Garden-Florida

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to adding rain barrels lately.

Here is a video showing how to build a really basic one cheap.

Here’s a more sophisticated one to build

I have pretty much ignored my eggplants, so was in for a tasty surprise.

I set them out last fall, but then after one night when temps neared freezing, I thought they were gone. Not quite. They gradually came back, but with little notice from me.

Then, the other day, I was weeding the area and noticed a beautiful purple fruit dangling. Before long my bowl was filled with 11 ripe eggplant.

My first thought, Eggplant Parmesan! My mouth watered at the thought of crispy fried slices of eggplants smothered beneath tomato sauce and cheese. Now this is the reason I’m overweight. I’m holding a perfectly ripe, perfectly healthy home grown food and my first thought is to dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs, fry it up in oil and smother with cheese.

And I did. And it was delicious.

The next day was the doctor’s appointment when I received the lose-weight lecture. (Read Time For A Change) I was giving a lot of thought to the concept of changing my lifestyle without dieting.

OK, surely it must be possible to come up with a healthier way to cook eggplants without sacrificing flavor?

Here’s what I did.

I baked the sliced eggplant at about 375, while cooking something else—about 20 minutes. Then, once soft and tender I lightly brushed with a beaten egg. Then I dusted the top with a mix of bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic salt, pepper and oregano. The whole mixture to dust the pan was about ¼ cup. I placed under the broiler until brown and crisp.

This turned out very well, had plenty of flavor and was much quicker and easier to prepare than eggplant Parmesan. I think the recipe could be improved by adding diced tomato before broiling. Since more eggplant are growing, I should have an opportunity to find out before long.

I have read that eggplant plants can survive in Florida for 3 to 4 years if not killed by a freeze. I don’t know about that, but will faithfully report on my plants, and how I cook them.

While I have made some progress updating Garden-Florida, much remains to complete. A number of photos still need to be added, along with some links.

The past few months have not been nearly as productive as I wished. What happened to my ambitious plans for transforming my property into an edible landscape? The spirit was willing but the body was falling apart. Well, something like that. Some days the spirit was a tad sluggish too.

Here is my problem. I’m too fat. And this undeniable reality is beginning to affect endurance in the garden. Not only do I have less energy these days, but the aches and pains are more frequent and intrusive.

This week reality hit home with greater force. The last time I saw my doctor I told her I was experiencing severe pain in my feet and the back of my legs after gardening. She ordered blood tests. Even though I have been overweight for several years, blood-work always comes back fine–cholesterol and blood sugar, no problem. Possibly, this is because while I overdo the stuff I shouldn’t eat, I also enjoy plenty of healthy, home-grown fruit and vegetables.

Anyway, my doctor saw something in the tests she didn’t like. Not sure what, but something that indicated that I could be headed toward arthritis. This would hardly be surprising since so many people in my family suffer with the same. She sent me to a specialist who decided that I do not have arthritis at this point. But I could be heading in that direction if I don’t make some changes. My current pains are closer akin to the tendon problems I have with my arm.

Anyway, the specialist’s advice: Lose weight. Is it even necessary to add that this specialist is a guy? Lose weight, indeed. Nothing simpler, right? Actually, losing weight isn’t difficult. The challenge is keeping it off.

Over the course of my entire life I have probably lost hundreds of pounds. I go on a diet. Take of 20, 30 pounds. Go off the diet and gain 30, 40 pounds. A few years ago I finally declared NO MORE DIETS! If I keep dieting I will eventually weight 500 pounds! In fact, I am absolutely convinced that I would weigh less today if I had never once dieted.

I do need to lose weight, but I will not diet. I know how that goes.

While not dieting, I scarcely even think about food. Sure, I eat stuff I shouldn’t eat, but I don’t obsess over it.

When I diet, I become a slave to food. The calorie rules my day. I can scarcely make a decision without giving it deference. I will not be controlled by food.

What about rewarding ourselves with food?

Treating the food we crave as a reward, for starving the rest of the time, is just as destructive. If certain foods are a reward, what does that make the rest of the stuff we force ourselves to endure? Punishment? Yes, I think punishment is correct. Punishment for being bad, gaining weight. Punishment for being undisciplined with food. And before long we resent the control the diet holds over our lives.

And yet I should lose weight.

How?

I must find a way to make healthy changes in my life without allowing food to control my day. Food is not my master.

The prospect of more aches and pains, less energy are good incentives to lose weight. But not through dieting.

There must be a better way.