So...whats for dinner?

We don't talk about beverages very much, but I thought I'd throw this out there...I have been a Diet Coke drinker since it hit the market.  And I generally don't drink anything with sugar in it - being diabetic and all.  Well, Diet Coke hasn't been tasting good to me and I figured out last night that nothing made with Nutrasweet tastes OK.  I have tried other flavors of soft drinks, hot spiced cider mix, V8-Splash, etc and it occurred to me that I am noticing the bitter aftertaste of Nutrasweet.  What a bummer!  I think splenda is ok so I'll have to try a few options to see if I can find a carbonated drink that I like.  For the moment, I'm relegated to plain iced tea and water.

Went to the gym early this morning with dh, about 7:30.   My first time to this gym, where dh goes twice a week on a cardiac exercise regimen.  We were finished about 9.  And I said, "How about pancakes for breakfast?"  So off to IHOP where I ordered the whole grain pancakes that have nuts in them.  And I also had bacon.  Everything tasted really good.  I haven't eaten pancakes since we returned home from our summer trip the 1st of Oct.  Nor have we eaten breakfast out during those months.

That's all I've eaten today except for an apple.  We'll have an early dinner since dh has a woodworkers' guild meeting tonight.  Warmed up stuffed peppers and butternut squash.

I had planned to experiment with making pasta this afternoon but got busy doing other things.  Maybe tomorrow.

My mother had a big iron pot about the size of Deb's but it had a handle like a skillet and a lid.  She used it a lot making meals for our large family.  Later on, that pot became the outdoor fishfry skillet.  I think one of my brothers still has it. 

DH is making pan-sauteed boneless pork chops, cole slaw and waldorf salad for dinner.  He's getting more adventurous every day!

Laurie - I like the Trop50 drinks so I'm going to get the lemonade and see how that goes down. I had a problem with acid reflux while on carboplatin but so far I haven't had that problem with gemzar. 

Had canned salmon brown rice salad for dinner

Laurie I hope your back feels better soon! 

Michelle have you tried flavored selzer water?  I finally gave up my addiction to ginger ale.

Have a day off tomorrow yipee!, but have doctors apt.

Work "may " have agreed to 3-4 weeks in Ecuador in 10 months.

Bobo, I think we may be twins.  I have a real one.  Maybe we're triplets.  Hehe

No one made me dinner. Instead, I made a vegetable-noodle soup. It was the perfect supper for me tonight. Never done sodas so I don't know what splenda versions there might be out there. Does a bit of juice with seltzer water appeal or the sugar content of juice too high?

*susan*

Got snow and freezing rain last night...so I am stuck at home...groceries are low so I will have to be creative for dinner tonight. Got some frozen shrimp and frozen raviolis maybe in a wine sauce?  I always have wine! LOL

Auntienance  that dinner sounds yummy.  Not sure I have ever had grilled snapper.  I am kinda on a fish kick, so will have to look into that when I get out.

Laurie I have to stretch every day (nothing formal) or my arm and back shoulder blade areas get really tight, sometimes the stiffness goes all the way up my neck...very uncomfortable. Hope you get the kinks worked out. My PT always did heat, then movement, stretching, then ice to finish.

Michelle  I love the trop50 juice also, husband balks at it, so we have separate juices in the fridge, but I dont really see the difference.  Hope it agrees with your tummy.  I am trying to train myself to drink more water, but sometimes you just gotta have some flavor.

Bedo, I was thinking we were twins!  That means we really are twins -- I've read they are psychically connected

Triplets!  I want to go out right now and buy us matching outfits.  But that would mean no one would be able to tell us apart..

Carberry, you caught me!  The 'baby' is six.  She's seven.  She just turned seven.

Yikes!  My baby is seven!  I make those vegetarian chicken and dumplings and then I sit and watch her eat them, just as if she were a real baby.  I hope she is not spoiled...  

Okay, I should have put all of this in one post.  I'm not good at it yet.

Again, I'm teaching tonight, Denise will make dinner.  The kids will have one thing -- maybe leftovers --- and I never want to eat what the kids eat (reference earlier post if necessary ).  

Still have organic greens -- I may force her to steam them, maybe some steamed kabocha squash, krishna dressing.  I know I should have a grain, but I am a little off my feed.

Laurie -- we are not as peaceful as you think!!  One seven and one eight-year-old.  One positive is that my son is very chill.  Another word for that might be lazy; however, the good thing about this is that he does not bang things with a baseball bat, etc.  I acknowledge, though, that watching her eat is peaceful!  I also watch her eat breakfast.

How I remember finger paints in the bathtub!  I also used to make them playdough from scratch.  Of course, they would still do these things now.  But I'm too tired to clean up the bathroom at this point!

LuvRV, please take care of yourself.  I hope you are cozy in your best pjs. 

Carole, I swear, I could read your posts all day!  They read like a good story.  I love to hear what's going on in your day.  Vegetarian, but I will eat your tacos without the meat in them -- they sound fabulous.  I need to drink more; I look at you as a role model in that way

Michelle,



So hard to eat when nothing tastes good to you. Sorry that the Gemzar is pretty rough. Hoping the cancer finds it even rougher on IT and decides "It's outta there"...



Laurie,



Glad your back is feeling better! Very cute pic of the boys and their snowman! They look so proud and rightfully so! That is one super snowman! Mostly rain and slushy stuff here too with brief switchovers to snow.... Just kind of a big old yucky day....



Debbie,



My thoughts and prayers will be with you tomorrow as your Dad has his surgery... Praying that everything goes well and that it brings him some relief... Sending you and your family a huge hug....

Deb can I come although I'm not in Boston, I'm nearby

Bobo, the third triplet's name is Dodo.  It was actually a dentist appt.  It's amazing how expensive it is to keep your teeth up to par. I hate the dentist.

Michelle, give me an idea of what tastes good and I'll try to come up with some ideas.

Laurie, you better keep an eye on those boys.  I could just eat them up with a spoon and have thier snowman with maple sugar for desert.   I just realized how creepy that sounded.  I was going with the dinner theme.  Let me change that to they are so adorable!!!

Debbie, my thoughts are with you.

Michelle, could you drink smoothies that have spinach, other veggies, and fruit in them (to make them taste non-vegetably) adding nuts for protein and fat and maybe some high fat yogurt mixed in ...sounds horrific to some, but very easy (and actually quite tasty), and if you drink it through a straw it may slide down easily...lots of caloric content and fat. Maybe this could be a good excuse to spring for a vitamix.

I would be a bit careful about seltzer water since that can be rough on the esophageal tract, and you don't need another concern requiring an additional med (prilosec).

And what about stevia? Is that a sweetener that you don't like? I do like the Trader's small bottle one, but it is pretty pricey.



Carole, your dinner sounds yum!



Last night I met a friend for dinner at Cheesecake Factory and had a delicious herb crusted salmon with double asparagus, hold the mashed. Sadly, I am noticing that every time I eat fish at a restaurant, I end up with really painful stomach distress later. I think I just need to cook it really well, which I always forget to ask for when ordering (especially) salmon, which most people like rare). Tonight had "jump ups" of a toss of pasta, shrimp and asparagus with pesto.

I went to the gyn (hold the OB!) today, and decided rather than return home afterwards to smell Seamus's paint there while it rained, I'd go a hunting for fabric for next year's Christmas stockings...had a groupon about to expire. I did end up getting some interesting fabrics....hope I still feel that way whenever I get to actually making the stockings. It was pretty nice to spend the whole afternoon cruising around the fabric store with no regard for the nasty wind and rain that is besieging us for these three days.



Early tomorrow DS2 shows up for me to drive him to his Lasik's procedure....then the pick-up a few hours later. Having him home for the day and overnight will be nice.

I understand it is a pretty easy recuperation.



Laurie, not only are your boys lucky to have a mom that makes them great tasting, healthy and varied meals, but also to have a mom who despite struggling with a painful back provides them with implements of fun on a rainy day! They will have fond memories...speaking of which, the phone call memory of your mom eating her bulk up sundaes was just so poignant and sweet.



We just got some sad news that DH's cousin's wife who has been battling this damn curse for at least ten years now, doing well until this past year, is possibly about to succumb. She is in a NYC hospital where she continues to need blood transfusions, has three very serious infections requiring her to be in isolation, and has lost so much weight, it is hard to imagine she will again be able to rally. But one never knows.....Please remember Kate and her DH in your thoughts and prayers.



Goodnight all....

Debbie, thank you for your poignant long post. I am touched that you could put that much energy into a heartfelt, tho so sad, update for us. You have had so much loss and on going health related stress in your family. Your strength comes through even while you deal with all of this pain. Please know that we are always here for you, and holding you close in our hearts, even when you don't have the energy to post.

Again, thanks (((((Debbie))))).