Change, Accountability and Sweet Potatoes

Hey y'all! It's Wednesday and I know I usually post on Mondays but I'm going to start posting on Wednesday because it's my current weigh in day and if I'm being honest, I just flat out haven't had time to devote to posting this week. When I weighed this morning, I was miraculously down almost a pound and a half. I mean, I guess it's not that big of a miracle. I exercised a lot last week and stuck to my guns for the most part but my body hasn't been cutting me any breaks lately. I noticed that since I started counting points again in July, I'm down almost 7 pounds. On the one hand, that number should be way higher but I've had a lot of ups and downs. On the other hand, I'm happy with the fact that I haven't gained. I am constantly struggling with how I feel about numbers and my body and so, I'm going to try to be more positive about myself. That number doesn't define me and I'm a successful person. Now, that's how I feel right this second. Five minutes later, I could start picking at the fat on my arms with disgust. I got my MFA in 2009 and since then, I've written a number of poems and essays and even 300 pages last summer based on this blog and I came to realize that all of that could be leading up to a book that talks about food, family and the struggle of loving who we are...I was always thinking that I would need to be "finished" before I could produce something like this but the truth is, we are never and should never be finished products. I am beginning to think that words and suggestions from someone who isn't always a perfect example might be helpful and so that's what I'm working on now. In the meantime, I want to add a little pizzazz to the site and make sure that I have more of a social media presence. I will be creating a Facebook page and probably a Twitter account in hopes to gain followers. If you read this blog regularly, first of all, thank you. Second, please make sure to officially subscribe. It would be a huge favor to me. Then, when I need to recruit you for other social media platforms, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I have a few things for you today.

I wanted to give a shout out to my parent's ducks because they have been laying eggs like crazy so I've had the honor of eating a couple of them. Spoiler alert, they taste just like chicken eggs. They are just a little bigger so the calories aren't interchangeable. Because I'm a weirdo, I consider eggs a side dish to pretty much anything so I ate them with pork chops and asparagus. If you have any interest in duck eggs, I think I may know where you can find one.

I also wanted to share the giant wedge salad I've been making. There's no recipe, really. I love a wedge salad so I took the skinny buttermilk ranch I always use and applied it to an iceberg wedge and then added bacon, onions and blue cheese crumbles. I love doing this because it feels decadent but the dressing is low cal and that's where all the calories typically come from.

Finally, and I must give a shout out to Ian's sister-in-law Shelly for this idea, I used slices of baked sweet potato as a bun for sliders. This was super easy and filling. All I did was take one of those sweet potatoes that is ready to stick in the microwave and then I baked it to make it a little more firm. I threw tiny one ounce lean burger patties into a pan and then added some thinly sliced swiss cheese. BAM! A slider is born. I loved these little guys. It's great for when you just need to quench a burger craving.

I look forward to working hard and having accountability when it comes to writing and staying strong. Thank you all for your constant support!