More on the coconut milk: I don't have a lot of recipes that call for coconut milk, but we do really like the ones that I have and they all use pretty moderate amounts of it, so I'm not planning on tossing them any time soon. In retrospect, the coconut milk in yesterday's meal really wasn't too bad. Only 1/6 of a cup went into the swordfish and 1/2 cup into the rice, so my portion (half the total) was really only 4g of saturated fat and 50 calories. I think the swordfish itself was pretty fatty, and that's mostly (73%) good fat!
Air conditioning: I'm definitely not a fan of air conditioning! It has to be really hot (above 100) before I'm interested in it. I grew up without A/C in the Chicago area, where summer temperatures are regularly above 100 with above 80% humidity, so temperatures in the 90s with low to mid humidity don't really feel that hot to me. Temperatures in the 80s barely feel warm. Air conditioning just chills me right down to my bones; it makes my joints ache. I have all these cute short-sleeved shirts and dresses and I never get to wear them, even in summer, because I'm too cold in the A/C. I end up wearing long-sleeves, jackets, and sweaters all year round.
JayEll: Your coconut milk is 225 calories for half a cup!
WOW! That is scary. The light coconut milk I've been getting is only 75 calories per half cup. Granted, 75% of those calories are from saturated fat, but it's still a lot better than 225 calories.
Robin: You don't use milk? Are you lactose intolerant? I'm not a big fan of milk and I never drink it (yuck
), but I do still cook with it. Usually skim milk or lowfat milk, depending on the recipe. And isn't coconut milk really just the juice from a coconut? I think they call it milk because it's white, but it's not really a dairy product--there's no calcium or protein in it. It sure doesn't taste like milk.
DaringDeb and Michelle: Are you taking anything for your allergies? Maybe you should talk to your doctor about a nasal spray. You could also try some of the OTC medications--Zyrtec or Claritan (or generic equivalants). I have pretty severe allergies but I take Zyrtec and Nasonex every day and that keeps them under control. My allergies use to be so bad they felt like a severe sinus infection, but with medication they are much better. I still can't go anywhere without a pack of Kleenex and my nose runs every time I look down, but it's much better than it was. A friend of mine used acupuncture to treat her allergies and said that it really worked, so I've been considering trying it. We would love to get a cat but until I resolve the allergy problem, it's out of the question.
Lily: It definitely sounds like those kids are with the right parent!