Rumbly in My Tumbly

It's official. My body is in denial. It must think that my caloric count is too low, because I am diligently counting calories (well, mostly), and balancing activities such as bike riding, circuit training, light yoga and my everyday bipedal lifestyle. Okay, it's fair to say I drink to much wine and eat far too much cheese. Ironically, I didn't really have much or any of those two favorite items today, but I still know it to be true. I'm not even French, for crying out loud, I'm a Southerner! That must be the root of it. We do love our fatty goodness in Tennessee, among other things. Like bar-b-que. Cold beer. Fried stuff. In my younger, wilder days, I probably consumed enough fried chicken to populate a coop.

These days, in addition to what I consider to be a healthier lifestyle (mostly), I have abandoned chicken and plunged into the deep underbelly of Cheddar. Mmm... yeah. Other more delicate creamy styles are never far from my plate, mind you, Swiss, Gouda, Goat... but my newest love is Farmer Cheese. Made of nothing but low fat milk and salt, it is THE answer to a wicked cheese addiction and the desire to keep a girlish figure intact (well, at least, in check). And, it goes in everything! In salad instead of feta, on a bagel with honey, with the old college favorite - tomatoes, dried herbs and olive oil pasta, a dab on black bean soup... in a spinach and cheese omelet... okay, you get the idea.

With that last one, I guess that answers a possible inquiry- yes, still eat eggs... god, I could never live without them. But there's just something about the feathered descendant of said egg that I just can't seem to tar. I don't know that I'll ever go back. Sigh. I'll miss you Bojangles Cajun Filet Biscuit. You too Chic-Fil-La 8-pack nugget with a side of waffle fries and Polynesian sauce. Really, that's the only fast food poultry I even consider eating. My Mom and I still make Chicken n' Dumplings in the winter for various holidays, and her chicken salad is the best I've ever eaten. Truthfully, I'd probably still eat that. Not that it even really resembles the taste of anything like a chicken once its been cooled in the fridge overnight, spread on a piece of toast, peppered, salted and covered in ripe tomatoes with a side of cottage cheese... damn it's good.

I don't know why I feel like purging my distaste of chicken, but I am compelled. Perhaps it is because I tried something called Hake fish last night, and while at the time pretty damn good, if I do say so myself, when I later went to look up what kind of fish it is before it meets its monger, I was utterly and completely revolted! It is literally one of the ugliest fish I've ever seen. I don't even think I can eat the leftovers for lunch like I planned, though I probably will because it's cheaper and healthier than eating out... despite it's ugly mug.. Not that next-day fish is spectacular at any rate, but hey. Sorry, no pictures embedded, I can't stand to come across it every time I log in my blog. It's hard to be claim to be a foodie and hate certain staples while being willing to try something as frightening as what appears to be a salt water snake. Eww.

I've been thinking of taking a cooking class. That might be really inspiring. Not something outrageous or anything, but like a Saturday afternoon Bread Baking class. I'm about as scared of learning how to make my own bread than I am of that damn fugly fish. Making my own bread sounds like a good time to me. I just reintroduced myself to its simple, carby pleasure recently, as I had gone all "no bread" for a while, and didn't realize how much I missed it! All it took was a really good slice of French loaf with some Brie and I was back. Just like that.

I have a feeling that chicken ain't like bread... and I won't just snap back like that little neck, and maybe I'll stick to sushi rolls with tuna and salmon instead. There's just something about that fish head that is kind of haunting me. I'll have to tell the guys at the fish counter that I just can't stomach it. Add it to the list of things I won't eat. Repugnant reptiles, putrid Pisces, fetid fowl, malodorous mushrooms, and most importantly, beastly bananas. That should about do it for now... and back to my cheese.