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Dinners with Barney

By Jill Place, MA, RD

Barney is my adopted Dad. We met almost thirty years ago when I was looking for a place to live. I first saw him, a small warm gnome of a man, in painter's duds perched precariously atop a ladder. He was happily slathering the ceiling of what would eventually be the house I lived in with wide ribbons of paint. I had a terrific three-party hangover that day—the day after Halloween, 1973. It was noon by the time I got out to look at rentals. But I dragged my heavy head to somewhere called Montecito Heights. And was immediately enchanted by the neighborhood, the house, and Barney.

Because of my lateness, he had already promised the house to someone else. But Barney instantly look a liking to me and my one-eyed intensely grey cat, Ariel, who went everywhere with me on a leash. Barney took my number and promised he'd call me if the house was again for rent.

HOME

Months went by and I forgot all about Barney and Montecito Heights. But I was still looking for the right place to live. Then one day the phone rang. A small-warm-gnome voice came through the receiver. "I liked you and your cat. I was wondering if you would like the house in Montecito Heights." I said, "Would I!" And a short time later I was in his small-warm-gnome kitchen giving him the down payment for next month's rent.

Ariel and I lived in that house for ten years while I actively pursued my acting and singing careers. Then I moved away to be with a man I thought I loved. And, even after I had left that man, I stayed away to finish my dietitian's degree and start a new career. But I couldn't forget HOME. HOME pulled at me like a magnet.

One day, when I was particularly lonely for HOME, I got drunk and called Barney. We hadn't talked that much in the years that I was away. "I want to come HOME!" I said. And I cried. But there was no place for me at HOME.

After I finished my degree and moved back to Barney's area, there was still no place for me at HOME. I moved in with a friend who was allergic to cats. So Barney consented to care for my cat, Caliban. Atleast Caliban was HOME. And I got to visit HOME often.

Back in Barney's House

Then one day the phone rang. A small-warm-gnome voice came through the receiver. "The tenant the house in front of me is leaving. I was wondering if you would like the house in Montecito Heights." I said, "Would I!" And a short time later I was in his small-warm-gnome kitchen giving him the down payment for next month's rent.

I have now been back HOME for almost ten years now. And I now have a cat named Doll Tearheart. Dolly and I live in the front house and Barney lives in the rear house. It's a perfect arrangement.

Barney turned 88 this month. And, although he still tends his beloved garden and drives, Barney has more and more trouble doing everyday tasks these days. So I have taken on more and more responsibility at HOME. Barney can be stubborn and won't let me do things for him sometimes. So I don't do much. But I was especially concerned about Barney cooking for himself.

Dinners with Barney

So about a year ago I decided to cook dinner for Barney and myself. I was eating out almost every night because I was single and had a demanding schedule. And I was bored with it. Barney wasn't stubborn when I suggested that I cook dinner either. So it seemed like a win-win situation.

And it has been! I've had fun finding fast ways to make great food. I was a chef for a short while and can spend days making gourmet meals. But, because I still have a demanding schedule, I save the fancy food preparation for holidays and special occasions.

Instead, I use a lot of convenience foods. Or I modify recipes so that they're lower in fat, lower in sodium— and higher in taste—from lots of sources, including the food section of the L.A. Times and the more than 200 cookbooks I've collected over the years. Or I use recipes from healthy magazines and cookbooks like Eating Well, Cooking Light, The Vegetarian Times, and Time-Life's Great Taste-Low Fat. Or I just have fun and wing it based upon what's in the fridge or at the Farmer's Market that day. These impromptu meals seem to turn out the best.

I also make things that Barney and I can eat for several days so I don't have to cook every day. Or so that Barney can have a hot microwavable meal if I go out with friends or have a business meeting. And I spend less time—usually thirty minutes or less—making super low fat food than I would if I ate out. What I cook is nutritionally better for Barney and me. And I have to admit— quite modestly—that it also tastes better than most restaurant fare.

In this section, I'm going to share step-by-step directions for creating the meals that I make for Barney and myself as well as tips for making cooking a breeze. I hope that you'll try some of them And rediscover the joy of cooking great low fat food like I did.

You can't lose with these recipes and meal plans. Actually, you can! These lower-fat, lower-calorie, higher-fiber meals might also help you get lighter without sacrificing a scrap of taste.

Please keep me posted about how the following meals and food tips are working for you by writing me at munchnmove@earthlink.net. Eat up!

© Copyright 2002 Jill Place, MA, RD