You can take the Fat out of the Girl…but cheese still tastes good.

My Grandfather grows tomatoes in his backyard. Yes, an 89 year old man is still raising food for his family. He amazes me everyday. I could write a book about that man, but for now, tomatoes. So he needed to take out the tomato plants as season is pretty much over. Yay South Florida! So we wound up with around 20 tomatoes. No bigs, right? Now to figure how to use them without just making marinara sauce.

Here are 13 of the lovelies!

I cut the beauties into wedges – I totally used my Steve Irwin voice as I said this. Put a small amt of olive oil into a pan and then wiped the pan with a paper towel so there was just a light coating. I do this when I make pancakes too. Cuts down on the oil and avoids greasy pockets. I threw the maters on in there over medium high, a little sea salt and pepper then I added torn spinach leaves. I know what you’re thinking, “didn’t she say something about cheese?” I did. In a separate pot I took SmartBalance and a little oat flour – oatmeal I put in the blender and made a roux that I added unsweetened almond milk to. Then some pecorino romano cheese, jalapeno powder, garlic cloves and a tablespoon of pesto. Maybe a cup to a cup and a 1/2 of sauce total. I felt guilty for this, but everyone has their day and the Gods of Hormones have decided today was my day. Some whole grain Barilla, mixed in the veggies and the sauce, baked for 15-20 min then broiled the top for crunch and voila!

I refuse to feel guilty for my meal. Before I would have been regular pasta and alfredo pesto with mozzarella on top and made with cream and blah blah blah. I have to be proud of the small steps for that is what keeps us moving.

The Devils that Tame You

I woke up this morning, had some water and did a quick mile on my stationary bike. Not much, but something. I then made breakfast. Let me say this…one of the hardest things about being on a health journey is being on it when dragging someone behind you. I cook for my family. I made grits for them. Yankee girl making grits?!? It happens, especially if you moonlight a few years in the South. Ok so back to the story. I added a dash of salt, some pepper and per request, cheese. A half cup of cheese to the grits. What do you think the verdict was? It needs more salt, it needs more cheese.

There was nothing else needed other than a adjustment to one’s taste buds. Made a salad, it needs more oil, add more salt. No, no, no, no. no!! We are supposed to enjoy these foods as they were created. I am all for a little enhancement. Believe me, I was the biggest salt fiend of them all. My taste buds went to rehab and are on outpatient status.

When my son was born and I told my Grandmother I wanted him to be on organic products the response was almost amusing. “Organic? We didn’t have organic when I was growing up.”  This is probably because things were organic. You raised your own animals on your own farm, you harvested your own vegetables. My Great Uncle used to genetically modify corn, by crossing different types for the best grain, the most nutrition, the heartiest in order to stand up to the vile weather and bugs. The problem is that generation is a the Great Depression surviving generation. They watched the Government and big Companies take over the land and the ruling of our farmers and land. My generation decided that it was ok to see a few imperfections on apples after seeing what was happening to our world.

This planet has existed for millions of years and as a whole we have done more damage in the past 90 years than had ever been done to it, (other than that dino destroying asteroid.)  I am not trying to preach, merely stating that we need to change our outlook and our way of eating. I am trying, but my own family is not completely on board. Of course who am I to be judgmental? I fed them salmon, brown rice and asparagus last night.  These are not fish people, and I did it. **Happy Dance**  Clean eating recipe salmon at that. Whoo hoo.

There are inevitables to success, we just have to be able to identify them in order to avoid the pitfalls of them. Today will be a good day, today I will be healthier than I was yesterday, today will be a success because I deem it so. Happy Thursday everyone.

Make it Work!