from the sites I've perused certain dietary items can make you feel happier while Jim is away and while you're munching get a Romanian cookbook so you can share in his experience - he may not have partaken in the local fare since he is probably seeking out comfort food while missing you too!

Here are the top 10 +1 that seemed to repeat in many nutrition lists to combat depression and fatigue and increase happiness :)

The following are my Top Ten Happy Foods - bon apetit!

1. Wild salmon (rich in omega 3 fats and vitamin D)

2. Spinach - (rich in folic acid and soluble fiber)

3. Skim milk - (rich in Vitamin D and B12)

4. Ground flaxseeds (rich soluble fiber, omega 3 fats and folic acid)

5. Blackberries (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

6. Omega 3 fortified eggs - (rich in omega 3 fats, Vitamin D and B12)

7. Sardines ( rich in omega 3 fats and Vitamin D)

8. Soybeans - (rich in soluble fiber, folic acid and omega 3 fats)

9. Beans (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

10. Brussels sprouts (soluble fiber and folic acid)

Plus an extra for good luck!

11. Sunflower seeds - (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

I hope the 2 weeks fly by! And btw how nice to see a couple that enjoys each others company like you two :)

I lived alone for many years, and learning to cook for yourself (and to motivate yourself to do so) takes time and effort.

Now, when my husband is away, I indulge myself in lazy foods and cravings. I might have a mess of chicken wings one night, and a plate of vegetables & dip the next. Sometimes I use the time to make something for dinner that I can freeze in portions for later meals with my husband on those days that I don't feel like cooking. So I'll make soups, stews, pot pies, pasties, curries & dals etc...I'll have my dinner, and future dinner(s) all set to go.

Hi Sands:

Sushipup;
I don't know how you will survive , with all of them problems.
Wish I had that many. At least your partner will be back in 2 weeks.

Soooo now!!! straighten up will you.
There are many things you can cook and freeze in portions.
Roast a Chicken with Stuffing and freeze the leftovers in Portions.
Do the same with a meatloaf.

Or

How about Breaded Flounder or Chicken Fingers.
Make a Pizza.
I never ate many Vegtables butI've been making Stir Fry Veggies w. Shrimp or Chicken.
They are pretty good. I add more spices too.

Make some Spaghetti Sauce and freeze in portion containers.
I hope you eat Spaghetti's. Don't know of many who don't.

Brouse Cook books to get idea's and use your imagination.
Tell me what you came up with.
Lou

No spaghetti or other starches. Good ideas, but for a short time, it's not worth roasting and freezing. I figure I can get by without heavy investments in dirty pots and pans.

Am thinking of a slice of chocolate cake (from a local bakery) and a glass of milk for dinner tomorrow. What diet? If I'm going down, it will be for a good cause.

This may require trip to Trader Joe's frozen foods aisle.

LOL, Sushipup, I'm often by myself, as Elery lives 3 hours away. (grin)

I often just make an omelette or cook a piece of fish, you can buy those in individual filets. I get those steamer bags of frozen vegetables and toss them in the microwave, or I get a rotisserie chicken. I can make soup, have sandwiches, just eat the chicken, make chicken enchiladas and freeze any that I have left when I get tired of it.

No starches except chocolate cake? (grin) My kind of supper! I also like fresh fruit topped with yogurt, I make my own but you could buy it, and I sprinkle a bit of cereal or granola on top for some crunch. You can also take that cup of yogurt, put it in the blender with a handful of frozen berries and make a nice frozen yogurt fruit smoothie.

Hummus is good with celery, takes only a few minutes to make and keeps for a couple of days, and sometimes just a nice piece of cheese and some fruit is good, although I tend to eat some homemade bread with that.

Finally, a can of corn, a can of red beans and a can of tomatoes with some chili powder makes a passable vegetarian chili in a hurry. It's better if you saute some onions first, then add the rest.

Just enjoy your "time off" and eat what you want or don't eat, if you choose. It'll go fast. Safe travels to your husband, he'd better bring back a nice "souvenir" for you, and I don't mean a stuffed rhinocerous footstool or a set of fake Dracula fangs either.

Annie

Great thing about living alone is you get to eat anything you want! No worry that someone won't be able to eat it... one habenera, two habenera, three habenera, four? Mushrooms, chocolate ice cream, kiper snacks, all washed down with a glass of gin.

I'm on a curried spinach and lentil soup kick at the moment... now if I can just locate a slice of sweet potato pie.

: )
lyra

Good cheese, crackers, smoked salmon, a beautiful wine and great Chic Flick!! Oh! And some nice, dark chocolate.

I like the omelet idea. Toss in veggies/meat you like.

PBJ's! Sounds silly, but kind of fun. Be sure to have a big glass of milk.

Can you call your DH and have a virtual dinner one night?

Just about the time you start liking the freedom to choose, he'll be back! LOL

Deanna

I am also learning to cook for one, (down from four). I am learning to make a fairly good pizza. Already had been making my own tomato ,barbecue, cheese and other sauces. (and freezing portions) Have made stir-fries and some other Chinese foods for a long time. I live in Ohio, and lately I feel as if I am freezing myself.....gengenz

Not more than a week apart in 32 years? Wow! My husband travels a lot, and quite a bit of it is international, so your position is a familiar one to me... but it's so far out of the norm for you it must seem a bit jarring.

Your suggestion of going to the frozen food aisle at Trader Joe's made me giggle because I do that a lot when I know I'll be dining solo. I also love to roast Cornish game hens because the leftovers don't seem so daunting, and I get the satisfaction of cooking for "real."

It's a pity you seem to want to eschew pastas, because you can do some fun and even non-traditional lasagnas for one by layering the ingredients on a single noodle and rolling it up in a smaller pan. I suppose a mandolined slice of zucchini or eggplant could be substituted for the noodle. The roll-up method lets you keep portions very small, but the meal is satisfying nonetheless...

"En papillote" cooking works well for one and you won't dirty a lot of dishes in the process. Recipes on the subject are easy to find.

I've recently been experimenting with making mini pies. For the record, half of your favorite single crust recipe is about right for a mini pie if the top crust is lattice, and you need about a cup and a half of fruit for a filling... (TJs has some nice frozen fruits, while you're there...)

Sometimes when my husband is gone, especially if he has annoyed me before he left, I will eat a meal full of things I know he doesn't like.

If you're looking for an interesting read on the subject of dining alone, go to a bookstore or library and pick up a copy of Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant. It's a collection of short writings from food authors who talk about their experiences with and feelings about dining solo. Some embrace it, others, not-so-much. It'll definitely make you feel not so alone while you're alone...

Oh, one thing I've learned after years of having a traveling spouse: You will both be jerks the first 24 hours he's back. Seriously, you'll both want to be loving, but that's not what will likely come out. We make it a point to not make plans during his first day back because "he'll still be a (jerk) then." I mostly leave him alone. Anytime we've neglected to do this, we find ourselves embroiled in pointless fights. Do yourself a favor and give him time and space his first day back even if you really, really don't want to! :-)

Jim used to travel a lot, but never more than one week at a time. These days, he is usually gone for two or three days at a time, and I pretty well ignore it all, and make do with leftovers. Two weeks is past the leftover time range, and too short for cooking and freezing. I like the idea of eating whatever. Last night it was a salad with baby shrimp. Today it will be the chocolate cake (whoever thought up the idea of selling cake by the slice deserves a major award, IMHO).

Thanks to all who approve of indulgences!

Sushi, I only recommended the happy foods because you and Jim hadn't been apart for any length of time and I wanted to make sure you wouldn't get too bummed. My Dh and I are rarely apart and when we are the boys and I do all the foods that he doesn't go for [he likes a proper dinner] do we do pamcakes [as my little one calls em] or cereal and sundaes, or silly comfort foods that don't constitute a 4 food group dinner. We've done movies and popcorn and fallen asleep in a heep in the family room together if it's a 'don't gotta get up for school or work morning'.

I still think it would be cool to get some Romanian recipes and make a few in the week following his return. It would be a nice way to connect and share in his experience albeit after the fact. :)

Good luck, Sushi, DH is gone every week for 2-3 days but I do all the cooking around here. I love veggies, he likes meat, we both love bread, French rolls, etc. Fixing a full meal is a waste of time and food as I have a hard time cooking small portions. I often eat a one item meal, like all the steamed zucchini and ice cream sundae, a veggie sandwich, a can of hearty chicken or veg soup, and sometimes Trader Joe or Marie Callender frozen meals. If you can talk a friend or two to go to lunch or dinner, that might be fun but mostly I will just snack on fruit and cheese,etc and forego cooking a meal. I always eat a hearty breakfast with strong fresh coffee. I'm good until 3 or 4. Try to stay cheery, at least you have pups to keep you going.