Cookie Monster, Yoda, and Afternoon Tea

Big snacker, I am.

I recently stopped eating cookies in the afternoon. This sounds easier than it was. The kids are out of school at about 3:30 and in need of a snack. I had been joining them in a cookie here, a cookie there and was both shocked and appalled to notice I had gained weight. I find this particular balance hard to achieve: life is simultaneously too short to not eat cookies AND too short to have unrest about my appearance (or taken further, to not be in good physical condition). Self-control takes strength, but exercising it makes me stronger. And I’m stronger now than I was a year ago.

Hot tea works like a Jedi mind trick on me. Instead of waiting for Cookie Monster to hop on my shoulder and bellow, “Cookies! Great big cookies, son of gun!” I have a cup of Irish Breakfast tea. A little milk, a little honey, a little caffeine, and that warm slosh of liquid in my belly gets me right through to dinner (assuming I’ve eaten sensibly in the hours preceding).

Afternoon tea is the best thing that came out of the empire. The British Empire, that is. The best thing that came out of the Galactic Empire was Vader’s helmet. Surely Palpatine needs to be fitted for one of those. That dude is not aging gracefully.

Here’s my five favorite supermarket teas:
1. Twinings Irish Breakfast.
2. Tazo Honeybush
3. Sportea. This is made by a Colorado company. It's somewhat unlikely you’ll find it everywhere (so I provided the link).
4. Tazo Zen
5. Tazo China Green