Everybody loves a chart!

"Hey -- what's this?!" That's usually the first comment I hear when people come to our house and see my two-week meal planner taped to an otherwise blank* fridge.

This is generally quickly followed by "Oh, YUM! Can I eat with you guys on Wednesday?" or similar.

Welcome to the joys of meal planning. I know it sounds completely dorky, TOTALLY suburban, and perhaps a wee bit control freaky. If nothing else, it kills spontaneity. Bad, right?

WRONG.

Since keeping my two-week meal planner, our lives, tummies and bank accounts are so much happier. We do a big grocery shop once every two weeks, then supplement on the "off" week by simply picking up fresh produce. In and out in 10 minutes.

This from an avowed Brooklynite who used to live off late-night delivery. Life is crazy and work/family demanding. I get it. Hang with me here.

Dinner is now a snap, because we know what we're having each night -- and get to look forward to it all day long. Planning allows us to try those recipes we keep finding, then losing, then forgetting. Not anymore. We always make enough food for four people, so we have plenty of leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day.

We choose to dine out two nights a week. This gives us plenty of spontaneous "what are you in the mood for?" choice and time to go out with friends and family. Swapping nights within a week? Why not? Especially on those tough days when I need sashimi, but it's Tuesday night. No problem. We go out Tuesday and have that night's planned meal on Wednesday. Simple.

The other benefit of meal planning is knowing what's in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry at all times. As I plan and look at each recipe, I make my shopping list based off what I need vs. what's already in stock. I'm super-planny, so I also keep a running list of potential future recipes, what's been really good, and what's in the freezer.

By the end of two weeks, our fridge tends to look somewhat empty (barring my love of Things in Jars) -- and that's the point. Use what you need, use it all, and no more. Hardly any food ever goes to waste, which is very important to me.

For example, last night we had garlic shrimp, spaghetti squash lasagna, and green salad. We specifically buy shell-on, U.S. wild shrimp. Why? Because all of those shrimp shells and tails make ridiculously tasty and quick stock -- for free. We saved every bit and threw it in a freezer bag already containing a lobster shell. I cannot WAIT for next Tuesday's shrimp chowder.

(In retrospect, I realize we should have saved and roasted the squash seeds. Ah well. Next time. Now if only I could figure out another use for the squash shell...)

You can see the plan in action here. You'll note each night of the week has a general theme. This is a GENIUS idea I got from the adorably perky Food Nanny. Once you have themes in place, it automatically makes it easy to pick recipes, rather than staring at a cookbook's table of contents thinking "OK, now what?"

This simple devotion of 30 minutes, twice a month, will repay you in a multitude of ways. Try it and see! Then tell me if it works for you.

As for me, I'm off to make a wee drinkie and marinate a flank steak for tonight's Thai Beef Salad. Mmm mmm good.

* = Non-magnetic surface, you see. About the only sad discovery we made upon buying this house (well, that and the fact that our boat of a car won't fit in the garage -- oops). Otherwise, my travel collection of silly magnets would provide a bit of camouflage for this big white sheet of paper.

Hormonal hmmmmm...

A delightful birthday dinner last night -- the chef's tasting menu! We had:

• A seared scallop on rattlesnake beans and venison sausage
• Radish sprouts salad in a sesame vinaigrette with carrot crisps on house-pulled mozzarella
• Crispy halibut with shrimps and a smoky, creamy sauce over one lobster ravioli
• Glazed beef on polenta with wild mushrooms and onions
• Creme brulee (with a candle on top!) for me; pound cake with honey cream for The Brit

Oh, and two slices of bread with dips to start. A glass of champagne and a glass of red wine, too.

Delicious, definitely -- and an experimental treat.

We returned to home around 10:30pm. On the way, I told The Brit how sleepy I felt. Granted, it had been a crazy day involving lots of non-air conditioned car travel. You see, our car's A/C is broken. In Phoenix. In August. Painful to consider, right? But regardless of that, a wave of "I'm tired NOW" hit me very fast and out of the blue. Possibly general exhaustion, but I also get this feeling any time I eat anything high sugar/carb. I hadn't felt it in at least a month...

At 12:30pm, the PMS cramps hit. HARD. This after thinking "hey, I haven't had my usual 7-10 days of painful nonsense!" yesterday. I'm due for PMS to be over tomorrow or Saturday. This is all very strange.

I woke up at least four times last night, needing to walk around or sit upright in order for the cramps to pass. Over-the-counter painkillers do not help, but I took some anyway. No dice.

This all has me to wondering: Is it complete, cyclical coincidence? Or could it be the big shot of sugar I ingested last night after next-to-nothing for a month -- and subsequent insulin surge -- kicked my prostaglandins and other hormones into gear?

If there is one thing I know after my years of working with endocrinologists, it's this: The hormonal system is completely interlinked and beyond delicate. You mess with one, you mess with the others. But is one meal enough to cause such painful consequences?

I am very logy today, but that could be the fact that I didn't sleep well last night. It could be the sugar getting out of my body. Or both. The Brit tells me he feels really tired today as well, despite fairly normal sleep.

I am not one to jump to a conclusion, particularly when other valid factors are in play. But it causes me to wonder...so I crave research. I'll have to look into this. When I have more energy.

Linky-Loo: Musings from Across the Internets

Today's my birthday! And as a present to myself, I'm letting other people do the work.

Here are a few stories that crossed my transom this week -- all of them fascinating and food (heh) for thought. Do they stir opinions? Let me know!

• Where Did the 2000 Calorie Diet Idea Come From?: Intriguing insight into the FDA process to determine 2000 calories as the "optimal" daily range. To my mind, Marion Nestle is a hero among dieticians, even if new science is starting to debunk the "calories in/calories out" dogma. I look forward to her next book with earnest -- it's sure to be a hot topic. By the by, "What To Eat" should be compulsory reading for anyone trying to feed a family, even (especially?) a family of one. Please check it out.
• Primal Travel: My buddy Juliann is guest blogging on the always excellent Paleo Periodical this week and has lots to say about best ways to travel when following a paleo/primal diet. Paleo is very similar to lower-carb in many ways, so this is great insight into how to not only stay on track, but make your fellow passengers VERY jealous of your snack kit!
• Still Counting Calories? Your Weight-Loss Plan May Be Outdated: Jane Brody of the New York Times discusses the latest Harvard University/Nurses Health study, published in the June New England Journal of Medicine. After observing almost 121,000 healthy adults, it turns out some calories may be better than others. Who knew?! Also -- and this should raise a big YAHOO! from any red-blooded American -- moderation and extreme exercise may be overrated. I've yet to read the full study, but look forward to doing so.
• Gyros Crawl: Dominic is quite possibly one of the best food guys out here in Phoenix and always tempts me with his adventures. This one, in particular, is a marvelous show of how good food doesn't have to be foo-foo-la or expensive. Just ask for no pita and you're set! (Disclaimer: I was supposed to accompany him on this crawl, but had to cancel last minute. Still despondent over this turn of events...and craving Z's Greek!)
• Sustainable Food Is Really Expensive, Writer Reports: Coming out of the "duh" category, a reporter at The Atlantic looks into the positioning, pricing, and class issues of obtaining higher quality, organic food. We can read the original article together -- sounds like it might be a bit dramatic (Fabergé eggs?!), but raises a good point re: class issues and food. Something I'm sure to write extensively about in the future.

For my birthday, The Brit got me a cherry/olive pitter AND a copy of Julia and Jacques: Cooking At Home. Does he know me, or what?! I can't wait to dive in and menu plan.

To all the other Leos out there, happy birthday! And to those of you who love us, thanks for putting up with our regal shenanigans.

N.B.: I'm having a guilt-free, special dinner out with The Brit tonight. Old-fashioned dessert may be consumed. I hope it has a candle on top.

What We're Gobbling These Days

Among friends, I've been pretty hush-hush about my new approach to food. After all, talking diets in public is boring. I'd rather focus on the yummy things I get to eat, rather than dwell on what's been put to the side.

The guidelines are really very simple. Here's what's in:

• All vegetables, except roots and tubers.
• Whole meats -- including seafood, poultry, beef, pork, etc. Processed meats (e.g., sausage, bacon, deli meat) can be OK for variety, but labels have to be carefully scrutinized for added sugar/starch. You'd be surprised.
• Eggs -- the whole egg. Not just the whites.
• Full-fat dairy -- including cheeses (hooray!!), butter, cream, sour cream.
• Condiments, herbs, oils, spices, beverages that don't contain sugar. Lots of label reading required here. Beware.

Here's what I can have in small quantities:

• BOOZE. I could be fancy and say "wine or spirits," but let's be real here. A drink a day, if I want. Maybe two on special occasions. Nothing sweet or with sugar, of course.
• Tomatoes, avocados, coconut, lemons, limes -- yes, they're fruit, but have much lower sugar content. A bit here and there makes the world go 'round.
• High-fiber crispbreads (up to two a day) and 100% wheat bran.
• A few nuts -- I keep this to a palmful a day, or else I'd eat the whole jar.
• Dark chocolate -- the 75% or higher kind, up to about 1/4 of a bar a day.
• Sucralose (Splenda), stevia, and aspartame (Nutrasweet), in very small quantities when necessary. For all my "eat real food!" mantra, I am not a martyr. Sugar-free cherry Jell-O is a godsend. As is the occasional Diet Dr. Pepper.

Here's what's out:

• Sugar, in its many forms and disguises.
• Fruit (except those listed above) -- for now. I plan to move fruit up to the "small quantities" list eventually.
• Beans and legumes -- these should move up eventually, too.
• Flour and grains -- yes, even whole grains.
• Low-fat anything, especially dairy. Hallelujah!
• Sugar alcohols, especially maltodextrin, malitol, xylitol, sorbitol, etc.

The Brit has been very supportive and is eating a similar diet. Since he does not have serious weight to lose -- maybe five pounds or so of "Welcome to America!" tummy is all -- he has more flexibility in his day-to-day. He eats a piece of fruit most afternoons for a snack. He's a regular squirrel with all the nuts and peanut butter he puts away. He might have a spoonful of rice or potato when we go out to eat. And he has four or five crispbreads daily instead of his beloved toast (the British practically invented toast, don't you know).

Weight-loss aside,* we've both noticed we feel much more satisfied, with much less need or urge to snack. We don't walk away from the table bloated or stuffed -- we eat what we want, then put away the rest for breakfast or lunch the next day. We eat very, very well, with lots of variety. We look at regular recipes and sort out how we can naturally twist them to our own. Leaving out sugar is simple. And think about it: most starchy sides (pasta, potato, rice, breads) are simply carriers, anyway. To boot, we have dessert a few times a week.

There are other benefits, too. Such as:

• Sleeping more soundly;
• Smoother energy and alertness throughout the day -- no 4pm slump!
• Better digestion and less gas (I said it -- there you go);
• A flatter mid-section;
• What seems to be a drastic reduction in severe PMS cramping, bloating, and crankiness. I'm observing this for the next few months, but if eating lower-carb solves my PMS issues alone, it is worth it.

I'll be heading in for blood work within the next week. I can't wait to see the results.

But enough of this jibber-jabber! WHAT DO WE EAT?!

How about this:

Chicken Puttanesca and Raw Kale Salad -- so delicious!

Note the delightful wine (Fumé Blanc), too.

Yes, this is a Monday night dinner.

And this:

Coconut Popsicles -- heaven on a stick.

Not exactly deprivation. Not even close.

These recipes are also very simple. I love to cook, but I'm not good with too much fussing. With rare exception, there's no need to spend more than 30-ish minutes actively cooking, not including oven time, when you do nothing but wait.

The Raw Kale Salad recipe can be found here (leave out the bread crumbs -- you won't miss them). Read on for the rest...

Chicken Puttanesca (Serves 2)

2 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied (or 4 cutlets) -- skin is OK!

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper

1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes (check for added sugar -- you just want tomatoes and juice)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste -- more is spicier)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (use regular Spanish, white or yellow onions -- not sweet onions, like Vidalia or Walla Walla)

2-3 inch squirt of anchovy paste**

2 tbsp. small capers

1/4 cup chopped olives (green are traditional, but use what you like or have)

A bit of grated Parmesan cheese or chopped parsley, for optional garnishes

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season cutlets on one side with salt and pepper. Place in skillet, seasoned side down, then season facing-up side. Saute until cooked through and golden on both sides. Remove to a clean plate.

While chicken sautes, drain tomatoes (save the juice for another use). Using kitchen scissors, snip the tomatoes inside the can until somewhat diced. This does not (and should not) need to be perfect. Theoretically, you can use pre-diced tomatoes, but they will turn to mush. Don't do it. Always buy whole tomatoes -- they're tastier and, oddly, cheaper.

Add remaining oil to same pan. Turn heat down to medium. Saute onions and garlic for a minute or until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes and saute for 30-60 seconds more, until onions are soft. Add tomatoes, anchovy paste, capers, olives and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken.

Right before serving, pour any chicken juices into the sauce (yum) and plate the chicken. Spoon enough sauce over the chicken to cover generously. You will probably have leftover sauce, which is fantastic the next day.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and/or parsley, if you like, and serve.

Next Day Idea: I had a fantastic, two-minute breakfast the next morning of leftover kale salad, topped with two scrambled eggs and a spoonful of cold puttanesca. SO GOOD.

~*~

Coconut Popsicles (Makes 6)

Each of these has 3g carbs and they couldn't be simpler. The hard part is waiting for them to freeze. Texture-wise, the resulting pops are halfway between a traditional popsicle and ice cream.

1 can regular coconut milk (NOT "lite" -- also check to make sure no extra sugar is in your coconut milk)

2 tsp. real vanilla extract

1 tbsp. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup (Torani or DaVinci brands are good)

Shake up your can of coconut milk very well before opening. Pour into a bowl with extract and syrup. Stir to combine. Pour into popsicle molds and pop (ha!) into freezer.

If your molds have those snap-on sticks, great. Just wait about 3-4 hours until they're frozen solid and you're good to go. If you have an old-fashioned topless mold like I do, cover the molds with plastic wrap and wait 90 minutes before sticking your sticks into each semi-frozen pop, then allow to freeze completely.

Obviously, this recipe is open for all sorts of experimentation. Try different extracts, spices and herbs. I tried using Sugar Free Cherry Syrup, but it didn't do much for me. Maybe other syrups would. Chop up an ounce of dark chocolate or nuts and stir them in, but make sure to keep in mind the additional carbs per pop. Let me know what popsicle dreams you create!

* = Weigh-in update: I'm down 2.6 pounds this week. That's 10 pounds total, more than I've lost in the last three years combined, despite all efforts.

** = Anchovy paste is totally where it's at. Buy one tube (usually in the pasta aisle, near the tomato pastes), throw it in the fridge, and you'll never have a "now what the heck do I do with the rest of this tin of anchovies?!" moment again. Of course, you can use a regular anchovy or two in place of the paste. And please don't tell me you hate anchovies. Do you like Caesar salad? Then you like anchovy paste. It adds a depth of flavor (not fishiness!) to this dish that you can't replicate otherwise. Give it a try!