A Twist on Hamburgers!

It taste better than it looks!  My photography skills were lacking the night I took this picture!

In our household we eat a lot of hamburgers.  It’s our “go to” food when we can’t find anything else to eat or are just lazy.  I have to admit, however, that no matter how much I like hamburgers, they are getting a little boring which is why I was very happy to add a new twist to my repertoire. 

A couple of our weeks ago, I was looking through one of my favorite cookbooks, Mediterranean Food of the Sun, when I came across a kebab recipe calling for part lamb and part beef and sumac, a tangy spice used in Middle Eastern cooking which I’m experimenting with.  Hmmm, I thought.  This sounds like something to try for my blog.  

What’s Been Cooking in My Kitchen!

Chicken Stock

The other day, my mother asked me if anything was wrong because I haven’t added a new blog post in quite a while!  (It’s nice to know that my mother is such an avid follower!)  I’ve been thinking about my blog a lot and have written several posts in my head, but a very fast two weeks have flown by with no real writing happening.  I guess you can say that I’ve been in a rut.  

I have been distracted by clearing out my house which I wrote in my last blog post, “To Purge or Not to Purge: Do I Really Need All of This Stuff?”  Going through everything and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of has been an interesting challenge, one that I will write more about in another blog post.  

 

Of course computer problems have also kept me from writing.  Now, though, I have no excuse because we bought me one of those itsy bitsy, cute, adorable notebooks.  Can you tell I love it!  And of course there is just normal life stuff which seems to have eaten up a lot of my time.  Of course getting Netflix and realizing that I can watch all of the episodes of some of my favorite programs doesn’t help either!  

 

All of this has kept me from trying new recipes, but I’ve still been doing other types of cooking in my kitchen.  

To Purge or Not to Purge: Do I Really Need All of This Stuff?

Ten Bud Vases.  Do I need them all? 

Over the last year, I have been purging my body of toxins and weight. I have worked hard to eat a healthy diet and have slimmed down quite a bit. Some of the work has been painful, and some has been easy, but it all has been rewarding especially when I look at old pictures where I am definitely quite chunky.

It seems appropriate that now I would do the same thing to our house, that I would get rid of the excess stuff that has accumulated over the years.

I knew when I first decided to start trimming our stuff down, that it would at times be difficult. I wasn't sure how I would decide what to get rid of and what to keep. Of course, there are things I would obviously get rid of like the the VHS videos since our video machine died years ago; still, other things take a little more thought. 

Basic Chicken Soup

Every once in the while the soul calls for real chicken soup! It's one of my favorite comfort foods, prefect for a cold night, the flu, or a troubled tummy. The last reason is why I've made soup a few times this week. It's also the reason why I haven't been cooking or posting very much this last week.

Seriously, even though it's hot out, a bowl of chicken soup can still be satisfying. 

More on My Journey with Candida and Losing Weight

NOTE July 1, 2011--I just realized after reading some comments that today marks the one year anniversary of the beginning of my journey.  I started this new life style one year ago after a night of yummy Indian food and chocolate Eclairs!  I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself.  It has not always been easy and I've certainly slipped a few times, but the results are worth it.  I'm not only healthier, but I look better too!!!


THE SYMPTOMS I DIDN'T THINK WERE SYMPTOMS: AKA THE INGLORIOUS TRUTH

The other day, I was on the phone with a friend who had read “My Story” in my blog. She hadn't realized that I had Candida and she started asking me about it, wondering if I had been having some bad symptoms. I have to admit that I became a little embarrassed and felt like a traitor to other Candida sufferers. Unlike others with Candida, I did not have horrible allergies or food sensitivities; at least, I didn't think I did. Although I felt that my overall health was okay, I was overweight, and I was starting to feel pretty itchy you know where, even though my doctor said I was fine. I also had ringworm, which seemed to pop up in the same place on my leg every 2 or 3 years. I didn't think much about it, but now I know that that is not normal.

When I told people about my new “diet” I downplayed the Candida part. In fact, I didn't really like to talk about the Candida because as I wrote above, I didn't feel like I was a true Candid sufferer with horrible digestive issues, food allergies, or other health issues. I also didn't really want to talk about my yeast infections, ringworm, or 80 pounds of excess weight; besides, flatulence is just not something you bring up in normal, polite conversation.