Three things: baking, cooking, and diet.

[nonethefewer]

Diet like "things I eat", not diet like "I'm on a".  I don't go on diets.

1) Baking

I made granola bars yesterday, with rosefox helping.  There were one or two things that I literally could not do (or couldn't do enough of), as one with arms that're sore due to work and stupidity.  Apart from that, baking was enough of a success to where I actually emailed R to see if we could try doing it more often.  With simple things, not like restaurant-grade professional stuff.

That started out largely because I realised at some point that I need to eat better/more, and one thing that helps are the Luna Toasted Nuts 'n' Cranberry bars.  So, I figured I'd try making some myself, to see what it was like.

Alas, I didn't bring one to work, because I totally spaced.  Maybe I'll try one tonight.

2) Cooking

I made steamed broccoli the other day with use of a steamer.  How the hell long have I lived with a steamer on the premises, and never realised that I, myself, I could use it to make food?  And then I found other things I could steam, like Brussels sprouts, baby corn, spinach, potatoes, and so forth.  Make a mixed thing of that, make jasmine rice at the same time, et voila: actual food!

I can't stress this enough: Brussels sprouts all the time.

3) Diet

I've been considering converting to a vegetarian* diet more frequently recently.  This is largely because meat has become really boring lately.  Specifically, if I eat chicken even once more, I'm going to die.  I can have really flavourful rice'n'beans with green beans, or... chicken?  Fie.

* Or "lacto-ovo-vegetarian", I think the full phrasing is.

Note: I didn't ask for ways to make chicken more fun, but thank you.

The things that have stopped me from converting to veggie-cat before: sheer laziness, and health concerns.  (There's also convenience, in that I don't care for spicy foods or certain veggies, which will limit me more, but I mean I don't go outside.  So whatever.)  Steaming takes care of the convenience; if quick-dinner means jasmine rice and baby corn, well, gosh.

For health, there's iron and there's protein.  The whole protein and veg*ns issue isn't that much of an issue, apparently.  So long as I eat more than crap each day, I should be fine.  For iron, I mostly worry because it's not uncommon for me to have to do two rounds of anemia-validating for blood donation, or to have to come back later anyhow.  So long as I meat a variety of things, again, I should be fine.

So, let's see how this-all works out.

Comments

[erika]

Interesting note re: iron & vegetarianism: if you take vitamin C supplements, or eat foods that are super rich in vitamin C, try to avoid eating them near foods that are rich in iron or iron supplements. Vitamin C interferes with absorbing iron.

It's amusing when you consider their respective digestive effects, too. Or maybe that's medical student humor.

[balmofgilead]

Pardon me for butting in to a conversation between two people who don't know me from Adam, but it's actually the *exact* opposite re vitamin C and iron absorption--vitamin C aids in iron absorption, especially iron from non-meat sources.

[erika]

Arggggggh. I hate giving out incorrect advice. I could've sworn there was some link, and it turns out I was right, just in the exact wrong direction. I'm so glad you cleared this up, though!

[balmofgilead]

Heheh. I actually find it kind of awesome that (as you mentioned), iron and vitamin C have opposite digestive effects (so they cancel each other out! Brilliant!) as well as being a good pair absorption-wise.

[sparkymonster]

A lot of my meals are lacto-ovo vegetarian. There are so many deliciously flavorful veggies out there. Noms. Also hard boiled eggs for random snackage and omelettes/scrambled eggs for fastest meal ever.

[crystalpyramid]

Iron-wise, legumes are definitely your friend.