Beans, Beans and More Beans

Beans, Protein and also a bit of Gas

I have been on a diet now since April, 2009. I weighed in at 266 pounds and decided that if I ever wanted to see my Willy again, I better lose some fat. You can only tell your lover to push back the fat for so long. Then they just give you that LOOK, you know the one!  I needed a sensible diet that would allow me to eat enough to make sure I wasn't starving all the time and still get the protein I needed without fat content. So I settled on beans as my main source of food. I had in past times gone through Weight Watchers diets, Lindora Diet Hell (no Carbs! That is my Hell) and other faddish nonsense.  This time I decided to devise a regimen that I could stick with. It didn't have to include outlandish expectations. Why try to fool myself into believing it could be done in a few short months. I mean WTF, it took me years to put it on, if it takes a few years to get it back off than hey, such is life! I have been very diligent in my quest though, so now I can say that the Wii Fit no longer says " That's Obese! " when I take my body test. It only tells me that I am overweight. Yeah sure, my bod hasn't seen 165 ( my ideal weight) since I was 16. It most likely never will again. The only way that could happen would be if I got some incurable disease that just wasted me away. But for now, I just want to fit back into my semi fat clothing. And it is working for me. Sensible portions of beans, rice, seafood, low fat beef and pork, chicken, turkey, and of course lot's of veggies. Added in the mix are generous doses of Tequila and Wine to round out my new diet experience. Breakfast consists of Kashi and bananas with raspberry's, blueberries, blackberry's and dried cranberries. Top it with 2% milk for the calcium. For me it's important to have that first good meal of oxidants, potassium and carbohydrates. This helps keep my system charged.  So I might overdo on the odd weekend. I expect to see some gain. Can I take it back off by Thursday? Yes, it can be done. Decide not to exercise? You get wrinkles and flappy skin where the fat used to be and it takes forever to lose even a pound. Walking, cycling, whatever, just DO something! So I do what I can when I can.

I will be posting some bean recipes in the next few days or weeks. I hope they can help you take the plunge. Or at least help in your never ending quest. It's a lifelong challenge, so as Tim Allen in Galaxy Quest says, 

" Never give up!  Never surrender! " 

Oh, by the way, if lot's of farts are too much for you, get some Beano or GasX. Personally, I like to give them descriptive names. Like Butt Flapper, Wet Rhoid or Donald Duck. Even the occasional Wookie  can be heard. But when my brother in law Rex hears one of mine, he only laughs and says "That's just not right".

WP
221 and counting down

Chimayo Returns

Chimayo at the Beach Returns!

We were greatly disappointed last year when Chimayo was replaced by a Savannah Restaurant. We always enjoyed watching the sunset and having Mango Martinis with a really good appetizer. But now we find it has come back! Good times! Plus the menu and drinks are back to what they used to be. When it switched over to being a Savannah, the drinks got smaller in size, the menu got funky and the service went, well  ....  let's just say it wasn't as good. But we found ourselves there on Sunday and saw that it has reverted back to Chimayo! We're doing our Happy Dance again! And how we love to dance!

They are doing an October Lobsterfest similar to the one at The Longboard,  but the prices are a bit higher and the Lob-monsters are one per serving. The good news for those that don't want to get messy hands is that everything is shelled and ready to eat with a fork.

They also have an expanded menu for other Lobster related dishes. There's Mac & Cheese Lobster, Lobster Tacos, Lobster Fritters, Lobster Risotto, Lobster Salad and a few Lobster combination plates too. The drinks are a decent price at Happy Hour during the week and you get to watch the sun set. The best place for us to sit is at the bar because the barmen are entertaining and interesting to chat with. And from the bar, the sunset view is awesome. It almost feels like the end of a day in Maui.

If you go, the restaurant is on the beach level, right at the beginning of the pier. Friday and Saturday evenings you may need a reservation, but call them to be sure. Or just do as we do, go Sunday evening during the off season and enjoy the smaller crowd.

WP

Lobsterfest ! ! ! !

 Katrina says  " I'm cold, can we go in now!"

I have a deep love of Seafood! So this type of Festival puts me in my best of moods. There are other venues to go to for the Lob-monster of the Seas, but this one brings it home for me at a price that makes me smile from ear to ear! This is where a couple can Hob Nob with the Lob, have two glasses of wine apiece and still make the waitress smile about her tip for under a hundred bucks. The price has gone up this year, (go figure) but it is still a great deal. Nowhere else have I seen TWO Lob-monsters on the menu for these prices. 

Plus there's the added value for me that it's a mile from where we live. The monsters were excellent. We now know to go early in the day, ( around 4 to 5 o'clock) so that the Lob's were not sitting in the hot water too long. Timing is everything, too far after the rush means you get Lobs that have cooked too much. Get there just as it begins and the Monsters are fresh in the pot. Ours were cooked just right.  Tender and sweet, not overcooked.

We had a great meal at a decent price at a friendly place close to home. I could not ask for more. 

WP

 

OK then, I was going to put together a recipe for Stuffed Patty Pan Squash. Stupid me, the season has passed. What I can see of them in the markets makes me realize that the ones left are end of season or those that have sat in some bin for awhile. I like my veggies fresh.  So this recipe will need to wait until I can do it justice. But I will make it. Because I think I have the right Twyst to make it snap in your mouth!

Next post:

Chimayo!

A Very Busy Saturday!

Today was chock full of back straining chores. We awoke early, well 8:00 o'clock was early for me! Then just had time to do my body test on the Wii (down another pound!), eat and then start the process of putting the patio back together after the painters had finished. We have a lot of plants and artwork out there that needs to be placed just right to maintain the correct Feng Shui. Plus you just can't just reset everything. It needs to be cleaned. The hot tub has to be prepared  with a fresh coat of interior gloss, filled, and then retreated with the right mix of chemicals.  The slate has to be sealed. The plant stands need refurbishing. The pot feet need washing. The windows onto the patio need to be cleaned after all the power-washing that the painters did. Also, since you have the class cleaner out the rest of the glass surfaces downstairs need to be cleaned.  And since the water overflowed at the filtered water spigot and it seeped into the lower cabinet, that has to be cleaned out too. Oh and by the way, since everything is out of the cabinet now, shouldn't I change the water filters while I have the opportunity? Then the paint smears on everything need to be cleaned up with Goof Off. The electrical cords need to be hot glued back in place so the lighting works again. The garage where everything has been stored this week needed to be swept and cleaned up. Then it all has to be re-arranged so that it looks like our normal patio world. Once that was done and the Hummingbird feeders were cleaned, filled and reinstalled we actually even had to take time for dinner. Since I went on a weight loss regimen, my mantra has been don't eat after 5 o'clock. but it was 8 pm by the time we finished and were able to sit down for a wonderful meal of Fillet Mignon, Baked Potato, Grilled Asparagus and Crystal & Cardamon Shrimp. Of course we just had to pair this dinner with a vintage bottle of Raymond Cabernet. I won't be looking at a scale in the morning and that's fer sure!

We had an invite to go to a friends house for a Renstock Tie Dye and Poker party, but by the time we were done eating this fabulous meal we fell into a food coma and had no energy left to give for anything except turning on the TV and putting in an old favorite DVD, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Got to get prepped to go see Spamalot again when it rolls into the Performing Arts Center on the 18th of this month. We saw the show on Broadway in New York a few years ago and it will be interesting to see how much, if any, that it has changed. 

Tomorrow is another chore day. But somehow I have to find the time to try out my recipe idea for the stuffed patty pan squash! Oh well, I just may need to get up before 10 am again. Or not. At least I have Lobsterfest at the Longboard to look forward to! 

WP

Weekend Preview

Another weekend is here. Whatever should I make now? I think it's time to feed my body with some Fillet Mignon and some really interesting veggies. I did at one time promise Linda ( of Linda & Oz  fame ) that I would rethink her stuffed Patty Pan  squash recipe. It has been percolating in my mind a bit and I have a glimmer of an idea as to what will work. So hold the anticipatory breath and by Sunday I just may have a new recipe to publish. 

Oh yeah,  Sunday evening Katrina and I hope to spend some quality time at The Longboard  on Main Street and dive in to some serious Lobsterfest. This is an annual event that runs from the 3rd week in September  to about the  first week of November. 2 one pound lobsters, corn on the cob, new potatoes  ......  21 dollars and change. Split a plate for a few dollars more.  We will let you know how that works out this Sunday too. but as for the Patty Pan's, I sure hope you like spicy!

By the way, if you have a favorite dish that could use a Twyst, send me a line via email. I am always looking for new things to make!

WP

As Fate would have it, I get to love and laugh with my soul mate, Sweet Lady Katrina.