More Changes

Over the last several months, I have been thinking seriously about what we eat.  I read the book Fast Food Nation this summer, which really started to send my mind spinning.  I was thinking seriously about making the switch to organic products, but Andy wasn’t with me.  After we watched Food, Inc., a few weeks ago, he changed his mind.  My meat-loving husband said to his boss, “I can understand now why your daughter is a vegetarian.”  And asked me to change the way we eat.

Since I’ve been given the green light, I’ve started to implement some small changes.  Small is about all you can do in our little town, when Kroger’s organic section is smaller than my very tiny bathroom.  For now, we are buying organic fruits and vegetables when they are available.  That means I can usually get carrots, celery, and apples, but not a whole lot more than that.  We’ve switched to organic milk.  This week I did buy some organic frozen vegetables, and our meats have switched over to what’s available in the organic/all-natural section.  We’ve been eating cage-free eggs for the past 6 months or so, because they have less saturated fat. 

In the coming weeks and months, I’m hoping we can do some stock up trips to Whole Foods or Trader Joes.  If I can do a “stock up” shop, then I can definitely fill in with what’s available here in town.

With our very limited selection (especially in the meats), we’re  changing the way we eat some more.  Andy grew up in a very much meat and something else type of family.  Me, not quite so much.  Right now, we’re doing a whole lot of vegetables with a tiny bit of meat and some whole grains….or something egg based that contains no meat.  This week we have had a psuedo-chicken cacciatore, mushroom and broccoli stir fry, and tonight we’re doing a chicken pot pie fakeout.  These have all been fairly low calorie meals, and all have been made with probably 50-60 percent organic ingredients.  Here’s what we did:

Pseudo Chicken Cacciatore:

1 c. cooked chicken meat

Sliced mushroom

Sliced Green pepper

Carrot

Onion

Celery

1 jar Newman’s Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce (seriously….my new favorite pasta sauce)

Whole Grain Pasta

I cooked the chicken, the vegetables and the sauce until all were ready, then mixed them with the cooked pasta.  It was so good.  And so easy.

Mushroom and Broccoli Stir Fry

Sliced Mushrooms (about a pound)

Green Pepper (1/2)

1 bag frozen broccoli (I used Cascadian Farms)

1 rough chopped onion

Kikkoman Stir Fry Sauce (definitely not organic)

Soy Sauce

1 c. cooked chicken

Jasmine Rice

I cooked all the vegetables together and coated them with the sauces.  Then we served them over the rice.  Andy ate my leftovers.  Before this morning.  We had this for dinner last night.

Chicken Pot Pie

Organic Chicken Thighs, chopped

Onion

Flour

Organic Chicken Broth

Mixed Vegetables (I used Cascadian Farms frozen mixed vegetables)

Salt/Pepper

1 sheet puff pastry

Cook the chicken thighs and onion.  Coat with 1-2 T flour.  Then add 1-2 c. chicken broth and stir until thickened.  Once the sauce thickens some, add the mixed vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper.  I also tossed some bay leaf in for a little flavor.  Once that is all cooked together, transfer the filling to a baking dish, cover with the puff pastry and bake at 350 until golden brown (20-30 minutes?)