Remy and Chelsea's BIG Adventure: I'm a Maniac, Maniac

Food prep maniac that is. Before I found out I was gluten-intolerant (or celiac disease) I used to get sick all the time. Ever since I have been eating gluten-free I started to feel better. I felt better so I started to exercise and now that I am exercising more I want to eat better.

I have been learning more and more about food. Ways to prepare it, what's in it, and what I should be eating. Part of this is coming from just getting older and being in charge of what both Remy and I eat but also having to read SO many labels to see what's in stuff I am just more aware.

One thing I have recently learned is how quickly fruits and veggies lose their nutrition in the fridge. With it just being Remy and I we just don't eat things fast enough. So I've looked into freezing things at home. Not only will we not be wasting food, we will be saving money, and getting more nutrients.

I started with freezing:
Green beans

My mad straw sucking skills.

Broccili

Cauliflower

I started by washing and cutting the veggies, then blanching them for 3-5 minutes depending on the veggie, once the timer goes off I stuck them in a bowl of ice water for the same amount of time. Then I put them in a freezer bag so that they can go... in the freezer. I don't have a vacuum sealer but I found a suggestion online of squeezing as much air out of the bag and then using a straw to get the rest out. Brilliant! *kind of* You really need to like what's in the bag because those odors go straight into your mouth AND sucking up all that air, a bit of a belch fest after *so lovely*.

We love salads here and I found this great idea of vacuum packing individual portions of lettuce so it's ready all the time. Again we don't have a vacuum sealer so I went on the hunt to find other options. Apparently if you cut you lettuce and put it in a bag with as much air out as possible and a paper towel it should last for a week or possibly more. If it lasts that long with getting eaten I'll let you know if it worked out, I don't have high hopes (yum!).

We are also a fan of baby carrots, until I read everything they put in those things to make them last. Yuck! So we've switched to buying carrots and peeling and cutting them at home.

I've also been hearing over and over and over how bad margarine is for you. BUT I like that I can spread it, you'd hear me say. Well I found another suggestion to mix olive oil and butter and just whip them together. So we've giving it a try as well.

Last, I promise, I started having green smoothies in the morning. They have a crap load of spinach, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and a touch of stevia. It actually isn't too bad I must say. AND I switch from regular yogurt to greek yogurt, so yummy! OH and we love sweet potato fries at home and mashed cauliflower.