Getting Organized for a LCHF Lifestyle – Part 2, Stocking Up

March 12, 2017 by Shannon Fennell 3 Comments

There was a lot to do and changes to make when I was switching over to a Low Carb High Fat way of life.  And it is a way of life, not a diet.

Aside from getting my blood sugar under control and the weight loss, my other issue of joint pain due to osteoarthritis has disappeared.  My knees used to give out on me every now and then, but no episodes since I cut out high carbohydrate food and sugar.  And my blood pressure is completely normal too.

In these five posts I will tell you how I got my kitchen, and myself, organized to fit my new LCHF lifestyle.

Part 2 – Stocking Up

Once I emptied my cupboards, shelves and canisters it was pretty slim pickings.  So off I went looking for new things to fill them up with and sorting out what was left.

Nuts.  I can eat nuts so I bought all sorts of nuts – almonds, peanuts, cashews, mixed nuts, macadamia, and pecans.  And seeds – sunflower seeds, pumpkins seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds.  I decided I didn’t like pumpkin seeds that much though so gave them away.  I make my own nut cereal with cinnamon and ginger – recipe here.  I also have unsweetened peanut butter and almond butter.

I bought almond flour and coconut flour.  Then added hazelnut flour too.  And psyillium husk powder.  And ground golden flax. After a year of experimenting and trying out recipes I have a few that make decent biscuits, buns, muffins and a dense bread using these.

I use peanut oil, sesame oil and olive oil – I’m good with peanuts as they don’t cause me any problems with my blood sugar.

Pork rinds for a salty crunchy snack. Seaweed snacks – occasionally they make a nice change to wrap egg salad in etc.  And pork, bacon and chicken jerky!

Canned fish packed in oil.  Canned clams, shrimp, and crab.  I also buy fresh and frozen salmon, scallops and other fish, including smoked salmon.

Canned artichoke hearts, olives, sauerkraut, dill pickles, coconut milk, bamboo shoots.  And canned tomatoes which I only use occasionally (these are leftover from the purge – they are past their best before dates so I didn’t pass them along to anyone.)

Mayonnaise and blue cheese salad dressing. As the amount used at any one time isn’t a lot, the sugar content isn’t a problem with the salad dressing. Same with salsa – I buy a jar to use on Mexican dishes – just a tablespoon or so doesn’t cause a problem.

The freezer is stocked with locally raised pork – roasts, chops, steaks, ribs, ham, bacon, sausages.  I’ve got ground bison and lamb, turkey, chicken – whole, breasts, wings.  And wieners, cured meats, etc.  I occasionally buy pate too.  And Spam – yes, SPAM!  I love Spam.  I read the ingredient lists before buying processed meat and only get those that work for me.

Weekly I buy fresh food. 33% cream or higher.  Any kind of cheese that takes my fancy – full fat. I usually have at least nine types of cheese in the fridge!  Right now there is feta, cream cheese, aged cheddar (block), two kinds of mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese, gouda, parmesan, sliced cheddar, marble and Monterey jack.  Eggs – raw and I also buy hard-boiled for convenience.  Butter, plain yoghurt, sour cream

And vegetables, of course – my regulars are mushrooms, spinach, avocados, celery, cucumber, broccolini, cauliflower, green pepper, green onions, zucchini, green salad/lettuce.  And a few times a month, brussel sprouts, leeks, turnips, cabbage, bok choy, asparagus, red pepper and fresh herbs.

I stocked up on spices and started making my own mixes.  I like things a lot spicier than I used to so I’ve bought some I hadn’t used before.  This is a list of spices, mixes, seasonings and ingredients in my pantry at the moment:

Baking powder

Baking soda

Balsamic vinegar

Basil, dried

Bay leaves

Black pepper, ground

Black pepper, whole

Cajun mix

Cardamom, ground

Cayenne pepper

Celery seed

Chicken bouillon powder

Chili powder

Chilies, crushed

Cilantro, dried

Cinnamon sticks

Cinnamon, ground

Cloves, ground

Coriander seed

Cream of tartar

Cumin, ground

Curry powder

Dill, dried

Fennel seed

Fish sauce

Five spice powder

Garam masala

Garlic Blaster mix

Garlic powder

Garlic, diced in oil

Ginger, ground

Ginger, pureed

Greek seasoning

Green chilies, diced

Iodized table salt

Lemon juice

Lemon pepper

Lime juice

Mixed peppercorns, whole

Montreal steak spice

Moroccan spice mix

Mustard, Dijon

Mustard, dry yellow

Mustard, grainy

Mustard, prepared yellow

Nutmeg, ground

Onion flakes, dried

Onion powder

Oregano, dried

Paprika

Pickled ginger

Pink Himalayan salt

Rice vinegar

Rosemary, dried

Sage, dried

Sea salt

Soy sauce

Spicy meat rub mix

Tabasco sauce

Taco spice mix

Thyme, dried

Thyme, ground

Turmeric, ground

White pepper, ground

Worcestershire sauce

I add more as I go or discover recipes that use something I don’t already have.  I’ve added mint to my shopping list for next time.

I’ve become hooked on tea and there are currently 15 different varieties in my cupboard – regular, decaf and herbal.

I was given a Nespresso machine as a Christmas present and am working my way through the starter pack of 16 different types of coffee – and making a list of the ones I prefer so I know what to re-order.

I have some Lindt 85% Cacao chocolate on hand for occasional treats – one square doesn’t cause me any issues so that makes me happy.

My other posts about food

Next: Part 3, Organizing

Go to Part 1