Tag: cook

I finally got on the scale in my Psych class today–the second to last day of actual class before finals next week. Amazingly enough, as much as I thought I was in good shape while I lived in Colorado, it took coming to the south and Kentucky, specifically, to find the truly healthy life.
The scale in Psych class was psyching me out for most of this past quarter. I would typically arrive to class each day in plenty of time to step on the scale. But, it was always facing away from me and anyone else who would want to step on it. Each day before today it was easy to just say, “Yeah, I should turn the scale around and see what I weigh.” But I never did.
That is, well, until today. The scale was mysteriously facing me as I walked in for what would turn out to be a review for my final next week. There were no more excuses to not get on it, so I did.
Man, I’m lean(er). Leaning on the scale and lean(er). I like the sound of that.
I smiled as I walked towards my chair in front of my desk to sit and take in the good doctor’s lecture.

I had a nice plate of grits and beef burgundy for dinner after my shift at the senior living dining room was over. I work after school as a server part-time, gaining medical and worldly experience that only comes from soaking up the wisdom seniors can deliver while waiting on them. It is hard, physical work and everyone on the team–in and out of the kitchen are great people.
One of the perks of working in food service is you occasionally get to eat some of the food you are serving up. Since I usually work dinner hours unless it is the weekend (where I’ll take a breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner shift), if there is food to be had at supper time, I will usually wait to take it home and enjoy it.
Grits to you!
Now if I can dial this whole back to school thing to a point in time a few months ago, I can remember a temporary classmate (he was not in school for very long) telling us what healthy food he enjoys. We had broken into small groups and were discussing what healthy food we all consume–why, I cannot remember now.
Anyway, he thought about it for awhile and finally came out with, “grits and butter!”
Well, I chuckled to myself quietly as the others smiled wryly. I was thinking at the time, “Grits are healthy?” Well, I thought, it is the south, but maybe it could be like those commercials for Viagra. Imagine substituting the word grits for Viagra in a marketing campaign to promote the healthy food that grits are:

“Grits can be part of a healthy lifestyle when taken in moderation and under a physician’s care. Be sure to check with your doctor first to see if you are healthy enough to engage in grits consumption. If grits make your tummy feel good longer than four hours consult a physician. Grits have been known to cause blurred vision when taken with blood pressure medication. Ask your doctor if a healthy grits regimen can be part of your active lifestyle.”

Doesn’t sound serious as a heart attack when you think about it in terms like those.
But seriously, the grits made me feel good, real good. I remember hearing it was like farina. No, not Farina from the Little Rascals/Our Gang Comedies of the 30s. But the farina that we had as kids in the northeast. I never much liked farina. I gradually learned to like oatmeal when I was in the Navy, but it never thrilled me.
Grits are thrilling me.
They are part of my healthy, active lifestyle, too.
Maybe Jenny Craig could offer up a grits-based diet for those looking to not spend so much.
I didn’t add any butter to the grits I had tonight and I don’t know how much butter (if any) was used in their making. I only know no animals were harmed in the making of the grits nor the taming of the shrew.
But I will be sure to continue to not ever consume grits for longer than four hours. I do not want to call a physician nor do I want to subject myself to grits abuse.
It just occurred to me as the gnats are buzzing around my head that I am riffing on grits.
I think we’re done here.