I sometimes find I need to pick up some fruit or veggies after a long day of work but I hate going to the actual grocery store. They're big and the parking can be a pain at my regular stores (I'm in SoCal people. Parking is annoying 85% of the time). I like to run in somewhere small and quick. Like a convenience store, but with food that's good for you and not expensive. Enter Fresh & Easy. Sometimes their food is expensive ($3.98 for a handful of asparagus) and you have to read labels as they aren't a "Clean" store -but they are still awesome. The are big on the fresh concept - so, if you go in the evening after 6 pm they have mark downs on their fruit/bread/veggies/fish that are to expire that day or the next.
Recently, I bought 4 personal sized watermelons for 98 cents each! 4 ciabatta buns for 77 cents! A loaf of the best ciabatta bread I've ever had in my life for $1.50 (put slices in a toaster to warm and it's nearly orgasmic)! Also, the ciabatta is minimally processed - the downfall is that they use enriched flour. And their fish is SO good. I get two wild caught yellowfin tuna steaks here every other week for $10. Mmmm. It's so yummy. Their spices are reasonbly priced. I can walk out of there with $30 worth of food and it will be a large canvas bag full! It's also pretty cool that if you sign up for their e-mail, you get a free canvas bag and coupons pretty often.
"Dear Fresh & Easy,
You Rock!!
Love,
Tara"
I think I'll go enjoy one of my 98 cent melons right now!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Kashi Product Review
So in reading the April/May 2009 issue of Clean Eating Magazine they recommend products that are prepackaged but still clean. One of those products is the Kashi Original Whole Grain Pilaf. It's two servings and ready for you to stick in the microwave or heat quickly on the stove top. This is great because grains are very time consuming to cook. It was even more excited about the fact that there is zero (ZERO!) salt added. They have a couple other flavors but I opted for original.
Sadly, it was too gross for me to eat. The smell alone seemed putrid to me. I just couldn't get past it. It also tasted just as horrible as it smelled. Awful. Ugh. The first time I tried a prepackaged clean product and it was rancid. Just gross.
Now, even though I was tainted with the Original Whole Grains experience, I still opted to try Kashi's Go Lean cereal. I eat their Autumn Wheat cereal pretty often actually. It's got just a hint of sweet and I think it tastes sweeter with the more fat there is in your milk (I have a co-worker that disagrees). Clean Eating Mag has Go Lean on their weekly meal plan at once a week for breakfast and sometimes as a snack. The picture on the box doesn't look very tasty so I had never tried it. Honestly, I was going into this thinking I would never buy Go Lean again. I mean, how good can something be that describes it's ingredients as "tasty fiber twigs". I mean, "twigs", really? It just doesn't seem like such a good marketing word, even for the crowd they are trying to appeal to. Surprisingly, Go Lean is pretty tasty. It faintly reminds me of Golden Smacks and has an occasional spark of brown sugar flavor (think like in the Ratatouille scene where the flavors are swirling and twinkling colors dancing to upbeat music). I will totally be making this one of my regular cereals.
Sadly, it was too gross for me to eat. The smell alone seemed putrid to me. I just couldn't get past it. It also tasted just as horrible as it smelled. Awful. Ugh. The first time I tried a prepackaged clean product and it was rancid. Just gross.
Now, even though I was tainted with the Original Whole Grains experience, I still opted to try Kashi's Go Lean cereal. I eat their Autumn Wheat cereal pretty often actually. It's got just a hint of sweet and I think it tastes sweeter with the more fat there is in your milk (I have a co-worker that disagrees). Clean Eating Mag has Go Lean on their weekly meal plan at once a week for breakfast and sometimes as a snack. The picture on the box doesn't look very tasty so I had never tried it. Honestly, I was going into this thinking I would never buy Go Lean again. I mean, how good can something be that describes it's ingredients as "tasty fiber twigs". I mean, "twigs", really? It just doesn't seem like such a good marketing word, even for the crowd they are trying to appeal to. Surprisingly, Go Lean is pretty tasty. It faintly reminds me of Golden Smacks and has an occasional spark of brown sugar flavor (think like in the Ratatouille scene where the flavors are swirling and twinkling colors dancing to upbeat music). I will totally be making this one of my regular cereals.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Some interesting articles. . .
I saw this on msn.com the other day and thought I would share. . .
The Worst Packaged Food Lies
This one was great! I really enjoyed the side-by-side comparison of products. Super helpful to those just starting out with their clean eating. This shows proof to the saying Micheal Pollen used often in his book - if a food makes a claim that it's healthy, it's most likely not. Just being an apple speaks for itself, does it not?
Scratch That
A slate journalist discusses the financial benefits of cooking food staples from scratch - which the majority of which is clean. This made me really want to make my own yogurt.
Wooo! And hey, here's another great intro to describing Clean Eating: The Principles
The Worst Packaged Food Lies
This one was great! I really enjoyed the side-by-side comparison of products. Super helpful to those just starting out with their clean eating. This shows proof to the saying Micheal Pollen used often in his book - if a food makes a claim that it's healthy, it's most likely not. Just being an apple speaks for itself, does it not?
Scratch That
A slate journalist discusses the financial benefits of cooking food staples from scratch - which the majority of which is clean. This made me really want to make my own yogurt.
Wooo! And hey, here's another great intro to describing Clean Eating: The Principles
Thursday, May 7, 2009
What Exactly IS Clean Eating (and things that make it difficult)
Some people out there may be wondering, what exactly IS Clean Eating?
It's getting back to the basics of eating. You buy foods that are in their most natural state possible and cook them or eat them raw. No processed foods - most basically meaning no prepackaged foods or foods with additives. If you don't know what the ingredient is or can't pronounce it, it's likely bad for you. Five ingredients or less is a flexible rule. Lean meats, fruit, veggies, fish, grains, beans, nuts, whole grain/wheat pitas and whole wheat pastas are the bulk of my diet. Also olive oil, garlic, and lots of dried herbs are in there too.
There is actually a newer magazine that was put into publication called "Clean Eating". Their website has a much better breakdown of a definition, foods to avoid, foods to eat, and a few recipes. Try the link above - should take you right to the page I'm talking about.
FYI: You will be cooking frequently and you will be grocery shopping at least once a week.
I'm not gonna kid you all, cooking the food is the biggest pain. It's one of the major hurdles of clean eating. The cooking is fun but always having the time to cook is the hard part. However. . .in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons:
Be warned, some people get pretty serious. For example, some people won't drink milk or eat pasta. But how serious that they want to be. It's based on their beliefs (which they will usually clarify for you in case you are wondering why someone wouldn't eat pasta). So think about if you believe another animals milk's is unnatural for us to consume, for example, and if you agree with others that it's unnatural/harmful to the body - don't drink it. If you think that belief is extreme, have some milk with your cereal for breakfast. No biggie. It's just a technicality (I use Horizon which is relatively clean).
So, maybe you noticed I mentioned an organic milk? "Does all my food HAVE to be organic?" No. With milk, I personally like to splurge. With fruits and veggies - it just depends on what mood I'm in. I often shop at my local farmers market most Sundays but you can't get everything there (like bananas, which I love). I shop at wherever is convenient for me - which may or may not have organic, and that's okay. Organic is ideal but your prime focus, especially in the beginning, is just to get down picking/preparing healthy foods over unhealthy processed foods.
If you want a complete over hall in your diet immediately, it is not usually recommended. Clean Eating is very laid back with most people. Transition is key. It will keep you from being overwhelmed at first and will allow you to make a true life change in the way you eat if you take it easy. Some people might think they should throw out all the processed foods they have immediately. Simply phasing them out slowly is best. When I started, I had artisan bread in my pantry and ice cream in the freezer. I hate wasting food, though. A friend of mine wanted the bread and I ate the ice cream gradually while transitioning into a cleaner diet.
This leads to another hurdle, when you start finding recipes (try Clean Eating or Cooking Light) you will notice there are many herbs you will use. Having never truly cooked before, my cupboard was nearly bare of herbs. Herbs are expensive. From $3 to $5 for basic herbs and even more for rare items like sapphron. Most of your dishes will only use the basic herbs. If you're just starting to eat clean and have two herbs/spices or less, I would recommend buying the McCormick set. Wish I had known about this set before I had purchased about half of these herbs already. If you can't buy the set, Big Lots has a lot of the basics (parsley, basil) but they aren't the best tasting. I found some pretty decent priced spices at Fresh and Easy. I only buy them as I find a recipe that needs them as it can be an expense. Rosemary, Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Cumin are ones I use most frequently. Also, try the Mexican food/herb isle. I got good ground cumin and bay leaves for 50cents each!
Know how I mentioned all the cooking? Better have a basic cookware set. I like this one (cheaper at Bed, Bath and Beyond) - but I have a cheap Wal-mart set from college that is still holding on for the time being. The steamer is a big must have. If you don't need a cooking set, you can invest in a steamer basket or some other little piece to place over or in your pots. Also, better get some decent food storage containers. Gotta put those dried beans and whole grains somewhere. I went to a Home Goods store and purchased some of expensive air tight ones for a VERY good discount price. Try Marshalls, TJ Maxx or some other discount store. Starting to get the picture that it can get a little expensive? It doesn't have to be, though. Lots of grains come in bags that are resealable. I'm sure you could also get mason jars for dirt cheap. For $1 at IKEA you can get an entrie bag full of various sized bag clips to reaseal things. There are always other options.
So that's pretty much the basics - what clean eating is about and things to be prepared for. Still interested? Keep on reading, my friends!
It's getting back to the basics of eating. You buy foods that are in their most natural state possible and cook them or eat them raw. No processed foods - most basically meaning no prepackaged foods or foods with additives. If you don't know what the ingredient is or can't pronounce it, it's likely bad for you. Five ingredients or less is a flexible rule. Lean meats, fruit, veggies, fish, grains, beans, nuts, whole grain/wheat pitas and whole wheat pastas are the bulk of my diet. Also olive oil, garlic, and lots of dried herbs are in there too.
There is actually a newer magazine that was put into publication called "Clean Eating". Their website has a much better breakdown of a definition, foods to avoid, foods to eat, and a few recipes. Try the link above - should take you right to the page I'm talking about.
FYI: You will be cooking frequently and you will be grocery shopping at least once a week.
I'm not gonna kid you all, cooking the food is the biggest pain. It's one of the major hurdles of clean eating. The cooking is fun but always having the time to cook is the hard part. However. . .in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons:
- It really tastes much more delicious when you cook it on your own
- TONs of fast, simple recipes are out there (including non-cooked ones)
- You know what you're eating
- Hello, healthy self (and weight loss, too!)
- It's truly, really a lifestyle change. Not just another diet.
Be warned, some people get pretty serious. For example, some people won't drink milk or eat pasta. But how serious that they want to be. It's based on their beliefs (which they will usually clarify for you in case you are wondering why someone wouldn't eat pasta). So think about if you believe another animals milk's is unnatural for us to consume, for example, and if you agree with others that it's unnatural/harmful to the body - don't drink it. If you think that belief is extreme, have some milk with your cereal for breakfast. No biggie. It's just a technicality (I use Horizon which is relatively clean).
So, maybe you noticed I mentioned an organic milk? "Does all my food HAVE to be organic?" No. With milk, I personally like to splurge. With fruits and veggies - it just depends on what mood I'm in. I often shop at my local farmers market most Sundays but you can't get everything there (like bananas, which I love). I shop at wherever is convenient for me - which may or may not have organic, and that's okay. Organic is ideal but your prime focus, especially in the beginning, is just to get down picking/preparing healthy foods over unhealthy processed foods.
If you want a complete over hall in your diet immediately, it is not usually recommended. Clean Eating is very laid back with most people. Transition is key. It will keep you from being overwhelmed at first and will allow you to make a true life change in the way you eat if you take it easy. Some people might think they should throw out all the processed foods they have immediately. Simply phasing them out slowly is best. When I started, I had artisan bread in my pantry and ice cream in the freezer. I hate wasting food, though. A friend of mine wanted the bread and I ate the ice cream gradually while transitioning into a cleaner diet.
This leads to another hurdle, when you start finding recipes (try Clean Eating or Cooking Light) you will notice there are many herbs you will use. Having never truly cooked before, my cupboard was nearly bare of herbs. Herbs are expensive. From $3 to $5 for basic herbs and even more for rare items like sapphron. Most of your dishes will only use the basic herbs. If you're just starting to eat clean and have two herbs/spices or less, I would recommend buying the McCormick set. Wish I had known about this set before I had purchased about half of these herbs already. If you can't buy the set, Big Lots has a lot of the basics (parsley, basil) but they aren't the best tasting. I found some pretty decent priced spices at Fresh and Easy. I only buy them as I find a recipe that needs them as it can be an expense. Rosemary, Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Cumin are ones I use most frequently. Also, try the Mexican food/herb isle. I got good ground cumin and bay leaves for 50cents each!
Know how I mentioned all the cooking? Better have a basic cookware set. I like this one (cheaper at Bed, Bath and Beyond) - but I have a cheap Wal-mart set from college that is still holding on for the time being. The steamer is a big must have. If you don't need a cooking set, you can invest in a steamer basket or some other little piece to place over or in your pots. Also, better get some decent food storage containers. Gotta put those dried beans and whole grains somewhere. I went to a Home Goods store and purchased some of expensive air tight ones for a VERY good discount price. Try Marshalls, TJ Maxx or some other discount store. Starting to get the picture that it can get a little expensive? It doesn't have to be, though. Lots of grains come in bags that are resealable. I'm sure you could also get mason jars for dirt cheap. For $1 at IKEA you can get an entrie bag full of various sized bag clips to reaseal things. There are always other options.
So that's pretty much the basics - what clean eating is about and things to be prepared for. Still interested? Keep on reading, my friends!
A lil' background information for you. . .
Not so long ago, I begged a friend of mine to recommend a non-fiction book for me. He told me to try "In Defense of Food" by Micheal Pollan. This book literally changed parts of my life. I thought and thought about everything Micheal Pollan had said in relation to how we should eat more whole foods and less pre-packaged, processed items for our health. I wanted to eat that way SO BAD! But I had no idea where to start. Micheal Polland gives you the most basic foundations of how to grocery shop: don't buy food with ingredients that you can't pronounce, five ingredients or less as a flexible rule, and shop on the outer isles of the grocery store only. That's a great starting point - where do I go from there though? What are recommended products I can buy so I don't have to agonizingly search for myself? And how do you even cook an artichoke?
Then a blessing in disguise came, I got laid off due to the recession. So I had a lot - A LOT - of free time to be more pro-active about researching Polland's recommended way of eating. I found out that there are many people who eat this way AND there's even a term for it: Clean Eating. There's information out there about "clean eating" but it's a bit scattered. That's where my blog comes into play - it's a one stop shop for people to get the information they need to start clean eating. I'll also chit-chat about recommended prepackaged foods I've tried, recipies I love, eating hurdles people need to be aware of, magazines I like and more - all related to clean eating, of course! I hope it can help others in starting their own lifestyle change for a healthier and immensely more delicious life! Enjoy!
Then a blessing in disguise came, I got laid off due to the recession. So I had a lot - A LOT - of free time to be more pro-active about researching Polland's recommended way of eating. I found out that there are many people who eat this way AND there's even a term for it: Clean Eating. There's information out there about "clean eating" but it's a bit scattered. That's where my blog comes into play - it's a one stop shop for people to get the information they need to start clean eating. I'll also chit-chat about recommended prepackaged foods I've tried, recipies I love, eating hurdles people need to be aware of, magazines I like and more - all related to clean eating, of course! I hope it can help others in starting their own lifestyle change for a healthier and immensely more delicious life! Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)