Okay, I am NOT going to weigh myself this Saturday.
We finally went out for my birthday dinner tonight. I had been going back and forth for the past ten days or so, anticipating what I would order. Finally at the dinner table, I decided on chana masala (curried chickpeas). It comes with white basmati rice. I didn't ask if they had brown, felt too subconscious, and I've never seen a choice on the menu. I think they only have white.
So, the meal was not at all oily, but I am not sure if there was oil in it. It really didn't taste like it. A quick google search on chana masala recipes shows about half with coconut oil and half without oil.
We each had an order of onion kulcha, an onion-stuffed tandoori bread. It came with a light shiny top, so I guess they "dusted" it with ghee. It was just a little bit, not at all greasy, but it was there.
But! It is one meal, right? I've been McDougalling since October 5, and haven't been non-compliant yet.
Well, we made a trip to Whole Foods on the way to the restaurant since we had a $50 gift card, and I wanted to get some bulk amaranth to tide me over until my Amazon order comes next week. I stocked up on boxed beans, got some Eden Organic aduki beans to try, and got some pantry basics like their oil-free vinaigrette, old fashioned oats, and some more Woven Wheats.
I was letting my husband browse in the baking aisle, and I saw a display of brownies and other types of individually wrapped squares. I noticed that some said "vegan" and some didn't. I picked up one that was labeled "Vegan Cinnamon Roll Blondie" and quickly scanned the ingredients, making sure there was no chocolate in it since I am allergic. I didn't notice the oil, and I bought one, as a birthday cake substitute.
I ate it a few minutes ago and was reading the label to get the web address for the company (Greyston Bakery). There is non-GMO soy oil. OOPS!! How did I miss that?!
So it may be one meal, but I definitely had a bit of ghee, if not oil, in my dinner, and then the "birthday treat" had soy oil in it. Dammit!
I don't feel very different - yet anyway - but I do feel like I have a coating on my tongue after the dessert. Totally gross. I was fine after dinner, until I ate dessert. And that stupid blondie had two servings, not one, so now that I've eaten it, I see that it has 280 calories, not 140. I have never baked desserts before, so I guess I should have known better about the oil. Someone else reading this might be thinking DUH, but I honestly don't know any better. I let myself be lulled into security by the "vegan" on the label, and didn't read it thoroughly enough. I will NOT make that mistake again, thinking, hey, I'm at Whole Foods, it must be okay! With my history of vegan junk food, and my strict to compliance to McDougall, I am really disappointed with myself that I did that.
The chana masala was the best I've ever had. I'm so used to canned chickpeas, and these were obviously made from dry. They tasted better. I do think it's possible there was no oil in the masala, there was no tell-tale grease or spots in the bowl. I should ask next time we go. We only go two or three times a year, it's a definite treat. Next time I will not get bread though - I don't want to eat ghee again.
I don't want to know what the scale will have to say about my performance today, between the ghee and the oil. I was fine before dinner, but I get a big fat F after that! I will weigh myself NEXT Saturday, not this one coming up.
![frown :(](./images/smilies/frown.gif)