"Christine Dabney" wrote
Arri London wrote:

Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat
as
more of a condiment to a dish.

Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
'treat' for weekends only.

How do you do that? I mean, how is the meat/whatever cooked? Is it
mixed in a stirfry,or stew, or what? I am interested in this.

Well Christine, if the Doc tells you when you are 25, you will never see 50
if you dont change diet habits, it makes an impact. Please don't think I'm
expecting anyone else to need my level of control on this. I do not. This
is often enough a genetic issue. I've frequently tested at 450 and above.

I *now* consistantly test just a little over 200 and most of it is the 'good
stuff'.

I've never been much for 'stirfry' as such, but my main attraction at a meal
tends to be a starch or vegetable, with meat of some sort at the side.
Example, a large bunch of spinach with a little sesame oil and perhaps a bit
of bacon fat, a carrot and chicken stock soup puree with cumin and curry, a
slice of fresh made bread with an olive oil spiced dip, some rice, and maybe
a chicken thigh or a few slices off one pork loin 1" thick cooked marinaded
portion (about 3 oz each).

Another meal might be rice, fresh fruit of the season, cabbage 'fried' in
stock, and a baked stuffed squid or a largish portion of some sort of fish.

LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
as a game.

Same for me. I am fascinated by the notion that one doesn't have to
spend a lot of money to eat well. I KNOW it can be done. And done
well. And it does become a game to see how well one can do..and how
creative one can be.

Sure! My economizing on not getting boxed garbage like hamburger helper,
means I can afford to use that 3$ or so for 1/2 lb shrimp g then the 2$ or
so of beef that would have needed, goes to fresh fruit or straw mushrooms
etc.

I spent more today than I usually do, but I just went to a local
farmers market. I was ogling the vegetables and some beets called out
to me, so I bought some. Strawberries are starting to be really good
here...and prices are down. I bought a 3 pack of strawberries that
are red throughout and juicy and sweet. First strawberries of the
year for me!!! And I got some fresh eggs...just a half carton. And
some lemons...

Good! I see the new stuff rolling in here too. Fresh spring greens! I'll
miss the fresh burdock shoots
of Japan, but you cant have everything!

So much wonderful stuff..but I need to figure out now what I want to
cook..and maybe hit up another market tomorrow, since I know what is
in season around here now. That way, I think I can budget for the
week.. Yes, it is more expensive to buy from farmers markets..but oh
the produce!!! Fortunately, this wasn't a really yuppie market...but
a good down to earth one...with a lot of ethnic diversity in the
people showing up there. So prices do tend to be lower than the
tonier markets like the Santa Monica ones.

Only in Califirnia are they more expensive. Wierd how they do that there!
May want to see if there is a local Asian Grocery type place. Apt to be
mostly organically grown but not listed and same good stuff but cheaper.

The area where I am staying here in this area is not upper class by
any means. When I tell folks where I am staying ..they seem
astonished. Seems like this area has a mixed reputation. However,
there are so great little markets hereabouts.. One called Seafood
City, which caters to Filipinos. Great seafood counter...I am
thinking that it might be nice to pick up some good seafood this week
from there. Prices are very good.

Go for it! My best seafood place here is a local Asian market. They also
have 5lb ducks for 8.99$

And not too far from me, is a Korean market..with incredible produce
prices. Some interesting things in their meat counter...

Gosh I will miss going to Korea twice a year. Done that from 2001-2007.

And there is a supermarket chain in parts of this great L.A.
area...called Jons. Jons is having some great sales this week. They
are the market that has the boneless, skinless chicken legs...They are
on sale there this week... And they also have on sale pork stew meat:
that is trying to call my name for some reason. Not sure what I might
cook with it....

I never bothr with boneless skinless cuts as it's easy to skin in a few
secondsa and i want the bones for the stock pot. On the pork, a curry would
be good!

Let the games (eating well on a budget!) begin!!!
;-)