Month 2 Day 12 The Diabetic Food Stamp Project

I am glad February is a short month.

Today I had cream for my coffee and it changed everything. My slightly acidic cup was transformed into a delicious deep flavor filled brew.

Coffee with cream .17
Potato cabbage pancake .62
Pomegranate .50
Total 1.34
Carbs 50 grams

Part of my exciting yesterday was a trip to Trader Joe's. I indulged. Just on one item, but it was an enormous indulgence for me.

They had on offer a 'fresh brie' not aged, no rind. I tend to love Brie that is dripping with age and ripeness. I asked about this cheese and they offered to sample it for me.

It tastes nothing like mature brie, but it has a fresh young taste and a super buttery creaminess.

I had a tiny fraction of it as my semi lunch with a few crackers and a second round of coffee. Exquisite. I had forgotten how good an ooey gooey creamy cheese can be.

Cheese .74
Crackers .07
Coffee with cream .12
Total .93
Carbs 21 grams

After my lunch snack I went into the kitchen to make some more bread dough. I loved that flat bread so much I decided to make it again with some flax added for more fiber. I have a starter bubbling away and will go mix it up soon.

Saturday pork should was on sale for .99 a lb. I had such success with my dry cured ham I decided to try a wet cure.

I took two liters of water and brought it to a boil with a big handful of garlic, some 5 spice, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of kosher salt. The shoulder rested in the cure until today when I got it out and roasted it.

The result was one of the best hams I have ever had in my life. Not too salty, wonderfully porky and just slightly sweet with that hint of garlic. I am a little in awe that something this good can be made in the refrigerator. Nitrate laden commercial ham was 4.99 a lb this same week. I saved 4 bucks a pound.

I just had a small plate. The skin was so brown and so crisp that my plate included a heaping helping of crackling skin. As far as calculations I weighed the ham both before and after the cure, deducting the bone it comes to about 10 cents an ounce.

I have 5 ounces for my snack so...

Ham .50
Carbs 0

I spent my evening at the gym and then met with the folks from the FUCTNYC comedy troupe. I won't give away the exciting plans underway just yet, but think about the possibility of food meeting comedy, comedy meeting food, of course with some alcohol involved.

I was given a glass of wine, oh my goodness I miss wine. I am not sure what wine it was, but it was fruity and filled with flavor and I slept well.

But not before making another quick snack. I got home and the cats declared they needed another meal so I decided to have a bite before bed.

Determined to be light I quickly heated up some chicken broth and threw a few egg noodles in.

Just enough savory goodness to ensure an excellent night's sleep. At one point I woke up laughing, and I wish I could remember that dream.

Broth .25
Noodles .11
Total .36
Carbs 21 grams

I am realizing how much harder it is to stick with good nutrition on a busy day. Calories 1,453.

Day Total 3.13, way under. I had up to 5.83 so I can carry over 2.70.

I need to make it a point to eat well today.

Day 11, Month 2 The Diabetic Food Stamp Project

I could not drink my coffee this morning. One sip and the acid hit my stomach and I did not want any more.

I did not throw it out, I chose to cool it and see if I could not make it work as iced with some milk later. ...(it is now later, I threw it out wasting 12 cents)

I had iced tea and a breakfast identical to yesterday. I made the last of the flat bread with the rest of the ham salad and some pomegranate.

Coffee .12 (I paid for the coffee, even it it was tossed)
Ham mayonnaise .60
Bread .09
Pomegranate .50
Tea .03
Total 1.34
Carbs 40 grams

I am really getting sick of this budget restriction and even more the carb restrictions. I understand how incredibly difficult it is to be diabetic and always HAVE to make the right choices.

I have learned a lot walking in these shoes. Even with the tiny restricted portion, nothing makes me more happy than pasta.

So I had it for lunch.

I used no cheese but added capers to the sauce for that extra volt of flavor.

That is a very bad picture but it was a very good lunch.

1.5 ounce of pasta .12
Sauce .58
Iced tea .03
Capers .08
Total .81
Carbs 40 grams

Dinner was an original. I had those rib tips that had Asian Spice on them and was in the mood for tomato gravy. (tomato gravy is what Southern women make when they are on a diet, it still has butter, but since you add tomatoes it becomes a magic diet food)

A truly rotten photo.

I began with a kohlrabi which I just peeled and ate sliced. 

I then put a tablespoon of butter in the pan and added a touch of flour to brown stirring in water and adding a chopped tomato and the ribs. I let that gravy simmer while I boiled a potato .50, added butter .40 and cabbage .15, plus some yogurt .19. the Total is 1.24.

I had half of the potato mix and all of the rib tips with gravy.

Ribs .95
Tomato .50
Butter .10
Kohlrabi .33
Potato mix .62
Total 2.50
Carbs 45 grams

I had no idea I was making such an expensive meal. Wow. It is a good thing I had only half of the potato mix.

I kept the carbs under control which was the most important thing.

Let's see if I managed my money well. I had a potential 6.23. My day total was 4.65 leaving me 1.58 to carry over. I did fine. Calories 1,439

Day 10, Month 2 The Diabetic Food Stamp Project

My teachers in the Middle East would be proud of the whole grain flat bread I am making. Complex carbohydrates, with a great flavor and texture. It turns out the wok is the perfect baking stone.

The pomegranate perfectly seeded would also make them proud, the ham however...Many Muslims have a problem with ham.

Anyway.

Breakfast was awesome save the coffee. I could not get my really good coffee at the 99 cent store, they had no more. I got the next cheapest and it is a touch acidic and bitter so I will likely get some cream or milk to soften it, further driving up my cost.

Coffee .12
Ham mayonnaise .60
Bread .09
Pomegranate .50
Total 1.31
Carbs 40 grams

At lunch I had a cup of the Bean soup with the other half of the sausage, along with some of those tortillas with a touch of melted cheese.

Soup with Sausage .65
Tortilla with cheese ..45
Iced tea .03
Carbs 40 grams
Total 1.13

I got in a good workout and as usual came home hungry and heated a cup of congee to sip while I cooked.

Broccoli, rib tip chow Mein.
Rib Tip .95
Broccoli .25 (chinatown)
Onion .15 (not on sale this week)
Noodles .35
Carbs 46 grams
Total 1.70

Looks like I kept the budget under control, kept carbs under control and upped my nutrition a bit.

Day Total 4.15 out of a potential 6.13. I can carry over 1.98.

Not a bad day.

It takes a lot of time and effort to eat well on this budget, even without the difficulties of health issues. Add in diabetes or congestive heart problems and you will have a real tough time.