Grocery Listing the Day Away

Some weeks I march into a grocery story with a go-get-'em mindset complete with specific recipes and list in hand. Other weeks lean more lackadaisical, grabbing what's familiar, knowing we can simply sautee or roast our way through the week. While my enjoyment and time management of meal prep waxes and wanes, I'm nevertheless fascinated by grocery stores. It's amazing that so many people from all walks of life enter the same doors day in and day out, making defined choices amidst endless possibilities that direclty impact their pocketbooks, waistlines, and tastebuds! When I'm zig-zagging along my typical path, I try to take the small opportunity and select something new just for fun, be it a different pasta sauce, salsa, granola bar, or cheese.

But when I don't have a specific game plan, I try to abide by two rules -- go heavy on the produce and avoid the snack aisle. Here's what often makes it into our cart:

- Apples (Braeburn)
- Asparagus/Broccoli/Brussels sprouts
- Avocados
- Beets (Trader Joe's)
- Carrots
- Cherry tomatoes
- Onions (sweet or red)
- Nectarines/Peaches/Pears
- Shallots
- Strawberries
- Sweet peppers

- Chicken sausage (Trader Joe's)
- Chicken thighs
- Meatballs
- Salmon
- Salmon burgers (Costco)

- Cannellini beans
- Chickpeas
- Couscous
- Gnocchi
- Jasmine rice
- Tortillas (Surito burrito style)

- Almonds
- Beet crackers (Trader Joe's)
- Crispix/granola
- Goat cheese
- Hummus (garlic or cilantro jalepeno)
- Luna bars (chocolate dipped coconut)
- Peanut butter (Jif)
- Pickles (Vlasic kosher dill spears)

- 2% milk (Lactaid)
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt (coconut or almond butter)

The next time you're at the checkout counter and you hear the beep, think of all the fun you can have on Supermarket Sweep,

-SJW

Listing the Night Away

You don't have to search too long to find a list of Seattle restaurants. Yelp, blogs, magazines, and guide books will be quick to please you. And while I'm no foodie, I do appreciate delicious, mouth-watering, well-prepared meals and bites! So here's another list to add to your list : ) If you find yourself in Seattle, here's where I'd take you!

Favorites
Al Basha (Downtown)
Bongos (Greenlake)
Cafe Turko (Fremont)
Cantina Lena (Downtown)
Citizen (Lower Queen Anne)
Cupcake Royale (Upper Queen Anne)
Delancey (Ballard)
Fat Hen (Ballard)
Five Spot (Upper Queen Anne)
La Marzocco (Lower Queen Anne)
List (Belltown)
Lola (Downtown)
Marination (West Seattle)
Mischou (Pike Place)
Mulleady's (Magnolia)
Oddfellows (Capitol Hill)
Paseo's (Fremont)
Quazi's (Fremont)
Rachel's Ginger Beer (Pike Place)
Serious Pie (SLU)
Uneedaburger (Fremont)
Vio's (Capitol Hill)
Volunteer Park Cafe (Capitol Hill)

Want to Try
Brimmer and Heeltap (Phinney Ridge)
Free Lard (Fremont)
Full Tilt (Multiple locations)
La Champagne (Pike Place)
Pie Bar (Ballard)
Rocket Taco (Capitol Hill)
Westman's Bagel and Coffee (Capitol Hill)

Chefs, bakers, and ice cream makers,

- SJW