One of the nice things about dieting (there are very few nice things, so we must take as much pleasure as we can in those few) is that I've discovered that I actually really like certain healthy foods. I mean, not just can-put-up-with, or even tastes-pretty-good-but-I'd-never-order-it-if-there-were-curly-fries-available, but actually so-good-that-I-actively-desire-it, so-good-I-sometimes-crave-it, so-good-that-my-mouth-salivates-at-the-thought-of-it.
One of those is new dishes is grilled salmon tossed with mixed greens, mango slices, and low-fat mango vinaigrette. 350 calories of sheer heaven. Oh my god, yum. Which is what I just ate, and which is making me very happy. And hey -- when did salmon get so cheap? I always thought it was expensive food, but it really isn't, especially if you buy the big bulk slab of it. Surprising. Good.
Last night we went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. Twelve years, eep. Yummy food at the semi-fancy French restaurant, Le Sardine, and we took advantage of their Tuesday night special -- appetizer, entree, and dessert for $20/person. (Usually their entrees alone are about $20.) I was adventurous and tried the oxtail broth with potato gnocchi appetizer, which was excellent. My salmon entree (which I ate the leftovers of for lunch today) was fine, but it was the dessert that really kicked ass. Apple tart drenched in an almond liqueur, surrounded by frangipane (a creamy almond sauce) and an almost-burnt caramel sauce, topped with caramel ice cream. Oh, my, god. I ate half of it, and I suspect more than half of my day's calories were in that half, but I didn't care. Delicious.
Kevin had lamb, but he waffled mightily between that and the roast chicken. So I picked up a little chicken at the grocery store today, and I'll roast it with lemon and rosemary for dinner tonight. It's his reward for being very sweet yesterday, and thereby managing to get me to enjoy our celebration despite my previously stressed-out mood. I've clearly been trained well by my mother -- good behavior is rewarded with yummy food. :-)