Primal Journal - Siobhan page 203

[Greensprout]

Toss some turmeric on the cauliflower when roasting, along with garlic, and maybe paprika, plus s & p. It's rather lovely. Cauliflower "rice" is versatile, and mashed cauliflower is rather amazing. Especially with lovely cheese & butter added. And have you tried parsnip fries? You must. Seek out Primalpat's blog. Don't have the link bookmarked, but she has an amazing BBQ parsnip fries recipe that's oh so good.

[Siobhan]

I will try that tomorrow! I am a big fan of smoked paprika so that will probably be a treat.

I've been drinking turmeric tea nearly every day and I know this sounds crazy, but I sing better after drinking it. I add three notes to my top range. Is this my imagination? No other hot drink does this. I drank some before going to choir last night and fearlessly went for all the B flats I missed the week before. Weird.

Okay, got the BBQ parsnip recipe. That's gonna be on the menu this weekend. My ex is coming to visit and he will eat primal with me. Especially if I make stuff like this!

[Kymma]

Yum, parsnip fries!

[Siobhan]

Okay, I'm printing out recipes like crazy here. It's going to be a gluttonous weekend.

[Siobhan]

Roasted up some more cauliflower. That stuff is so good! When I eat it, I suddenly remember a beach restaurant that I used to go to in Massachusetts - fried stuff up the wazoo. I was never as into that stuff as my husband, but it was fun to go there. The earthy taste and the texture are so similar. The difference is that I actually really like roasted cauliflower.

I remember once we were driving home after eating at that restaurant - I was driving - and he suddenly told me to pull over. He got out and projectile vomited. He got back into the car, quite cheerful, and said, "Bad clam!" That episode did not dim his enthusiasm for the place.

Have you read Mark's post today? Great stuff! Really, really great! The idea that in 'treating' yourself you are handing over control of your eating to some outside authority resonates with me. I have always been very uncomfortable when someone picks up a cupcake and says, "Oh, I shouldn't eat this. I'm bad. But I deserve it." That just seems so wrong on every level but I could never articulate why it bothers me so much. It is all just a choice - your choice - as to what you put in your mouth.

That said, I am personally 'treating' myself to all sorts of Tazo teas. I was in the break room in the ER, where I do not belong, but I often rummage for tea in their cupboards because frankly there is a lot of good stuff in there that no one seems to use. The table was covered with corn chips, cupcakes, cookies, doritos. I found a ziplock bag stuffed with all sorts of different Tazo teas. I asked around if I could have one and the secretary told me to take the whole thing, that it belongs to her mother who is out for several more months on sick leave. I started off with a cup of KE tea pre-meal, then had some Lotus during the meal (roasted cauliflower and leftover steak) and now am tucking into a cup of caramel. Not real caramel - a lot of herbs that taste like caramel. Although I think it would be stupendous with a bit of butter in it...yes, it is delicious with a pat of Kerrygold in it.

We're having very, very high winds today. At least 60 mph. It's kind of nerve-wracking. At least the rain has stopped. It was coming at me sideways this morning when I left work. It is, oddly enough, about 60F, but it is supposed to get colder tonight.

[Siobhan]

Here I am at work. I'm pretty tired. I'm glad I have a few days off after tonight, I need a break.

Got too hungry and realized that creates a sugar craving. Duh. I had three chocolate peppermint patties that I got at the food co-op - honey, peppermint, dark chocolate. Quite primal for candy. Also expensive. I realized I that I could buy a huge box of Junior Mints, or a few York Peppermint patties for the cost of these three little patties. Of course I don't eat Junior Mints or Yorks any more. In fact I had pretty much forgotten about them and I used to be pretty much of an addict - they were my go-to chocolate treat. Don't worry, I won't start up again. But it is so discouraging to me that anything that is made with natural ingredients rather than chemicals is so expensive! Our food system is totally screwed up!

[Greensprout]

The fact that those sweet primal treats are so expensive is good incentive to have only one or two as a rare indulgence. I hear ya on the junior mints and york patties. I always loved those. One year close to Christmas, when putting laundry away, I found a box of After Eight mints in hubby's drawer, obviously stashed for my stocking. He was out of town and in 2 or 3 days, I ate the entire box and replaced it with a new one. How sad is that .

You had temps of 60F today? Here, all day it was hovering about -42, C or F, same horrid thing. Someday I'll live where there is none of this winter nonsense.

[Pedidoc]

We were at 70!!

[Siobhan]

Winter is on its way back, Mother Nature can't decide what she wants for us. It's in the 30's now. Of course it is nighttime. But I think it will be more seasonal for the next few days, i.e. 30's or high 20's in the day and into the teens at night. What I hate is spending so much money on propane. Yes, I like to be warm. But it is really hard for a normal middle class person like me to foot these bills for hundreds of dollars when I don't even really know how much they are going to be!

I will admit the 'gourmet' peppermint patties were extremely good. Better than anything I've had of that nature. And you are right, the price keeps me from eating too many.

Years ago I ate almost an entire chocolate cake and then baked another one so hubs wouldn't know how much I ate. Been there.

[Siobhan]

I guess I shouldn't admit this here, but I am having a problem with meat lately. It just doesn't appeal. Does that ever happen to you? It does to me once in a while. I'm just wanting to eat apples and berries and almond butter and cashew butter and yogurt and veg. Weird, huh? I've eaten some meat, but having to pretty much force myself. OTOH, I'm saving some money. And I'm sure this will pass and I'll be back to gnawing on bones like some demented cavewoman.