Gypsy's Gournal

[ron_dem]

Wow!,you've hit the road running. Nice going!

From an old Reader's Digest
dog's perspective:
Those humans, they love me , feed and give a good home.
They must be gods!
cat's perspective:
Those humans , they feed me, love and give a good home.
I must be a god!

[Gypsy]

ron_dem Thanks for the encouragement.
And I love the Readers Digest quote...so true.

[Gypsy]

Sunday morning and I've already spent several hours in the kitchen.
Brown rice: one pound soaked over night with a dash of lemon juice. Drained and rinsed...boiled in 12 cups of water, uncovered, for 30 minutes, rinsed, cooled and into the refrig. I do this about 5 times a week.
Pot of potatoes, boiled and cooled, into the refrig
Mexican dish: frozen corn, boiled 3 min, cooled, large can of black beans, rinsed. Left over rice, one small can of tomatoes with green peppers; one can of crushed tomatoes. Mexican seasonings. Into the frig. DD loves this.
Breakfast: 1 cup rice; 1 cup cooked (frozen, chopped) green leafy veggies; left over cooked carrots. I tried again to eat this without putting it into the blender...but am unable to chew properly. and it is satisfying.

[Gypsy]

Just read Jeff's SNAP suggestions....and I've been moving in that direction. It helps to have the rice and potatoes already cooked and in the refreg. I had been doing fresh veggies whenever possible. (small town=s few choices) But well now try more frozen veggies, esp since it's probably cheaper.
I've come a long way in two months....It was an expensive change in eating habits but well worth it. Now that I've adapted, it'll be way cheaper.
DD has been doing well with occational exception. Last night she decided to eat out with the GD after a day of shopping. A pasta and cheese dish. Poor thing suffered all night with a gut ache and admitted it really no longer tastes good. I've tried to get her to read the chapter on Resturants in the McD book, maybe now she's ready.

[Gypsy]

Let's play what's in the pot today: split peas, soaked over night...I soak everything, but there were still some hard peas, probably should have cooked them by themselves? Carrots, celery, summer squash, sweet potato, plus a couple of table spoons of soup starter...still looking for no salt added starter. Very tasty except for the occational hard pea. Cleaned out the refrig on this one. Plan to start the SNAP recipes tomorrow.

ps the summer squash had been steamed a couple of days ago and I wanted to use them up. I blended them and it made a nice consistancy to the soup. I never make the same thing twice...no memory...maybe the journal will help.

[Gypsy]

My first offical SNAP meal:
for 28oz of tomatoes, I substituted the only tomatoes I had ...which was a jar of salsa? 40oz
2 pounds of frozen veg mix
8oz frozen green leafy veg
3 cups of cooked brown rice

It was a SNAP

[Gypsy]

Time change this AM...day light saving time...a sure sign of spring and my daffodils are popping up Yesterday we took a trip north about an hour and I packed appropriate food for the 3 of us...first time since I began McDougalling. I kept it simple...rice and soy sauce for DD and boiled potatoes with catsup for me. GD had strawberries and a small chocolate(she's still not into all this yet) We ate in the car in a Wal Mart parking lot. It was cold and windy...and we couldn't wait to get home after we completed our business. Today is back to our routine which has been serving us well. I like the snap meals and DD prefers her white rice and a salad of spinish. It will be a quiet day. I plan on being lazy.

[TominTN]

Looks like you're making good progress, Gypsy. Keep it going!

[Gypsy]

The above site has good info on calorie dense foods. I plan to do more research on the subject.Thanks TominTN

[Gypsy]

Happy, Happy dance....just got into an old pair of 18 jeans In December, at my highest weight, I was wearing 3X. ya,ya, yah....!!!

[Gypsy]

The last two days have been warmer and just beautiful. I've taken several walks and feel great (except for my right heel...banged it against the door corner about 4-6 weeks ago and now it has a sore bump).
This morning I cooked up 3 bags of frozen turnip greens with onion and garlic, used the blender on it and thought I might use it as a soup base for different veggies and starches. Thought boiled, cubed sweet potatoes might be pretty in it. Actually, I'm getting a routine down pretty well and it's making life easier....I want this cheap and simple...don't need to impress anyone.
Also proud of DD who is also KIS...salads and a starch....don't know if DGD will ever give up her double cheese on pizza, but she did get sick on the last one...said it was swimming in grease. Been there, done that.
Lost another pound this AM...that's 24...love it!!!

[frozenveg]

Gypsy, it sounds like you're doing great! Keep it up! I know you can do this!

[TominTN]

Hi, Gypsy. There are a number of threads on calorie density right here on the board. Try the search function and you'll find lots of good info.

What Frozen said -- you're doing great!

[Gypsy]

4am and you have a headache, swollen fingers and ankles, terrible thirst and frequent urination...and ...your B/P is probably outa sight....so, old woman, what part of NO ADDED SALT don't you understand??? No, you may not sub canned veggies with salt even if you rinse them, and no, you may not add catsup to your potatoes...a fourth of a cup does not equal "just a taste."

So, take the canned veggies to the local food pantry...of course, it no longer seems like such a noble deed with all that salt, but you can't save the world if you can't save yourself.

Inventory of no added salt items:
3 bags of cooked turnip greens
1 bag sprouted and cooked black beans
1 bag of sprouting lentils
cooked brown rice
2 boiled potatoes
4 bags frozen greens
6 sweet potatoes
Shopping list:
Canned no salt added tomatoes
frozen veggies, assorted, no salt added

and dump those last 2 servings!

Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?

[frozenveg]

Oh, Gypsy, I'm so sorry! What a hard lesson! Things will be better without salt! There are LOTS of Mrs. Dash-type seasonings out there to try...we will just all become much better label readers, right?