Wednesday, September 29, 2010

South Beach Diet and Me


After losing 20 pounds by just watching what I eat, I am ready to start a more concentrated dieting approach. I am currently following the South Beach Diet way of eating, which I love. The SBD, as my friend and I call it, is a healthful way of eating, both because of the food, and on an emotional level. This diet does not require counting calories or points, so personally, I think about food less when I am following this way of eating.
The problem is, my recipe ideas run pretty dry after I have exhausted my SBD stand-bys: lean meatloaf, grilled meat with veggies, broth-y soups, and salads. There are numerous blogs out there that have wonderful recipe ideas for SBD, with the most helpful probably being Kalyn's Kitchen. Her website is very well-organized. My one complaint? (Which really isn't much of a complaint at all, just a difference in taste.) I tend to like more homey, comfort foods.

Kalyn's recipes are delicious, and I have used many of them. But I'm a coward, and like to stick to what I know... like casseroles, creamy soups, thick stews, and braised meats. Kalyn tends to enjoy cooking in more of what I would call a Mediterranean style. I prefer things more French. (Give me sauces, or give me death!)

Which brings me to my point... I am going to post recipes that I have tried, and how I liked them. I am going to attempt to bring a more French or American-comfort food bent to the South Beach Diet. I am going to be completely honest about how the recipes turn out, too. I will also do my utmost to make sure that the recipes I use comply with SBD, but if they don't, please feel free to comment! I would like to be corrected if I get it wrong.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Knock That Shit Off

There is a blog that I read on a daily basis. I used to love it, but lately...not so much. This person's blog has become nothing but a bunch of whining. And the thing is... the stuff the author is whining about isn't that big of a deal.

She has beautiful children. From her admission, she has a loving husband who works hard so she can stay home with said beautiful children, in a large, lovely home with a beautiful yard. She has wonderful friends who bring soup when her or her children are sick.

There is no cancer here. No lost job with a looming foreclosure. No infertility or loss of limb or earthquake or flooding. What there is on that blog is a lot of this:
-"It's so freaking hot! I cannot stand it. We have to stay inside in the air-conditioning all day." (Well, it is summer right now. Thank the Lord you have air-conditioning.)
-"I am nauseous ALL day! And I hate my husband. Him trying to be nice to me makes me hate him more." (You are pregnant, presumably with another gorgeous child. Pregnancy makes people irritable. Deal.)
- "My son is being so naughty lately. He has taken to throwing his toys at the flat screen." (Take his toys away, maybe? Or how about some good old-fashioned discipline?)

These are made-up quotes, of course. I know the blog world is a small one, and this woman has one of the most-read "mommy" blogs on the internet. She seems to have everything going for her, by her own admission. And I know life isn't perfect, and all of us need to vent sometimes. But if she doesn't knock off the whining spree, she is going to lose a big chunk of her readers.

Starting with me.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Tomato Tart

I made this tomato tart last night. (Recipe from Williams-Sonoma.) I used a store-bought pie crust, and did it in a circular tart pan. Also, I thought I had basil at home, but I didn't, so I substituted with dried greek herbs. It was very good last night, but I think I am enjoying it better cold today. It is very rich, so I would serve it with a light green salad. Delicious!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Ergo Carriers on Sale

Ergo carriers for about 50% off. Here, but only today. Snag one, cause I'm not allowed to.