In The Kitchen: Where and How to Shop

I love how much time have been able to spend in the kitchen lately! I have mentioned this before, but being able to take extra time planning meals and cooking has become a new routine in this season that I have come to love so much. Eating healthy and knowing what I an consuming has always been a big part of my life, but now more than ever I feel like it’s a passion of mine that has really developed with more time to practice it! On the blog, I have started a new series called In The Kitchen, and over the last few weeks I have talked about adding new purpose to your cooking routine and have given some practical tips on ways to maximize the life of your fresh groceries. This week I thought it would be helpful to talk about where I shop for my groceries and a few tips on how to shop – Things that I think can so often be overlooked in the day to day of a week spent at home or the craziness and potential fear of grocery environments lately. WHERE TO SHOPOne of my very favorite things about this time has been the discovery of our local farm. While Jase and I are so lucky to have one close enough for us to go to, the idea of shopping local and supporting small businesses has been a value instilled in me during this time that I will not leave behind! While many of us may have the first thought that shopping small comes at a greater expense, many things like produce, especially fruit and veggies, can actually be cheaper or often on sale and at a better quality, ultimately lasting you longer than your nearby chain grocer. Shopping small or local is also a great way to cut out on the stress of the grocery store during this time! When you relieve yourself of the many negative emotions that can so often be identified with a stop at the store, this activity can actually become a cherished part of your routine. I know for me, I love showing up to my local spot and taking time to see what fresh picks are available – wandering up and down the rows (while practicing safe distancing, of course) and taking it all in! This care that I have developed in my routine for where I shop and what I buy has caused me to have even greater care and excitement in what I prepare. I cook based on my inspiration from the ingredients purchased. It has been a game-changer for me!Another great place to shop, that isn't so small, can be Whole Foods. While this was often considered not within budget for many families, the new deals and offers that have been extended to Amazon Prime Members (which so many of us are!) makes it practical once again. It’s also a great option for those pantry items that can be more expensive at your local spot. Things like nut butters, canned goods, healthy snacks and treats, or alternative milks are actually similarly priced (or on sale / specially priced) to your opposing chain grocer and oftentimes made with more quality or organic ingredients! Such a win.HOW TO SHOPNow that the stress has been relieved from dreaded trips to the grocery store, the need for a detailed list of things to get in and get out as fast as possible has also gone out the window. While I have my routine items I always get – protein options, potatoes, pastured eggs, leafy greens, and nuts – I also make room in my trip to look at what’s freshly available and think of meals I can create using what’s right in front of me! A great way to start doing this is to shop for more universal items that can be created or added to anything. Items like sweet or regular potatoes can be chopped into quarters for a tray of roasted veggies with broccoli, zucchini, onion, and asparagus – or cut vertically and baked into fries! Proteins like pastured chicken or ground grass-fed beef can be added on top of fresh greens and healthy grains with roasted veggies to make into a warm bowl or served on top of a crisp salad. Your pantry items like noodles, canned foods, or nuts can be cooked or chopped and mixed into any meal to add a different texture or a more filling variety. And fresh herbs and spices can take any meal to the next level!There are just so many options, but the goal when first starting is to shop for a variety of versatile fresh foods that can work together and then let your creativity work as you go throughout your week! A FEW OF MY GROCERY STAPLES 

• Pastured eggs
• Organic almond butter
• Organic raw nuts for making home-made nut milk
• Organic spring onions
• Organic coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Raw butter
• Siete tortillas and chips
• Siete hot sauce
• Organic dinosaur kale
• Organic lettuces
• Organic red peppers
• Organic green beans
• Organic garlic
• Organic white rice
• Organic potatoes - purple, red, sweet
• Organic tomatoes
• Sauerkraut
• Organic fresh spices - cilantro, basil, dill, mint, oregano, sage (we grow these in our garden but are a must!)
• Organic beets

Where are you shopping in this season, and what healthy recipes are you making in your kitchen? I'd love to hear from you! Follow along with my kitchen routine here on the blog or at my Instagram where I often post meals I'm making or grocery items I'm grabbing. xo

Old Jeans Can Insulate New Homes

Y’all have probably seen that Jase and I recently moved into a new home that we are so excited about. The renovation has been quite a journey (updates + lots of blog posts coming soon!), but the one thing that struck me the most happened this week. #ad

We moved out of our home in February anticipating a month of living in a hotel while our renovation was in progress, so we packed a month’s worth of our clothing to prep for our time away. One month turned to eight, and this week I started tackling the clothes in the garage; doing loads of laundry (pun intended) and processing the need for another purge. My denim is in major influx and to be honest, it astounded me. It’s almost like it took living on a minimal wardrobe to realize how we definitely don’t wear all of what we have.

To get to the crux, I struggled with knowing what to do with my old jeans! Did you know that since authentic denim is made from cotton, a natural fiber, it can be recycled and used to create something new? I became aware of the Denim Stack Challenge by Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program and was so elated! I had no idea that I could support sustainable living through recycling my denim + I never had any idea that my old denim could create natural cotton fiber insulation to help building efforts around the country.

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Want to join me? P.S. by participating, you enter to win a $150 gift card to Madewell.

• First, gather all of your unused denim, snap a pic, and share it on social tagging @DiscoverCotton with the hashtag #DenimStackChallenge.

• Tag your friends and encourage your peers to do the same.

• Drop off your old/worn denim for recycling at one of the many participating Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green™program brands or retailers, or mail it in for free by downloading a prepaid shipping label from Zappos for Good.

• Any type of denim apparel can be contributed for recycling so long as it’s at least 90% cotton so be sure to check your labels.

Happy recycling! 👖

& thank you, Cotton, for partnering with me!