Cold comfort

Check. This. Out.

Thai Curried Chicken, the Asian version of chicken soup, I think. YUM!

This was the first good meal I've eaten in almost a week. Most of last week I was helping someone move and there was, literally, no food in the house. I take that back. In the refrigerator was a bottle of non-dairy coffee creamer and a jar of mustard. The pantry had the basics: flour, oil, cereal (pretty useless without milk). And we were so busy we didn't much think about eating.

(Don't you love it when you're too busy to eat? I do!)

Also, when I'm sick I don't much like to eat. I'm not in the "starve a fever, feed a cold" camp. I'm just in the "ewwww, food, take it away" camp.

But I'm starting to feel better and my husband certainly deserves a good meal now and then, so I sucked it up and cooked a Real Meal last night. It was hot and spicy (good for stuffy sinuses), slightly sweet (from coconut milk, mmmm) and just plain delicious. And so simple. How could it not be? The "recipe" is printed in 4-point type on the label of the Thai Red Curry Paste jar, which is only about three inches tall.

Basically, you mix a can of coconut milk (I used 'lite') with a tablespoon of curry paste and cook it for about five minutes. Add basil, brown sugar, bamboo shoots and fish sauce (I didn't have any bamboo shoots or fish sauce so I just left them out), cook some more. Add whatever vegetables you want (mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery) and some cooked meat (chicken). Continue cooking until it thickens. Serve over rice.

My October plan to create new habits worked really well … in October. I'm learning that I need to make these decisions to journal, walk, lift weights, drink water and not snack on a daily basis. It's partly how I managed to be successful in October. The other part was being accountable to both of you on a daily basis, something I'd rather not inflict on you again unless I think it's absolutely necessary.

Traveling and illness have gotten the better of me so far this month. The traveling isn't over, but the illness nearly is. I'd rather not have a setback, though, so I'm going to wait until Sunday to start walking again. I can begin the rest of the plan today.

And I will.