Today I went grocery shopping for the first time in what seemed like forever. (it was probably close to 10 days since my last trip). For me, going more than a week without grocery shopping is torturous. I LOVE grocery shopping! I could spend all day at the grocery store. I love looking for new products and discovering new fruits and vegetables and deciding what kind of dish I could make with it.

Grocery shopping in NYC is no joke. It is NOT for the tourist, at least not in Whole Foods anyway. The stores are packed with people at all times, you can usually count on at least one of your staple items being out of stock, they have two separate sets of checkout lines (express- less than 10 items, and regular- over 10 items or delivery). Now I know what you're thinking, ALL grocery stores have separate lines for express checkout! I'm telling you, it's not like this, honey. Express is three separate lines and there is a flat screen tv that hangs from the ceiling in the front of the line, with color coded sections for each of the three lines. When it's your turn a number will flash on your color coded section on the screen and you hear, "register 5", or whichever number is available. You get the picture. The regular/delivery line is the same, but at the opposite end if the store, with longer lines, and triple the number of registers. There is no moving belt to put your food items on while you wait your turn, the cashiers have a small counter and you fill it with your items as it gets empty. And the best part is you can have all of your groceries delivered for $5! The downside is there is a 4 hour delivery window.

Since I had so much shopping to do, I thought I would share my purchases with you! A list of a few of my favorite things, if you will. :)

Groceries

-Almond Milk: I bought two different kinds, Whole Foods brand 365 Organic Unsweetened, and Blue Diamond Organic Unsweetened Vanilla. I like the regular unsweetened for things like cereal or soups, and I use the vanilla unsweetened for protein shakes.

-Zico Coconut Water with Dark Chocolate Flavor: I buy this for dessert! It's so, so good, and it literally tastes like chocolate milk without the heavy, full stomach feeling. A couple sips is all I need to satisfy my sweet tooth.

-West Soy Seitan Strips: Seitan (pronounced say-tan), is a vegetarian meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten. It's very easy to make at home, but a little time consuming, which is why I usually buy it pre-made. It's texture is similar to chicken, and you can pretty much flavor it however you like. It's a versatile and delicious food. I normally sautée it or bake it with veggies. Seitan also has an amazing nutrient profile. One 1/3 cup serving has 120 calories, 2 grams of fat, 4 grams carbs, and 21 grams of protein! It's also soy-free, unless it's flavored with soy sauce, like the one I bought.

-Black Beans: Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and contain tons of vitamins and minerals essential for good health, as well as phytonutrients. Black beans also promote colon health. I like to eat them during the day because of their high carb content. I typically add beans to my salads to make them heavier.

-Olives: Olives are rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids which both help to protect you from high cholesterol and heart disease. I love to eat olives as an afternoon snack or while I'm making dinner.

-Sweet Potato: Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene (like carrots) which means they help fight inflammation diseases like arthritis and asthma. They are also extremely high in vitamin C and potassium. I usually just throw one in the oven and eat it plain or slice it into thin rounds, bake, and sprinkle with cinnamon. These potatoes will leave you full without making you crash from low blood sugar an hour later like most other high carb foods. Again, I recommend eating these during the day as opposed to dinner time.

-Larabar:I love Larabars! They literally contain like 3-5 ingredients. They are all raw, all natural and delicious. The sugar content on these bars is high compared to other bars solely because it's base is made from dates and other dried fruits. I don't eat these too often but when I do it's usually a late morning snack.

-Kind Bar: Kind bars are my go-to bar. They are nut-heavy bars, and so for me, they are more filling. My favorite flavors are the Blueberry, Cashew, Vanilla and the Chocolate Peanut Butter plus Protein. I like to eat these towards the end of my workday to sustain me until dinner.

-Onion: Onions are great for adding to any sautéed dish or veggie bake! They are high in fiber, vitamin C and the mineral, Chromium, which assists with blood glucose control.

-All Natural Peanut Butter: Who doesn't love peanut butter??? Actually, I know a few people, and I think it's weird. I could live on peanut butter, well, I can fantasize about living on peanut butter, I'm sure after a few days I would start craving something green. :) I add peanut butter to protein shakes, toast, bananas, celery, and more...I'm sure. Also, your peanut butter should be all natural, meaning the ingredients list should only read PEANUTS. If you want a little salt, you can get the pb with salt, but sugar, oil, high fructose corn syrup, and whatever else they try to add to your peanut butter has no place in there!

-Mushrooms: Mushrooms contain antioxidants and high levels of vitamin E. They are great if you're trying to lose weight because of their high water content--they fill you up without adding calories. I like to add mine to my tofu scramble, warm spinach salads, stir fry, and I also love roasted portobellos with balsamic vinaigrette!

-Chobani 0% Plain Greek Yogurt: Chobani makes a wonderful no fat Greek yogurt that I just recently started eating. I wasn't eating any dairy but I introduced Chobani into my diet because of it's high protein content. 8 ounces has 0 grams of fat and 23 grams of protein! I eat it with blueberries and agave in the morning and I also make a mean dessert! Recipe to come soon!

-Coffee: you all know how I feel about my coffee. If you forgot, check it here.

-Cauliflower: Low in fat and high in vitamin C, cauliflower is a very versatile vegetable. Eat it raw with some hummus, bake it with some olive oil and sea salt, or fake your friends and family out with low-carb mashed potatoescauliflower!

-Tomato: Tomatoes contain lycopene, lycopene is an antioxidant, therefore tomatoes fight cancer! I love tomatoes sliced in a salad, or alone with some balsamic vinaigrette, and I always add them to my tofu scramble.

-WildWood Organics High Protein Super Firm Tofu: Best tofu for my Tofu Scramble, hands down. I usually make the whole block of tofu for my scramble in the beginning of the week and keep it in the refrigerator, then I heat a serving each morning. This tofu has more protein than most other brands of tofu, and the soybeans are sprouted, leaving the digestive enzymes intact, which makes this tofu super easy for your body to digest.

-Grapefruit: I eat grapefruit almost everyday! I love them! The smell alone is amazing. You just have to know how to eat them! First of all, you need a grapefruit spoon. Look hereor here. There are too many wonderful health benefits to eating grapefruits to name, so another day. But trust me, eat it. You'll love it. Just avoid eating the pith. That's what makes it so bitter. If it's still too bitter, sprinkle some stevia or agave on top, not sugar, please.

-Banana: High in potassium, bananas are an awesome food to include in your diet. I like to slice 1/2 a banana in my cereal, or mash it in my oatmeal. I also like to add frozen bananas to my protein shakes, it really thickens them up!

-Asparagus: Asparagus contains a wealth of vitamins and nutrients that are shown to reduce risk of heart disease, birth defects, pain and inflammation, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, plus, it can help decrease chances of developing a urinary tract infection or kidney stones! Either steam or sautée in a little olive oil, squeeze some lemon juice, and devour.

-Blueberries: Blueberries are a super food, full of antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. Their high antioxidant content is what gives them their bright blue hue! I eat blueberries everyday. Either fresh with some yogurt, in my protein pancakes, or mixed with almonds as a mid morning snack. I also add frozen blueberries to my protein shakes.

-Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins with a hint of Sea Salt: Great snack food when you really want something crunchy. I like to eat these with hummus or olive spread, but they are tasty all alone, too!

-Lightlife Organic Tempeh: Tempeh is my go-to vegetarian protein source. I make my Basic Tempeha couple of times during the week, and on occasion I'll make some tempeh bacon! Tempeh is a fermented soy product, high in protein and easy to digest.

-Divina Kalamata Olive Spread: I like this brand of olive spread because it doesn't contain anchovies like most others do. I like to dip my Almond Thins or baby carrots in this yummy spread.

-Whole Foods Olive Hummus: Whole Foods has a variety of hummus flavors but I really like the olive one. I always bring a small tupperware of hummus with me to work with a bag of baby carrots for an afternoon snack.

-Eggology 100% Egg Whites: I just recently started eating egg whites because I found it was a better breakfast option for me when I'm out at restaurants or traveling, etc, rather than trying to find something vegan and going on a carb binge. I use egg whites to make spinach and mushroom omelets or protein pancakes.

-Kale, Spinach, & Mixed Greens: See my post on why you should eat your greens!

-Broccoli: Broccoli contains folic acid, calcium, fiber, and vitamins C and A. Eat it steamed, blanched, or add it to your favorite stir fry!

-Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk'y: Gardein is a company that makes vegan meat substitutes from grains, and they are amazing! I picked up this Stuffed Turk'y flavor today because I was craving a little Thanksgiving flavor, but I love all of their products, and they're quick and easy to prepare.

I hope you enjoyed my grocery list and that I've tempted you to try some new foods! Eat up!

Warmest regards,

Elizabeth