Healthy Chicks

I don’t usually post grocery lists on my blog because:

a. I don’t like to obsess too much over the what (what foods are the “best”) but rather like to focus on the why (listening to your body & finding the foods that make you feel your best self)

b. My grocery lists change every week as The Boy and I both love experimenting in the kitchen

c. Grocery lists usually bore me. I’m more of a spontaneous, buy what’s in season, analyze the sales, grab-and-go kind of gal. Don’t get me wrong: I love lists and think they definitely have their place, but I don’t typically go by a list when it comes to grocery shopping. I also don’t like following recipes to a T either…where’s the fun in that?

BUT, BUT BUT… today I am going to be posting my grocery list for the week because:

a. The Boy is gone for  a week and a half and I totally had too much fun doing some Single Girl Shopping tonight! (Is that normal?) I loved those days when everything in the fridge was mine and I knew exactly what was running out (no more eggs?) and what I had too much of. Of course, I have a blast cooking with my man, but I’m excited to see what I’ll create in the kitchen the next 12 days when he’s gone.

b. There were some great seasonal sales this week I want to tell you about!

c. I have a tons of health-boosting, affordable staples that I want to share with my lovely readers.

[tonight's din: an open-faced salmon burger topped with avocado and served with tamari & coconut oil sauteed baby bok choy seasoned with Seaweed Gomasio.]

The List

• Cage-free organic eggs (a staple)
• Baby bok choy (Great sautéed with tamari and coconut oil!)
• Organic Mixed Greens (a staple)
• Bananas (I add them to most smoothies and my a.m. oatmeal)
• Organic grape tomatoes (love throwing them in salads, omelets, and stir frys!)
• Trader Joe’s Ancient Grain Gluten-Free Soup
• Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread (I usually hate gluten free breads because they lack that hearty texture but they were all out of my favorite brown rice wraps so I decided to give this a try!)
• Giant box of Clementines (on sale for a little over $5; will be perfect for snacking and salad-topping. Side note: clementines are great for those of you with sweet tooths!)
• Big bag of sweet potatoes
• Bag of Avocados (I put them in salads, smoothies, wraps, you name it. Such a wonderful healthy fat!)
• Gluten-free Quinoa & Black Bean Chips (For when that crunchy craving comes on)
• Trader Joe’s Three-Layer Hummus (Red Pepper, Cilantro, and Original. Need I say more?)
• Organic, all natural roasted turkey breast
• Baby bella mushrooms (a staple…love mushrooms for their health-boosting, disease-fighting properties and taste)
• Organic cucumber (add in salads, smoothies, wraps, you name it)
• Baby carrots (for dipping in hummus or to toss in smoothies)

Already In the Fridge/Freezer:

• Alaskan Salmon Burgers
• All Natural Chicken Sausage, various flavors
• Organic chicken, frozen (Leftovers from soup and previous meals)
• Lemon & Lime Juice
• Organic Celery
• Unsweetened Almond milk
• Organic apples
• Kombucha
• Yerba Matte Iced Tea

Essentials We Never Go Without:

• Organic, Cold-Pressed & Unrefined Coconut Oil
• Cold-Pressed & Unrefined Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, etc)
• Frozen organic broccoli
• Frozen organic spinach
• Frozen organic blueberries (great for smoothies!)
• Onions
• Tamari (delicious gluten-free soy sauce alternative!)
• Vinegar (Balsamic, Apple Cider, and Rice)
• Old-fashioned-rolled oats
• Garlic
• Lemons / lemon juice (love it in my water!)
• Veggie or chicken stock
• Raw nuts (my favorites are almonds, walnuts and cashews)
• Raw, organic almond & peanut butter (Once Again is one of our favorite brands currently)
• Ground flax seed
• Superfood powders (like Cacao and Maca for smoothies!)
• Any & all herbs and spices (you name it…we have ‘em all)
• Sea salt
• Seaweed Gomasio (my favorite seasoning and great for sneaking in extra minerals!)
• Organic Quinoa & Brown Rice
• Brown Rice or Buckwheat Pasta
• Gluten-free crackers like Mary’s Gone Crackers
• A life-time supply of tea (If you can’t tell by my Instagram photos, tea is a must-have in our lives. We have about 15 boxes currently…I’m not kidding!)
• Organic coffee
• Something sweet (usually a dark chocolate of some sort)
• Usually some kind of local cheese (although I’m cutting out dairy this month so not lately!)

So there you have it; now you can get a better sense of what goes on inside and outside my kitchen! I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, but you’ll just have to come over if you really want to know everything we eat.

While we do a good amount of our grocery shopping locally or at the Harvest Co-op, Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, The Boy and I save a lot of money shopping online for organic, non-GMO food with The Green PolkaDot Box.

If you’re wondering what it is or how you can sign up for a membership, shoot me an email and we’ll hook you up with more info or maybe even a free membership  You can read my boyfriend’s inspiring story (he’s a Founding Trust Member) on why we choose to eat this way over here.

Now it’s your turn: what’s on your list?

Of course people scrunch their noses and roll their eyes at the thought of “eating healthy” when they think of it as bland, cardboard-tasting, flavorless meals (think: a pile of iceberg lettuce with fat-free, calorie-free dressing).

And up until about five years ago, that’s what healthy did mean to me: boring salad bars, diet sodas, sugar-free everything, low calorie, processed-fake-food-crap. Blah.

Then I discovered how much fun I could have in the kitchen cooking healthy food, how creative I could get with my veggies, and how utterly delicious green “healthy” foods could really be.

Most days of the week, The Boy and I craft up wholesome, healthy dishes together in the kitchen and more often than not it’s an exciting experiment. We use what we have in the fridge, creating innovative recipes and award-winning concoctions (at least according to us.) In fact, while I am pretty skilled in the kitchen, The Boy is really the Master Chef of the two of us which makes life a little easier.

No matter what we concoct, we typically (most days) aim to make most of our meal veggie-based with healthy fats, nutritious proteins and wholesome grains added in.

Last night, we had lots of fun in the kitchen with our Spaghetti Squash that had been sitting on top of our fridge screaming “Cook me!” for the past few days.

[Sorry for the blur. We both agree this poor-quality pic doesn't do the meal any justice!]

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Veggies, Marinara & Ricotta

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil (plus 1 TB for cooking)
• 1 large onion, organic
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed (we LOVE garlic so we used 8!)
• Full jar of organic Marinara (we used Organicville Marinara discounted on Green Polkadot Box)
• 1 bag frozen broccoli, organic
• Half bag frozen spinach, organic
• Dozen shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• Blend of basil, oregano and parsley (according to taste; we rarely measure!)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Ricotta Cheese (1 to 2 TB per serving)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Halve spaghetti squash, scoop out insides & seeds (kind of like pumpkin-carving!) and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake on 350 for about 40 minutes.

2. In the meantime, heat 1 TB olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add in garlic and onions, and let cook for about two minutes.

3. Pour in full jar of marinara sauce and bring to a simmer. Add in seasonings, and then, mix in the broccoli, spinach and mushrooms. Reduce heat to low, and allow vegetables to fully cook.

3. Remove spaghetti squash from the oven once fully cooked (it should be sizzling & “spaghetti” should be easily scooped out). Use a fork to remove all of the “spaghetti” inside the squash and place in a large bowl.

4. Divide into four servings and top each with an equal portion of marinara sauce and scoop of ricotta cheese on top.

How do you have fun with veggies in your home? Do you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen?

NOTE: You may see me referencing Green PolkaDot Box on my blog every now and then, as The Boy and I purchase most of our organic, non-GMO groceries from their site. If you’re still wondering what it is or how you can sign up for a membership, shoot me an email and we’ll hook you up with more info or maybe even a free membership You can read my boyfriend’s inspiring story (he’s a Founding Trust Member) on why we choose to eat this way over here.

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Good afternoon ladies. I am one happy blogger indeed, as I have some exciting news to share with you today over here on Healthy Chicks!

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to interview Rod Smith, founder and CEO of the Green PolkaDot Box (GPDB) for an article featured in the Huffington Post “Good News” section. Yes, my writing has been published in the Huffington Post, which as a journalism graduate and freelance writer is a huge (HUGE!) accomplishment for me and something I’ve worked incredibly hard at.

OK, now that I got that off my chest, I’ll rewind a little bit for you all. What is GPDB you ask? While I encourage you to read my article “Organic Food, Delivered Fresh to Your Door” I’ll give you a mini synopsis over here on Healthy Chicks. The company, which just launched in December 2011, is an online buying collective featuring organic, non-GMO foods and products at a bargain price (at up to 60 percent off retail!). Think: Sam’s Club and Costco had a baby with Whole Foods, and revamped their marketing plan to accommodate the online, “tech-savvy” generation.

I was actually first introduced to the company by my boyfriend Jason, who is one of their Founding Trust Members. You can read about his experience with GPDB here, as he’s been a member since they first launched and is loving every minute of it.

Not to mention I’m loving every bit of it as well! Ever since he’s signed up, he’s been letting me share all his natural, healthy goodies (at a discounted price) from my favorite Sticks ‘n’ Twigs pretzels from Mary’s Gone Crackers and a variety of Food Should Taste Good chips to Organic Maca Powder, and all-natural beauty products like deodorant, face wash and body balm.

I love that Rod Smith and his family dedicate their time to create healthy options for affordable prices, essentially starting a “Healthy Revolution.” After all, why should we have to spend a fortune to fuel our body with natural, real, wholesome food and products? Shouldn’t it just be a given?

To read and/or comment on my article on the Huffington Post, click here. To learn more about the first-hand experience being a GPDB member, click here. To browse products or sign up for a membership yourself, head over here.