June 20
Back to our usual sorts of breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie made from coconut water, vanilla yogurt, hemp protein powder, almond butter, frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, and iceberg lettuce. Not my favorite (too much iciness between the fruit and the lettuce), but my husband especially liked it. He is reporting feeling a post-smoothie queasiness that could be about blood sugar. I am responding by cutting back the sweetness in our morning smoothies-- no more lemonade and fruit juice bases for a while. My kid, on the other hand, will be disappointed. They were guzzling juice as fast as I could bring it into the house.
Later in the morning, we practiced setting up our new tent and using the new campstove.
Morning shopping (Co-op): organic lactose-free 2% milk, coconut water, peanut butter, 2 fresh mozzarella balls, organic cashew milk, organic flour tortillas, Cascadian Farms Ancient Grains cereal, pepperjack cheese, honeydew melon, organic portabello mushroom spaghetti sauce, 2 boneless pork chops, green salsa, can coconut milk, large can black beans, bananas, cilantro, 3 roma tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries. $64.
Just before lunchtime, I go to the mall to try on a few more backpacks and shop for clothes. While there, I take a lunch break at the Panera in the mall. Coffee is my number one priority, but I also want a sandwich. Somehow I am seduced by their limited-edition Lobster Roll, with a $17 price tag (at least I pay cash for it). Is it worth it? Well, if you are measuring purely in terms of quantity of lobster, it probably is. There is a TON of lobster, giant chunks, in my roll, and little filler in the form of mayo or lettuce. Lovers of lobster rolls may be satisfied. Do I derive twice the pleasure from it as I would from a normal sandwich, for instance the roast turkey and caramelized kale panini I was considering? Doubtful. I have an apple on the side. A $20 lunch, for myself only, at the mall. What kind of self-indulgence is this? But I read my hard-boiled Scottish crime novel and drink my coffee and am reasonably happy.
At home again after buying an excess of cardigans at H&M, it is time for some decaf and settling down to work with my laptop.
Dinnertime finds me trying to make a decent soft taco, in order to erase the memory of Saturday night's Mexican Fiasco. I chop up some boneless pork chops and marinate them briefly in hot sauce and spices, then brown the meat with some onions. Season (similarly) and heat some canned black beans. The kid does not eat pork. Other fixings: chopped tomatoes, shredded iceberg lettuce, grated pepperjack cheese, chopped cilantro, green salsa, bottled hot sauce. Some warm flour tortillas, build-your-own. This simple dinner, in its infinite variety, is always much appreciated by my family. On this particular occasion, I didn't go to a lot of effort; there are fancier versions. Even this basic and relatively boring version was so much better than what we had at that restaurant.
I will note again that one Google review calls Jalisco Mexican restaurant in New Market "the best darn food, probably, in this part of rural Virginia."
Oh, and I had a glass of red wine with dinner. Now that bottle is finally gone.
Back to our usual sorts of breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie made from coconut water, vanilla yogurt, hemp protein powder, almond butter, frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, and iceberg lettuce. Not my favorite (too much iciness between the fruit and the lettuce), but my husband especially liked it. He is reporting feeling a post-smoothie queasiness that could be about blood sugar. I am responding by cutting back the sweetness in our morning smoothies-- no more lemonade and fruit juice bases for a while. My kid, on the other hand, will be disappointed. They were guzzling juice as fast as I could bring it into the house.
Later in the morning, we practiced setting up our new tent and using the new campstove.
Morning shopping (Co-op): organic lactose-free 2% milk, coconut water, peanut butter, 2 fresh mozzarella balls, organic cashew milk, organic flour tortillas, Cascadian Farms Ancient Grains cereal, pepperjack cheese, honeydew melon, organic portabello mushroom spaghetti sauce, 2 boneless pork chops, green salsa, can coconut milk, large can black beans, bananas, cilantro, 3 roma tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries. $64.
Just before lunchtime, I go to the mall to try on a few more backpacks and shop for clothes. While there, I take a lunch break at the Panera in the mall. Coffee is my number one priority, but I also want a sandwich. Somehow I am seduced by their limited-edition Lobster Roll, with a $17 price tag (at least I pay cash for it). Is it worth it? Well, if you are measuring purely in terms of quantity of lobster, it probably is. There is a TON of lobster, giant chunks, in my roll, and little filler in the form of mayo or lettuce. Lovers of lobster rolls may be satisfied. Do I derive twice the pleasure from it as I would from a normal sandwich, for instance the roast turkey and caramelized kale panini I was considering? Doubtful. I have an apple on the side. A $20 lunch, for myself only, at the mall. What kind of self-indulgence is this? But I read my hard-boiled Scottish crime novel and drink my coffee and am reasonably happy.
At home again after buying an excess of cardigans at H&M, it is time for some decaf and settling down to work with my laptop.
Dinnertime finds me trying to make a decent soft taco, in order to erase the memory of Saturday night's Mexican Fiasco. I chop up some boneless pork chops and marinate them briefly in hot sauce and spices, then brown the meat with some onions. Season (similarly) and heat some canned black beans. The kid does not eat pork. Other fixings: chopped tomatoes, shredded iceberg lettuce, grated pepperjack cheese, chopped cilantro, green salsa, bottled hot sauce. Some warm flour tortillas, build-your-own. This simple dinner, in its infinite variety, is always much appreciated by my family. On this particular occasion, I didn't go to a lot of effort; there are fancier versions. Even this basic and relatively boring version was so much better than what we had at that restaurant.
I will note again that one Google review calls Jalisco Mexican restaurant in New Market "the best darn food, probably, in this part of rural Virginia."
Oh, and I had a glass of red wine with dinner. Now that bottle is finally gone.
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June 21
Same old, same old breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie. The smoothie is good, uncomplicated, like a Slimfast breakfast drink. Coconut water, cashew milk, vanilla yogurt, hemp protein powder, canned coconut milk, banana, strawberries. Maybe it doesn't sound uncomplicated. But it is. Also, the lack of greens make it an actual pale pink instead of army green or mud-brown. I don't get a chance to finish my coffee before I have to go out.
Back midmorning, I have some decaf, then some more regular, and then some more regular again around lunchtime. After which I have lunch. Lunch is leftover pasta from last Thursday night with a tiny bit of grated parmesan (kid has used most of it, left the rind in the fridge); also, a slice of stale whole wheat bakery toast with butter and lingonberry jam.
Same old, same old breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie. The smoothie is good, uncomplicated, like a Slimfast breakfast drink. Coconut water, cashew milk, vanilla yogurt, hemp protein powder, canned coconut milk, banana, strawberries. Maybe it doesn't sound uncomplicated. But it is. Also, the lack of greens make it an actual pale pink instead of army green or mud-brown. I don't get a chance to finish my coffee before I have to go out.
Back midmorning, I have some decaf, then some more regular, and then some more regular again around lunchtime. After which I have lunch. Lunch is leftover pasta from last Thursday night with a tiny bit of grated parmesan (kid has used most of it, left the rind in the fridge); also, a slice of stale whole wheat bakery toast with butter and lingonberry jam.
Well, I say it makes total sense.
Midafternoon, I cannot handle any more coffee, so I have a cup of Pero with half and half, try to do some planning for our backpacking trip while listening to hail and thunder outside.
As dinnertime approaches, and especially after a late afternoon yoga class, I am really hungry-- have a few salted cashews, scarf down some honeydew melon while I am slicing it for dinner, drink a glass of white wine. Dinner itself is spaghetti again: sauce from the jar, but lots of fresh basil and sliced fresh mozzarella dress it up a little bit. Honeydew melon on the side, which I realize does not match at all. Just trying to feed my family; but there's been too much pasta lately. Our carb intake is through the roof.
In the evening, we walk over to the neighbor's to pick up our CSA box. It is a really good one this time! Giant leeks (see photo), tiny cabbages (see other photo), a few giant leaves of something I cannot identify (farmer says it is "tronchuda" or "Portuguese cabbage." Most vendors seem to refer to this as a variety of kale, but to me it looked somewhere between Swiss chard and collards), marjoram, broccoli, kohlrabi, beets, radishes, 4 gorgeous red onions, garlic. I miss the strawberries but they cannot last forever.
As dinnertime approaches, and especially after a late afternoon yoga class, I am really hungry-- have a few salted cashews, scarf down some honeydew melon while I am slicing it for dinner, drink a glass of white wine. Dinner itself is spaghetti again: sauce from the jar, but lots of fresh basil and sliced fresh mozzarella dress it up a little bit. Honeydew melon on the side, which I realize does not match at all. Just trying to feed my family; but there's been too much pasta lately. Our carb intake is through the roof.
In the evening, we walk over to the neighbor's to pick up our CSA box. It is a really good one this time! Giant leeks (see photo), tiny cabbages (see other photo), a few giant leaves of something I cannot identify (farmer says it is "tronchuda" or "Portuguese cabbage." Most vendors seem to refer to this as a variety of kale, but to me it looked somewhere between Swiss chard and collards), marjoram, broccoli, kohlrabi, beets, radishes, 4 gorgeous red onions, garlic. I miss the strawberries but they cannot last forever.
Note leek size in relation to stove.
Now note cabbage size in relation to stove.
June 22
Work day, typical breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie made from cashew milk, plain nonfat yogurt, hemp protein powder, peanut butter, strawberries, and honeydew melon.
I have a cup of decaf coffee at work, but it takes me the entire shift to finish it; too busy. So, when I get home at 2:45, I have a lot of catching up to do. Coffee, a Q ginger soda, lunch consisting of leftover spaghetti from last night, 6 saltine crackers, about 3 cashews. Yep, we need to find something besides carbs to eat. While having lunch, I look up leek soup recipes online. Preferably ones that use up a TON of leeks. I choose this one.
Still in workplace recovery mode, I have another cup of decaf, black this time, because we are out of half and half and I haven't been to the store yet.
Shopping (Co-op): organic whole milk, golden raisins, decaf coffee, organic frozen mangos, creme fraiche, sponges, half & half, carton of almond coconut milk, 3 rolls toilet paper, organic spinach, bananas, raw peanuts, pull-apart challah rolls, white cage-free eggs, fresh tarragon, 2 lemons. $64.
For dinner, I have to do something about these outrageous leeks that came into our lives last night. The leek soup recipe I chose off the internet is pretty plain, really-- lots of leeks softened in butter, thickened with rice (instead of potato), a lot of raw spinach blended in at the end, with a garnish of creme fraiche and tarragon (no chives were available at my local store). I don't bother to strain the soup to eliminate all spinach bits. Neither do many of the commenters on the original recipe. We are sane people with lives.
Work day, typical breakfast. Lemon water, coffee, smoothie made from cashew milk, plain nonfat yogurt, hemp protein powder, peanut butter, strawberries, and honeydew melon.
I have a cup of decaf coffee at work, but it takes me the entire shift to finish it; too busy. So, when I get home at 2:45, I have a lot of catching up to do. Coffee, a Q ginger soda, lunch consisting of leftover spaghetti from last night, 6 saltine crackers, about 3 cashews. Yep, we need to find something besides carbs to eat. While having lunch, I look up leek soup recipes online. Preferably ones that use up a TON of leeks. I choose this one.
Still in workplace recovery mode, I have another cup of decaf, black this time, because we are out of half and half and I haven't been to the store yet.
Shopping (Co-op): organic whole milk, golden raisins, decaf coffee, organic frozen mangos, creme fraiche, sponges, half & half, carton of almond coconut milk, 3 rolls toilet paper, organic spinach, bananas, raw peanuts, pull-apart challah rolls, white cage-free eggs, fresh tarragon, 2 lemons. $64.
For dinner, I have to do something about these outrageous leeks that came into our lives last night. The leek soup recipe I chose off the internet is pretty plain, really-- lots of leeks softened in butter, thickened with rice (instead of potato), a lot of raw spinach blended in at the end, with a garnish of creme fraiche and tarragon (no chives were available at my local store). I don't bother to strain the soup to eliminate all spinach bits. Neither do many of the commenters on the original recipe. We are sane people with lives.
Along with the soup, I make a slaw out of some of the other CSA vegetables: a tiny cabbage head, shredded, with grated radish and kohlrabi. The dressing is my standard slaw dressing: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a little mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper.
Neither of these swell items has much in the way of calories, so we also have some challah rolls with butter. And I have a glass of sherry. And another half a challah roll with butter just before bed.
Neither of these swell items has much in the way of calories, so we also have some challah rolls with butter. And I have a glass of sherry. And another half a challah roll with butter just before bed.
