Monday, August 06, 2007

F is for Fat.

Homemade Meatball Heroes

There, I said it, f is for fat. I won't bore you too long with my weight issues and poor body image, but bare with me a bit, for it is my encyclopedia and this is a part of me.

I have wrestled with my weight for most of my life. Well, not really in the sense that I have been fighting to reduce it, there's just always been more of it on me than my friends. My body's been wiggly…jiggly. And even as a little kid, I've had what would be most commonly known as a gut. I still remember in 6th or 7th grade, while changing in the locker room after gym, Ebony blatantly pointing out this fact.

I had been active throughout my childhood. Not overly so, but not sitting on my butt shoving food down my throat 24/7. I played sports (soccer since 2nd grade, basketball since 3rd, tennis starting in middle school, volleyball for the brief period known as middle school). I was recreationally active, especially in the summer (riding my bike everywhere and swimming lessons constantly). But I was known to sneak food while home alone. There I've admitted it.

I am emotional eater.

And though I don't remember specific feelings or thoughts from these times, I'm sure I was bored and/or lonely. It still happens today. Bored, lonely, stressed, whatever…food always comes into play some how. I know its not good, but it is a tough cycle to break.

I did go through a brief period where weight really wasn't an issue for me, though it was difficult for me to see it. It wasn't until I saw a photo of myself on the beach in Italy that I realized I was finally thin. You'd think the increasingly baggy clothes, and shrinking sizes would be a key, but not really. I kept seeing my old self in the mirror. From freshman year in college until about the time I graduated, I should have been pleased with myself. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't actively trying to lose more weight…definitely not an eating disorder candidate, here, I like food too much, just still seeing the old me. A poor body image.

Around the time, second semester of my senior year rolled around, I started to put on a few pounds. Tight deadlines and stressful, creative projects led to many late (almost sleepless nights) downing Dr Peppers to keep myself going. Some people turn to alcohol when they're stressed and need to unwind, I turn to Dr Pepper. And after almost 4 years of not drinking pop, it did have some drug like qualities.

And by two years later, after marrying and starting a real job that required me to sit in front of a computer all day, every day, I was pretty much back to the old self.

So now the struggle begins again. This time trying to take a healthy, controlled approach to slimming down. We've joined the YMCA (though I've been slacking off the past few weeks), but the food is still the problem. If only I had a little man in the kitchen in charge of portion control. In my kitchen that would be the best tool money could buy, not the food scientist that Alton Brown suggests.

And since you've bared with me…

The recipe for my fatty photo (what you don't see is the mound of tater tots that accompanied the sandwich).

Homemade Meatball Heroes serves 2
Meatballs
• 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 2 slices of wheat bread, torn
• 1 small white onion, chopped finely
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 c Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1.5 Tbs olive oil

Sandwiches
• 2 Hoagie Rolls
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 jar (16 oz jar) of spaghetti sauce
• sprinkle of parmesan
• 2 pickle spears

1. In a bowl, combine all meatball ingredients, except oil. Mix well, and shape 10 meatballs, roughly the same size.
2. In a pan, warm 1/2 of the oil at a medium to med-low heat. Then add half of the meatballs. Cook through, rotating so all sides are browned and meatballs cooked through (approx 7 minutes). Remove when done , and repeat with second batch, adding more oil if necessary to keep balls from sticking.
3. Warm bun in oven.
4. Add spaghetti sauce and all meatballs to pan. Heat through.
5. Sprinkle inside of buns with mozzarella, add meatballs with sauce, then sprinkle with a bit of parmesan.
6. Garnish with a pickle spear, and enjoy! Hot, moist, cheesy meatball heroes…yummmmmm.

1 comment:

Jenna Z said...

Mmm, that picture looks good enough to eat! Hi! I wanted to ask if you could email me with your address for the PIF swap.
beastbunny-at-hotmail-dot-com
Thanks!