This week's triumphs + a couple of recipes

I admit it. I am a stress eater. My job in New York is hectic, chaotic, and demanding, and I've been managing the crazy a lot better in the last year or so than I did when I first arrived. But I do cave into anxiety very easily, and while I hold it together fantastically at work, I can't help but let loose when I get home. Since grad school I've been contemplating buying stock in Frito Lay, because their reduced-fat sea salt Ruffles are my go-to snack when life is rough. And I have consumed a lot of those chips in the past five years!

Anyway, this week, I've been assigned to a show that I don't normally do. It's a difficult program with a lot of technical moving parts, and a show team with whom I'm not particularly comfortable. I definitely haven't been sleeping much, and when I have been, it's been restless and fraught with nightmares about screwing up something technical on air. It's a recipe for binge snacking, in my opinion. I did walk to work on several days, because oddly, the weather in Manhattan was brilliant this week. 50+ degrees in February several days in a row is very uncommon here.

I'm writing this post today because I managed to get through the week without any major missteps. Here are the three accomplishments I was pleased with: 1) I managed to take my lunch to work every day, which kept me from buying food that is calorie-laden but delicious. 2) I loaded up my desk with fruits & nuts for snacking, and I actually ate them instead of visiting the vending machine. 3) I drank a whole lot of water and herbal tea. Whenever I felt the snacking urge come on, I would drink a glass of water or make myself a cup of tea. I know diet plans all recommend this technique, but I found that 80% of the time, it actually worked.

One particularly beautiful day, I sat in Central Park and ate a small cup of almond gelato in the middle of the afternoon. It seemed like something I really needed to do, so I did. But overall, I did really well this week. Lots of water, lots of fruits & veggies, some walking here and there, and no take-out food!

Easy Chicken & Black Bean Chili w/ Cabbage
-1/2 pound of ground chicken
-1 can black beans, rinsed
-1 can tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes
-1/3 green cabbage, shredded
-1 medium onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
-1 cup chicken stock
-1 cup water
-2 tbsp chili powder (the kind with oregano, cumin, cayenne, etc. all blended together - or you can add those spices in individually to make about 2 tbsp of spice mix)
-1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - add more or less to your liking - or substitute cayenne pepper)
-1 tsp turmeric
-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
-1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
-1 tsp olive oil

Heat oil in a large saucepan or soup pot on medium high heat. Add the onions and red pepper flakes and saute till softened. Add the ground chicken and cook till it's browned slightly. Add the salt and turmeric and cook till chicken is golden brown. (Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through - it will simmer for a while with all the other ingredients so it won't be raw when this dish is finished.)

Add the tomatoes or tomato sauce, beans, garlic, chili powder, water and chicken broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower the temperature and let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes. Add the cabbage at the end, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft. Then add salt & pepper to taste. This makes about 5-6 servings.

I made a big pot of this easy chili on Monday and ate it for dinner every night when I came home from work. It was hearty and satisfying, and for once, I didn't mind eating this for several nights in a row. (I'm not a big fan of leftovers.) What I like about this recipe is that it's totally customizable - if cabbage isn't your thing, add spinach or kale. (I just like adding veggies in there, so I don't feel like I have to make a salad or steam some veggies to go with it. I'm slightly impatient and usually starving when I get home after work.) If you love super spicy food, add more red pepper and cayenne and black pepper. Have at it!

My Cousin Monica's Super Salmon Spread
-1 can wild Alaskan salmon, drained
-2 tbsp mayonnaise
-1 tsp mustard
-2 tsp Tabasco or hot sauce of your choice
-3 tsp ketchup

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl till combined, and then put it on your favorite bread for a sandwich that'll make your typical tuna seem stale. My cousin made this with tuna when I visited her in Montreal a few years ago, and it knocked my socks off back then. Since I read a health book over the weekend that extolled the virtues of salmon, I decided to try to incorporate some of the heart healthy fare into my diet this week. I ate this with oat nut bread from Whole Foods, and it was delicious.

PS - How in the world does Whole Foods make those vegan chocolate chip cookies taste so darn delicious?