jengetfit123's Journal, 12 Dec 18

You have the best variety in your food - I need to get my frig more organized and get some prep done next time I go grocery shopping so I am not grabbing just a couple big things for a meal - variety is much better!! Do you have any special way to prep your food? Or tips? If you cut everything up and store it how do you keep it from wilting or drying out or worse yet getting watery and slimy? Inquiring minds want to know :) 

Nikeit I wonder that too because if I pre-prep my veggies they get either dried out or turn to mush. I only buy apples, pears, oranges, frozen berries so my fruits aren't a problem, just the veggies. I freeze my protiens and thaw and cook them in double batches. But you can't fo that with leafy greens ir tender vegs. Hope someone has ideas. 

Another delicious meal! I only lasted 1 day without dairy, so I am going to just limit the amount to 1 serving a day.  

After literally decades of throwing out bags or plastic clamshells of lettuce, i finally popped for a salad spinner. I buy heads of lettuce (usually romaine, but this was greenleaf) and i wash and spin them and store in ziploc bags with paper towel in them. It holds up for a couple of weeks. I also chop up carrots and celery and sometimes radishes to have on hand for meals and snacks. I also chop up a head of red cabbage and keep that in a ziploc. Then i just throw veggies in everything. I still throw out more than i would like, like cilantro and peppers go bad quick. I also do pans of roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower and green beans. Just spray with cooking spray, season with Italian seasoning, garlic, or whatever, and put in toaster oven at 400 for 20 mins. Then i keep them in a tupperware and just add them to meals. 

Sorry to go on and on, but i also eat a ton of beans. I love my beans. I always keep black beans and garbanzo beans and pinto beans in the fridge and i throw them in everything. 

Way to go Jenegetfit123!  

Those are some great ideas - out of curiosity do you put damp or dry paper towels in with the lettuce? I did do a few roasted veggies the other day which i did munch on for a few days so I am going to continue with that. I forget about red cabbage - I love that so I am going to get some next grocery day and I forget about beans as well so having them out and in the frig rather than in their cans in the pantry would help me remember. Thanks for all the ideas! 

Either that or you could come cook for me :) 

Jen, really good routine your got there. A suggestion for the cilantro, put in a glass of water and place a zip lock bag over it upside down and close bag up to the glass. It keeps for a good week and a half or so. 😊 

Love the hints. Thanks! 

Gals, i feel like a fraud bc yesterday, and all month, i have eaten all of the things! Just giving in to my inner bear cub. I can't fight it anymore!! Ty @becca for cilantro tip, i will try it! @nikeit, i sort of wrap the layers in a dry paper towel or tuck a couple dry paper towels in with the lettuce or greens. I bought 3 heads of green leaf lettuce like 3 weeks ago and they turned out to be giant. I couldn't get anything with romaine bc of the recall. (looks like what they line the salad bar with -- it is hearty!) Still have a huge bag of it and it is fine. I have been eating giant salads with it. I feel like it scrubs out my insides, lol. 

I have been eating celery sticks this week, just because you eat them, and you know what; actually I love them now , celery taste good, it's a little sweet 😋 

@nike, i would love to be a personal chef, lol! There is a b&b on the lake near me and i heard she was in need of something to cook the b. I so wanted to ask about it but i have zero credentials, lol. 

The cilantro idea works for parsley, too. For lettuce, I buy the kind that is in small, whole heads, put a little water in the bottom of the container, and tear off whatever amount I want to use. Keeps fresh and crisp about 2 weeks, takes very little time to tear up. 

My brother became a successful personal chef in Peoria, IL. He followed good recipes and promoted himself. Believe me, he was NOT a trained chef! But who says you can't learn from books, practice, and making many, many mistakes (in the beginning.) And with all of the teaching videos that are online, wow! 

If you want to practice that chef stuff I would make a great guinea pig!