Food, Glorious Food
I have been off coffee for twenty-four days, 6 hours, 52 minutes and approximately 13 seconds… not that I’m counting! Oh, there you go, another five seconds. I am doing well! The first few days were torture, for me and for the kids. I’m the kind of person who uses coffee to wake up in the morning, and it helps me cope with the noise, bustle, and surges of boy testosterone in our house. Without it, I have been a tad volatile in the mornings. I warned everyone here to give me a wide berth for the first few days, as I felt the Crank Monster trying to raise her fierce head, but she was subdued with green tea and bone broth. After the first three days, things got easier, and I would say I am no longer craving coffee, but I’m still at a loss in the morning without my hit.
I have also been good on the chocolate front. No chocolate in over three weeks, and very little sugar, natural or otherwise. I had been mostly sugar-free for years, but the last few months saw a return of my cravings, the subsequent eating, and with it a return of the ‘Sure, I’ll give up again tomorrow’ mentality.
I have been drowning out my cravings with extra vegetables, and plenty of yummy whole foods. I have become obsessed with food… again. How come once I give up a food (sugar) I become one track minded about food in general? I’m falling asleep thinking about what I’m going to cook the next day, and guess what? I’m enjoying it.
If you know me, you know I don’t much like cooking, but we always cook three meals a day. We eat whole foods (vegetables, meat, good fats, fruit…) and little to no packaged goods, so we cook most meals. Lately, I’m enjoying cooking more. I think it’s because I have a lot of help now. The boys often peel and chop the vegetables, and tidy after me. I think I know how chefs feel. I’m getting all the fun parts of cooking, without the labor intensive prep work, and the dreaded clean ups after. I put a good meal on the table, and everyone else cleans up. Perfect teamwork.
I’ve always fed my family a variety of vegetables every day, mostly steamed or boiled, but now I’m spending a bit more time cooking, and doing a little less Irish Style dinners (Meat, potatoes, and two veggies). Our weekend dinners (a little more prep work) are becoming our everyday dinners. And it’s fun. Let’s see how long it lasts.
Also, do you like fish? Well, I’m a would-be-reformed fish hater. I spent the first 38 years of my live avoiding fish. It smelled and looked horrible, and I tasted it maybe twice in all those years. A few years ago, on a quest to heal myself from hashimoto’s, I decided I need to include fish in my diet, so when I cooked it for the family, I began to eat it too. I still don’t love fish, but I tolerate it. Over the next few months, I am determined to change my palate and love fish. I wonder if that can even happen? Wish me luck!