I just could not sleep last night, so at 4:21 a.m. I finally gave up and had my first cup of coffee (wild blueberry flavored if you must know). I fed Gracie the cat, indulged her in her morning adoration, and had my second cup of coffee.
Like food, adoration is essential to a cat, at least it is for Grace. She will climb into my lap and raise her butt high in the air until I stop doing whatever it is I'm doing and pay attention to her - undivided attention, for at least 3-5 minutes. She likes me to focus on her back and hind quarters more than anything else, and vigorous rubbing is welcomed. She lets me know when I'm done by laying down, still in my lap, contented and ready for a snooze.
Sam, her son, who died last summer, would do the same, except he liked me to focus on his head, nose, and chin area. Sometimes they'd both be in my lap at the same time competing for attention.
Since yesterday was Valentine's Day, I wanted to treat myself this weekend. Although I badly wanted the 85% cacao dark chocolate at Whole Foods, I stuck with high protein/low carb and bought the ingredients for a lovely frittata.
First, I diced about 4 oz. pancetta and cooked it on the stovetop until it was crispy. Removing that, I added 4 diced shallots to the pan and cooked them until they were nice and soft. Finally, I added a bunch of baby arugula (the recipe calls for spinach, but I like the bite or arugula better) and cooked it just until it was nice and wilted.
In another bowl, I whisked up 8 eggs, about 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano (my indulgence at Whole Foods yesterday), and just a grating of fresh nutmeg. To that I added the arugula, shallots, and pancetta, and put the mix back in the fry pan I started with. I let that cook over medium-low heat until the bottom was set, then added about 4 oz. goat cheese to the top. Final step was putting under the broiler for a couple of minutes just to set the top.
It's 6:44 in the morning, and I'm just waiting for the frittata to cool so I can have a slice with my 3rd cup of coffee. There is a hint of light in the sky, and I hear a bird greeting the morning. It's supposed to be in the high 60's today, 75 tomorrow, and 80 by Thursday, so perhaps I'll go to the park today and enjoy the promise of Spring.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Walking Through The Valley of the Shadow of Death
No, I haven't suddenly become born again. I'm talking about Super Walmart. I woke up early this morning and wanted to get groceries before the weather turns to sleet and ice, and Walmart was open this early.
Winter months suck for me. My carb cravings go through the roof, and until a couple of weeks ago, I was eating a peanut butter cup every day as a "treat". And popcorn would make up one of my meals at least 3 times a week. The scale showed it, too, refusing to budge. So when I ran out of both two weeks ago, I resolved not to buy more. I had to white knuckle it a few days, let me tell you!
But after that, I felt more in control again. I became more diligent at logging my food, because I wasn't ashamed of what I ate. And the scale cooperated - I'm down 6 more pounds in the last two weeks.
Back to Walmart. At 7:30 in the morning there weren't a lot of people there. But today is Super Bowl Sunday, so guess what was on display everywhere? Chips, dips, candy, popcorn, Velveeta cheese (yuck) and all sorts of desserts.
My weight loss pattern is to lose a couple of pounds, and then sabotage myself by buying crap. I know that, I've always known that, but the devil on my shoulder almost always won out. Today the Angel won. I got the stuff I need for chili, stir fry chicken and broccoli, baked ham and eggs, and other yummy dishes that fit into my plan. I got over my dislike of leftovers, so I usually make two dishes (serving 4) a week and alternate between those for lunches and dinners.
I made it out of Walmart, patting myself on the back for my supreme courage, started the car, and you know what thought popped into my head? Ummm, McDonald's breakfast burrito. Gah! Goes to show you that the war is never over - that devil on your shoulder is always going to try and convince you that it'll just be this once, it's not so bad, it's a treat...but the devil can go back to where he came from today, because I'm home, and baked ham and eggs are on the menu for breakfast, and chili is in the crockpot for later.
Baked Ham and Eggs
Serving size is as many as you want to make
1 egg
1 slice of deli smoked ham
Salt and pepper
Paprika (optional)
Chives (optional)
Preheat oven to 375
In a muffin tin, put one slice of ham in the cup. Crack one egg into the ham "cup" and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chives. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 2 or 3 minutes and carefully remove.
Winter months suck for me. My carb cravings go through the roof, and until a couple of weeks ago, I was eating a peanut butter cup every day as a "treat". And popcorn would make up one of my meals at least 3 times a week. The scale showed it, too, refusing to budge. So when I ran out of both two weeks ago, I resolved not to buy more. I had to white knuckle it a few days, let me tell you!
But after that, I felt more in control again. I became more diligent at logging my food, because I wasn't ashamed of what I ate. And the scale cooperated - I'm down 6 more pounds in the last two weeks.
Back to Walmart. At 7:30 in the morning there weren't a lot of people there. But today is Super Bowl Sunday, so guess what was on display everywhere? Chips, dips, candy, popcorn, Velveeta cheese (yuck) and all sorts of desserts.
My weight loss pattern is to lose a couple of pounds, and then sabotage myself by buying crap. I know that, I've always known that, but the devil on my shoulder almost always won out. Today the Angel won. I got the stuff I need for chili, stir fry chicken and broccoli, baked ham and eggs, and other yummy dishes that fit into my plan. I got over my dislike of leftovers, so I usually make two dishes (serving 4) a week and alternate between those for lunches and dinners.
I made it out of Walmart, patting myself on the back for my supreme courage, started the car, and you know what thought popped into my head? Ummm, McDonald's breakfast burrito. Gah! Goes to show you that the war is never over - that devil on your shoulder is always going to try and convince you that it'll just be this once, it's not so bad, it's a treat...but the devil can go back to where he came from today, because I'm home, and baked ham and eggs are on the menu for breakfast, and chili is in the crockpot for later.
Baked Ham and Eggs
Serving size is as many as you want to make
1 egg
1 slice of deli smoked ham
Salt and pepper
Paprika (optional)
Chives (optional)
Preheat oven to 375
In a muffin tin, put one slice of ham in the cup. Crack one egg into the ham "cup" and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chives. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 2 or 3 minutes and carefully remove.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)