This morning, I made oatmeal. Doesn't seem like a big deal? For us, it is. This was our first meal made with whole food, made from scratch. Okay, the peanut butter we added to the oatmeal was store bought, but it was organic and without additives.
We're transitioning. We are striving towards eating whole foods that are unprocessed, with no preservatives, no artificial dyes or flavors, no chemicals that you need a masters in chemistry to figure out just what they are.
Switching to whole grain versions of foods you already eat is a great way to make a healthy change in your diet. We used to use instant microwave oatmeal. If I could find a box of name brand instant oatmeal packets (about a pound) on sale, I could snag them for $2.50. At the local food co-op, I found bulk organic steel cut oats for $1.05/lb. I bought just over 3 lbs for under $3.50. I used one cup of the oats for our breakfast, which fed all three kids and me with oats to spare (which I saved for leftovers). Can you say CHEAP?!
To cook the oats, I boiled four cups of water, then added one cup of oats. I turned the heat down to medium low and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Be sure to stir often!
I added a little bit of local clover honey and let the kids pick out some dried fruit to throw in for added flavor and texture. Then we stirred in a spoonful of peanut butter. It was delicious, had great texture, and I stayed full all morning. Plus, I feel energized already (though that could just be enthusiasm and my new outlook on food).
There are lots of whole grain products out there. We will be making the switch from white flours and processed grains to whole, more hearty counterparts. Trade white rice for brown rice. Ditch the all-purpose white flour for whole grain versions. These are not exceptionally expensive changes. Whole grains bought in bulk can even come much cheaper, plus they eliminate a lot of packaging waste.
On a side note, do you know how many kinds of flour you can get? A fabulous organic, health conscious company called Bob's Red Mill has managed to make flour out of just about everything you can think of. Their products are available at your local health food store and on Amazon.
Your local natural food grocer can be an incredibly inspiring place. If you've got one around and have never visited before, just make a little time to go in and explore. The employees at ours were incredibly helpful, and didn't even mock us for being total (and obvious) newbs to the real food thing. If you don't normally bring your own bags to the store, I'd suggest picking up a few reusable bags, or better yet, sewing some. Hop on over to flakymomcrafts.blogspot.com (my craft blog) where I'll put up a tutorial soon.
My next post will focus on starting our organic gardening adventures. I'm so looking forward to growing our own produce! The idea of literally working directly for our food appeals to me, as does the idea of knowing exactly what went into fertilizing and protecting our food from pests.
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