Fruit!

Fruit! Apples, Oranges, Grapes, Strawberries, Mango, Banana, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Clementines, Papaya, Raspberries.. on and on and on and on! So many fruits to choose from! So many fruits to cook with ^.^

Fruits are the natural sweeteners in life. http://www.mypyramid.gov says you should have 2 cups of fruit a day.. this is average, but it also depends on your age. 2-4 servings to make up 25% of your 9 servings of Fruits and Veggies a day. The nice thing about eating fresh is that you know exactly what you are putting into your body.

I'm a big fan of finding fruits and veggies from your local area as previously mentioned. You'll be able to find fresh fruits and veggies from your local farmer's markets. Not sure where to look? http://www.localharvest.org/ will get you to the right place. Just enter your zipcode and you'll find markets and farmer's markets where you can get fresh and inexpensive produce. I used to shop at the Brea's Farmer's Market. I could spend 10.00 for a week's worth of produce. At home, my parents have a few fruit trees and a small crop garden. I'll likely provide some tips later on how to grow your own produce provided you have space.

Back to the fruit! Here's some easy quick recipes you can use.

In the begining...

The answer to this varies but more often then not it's "I don't know yet!" I've decided to share a few cooking recipes that I've come to cherish over the years and through my experimentation in the kitchen.

Makin' me a Sammich!

So, here's the first installment! I'll be talking about produce, food selections, balanced diets, and of course some easy home cooking from scratch. Please feel welcome to also share your recipes or if you try mine, let me know how you liked them. Questions will be answered if you have any. <3

I've been taking a lot of food to work for lunches. Not only is it cheaper than going out to get food from various establishments, but it's healthier. The key to this is planning. Making a list of groceries prior to going to the store is always a smart idea. I usually do this for the basics. Don't get defeated when you variate from the list while shopping because you are bound to find something you might want to try using! Personally, I've cut out most meat from my diet. This is a personal choice based on health reasons. I've also cut out most dairy for the time being. If you do want to add meats to your dishes, try poultry or fish. Substituting ground turkey for ground beef is a healthier choice. Skip the butter and use something like Smart Balance.. for sautes and breads, try olive oil. And always use fresh produce! (no frozen or canned fruits or veggies.

So about produce.. so many veggies to choose from! Choose a veggie a week to learn about it. Learn how to prepare it or cook it- only takes 5 mins to google a veggie and read. Same goes for fruits. While frozen or canned may feel like it's more convenient, it doesn't take that much longer to wash, cut, and prepare fresh veggies! Fresh tastes better too ^.^ Check out the food Pyramid of today:

Food Pyramid (most recent change since 2005)

See how small the section for meats and beans are? Sometimes I think the grains should be smaller as well.. try to choose whole grains.. but veggies and fruits.. should be the staple of a diet. (and of course you need your dairy.. I use calcium supplements due to lactose intolerance.)

But produce is expensive.. -.- If you're shopping at your local grocers, (Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros...) you might find the prices and the selection of produce to be.. expensive and crap. Who the hell wants to buy oranges imported from Australia when you live in Southern California. That is just stupid. Find your local farmer's markets. You can find good deals on local produce! I shop at Value +, the produce department is HUGE! and for prices.. this past week 6lbs of oranges for $0.99. Yeah, seriously! Be picky! Find a place that suits your wallet and support your local farmers.

Enough with the lectures... onto the recipes!