Leeks - who knew?

This week I have eaten a leek for the first time. If I have ever eaten a leek in a dish before I don't remember it or did not know it. I intentionally tried it this week and found out I love leeks!! To me they are like a giant green onion that is not as sharp tasting, but certainly flavorful. I bought a bag of fresh leek that was already washed, trimmed, and cut - because I didn't know what to do with a whole leek - what was the good part, what was not.

Tonight I threw it in with green pepper, brocolli, and carrot and steamed it in the micro using tamari sauce. Mixed it in with brown rice and it was great!! I'm a fan of Asian food and I also do not need a tremendous amount of spice to enjoy my food. I love spice and love eating out where ethnic spices are used. But I like a simple dish like this too and the tamari is really good.

I ate grapes and celery during the day as snacks. I haven't eaten celery in years - but it actually tasted good. That's part of the whole - my palette is coming back - thing.

I followed a great convo today on Facebook where some friends were discussing the merits of Omega 3 sources. I thought flax seeds were just fine - well I found out that there are 3 kinds of Omega 3 and flax only provides one. Your body may be able to use that kind and turn it into the other 2, but not everyone can do that. And the other 2 are the ones that are really important for your brain. As an academic, I find my brain to be a vital organ :)

So I am looking at fish oil supplements as a source of Omega 3's - I have tried Krill Oil gels, but I fear I have a shellfish allergy that is exacerbated by taking the gels every day. I can look for other fish oil supplements and now at least I know what to look for, but if you have a recommendation on a brand - let me know. My other option is to just eat fish - but you need it 2 or 3 times a week to maximize the effect and the PCB and Mercury contamination in fish could do more harm than good. Sigh. Who polluted the fish???? But whether I do supplements or eat fish, I will be allowing oil into my diet. I'm not sure how I feel about that - not because it breaks the rule - but because I fear it will leave me in that craving state forever. But I want to keep my brain healthy. Well, I'll figure it out.

I had a friend comment on my dilemma and said - oh, what's a little fish - go ahead and live dangerously. My friend then told me how a near death experience had changed his/her mind about denying pleasure. I thought about that a lot. Here is my answer - I have been living dangerously by stuffing my face with bad foods and letting my weight balloon. I am playing roulette every day. The pleasure I have been denying myself is in living a healthy life where the stress of what I am doing to myself does not kill me. I think I have really turned a corner on this one.

Today was a good day :D

Onward
<3