Pasta

As we shopped around Costco, we walked by a large variety package of noodles and 2 giant bottles of pasta sauce. I said, 'Hey, we should buy these and I can finally try pasta for the first time. Besides it's super cheap!"

So the following night we heated the water to a boil and I measured out the noodles. Then heated the sauce in a small sauce pan. About 10 minutes later we had a huge meal ready to eat. With just the slightest of an open mind, I tried my first bite of noodles. To my surprise, they didn't taste like anything at all. Amazing! I then added an copious amount of sauce and viola! I'm basically eating pizza.. It's appalling to think that I had never tried any kind of pasta before, as it is basically just pizza minus the grease!

Ingredients:
Barilla Mini Farfalle noodles
Prego Heart Smart Traditional

Salmon

This is dating back to December 12th, 2015. I already slipped up on my 'once a week' blog posting. Surprise surprise.

On December 12th, 2015 the company I work for hosted a Holiday Party for all of us. Appetizers, entrees and desserts were all served. As everyone surrounded the appetizer Sushi table, I stood back and watched the madness whilst sipping my cocktail. Unable to understand how so many people enjoy this repulsive 'food'. Judging by them smell only, I've already convinced myself I do not like it (I'm very good at convincing myself I do not like things, without even actually trying them).

Anyhow, the night goes on and I'm on my 3rd vodka cranberry when dinner is finally served. Steak. One thing I have always liked without hesitation. As I enjoyed every bite, I noticed my friend next to me had a large piece of salmon. With the help and influence of alcohol, I said to her "can I try that?" Of course she happily offered her fork with a big piece of salmon on the end. Salmon. I still can't get over the fact that I tried salmon, and I didn't hate it. It wasn't fishy, wasn't smelly, just meat. It wasn't the most amazing thing I've ever had, but not completely inedible either. Now I'm one small baby step closer to trying the infamous sushi that everyone adores so. However I'm fairly certain it will require more than 3 drinks to try.

TBF to October 1st, 2014

#TBF - That's a thing, right? Throw back Friday? Well, it is now and that's what I'm doing here. Throw back ALL the way to October 1st, 2014. A real turning point in my journey. Don't let the delicious pizza fool you, I really was eating a salad! My first salad ever, actually. I still remember the awful texture of the lettuce when I took my first bite. I knew right then and there that I was never going to like salad. However the slices of mango carefully distributed really helped choke it down. It was also the first time I tried avocado, which I didn't hate. Yet I still haven't tried avocado again since. (#FunFact - Research shows that it takes a person at least 10 tries of a new food to decide if it's really liked or disliked). Any way, back to the point. I tried my first salad and taste of avocado on Wednesday, October 1st, 2014. 

Beginning..

Before we jump into Eating for a Change, I should provide some backstory. 

When I was a baby, I was as easy as they come. I would eat anything, do anything, as long as my dad was by my side. I would eat meals at the dinner table, try any new food my dad would try to feed me, and all very happily. However that quickly flip-flopped when my dad was murdered. 

I was nearly 3 years old when this horrifying news shook our household. I didn't really understand what had happened, all I knew was my dad wasn't there anymore to feed me and watch me learn and flourish. My mom did the best she could but I was stubborn as all hell (still am), and I wouldn't eat anything she would try to give me. I knew what foods tasted the best, and that's what I wanted. So instead of watching me starve she felt it was best to give me the foods I wanted, so at least I had a full belly. 

Fast forward several years to when I was in grade school. I would just eat whatever I wanted; Pizza, Pop-Tarts, Chex-Mix, the list of unhealthy foods could go on and on. -  One day in junior high I was getting blood work done and I was told I have hypothyroidism (my thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of the hormone on its own). This slows down my metabolism and makes me very sleepy. The two main things that can help hypothyroidism is, of course, western medicine, and HEALTHY FOOD. 

So here I am now, 19 years later, finally Eating for a Change (hehe get it?). I can thank my best friend Mateus for a lot of it, as he is always there to encourage me and cook me any food I may have the desire to try. However it is not all because of him. As I get older I know deep down that I NEED to change my habits if I want to live to be that bitchin' old lady I've always wanted to be. Luckily we just happened to meet up at the right time and he has helped me ever since. Now, I've already blazed through so many firsts in the last year, but there are still many more to come. 

If you have read through all of this and you are still interested, I'm planning to make one new post per week. Showing you, and mostly documenting for myself, all the new foods I will be trying. A lot of you will laugh at my small victories, and that's okay. I'm growing and learning and that's all that matters to me. Until next time...