Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Hippie Store

Today was shopping day.  So hubby and I, with kids in tow, went and did our errand running.


One of our stops, (and my very, very favorite stop), was at the Whole Foods market.  I looooove that place.  I went for one thing.  Oatmeal.   Not just any oatmeal... steel cut oat groats.  :)  Yes.. it's worth the trip.  Nutty and chewy, they're the best oats you'll ever eat.


Growing up eating packets of sugary instant oatmeal, and finding it delicious... Hahaha... I can only attribute that to a child's (mine) innocence, undeveloped tastes, and lack of knowing what decent oatmeal actually tastes like.  My kids fortunately are not suffering the same fate. 


Since I was around the age of twenty, and having, (at that time), eclectic friends who thought "outside the box", helped me to expand my horizons.   I learned about how other people lived, vegetarianism, being gentler to the Earth, and... foods and grains I'd before thought were only for animals.  I purchased "Diet For A Small Planet", among other books and cookbooks.  I read, I learned, and I listened.  I rented a studio apartment and walked to the organic produce store, and brought home my veggies in an Earth bag long before it was fashionable.  Truth be told, those old "Earth bags" are far sturdier and durable than these silly flimsy things the grocery stores sell for a buck apiece.  The "original" Earth bags are heavy, thick, and have been washed and dried a million times.  And 20-something years later, they're still the best green bags I've got.   Problem is, you can't find them anywhere anymore.  But I digress.


The things I learned made sense to me.  God's world was/is not for us to trash.   This isn't exactly where my "friends" were going with this, but it sure made sense to me.  


Walking into one of the smaller local health food stores, ("hippie stores" is what I fondly call them), I find not quite as overwhelming and foreign as I used to when I started out twenty-something years ago.  I do tire of the looks I (still) sometimes get though.. as I am not rail thin.. far from it actually.   I feel extremely out of place, like the owners and other patrons secretly think that someone like me should be off shoveling pastries into my face at a bakery somewhere... (yes I know I am mental)... thus I am very appreciative when I get someone who's nice, and knowledgeable, and kindly helps me find what I am looking for that particular day.  Better still if they are friendly and chatty.   That always makes my day. :)


At Whole Foods, however, I don't get that weird, "out of place" feeling I usually get at smaller places.  AND I can buy lovely organic grains in bulk.   This store is across town from me, but YES, it is worth it to me to drive all that way for the oatmeal.  Steel cut oat groats.  My favorite "hippie" breakfast.  Even my meat & potatoes hubby and kids devour bowls of it.   It's "da bomb"!!   I've looked online, but really and truly by the time you pay shipping, you come out cheaper buying in bulk at Whole Foods.  


  
Okay, now I know I'm a dork, but today I also got some locally grown raw and unfiltered honey.. to help with allergies.  I've been on a Stevia kick, (trying yet again to shed some pounds), so I had to go check that out too.  Afterwards, my family and I enjoyed checking out the herbal tea isle.  The children and I are the only ones who drink it, but even my husband has noticed that I have significantly less stomach trouble since I've started brewing myself ginger tea every day, (or peppermint).   Herbal tea rocks!!


I guess after all those years of being mercilessly teased, (sometimes lovingly, and sometimes not, depending on who it is), by everyone I know, I was more than a little shocked, when, on the way home, hubby suddenly suggests that he feels we should reduce our gluten.  


WHAT??  REALLY??  


I was so surprised to hear that come out of his mouth!!  (combination of happiness and sheer amusement)   


Naturally, he'd say this right after I just bought a few bags of white flour. Haha.


Wow.  A united front in our family to move towards eating/being healthier, and closer to the Earth.  Something I've wanted a long time... and only "halfway" did myself, but *this* will be all of us.. not just me trying to quietly teach my kids.  Now mind you, I know that this is "big talk" when they're not craving goodies.  So now's the time to plan.   And funniest of all, I converted them with oat groats.  I wish I'd bought it years ago!  


To my knowledge, no one here has any gluten allergies.  But having read the list of possible reactions..  well, maybe gluten affects more than I'd thought.    It's definitely worth trying.   We are all willing to start passing on those processed things..   and replacing them with "good" things.   Change won't be easy.  Rome wasn't built in a day. But I am excited that we are going to start on a journey together of being healthier.  Together.  And this time it's not just about calories or carbs.   It's about 'quality' and nutrition instead of how many calories in an Oreo!   (how inane is that?!)  I am happy for us.  Healthy = GOOD!


 Cup of herbal tea, anyone?  :)


+JMJ+

3 comments:

  1. What a wonderful article Susan! I have to admit I love the taste of oatmeal and a cooked cereal called 'Red River' and it has all sorts of goodies like flax, cracked wheat and grains I don't remember, but I remember that it's good. You sure have a great way of writing that keeps me wanting more. So glad you started a blog! You go girl! Love always, Tam

    ReplyDelete