Chile con Carne

Introduction

This chili recipe is meant to make a hearty (heavy) dish. Hence we do not drain the fat. And like most chilies, stews and soups, it tastes better the next day -- the zing from the tomato mellows.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory,¹ so I use it in every savory recipe that involves frying. Turmeric also will stain your cutting board, knife, fingers, etc. I use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean my knife.

Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin.² But pre-ground black pepper can harbor mold; use fresh cracked pepper to avoid this toxin. Likewise, I use fresh chili powders, or I omit chili powder altogether and rely on the chiles themselves for flavor.

I prefer low salt (or no salt ingredients). But if you don't have no salt diced tomatoes, just use what you have and cut back on the added salt.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, yellow or sweet
• 1 Pinky-size piece of turmeric root (optional)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 Poblano chile or 1 can green chiles
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. ground beef, 80% or 85% lean
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) diced tomatoes (no salt, if possible)
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) beans (black or pinto) and liquid
• 2 to 4 oz. EVOO (for frying in large pan)
• 1 tsp or more of chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns

Steps

• pre-heat large cast iron skillet to medium high
• Peel onion, turmeric, garlic
• Dice onion, red pepper (and pablano) to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size
• Finely chop turmeric and garlic
• Coat skillet with EVOO then add the diced / chopped ingredients
• Saute for about five minutes or until onions start to be translucent
• Push vegetables to edge of pan
• Add meat to the center of the pan and break into marble-sized clumps
• Brown the meat, then incorporate garlic for about a minute
• Add diced tomatoes and beans
• Saute in order to thicken sauce, about 10 minutes
• Add salt, black pepper, chili powder. Adjust to taste
• Serve hot, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc

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¹ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/expert-qa/turmeric-benefits
² https://www.globalsavors.com/blog/spices/black-pepper/how-much-black-pepper-to-take-with-curcumin

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260430

For after-dinner snacking, I'm crunching on baby carrots instead of chips, and grapes instead of candy. The grapes provide sweetness as well as a delightful "pop" sensation. Sometimes I'll add in a high quality aged cheese such as Gouda. Midnight Moon, an aged goat milk cheese made in Holland, has been my favorite so far.

Waist = 44.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260426

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260414

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260408

I resumed the 300mg dose of bupropion, which I had reduced to 150mg on February 19 to see if doing so would reduce my sugar cravings and overeating. It didn't.

As well, I stopped the 10mg dose of rosuvastatin earlier this week in order to allow for relief of muscle problems. I did this because I have muscle pain, exercise fatigue and weakness. I had these symptoms many years ago, but they went away when I stopped whatever statin I was on at the time on the advice of an ND (Naturopathic Doctor). Meanwhile, I plan to try Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) because one known side effect of statins is that they deplete this fat-soluble vitamin-like cofactor.¹

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¹ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12554813/

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Dream: Leftover Pizza Toss

WL¹ shows up at my home unannounced, a surprise visit.  He walks toward the backyard.  I ask out of politeness if he'd like a tour of the house, dreading a yes answer.  He declines and says that he's just here to get rid of the pizza they had at work.

He flings the pizza toward the far end of the backyard.  It's a small, whole pizza, and it flies like a Frisbee.  But wind from the West gets under it, so it tilts and then circles around.  It's acting almost like a boomerang, but it loses momentum, falls to the ground and breaks into a couple of pieces.

I suddenly realize it would've been neat to get a video.  I wish I'd known he would do that so I could video record it and maybe have him toss it into the pond.

I pick up the pieces and walk toward the pond.  I have the cellphone in my left hand and the pizza pieces in my right.  It's hard for me to start the video, so I throw it first and then start the recording.  However, te pieces fall to the ground before the recording starts.

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WL is the recruiter my employer retained several years ago and who died a couple of years ago.  He once commented on a photo of my wife (admiring my wife's legs) while visiting my office one day, prompting me to reposition the photo and angle it away from the entrance. He'd bring in birthday cake every month and pizza occasionally.  I was always polite to him and thanked him several times for his effort, yet I preferred to avoid him.

In this dream, I'm no longer employed at the company.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260404

I've been trying three things in order to increase fitness and reduce weight.

1. Earlier bedtime. During my period of decline, I'd been reading and working on the computer late at night, which is when I'm motivated to consume sweets or crunchy snacks. Since I can't eat while I'm asleep, I can easily reduce my intake by going to bed at 9:30pm instead of 12:30am, for example. This is easier to do during Daylight Saving Time than during Standard Time because the day ends one hour earlier compared to sunset.
2. More activity. I'm more committed to exercising. I do push-ups and crunches indoors, and I force myself to walk more because I park far away from the stores I shop at.
3. Mindset / Intensified effort. This is similar to increased activity, but it takes place while carrying out ordinary tasks. My method is based on a study I read about in a book by Ellen Langer in which two cohorts of hotel maids were monitored for fitness. Only one cohort was told that the job was exercise and would improve their fitness. Compared to the control group "...the informed group ... showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index."¹ But in my case, I know "the trick," I know what's going on, so I actually do treat my activity as exercise by moving faster and adding intensity to my muscle contractions.

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¹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17425538/

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.