Today is Saturday, and around the country that means one thing - Markets!
I live in Adelaide and usually make it to the Central Markets on a Saturday. If you can handle navigating the markets at the crazy time then afternoon on a Saturday is when the fabulous bargains are to be found, however, if you need to buy exact food, and too many people will drive you bonkers I recommend going on a different day of the week, or earlier in the morning!
Today I managed to get the following items:
Cucumber $0.80
Second cucumber $1.80 (yes, a bit more pricey, but still cheap compared to the shops!)
Mango $1.00
Strawberries $2.00 punnet
Almost 2kg tomatoes $1.00
2 punnets cherry tomatoes $3.00
6 Avocados $1.00
Apples @ .99 per kg
Fresh Basil $1.00
Mushroom @ less than $6 per kg.
Pears @ 2kg
Banana @ approx $2.50 per kg (nice)
Snowpea sprouts $1 (I think)
Zucchini @ $3-$4 per kg
Plus a range of other gourmet fruit and veg at much cheaper than any grocer or supermarket prices. Anyhow totalled to just under $35 for heaps of fruit and veg (and carparking)! The fridge is full!
Last week I didn't make it to the market and paid approx:
2.60 for one cucumber
Definitely no mango as they were about $5 each.
No strawberries as they were about $4.00 punnet
4 tomatoes at approx 4.50 kg. And they were tasteless - yuck.
No cherry tomatoes as they were about 2.50 per punnet at least.
2 Avocados for 3.80
3 Apples somewhere around $3-$5 per kg
Some coconut yoghurt that made me sick $10.90
No Zucchini as they were approx $7.00kg.
And so on... much less food, $75
In short $40 difference. Yes, it's more time going to the markets, but I'm not earning $40 for half an hour's work. Which is how much extra time it took. The day I'm earning over $80 an hour and desperately short on time I might reconsider market shopping, but for now it's great for the budget.
The other point I will raise also is this: Yucky food, tasteless, makes you feel sick v fresh produce that I picked myself - much tastier! It's a no brainer. :)
Things to look out for when shopping at the markets:
If they are small, go around to all the stalls and check the prices, quality of produce etc. and have an idea of what you want (i.e. I knew I didn't want lettuce today as I still have some, but I knew I wanted tomatoes), but also be flexible. In short orientate yourself with the place. Each week.
Invest in a trolley bag of some sort. They are around $20. Definitely cheaper than a visit to the chiro or the physio, and you won't get so exhausted as you do lugging around bags.
Realise that some places are cheaper, and some places are fresher. You can compromise what you're comfortable with.
Look around, don't get bullied into anything. Traders are pushy. If you semi like the idea, but could never pay that price, insult them by asking for a pittance (that you would pay). Sometimes they will give it to you for dirt cheap if you push back. Other times they will look at you like you're crazy and tell you that's ridiculous. Your cue to say no thanks.
On that note, No is your best friend. Do not pull out your purse too quickly. However, it will cost you more initially, and you probably won't get the amazing bargains straight away. It can take weeks and months of learning, watching, listening, and practising bartering.
Don't despair. It is still probably cheaper, and you will get there. ;) Also, remember you are supporting the farmers, and if you buy the nicer produce it's still probably cheaper.
Happy Shopping!
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Quinoa and Chia Seed Porridge
This is my standard breakfast, quinoa and chia seed porridge. It's very yummy, warm, quick to make and just plain fabulous.
I have several variations, so if you're wanting to try it different ways, be brave - it's better with variations!
For one person:
In a bowl place:
1/4 cup rolled quinoa
1 Tablespoon chia seed
1 cup of milk of choice (I like almond milk and coconut milk) or 3/4 cup of water.
Good teaspoon of cinnamon
Fruit to sweeten (1 handful of sultanas, or 1 mashed banana or 1 mashed pear, or stewed apple, etc.) Alternatively you could use honey, agave, stevia or another sweetener.
I prepare that the night before, and leave it in the fridge to soak, as it tastes better this way.
The next morning I pull it out the fridge, and pour it into a small pot. Mix it around well so everything is evenly distributed, and if it's completely absorbed the liquid add a little more so it's slightly runny.
Put it on a very low heat, and check it regularly, but it will probably take around 7 minutes to heat up. DO NOT raise the temperature to make it happen faster. (I usually use this time to clean the kitchen or do some other job, as it will take a few minutes...) Once it has heated it will start bubbling a little. Stir it gently, to make sure it doesn't stick. This may take another 2-3 minutes. (You don't need to stir constantly, give it a stir, leave it for a sec, come back give it another stir...) Once it's a nice porridge consistency, you're done! Take it off the heat and pour into a bowl to eat. Yummy, yummy. Just beware - it's hot.
Variations:
Chuck in a handful of nuts at step 1- almonds or walnuts are nice.
1 Tablespoon of coconut at step 1
You could add 2 teaspoons of Cacao powder for a nice chocolate flavour instead of the cinnamon, but you would want to think carefully about what fruit you matched with it (banana might be nice) and it may need extra sweetener to take off the bitter edge.
I have several variations, so if you're wanting to try it different ways, be brave - it's better with variations!
For one person:
In a bowl place:
1/4 cup rolled quinoa
1 Tablespoon chia seed
1 cup of milk of choice (I like almond milk and coconut milk) or 3/4 cup of water.
Good teaspoon of cinnamon
Fruit to sweeten (1 handful of sultanas, or 1 mashed banana or 1 mashed pear, or stewed apple, etc.) Alternatively you could use honey, agave, stevia or another sweetener.
I prepare that the night before, and leave it in the fridge to soak, as it tastes better this way.
The next morning I pull it out the fridge, and pour it into a small pot. Mix it around well so everything is evenly distributed, and if it's completely absorbed the liquid add a little more so it's slightly runny.
Put it on a very low heat, and check it regularly, but it will probably take around 7 minutes to heat up. DO NOT raise the temperature to make it happen faster. (I usually use this time to clean the kitchen or do some other job, as it will take a few minutes...) Once it has heated it will start bubbling a little. Stir it gently, to make sure it doesn't stick. This may take another 2-3 minutes. (You don't need to stir constantly, give it a stir, leave it for a sec, come back give it another stir...) Once it's a nice porridge consistency, you're done! Take it off the heat and pour into a bowl to eat. Yummy, yummy. Just beware - it's hot.
Variations:
Chuck in a handful of nuts at step 1- almonds or walnuts are nice.
1 Tablespoon of coconut at step 1
You could add 2 teaspoons of Cacao powder for a nice chocolate flavour instead of the cinnamon, but you would want to think carefully about what fruit you matched with it (banana might be nice) and it may need extra sweetener to take off the bitter edge.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Training for 12km
One part of my life at the moment is that I am training for the City to Bay fun run in just over a month.
I'll be walking 12km on the day, and I'm pretty excited about it.
The last few days I've been struggling with motivation to get out and walk. Not because I don't enjoy it. I really do. The problem is the mindset I've been holding that says it's too hard and I can't do it, or it's too much, I need to clean the house first before I deserve to go out... (what the heck?! The house will always need more cleaning.)
Tonight though, I beat previous times, ran more than I previously have been able to do, and worked up a good sweat in my 40 minutes. And I loved it.
Makes me wonder if a big part of the barrier we have between us and "healthy life" is the mindsets we've had. We might know it's not true, but we still subconsciously revert to it unless we train our minds to form new neurological pathways.
Yesterday I had to remind myself that even if I couldn't manage my 40 minutes training I could have a short walk, and that would still be assisting me. Sometimes that's what it comes down to. Keep trying, because eventually you'll get there.
I have some star sticky notes. (So much cooler than plain ones!) I think I'm going to give myself one tonight! :) "You did it!"Yay!
Oh, and I think I may need to invest in a size smaller pants. Holding your gym pants (up) that are supposed to hug you while you try to run is not cool.
I'll be walking 12km on the day, and I'm pretty excited about it.
The last few days I've been struggling with motivation to get out and walk. Not because I don't enjoy it. I really do. The problem is the mindset I've been holding that says it's too hard and I can't do it, or it's too much, I need to clean the house first before I deserve to go out... (what the heck?! The house will always need more cleaning.)
Tonight though, I beat previous times, ran more than I previously have been able to do, and worked up a good sweat in my 40 minutes. And I loved it.
Makes me wonder if a big part of the barrier we have between us and "healthy life" is the mindsets we've had. We might know it's not true, but we still subconsciously revert to it unless we train our minds to form new neurological pathways.
Yesterday I had to remind myself that even if I couldn't manage my 40 minutes training I could have a short walk, and that would still be assisting me. Sometimes that's what it comes down to. Keep trying, because eventually you'll get there.
I have some star sticky notes. (So much cooler than plain ones!) I think I'm going to give myself one tonight! :) "You did it!"Yay!
Oh, and I think I may need to invest in a size smaller pants. Holding your gym pants (up) that are supposed to hug you while you try to run is not cool.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Introducing Me: Felicity & Food
I'm Felicity - my food journey has been a rather long one to date with the most recent players in it having been food allergies and illness causing diet changes to become necessary.
This blog is mainly going to be dedicated to food and recipes, but I may also post some tips for people walking down the health problems road from my experiences.
So who am I, where have I come from, and what the heck do I know about food?
I'm a young woman in my twenties, I came from regional South Australia and now live in the big smoke, and I've had to learn a heck of a lot about food.
As a child I was overweight - pretty much all my life. I can't remember being a "right weight" as a child, just knowing I was too big, and somehow that was a massive stigma. At 20 years of age I moved out of home for work, and shortly after that started losing the weight that had always been around. Over the next 2 years I lost over 30 kg. I'm now in a healthy weight range and have remained about the same weight since then.
So if you're struggling with your weight - I hear you, and I feel your pain. I have been there, and I know how much it can hurt. I'm also aware that for some people exercise is impossible, and if you are quite overweight, it can be very difficult to exercise. I lost almost the entire amount of weight due to diet alone, and I didn't go on any crazy diets, starve myself or any such thing. I just made one healthier choice at a time, and was disciplined enough to stick to my choices.
In January 2012 I came down very sick, and after a few weeks of being sick still decided something was more wrong than just food poisoning. I initially spoke to a friend of a friend who works with a naturopath and was able to provide me with a diet to try and sort things out, while I waited for the customary 6 weeks to see a (good) doctor if it's not an "emergency".
The diet helped, but only so long as I stuck to it religiously, and it was very difficult to do so when I had never seen anything like it before, I was sick and change felt overwhelming, and I didn't have the grid for it.
Eventually I got in to see the doctor who immediately gave me some antibiotics, and told me to slowly add foods back in my diet.
At this stage we discovered I was gluten intolerant, and I was sent for further testing to see if I was celiac. I was also very dizzy, and disorientated, totally unpredictable, couldn't think straight, exhausted and a general mess. I was next diagnosed with hypoglycaemia, which is a condition that can lead to diabetes if not treated. Basically my body had become semi-resistant to insulin, and we needed to cut the amount of insulin my body would release in response to sugars, thus major reduction in starch, carbs, and sugar, and increase protein to break the cycle and allow my body to heal. (Yes it is reversible!)
With this change came a marked response. I improved overnight, and those living with me started paying attention to what I was eating more than I did!
Over the next few months I discovered I was also allergic to dairy and have some level of allergy/intolerance to egg.
It's been a long road to recovery, and it's been a lot more than diet that has gotten me from where I was to where I am, but for anyone else who is making big lifestyle changes due to health problems I want to encourage you that it will get easier with time. The most important thing you have is your mindset.
Next post... food!
This blog is mainly going to be dedicated to food and recipes, but I may also post some tips for people walking down the health problems road from my experiences.
So who am I, where have I come from, and what the heck do I know about food?
I'm a young woman in my twenties, I came from regional South Australia and now live in the big smoke, and I've had to learn a heck of a lot about food.
As a child I was overweight - pretty much all my life. I can't remember being a "right weight" as a child, just knowing I was too big, and somehow that was a massive stigma. At 20 years of age I moved out of home for work, and shortly after that started losing the weight that had always been around. Over the next 2 years I lost over 30 kg. I'm now in a healthy weight range and have remained about the same weight since then.
So if you're struggling with your weight - I hear you, and I feel your pain. I have been there, and I know how much it can hurt. I'm also aware that for some people exercise is impossible, and if you are quite overweight, it can be very difficult to exercise. I lost almost the entire amount of weight due to diet alone, and I didn't go on any crazy diets, starve myself or any such thing. I just made one healthier choice at a time, and was disciplined enough to stick to my choices.
In January 2012 I came down very sick, and after a few weeks of being sick still decided something was more wrong than just food poisoning. I initially spoke to a friend of a friend who works with a naturopath and was able to provide me with a diet to try and sort things out, while I waited for the customary 6 weeks to see a (good) doctor if it's not an "emergency".
The diet helped, but only so long as I stuck to it religiously, and it was very difficult to do so when I had never seen anything like it before, I was sick and change felt overwhelming, and I didn't have the grid for it.
Eventually I got in to see the doctor who immediately gave me some antibiotics, and told me to slowly add foods back in my diet.
At this stage we discovered I was gluten intolerant, and I was sent for further testing to see if I was celiac. I was also very dizzy, and disorientated, totally unpredictable, couldn't think straight, exhausted and a general mess. I was next diagnosed with hypoglycaemia, which is a condition that can lead to diabetes if not treated. Basically my body had become semi-resistant to insulin, and we needed to cut the amount of insulin my body would release in response to sugars, thus major reduction in starch, carbs, and sugar, and increase protein to break the cycle and allow my body to heal. (Yes it is reversible!)
With this change came a marked response. I improved overnight, and those living with me started paying attention to what I was eating more than I did!
Over the next few months I discovered I was also allergic to dairy and have some level of allergy/intolerance to egg.
It's been a long road to recovery, and it's been a lot more than diet that has gotten me from where I was to where I am, but for anyone else who is making big lifestyle changes due to health problems I want to encourage you that it will get easier with time. The most important thing you have is your mindset.
Next post... food!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)