Destination Anywhere

Friends were coming to dinner last night, including one who doesn't eat gluten. I looked around for a likely rice salad, and got some nice suggestions from folks at SlowTrav. In the end I combined a few recipes, and the result was really delicious. I love brown rice, especially the darker varieties for the nutty flavor and firm texture. I was also making a whole grilled salmon and vegetables, and wanted something to stand up to the salmon. Vegetables, a touch of curry, fresh herbs, sweetness and crunch. Something new for me, and a definite keeper. Let's see if I can write down what I did.

Doctor Matt sat me down last week, and read me the riot act. He told me I have six months to lose 30 pounds, lower my cholesterol and blood pressure-- or he's putting me on medication. I'm borderline in all sorts of things, and not getting any younger.

So, after first meeting with his nutritionist and stopping at the New Balance outlet for some good sneakers, I have a plan. Exercise every other day for now and work up to every day, eat loads of vegetables, chicken and fish, small amounts of whole grains, a little olive oil, oatmeal, and lowfat, low sodium dairy. Avoid frozen or packaged foods with sodium, egg yolks, red meat, most fullfat cheeses except as a garnish. The nutritionist says the plan she gave me is similar to South Beach stage two. She's going to tweak things as the months go on, and hopefully end up with a plan that lets me maintain the weight and benefits, and allows for "mainstream" eating every now and then.

After ten days, I must say I'm feeling good. And I've lost six pounds and an inch from my waist.

Eating out when you're being careful about fat and sodium is a real challenge. Even restaurants with vegetable-based cuisines (Chinese, Indian, Greek, Middle Eastern, etc.) tend to use a lot of oil in the kitchen. And I don't want to even talk about how much I miss soy sauce.

So, Shabu Shabu. It means "swish swish" in Japanese, and its a dish that has lately caught on in Boston. Four shabu shabu restaurants have opened here within the past six months. They're fun, affordable, and as long as you're easy on the soy sauce and heavily-marbled meats, healthy. The emphasis is on high quality ingredients--perfect vegetables, absolutely fresh seafood and wafer-thin meats. We've been eating our way through them.

You are seated at a table or counter with a heating element. You order a kind of broth, the protein and starch you want, and are given a large plate of vegetables and an array of tiny dishes containing condiments. You'll likely be given a dish of ponzu, a soy and orange juice blend, little dishes of garlic, scallions, chopped chili, and a sweet bean sauce. Combine them as you wish to create your dipping sauce, and I also like to put some of the garlic into the broth. Be careful with the chopped chili, it can sneak up on you. Also, if you haven't been given it--ask for goma, a fantastic sesame sauce.

* Down a pants size, and they're loose. Fitting into clothes I haven't worn in more than a year.
* Alternating between walking two miles a day on the treadmill; doing an aerobics or dance tape every other day. Being careful about my knee and stretching.
* Figuring out how to eat sensibly and still enjoy it.

* Checked in with nutritionist. Lost 12 pounds.

Yay!

I have very odd, hard-to-fit feet. Really high arches, wide in the toe, narrow in the heel. I need an orthopedic arch support to lessen the fatigue and pain from the abnormally high arch. Since I spend hours a day running after four-year-olds, I wear either frumpy orthopedic shoes, or ballerina flats or garishly-painted Keds that can fit the supports. Walking sandals in summer, insulated snow boots in Winter, sexy heels where I risk falling and breaking my neck about three times a year. I've never found a pair of sneakers that were comfortable.

Until I met my new best friend Lisa at the New Balance Outlet on Sunday.