Expanding My "Menu"

I've been so, so tired lately, struggling with a cold, but I've been quite the trooper. I've been working all week preparing for an event we have on Monday, then it's home for the domestic tasks. I don't use the word "chores" because one task is cooking dinner and I do so delight in that. And I had a big victory last night in my new plan of expanding my own very simplistic eating pattern. I'd like to share it with you.

I thought I'd cook some French food for my husband. I decided on a potato, swiss and ham gratin, which is made with eggs and cream and a heck of a lot of butter. He loves French food so I set about preparing the dish. I knew I wouldn't have any, but that didn't take away from the pleasure I got from making it.

I always make a vegetable -- preferably something green -- to go alongside a dish. I rummaged through the fridge and found a big bunch of asparagus. Aha! I thought. What a perfect compliment to the gratin. I decided to break the ends off the stalks and cut them into 2-inch pieces. I then heated up a skillet and put in some peanut oil in and sauteed the asparagus with chopped scallions (be sure to chop the whole scallion, including the green part) and minced garlic. The wonderful aroma filled the kitchen. And it was then I decided, "I'm going to eat some of this asparagus too!"

I made my simple chicken patty but alongside it I had a serving of that wonderful asparagus. It may sound like no big deal, but to me it most certainly was. Normally, I would target peanut oil as a big, big no-no, telling myself I could only eat sauteed things prepared with olive oil cooking spray. But I let that rigid restriction go, and I enjoyed my wonderful asparagus. Of course, hubby did too!

It goes without saying that this morning I asked myself, "Are you going to be heading down that slippery slope of starting with the asparagus, only to fall right back into eating your gourmet food and gaining all your weight back?" But then I tried to put things into perspective, and realize that I have months and months of counseling with Millie and all the valuable information from the clinic. I have my weekly weigh-ins, which keep me accountable. And deep, deep inside of me is the commitment to stay healthy, to protect my body, to be happy.

So I am boldly, yet slowly, moving forward with my new goal of easing up a little bit on those tight, tight reins. Yes, I'm very proud of myself today. It may be cloudy outside, but I'm beaming!