Anti-Inflammatory April: The Final Count Down

 Getting close to the end and all is well.

The toe that has the stiffness and inflammation is coming along, but will need work for much longer.

The arthritis in the knee is OK most days, as opposed to annoying most days.

I think I've had 1/2 of a chocolate chip cookie in the last week as a bauble, otherwise, totally on track.

It is a decent way to eat.  I put some stevia herb, not the refined stuff, on the steamed squash I had with breakfast and it tastes sweet.  When I am on sugar/corn-syrup, it tastes bitter.  So the tastebuds must have adjusted.

I have a field trip at work tomorrow but I am bringing whole fruit, peanuts (low or no salt one hopes...will depend on availability) and sandwich fixings for people.   Also cookies and brownies because others will want them.   I can use the lettuce to make a wrap which should work fine.  The others can use the bread.

Remembering to bring stuff on field trips has been one minor issue.   Turns out a bag of salt-free peanuts and an apple are available almost anywhere you stop.  

I still have duck meat, but have been eating lots of eggs because the chickens are laying plenty.  And more gelatine.  Using up a bottle of pure cranberry juice, unsweetened, in the "jello" made with the organic free range gelatine.  Since I'm off sugar, it tastes fine.  Straight cranberry juice is too tart/bitter when I've just had super sweet stuff.

ALSO:  Loving home made popcorn over the wood stove in my little vintage popcorn popper.  It works over the butane burner as well.  1/8 or 1/4 cup of kernels popped in coconut oil is a decent dinner side or snack.  Organic popcorn of course.  Especially good with smoked paprika on it.

The maker is like this:

Apparently getting it for 2-3$ at thrift was a good deal.  It hadn't been used so is in better shape than the one in the picture.  And it makes nice popcorn, BUT...the oil spits out the screen top all over heck while popping so I hold a sheet of paper over it gently, trying not to burn my fingers, while shaking it etc.  It works.  Then the paper goes in the fire-starter scrap paper area after I use it to soak up any extra oil left in the popper.

I'd forgotten how good real, oil popped, popcorn was. I've been airpopping and dry-popping in the microwave.  Those are fine, but bland.   

Eating whole foods also means the calories in the popcorn and oil are not an issue.

This is boring, but it works.  And it is CHEAP to eat whole food.

The apple and peanuts snack on the road was $1.20 or so.  In a gas station one is pressed to get a candy bar for that.  I could have skipped it and not eaten, but figured finding things that work is also good.

So far this month I've eaten mostly pantry food and freebies from friends and a couple of meals out.  Grocery spend this month is currently 49$. 

With a work field trip tomorrow, lunch provided (I'm the shopper so I know I will have stuff that works), that's another meal filled in.   

Enough of this.  Back to work!!