Creating a Healthy Kitchen

Part two of my juicing and whole food advice and tips!

Moat refrigerators in America look like this:

Overly STUFFED with sugary, high sodium, and prepackaged foods from the store that promise you nutrition.

I have news for you, most of the foods in this refrigerator are not good for you to consume. I would rather make a trip to my local supermarket and pick up a few apples than eat something from this fridge.

What I see is food that is packaged, bagged, and frozen, raw and cooked and ready to eat foods all touching each other spreading pathogens, a lack of the color green, a lot of creams and sauces and dressings that are packed with sugar , carbs, and bad fats, and lastly FAKE food that has no nutritional value to them.

What do you see? Your favorite food? When was the last time you looked at every label that you're putting into your basket when you go shopping?

Your refrigerator should look like this:

TOP SHELF: Organic Milk or Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk or Organic Unsweetened Soy Milk, Cottage Cheese, Unsweetened Greek Yogurt, smaller fruits such as Berries and Lemons and Limes, Organic Cheeses, and Bottled Juices or Chia drinks or Non Bottled Water and Iced Tea.

SECOND SHELF: Organic Eggs, Freshly made Hummus, Fruits and Veggies that are easily bruised such as Spinach, Romaine, Bananas, etc. and freshly made lunches for the kids or yourself for work.

THIRD SHELF or DRAWERS: Fruits and Veggies that are round and loose like Apples,

Oranges, Avocados, Tomatoes Etc...

BOTTOM SHELF or DRAWERS: Your USDA Organic Meats

FREEZER: Ice, USDA Organic Meats that are portioned for meals, freshly made whole grain, organic dough that is portioned as well for future meals, and more ICE.

NEVER waste your money on frozen fruits and veggies! The Ice crystals that form from the produce's water tears up the structure of the fruit or veggie and when it is cooked, the liquid takes all of the nutrients with it, into the water or pan, and down the drain or evaporated.

All of your fruits and veggies should be prepped the day you purchase them to expand shelf life, avoid contamination from the fridge, avoid the combining of flavors (You don't want a tomato tasting like an orange!) and to keep them clean!

You're gonna want to invest in some good plastic containers or freezer bags that you can reuse over and over.

When you go shopping, go to produce LAST, the shorter the amount of time the produce is exposed to warm air, the less chance it has to pick up pathogens.  They should also be the very first thing you put away and portion out. As for Meats, they should never touch your produce! If you want, bring a reusable bag to place your produce in after you picked up your meat.

Rinse your sink with soap (not cleaners) and warm water. Fill up your sink with cold water and ice (it should be really, really cold!) and lay down towels all over your counters. On one side of the sink, place your fruits and veggies. Starting with the leafy greens first, separate out the leaves from the heart (unless its like cabbage or artichoke, and you want it served whole),  with a soft brush dedicated only to the produce, lightly rinse and scrub your Celery, Romaine, Kale, Collards beets or any thing that has a strong stalk. Then put it into the cold water (one veggie at a time) to quickly chill it but not freeze it. Then lay the veggie spread out on the towels. Gently pat dry and store them in a bag or container with a paper towel or light weight towel to capture and other moisture. Do this for all of your produce and if your ice water starts to look brown or green or has little specks floating int it, change it and rinse your sink.

Next, portion out your meat. Meat servings shouldn't be any larger than the palm of your hand for each meal. Try to avoid freezing the meat as well due to the same rule of thumb with the produce. However the effect the ice has on veggies is much more severe than meats. Store them properly and sealed tight in plastic, not foil.

Plate A

Now every time you open your fridge, you are compelled to grab something good for you, because you have no other choice! You're plates should look less like Plate A and more like Plate B. If there isn't color on your plate, don't eat it.

Plate B

 

One last tip, really pay attention to what you are purchasing and cut back on those boxed, bagged, and prepackaged foods. Don't just look at the calories and carbs, but the ingredients listed below the Facts chart. If there are ingredients you don't know or can't pronounce or the list is so long, it's best you don't buy it. It's better to take two trips weekly, than have a bunch of preserved foods that poison your body.

Happy Eating!

-Chef Marie CM