And the pics.....

As much as I despise my kitchen (zero counter space among other things), I’ve always been quite happy that our house has a separate pantry area. Growing up, we didn’t have a pantry per se, and food was just stashed in the cupboards. I like that I have someplace where all our food items can be kept together and easily accessible.

The pantry is off the kitchen at the top of the stairs leading to the basement so there really is no good way to take a picture. But you get the general idea. It is definitely not a “crunchy” pantry by any means. My family still eats a lot of processed, packaged junk. But we’re working on it.

The fridge is a little sparse since the pic was taking before I went shopping. But this is the cleanest it’s been in ages, I had to take a pic for prosperity's sake.

The Pantry List

Well, I had my list nicely organized into two columns to save space but apparently Blogger doesn't like that and it won't format right. So this is just going to be one looooong list.

This is based upon my family’s current, actual eating habits. As much as I wish I could say that we eat all sorts of uber-healthy twigs and nuts type foods, we really don’t…at least not yet. This doesn’t represent what I have on hand right now, but what I should have when my pantry is well-stocked. I’m hoping to use it as a reference list when planning my shopping trips. The items with asterisks are foods that I am still working on finding a good natural/whole foods variety.


Pantry Staples

Cereal
Rice Milk
Pasta, whole wheat
Pasta Sauce*
Soup, as on sale*
Brown Rice
Peanut Butter, Natural
Popcorn
Preserves
Almonds
Walnuts
Olives
Oats
--Rolled
--Steel Cut
Tuna


Baking Supplies

Flour
--All-Purpose
--Whole Wheat
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Vanilla Extract
Baking Cocoa
Yeast
Cornstarch


Spices and Seasonings

Basil
Cinnamon
Cumin
Ginger
Nutmeg
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pepper
--Ground
--Peppercorn
Rosemary
Salt
--Iodized
--Kosher
Thyme
Bay Leaves
Sage
Taco Seasoning*
Chili Seasoning*


Fruits and Veggies

Apples
Grapes
Bananas
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
--White
--Sweet
Carrots
Celery
Canned, as on sale
Frozen, as on sale


Condiments

Pickles
BBQ Sauce*
Ketchup*
Mayonnaise*
Mustard*
--Yellow
--Dijon
Soy Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Vinegar
--Balsamic
--Red Wine
--White Distilled
Lemon Juice
Salad Dressing*


Freezer

Whole Chicken
Chicken Breasts
Chicken Parts
Ground Beef
Beef Roast
Pork Roast
Pork Chops
Kielbasa
Fish
Chicken Broth
Breakfast Sausage, ground*
Bacon*
Sandwich Meat*(in fridge)


Dairy

Butter
Cheese
Cream Cheese*
Eggs
Milk
Heavy Cream
Sour Cream


Breads

Whole Grain Bread*
English Muffins*
Flour Tortillas*
Pretzels
Crackers*
Bagels*


Beverages

Coffee
Tea
Red Wine
White Wine

Oils and Sweeteners

Oil
--Extra Virgin Olive
--Vegetable
--Peanut
Honey
Molasses
Maple Syrup
Sugar
--Granulated
--Brown
--Confectioners'

A Visit to the Pantry

On Saturday, I gutted my pantry and refrigerator.

For a variety of reasons, I haven’t been on a “real” shopping trip in about a month. Fortunately, we have a well stocked freezer and pantry so that hasn’t been much of an issue. However, when I took out some pork chops for dinner on Saturday and realized that we were down to two chickens, a small turkey, two pounds of ground pork and a pound of ground beef, I decided that it was time to start thinking about shopping.

I started through the pantry to figure out what we needed and decided the whole thing was a disaster. I rearranged the shelves and chucked some stuff so old that I couldn’t even begin to guess when I bought it. It always kills me to do that too – so many missed cooking opportunities - all because I’m not organized enough to know what I have on hand.

Things were particularly brutal in the refrigerator. I probably pulled out about 12 jars that were past prime. I emptied out the food and washed out the jars for recycling (please wait while I pat myself on the back). Then I pulled apart the fridge shelves and washed them. I won’t tell you how long it’s been since that’s been done. Found some really, *really* disgusting gunk under the produce bins. I mean **really** disgusting. Bleh!

But it all looked so pretty that I had to take pics. I’ll put them up later when I have my camera handy.

After all that work (and it did take hours), I never made it to the store. Now, three days later, I still haven’t been shopping but I did decide that I should make up a pantry list. I’ve always wanted to do one, but it’s seems like such a daunting task. However, with a little help from my friend Google, I was able to find a lot of other people’s pantry lists and used them for inspiration.

And voila, my pantry list is done! But I'll have to post it later since Blogger doesn't like how I formatted it in Word. Darn technology!

The Morning After

It’s all good this morning. I didn’t wake up with a sugar hangover although my tummy is a little unsettled. But my mind is clear, and I’m sitting down with a cup of tea to start the day.

I did pause for a moment when I put the leftover Russell Stover candies up, and there was a momentary wish that I could have one of the Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts my aunt brought over yesterday. But that moment has passed, and I think I am back on track.

Speaking of the Pop-Tarts, it always amazes me that they can be passed off as breakfast food. I guess they are good for breakfast if you are into having a sugar rush at 7am. Out of the seven main ingredients, five are sugar products: sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and corn syrup solids.

The really scary stuff is when you get to the “contains two percent or less” list. I realize that these ingredients don’t make up the bulk of the tarts, but there are a whole lot of two percent or less ingredients on the label. Some of these things I don’t think I want in my body in any percent. There are no less than nine artificial colors listed on the label. Add to that mono-and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl, lactylate, datem, carnauba wax (sounds like something you’d put on your car), and pyridoxine hydrochloride. And that’s only about half the list.

So I guess you might be wondering why I even have Pop-Tarts in my house. Well, my wonderful aunt, of her own volition, brings them when she comes to watch the kids after school, along with bread, rice milk and other food she thinks we might need. She is very generous and has been such a blessing to our family. However, she doesn’t always bring foods that I would buy and despite conversations, hints and requests, she continues to bring these items. In the spirit of family peace, I no longer try to change my aunt’s buying habits. So I keep the Pop-Tarts and have regulated them to a weekend treat for the kids.

Whole Foods and Holidays

Oh my. Things have been a bit rough here today.

I was feeling pretty good – maybe even a little smug – that I haven’t been tempted by any artificial foods yet this year. I expected some small cravings, perhaps a few longing stares at the Pop-Tarts in the pantry that were provided by well-meaning relatives. But no - none of that. Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

Ah, but then a holiday arrives. Quite the humbling experience. My first trouble started earlier this week when I was in the gas station and noticed that Cadbury Eggs were on sale for 2/$1. Not only that, but you got 200 Speedy bonus points! 200! Yes, the Cadbury Eggs make my teeth hurt, but I do so love them. And Mini Eggs! Mmmm, mmm, mmm. I started to feel a little sorry for myself thinking that this will be an Easter without Mini Eggs and Cadbury Eggs.

But that was the least of my problems. Today, I arrived at work to find that my boss left us each a small bag of chocolates – a piece of Ghirardelli peppermint bark that proudly proclaimed its artificial flavors on the front, Hershey’ Kisses (regular and dark), an Almond Joy and a Snickers. I was downright salivating at the prospect of eating that chocolate. No joke! It was pretty sad and pathetic.

I spent hours (well maybe not hours, but longer than I should have) scouring the internet for the ingredients in the chocolates. Did you know that the ingredient list for Hershey’s Dark Kisses is to be found nowhere online? After some back and forth deliberation, I had convinced myself that the dark kisses were probably all right, and I, er, ate them. I did put the rest of the candy in our office’s community bowl.

So I was feeling pretty good about myself. I had managed to overcome some massive temptation with only a minor deviation (in my mind) from my eating plan. Oh, if only that were the end of the day! But it wasn’t…….

At lunch, I went to the salad bar shop and got myself a salad like a good whole foods adherent. I picked a vinaigrette that I deemed probably had the least possibility of harboring any undesirable ingredients. Then I swung by the local peanut shop to buy my husband some cajun nut mix as a Valentine’s Day treat. While there I picked up some candies for the kids and decided that I should treat myself too.

I picked out some wasabi covered peanuts and some cinnamon roasted almonds. Ok, they were actually cinnamon candied almonds. The peanut shop roasts their own nuts so I deluded myself into thinking that these would be a-ok. Well, after eating them, I decided that was a mistake. The fuzzy headed feeling that was my constant companion last December returned.

So after dinner, I hand out the Cajun mix and candies to my family, and my sweet 5 year old offers me one of his candies. Of course, I can’t say no. Of course! And then my dear aunt left us a Russell Stover’s box of chocolates, and we all had to - *had to* - try a piece.

Now the kids are in bed, and I really feel like crap. But I figure the day is already shot. So what better way to end the evening than to have the last of the sugar-laced grocery store cupcakes that my parents brought over. Yes, it was a bad ending for a day of bad eating.

So there you have it folks! This is why my experiment has to be an all or nothing thing for me. Otherwise, those two Hershey’s Dark Kisses turn into candied almonds which turn into chocolates which turn into sugary sweet cupcakes. The real bummer about the whole thing is that the cupcake probably broke my Lenten fast from eggs. I keep trying to tell myself that St. Valentine’s Day is a big enough feast to eat off-plan, but I know I’m just deluding myself again.

Seem to be pretty good at that today. :-(

The Perils of Dining Out

Someone linked this article on a message board I visit:

http://men.webmd.com/features/16-secrets-restaurant-industry-doesnt-want-you-know

Feeling confident that I have been eating whole foods when we eat out has been a challenge for me. Although I have been trying to stick with salads for the most part, I am also cognizant that most, is not all, restaurant salad dressings probably don’t fit the whole foods category.

In addition, I feel very self-conscious about asking if the restaurant’s food is made from fresh, whole ingredients. I guess I am afraid of looking like one of “those” people – you know, the high maintenance, demanding type that makes the waitress want to spit in your food. And when I do ask, my questions are usually met with a blank stare. I’ve learned that the blank stare probably means ‘frozen-rama, no fresh food here.’ The places where fresh food is the norm seem to want to enthusiastically share that information with you.

I’ve long suspected that the food served at most chain sit-down restaurants is simply a dressed up version of fast food. And even before starting my whole foods regimen, I have found it very frustrating that restaurants do not provide more nutritional information. I can certainly see where it might be logistically difficult to print all the nutritional info on the menu, but in the internet era, there doesn’t seem to be any good reason why it can’t be posted online.

Several years ago, I religiously entered my food in a nutrition tracker to count calories, carbs, etc. After a visit to Famous Dave’s, I emailed them for the info on my salmon salad. The very nice response (and it was very pleasant) I received was ‘sorry, we don’t have that information available.’ Part of me wonders if the real problem is not that restaurants don’t want to share the nutritional information as much as it is that they don’t want to be bothered to calculate it.

But back to the article above - it’s really disappointing to see that Panera Bread which I always considered to be a rather whole, healthy alternative is not above using artificial coloring in some of its food. The moral of the story: it’s not safe to assume that any restaurant is on the whole foods bandwagon. We don’t have a Chipolte in our area yet, but I hear that one is in the works. I’ll be sure to pay them a visit.

Blue and Gold and Uniq

Last night was the Blue and Gold Banquet for my son’s Cub Scout troop. We were instructed to bring a salad, beverages and a dessert. The latter would be judged in a contest to determine whose creation was decorated the best in the scouting theme.

Now I must admit that I am not horribly creative, and my past attempts at being creative usually end disappointingly. But the fact that I would undoubtedly be let down by my dessert didn’t deter me. I scoured my cooking magazines and found a recipe for a Uniq Fruit and Cream Cheese Tart in Cooking Light:

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1696581

I imagined that I could make the tart and use blueberries and Uniq Fruit to make the shape of a Boy Scout Emblem on it.

Once at the store, I was amused to see that Uniq Fruit is what used to be known as Ugli Fruit. I can only imagine that the sales for Ugli Fruit were disappointing. Now that the fruit has been deemed Uniq, they will undoubtedly be flying off the shelves.



Back home, I first made the Uniq Fruit and Lemon Marmalade that is needed for the tart. Then the graham cracker crust and, finally, the filling. Once the tart had chilled, you were to layer it with Uniq Fruit and melt some of the marmalade to brush over the fruit. This is where it all started to go wrong.

First, I realized that I made the emblem wrong. Instead of having the side flourishes arching over, I had them pointing up. I tried to fix it but the end result looked something more like a deformed anchor or arrow instead of the Boy Scout Emblem. Then I filled the misshapen symbol with the Uniq Fruit. I took a small taste of the marmalade before melting it and found it to be incredibly bitter. Not sure if I didn’t get all the white pithy part off or what. So I opted to leave off the marmalade, and my creation was complete.

If you promise not to laugh, here’s a picture:

Needless to say, I didn’t win the decorating contest.

Forgive me for I have sinned

I ate a paczki on Fat Tuesday. And not one that could have conceivably been made from scratch in some quaint bakery somewhere. No, this one came out of a supermarket box flaunting an ingredient list that proudly listed artificial flavors and colors out the wazoo. So I hang my head in shame and come here to confess my error.

For the uninitiated, a paczki (pronounced poonch-key) is a traditional Fat Tuesday treat from Poland. Our region has a large Polish population so paczkis are all the rage here. They are 400-900 calorie concoctions stuffed with cream, fruit or jam. Here’s a news article where you can see them in all their fattening glory:

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=87205

Now, the really ridiculous thing about me eating the paczki was that I didn’t even really want it. I didn’t come home, see the paczki and think ‘ooh, that looks so good! I can’t help myself; I must have it!” Nooo, it was more like “Oh, look a paczki; I suppose I should have one since it is Fat Tuesday.” And it didn’t help that my darling daughter was in the background yelling, ‘Oh go on and eat it mom! It’s Fat Tuesday!” Yes, I must hang my head in shame. I was peer pressured into eating the paczki…….by an eight year old.

I don’t think I have ever so instantly regretted eating something as I did that paczki. And to add insult to injury, it wasn’t that good either. But I guess this is a good opportunity to put that Japanese Proverb to work: “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”

Fat Tuesday

Well, for those of us who observe Lent, today is Fat Tuesday – the last day to pig out before we begin 40 days of self-deprivation.

I must admit that I have never been a fan of the term Fat Tuesday. Hearing it always makes me think that Fat Tuesday should be riding around with Fast Eddie and Big George in a Cadillac doin’ da Boss’s bidness. But perhaps I have just seen too many gangster movies.

Now normally, Fat Tuesday is a processed party and a high fructose feast in our house. We have pizza rolls and candy and pop and chips and usually gorge ourselves sick. Yes, very attractive I know, but it’s the sad truth. This year, we’re trying to moderate our celebration. The kids do want McDonald’s so we will probably indulge them in that. Otherwise, I bought some fair trade chocolate over the weekend and baked peanut butter cookies and sugar cookies last night.

Speaking of the cookies, my baking mojo seems to have left me. I made bread earlier in the week and forgot to add salt. Then my peanut butter cookie batter turned out very dry and crumbly last night. And to top things off, I got sidetracked adding flour to my sugar cookies and added too much. None of these were fatal mistakes, but they definitely detracted from the finished product.

As for Lent, it has been difficult to pin down just what to give up this year. Most of the items I would normally abstain from – pop, candy, fast food – have already been largely eliminated from my diet. Thinking back to the more traditional Lenten fast, individuals use to be much more rigorous than we are nowadays. The Great Lenten Fast prescribed to by the Orthodox faith seems to be the most limited with meat, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil all prohibited. In medieval times, prior to modern refrigeration and food preservation processes, it is hard to imagine what was left to eat other than bread and water.

After some review, I finally settled on eggs as being my main Lenten sacrifice. I eat eggs daily for breakfast so it will involve some hardship for me to eliminate them from my diet, and the fact that people have traditionally fasted from them during Lent appeals to me as well. It is my understanding that the term Shrove (or Pancake) Tuesday is derived from the practice of families making pancakes to use up all their eggs prior to the start of Lent. I made French Toast and eggs for breakfast this morning and will probably make pancakes tonight for dinner and to freeze.

While I was researching Lenten fasts, I came across the following article that may be of interest if you too are observing Lent. It appears to be written from an Anglican perspective and offers some food for thought:

http://maggidawn.typepad.com/maggidawn/2005/02/giving_it_up_ii_1.html

On the Homefront

Cue the sappy music because I really must sing my husband’s praises for a minute.

My sweet husband and I most certainly are horses of a different color. I say tomato; he says tomatoh - well, not really, but you get what I’m saying, right? I, of course, have fantastically wonderful ideas but my husband doesn’t always quite understand where I am coming from, and he often tells me so. And well, in all fairness, maybe sometimes (just sometimes!) he can be right – such as the time I decided it would be great fun to deliver phone books as a side job.

So when I told him that I was eating nothing but whole foods for the year, I expected maybe a knowing smile and a figurative pat on the head or perhaps a roll of the eyes and a sigh. But he really didn’t say much, and I didn’t give it another thought.

However, I have found over the past month that my husband has been exceedingly supportive about my experiment. For example, we received a very nice popcorn maker from his dad for Christmas. While my husband has perfected the art of making movie theater style popcorn which consists of all kinds of flavorings not found in nature, he always asks if I want him to pop me a batch of plain popcorn first. In addition, when it was his turn to pick our Sunday dinner restaurant, he went out of his way to find an eatery that cooks from scratch with fresh ingredients.

Finally, with yesterday being the Super Bowl (great game, by the way!), my husband picked up some chips and salsa for a game snack. Of his own volition, he read the labels and brought home chips and salsa (http://www.gardenfreshsalsa.com/) that he knew I could eat. It totally warms my heart that he was thinking of me.

So that’s my great guy. :-)

And I would be remiss if I didn’t extend my condolences to the New England fans and my congrats to the New York fans. Being Detroit Lions fans, we didn’t have a horse in the race (and probably never will) but it sure was a fun game to watch.