Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Grocery List...

I am so happy that so many of my friends and family (oh and you that I don't even know ;-) have decided to embark on this journey.  Getting started with shopping can be overwhelming and feel expensive.  I am going to give you a shopping list and where I purchase my products. agree or disagree with items listed but these are the things I purchase for my family while following a grain/sugar free lifestyle. If you know of places with better prices please share. (I apologize if some of the sources I list are not in your area as I realize some of you do not live here in MN that are reading this.)

IS IT REALLY MORE EXPENSIVE?

I also want to address the cost issue.  Getting started can feel expensive but once you get the hang of the style of eating you will find that buying in bulk can save you a lot of money and you and your family will be eating less of the junk, thus saving on all the prepackaged convenience foods.  Also, I encourage you to look at the whole picture.

Look at the money you will save in Dr. visits and over the counter medications.  Other than supplements we have spent $0 on prescription medication and dr. visits in the past 3 months.  The $40 I was spending monthly on asthma inhalers for my son can now buy us 8 lbs. of almond flour.  I don't know about you but I'd rather ditch the medications and spend the cash on yummy, healthy food.  I don't have my $15 cost for anti-depressant, $12 spent on Motrin every month, random money on kids over the counter meds, etc.  Many of you that read this have stopped taking your prescriptions because you health is so amazing so I encourage you to factor in those costs when you are figuring out your food budget. 

So first I will list the basics you should have on hand and then I will list where I purchase these.  Obviously you don't have to go to all of these places but if you are looking to save it's what I do.  I again, buy in bulk whenever I can to save myself time and money.  I then only need to pick up produce, dairy and maybe some meat on a weekly basis.

OUR GROCERY BASICS


  • Almond Flour (blanched preferably, just cuz it tastes better :-)
  • Coconut Flour
  • Psylium Husk (for Maria's sub bread, a favorite bread option for most)
  • garbanzo bean or chickpea flour if you are doing Wheat Belly breads
  • vanilla extract
  • unsweetened cocoa
  • aluminum free baking powder
  • baking soda
  • dark chocolate chips or baking bar
  • Raw nuts (make sure if buying dry roasted they are free from oils)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sweetener of choice. I prefer Swerve but you could do Stevia (not Stevia in the Raw because it has maltodextrin and dextrose) or Truvia, I DO NOT recommend Splenda)
  • Sweet Leaf stevia drops (they come in many flavors but i love the vanilla cream)
  • Peanut Butter (all natural)
  • Jay Robb Whey protein powder, vanilla and unflavored (could do egg white if dairy allergy)
  • Eggs
  • Cheeses (not processed)
  • Greek full-fat yogurt if you are gonna do yogurt, this is unsweetened, you can sweeten at home (still a few grams of sugar though, but best choice overall)
  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Cream Cheese
  • cottage cheese
  • sour cream
  • UNSWEETENED almond milk, can be original vanilla, or chocolate
  • coconut milk ( I like canned)
  • Butter!!!
  • Coconut oil
  • olive oil
  • bacon
  • gluten free deli meats
  • grass fed hot dogs (my kids love these)
  • meats (no limits on this variety as long as not sugar added, pork, chicken, beef, lamb)
  • veggies (low starch, so not potatoes)
  • low sugar fruits (stay in berry family for adults but can do variety for the kiddos)

WHERE I SHOP

ONLINE

Almond Flour- I always buy this in bulk because it brings the cost down to $5 lb.  I like Honeyville or Nuts.com  Blanched is a favorite as it has much better texture. http://aff.nuts.com/SF3E
http://www.honeyvillegrain.com/  You can get the nuts.com one at that price all the time but the Honeyville you have to wait for a coupon to get it down to the $5

Swerve- I order this also in bulk but if you live near a Whole Foods, many of those stores carry it.  Call first though to make sure your store does.  You can order directly from their website  enter Joy10 for a 10% discount on your order. I order 22 lb bag so it is only $8.10 a lb. 

Coconut Flour-Tropical Traditions, sign up for their newsletter or like them on Facebook so that you can be up on sales and free shipping http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/ otherwise Bob's Red Mill is pretty good. 

COSTCO

Costco.com

I realize not everyone has a Costco membership but if you do, you can really save.  Here is a list of the things I buy there:

Natural Peanut Butter -local brand is Parkers.  Nothing but Peanuts and salt

Coconut Oil- Extra Virgin organic $15.99 for a HUGE container.  This discounted price will pay for your membership in a year :-)  Great product

Flax Seed

Raw Almonds
Raw Pecans
Raw Walnuts

Mario Batali no sugar added pasta sauce

Kirkland organic chicken broth

Kerrygold butter and cheeses

Organic Cage free eggs

cheeses in blocks as I prefer to shred my own

Parmesan cheese

Mixed frozen berries

Heavy Whipping Cream

Half and Half

Produce and meat

some supplements I take I get at Costco


AMAZON( I have a prime membership so get free shipping but some of these items do ship for free without membership)

Jay Robb Whey protein powder (I buy this in bulk because it is cheaper that way and I use it a lot for breakfast shakes for boys and in homemade cereals)  A lot of Maria Emmerich's recipes call for it so I recommend keeping it on hand.  I buy the bulk for Vanilla flavor and keep strawberry, chocolate and unflavored for occasional recipe use. I have heard that the Vitamin Shoppe local stores carries for same price.  Not the online website though.  Shop around for best price on this as it changes often.

Now brand psylium husk powder

garbanzo bean flour or chickpea flour

coconut milk (canned)

Netrition.com http://www.netrition.com/(all products listed below are half the price that Amazon charges)

Nature's Hallow products (ketchups, syrups, jams, bbq sauces) these are all sweetened with xylitol

Chocoperfection bars (a totally awesome splurge)

Qwest bars (only approved protein bar I have found, for those of you wanting convenience for a meal :-)

Local Grocery Store (trader Joe's or a store that has a natural section)

extracts: vanilla etc.

Celtic Seat Salt

Dry Roasted peanuts (make sure only ingredients are peanuts and salt if you wish, no other nasty oils)

Chocolate chips (dark ones)

cream cheese

sour cream

grass fed hotdogs

cottage cheese

Silk brand unsweetened almond milk

unsweetened cocoa

Aluminum free baking powder

baking soda

Aldi (if you are looking to really cut costs)


organic produce (frozen organic berries sometimes too)

Kerrygold cheeses

80% Dark Chocolate

canned tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes as they are no sugar added

Dry Roasted Almonds

Pistachios for Sam :-)



And for my weekly recipes....
I loved these graham crackers and so did kiddos.  I used Nature's Hallow honey in place of real honey.
I also made my traditional chili recipe and let's just say I ended up preferring it without the beans.  Yummy!!  Tons of sour cream and cheese on top.  Delicious!!!

Grain-Free Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Recipe

http://www.joyfulabode.com/2010/07/26/grain-free-gluten-free-graham-cracker-recipe/
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a bowl, mix together:
  • 1 3/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon (Liz used 1, but I thought it needed more after tasting the dough.)
In your stand mixer, cream together:
  • 3/4 cup room temp butter (Liz uses part butter and part solid coconut oil, but my coconut oil is melted at room temperature these days, so I used all butter)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and combine until a dough forms.
Make dough into two balls and place each one on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Put waxed paper on top, roll the dough out thinly, and remove the waxed paper. Cut into crackers with a pizza cutter and make little holes with a fork – Liz said that will make them bake more evenly, and I believe her.
Bake 10 minutes, then remove and cool. I just lifted the whole piece of parchment off and placed it on the counter top to cool, but if you want, you can put your crackers on cooling racks.
Eat.

These were a nice change from almond flour pancakes. I like to put frozen berries on the stove with some swerve added and make a berry syrup.  Then whip up real whipping cream for topping.  MMMM  So I didn't do the sauce she has below.

"HEALTHIFIED" FLAPPERS





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