It's near the end of Day 2 of the No White Food Diet and thus far I have not knowingly cheated. Go me! I did have a carrotful of ranch dip yesterday before looking at the package to find it had sugar in it, but afterwards switched only to a strictly sugar-free hummus. On that topic, do you know what else has sugar in it? That's right, it's EVERYTHING. Ranch dressing, mayo, ketchup, grey poupon: sugar. Beef jerky (even the "natural style): brown sugar AND corn syrup. Crackers: sugar, honey, or a combination of the 2. Ice cream: wait that one was obvious. Although this morning I was thinking, tonight I can't have a cocktail, so I'll have a milkshake. Then one second later I realized my extremely flawed logic. Oh how a milkshake sounds good right now. Or a cocktail. Or a milkshake-y cocktail, like a mudslide. Well dammit I'll just have to enjoy this visual representation.



Anyhoo, I could go on about my current headspace of sugar shock and alcohol withdrawal, but you get the picture. On to a series of good and bad things about this experience so far.

Good things:

• Last night I made a version of this barley risotto from 101Cookbooks (the recipe I used was actually from the related book, Super Natural Cooking- and is slightly different, but very close.) It was delicious and creamy and satisfying and there were lots of leftovers for me to eat today and tomorrow. I will definitely make it again.
  
• I made this mushroom soup too and it was easy and people liked it, but the blender got all explodey when we put the hot soup in it which was a big minus. I don't think I'll make it again, but I had been wanting to try it and now I have so that's a good thing.
  
• For dinner tonight, I removed the evil white pastry top of my leftover chicken pot pie and heated up the non-white insides, and combined them with organic sprouted wheat pappardelle pasta from Trader Joe's. Much more delicious than expected- the pasta has a nice hearty texture that was more of a positive, whereas I had assumed it would be a negative as I tend to do when faced with any healthy chunky brown foods. (I think it has to do with my upbringing- I was reared to actively eschew grains and health food in many forms.) Also I felt all virtuous and economical and recycle-y for utilizing the leftovers in such a clever way.
  

• I rediscovered how happy a 99 cent bag of sunflower seeds can make a person. It was the only allowable snack I could find in Walgreens when I was supremely starving around 4 PM today, since even friggin' Triscuits have sugar in them, and I was pleasantly surprised at how filling/yummy/salty they were since I have not eaten them since, I would guess, before Y2K.
• I can still eat bacon, as much and as often as I want... as long as I check to make sure it's not maple or something.
• We found crackers that had all allowable ingredients!

Bad things:

• Aforementioned allowable crackers have the same taste and texture as dog biscuits (I was a curious child with mischievous older sisters, so yes, I have tasted a Milk-Bone or two in my day.) I would rather go without or use salami as a cheese vehicle.
• Splenda in coffee- not so good. The agave nectar is much better but is more of a cheat so I shouldn't do it.
• Speaking of coffee, my friend is encouraging I switch to tea for additional health benefits, but that might be pushing it.
• I couldn't eat even one bite of Mitra's awesome 6-layer rainbow birthday cake yesterday, even after I helped prepare it.
• Our French friend brought over fancy champagne last night, and I couldn't drink it, sad for me, and sad for her- she was pretty disappointed in our unwillingness to budge. And usually we are as big a bunch of bon vivants as you will ever meet. Sorry, Emilie!
• I am hungry all the time but that is normal for me many days; Ross claims I have the metabolism of a hummingbird.
• Skin still wrinkly and thighs still more thunderous than not- but hey, it's only Day 2, right?
• A glass of wine would taste sooooo good right about now. Even if it came from a box.
  

Related post: Day 1: No White Food Diet