Groceries

I've had a few people mention that they would be interested in hearing what sort of food I buy and what sort of things I eat throughout the day. I figure it might be helpful to those of you trying to plan your own simple, healthy meals, or interesting just for those curious about what in the world someone actually eats when they don't eat meat, dairy, or much pre-made or processed food. This post will just be devoted to groceries, since that's enough for a post of its own. I'll start doing some sample daily meal posts either tonight or this weekend probably.

My husband and I usually go to the store once every 2-3 weeks. This varies if we realized we didn't buy enough food, or ran out of something, or bought too much food. We usually shop at Sprouts because they have a good selection of the dry, packaged, and frozen goods I like to buy, as well as a pretty decent selection of seasonal organic produce.

I do make a grocery list but it's often fairly loose. It's more of a reminder of "Things I am out of that I must buy more of," than a list of everything we intend to buy. I don't always list produce (unless I know I'll need something for a specific recipe) because I like to just look and see what's available and go from there.

There are a few things I like to keep stocked on hand at all times because they're a key ingredient in many of my meals. I always replace these when they run out. These are:

Bakery Items

• Whole wheat bread (I usually buy 9-grain)
• Cracked wheat sourdough baguette
• Brown rice pasta
• Corn tortillas
• Whole wheat pita bread (I use this as pizza crust a lot)

Fresh Produce

• Potatoes (yukon golds and russets always, sometimes baby red potatoes and sweet potatoes)
• Sweet yellow onions
• Garlic (I like to have 2-3 heads at a time as I use a lot of garlic in my cooking)
• Green onions
• Tomatoes
• Avocados
• Pre-washed mixed greens (usually a baby spinach, kale, and chard mix)
• Zucchini (this is my favorite vegetable so I always keep some on hand)
• Some kind of fruit, usually bananas, mangoes, apples, and berries (I'm not a big fruit eater but my husband likes these for snacks, breakfast, or smoothies)

Frozen Produce

• Frozen broccoli
• Frozen cauliflower
• Frozen brussels sprouts
• Frozen stir-fry veggies
• Frozen mixed berries (great for smoothies)

Non-Dairy Items

• Unsweetened almond milk (I use this in place of regular milk in most cases)
• Unsweetened soy milk (my husband prefers this, and I like it in coffee)
• Earth Balance sticks (I try not to use this often, but like to have some on hand for when I do need "butter")

Dry Packaged Items

• Bob's Red Mill Potato Flakes (I love instant mashed potatoes for breakfast, and this is the only brand I've found that has nothing but dehydrated potatoes in it)
• Whole wheat flour
• Whole wheat breadcrumbs

Breakfast Items

• Kind Cinnamon Oat Granola (for the rare times I want a sweet snack)
• Shredded Wheat

Spices & Baking

• Garlic powder
• Garlic pepper
• Ground black pepper
• Paprika
• Basil
• Onion powder
• Nutritional yeast
• Vegetable stock

Condiments

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• White vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Rice vinegar
• Yellow mustard
• Almond butter
• Lemon juice
• Lime juice
• Tomato paste
• BBQ sauce

Canned/Jarred Items

• Beans (black, chickpeas, butter, kidney, and great northern)
• Green olives
• Artichoke hearts
• Diced tomatoes
• Dill pickles

Frozen Meals (I don't eat these often but like to keep a few on hand just in case)

• Gardein Crispy Fingers
• Amy's Dairy-Free Vegetable Pot Pies
• Gardenburgers (Black Bean Chipotle & Veggie Medley)

Snacks

• One bag of Kettle Crinkle Cut Salt & Vinegar chips (my special occasional treat)
• Larabars (to keep in my purse/car for emergencies)
• One bar Endangered Species dark chocolate (I go through this so slowly because I only eat like one square of chocolate a week, if that, since I don't have much of a sweet tooth)

Tea/Coffee

• Celestial Seasonings Morning Thunder
• Some kind of Roobios
• Some kind of jasmine green tea
• Some kind of chai
• Kona coffee

And I'm not going to list all the boring things like paper towels and toothpaste because this blog is about food. ;) So yeah, the above is stuff I like to have on hand at all times, but if I'm planning on cooking specific things for the week (or just want to try a random ingredient that looks good) I grab additional stuff like other veggies/fruit, different beans, other spices, etc. That probably seems like a long list, but keep in mind I don't buy all of those things every week. Many of those items last months or even over a year (such as the spices and condiments) while others I usually have to buy every few weeks (such as the fresh produce).

And for fun, here's a bonus bare-minimum list! If you found the above list far too lengthy and intimidating, you will like this one. Last week, my husband and I were on our honeymoon in Hawaii. We were staying in a condo with a full kitchen, and wanted to avoid having to eat out for every single meal (because that's expensive and unhealthy). Since we were only going to be there for a week, and weren't going to cook every night, we needed a very very small amount of basic food items to just get by on. This is what we came up with:

• Three yukon gold potatoes
• One zucchini
• One onion
• One bag mixed greens
• One head garlic
• One can of chickpeas
• One can of diced tomatoes
• One can of artichoke hearts
• Two large avocados
• One package of corn tortillas
• A tiny bottle of vinegar
• Lime juice
• Paprika
• Pepper
• Garlic powder

My husband also bought some shrimp, salmon, and fruit for his meals. We ate meals at home about half the time and actually had a lot of the above ingredients left over at the end of the week. I made tomato sauce on the first day with the canned tomatoes, some garlic, spices, and vinegar, and used that on a lot of my meals. Most of my meals consisted of some arrangement of the above ingredients on a toasted or warmed tortilla, for example: chickpeas, avocado, onion, mixed greens, and a little lime in a tortilla. Breakfast was usually an oven-roasted, vinegar-drizzled paprika-seasoned potato with some of the homemade tomato sauce on top. So as you can see, when you need to simplify, it's totally possible to get by with just a few staple items: some kind of carb, some kind of protein, some veggies, and a few simple things for flavor!

Some Recipe Favorites

I haven't had much time to type up recipe posts lately, although I do have a few in my backlog that I'd like to get up here eventually. I'm in the final stages of planning my wedding, which is only a few weeks away, so things have been a little nuts around here!

So in the meantime, I'd like to share a few of my favorite recipes created by others. Most of these are very quick and easy to prepare, and they're all delicious.

Baked Macaroni and "Cheese" from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
One night I was trying to decide what to make for dinner, and smelled my neighbors cooking something cheesy. Suddenly I was hit with the most intense cheese cravings I'd had in a long time.

I decided I really wanted some mac and cheese, and remembered I'd bookmarked a few vegan mac and cheese recipes a while back. Many of them involved using processed cheese substitutes instead of real cheese, and I'm not a fan of those for both health and aesthetic reasons. This recipe from Fatfree Vegan, however, involved an entirely plant-based, oil-free, made from scratch cheese that I just had to try.

This quickly became one of my favorite dishes. I haven't had real mac and cheese in years and haven't had real cheese in months, so I'm not sure how much it tastes like the real thing, but I thought it was absolutely perfect.

I did make small adjustments to the recipe: I replaced the optional salt with extra garlic powder, and I used less chili powder than the recipe calls for because I have a low spicy food tolerance. I used butter beans instead of northern beans, as I didn't have any northern beans on hand (butter beans are very soft and work great in creamy sauces). I also decided to mix broccoli, kale, and spinach into the macaroni and cheese mix before baking to up the vegetable content.

Vegan Soup For The Soul from Dreena Burton's Plant-Powered Kitchen
This is an incredibly hearty soup that reminds me of the tomato soup I had as a kid, but better. The recipe made such a large batch that I had leftovers for three days, which was wonderful. It was delicious enough to eat that many times in a row, and I paired it with different crostini and sandwich sides to mix things up a bit.

Tu-no Salad Wraps from Straight Up Food
These are very very quick and easy to make, and very satisfying yet light. I'm a big fan of Cathy Fisher's recipes in general (my favorite veggie burgers are adapted from hers) and this is definitely one of the best in my opinion.

I enjoy them in soft taco shells and always include the optional diced avocado as I find I tend to need the extra fat to stay full. I've never tried them with kelp powder as I never have it on hand, but they taste fantastic even without it.

Super Summer Soup from Bitter Sweet
This is my favorite soup. Especially when I'm not feeling well. It's light and packed with healthy things. I've been nursing a mild cold/sore throat the past few days and this soup has been helping me through it. I use garlic pepper/granulated garlic instead of salt, and usually just lightly grease the pan (or use a nonstick pan) with oil instead of drizzling the veggies in oil. It's also fun to swap out one of the zucchini for yellow squash!

Hummus in the Blender from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
I much prefer homemade hummus to store-bought, because I can control what goes in it (no preservatives!) and I personally think it tastes better. This is a nice simple recipe that can be made as-is or modified based on your preferences. I omit the salt and use lots of garlic. You can add in some oil (a tbsp or so, and just reduce the water a bit) if you want a more traditional hummus, or leave it without if you prefer not to use oil. It tastes great either way!

Chipotle Mexican Grill

I promise I'll eventually write some restaurant guide posts for places other than Mexican restaurants. I'm doing these posts when I remember to take meal photos as I eat at places, and probably 80% of the time I go out to eat somewhere, it's Mexican food so it was inevitable that they ended up being first.

It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I really like Chipotle. I've seen many vegetarians, vegans, and general plant-based eaters express similar sentiments, probably because Chipotle is not only delicious, it's also very plant-based diet friendly! I still don't recommend eating out all the time, but if you're going to eat out instead of making lunch at home, this is probably one of the best chains you could choose in my opinion. With the right choices the only thing you really need to watch is the sodium (and oil depending on your preferences), so in moderation Chipotle can make for a fairly healthy meal.

Veggie tacos with brown rice, black beans, guacamole, and lettuce.

If you are new to eating out on a plant-based diet, this is a great place to start because they make it so easy to order exactly what you want. When I first had to give up dairy, I was pretty overwhelmed about trying to eat anything I didn't prepare myself. Few restaurants at the moment have clear allergen guidelines (and while many are now providing gluten-free information, they're still neglecting other allergies such as dairy), but Chipotle is thankfully an exception.

Chipotle's website has a very clear allergen guide, complete with listings for eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat, and gluten. And the only two menu items that contain dairy? Sour cream and cheese! That certainly makes life easy for those of us trying to avoid dairy. And trust me, their guacamole is so delicious that you won't miss the sour cream or cheese at all.

They also recently added this fun new feature that lets you build your meal online and it will automatically spit out the nutrition info for that specific meal based on your ingredient choices using their standard portion sizes: Chipotle's Nutrition Calculator.

And they now have an Ingredients section that tells you exactly what they put in their food, which is something I really appreciate and so rarely see. And they get bonus points for attempting to use organic produce when possible.

So with that bountiful pile of information at your fingertips, what do you order? You have a lot of options really! You can get a burrito, tacos (crispy or soft), or a bowl. And then you can fill those items with any combination of ingredients you choose, such as:

• Rice. I recommend brown instead of white if it's available at your location. White rice has had the husk, bran, and germ removed which reduces its fiber content and nutritional value. Brown rice is far more nutrient-packed, and that extra fiber will help keep your blood sugar levels more stable, leaving you feeling full longer.
• Fajita vegetables. 
• Black beans. Their pinto beans are flavored with bacon, but the black beans are completely vegan (and super delicious)!
• Salsa. They have 4 different salsas to choose from in varying degrees of hotness.
• Guacamole. Really, the main reason I come here. This is hands-down the best guacamole I have ever had. And I've tried a lot of guacamole.
• Lettuce.

The portion sizes are pretty big, and especially in the case of the burrito, probably more than you really need to eat for one meal. But you can easily cut that burrito in half and save the rest for later (a whopping 800 calorie burrito suddenly becomes two very reasonable 400 calorie meals). If you order tacos, the default number is 3, but you can order 1 or 2 if you want.

I always order 2 crispy tacos with brown rice, black beans, guacamole, and lettuce. I skip the fajita veggies since I'm just not a huge fan of peppers. It's a fairly simple combination but sometimes simple is best. The flavors in their ingredients are so good that I find it really doesn't need anything else. 

You can also get chips with guacamole or salsa, and a drink. I skip both of these options and just order a cup of water. Keep in mind, if your goal is to keep your meal as healthy as possible, you're working against yourself by ordering soda (yes, even diet) and salty fried chips, so I recommend keeping those things to a very occasional treat (or avoiding them altogether if you're so inclined).

Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Salad

Three recipes in one post today! I made this meal last night and it was very well-received. The best part is this is all oil-free (aside from optional nonstick spray) and salt-free! It's like eating healthy french fries.
Potatoes and tomato sauce recipe based on this recipe from EatingWell.

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Serves: 2-3
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (or other potato variety of your choice)
• 1 tsp lime juice (lemon juice is also an acceptable alternative)
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• Garlic pepper to taste (if you don't have garlic pepper, just use granulated garlic and ground pepper, it's the same thing)
• Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Wash and scrub potatoes, removing any eyes. Cut into small (approx. 1 inch) pieces.
3. Place potato pieces in a large bowl and toss with lime juice and vinegar, sprinkling on generous amounts of garlic pepper as you go.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup). You can lightly spray the sheet with cooking spray or wipe it down with a very small amount of olive oil to minimize sticking. Spread the potato pieces evenly across the sheet. Sprinkle with more garlic pepper if desired.
5. Bake for about 45 minutes (or until the potatoes begin to lightly brown and turn crispy on the edges) flipping the potato pieces over once around the 20 minute mark so they brown evenly on both sides.
6. Serve warm with the garlic tomato sauce (recipe below).

Garlic Tomato Sauce

Makes: approx. 2 cups sauce
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes (no salt added variety, I recommend Eden Organic brand)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic pepper (or 1/4 tsp granulated garlic and 1/4 tsp ground pepper)
• Pinch of crushed red pepper to taste (for spicier sauce, add more, for milder, add less or omit)

Directions:

1. Steam-fry the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and once the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to low.
3. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Balsamic Artichoke and Chickpea Salad

Serves: 2
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large bunches of greens of your choice (I used a spinach, baby kale, and chard mix)
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts (or as many as you'd like)
• 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (use more or less depending on your preferences)
• Dash of dried basil

Directions:

1. Combine greens, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and vinegar in a bowl and toss.
2. Serve topped with a small dash of basil.

Tangy Bean Burgers

These flavorful burgers can be eaten traditional-style in a bun, or without, piled high with your favorite toppings. Personally I prefer them without the bun.
This recipe is based on a a recipe from Straight Up Food.

Tangy Bean Burgers

Makes: Approx. 8 burgers
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can kidney, black, or navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup Ezekiel 4:9 or Grapenuts cereal
• 1 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 dash of chili flakes or powder, to taste
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
• Cooking oil, such as grapeseed, sesame, or canola (optional, see step 3)
• Toppings such as sliced tomato, sliced onion, avocado
• Whole grain burger buns (optional)

Directions:

1. Pulse beans in a blender or food processor until they're mashed up a bit. If you don't have a blender or food processor you can also mash them with a fork.
2. In a large bowl, combine mashed beans, cereal, onion, seasonings, mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice. Mix with a spoon or spatula until well-blended. The mixture should be pasty and slightly sticky. If it is too dry, add a little water.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. If cooking with oil, add just enough oil to lightly cover the surface of the pan. If you do not wish to cook with oil, you can also use the Steam Frying method or a good non-stick pan.
4. Shape the mixture into patties 3-4" wide and 1/2" thick. Place patties evenly spaced (not touching) in skillet and cook on medium for 5-7 minutes. Once the bottom side is lightly browned, flip and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Serve with toppings of your choice by themselves, or in a burger bun.

Tip: The uncooked burger mix keeps well in the fridge for several days so cook only what you need and save the rest to enjoy fresh burgers a few days in a row! Alternatively, you can also cook a full batch and store extra burgers in the fridge to reheat in the microwave or toaster oven the next day.

Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill

One thing I've been meaning to do with this blog, along with posting recipes, is sharing tips for avoiding meat and dairy (and eating healthier when possible) when eating out at restaurants. It is definitely more difficult to eat out than to cook at home and stick to this kind of diet, but not impossible!

I love Mexican food, partially because it's delicious, but also because it's often a very good option for those trying to avoid meat and dairy. "Fresh Mex" places in particular really cater towards those interesting in plant-based and/or lighter fare.

Tofu & Veggies Taco

I was recently pleasantly surprised to learn that Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill has ample vegetarian and dairy-free options on its menu!

The following menu items are already meat and dairy free:

Burritos (ordered with tofu)

• Sharky's
• Fajita
• Grilled Tofu & Veggies

Tacos (ordered with tofu)

• The Original
• Tofu & Veggies

Other

• Tofu Power Plate
• Kid's Tofu Power Plate

Most other menu items can easily be customized to be meat and dairy free by substituting tofu for meat, and removing any cheese or sour cream. I am not sure which of their salad dressings are dairy-free, so you may want to ask if ordering a salad. As far as I can tell, all of their salsa bar selections are dairy-free. 

Note: If ordering beans as a side (or with the combo plate), make sure you specify no cheese, as I believe they sometimes come topped with cheese. However, unlike many Mexican restaurants, their pinto beans are not cooked in lard! I normally order black anyway, but good to know for those of you who prefer pinto!

Overall I've really enjoyed my meals there. I always order the Tofu & Veggies tacos, with guacamole. Normally I'm not a fan of fajita veggies (most seem to overdo it on the bell peppers) but these are great. They even include zucchini! The portion sizes are pretty big and the tacos are filling so two tacos a la carte is plenty for me, but you can order more (or fewer) tacos, or make it a combo (adds rice and beans). They also come with a side of chips and there's a salsa bar full of a nice variety of salsas (my favorite is the Original). I also love that they have limes and an onion cilantro mix at the salsa bar which I like to add to my tacos and chips.

Sharky's is definitely an easy place to get some light, not-greasy, and deliciously flavorful Mexican food!

Italian Veggie Sub

This meat-free, dairy-free spin on an Italian sub sandwich is piled high with vegetables and packed with flavor.

Italian Veggie Sub

Serves: 1
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Crusty bread of your choice (I used cracked wheat sourdough)
• 3-4 pieces of artichoke hearts (marinated works great for this)
• 2-3 large olives, sliced (I used green pimento stuffed, black works too)
• Small handfull of lettuce or other leafy greens (I used a spinach, chard, and kale blend)
• A few thin slices of onion
• 1-2 slices of tomato
• 1/2 an avocado, sliced
• Balsamic vinegar to taste (I use about 1 tsp usually)
• Basil to taste
• Garlic pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice the bread in half and lightly toast in a toaster oven or regular oven at 400°F until edges are slightly browned.
2. On one half of the bread, layer on the artichoke hearts, olives, greens, onion, and tomato.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar, basil, and garlic pepper.
4. Layer on the avocado.
5. Cover with other half of the bread and pressing down on the sandwich to keep everything in place, slice diagonally (if you used a small loaf, cutting may not be necessary).

Tip: The ingredient amounts in this recipe are just loose guidelines. Feel free to adjust, add, or subtract any ingredients based on your personal preferences. For example, my fiance likes more tomato, and jalapenos instead of olives. So many things can work well in this sub!