Shopping Secrets

We have been over this before but I think it is important to go back and make sure we all know the rules to grocery shopping. #1, stick to the perimeter of the store, that is where you will find fresh dairy, produce, protein. Most of the aisles in between have pre packaged processed goods, not the best choice.

Produce. Load up on a variety of fresh, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich vegetables. Try items like spinach, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers. Don’t forget the fresh fruits, such as apples, oranges, mangoes, pomegranates, melons, and berries.
Dairy. Grab some eggs and low-fat cheese. Low-fat and fat-free milk and yogurt count toward your daily dairy requirement. You can also find unsweetened soy milk in the dairy aisle.
Meats/Fish/Poultry. Focus your attention on lean cuts of beef, poultry, turkey and chicken breast. Fish and shellfish are also good choices. Try to eat fish four times a week.
Frozen Foods. The frozen aisle offers quick-to-cook vegetables, nice if you are in a hurry. You can also find soy-based meat alternatives in the freezer section.
Miscellaneous. Other foods to seek out from the middle of the store: nuts, canned light tuna fish, extra-virgin olive oil, sugar-free gelatin, vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice, sugar-free drink mixes, whole-grain breads, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and low-sugar, high-fiber whole-grain cereals.

I have been talking to a client who had an idea about having some cooking classes in different homes with small groups. If any of you would like to learn more please email me.


Fennel and Black Pepper-Crusted Lamb Chops
Serves 2 (serving size is 2 lamb chops)
Crush the fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, or use a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag and a rolling pin.

cooking spray (olive or canola oil preferred)
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (4-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed

Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. combine fennel seeds, coriander, black pepper, and garlic powder. Press mixture onto both sides of lamb. Add lamb to pan, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 159 FAT 7.1 g PROTEIN 20.7 g SODIUM 45 mg FIBER 1.3 g CARBOHYDRATE 2