Nelie, good for you for working so hard at this. I wonder if some of the challenge may end up being mind over matter. John said to me tonite[after his 3rd bowl of ham and bean soup] "you know, even tho I fantasize about a porterhouse steak, I may not like the taste or the fat anymore." Lightly steamed veggies with your favorite dressing might make a great salad. Have you tried bean soup? [the 17 bean variety] you can puree it if need be. I know you feel its going slow, but you seem to be making progress to me. Amy