Comfort foods

[charliechaplinfan]

I'd rather have had Rudy, in his day. I'd rather have pure chocolate than Nutella but I completely get the addiction.

I seem to be going through a baking phase at the moment, you'd think we were going into hibernation but of course the home baked goods only last a few days. I've made all sorts, Joe likes 25% of them. The other day I thought I'd make homemade custard, which needs a sharp eye kept on it whilst it's on the stove, well, the dog gets her head stuck in the cat flap and my custard curdles. Yesteray I made meringues with the leftover egg whites and when I'm mid way through whisking I see that Libby has left her lunch and it's dinner time so I have to stop what I'm doing at hot tail it up to the school before lunch is over. Result, a heavier than I'd like meringue but it tasted great in an Eton Mess, not that Joe liked it. A luxury dessert and all the more for me.

[JackFavell]

What's an Eton mess?

Your meringue was this what they call Pavlova, in one big chunk? Or did you make cookies, like I do? You have to let it sit in the oven to cool or else it falls. Or was it perhaps a meringue pie?

That Rudy pic makes me drool.... can't I have Rudy AND nutella? Just in case anyone is thinking that I am eating gobs of the stuff, I coat the back of a spoon lightly and lick it off in as small amounts as I can manage. I don't want anyone here thinking I am greedy (though I am).

Yesterday it was me, myself and I home alone (finally) with nutella and Chief Inspector Foyle... a pretty great combo.

[movieman1957]

I've started "Foyle's War" again. Still great stuff. I heard there is another one is coming.

[JackFavell]

I heard that too!

FOYLE'S SPOILERS

So exciting. I just finished season 3, and I was going to post here and ask anyone if Andrew and Sam were going to make it, since it seemed to me that they weren't quite right for one another, but I got my answer already. I am dying for her and Paul to end up together, but I must wait and see. DOn't tell me.

[RedRiver]

THE NUTELLA PROFESSOR!

I love to eat peanut butter straight from the jar. But I pretty much had to stop. I'd eat so much it backed up in my esophagus, or something like that. At any rate, it was uncomfortable. The nature of addiction...it creates a problem, but you keep doing it!

[MissGoddess]

As I try to wean off of what's supposedly "bad" for me, I'm finding my list of "comfort foods" is almost disappearing to nothing! It used to be a slight exaggeration that anything delightful was fattening or bad for you, now it is an understatement!

Here's what I've been told, and by no means believe entirely, though I am weak enough to not be immune to some degree of the paranoia (and I'm sure this list is missing quite a few items):

No sodas - bad for you, "empty" calories; chemicals; carbonation is bad for you
No sugar - bad for you, "feeds" cancer and since it's in most every dessert, there goes dessert!
No beef - bad for you, causes and "feeds" cancer, contains hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, etc plus the cows are mistreated
No veal/lamb - the guilt!
No chicken - hormones, antibiotics, salmonella, chicken's life is miserable
No eggs - too much cholesterol unless you only eat the flavorless whites; a hen's life is miserable.
No crustaceans (lobster, especially shrimp) - too much mercury and other toxins absorbed
No fish - too much mercury
No butter - fat clogs arteries
No wine/booze -alcohol either cures or kills you and it makes you retain water (a concern if you're trying to diet)
No dairy - causes and/or "feeds" cancer
No potatoes or pasta - fattening
Nothing "processed" - chemicals, GMO products used, and totally fattening/high cholestrol/high fat/in other words, delicious.


Let me just say: Ack!!!!!

[knitwit45]

Ms. G., guess you'll have to stick to this diet: If it tastes good, SPIT IT OUT!

[MissGoddess]

Ms. G., guess you'll have to stick to this diet: If it tastes good, SPIT IT OUT!

ha!!

[charliechaplinfan]

From your list I wouldn't eat anything at all, I have a really sweet tooth and not a huge appetite, I would gladly skip meals for chcoloate bars or cakes if I weren't worried at what it'd do to me.

My meringue was like the bottom of a pavlova, made with 6 egg whites, an Eton Mess is a variation on a pavlova, but for the Eton Mess you crumble the merignue then top with cream and fresh fruit but don't prepare too far ahead or the meringue gets soggy. It's great if you're not high on presentation, like me and it tastes really good. Yet Joe won't eat it, he wants to eat just meringue He is the person who appreciates an open pack of biscuits rather than a dessert that's been lovingly made.

It amuses me that British TV programmes are followed so avidly in America, I hardly watch TV here but was hooked to Frasier in it's day.

[JackFavell]

There's nothing left!

[MissGoddess]

Exactly. That's why I'm so messed up!

How is your non-wheat thingy going? Still feeling good about it? I keep thinking about what you said every time I go near the bread aisle.

[JackFavell]

I ate wheat at Thanksgiving and realized why I should never do it again. I am not sure why, but my body simply can't tolerate it, it's like flipping a switch, as soon as I eat it, I started in on the symptoms. Some silly, some awful. Bleeding gums and pain in my teeth, pain in my joints and having certain ones go out (like my ankles or knees as I was coming downstairs), lethargy, stomachache, brain fog, grey dry skin (so dry it hurts), and a bunch more boring details.

I try very hard not to eat processed food except for meats (and nutella, which I really should stop). I can't afford the organic meat or veggies. I eat a lot of fruit and veg, and I do eat potatoes. I DO eat organic eggs, preferably from the farm down the road from us. If I get store bought eggs, besides feeling guilty about chicken abuse, I get sick from them. I don't know why.

[MissGoddess]

you poor thing! those are some serious symptoms. the only thing i have noticed myself is that i do feel bloated for a while after eating, say, some wheat crackers or a piece of bread. i'm paying attention more to it, because it's not a nice feeling and i want to know if this is something new and specific just to the wheat or if something else is going on. as if i need something else to be neurotic about! i just pray i don't have to give it up entirely. i think i could only do so if it affected me as strongly as it does you and others who are allergic.

for about a week now i've managed to avoid desserts, and the only sweets I've eaten have been fruits or raw honey in my tea and with breakfast. it's been no fun, and i haven't noticed any dramatic weight loss like i expected. maybe if i cut out the honey, but no can do. i think i'd hurt someone.

[MissGoddess]

this will sound a bit crazy, but have you heard of "ancient" wheat or grains and flours made from them? I saw this stuff in my local health food store and wondered about it. I guess the idea is that they are grown from seeds of wheat plants before all the GMO/pesticides came into existence. I wonder if that would affect you the same as "modern" wheat products.

[JackFavell]

I've heard of those, and apparently some people with wheat issues can eat them without problem and others can't. I'm not quite stable enough at this point to try the experiment, though I think it's very interesting. I never really thought the GM grains were a problem until recently, I guess I am turning into a conspiracy theorist.