So I don’t feel very good today. My head hurts, my neck is starting to get stiff and I didn’t get enough sleep last night…I feel like crap. 

When I feel like this, I turn to food…it generally doesn’t make my headache go away, but it is a comfort. In so many ways, it is like curling up your favorite blanket.

I know, weird. But that is the way it is for me sometimes. It is easy to let this justify eating whatever I want. Last night, it was mac-n-cheese.

Today, when I went to the Farmers Market, I was looking for a snack. Initially, I thought I would get an apple, but that isn’t always easy to eat at my desk. Then I thought about kettle corn, then thought better of it.

I spotted the big as a dinner plate chocolate chip cookies at one of the baker’s stand, and was headed for it until I saw the Nut Farmer. There he was with nuts and dried fruits. I decided that even though the banana chips are high in sugar, they were still a better choice than a cookie.

With that said, I still see a pepperoni pizza in my future (but that will be an issue of having a smaller portion)

Maybe tomorrow I won’t need comforting.

So there has been a great deal of debate over my mug shot lately….some people say the photo doesn’t look like me, others say it isn’t flattering. As a result, I had our photographer shoot a new one. I’m not sure the new one does me any favors either (I don’t think I photograph well)

So, which one do  you like better the old photo with no glasses or the new one with glasses?

As a general rule, I don’t mind working the nightshift on Friday — when we put together the Saturday paper. I have eight hours to design the front page. It is nice not to feel rushed. And the phone barely rings since the main office is closed.

Last night was a great night, and I am really proud of my front page — waiting to find something wrong with it, but right now very proud of it.

But there is a downside to working night and it involves food. Working Friday means I work a split shift…coming in around 6:30 a.m., 7, to help do the Friday daily (that usually means doing two pages on morning deadline). Then I go home, grabbing something quick so I can sack out for as long as possible before I go back to work around 5 p.m.

The way end entails grabbing something quick and easy to eat at my desk….Taco Bell (My old nemesis) was the easiest choice yesterday. Soda and whatever other caffeinated drinks I can get my hands on are a must. So I’m not off to the best start, but I start feeling sluggish so I get candy — Reese Pieces as a matter of fact.

Working nights generally mean making some very questionable food choices. I guess that is something to work on next!

G

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column about snacking. I noticed that most days when I eat my lunch in pieces — as snacks — I’m generally not as hungry when I go home. 

Last week, I went the opposite direction. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. I noticed that the days I didn’t have snacks, I went home and had much bigger dinners or simply ate some junk food.

So, this week, I have gone back to packing a good lunch with some snacks. Just wished I had packed two things of fruit instead of the one.

Today has been a tough and long day. I’ve been good with what I have eaten today, but I don’t think I will be when I get home. I want some comfort food and sinking my teeth into pizza and cake sounds like a good idea — bad for me, but a good idea. 

g

I ate all of my grapes…I want some more

We had some folks over for dinner on Sunday. It has been a very long time since I have had a chance to play hostess (which I love to play by the way). I baked some salmon, admittedly covered with about two tablespoons of real butter, green onions and garlic. That covered about three filets that had been halved.

OK, not the best, but better than making chicken Parmesan.  I boiled some pasta and made my Gorgonzola cheese sauce (also not figure friendly but OMG is it good). Don’t worry, we had spinach salad, and these particular dishes lend themselves to small portions. Trust me, as good as the pasta sauce is, it is rich and a little does go a long way.

Well, I couldn’t let my guest not have dessert. Seriously, that is just rude. Besides, this little food junkie LOVES to bake. I love making cakes, and my favorite is my chocolate peanut butter chip cake. I make my chocolate cake from scratch (Betty Crocker has a good recipe) and throw in some peanut butter chips. OH, it is like heaven. I love this  cake and it is a big hit at my house. I knew it would be a good choice for my dinner guests. People who work in newsrooms generally like things that offer chocolatey goodness.

But now, I am left with half of cake — I had some Sunday, and thought I would have slice tonight with Mr. X (he is big fan of this cake too…)

And as good as it is, I don’t think I want to try to help eat it away — it is like I have had my fill. I am thinking about bringing some to work, making sure there is enough for Mr. X. I just haven’t decided.

In case you are wondering, my chocolate cake was made with real sugar and butter, and 2 percent low-fat milk. I have tried in the past to use the Smart Balance and the Splenda….but the cake isn’t as moist or as tasty. Sometimes taste overrules calories.

G

So this morning, I decided  was a good day for a McMuffin…but I was really hungry, not sure about my lunch plans since I didn’t get a chance to make a lunch, so I asked my self, “Do I want a hashbrown?”

I have to admit, I love the little McDonald’s hashbrown. It is just tasty. I wanted one. After eating the tasty crunchy fried potato, I decided I needed to know what kind of damage I did. The  browned morsel netted me 150 calories and 15 grams of carb…9 grams of fat.

Not great, but better than I thought.

And it sure was tasty.

g

I really like peaches.

I really like peaches with ice cream. 

But generally, ice cream is a no-no and Skinny Cow doesn’t make the diet ice cream in pint size. So what is a food junkie to do?

The first answer would simply to eat the peaches without the ice cream.

Yeah, about that, I don’t like that answer.

So I went to the local grocery store and decided I would get some frozen yogurt. I had recently that it was low in calories and fat. Well, I didn’t find any. What I did find was no-sugar vanilla  ice cream.

Huh? That is different but that can’t be very good…there is no SUGAR!

I’m confused.

So, I bought some. The no-sugar ice cream has 90 calories and 13 grams of carbs for a half-cup serving.

It isn’t bad…and it worked well with the peaches. 

 I have found a new dessert.

The real trick, of  course, is just eating a half of cup. I feel pretty proud of myself this time, my portion was about the right size.

Small victories.