This year, 2016, I have made a conscientious choice to not only continue to eat wholesome organic food but to trim my food bill and lose a few pounds and keep my weight in check all at the same time.
How will I do this you ask?
The first thing I do is prepare a large pot of soup or what I like to call stewp which is a combination of soup and stew. I sauté garlic, half an onion, a carrot or two, two stalks of celery in olive oil. It is the classic mire poix. To that mixture, I add a cup of dried beans. The beans can be any you wish. Dried beans cost less. Most dried beans need to be soaked for 8 hours with the exception of lentils. To this, I add 12 cups of a good quality filtered water. I have a reverse osmosis device under my kitchen sink. If you don’t have one, I highly suggest you get one. The water has a superb taste and I use it to make all my soups.
I then add any vegetables that I have on hand such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas or any other vegetables that may be in the fridge. I then add about a half pound of grass fed meat. That’s it, just a half pound and I have very nutritious meals for about 3 days including lunch and dinner.
I personally feel more satisfied by eating very small amounts of meat combined with an array of vegetables and/or grains. The soup is 3/4 vegetables and 1/4 quality meat. I also add a cup of gluten free pasta or rice or quinoa. Tada! A home cooked delicious meal is ready! Did I mention that the soup needs to cook until everything is fork tender.
I find by consuming enough quality protein with the right combination of grain and vegetables, I lose the desire for sweets. Thus, I am not tempted to buy cookies or chocolate or other highly processed packaged goodies. This habit lowers my food bill and keeps me trim.
Other than that, I suggest you hook up with someone who has a membership at Costco or BJ’s. You can buy a ten pound bag of organic carrots for a ridiculous low price which you can split and they’ll last for weeks.
Buy groceries at a local health food store where they have weekly specials and some offer you a kickback of 1% on what you spend.
When I eat my one pot soup meals, I balance them by eating a raw salad with plenty of raw veggies such as lettuce, onion, tomato, sprouts which, by the way, I make my self).
You will have a win-win 3 ways:
- YOU WILL EAT THE BEST NUTRITIOUS FOOD!
- YOU WILL CUT THE COST OF YOUR GROCERY BILL!
- YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!
Ilia Regini is a certified healing through food specialist/health supportive chef/culinary instructor/writer/blogger and speaker. Healthy Nourished Body offers chef service, cooking lessons, healthy kitchen makeovers and customized menu planning for healing through food dietary protocols. www.healthynourishedbody.com www.facebook.com/wellnourishedbody63 e:[email protected]
