Weird stuff; orange-y slaw

If you’ve never done it, it’s difficult to live with as well as chronicle the mental side of shedding pounds.

Eating was my go-to self-medication for all types of anxiety and depression. Now, for every little feeling that ruffles the smooth surface of my mental pond, I need to find other tools. When I don’t, I feel sad, anxious, craving. ‘Round and ’round we go.

In the past, when I’ve congratulated myself for not bingeing in ‘X’ amount of time, I sign off and go fall face forward into thousands of calories. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen today when I mention that it’s been five months. Five months of waiting for those cravings to pass, of getting up and going to the Y or to bed.

Funny how my reading and idle-time habits have changed. I don’t want to read the paper, except the New York Times online. I’m not doing any crossword puzzles but playing computer solitaire again. I want to move — if not at the gym, then in the garden.

I’ve lost the filter on my mouth (if I ever had one). Last week 4 young asshats served a racquetball into my arm and thought it was really funny (the door to the court was open — duh!). My non-YMCA-appropriate language seemed to knock them all a step backward and make them blink. “Did she say…?” one murmured to the others.

“Yes, she did,” I answered. “That hurt!” Or something like that.

Polite girl gone, and would-be workout beast in her place. I don’t think about eating in BodyPump class. In fact this morning when Loud Gary told us to smile while we were doing above-head lifts, I really felt like it. BodyPump is a kick in the you-know-what.

Better health demands better food. This is a 3-year-old recipe from Family Circle magazine. The fish sticks are OK, but the slaw rocks and keeps on rocking as the orange flavor intensifies in the leftovers. One-quarter of the fish and slaw equals 349 calories, which isn’t bad.

Tortilla-crusted fish sticks & slaw

1 navel orange

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 carrots, coarsely grated

1/2 small cabbage (about 1 pound), chopped

1-1/2 pounds tilapia fillets

3 cups tortilla chips, crushed

Heat oven to 425°. Finely grate 1 teaspoon zest from orange into large bowl, then squeeze in juice of both halves. Add lime juice, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and whisk until sugar dissolves. Whisk in sour cream. This is the dressing for your slaw and the dip for the fish.

Transfer 1/2 cup of mixture to a shallow bowl for dipping. Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon additional salt and pepper and set aside.

Add carrots and cabbage to large bowl and let sit, tossing occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray foil with cooking oil. Cut fish into 1-1/2-inch-thick strips. Dip fish into sour cream mixture and then in crushed chips, pressing gently to help chips stick. Transfer fish to baking sheet and cook until golden brown and opaque throughout — 8 to 12 minutes.