2009

I made two resolutions this year (two more than usual--I'm not really into "self-help"):

1. Eat more slowly
2. Use all available food in my fridge.

Alison and I made resolution #1 together. We both eat too fast, and consequently, too much. We decided it would be healthier and less fattening if we made an effort to eat at a leisurely pace. So far, Alison says I am doing better with this resolution than she is. This is probably true. I think about it more often. Plus, I always have water with me (it's a compulsion), so I drink water to slow myself down. I also talk more, so that slows down the process. It's a little ridiculous to have to use tricks in order to avoid eating too quickly, of course, but it works. The only problem with the resolution is that I don't eat less. I tell myself that if I was eating faster, I wouldn't notice how full I was anyway, so I should just go ahead and eat more.

Resolution #2 is something I have been trying to do since the Fall, so I thought I would make it official. This is part of the reason for the "mini-bruschetta" endeavor. I decided sometime in October that I wanted to make a conscious effort to avoid wasting food, and I also wanted to experiment with recipes more. This led to a change in the way I plan for meals. Rather than thinking about what I want to eat and then going out to buy groceries for it, I look through my current food, and then figure out an interesting meal that would use up as many of the fresh ingredients I have. For example, we have leftover parmesan, onion, baby spinach, carrots, tomatoes, cracked wheat bread, and pasta sauce, so I am making penne with a side salad and bread tonight. That's a boring example, but you get the idea.