What I Eat - Day Eighty-Seven

I just finished teaching a cooking class, and I found that people asked about where I picked up various items just as often as they asked about how to cook them.   I decided to give you a run-down on where I shop, and why.  

Freshco:
PRO

• great international selection
• cheap produce
• local produce offered with seasonal discounts

CON

• very little selection
• no humane/organic meat

Parker's Your Independent Grocer:
PRO

• beautiful produce
• very good alternative/health products selection
• large organic selection
• good frozen produce (President's Choice)

CON

• expensive

Sobey's:
PRO

• best alternative/health products selection
• best humane/organic meat selection
• very good produce
• decent organic produce selection
• good frozen produce (Complements)

CON

• expensive (though not as expensive as Parker's)

No Frills 
PRO

• ​cheap produce
• local produce offered with seasonal discounts
• some organic produce
• some alternative/health products
• good frozen produce (President's Choice)

CON

• no organic/humane meat

Bins and Bins has a fantastic selection for specialized diets, though The Bulk Barn works hard at it too.  

Breakfast - Radishes and Toast

If you think you don't like radishes, then you haven't had them fried!  [I prefer avocado oil]  The bread is the Little Northern Bakehouse Seeds and Grains loaf (available at Bins and Bins) .

Lunch - Beans and Rice with Lime-Cilantro Dressing

Dressing:
-3/4 cup of olive oil
-1/3 cup lime juice
-1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
-1/2 cup (packed) roughly chopped cilantro
(you can add chiles or hot sauce)
I mix this dressing in my Magic Bullet before serving, but that isn't necessary. 

I started my rice, and then added chopped red pepper to the top of the pot about 15 minutes before it was done.   I rinsed and drained a can of black beans, and added them to the pot when the rice was done.   Another easy, one-pot meal!  

Dinner - Salmon Pasta

Ingredients:
rice pasta
can of salmon (packed in water), drained
1/2 cup of Daiya mozzarella-style shreds
one package of arugula
one small red onion, minced
1/3 cup of olive oil
one tbsp. dried dill
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
This is another one-pot meal.   Well, one pot and a big bowl.   I prepared the rice noodles by boiling the water first, adding the noodles, bringing the water to a boil again, turning it down just enough so it didn't boil over, and stirring frequently at the beginning of the cooking process and then very infrequently towards the end of the cooking process.   Once the noodles were done, I drained them and dumped them into a bowl with the rest of ingredients.   I stirred it and that's it (and it was delicious)!  

I got a salad dressing bottle that includes the recipes on the side for my birthday. I finally broke it out to make this balsamic vinaigrette, which was delicious!  Even though I know I can do the same thing with a plain old mason jar, it really is more fun in the fancy bottle!