Fill Up Your Produce Drawers

The number one tip I can offer anyone who is trying to incorporate more plant-based foods into their lives is as simple as this:  Fill up your produce drawer!

I know this sounds really easy, but if you are like a lot of folks out there, your produce often goes bad before you use it all.  One way to help eliminate this dillemna is to shop smart, wash and sort produce as soon as you get home, so it is ready at a moments notice.

Here are some great staples to load up on and help you eat more vegetables and fruits.  Find a market you trust where they sell mostly produce.  Buy the following (or pick and choose what you like using this as a suggested guide):

Green or Red Leaf Lettuce

Kale

Spinach

Celery

Leeks

Parsley

Cilantro

Basil

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Carrots

Cucumbers

Jalapenoes

Avocados

Tomatoes

Red and Yellow Onions

Garlic

Ginger

Apples

Oranges

Limes

Lemons

Believe it or not, I got all of this (and then some) for 40 dollars.  You can too and your family and pocketbook will be happier for it.  You might surprise yourself how many more veggies and fruits you will eat.

Okay so you got all this great stuff, now what?!  Thoroughly wash and dry the following and store individually in ziploc bags in your produce drawer:

(For greens and herbs, try putting a folded paper towel in the ziploc for absorbing excess moisture).

Green or Red Leaf Lettuce (Ziploc with paper towel)

Kale (Ziploc with paper towel)

Spinach (Ziploc with paper towel)

Celery (Bag)

Leeks (Bag)

Parsley (Ziploc with paper towel)

Cilantro (Ziploc with paper towel)

Basil (Ziploc with paper towel)

Broccoli (Ziploc)

Carrots (Bag)

Cucumbers (Bag)

Jalapenoes (Bag)

For the following, here is how I like to store these:

Mushrooms (Produce drawer as is)

Avocados (fruit bowl on counter)

Tomatoes (fruit bowl on counter)

Red and Yellow Onions (hanging basket by stove)

Garlic (hanging basket by stove)

Ginger (Produce drawer as is)

Apples (fruit bowl on counter)

Oranges (fruit bowl on counter)

Limes (fruit bowl on counter)

Lemons (fruit bowl on counter)

The number of things you can make with this bounty is limitless.  Just having things like fresh herbs, lettuce, spinach and kale might make your ordinary salad a lot more enticing.  You also have everything you need to make a lovely fresh salsa, rocking guacamole, a cucumber salad, fresh pesto, soup galore and a kick-ass stirfry!  Now that it is all sorted and washed, you really have no excuse.

And sure, you can buy bags of that prewashed stuff, but do you ever notice how fast those go bad!?  Or how expensive they are?!  Invest a little time picking and washing your own, you won't regret it.  Happy eating!!