First off, you want to get everything out of your cabinets and shelves and place on the counter or table. Divide into 3 categories:
1. Use every day
2. Use once or twice a month
3. Use once or twice a year
Check the date on every single food – even your spices and herbs. It’s likely that you’ll find some culprits in category 3. Look for “use by/expiration” date on the container .
On items such as soy sauce and spices, let your nose be your judge. Spices and dried herbs should smell strong and pungent.
I’ve divided these into 3 categories: Flours, grains and condiments.
Flours: First off check the “use by date” on your flours. Whole wheat flour has a short shelf life (2-3 months out of the freezer) I recommend storing all flours in the freezer. Swap out white, all-purpose flours (even whole wheat) for delicious gluten-free flours, which are easier to digest for most people and contain loads of healthy vitamins and minerals. (I will show the following flours: Amaranth, Potato, Millet, Oat, and Quinoa Flour.
Grains: White rice has a long shelf life (4-6years) but brown rice has a short shelf life (4-6 months!). I am going to suggest the following healthy swap outs for regular rice. These grains are high in protein and minerals: Quinoa, and Millet.
Condiments: Ketchup and soy sauce can contain a bunch of extra sodium and sugar.
These condiments will not only pack a nutritional punch into your diet, but will dial up the taste-factor too:
Herbamare
A delicious blend of herbs and dried veggies than can replace table salt.
herbamare.us, $9
Gomasio
This is a “salt” made from black sesame seeds, which is sodium-free and very high in antioxidants.
Gomasio, edenfoods.com, $3
Bragg’s Amino Acids
A liquid protein that contains 16 vital Amino acids and imparts a delicious flavor,
Bragg’s Amino Acids, bragg.com, Starting at $3.79
Bragg’s Nutritional yeast
High in B vitamins, use as an alternative to cheese – delicious sprinkled on popcorn, veggies or pasta.
Bragg’s Nutritional Yeast, bragg.com, $6.69
For more from natural lifestyle expert Sophie Uliano go to:
Website: www.gorgeouslygreen.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/GorgeouslyGreen
Twitter: @sophieuliano
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