Food is Love

Since December 25th I have seriously reduced the amount of flour and sugar that I consume on a daily basis. For about 3 months I was pretty much cold turkey, but I have started adding one sugar packet to my coffee or tea and I will eat breaded chicken. I also might sneak in the occasional mocha. Also, one a week we have pizza for dinner.

While my weight hasn't decreased dramatically, it has decreased slightly and it certainly has not gone up. Which says a lot considering that I go pretty much dormant in winter, getting little to no exercise and that I usually eat when stressed (see posts re: selling and buying a house).

That being said, just because I don't eat those things doesn't mean that I don't bake or cook with those things. If I cut flour out for the girls - particularly LP - they wouldn't eat much. So I make my weekly batch of homemade "macca" (macaroni and cheese), buy bagels, and pour daily bowls of Honey Nutters (honey Nut Cheerios).

More importantly, if I cut flour and sugar out for the whole family, I wouldn't feel so great. I cook and bake for them because I love them. Because, to me, the effort and time that goes into baking means something to the person that eats the baked goods.

For example, Wednesday night I made chocolate chip cookies for the Realtor open house my agent was holding at our house on Thursday. My feeling was that baking something shows 1. that I actually use the beautiful granite counters in my kitchen and 2. that their help in selling my house was important. Now, I am sure they didn't see it that way, they saw cookies and ate one if they felt like it. It doesn't matter though, I felt good about the process.

And today. The girls are at my parents' house for two nights (thanks mom and dad!). I don't need to bake, especially not as a pass-the-time project for me and my two amigas, but I did.

I made hamantashen. It is Purim and they are a traditional dessert of filled triangle-shaped cookies. They are more labor-intensive than your typical cookie, but, again, I didn't mind. They are going to help our family celebrate (pretty much the only way we will celebrate).

Food is love. Pass it on.

PS - not only do I not even try the baked goods once finished, I don't even lick the bowl, or spoon. Yes, some willpower is required, but I remind myself that it means there is more for my lovies to eat.