Buns Again

[VegSeekingFit]

Okay, I've been clicking around and found Jeff's discussion on the congee thread, at the Lounge. First of all, who knew that chestnuts were that high in calorie density? and secondly CONGEEEEEE!

Now I know what I'm making tonight. It'll be a wonderful dinner, and I can pack and bring for lunches for a week, it makes so much. One c. rice + 10 c. water = LOTS OF FOOD! Lots of yummy delicious food! It's gonna be "make congee night" around my house

Hey Buns!!

Your enthusiasm has inspired me to try Congee --- which I had never done before... Have it going in the crock pot now... Sounds like could be a great breakfast!!! Thank you!!!

Congrats on your weight loss!! Love your Elmo thing!!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[bunsofaluminum]

Okay, I've been clicking around and found Jeff's discussion on the congee thread, at the Lounge. First of all, who knew that chestnuts were that high in calorie density? and secondly CONGEEEEEE!

Now I know what I'm making tonight. It'll be a wonderful dinner, and I can pack and bring for lunches for a week, it makes so much. One c. rice + 10 c. water = LOTS OF FOOD! Lots of yummy delicious food! It's gonna be "make congee night" around my house

Congee is good and easy enough to make with many variations. If you do a search, you'll probably find a few threads that contain the topic of congee with recipe links and whatnot.

I'm trying to remember when I first heard about rice congee. It was a picture, and it just looked so good! I made a lot of it at the beginning of this year, but sort of put it aside for the past couple of months. I made a big batch last night in my rice cooker...which overflowed! argh. White starchy glop all over the counter top...In a pan works well enough for me. And I didn't have any brown rice, only white. I'll remedy that soon. But I like white rice, too.

I added sliced mushrooms, torn spinach, seaweed. Some miso for seasoning, and a blob of bbq sauce it turned out pretty darn good. I had it for brekkie this morning

[bunsofaluminum]

So yesterday I went out to lunch with an old friend. We went to Zao an Asian place with REALLY good food. I had a green curry bowl, veggies only. Well, there was a lot of fat in that dish and I'm paying for it today. My gut is NOT happy with me. It's either the fat or the grapes, of which I had a zillion. But I've never had intestinal distress from grapes. However, usually fats hit me right away, not the next morning. At any rate it killed my appetite.

It was a busy evening last night, and another one tonight with some planning and dinner at my mom's. We're building a bathroom in her basement, so we can move in and cut our housing budget in half AND have a yard, a door with a porch, not a bleak, creepy corridor, a quiet street not Main Street (literally. My apartment complex is on the corner of Main and Gilbride) It's going to be good, but we've got our work cut out for us. Many busy days. Am I ever glad to have the energy and stamina to do it!

[Idgie]

Fat does the same to me. Oof!

Congrats on the move!! We moved into my mom's property so we could be near her and help her out (she's elderly), but the free rent doesn't hurt, either.

[bunsofaluminum]

Fat does the same to me. Oof!

Congrats on the move!! We moved into my mom's property so we could be near her and help her out (she's elderly), but the free rent doesn't hurt, either.

Hi Idgie

I was thinking about you last night, when part of our dinner menu was fried potatoes. They were delicious, but he cooked them in oil. Less than a TBSP for three large potatoes and onion. I would rather have them cooked without the oil, but that's how Wylie did it. They tasted really good, and I ate a hearty helping, and thought "I wonder if Idgie would be able to tell if this is low fat or not, by mouth feel"

I am excited about the move, after going in and choosing our floor, shower tiles, counter top, and cupboard/drawer finish. It all looks so wonderful together, and I can't wait to see it finished. There's a lot of work ahead of us, and I was wiped out yesterday after the couple of hours of looking at stuff, then several other more physical-ish errands and then a bbq in the HOT HOT HOT backyard. The heat is really exhausting this year, for the first time ever. I have lived through hot summers, easily this hot or hotter, but for some reason this year I am not responding at all well. I am positive it has to do with hormonal fluctuations from menopause, and not "worried" about it at all, but it isn't fun.

However, I came on here this morning to announce how amazing I feel today! My feet hurt...left ankle is problematic...but internally, mentally I just feel fantastic. Loads of energy, ready to rumble. Maybe I should wait to do things until after the sun goes down and things get cooler, because heaven knows I've got the energy to get a LOT of stuff done. Just don't want to deal with the heat. Boxing up begins in August, and we'll have a couple of weeks in September to get things clean in our old place.

[Idgie]

I'm so glad to hear how great you feel, despite the heat!

[bunsofaluminum]

Thanks Idgie...yeah, it feels really good to have this energy. The stamina is especially appreciated right now, with the remodel and our upcoming move. I'll need it!

So, my plan was to eat a huge green salad every day, but that didn't pan out. Didn't think it would, since I don't like salad enough to chop and toss. I do love my creamy Asian style dressing, and if someone would do the chopping, I'd eat the salad with that dressing. However, I have been eating a big pile of spinach at dinnertime every evening, for at least this past week, which I love. How easy is it to pile a cup or three in a big bowl and nuke it for one minute, sprinkle with lemon juice and garlic powder and BAM! greens!

I've been stomachy and a little constipated feeling though. Don't know if it's related, but it isn't much pleasant. So, I'll continue with my daily large helping of spinach, and see if this continues.

My eating is just fine. I had those potatoes the other night that had a tiny bit of oil in the whole recipe. Other than that, right on plan.

[bunsofaluminum]

Woot! Three more down! Only 60 to go!

[Idgie]

YAY!!!

[Rosey]

Woot! Three more down! Only 60 to go!

WOOT!!!! Go Buns!!!!

[bunsofaluminum]

Thanks Idgie and Rosey, for the encouragement. It's amazing how losing some weight changed how I feel about following this plan. It took literally MONTHS for it to start downward, and I've griped about it here. I did stop gaining, once I adopted the habit of no snacks, no sweets, and no seconds, but didn't lose a smidgen. Got much more careful with following McDougall closely but still didn't lose anything...and then I started counting my calories. In eight weeks I've taken off 10 lbs. It feels like it's working. When it didn't feel like it was working, I had a real "meh" attitude about it. Feels better to have things going the way I've been aiming.

Weekend...we went camping with my bro and SIL, and ate some richer foods, but I kept control of it. Didn't go overboard on anything. We had a terrific time, and I am fully refreshed. Back to "simple, humble food" Yah!

[bunsofaluminum]

Well that was a surprise!

Wylie's b-day was yesterday, and he invited my mom, siblings, and in-laws, along with two of his siblings and their spouses, out to dinner at a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, where they put on a little show while they cook the food right at your table. I ate rich, let's just get that out of the way. After the show, and after everyone ate, he stood up and thanked everyone for coming, and talked about how important family is, and how much he loved everyone...tenderly misting up at this point. Then he said "There is one family member I wish he could be here, Grampa Strohm. But I do have his wedding band..." and there was a ring in his hand, and he turned and knelt down and asked me to marry him! Most of the people at the table were our group, but there were five GF's on the far side who were doing their own thing, not paying him any attention, until he pulled THAT stunt! LOL Then they were laughing and cheering along with our group.

Well, I said yes





and I'm thinking October of 2019, an outdoor ceremony with an indoor reception.

His family were absolutely delighted, since he's had a few failed relationships. My mom tried to get sassy, because I've had a few myself but I told her to zip her lips. Geez that woman can be inappropriate. No wonder I have a weight problem. It's all HER fault Kidding.

So that's happening, and this year in September, we are moving to rent the basement of a home in the suburbs, where there'll be a yard and birds in the trees, and so forth. Otherwise I might choose October of this year. But I can start thinking of what food we might want at the reception. Etc.

I didn't need brekkie this morning, thanks to the rich meal I ate last night, and I'm happy.

[Lyndzie]

THAT IS SO WONDERFUL!!! Congratulations!

[VegSeekingFit]

Congratulations, Buns!!! Your Wylie sounds romantic and that is such a wonderful way to get engaged! Loved reading your post and so happy for you!!!

[Idgie]

OHMIGOSH!!