Maple Pork Chops with Apple and Parsnips

My fridge is almost done, so I will be posting pictures soon. 

First, I wanted to share the yummy, clean dinner we had last night.

Maple Pork Chops with Apples and Parsnips

I decorated my porch for fall yesterday and this seemed like a great way to kick off the season. The whole family loved it and ate it right up. Which is great except now I'm not sure what I'm eating for lunch. 

To make it, I cut the chops into cubes and sautéed them in coconut oil with a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp apple pie spice until browned. I also cubed the apples and parsnips.

Then I diced a very small yellow onion and sautéed it with coconut oil and a little maple syrup until caramelized. Added in 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp rosemary. 

Then I added the onion mixture to the meat and veggies as well as a cup of water. Covered, it cooked at 325 for about 1 hour and 15 minutes before all the veggies were well cooked.

We really enjoyed this. I hope you do too!!

Ana

Pantry Overhaul

Step one in changing our diets was to clean the junk out of our pantry. As you can see, it was a daunting task.

I can't say I'm proud to post that one. 

The plan was to get rid of everything that wasn't a one ingredient food. The Boss wanted to invest a little in containers so that it would look nice and our food would be well contained. I agreed with this, since I am much less likely to put Oreos in a pretty pantry. So I went on a container search. Those things can get really expensive! What we settled on were canning jars. Pros: There are several sizes available that match. They are clear. They keep food safe. They are inexpensive. Glass is healthier. They are available everywhere. 

I found 12 packs of the 32oz variety for $10. I also got a label maker for $20. With my trash bag and my donation box ready I got to work. This is what I ended up with.

Now I am loving this pantry. Let me walk you through. There are four shelves labeled beans, nuts, grains, and baking.

Each jar has a label and an expiration date on it.

In most cases, due to my bulk shopping, I had to split the food into two or more jars. They are lined up in rows.

Now it looks like I have no food. But it sure is pretty. After I finish the fridge I will be off to the store to buy what is needed, but it shouldn't be much. The goal of this is to eat more produce and fresh foods, so I don't really need a lot in the pantry.

Tomorrow, I will conquer the fridge. I'm hoping it turns out as well as this one, because I'm certainly not putting any cookies in here!

Ana

Time for a Change

Since my last post, I have discovered some personal health issues that are causing me to have a serious lack of energy. I am going to have to do something because it is affecting my ability to be a good mother. Medication is not my favorite option in this case because it would be a life-long commitment. With this in mind, our whole family has agreed to clean up our diets. In true perfectionist family form, we are going to do it by way of a major food overhaul.

I don't know that I would recommend this to everyone. All of the advice I have gotten says to take it slowly. Unfortunately, I have tried that. It usually results in more fast food and junk in the house as well as throwing out lots of produce. So "All or Nothing" here we come!

The rules are pretty simple. No fast food. No pre packaged junk. (The exception is a few HEALTHY pre packaged snacks for the kiddos, like cheddar bunnies and organic granola bars). Everything in our fridge and cabinets is a "one-ingredient" food and as organic and minimally processed as I can find/afford. I can make anything (cookies, crackers) as long as its with these ingredients. I probably won't, since I can barely get dinner on the table most days, but the option is there.

So that's the plan. I'm pretty excited about it. I will do my best to keep you updated on how it goes and to share some tips with any other brave souls out there.

Ana