Calpernia Addams Diary

Hey Calpernia! Your recipe for hamburger helper reminded me of something similar I kinda make. My roommate is a vegetarian and we used to cook together sometimes, so what we would do is, instead of real beef, use vegetable ground beef. We’d stir-fry that with some veggies and then mix it together with Kraft Dinner, and sometimes add some real cheese in addition to the powdered stuff that comes with it. I’ve also added soy cheese as well. A lot of vegetarian or vegan substitutes to products that contain animals have a reputation for tasting gross, but I don’t find that at all actually. I can’t tell the difference. Plus substituting REALLY cuts down on calories and fat. I’m not preaching to go vegetarian or vegan, but if you’re feeling experimental, their meat or dairy substitutes do taste good.

…and that was a LOT longer than I meant it to be. Sorry =S

Yes, I understand the concern about weight. While of course we know that anorexia and bulemia are dangers to be avoided, weight does make a difference to one’s health and to how others perceive one. When I started my new career in teaching, and then settled down into a relationship, I gained 25 pounds, and I couldn’t get it off no matter what.

Then my partner started doing this program, and lost a lot of weight and kept it off, so I started it, and I have taken off the 25 and more and kept if off for a year, and it’s still working. I’m a total cheerleader for the program.

It’s Overeaters Anonymous - a twelve step program. I go to one-hour meetings a once or twice a week with other people who are addressing the desire to overeat, which practically everyone in the US has. It stresses balance, sanity and spirituality, rather than diet and self-loathing. I have a sponsor who I talk to once a day, and she is an awesome spiritual being - it’s like talking to my mom and God and Xena wrapped into one. (I’m not sure that the Church would approve, but hey.) It’s an awesome program, and I would recommend it to anyone who’s interested in sanity around the issue of overeating. There’s no dues or fees, and it’s a very loving group. Check out your local schedule at http://oa.org

Calpernia is filming some new projects this fall? It sounds like Calpernia’s career starting to take off!

Great veggie suggestions, Robyn! Andrea is vegetarian, and she showed me lots of great veggie versions of recipes. I now sub veggie burgers, veggie chicken patties and ESPECIALLY veggie corn dogs for their meat versions. They taste as good, and are way lower in calories and fat. I still eat meat, too, but I like veggie things.

Jill, that’s amazing! 25 lbs is hard to lose. I’ll definitely look at the site.

OMG! Its so funny that you eat the michelina’s food. Its funny for me cause the factory is right down town. One used to be able to by cases of the stuff once a year. Oh and your right,they probly would flip out for you indorsing them. Oh well they dont know what they are missing out on. I absolutly love your blogs!