Colorful foods

this dish is a mix of black rice, red cabbage, pomegranate, butternut squash, sprouts and mint

In our Cooking for Wellness class, targeted to cancer survivors, one of the rules of thumbs is the more colorful, the better in terms of healthiness. Select red cabbage over green; dark greens over light, small dark cherry tomatoes over pale big ones, black rice over white rice. The pictured dish was supposed to be garnished with pistachios, which would have added more color but alas, due to someone who doesn't even take the class but volunteers there that day, the whole place is to be nut free. This I find ridiculous. I assume the person is not a child. Toasted sunflower seeds were substituted.

I did like the black rice dish. However with all my food aversions, it was the only one I enjoyed as the rest of the class was a Sue nightmare. Roasted beet salad, two colors of beets (red and yellow) with kale and other greens. Sautéed beet greens with, choke, asparagus. Grow up! inner nag hisses: try it! you might like it! After all, I did choke down the bianchi (baby anchovies, which at first glance looked like white flakes of fish flesh but looking more closely , I saw hundreds of little eyes) and survived in the Cinque Terre region of Italy. I picked around the asparagus, which at least was firm (the worst is mushy asparagus) and ate the greens. The beet salad was harder though at least the beets had been roasted which gives them a slightly less hideous flavor. I did try a few small pieces and survived. I honestly do try to expand my horizons in many ways.

This class can't be a one size fits all. Most controversial are protein substitutes (no meat is served); soy raises red flags for estrogen fed cancers. Last night yogurt was flavored with fennel seed (topping for the beets, which was considered our dessert as it had honey in it)and believe it or not, someone piped up that fennel seed had estrogen properties. We had some colon cancer survivors and all that fiber is especially hard to digest for them.

What I should do is just eat from these recipes exclusively. I do like about 90% of them despite my list. How am I do doing in my preparations for the Hollywood wedding next month? Not well. I haven't changed much. I spent 6 weeks avoiding alcohol during the week to no effect. The best help was the series of norovirus infections that left me not eating for a week. I have not stepped on a scale. For a while, some previously tight jeans were loose but I think they are back to digging into my too ample flesh. A friend offered to help me go dress shopping next week. My gut reaction: I am not ready for that. Inner nag: if you haven't changed by now, it's doubtful you'll change in the next 6 weeks.

Lots of time was spent yesterday trying to induce fear into that pesky squirrel who just becomes more bold. The flock is increasing and the feeder was completely emptied in a day. I have now at least 6 cowbirds (don't like them), a pair of mourning doves and 2 pairs of cardinals (love the cardinals). And I see we have the biggest rabbit ever nibbling on my sprouts who is even less intimidated by me than the squirrel. I ran listening to the sound of peepers and the screams of peacocks, a strange combo. Earlier we had Maya who wanted to try on all the dresses we have for here at the same time.

We handled some frustrating issues. The building inspector who wouldn't answer his phone but finally showed up, asked if Steve noticed any problems with the windows, and quickly left after filling out some card to say he inspected them. Stupid evil ATT whose service we had cancelled 2 months ago and sent their equipment back to them still decides to bill us (only the bill is not sent to us) and now we incurred late charges as it was falsely assumed that they wouldn't keep billing us for something we didn't even have. This is ATT's evil modus operandi: keep billing and after we pay the bill and only after we pay the bill, then refund the money, only if we insist after numerous phone calls. We did get the late charges removed and the check is in the mail (so they say). This whole business was time consuming and frustrating beyond belief.  Never, never use them.

Our first big storms rolled noisily through in the middle of the night. They are to return in a few hours. Impressive lightning.