Lunch, Snack & Dinner, Day Fifty-Eight

• lamb roasted with garlic & rosemary
• 3 new potatoes
• approx. 1/2 cup mashed carrots
• approx. 1 cup asparagus
• 1 artichoke with about 2 tbsp drawn butter
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries, sweeetened with Splenda, small dallop of whipped cream

I went to my parents' for Easter dinner. Because both my brother and mother are on diets as well, they were careful in what they chose to serve so that it would coincide with both Atkins and a more low-fat, low-calorie type diet.

My mom trimmed most of the fat off of a leg of lamb, which actually made the flavor more delicate and savory. The vegetables were all prepared without butter or salt (so that my brother could add it and I could abstain) - they were so delicious. After the main meal, we had artichokes steamed in the pressure cooker with some drawn butter - I was careful to be prudent with my dips in the butter such that at least half of my butter was still left when I'd finished the artichoke. It was such a treat!

For dessert, in place of the usual pies or cheesecake, we had sliced strawberries. I sweetened mine with Splenda, then added just a dallop of whipped cream. We all talked about how much healthier we felt having a relatively sane Easter dinner, as compared with the usual sickly bloated feeling after a sodium-and fat-laden feast complimented with chocolates and sugary desserts. We'd all agreed not to have any baskets or candy, and to be honest, I didn't miss them at all. In fact, having more vegetables and a lean cut of meat made for a much more flavorful and sophisticated meal than I'd expected, and we all really enjoyed it a lot.

I talked with my parents about a lot of the emotional stuff that's been going on lately, and it was incredibly helpful to relax with them, get a fresh perspective, and get the parental nourishment I so badly needed. They were encouraging with my diet, saying I look like I've lost a lot of weight (even though I feel like I'm just drifting and not really cutting anything down). My mother gave me tips on how to make the diet work better into my schedule, and since she is beginning NutriSystem this week, she got my re-inspired to up my exercise and take a more optimistic stance on the whole diet in general.

Hope you all had a great Easter!