tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35297630240134447912024-02-19T22:54:29.234-08:00The Bipolar PaleoMrs. Hillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640975141754689012noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529763024013444791.post-74867710288819257692014-10-28T07:16:00.000-07:002014-10-28T14:00:40.547-07:00Progress Report, and a Recipe...<p>The scales are down 3 pounds...hooray! Weight or water loss, whatever, I'll take it. As the old comic strip character Cathy used to say "If you lose weight it's fat; if you gain weight, it's water." Makes sense to me.</p>
<p>My blood sugars are also much better already--the highest in almost a week has 120, so that's great. Believe me, there was room for improvement. Before resigning from my job, my A1C was 5.9 (7 and below is normal). When I went back to the doctor a week ago, it was up to 8.9. I blame no one but myself--I let the grieving process of not being able to find and job and the final resignation the I just wasn't healthy enough to work put me into such a tailspin that all I did was eat, sleep and wallow in my depression. I had also gained back the 20 pounds I had lost. But enough of that </p>
<p>Time for a recipe, friends--I made this last night, and while it was not as Paleo as it should have been, the hubby loves rice. I will include Paleo options where I can. Still, it was pretty low carb, delicious and spicy, but not too spicy.</p>
<p>Chicken with Poblano Sauce</p>
<p>6 large chicken thighs, skin removed</p>
<p>1 large onion, quartered</p>
<p>4 cloves of garlic, peeled</p>
<p>5 cups of chicken stock, maybe 6 depending on size of skillet (see note in directions)</p>
<p>2 poblano peppers, skins charred (I placed mine under the oven broiler until the skins blistered and turned a little black), stems and seeds removed (for an even milder spice level, substitute 1 poblano with a green bell pepper)</p>
<p>1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped</p>
<p>2 medium CORN tortillas, lightly toasted to bring out toasted corn flavor (just lightly--you still want them to be soft)</p>
<p>Steamed brown rice or steamed cabbage as accompaniment (use cabbage for more Paleo option)</p>
<p>Crumbled queso fresco to taste (Mexican crumbling cheese), for garnish
<p>Place chicken thighs (thick side down), onion, and garlic in a deep skillet. Add chicken broth, enough to cover the chicken (you may need more than 5 cups). Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn to medium low and simmer uncovered for one hour, or until chicken is completely cooked and tender</p>
<p>When the chicken is cooked, removed with tongs from skillet, reserving
poaching liquid. In a blender or food processor, combine poaching liquid including the onion and garlic, poblano peppers, cilantro, and toasted tortillas torn into pieces. Blend/process on high until thick and smooth.</p>
<p>Pour sauce back into the skillet and bring to a boil. Add chicken pieces back in, coating with sauce. Turn down to a simmer, and let simmer for 5-7 minutes</p>
<p>Serve chicken on bed of brown rice or steamed cabbage topped with sauce and sprinkled with a bit of queso fresco.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy it, and I'll talk to you soon. Take care!</p>Mrs. Hillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640975141754689012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529763024013444791.post-50982666962433871142014-10-21T06:54:00.001-07:002014-10-21T06:54:59.816-07:00So Which Elephant Do We Talk About First?<p>Thank God we're putting this blog out on the cloud; we need a pretty big space for all the elephants in the room. I guess I'll start with the one that is the most obvious: I'm fat. I'm not talking lose 10 pounds to get into that dress. I'm not talking lose 50 pounds to become healthier. I'm talking FAT. Like I need to lose a whole person fat.</p>
<p>How much do I weigh? Well, that's none of your damn business. Let's say I can fit in most chairs, and doorways aren't an issue (except when we visited a house built by Frank Lloyd Wright, and be believed in building doorways for people of small stature). I occasionally have issues with restaurant booths and turnstiles, and I haven't been on an amusement park ride in so long I can't even remember. BUT I still get around on my own, don't use a scooter in the grocery store, and am able to leave the house (physically, anyway--there are other reasons I can't, but that's another elephant).</p>
<p>My husband (yes, I have a husband and yes, I was fat when he married me) says I carry my weight well and I don't look like I weigh as much as I do. May every woman have a man as sweet as mine in her life. He's loving, encouraging, thoughtful, and never plays the "Food Police" when I lose it and go off my eating plan. I hate people who think they have to "help you" by reminding you "you're not supposed to have that."</p>
<p>Reminds me of when I was in kindergarten, and the school was having a bake sale. My mama had left a quarter for me to get something before she left for work and my Ma-Maw (her mama) put it in my pocket and said "It's enough to buy something yummy, honey." I was already chunky by then--the origins of the chunkiness will be another entry.</p>
<p>So Ma-Maw and I walked to school and I had my day of class. When it came time to go to the playground, the baked goods were all lined up on a table--cookies, brownies, and cupcakes baked in empty ice cream cones and frosted pink. Those cupcake "ice creams" were so pretty I had to have one. I pulled out my quarter and paid for it proudly.</p>
<p>Then I saw Mrs. McIntyre, my teacher, walking up to me, smiling sweetly, not a single brunette hair out of place. I decided before she reached me that I would give my "ice cream" cupcake to her.</p>
<p>Mrs. McIntyre put her hand on my shoulder, leaned down, and softly said, "Charlotte, do you really need to be eating that?"</p>
<p>I couldn't form the words to tell her that I was going to give the treat to her. My five-year-old heart didn't know how to explain that I looked up to her and loved her because until that moment, she was the only one in the whole school who had not seemed to notice I was fat. All I could do was stand there and hold back the tears.</p>
<p>She patted me and kept on walking. I turned and walked to the nearest trash can, and threw the cake away.</p>
<p>But I digress; if you stick around, you're going to find I do that a lot.</p>
<p>So here's the skinny (pun intended): I'm fat, have been since age 3, and I think I finally at age 49 found the way to lose weight and feel better--a Paleo eating plan. I was on it for a month and lost 22 pounds. I also had to take almost no insulin during that time. Then depression hit (Look! There's another elephant!) and I stopped eating paleo, so I gained all the weight back and screwed my sugars up. Now I'm back on track again with protein, eggs, vegetables, and fruits.</p>
<p>By the way, I welcome comments, but please don't throw stones. If you have the immature audacity to do some fat-bashing, it will just get deleted. If that's all you have to do with your time, you need a hobby.</p>
Mrs. Hillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640975141754689012noreply@blogger.com0