Taking Stock and Making Stock

I haven't posted my food for a couple of days now, I've been having feelings of confusion and I haven't been able to quite articulate them. It's more difficult to fix it when it's a "mystery".

I found myself eating when I wasn't neccessarily hungry. At first I thought I was craving sugar, so I tried to "fix" that. Then I thought I just wasn't eating enough for my energy output, so I tried to fix that. Then I thought maybe I wasn't eating enough fats, or too many carbs, or too much sugar, or too early in the day, etc., etc..

I finally came to the conclusion of what I was craving. I'm craving overeating! I want to eat alot of food. Not anything in particular, although sweets always top the list, but I want to start eating and not stop. I've not felt like this before. But it fits in with the "emotional stuff" lately. I thought I was over my angst!

I start the day off feeling fine, but then at my first meal and every meal after that I never seem satisfied. I couldn't seem to pay attention to real hunger versus emotional hunger. Anyway, it's been a rough couple of days. I didn't do any real damage (weight wise) it was more about my head.

I don't like to dwell on my struggles. I'm not sure that posting negative feelings are motivating or inspirational. I know what I need to do. I know that I can do what I need to do. So I'll do it. I have to take the choice out of choice.

Anyway, after my cookie binge on Sat. I have been eating more than I normally would, but it's been all good healthy food, just more of it. I love my food! Wow that says it all doesn't it.

I do love food. I love eating it, I love shopping for it, I love working with it and cooking it. It is definitely a creative outlet for me.

Anyway, I'll be finishing my chicken stock this morning, it's been simmering all night. If you have the time, desire, and energy to make your own soups, making your own stock is not only delicious but rewarding. I make 6-8 quarts every 7-10 days. I freeze it in 1 and 2 qt. containers. One quart of stock makes 2-3 serv. of soup, which I usually prepare every other day.

Last year I used low sodium chicken broth (Swansons?), but I started making my own stock on a regular basis this year and haven't used anything but that. And anyone who has had my soup knows how good it is (Brenda if your'e out there please comment!). But the important part is making and preparing your own nutrious, fresh food.

Chicken stock is chicken bones and some vegetables simmered together in a big pot for 4-8 hours. I usually start my stock around 7pm, it comes to a boil around 8pm, I turn it down to a simmer and cook it until Mark gets up, around 3:45,and turns it off. By the time I get up it's cooled off enough to strain. After I strain it I bring it back up to a boil and poach chicken pieces in the hot stock. First I poach breasts and then leg and thigh pieces.

To poach chicken pieces it's important to let the meat come close to room temp. first (1-2 hours). I'm always thinking ahead so I'm used to pulling my meat out of the fridge early. Bring stock or broth to a boil and then turn it off, add breasts(boneless) and put on a tight fitting lid for 20 min., remove chicken. Bring back up to a boil and then add leg/thigh pieces (with bone-in), turn off the heat, put the lid back on for 30-40 min.. I like to then wrap the cooked pieces seprately and freeze to use later. Sometimes I even weigh out portions and dice and sometimes I leave pieces whole, depends on how much time I have. These steps have saved me many times when I needed some protein to add to a salad.

Any good cookbook will tell you how to make stock, but if anyone is interested in how I do it, just ask. The one thing that I would like to add is that I've found that adding chicken feet to the bones makes a huge flavor difference. I get them at Whole foods and at the Mexican Market by my house. Ask for them at the meat counter. I use 2lbs. of feet and 4lbs. of necks, backs and other leftover chicken bones, FYI.

Sat. AM weight126.0
7:30am 40 min. walk
8:45 Bikram yoga

Menu

cofffee w/cream, cocoa 245 cal.
oatmeal w/milk 360 cal.
here's where it gets ugly
10 large oatmeal raisin cookies @230 cal. each 2300 cal.!
broccoli salad w/tuna, egg and grapes 450 cal.
ice cream and PNB 800 cal.

Total cal. around 4200

I did manage to stop eating by 6:00, but I could of easily eaten all night. I kept thinking, "it's going to kill me to have to admit this on my blog". Oh well! Bad, bad day.

Sunday AM weight 127.2
7:30 KB 16kg snatch combos
7pm 45 min. walk

Menu

coffee w/cream 110 cal.
oatmeal w/milk 400 cal.
almonds 200 cal.
roasted butternut squash 150 cal.
veg soup w/kale, and 4 eggs to thicken soup (2 whole and 2 egg whites) 310 cal.

Total cal. 1170

I was still wanting to eat alot. Normally I would of kept my calories lower, under 1000. I was concentrating on not having any sugar after eating way too much of it the previous day. I did succeed at that!

Monday AM weight 128.0
7:30 am KB swing 35min.
7pm 45 min. walk

Menu

coffee w/cream, 1tbl. cocoa 120 cal.
almond butter 120 cal.
fruit 25 cal.
coffee w/1/2 & 1/2 55 cal.
oatmeal w/1/2 &1/2 290 cal.
veg soup w/squash 120 cal.
apple 120 cal.
almonds 100 cal.
prunes (6) 120 cal.
broccoli salad w/tuna and egg whites (3 hard boiled) 335 cal.
red grapes 120 cal.

Total calories 1525

I still felt hungry, I ate alot of food but tried to keep it nutritious. I concentrated on eating more fats today to see if I could satisfy this hunger I have. Still a struggle. Almost feeling down. Almost.

Remind myself how good my life is. My life is good.