May 22, 2015
It’s difficult for me to find prepacked foods to eat. A lot of preservatives and flavorings are made up of items I cannot eat. What’s worse, “ingredients” tend to be regulated by the government and not by logic. Something listed as “dairy-free” can still be dairy. You can check out a nice rant I had on this situation in my "Dairy" "Free" "Is" "A" "Lie" post.
Be warned my little allergy-brethren!
A lot of my recipes and whatnot revolve around these foods because I mostly always have them on hand. I do like to build off these, of course. Got to keep variety!
I try not to take more than I need or that I can eat in a given time. Some stuff doesn't go bad, but, I hate when food goes bad because it’s a waste of money and time AND I think about people who don’t have food. I did have periods in my life when I couldn't afford a lot of food and was hungry a lot, so, I try not to let food go bad.
Frozen Staples
I always have frozen fruit and vegetables on hand. I’m a big fan of frozen things because I don’t have to worry as much of things going bad if I don’t get to them in time. Some people worry about nutrition and think if something is frozen it's not as healthy. I suppose fresh can taste better, but, when things are frozen they still retain their nutrition but hopefully a lot of bacteria died in the process of freezing.
Berry blends: I get a blend of berries for my smoothies because I can get more variety in one pack. If I am at Trader Joe’s, I will get the Fancy Berry Blend and maybe some Frozen Mango Chunks if I am feeling it. I believe Trader Joe’s can be more expensive in this department for what you get, but, I like Trader Joe’s and I’m lazy.
I also get the Essential Everyday Berry Medley if I am not at Trader Joe’s. They do sell larger amounts and a giant bag can last me a week and a half or two weeks.
You can always throw these little treats into pancakes or something if you are into breakfast like that. They can even be little plant ice cubes in drinks - mm. Drinks.
Brussels Sprouts: I love some good sprouts but sometimes I have to be in the mood. I have bought them fresh and then totally forgot about it and that was sad. I find these little guys are pretty good warmed in the microwave or roasted. I like to have a couple options in prep when I buy food, so, these normally fit the bill. And I find not a lot of restaurants you go to these days actually serve these little guys. It's a nice diversity.
Asparagus: My guy also loves the ‘gus. I get a package from Trader Joe’s and it can normally last through a few meals. I like asparagus because I can take out as many spears as I want from the package to make. I am not sure what I would do with fresh asparagus, actually. I don't think I ever bought or made asparagus.
Hmm.
Asparagus makes for a nice presentation and can be cut into rice dishes or meat dishes. Thug Kitchen sums up the good points of this awesome spear.
Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Bell Peppers and Onions: These are great and give a great flavor for fajitas or just a southwest type dish. They are NOT spicy - just have that nice smokey flavor.
Everything is cut and seasoned. I use these with chicken a lot. You can either thaw them or I just throw them into a pot right out of the freezer. They really hold their flavor and texture.
Non-Frozen Staples
Gourmet Garden: I read some reviews on these spices and a lot of people said it was lazy and easier/better to make your own.
They had me at lazy!
I started using these and really love them because of the quality I get and the convenience. I can make rice and add a blend of these guys for a kick of flavor and I even add them to my smoothies. Even on leftovers or as rubs, I really dig these guys.
Keep in mind, I can only eat the ginger varity - it is the only vegan variety as the others contain dairy.
I get dry spices too even though my man-meat grows buckets of herbs - you do to need about three times the amount of fresh herbs as dry. I use like half a bottle of dried basil – that’s a lot of basil.
I am, also, a big fan of bouillon cubes because I don’t always have the foresight to make broths – this adds extra flavor with just added water. Remember, packaged broth goes bad after about 3-5 days.
Tinkyada Rice Noodles: Noodles, right? Everyone has a package of pasta somewhere. It's a staple that can be added to anything from pasta to salads to. . .ok. .I guess that's about it.
When you can’t have wheat or egg, it can be a little difficult to find a good pasta. It has gotten easier in about the last 5-7 years.
I really like the Tinkyada noodles because they don’t get weird when you cook them. They also have a pretty big variety of pasta types.
True, they tend to be more expensive than wheat or egg noodles but I can find them cheap at Trader Joe's.
These are also gluten free, my friends!
Tomatoes: Unless the garden is in bloom, I totally buy my tomatoes in a can – often the ones that claim to have hints of other flavors in it. I am not sure, though, because they often all taste the same. Then again, you can see my thoughts about spices above and draw your own conclusions.
I like having a couple cans of diced, stewed or whatever tomatoes on hand. There are endless options and I have totally used them to bulk up a meal before. Put them in rice or a meat dish or in a smoothie. Good stuff!
I also buy other tomato products. I love me some tomato paste which is such a secret weapon. I don't know how people get along without it. You can make a seller sauce with it or use it to thicken up anything. Forget ketchup, my people, get yourself some tomato paste to capture the best flavor ever.
I also get my sun-dried tomatoes in a jaw – mostly packed in olive oil because then I get some sun-dried tomato oil as a bonus.
What I Don’t Buy Prepackaged
There are a lot of things I don’t by in packages – no matter how pretty the package is or how many types of packages there are. Most of these are grains which I buy in bulk. They are cheaper in bulk and you have complete control over how much you take.
Rice: I eat a lot of rice noodles, so, I don’t eat a lot of rice. But, sometimes you gotta crave it! Chicken and rice is like the universal human comfort food. Not noodles and chicken.
My favorite is sticky rice and I get it at Whole Foods in their bulk section. A lot of people go for the brown rice because it’s "healthier" but I’m into white, sticky rice right now.
Also, when I went to fill the bag with some for sushi – it came out so fast I have about 10 years worth of it in my cabinet right now.
Quinoa: This has been a staple grain to me but I have not been getting as much because there’s a food craze going on with it which is devastating the areas that harvest it.
Quinoa is a staple food source in many countries. It is very cheap, healthy and available in many countries and has been for thousands of years. I think it's called "Warrior food" by someone.
Due to demand by nations like mine, quinoa has become more expensive and a lot of people in the nations that grow it can't afford to eat it because of the demand.
So, I have relaxed buying as much of it as I use to. It's sad because it is a complete protein, super easy on temperamental tummies and just saturated with healthy stuff your body would love.
Buckwheat: Does anyone know about buckwheat? It's funny because while it is called "buckwheat" there is no buck or wheat in it. It's actual classified as a fruit - so if you are wheat free or gluten free, this is a good. .whatever it is for you.
I love it. I buy the buckwheat groats because I can make my own flour from it. I eat the groats raw or soak them and put it into smoothees or sauté it in coconut oil for breakfast.
I have and do buy the flour - even though I said I can make my own from the groats. I make pancakes with buckwheat and applesauce. I won't lie, it can be an acquired taste.
I get this in bulk at Whole Foods.
Pasta Sauce: Nope. I use to, but, I found a lot of those sauces tasted metallic – anyone else ever have that? I like to stick to more homemade sauces that are rustic. I just use tomato paste for thickening and diced tomatoes or raw tomato. A lot of people think this takes a lot of work – it really doesn't and it’s so much better and you can control more of the flavor and texture. Seriously, who buys pasta sauce anymore?
Spinach: I like my spinach raw. It looks weird when frozen and. . .it disturbs me.
I use a lot of spinach almost every day in my smoothies and in my dinners and as a "lettuce," so, it’s best for me to get this fresh because it hardly lasts. If my spinach goes bad, it’s been a really bad time for me.
Guacamole: I know you can get packaged guac for about $4, but, I prefer to buy avocados and make my own. I mean, you can do a lot more with a raw avocado than a package of smooshed up avocado and I bet it will last longer.
Image Credit:
Berry blend from soniahunt.com
Fire roasted veggies from cooktj.com
Spices from gourmetgarden.com
Rice noodles from vitacost.com
Rice from wikipedia.org
Quinoa from wikipedia.org/
Buckwheat from helynskitchen.com
Spinach from secretlyhealthy.com
Tomato can from karaloutopia.blogspot.com
Be warned my little allergy-brethren!
A lot of my recipes and whatnot revolve around these foods because I mostly always have them on hand. I do like to build off these, of course. Got to keep variety!
I try not to take more than I need or that I can eat in a given time. Some stuff doesn't go bad, but, I hate when food goes bad because it’s a waste of money and time AND I think about people who don’t have food. I did have periods in my life when I couldn't afford a lot of food and was hungry a lot, so, I try not to let food go bad.
Frozen Staples
I always have frozen fruit and vegetables on hand. I’m a big fan of frozen things because I don’t have to worry as much of things going bad if I don’t get to them in time. Some people worry about nutrition and think if something is frozen it's not as healthy. I suppose fresh can taste better, but, when things are frozen they still retain their nutrition but hopefully a lot of bacteria died in the process of freezing.
 |
| Consumed daily! |
I also get the Essential Everyday Berry Medley if I am not at Trader Joe’s. They do sell larger amounts and a giant bag can last me a week and a half or two weeks.
You can always throw these little treats into pancakes or something if you are into breakfast like that. They can even be little plant ice cubes in drinks - mm. Drinks.
Brussels Sprouts: I love some good sprouts but sometimes I have to be in the mood. I have bought them fresh and then totally forgot about it and that was sad. I find these little guys are pretty good warmed in the microwave or roasted. I like to have a couple options in prep when I buy food, so, these normally fit the bill. And I find not a lot of restaurants you go to these days actually serve these little guys. It's a nice diversity.
 |
| Check out this plate of sprouts and 'gus! |
Hmm.
Asparagus makes for a nice presentation and can be cut into rice dishes or meat dishes. Thug Kitchen sums up the good points of this awesome spear.
 |
| It's on FIRE |
Everything is cut and seasoned. I use these with chicken a lot. You can either thaw them or I just throw them into a pot right out of the freezer. They really hold their flavor and texture.
Non-Frozen Staples
 |
| In my belly! |
They had me at lazy!
I started using these and really love them because of the quality I get and the convenience. I can make rice and add a blend of these guys for a kick of flavor and I even add them to my smoothies. Even on leftovers or as rubs, I really dig these guys.
Keep in mind, I can only eat the ginger varity - it is the only vegan variety as the others contain dairy.
I get dry spices too even though my man-meat grows buckets of herbs - you do to need about three times the amount of fresh herbs as dry. I use like half a bottle of dried basil – that’s a lot of basil.
I am, also, a big fan of bouillon cubes because I don’t always have the foresight to make broths – this adds extra flavor with just added water. Remember, packaged broth goes bad after about 3-5 days.
Tinkyada Rice Noodles: Noodles, right? Everyone has a package of pasta somewhere. It's a staple that can be added to anything from pasta to salads to. . .ok. .I guess that's about it.
When you can’t have wheat or egg, it can be a little difficult to find a good pasta. It has gotten easier in about the last 5-7 years.I really like the Tinkyada noodles because they don’t get weird when you cook them. They also have a pretty big variety of pasta types.
True, they tend to be more expensive than wheat or egg noodles but I can find them cheap at Trader Joe's.
These are also gluten free, my friends!
Tomatoes: Unless the garden is in bloom, I totally buy my tomatoes in a can – often the ones that claim to have hints of other flavors in it. I am not sure, though, because they often all taste the same. Then again, you can see my thoughts about spices above and draw your own conclusions.
 |
| Sometimes the brand I use |
I also buy other tomato products. I love me some tomato paste which is such a secret weapon. I don't know how people get along without it. You can make a seller sauce with it or use it to thicken up anything. Forget ketchup, my people, get yourself some tomato paste to capture the best flavor ever.
I also get my sun-dried tomatoes in a jaw – mostly packed in olive oil because then I get some sun-dried tomato oil as a bonus.
What I Don’t Buy Prepackaged
There are a lot of things I don’t by in packages – no matter how pretty the package is or how many types of packages there are. Most of these are grains which I buy in bulk. They are cheaper in bulk and you have complete control over how much you take.
Rice: I eat a lot of rice noodles, so, I don’t eat a lot of rice. But, sometimes you gotta crave it! Chicken and rice is like the universal human comfort food. Not noodles and chicken.My favorite is sticky rice and I get it at Whole Foods in their bulk section. A lot of people go for the brown rice because it’s "healthier" but I’m into white, sticky rice right now.
Also, when I went to fill the bag with some for sushi – it came out so fast I have about 10 years worth of it in my cabinet right now.
Quinoa: This has been a staple grain to me but I have not been getting as much because there’s a food craze going on with it which is devastating the areas that harvest it.
Quinoa is a staple food source in many countries. It is very cheap, healthy and available in many countries and has been for thousands of years. I think it's called "Warrior food" by someone.Due to demand by nations like mine, quinoa has become more expensive and a lot of people in the nations that grow it can't afford to eat it because of the demand.
So, I have relaxed buying as much of it as I use to. It's sad because it is a complete protein, super easy on temperamental tummies and just saturated with healthy stuff your body would love.
Buckwheat: Does anyone know about buckwheat? It's funny because while it is called "buckwheat" there is no buck or wheat in it. It's actual classified as a fruit - so if you are wheat free or gluten free, this is a good. .whatever it is for you.I love it. I buy the buckwheat groats because I can make my own flour from it. I eat the groats raw or soak them and put it into smoothees or sauté it in coconut oil for breakfast.
I have and do buy the flour - even though I said I can make my own from the groats. I make pancakes with buckwheat and applesauce. I won't lie, it can be an acquired taste.
I get this in bulk at Whole Foods.
Pasta Sauce: Nope. I use to, but, I found a lot of those sauces tasted metallic – anyone else ever have that? I like to stick to more homemade sauces that are rustic. I just use tomato paste for thickening and diced tomatoes or raw tomato. A lot of people think this takes a lot of work – it really doesn't and it’s so much better and you can control more of the flavor and texture. Seriously, who buys pasta sauce anymore?
I use a lot of spinach almost every day in my smoothies and in my dinners and as a "lettuce," so, it’s best for me to get this fresh because it hardly lasts. If my spinach goes bad, it’s been a really bad time for me.
Guacamole: I know you can get packaged guac for about $4, but, I prefer to buy avocados and make my own. I mean, you can do a lot more with a raw avocado than a package of smooshed up avocado and I bet it will last longer.
Berry blend from soniahunt.com
Fire roasted veggies from cooktj.com
Spices from gourmetgarden.com
Rice noodles from vitacost.com
Rice from wikipedia.org
Quinoa from wikipedia.org/
Buckwheat from helynskitchen.com
Spinach from secretlyhealthy.com
Tomato can from karaloutopia.blogspot.com
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