dcwalker's Journal, 12 July 2013

Hi- thanks for the message. I'm wondering how your weekend is going so far. What kind of pizza did you have last night? Last night was left overs at our house; I'd been cooking each night during the week and ended up last night with left over pork chops, tofu noodles with fresh tomatoes and roasted zucchini, some lentils, some left over coleslaw with horseradish dressing, etc. A real mix! Tonight we have a party to attend: a "break the fast" party with friends who are going through Ramadan right now. It will be a challenge to see how I can stick to my no gluten, no dairy diet at this party... Hope you have good weather to get out and enjoy this weekend. Yesterday I ran 12.5 miles in the early AM. This morning I am hoping to make time for a bike ride!  

Hi, Revaudrey, Happy Friday! Are you in/on your way to Maine? Where they have a cold ocean? I'm so looking forward to this weekend. Last weekend was almost a bust. I had so many teenager related obligations that I was inactive on Saturday - that was after overeating pizza (more on that later)so I felt stuffed all day and was dying for a long ride or walk. Finally, on Sunday afternoon I was able to get a 35 mile bike ride in - felt great and salvaged the weekend. You probably wouldn't want to join us for Friday night pizza night. We go for quantity, definitely not quality. It makes sense since we have three teen boys who just inhale it anyway without tasting. We get Little Cesars. Do they have that in Conn? For me, after 3 or 4 beers, paired with a big salad, it's OK, but I'm always after my husband to get real pizza, just once, so he can see the difference. I guess we have had other pizza from time to time but he says it's the same thing - not true. So we get these large bottom of the line no topping pizzas, 4 or 5 of them, $5 each; everyone eats what they want and the kids throw the rest into the fridge and snack on it all weekend long. HOWEVER - that's not how we always eat. My husband is from India, a Hindu, so never any beef or pork; more chicken and fish these days now that my nerdy boys are wanna be jocks; but often vegetarian meals. On Saturday and Sunday, if the stars align and I get the weekend I want, I cook a big feast, usually Indian style food. Beans, a vegetable dish or two, rice, bread, lots of little accompian(?)ments. My husband and I take leftovers to work all week. During the week we don't have time to cook fancy, so we have easy things like turkey burgers, make your own tacos, things like that. Usually one night we have enough for a leftover from the weekend dinner. I love cooking on weekends. I usually have my basic ingredients in mind and I find that while I'm on a long walk or ride I start dreaming up interesing things to do with them. Like if we buy too many mangos and we're not eating them fast enough, I think they might make a nice addition to the chicken curry I'm planning. Why don't you eat gluten and dairy? After so many years of dieting - geeze I just did the math - I started obsessing about my weight when I was 16 so that's a whopping 42 years!!!! Anyway, with all that dieting experience, I get very skeptical about programs that dictate that this or that food is not good. But then about a year ago for some reason, I forget why, I stopped putting milk on my cereal and started using yogurt - and what a difference - almost immediately I had fewer stomach cramps. Who knew? I always felt bloated after icecream, so recently I just stopped eating it, and what a great idea that was! So my dairy is limited to yogurt and I'm careful about cheese - hey, maybe that's why I feel so crummy on Saturday morning. I thought it was the beer - maybe it's the cheese pizza! Your leftovers sound yummy. I love love love horseradish. I put a jar on the table as a condiment. And I love to roast vegetables. We have one HUGE zucchini in my husband's garden that I was going to stuff with couscous and veggies and bake, but I might just roast it instead. I just can't run and am endlessly impressed with anyone who does. How long does a 12.5 mile run take you to complete? Are you training now for a marathon? If you want me to stop writing such long messages, just say so. Have a great weekend.