Clean Eating Gone Haywire!
Over the last six years that my husband–Mike–and I’ve been married, he has been witness to many of my interesting diets. Although I finally realized that simply eating clean is the only effective eating plan–or as I prefer to say, a lifestyle choice. I’ll 
admit that in the past, I’ve fallen victim to numerous diets that have all failed, one after another. Let’s see…there was the Atkins, South Beach, the one where you gave up coffee and ordered outrageously expensive wild caught salmon on some Dr.’s website–this one lasted about a day. Yes, like most people…I too have made many attempts to lose weight with quick fix diets that DO NOT WORK.
I’m always creating new recipes that must have two elements–healthy and delicious. On occasion I’ll search the web for a new recipe. Recently, I found one for chili that sounded simple and was packed with nutrition. The only significant changes from traditional chili were ground turkey in place of beef and the addition of oat bran. Sounded harmless enough.
I pulled out the old crock pot…added all the ingredients and headed off to work. That night was a late one for me, which meant Mike would be eating alone. Around 6:30 p.m. my cell phone rang and the conversation went something like this….
Me “Hey Sweetie, what’s going on?”
Mike “I noticed you fixed dinner in the crock pot. Thanks. I’m really starving.”
Me “I think you’ll enjoy it. It’s chili.”–hoping he wouldn’t notice anything different.
Mike is a fairly healthy eater and supports my clean eating lifestyle, but doesn’t quite
share my enthusiasm for trying new clean recipes.
Mike “I’m sure I will. Talk to you later.”
6:45 p.m., my phone rang again…
Mike ”Now don’t get upset, but I started to eat some chili and these little things were floating in it.”
Me “Little things?”, I asked with a confused tone.
Mike ”Are those Maggots in the Chili?”
Me “Maggots? What are you talking about?”
Mike “I was afraid to eat…it looks like Maggots floating around,” he said– half joking and half serious.
Me “That’s just oat bran.”
Mike A sigh of disappointment followed by, “I was looking forward to a nice bowl of traditional chili.
Would you mind if I make a sandwich and skip the chili?”
Me ”Whatever you want. I don’t think the oat bran will effect the taste…but whatever.”
Mike “Thanks for thinking of me, but I’ll stick to old fashioned chili…if that’s O.K?”
Me “Sure…that’s fine. Talk to you later,” I said with a hint of annoyance.”
After I saw the chili in its final stage, it did look a little like Maggots floating around–at least by some stretch of the imagination. My annoyance with Mike soon faded, we tossed the Chili… and had a big laugh.
Granted, this clean eating dish went a little haywire. Oh well, I’ll continue to search for recipes that are healthy and delicious. And…I’m sure Mike will continue to ask questions like, “Are those maggots in my chili?”