I'll bet she kept her wits about her, and soldiered on. Can you *imagine* doing that show, live? What an accomplishment!

She was great! She said something like "I didn't have the courage of my convictions, that's why it happened." and then, "You go ahead and try it, who's going to know when you're alone in your kitchen?" then she went ahead and fixed the mess and showed us what to do when that happens. Put it in a casserole, pour a little cream on it, sprinkle a little cheese on it and bake it! I just love it!

Posted: **Tue Nov 15, 2011 4:24 am**

Breakfast -- latte
Elevenses -- an apple and a half
Lunch -- pasta with cheese sauce and peas, pineapple guavas
Dinner -- mac-and-cheese with greenbeans and shallots, apple, persimmon, dates and pineapple guava

Funny day. No leftovers, so I ran to Trader Joe's for some frozen food. Came home to almost the same meal, beautifully cooked for dinner.

Also!!!! The pineapple guavas around where I work are ripening! I dragged my intern out, and we picked them. You know they're ripe when they fall on the ground. They taste like jolly rancher candies, pear, kiwi, line and kerosene. wonderfully odd!

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:44 pm**

Breakfast -- latte, home baked brioche with backyard honey
Elevenses -- coffee, pineapple guava
Lunch -- leftover mac-and-cheese, peas, pineapple guava
Dinner -- lentil soup, garden salad, polenta, asparagus, pineapple guava, persimmon, hard cider

A long, long lost friend was in town, so we had her over for dinner. Lovely evening.

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:23 pm**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, banana, pineapple guavas
Lunch -- leftover polenta and asparagus, a persimmon, pineapple guavas
Dinner -- braised brussel sprouts on pasta, a persimmon, a banana

Posted: **Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:19 am**

Breakfast -- latte, brioche with honey
Elevenses -- coffee, ciabatta roll
Lunch -- leftover polenta and asparagus, persimmon, pineapple guava
Dinner -- brussel sprouts and pasta, persimmon, horchata

Posted: **Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:22 pm**

I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for such great friends who have been so supportive in this NoS journey. I'm convinced I would have given up by now without the encouragement I've received here. Thanks for all your kind words...they've meant more than I can express.

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving...

janie

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:44 am**

Hey folks! I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.

I was sick for a week, and spent Thanksgiving at home. I'm all better now.

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:48 pm**

Yuck! I'm glad you're finally feeling better!

janie

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:45 pm**

Glad to hear you're feeling better!

Posted: **Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:47 pm**

Wow, it has been a while since I checked in. Things are going fine. I'm mostly eating well.

Today is Sunday.

Breakfast -- latte, two biscuits
Lunch -- poached eggs on homemade bread, baked apples from the neighbor's tree
Dinner -- ???

Posted: **Mon Dec 05, 2011 2:32 am**

Sounds like a tasty day. It's funny how much more exciting food sounds to me when it comes from somewhere local -- like apples from your neighbors tree.

Posted: **Tue Dec 06, 2011 3:01 am**

You know, I don't think I've ever "met" anyone before like you whose meals are SO healthy. You seem to be content as long as you have your fruit, usually something that you've grown yourself. Just reading your meals.....they sound like something you'd see on the front of a food magazine.

Meanwhile, I'm someone who's always found bliss in a carton of ice cream or a packaged sweet from the store.

I'm curious....have you always eaten this healthy, craving only fruit? Or did you once have a sweet tooth that you have obviously learned to control???

Either way you're an inspiration to good eating.

Posted: **Tue Dec 06, 2011 2:42 pm**

That's a hard question to answer. I've always lived fresh food, and there's been a slow, slow change going on in my life, where I've moved away from highly processed foods. It helps that I live in a place with beautiful produce.

Monday

Breakfast -- latte
Elevenses -- egg and cheese bagel, a few sips of done truly filthy coffee
Lunch -- cheese sandwich, a persimmon
Dinner -- red lentil soups, a salad with persimmons, roasted cauliflower, fresh local chestnuts, freshly foraged pineapple guava.

Posted: **Tue Dec 06, 2011 3:20 pm**

Who Me? wrote: Elevenses -- egg and cheese bagel, a few sips of done truly filthy coffee

LOL!

janie

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2011 6:16 am**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- a slice of bread, a latte
Elevenses -- a slice of bread, a persimmon, a banana
Lunch -- a huge cheese sandwich
Dinner -- a lovely salad, home made mac-and-cheese, a coffee and a juice
Later -- a small hot chocolate at knitting night

I forgot my lunch at home. Left it on the kitchen counter. Duh.... Ended up getting a deli sandwich.

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:32 pm**

What are you knitting these days? I'm finishing a shawl for my niece & can't wait to get started on a cabled sweater...this one is for me!

janie

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:35 pm**

I'm making fingerless gloves for my intern, and a sweater for myself.

Posted: **Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:12 pm**

Oh I so wish I could knit!!!!!

Posted: **Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:16 pm**

We had a person in our knitting group who was lacking hands -- she had metal prosthetics -- and she knit on teeny tiny needles. So, if she could, you can too!

Posted: **Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:28 pm**

Too bad we can't all get together at a coffee shop and knit! We could teach you, Snapdragon!

janie

Posted: **Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:35 pm**

Haha I would love that. Who me, I used to work with mentally handicapped women. It was in a place run by nuns and the sisters taught most the women to knit. All the women except the most severly disabled were able to knit. It was a way to keep them busy and I know many were proud of their accomplishment.
I have tried to teach myself but reading it out of a book is hard for me. I need to be shown.

Posted: **Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:19 pm**

Friday

Breakfast -- latte
Elevenses -- coffee and a ciabatta roll
Lunch -- leftover spinach and pasta, a persimmon
Dinner -- holiday party buffet

Today was our annual company party. I work with amazing cooks, and took this as a "special" day. I also managed to drop an entire plate of food on the floor. And I did this without the benefit of alcohol. I'm that awkward, all by myself.

Posted: **Sun Dec 11, 2011 4:07 pm**

Saturday

Breakfast -- latte and a little persimmon galette
Lunch -- an egg and cheese omelet
Snack -- latte and another slice of galette
Dinner -- vegetarian Thai food and beer

Posted: **Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:35 pm**

Sunday was horrible. I went to a lovely party on a very posh San Francisco houseboat... and had a massive allergic reaction to a cup of eggnog. My throat and ears closed up.

Monday was pretty bad, because of residual effects of the reaction and the medications.

What the heck am I allergic to? Raw eggs? Nutmeg? Rum?

Posted: **Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:13 pm**

Wow! That sounds awful! I've never had an allergic reaction before...that must have been scary. I hope you're back to 100% today.

janie

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:46 pm**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- latte, a banana
Elevenses -- coffee, slice of bread, a persimmon
Lunch -- leftover brussel sprouts and pasta
Dinner -- French fried sweet potatoes, spinach and cheese crepes

This recipe for fries is very clever:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/ ... nch-fries/

Cooks Illustrated tested it, and there's less oil than in "traditional" fries.

Posted: **Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:58 am**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte, two slices of fresh baked bread
Elevenses -- a banana, a slice of bread
Lunch -- a cheese sandwich, a persimmon, half a pomegranate
Dinner -- espresso, home made vegetable soup

This past weekend, I got together with one of my oldest friends, who happens to be the person who mentioned No-S to me some time back. I mentioned that I was doing this, and he laughed at me. He sure sees me with rose-tinted glasses! He was my very first boyfriend, and we both think that the other one looks as good as we did, back when we were involved.

Truthfully, I'm doing No-S for mental reasons as much as physical. Before I started, I was spending too much time eating cookies in bed, instead of doing other things that made me happier.

Posted: **Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:23 pm**

Who Me? wrote: Truthfully, I'm doing No-S for mental reasons as much as physical. Before I started, I was spending too much time eating cookies in bed, instead of doing other things that made me happier.

Who Me?...sounds like a perfect reason to do this...

janie

Posted: **Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:58 am**

Thursday

Breakfast -- latte and two slices of bread
Elevenses -- a banana
Lunch -- some (not very good) Japanese noodles, an orange
Dinner -- delicious lentil soup, some broiled toasts with mushrooms and cheese

Things I didn't eat today:

Almond roca, and loads and loads of Christmas cookies. Also other cookies. Yep, 'tis the season to say "no thank you" to sweets. And you know what? That's just fine with me.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:40 am**

Wow. I read through your pep talk post on the general discussion board. It is thought provoking. I decided to post my pep talk here instead of on that post.

Within reason, it does not matter what the charts say or what others say about what you weigh or what and when you should eat.

What does matter is that following the No S way of eating seems to make you feel better and now you want to tweak it a little because you are experiencing some weight creep. Just do not go overboard and try to do too much too fast and you will succeed. After all, it sounds like you have succeeded most of your life in moderating your habits.

So what is your goal this week?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:19 am**

My goal this week? I'd like to not have my annual Xmas meltdown. I'm not a Christian, although I do respect the teachings of Jesus, and of course I live in a Christian culture. I find this time of year really challenging, what with the culturally-mandated orgy of consumerism. So much money spent, because we're told we "have to."

If I can get through this week without having my "Jesus would be appalled by all of this" freak out, I'll be very happy.

Oh, but you were talking about food, weren't you?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:53 pm**

Who Me?

I am a Christian and I agree with you...Jesus would be absolutely appalled by this "culturally-mandated orgy of consumerism". Instead, we're choosing to give as much as we can to World Vision. They are actively working in the Horn of Africa to help those caught in the horrific famine.

We caught a snippet of a show last night on celebrity homes being decorated for the holidays. I just sat there with my mouth open...what a waste.

I'll stop there...

I hope your week is great...janie

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:12 am**

You are so right Who Me! It is not just about food. It is about emotions and well being and what feels right and good.

My routine goals tend to be more about exercise than about food because exercise helps me to keep me balanced. My special goals tend to be about more specific challenges like "remembering the reason for the season." I am a Christian and like many I struggle with the over commercialization of Christmas. It is a little easier to deal with now that my children are all adults. Christmas with young children can be exhausting!

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:19 am**

I'm not Christian or religious at all, but I get a little freaked out by Christmas because of the current financial climate - here we all are, struggling to get by, working harder for less money, and we feel constant pressure to buy gifts that we can't afford (and that people probably don't even really want).

As you can see, I love a good meltdown ur I mean rant, um I mean discussion?

p.s. I think 'tis the season to say NO' would make a great festive song

Tra la la la laaaaa la la la laaaa....

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:57 pm**

You guys are excellent.

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 3:00 pm**

Monday

Breakfast -- latte, a persimmon from my tree
Elevenses -- coffee, a banana, a ciabatta roll
Lunch -- a small avocado, cheese and bread, a persimmon
Dinner -- wilted spinach with walnuts, homemade mac-and-cheese

And yeah, I won't lie. I had four cookies after dinner. There's a big ugly thing brewing at work, and after talking it all out, I hit the cookies. Oh well.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:28 pm**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- latte and a persimmon from my tree
Elevenses -- bread and peanut butter
Lunch -- a frozen fruit "shake" made of mango banana and orange juice, a tofu sandwich
Dinner -- a bean and rice burrito

And dang it! Another rotten day led to another night on which I ate cookies

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:53 pm**

My school PTA always puts on a big sweets spread for the teachers during our last week of work before the winter break. It was Friday this year, the last day of the semester. I had pretty much decided not to take a NWS day, though I don't have many events to go to. Then I had two crises at work that just about ruined the end of the semester. I didn't even get to lunch with my little group to give them their little presents. but I did get to that dessert table. I did take it as a NWS day and miraculously recovered on the weekend, but I know what it's like to have the little slips continue. Hope things smooth out soon.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:40 am**

Wednesday

Even though today was supposed to be a vacation day, I was at work at 8am, dealing with a mini-crisis. The day just kept on strangely.

Breakfast -- latte, a persimmon.
Lunch number one -- some really horrible veggie sushi from Trader Joes. Also a few pineapple guavas that I picked at work.
Lunch number two -- a poached egg on rice, with a few cornichon pickles.
Dinner -- a lovely fried rice dish with about every vegetable you could name, and some home baked sourdough bread. Half a beer.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:05 pm**

Thursday

Breakfast -- latte, sour dough pancakes (from 80 year old sour dough!)
Lunch -- leftover fried rice, a pancake and apple slice "sandwich"
Dinner -- pasta and a beautiful green salad from our garden, a persimmon

Later -- some Xmas cookies and a glass of port

I'm going to cut myself some slack this week. I'm home on vacation. This has been a rotten year. I'm going to allow myself a few cookies, and enjoy them to the fullest.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:16 pm**

I'm sorry to hear that it's been a rotten year.

As far as I can tell, being a relative newbie, vacation days are S days as a general rule. I think it's excellent that you're still being diligent when it would be so easy to go overboard.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:25 pm**

That sounds moderate and smart at the same time. Enjoy the weekend, too! I have a feeling something is going to emerge with regard to allowing you more activity this year. It does sound like that is really more of the issue than the food with you. hang in there.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:08 am**

You know, you all are the nicest group of total strangers I've ever had the pleasure of "knowing."

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 5:58 am**

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Enjoy yourselves, and let's all wish for health and happiness in the new year.

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:40 am**

Monday
Boxing Day

Breakfast -- latte, two poached eggs and a pancake
Lunch -- latte, leftover veggie pot pie
Dinner -- fennel gratin and a green salad (both from our garden), mac-and-cheese, glass of wine, slice of persimmon tart, one springerle cookie

Spent six hours in the garden, digging up beds, digging in compost, moving badly placed plants. It was a beautiful day.

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:06 am**

Tuesday

Breakfast -- fresh baked sourdough bread and butter, latte
Lunch -- veggie sushi and coffee
Dinner -- steamed broccoli and home made mac-and-cheese
One Christmas cookie, and later a rosemary-lemon soda

Today we bought and moved dozens of paving stones (glorified cinder block, really). These suckers were heavy! We're starting work on a chicken coop, and are making certain that no varmints can tunnel into the coop to harm our hens.

I repotted one of our citrus trees. Another bit of heavy lifting.

I had a lovely evening with my knitting group, and did not order any sweets at the cafe where we meet.

After two hours of being unable to sleep because gnawing hunger, I got up and had a few bites of leftover dinner and a slice of bread. Oh well...

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:05 pm**

Wednesday

Breakfast -- latte and a persimmon
Elevenses -- a banana and a wee mandarin orange
Lunch -- leftovers from last nice, pineapple guavas
Dinner -- home made veggie fried rice, two persimmons

And then, really really hungry at bed time, I had two slices of bread.

Not having a lot of success these days.

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:52 am**

It sounds like you are really active during the day, maybe you need to up the calorie content of your main meals to satiate you more? Maybe try and increase the fats/proteins?

I think if I ate the food on your check ins, although it always sounds delicious, I'd be hungry too!!

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:08 pm**

I forgot to mention that dinner was full of tofu.

I'm not interested in increasing fat intake. No thanks.

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:55 pm**

'Fat' isn't a dirty word ya know - it's actually good for us (the right kinds of fat and in the right amount!)

Just saying if you're feeling desperately hungry in the evenings, maybe some tweaking of what's on your normal plates is in order...

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:08 am**

Thursday

Breakfast -- latte and a slice of bread
Elevenses -- a banana and a persimmon
Lunch -- leftover tofu fried rice, a persimmon
Dinner -- tofu and vegetable soup, some bread, a persimmon and a mandarin orange

Can you tell that our persimmon tree is ripe?

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:13 am**

Maybe it's the persimmons making you crave cookies? (I'm kidding, of course.

)

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