Groceries

Grocery shopping is a whole new experience for me now. I love trying new vegetables and getting ingredients for new recipes. Everyone thinks I must spend SO much more money on groceries now that I am vegan. This just isn’t true. I’ll admit, at first it was a bit pricey because I had to buy all new spices, syrups, oils and baking ingredients-but these are going to last me for a while. Also, when transitioning into a diet that doesn’t include meat, we tend to look for meat substitutes or processed food that imitates food we used to eat…and well, yes those are expensive (but no more expensive than buying meat and milk products). Those substitutes are great to get started (and I still use them), but you need to get used to incorporating whole grains, vegetables, and beans into your diet. Yes, you might not get to have your Mom’s meatloaf again (well you could have a meatless meatloaf)….but there are so many great new recipes out there for you to try!

This Saturday I went grocery shopping and stocked up on leafy greens. I’ve read in books that once your body is clean and healthier, it will tell you what it needs. I thought-yeah right, I’ll just say I want a chocolate chip cookie! But lately, I can kind of relate to what these authors are trying to tell me. I am by no means a salad lover. I only incorporate salad into my diet maybe once a week (something I am really trying to work on). I’d rather eat my veggies raw or on the side of my main dish. But, this week my body was craving leafy greens full of calcium, iron and nutrients! There are so many options: Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce, spinach, Kale, Bok-Choy, collard greens etc. I also purchased some organic blueberries, bananas, tomatoes, zucchini, avocado, Portobello mushrooms, green onion, peppers, carrots and an orange.

When I got home I made a delicious salad to accompany my left over roasted vegetable tofu pizza. I topped it with carrots, tomatoes, fat blueberries, sliced almonds and flax seed. Then, I drizzled on raspberry vinaigrette and it felt like I was eating dessert!

I also purchased Silk Soy milk, Almond Breeze, grains (I’m going to try quinoa for the first time this week), couscous, rice-puff cakes, Gluten-free/ milk-free granola bars, applesauce, oatmeal, vegetable spring rolls, orange juice, burritos, vegetable pizza and tofu. I like buying the refrigerated tofu for stir fry and to go on top of my pizza because it’s more firm. There is also tofu on the shelf that is great for creamy recipes (desserts etc) and I recently used it in my tofu-spinach lasagna.

I had to make a trip to the health food store in Fredericton because the supermarkets never have everything I need. At Aura Whole Foods I stocked up on some coconut oil (for baking), agave nectar, Nori wraps (seaweed), Umbeoshi vinegar, organic soy sauce and more.
With all these new ingredients, it means there will be more delicious recipes to follow this week :)