Inventory

So many people ask us what products/brands we use, and what we purchase when we grocery shop. So, I took "inventory" today and am providing a list of the items that are currently stocked in our kitchen - these items are pretty much the 'norm' for our household (although the produce we eat tends to change with the Season). 

I did A LOT of label reading when we first started cutting out processed foods... it was overwhelming, frustrating & stressful, and there were times I left the store with hardly anything in my shopping cart and close to tears. 

Please, do not let this journey do that to you!! I became obsessive and fearful of things in our food. I was mad at the food system and our government for not protecting us.

But only after I cried out to God, did this journey start to make sense. He showed me what He wanted me to be eating, what He designed for food, and He took the fear of food away from me. He turned my anger into knowledge & wisdom, and the ability to educate others. 

So, if you are starting a food journey yourself, I encourage you to pray. Ask God to show you what He has designed for us to eat. Ask Him to teach you what glorifies Him. Ask Him for patience and for guidance as you navigate through the "food system". Ask Him to give you a spirit of wisdom & knowledge (not fear) as you learn, so that you can also educate others. 

For us, we have a set of "criteria" that we follow when we read the labels of products. 

Our criteria: nothing artificial, no chemicals, no refined white sugar, no (or very low) raw cane sugar, no corn syrup, no high fructose corn syrup, low soy & low corn (if there is corn or soy in a product, preferably only organic soy & corn), no more than 8 to 10 ingredients, ingredients must be things I know & can understand,  most items must be organic or mainly organic, no BPA in cans, no hormones, no steroids, no antibiotics. 

And one of the main things we ask ourselves when buying a product is, 
Would Jesus Eat This? 

If an item doesn't meet our criteria, then I simply don't purchase it and I find a way to make it myself instead. I have provided the brand names for some of the items below, which meet our criteria. I hope this is helpful information for some of you!

What's In Our Pantry?
Whole wheat white flour (unbleached)*
Oat flour*
Spelt flour*
Whole wheat lasagna noodles (Hodson Mill brand) 
Vegetable rotelli noodles (Eddie's Natural) 
Lentils*
Bulgar wheat*
Sprouted rice trio*
Brown rice*
Quinoa*
Couscous*
Whole wheat couscous
Oats*
Popcorn*
Panko breadcrumbs*
Tomato paste* (Bionature)
Strained tomatoes* (Bionature)
Pumpkin puree*
Sweet potato puree*
Kidney beans*
Chickpeas*
Albacore tuna (Wild Planet) 
Black Bean Soup mix (Bob's Red Mill) 
Sun-dried tomatoes
Sunflower Seeds* 
Pitted dates*
Dried apricots*
Un-sweetened banana chips
Raisins (unsulfured)* 
Cashews*
Walnuts*
Almonds*
Peanut butter*
Sunflower Seed butter* 
Un-sweetened shredded coconut*
Dark chocolate morsals (65% cacao)*
Coconut oil* 
Olive oil*
Balsamic vinegar*
Apple cider vinegar
Raw local honey*
Date sugar*
Brown rice syrup*
Blackstrap molasses
Spices, celtic sea salt, black pepper, baking soda/powder, yeast, etc.
Whole O's cereal* (Nature's Path) 
Spelt pretzels* (Newman's Own)


What's In Our Fridge? 
Rice milk*
Almond milk
Coffee*
Choffy (Find info HERE)
local Eggs*
Hard-boiled eggs (for snacking)
Berries: Strawberry* & Blueberry*
Greek plain yogurt*
Applesauce* (apples only, no added ingredients)
Ground flaxseed*
Cacao nibs* 
Hummus* 
Garlic
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Ketchup*
Mayo*
Yellow mustard
Low-sodium soy sauce
Local maple syrup
Orange juice
Just Black iced tea (Honest Tea)*
Lettuce - field mix*
Cantaloupe
Grapes
Apples*
Carrots*
Parsnips*
Celery*
Cucumbers*
Ginger root
Kale* 
Spinach* 
Rhubarb
Asparagus* 


What's On Our Counter? 
Pineapple
Oranges*
Bananas* 
Sweet potatoes*
White & red onions*


What's In Our Freezer?
Veggie Burgers: spinach, carrot & lentil* (Go Veggies)
Mango Curry (Go Veggies)
Waffles* (Nature's Path)
Homemade frozen pancakes* 
Homemade frozen chicken fingers* (Recipe HERE)
Uncured turkey hot dogs* (Applegate Farms)
Ground turkey breast*
Ground beef (Hen-Hawk Acres)
Venison (wild-caught... Thanks Dad!)
Leg of lamb (extra meat from Passover; cut into 2-inch cubes for shish-kabobs)
Winter squash*
Spinach*
Pineapple chunks
Blueberries* 


What's Growing (that we can harvest & eat) In our Garden Right Now?
Herbs* 
Lettuce*
Kale*
Spinach* 




* indicates Organic

Iced Tea

Cool off this summer with a glass of refreshing iced tea:

Classic Iced Tea
In a large pot, combine 6 bags of black tea, 8 wide strips each of lemon and orange zest, and 8 cups boiling water. Let steep 8 minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Serve over ice with lemon and orange slices if desired. Makes about 8 cups.

Mint-Ginger Iced Tea
In a large pot, combine 6 ounces fresh ginger (peeled and smashed with a meat mallet), 4 bags of mint tea, and 8 cups boiling water. Let steep 8 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large container; discard solids. Stir in 2 tablespoons raw honey. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Serve over ice with mint sprigs. Makes about 8 cups.

Curried Chickpea Dip

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil 
1 medium sweet onion, diced small 
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/4 cups water
2 cans (15.5 ounce each) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and pepper


Directions
In a large skilled, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. 


 Transfer mixture to a food processor and add both cans of chickpeas, yogurt, lime juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and puree. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Serve with sliced cucumbers. 

Eat Well While You Travel

Ahh, summertime... vacations, road trips, and more! Here are some tips to help you eat well while you're traveling:

At The Airport
Terminal food can be pricey and filled with sodium, among other artificial ingredients. Bring nuts and instant oatmeal packets (hot water is usually always available at cafes or coffee shops). Oats & nuts will help you stay full and satisfied. Bring bottled water to stay hydrated.

In The Car
Skip the drive-through and make wraps with whole wheat tortillas - fill them with hummus & shredded veggies, or peanut butter & sliced banana. They're portable, filling & don't require a fridge!

At A Hotel
Star your day off right: request a mini fridge in your room prior to check-in. Fill it with plain greek yogurt and berries for quick, healthful breakfast.

Out & About
Add a farmer's market to your itinerary so you can enjoy local food and learn about the area. Visit Local Harvest to find a location.

25 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

25 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Sure, sugar tastes good... when you are used to eating the Standard American Diet, high in processed foods. But, here are some of the dangers of consuming sugar: 

1. Feeds candida
2. Promotes wrinkling and aging skin
3. Makes your blood acidic
4. Can lead to osteoporosis.
5. Rots your teeth
6. Raises your blood sugar level
7. Contributes to obesity
8. Is addictive (almost as much as drugs!!) 
9. Can create the urge to binge
10. Provides 'empty calories' with no nutritional value
11. Contributes to diabetes
12. Robs your body of minerals.
13. Robs you of energy
14. Contributes to heart problems
15. Can cause cancer
16. Contributes to ulcers
17. Can cause gallstones
18. Contributes to adrenal fatigue
19. Can suppress your immune system
20. Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin
21. Weakens eyesight
22. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).
23. Can cause aging
24. Can contribute to eczema
25. Can cause arthritis

To learn more about the dangers of sugar and find out if you're a 'sugarholic', read Lick The Sugar Habit, by Nancy Appelton, PhD.

Article courtesy of http://bodyecology.com/articles/25_reasons_to_avoid_sugar.php

Empty Calories

Empty Calories: Commonly found in processed snacks, sugary sweets & sodas

It's no secret that our modern food system contains an overabundance of high-calorie carbohydrates and sweets, all of them available 24-7. And according to Dr. Todd Burstain, an associate processor of medicine at the University of Iowa and an obesity specialist, eating too many of the empty calories in processed carbohydrates and sweets can disturb the delicate balance between leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that tell us when we're full and when we're hungry, respectively. 


"We find that obese people never really feel hungry and never really feel satisfied - they've lost their sense of when they should be eating, so they're eating all the time," Burstain says. "They end up being driven by cravings, gravitating to sweet foods that light up the pleasure centers in their brains." 


The result - beyond just weight gain - can be insulin resistance and diabetes, among other health problems. 


The Solution? Learn to cook. 


Most problematic high-calorie intake is linked to processed food. 


Organic whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fresh fruits & vegetables are the best best for a balanced diet, says Dr. Rebecca Booth, an ob-gyn in Louisville, Kentucky, and the author of The Venus Week. 


Need recipes? Click HERE.

Steps to Cut Out Sugar

Step One:  Replace ALL Refined Sugar with Natural Sweeteners

This step means exactly what it says. You must get rid of all the white sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in your home wherever it may lurk and replace it with natural, whole forms of sugar like raw honey, real maple syrup, coconut sugar and date sugar.  

Don’t forget condiments.. they are a big source of high fructose corn syrup. Replace them with condiments from the health food section that taste just as good and don’t have some form of refined sugar as a main ingredient.

Not ready to get rid of soda entirely? Then buy soda only from the health food section where there are brands available that use unrefined cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. These sodas taste terrific. You won’t miss a thing taste and satisfaction-wise by drinking them, I can assure you.

Stir coconut sugar into your tea or coffee instead of white sugar. Or, better yet... wean yourself off of sugar from your coffee completely! It took me about one week to do this - I gradually reduced the amount of sugar I put in my coffee every single day.

Replace those candy bars with healthfood store versions that use whole cane sugar instead of refined white sugar as the sweetener.

Whatever you do, DON'T replace the refined sugars with artificial sweeteners.   Studies have shown that folks who consume artificial sweeteners have more sweet cravings than folks who just eat the sugar in its natural form!

Be aware that you are going to have to start reading labels to complete this step.  Refined sugar is everywhere in processed foods!

The goal in this step is not to reduce sugar consumption but simply to replace it with a more nutritious, unprocessed, whole form of sugar.

When you have accomplished this significant step forward, CONGRATULATIONS! You are now ready to proceed...

Step Two: Increase the Amount of  Whole, Unprocessed Fats in Your Diet

The sugar cravings many of us experience are due to the lack of enough healthy, whole fats in our diet. Dietary fat stabilizes blood sugar... sweet cravings become overwhelming on dips in blood sugar.

I used to think that it was lack of willpower that was preventing me from succeeding in getting my sugar cravings under control. As it turned out, it wasn’t a lack of willpower at all.   It was my low-fat diet that was the primary problem.

As part of this step, be sure to clear out of your pantry any item that features a “reduced fat” or “fat free” marketing line on the package. 

Pssttt! Many fat-free or reduced-fat foods have a form of artificial sweetener in them.

Definitely avoid transfats, partially hydrogenated fats, and any other rancid, cheap vegetable oils that are used in processed foods.  But welcome with open arms eggs (and their yolks), coconut oil, cold-pressed olive oils, and other forms of traditional, nourishing, whole fats.

As you increase the whole fats in your diet, most people find introduction of a therapeutic strength probiotic and homemade fermented foods to be of great benefit.  Probiotics will help to rebalance gut bacteria to a favorable ratio and keep candida under control.  

Step Three: Remove All Forms of Processed, Whole Sugars From Your Home

Once you have abandoned the low-fat lifestyle and embraced traditional wholesome fats in your home, you are ready for the next step: getting rid of all processed sugar foods in your home even if made with organic, whole natural sweeteners.

That’s right! Lose the natural sodas, organic cookies, pop tarts, organic chocolate and any other organic junk food that you started buying when you switched from refined sugar to natural sugars in step one above.

This may seem difficult, but wait… let me explain.

You can still eat foods with natural, whole sugars: raw honey, real maple syrup, molasses, coconut sugar, date sugar, sucanat.

The catch is that now you can’t buy them... you have to make them yourself.

So if you want chocolate chip cookies, have at it.  You just must make them at home using whole, natural sugars. You can’t just walk to the pantry and pick up a bag of Newman’s Own Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies.

What this step introduces is the inconvenience factor.

When something is inconvenient, most of the time, you will just skip doing it, am I right?

For example, if I have a bag of organic chocolate chip cookies in the pantry and a very stressful event occurs suddenly out of the blue, the chances that I am going to walk to the pantry and eat some, or more likely, the entire box of cookies is rather high.

At least it is for me.

If, on the other hand, I don’t have any prepackaged, easy to munch organic cookies in my pantry at all, the chances that I will whip out the mixing bowl and make some chocolate chip cookies myself are much much lower.

In this step you are still allowed to drive to the store and buy some organic cookies if your craving is overwhelming. But, when you walk into your front door, whatever you haven’t eaten in the car goes in the trash. That’s right – they hit the circular file.

Only homemade sweets made with natural sugars are allowed in your home from this step forward.   You can make homemade sweets as you like & consume them, but they must be made by hand.

This step is where the rubber meets the road. Can you do it? You absolutely can if you are eating lots of whole fats in your diet! Eating lots of whole, unprocessed fats is your ace in the hole because your cravings will never be overwhelming as your blood sugar will be stable the majority of the time.

Our culture is sugar saturated so sometimes we are simply going to indulge.   Don’t worry about it or feel guilty about it for even one moment when it happens.

If you have slayed the sugar monster in your home by transitioning to only natural sugars, eating more whole fats, forbidding organic junk food from finding a regular home in your pantry, and eating homemade sweets only on an occasional basis, then you have absolutely accomplished your goal! You are now eating natural, whole sweets in moderation and enjoying them in a safe manner that will not threaten your long term health.

Article courtesy of: The Healthy Home Economist 

And finally, before I reach for anything & put it in my mouth - I ask myself two simple questions: 

Would Jesus eat this? 

-and-

Will I glorify God by eating this?