Recipe: Simple Pinto Beans & Cornbread

Midway through cooking

It occurs to me that most of the recipes on this blog (there aren’t a ton) are bean recipes. From which you can make the fairly accurate supposition that we eat a lot of beans. They are a good source of protein for vegetarians, of course. Most of all, I just really love them. Luckily, so does my husband. These pintos are very basic and something Michael grew up eating. Served with cornbread and sauerkraut. Except we have an abundance of summer squash and so will be having that instead of the sauerkraut tonight.

Simple Pinto Beans

1 1lb bag of pinto beans, picked over and soaked 24 hours

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

salt to taste

water to cover

1. Once pintos have soaked for 24 hours, pour off soaking water and rinse (you can cook the beans in the soaking water, but I prefer to rinse the foam off that usually appears during soaking).
2. Place beans in crockpot with onions, garlic and seasoning (you can hold off on the salt until the beans are nearly finished, if you so desire). Add water to cover beans by an inch or so.
3. Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. Check periodically–depending on the age of the beans and your crockpot, beans could be finished in less than 8 hours.
4. Serve over cornbread (I use this recipe [it's in the middle of the post] and bake in a cast-iron skillet), with hot sauce on the side.
5. The end.

 

Meal Plan 11/22-11/28

This will be a short week–Thanksgiving on Thursday will be in Alabama and I’m not responsible for cooking. I think we will be going to an Asian buffet. Meh. Actually, there probably won’t be much cooking done by me after Wednesday. This is good and not good. Eating at restaurants for so many days is a bit tiring–everything starts to taste the same. But. I wouldn’t want the stress of cooking on top of everything else we’re trying to get done this weekend. The good news is that this will be, hopefully, the final trip to deal with the STUFF in the house. At which point it should be a short trip to being done with the whole estate. It will be the first holiday season without Michael’s mom; I imagine the grief will hit us in new and unexpected ways. I am kind of stumbling around in the various stages–right now it’s mostly annoyance and regret. What a crapshoot the whole thing is.

On to happier things–namely–FOOD. I’m not even worrying about creating some pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner during the week. Mostly I want to use up some of the stuff in the fridge and maybe put somthing together ahead of time for next week–I moved the lasagna from last week to this week for that purpose. Here we go then:

Sunday: Spinach & Mushroom Quiche, Parmesan Crusted Zucchini, Garlic Bread

Monday: Pinto Beans, Cornbread, Sauteed Squash & Onions

Tuesday: Black Bean Quesadillas, Carrot Slaw

Wednesday: Scrambled Eggs, Roasted Potatoes

Make Ahead: Vegetable Lasagna (to freeze)

In addition to our evening meals, I need to make a big batch of granola and some basic baking mix to keep in the fridge. I will probably make extra pie crust tonight to freeze when I am making the quiche, too.

More menu plans at OrgJunkie.

Not much happening…

I’ve been hanging out all day working on Christmas gifts and tidying the apartment.

The photos are from our family vacation over the summer.

I know I want to use the pictures from this vacation in some way as a part of our gift to my parent’s, but I’m not quite settled on what it is I’m going to do.

That’s OK–pondering is part of the fun.

I Abstain

Mella’s comment on my last post took me to The Happiness Project, specifically this post: “Are You a Moderator or an Abstainer?”. And it perfectly summed up my own experience. I’ve known for a while that I have more success when I take the abstainer’s approach, or, more accurately, the all or nothing approach. I didn’t quite make the connection to my poor impulse control regarding sweets–probably because I’d rather that wasn’t the case, but intuitively I’ve recognized that just a little bit everyday is not gonna work for me.

Like others who commented on that post, I have felt incredibly guilty about my inability to moderate–it does seem saner, and more realistic even. But for most things, I just can’t. This is actually why the Flylady system works pretty well for me (when I remember to follow it). That guilt, though, is my un-doing. Because it gives fuel to that spiraling, chaotic voice inside me that says people who have to follow a plan for everything are losers and control freaks and can’t get it together and you can get it together, you can keep up, just let it go tonight, just this once, there is always tomorrow, come on, you can do it, you deserve a break.

And I am so willing to give in to that voice.

So it heartens me to know that perhaps my own approach must be abstinence and this is just the way I roll–it’s not good or bad, just me.

Also, I really hate that whole but you deserve it line that is everywhere these days (not immune to it, but I think it’s false).  I have a rather asthetic, Calvinist streak deep inside and what I think people deserve is adequate food, adequate shelter and the hope of grace.

I tend not to apply this to anyone but myself as it is a bit inflexible and unforgiving.

Of course, I have a somewhat contrary view as well–that if we were all just a bit nicer to one another and treated each other as if we believed deeply in the absolute dignity and humanity of every person, the world would be a better place.

Hmmm…perhaps my personal idealogies follow the pattern of abstention and immersion as well.

Sugar, Sugar

(Yes, more on this subject…I will be more interesting soon.)

What’s interesting to me is that while I’ve been cut off from the sugar, I haven’t really been craving it terribly. I know I posted about the chocolate milk yesterday, and I did drink some and I don’t feel terrible about that (morally speaking). But I didn’t immediately crave more. And, in fact, if I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and drink lots of water throughout the day, I’m not terribly hungry and never get to the point where I’m having a so-called sugar crash. I realize this is healthy eating 101, and it is something I’ve learned for myself over and over–except before I always allowed myself a piece of chocolate or a cookie or something dessert-y everyday. Because I thought I needed it. Had such a deep-seated craving for it that if I didn’t allow myself at least a little everyday, I’d go crazy and eat practically a whole package of Oreos all at once.

Here’s the thing–I did that anyway. So I’m thinking that my problem isn’t a deep-seated sugar craving that I can’t get over. I think I have poor impulse control and the only way to not eat the whole package of Oreos (or pan of brownies or batch of cookies or whatever) is to just not have anything like them in the house. Also to figure out how to bake sweets in small enough batches so that they don’t tempt me. Or at least find a way for others to eat the majority of what is baked instead of myself (because I will eat something to keep it from going to waste–I know!).

This is the kind of self-realization that is important but make me feel kind of ashamed. Because really–who reaches their 30s without already having made this discovery? I am indignant on my own behalf.

 

Day 3 of Sugar Detox

Chocolate Milk Drop 1, originally uploaded by BRSphotography.

And I have decided that chocolate milk is an acceptable “cheat.”

Menu Plan 11/16-11/22

I’m a bit behind in posting my menu, but wanted to get it in there because if I don’t post, I don’t plan. I need to plan! Anyway, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’m focusing more attention on losing weight. Not going crazy, not writing down every morsel that passes through my lips, just being more attentive and intentional when I eat. So I’m going to start planning out breakfasts and lunches for myself.

Last week’s menu plan was great in some ways and a bust in others. The black bean and butternut burritos were excellent. I was so looking forward to the mushroom stroganoff and was so annoyed to see that one of my packages of mushrooms had gotten moldy and gross. This has happened quite a bit recently–not sure what’s going on. It’s not a question of me waiting too long to make the food–the other package was fine and we made mini-pizzas instead. I hate to waste food!

Breakfasts:

• Grapefruit, graham crackers w/peanut butter
• Grapefruit, hard boiled egg
• Banana nut oatmeal
• Bran muffin, fruit

Lunches:

• Veggie wrap on whole wheat tortilla, fruit
• Tossed salad, yogurt
• Leftovers, fruit

Snacks:

• Celery w/peanut butter
• Fruit (bananas, tangerines, apples, mangoes, grapes)
• Almonds
• Hard boiled egg
• Veggies w/dip

Dinners:

• Monday: Pot luck after community meeting
• Tuesday: Mushroom Stroganoff, Noodles, Broccoli
• Wednesday: Chickpea and Squash Curry, Brown Rice
• Thursday: Tortellini, Tossed Salad
• Friday: Tuscan Bean Soup, Garlic Bread
• Saturday: free
• Sunday: Lasagna, Green Salad

More menus at OrgJunkie.

That’s for G**damn sure!

We saw Lucero last night. It was a great concert. They were really tight! Everyone sounded awesome and the horns really blew us away.

The concert was in one of those tiny venues that I love best–everyone is standing and crowded and just a little crazy. I get a total kick out of watching people and this was a very good place to do so.  Good place to scope out the trend in random & seemingly impossible facial hair, too. The last time I was in a similar venue was in Pittsburgh, to see the Drive by Truckers. The place where we were last night was a converted convenience store to restaurant/concert venue. On the shore. Kind of bizarre, kind of awesome.

We felt a little old when we realized that there were two opening acts and Lucero didn’t come on stage until 10:30. However, we persevered. And were rewarded–one of the opening acts was truly outstanding–Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm. Accompanied at time by a pedal steel player. I loooove the pedal steel. Also a trumpet. But mostly just the two of them–Cedric on the drums and Lightnin’ on the guitar. Seriously awesome, particularly the drums.

Motivation

***I sound whiny and sorry for myself in this post. I apologize, but I need to write this out and have a visual record of what I need to do.***
I need to lose 25 pounds.

It’s embarrassing to me that I actually cannot fit into most of my old slacks.

I’m especially embarrassed that on those fitness quizzes, I now have to check the sedentary box as opposed to the active box.

I’ve been here before–when I got back from my first study abroad experience, I was around 170lbs (I’m not quite that high now). Part of that was from thoroughly enjoying myself in Europe and damning the consequences. Part was from the first two years of college. Whatever it was, I came back from Europe with a WHOLE lot more confidence in myself and lost the weight, 25-30 lbs, over the next year. Slowly, but healthfully. I lived a couple of miles from campus and I’m pretty sure that daily walk was the biggest contributor to my weight loss and overall health.

So…I know I can do it.

What I’m struggling with is the fact that it will take time. Logically, I know this. But who doesn’t just want to snap their fingers and lose all the weight they’ve gained, and then some?

This post at Not Martha really, really struck me and has inspired me.

A lot of weight loss or fitness blogs/websites tend to focus in exhaustive detail on every tiny food consumed during the day and every calorie burned. These people are running marathons and half-marathons or even competing in triathlons. All well and good for them, but I am not really an athlete. I like to bike, hike, walk, play softball, do yoga, swim–for fun, not to compete. It’s exhausting and demoralizing for me to focus on every bit of food that goes into my mouth. So, while I am inspired by these folks, their approach isn’t realistic for me. I was really happy to see someone talk about slow weight loss (although I’d still love that overnight “cure”). And from the perspective of someone who doesn’t like to sweat.

Where does this leave me? Putting one foot in front of the other, I guess.

Triggers and or contributing factors:

• My husband is a gym junkie. He needs to eat 3000 calories a day. I do not have that same need at all. It can be hard to not eat what he is eating, especially since I am the one who does most of the cooking. I do serve myself smaller portions, but I’m thinking they need to be even smaller.
• I have as serious love for Coca-Cola.
• When I am stressed at work, I tend to leave the branch (& my healthy prepared lunch) and pick something up, usually fast food because that is all that is available. I have been stressed for the last four months because we came this close to having my location closed and my position disappearing.
• We don’t have a break room at my branch–all eating happens at my desk.
• My current position is much more sedentary than my previous one as a children’s librarian.  My current branch is less than 10000 square feet (much less), my former regional branch was over 50000 square feet.
• I prefer to walk outside; this is only possible down here about 6 mos out of the year. I do need to just buck up, but I know this has been an excuse for me for some time.
• For the last year and a half, we have made a trip to Alabama almost every other week. Driving. Road food. Depressing situation. Not a good combination.

What I need to do:

• Commit to working out at least 3 times a week, strive for more.
• Eat more vegetables, less bread and cheese.
• Seriously cut back on the sugar. I’m tempted to try a sugar detox, just because my sweet cravings are so strong and so frequent. And I give in to them.
• Limit the soda to one a week, or something.
• Find something healthy beyond water that I like to drink.
• Figure out what motivates me to work out. Rewards don’t work.

Any suggestions? I’m open to anything except a detailed tracking of what I eat. I’ve done that before and it’s not good. It either leads to unhealthy, restrictive dieting, or I spend the entire time for anything that I put in my mouth, good or bad.

20 Questions…Part 2

The 20 Questions Meme continues.

From A.C.: What’s the first movie you saw in a theater?

I think it was either Snow White or ET. I don’t think I would have seen ET when it was first released in 1982–I’d have been only 3 and I can’t imagine my parents would have thought that was a good idea. It was re-released in 1985, which makes more sense. Snow White was re-released in 1983 and 1987. So, it could have been either. Both movies probably would have hit my hometown some time after their original release date, too. I still love both films, although I remember being really frightened by the hospital scene in ET. For a long time after that movie, whenever I learned that someone was in the hospital, I pictured them hooked up to all those wires and machines.

We didn’t go to movies very frequently as kids, and my parents still do not. My dad will sometimes see one with my uncle. But my mother tends to fall asleep during movies. Our childhood was defined by those Hallmark Hall of Fame movies that came over network tv on Sunday evenings. I always associate Michael Eisner with those times (he did the intro).

From SharonM: What’s the book that’s had the biggest impact on you?

I was asked this question for a work interview recently and I feel about as prepared as I did then. I just don’t have any one book that I can point to as the biggest impact. I think that it is part of having a deep and long-lasting relationship with reading, and also because I am naturally indecisive. But–these titles stand out to me today:

Gilead, by Mariyln Robinson

I thought this was a beautiful portrait of a man’s relationship with god, & his family–revealed through letters he is writing to his son. Also of coming to the end of one’s life and knowing that it’s near.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit–Jeanette Winterson

This is a perennial favorite; it helped me define my own struggles with religion vs. the religious, with god vs. piety.

Bird by Bird–Anne Lamott

Inspiring!

From Brian Sibley: In what fictional place would you like to take a holiday, and what would you bring back as a souvenir?

I think the prehistoric Europe in Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children series is incredibly well drawn and I’d like to holiday there. I think I’d bring back a  flint prepared by Jondalar. (There is WAY too much information about this series on Wikipedia, I’d like you to know. I didn’t realize there was such a fan base.)

From Kerry: What place in [where you live] gives you joy?

I like driving over the Dames Point Bridge and looking out over the intercoastal + the port. I also like driving down A1A towards St. Augustine and stopping at any of the Guana beaches. When we are coming home from Alabama, I am always happy to see the Macclenny exit, because I know we are just about there.