Back to the Grocery Store

After Meghan identified some of my objectives for the 12 Grain Program, she showed me how I can use food to achieve them. For example, one of my objectives is to repair the unhappy relationship I have with my…bowel.

Too much info? You had to know my bowels would be mentioned in a program like this sooner or later?

Part of my plan includes an increase in fresh food, water and vegetable based protein. I’m also aiming to cut down (and eventually live without) my dairy and wheat (if I’m able to determine that they do not hinder my progress, I will get them back but in smaller quantities).

I won’t get too specific (yet!), but I will say that certain foods can either help the relationship to blossom, while other foods may invite trouble into gastro-paradise.

I started the day with one cup of tea with just a hint of milk. The tea was followed by oatmeal and a glass of water.

Armed with an approved shopping list, I returned back to The Food Depot to get my lunch.

Oh readers, what was once a money-squandering place of mystery has been transformed into an Aladdin’s cave of healthy choices! I picked up apples, carrots, squash (butternut and pepper), cauliflower, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, spinach, beets, sweet potato, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and REAL butter.

Who knew that grocery shopping could be this fun?

When I got home, I earnestly started cleaning and chopping in preparation for The Meal: I made a spinach salad tossed with a few pine nuts, almonds and bit of olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing. I baked some root vegetables and paired them with Meghan’s famous carrot-ginger soup! I think I may have missed out on some protein, or do you think the nuts and spinach were enough? I had three glasses of water this afternoon and I’ll be bringing some more in a bottle to class.

Total prep time: 1 hour (but I have leftovers for at least two more meals…and so much soup).
Total cost: $29.56
Pumpkin Seeds: 7.69
Pine Nuts: 11.99
Spinach: 3.99
Beets: 1.99
Carrots: 0.99
Yam: 0.89
Squash: 2.02

**I already owned fresh garlic, ginger, olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Mood: I feel pretty good. The meal was very good for the “relationship.”

Thanks to Shokora on Fickr for the pic