I’ll show you mine if you show me yours….

I bet you weren’t thinking refrigerators, were ya.
So…
 As I’ve taken this pledge to feed myself and my family
a healthier menu, I’ve noticed the contents of my fridge have changed some.
 Eating healthier has gotten more expensive,
but the benefits outweigh the cost.
There are many of you out there who know how to shop
for the healthfood bargains…
I’m not one of you.. yet.
First, you’ll notice the ridiculous amount of condiments on the side door there…
I’ve got to get control of that, just sayin.  
And there’s the Maalox, which I hope not to need now that i’ve stopped eating
so much JUNK.  Because I have always eaten JUNK, not just the good stuff,
which I also love.  I was an equal opportunity eater. 
There is now organic whole milk for the manchild,
HINT essence water instead of soda for him too…
Aloe vera juice which I drink mixed with apple juice,
good for the stomach, don’t ya know.
Our chickens give us all those pretty organic eggs…
I’m using olive oil spread instead of butter on most things…
Plenty of fruits and veggies,
ground flax seed, which I ate too much of in the first week of adding it
into my diet and the gastric results were…. gass-tly.
I’m also drinking Almond or Rice milk instead of  cow’s milk lately
and the yogurt is lactose free.
I’ve also cut out most of my gluten intake (wheat) and dairy.
Both are not easily digested and I’m giving my digestive tract some relief.  
Why am I mentioning this?  Well… as I hit my forties
my body started whispering, and sometimes clamoring…
HEY girl… start thinking about what you’re tossing down the hatch, will ya?
I heeded the warning, and I’m feeling better already.
My husband will cringe if he sees this post.. because he’ll notice
the smudges on the butter shelf top right,
and all the condiments not lined up properly. 
Maybe I’ll go fix those just for him.
Because sometimes… RARELY… that’s how I roll.
SO… if you’re so inclined..and I bet I won’t get any of you to do this…
send me a picture ASAP of your fridge, with an explanation .. or not.
Doesn’t have to be health conscious… if you’re a milk, butter,
beer, bratwurst kinda person, that’s OK too!
Kinda makes you feel naked, doesn’t it?
Notice the marinating chicken midshelf?
Awesome recipe below…
Citrus Marinated Roast Chicken
recipe by Fine Cooking Magazine 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 4-lb. whole chickens, each cut into 6 pieces (4 breasts with rib bones, 4 leg-thigh pieces, 4 wings)

4 large lemons

2 large oranges

8 medium cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano (or 1 Tbs. dried, crumbled)

3 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. honey

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the olive oil into a heavy-duty nonreactive roasting pan large enough to accommodate the chicken pieces in one layer. Arrange the chicken in the pan with the breasts in the center and the legs and wings around the edge.
Cut 1 of the lemons into 6 wedges. Finely grate the zest from another lemon to yield 1 tsp. and then squeeze the remaining lemons to yield 2/3 cup juice; transfer the zest and juice to a small bowl. Cut 1 of the oranges into 8 wedges. Finely grate the zest from the remaining orange to yield 1 tsp., and then squeeze the orange to yield 1/2 cup juice; add to the bowl with the lemon juice and zest. Scatter the lemon and orange wedges around the chicken pieces, but don’t put them on top of the chicken or they’ll interfere with browning.

Stir the garlic, oregano, soy sauce, honey, and pepper flakes into the citrus juice. Pour the marinade evenly over the chicken. Cover with plastic and refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Turn the chicken so all the pieces are skin side up. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 375°F and continue to roast until the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and the lemon and orange wedges to a platter. Pour the pan juice into a fat separator and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Discard the excess fat and pour the juice into a 10-inch skillet. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 1-1/2 cups, about 10 minutes.
Serve the chicken with the citrus wedges, passing the reduced pan juice at the table.

21 thoughts on “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours….”

  1. OK ill do it but with small kids there is some fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and french fries!! And don't forget the icecream (sugar free )shh don't ell my 3 year old he doesn't know that part 🙂 the chicken looks great

  2. I am going to try that chicken. It sounds delish.

    My fridge is a little empty because it's shoppping time. But a day at Farmers Market on Saturday filled the drawers with kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, oranges….what else? I have started juicing again so we have lots of produce but no meat. We have been drinking almond milk for a couple years. And we always have dozens of eggs from our hens. Oh yes, and Chardonnay.

    Does your husband have OCD about the fridge? LOL

  3. Your fridge looks great! It's funny, because I showed a little of mine a few days ago but I was not as brave as you! The recipe sounds yummy! If you have a chance to stop by my blog…I made a little announcement today! Hugs! ♥

  4. Holy moosepoops, karen…your frig looks like the Dairy Dept at our local supermarket!!! I'm abstaining from taking a picture of mine until we've gone grocery shopping tomorrow…:)JP

  5. Gosh your fridge is super neat!

    Well done on the health changes….it's worth it in the end….even if the price tag gets bigger…xx

  6. My fridge looks like a wreck on the inside, and why does my husband always push my stuff to the back and pull his forward,,, why, that dirty rat! LOL

  7. Haha – what a cute post. Honestly, it looks pretty good in there. I'm kind of a stickler for an organized fridge, so you find anything horrendous in mine, but I suffer from the schmeary butter door too – don't know why everyone in the family has to muck the thing up.

    🙂
    ButterYum

  8. sending you a photo of our vacation cottage refrigerator just wouldn't be right….so maybe when we get home 🙂

    in regards to the healthy and getting off the maalox….i suggest acidophilus tablets daily. also, small meals 5 times a day instead of 3 main meals is highly recommended.
    after having an upper endoscopy twice in 3 years, i can tell you lots of things to make you feel better. the bad thing is that it's all a test to see what your body likes and what it doesn't.

    alcohol and coffee are a big fat no. chocolate. well i cheat with that 🙂

    but to be maalox and previcid free is such a blessing.
    xo

  9. I WILL NOT show my fridge! Yours looks great and so does the chicken. I just read about, and posted, a way to put veggies in your fridge. Use canning jars — they are visible and pretty, and the veggies are begging you to eat them. Joni

  10. I can totally relate to the condiment shelves being out of control! Every time I look in my fridge I try to ignore those shelves, lol! There's not much in my fridge these days. Hubby & I will be leaving next week to drive him to a job in Idaho *sigh*.

    Good for you for taking control of your eating habits! I believe the saying is true "you are what you eat"!

    I don't have any food sensitivities but I do try to eat wholesome, healthy food.

    BTW, I couldn't help but chuckle at your 'gass-tly' statement!

  11. I'm trying to go light on the salt–went and bought two varieites of Mrs. Dash today! Also plan on using more citrus juices in my cooking and salad dressings-which I mostly make myself. Hearing on the news last week about the high sodium levels in breads, I'm going to drag out the breadmaker and make my oatmeal bread regularly. I really HAVE to get my blood pressure under control, so I'm getting on it! I've wondered for some time if I was gluten or lactose sensitive (my R.N. sister has been wondering the same thing)-we both remember our dad and his mother having the same digestive complaints we are now having! Maybe we are onto something! I would really miss my toast and yogurt though!
    V

  12. My refrigerator, well I'd take a picture, but it might gross some readers out. After all it's 50 lbs of raw deer/pork sausage curing. Wednesday it will be stuffed into casings (thank you antique stuffer) and smoked on Thursday.

    Then there is the brown squirt bottle of Hershey's Chocolate syrup. My day can't start without a shot of it in my cappuccino!

  13. The Olive Oil Spread is actually good…we like it! I have actually sent a pic of the fridge…can't believe it…but I did! You are doing very well with your healthy kick Karen!

  14. I'm so proud of you! Your fridge looks all neat and tidy (won't mention the butter smudges that I hadn't seen if you hadn't mentioned them). And everything so healthy. I need to go shopping first, but when my fridge is filled again, I might send you a photo of it. No promises 😉 And I do love your sense of humour.

  15. Your frig is really beautiful. Mine is horrid. It needs cleaning and there's too many little tubs of leftovers. Ick.

    I love how yours looks. And I am loving the look of this recipe.

  16. Your food choices are bewildering. On the one hand there is organic whole milk, eggs, clementines, and raw probiotics but that's as far as the real food goes. Then you have chocolate milk, processed juice, cream cheese (which is not real), rolls of some kind under-pressure, and condiments with sugar/salt galore. Your body must be so confused and inflamed. BTW that earth balance isn't real food either, better to use real butter sparingly.
    Sorry for the critique but you opened up your frig, brave woman.

  17. Catching up on your fridge posts.

    A photo? Not gonna happen — I think we have the same fridge, but not the same contents or neatness.

    I love ya, but I can't do it!

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