AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 31, 2004 — Goodbye to the food diary. Begun (on the page-a-day form) in June 2003 with this entry: "Steak and potatoes for breakfast, nachos for lunch, pork chop, perogies, apple sauce and salad for dinner. Jack Daniels and water." I weighed about ten pounds more then. Certainly I won't promise that food won't appear in the new format. Certainly will. But it won't generally be isolated from the other matters.

breakfast
croissant with ham and swiss

lunch
turkey, gravy, green bean casserole
a little bite of some sweet

snacks

tortilla chips, cheese, hot sauce
two pieces of beef tenderloin on a roll
a little smoked salmon and crackers
some pecan baked bried and crackers
some chili cheese dip and Fritoes
three glasses Chardonnay
a small glass of champagne
a taste of black-eyed pea soup

dinner

nothing

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 30, 2004 —

breakfast
cereal with whole milk

lunch
nothing

snacks

nothing

dinner

Morrocan lamb and coucous
roasted root vegetables
about seven little mozzarella balls and half a tomato
big piece of pound cake
a couple of glasses of Pinot Noir

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 29, 2004 —

breakfast
nothing

lunch
turkey, a little dressing, gravy and a bunch of leftover green bean casserole
slice of pound cake

snacks

a German beer
two slices of cheddar cheese and a green onion

dinner

smoked salmon, cream cheese, mini bagels (two or three?) with red onion and capers
two slices of pound cake

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 28, 2004 —

breakfast
cereal, nonfat yogurt

lunch

turkey sandwich with mayo, lettuce, onion
a few Fritoes

snacks

three slice cheddar cheese
green onions
small plate nachos
slice of pound cake
Guinness
Jack and water

dinner

three pork tamales
hot sauce
a little cheese

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 27, 2004 —

breakfast
cereal, nonfat yogurt, banana

lunch

some cheese and Waldorf salad
part of a chocolate cookie

snacks

none

dinner

smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, onions, mini bagel
a small turkey sandwich with mayo and horseradish and lettuce and onion
a piece of ham
some more turkey with dressing and gravy
some red wine
some more red wine
a few raw vegies
a Peppermint stick

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 26, 2004 —

breakfast
nothing

lunch

turkey sandwich on wheat with mayo and horseradish sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce
green onions
carrots
grapes

snacks

a piece of chocolate peppermint candy
a coffee with Amaretto and Kahlua and whipped cream

dinner

Icelandic smoked salmon
a bunch of crackers
mayo dill sauce
capers
a little cheese
1/2 bottle white wine

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 25, 2004 —

breakfast
nothing

lunch

leftover turkey breast, dressing and gravy
leftover green bean casserole

snacks

some fresh mozzarella in herbs and oil
some garlic-stuffed olives
A bit of cheddar cheese and crackers
spinach dip, crackers, nuts

dinner

turkey
dressing
gravy
sweet potatoes
tomatoes
ham
salmon
bread
glazed grape tart
champagne
red wine

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 24, 2004 —

breakfast

cereal, nonfat yogurt, banana

lunch

nothing

snacks

roll
champagne
coffee with liqueur and whipped cream
red wine
cheese, turkey, three crackers, some olives
part of a giant chocolate cookie thing from Central Market

dinner

turkey
dressing
gravy
green bean casserole
Waldorf salad
ambrosia
red wine
olives
roll with butter

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 23, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[NeWorlDeli]

1/2 of a Reuben
cup of black bean Marsala soup

snacks

a bunch of cheese straws
two slices cheddar cheese

dinner

Frito Chili pie and some guacamole

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 22, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[34th Street Cafe]

1/2 of a turkey/Swiss sandwich
1/2 of a sort of Greek salad

snacks

Party food: two tamales with a little guac and some relish and salsa; a cookie; red wine, several; a coffee with Amaretto and whipped cream; a cup of Glug; a few cheese straws, a few nuts; a mini (bite-sized) baked Brie; a few olives; a little mozzarella ball. Probably something else although I didn't find much time for eating.

dinner

Just the party stuff above! With snacks like these, who needs dinner!

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 21, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

[to clean out the frig, I ate up things that were left in it creating this rather odd meal, even for me]

one Bratwurst steamed in the microwave with Dijon wasabi sauce
Two 'Hawaiian' rolls (these packaged dinner rolls that are sort of sweet and come with the fried chicken we get at Randall's some times...I think they are about 100 calories a piece)
a little leftover garlic hummus
about half a can of leftover pineapple slices
a slice of cheddar cheese

snacks

about a dozen pieces of fruit pectin candy, probably more...I got FFP to eat some and finished the box

dinner
[North by Northwest]

smoked pork, mashers, red cabbage
part of a dark cherry crisp

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 20, 2004 —

breakfast

cereal and nonfat yogurt

lunch

vegetarian barbeque, zuchinni and carrots steamed with lemon pepper and lemon juice, Dijon washabi sauce

snacks

cheddar cheese and tortilla chips

dinner

vegetarian barbeque, zuchinni and carrots steamed with lemon pepper and lemon juice, Dijon washabi sauce
almost half a bottle of leftover wine

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 19, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

cereal and yogurt

snacks

three pieces fruit pectin candy
two slices of cheddar cheese
twelve ounce Coke

dinner

rice and about a third of an order of Buddha's delight, mushu (sp?) pork and General Tso's chicken with broccoli
a fortune cookie

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 18, 2004 —

breakfast

Texas croissant
Large Christmas sugar cookie

lunch

large mixed greens/cabbage salad with carrots, broccoli, green onions, leftover salmon with capers and Peppercorn Ranch dressing

snacks

10? 12? pieces fruit pectin candy
a Shiner Bock
a bunch of cheddar cheese (two ounces? three?) and green onions and tortilla chips

dinner

nonfat yogurt and cereal
1 1/2 slices of cheddar cheese

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 17, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[Chez Zee]

two pieces of bread and olive oil
Pecan-crusted chicken Caesar

snacks

A ton of fruit Pectin candy (yikes!)
cheddar cheese, onions, tortilla chips

dinner

leftover chicken with garlic and tomato sauce and cheese
salad with green onions, carrots and Bleu Cheese viniagrette dressing

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 16, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[El Arroyo]

barbecue chicken enchiladas with rice and beans (there was a dollop of sour cream, too)
chips
salsa

snacks

party stuff: a Fat Tire beer, some black bean salad, some kind of salad with meat and oranges, some shrimp and a peanut sauce, some little savory cakes with a sauce, two cookies

about ten pieces of fruit pectin candy
some cheddar cheese, chips, green onions

dinner

just snackin'

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 15, 2004 —

breakfast

cereal and nonfat yogurt
a small amount of leftover fruit salad

lunch

turkey melt with avocado on wheat
fruit cup

snacks

nothing

dinner

three raw oysters
some cheese
a bit of bread
foie gras and toast with a sauce
tuna tartar and carpaccio
couple of glasses of red wine

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 14, 2004 — Hushpuppies and pizza? Bad.

breakfast

cereal and nonfat yogurt
banana

lunch

seven large, greasy delicious hushpuppies
a bunch of tomato aspic
some pickles and olives
a scoop of chicken salad
a demitasse of broth

snacks

seven pieces Fruit Pectin candy
a clementine

dinner

a Shiner Bock
two slices of mushroom/pepperoni pizza

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 13, 2004 — I tried to do better today and I succeeded, a little.

breakfast

cereal and nonfat yogurt
banana

lunch

salmon in lemon and capers
spinach, a little mozzarella and some blue cheese viniagrette dressing

snacks

one piece Fruit Pectin candy
a Jack and water

dinner

some kind of fish with risotto
a big serving of Pinot Noir
a whole wheat roll and a little olive oil

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 12, 2004 — I've got to pay more attention to what I eat. And I don't mean by writing it all down.

breakfast

nothing

lunch

fried chicken leg
cereal with nonfat yogurt
banana

snacks

about ten pieces (probably more) of Fruit Pectin candy
a few tortilla chips
about six ounces of cottage cheese with hot sauce and green onions
piece of fried chicken, cole slaw

dinner

about two or three ounces of left over salmon
cole slaw

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 11, 2004 — Well, I didn't have any alcohol. That's the nicest thing I can say. Must. Improve. Diet.

breakfast

nothing

lunch

chicken in a spicy tomato sauce with cheese
spinach salad, green onions, brocolli with Peppercorn ranch dressing

snacks

about ten pieces of Fruit Pectin candy (When I quite writing about eating this, I will have eaten two pounds! Yikes.)
a bunch of coffee including a large espresso with some Italian vanilla syrup
tortilla chips and ranch dip
a pimento cheese sandwich on wheat
five small slices hard salami (about 170 calories)
about two ounces cheddar cheese
carrots
green onions
more tortilla chips

dinner

not really, just snacking

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 10, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

seared Ahi tuna and relish
salad with candied cashews and ginger viniagrette
two glasses Pinot Noir

snacks

a vodka tonic
several glasses of red wine
a few little hors d'oevres including a beef and onion and brussels sprouts kabob and a little beef sandwich and nuts and root vegetable fritters with a creamy topping
three (?) holiday cookies

about six pieces of fruit pectin candy (I get this two pound box every Christmas and it's the death of me, I swear)
a few little mints and some Mentos

dinner

nothing...are you kidding?

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 8, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[Cafe at the Four Seasons]

eggplant and portabella enchiladas with a sauce and wilted spinach
rice
glass of Hangtime Pinot Noir

snacks

a few Altoids and Mentos
two granola bars (180 calories)
a grapefruit cup (120 calories)

dinner

two Bratwurst
about ten crackers with mustard and cheddar cheese (maybe two ounces)
a Harp Lager
banana

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 7, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

chicken enchiladas with sauce and beans and rice
Dr. Pepper

snacks

a couple of mini bagels with spreads
a couple of tuna apps
a mini roast beef sandwich with horseradish sauce
a glass of white wine
a Grand Marnier champagne cocktail

dinner
[34th Street]

glass of Temparnillo
duck appetizer with marinated pear with cheese
mushroom ravioli appetizer
(both apps good size portions)

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 6, 2004 —

breakfast

cereal and yogurt

lunch

a good sized piece of salmon in ginger sesame and a few leftover Brussels sprouts and broccoli crowns with Dijon viniagrette dressing
a couple of spears of marinated white asparagus

snacks

a grapefruit cup (120 calories)
some grated cheese, green onion and tortilla chips
a Manhattan

dinner

leftover fish in banana and dill
a salad

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 5, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

cereal and yogurt

snacks

Clementine
small slice of hard salami (about 30 calories)
a grapefruit cup (120 calories)
about an ounce of cheddar cheese (120 calories)

dinner

crab cakes, tuna, pot stickers, mushroom thingies, cheese, mozzarella and tomato, beef and bread, shrimp, sauces
enough red wine
it's the party season, is it not?

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 4, 2004 —

breakfast

Migas, one flour tortilla, some refried beans, a bit of potato, hot sauce and 1/2 order of guacamole

lunch

cereal and nonfat yogurt
banana

snacks

a bunch of bread and spinach dip, sausage balls, a few cubes of cheese and bites of sausage
some sweetened raspberry tea

dinner

lasagna
salad
potatoes, green beans, carrots
half of a piece of pumpkin cheesecake
glass of red wine

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 3, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch

cereal and nonfat yogurt
about six ounces of SuperFood
a small (two or three ounce?) piece of leftover salmon

snacks

crackers and aged cheddar
Clementines

tortilla chips and hot tofu dip

dinner

Brussels Sprouts and broccoli steamed with lemon juice, with East Side Dijon Viniagrette dressing
salmon in garlic, sesame ginger (four or five ounces??)

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 2, 2004 —

breakfast

nothing

lunch
[Alborz]

a bunch of rices, curries, eggplant, salads with cucumber and yogurt

snacks

glass of white wine
two shots of single malt Scotch
several little appetizers: Kobe beef on a toast, a shrimp on a chip, a mushroom tart, a Caesar Salad tostado, a couple of slice of cheese on cracker, a small brownie, two cheese 'sticks'

dinner

are you kidding?

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 1, 2004 — Felt ravenous at lunch time. And off and on throughout the day.

breakfast

banana
cereal and nonfat yogurt

lunch

cold leftover salmon
spinach
some Dijon viniagrette
carrots
two small slices salami
a few tortilla chips
two Clementines
about two ounces cheddar cheese

snacks

Clementine
two slices toast with cheese sauce

dinner

brussels sprouts and broccoli, steamed with a rich cheese sauce