Comfort Food: Montana’s on my mind.

I have a secret to share.

Okay.  Maybe it’s not a secret.  Especially to those of you who are my friends over at MyFitnessPal.

But over the past 6 weeks of turmoil, I haven’t been doing so well with my “healthy living lifestyle”.

Truthfully, I’ve abandoned MyFitnessPal.  I quit trying to count calories and points in my head a long time ago.

Instead, I’ve been shoving food in my mouth, left, right & centre, with wild abandon – save for a few days when my anxiety level was so high that the thought of food made me feel sick.

Those days didn’t last long, though.  I’ve once again fallen victim to the vicious chip-and-dip cycle.  I barely fit into my dress for Luke & Amanda’s wedding.  I’m suddenly craving chocolate all the time - and normally, I’m not a chocolate girl.  When I have spare time, I’m drooling over full-fat recipes at foodgawker.

It ain’t pretty.

And despite knowing all of this – knowing that I need to right the ship before it’s too late; before I no longer fit into my dress for Lindsay’s wedding – all I can think about is food.

And right now?  Montana’s Cookhouse, specifically.

Can’t.stop.thinking.about.it.

Yesterday, I travelled with Lindsay & Ryan to our friends’ baby’s Christening.  Following the Christening, we had to go to the Plateau shopping complex for Ryan to pick up his suit for their wedding.  And while there, we were discussing a general complaint that we have about the Plateau shopping complex.

The Plateau has a huge Wal-Mart.  Two large grocery stores, and a third is being built.  Banks.  Reno Depot.  A strip of outlet stores – Smart Set, Reitmans, La Senza, etc.  A liquor store.  An office supplies store.  Moore’s.  A movie theatre.  So, so much.  It’s one of my favourite places to shop, because you can find almost anything there.

The problem?

Food.

There isn’t a nice restaurant in the Plateau area.

There’s fast food of all makes, shapes, and sizes – McDonalds, Subway, A&W, Tim Horton’s, a pizza place, a sushi place…

But no sit-down restaurants.

As we discussed the lack-of-dining situation in the area, Lindsay and I started firing off suggestions as to which restaurant we’d like to see in there – St. Hubert’s.  Boston Pizza.  Kelsey’s.  Montana’s.

Ohhhhhh how I wish they had a Montana’s!

I have a crush on Montana’s right now.  In the past six months, when going out with friends to the movies or just for dinner, 95% of the time we’ve chosen Montana’s.  And that’s usually because I tell them I want to go there.

Since Christmas, I haven’t been out very much, but the one outing I did make was with Lindsay, and guess where we went?

The thoughts of their appetizers can make me salivate.  When I went with Lindsay, we shared the Four Cheese Spinach Dip and the Oven-Baked Antojitos.

I could stop right there.  Seriously worth the trip, just for those two appetizers.  And I’m usually full after eating that.  AND they go supremely well with one of their delicious Pickled Caesars, which they serve in a mason jar – love!

To be honest, I’ve yet to be truly “wowed” by anything else on the menu – the appetizers and Caesar are the highlights for me.

But when it comes to the main course, I’m a big fan of the Chipotle Firecracker Burger.

That’s a deeeelicious sirloin burger topped with bacon, crispy Cajun onions and jalapenos, Colby cheese, and Chipotle Honey BBQ sauce.  Mmmmmmm…I usually ask for a little side of Ranch or mayo, just to cool the heat a bit.  My God, it’s good.

I’m also a big fan of the Baked Chicken Penne.

Seriously.  Drooling right now.

Room for dessert?  Generally not.  BUT.  If someone twists my arm?

You can bet yer ass I’m going for the Skillet Cookie.

Sweet Jesus.

I just ate lunch, and if someone offered to take me to Montana’s right now, I wouldn’t say no.

I told you.  It ain’t pretty.  These are not MyFitnessPal-friendly foods, people.

Someone get me a damned Montana’s in the Plateau area NOW.

(Or maybe not.  I’d rather not be featured on TLC’s “My 600-lb. Life.”)