2008 January « Salty and Sweet

Lost recipe – Peanut butter no bake cookies – where are you recipe?

January 31, 2008 at 5:15 pm | In Life in General | 2 Comments

I am looking for a long lost recipe I got many years ago from one of my nutritionists. I think it was in an old CF Recipe book, maybe not. It was one of my favorite high calorie treats. Just wondering if anyone else may have it and can reunite me with my favorite no-bake cookie!

The recipe contained massive amounts of peanut butter, oatmeal, sugar, vanilla… maybe another ingredient or two. There was an optional chocolate variety, but I preferred it with out. You would combine all the ingredients in a pot on the stove until it was a gooey mess. Then drop it by spoonfuls on a piece of waxed paper, it would spread out by itself, and you’d let it cool for a couple of hours then you could devour the yummy “cookies”!

Recipe? Are you out there? I miss you!

The 5,000 calorie a day diet

January 21, 2008 at 8:02 pm | In Challenges, Cystic Fibrosis, Nutrition | 20 Comments
Tags: recipes

Imagine being stick thin, the “perfect” model body, AND being able to eat copious amounts of anything and everything you could stuff in your mouth. This is called the CF Diet. High fat, high calorie, no limitations.

stick man It sounds like a dream to some. But for me, it is a nightmare. Since my digestive system is compromised because of complications from Cystic Fibrosis, I must eat at least 5,000 calories a day just to maintain my tiny 106 pounds on my 5′4″ frame. My non-”normal” system does not absorb nutrients as well as it should.

What does 5,000 calories look like? Each of these items equals about 5,000 calories.

56 Cans of Progresso Soup
30 Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos
8 Burger King Whoppers
11 Good Times Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches
6 Qdoba Chicken Burritos
64 Hard-boiled Eggs
70 Plain Bagels
70 Medium Sized Apples
17 Slices of Pepperoni Pizza
35 Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cones
56 Bags of Microwave Popcorn

That is a LOT of food!!! There is only so much volume that my little stomach can handle.

Eating has turned into a job, a very boring job. Usually I don’t even feel like eating at all because it is so much work. Then on top of it, I need to eat more? It is tough. I try to combat it by eating a wide variety of tasty creations. I stay away from dairy because of an allergy that makes me cough. Dairy (butter, cheese, whole milk) is the easiest way to add extra calories to my diet, but I just can’t eat them. My body craves foods like vegetables and fruits which are all super great for me (I need the vitamins and minerals), but also not very calorie dense. Eating fast foods like Big Macs and french fries make my tummy ache.

I am learning to cook, but am having a hard time finding really great recipes that are nutrient rich and tasty. I would LOVE for you to send me your favorite recipes. Maybe you have a favorite comfort food recipe. From quick and easy, snacks, to full fledged sit down dinners. I would love to gather a bunch of recipes to share with other people with CF who have the same issues finding healthy and tasty recipes. Variety is the spice of my life!
Send me your recipes!! Put it in a comment, shoot me an email, I can’t wait to hear from you!

blah blah blah!

January 19, 2008 at 5:35 pm | In Life in General, Support | 2 Comments

I need to apologize to all of my friends and my constant blathering about my diabetes, insulin, future pump, CGM and my blog. I am just so excited to be learning all about it, I just can’t help but pass the info on!

I hope I don’t sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher!!

“But you look healthy” – a daily frustration.

January 18, 2008 at 5:46 pm | In Challenges, Life in General, Support | 1 Comment

Such frustrating words in my mind. But this is life with an invisible disability. Several in fact.

Just before my last IV antibiotic tune-up I had an experience that made me so upset. I was out running errands with one of my friends. I was having a hard time breathing that night in the cold air. My lungs were really plugged up and the cold air kicked my asthma in to gear. It was one of my bad days.

As we were crossing the parking lot to enter one of the stores, my friend hurried in front of a truck that had politely stopped to let us pass. Now my friend, with clear and healthy lungs politely hurries across in front of the truck. Me on the other hand, with a large cramp in my side, from trying to keep up with my friend, tried to cross as quickly as I could. Which was not fast enough for the lady in the truck. I was greeted by her yelling “hurry up!” with frantic hand waving as if to push me across the street.

I about cried. Obviously this lady has NO idea what I was going through, or that I was actually pushing myself to get out of her way as fast as my little lungs could take me. But in her mind I looked just fine and had no other reason to be slow except that I was lazy.

I am not the only one who experiences things like that. My aunt who’s body has Myasthenia Gravis has problems with this too. She looks just fine on the outside, but inside she is not. She is not lazy, her body won’t LET her move.

I wish this world was a little more patient and understanding and knew that everyone is not perfect.