Day 34: Soups On

I want to start off by sharing a recipe for a white bean and chard soup that Don and Julie made and shared with the group. When I heard "chard" I was prepared for "bitter." But nothing doing for this soup, it is smooth all the way down! It was so good I had some with my breakfast!

White Bean and Chard Soup
4 TBL extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
Kosher salt
2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves roughly chopped
Freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 TBL olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and 1 1/2 tsp salt and cook until the vegetables are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 TBL olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the roasted peppers, minced garlic and cilantro and cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chard, cover and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the pot and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Day 33: I Love My Containers

There is no way that I could do this diet if it weren't for my containers!

When I open up my refrigerator in the morning and am faced with all these choices, how can I go wrong? This week Nadine provided black beans (with five different peppers!) that are great to serve over scrambled eggs, egg casserole loaded with broccoli-cauliflower-carrot-and other yum! She also made a dish for Don (I'm still trying to figure out he got HER to cook for HIM) that was an eggplant-tomato offering that I've yet to try.

I made the string beans that were presented on the Day 32 blog (which by the way are getting rave reviews by Don, so I forgive him for not doing his own eggplant). I also made up the remoulade that was on Day 31 blog. In all fairness Don and Julie made a white bean and chard soup that is out of this world smooth and delicious! I'll be posting that recipe on the next blog.

But back to the containers...when all the food is shared and I can go to any of those options it makes breakfast and lunch a snap! For dinner Deanna usually has a protein and salad and I just grab one of my bean options and I'm good to go! I always have a container of the falafel on hand as well, so that can fill in or is a great evening snack.

So, go grab some friends & Tupperware and get started

on your own 12 percent pursuit!

Day 32: More Chinese, Less Fat

Wanting to try a new vegetable dish I turned to one of our family favorites – Szechuan String Beans. We learned how to make these 25 years ago while living and working in China. When we go out to a Chinese restaurant we are sure to order these. These are super easy to make and taste great. You can vary the intensity of the ingredients if you want them more or less spicy.

Brown a pound of ground pork in a heavy pot or wok. Pull the meat out and set aside. Leaving the grease generated from the pork in the bottom of the pot, turn the heat up and add salt & pepper, 3 TBS red chili pepper, and 1 small finely chopped yellow onion. Cook until the onions are translucent.

Dump in 2 lbs of washed and trimmed string beans and let them sear.  After cooking approximately 10 minutes add 2-3 TBS of soy sauce and 5 minced garlic cloves. Stir and cook another 5 minutes then add the ground pork and cook all together until the string beans begin to soften.

While cooking last night the boys kept walking through the kitchen and saying how good it smelled! I think they’ll be disappointed to hear that I gave ¾ of it away to my fellow dieters! I had some for lunch today and they are delicious!

Day 31: A New Salad

As much as I liked the bacon slaw, I was ready for a change. I saw this recipe and thought it looked good! It tastes even better! But first a French lesson:

Remoulade (ray-muh-LAHD) A classic French sauce made by combining mayonnaise with mustard, capers, and chopped gherkins, herb and anchovies. It’s served chilled as an accompaniment to a cold meat, fish and shellfish.

This “Reinvented Remoulade” created by Gabriel Rucker, chef at Portland, Oregon’s Little Bird, is lighter and used as a dressing over a celery-root salad.

Dressing:

2 TBL mayonnaise
2 TBL minced scallion

2 dashes Tabasco

1 ½ tsp whole-grain mustard

2 tsp dry white wine

1 ½ TBL fresh lemon juice

Pinch of celery seeds

Veggies:

½ pound celery root – peeled and halved

1 medium carrot

¼ cup very thinly sliced red onion

1 celery rib, very thinly sliced on a diagonal

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium bowl whisk together the dressing.

Using a mandolin, slice the celery root and carrots paper-thin. Finely julienne the celery root and carrot slices. Add the celery root, carrots, onion, and celery to the dressing and toss.

Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Bon Appetite!

Day 30: Standing

Not much for you today...no great recipes or funny stories...just a day when I was back on task eating food that will get me to my goal.

So thinking about my goal, here is my wife and I with our son at his Homecoming picturefest this past weekend. He is part of the reason I have the goal to keep in shape and get to 12%. My hope is that one day I can stand (not sit or be lying down) with my grandson at his Homecoming picturefest!

That's all folks!

PHASE TWO (day 29) With The Beach In Mind

After a completely enjoyable Saturday that started with the Juicy-O breakfast love fest and ending with a Whiskey River BBQ burger and sweat potato fries at Red Robin for dinner followed by pecan pie and some ice cream with peanut butter for my evening treat, I was ready to get back on the wagon today and start another day on the diet!

Katherine and I toast my 1% loss.

So it was back to eggs, sausage, and beans for breakfast - chicken, broccoli, and salad for lunch - and more of the same for dinner. I've felt full all day and haven't had many cravings for sweets. Of course there weren't any tempting treats around the house as I made sure I had finished them all up last night!

This morning the scale said I'd gained 1 or 2 pounds and that is cool...I know that will drop. Knowing that this diet is working to reduce the percent of body fat is great so I'm signed up for another month and will test again. If I keep this up at this rate I'll be at my 12 percent goal by the end of January. And if I do hit that goal it means that when Deanna and I go to the beach in February I'll be feeling pretty good about getting into my bathing suit and going for a jog on the beach!



Day TWENTY-EIGHT: Celebrate good times, come on!

It was truly a celebration today!!! But before we get to HOW we celebrated, we need to do a little review of what got us started and how far we've come!

On August 27, 2011 I stepped into the Bod Pod. This piece of equipment measures very accurately the percentage of fat and lean content in your body. At that time I was 17.2% body fat and set a crazy, impossible, never before reached in human history goal: get to 12% !!!

Over the last four weeks I have been eating proteins, beans, and veg tables and eliminating flours, sugars, and dairy. I ate strictly on this diet for six days and then on the seventh day I would "cheat" and have my "Diet Gone Wild" day. If you've been reading my blog then you've seen those days and been green with envy!

So the jury was out on how this diet would work...I saw some weight loss, but not as much as I thought I would. I did loose some, but gained on the weekend...I kept saying that the REAL test would be the second bod pod test which was TODAY! My hope was that after four weeks I would loose at least 1% of body fat.

So at 8:00 am this morning I met Don and Chad and we had our second round of Bod Pod and measurements, so.........drum roll please...............here are the results:

	August  27	September 24	LOSS
weight	172 lbs	166 lbs	6 pounds
waist	37"	35"	2 inches
% fat	17.2%	16.3%	0.9%

I was really excited to hear the tech say 16.3%!!! (Ignoring the .01%) I hit my desire of dropping 1%...definitely I'm moving in the right direction and will continue with this diet!

OK, so to the CELEBRATION part of the day! After the time in the lab, the three of us headed to Juicy-O for breakfast. Let me tell you, any place that serves fresh made mini donuts for appetizers should be put on the greatest wonders of the world list!

We decided to order to our hearts content and share it all!

What is about to ensue is borderline food porn, so be prepared!

Red Velvet French Toast with Cream Cheese Icing, One Mammoth Cinnamon Roll drowning in Icing, two Pancakes the size of your head, Breakfast Sausage Sliders with hash browns, Avocado-Bacon-Cheese omelet with fried potatoes, and all washed down with endless coffee!

Don "the pusher" D. shows off one of his favorites.

Chad "the green lantern" K. thinks these will increase his speed and agility!

Three Amigos that work out together, diet together, and Eat together!

All amazingly happy and all with a sugar high!

Celebrating four weeks of discipline with complete abandon

..."it's a celebration"

Tommorw I'll reflect on what comes next...

Day TWENTY-SEVEN: Twas the Night Before

Twas the night before weigh in and all through the house, not a creature was stiring, not even my spouse.
The children, at the football game, way before bed, had visions of a Wheaton victory dancing in their head.
And Deanna in her fleece and I in my jeans had just watched Mao's Last Dancer and I was feeling the effect of a bean.

When out in the kitchen there rose such a clatter, I sprang from my swivel chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the counter I flew like a flash, ran into a chair, and knocked over the trash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear but mounds of grains, piles of sugars, and even cold beer!!!

Yes folks, the hallucinations are starting and I am now counting down the hours till my official four week weigh-in, bod pod, and measurements...and the celebration that will commence as soon as it is over!!!  I've been craving, really craving some sweets tonight!!! I need to get to bed so Christmas (read French Market, Juicy-Os, pecan pie, pizza) will get here sooner!

...and I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight, "Keep fighting the fight, it's almost night!"

Day TWENTY-SIX: Stuck

I feel like my body is stuck. I've been at the same weight for two weeks. I went up 2 pounds after the weekend but then took it off right away...but so far I haven't gotten lower than my Saturday morning weight. So I'm wondering what will happen this Saturday when we get tested again for our percentage of body fat! I know that my jeans are looser...I know that Scott told me tonight my face looked thinner...I know that there are some visible changes...

So I have to believe that the % number is lower than when I started. And in two days I'll find out! I've worked very hard at this experiment and learned a lot along the way! I'm anxious to find out if the theory works and if I'll keep at this or throw in the towel.

In the meanwhile I'm pressing on, eating my beans like a good boy and enjoying helping others learn more about eating differently and making other choices.



Day TWENTY-FIVE: It's Not So Hard

Question: If you were sitting in a room filled with eight people all eating fresh home made pecan pie with whipped cream and you were on a diet, would you cheat? Be honest...would that be hard for you?

If you asked me that question a few months ago I'd have to say that most likely I'd have to have just a little piece! But today was "Pie Day" and I found myself sitting there, happy to be with others, and not HAVING to have a piece. Now don't get me wrong - I made sure to get a piece that I've put away for Saturday's Diet Gone Wild day.

What I find interesting is that even though I love sweets...heavens, I'm the one who started the Pie Club...I can choose to not have any and be OK with it. I like not HAVING to eat something if I don't want to eat it (right then). Too often in the past I felt like I really wasn't choosing...it was like I had to live up to my self-professed title of "Sweets Lover."

Do I still love sweets?   YES!
Will I continue to eat sweets?   YES!
But...will I CHOOSE how much to eat of them and when?   YES!

It's not as hard as I thought.

Day TWENTY-FOUR: Happy Anniversary!

Today is my 25th wedding anniversary! So in honor of my wife who is NOT on this crazy diet I made one of her favorite breakfast foods, tea biscuits. So please be prepared for a very NON-DIET recipe that is about to follow!

This recipe is original with an old family friend, Nancy Glass, who contributed it to a church cookbook around the time we were getting married. We've used it often and tweaked it along the way. If the kids have anything to do with it we change out the raisins for chocolate chips. But Deanna likes these with raisins - so raisins ruled the day!

Heat oven to 450 degrees and get making your dough:

Sift:
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour
6 tsp baking powder

Add in:
1/2 cup sugar

Cut in:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup Crisco

Add:
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins

Knead lightly until dough comes together.
Roll out on a floured surface to 3/4 inch thickness.
Using your great-grandmothers biscuit cutter, cut the dough into approximately 24 biscuits.
Place on slightly greased trays.
Put in the middle and top racks of the oven and switch after 6 minutes to avoid burning bottoms or top!

Happy Anniversary Honey, I love you! You are still my Lady D.

Day TWENTY-THREE: Peppers

I've realized how much I've been using peppers in my cooking. Peppers as in the “bell” kind...green, red, yellow, orange...they're all good!

 

In four easy steps they are ready to use: 

1. Wash them
2. Slice them in quarters
3. Cut out the guts, then
4. Slice/dice/chop/Juliana/chunk them!

According to everynutrient.com:

 

Bell peppers are packed with several nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. Bell peppers also contain a large amount of phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity. Those phytochemicals include chlorogenic acid, zeaxanthin, and coumeric acid. When comparing the nutrient values of the different bell peppers, studies have shown that red bell peppers have significantly higher levels of nutrients than green. Red bell peppers also contain lycopene, which is a carotene that helps to protect against cancer and heart disease.  

 

Possibly due to their vitamin C and beta carotene content, bell peppers have been shown to be protective against cataracts. Just like other nutrient-dense vegetables, bell peppers contain many different powerful phytochemicals. Bell peppers have also been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes probably due to their content of substances such as vitamin C, capsaicin, and flavonoids. Although chili peppers contain a higher amount of those substances, bell peppers should still be promoted especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.

 

The bottom line is that you need to get yourself a pack of peppers and start using them in EVERYTHING you cook! You'll thank me...really.

 

Day TWENTY-TWO: Back On Track

It actually felt good to be back on track today. I know this routine now. I'm comfortable with the food choices and portion sizes. I've stopped worrying about getting every meal perfectly measured. As a result the day seems much easier and I'm obsessing less about what I eat.

The scale definitely recorded my splurges of yesterday...and that's OK. I went up about 3-4 pounds but I know that I'll loose that and some this week. And with this last week to go until we take our one month measurements I'm inspired to finish well.

Tonight I decided to make use of the vegetables I picked up at the French Market yesterday and make a ratatouille (ra-tuh-TOOE). Ratatouille is a french-Mediterranean vegetable stew that has eggplant at its base.

Now before you get all weird on me and say, “I hate eggplant,” let me tell you a little secret that makes all the difference in the world! When you cook with eggplant you need to sweat out the bitterness that is trapped inside. Pay attention and you too will learn the secrets of great cooking from chef John.

Dice 1 large eggplant and layer it with sprinkled salt in a shallow baking dish and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. This will pull out the bitterness so dump the zucchini into a colander and let the juices drain. Set aside.

Heat ½ cup olive oil in a heavy pot. Crush 8 cloves of garlic into the oil. Add 1 large chopped onion and 2 tsp salt, saute' over medium hear until onion begins to turn transparent. Add eggplant, 6 Tbs. red wine, and 1 cup tomato juice.

Stir add ¾ cup chopped fresh basil. Mix well and cover and simmer 15 minutes over a low heat. When the eggplant is tender add 1 large cubed zucchini, 1 large green bell pepper, and 1 large red bell pepper.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add 3 large tomatoes in chunks and 4 Tbs tomato paste. Mix well and continue to stew until the veggies are tender (I like my pepper and zucchini to be on the firmer side.)

I wish you could smell the kitchen!

Day TWENTY-ONE: A Not-Too-Wild Cheat Day

Despite the fact that my last cheat day's blog entry was the most read yet, I decided that a more reasoned approach to the day was in order. I've been encouraged by the direction I'm headed and don't want to undo all my hard work. I know I need to spike the caloric intake, and I know I've done that, but in a way I feel better about what I ate today.

My day started, as it did last week, in the French Market. I just can't seem to get enough of the crumb cake.

But instead of getting multiples of the delicious offerings at this bakery, I limited my selection to ONE piece. It was enough to enjoy with my coffee while sitting in the sun and chatting with the lady who told us about her therapy dogs. Deanna and I strolled the market and bought fresh veggies to make a ratatouille for this week.

Lunch took me back to Jack Straws where my taste buds were anxious for a second round of the Stallone Manburger and fries.  Dessert consisted of the chocolate cake that I had saved from yesterday.

Dinner was with my sweetheart at "The Bank" a local restaurant where my splurges included bread with cheese spread, potato soup, and risotto served with my Argentinian flank steak washed down with a Two Brothers ale.

So all in all, not lots of cheating, but I thoroughly enjoyed my day and was glad I was not feeling like I was being driven to fill every spare moment consumed with food consumption...I think that is a good thing. Oh, and there was that final piece of pecan bar and short bread spread with peanut butter. :-)

Day TWENTY: In Between

It's a Friday and I'm on the scale with the needle in the same spot as the last three days! I thought by now I'd have lost another pound. "Whatever" I say to myself, "this is not about weight...so get over it." I do.

I shower and get dressed...and then realize that my normal belt position feels loose...I go to the next hole in the belt and it is a bit tight. And it hits me - I'm "in between." That place where the belt really tells the true story of the diet. My body composition is changing after all. Damn the scale, praise the belt!

I happily move through the rest of the day with the assurance that all is well. Our company's bank springs for lunch and I successfully say "NO" to the Portillo's chocolate cake offered and stick to the Italian Beef and salad.

I cut myself a piece of the cake and decide that I'll have it on my cheat day which is around the corner!

Day NINETEEN: Falafel

Ever notice how foods you've never or rarely eaten all of a sudden become standard fare on a diet? That's the way it's been with falafel.

falafel ( fə-lä-fəl ) a spicy mixture of ground vegetables (as chick-peas or fava beans) formed into balls or patties and then fried

So the other day I'm talking to Mark who is also following this diet about the difficulty of cravings in the evening before sleep takes over. For him he's a night owl and has a much longer time to endure than me! Since I get up at 4:40 am I'm exhausted by 9:30 pm! But to the point...

I was looking for something that was "snack like" and something that I could "chew on" and something that wouldn't be too high in calorie or fat or carb. I also needed something that was quick and easy - no prep!

And falafel fits all these bills. My favorite way to have them is to serve a dollop of humus with it and treat it like chips and dip! A little red wine with this and I'm all set to satisfy my craving and to feed my metabolism before bed.

I had been talking to Mark about this and he decided to give it a try...unfortunately he missed that one little word on the packaging that said "mix"...yeah...not such a good idea to make your own at 10:30pm! Instead get to your local Costco and buy a package of  Falafel Republic. There are 32 pieces that will take care of you for two weeks!

Day EIGHTEEN: Trade Show Minefield

Big time panic yesterday when I realized that I was going to be at a trade show all day including an awards luncheon. Somehow security going through my legumes seemed like an invasion of privacy. I thought I’d just wing it and see how things played out.  What I had forgotten about was that at every trade show vendors entice attendees to their booths with a drug called SUGAR!!!

I successfully resisted the temptations of countless bowls of candy and made it to the lunch buffet unscathed. However as I started down the food line, guess what the first thing was that grabbed my attention? You have to understand my longstanding love affair with dessert. I normally scan the dessert cart FIRST and then eat lunch accordingly! It is not uncommon for our family to ask wait staff for the dessert menu before the dinner menu.

And it was all FREE…is there anything better than FREE DESSERT???!!! I quickly sent an SOS text to my fellow dieters and got this reply from Chad, “I love beans. Beans are my friend. ” Thanks Chad!

Despite the cold sweat I kept moving down the line…to the site of the most gorgeous Chicago Style deep dish gourmet pizzas! I thought that was the only lunch choice and wondered if I could pick off the sausage, tomatoes and scrape off the cheese and have a meager lunch.

Thankfully the low-carb lunch gods were smiling upon me and what came next was a great selection of cold veggies and salad! I grabbed a big plate! Following that was a tray of Italian Beef with onions and green peppers – DING, DING, DING – this was the clear winner! I gave myself a generous helping to hit my 30g protein portion.

The moral of the story? Any future trade shows necessitate a large breakfast, sugar fortitude, friends a text away, and careful buffet selections!

Day SEVENTEEN: Real Simple, really

Let's face it...when you're tired and hungry the easiest thing in the world is to open a bag of chips and start eating! So how can I accomplish that same simplicity with this diet?

The secret...are you ready for this...it's one word...PREPARATION.

With a little time investment on the weekend I can have food in Tupperware containers that are as easy to open as a bag of chips.

Case in point. Last night I got home from work and was uber hungry (as usual) but was not able to eat what the rest of the family was having. I went to the fridge and pulled out four Tupperware containers and started to scoop stuff out: tuna/bean salad, black bean balls with humus, yellow peppers on a bed of lettuce (Deanna did have that already done as part of the family dinner).

It took me a max of 59 seconds to do this...sometimes it takes longer to tear open one of those safety-sealed bags of chips!

Day SIXTEEN: The Importance of an Earnest Breakfast

Do you know how many people "don't have time for breakfast?" Apparently a lot (or is is alot Grace?). According to the Center for Research of Non-Breakfast Eaters, a new local agency, spokesperson Jackson says,

     "It is an outrage at how many people skip breakfast thinking they have no time! Or they claim that they've had breakfast only to find out they ate a piece of  toast and a cup of coffee! Or worse, people say they are trying to loose weight so they skip eating breakfast. Obviously there is much work to be done to help the American public (most other countries get this right) understand the importance of having a REAL breakfast."

And what is "real," you say? Well according to the 4-Hour body you need 25-30 grams of protein. For me that typically translates into 3 eggs and 2 sausage. Now before you get your cholesterol panties in a wad, you can use an egg substitute. I use Costco's Real Egg brand or Aldi's Fit and Active brand as well.

And for you "isn't sausage filled with fat?" group, I use the Bob Evans Lean Turkey Sausage with under 2.5 grams of fat per link.

Then there are two more food groups that need to be represented: beans and veggies. the beans will give you some more protein and carbs...but low carbs...and carbs that are "clean" and will burn well. The veggies are a no-holds barred food group. They can fill you up and not add calories and fat, and are very low in carbs.

And remember...Zucchini Bread does NOT count for a vegetable! But thanks for trying Anne!

Day FIFTEEN: Back At It

Let's be honest, yesterday's post was what most people on diets dream of doing but never have the nerve to do and think they will have any chance of loosing weight. To be really honest, I wonder as well. By the end of the day the scale said I was up four pounds from the morning. It's not really a good measure, but when you're on a diet you like numbers that go DOWN!

I keep reminding myself this is an experiment, so I'm cool with it and pressing on in this great experiment. Sooooooo.........Sunday morning I was back to good protein and beans and veggies for breakfast-lunch-dinner-snack.

Sunday was also my prep day for the week, so it was all chopping in the kitchen. By popular demand I made the Bacon-Slaw (see earlier posting for the recipe). I also made a new cold broccoli salad. The recipe is one we've done countless times over our 25 years of marriage, but without the cheese, raisins, and sugar...I'm afraid it may also be without the taste....we'll see. And finally I made (well, I started - note the green peppers - and Deanna finished) a chili that is out of this world. I'd share the recipe, but my sister made me swear on our grandmothers grave I would not share with ANYONE outside our family!!!

My compatriots were also doing some cooking and will be sharing this week. I've heard rumors of more dal, beans, and chicken...I think we'll be well supplied! I'm just finishing up last weeks sharing frenzy!

Day FOURTEEN: I Heart Cheat Days

WARNING THIS POST MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE ON RESTRICTIVE DIETS THAT DO NOT ALLOW CHEATING!!!

OK, if you're still reading than we'll assume you are prepared for the veritable cheating buffet of which I partook...wait a second...it's 11:27pm and need to get a piece of blueberry pie and ice cream...be back in a minute.

Before launching into this day I was sure to get a good dose of protein under my belt with eggs and turkey sausage. But then it was straight to the French Market (an outdoor food frenzy in my hometown) for some items to help me spike my caloric intake.

Let's just say that the French have served us well in the food category! Now less you think I ate everything in this picture, let me set you straight...I left a few donuts for the boys.

The temperature was on the rise and I had just finished posting Pride in Preservation signs and was ready for something cold and fruity...I had Jamba in mind, but I was running late for Ben's soccer game and McD's was a faster choice so I grabbed a strawberry-banana smoothie. Not bad considering the source!

By the time the game ended at 1:00, my danish frenzy had worn off and I was hungry and ready for lunch...I was thinking burger and fries would fit my craving. As we passed Jack Straws I knew this was the place!

They call it the MANBURGER (sorry Julie, I know that you could eat it too)...more specifically, this is the Stallone Manburger with two patties, cheese, grilled onions, bacon, hot peppers,and  marinara sauce! Oh my, so good, and so big I even shared some with Deanna. The fries that accompanied it were out of this world!!!

It was a good thing after lunch Deanna went into "let's rearrange the 200 year old heavy mahogany furniture in our bedroom" mode. I needed something to burn some of these calories I was consuming! But wait...the day is quickly passing and I'm running out of time to be bad...better call Don and Julie...

5:00 was the time we decided that some beer and appetizers were in order. A Cheddar Bacon dip with white flour french bread toasted to perfection were a nice accompaniment to two hand selected brews from the cold regions of Don's garage fridge!

Are you full yet? I'm not...dinner was on it's way and I knew that Deanna had a special one planned for me! Steak on the grill, backed potato with sour cream and cheese, corn on the cob and iced tea!

That was one yummy meal, and not really that "bad" if you cut the potato...and the ice tea....and the butter on the corn...oh and the Green Fin...

But the main event was yet to happen. When I walked into the kitchen, what should my wondering eyes behold, but a beautiful blueberry pie and aroma to match!

For those of you that have blessed enough to have one of Deann's homemade pies, you know that goodness was awaiting me! OK, I'll give you a hint:

But before I could get my hands on this I had some work to do and settled into my comfy chair with laptop and burned up some calories working the keyboard...and the text on my phone that kept interrupting me...what? again? "Chad, why are you inviting me over to you house for CAKE??? It's 9:00 already...what? it's for your daughter's birthday and your wife, a Cordon Blue Chef, made a lemon poppy seed cake? OK, I can support you my friend...be right over..."

Happy Birthday Sophie...

and Happy Diet Gone Wild day to me!!!