Nov. 8 Menu and Events (Day 74)

Happy Friday (I almost said Wednesday).

I hope you have all had a very good week so far!

I am going to keep publishing these “Menu and Events” posts the day after each day, as I used to do so I can eat later and send out one, updated post per day instead of continually updating the same post.

See that picture? That’s my hydroponic garden. OK, and just hang on a moment. Those smart aleks of you out there who know Colorado passed recreational marijuana as a law will also notice no marijuana in that garden. As an aside, my spell checker wanted to replace “alecs” with “Daleks” (I am positive the Dr. Who fans will love that).

I am here to help feed you with delicious food, not give you the munchies.

In all seriousness (as if that is possible), my sweet baboo won the AeroGarden bidding in an auction at a fundraiser a couple of years ago, and it is a lot of fun. While my husband originally purchased this for his office at work, since he had space and wanted to grow herbs (he’s such a farmer boy), it came home. Now it my precioussss… *ahem*

This device comes complete with the bulbs, the grow packs (this one is an Italian herb garden), and even the liquid fertilizer! AeroGarden is located right here in Boulder, too, which I really like.

I am currently growing Chives, Genovese basil, Savory, Thyme, Mint, and more Chives, since one of the packets didn’t sprout.  These plants (pictured) are probably only about a month old, and they are growing up so fast. I remember when they were *this* big.

I love, too, that the light bulbs throw off that amazing full-spectrum light to really brighten up a room! If you have a dark room, you would love how much luminescence this creates. You can also find taller AeroGardens that will allow you to grow tomatoes, peppers and even flowers in your house or your office. I love it. It might seem unnatural to have an indoor hydroponic garden, but there are no bugs, and I get to harvest herbs all winter long. I just snipped off a huge, fragrant basil leaf to enjoy with my lunch.

If you decide these look pretty snazz and you want to buy, definitely sign up for their emails. AeroGarden’s best specials come either through their emails or their print catalogs. While their items seem spendy, I could easily spend what I pay alone in fresh basil for the entire seed packet ($17 with pods, fertilizer and instructions).  They don’t sell the 6-pod machines anymore, and I’m a little bummed I don’t have the 7-pod because it would give me even more options!

Now to how I’ve been doing with our Mid-Year Challenge!… First of all, here’s the plan I’m following and here is the introduction post to the Mid-Year Resolution Challenge. While you look at what I’m doing, be sure to do your thing. I am thrilled to give some ideas, but I’m not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I’m not a paid nosh-a-titian). I am, however, here with you to cheer you on when you’re so skinny you will have to watch slipping through the cushions of your couch.

Be sure to subscribe for updates by adding your email right (in the sidebar) or through Feedburner in the title bar up top!

You can also click the tab up top that says Mid-Year Resolution for the daily play-by-play and to see what I’m doing. Whee!

Wednesday, November 7

I ate this:
Breakfast: Sausage Patties of Deliciousness (No recipe. I bought Jimmy Dean)
Lunch: Cucumber Slices (quick grab + I’m saving up for dinner)
Snack: Shirataki spaghetti noodles with pizza sauce (about 2/3 cup)
Dinner: Shirataki fettuccini noodles in Pad Thai (about 1.5 cups combined chicken, vegetable and noodles)

Exercise: Running around cleaning and creating recipes

Notes: I am wondering how I will do with shirataki noodles. I hope they don’t make me hungry. After two mini meals with it within an hour of one another, I feel my tummy beginning to talk to me.

What I learned:

I am becoming much better at freezing portions of food for later enjoyment.

So many dishes lend themselves well to freezing, and I find that it is easiest when I can pre-proportion, wrap and then place in a gallon-sized freezer storage bag.

The double-wrapping helps keep food from freezer burn. I make sure to also label with the dish and the date. That way, when I find it I’ll remember what and when.

It’s much nicer than worrying about eating than feeling that I have to finish a particular food in a very short period of time before it expires. Plus, portion control is built in! And sometimes when I am really hungry and need food now, I can grab, unwrap and heat for a quick, healthy meal or dessert.