I need a salad, salad. Salad is what need.
Ha - I am starting a post meant to be a brief prep-intro to a longer theme post in the hopper, so now I am posting THIS food post instead, first. Yes. This is a food post. Yay! Food! Post!
A funny food post! - eh
So, like, what have I been doing food-wise, in general? (If I had an eating franchise, I would Call it, "FoodWise." And I would be General FoodWise).
Let's see - I found that my remaining cukes and zukes are still in good shape, so I have put off making the relish. (The relish was actually my first project on the list(!))!(
Do I look good in this tie?: )!(
I also found that all my baby carrots* are still fresh and decent!
[Skip this relatively boring paragraph]: I took the large container of doggie rice+beef out of the freezer. This allowed me to insert an identical-sized container of the new potato chowder. (I also removed two containers of frozen water, which were used to cool doggie water in the hot summers). This allowed me to insert another medium container of chowder. (Before I did this, I added some newly-acquired paprika). If I get rid of the large-yogurt-sized container of gravy, which contains a small amount of wheat, I should be able to store all I need to store for now. That would be: A large amount of (Yet-to-be-) blanched baby carrots, a little remaining chicken bits (presently suspended due to inclement weather in my dog's gut), and most of the stir-fry, which I am going refresh today, by re-frying, and also add peanuts and green peppeh!!!
(Today, I refreshed the remaining doggie chicken, (soon to be depositted in my freezer account), by prolonged boiling, and decided I can make gf chicken noodle soup with it, which will compete for freshness with potato chowder in my fridge).
Two days ago, on Wednesday, I made a salad* which turned out just amazing, (so, this is when I decided I must do a food post). Said salad had: Dark Iceburg lettuce, mushrooms*, green pep, onion, a few baby carrots* waaaa, tomato slices, and garden cuke slices. The amazing thing was in the sauce. Here's what I did. I sprinkled a generous amount of garlic* powder on the salad, plus other spices, including salt, and a little black peppeh. Then a little healthy oil. Also, a little apple-cider vinegar*. Also, a little of the bland, not-so-healthy ranch dressing I need to get rid of. Then came the topper: My creamy yogurt-milk! Toss about and turn in sheets, and, voilin! ... But wait!
There was a little something more. Yes, the fresh cuke slices were awesome. But it was what was in the yogurt*-milk that converted me into a salad vampire.
You see, my most recent construction of my yogurt*-milk was a mistake - which turned out great! Usually, I mix plain cream-topped organic yogurt with a half-gallon of milk, then add water, to bring it to two half-gallon containers of so-called yogurt-milk, the richest kind. You're soaking in it. I've fallen and I can't get up. Oh lord. Burglars think someone is at home. We can help you STOP-IT!
This time, however, I accidentally bought "Banilla"-flavoured smooth organic yogurt, which of course was laced with a lot of healthy, "organic cane sugar"(!) (Sugars are tragic for me, dabetics, and people with Alzheimers-type brain probs - as well as for people with fungal infections and cancer). BUHnilla!!??? Me no want bahnilla! So, I cursed: "God ZILLA!"
What did I do? On the last remaining day of fair warmness, I mixed the yogurt, milk and water, as usual - and then let them sit out in darkness for perhaps 16 hours or something. This really worked. The liquidity of the yogurt helped sppread the yogurt cultures, which turned the milk to yogurt, and also worked on the SUGAR in the yogurt, as I had hoped. I do have experience making yogurt, and such, but there is always the chance temps or time or the mixture could lead to something other than yogurt.
Well, so, I ended up with two 1/2 gallon containers of banana-vanilla-flavoured yogurt. There was still some remaining sugary sweetness - but this was eventually deposed while en-Frigidaire. The interesting thing is that their banana flavouring still tasted like sweet banana even when the sugars waned. As a gastronomological idiot-savant, I found this amazing. Now, my yogurt milk not only tastes like BANILLA, I could add a lot more water and still end up with something that drinks down like milk, burp. That is very smart shopping indeed, customers!
BANILLA was the answer! Flavouring the ranchy, highly-garlic sauce with a little hint of BANILLA made the salad taste out of this world! So I threw it up in the air and it floated away with the solar flare.
Really - some flavour sensations are created. Others run over you like a truck and you keep asking for more. Man - what a great salad. So, as usual, I saved a third of it and ate it the next day, for healthy reasons.
On that same day, I got rid of my large 1/2 of a cooked russet potato, which was turning a little dark, but was still useful. How did I dare eat it? I cut it into slices and fried it up, with a tiny bit of strong sardines: Fish and chips! - topped by the home-made ketchup which is now famous across LiveJournal. This was absolutely delicious! Eating it actually made me happy!! Like, for a moment or two, I enjoyed my existence. And then my penis fell off again.
I dared eat this fried, high-carb meal, despite my dementia, which is accelerated by oil aldehydes and by fast carbs, because I also took: BS, garlic, vitamin A (no E or C around), turmeric, fish oil, and plus: I had the salad earlier. So, awesome! One factor, not to be discounted, is that it made the whole place smell like french fries - a comfort food smell.
I am still trying to push back the dementia/ etc., which has been around 3 weeks or so, and am keeping my head above water.
One reason I am treading water, instead of dying, is because I finally got some TURMERIC! Another reason is that I got a new prescript/ refill of a drug which reduces some of my stress by blocking DHT. Another reason: More sleep. Another reason: A new refill of my "Synthroid" (for low thyroid). And, finally, I am also DRINKING COFFEE* - !
Just like turmeric*, or straight (not gay) dark chocolate*, or sleep*, coffee* helps fight dementia plaque, or related! It is very high in anti-oxidants. It can help regulate the bowel cycle, which can do wonders against fatigue. This is probably due to a combination of the caffeine and the acidity.
There are some problems with coffee, however. For one thing, the acidity can be very bad for the inner beings of people with illnesses, and so should be checked by BS, possibly milk, etc. This irritation, if allowed to go on, can contribute to IBS, diminish digestion and nutrient-uptake, and cause unwanted expressions of scatological art. (You might want to check your lease).
(Please note that casein in milk can be similar to gluten in the problems it causes in people with illnesses, especially chronic).
Caffeine, like its nemesis-cousin, alcohol, dehydrates. If your brain, (and/or blood), is already dehydrating due to immunological activity, you might want to consider putting off coffee for easier times, when stressful surprise-events are less likely.
While caffeine can increase calls' need to gobble up nutrients, the dehydration simultaneously depletes nutrients. I believe that increased neuronal activity can thus burn away myelin sheaths faster than it is restores, at least in some illnesses. That is why I feel it is good for me to take extra fish oil, or avocado, walnuts, etc.
Another coffee problem is that caffeine can raise BP and so block one's daily progression of (brain-) stress-resolution. Caffeine similarly sets the heart on a faster rythm - which, if the blood is pumping wrongfully, will only exacerbate stress, anxiety, fatigue or illness.
Caffeine will also interfere with sleep, sleep-cycles, sleep-depth, and so dreaming, and so the feeling of being refreshed in the morning, such as it may be. So, presumably, the caffeine can work against the clearing of twisted brain proteins which each of us must do every night.
Therefore, I have been drinking de-caf, (freeze-dried). You're soaking in it. - Except that I think I mistakenly bought caffeinated a while back. But now:
I am actually drinking percolated coffee! It is 2/3 decaf, (from the store), and 1/3 caffeinated, (from a food pantry). I am smelling up the house with the richest kind! And that's a nice reflection on me! He'll think you're wearing nothing at all! You're in good hands with Allstate!
I've had my large coffee percolator here, but haven't used it. I also have a small travel percolator, and other damned contraptions, as if the only thing to do when you travel is to drink coffee and repeat TV commercial slogans.
But, it is so great to be drinking coffee like a real gorilla. And, I have PEANUTS! Stop laughing. They were bigger before the drugs.
I've had two large mugs - my limit, which will require resort to melatonin tonight. Even decaf has some caffeine. It maybe take me several months, in the right conditions, but I CAN build up some tolerance and appreciation for a little caffeine, and then, somehow, society goes crazy, bonkers, a la, "the cafe saga," (see tags). It's rainy outside and I may as well be in Seattle. Duede.
People don't like me when I am awake.
What I'm doing is brewing a new pot of very strong coffee per day, with little added things here and there, like: BS, Cinnamon, a drop or two of peppermint, of clove, etc. I am storing the used grounds in the fridge, and using reusing them every time I make a new pot = 3/5ths new grounds, and 2/5ths old grounds. That not only saves money, (and weakens the intense coffee), it should be reducing the caffeinated-to-decaf ratio down to about 3/1. (3/4ths to 1/4ths).
So, I am pouring these new pots of coffee into a large container in my fridge, so I can simply boil a cup whenever, instead of going through the whole sadistic percolation ritual each time.
I realise that coffee goes stale after it has been in the fridge for a day. But, I think it's still better than decaf. I don't mind. I am more concerned with chemicals leaching off the plastic container and making me a Halloween costume I never asked for.
If any of you knows how to slow the stalification of stored coffee, please step forth and shout it out from the highest mountaintop as if you were selling cough drops. Sancyou.
Coffee and me, we go way back. I do excellent thinking and writing on coffee. But, the CFS/ missing brain has really made me keep away from caffeine for years. So, it is encouraging that I am venturing back into it a little, even at this very dangerous time in my health.
OK - so, the coffee project is done, now - let's see - my dog's new dry dog food arrived, and I am daring to add a little of that to his rice/beef. His stools are still too lose for my standards. (You can use that phrase at parties, as well). The dry dog food which I use is actually the same that the little white NYC guy was recommending, (except that I forgot), "Bleu." Grain-free, high-Omega, high-protein). I use it straight in times like these, or mix it w/ more inexpensive dog food, which usually contains some wheat. It really think the wheat has caused problems for this dog, and the last 2 dogs, none of which made it to the presidency as expected.
What else... Oh. Today, I made an egg* for my dog's dinner, and also one for me. Mine was amazing. Started by frying one medium sliced mushroom* in coconut oil*. Alongside, (in my doggie's side), a slice of salami fried - so some of the oil from that mixed in. (I am trying to have a little holiday-day today, since I have been so incredibly tired. A big reason for today's heavy fatigue, in addition to the long-running bout of dementia, was the big day out to the doc and stores on Monday, and then the long walk home. CFS delayed-response to exertion).
On top of my turned egg* went some Colby-Jack cheese, then salt-peppeh, then some of that slice of salami. I'm telling you, this was cafe-quality. So was the salad - and the chips!!
The good luck with the garlic-banilla ranch dressing has convinced me that I need to make some bottles of this dressing.
OK - that's about it. Gotta rest. Take dog outside. Maybe blanch baby carrots waaaa. Maybe finally re-fry the stir-fry. (I think I'll let it go another day as it is probably frozen on my top shelf). The main thing I want to do is to write some more soon, because I love you even more than liver itself.
* - These things I MUST eat due to my illness.