Try New Things.........Sure!!!

I went to my Jenny Craig appointment a little bit grouchy this week. I only lost 1.6 pounds for a two week period. I have to admit that still going in the downward direction is a very good thing. Some changes in the past two weeks are I am suppose to start incorporating my own, self-prepared meals into the program. Up to this point, I had been doing this totally, non-thinking, sticking a small frozen dinner in the microwave and adding a vegetable to the meal. It was all laid out for me without any type of forethought. Since I reached the halfway point of my goal, I have chosen to start cooking my dinner meals with my family.

Another complaint is sadly, the grocery stores are starting to become "slim-pickens" in the tasty, summer-fresh fruits and veggie aisle. I love strawberries...but they are rather tasteless this time of year. Tomatoes are fuzzy in color and taste. My Grandma once said, "This time of year, diced tomatoes are like throwing a little red rag on a salad. It's just for looks." When I aired my complaint to Sharon, my super-duper Jenny Craig consultant, she suggested I "try new things".

Oh boy.....

So, with a since of adventure, I approached the fresh Fruit and Vegetable aisle in Wal-mart on Monday. I have read in some magazine that the closer you get to eating a food in it's natural state (the way God grows it) the more nutritious it is for you. So, I decided to go with a $3.97 pineapple. Granted it is more expensive than canned, but I am going for taste and nutrition. You can't skimp on good nutrition, now, can you?!!

Pineapples have always intimidated me. Let's face it....in it's natural state it is tall and prickly. It is a variety of colors...yellow, brown, green, etc. I have always enjoyed pineapple out of a can...I love pineapple juice....and I can do this.....right?!!!! I am an intelligent person.......right?!!! (Wait, don't answer that!!)

So I get out my "Ginsu" knife that makes me look like a reject from "Psycho" and my girls [Jenna and Sammie(Jenna's friend who came over for dinner and got more than she bargained for)] back up two steps. Drawn by the irresistible pull of seeing an adult in a state of confusion, they edge closer to see if they might be able to offer up some advice.

I turn "Pat the pineapple" on his side and lop off his head and bottom. Both girls literally jump and squeal.

Jenna says, "There goes SpongeBob's house". (For those of you who don't know, SpongeBob the cartoon has a pineapple for a house.)

Sammie remarks, "Yeah, you probably are carvin' him up right now." (These girls are pretty bloodthirsty.)

I just shrug it off and continue. I start carving off the sides. This leaves brown spots all over it. Apparently, I am not carving off enough, so I continue to whittle. This project is really labor intensive!!

Tyler, my 6 foot tall, 16-year-old son, who knows way more than any adult right now, walks over, looks down at me, and offers a critique of my efforts, "Mom, that just doesn't look right."

After whittling for what seems like hours (maybe a slight exaggeration), I slice and put layers on a plate. There is still a little brown on the edges, and I haven't even got the core out. So, I warn everyone at the table. The group at the table looks at me like "You expect me to eat that."

Realising it isn't going to happen unless I make it happen, I fork the first slice, cut out the core, and give each child at the table a chunk with the old saying..."At least try it, you may like it."

Again, my son comes at me with the "I don't think your suppose to eat it like that."

My husband, ever the faithful spouse, spears a slice. He tries it and says, "It's not bad at all."

I ask my husband, "I wonder if you plant the top of the pineapple, would it grow into a tree?"

"Oh yeah," he says. "We would just need to make sure it didn't freeze." After scratching his head he adds, "Maybe I should build you a greenhouse and we could raise pineapples right here in Kansas." Leave it to my husband to turn a simple question into a hundred thousand dollar building project.

It was super juicy and delicious. We all had juice running down our chins and sticky fingers. I couldn't convince my son it was better than canned pineapple, but they all tried it. This whole pineapple preparation thing has given me a whole new appreciation for the Dole factories and workers.

So...my foray into something new wasn't all that bad, but guess what else my Jenny Craig consultant suggest I try....eggplant.

Big, purple, intimidating.....wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!