Monday, February 13, 2012

Changes II

Things have been way better since eating veggies again, not the least of which is eating soup. I think I could live on soup. Since I live alone, I make just enough to fill up my tank for the day. I also eat midday now, and not at all at night. When I eat soup I don't usually get hungry later, and if I do, a bit of cheese or a glass of milk does it. I'll still cook some meat every couple of days and eat a regular meal. It's a good way to have some meat for instant soup.

Here's my Instant Soup recipe
1 1/2 c. stock or broth or bouillion
1/4 lb. frozen mixed vegetables
some leftover cooked meat, diced
seasonings
Bring all to a boil, simmer 3 minutes. Done.
It's that simple, and is warm, nourishing and feels healthy to eat.

Through this process I've realized there are some things I've never liked but was trained to eat. The Clean Plate Club was enforced in our house. If it was served, you ate it. And so I grew up having to eat a lot of things I never would've willingly eaten. I'm thinking that's good programming for eating disorders, which I and my brothers have had all our lives. Starches abounded in a house with 7 or more mouths to feed. They're the norm of American food and are often a conveyor of good things. Potatoes, rice, pasta, pancakes. I never liked them. Now I don't eat them.  I'll take the good things we put on them- butter, cheese, veggies, meats- without the starchy stuff I never wanted in the first place. So this is a kind of new freedom I've discovered in all this.

Of course, it wasn't so easy to give up some things. I still miss bread now and then, but not much. Bread was too often a filler. We'd go through a whole big loaf or more at dinner. Again, stretching things to feed that many people. So yeah, I've had enough bread for a lifetime. And I always loved sweets. Suddenly sugar seems much too sweet to me. I had a few little baking chocolate chips today- semi-sweet at that- and they were cloyingly, unstandably sweet. Guess it's just the Midnight Ghirardelli from now on, if I get a chocolate fit. Tastes change, like anything else. These are just healthier changes.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Usually the meal I skip is breakfast...we go through a loaf of bread every other day for the two of us..small loaves of high fiber bread. Is that too much do you think? Anyhoo....glad you are working out the diet dilemma.

Austan said...

I don't know where the 3 meals a day rule comes from. I eat when my stomach growls, which is once a day, about 2-3 in the afternoon. Of course, I'm retired. When I was young and worked on a farm, I needed 3 meals. Now, as old and inactive as I am, I just don't need that much. About the bread? I don't know. How small is small? A dozen slices?

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I love making soup also. I made a great lentil one this weekend and it was um, um good.

Sounds like you are doing well on this new diet. It is always about moderation and making the right choices. I eat 5 small meals a day and I am seldom hungry. I deny myself little, and make sure I have a treat a day. We all have to find out what works best for each of us.
Arleen

Anonymous said...

Yes, about twelve slices for two people over two days...three slices a day each I guess.

Austan said...

Arleen- that's the thing. We have to find what works for each of us. Which is tougher than it sounds.

Lawless- 3 slices of bread a day doesn't sound like too much to me. What do you think? Cuz that's more important.

CarrieBoo said...

Oh man, I grew up like that, too. And yeah, I would say it leads to eating disorders(!) as you are forced to keep eating beyond your limit, and huge portions of starch. And filling up on bread. Ugh.

That soup sounds great! Nice and easy. I will have to try that with our meat leftovers some time.

I agree, if you don't have to work set hours, with only a limited amount of time to cram food in, then it's great to just eat when you feel for it. I do much better this way. I let Roz graze too as I do not want her growing up like I did!

Austan said...

Boo- isn't it surprising to find the many ways we were trained into eating disorders? I'm glad you let Roz eat what/how she wants. The whole thing was literally crammed down our throats. Not allowing choice is a form of abuse. Just as bad as letting a child eat crap food all the time. It's a tricky business.