Pimento Cheese is My Kryptonite

I know I’m not alone. Just when you think you have your will-power locked down, someone lays a tub of pimento cheese and crackers in front of you and all sense of portion control and moderation go out the door. When I am strong, it weakens me. When I am lonely and sad, it cheers me. Some people crumble for chocolate. I do for pimento cheese.

But this post really isn’t about pimento cheese,  it’s about fudge, pigs in a blanket, mini-quiches and creamy spreads. From Thanksgiving through New Years Day, I was surrounded by high-calorie holiday cheer and solid reasons not to work out – the southeast had a bitter cold snap, I was out of town and couldn’t go to the gym, I had visitors coming through. There was all kinds of indulgence happening during that blissful month, which all came to an end with me feeling distended, sluggy and ready for corrective action.

Getting back on the wagon was surprisingly easy. And to my shock and awe, I feel stronger and have been able to work out harder than before. Perhaps the time off from weights and hard-core cardio was a good thing? I don’t know. But I do feel really good about the shape I’m in, and Jill and I even committed to a Cross-Fit Bootcamp in the Spring. To me that requires some confidence.

As for food and diet, this required a bit more discipline and planning. After indulging in every treat that came into the house, I decided to cut meat and dairy out of my diet for the first month of the year. I’ve NEVER gone without dairy before and wasn’t sure I could take it, but within the first 48 hours I felt such a physical improvement that its been pretty easy to stay on track. With the exception of two exceptional meals out, my protein comes from fish, eggs, beans, tofu and all that other hippie stuff.

My friend and fellow foie gras fan Lisa asked, “you’re not a V-E-G-A-N are you?” – oh, nay.  I can’t conceive of giving up everything forever. I just want to use this time to clean out my system and learn a bit more how my body reacts to things. Like many control freaks, I geek when I discover a new way to measure and manage, especially my health, especially now.

Enter Walnuts. Again.

Nuts.

One thing I learned quickly is that my favorite food group is creamy rich stuff. And being a quasi-bright girl, realized that I needed to a solid, healthy, vegan replacement for some of my favorite foods if I was going to make it through the month without butter, cheese and milk.

It’s not a major change for me, but I’ve incorporate avocados into anything and everything, especially as a replacement for mayonnaise on sandwiches, in salads, or just as a side when there not much else going on with my meal. There is never a bad time for guacamole, which makes saying nay to the sour cream at Mexican restaurants a bit easier.

Walnuts are one of the best sources (next to flax seed) of Omega-3 fatty acids, which provide protection from high cholesterol and high blood pressure, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cancer, clinical depression and Alzheimer’s, obesity and bone loss. They are high in calories, but used properly and in moderation there’s very little downside to bumping up your walnut intake.

Spinach.

With that said, here’s how I’m using walnuts to make my life better during these dairy-free times. This recipe is for a spinach-artichoke dip, with a base of walnut cream that I make in a food processor with nuts and oil. Sounds weird, but tastes amazing.

I actually eat about a quarter of what this recipe makes for an entire meal with Wasa crackers. Probably not complete balanced nutrition, but I know everything I’m putting in is good for me.

Spinach Artichoke Survival Spread

1 package of chopped frozen spinach

1 package of frozen artichokes (Trader Joe’s sells 12-15 count bags, you can buy them in jars but make sure they’re packed in water)

1 cup walnuts

2-3 T walnut or olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves

Juice from one lemon

1/2 tsp cayenne

Tabasco to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Beautiful fresh artichokes. I use the frozen ones though.

In a food processor or blender, combine the walnuts, garlic and oil. Grind until they’re chopped well and starting to form a paste. If you want it totally smooth, keep going until you hit the consistency you like – I prefer the dip to be a little crunchy.

Add thawed, drained spinach and artichokes and pulse the processor until they’re mixed in with the walnut goodness. Add lemon juice, tabasco, cayenne, salt and pepper and give it another whirl until it looks and tastes good to you. I encourage improvisation on the spices, because it’s very difficult to mess this up – but easy to customize for personal perfection.

More recipes will come soon. I haven’t abandoned beets, but have opened my heart to rutabagas, which are a wonderful fiber-packed root vegetable that has a naturally buttery taste. Stay tuned.