SunshineDay's Diary: 'Nothin' but Blue Skies....".

[SunshineDay]

As usual, I was not able to get in here to update yesterday (Tuesday, my busiest day), so here is a recap of the last day and a half....

On Monday night, I made one of my daughter's favorite meals, as per her especial request. She absolutely adores my Potato Chowder, with homemade bread. Happily, the recipe she's grown up has always been vegan and without added oil (Joanne Stepaniak's from the 'Uncheese Cookbok'), though with it's rich base of blended cashews (how it gets its rich creaminess as opposed to dairy) it's hardly fat-free. I made it anyway, though I used half the cashews it called for -- by doubling the recipe and the amount of potatoes (my daughter eats a lot of this soup!) but NOT doubling the cashews (plus i didn't peel the potatoes -- so plenty of skin in there). And wow, they were not missed at all, so next time I'll try using even less...

As for the homemade bread, I made another favorite of hers, which is always a really good accompaniment to the soup: Dill Pickle Bread (which uses leftover pickle juice as part of the liquid). I did a fair amount of tweaking -- with no ww flour on hand, I did have to use white but added generous additions of oat bran and ground flax, as well as throwing in some whole oats. The recipe calls for fat (shortening/margerine/oil) but I skipped that, instead throwing in some leftover baked potato into the mix to hopefully help fill things out. Plus I added lots of fresh chopped basil from my garden in need of using up (since I'm not making much pesto these days ...) -- and wow, the bread turned out to be the best batch of this particular recipe yet.

As for eating all this, while I was making the meal I was trying to decide whether I would partake or not, and I finally decided I would, in small amounts. And while I didn't quite manage to limit myself to the one, single bowl and the one, single slice I was intending too, heh -- I did still eat a LOT less of it than I usually would have otherwise....

As for yesterday (Tuesday), out and about all day, I packed a lunch of chopped baked potatoes topped with refried beans, some chopped lettuce, some chopped pickle, and a few blobs of ketchup. Filling and delicious.

Yesterday night was the big restaurant outing with my group of friends. The restaurant was Pan Asian, and had any number of delectable-sounding, super high-fat and oily vegetarian favorites (General Tsao's Tofu, ect etc etc). Instead, I went with the veggie sushi. LOTS of white rice to be sure, as well as a very small bit of avocado, still I'm pretty sure no oil was involved. I had a choice of miso soup or salad with my meal, and I chose the salad, with Ginger dressing (which I was pretty certain was at least dairy-free). I ordered the dressing on the side, and used only a teensy amount, plus I left behind the crunchy crouton topping. I drank only water, and politely declined the the offerings of the Vegetarian Spring-Rolls (they appeared fried) and the Veggie Dumplings (these looked steamed and actually not too terribly sinful, but figured I was having enough 'goody' for one meal) that someone got for appetizers....

Now today, if things are still on, I am to be going out to lunch as well -- which I am hoping will be Thai Green Papaya Salad....

[Chile]

Sounds like you are a whiz with adapting recipes. I have the cookbook but haven't tried the Potato Chowder because nuts don't like me. Perhaps I could make it without having the rich, creamy base. The dill pickle bread sounds interesting, too. Does it have a pickle flavor once it's baked?

I was secretly pleased this past week when my hubby didn't feel great the morning after having Szechuan Tofu at a Chinese restaurant. It gave me a chance to gently remind him that not only is the dish oily, but the tofu itself is high in fat. Perhaps on the next visit, he'll steer towards one of the non-tofu veg dishes and order it, like me, cooked without oil.

[StarchBeet]

That's awesome cooking and creating you do, SunshineDay!

And you did great at eating out, too.

[SunshineDay]

Thanks so much for the comments, Chile and Starchbeet -- indeed, I do enjoy cooking (for the most part) and like to experiment, though with varying success. Sometimes the tweaking/substituting works really great, but then other times...? Eh, not so great (but happily after all this time and practice in the kitchen (as in decades) the good outcomes generally outweigh the bad...).

As for the Potato Soup, I've never made it without any cashews at all, but it might still work anyway (it does still call for a bit of flour for thickening) -- what I think really makes it 'chowder-y' is the blending up of part of the soup (liquid mixed with potato chunks) and then adding it back in....

As for the bread, yes, it does indeed have that small hint of dill pickle taste, that is really so complementary with the soup. So yummy! (and I'm glad the loaf is all gone by now (thanks to my daughter) because it was calling my name, and here with me trying to avoid white flour products, heh)....

Plus as for Chinese food --yes, it can indeed be sooooo oily, as in swimming in it! Checking out the plates of some of my friends the other night, at a glance I could just tell that their orders were super heavy and greasy....

In any case, so here it is, the 29th of September, which means.... thanks to the Challenge, it's been FOUR whole weeks of being on the McDougall straight and narrow...! Still going strong too -- and it's my every intention to keep on Keeping On....

My food update:

Yesterday: So, I did have my luncheon out after all, and it was indeed Thai, and 'Green Papaya Salad" at that. So crunchy and satisfying...! (and just water to drink)

Snack: A bit of that tasty but pesky homemade Dill Pickle Bread. And fresh popcorn, air popped, with a little braggs.

Dinner: Oven Fries with bbq sauce


Today (so far):

B: Leftover Oven Fries

S: Leftover popcorn from yesterday.

L: Jeff's Burgers (two small patties between I slice of ww multi-grain bread, cut in half) topped with mustard, ketchup, onion and pickle. It was my first time making them, and they hit the spot. Plus more leftover Oven Fries.

[SunshineDay]

So it's the last day of the September Challenge, and boy did that ever go quickly! Really? A whole month already...??? Well I'd have to say overall I'm really pleased with how it went this month, and tomorrow on the 1st of October I'm looking forward to just continuing on as I have been. It's really lovely to feel much more in control of my eating once again, not to mention feeling the results of that Control (more energy/looser clothing) once again.... . So here's another shout out to Chile for instigating the Challenge in the first place -- the timing was perfect and it really was just the ticket I needed to climb back aboard the McDougall wagon -- Thanks, Chile....!

My food update for yesterday:

S: The last of the leftover popcorn. A smoothie I made from frozen banana blended with water plus a little cocoa powder, stevia powder, and a bit of almond extract. A small bit of avocado smeared over an Oven Fry....

D: 'Ye'abesha Gomen', AKA Ethiopian-style collard greens, using Isa Moskowitz's recipe from 'Appetite for Reduction' (don't have the book, just found the recipe online)... Yummy and easy and will make again (and soon...!)....

S: At my folks for my weekly Thurs Night TV: Some leftover tossed salad my mom had in her fridge (there was a teeny bit of grated cheese on this that i did my best to flick off), an apple, a few pieces of candied ginger, a bit of apple cider, one candied almond.


(****Edited to add: Pulling on my gym clothes this morning, I swear I'm seeing a hint of my collarbone, just a bit of a shadow there . Cool...!)

[Chile]

You're welcome, Sunshine Day. Glad that the challenge helped you find a happy groove. Congratulations on your success!

[SunshineDay]

Thanks so much, Chile -- indeed, it's all good!

My food update for today (so far):

B: A handful of cold leftover oven fries and an apple, eaten on the run as I was leaving for the gym.

L: Came home from the gym VERY hungry, and so finished up the leftover collards (Gomen) as I waited impatiently for my two 'Jeff's Burgers' patties to cook in a skillet. Had a burger (2 patties in one slice ww bread cut in half, with pickle/onion/ketchup/mustard), with some Broccoli Salad I threw together (4 cups raw chopped broccoli with chopped onion and a small bit of raisins, all mixed together with a dressing I improvised by blending water, lemon juice, fresh basil, fresh garlic, and 1 T sunflower seeds).....

[SunshineDay]

So, it's the 1st of October, and I'm still here....! I well recall my very first post to this journal on September 1st, exactly one month ago (a little scary to think how QUICKLY the weeks went by, but there ya go). In any case, I am looking at this for the long haul, and intend to continue to forge new healthful habits. In many ways this past month did feel like a transitional period for me as I set to re-establish my McDougall footing. Now we'll see what transpires this coming month as I aim to continue down the straight and narrow... I see nothin' but blue skies...!

My food update for yesterday:

S: Gosh, I had the munchies all afternoon yesterday. Funny how my appetite can wax and wane like that -- well yesterday it was definitely waxing...! My yummy lunch of Jeff's Burgers, as satisfying as they were, did not hold me for long. Before I knew it i was dipping into some nuked potatoes I had on hand. I ate them chopped and mixed with chopped pickle (sort of reminds me of potato salad that way), then later I had more potatoes spread with a small amount of avocado that was opened in the fridge and in need of using up. I had some tea with a little honey in it (running out of stevia). I had more Broccoli Salad. But even after all this I still felt like I wanted something sweet, so I tried two prunes, and then a few dried cherries. Finally I caved and made the Chocolate Oatmeal (oatmeal cooked with cocoa powder, a bit of molasses, and raisins), which I hadn't made in some time. Well that seemed to work -- my appetite finally calming down. So much so that I only had a very small amount of dinner last night ....which was:

D: A bit of 'Split Peas on Toast', a recipe from the McDougall Plan book (but eating it over potatoes and not toast)....

[WeeSpeck]

Hi SunshineDay,

I enjoy reading your journal. You have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and it shows in your writing. It helps me stay motivated when I read journals like yours.

Your improvised salad dressing (water, lemon juice, basil, garlic and sunflower seeds) looks so tasty! I am always inspired by people who are willing to throw things together and create something delicious without a recipe.

[SunshineDay]

Thanks so much for the kind comment, Nancy -- it's a pleasure to hear that you enjoy reading my journal . Well, I really am finding it helpful and therapeutic to write about my experiences here, and to read others' journals as well -- thanks so much to the good Dr. for making the option of doing so available to us like this...

As to the salad dressing I whipped up, indeed it worked...! Not all of my kitchen experiments do I'm afraid, heh (but I always eat them up anyway ...)....

My food update for yesterday:

B: Skipped by default. That seems to happen on weekends...!

L: Jeff's Burgers: two patties between 1 slice of ww bread cut in half, with pickle/onion/mustard/ketchup. 2 prunes.

S: Cold chopped nuked potatoes mixed with chopped pickle. Finished the Broccoli Salad, with tsp peanut butter mixed with Sriracha sauce to try to get a bit of a 'Thai' flavoring thing going....

D: More cold, cooked potato, plus leftover 'Split Peas on Toast', with no toast. Some apple juice.

Yesterday was a gorgeous fall day here -- and I mean quintessential Autumn. I just love this time of the year and I'm so glad I had the chance to get out in it. I ended up taking a little walk to our local high school to catch an exciting soccer match, meeting my parents there and sitting with them. They had hot chocolate and popcorn from the concession stand, and they offered to get me something, but I politely declined. Later, my husband and I took a pleasant walk in the evening. It was only just a little over 3 kilometers, but still nice to stretch my legs. After our walk, my spouse hinted that he had a hankering for ice cream, specifically the frozen custard from our local mom-n-pop, non-corporate shoppe. He does love his ice cream. As for me? It's actually a little yucky (even the gourmet stuff), and very easy for me to resist, so I had no problem accompanying him to the custard stand while he bought his two quarts. And now they sit in our freezer, as they have been (and other ice creams) this whole past month, but of no interest to me, not even a taste. So it seems I have a will of steel when it comes to Ice Cream -- though had it been, say, Indian Food Vegetarian Buffet??? Ah, my kryptonite -- I can promise you it would a whole N'OTHER story, heh .....

[Chile]

For Thai flavoring, have you tried the vegetarian "fish" sauce? It's sold in Asian markets with the name Nuoc Mam Chay (or Chae) and contains no animal ingredients. It adds that stinky yet tasty fish sauce flavor though and makes a good dressing mixed with lime juice, garlic, and a bit of brown sugar. Another tasty way to use Sriracha as a dressing is to dilute it with rice vinegar.

[SunshineDay]

What a great tip, Chile -- thanks so much for suggesting it and letting me know. i didn't even realize there was such a thing as fish-free 'fish' sauce, and will definitely be keeping my eye out for it at our local asian markets....

My food update for yesterday:

B: skipped by default

L: Jeff's Burgers -- two patties between 1 slice ww bread cut in half. Oven baked potato wedges.

S: Potato Wedges. Leftover 'Split Peas Over Toast', with no toast.... Hot tea with a bit of honey (I'm out of stevia --but am going to try to go without any sweetening today)

D: Remainder of Potato Wedges.

S: One mini whole grain Flat Out bread thingie spread with a shmear of avocado, and onion.

NOTE: We did not make Pizza last night, our usual weekend tradition, for the first time in an age (despite being home, not being busy, etc etc). I guess now that I'm not eating much of it anymore (just my cheeseless portion on the first night), we apparently just don't go through the leftovers fast enough these days. Yesterday we still had several slices in the fridge leftover from LAST sunday, so it seemed silly to make any more. So, perhaps we need to make some adjustments -- either make less of it, or turn it into more of a bi-weekly tradition instead of a weekly tradition...? Not that I mind -- means less temptation for me ....


In any case yesterday I finally went grocery shopping after two weeks, stocking up on lots of goodies. And by 'goodies' I mean winter squash (buttercup, spaghetti and acorn), collard greens and bok choy, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and of course...potatoes . My aim this month, is to try to incorporate more cooking for the family. I admit last month during the Challenge, while I was still establishing my McDougall sea-legs, I really didn't cook all that many 'meals'. Oh to be sure, I regularly made my oven fries, my baked squashes, my salads and whatever else, in large quantities and with the others more than welcome to partake of them -- but otherwise, my spouse and teen daughter were more or less sort of fending for themselves last month while I was doing my own thing. But now with this past month under my belt, and feeling more confident and comfortable with the program once again, I plan to experiment with making more "family-style' McDougall meals, if that makes sense, this month....

[SunshineDay]

So, I believe I may be at my first real weight-loss 'wish'....

When I started this journey, beginning with the September Challenge last month, I really didn't make any big sweeping grand 'goals' for myself beyond simply wanting to 'feel' healthier and better, and maybe even have my clothes, which were ever-so-sneakily getting unpleasantly snug on me, to fit comfortably again. I don't weigh myself and didn't want to reflect on 'numbers' so much -- I just primarily wished to again be able to squeeze into some pants and shirts that in theory ought to have fit, according to their size, but had had to be unofficially 'retired' over the past year or so thanks to creeping pounds. Until several years ago, I'd maintained the same (way too high) weight for such a long time, pretty much since my pregnancies (with my kids now well into their teen years) that, while I certainly wasn't happy where I was at (like, at all), it did at least feel like my 'normal'. Oh, I'd still make attempts to get in shape every so often -- still maintained my ethically vegetarian diet, and my relatively active lifestyle (regular walks, bike rides and gym visits) but without any real weight-loss success. So while I obviously was just sort of treading water as far as weight was concerned, and living with it, at the very least I FOR SURE didn't want to gain any MORE....

Then about 2.5 years ago I made another truly earnest attempt to get back in shape, and through diet (flirting with McDougall ), portion control and exercise, lost some inches. Things were cruising right along...., that is, until a big honking serious medical emergency reared its ugly head, giving me a major set back. Upon recovery (which took a long time), the unthinkable began to happen (oh no!), the pounds creeping back on, oh so slooooowly...., until I finally knew this past spring, despite not weighing, that I was at a new, and unhappy, all-time high....

So my first, primary 'wish' (goal?) in all this...., was really just to get back to where I was about two years ago, when I'd lost a couple of pounds before all the major medical crap came up. I remember how my clothes fit, how my body felt. This morning I was gathering together my summer pants and capris for winter storage. The weather's cooled off so much I haven't worn them in a while -- but for fun I slipped them on this morning before putting them away. They're loose! One pair especially I remember just barely managing to squeeze into this past late June -- as in lying down struggling to get the zipper up when forced to wear them to a family reunion (because I had no other options!). So I know I'm pretty much now BACK to where I was those two years ago, before the medical stuff hijacked my life, when I'd finally shed a little weight and was feeling pretty good about it....

[SunshineDay]

Mondays/Tuesdays are usually my busiest days, and as such I didn't get in here yesterday to update -- so I will try to recap now....

On monday night, I made for dinner my daughter's favorite of all foods, Potato Salad. She had requested it a few times these last weeks, so I finally broke down and made it for her, in all it's mayonnaise-y richness. I knew better than to even bother trying to mess with the recipe in any way -- it just wouldn't have gone over. So instead I made it the usual way -- while keeping a portion of the plain, undressed potato and veggies (onion, celery, pickles, etc) for myself. I ate that with a little mustard, and really wasn't tempted by the other...

The problem came the following day (tuesday), when I was busy and running around and hadn't planned ahead very well. Unfortunately I'd eaten all my own portion that I'd set aside of the undressed potato salad the night before, and didn't have anything else at the ready or at hand that didn't need cooking, chopping or prep of some kind. I ended up so rushed and hungry that I took a helping of the dressed potato salad, with it's convenient already-cooked potatoes, and rinsed it under the sink sprayer to wash off as much of the dressing as I could (and i do believe I got by far the vast majority of it). To this I added some canned veggie baked beans along with frozen corn and lettuce for my packed lunch, and then had some more of the same once I got home famished and tired late yesterday afternoon for dinner. Lesson learned: next time I make potato salad for my daughter, keep back a much larger of plain, undressed salad for myself. Plus of course it goes without saying to plan ahead better! (will I never learn?).....

This morning (Wed) for breakfast I had the last of my batch of Jeff's Burgers (will have to make again for sure), in a mini Flat Out flat-bread thingie. These I bought on our shopping trip last sunday, after scanning the ingredients and thinking they were 'safe'. Once I was home and had eaten one, I looked again to see that there is actually added soybean oil -- man, do I need reading glasses or what? Oh well, they are very small, 1 gram of fat each, and there are only 5 in the package, so they'll be gone soon enough....

This morning before leaving the house for the gym, I filled my crockpot with some lovely orange beets I bought last sunday at a discount (my grocery marks down veggies that should be used up -- I got 6 for .53 cents!), some chopped carrots, a sweet potato, and several red potatoes, and let them all bake in there as I've heard so many here on the site do. Wow, it worked really well -- the veggies were perfectly cooked and delicious, and made a wonderful lunch!

Tonight, my husband, daughter and I are going out to eat to celebrate my husband's and my wedding anniversary this week -- and gosh, I can't believe I'm going out to a restaurant yet again like this. For someone who claimed she "doesn't go out to eat all that often", I sure have been going out to eat a lot! In any case I requested Thai food, intending to order the 'Green Papaya Salad' -- it's really about the only restaurant meal I feel most comfortable in indulging in at the moment....

[Chile]

Congratulations on getting back to where you were prior to medical issues. It sure feels great to fit into those old clothes, doesn't it? (I'm wearing some slacks today that I just love and haven't been able to wear for several years.) Congratulations also on your anniversary. Enjoy your green papaya salad!

For your crockpot veggie meal, did you peel and chop everything before putting it in to bake? How long did it take? I plan to drag my crockpot out of the back of the cabinet now that I've cleared off a little table space in the kitchen...