Mayo-free Tuna Salad (with avocado)

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Everyone in my house loves tuna. Tuna is cheap and easy. But, mayo is gross. Actually, I love the taste of "real" mayonnaise, but there is nothing real about the (yummy) gloopy white stuff that comes in the convenient little jars at the grocery store. I think doing away with store-bought mayo may have been one of the hardest real food conversions for me. Homemade mayo is delicious, but the eggs make me worry about sending it in Little Bear's lunch. My solution has been to make tuna salad with olive oil and a bit of vinegar (plus the typical tuna salad accoutrements). It's ok. But, not great. 

How to make it great... Let's try avocado! {spoiler alert, it was amazing!}

Scoop one avocado into a bowl.

Add a few tablespoons of unrefined olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon or lime, and whatever spices and mix-ins you like in your tuna (today I just did salt, pepper, garlic powder and dill).

Smoosh it all together, making the mixture as smooth as possible.

Add tuna and mix with the avocado mixture while flaking the tuna.

Eat.

Yum!

I measured, but tuna is so dependent on the brand, draining, and type that you'll probably have to play with the proportions to make it just perfect. As a starting point, 1 avocado + 2 tablespoons oil should be good for 2-ish cans of tuna or 4 of the single-serve packets.

Save the Stems & Make Broccoli Slaw!

It's no secret that organic foods are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. I'm usually incredibly frugal and am certainly not easily convinced to spend more money when there are cheaper options. My food and my beauty products are two major exceptions. I invest in my health and the health of my family, even if it means spending more on groceries and body products. In the spirit of frugality, however, I am always looking for ways to stretch my dollar without compromising.

As a great way to get more use out of fresh broccoli (throwing away the stems disposes of over half of what you've paid for!) and to sneak extra veggies into unassuming dishes, I've started grating the stems and stirring them into various meals.

Broccoli stems actually have a killer nutritional profile (check out the full nutrition facts here). They are packed with vitamin C, calcium, protein, folate (important during pregnancy), iron, and tons of other vitamins and minerals. YUM!

Here we go...

Start with fresh broccoli (I realize that these pictures are overkill for such a simple how-to, but I've been working on weaning myself from the automatic settings on my SLR, and broccoli was my food model this week).

Chop off the florets (this is the part we actually like eating).

What was left after the great broccoli massacre of 2013.

Wash the florets and set aside for whatever recipe you're using them in.

Wash the stems. If you will be having broccoli again in the next week or so, you should be able to save these in an air-tight container in the fridge and combine the stems from multiple days to conserve even more time.

Use a cheese grater or a food processor with a grater attachment to grate the stems (the food processor is way faster and easier than the hand grater). I read today that you should peel broccoli stems before using them, but I had no trouble grating them with the stems intact, and I have no desire to add extra, unnecessary steps...

The grated stems can be mixed into almost anything! This time I used them raw in a cold broccoli salad, but I've also stirred them into pasta sauce, stir-fries, garden salads, etc.

Homemade Instant Trail Mix Oatmeal {Not your granny's recipe!}

I think I've been pretty open about my dislike of oatmeal. Sure, it lowers cholesterol... Sure, it is whole grain and is a "real food." Sure, it's high in fiber and low in calories... Sure it boosts your immune system... Sure, it's gluten-free... {someone stop me...}

But, it's OATMEAL. Blech. Just not my cup 'o tea...

However, Little Bear is (for whatever reason) a huge fan.

Since we got rid of our microwave, it's pretty time-consuming to make a bowl of traditional oatmeal. It has to be simmered and whatnot, and I'm just not a morning person. Seriously. At all. Plus, the instant oatmeal packets have tons of refined sugar and artificial flavors, and the 100% oatmeal instant oatmeal is just gross. (read: no oatmeal for LB in the mornings)

Cue the homemade instant oatmeal!

This was a weekend project for Mommy and LB (along with frozen bean burritos and breakfast burritos), and was actually really easy to throw together:

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 3 cups dried fruit
• 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1 cup nuts
• 1 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar

Directions

Toast the oats in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lightly pulse 2 cups of the oats in a food processor (just enough to roughly chop the oats.) Pulse 2 cups of the oats slightly longer, and pulse the remaining two cups into a coarse flour.

Chop the dried fruit, either by hand or in a food processor. You can use anything, but I usually use figs, dates, and apricots. If you use a food processor, throw a handful of the oats in with the fruit to keep it from sticking together in an icky mess.

Toast the nuts until they are fragrant, but be sure not to burn them - maybe 5 minutes (the oils in nuts will make them burn pretty quickly if left unattended). I use pecans, but any nut will work.

If you want, toast the coconut, too. I love the warm toasty flavors in the morning!

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. If you didn't add oats to the food processor with the fruit, you may have to break the fruit bits apart by hand, but the oats should help keep them from sticking once they're mixed together.

Unsweetned, Shredded Coconut

Store in an airtight container.

To serve, mix approximately equal parts oatmeal mix with equal parts hot water (I use my tea kettle to heat it up). Stir and let stand until thickened. Add more water, if needed. I think about 1/3 cup of the oatmeal makes a decent breakfast serving. It's much hardier and filling than the stuff sold in packets!

I have to admit that I actually really like this oatmeal! It's not gooey and is anything but bland. Plus, it's super versatile. Literally every ingredient except the oats can be subbed or eliminated without hurting the recipe!


My best estimate is that it's about $.50 per serving if you go all organic and buy from the bulk section. I wish I had a better price estimate for you, but it's harder to estimate bulk pricing when I buy ingredients for more than one purpose (ex, LB takes dried figs/dates/apricots for snack to school and I use chia in just about everything around here..)

**UPDATE:  I carefully measured out my ingredients from the organic bulk bins and and did the math. Each 1/3 cup serving came out to $.45! The price is just about the same as the Quaker junk, but this is real, wholesome food that will really give you a smart start to your day!**


What flavor combinations will you be trying??

Not Everything Causes Cancer!

I was at Target looking at a new cosmetic line that they are carrying that is supposed to be more natural and pure than conventional brands. I picked up a moisturizer and saw "methylparaben" on the ingredient list. I commented to the product spokeswoman that I was surprised to see a paraben preservative in a line that was advertised to be even somewhat natural with all of the research linking them to cancer. Her response was, "Yeah, but everything causes cancer these days." REALLY?

I am so tired of hearing this excuse for not making healthy choices! NO, not 'everything' causes cancer! YES, most processed, altered, "foreign,"fake foods/products probably are linked to cancer. But, I highly doubt that we'll ever see a study linking quinoa or coconut oil or organic carrots to cancer.

It's very unfortunate that the vast majority of the grocery and health products available do have ingredients that are cancer-linked. But, it's inaccurate to think that it would be impossible to make healthy choices and avoid a good bit of the risk-raising products.

Since so many of our food and health products are filled with GMOs and artificial everything, it's true that a huge majority of the available foods/products are dangerous at some level. The pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides used on conventionally grown crops, and the manmade artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors that are put in so many non-organic, processed foods, and the GMO feed, appalling farming techniques (feeding corn and chicken feces to cattle!), hormones, and antibiotics associated with modern animal production are the real problem.

It's not fair to say that "everything causes cancer" or that "there's a new study everyday saying that a food/product is unsafe." In reality, more accurate statements would be that "everything artificial causes cancer" and that "there's a new study everyday saying that an artificial food/product is unsafe. I'd hardly say that veering away from artificial, refined, and processed food and health products is far from impossible.

When the only goal of conventional food production is to make the most money while spending the least, would you really expect that the products that come out of this industry to be beneficial to your health? It's generally only after newly-invented, manmade products have been on the market for a while that researchers (and consumers) start to notice the harmful side-effects of these products. **Cue the daily reports on which products are unsafe and cancer-causing**

That's my rant for the day/week(?)... What is your take on the topic?

Keeping the Kitchen Stocked

I'm a firm believer that a cook is only as good as her (his) pantry.  The first line of defense against food apathy is your shopping cart.  You are going to eat (and feed your family) what you bring home from the store - it's as simple as that!

I run a solo law practice with a 2-year-old and no hired help - trust me when I say, I understand busy!  Fortunately, eating "for real" does not mean hours in the kitchen or even a meticulously crafted food schedule (because who knows what day you'll come home with literally 15 minutes to throw dinner together?!).  It really comes down to appreciating your food for what it is and making a commitment to keeping it real.

Check out my pantry organizing blog here!

With that being said (or would it be typed?), here's what I always keep on hand in my pantry/refrigerator for emergency meals - rather than typing "organic" 100 times, let's just assume that everything listed is organic/non-GMO):

Canned Goods
I try to stay away from cans as much as possible (they're lined with BPA), but I keep these on hand for emergencies.

• Whole beans (pinto, kidney, garbanzo - whatever you like)
• Canned salmon without bones and skin
• Canned tuna
• Crushed tomatoes
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato paste

Boxed Goods

The keys here are organic and whole-wheat.  

• Whole wheat crackers (Ak-mak is our favorite!)
• Lower-sugar cereal (Little Bear's favorite is CF Fruit O's)
• Chicken, beef & vegetable stocks
• Coconut milk
• Spaghetti-style whole wheat pasta
• Elbow whole wheat pasta
• Rotini whole wheat pasta (love jovial einkorn pasta)
• Wheat-free, whole-grain pasta (love the corn/rice/quinoa/amaranth blends!)

From the Bulk Aisle

Buying in bulk saves tons of money and keeps healthy choices on hand.

• Dried beans (pinto, kidney, navy, etc.)
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat bread crumbs (or homemade)
• Quinoa
• Whole-grain (with the germ) corn grits/polenta
• Oats (whatever type you like, it's mostly all wholegrain)
• Popcorn (for late-night munchies!)
• Whole wheat pastry flour (for making roux)
• Various nuts & seeds
• Raisins
• Chia seeds
• Turbinado sugar

Bottled Ingredients

Find your favorite oils, vinegars & sweeteners and keep them stocked for quick sauces and dressings.

• Unrefined olive oil
• Unrefined coconut oil
• Unrefined sunflower oil (I recently found this really cheap at Walmart!)
• Unrefined, toasted sesame oil
• Raw, local honey
• Organic maple syrup
• Franks red hot (or other hot sauce)
• Balsamic vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Lemon/lime juice
• Non GMO mayo
• Peanut butter

Freezer

Frozen fruit/veggies will usually be cheaper than fresh, and they are healthier than canned.  A quick sauté or broil will pull a side dish together super quickly.

• Frozen mixed veggies
• Frozen diced onions
• Frozen fruits
• Frozen spinach
• Frozen whole wheat ravioli
• Various types and cuts of meat, rewrapped into individual portions

Produce

It's so important to just buy what is locally in-season, but these gems are almost always available organic and tend to be pretty cheap.

• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Onions
• Bananas
• Apples
• Carrots
• Greens
• Pre-peeled garlic (without added preservatives)

Dairy

Adding a touch of cream or cheese to almost any sauce makes the meal instantly seem richer and more thoughtfully prepared.

• Sour cream
• Half & half
• Whole milk (raw or low-temp pasteurized, if you can)
• Cream cheese
• Greek yogurt
• Several cheese choices (freeze what you aren't using right away)

Extras

Keep these little extras on hand to add quick pizzaz to any dish.  Costco has a great selection of organic dried herbs & spices.

• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Dried rosemary
• Smoked paprika
• Onion powder
• Granulated garlic
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Cocoa powder
• Cumin
• Chili powder

Other
Just because it isn't 100% healthy, doesn't mean we don't occasionally need a quick sanity-saver!

• Whole-grain tortilla chips
• Cookies for Mommy (Anna's ginger thins & Late July "Oreos")
• Cookies for Little Bear (Arrowroot Maple Cookies)
• Chocolate bars (dark & milk - yum!)

Am I missing anything?  What are your secret cooking weapons?

Lunch... Ugh.

I hate lunch.  Honestly, I'm guilty of just skipping it entirely sometimes.  It's such a pain!  Breakfast is easy - eggs, toast, waffles, pancakes, etc.  Dinner is fun, and there are tons of options.  But... Lunch... I hate lunch.

I never feel like cooking anything mid-day, I don't eat lunch meat or other processed meats (so bad for you!), and there are only so many pb&j's that I can handle in a week.  Plus, I can never quite get my creative foodie juices flowing in the vast expanse between breakfast and dinner.  Never.  I hate lunch.

Before Little Bear was eating solids, it was easy to just eat a protein bar or skip lunch all together.  But now I am forced to come up with a lunch every. single. day.  I hate lunch.

So... My solution is this post.  I need your help!!!  I've racked my brain and done some searching around, and I've put this (scarse) list together.  I'd love to keep it growing with your ideas.  If they are quick and follow the "unrefined" rules, I'll add them to the list!

Sandwiches

• Egg Salad
• Chicken Salad (with crockpot chicken)
• Peanut Butter & Jelly/Honey/Agave/Fruit Puree
• Grilled Cheese
• Avocado & Mayo
• Tomato on Toast with Mayo
• Whole Wheat Pita Pockets

Tortillas

• Bean, Cheese & Rice (make and freeze ahead of time)
• Cheese Quesadilla
• Leftover Meat (chicken, beef or pork) Quesadilla

Eggs

• Sliced Hardboiled Egg with Frozen Veggies
• Leftovers Frittata (great with brown rice or pasta and cheese)
• Egg Salad with Fruit and/or Veggies

Pasta

• Simple Pasta Salad (whole wheat pasta, mayo, frozen veggies)
• Frozen Whole Wheat Ravioli (cooked) and Marinara Dipping Sauce

Light Eats

• Cheese Sticks/Cubes and Sauteed Zucchini or Squash "Sticks" with Greek Yogurt Dip
• Cottage Cheese with Fruit/Applesauce
• Sushi Rolls
• Veggies/Pita with Dips
• Hummus and Dippers

And, that's it, folks.  That's about it for our lunchtime rotation around here.  Aside from reheated leftovers from last night's dinner, we don't have much lunchtime excitement.  WHICH IS WHY I NEED YOUR IDEAS! I'm literally begging y'all for some better lunch suggestions!  Leave them in the comments, email them to livingunrefined@gmail.com, or come see me on facebook.  I'm waiting :)