Cheating

I really don't like using the word cheating when it comes to dieting because it makes it sound as if I'm doing something so wrong that I'm destined to fail. But I really do think it's necessary occasionally to cheat in order to succeed. I think it's necessary to lighten up, especially if it's all about celebrating. I just don't have a better word for it than cheating.

I do, however, have a problem with one aspect of cheating. I need to learn to compartmentalize it. Say I cheat and indulge in something at lunch, in my mind, since I've already cheated, I should go ahead and really satisfy my desires the rest of the day...Ok, what I'm talking about here is binge eating. I know it's a problem, and yet, I haven't been able to figure out how to deal with it. I have, however, greatly improved. On former dieting attempts, I used to binge for about 3 days until I'd get my act back together. Now it's pretty much a day at a time. But darn it, I should be able to have a small piece of chocolate cake, and not feel compelled to become Godzilla and consume Tokyo.

My boyfriend and I were supposed to go to my parents' place today, but it's snowing pretty hard. We decided it wasn't worth all the hassles just so we could share a baked chicken. Since that makes the afternoon my own, I thought I'd try a new recipe today, but I can't find one for which I have all the ingredients I need. Sure, I could make a grocery store run, but I don't want to go out and get stuck just so I can get an orange for orange zest. But I haven't given up hope. I'll have to keep looking. I'm sure I'll come up with something yet.

So, today I'll share with you a recipe I tried for the first time just yesterday. It's actually a slow cooker recipe. Mari and I went shopping yesterday, so I threw this in the pot before I left. It's a really nice change of pace. It's rich, spicy, and for most Midwestern palates it might be a too exotic, but I like it very much. It's Soy Ginger Chicken. I'm afraid I didn't record which issue of Everyday Food it came from, but I know it was on page 120. If you try it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 garlic closed, thinly sliced
2/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches long) peeled and cut into thin strips
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
4 chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs (about 2/5 pounds total) skin removed
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation
1. In a 50-to-6 quart slow cooker, stir together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cilantro, ginger, scallions, vinegar, coriander, and pepper. Add chicken and carrots; toss to coat. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 6 hours. Using a large spon, skim off and discard any fat from surface of cooking liquid.

2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small sucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture. Serve chicken with white rice and garnish with additional cilantro and diagonally cut scallions.

Makes 4 servings. 269 calories and 8.5 grams of fat per serving (Not including rice).