Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Why lite not light?

At least it was lite.
I'm on a 30-day no-alcohol challenge, and yesterday -- day 13 -- I took a short break. It's like when you're swimming across a pool and you have to come up for breath. Right? Okay, not really. But that's what I reasoned at the end of a very unpleasant day in which I interacted with the most unpleasant human I have encountered in 2011. I drank two sidecars while fixing dinner. The bad news is, I failed at my challenge. The good news is, I don't want to do it again any time soon. This morning my husband showed me a picture he took at around 9 p.m. when I was sitting on the sofa in my sleeveless nightgown eating lite Cool Whip out of the tub. The picture is sobering in all senses of the word. I need to stick to my 30 day challenge and I need to go the gym and learn how to use those bicep machines. The picture is also funny and I would post it, but I only post extremely flattering pictures of myself, in case you were wondering why almost all the images of me in "about Jennifer" and "Family" are vintage.

If you are surprised that I even have lite Cool Whip in the house, I will explain. I bought it last spring to make unkind comparisons to real whipped cream, which was easy to do. That I didn't throw it out, well, that is harder to explain. Except, it's not. When it comes to food, I pretend otherwise, but I'm basically a junkyard dog.

On another subject, last night I also started cooking from a new book. Soul of a New Cuisine was fine, but only fine. Marcus Samuelsson's recipes are too expensive and not quite delicious enough. One day last week I spent $90 on two pieces of meat -- a veal shoulder and a rack of lamb -- to cook Samuelsson recipes, and neither was a hit. I decided I was done. 

The new book is Tender by Nigel Slater. I walked into Barnes and Noble with the intention of just browsing for 15 minutes, but I could not walk out of the store without Slater's recipe for beet seed cake.  I haven't made that yet, but it's coming. Last night I did make his Southeast Asian stir-fried lamb with broccoli and as I recall it was pretty tasty.

Honestly, though, it was sort of a blur. 

18 comments:

  1. I have tried the 30 day no-booze challenge before and I don't think I've ever made it past day 21. At that point, I ask my self "what am I accomplishing here?" I, for one, just feel deprived and bitter. Bummer it led you into a vat of cool whip. That stuff isn't food. Good luck with the remainder of your challenge!

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  2. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on Tender. It caught my eye at the bookstore the other day, but I put it back. For now.

    Cool Whip is gross, so I never have it in the house. I've been known to eat more Redi Whip, straight from the can, than I'd like to admit, though. I don't even have a decent excuse, except that the can was there.

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  3. is that chicken still alive?

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  4. No, cool whip is not food. I felt bad giving it to the chickens and probably shouldn't have.

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  5. You can certainly tell it is not food - it lasts forever! although I do have one recipe for peanut butter pie with cool whip stirred in which i have to admit I love. food or not!

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  6. This sounds like those diets where you cut out every food you like and later, when you stop dieting, you eat an entire cake. By yourself. In a closet.

    Why not just stick with moderation?

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  7. Okay, now I am a little worried about you - are you struggling with the possibility you might be an alcoholic, or am I reading more into your comments than you intend? I don't want to offend by asking, but if its a problem for your family, it sounds like a problem. :( Best, Ida

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  8. Ida -- No! I don't think I'm an alcoholic. I just like to feel that I am in control of my habits, not vice versa, hence the 30 day challenge which, of course, I failed. But "failed" is a strong word for what happened.
    Thank-you for your concern.
    Margaret -- I'm actually not on a diet at all. For a change.

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  9. Something so funny about that cool-whip-chicken picture. It's ok one little bit of cool whip isn't going to hurt her!

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  10. Hi Tipsy!
    I just picked up your book at my local bookstore! I'm only on page 15, but I already want to move next door to you and be your best friend. It made me laugh out loud. Way to go!

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  11. Hope -- So it's out? Wow. Thank-you!

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  12. Just picked up THE book..congratulations!!!!

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  13. I am pretty sure by now your name is in PETA's list of enemies. I think the picture is a fantastic coda to your little narrative.

    Oz

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  14. Phew-I am glad you said that! Sometimes it is easy to read more into things on a blog than are intended! When you said "he took a picture of you" it made me think he was trying to make a point, which I am glad he isn't! Lol! I am trying to get back into the habit of going to the gym - heaven help me if someone ever takes a picture of me with my grunty, "I hate this!" face! Lol! :) Best, Ida

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  15. Just got a note that my copy shipped from Amazon.

    By the way, was Part IV the last installment of the story about your Uncle Richard?

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  16. Anonymous -- No, Richard's saga continues. I just lost momentum and the story got more complicated. I plan to continue one of these years.

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  17. You are making me laugh out loud - love your blog :)

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