Still Going

It occurs to me that making a post saying, "I think I might quit in six days" and then not updating for nearly two weeks is no doubt giving my numerous readers a great deal of anxiety-inducing consternation. In answer, here's this morning's breakfast:

This morning, and every morning since April 2 (I was unprepared on the first), and for nine more breakfasts. Usually the sweet potatoes are cubed and oven roasted, but Keith made me a huge pile of cumin mashed potatoes the other night, and they're just as great for breakfast. The veggies vary, but not much - zucchini, asparagus, and bell peppers have been beautifully cheap for weeks. Not shown is the smoothie. The current version is bananas, mangoes, blueberries, unsweetened almond milk, and chia seed whizzed up, then portioned out in the morning with a little added coconut milk beverage (not the canned stuff) to thin it out and add some caloric punch.

I like this breakfast. It's satisfying, it's healthy - packed full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. That said, I miss my oatmeal desperately, and I will most definitely be having a great big bowl of it on May 1.

I know my last post sounded a little... desperate. And I felt that way at the time. I was overwhelmed and unhappy. Not surprisingly, though, as I powered through, everything got a little bit easier, a little more second nature. It's still not how I want to spend my life - the amount of time I spend each day prepping, cooking, eating, and doing dishes is ridiculous. But right now I'm feeling much more "it is what it is." If I had to continue this for the long term, I could. I'm glad I don't.

I've had some great food in the last few weeks though. Last Sunday, the weather was just about ideal for grilling out - minus the 30mph winds - so Keith tossed together a fantastic dinner. Chicken quarters deboned and filled with cooked mushrooms and onions, and a heap of veggies skewered and grilled as well.

Fading light meant I didn't get a great photo, but you get the gist. It's been really nice to have Keith be able to share a few of these challenging meals with me.

Last night I made a Thai red curry with chicken thighs and stir fried veggies. As I sat down to eat, I thought, "Is there anything sadder than a glorious curry that you can't eat rice with?" And yet, as I took bite after bite, I realized I didn't miss the rice at all. Each flavorful spoonful was complete all on its own. So often the carb on a plate serves little more purpose than absorbing excess sauce or toning down aggressive seasoning. Isn't that kind of a waste?

The lessons continue. Though I never intended to take this experiment longer than a month, and that hasn't changed, each day I'm a little more pleased that I undertook this challenge in the first place, and that I ultimately chose to see it through.