It's been about a month and a half since I've begun this journey, so I thought it was a good time for reflection in a Stuart Smalley kind of way. (I planned to write this at the month mark, but I kept finding more fun things to post instead, such as homemade butter.) I keep going back and forth on worrying it is too much journaling and not enough recipes or vice versa- which means I'm probably keeping it evenly balanced.
I started to type a list of all the little things I've learned, but looking at the list I realize they can be summed up in a few wider-ranging observations:
1) While some things have been way easier than I thought, the key to succeeding at this is planning, planning, planning. When I slip it is almost always because I simply don't have a better option around. The jelly bellies on the Evil Bar of Doom have been a huge downfall for me. I have organic and natural rye crisps and potato chips at my desk, but that doesn't satisfy when you prefer sweet over savory. I need to think and plan ahead, and start stocking my shelves with a variety of Au Naturale snacks and, on the same line, basic staples. The other night I saw a delicious recipe for chicken that called for mustard, and I hadn't yet made the homemade version I found to replace the factory bottled stuff. So no-go on the recipe. I should just have things like that and other condiments at the ready right now.
2) At the same time, despite the Evil Bar of Doom, I find adhering to this new way of eating is helping me with my willpower which has always been notoriously weak. It's easier to say "no" to something I crave not just for the sake of saying no, but because it is filled with Bad Stuff. I just tell myself to go find something equivalent that counts as Au Naturale. I admit I still have a ways to go, but it helps more than anything I've tried before in keeping me from gorging myself silly on stupid food that I was only eating because it was right in front of me.
3) It's so easy to slip into old habits without realizing it- but I'm getting better! For example, on the rare times I drink the generic coffee at work, my only option is the mini creamers sitting by the machine. I have always been immediately distrustful of any type of cream that claims to not need refrigeration. So I should always keep fresh milk on hand at work. More recently, on the evening of the big Snowstorm of 2011, I decided to enjoy a nice cocktail while sitting by a warm fire. Something bourbon-y seemed just the thing, so I immediately went to make a Maker's Mark and Diet Coke, a normally wonderful combination. But as I reached for the Diet, I realized that was a huge no-no. So, by choice, Maker's on the rocks it was. And it was pretty good.
4) The things that I thought would be easy are harder (see planning above), and the things I thought would be hard are surprisingly easy. I have been able to find almost any recipe I want to make things at home. Very reassuring. Everything seems to be do-able: cream cheese, soy sauce, homemade cadbury cream eggs (oh yes, that will happen) can all be made from scratch. And they will. By me. Don't worry, loyal 2 or 3 readers, I will document it all for you.
5) I've realized I really want to learn more about nutritional info, how things are grown, sourced, etc. as well as learn simply: What is anything? One evening I was super lazy and ate a frozen Amy's breakfast burrito for dinner (hey, first day after the snowstorm, it sucked getting home). Amy's is known for using all-natural, all-organic ingredients in her foods, but I couldn't help noticing the words "sodium benzoate" on the label. It specifically stated that it's a natural firming agent in tofu, but the words still scared me. From the brief research I did I learned that sodium benzoate is indeed used as a preservative, but also can occur naturally in some foods. It then begs the question on why, if it is naturally occurring, must it be listed in an ingredient list? And the questions go on. I want to find the answers!
6) I need to either relent on or severely limit my food choices when eating out at restaurants or at friends' homes. No chance am I going to ask my friend who has graciously invited me over to her house for a party what she puts in her food. I either need to learn to recognize the options that are most "safe" or just suck it up.
7) Finally, I need to take more time for myself and this blog. With such a busy life it can be easy to push my cooking and baking adventures aside. But I'm so excited to see it through I just need to make it happen and think of this as a way to relax, as opposed to yet another thing I have to do. I will almost certainly fail if I think about it as the latter.
So, based upon these initial lessons learned, expect to see more posts on all of the above. And more recipes! Thanks again for joining me on this journey.
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