As you all know, the New York Tri-State area has been hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. (Many are calling it "Superstorm Sandy" but to me that "superstorm" moniker just feels like something made up for a Jerry Bruckheimer movie and I refuse to use it.) Most conversations now center on the devastation of communities, the lack of heat and power for many of our friends and family, and the persistent gas shortages resulting in long lines and short tempers.
However, there is another topic of conversation prevalent in offices, schools and gas lines. It's food. We have all eaten a great deal more than we normally do thanks to Sandy.
Let's start first with the fact that many of us had to clean out our refrigerators and freezers and head to our backyard grill in order to keep food from going to waste. The result for everyone was a smorgasbord that probably included lots of red meat and hot dogs. For us, it also included a never-opened turtle cheesecake and a friend's Pepperidge Farms Milano cookie cake (yep, they make those.)
We were all stuck at home with no TV or Internet. Nothing to do but hibernate and eat (yes, I realize we could have read and had meaningful conversation, blah, blah, blah.) My-coworker is now on a cleanse diet to undo the damage done by eating an entire bag of Cheeze Doodles and washing it down with beer. But it was a natural disaster. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And wine. I had my own little wine tour as I traveled from powered house to powered house getting warm and sampling vintages.
To make matter worse, then along came Halloween. A candycorn-acopia of sweets to ease our stress. I turned two mini Almond Joy bars into breakfast one day. (almonds have protein, right?) Just writing this now is making me crave a Kit Kat. And I just got one. So there.
The problem is, once you remember how good all of that stuff tastes, it's hard to turn back. Falling off that food wagon is a lot easier, and more fun, than getting back on. Earlier today I was walking to the office refrigerator to get my low-carb yogurt just as my co-worker was coming in with leftover Munchkins from a meeting. Immediately, the angel and devil appeared over my shoulder The devil drop-kicked the angel as I peered into the box. And what did I see? Dunkin Donuts now has Red Velvet munchkins. RED VELVET MUNCHKINS, PEOPLE! I'm just not that strong.
Last night we got hit with a blizzard. Schools are closed. Pass the Cheeze Doodles.
