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

journey to clean(er) eating

how it starts....

how it ends.

 i got the baby basket on purpose but i stuffed it full like i knew i would.  going in and coming out with one thing is a complete joke.  there is always something else we need!! or want.

the journey to clean(er) eating starts in the grocery store.  remember these tips when you go shopping:

MORE fresh fruits and vegetables

LESS processed foods (low to no)

lean proteins - chicken breasts, ground turkey, seafood, beef,

healthy fats - avocados, mixed nuts, olive/coconut oil, natural peanut butter

whole grains/fibrous carbs - oatmeal, sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans, whole wheat pasta, high fiber cereal

on Sunday's trip, i got everything on my list plus a few more items:

oh and Ezekiel sprouted grain sesame bread. left it off the list, oops.  aaaand i did get a few indulgent items for Sonny for winning his show this past weekend... i know you see them :shock:  oreos, gummy bears, and cookies n cream ice cream.

i have always wondered why pumpking pie spice is so freakin high!!! this 1.12 oz jar is like 4.99. for no reason. this is what i've always bought.  i was on my way to get some magic pop when i passed a table of seasonings and saw a big bucket of this:

what! now 4.99 a  POUND is more like it!! i grabbed a couple bags. man i love finding great deals.

yesterday, i applied that same 'squeeze the muscle with every rep' technique to my upper body workout and man did it give me a good muscle pump.  try it!!

one of my fave exercises (i'm sure my class members HATE them by now lololol) are W presses with dumbbells.  make a W with your arms (similar to my pose above) holding a heavy dumbbell in each hand.  move both arms up / out simultaneously without going higher than your head with the weights. then, retract them back in towards your head.  keep your elbows in front of your body.  makes for great shoulder/collar bone/back definition!  the racerback style is my absolute fave to wear, regarding my tops, and this exercises targets that area nicely.

dinner that night was a baked sweet potato stuffed with seasoned chicken breast chunks, green onion, and topped with fromage blanc. french cheese!  i also had a side of steamed zucchini.

yum.

i found the fromage blanc at Whole Foods while looking for the quark that they didn't have.  the cheese lady told me that fromage blanc was the closest thing to it.  i picked it up and read the stats,

and they were even better than the quark!  heck that's better than sour cream and greek yogurt!  greek yogurt does have a ton of protein, but it also has sugar too.  anyway, awesome find.  HEB has it also.

today...cardio, legs, and stretching.

i could not WAIT to get home to dinner to make me a sandwich.   that was all i could think about.

i made a big pan of baked chicken breasts this morning, so all i had to do was cut it up and put my sammich together.  i seasoned each breast with something different (bbq, lemon pepper, garlic and herb, smokehouse maple, and montreal steak seasoning) and some dried parsley.  350 degrees for 1 hr.

finally!  seasoned chicken breast, avocado, tomato, almond cheese and Trader Joe's pumpkin butter all on toasted Ezekiel sprouted grain sesame bread.  i also had half a sliced apple and some Justin's maple almond butter for dipping.

lastly, i munched on some of that vegetable medley bagged salad with some roma tomatoes on top.

sooooo, turkey day is in like 2 weeks!!!

are you hosting, going to someone else's house, or going out to eat for TG?  

le

made with LOVE

i had a cooking date with my sister-friend, Ogechi recently.

she's heeeeeere!  i snapped this right after she rang the doorbell-  i was so excited to spend some girl time together hanging out, cooking, and EATING.

Ogechi brought me some of this insanely good sweet potato black bean soup while i was in the hospital having Chiso, and again once we got home and adjusted to being a 3 member family.  so this recipe is AAAALLLL her! she gets 100% credit and nothing but 100% gratitude from me.

 it was a no-brainer as to what we'd be making for our cooking date.

'just be natural, Ogechi!' lol.

Sonny better be glad he wasn't home cause he knows he woulda been our photographer for the evening.

 she brought the bulk of the ingredients with her and even some gifts for me:

SEASONINGS!!!!!!! :shock:  smoky chipotle...it smelled magical.

and some sweet smoked paprika.  will that not be BOMBTASTIC on some  fresh salmon!?

this girl loooooooooves the spice aisle @ Marshalls and hooked me up big time.  she also brought me some hickory smoked salt.  i have been convinced to go look around for more spice aisle goodies at Marshalls / Home Goods / T. J. Maxx for sure.

we broke out all the ingredients on the island, and yaaaaay, she brought the Bragg's liquid aminos!!! then, Ogechi whipped out her kitchen knife.

yes, she brought her own knife!  i completely understand... i'm the same way with my own kitchen utensils and pots and pans.  she was slicing and dicing away on the onions, garlic and sweet potatoes with her impressive knife skills, my goodness.  i was in awe cause ummmm....   i put the rough in rough chop :lol:

'i just love the sound of sizzling vegetables.'

me too Ogechi, me too.

medjool dates- sweet and chewy.  Ogechi brought these with her, but i had some fake medjools (they were cheaper *shrugs*) i bought in bulk from HEB last week. they have been sitting on my counter staring at me since then.  i've seen them used in pie crusts for vegan recipes and i plan on making some key lime pie soon, just in time for turkey day next month!

my kitchen

smelled

AMAZING.

p.s. remove the bay leaves after the soup is done; they get bitter if  left in too long.

time to taste!  a few pinches of salt and some fresh cilantro made it perfect.

Chi enjoyed his dinner and the show.

sweet potato black bean soup

the stuff:

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1  large sweet potato
• 1 can diced tomatoes (may use fresh as well)
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn (may use canned)
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 3 medjool dates chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp smoky paprika chipotle seasoning- (can use regular paprika, no worries)
• 1 tsp cumin
• *1 tsp smokey sweet paprika.....(add this more for color but it gives a nice smokey taste too) optional!
• 1/2 cube low sodium veggie bouillon
• 1 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
• salt & pepper to taste (or chili powder)
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1-2tbsp olive oil (may use vegetable oil)
• 3 cups broth or stock
• 3 cups water

do this:

1. chop the onions, garlic & cut sweet potatoes into bite sizes.
2.  heat oil in sauce pan on medium heat, add onions, garlic and sweet potatoes. saute for 3-5mins.
3.  while veggies are sautéing, rinse beans very well (this helps keep the soup color pretty & not muddy brown & washing off extra salt too).
4. after 3-5mins of sautéing, add the stock to the pot.
5. throw everything else in.....the beans, tomatoes, salsa, dates, corn, bouillon cube (melt this with a lil warm water first) ginger, all seasonings and top off with water.
6. add enough liquid to make it soup. remember, the size of the soup will reduce a bit as it simmers.
7. cover and let simmer for about 30mins.
8. taste and adjust seasoning (some salt or even an extra dash of Braggs ) as needed, then top with cilantro, cheese avocado, lime, sriracha, etc.

 Ogechi enjoyed a bowl topped with plenty of ripe, creamy avocado.

 i almost titled this post 'soup and sisters'.  sooooooo corny.

i've been eating the leftovers for the past few days and topping it with almond cheese and avocado- it just keeps getting BETTER AND BETTER!

make some for someone you love.

thank you x's infinity, Ogechi. xoxo

le

feelin good, feelin great

you know the saying, 'it's gonna get worse before it gets better.'   well, things got waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better this week, starting with my food.  new stuff on the menu! went the store and got those items this past weekend so i could start my week off on the right foot.

i hit up HEB of course and saw these little pink signs aaaaall down the bulk aisle.  yep, i was in the bulk aisle and wasn't tempted at all, really! just stopped to get some papaya for Chiso and kept it moving.  but back to these signs, OK, who ruined it for everybody!? i guess i'll raise my hand too.  they better be glad i'm not eating sweets right now, hmph.  just kidding, i'm too scary to try that, really.

few things i picked up: more mc cormick grill mates seasonings (still 1 buck at HEB), some garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke.  ever heard of it?? it's EVERYTHING-free and provides awesome smokey flavor for your proteins.  i had it for the first time on some baked pork chops, but i think it goes excellent with grilled steak. it's like 95 cents!

i got plenty of limes and cilantro to add to my big vat of rice.

which equals cilantro-lime rice! smelled so fresh and citrusy.

matter fact i had so many limes i decided to make a limeade.  you know, the same thing you do at restaurants sometimes.

juice of two limes, 1 tsp stevia in the raw, 8 oz cold water.  stir!  add more water as needed.

less than 3 weeks left until showtime and my meal planS are all over the place and i LOVE it!  they will keep on changing and rotating until the day of the show.  my trainer is confusing the heck outta my body and it's responding positively.  i've been carb cycling for the last few weeks, and now i'm carb loading.

 which means *drum-roll* more yummy rice and FRUIT!

meal #6 from last night. #inhaled

yesterday i felt strong enough to lift a house.  i don't ever remember feeling so high, so full of energy,  and just plain READY to tackle the weights.   ever.

still workin on that un-flexed bicep lol

i felt and looked physically stronger (to me anyway) and there were veins and muscles i had never seen before popping out everywhere.

  i felt compelled to text my trainer after my workout to tell him how much i was loving my meals and how awesome i was feeling.  he replied with 'carb loading is a beautiful thing!'.

why YES, YES IT IS!

instabreakfast this morning:

what? like all your bowls are chip-free.

i scrambled my eggs this time and added fresh cilantro, garlic & onion powder, and a little lemon pepper seasoning.  topped those banana pancakes with a few shots of 'i can't believe it's not butter' spray and some Walden Farms pancake syrup.  yep, breakfast is STILL my fav meal of the day by far.

what low or no calorie things do you add to your food for better flavor? 

le