FOODS - Day 6

I am going to try to be fair to the food groups here, and give you something from each one that I feel I couldn't live without. I can't list my favorite in each, because they change often.

I like food. I don't love it, but I like it a lot. Its not about sitting down by myself and pigging out at all. It is the pleasure of using food as a social focal point with others, mainly as a celebratory device. My problem is, I've had a LOT to celebrate lately, and therefore, over the course of 8 months, I have gained additional curvature. I'm in the process now of chiseling away at my fine sculpture, and reconnecting with what is under the outer layers. So, while I am thinking of how hungry I am for breakfast I'll get these foods written out and then be on my way to make eggs and ham.

VEGETABLES

I LOVE a good salad. Not talking iceberg, cabbage, carrot mix. Spinach, walnut, strawberry and chicken is one of my favorites. Kale mixed in there is great too. I find that the best kind of salad is always one that I didn't have to take the time to make. The preparation of salads drives me bonkers.

FRUIT

Peaches and Huckleberries.

No not necessarily mixed together, but it's a tie as to my favorite. Both are very much a seasonal problem in Idaho too. I'll eat them fresh, but as with everything healthy, there are hundreds of ways to add sugar and fat and carbs to them and transform something natural into a calorie laden, delicious dessert. Pie and cobbler would be two favorites for both of those fruits. 

GRAIN

Steel cut oats. I found a recipe for refrigerator oatmeal, and it is amazing. Put all ingredients together at night in a mason jar, stick in fridge. In the morning, it's ready to eat. I don't like so many carbs right off the bat, so it's a mid morning snack for me, but what an easy meal. I also will use oatmeal in tuna fish. Most people never notice. It's great to absorb the excess liquid, and with dill added, the oats don't change the flavor at all.

PROTEIN

Chicken. The beer chicken recipe I got from a friend is my new go to for easy chicken preparation. But beyond that, I still have 20+ ways I love to prepare it. Grilled, shredded in a crock pot, baked, fried, stuffed, stir fried...you name it, I've probably tried it with chicken. 

DAIRY

Cheese. This is my diet downfall right here. This is where my excess fat is derived from. I'm not a big sugar or chocolate fan. I'm also not a big ice cream eater. But cheese....oh goodness. If I had to remove dairy from my diet completely, I don't know how long my willpower would last. I try to stick with lower fat options like string cheeses and cottage cheese now. However, the richer and more aged the cheese is, the more I am intrigued by it.

I really hadn't planned on today's blog turning out like this. When listing five of my favorite foods, how does really good Chinese takeout not make the list? What about Eggs Benedict? This was a hard list for me to narrow down. I guess I am glad that I have more favorite FOODS than I do FEARS.