What's in the Fridge?

  

I recently started a new food regimen. It is a bit restrictive for some people but for me, it is a lifesaver. I have been trying to get myself up for it but I've learned that you can't inch your way into the water. You have to jump with both feet. To do this, I emptied my cupboards of the banned foods and replaced them with my new ingredients. What I discovered is that my cupboard is now full of natural products, as opposed to refined, processed foods. Rather appropriate for me, don't you think! Read on to learn naturally from me once again.

My food is now restricted to gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free. What! No cheese! No desserts! It's almost unthinkable.

And yet, not the end of the world. Things have greatly changed from the first time I was introduced to this idea. Internet sharing is a wonderful tool to help us keep on the plan. I'm not vegan but I do enjoy a lot of the recipes my vegan supporters are putting out there.

I will give you the links to some of the pros out there who have changed my life for the better. And then, in another post, I will show you how I keep my recipes and how-tos at my fingertips.

My first resource is https://nutritionrefined.com/ The young woman who shares her recipes is very good at what she does. Her recipes are easy to follow and her ingredient resources are impeccable. What I love the most is that her husband reviews each dish and he's very honest about what he likes and doesn't like. His preferences are so similar to mine that I feel she is cooking for me. When I want to make something I haven't done yet, I check her site first.

My next resource is https://downshiftology.com/ Lisa has a corporate background in Health Care companies and I think she brings her vast knowledge to the lifestyle she promotes. I love her organization, her meal planning, and prep ideas and that her recipes are easily made for one or two people. They are also delicious. No suffering here!

My third resource choice is purely delightful. Joy's https://www.joyoushealth.com is so much fun. If you have seen her youtube videos, you love her too. She taught me to make yogurt which consists of mixing and sticking the bowl in the oven overnight. There is a little more to it than that, but it really suits my busy schedule and tastes good as well.

There are a lot more people out there doing a superb job at sharing their knowledge but I chose these three because they fit me and my way of looking at this process.

I have replaced the no-go foods in my house, I have resourced the recipes and how-tos and now I am making it real. To do this, I need the cooperation of the man I live with. I need it because he is not as restricted in his eating and although he completely supports me and enjoys the food I am preparing, he also keeps his faves in the house, as he should. We developed a system.

The fridge is shared. I get a shelf, he gets a shelf and we share the produce sections of the fridge. This way, I know that I will always know what I have for my recipes and am in charge of their expiration dates.

We have the same system in the freezer and in the cupboards. His choices are on one side and mine on the other. Our shared ingredients are in the middle. We still make our grocery lists together but the food finds their correct home right away. You know, some of these recipes are so good, my guy chooses them over his previous likes.

I am already noticing the health benefits of my new lifestyle. I am enjoying really tasting food and being able to appreciate the flavors that are not covered up or changed with the addition of sugar. I am finding that this is not so hard after all. It is feeling more like a gift.

So if you have been considering a change in your diet for health reasons or on doctor's advice, I encourage you to go for it. You will never regret taking the plunge.