Gwennaford's Journal

[Gwennaford]

I have to post this real fast and get out of here.  I have to get to my LMHC'S office to get my head examined.

I fouled up last night and ate two more skinless chicken thighs from Vickie D's casserole.  This impulsive eating surprised me (well, duh -- that's what an impulse IS) because 1) I wasn't aware of having any particular cravings; and 2) I can barely choke down meat protein most days.  But this was so soft and luscious.  I don't know if she boiled it before it went into the casserole, but it just melted.  I need to get her recipe.  I think my body may be telling me I need more protein, maybe later in the day, because I slept like a wonderful dream.  I slept through the night and woke up feeling wonderful for the first time since... I can't remember when.  I'll increase my meat protein at midday and won't add it later usless I find out I need to for some reason.  Eating more at lunchtime should take care of it.

Breakfast - slept through it.  Made coffee at noon & had some with skim milk.

Lunch - got busy and skipped it.  Now it's 2 pm & no time for it.  I won't be back until around 6 pm.  The chicken thighs are ready to eat, but I don't want to eat any more dark meat 'cause we're not supposed to have it.  Hmm...  what to do ...

Used my lasts 2 eggs that I was saving for Beanana Muffins & made an omelet with deli style smoked turkey, green peppers & onions.  Slammed it down with some ultra-sweet fresh pineapple before going to therapists office.  Yay for me taking care of myself.  Decided this was more important than taking a shower.  Too bad for him!  lol.  (I really don't smell THAT bad) 

Dinner - 8 pm --  Got home at 5:30 but didn't actually get IN the house until almost 7.  Locked myself out!  Sheesh.  Reheated the last of the Warm German Betato Salad.  It's still good after all this time.  Will definitely tag this recipe for use again soon.

Snack  -- Popcorn while watching McCain's concession speech.

Looks like I need to be better prepared in the future!  It's amazing how much faster the day slips away when you sleep very late!  The evening was not any better.  Neil's dialysis was impossibly complicated tonight and took about 4-1/2 hours instead of 3.  I'm very very very very very tired.

I'm reminded of a line Dolly Parton said in a movie where she was playing a radio therapist.  Someone was whining & griping & she told them to come down off that cross so somebody else could use the wood!!!!!!  'nuff said. 

[Saved4Life]

Gwen,

You said a mouthful (pun intended)...we need to be prepared, it makes staying on the Plan so much easier.

I was not prepared today...had my fruit smoothie this morning, but had errands to do and had no lunch...but at least I had some popcorn made that I could grab on the way out to have for Lunch!

Tonight I'll try to have a salad with some cold boiled shrimp on it, and some kind of beans.

Here's to being a good LDL Scout and Being Better Preapred!

Hugs ,
Doreen

[Gwennaford]

Well, it's not like you stay BUSY or anything ... 

I've been emailing with Vickie D. & Angie A. about possible dishes for them to fix when they do their weekly humanitarian aid. 

So guess who's talking about starting Let's Do Lunch !! ??  I'm excited.

[Gwennaford]

Food Journal -- Wed. Nov. 5

Breakfast - 7 am

• small coffee w/skim milk
• one scrambled egg

Lunch - Noonish

• Thawing a fish that turned out to be a huge salmon filet and I blackened it.  Will have it with some kind of warm yummy bean soup (it was DAL) to further satisfy my previously undisclosed need for comfort food.  I wasn't keeping it a secret - I just didn't know about it either until I found myself picking at leftover casseroles & meat from Neil's dinner plate several times recently 
  
• Salad, Sweet & Hot Cabbage Slaw and fresh Pineapple Spears.  Spicy Hot Garlic Collard Greens and Iced Tea

Michelle dropped in & helped me with a cooking marathon.  Roasted chicken, sauteed & roasted all the vegetables that needed to be used up.  Made several quarts of different kinds of soups, Pumpkin Spiced Benana Muffins and Oatmeal Raisin bean cookies = Bookies  haha.  I learned the hard way not to bake them in the conventional oven when they are made from canned garbanzos.  I did not like the way they turned out.  They really need to be microwaved.

Dinner

  It was really late - about 11:30 pm.  Dialysis took forever

• two bowls of the warm yummy bean soup
  
• two glass of skim milk

[Gwennaford]

Food Jounal Thurs. Nov. 6, 2008

Breakfast

7 am

• Little piece of leftover Blackened Salmon, DAL, two bites of scrambled eggs (that's all I wanted)
  
• Two pumpkin muffins, three oatmeal raisin bean cookies "bookies? beakies?  lol  They are very small.  Two bites each, maybe.  but chewy

Lunch
1 pm

• Large bowl Spicy Southwestern Corn Soup Chicken "Curry" (how's THAT for fusion?) made with added sauteed curry powder and half a shredded cooked chicken breast
  
• two bowls popcorn, three ORBC's, glass skim milk

Snack 4 pm
• three ORBC's & Iced Tea
• I won't have any more of these until Sunday breakfast

Dinner 6 pm -- Happy to have finished eating early today.  Sincerely trying to reprioritize and get my schedule back in balance.
• bowl of Spicy Southwestern Corn Soup
• popcorn & a peach

[Gwennaford]

Food Journal for Fri. Nov. 7

Planned:

Breakfast -- 7 am

• Big bowl of DAL, sliced fresh pear, peach & pineapple
• 1 qt. Ice Water - hydrating. (no caffeine before an IV)

Midmorning -- Another qt. of ice water.

Lunch -- Noonish.  Looking forward to enjoying the hospital salad bar before my "chemo" treatment.

• Salad Bar - Usually baby greens & spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, garbanzos, plain kidney beans, sprinkle of black olives, shredded carrots, beets, raisins.  Maybe a little 3-bean salad if I'm lucky.  (not today) 
  Small ranch dressing for fork dipping.  Will eat as much as I want & take the rest home for dinner in case I feel like eating after the treatment.
• Leftover Chicken Curry reheated in the microwave so I'll have some warm yummy protein.  More ice water.

Finished salad around 4 pm while finishing IV treatment.

Dinner -- 5 pm

• Curled up with Leftover fruit salad (above), popcorn, and homemade hot chicken broth.
  
  Sometimes I feel good & want dinner.  Most times I just come home & go to bed.  Today I did both at the same time!  Curling up with popcorn, hot broth and a good book is very restorative

[snowbirdie]

Hi Gwen,
      I saw you mentioned making warm betato salad- german. Do you have a recipe for this?
                  Judie

[Gwennaford]

Judie - It's posted below on my journal thread.  Look on October 31.  I Don't remember if I have posted it in the recipes section yet.  If I did, I probably called it Warm German Betato Salad.

[Gwennaford]

Saturday, Nov. 8

Woke up feeling sluggish and out of sorts from all the medication Friday.  Not a good thing, as it was Neil's birthday Saturday.  I had planned on having a couple of pumpkin muffins and fruit for breakfast, but the muffins didn't make it & had to be thrown away.  That made me feel even grouchier.  But you can't give in to it when it's someone else's day, you know?  So I prayed & ate what I could find and decided NOT to let the enemy steal my joy in what had been long planned to be a joyful celebration.  Michelle brought her boyfriend up from Sarasota.  After letting him sleep late, I took Neil to see "Fireproof" the movie and the kids joined us at Chili's for dinner.  They have THE best LDL menu choices.  All I ever have to substitute is an extra portion of vegetables for the rice.  I also added a grilled portobello mushroom cap as a side dish 'cause I knew the fish would not keep me filled up all evening.  Next time we're there, I'm going to have the fajitas.  They said they could get me some lettuce leaves instead of the tortillas. 

Somebody tell me - is it ABSOLUTELY necessary to skip the little scoop of guacamole?  I love the stuff.  I mean, C'MON! -- I'm still not having the flour tortillas, sour cream, grated cheese, rice side dish OR the El Presidente Margarita. 


Breakfast -- 9:30 am

• leftover bean soup and a scrambled egg
• fresh fruit, 4 ORBC's ( said I would save them for Sunday, but it didn't work out that way) and hot tea

Lunch -- skipped it for an early dinner.  Large bottle of water at the movies.  (That's a new one since starting LDL!  )

Dinner -- 4 pm  Was so proud and delighted. I was not tempted by the onion rings, rice pilaf, loaded mashed potatoes, and double chocolate fudge molten whatevers that were loading down the table.  I was REALLY HAPPY with what I ordered and it was a great example to the kids, who are both overweight.

• Cedar Plank Roasted Tilapia with Pico de Gallo and Chimmichurri (which wasn't all that great.  mine's better  )
• Double portion Steamed Veggies (broccoli, caul, carrot medley) with Lemon and Marinated Grilled Portobello Cap.  Several glasses plain soda water with lots of lime makes me a happy woman 

Snack -- 9 pm -- Popcorn and Iced Tea.  Watched another movie at home with the kids.

I had a great day and Neil enjoyed himself immensely!

[/list]

[Gwennaford]

Sunday Nov. 9

Another great day staying on program.  Thanks to GOD!  Being incredibly blessed doing THE LOVE DARE with Neil.

Breakfast -- 8 am with Neil, Michelle and her BF, Joe.  Michelle begged me not to push the LDL recipes on Joe's first visit home.  Joe is a student and indicated he hadn't had a home-cooked meal in a LONG time and had missed being around a happy family.  I was touched and my motherly instincts were aroused.  So before we all left to go our separate ways, I filled 'em up with old fashioned home cooking, hoping they'll be back often and I can slip in some healthier choices as time goes on!

• What I cooked:  Scrambled Eggs, Thick-sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon, New Potato Home Fries, Split Toasted Raisin Bagels, Ice Cold Milk.  I was going to fry some apples, but ran out of time & discovered I didn't have the apples anyway!  Forgot I had taken them to the Harvest Fest at church last week.
• What I ate:  Scrambled Eggs, sliced coooked chicken breast, w/ a few sliced onions & peppers sauteed in the skillet beside the home fries. (Wished I had time for some fruit.)  Cold Skim Milk

I had the presence of mind to "bake" the potatoes the night before in the microwave.  Next time I'll take it a step further and slice a bunch of apples the night before, spash them with citrus juice & keep them in the fridge, ready to spice up & saute' the next morning. I loves me some fried apples. Also will have thawed pinto beans ready to throw into the bacon skillet (after wiping out the grease) to make refritos.  They'll think they've gone to Cracker Barrel! ! !

Lunch / Dinner -- 2:30 pm

Inspired, I made a feast for Neil & me.

• BBQ Beef & Bean Burger on Banzo Biscuit Bun! How's that for alliteration?  Made a double batch of Banzo Biscuit Batter & before adding the oil & baking powder, removed half the batter to mix into 2 lbs. of super-lean ground beef. Added hickory smoke flavoring, Mexican spices, and a big handful of dry onion flakes to absorb some of the moisture (eggs were already in the batter).  Cooked in the broiler beside Neil's plain old boring hamburgers, they looked & smelled a thousand times better, but he wouldn't try them.  I had one on buns and two smaller ones alone with fork-tine BBQ sauce. love that 
  
  Added the oil & baking powder to the remaining batter in the f.p. to make the biscuits.  Flattened out heaping 1/4 cups of batter on their cupcake papers to make them wide and flat to use as buns. Cut off the top mound of one for the base, added the burger, a little BBQ sauce and the biscuit topper -- YUM - O
  
  
• Still working on using up the leftover Sweet & Sour Braised Cabbage, I had it cold like slaw; Steamed Brocc, Caul, Carrot combo w/ EVOO & Cajun spice blend; large Iced Tea.  Was going to have some of Neil's corn, but he beat me to it!  He had his with loaded mashed potatoes.

Snack:  Evening Movie @ home w/ Neil -- Probably will have some popcorn and frozen mixed fruit.  I've been missing my fruit.

[DEBBIEWEBE]

I took Neil to see "Fireproof" the movie and the kids joined us at Chili's for dinner. 

Hey Gwennie,
How'd you guys like the movie?  Sounds like you've been cooking up a storm.  Hope you enjoyed all your company.  I will have to wait till Niki gets back on Tues to pin her down on some dates.  Us cold weather gals like to get outta the chill come Jan/Feb for a few days. 
Sounds like Mary is willing to keep ya company till we can get there lol
Love and God Bless
Debbie

[EnJae]

RT wrote: "...and "this is the best tasting sausage I have ever eaten", and then they find out they have eaten ground-chicken mixed with egg and Morton's Sausage and Meat Loaf Seasoning..."

RT, I have not known to add an egg to the sausage recipe. Could you and Neets update the recipe for me? This is the one I have been using:
1/2# ground chicken breast (I have had to use turkey, have not found ground chicken in my stores)
1/2# lean ground beef
1/2 Cup beans, mashed
Morton's Meatloaf Seasoning.

Thank you very much!
I love ya'll
NJ

[snowbirdie]

hi Gwen,
      Got a question for you.  Do u suppose that these little treats would be good as an evening snack? I am never hungry at dinner but in the evening I am always looking for something good to eat and I don't always want popcorn. Soooooo what do u think? By treats I mean all those bean biscuts.
                                Judie

[Gwennaford]

Judie - the muffins and biscuits are wonderful as a light meal or snack.  With a cup of coffee or tea, maybe a little fruit, I really enjoy them.  Please read Mary's post on the Banzo Biscuits recipe thread.  She talks about how these are ideal as additions to healthy LDL meals, but cautions against just snacking on them all day long, between meals, or to the exclusion of regular meals.

EnJae - The original recipe I read said you can add some egg whites if you need to help them hold together.

Dear Roger - Thanks for your caring thoughts.  Next time: 1)  I hope to have more than an hour's notice before I have overnight company; 2) I will set TWO alarms to make sure I have more than 20 minutes to cook, serve & eat breakfast; 3) Budget permitting, I hope to be able to stay better stocked up on fruits and all the ingredients to cook these luscious dishes, and 4) I'll still have to cook two meals because, unfortunately, Neil's renal diet restricts most of the major LDL foods. 

I'm glad you reminded me of something I wanted to put in my journal.  You are right - all my cravings are under control thanks to eating all the sweetest fruits, wholesome fresh vegetables, fresh lean meats and wonderful recipes I've found here.  I think, VERY IMPORTANTLY -- is the timing of eating these foods.  Because of the crises that persist in my family life, I frequently find myself stressed, rushed, and so busy with other critical priorities that I don't take care of myself the right way.  I have had to force myself to remember that it doesn't take any more time to eat right than it does to eat wrong.  I JUST HAVE TO STAY PREPARED and THINK AHEAD and PLAN to eat the correct foods in the correct segment of the day.  I realized that I was missing all my meals, and "making do" with snacking on whatever I could grab on the run.  I was never eating any protein because it takes a certain amount of preparation and is difficult to cram down your throat when you are stressed and on the run.  So I was constantly run down, and although I was eating acceptable foods, I wasn't eating them at the right time of day and I was constantly snacking on popcorn because it's fast & easy. 

When I realized this, I made the decision to turn that around and go back to following the proper meal sequence and posting my foods here in the daily food journal for accountability.  I'm now eating a good breakfast, some heavy protein and beans midday (I always cook once, eat several times), fruits & soups in the late afternoon and sometimes popcorn & more fruit in the evening.  I've never been happier with a meal plan.  FINALLY -- SUCCESS!  YAY

I have had such a crush of responsibilities with illness in the family for the past year and my physical challenges.  Sometimes I feel sorry for myself or I feel overwhelmed and afraid and angry.  When I cannot find anyone to grocery shop for me or pick up prescriptions, certainly no one to cook for me, and no opportunity to cook ahead for myself, no one to mow the grass, no one to help me run the vacuum, clean the pool, reach the high shelves, reach the washing machine -- even when I throw a great big pity party for myself -- I'm still not even tempted to give up on LDL - not even for one meal.  It's my lifeline!  This site is my little island of sanity.  This is one area of my life that the LORD has given me the tools, desire, motivation, opportunity and the HELP to succeed.  Roger, I still thank God for you every day - that He saved your life with Let's Do Lunch and that you have been obedient to share it with hurting people.  THANK YOU!

Today's Food Journal - Monday, Nov. 10

Breakfast:  Bean soup, fruit, banzo biscuits
Lunch:  Repeat of yesterday except added Rosemary Roasted Carrots and stewed fruit for dessert
Afternoon:  Popcorn and more fruit, Iced Tea
Dinner:  Fruit and milk

Debbie -- LOVED  the movie.  So inspiring.  More later.  Didn't mean to spend so much time on this post!

Love to all -- Gwen

[Vernswifevickie]

Good morning Gwen!!! I think you are so right about the timing of eating the foods! I find that I am the most satisfied and do the best when I eat the way Roger has laid out the plan in the book...with my big protein meal at lunch. There are days when I have to have my protein meal at Dinner so that Vern and I can have dinner together but I feel the best when i have it at lunch time.

OK...I just wanted to pop in and say hello and see how you're doing! Have a blessed day my friend!

[Sweet_Pea]

Hi Gwen,

I really enjoyed reading your last post and getting to know some of the trials you are facing each and every day.  I thought about you so many times today and pray that God give you amazing strength to cope with all that you have on your plate.  Keep on Keeping on and God bless you.

Hope you are having a good day.

Carrole

[Gwennaford]

Hi Vickie & SweetPea -- I had a great day.  I'm glad you stopped in.  Both of you are so upbeat and friendly -- it's a pleasure to read your posts.

I'm really glad for the food journal board or thread, or whatever you call it.  It gives me a safe place and the opportunity to express events and my feelings about what's going on in my life.  AND it's a wonderful window into your lives as well.  Just like God gives us provision to meet our needs, He provides the strength to meet the daily challenges we face. 

I learned something important in therapy today.  I was feeling upset, frustrated and overwhelmed by what I was calling obstacles.  The counselor, Mike (I refer to him frequently, so I might as well name him!) showed my how to look at it a different way; reframing the perception of an obstacle and looking at is as a challenge to be met.  He asked me how I felt when I talked about obstacles to my success (upset, angry, frustrated, powerless) then how I felt when I talked about meeting challenges (hopeful, empowered, capable).  Very enlightening.

After all that big talk about eating the right foods at the right time, I blew right through lunchtime and arrived home at 5:30 ravenously hungry.  So I had to eat my protein meal then.  I'll work around the house this evening to give it a head start digesting before I go to bed. 

Neil & I joined Sam's Club today and stocked up on about 3 bushels of fresh and frozen produce, 2 cases of canned beans, 20 pounds of dry beans and a couple of frozen turkey breasts.  That was mainly for me.  We got a bunch of stuff for Neil & Michelle, too.  Michelle is interested in the fruits & veggies.  I'm going to challenge her to come up with some bean recipes that she likes.  She already loves black beans and turkey, so we're off to a good start.  It looks like she may move back in with us.  Something happened between her & BF that she doesn't want to talk about.  I'm sorry for her troubles, but so glad to have her back, no matter how temporarily.

Food Journal -- Tue. Nov. 11

Breakfast - 9:30 am

• Hot Mixed Fruit Cobbler topped with Split Toasted Banzo Biscuit (2 to 3 c. frozen mixed fruit*, 1 T. Smart Balance margarine, 1/2 tsp. Stevia, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Sauce: 1/2 tsp. corn starch mixed in 1/4 c. water or juice.  Partially thaw fruit in micro, saute in margarine with cinnamon & Stevia 'til juice starts to exude & comes to a simmer.  Add cornstarch mixture to skillet, cook & stir until thickened.  Pour into serving dish and top with a split & toasted plain Banzo Biscuit.  Serve warm or cool. 
  * I used Dole "Wildly Nutritious Mixed Fruit" a chunky blend of mango, melon, peaches, pineapple and strawberry. Came in a 6 lb. bag from Sam's Club.
  
• Rosemary Roasted Carrots, Ice Water - very thirsty this morning.

Lunch - Missed it.  Took popcorn to Sam's, but didn't have a chance to eat any of it.

Dinner - 5:30 pm

• 2 Scrambled Eggs with 3 Beef & Bean Breakfast sausages crumbled in
• Iceberg Lettuce Wedge, Grape Tomatoes and Baby Carrots, drizzle of Ranch dressing.

Still wanted something after dinner, so fixed a giant glass of ice water & drank it with some grapes & a little popcorn.

[Gwennaford]

Food Journal Wed. Nov. 12

Breakfast - 6:30 am with Neil

• Scrambled Egg with a leftover bean and lean ground beef patty crumbled in, Popcorn
• BIG plate of Grapes and a sliced Apple Pear, Ice Water with Lime

A friend introduced me to apple pears a few weeks ago and I was SO HAPPY to find them still at Sam's.  I had never heard of them.  They are yellowish, the size & shape of a large apple, have the flavor & the graininess of a pear, but they are super tender-crisp, like a jicama or water chestnut, only JUICY.  Definitely my new favorite fruit.  I can't wait for the next one!

Lunch - 2:30 pm

• Can of Black Beans with a leftover lean ground beef patty crumbled in, Popcorn
• Grapes, Sliced Apple Pear, Ice Water ... hmm... sounds familiar

Had a nice afternoon reading & resting with my legs elevated, trying to reduce the edema that happens after my infusion, especially when I stay up in my chair for hours at a time (like just about every day).  It's worse when I eat popcorn every day because of the salt.  But I cut down the salt drastically by throwing away the shaker top & putting a little 1/8 tsp measure in the popcorn salt jar.  Also have started to line my popcorn bowl with a paper towel to absorb any oil overspray and extra salt that falls through so I don't go down there & collect it when the popcorn's gone.

Dinner - 10:25 pm.  Still trying to decide.  Not hungry, just very thirsty.

Really tied up this evening with Neil's dialysis and doctoring his wounds.  He took a header in the restaruant parking lot after a business meeting tonight and got all cut up and scraped.  Macho guy that he is, left his walker in the car.  Coming out of the restaurant, in the dark, in an unfamiliar parking lot, in a weakened condition, trying to fake being strong. ... grrr... sometimes he makes me so mad!  If there was an angry red frowny face I would put it here.

Late Supper - or whatever you call eating way too late -- Around midnight-thirty.  When it's this late and I haven't eaten I normally just have a mug of tea and go to bed. But by the time we finished, it was midnight and I was RAVENOUS.  I dumped a bunch of drained, canned beans together with a bag of frozen corn, sauteed onions & garlic, diced pickled jalepenos, halved cherry tomatoes and a big palmful of Mexican seasonion blend to make a Mexicali Stew.  Ate 3 bowls of that with lime wedges and chopped cilantro before I was satisfied. 

THANK GOD for His provision of a stocked pantry this week.  I would have been okay with the odds & ends that were left over from earlier in the week, but it felt so luxurious to fill my tummy with warm savory lusciousness.  LOL -- Who would have ever thought that eating canned beans at midnight would be considered luxury! 

[Sweet_Pea]

Gwen,  glad you made it through this trying day and hope you have a much better day tomorrow.  I don't know how you handle all that you deal with every day.  Makes me count my blessings.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

Carrole