Sustenance Saturday

We are here to talk about food today, but first, let’s get the small talk out of the way. Here in Florida, it is beautiful and sunny. We are starting to get the true “spring” weather. I can’t write regular “spring” because 85ºF is not spring to me, but rather summer. I have to get up a bit earlier to get my runs in before it gets too gross (humid) and hot. I sweat enough without that junk! 🙂 So, I got in my 5 miles before 9 am today. Tomorrow I am planning a backyard beach day. Will update with further details 🙂

Let’s chat about food – one of my all time favorite topics to chat about (arguably the most if I’m being 100% honest…) Food has been a topic of conversation among a lot of people who normally aren’t big on it lately. With grocery stores having varying degrees of stock, (thank you to all of them – our store has had the MOST pleasant employees lately. They greet you with a huge smile, never seem overwhelmed, and are keeping the store well sanitized and stocked!) due to Corona virus, it can be tricky to make a grocery list that works. I’ll share what some of the work arounds I have used are, but please feel free to let me know what you are having trouble with, I’d love to strategize a plan that will work for you!

A stir fry is a great way to use up veggies that may be starting to get a little funky. It also lends itself well to using canned or frozen veggies. As I was browsing the canned vegetable aisle (or perhaps it was the ethnic foods…) I saw these baby corn. I remember when I was little, I used to eat them like they were actual corn on the cob. They are a great addition to a stir fry! I also added some frozen spinach to ours. You can use any frozen green OR if you have some greens that are wilted and wouldn’t make for a good salad, using them in a stir fry (or egg scramble, soup, or sautéed) is another great way to have them not go to waste! I also added peppers, onions, mushrooms, and chicken. We used Soyaki that we already had, but if you don’t have stir fry or teriyaki sauce on hand, it is made from ingredients that you most likely already have (soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, vinegar, garlic and ginger… many call for cornstarch with will help with the consistency, but if you don’t have it, your sauce will just be a bit thinner). You can serve this over rice and it generally reheats well 🙂

In times of stress, I gravitate to comfort foods heavily. I try to limit this because, well, health, but I am also a firm believer of balance. We ate this pie for 4 meals total – served with a nice green salad because balance 🙂 It reheats great! I made the crust myself, if you have premade, that’s fine to use, but pie crust is super simple to make. I know many are intimidated, but let me tell you, don’t be. If your crust has cracks, isn’t perfectly smooth or round, and has varying thickness, it’s okay – just call it rustic 🙂 I use this King Arthur recipe — feel free to use all butter if that’s what you have! I usually put a bag of mixed frozen veggies in my pot pie, but that did not exist at the grocery store when I went. I was able to get a bag of lima beans, a mix of corn, carrots, and asparagus (I took out the asparagus and used in a egg scramble — you could absolutely leave them in if you get this, but Chris doesn’t like them), and I added some frozen potatoes I got (I couldn’t get fresh potatoes — these potatoes were diced hash browns, so they had no seasoning, but work well as a substitute!) Pot pie is a generously forgiving recipe — you can put whatever veggies you like and are able to find: onions, peas, carrots, corn, potatoes, celery…. fresh, frozen, or canned will all work. (Side note: I find that when you are cooking the vegetables, especially in a sauce or any sort, canned and frozen will both work well!)

I often keep frozen shrimp on hand… I pay attention to when they go on sale and buy a bag at that time. Shrimp are a quick and easy way to feel fancy at home. They defrost quickly, can be added to many different dishes (like stir fry!), and feel snazzy! I make my own cocktail sauce — it’s ketchup and horseradish (and maybe a dash of hot sauce.) Horseradish is a great item to keep in your fridge. I get the plain (prepared) version (vs. the sauce which is mixed with mayonnaise). Horseradish is a flavor that is hard to duplicate with other ingredients and can add zing to sauces and dishes. This is a good trick if you are transforming leftovers or getting bored with food since you are cooking with primarily shelf stable items. I highly recommend grabbing some with your next grocery trip. So, we had some shrimp and cocktail sauce as a little appetizer one night.

I’ve been working very hard to keep up with my greens and salads during this time. People are often worried salad won’t last long in the fridge, so they don’t buy it, especially if you are stocking up and avoiding frequent grocery store trips. A few of the items I lean more to during times like this are romaine lettuce (it lasts a lot longer than other greens, especially when you buy the romaine heads), cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, and snap peas. I also often use peppers and mushrooms. These won’t last quite as long, but they sauté up well when they approach going bad. Leaving the vegetables in their natural whole states (vs cutting up) will help them last longer in your fridge. I find that cucumbers and tomatoes tend to go bad faster on me, so if you choose these, make sure you keep an eye on them. This meal is a simple meal that requires little planning (steak can thaw pretty quickly and you can use cool water to thaw it faster if needed) and helps to keep things healthy. It is also flexible if you have different tastes in vegetables as everyone can make their own with what they like.

A few other random tips I have — if you can’t get the fresh version of the vegetable, consider if canned or frozen is available. I keep frozen spinach on hand almost always since it’s an easy item to add to dips, smoothies, stir frys, and other dishes you may want a little green in. I tend to prefer some items as frozen vs canned (like peas,) – you can also skip or substitute veggies in recipes — who knows, you could find a new way of making something you love! Don’t be too worried if you can’t get fresh garlic or ginger — it’s okay to use the jarred garlic (all my Italian friends, don’t hate!) – it’s not perfect, but it will work and in most cooked dishes that are not heavily reliant on garlic, it will get the job done. Dried works for both of these as well (just be sure to check on the conversion if your recipe calls for fresh). Hot sauce, spices, and items like horseradish are great ways to take an otherwise boring dish (think rice) and give it pizzazz and flavor. If you have vegetables that are starting to go bad, you can either roast or saute them to use them before they go bad. Roast veggies are a fun way to add a different texture to items like salads — when you roast them, dice them, toss them in a bit of olive oil and spices, and bake.

Alright, those are the tips I’ve gathered so far. What challenges are you having? I’ll be sure to address any that you share with me! I’d love to hear if you’ve found some creative solutions to varied stock at the grocery store as well.

Enjoy — eat well — stay safe (at home)!

xoxo, Gretchen