According to my calculations, I should be 256.2 today. I’m not. I’m 257. On an empty stomach. Having evacuated twice. Well, shit. Twice. I’m certain it’ll even out next week. Well. Almost certain. Fine! I’m hopeful.

Did a lot of shooting and re-shooting yesterday. I have yet to look at the footage to see if it’s usable, but I did make anther batch of onion jam, Powder Tortilla Man, diet pig schnitzel, herbed mashed rutabagas, sauteed baby spinach, and a very flavorful diet gravy with the worst texture. It’s experimental, low-calorie cuisine. They shouldn’t all be winners. Nothing to learn if they are all perfect.

I think the texture was due to Powdered Tortilla Man not being particulate enough. It did occur me though, that PTM might not be the panacea I was hoping for. In strange twist of verbiage, it did occur to me that bread may actually solve my problem. Sara Lee makes a 45 calorie per slice bread I should be able to dry out and reclaim the title of Powdered Toast Man. Experimentation is warranted.

The wife is only so tolerant with experimentation. Once I get something that’s “good enough”, she really doesn’t like me fucking with it. I get that. But this is a food blog and until I can cook real food, I need to play with what few ingredients I’m able to. I hate to use the term “continuous improvement”. That’s my old life. But in regard to food, continuous improvement is warranted.

She argues that the diet food on my site shouldn’t be overly complicated so that anyone can make with a digital scale and a heat source can make it. That is valid. My argument is that this food is boring and my soul is dying and I need to express what little of me is left through food. Hers is the more reasonable argument.

I compromised yesterday and since the base ingredients were the same, I made the original, standard version and then the “improved” versions. The spinach was made in an effort to add some damned color to the plate. Honestly, baby spinach should only be used in quiche, frittata and as a bacon fat and garlic delivery device. Oh, and salads I guess. Sure. Why not?

I got what I wanted, more or less. Better adhesion of the “breading” on the schnitzel, so that was nice. I also got a richer mouthfeel on the rutabagas, our mashed potato substitute. Was it worth it? I guess. More info to work with. More directions to go.

Time will tell.