I ♥ Peanut Butter

I miss peanut butter.  I find I can eat celery and apples - my two favorite conduits for peanut butter -  but they can get somewhat plain and dull without the joys of Jif.  And jelly.  I miss raspberry jelly, blackberry jam, apricot/peach jam mixed in yogurt from the farm.  Homebaked bread - I bake it every three to four days so the house smells amazing, but I can't slather butter on a still-warm slice and devour it.  Chocolate chip pancakes sit in my refrigerator waiting to be eaten, but not by me.  Succulent roast pork will be the leftovers for tonight for the family - I will have 100 grams of 90% lean beef cubes with cabbage.  Last night, home fried potatoes accompanied the main entree; I'm not usually a fan of fried potatoes (french fries, steak fries, tater tots, etc.), but one of my friends showed me the wonder of drizzling balsamic vinegar on the thickly cut fried slices sprinkled with chunks of feta cheese at which time they become quite heavenly.  The homeschool class that I teach weekly enjoyed a chocolate fondue with pizzelles, pretzels, marshmallows and dried apricots to dip while I sat there and watched their enjoyment of the melted chocolate.  I've refrained from dessert while sitting next to my daughter and husband eating dessert on a nightly basis.  I have ice cream cake, Razzleberry Pie, Brownie Pie, Key Lime Chocolate plus much more frozen in my freezer, untouched.

This only gives you a glimpse into the deprivation I face on a daily basis.  I'm not complaining actually, just fondly remembering food and living vicariously through the gastronomic practices of those around me.  My olfactory senses become that much more important as I can only smell the deliciousness of certain foods without the pleasure of taste.  It may sound foolish but taking one whiff of my Sweet Almond Cookie Yankee Candle can satisfy my sweet tooth in a way I never thought possible.  Ok, maybe satisfy is not exactly the right word, but it somewhat whets my appetite for sweets. 

With all that said, I'm feeling better than ever and am only 5.8 pounds away from my target weight.  I am steadily losing between 0.2-0.8 pounds a day now and look forward to taking my stats in two days.