FOOD!

Ok, so I know back in January I said I wanted to blog more about food... So here I am a *cough* few months later trying it out. I became aware and interested in the quality of the food I fed myself and my family a couple of years ago. Like many others health issues made me realize the importance of what and how we eat. Right now I am trying to get back to where I was after my health issues started. My body is screaming at me, so here I am starting over again. I found myself again using old excuses such as "there isn't enough time". There is time if I plan, so this post is about how I plan. I am not a stay at home mom, as much as I wish I was. I work full time, I also am a graduate student and classes are starting back up in a couple of weeks. This weekend I planned and did some major shopping for the next two weeks. I try to only shop every other weekend, this frees up the non shopping weekend for cleaning and fun activities for the family. Today I went to my local farmer's market for most of our fresh produce. I love the market, such pretty, fresh, quality food at reasonable prices. Especially fruit. Lots of yummies were purchased, then I went to the grocery store for the rest. Then the real work begins. What I have found is that for my produce to last the entire two weeks there is work that has to be done. See below for all the prepping and cleaning for two weeks of lunches and dinners. 

Look at all this deliciousness!! 

THE FRUIT:

There were some amazing nectarines, plums, pluots, and apples. I rinse those and leave them in the fridge so they are ready to eat. The strawberries took a bit more work. 

Gorgeous aren't they? Delicious too!

 I sort the strawberries into two groups one to freeze and one to eat. 

Washed and topped ready for the freezer.

I hate to waste such seasonal yumminess, the frozen ones will be used for smoothies or strawberry cupcakes when we want/need them.

Fridge time!

The other group is for lunches/snacks during the week. I put them unwashed in a tupperware to keep them fresh a bit longer. 

The veggies!

There is a lot to do with veggies, and I try to cut down on my prep time during the week. I pre cut my onions and other veg whenever possible. These onions are going into spaghetti sauce, a stew, and two for the freezer for a later date. 

Oh the tears!

 This green bell pepper has a similar fate!

Now to celery. This celery is for lunches and for the stew. I went ahead diced some for the stew and stored with the onion, the rest is cut and put in a tupperware with a bit of water to keep it fresh. 

Size matters.

See!

Carrots! Since the family enjoys eating whole carrots I am not going to cut them all. Carrots also keep fairly well. this 5lbs bag may last longer than the 2 weeks. Some are also sliced for the stew. 

For lunches and quick snacks. Those big carrots don't fit in lunch pails!

Oh the herbs!
I had a bad reputation for wasting herbs. One day I'll learn how to garden and will grow these so I save some money... until that day I will used this trick. Layer the herbs on paper towels and roll them. Store in a ziplock bag, and keep in the crisper drawer. 

Whoa, time for a break.. well at least preparing for a break.. I get this reward once it is all done.

Can't wait!

For years I would waste lettuce. I used to buy the bags or the plastic box of lettuce. Then would throw out what we didn't finish. Since I started buying heads of lettuce and prepping them this way we rarely waste any. It can last up to 3 weeks in the crisper drawer. 

This is 3 heads of lettuce!

First I remove the ends and the core of each head and lay it in my plugged sink. I then rinse the lettuce. We are in a drought here in Cali so where I used to fill the sink I only use a couple of inches of water now. The lettuce seems just as clean. I then spin the lettuce in a salad spinner. 

Post spin.

I lay a single layer of lettuce on a paper towels. This is 6 of the half sheets, use 3 for full size paper towels. Put the lettuce on half of the paper towel.

 Then lay the other half of the paper towel on top of the lettuce.

It's a lettuce blanket!

Then roll just like the herbs and place in a ziplock bag. A gallon size bag with hold 3-4 rolls of lettuce. 

Each roll is enough for a dinner salad such as a taco salad for our family of 4, or 2-3 lunch salads just for me. :D

So this is how I spent my Saturday morning/afternoon. 2 hours shopping plus another 2 hours or so prepping. Now time for that hard cider!

Peace and love,

Jay