According to my calculations there are 215 calories in the shrimp and spinach dish. Add 121 calories for 1/2 cup of white rice and you'll have only 336 calories total. I meant to include this with the recipe, but didn't think about it until I was in bed.
In comparison, Carolyn and I had lunch at Pat-A-Cake in Wharton today and I estimated my calories consumed at 381. I had about 1/4 cup (possibly only 1/8 cup) of the chicken broth they bring with the croutons and water. They didn't bring many of the buttery, crisp croutons, so I'll say I had about 3. I had to look for something comparable to get an idea of the calorie content. I had the sandwich combo, which in this case was 1/2 a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and a small bowl (probably 2/3 cup or so) of broccoli cheese soup.
My diet is designed to ramp up my metabolism. I remembered today that the reason sugar is not allowed is that it will stop your metabolism flat. At least I think that's what it said. I need to refresh my memory. There are several things I'm not supposed to be including in my diet that I'm still using sparingly...salt, oil, butter, milk products (well, fat-free ant milk...surely that isn't included in the milk category), and a few more. I really need to go read that chapter again.
My chocolate truffle treat should be skipped...but I'm feeling a little stubborn. Don't look for me to give it up anytime soon!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Treats
Once I finished my nice lunch (see previous post), I made a cup of coffee and went upstairs to put my feet up and read the book recommended to me by Virgie and enjoy my candy treat for the day.
First, the coffee:
instant, it always tastes good and fresh
Next, the book:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Virgie, I love it! The letters are wonderful and funny and heartbreaking. I love the characters! I was able to find this one at the library, but not the other one you recommended: Never Let Me Go.
Finally, the candy:
Lindt Lindor Truffles. Omigod! They are so good. Wrapped individually, naturally, and nestled inside a fancy little sack with a see-through window...they are such a treat! Each one is smaller than a ping pong ball, but larger than a mouse ball. (Go ahead and laugh...I'll wait.) It's a little too big to fit comfortably in my mouth, but I shove it in anyway and it slowly melts. Then you get to the center, which is even more delicious than the outer chocolate. Wow! I think I might need a cigarette...
I decided that the candy was such a treat I need to really focus on it, so now I shut my book and just sit back and savor the wonderful chocolate truffle. Mmmmmm
First, the coffee:
instant, it always tastes good and fresh
Next, the book:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Virgie, I love it! The letters are wonderful and funny and heartbreaking. I love the characters! I was able to find this one at the library, but not the other one you recommended: Never Let Me Go.
Finally, the candy:
Lindt Lindor Truffles. Omigod! They are so good. Wrapped individually, naturally, and nestled inside a fancy little sack with a see-through window...they are such a treat! Each one is smaller than a ping pong ball, but larger than a mouse ball. (Go ahead and laugh...I'll wait.) It's a little too big to fit comfortably in my mouth, but I shove it in anyway and it slowly melts. Then you get to the center, which is even more delicious than the outer chocolate. Wow! I think I might need a cigarette...
I decided that the candy was such a treat I need to really focus on it, so now I shut my book and just sit back and savor the wonderful chocolate truffle. Mmmmmm
A 15 minute Meal
Okay, I'm going to give you a recipe today. This recipe serves one. I never make these recipes for Wayne because I don't think he would enjoy them and I don't want to hear about it. Let me tell you about some of the ingredients first:
Shrimp...I buy (previously frozen) raw shrimp at the grocery store and ask them to steam them for me. You can have them steamed plain or choose one or more of several seasonings, such as old bay, or cajun, etc. I usually buy whatever looks the best and/or is the cheapest. The past two weeks, I've paid $3.99/lb. for very nice-sized deveined, shell-on shrimp. Once peeled, it takes about 8 of them to make 2 ounces.
Rice...the diet I like best for me allows me to eat white things such as rice or potatoes and also other complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes...1/2 cup at each meal. I cook a batch of rice, no salt in the cooking water) and then store it in the fridge in 1/2 cup containers. I also bake several sweet potatoes at a time and those are wonderful reheated and then topped with Molly McButter.
Fat free half & half...how is that even possible? What do they milk to get it...ants? Whatever, there's only 40 calories and no fat in 1/4 cup.
Molly McButter...I'm not using it in this recipe, but I love it for adding plenty of butter flavor to rice, baked potato, sweet potato, broccoli...I could go on and on. There are only 5 calories in 1 tsp. and I don't come close to using a teaspon on any of those things. Another product called Butter Buds is basically the same thing.
I guess we're ready for the recipe now. It took me 15 minutes from start to finish to prepare this meal which includes everything one of my diet meals requires: 2 ounces of protein, 1/2 cup carbohydrates, 2 (or more) cups of something green. "Something green" isn't how it's described in the book, but I'm policing myself and as long as it's green and a veggie, (not a margarita or a grasshopper) I think I'm doing my part.
Shrimp with Spinach
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion
1 stalk diced celery
1 minced garlic clove
4 or 5 grape tomatoes (or any kind...or none, doesn't matter)
2 ounces steamed shrimp (or raw, doesn't matter except you need to allow more time to cook)
4 Kalamata olives (or not, or however many you want)
2 to 3 cups of fresh spinach
fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp soy sauce (you don't have to have this...doesn't make any difference)
1/4 cup fat-free half and half
Here's what you do:
Heat a skillet (on my stove, I use Medium, which provides a fairly lively heat...don't want it to be too hot, though) and then add 1 tsp. olive oil. While the oil is heating, finely chop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup onion, any kind. Throw that in the skillet and then chop 1 stalk celery...you know, just one piece, not the whole bunch. Throw that in the skillet and move the onions and celery around a bit. Mince the garlic and throw that on top. About now I measure out (love my digital scale) the 2 ounces of shrimp. Throw those in and stir a couple of times. Wash the grape tomatoes and cut them in half (or leave them whole) before you throw them in the skillet. Add the kalamata olives. (I love them, but I don't want them to be the only thing I taste.) I grind fresh pepper and add a good bit; I like it a little spicy. By now, the shrimp has probably warmed up, so shove everything to one side and add the spinach to the skillet. It looks like a lot of spinach, but it wilts down, you know. I try to keep everything else slightly off the burner while I turn the spinach and let it wilt down. When it's almost all wilted down, stir it all together. Now I turn up the heat to about medium high and add the half and half and let it heat up and bubble and cook down just a bit. Add the soy sauce here if you want it. Meanwhile, I've taken my half cup container of cooked rice and nuked it for 30 seconds. When the half and half has cooked down a bit, it's ready. You don't want the half and half to cook down to nothing...otherwise, what's the point of having it at all. Pour it over the rice and enjoy! I think it usually needs a little salt, but I don't add it until I've tasted. I use a sea salt grinder...doesn't take much...just a pinch or two. Lately, I've topped it with a bit of feta cheese. Yummy! Or as Rachel Ray says, "Yummo!" And it only took 15 minutes, for one serving. It will obviously take a few minutes longer to chop and stretch it into a couple of servings. According to my calculations there are 215 calories in the shrimp and spinach dish. Add 121 calories for 1/2 cup of white rice and you'll have only 336 calories total.
The olives, feta, and soy sauce are salty, so that's why you should taste before you add any salt.
This is also delicious over angel hair pasta.
Instead of spinach, I have also steamed broccoli and added that just before the half and half. To steam it painlessly, I wash and cut the broccoli, place it in a bowl, cover with waxed paper and nuke for a minute or so.
As a side dish, I sprinkle the broccoli with fresh ground pepper and Molly McButter.
Shrimp...I buy (previously frozen) raw shrimp at the grocery store and ask them to steam them for me. You can have them steamed plain or choose one or more of several seasonings, such as old bay, or cajun, etc. I usually buy whatever looks the best and/or is the cheapest. The past two weeks, I've paid $3.99/lb. for very nice-sized deveined, shell-on shrimp. Once peeled, it takes about 8 of them to make 2 ounces.
Rice...the diet I like best for me allows me to eat white things such as rice or potatoes and also other complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes...1/2 cup at each meal. I cook a batch of rice, no salt in the cooking water) and then store it in the fridge in 1/2 cup containers. I also bake several sweet potatoes at a time and those are wonderful reheated and then topped with Molly McButter.
Fat free half & half...how is that even possible? What do they milk to get it...ants? Whatever, there's only 40 calories and no fat in 1/4 cup.
Molly McButter...I'm not using it in this recipe, but I love it for adding plenty of butter flavor to rice, baked potato, sweet potato, broccoli...I could go on and on. There are only 5 calories in 1 tsp. and I don't come close to using a teaspon on any of those things. Another product called Butter Buds is basically the same thing.
I guess we're ready for the recipe now. It took me 15 minutes from start to finish to prepare this meal which includes everything one of my diet meals requires: 2 ounces of protein, 1/2 cup carbohydrates, 2 (or more) cups of something green. "Something green" isn't how it's described in the book, but I'm policing myself and as long as it's green and a veggie, (not a margarita or a grasshopper) I think I'm doing my part.
Shrimp with Spinach
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion
1 stalk diced celery
1 minced garlic clove
4 or 5 grape tomatoes (or any kind...or none, doesn't matter)
2 ounces steamed shrimp (or raw, doesn't matter except you need to allow more time to cook)
4 Kalamata olives (or not, or however many you want)
2 to 3 cups of fresh spinach
fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp soy sauce (you don't have to have this...doesn't make any difference)
1/4 cup fat-free half and half
Here's what you do:
Heat a skillet (on my stove, I use Medium, which provides a fairly lively heat...don't want it to be too hot, though) and then add 1 tsp. olive oil. While the oil is heating, finely chop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup onion, any kind. Throw that in the skillet and then chop 1 stalk celery...you know, just one piece, not the whole bunch. Throw that in the skillet and move the onions and celery around a bit. Mince the garlic and throw that on top. About now I measure out (love my digital scale) the 2 ounces of shrimp. Throw those in and stir a couple of times. Wash the grape tomatoes and cut them in half (or leave them whole) before you throw them in the skillet. Add the kalamata olives. (I love them, but I don't want them to be the only thing I taste.) I grind fresh pepper and add a good bit; I like it a little spicy. By now, the shrimp has probably warmed up, so shove everything to one side and add the spinach to the skillet. It looks like a lot of spinach, but it wilts down, you know. I try to keep everything else slightly off the burner while I turn the spinach and let it wilt down. When it's almost all wilted down, stir it all together. Now I turn up the heat to about medium high and add the half and half and let it heat up and bubble and cook down just a bit. Add the soy sauce here if you want it. Meanwhile, I've taken my half cup container of cooked rice and nuked it for 30 seconds. When the half and half has cooked down a bit, it's ready. You don't want the half and half to cook down to nothing...otherwise, what's the point of having it at all. Pour it over the rice and enjoy! I think it usually needs a little salt, but I don't add it until I've tasted. I use a sea salt grinder...doesn't take much...just a pinch or two. Lately, I've topped it with a bit of feta cheese. Yummy! Or as Rachel Ray says, "Yummo!" And it only took 15 minutes, for one serving. It will obviously take a few minutes longer to chop and stretch it into a couple of servings. According to my calculations there are 215 calories in the shrimp and spinach dish. Add 121 calories for 1/2 cup of white rice and you'll have only 336 calories total.
The olives, feta, and soy sauce are salty, so that's why you should taste before you add any salt.
This is also delicious over angel hair pasta.
Instead of spinach, I have also steamed broccoli and added that just before the half and half. To steam it painlessly, I wash and cut the broccoli, place it in a bowl, cover with waxed paper and nuke for a minute or so.
As a side dish, I sprinkle the broccoli with fresh ground pepper and Molly McButter.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
If at first you don't succeed...
I've been trying to update Quicken. I've been using Quicken for many, many years...upgrading occasionally. The version I was most recently using was several years old, so I decided to purchase a newer one. At the store, several months ago, I decided to buy Quicken Home & Business. At home, I carefully backed up all my Quicken files and then installed Quicken Home & Business. It wouldn't open. I kept trying, it kept resisting. I "explored" looking for other ways to force it open, admittedly not knowing what the heck I was doing, but was unsuccessful. I tried reinstalling and got the same result. I think I reinstalled a number of times before I gave up and reinstalled my previous version. Of course, I had to use my backups to get my data back. Not a problem.
Eventually, I decided to try again; same results. So, one of the kids suggested I call Cory, who is a computer guy. Cory came over and came to the conclusion that according to the requirements stated on the software, I probably didn't have enough RAM memory. My computer is quite old, although upgraded a number of times. It has some limitations, probably, but adding RAM isn't one and so I ordered two 1 Gigabyte RAM cards which Cory installed when they arrived. Now, I had plenty of memory and installed Quicken Home & Business, after once more backing up my Quicken files. Same result...the program told me it was installed, but it just wouldn't open.
I thought that maybe the software was the problem and had Cory try it on his computer where it opened with no problem at all. My old system must be missing something that the software needs. At that point, I just reinstalled my old software and didn't try anything else because it was time to get tax stuff ready for the accountant and I didn't have time to fiddle with the Quicken problem. I gave the program to Wendy & Kelly. Maybe it will work for them since they have (much) newer computers. I don't know whether they ever installed it or not.
After I had finished with the tax stuff, I received an upgrade Quicken CD in the mail, so I thought I'd give it a go again. Backed up, I installed the upgrade and the same old story. Wouldn't open. Damn it!
Let me say here that the website for Intuit/Quicken sucks. I had a terrible time (during all these attempts) trying to communicate with them. I would finally make it to the contact area and type an explanation of the problems and after 10 minutes or so the system would inform me that contact had been lost, etc. My connection was good, it was just their website that SUCKED!
I was able, however, to order a CD for the version that I wanted. It took a number of tries, however, before I was able to get it at the discounted price that was promised. Anywhooo, the CD arrived a few days later, but I haven't been in any hurry to try to install it. Finally, a couple of days ago, I did the whole rigmarole, backing up, etc. It wasn't until the installation was complete and I had clicked on the "start now" button that I remembered that it might not open. A moment of trepidation and then, voila! It opened!
I've been using it for a couple of days and I'm not totally happy. At times, I find myself just staring at the screen, lost in a fog. I'll get used to it, I know. But, I hate getting used to new things. If I really love something (like I love my iphone) getting used to it isn't a chore, it's exciting and fun. This Quicken version isn't fun. So far, I haven't found anything that makes it better than the old version, but it's early...there's bound to be something that makes it worthwhile...other than the fact that they were not going to support the old version anymore. At least it's up and running.
Eventually, I decided to try again; same results. So, one of the kids suggested I call Cory, who is a computer guy. Cory came over and came to the conclusion that according to the requirements stated on the software, I probably didn't have enough RAM memory. My computer is quite old, although upgraded a number of times. It has some limitations, probably, but adding RAM isn't one and so I ordered two 1 Gigabyte RAM cards which Cory installed when they arrived. Now, I had plenty of memory and installed Quicken Home & Business, after once more backing up my Quicken files. Same result...the program told me it was installed, but it just wouldn't open.
I thought that maybe the software was the problem and had Cory try it on his computer where it opened with no problem at all. My old system must be missing something that the software needs. At that point, I just reinstalled my old software and didn't try anything else because it was time to get tax stuff ready for the accountant and I didn't have time to fiddle with the Quicken problem. I gave the program to Wendy & Kelly. Maybe it will work for them since they have (much) newer computers. I don't know whether they ever installed it or not.
After I had finished with the tax stuff, I received an upgrade Quicken CD in the mail, so I thought I'd give it a go again. Backed up, I installed the upgrade and the same old story. Wouldn't open. Damn it!
Let me say here that the website for Intuit/Quicken sucks. I had a terrible time (during all these attempts) trying to communicate with them. I would finally make it to the contact area and type an explanation of the problems and after 10 minutes or so the system would inform me that contact had been lost, etc. My connection was good, it was just their website that SUCKED!
I was able, however, to order a CD for the version that I wanted. It took a number of tries, however, before I was able to get it at the discounted price that was promised. Anywhooo, the CD arrived a few days later, but I haven't been in any hurry to try to install it. Finally, a couple of days ago, I did the whole rigmarole, backing up, etc. It wasn't until the installation was complete and I had clicked on the "start now" button that I remembered that it might not open. A moment of trepidation and then, voila! It opened!
I've been using it for a couple of days and I'm not totally happy. At times, I find myself just staring at the screen, lost in a fog. I'll get used to it, I know. But, I hate getting used to new things. If I really love something (like I love my iphone) getting used to it isn't a chore, it's exciting and fun. This Quicken version isn't fun. So far, I haven't found anything that makes it better than the old version, but it's early...there's bound to be something that makes it worthwhile...other than the fact that they were not going to support the old version anymore. At least it's up and running.
The Chronicle...don't get me started!
I'm getting ticked off at the Houston Chronicle! They have been screwing around with a couple of the sections and it makes me feel out of balance within an hour of getting up in the morning.
First it was the star (entertainment) section...they had already cut out a whole page of daily comics and slightly rearranged the location of the remaining comics in the section, but now they're really driving me crazy. I probably look at only about half of the strips, but I look at them in a certain order. I know, this is really stupid. To make up to the readers for dropping a page of comics, I guess, one page is in color...like the Sunday comics. As it happens, that page has the majority of the strips I follow and it used to be placed at the end, after the comics in black and white. For the past few weeks, I never know which page is going to be first and it really irritates me when it's the color page. I like to read the paper the same way I do a book...start at page 1 and continue page by page until I get to the end. To me, the color strips page is the end and I want to look at it last. Again, I know...it's stupid. I could get used to it if they just would leave it alone, but they keep switching and I think that is what makes it most irritating.
This week they moved the People's Pharmacy column which is always printed on Monday on page 3, to page 5. Why? There's no reason for it. Really, there seems to be no rationale...they aren't saving any pages, just moving them back and forth. It seems like they must push a randomizing button just for the hell of it! It kind of reminds me of the grocery store. You know... just when you finally get used to where everything is located, they send a team in to totally move everything around...again. Aargh! More on that in another post.
Back to the newspaper...
About the time they dropped the 3rd page of comic strips (some of which I did follow) they also moved the puzzle page, placing it in front of all the comics pages. I was so happy with the way it was set up before all these changes. I could read page to page and then was rewarded with the puzzles at the end. At first, after the change, I would work the puzzles when I got to them, before I read the comics, but then I would forget to read the comics. Yikes!
The Chronicle has also taken to combining the City and State section and the Business section from time to time. Don't like it.
This one little thing makes my day start on the wrong foot. As soon as I realize they've switched things around, a curse word escapes my mouth. I hate it when I resort to swearing within an hour of getting out of bed and I'm the only one in the house. It just makes me feel out of sorts.
Stupid.
First it was the star (entertainment) section...they had already cut out a whole page of daily comics and slightly rearranged the location of the remaining comics in the section, but now they're really driving me crazy. I probably look at only about half of the strips, but I look at them in a certain order. I know, this is really stupid. To make up to the readers for dropping a page of comics, I guess, one page is in color...like the Sunday comics. As it happens, that page has the majority of the strips I follow and it used to be placed at the end, after the comics in black and white. For the past few weeks, I never know which page is going to be first and it really irritates me when it's the color page. I like to read the paper the same way I do a book...start at page 1 and continue page by page until I get to the end. To me, the color strips page is the end and I want to look at it last. Again, I know...it's stupid. I could get used to it if they just would leave it alone, but they keep switching and I think that is what makes it most irritating.
This week they moved the People's Pharmacy column which is always printed on Monday on page 3, to page 5. Why? There's no reason for it. Really, there seems to be no rationale...they aren't saving any pages, just moving them back and forth. It seems like they must push a randomizing button just for the hell of it! It kind of reminds me of the grocery store. You know... just when you finally get used to where everything is located, they send a team in to totally move everything around...again. Aargh! More on that in another post.
Back to the newspaper...
About the time they dropped the 3rd page of comic strips (some of which I did follow) they also moved the puzzle page, placing it in front of all the comics pages. I was so happy with the way it was set up before all these changes. I could read page to page and then was rewarded with the puzzles at the end. At first, after the change, I would work the puzzles when I got to them, before I read the comics, but then I would forget to read the comics. Yikes!
The Chronicle has also taken to combining the City and State section and the Business section from time to time. Don't like it.
This one little thing makes my day start on the wrong foot. As soon as I realize they've switched things around, a curse word escapes my mouth. I hate it when I resort to swearing within an hour of getting out of bed and I'm the only one in the house. It just makes me feel out of sorts.
Stupid.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Lightning strikes again
Unbelievable! The same incompetent tooth fairy that worked this area 20 years ago must still be around. Or at least a member of the same family.
I saw Gage on Sunday and noticed that he had finally gotten the tooth to come out. I asked him if he had gotten his money and he said he hadn't. I'm sure his disappointment was appeased with some of the same excuses I offered to Robin when the tooth fairy missed a pick up of one of her teeth.
Evidently the tooth fairy got it together and took care of business on Sunday night. I'm sure he was relieved to wake up Monday morning and find his money.
I saw Gage on Sunday and noticed that he had finally gotten the tooth to come out. I asked him if he had gotten his money and he said he hadn't. I'm sure his disappointment was appeased with some of the same excuses I offered to Robin when the tooth fairy missed a pick up of one of her teeth.
Evidently the tooth fairy got it together and took care of business on Sunday night. I'm sure he was relieved to wake up Monday morning and find his money.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A story from the past
I wrote a post in the Garner blog about Gage's loose teeth. It reminded me about a time when Robin's tooth fairy missed a pick-up. This happened on February 23, 1988, when Robin was 6 years old.
She had placed the tooth under her pillow with great care and dreamed of the money the tooth fairy would leave for it. But sad to say, when she got up the next morning and checked under her pillow, she found her tooth where there was supposed to be a quarter. That incompetent tooth fairy hadn't made the exchange!
Needless to say, I had to come up with a plausible explanation and quick. I don't remember exactly what I told her...possibly something like "your tooth is so tiny, maybe the tooth fairy wasn't able to find it." Remember, she was only six...it didn't need to be a brilliant or airtight story. But, I know I felt really bad for her that the tooth fairy had disappointed her.
That night, I told her that if she put the tooth under her pillow again the tooth fairy would surely find it this time. So, that's what she did. And without my hearing a thing, she went to some trouble to make sure the tooth would be easily found.
I made sure that the tooth fairy didn't forget again. When she reached under the pillow she felt a small, hard square object. Later she showed me the clear plastic box containing the little tooth and a note, on which was written in a six year old's printing, "Get the teeth, but not the box." She also left a second note indicating the total number of teeth that had been lost. And the tooth fairy snuck back upstairs to deposit under the pillow, the box, which now contained a quarter (and an apology, I hope, although I didn't find it in her baby book.)
You'll notice I had to write this very carefully lest someone figure out the tooth fairy's alternate identity.
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