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Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in April of 1980. I recognize the incredible mental struggle of living with diabetes. I hope to share my struggles, my successes, and everything in between.

Friday, April 07, 2006

I Wish I Had Taken A Picture...

I tried another new thing at lunch today!

When I get the thought in my head to try a new food, it's always a pretty risky maneuver. I mean, what if I buy this thing, and don't like it, and then am hungry for the rest of the afternoon?

That would be Bad. Not only wasting the money, but also leaving me hungry, and therefore susceptible to the temptations of the junk in the vending machine.

So, I try to buy one or two things I know I'll like, and experiment with the item in question.

This afternoon the new item was a bean, cheese & rice burrito. Not sure what to expect. I had worries about it being chock full of gross crunchy veggie chunks, or all spiced up with onions & stuff. Or maybe the cheese will be all stringy like. I know - that probably sounds good to most of you out there. Yes, I know I'm weird. Love me or leave me.

I followed the directions and nuked this thing in the microwave. I took it out and let it cool off a bit. Still wary of the contents, because I can't see what's inside the tortilla wrap. After a couple of minutes I took my knife and sliced one end off...

Hmmm, that doesn't look half bad! I see some beans and some melted creamy cheese. The label talks about rice, but I didn't notice any. I cut the end in half again, and stuck it in my mouth. I chewed a couple times, waited, let my tongue get a taste of things. While I didn't hate it, I didn't really love it either. But - I thought I could tolerate it, and might in fact like it.

I took a few more bites, and noticed that I didn't like the seasoning too much. It was very mild, but still a bit too spicy for what I would choose on my own. Then it happened.

I glanced down at the burrito on my plate... and what the hell is that in there - nestled up next to a bean??!! I probed a bit with my fork & knife, and it was a chunk of some green colored vegetable or spice! Eww! Aw man! Now why did they have to go and do that to me?

I wish you all could have seen this thing. It was absolutely minuscule. The average person would not have even noticed. But me, having a full blown phobia of onions or other colorful crunchy organic foodstuffs, picked it right out of the "where's waldo" picture of beans, rice, cheese & tortilla. Incredible. I wish I had taken a picture.

So, I scraped out the rest of the insides of the burrito, picked through the resulting mound of beans, rice & melted cheese, and got rid of most of the "chunkies" that I didn't like. I ate most of the surrounding tortilla, and mixed in a bit of the "bean mound" here and there. But, I admit, I was tainted by the experience, and didn't eat as much of the beans & stuff as I would have without those added goodies.

Maybe I should stop looking at the food I'm eating? I ask myself if I would have even noticed that little bit of whatever it was if I hadn't seen it.

Probably not.

13 Comments:

Blogger Kelsey said...

Scott, that was hilarious! I happen to LOVE onions, red or green ones go in almost everything I make :)

Good luck with the new food adventure... I'm sure you'll find some things you like!

5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Scott - I'll tell you the same thing I tell my husband. "Don't analyze it, eat it!"

6:45 PM  
Blogger Wil said...

Scott, you are such a freak. ;-)

But given the command to "Love you or leave you" I shall continue to read you.

By the way, served you right. Mexican food in a plastic wrapper? What were you thinking? That's like buying corn-on-the-cob in a can.....

7:06 PM  
Blogger Shannon said...

Scott, you're impossible, LOL ;)

But you did try something new!!

We have to get you out of the midwest...ya'll don't know what good food is :)

6:22 AM  
Blogger Penny Ratzlaff said...

My oldest son is just like it. If it looks like it may have touched an onion or anything green at some point, he won't eat it.

Just wanted to let you know you're not the only one like that.

11:10 AM  
Blogger George said...

I'm with Wil dude. No burritos in a wrapper!

I am not into lots of stuff either but as I notice nature adding salt to my pepper (hair of course), I in turn am finding that I don't mind onions and peppers and such.

Keep going dude, you will find something you like!

11:58 AM  
Blogger sweetsnomo said...

I have, all my life, picked out the "crunchies" in potato salads and other foods...I'm glad I'm not the only one out there! Happy picking!

3:11 PM  
Blogger Johnboy said...

Scott, congrats on your continued efforts to branch out and try things!

As an experiment, you may consider eating an entire item with your eyes closed. Next, consume the same item carefully examining each bite. You might actually be suprised to find you like some of the things that scare you! ;)

4:40 AM  
Blogger Melissa said...

The visual I am getting is hilarious. There are some foods that I am, well, weird about too - I'll notice something in them that I find odd or say I bite something unexpected then I don't want to finish...so on some level on understand.

Thanks for your comment on my blog - it made me feel better :)

1:16 PM  
Blogger floreksa said...

That was hilarious!!! Thanks for laugh. I certainly needed it. My BIL is the same way with onions and other "strange items called vegetables". We take great joy watching him dissect most items at our house (land of the onions and peppers).

7:50 AM  
Blogger Kassie said...

I'm thoroughly enjoying your adventures in eating.

Though not as um... extreme as you, I also don't like mixed texture surprises and such. So I can sort of sympathize. :)

7:52 AM  
Blogger Major Bedhead said...

You're really an 8 year-old boy, trying to pass as a grown up, aren't you? ;)

I don't know if you could handle making your own burrito, but stop buying the pre-packaged ones - they're total muck. Get one from a Mexican place or ask your wife to make you one. Tortilla, refried, black or kidney beans, some rice and some cheese. Do you eat corn? Maybe put some corn in there, too.

My one year-old would eat circles around you - she loves falafel, tabbouleh, hummus and guacamole, to name but a few. But hey, you tried hummus! That's progress. With all of us cheering you on (and giving you a hard time, too), you're bound to get a little more adventurous, right?

You crack me up. I want to know about the plate, too. :D

10:23 AM  
Blogger Scott K. Johnson said...

You are all the BEST! I know I'm strange, and I'm very glad that we can have a good time with it. What can I say - I'm a kid at heart (and tongue)!

I think there will be many store bought items that I "almost" like, but something in them will turn me off. So, I agree - learning to cook these things on my own will be best, so I can just not include the stuff I don't like.

I also agree that if I didn't inspect or analyze my food, I'd probably find a bunch of stuff that I actually like. BUT - lets take things one step at a time folks. hehe!

And yes, I wouldn't mind using a plate with dividers in it so that none of the foods would touch each other...

Thanks again everyone! I have a great time reading the comments. You all make me smile!

10:41 AM  

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