It's New Year's Eve!
Sorry to have been so absent. The last week has been nuts, but you knew that.
I'm off to San Francisco for a business trip. We already have reservations at two vegetarian restaurants, Greens and Millenium, so I am encouraged about my ability to Make Good Choices while I'm there.
I'll be back on the 8th, hopefully with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for cooking (it's been sadly lacking lately) and without any extra poundage. I picked up 4 pounds or so since I had to stop running 6 weeks ago, but the cookies are all gone now so maybe that will cease. Please, let it cease!
Have a great New Year's and I'll see you next week.
12.31.2008
12.23.2008
Tuesday
Discovery of the day: Birthday weekend from hell!
Actually it wasn't that bad, it's just that our quick little trip out of town got sabotaged by a snowstorm the likes of which haven't been seen in these parts for oh, at least a decade or so. We got trapped out of town for an extra day, which meant more (expensive) eating out than I'd planned.
I tried to be good, I really did, but expensive little hotel restaurant salads just don't take the place of a BAS.
Oh yeah, then there were these.
I won't be getting on the scale for a few days.
Actually it wasn't that bad, it's just that our quick little trip out of town got sabotaged by a snowstorm the likes of which haven't been seen in these parts for oh, at least a decade or so. We got trapped out of town for an extra day, which meant more (expensive) eating out than I'd planned.
I tried to be good, I really did, but expensive little hotel restaurant salads just don't take the place of a BAS.
Oh yeah, then there were these.
I won't be getting on the scale for a few days.
12.17.2008
Wednesday
Discovery of the day: Reduced rations
The scale is betraying me. I thought I was doing OK, but this morning I realized that the 1-2 lbs I thought I'd gained back since I had to stop running has now grown to 4-4.5 lbs.
A couple of snacks from the holiday goodie table each day at work (damn you, Ghiradelli chocolate squares!) plus some cookies at home each night is really starting to add up. Doesn't sound like much, but say each cookie/candy is 50-100 calories apiece, and I'm scarfing up 3 or 4 at work and another 4 or 5 at home... it adds up really quick.
So I need a plan. Avoid all snacking at work unless it's really worth it (90% of it isn't) and even then, no more than one item per day. Only two cookies per day at home.
To help me cope, I have the good Callebaut bittersweet chocolate I can bring to work. A little of that does work wonders, and it tastes a lot better than the Ghiradelli stuff.
Also, I apologize for not doing much in the way of testing new recipes lately. My energy level is really low this time of year and I'm relying on old standards, so there probably won't be any new Project Weeknight posts until next year. Heck, I'll be lucky to post three times a week. I'd thought of posting about the cookie recipe
Only four more days till Winter Solstice when we start the slow climb up out of darkness. Hooray!
The scale is betraying me. I thought I was doing OK, but this morning I realized that the 1-2 lbs I thought I'd gained back since I had to stop running has now grown to 4-4.5 lbs.
A couple of snacks from the holiday goodie table each day at work (damn you, Ghiradelli chocolate squares!) plus some cookies at home each night is really starting to add up. Doesn't sound like much, but say each cookie/candy is 50-100 calories apiece, and I'm scarfing up 3 or 4 at work and another 4 or 5 at home... it adds up really quick.
So I need a plan. Avoid all snacking at work unless it's really worth it (90% of it isn't) and even then, no more than one item per day. Only two cookies per day at home.
To help me cope, I have the good Callebaut bittersweet chocolate I can bring to work. A little of that does work wonders, and it tastes a lot better than the Ghiradelli stuff.
Also, I apologize for not doing much in the way of testing new recipes lately. My energy level is really low this time of year and I'm relying on old standards, so there probably won't be any new Project Weeknight posts until next year. Heck, I'll be lucky to post three times a week. I'd thought of posting about the cookie recipe
Only four more days till Winter Solstice when we start the slow climb up out of darkness. Hooray!
12.15.2008
Monday
Discovery of the day: So far, so good
We stuck to our plans and only made four kinds of cookies. Oh yeah, and a pan of gingerbread, but it was gingerbread cake, not gingerbread cookies, so it didn't count. And the fact that the three of us ate over 3/4 of it in two days? Well, we'll just not speak of that ever again, OK?
I'm watching the scale pretty closely these days. Between my faltering mood (I have, um, seasonal issues), the recent change in my physical activity level, and now the cookies, I'm worried that I might not be able to stay the course through the winter.
So far I've only gained a pound or two. I ended up eating a lot of cookie dough and cookies this weekend and tried to compensate by skipping lunch. Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw this post on the Casual Kitchen blog! It's chock full of very helpful hints.
One thing that might save me this year is that we're not very social so we have no parties we must attend. Believe it or not, I'm very thankful for that.
We stuck to our plans and only made four kinds of cookies. Oh yeah, and a pan of gingerbread, but it was gingerbread cake, not gingerbread cookies, so it didn't count. And the fact that the three of us ate over 3/4 of it in two days? Well, we'll just not speak of that ever again, OK?
I'm watching the scale pretty closely these days. Between my faltering mood (I have, um, seasonal issues), the recent change in my physical activity level, and now the cookies, I'm worried that I might not be able to stay the course through the winter.
So far I've only gained a pound or two. I ended up eating a lot of cookie dough and cookies this weekend and tried to compensate by skipping lunch. Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw this post on the Casual Kitchen blog! It's chock full of very helpful hints.
One thing that might save me this year is that we're not very social so we have no parties we must attend. Believe it or not, I'm very thankful for that.
12.10.2008
Wednesday
Discovery of the day: Priorities
Well, I have no idea what I'm cooking for dinner tonight, but I bought everything I need to make cookies this weekend.
Good think I have my priorities straight, huh?
Well, I have no idea what I'm cooking for dinner tonight, but I bought everything I need to make cookies this weekend.
Good think I have my priorities straight, huh?
12.09.2008
Tuesday
Discovery of the day: Holiday baking manifesto
We're only going to make four kinds of cookies this year. We've settled on the top four 'must-haves'. And I'm going to make them as written, no 'healthier' substitutions.
Did I mention that I used to be a cake decorator and a professional baker wanna-be? My rehabilitation has gone pretty well so far. I'm only hoping that the cookies don't prove to be the gateway drug to a full-on attack of holiday baking. The last thing I need is another Bûche de Noël frenzy like I had a while back. I must have made four of the damned things that year.
Burp.
We're only going to make four kinds of cookies this year. We've settled on the top four 'must-haves'. And I'm going to make them as written, no 'healthier' substitutions.
Did I mention that I used to be a cake decorator and a professional baker wanna-be? My rehabilitation has gone pretty well so far. I'm only hoping that the cookies don't prove to be the gateway drug to a full-on attack of holiday baking. The last thing I need is another Bûche de Noël frenzy like I had a while back. I must have made four of the damned things that year.
Burp.
12.08.2008
Monday
Discovery of the day: The Onslaught
It has begun. The company I work for has been in business for some years, owned by the same couple, and has many long-term business relationships. And apparently, long-term relationships = holiday treats.
I'd somehow managed to forget that, for the first three weeks of December, we are bombarded with boxes full of delicious holiday goodies.
Last week we got lucky, receiving only one Harry & David box containing some plain old red delicious apples and Bartlett pears and blocks of cheese wrapped in plastic that look suspiciously like the rectangular blocks I buy at the store. The pears were ripe, a nice change from previous years. I wonder how much the poor saps paid for that.
Today brought a Cheryl & Co gift basket of cookies and a pan of what looks like mint-frosted brownies. I limited myself to one Mexican Wedding/Russian Tea cookie/cake whatever they're called, but the rest of the bounty is still sitting in there on the conference table. I can hear it calling.
Did I mention that there are only six of us in the office?
I am doomed.
It has begun. The company I work for has been in business for some years, owned by the same couple, and has many long-term business relationships. And apparently, long-term relationships = holiday treats.
I'd somehow managed to forget that, for the first three weeks of December, we are bombarded with boxes full of delicious holiday goodies.
Last week we got lucky, receiving only one Harry & David box containing some plain old red delicious apples and Bartlett pears and blocks of cheese wrapped in plastic that look suspiciously like the rectangular blocks I buy at the store. The pears were ripe, a nice change from previous years. I wonder how much the poor saps paid for that.
Today brought a Cheryl & Co gift basket of cookies and a pan of what looks like mint-frosted brownies. I limited myself to one Mexican Wedding/Russian Tea cookie/cake whatever they're called, but the rest of the bounty is still sitting in there on the conference table. I can hear it calling.
Did I mention that there are only six of us in the office?
I am doomed.
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