[Coffee Luver]

I have been surfing through the top threads and YUM! everthing sounds wonderful. I am going to be going to the grocery store next week and we will be starting our clean eating with that trip.
I would love to know what your kitchen staples are - what are the things you always have on hand?
And for the fresh veggies, how do you keep them fresh? Do you buy a little and keep going back, or do you use green bags, or some other cool trick I haven't heard of?
Thanks!!

[PhotoChick]

Hm. Obviously this will be different for everyone, but for me, the things that I keep on hand all the time and always stock up on:

greek yogurt (or the fixings to make my own yogurt)
canned diced tomatoes
canned beans (all kinds, but mostly black and garbanzo)
eggs
whole grain pasta
Naturally More peanut butter
whole grain bread
steel cut oats
brown rice
chicken breast tenders (buy in bulk at Sams)
frozen fruit of some kind (usually blueberry, bought at Costco)
apples
cheese (sharp cheddar, feta, etc.)
cabbage
broccoli
onions
celery
baby carrots/carrots
garlic
olive oil
mushrooms

That's just off the top of my head - those things go on all my grocery shopping lists and I know I have all of those in my fridge right now.

I buy veggies once a week and don't have a problem keeping them fresh really. I just keep most of them in the crisper drawer in the fridge (potatos and onions go in their bins in the pantry and apples go in a bowl on the island). The problem I have is that I tend to overbuy on veggies and I'll find something 5 weeks later at the bottom of the bin ... turning into a science fair project. But if I keep to my list and buy in the quantities I've planned for, I'm usually ok.

.

[rocket pop]

The best way to keep vegetables fresh is to eat them up quick :B

Pretty much, I stock up on fresh, seasonal produce (it's cheaper too)
Basics like milk, eggs, cheese, canned tomatoes, tuna, beans, corn and fruit
Yoghurt powder
Rice, pasta, bread
Baking needs
And 72% chocolate!

Oooh, and most things you can just chuck in the fridge, mushrooms go in a paper bag, and tomatoes NEVER see the inside of a fridge. Ever.

[Coffee Luver]

What is yogurt powder?

And photochick - you keep cabbage on hand all the time. I almost never cook with cabbage. What are some of your favorite ways to eat it?

[PhotoChick]

And photochick - you keep cabbage on hand all the time. I almost never cook with cabbage. What are some of your favorite ways to eat it?

I looooove cabbage. I do all kinds of things with it.

coleslaw (I like to use the Kraft light Asian sesame dressing for a different flavor)
cabbage soup (this is one of my standby lunches during the week when I'm feeling bloated)
cabbage and turkey sausage cooked in the oven
colcannon (cabbage and potato mash/soup)
braised or steamed green and red cabbage
curried cabbage

I also use cabbage in my salads and I use it in lieu of shredded lettuce - it has a lot more nutritional bang and it's crunchier. So I put shredded cabbage on tacos, in wraps, on sandwiches, etc.

I seriously go thru 2 heads of cabbage a week, sometimes more.

.

[jessisaokay]

I love raw cabbage. I always get comments when i walk around munching on a bag of red cabbage haha.

[IngridonWW]

For me, I always have to have carrot, celery, onion and garlic.

I use these 4 ingredients in everything from spaghetti to chili, from butternut squash soup to lentil soup. I sautee these 4 things in olive oil, and add whatever I have to make awesome things.

I always have frozen berries for smoothies, or for stirring into my nonfat plain yogurt. I also always have apples and oranges for smoothies. Yes, I put whole apples, peels and everything, in my smoothies, as well as bananas.

I keep stevia with vanilla packets on hand for sweetening.

The only cold cereals I eat are unfrosted shredded wheat or puffed grain (found in bags for usually less than $1.50) cereals in unsweetened soymilk.

I also keep hot cereal mixes on hand. Even packets of plain Quaker oats are great because you can whip it up quick and eat that instead of something bad like chips or candy.

I like eggs and Morningstar Farms soy sausage over tomato slices for breakfast, too.

I don't know if any of this helped, but good luck with your clean eating. It's really a spiritual thing.

[WaterRat]

Wow, it really is different for everyone. We have a garden, so I have my own frozen broccoli, cauliflower, peas, spinach, chard, strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb, plus things like lettuce, cabbage, zucchini, green beans in season. I also have beets, carrots and potatoes in cool storage in my crawl space. That being said, I do unfortunately still have to shop for groceries....

Fresh
Veg:mushrooms, lettuce, celery, red peppers, cabbage, anything I need for a recipe
fruit - this depends on what's available at what price. This week apples were on sale, so that's what we're eating. Those little oranges/tangerines were on sale before Christmas, so we had those. Yesterday I bought kiwi. Bananas are usually $.79 - $.99/lb so I don't buy them every week.

Other stuff
brown rice, barilla pasta, canned tomatoes, beans, couscous, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (buy fresh and freeze them - I like them better), usual stuff like milk, eggs, yogurt, some frozen fruits (currently peaches and blueberries), applesauce (I have it for snacks at work, usually with flax seed mixed in, or in yogurt) and more I can't recall.....Oh yeah, olive oil, balsamic vinegar

[scrappinRN]

I love everyones ideas, and am going to print a list to keep posted on the fridge. Thanks everyone b/c I am trying to get clean eating in my life and this will help.
Does anyone have some ideas for beans like the cabbage idea? Help, I like them but how do I use them often

[nelie]

I love beans, I eat beans multiple times per day.

Hummus - You can easily make your own and you can experiment with different types of beans or ingredients. Basically blend beans to make a bean spread, you can google for hummus recipes specifically. I tend to use no olive oil (or very little) in mine but I do use tahini.

Soup - There are so many different styles of bean soups from lentil soup to black bean soup to split pea soup.

Salad - One of my favorite methods is to open (and rinse) a can of beans, cut up some cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and throw it in a bowl. Then make a dressing using either red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar with some lemon juice and maybe a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Salad topping - Chickpeas and kidney beans are my favorite as part of a salad topping.

Roasted chickpeas - Roast chickpeas in the oven at 400 degrees with whatever seasonings you like. They make a nice crunchy snack.

Faux chicken salad - Another favorite of mine is to mash up some white beans (such as chickpeas), add some mustard, chopped celery, dill relish (or diced pickles) and some salt/pepper. You can make it a faux tuna salad by adding some small pieces of sea vegetables such as nori or dulse. This is a good sandwich filling as well as salad topping.

Indian spiced lentils - Lentils were made for indian spices, I think. Basically cook some lentils, add some diced tomatoes, add some indian spices (curry, garam masala, etc) and cook until the lentils are soft. A chopped butternut squash or other winter squash is also a good addition to the dish. Serve on top of rice, mashed cauliflower, green beans or whatever you like.

Chili like beans - I make this almost on a weekly basis because it is so easy. A can of black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans rinsed well in a pot with a can of diced tomatoes. Half a can of pumpkin puree is a good addition as well. Add some diced onions and minced garlic. Then add chili powder or similar mexican/southwest spices. Simmer until flavors combine (about 20 minutes). Again serve on top of rice, mashed cauliflower, green beans or whatever else you like.

A casserole like this one: http://www.recipezaar.com/Creamy-Chi...asserole-56818 It is really good and simple to make. Oh and here is another one of my favorite bean casseroles: http://www.recipezaar.com/Chickpea-B...sserole-315143

"Refried" beans - Basically cook black beans or pinto beans with diced onions and minimal water (or drain some of the water out when they are finished cooking) and smash with a masher until it is a consistency you like. Serve as a side dish. By "minimal water", I basically mean enough water to cook the beans and barely cover them when they are finished cooking. It takes practice to find out the right amount of water but you just don't want them too watery.

[JulieJ08]

LOL, ditto almost every single thing nelie listed for me

Originally Posted by nelie

Chili like beans - I make this almost on a weekly basis because it is so easy. A can of black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans rinsed well in a pot with a can of diced tomatoes. Half a can of pumpkin puree is a good addition as well.

I make the chili all the time too, but I have never added pumpkin. Hmmm. I've also been thinking about adding cubed roasted squash or sweet potato. That stuff goes so good with black beans

[nelie]

I've added cubed butternut squash to the chili like beans and they are good. You can also add some TVP to the chili like beans if you want a 'ground beef' type texture but I rarely add TVP.

[JackieRn]

Originally Posted by JulieJ08

LOL, ditto almost every single thing nelie listed for me



I make the chili all the time too, but I have never added pumpkin. Hmmm. I've also been thinking about adding cubed roasted squash or sweet potato. That stuff goes so good with black beans

I agree, I made veggie chili and had it with sweet potato, it was really good. I love sweet potato.

[kaebea]

Nelie,
thanks for the easy recipe ideas, i can't wait to try them out.

my staples are:
bananas
avocados
walnuts in the shell
eggs
frozen alaskan salmon (TJ's)
apples
grapefruit now that it's in season
fresh or frozen berries depending on the season
parsley
greens
dry curd cottage cheeze
homemade yogurt ingredients
TJ's frozen green beans
chicken legs for making soup
carrots for the chicken soup
canned tuna
olive oil
onions
garlic
ginger
baby swiss cheese
TJ's green tea

of course there are variations, but those are the ones that frequently make the list, or that are replaced as they run out. the fruits and veggies are subject to change with the season.

[RN BSN 2009]

I go shopping one day a week but I buy fresh fruits and vegetables 2-3 days per week

and I shop at the vegetable market to avoid impulse buys!