I’ve been busy. This weekend I started building my design website. Just about finished up designing my sisters wedding invites. And dreamed up a new cookie recipe (coming later this week). Productivity never felt so good. The last couple months I’ve had a dark cloud looming over my head. A to-do list a mile long. It’s dibilitating. But I’ve decided to put one foot in front of the other. Chip away little by little. And plan zero social outings on the weekends. Soon enough things will get back to normal. Right?
Food Journey Part 1: Food Matters.
Food Journey Part 2: Overeating.
Food Journey Part 3: Weight Watchers.
Food Journey Part 4: Restricted Calories. I overate. All the wrong things. And then joined my mom in a game of Weight Watchers to counteract the overeating. I still ate all the wrong things but my awareness of what I was putting in my mouth heightened. Insert sophomore year of college. I had just come off my second big knee surgery. A year long recovery filled with too much inactivity compared to my soccer playing days. Resulting in two pant sizes larger on a 5-foot frame. A sure recipe for disaster. My spirits were low. I’d lost my identity as a soccer player. My stamina. And my ability to control my weight (or try). I can remember tearfully telling my dad this on a trip home. In an effort to help—he asked if I wanted to see a nutritionist. Alas, my suspicions were confirmed. The mirrors at school looked just like the mirrors at home. I’m not good at asking for help, so I became my own nutritionist. I restricted my calories. Switched to whole wheat and brown rice. Sugar-Free and Low Fat became my mantra. And fast food was out of the question. I worked out every day, scarily, sometimes twice. I was strict. And anal. For almost three years. But I lost weight, and eventually found myself in pants smaller than high school’s leftover denim. It wasn’t fast, overnight, or always healthy. But it was a change. One that was still in the process of changing…
I managed to squeeze this little ditty in—Sesame Orange Bowl. Making time for fun in the midst of the to-do list is keeping me sane right now. My form of fun—cooking and working out. I’m super cool like that. For the full recipe, visit Dominca at Wine Food Love. To see what the other FMPers did, click here. I made a couple modifications to this recipe. I used 8 ounces of bean sprouts (instead of 16) and added 8 ounces of thinly sliced red peppers (about a pepper and a half), plus a clove of minced garlic. When visualizing this recipe in my head, it needed a touch of color. I used the zest of one orange (two seemed like over kill). And served it over a bowl of brown rice. The sauce is rather thin, which we didn’t mind. However, if you prefer a thicker sauce, add one tablespoon of cornstarch at the end. Fresh, citrusy, light. I recommend once again!
I really love reading your food journey every week. That’s a topic I have not broached on my blog yet. I was out of town all weekend and wasn’t sure if I wanted to try turning the FMP recipe into a vegetarian one, so I didn’t. Yours looks great!
Can you please channel some of your productivity this way? I feel the same way you have felt and I’m hoping that with spring break in a week I can be uber productive!
Your dish looks great!
what a great foof journey you’re on…i think we all have had moments in life where we were (or are) just eating badly. the little changes help a lot, and most of the time, taste better too. beautiful rice bowl!
My to-do list seems never-ending lately. Sometimes it feels so daunting that I procrastinate and end up in the kitchen rather than marking things off the list… Love reading your honest posts about your food journey. And your right, this week’s recipe is delicious!
This looks incredible. Amazing flavors and beautiful photos!
Looks beautiful! Like you I added red pepper for a pop of color. I love your photography–what kind of camera do you use?
Teach me how to be productive… I only want to be productive when it comes to things I don’t need to do, as a distraction from what really needs to be done. Beautiful pictures!
Love the colors!
Wow! Of the first few achievements on that to-do list are anything to go by, it must be a massive list!!! I’m loving your photos and descriptions as always
Gorgeous! Love the addition of color you made. Whenever I cook I always find myself thinking what would make this more colorful and visually pleasing. Good to know I’m not alone in that.
First of all congrats on the business! Second, thanks for being so candid – I appreciate your honestly about your food journey.
Third, your dish looks fantastic!
Not overeating is so hard right? This dish looks great and can’t wait for the cookie recipe to come!!
Another lovely dish! And thanks for all your honesty. It’s very encouraging. Gaining/losing/gaining weight has always been a struggle.
your photos are gorgeous! it looks so good that i want to devour it!
Congrats on the new site! Thanks for sharing your food journey with us! Love this dish!
colours are amazing…
Your photography always just makes me so…inspired!
Love to join you in your food journey…Such a good read too. =)
I’m finding it’s getting harder and harder to lose weight – especially after 2 kids. But this makes losing weight look easy – as long as I can eat this!!
Hi! I’ve recently discovered (and fallen for) your blog! Thank you for your lovely recipes and talking about your Journey to a Healthier Life. I struggle with overeating and reading your posts, has both comforted and inspired me. Thank you! Keep Cookin’
xoxo