FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASONING

Hump day is Wednesday.  That is when everything that was in overdrive starts to simmer down and by Thursday people are in the bars and by Friday they have let down their guard.  If you don't believe me, watch for it.  That works the same way with dieting for me.  It seems like I am making dinner or going out to dinner on Thursday and Friday and am not eating alone.  I end up gaining what I had lost from Monday to Wednesday. 

I checked in at Weight Watchers and was really surprised and enlightened about the subject of spicing up your cooking.  When I barbecue chicken or beef, I am using Montreal Steak spice or Montreal Chicken spice.  It works out that both have a high sodium count.  On top of that, there is nothing like a little ketchup, mustard and relish with the burgers.  That may well be my downfall. 

Current dietary guidelines call for a daily max of 2,300 mg of sodium but ideally no more thant 1,500 mg.  I thought I shopped smart and don't buy many processed foods that are in a package.  However, I do buy the local deli's homemade soups and one I love in the summer is Daiter's gazpacho but even to me it tastes salty.  And when I cook, I am using spices but I never bothered to check the sodium content of those spices.

So to start with I went to the grocery store.  I purged the older spices and bought ones with Applewood smoke, chipotle pepper and mesquite, all of which were like 50 - 60 mg of sodium per teaspoon.
Then I considered the ketchup and bought low sodium salsa instead.  I haven't used mayo in ages but checked out the Hellman's low-fat option and found it was way lower in sodium than many bottled dressings. It was never the problem that I didn't buy fresh, whole foods but I was killing them with my spicy kindess of the wrong sort.

These are some of my favourite spices that I am going to use more: basil, cinnamon, ginger, horseradish, Italian seasoning, Jalapeno peppers, mint, nutmeg, wasabi, yogurt and za'tar.  I will retrain my taste buds.  Research suggestes that if you cut back on salt over serveral weeks, your taste buts start perceiving lower levels as salty enough. 

Now I didn't get a medal for my prowess in cooking, eating knowing everything about diets.
However, I did receive it last week in a ceremony at the Lawn Tennis Club hosted by Senator Art Eggleton for my service to Canada.

QUEEN'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY MEDAL

The medal I am now working on is a personal achievement of a healthy lifesstyle, weight loss and just ot look better.

Starting from scratch with homemade soups and salad dressings should be a snap with my new Vitamix that my kids bought me for Mother's Day.  Today is the day I will start using it.  Up till now I haven't had a moment to even unpack it.  I was stuck in a salt-pepper-garlic rut.  I am breaking out of it, deliciously!  After all for everything there is a seasoning!