Pot Poury

258.2:  -9.0 pounds, 21 days

Very frustrating.  I had a good week, I used the treadmill 6 days in a row (Monday - Saturday), and was fairly good on my diet.  We did have our department christmas party Friday at lunch, and Adrienne and I went out to dinner Saturday night (more on that later) but I don't think I deserved to gain 3 pounds over the weekend.  Oh well.

I made 8 batches of peanut brittle this weekend to give out to friends, coworkers, and neighbors.  Naturally I had to eat a little, but I considered myself to have been pretty good.  Have to test the stuff to make sure it's "right" before cracking it up and giving it to my neighbors.  It's a finicky thing.  I blew 7 batches of peanut brittle earlier in the week before realizing that I needed Karo *BRAND* syrup, and not just Target brand corn syrup.  It makes a difference, apparently.  The first 7 batches I just couldn't get to set properly.

Friday was the University Development christmas party.  It's always a daytime thing, partly so they can put on the traditional skit (which spouses just wouldn't appreciate), and partially (I think) to avoid having to pay for the spouses as well.  This year it was at a place called the Starlu Restaurant in Durham, at the corner of University and Shannon.  I thought it was overly fancy, the service was slow (considering they were serving 3 entries to 100 people, they could've done things quicker than they did), and the food wasn't that good.  My dinner consided of a grilled hanger steak with mashed potatoes and some kind of sauteed leaf (kale, perhaps).  I had a ceasar salad to start and finished with a flourless chocolate almond torte.  I had some baked brie, crackers, and a few toasted baguettes with a warm crab dip for an appetizer.  The crab dip was the only really outstanding part of the meal.  I did win the centerpiece  from the table though, which was a small basket of goodies from Southern Seasons.

I didn't want to blow things completely, so I went to the gym about an hour afterwards for a vigorous 40 minute walk/run on the treadmill, and had only an Atkins shake and some cheese for dinner.

Saturday started out really good - by the time 5 o'clock rolled around, I had only had a south beach meal replacement bar for breakfast, and an Atkins shake for lunch.  But I was really craving cajun food so Adrienne and I headed out to Tony's Bourbon Street Oyster Bar for dinner.  Check out their cajun/creole menu.  YUM!  Obviously, this wasn't going to be a low carb friendly meal, but I probably would've gotten the Shrimp Creole, and some clam chowner.

Unfortunately, they were closed for a private event.  Still craving Cajun, we went downtown Raleigh to the 42nd Street Oyster Bar.  They brought out hushpuppies immediately when we sat down, and I knew it wasn't going to be a good night for dieting!  They had a limited amount of cajun food on the menu, but I'd been really good all day so I ordered some  new england clam chowder for starters, and had the cajun fried shrimp platter with mashed potatoes and cole slaw.  Yes, batter fried shrimp and mashed potatoes - clearly not low carb items, but they were good.

I didn't even eat the whole thing!  Probably only ate half of the shrimp and potatoes, along with all of the cole slaw and maybe 5 or 6 hush puppies, with only water to drink.  But I was absolutely stuffed by the time I was done!

On the way out, we ended up giving our leftovers to a fellow out by the parking lot who asked for them.  He may not have any money to cook his own meal, but hanging outside a restaurant like that probably gets him some good meals!  From us, he got cajun friend shrimp, half a crabcake, some steamed vegetables and some hushpuppies.

On Sunday, I had a south beach bar for breakfast, one of those south beach wrap kits that they sell in he grocery stories for lunch, and filet mignon with stemed broccoli and long grain rice for dinner.  Oh yeah, plus I had to sample the peanut brittle to make sure it was cooked right.

It was a good weekend!  Just not for dieting.