starter grocery list + Paleo Roast Pork with Apple Chutney & Butternut Squash

'i want to be healthier.'

you do? ok, read!

first off, breathe. don't over-complicate things.  this process does not go from 0-60 in 3 seconds and you won't either. it's a gradual thing. a lifestyle thing.  one that you will see and feel the effects of if you just stick with it.  little by little, a little becomes a lot.  we know by now that proper nutrition and physical fitness is a package deal. can't have one without the other.  i will be focusing on the nutrition part of the equation for now as this is where your journey begins:

here is a staple starter grocery list to save, print out, and take with you to the grocery store.  i go into detail about each section below and provide some of my favorite brands and where to get'em. keep reading.

key:

WF = Whole Foods

SFM = Sprouts Farmers Market

WM = Walmart

TG = Target

TJ = Trader Joes

HEB = HEB Pantry (local)

K = Kroger (local)

ALL = available at all listed stores

grains / cereals / breads

• Ezekiel brand breads and tortillas WF, SP
• Ezekiel cereal varieties WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
• Alvarado Street Bakery brand bread WF, SP
• La Tortilla Factory tortillas & wraps WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
• Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat Bread WM, K, HEB, TG
• Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful brand bread HEB, WM, K, TG
• Trader Joe's whole grain breads TJ
• Sprouts Farmers Market whole grain breads SFM

i find that rolled, quick oats, oat bran, rice, quinoa, and couscous are cheapest when bought in bulk.  whip out your calculator and do the math if you must and compare the price per lb to whatever way you previously purchased these items.  yeah, those Uncle Ben's single serving rice pouches are DELICIOUSLY easy to prepare and taste so good, but they just aren't cost-effective and you know it! buy your rice in bulk and season it yourself.

flours / nuts / oils

• Bob's Red Mill flour varieties  WF, SP, HEB, K, WM, TG
• flours & nuts from the bulk bins of WF, HEB, or SP
• choose unrefined, virgin, and cold-pressed oils ALL
• roasted & unsalted mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans)  in bulk WF, SP, HEB

starchy veggies 

• fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option. these are veggies that are carbohydrate rich, higher in sugar content, have an adverse affect on blood glucose levels, and load you with energy. any on the list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure about how to classify a particular veggie, use this helpful list of starchy veggies. ALL

non-starchy veggies

• fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option.  these are veggies that contain fewer calories and carbs, lower sugar content, and have little to no effect on blood glucose levels and are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals. any on the  list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure how to classify a particular veggie use this helpful list of non-starchy veggies. ALL

fruit

• fresh & frozen are best.  beware of packaged and canned fruit which can contain crazy high amounts of sugar. read your labels!  don't forget avocado is a fruit and high and good fat. we know fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and natural sugar, but the sugar content does vary per fruit, so choose wisely.  here's a chart of some of the most popular and available fruit choices that gives you an accurate depiction of the sugar content for a 1 cup serving. ALL

here's a more detailed list:

dairy

• Lactaid brand milk & cottage cheese ALL
• Greek yogurt brands: Fage, Chiobani, Oikos, Trader Joes ALL
• Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedges ALL
• Mini Babybel light cheese ALL

non-dairy

• Blue Diamond, Silk unsweetened vanilla and original almond milk ALL
• Lisanatti Almond Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella) WF, SFM
• Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese spread WFM, TJ, SFM, HEB, K
• Trader Joe's canned light coconut milk TJ

meat / seafood  / protein

• boneless & skinless turkey and chicken breast ALL
• 97-99% extra lean ground turkey, chicken, and beef ALL
• choose  cuts of beef with the least marbling
• leanest beef cuts: eye of round, sirloin tip and steak, top & bottom round roast & steak ALL
• shellfish: scallops, mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab ALL
• choose low sodium canned beans and rinse beans under cold water before cooking: navy, kidney, black, lima, chick peas, pinto, black-eyed peas. ALL
• HEB & Crystal Farms egg whites ALL, HEB
• fish: cod, salmon, tilapia, flounder, trout,  halibut, mahi mahi, perch, snapper, sole, tuna (canned and packed in water) ALL

seasonings / sauces / sweeteners

• Bragg's Liquid Aminos WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
• Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
• all fresh herbs (sage, cilantro, oregano, basil, dill)  ALL
• any salt-free standalone spice or seasoning blend (Mrs. Dash, McCormick, Trader Joes, Generic brands ALL
• use fresh lemon / lime just for natural seasoning, flavoring & marinating ALL
• liquid smoke WM, TG, K, HEB
• Heinz low carb ketchup ALL

so do you just go buy the entire list at once? no! remember, i spoke with Tiara in HEB the other day and here's that grocery shopping advice i gave her in a nutshell: 'depending on how ambitious you feel, pick 2, or 3 recipes you know you'll be making in the next 2 weeks or so and do your grocery shopping based on those ingredients.  else, there's a good chance you may not use everything you purchased and have to throw it away.  we know some items have longer shelf lives of course, but the majority of what is thrown away is spoiled produce.' i try to limit my store visits to 2-3 times a month.  i make large batches of a recipe at a time, and we have those meals/leftovers for the next 2-3 days before switching to something new.  sometimes i'll cook two large batches of two different recipes at a time and alternate those meals for more variety.

 grocery shopping tips:

1. buy fresh AND frozen produce
2. only buy produce in-season and on sale to save $
3. make a list first and stick to it
4. don't shop when you're hungry
5. set a monthly or bi-weekly budget and don't go over it
6. buy meat in bulk and freeze what you don't use immediately
7. buy generic brands whenever possible
8. shop the perimeter of the store (fresh meat, bread, produce, dairy).  processed foods tend to rule those isles.

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Q: questions?  FIRE AWAY!  what would you like to see MORE of? what wasn't covered or covered in enough detail?  i need your feedback. email me or comment below.

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my featured FITzee meal of the week:

Paleo Pork Roast with Apple Chutney and Butternut Squash

all natural, dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo friendly & smells and tastes like FALL.

place your FITzee Foods order to be shipped right to your doorstep now.

le

mmmm....crusty

  i ate Papa Johns pizza 10 outta 10 months of my pregnancy.  it was my celebratory meal after doing my first fitness competition.  pizza is neck and neck with mac n cheese as my fav food.  i keep my eyes peeled for healthy, lower calorie/carb pizza crust recipes that i can make at home.  however.......i'm not willing to accept a tortilla, portobello mushroom :shock: english muffin, or any other item attempting to be passed off as pizza crust!  now THIS though...this is just my speed right here.  yet another recipe inspired by IG (Instagram) that i have made every day since i found it.  once i find something i love i make it until i force myself not to make it  anymore.

ok.

the crust is composed of... breakfast. oatmeal and egg whites.  together.  but you don't have to eat it for breakfast if you don't want to.  i don't.

Trader Joe's organic pizza sauce, ground chicken, goat cheese, fresh roma tomatoes, mushrooms, and cilantro went on my very first attempt at this recipe, pictured above.  your turn.

oatmeal pizza crust

the stuff:

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg)
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic (optional)
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup water (mix until desired consistency but not too thin!)

do this:

1. pre-heat your oven to 400 degress.
2. throw the ingredients above into your blender or food processor and blend away until smooth
3.  add more water if you need to.  i like my crust with texture, so i pulsed my blender a few times and left it semi chunky.  you can put it on high and blend until completely smooth though, it's your call.  the seasoning are also up to you.  if you don't like Italian seasoning,  by all means, use somethin ya do like.
4.  spray your medium heated skillet with no-stick cooking spray, and scrape the contents of your blender right into it.
5. it starts to cook immediately, so start spreading it as soon as it hits the pan.
6. once it's cooked on one side (3-4 minutes) flip it over and let the other side cook for 2-3 minutes more.
7.  finally, slide the crust onto your oven pan (spray that with no-stick cooking spray  too) and  add your toppings.  remember, less is more.  don't over crowd!  thumbs down to soggy pizza crust. blech.

1 serving = entire crust (egg whites, oatmeal, garlic & seasonings)

not too shabby, huh!  low-fat, and loaded with fiber and protein.  my skillet is not terribly big, so my first crust was thicker than i wanted it to be since i poured in all my batter at once.  the next few times, i poured half the batter in and made two thin crust pizzas.

 yall know i'm all about stretching my food!

i have been topping my crusts with whatever i have on hand.  ground chicken, ground turkey, grilled chicken, salmon, and even tuna.  same with the veggies/cheese- i have put some crazy stuff together and so will you!

le

apple-chicken burgers

 i threw some ground chicken in my grocery basket this week. there's more to life than ground turkey.

i love chicken/apple sausage for breakfast, so that combo would make a darn good burger.  while training for my comp, if my meal plan called for apples that week, i would go get the BIGGEST ones i could find, lol.  i have really grown to love red delicious apples- eat one every day now.

aminos!  low sodium soy sauce alternative i use to marinate my proteins in.

i added the aminos along with my chopped apple, herbs, and seasonings into a mixing bowl with the chicken.

one more time close up.  no reason.

mix it. real good.

then grill'em up.  you can cook them in a flat iron pan too, or even bake them in the oven. i just have a thing for grill marks, that grilled taste, and it's the quickest method.

apple-chicken burgers

serving size: 2 oz patty

the stuff:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 egg white
• half a large apple (approx. 1 cup, diced)
• handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 1 tbsp smokehouse maple or any seasoning of your choice
• 3 tsp Bragg's liquid aminos
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite, you choose)

do this:

mix and grill. 4 min on each side should be perfect. watch them though.

cover the meat and let it rest for a few minutes afterwards.

 i made a sandwich and used Prophet Ezekiel's sprouted grain sesame bread.  sprayed a little 'i can't believe it's not butter' on the slices first, and toasted them.

i like how the sesame seeds get toasted too- gives your sammich so much texture and crunch when you bite into it.

the chicken is lean, but the apple helps keep the patty moist.

add your toppings.  that's almond cheese- yep. this is a GREAT brand i found through an IG buddy, @spoonfulofit.  it's Lissanti and i found it at Whole Foods.  it melts and tastes just like regular dairy cheese, she was right!

topped it with plenty of spicy mustard, and there's some fig butter hiding under the tomatoes ;)

i shoulda let the cheese melt on the patties, what was i thinking? next time.

ok enough sammich pics, go make one.

Prophet's Ezekiel also makes great whole wheat pita pockets.  the stats are better than Trader Joe's by far.  only 100 cals compared to TJ's 160 (same size pita) and has a whopping 7 grams of protein!

have a happy, lean & clean friday in advance,

le