September 6, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 09.07.25

I did a thing that is significantly affecting the Weekly Menu 09.07.25 ~ and likely all the ones going forward.

WHAT did I do that’s going to affect the Weekly Menu 09.07.25 (and beyond)?

I didn’t have a heart attack.

But.

I DID have an event. I yoga. I lift weights. I walk outside at least 2 miles every day. I eat pretty healthy.

Coming up a decent hill on my walk one day, I noticed that I was significantly shorter of breath than normal, and my right arm felt… weird. It didn’t hurt. Not exactly. Not as I’d heard described before. It felt tight. Like I wanted my (loose) t-shirt to get off it. I took my watch up a notch. Literally.

Of course, I ignored it. Until, finally, I took a deep breath at the end of a walk, and my chest hurt.

I hopped on Dr. Google, of course. That bitch did NOT tell me what I wanted to hear, and I eventually called my doctor’s office. They also did not tell me what I wanted to hear. But I went to the ER anyway.

My timing sucked. It was Friday of Labor Day weekend.

Long story short? I was admitted. Failed a portion of my stress test. Had heart catheterization and 6 stents placed.

Now? I’m on the other side, trying to get my cholesterol more under control than it was before. Keeping my BP on track. Trying to eat lower sodium and generally MORE healthy. And I’m learning about this new pivot in my own way, like I always do. Research. Trial and Error. Asking a bunch of questions. And then questions from the questions. And making plenty of mistakes. Good-tasting food is non-negotiable. What’s the point of being healthy and miserable?

Of course, I’ll be sharing my journey with you, dear reader. I’ll have more frequent updates on Instagram and Facebook, so follow me there if you haven’t already.

Weekly Menu 09.07.25

What’s for eats on the Weekly Menu 09.07.25? We’re starting with some veggies and dip, a perfectly grilled chicken breast sandwich courtesy of Bert, and maybe a smidge of Peanut Butter Pie. (All things in moderation!)

On Tuesday, we’re having a fully loaded Taco Pizza, although I’ll substitute the taco seasoning packet with a low-sodium one. And, don’t tell Bert, I’m going to be using ground turkey instead of ground beef. I have been using 90/10 ground meat for a while now, and that’s a good option for this too, as you wouldn’t miss the fat here as much as you would in, say, a burger.

The Baked Caesar Chicken is new to us this week. I’ll make a batch of my fabulous Creamy Parmesan Dressing, but I’ll hold on the majority of salt, and continue with the recipe. I’ll also make my own croutons – that way I can moderate the salt level in the pre-bagged stuff.

That’s my mode heading forward: I’m not going to go crazy with modifications, but I will tweak as possible. And in case I get any complaints, I’ll leave the salt-vault out so everyone can season as they desire. I absolutely refuse to be the salt police.