Yesterday was a day of hunger. It’s odd, and in the past, “dieting mode” I’d have just suffered. Instead, I ate a bit more than usual, because now that I’m evaluating hunger before I eat, I’m more comfortable knowing what’s real hunger versus just a desire to eat.

It started with breakfast, where I was extra-hungry before eating. After my muesli, I was still hungry, so I had a slice of toast w jam. Lunch was a burger patty and salad. At 6pm hungry again I stopped at a bakery near the metro station that sells these really yummy and not-too-bad-for-you little bread rolls that they fill with various toppings. I took banana and chocolate (it’s actually the only flavor I like) and ate about half of it. Dinner was lasagna. Now written down it doesn’t look like so much more than usual, but I think it was a bit more in quantity, and certainly it was more in terms of my hunger. Maybe it’s hormones, maybe just random variation. I’ve had several meals this week when I didn’t eat that much because I wasn’t very hungry, so it’s possible this is just my body trying to even things out…

Last night I cooked again - I made lasagna, from my mom’s recipe. My mom used to make it when I was a kid growing up - it was a special occasion dish and it was clear last night that it will be the same for me - it was a LOT of work. Her recipe has you make meatballs that are the meat part of the lasagna, instead of a tomato-and-meat sauce layered in. So you have a bunch of stuff to chop and mix for the meatballs, then a ton of mini meatballs to roll (about 3/4 inch each), you also make a tomato sauce from scratch, and THEN you start to put it together… 3 kinds of cheese (ricotta, mozzarella, parmesean) and of course the noodles. I was in the kitchen for a long time, but I enjoyed it.

The result was fabulous - it tasted just like my mom’s (well, maybe a bit too salty, and I needed a different pan, I should have had one more layer). My DSS loves lasagna and was my excuse for making it, and he loved it, which was really nice. My DH is never a big fan of tomato-based pasta dishes, but he said it was good. We’ll have it today for lunch with a big salad, and then I’ll freeze the rest.

I’m glad I’m able to find a way to eat when I’m hungry these days, and to make favorite dishes too… As you can see, I’m also doing well on my “cook regularly” goal for 2008!