Simple shopping...hmmm....sometimes the two don't quite go together! In my efforts to simplify our meals, our health and our budget...I'm trying to eliminate some supplements that we are taking....and get more and more of our nutrition from food. I have tons of books, and usually pick and choose and glean from all of them, but one that has made the most sense to me is 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon. I've always made our own homemade broth...and when I found out how very nourishing homemade bone broths are, I rejoiced! (I'll be doing another NT post soon)
So...today, since Ron was off, a friend and I set off to do some healthy shopping as inexpensively as we could. We headed to Trader Joe's. (with a quick stop at a yarn store...I can never pass them up!) Trader Joe's (for those of you who have never been) is a really cool grocery with everything their own brand....most organic, or at least simple ingredients. I love this store! Shopping with Amy was so much fun,too, as we have never had the chance to visit....so we talked all day! Most of what I get at Trader Joe's are things that I cannot get anywhere else...or I can't get them for that low price. I stocked up on lots of Gluten Free pasta, GF spagetti, Thai rice stick noodles, tuscano sauce, green tomatillo salsa (my very, very favorite!)...cashew butter for Meghan, and some gluten free waffles.
After that, we headed to the Strip District to a restaraunt supply store, then an oriental market for more gluten free supplies. 85 cents for tapioca starch! I loaded up! Picked up my husband some of his favorite Mancini's bread as a treat and headed home. Shopping with a friend is always more fun than shopping alone!
Ron is picking up our natural foods co-op order now. I've found for us, that ordering all of my dry beans and grains in bulk really saves us money...and with a pressure cooker, they cook up quickly. I also grind a lot of beans on a coarse grind, keep them in the freezer and cook them up quickly with some boiling water and spices for instant refried beans. Now we have to rearrange the pantry, and we're done for another month. I love "shopping" from my pantry and seeing how creative I can get to plan my menus as healthy as possible with what I have.
Now I'm off to finish dinner. The girls have a couple friends here now who will be joining us for dinner and a few more coming over in a little while for another movie night....complete with homemade lattes and popcorn again! I love having their friends here! They are welcome here anytime....and I have fun with them,too! I'm sure the girls will be posting their fun time tonight soon! Blessings! ~Sue~
5 comments:
Sue, I had Nourishing Traditions in my hands a couple of days ago at B & N, and I decided to get Yellow Tomatoes and Blue Eggs, instead. I need to eventually get that book, since I've wanted it for a while.
Also, I'm trying not to be jealous that you spent the day in town shopping at the best groceries Pittsburgh has to offer! I love going to those places, and I agree that shopping is always more fun with someone.
You HAVE to get Nourishing Traditions...I think you would love it. It's mostly old-fashioned commonsense! (and one of your daughters liked the Kombucha!)
As I hate driving, yesterday really was more fun with a friend...I think I would have given up and gone home trying to park the suburban in the Strip District if it weren't for her! LOL You'll have to come along next time! ~Sue~
I have to correct myself:
It's Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes, not the other way around. Oops! :)
I have a "parking-the-suburban" story from visiting the Smithsonian in DC two years ago. The pressure was on, but I dug deep within and found my inner parallel parker!
Was it Caelyn who liked the Kombucha? The girls told me about it, but they couldn't remember the name.
Maybe one of these days, I can go shopping with you. Wouldn't that be fun?!
I discovered Nourishing Traditions several months ago. It was highlighted in the newsletter of our medical sharing plan, Samaritan Ministries. I checked it out from the library, but was unable to renew it, as there were dozens of holds on it. Since then, I've been on a quest to "healthify" the milk we drink, not an easy feat since raw milk is not allowed to be sold in my state. However, I CAN get non-homogenized milk in glass bottles, from a local dairy. And my daughter, who often struggles with regular milk, can easily tolerate the non-homogenized kind.
I've been making my own broth for a few years, using the chicken bones, lots of onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. and you know what, we've been VERY healthy...not picking up every cold that comes around. I think we're doing our immune systems good by having that healthy broth in so many recipes.
Have a lovely day, my dear friend.
Love,
Patti
Hi, Patti...I'm roasting a whole chicken tomorrow, and will be making 20 quarts of stock this week.
Dayna...yes, it was Caelyn who liked it...and actually asked for more! ( I was delighted that she liked it!) I told her I would grow you a 'mushroom culture' so you can brew your own...I thought you would like it. ~Sue~
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