I am already dreaming about the foods we will get to eat again when we begin traveling again next year: tarte flambée, charcroute, and paté in Strasbourg; scones or cake with tea, sticky toffee pudding, and custard tarts in England; and meat pies with flaky crusts and shortbread in Scotland among other delicious items. We ate with abandon the last time we traveled and we gained a lot of weight, a whole lot of weight. We are bound and determined not to let this happen again and are already plotting strategies to keep us from overindulging and overeating as well as sticking to healthier food choices.
Some of the strategies we’ve come up so far are:
- Continue to measure food portions and weights when possible.
- Limit local treats to one day per week
- Avoid bringing sweets and other high carb foods into our homes (we had a big problem with this last time)
- Limit our dining out
- If possible, share dishes when we dine out versus each getting our own
- Make sure we get in a good walk every day, weather permitting
We enjoyed ourselves immensely when it came to food the last time around, but it’s taken a lot of work to lose the pounds we packed on and get ourselves back into shape. We’ve practiced more mindful eating here in Hawaii and developed new habits, and we’re hopeful these new habits will overcome the lure of so many delicious options at all the places we live and visit.
We enjoyed the chick’n and squash casserole this past week and will have it again. It was easy to make and very sastisfying – we couldn’t remember the last time we’d had a casserole. The split pea soup we had (Amay’s organic) was also very good – I don’t think I could have made it better. The meatball pizzas looked weird but were tasty.
Sunday: Chick’n and butternut squash casserole; steamed broccoli
Monday: Vegan chili dogs; coleslaw
Tuesday: Split pea soup; toasted cheese sandwiches
Wednesday: Risotto with peas; roasted butternut squash
Thursday: Plant-based meatball mini pizzas
Friday: Cheese board: Irish cheddar, Brie, Manchego, Boursin with garlic & herbs; crackers, apple, sweet pickles, marinated artichoke hearts; dried apricots
Saturday: Spanakopita; falafel; pickled cucumber & tomato salad
Dessert this past week has again been a small but satisfying slice of apple pie each evening except for last Tuesday when we ate cream puffs. Just one night of those thankfully did not cause any stomach issues.
For the first time in ages a cheese board won’t be appearing on our menu because . . . we don’t have any cheese, or at least enough for a meal, and we don’t want to go to the store (next week it’s time for a Big Shop again). We begin work in earnest this week on getting the freezer cleared out so we’ll have room for things we’ll need when the girls are here for Christmas :
- Butternut squash ravioli with pesto
- Vegetable spring rolls; fried rice
- Chili shrimp
- Tofu patties
- Mini pizzas
- Pasta with marinara
- Grilled vegetarian cheeseburgers
We went back to our old walking routine last week, but it felt weird (and difficult) at first, because besides walking on pavement almost the entire time we also didn’t return to the car with our pockets full of balls. We took our last perimeter walk last Sunday but took Monday off from walking when the humidity was at 88% and it was miserable. We walked 4.2 miles on Tuesday in slightly less humidity, but it was still starting to rain by the time we got back to the car. Wednesday was lovely and we walked 4.8 miles, but it rained all day Thursday so once again no walk. We did 4.8 miles again on Friday, but only got in 2.6 on Saturday before rain showed up again. We’re off to a good start though, and this should stay our routine until we leave – the goal is to depart Kaua’i in the best shape possible!
We enjoyed walking through the woods again.
Besides feeling a bit more sore, the biggest difference this week has been the increase in calories burned. Because we’re not slowing down to look for golf balls, we’re walking at a faster sustained rate once again and using more energy. We know as we get back into it we’ll be able to do these longer distances without feeling so worn out and with less soreness. We’re also glad to be finishing our walks earlier in the day.
The Occasional Nomads 
I’ve noticed “Rusty” at the park and his upper legs look fluffy. Do you think he’s an offspring of one of those exotic chickens from last winter/spring?
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He could be. He’s definitely bigger and a different shape from the other chickens in the area. It’s nice to see some standout chickens again – it’s been pretty dull up there for a while!
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One treat day a week!!?? No way. What about only one big meal a day. And treats get counted as a meal, like lunch, instead of as well as lunch. Think of all the things you’ll be saying no to.
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Our problem last time was we had a treat, or more likely, treats several times a day. There was no such thing as one or two cookies. It was always eat half a pack. We just flat out overate everything. By treat this time I mean one trip a week out to the cafe for a pastry and an au lait, not nearly every day. We’re there long enough that once a week will still give us plenty of options. We’ll also still continue to enjoy a small something for dessert every evening, but continue to watch the calories otherwise. We say “no” to nothing!
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That Chick’n and butternut squash casserole sounds delicious! Have you posted that recipe before?
I recently read the book “French kids eat everything “ and it’s very interesting. One thing I’m trying to incorporate into my eating habits is starting with a salad or vegetable. I don’t love lettuce salads but love cucumbers and vinegar. So I’m trying to rethink my idea of salad as a way to start my meals.
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We liked the chicken & squash casserole enough that we’re going to have it for Thanksgiving! Along with some vegetables and pumpkin pie we’re set. The recipe comes from the 100 Dollars a Month blog; I’ve linked it here for you though.
We love cucumber salads (especially since I can’t eat lettuce). We use this recipe for namasu (Japanese style pickled cucumbers) frequently.
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